MML Loop service

[Gathursty]

It's possible to have a circular service on the MML via Corby, Melton Mowbray and Leicester and vice versa. It's partially electrified.
Has there ever been a circular service on it?
Would it be worth trialling?
How often should it operate?

 

[43096]

Would it be worth trialling?

No

How often should it operate?

Never.

 

[JonathanH]

It's possible to have a circular service on the MML via Corby, Melton Mowbray and Leicester and vice versa. It's partially electrified.
Has there ever been a circular service on it?
Would it be worth trialling?
How often should it operate?

There are a number of problems with the idea, not at all limited to:
a) Leicester is the only significant destination on your loop and it is served by trains to Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield
b) Circular services are inherently unreliable, or you need somewhere that the train can wait time
c) There isn't an obvious flow of passengers seeking to travel between Corby, Melton Mowbray and Leicester via an indirect route.
d) There is a single line at Syston

There has never been a circular service on this route. There never will be.

 

[swt_passenger]

There are a number of problems with the idea, not at all limited to:
a) Leicester is the only significant destination on your loop and it is served by trains to Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield
b) Circular services are inherently unreliable, or you need somewhere that the train can wait time
c) There isn't an obvious flow of passengers seeking to travel between Corby, Melton Mowbray and Leicester via an indirect route.
d) There is a single line at Syston

There has never been a circular service on this route. There never will be.

also e) which service north of Leicester do you cancel to fit it into St Pancras...

 

[InTheEastMids]

Corby to Leicester will be no slower with a change at Kettering than direct via Melton.
I think Oakham - London is as quick via Peterborough, although I think people do appreciate that there's a direct morning/evening service.

So the only unmet demand would really be Melton/Oakham to Kettering/Bedford/Luton

Finally, there's also an ECS that runs some days from St Pancras to St Pancras via Corby, Melton and Leicester.
My speculative/batty idea is, post-lockdown, to sell that circular ECS as a rail excursion. It'd give people a day out, get them thinking of using the train again, with the bonus of the views from crossing the Welland Viaduct.

 

[JonathanH]

My speculative/batty idea is, post-lockdown, to sell that circular ECS as a rail excursion. It'd give people a day out, get them thinking of using the train again, with the bonus of the views from crossing the Welland Viaduct.

Isn't this sufficient? It doesn't need to be a circular journey - people might appreciate the chance to have a walk around Melton Mowbray and then continue to Leicester on a different service.

1M19 1045 St Pancras International to Melton Mowbray
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/G91155/2021-05-20/detailed

1P54 1314 Melton Mowbray to St Pancras International
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C00079/2021-05-20/detailed

Do you think people will see this as a special train to 'get them thinking of using the train again'? I imagine it will be quite poorly loaded despite the attractions of the viaduct.

 

[InTheEastMids]

Isn't this sufficient? It doesn't need to be a circular journey - people might appreciate the chance to have a walk around Melton Mowbray and then continue to Leicester on a different service.

1M19 1045 St Pancras International to Melton Mowbray
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/G91155/2021-05-20/detailed

1P54 1314 Melton Mowbray to St Pancras International
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C00079/2021-05-20/detailed

Do you think people will see this as a special train to 'get them thinking of using the train again'? I imagine it will be quite poorly loaded despite the attractions of the viaduct.

I said it was a batty idea
I haven't gone through the detail of RTT, but it could be that those service trains replace the ECS from May?
The 1M19 then goes ECS to Syston as 5M19, reverses back to Melton Mowbray to form the southbound service.

My experience of Melton Mowbray suggests that stopping briefly to load a trolley full of pork pies onto the train is the optimum solution