Cross Country Cancellations - Emergency Timetable

[XC victim]

The exact words in various press releases back in July were
"By the end of the temporary timetable, CrossCountry will have more fully-trained drivers able to work across the network and will have reduced its training backlog – providing a more reliable service for customers, with fewer cancellations."

It says fewer cancellations, although that could be anything from 1% less to 99% less

Unfortunately it doesn’t say anything about returning to the full timetable.

I say full timetable, it is still significantly reduced from pre-Covid

 

[duffield]

Unfortunately it doesn’t say anything about returning to the full timetable.

I say full timetable, it is still significantly reduced from pre-Covid

I can see that Cross Country are selling advances for the "restored" services, e.g. for the 0600 Nottingham to Cardiff Central on 11/09/2024.

Not that I would take that as any sort of guarantee that they will actually attempt to run it in the end, but I guess them releasing the advances for sale means it's at least possible!

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Unfortunately it doesn’t say anything about returning to the full timetable.

I say full timetable, it is still significantly reduced from pre-Covid

I’m not sure what the relevance of a timetable which used to run nearly 5 years ago is? That’s not the service the funder (dft) wishes to buy at the moment, like they don’t wish to buy trains to places like Brighton which have run in earlier XC days.

 

[duffield]

I’m not sure what the relevance of a timetable which used to run nearly 5 years ago is? That’s not the service the funder (dft) wishes to buy at the moment, like they don’t wish to buy trains to places like Brighton which have run in earlier XC days.

Before the recent emergency timetable, some of the pre-covid services on the Newcastle to Reading route were supposed to be re-introduced imminently, possibly cut back to York. I think this was contingent on the completion of the transfer of the extra 221s from Avanti. There hasn't been any announcement that I've seen saying this plan has been cancelled. It's true other pre-covid services are unlikely to return but these specific services still seem likely to reappear if Cross Country can just get their staffing sorted and the Avanti transfers are done. Although of course it might be delayed again due to units being taken out of service for the planned refurbs.

 

[XC victim]

I’m not sure what the relevance of a timetable which used to run nearly 5 years ago is? That’s not the service the funder (dft) wishes to buy at the moment, like they don’t wish to buy trains to places like Brighton which have run in earlier XC days.

I was mainly referring to the lack of direct service from the North East / Yorkshire to Oxford/Reading. Currently it is an hour wait at Birmingham New Street.

The services that they did (briefly) reintroduce were not at peak times. And regularly cancelled

This not only significantly reduces journey opportunities. This leaves Birmingham - Oxford and Reading as an hourly service. Removes Doncaster from the CrossCountry network (no direct services between Doncaster & Birmingham) and removes capacity on the Birmingham- Sheffield-York-Newcastle route.

 

[Mugby]

No doubt Ms Haigh will be keeping a keen eye on what XC delivers next month, given the strongly worded letter she sent to them in response to the announcement of the temporary timetable!

 

[Doctor Fegg]

Before the recent emergency timetable, some of the pre-covid services on the Newcastle to Reading route were supposed to be re-introduced imminently, possibly cut back to York. I think this was contingent on the completion of the transfer of the extra 221s from Avanti. There hasn't been any announcement that I've seen saying this plan has been cancelled.

CrossCountry are on the record saying this is now only an “aspiration”:

x.com

x.com

 

[Snow1964]

Before the recent emergency timetable, some of the pre-covid services on the Newcastle to Reading route were supposed to be re-introduced imminently, possibly cut back to York. I think this was contingent on the completion of the transfer of the extra 221s from Avanti. There hasn't been any announcement that I've seen saying this plan has been cancelled. It's true other pre-covid services are unlikely to return but these specific services still seem likely to reappear if Cross Country can just get their staffing sorted and the Avanti transfers are done. Although of course it might be delayed again due to units being taken out of service for the planned refurbs.

This is the XC train service requirements dated a year ago

It is 50 pages with lots of tables of first, last trains and number per day.
No idea how many trains in this are not running, but possibly those looking at a specific route, and comparing it to the Nov 10th onwards timetable, might spot any shortfalls

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/media/662a402a690acb1c0ba7e5ea/xc-trains-23-rail-contract-train-service_requirement.pdf

 

[Goldfish62]

I’m not sure what the relevance of a timetable which used to run nearly 5 years ago is?

It has a huge relevance. It would give half a chance to passengers at Oxford, Banbury and Leamington not to be left behind on a regular basis, like they are all too frequently currently.

 

[8ace]

What kind of service should I expect travelling NUN <-> LEI or PBO <-> LEI on a Sunday? (Coming from London looking to swerve the RRB on the MML)
Much cancellations/overcrowding the norm?

 

[TheBigD]

What kind of service should I expect travelling NUN <-> LEI or PBO <-> LEI on a Sunday? (Coming from London looking to swerve the RRB on the MML)
Much cancellations/overcrowding the norm?

