When will Euston-Blackpool North trains be starting again?

[38Cto15E]

As per the header, do any forum members know when the Avanti West Coast Trains from London Euston to Blackpool North will be re-starting?
I like travelling on these from Rugby, also with Covid the proposed new rail service which I could have boarded at Nuneaton is frozen until 2021.
TIA

 

[I13]

Next week, albeit via Birmingham and won't be calling at Rugby unfortunately. Will stop at Coventry if that's close enough for you.

 

[38Cto15E]

Thanks for the update, Coventry is accessable but I think the first northbound is not until around 1440hrs.
The 1125 from Rugby was a great train,first stop Warrington, I hope these Avanti Blackpool North services return to their former timings at some stage.

 

[43055]

Thanks for the update, Coventry is accessable but I think the first northbound is not until around 1440hrs.
The 1125 from Rugby was a great train,first stop Warrington, I hope these Avanti Blackpool North services return to their former timings at some stage.

On weekdays the 1442 is the first direct train from Coventry (there is a 0715 from Birmingham New Street) but next Saturday however the is a 0842 and 1042 from Coventry to Blackpool. The timetable starting next week is in place until December.

 

[Huntergreed]

On weekdays the 1442 is the first direct train from Coventry (there is a 0715 from Birmingham New Street) but next Saturday however the is a 0842 and 1042 from Coventry to Blackpool. The timetable starting next week is in place until December.

Slightly disappointing that the Glasgow - Brum Services are still not running until December, is there a reason for this?

 

[route101]

Slightly disappointing that the Glasgow - Brum Services are still not running until December, is there a reason for this?

Im wondering that too, along with TPE to Manchester from Glasgow.

 

[87015]

Slightly disappointing that the Glasgow - Brum Services are still not running until December, is there a reason for this?

Yes, there is open access to squash and a perfect excuse/opportunity to do so

 

[stj]

Could end up like the old days and they get canned or just a token service.

 

[Scotrail314209]

I wonder why they haven't reinstated the Glasgow - Birmingham - Euston, surely this is more busy than Blackpool? Barely anyone used Avanti from Blackpool pre-covid..

 

[Ianno87]

I wonder why they haven't reinstated the Glasgow - Birmingham - Euston, surely this is more busy than Blackpool? Barely anyone used Avanti from Blackpool pre-covid..

I think it's a case of Avanti wanting an hourly service from Brum at least as far as Preston, with two hourly beyond there to Edinburgh. But the timetable means each train would be sitting around at Preston for ages, so it's got time to get to Blackpool or Lancaster and back.

 

[The Planner]

Yes, there is open access to squash and a perfect excuse/opportunity to do so

They won't running anytime soon so I doubt that worries them.

 

[DorkingMain]

Grand Central's open access service is now likely to be one to two timetable changes away (Dec 2020, May 2021).

Also worth noting Grand Union are still actively looking to run Stirling to Euston via Lockerbie and Crewe on the WCML, though the feasibility of that seems to be unclear.

 

[Ianno87]

Yes, there is open access to squash and a perfect excuse/opportunity to do so

They won't running anytime soon so I doubt that worries them.

If anything, Avanti are atarting to bring back passengers ready for Grand Central to start up....

 

[Triumph]

I wonder why they haven't reinstated the Glasgow - Birmingham - Euston, surely this is more busy than Blackpool? Barely anyone used Avanti from Blackpool pre-covid..

All to do with social distancing.
All the voyagers to & from London have to be 10 cars, so there is not enough rolling stock to run the Glasgow-London (via WM) throughout. As the Preston terminators have a 90-minute turnaround it is possible to run a couple of trips to Blackpool.

 

[The Planner]

Grand Central's open access service is now likely to be one to two timetable changes away (Dec 2020, May 2021).

Also worth noting Grand Union are still actively looking to run Stirling to Euston via Lockerbie and Crewe on the WCML, though the feasibility of that seems to be unclear.

GC will appear in some form during the back end of Dec 20, won't be all the paths to start with though I would suspect. Grand Union, well...

 

[route101]

Are any avantis running to Edinburgh? I noticed Edinburgh seems to have TPE services running beyond Preston to Manchester.

 

[Trogladyte]

GC will appear in some form during the back end of Dec 20, won't be all the paths to start with though I would suspect. Grand Union, well...

do you have this confirmed or what’s your source?

 

[The Planner]

do you have this confirmed or what’s your source?

Could all change, but based on what the TOC has told us.

 

[swt_passenger]

GC announced in an April press release that they would only be “restarting preparations” in early 2021. I’d expect that means at least May for timetabled services?

 

[Scotrail314209]

Are any avantis running to Edinburgh? I noticed Edinburgh seems to have TPE services running beyond Preston to Manchester.

From around July they've been running a few services a day from Edinburgh - Preston using single voyagers. They connect quite badly into the Euston via Birmingham as they arrive 1 minute after they depart.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Are any avantis running to Edinburgh? I noticed Edinburgh seems to have TPE services running beyond Preston to Manchester.

They are pretty much back to normal, 2-hourly Edinburgh-Birmingham-Euston, from today.
They alternate with TPE Edinburgh-Preston-Manchester which is also pretty much back to normal.
Glasgow-Birmingham-Euston on Avanti is still cut north of Preston, but the hourly direct Euston services are there, plus a few TPE to Preston.
Preston-Birmingham-London is more or less normal.

 

[route101]

They are pretty much back to normal, 2-hourly Edinburgh-Birmingham-Euston, from today.
They alternate with TPE Edinburgh-Preston-Manchester which is also pretty much back to normal.
Glasgow-Birmingham-Euston on Avanti is still cut north of Preston, but the hourly direct Euston services are there, plus a few TPE to Preston.
Preston-Birmingham-London is more or less normal.

Ah i see, i thought Glasgow would get the mod over Edinburgh for the Avantis as TPE aint running past Preston on most services>

 

[Trogladyte]

Who knows even if GC BPN-EUS is happening.

 

[The Planner]

Who knows even if GC BPN-EUS is happening.

It is.

 

[route101]

It is.

Is it not May 2021

 

[The Planner]

Is it not May 2021

Not necessarily, they may start a skeleton service prior to that.

 

[Trogladyte]

Not necessarily, they may start a skeleton service prior to that.

not sure if you’re an insider with actual knowledge of the plans orjust wildly speculating.

 

[The Planner]

not sure if you’re an insider with actual knowledge of the plans orjust wildly speculating.

too many years on the inside some may say...

 

[Trogladyte]

too many years on the inside some may say...

haha

 

[swt_passenger]

A new thread in the general discussion section reports that the GC service to Blackpool has been binned:

Grand Central cancels plans to run London - Blackpool service

The railway rumour police will probably not like this one but I am hearing the operation is being abandoned and staff who were at Blackpool are being made redundant.... anyone heard any more? Edit - 1852, confirmed, seen an email the union are passing around on WhatsApp.

www.railforums.co.uk