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

[Sheridan]

13:30 from Crewe to Manchester was a 156 + 150. That is for my part of the journey but poor for the passengers that started in Wales or Marches. I am surprised they are still that desperate with the first 197s in service on North Wales main line.

I don’t think any 197s are running on Sundays yet, so the issues are the same. Not sure what that’s got to do with this thread though?

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

13:30 from Crewe to Manchester was a 156 + 150. That is for my part of the journey but poor for the passengers that started in Wales or Marches. I am surprised they are still that desperate with the first 197s in service on North Wales main line.

It was 150 + Double 153, not ideal but a four carriage Sprinter is an upgrade on a few months ago when it would have been a two carriage Sprinter.

 

[Anonymous10]

It was 150 + Double 153, not ideal but a four carriage Sprinter is an upgrade on a few months ago when it would have been a two carriage Sprinter.

There was 2 diagrams like that it's not uncommon on Sundays as the Manchester to milford Haven service divides at Whitland to Pembroke dock its usually 150+153+153 or occasionally 150+150

 

[SuperLuke2334]

I don’t think any 197s are running on Sundays yet, so the issues are the same. Not sure what that’s got to do with this thread though?

197s are running on Sundays, but Mk4 sets will not run on Sundays. There are lots of booked sprinter diagrams on Sundays to rotate sprinters for North Wales and to enable maintenance and slack in the 175 fleet.

 

[Sheridan]

197s are running on Sundays, but Mk4 sets will not run on Sundays. There are lots of booked sprinter diagrams on Sundays to rotate sprinters for North Wales and to enable maintenance and slack in the 175 fleet.

Thanks for the correction, not sure why I thought they weren’t!

 

[anthony263]

1st mark4l rakes supposed to be on the Cardiff to Manchester piccadilly Tommorow. 1855 Cardiff to Manchester supposed to be one

 

[GWVillager]

13:30 from Crewe to Manchester was a 156 + 150. That is for my part of the journey but poor for the passengers that started in Wales or Marches. I am surprised they are still that desperate with the first 197s in service on North Wales main line.

A 156? Do you mean the pair of 153s?

 

[sd0733]

1st mark4l rakes supposed to be on the Cardiff to Manchester piccadilly Tommorow. 1855 Cardiff to Manchester supposed to be one

See post #1788 with the diagrams.

1st one of Manchester booked to be 0627 Manchester to Cardiff

1st one off Cardiff
10:52 Cardiff to Manchester

Provisionally looks like it'll be a 6 day a week service right from.the start with 2 diagrams out on Saturday too with one of the
Saturday diagrams visiting Swansea

 

[craigybagel]

As I've said before, at the moment neither the MKIVs nor the 197s have really been able to cascade more capacity to other services - the new timetable to allow the MKIVs to turn at Cardiff requires an extra diagram on Manchester - South Wales services, and there's a few 175s out of service as well, so at the moment the extra sets are just getting levels back to where they should be. It'll be a little while longer before we start to see the benefits of the new fleets.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

1st one off Manchester booked to be 0627 Manchester to Cardiff

The Marches schools traffic to Hereford will be in for a nice surprise tomorrow...
Restaurant in 1st class too (according to RTT).

 

[sd0733]

The Marches schools traffic to Hereford will be in for a nice surprise tomorrow...
Restaurant in 1st class too (according to RTT).

Certainly will! Should be two sets following each other Shrewsbury to Cardiff with the one from Holyhead too.

Little optimistic that!! There will be catering but I believe only from Shrewsbury on that one to start with.

 

[Jez]

See post #1788 with the diagrams.

1st one of Manchester booked to be 0627 Manchester to Cardiff

1st one off Cardiff
10:52 Cardiff to Manchester

Provisionally looks like it'll be a 6 day a week service right from.the start with 2 diagrams out on Saturday too with one of the
Saturday diagrams visiting Swansea

Which Swansea service on a Saturday will be a MK4?

Regarding the 4 car formation on the 1330 Manchester-South Wales, I'm sure one on a Sunday last Summer (1430 if i remember correctly) was booked for 5 carriages and was usually formed of a pair of 150s and a 153. One of the 150s was taken off in Cardiff, then the remaining 150/153 split at Whitland with the 153 going to Pembroke Dock and the 150 going to Milford. A good way of getting sets where they need to be for Monday morning.

 

[sd0733]

Which Swansea service on a Saturday will be a MK4?

Potentially 05:30 Swansea to Manchester but not a guarantee yet for this week.

 

[Jez]

Potentially 05:30 Swansea to Manchester but not a guarantee yet for this week.

Thanks for the reply. I am considering trying out a MK4 this week and it would be easier for me to get one from Swansea rather than Cardiff. But will wait and see what happens. If it is 0530 I will probably just go to Cardiff!

 

[Wizard51]

The Marches schools traffic to Hereford will be in for a nice surprise tomorrow...
Restaurant in 1st class too (according to RTT).

Haha I have been having a chat with one of these promising them more than 2 cars

 

[SuperLuke2334]

The Marches schools traffic to Hereford will be in for a nice surprise tomorrow...
Restaurant in 1st class too (according to RTT).

Oh absolutely, massive benefits. Just a shame there's only 2 exit barriers at Hereford as it takes the staff between 5 and 10 minutes to clear everyone!

