Chester-Liverpool quarter hourly

[northwichcat]

If you did, you could wire Crewe - Chester - Holyhead, Manchester to Earlstown, Warrington to Chester & Llandudno Junction - Llandudno (forget Blaenau Ffestiniog). Chop the majority of the Cardiff services back to Chester, and you have a pretty good set of electric routes, plus an additional wired route from Manchester to London (e.g. if the Stockport route is blocked). Half hourly from Chester to Manchester/ Crewe/ Llandudno Junction, so good connections all round. Everyone's a winner.

You mention an alternative electric route but need to look at the bigger picture.

One already exists if Stockport is blocked (via Burnage) which still allows trains to call at Wilmslow and if is Wilmslow that's blocked then there's the obvious Macclesfield route.

In the event of engineering works Voyagers between Chester and London are sent to Sandbach, Middlewich branch, Greenbank then to Chester. Would these be electrified as well? If not would Virgin be happy switching to EMUs if it means they'll have to run more replacement bus services?

Likewise the alternative route for Manchester-North Wales is via Altrincham.

Relating to your Cardiff to Holyhead spilting up - which would anger the Welsh Assembly - why not an EMU service from Holyhead-Crewe-Birmingham?

 

[MCR247]

What about Cardiff trains?

 

[northwichcat]

What about Cardiff trains?

Why not re-instate the Halton curve to be bi-directional and have hourly Liverpool-Runcorn-Chester-Wrexham services with alternate ones running to Cardiff?

 

[robert2000]

is there plenty of timing in the tunnels, bearing in mind the brighton and west kirby services.
Build a 2nd loop, thats a very optimistic idea by me.

The ellesmere Port service could terminate at Hooton?

 

[ukrob]

is there plenty of timing in the tunnels, bearing in mind the brighton and west kirby services.
Build a 2nd loop, thats a very optimistic idea by me.

The ellesmere Port service could terminate at Hooton?

The loop currently is at less than half the capacity it was designed and is currently signalled for. I think you mean New Brighton

 

[robert2000]

yes you know what i meant, lol

 

[4SRKT]

There are currently only 12 trains an hour round the loop, which is on average 5 minutes headway. It must be possible to get a train down every 2 minutes or even 90 seconds, so capacity wise there's no problem at all.

 

[The Planner]

The loop is planned on 2 minute headways.

 

[merlodlliw]

Anyhow back to the subject, Charlie Hulme as put a link to the application
on his web site, here it is with his comments. Marked track access.


http://www.nwrail.org.uk/nwnews.htm


for info

 

[northwichcat]

The loop currently is at less than half the capacity it was designed and is currently signalled for. I think you mean New Brighton

In the morning peak there's currently extra trains between Chester and Liverpool Central and in the evening between Moorfields and Chester so there is provision for 15 minute services to Chester all day on the Loop alongside existing services, it's maintainence schedules that will have to be adjusted.

Imagine a Liverpool-Brighton service with no toilet.

 

[merlodlliw]

In the morning peak there's currently extra trains between Chester and Liverpool Central and in the evening between Moorfields and Chester so there is provision for 15 minute services to Chester all day on the Loop alongside existing services, it's maintainence schedules that will have to be adjusted.

Imagine a Liverpool-Brighton service with no toilet.

Correct about the extra peak trains, been running for years to my recollection

 

[mickey]

Virgin aren't that keen on using diesel hauled Pendolinos as it means you need a driver to sit in the Pendolino while another one drives the train using the diesel loco, so it's a bit wasteful with resources.

Why do they have to do this?

 

[First class]

I'd like to point out that the Chester 4tph is not an all day thing.

Monday-Friday BHX

2tph will run between LVC and CTR before 0630.
4tph will run between LVC and CTR between 0630 and 1830.
2tph will run between LVC and CTR after 1830.

Saturday

2tph will run before 0830.
4tph will run 0830 to 1830
2tph will run after 1830

Sunday

2tph all day

These times are fairly accurate, but approximate due to timetable changes.

The extra peak trains will be withdrawn.

I would also imagine that most services will be formed of 3-cars due to more stock being utilized on the enhanced frequency timetable.

The Ellesmere Port branch remains the same, although like most other Wirral services, the times will change.

 

[ukrob]

I'd like to point out that the Chester 4tph is not an all day thing.

We know... it was mentioned in the very first post...