There's not normally cancellations on route the Sunday. All trains booked 3 car 170. The first couple of Leicester to Birmingham services get very busy, along with returns from Birmingham late afternoon/early evening.
Unless there is football/rugby on at Leicester, PBO-LEI is usually busy but not overcrowded.

 

[Bald Rick]

What kind of service should I expect travelling NUN <-> LEI or PBO <-> LEI on a Sunday? (Coming from London looking to swerve the RRB on the MML)
Much cancellations/overcrowding the norm?

The only cancellation last Sunday on the whole line was the last eastbound.

 

[8ace]

There's not normally cancellations on route the Sunday. All trains booked 3 car 170. The first couple of Leicester to Birmingham services get very busy, along with returns from Birmingham late afternoon/early evening.
Unless there is football/rugby on at Leicester, PBO-LEI is usually busy but not overcrowded.

Thanks BigD Am going for the football but if I go via the NUN any standing crush shouldn’t be for too long. At least no stinky khazi voyagers lol

The only cancellation last Sunday on the whole line was the last eastbound.

Sounds promising ta.

 

[GoneSouth]

At least no stinky khazi voyagers lol

They don’t stink any worse than any other trains these days. It is tricky to manage though I guess, 1000 miles into its daily duties the bogs have probably taken a bit of a hammering! Can’t be as bad as a northern 150 that hasn’t seen a cleaner for a week!

 

[OrangeJuice]

Seems XC have pretty much abandoned Southampton this afternoon with majority of services turning at Birmingham or Reading due to shortage of train drivers.
Will make my journey back slightly more interesting

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

Seems XC have pretty much abandoned Southampton this afternoon with majority of services turning at Birmingham or Reading due to shortage of train drivers.
Will make my journey back slightly more interesting

It will all be sorted come the 10th November!

 

[Pieman007]

Seems XC have pretty much abandoned Southampton this afternoon with majority of services turning at Birmingham or Reading due to shortage of train drivers.
Will make my journey back slightly more interesting

Better not do that next weekend........will be heading back from BHI to Cosham

 

[GoneSouth]

Better not do that next weekend........will be heading back from BHI to Cosham

I’d book an Uber now if I were you!

 

[viscountviktor]

Any chance the 22:22 from Birmingham New Street to Leicester can be made any later? This is the last train.

 

[1D54]

It's been like that for donkeys so not sure what you expect.

 

[Jimini]

Seems XC have pretty much abandoned Southampton this afternoon with majority of services turning at Birmingham or Reading due to shortage of train drivers.
Will make my journey back slightly more interesting

Looks like they managed a whole three services south of Reading after midday, with the last Southampton service being the 1951 (that ran just under an hour late).

 

[OrangeJuice]

Looks like they managed a whole three services south of Reading after midday, with the last Southampton service being the 1951 (that ran just under an hour late).

Fortunately because it was so late I was able to make it at reading and save a 40 minute fester for the GWR shuttle

 

[Jimini]

Fortunately because it was so late I was able to make it at reading and save a 40 minute fester for the GWR shuttle

A result of sorts!

Not sure of the ins and outs of the setup (crew issues in rear sets etc.), but based on RTT everything that’s made it south of Reading has been a four carriage service only. That’s pretty bleak.

 

[Mugby]

Have they been arranging any sort of alternative transport to mitigate all of the cancellations?

 

[Jimini]

Have they been arranging any sort of alternative transport to mitigate all of the cancellations?

There appears to be a bus that left Banbury at 2220 / Oxford at 2300. Subsequently departs Reading at 0100 and (stopping at Basingstoke, Winchester and Southampton Airport Parkway) that lands in Southampton Central at 0240. That’s according to the ever reliable National Rail app / website, of course!

 

[viscountviktor]

It's been like that for donkeys so not sure what you expect.

A later departure?

 

[DannyMich2018]

Any chance the 22:22 from Birmingham New Street to Leicester can be made any later? This is the last train.

I asked XC this question a few year's ago and they said they wasn't allowed a later service-maybe engineering requirements? I agree with you as this service can be very busy!

 

[Martin_1981]

I asked XC this question a few year's ago and they said they wasn't allowed a later service-maybe engineering requirements? I agree with you as this service can be very busy!

I remember approx 20 years ago when the last train from Birmingham to Leicester was around 21:30 on weekdays and a Saturday.

 

[viscountviktor]

I asked XC this question a few year's ago and they said they wasn't allowed a later service-maybe engineering requirements? I agree with you as this service can be very busy!

Thanks for the reply - I have asked XC again so will see if answer is still the same! Ridiculous that the last trains between two major cities is so early.

 

[dk1]

I remember approx 20 years ago when the last train from Birmingham to Leicester was around 21:30 on weekdays and a Saturday.

People don’t know they’re born these days