Ex LNER (and Grand Central) Mark 4 sets for TfW

[Watershed]

They must be really short of train crew at Crewe depot given they are the only ones that sign that route.

Shrewsbury depot also sign that route. As with so many routes shared between different operators, TfW seem to think "there'll be other trains, it'll be OK". Until Avanti can run 3tph to Manchester (they can't do so in the morning, due to the Sunday morning two track railway between Manchester Piccadilly and Slade Lane Jn) that leaves just the hourly Northern stopper.

 

[Jez]

Shrewsbury depot also sign that route. As with so many routes shared between different operators, TfW seem to think "there'll be other trains, it'll be OK". Until Avanti can run 3tph to Manchester (they can't do so in the morning, due to the Sunday morning two track railway between Manchester Piccadilly and Slade Lane Jn) that leaves just the hourly Northern stopper.

Thanks for the reply. I didnt realise Shrewsbury also sign all the way to Manchester.

Yes on twitter they advising passengers that ticket acceptance is available with northern and avanti to get to Crewe.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

All Manchester to Crewe services seem to have been cancelled. They must be really short of train crew at Crewe depot given they are the only ones that sign that route. All services to South Wales seem to be starting at Crewe. And all seem to be either 153s/150s or 158s. I wonder where the 175s are. Usually we see an abundance of sprinters on this route on a Sunday but usually some are 175s too.

No Avanti services this morning from Chester/North Wales either, including what should have been the first Wrexham-Euston Sunday working.
All down to "issues with the train crew".
After early cancellations, some TfW services started at Chester rather than Crewe, and 175s are certainly in use.

 

[Anonymous10]

No Avanti services this morning from Chester/North Wales either, including what should have been the first Wrexham-Euston Sunday working.
All down to "issues with the train crew".
After early cancellations, some TfW services started at Chester rather than Crewe, and 175s are certainly in use.

Ice and snow may be to blame

 

[_toommm_]

No Avanti services this morning from Chester/North Wales either, including what should have been the first Wrexham-Euston Sunday working.
All down to "issues with the train crew".
After early cancellations, some TfW services started at Chester rather than Crewe, and 175s are certainly in use.

There’s been an engineering works overrun this morning to be fair between Chester and Crewe.

 

[Bikeman78]

The only 150s with 5 across seating are the 2 units currently on loan from Northern. In any case, 150s won't be on the Marches for much longer.

That's a brave statement! I reckon they'll be flying up and down to Manchester for another year at least. They still have booked work on the Heart of Wales so Crewe and Shrewsbury will retain traction knowledge, unlike Chester, Llandudno Junction and Holyhead.

 

[sd0733]

Thanks for the reply. I didnt realise Shrewsbury also sign all the way to Manchester.

Yes on twitter they advising passengers that ticket acceptance is available with northern and avanti to get to Crewe.

Only the drivers do, Shrews guards don't sign to Manchester.

It was planned a while ago to use more 15xs on Sundays, this should allow more capacity with the 175s being multiple sets in general trying to add the same capacity as in the week with 4/5 car sets on most trains.

Back to Mk4s, it looks highly unlikely any will be out tomorrow. It looked unlikely before but the people required to be in place have been reassigned to cover normal work. This puts some of the training out the window so puts the introduction on the Manchesters at some risk too next week.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 11 Dec 2022 ==

That's a brave statement! I reckon they'll be flying up and down to Manchester for another year at least. They still have booked work on the Heart of Wales so Crewe and Shrewsbury will retain traction knowledge, unlike Chester, Llandudno Junction and Holyhead.

For the first time in a long while there's a booked 150 on the Marches now on the 05:55 off Crewe Monday-Friday.

 

[craigybagel]

That's a brave statement! I reckon they'll be flying up and down to Manchester for another year at least. They still have booked work on the Heart of Wales so Crewe and Shrewsbury will retain traction knowledge, unlike Chester, Llandudno Junction and Holyhead.

I did say "much longer". I would be hopeful it will be less than a year, it all depends on Bidston really. TfW have wanted them away from the North for years, it's just the delays with the 230s that have messed things up.

 

[Jez]

So basically the missed connections as a result of Milford/Carmarthen-Manchester being split at Cardiff every 2 hours is pointless at the moment as they are all booked 175s (with 150/153s as replacements).

Ive also yet to see many 4 car formations on either the Marches or Cardiff-Swansea. Every time recently I've travelled its been overcrowded and often delayed. Its very disappointing still.

