Sunday diagrams Manchester - Cardiff

[Unstoppable]

Hi all, does anyone have diagrams for Sundays between Manchester - Cardiff and vice versa for the Sprinter units?

 

[sonic2009]

You should be able to see what's operating on TFW services now on RealTimeTrains, i suspect the allocations come out early mornings.

 

[Jez]

Usually the 1330 and 1430 departures from Manchester on a Sunday are Sprinters - usually a combination of 150 and/or 153s. I think the 1430 is usually booked for a 150 and (I think) 3 x 153 as it splits at Whitland with the 150 going to Milford and at least 1 x 153 to Pembroke Dock.

There are a few booked for 158s on a Sunday too.

 

[sd0733]

In a normal week with no work the 1330 from Picadilly is booked a 150+158, 1430 is 150+153+153+153, 2030 is 150+150 and the 2235 a 158.

 

[Parallel]

1430 is 150+153+153+153

I wonder if it's rare for this to actually run in full formation - The times I've seen/travelled on this service (within recent times), it's always thrown up something else, i.e. a single 150 or 150+153, even once a 2-car 175 and the system was still announcing the train would split at Whitland!

 

[sd0733]

I wonder if it's rare for this to actually run in full formation - The times I've seen/travelled on this service (within recent times), it's always thrown up something else, i.e. a single 150 or 150+153, even once a 2-car 175 and the system was still announcing the train would split at Whitland!

The 153s are added at Crewe on the way up to Manchester so if nothing got there the night before, they arent added and generally are swapped in/added at Cardiff on the way back.
Since it was changed to adding at Crewe it does seem a little.more consistent for it although its still quite often missing 1 153.

 

[Jim]

You should be able to see what's operating on TFW services now on RealTimeTrains, i suspect the allocations come out early mornings.

TfW mainline allocations out of Canton I find are some of the latest ones to be done.

 

[sd0733]

TfW mainline allocations out of Canton I find are some of the latest ones to be done.

Always have been on Genius. Some are normally well en-route before allocations get added for the Canton starters.

 

[Envoy]

Why are such low grade trains more likely to be used on this long distance route on weekends?

 

[PHILIPE]

Why are such low grade trains more likely to be used on this long distance route on weekends?

Because all the 175s are not in the right place at the right time. It depends where they finish up Saturday night.

 

[Jim]

Why are such low grade trains more likely to be used on this long distance route on weekends?

I suspect capacity and unit use wise, you probably need more on a Sunday afternoon/evening than a weekday now? Be interested to know what the diagram amounts are daily. For example, GWR West used to have more 165 diagrams on a Saturday than a weekday at one point.

 

[craigybagel]

I suspect capacity and unit use wise, you probably need more on a Sunday afternoon/evening than a weekday now? Be interested to know what the diagram amounts are daily. For example, GWR West used to have more 165 diagrams on a Saturday than a weekday at one point.

This has been going on for years - as Philippe says it's more down to 175 availability than anything else.

Also worth pointing out that outside of Covid a 158 is booked to stable overnight at Piccadilly and get attached to one of the afternoon departures (at various timetables it's been either the 1330 or 1430).

 

[Envoy]

This has been going on for years - as Philippe says it's more down to 175 availability than anything else.

Also worth pointing out that outside of Covid a 158 is booked to stable overnight at Piccadilly and get attached to one of the afternoon departures (at various timetables it's been either the 1330 or 1430).

May thanks for the response - along with Philipe. All seems very odd to me - how 175’s can be available on weekdays but less so on weekends. Anyway, I will have to accept your knowledgeable answer regarding this matter.

 

[PHILIPE]

May thanks for the response - along with Philipe. All seems very odd to me - how 175’s can be available on weekdays but less so on weekends. Anyway, I will have to accept your knowledgeable answer regarding this matter.

There is a different service on a Sunday which requires more to start from the south than on a weekday. Whereas it is possible to move units round on a week night this is limited on a Saturday night because routes are closed by Network Rail to allow for work to be carried out.
Also on a Sunday the balance of trains is different with trains from Manchester not coming down as early to be in a position to work back.

 

[Watershed]

May thanks for the response - along with Philipe. All seems very odd to me - how 175’s can be available on weekdays but less so on weekends. Anyway, I will have to accept your knowledgeable answer regarding this matter.

Aside from the positioning of units being different on a Sunday morning as compared to any other day of the week, many fleets have more units allocated to maintenance/exam on a weekend (or a Sunday) compared to weekdays.

 

[Unstoppable]

Thanks to everyone who has contributed to this post. It is much appreciated

 

[Envoy]

Yes, many thanks for the more detailed explanations. The new fleets can’t come soon enough.

Many thanks for the more detailed explanations. The new stock can’t come soon enough.

It is good to see that realtimetrains.co.uk now usually shows what stock is running which service. Several 150 Sprinters out again today (Sunday) doing the long distance west Wales > Manchester route.

 

[sonic2009]

I did note today, that the 1329 Crewe - Manchester Piccadilly was a 150+153+150.

 

[Parallel]

I did note today, that the 1329 Crewe - Manchester Piccadilly was a 150+153+150.

14:30 being shown as:

150 + 153 + 150 Manchester - Shrewsbury
150 + 150 Shrewsbury - Swansea
150 + 150 + 150 Swansea to Carmarthen
150 + 150 Carmarthen to Whitland
150 Whitland to Milford Haven
150 Whitland to Pembroke Dock

Sounds eventful

 

[PHILIPE]

14:30 being shown as:

150 + 153 + 150 Manchester - Shrewsbury
150 + 150 Shrewsbury - Swansea
150 + 150 + 150 Swansea to Carmarthen
150 + 150 Carmarthen to Whitland
150 Whitland to Milford Haven
150 Whitland to Pembroke Dock

Sounds eventful

Out of all those combinations only 150253 worked throughout up to the Pembroke Dock portion

 

[craigybagel]

14:30 being shown as:

150 + 153 + 150 Manchester - Shrewsbury
150 + 150 Shrewsbury - Swansea
150 + 150 + 150 Swansea to Carmarthen
150 + 150 Carmarthen to Whitland
150 Whitland to Milford Haven
150 Whitland to Pembroke Dock

Sounds eventful

The extra 150 between Swansea and Carmarthen didn't happen in the end.

Out of all those combinations only 150253 worked throughout up to the Pembroke Dock portion

Indeed, strictly speaking there wasn't a single unit that actually made it all the way from Manchester to Milford, and any through passengers would have had to have changed units at some point. However this is unlikely to have been an issue; the number of passengers going all the way is usually close to zero.