 

[_toommm_]

Looks like the following departures from Manchester Piccadilly are allocated a MK4 set for today:

1V33 - 06:33 to Cardiff
1V46 - 14:30 to Cardiff

Coming back from Cardiff:
1W57 - 10:52 to Manchester
1W65 - 18:55 to Manchester

 

[sd0733]

All set and ready to go.
67029+HD06 booked 1V91 1W57 1V46 1W65
67013+HD05 booked 1V33 1W93 1V98
67025+HD01 booked 1W91 1V96 1W96

HD04 had a door fault so standby HD05 taking its place.

 

[midland1]

Just seen 1V33 67013 on railcam at Crewe

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

With 1V33 being 10 minutes late at Shrewsbury, it is going to impede on-time 1V91 through the Marches with its extra stops.
You wait weeks for an LHCS and then two arrive at once...

Edit: And they were both duly nearly 30 minutes late into Cardiff.
Evidently no thought of regulating them at Hereford.
1W57 back to Manchester has started 10 down.

Edit 2:
The Manchester Mk4 set continued its 20 minute deficit into Manchester and now 15 late back to Crewe.
Being unable to use the MU differentials (mostly 90 v 70) between Crewe and Onibury doesn't help timekeeping.

Edits 3:
Another oddity about the Manchester diagram is that it finishes at Manchester Piccadilly at 2222 in P14, and continues ECS to Crewe via Earlestown.
The early morning ECS is via Wilmslow.

 

[GWVillager]

This is very exciting - I’d be interested to hear some views of the ordinary travelling public on the “new” trains.

 

[Bob Price]

All running late, loosing minutes here and there and ending up to half an hour late at destination. Let's hope this is teething troubles.

 

[jfollows]

All running late, loosing minutes here and there and ending up to half an hour late at destination. Let's hope this is teething troubles.

This pretty much describes the standard service on the route over the last ten or more years, though.

 

[berneyarms]

All running late, loosing minutes here and there and ending up to half an hour late at destination. Let's hope this is teething troubles.

The 0533 ex-Holyhead is only running late because it’s directly behind the late running service from Manchester.

It can’t overtake it!

 

[craigybagel]

Evidently no thought of regulating them at Hereford.
1W57 back to Manchester has started 10 down.

If they'd regulated them at Hereford, 1W57 would have still left Cardiff late, potentially even later, as you'd be cutting into the required break times at Cardiff for the traincrew.

All running late, loosing minutes here and there and ending up to half an hour late at destination. Let's hope this is teething troubles.

Not too surprising. Lots of new things to do for all the traincrew and station staff involved, and it's not a train you can rush things with. Give it time and it'll get better.

 

[D.K.TAYLOR]

Had 67029 Into Manchester this afternoon 14 late into Wilmslow still training with the door controls.
Catering staff on board nice comfy seats worth a go

 

[sd0733]

Had 67029 Into Manchester this afternoon 14 late into Wilmslow still training with the door controls.
Catering staff on board nice comfy seats worth a go

Still a few guards who never got on the SDO course having to do their training on the new door panels.
Time keeping will improve with confidence and familiarity, massive change for crews from 2 and 3 car 175s to LHCS sets

 

[william.martin]

With 1V33 being 10 minutes late at Shrewsbury, it is going to impede on-time 1V91 through the Marches with its extra stops.
You wait weeks for an LHCS and then two arrive at once...

Edit: And they were both duly nearly 30 minutes late into Cardiff.
Evidently no thought of regulating them at Hereford.
1W57 back to Manchester has started 10 down.

Edit 2:
The Manchester Mk4 set continued its 20 minute deficit into Manchester and now 15 late back to Crewe.
Being unable to use the MU differentials (mostly 90 v 70) between Crewe and Onibury doesn't help timekeeping.

Edits 3:
Another oddity about the Manchester diagram is that it finishes at Manchester Piccadilly at 2222 in P14, and continues ECS to Crewe via Earlestown.
The early morning ECS is via Wilmslow.

All running late, loosing minutes here and there and ending up to half an hour late at destination. Let's hope this is teething troubles.

This pretty much describes the standard service on the route over the last ten or more years, though.

The 0533 ex-Holyhead is only running late because it’s directly behind the late running service from Manchester.

It can’t overtake it!

If they'd regulated them at Hereford, 1W57 would have still left Cardiff late, potentially even later, as you'd be cutting into the required break times at Cardiff for the traincrew.

Not too surprising. Lots of new things to do for all the traincrew and station staff involved, and it's not a train you can rush things with. Give it time and it'll get better.

Had 67029 Into Manchester this afternoon 14 late into Wilmslow still training with the door controls.
Catering staff on board nice comfy seats worth a go

I would eat my hat if I could find a time when a certain class entered service/ line opened and didn't have a single fault.

Training is all well and good however there are somethings that just requires shear experience to learn.
As the train crew settle in over the coming weeks and TFW troubleshoot all of the issues you will find that services gradually become more reliable.

 

[Kite159]

.

Edits 3:
Another oddity about the Manchester diagram is that it finishes at Manchester Piccadilly at 2222 in P14, and continues ECS to Crewe via Earlestown.

I noticed that, means the train before hand (21:XX arrival into Piccadilly) needs to be a pair of units as it splits at Piccadilly to form both the 21:30 & 22:30 services. Which tonight seems didn't happen with the 21:30 cancelled.

I presume the ECS goes via Warrington to get route knowledge (especially for Warrington - Crewe) in case they need to get sent that way (instead of TfW throwing in the towel and terminating at Crewe as what normally happens when the line towards Stockport is closed).

Did GC get round to fitting plug sockets in the buffet coach or is that a socket free zone?

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

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.

That's not good if First Class tickets were sold despite the Mark 4's not being planned out for a while!