 

[sd0733]

Ive also yet to see many 4 car formations on either the Marches or Cardiff-Swansea. Every time recently I've travelled its been overcrowded and often delayed. Its very disappointing still.

The timetable only began today so you won't have before. There's a few booked 2x175 in the week but until more 197s and Mk4s are introduced the weekdays won't be strengthened overnight.

 

[Jez]

The timetable only began today so you won't have before. There's a few booked 2x175 in the week but until more 197s and Mk4s are introduced the weekdays won't be strengthened overnight.

Sorry i misunderstood. I thought you meant a while ago they started to use extra sprinters on Sundays to free up 175s to double up.

 

[sd0733]

Sorry i misunderstood. I thought you meant a while ago they started to use extra sprinters on Sundays to free up 175s to double up.

There were a few before but more now. Once Swansea-Carmarthen reopens on Sundays it should settle down a little there must be a load of 175s stuck in Carmarthen ready for Monday.

 

[Richard Scott]

The TfW 150s have 2+2 seating. Why does doors at 1/3s make a difference? Are Turbostars not acceptable as “regional express” trains?

Seriously? Nothing to do with the doors but they are noisy, draughty and not particularly comfortable. They are nowhere near close to touching a mark 4 for the passenger environment and comfort.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

The TfW 150s have 2+2 seating. Why does doors at 1/3s make a difference? Are Turbostars not acceptable as “regional express” trains?

In this weather the doors and openable windows are really quite awful, and you notice the doors far more on a 150 as there’s less to shield you.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Any MK4 on Manchester services today?

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Any MK4 on Manchester services today?

There don't even appear to be any Mk4s on Holyhead-Cardiff today.
The early southbound ("Gerald") is a 2-car 175, and the early northbound from Cardiff is booked as a 3-car 175 starting from Chester, because of "a problem at the depot".

 

[JonathanH]

There don't even appear to be any Mk4s on Holyhead-Cardiff today.

No point in using them for one day before the industrial action given the switch between the TfW and GC sets.

 

[SuperLuke2334]

1 Manchester diagram wasn't meant to start until the 19th as mentioned above, but as to the Holyheads I don't know.

 

[185]

Station is busting and the 0930, 1030 and 1130 Manchester - Cardiff...

ALL 2 Car sets

TFW = Two * Wagons

 

[Jamesrob637]

1 Manchester diagram wasn't meant to start until the 19th as mentioned above, but as to the Holyheads I don't know.

One is better than none.

 

[Jez]

Station is busting and the 0930, 1030 and 1130 Manchester - Cardiff...

ALL 2 Car sets

TFW = Two * Wagons

Indeed and according to RTT many of the Manchester-South Wales are 150s and pairs of 153s yet again today.

 

[sd0733]

Indeed and according to RTT many of the Manchester-South Wales are 150s and pairs of 153s yet again today.

They were, very few 175s about and lots of 1st class tickets sold for the Mk4s which haven't been planned to be out for a while. All in all rather a mess to be truthful.
Thursday will be the same, confirmed no 67s out all week. See what next Monday brings.

 

[Jez]

For the first time in a long while there's a booked 150 on the Marches now on the 05:55 off Crewe Monday-Friday.

Do you mean the 0557 from Crewe-Carmarthen and return working to Cardiff is booked for a 150 now?

 

[SuperLuke2334]

Do you mean the 0557 from Crewe-Carmarthen and return working to Cardiff is booked for a 150 now?

Yes. And rest of diagram.

 

[Jez]

Yes. And rest of diagram.

Thanks for confirming. Why is this not booked a 175 there must be enough of them with the 197s and MK4 being introduced?

 

[JakeMurphy]

Any confirmation on the situation for Manchester 67’s from Monday at all? Thanks

 

[sd0733]

Any confirmation on the situation for Manchester 67’s from Monday at all? Thanks

None until 9th January now on the Manchesters even then it only looks like 1 additional set out.

 

[JakeMurphy]

None until 9th December now on the Manchesters even then it only looks like 1 additional set out.

Better than none, any ideas what diagram it’s ok if you don’t

 

[sd0733]

Better than none, any ideas what diagram it’s ok if you don’t

It'll be one of the Crewe starts as HD05 is making its way up from Landore on Thursday after SDO fitting. More likely It'll be the diagram starting with 06:26 off Manchester.

 

[JakeMurphy]

It'll be one of the Crewe starts as HD05 is making its way up from Landore on Thursday after SDO fitting. More likely It'll be the diagram starting with 06:26 off Manchester.

Cheers for that! HD05 back to life