Avanti diversions via the S&C - trip planning & experiences

[Old Yard Dog]

Friends of the Settle-Carlisle Line

Advance Notice The Friends of the Settle Carlisle Line are pleased to report that our railway will again be used for diverted Avanti West Coast passenger services during April 2026. It's great to...

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The West Coast Main Line will be closed for engineering work between Preston and Carlisle on Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 April and then Saturday 11 April through to Sunday 19 April inclusive.

On those dates Avanti West Coast services will be diverted over the Settle & Carlisle, giving passengers an opportunity to enjoy our scenic route.

There will be as many as seventeen trains diverted on the busiest weekdays of that period. It is particularly pleasing to see the rail industry make use of hybrid train technology to reintroduce these diverted services, keeping passengers on trains rather than rail replacement buses.


Further details on the work taking place and the alterations to train services can be found here:
https://www.networkrail.co.uk/.../west-coast-main.../....

Avanti West Coast are running shuttles from Crewe to Carlisle via the S&C over Easter.

Can anybody who has experienced these diversions before say how busy these are likely to be?

I am particularly interested in the 0745 from Crewe on Easter Saturday (4th April). Various websites are showing this as "Reservations compulsory". Are they serious about this?

I believe this will be operated by a class 805 bi-mode. Will this be a single 5-car unit or two 5-car trains hitched together?

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Various website are showing this as "Reservations compulsory". Are they serious about this?

No, Avanti have all of their services with this tag - it is completely unenforced and was set up during COVID to limit capacity.

 

[VT 390]

Avanti West Coast are running shuttles from Crewe to Carlisle via the S&C over Easter.

Can anybody who has experienced these diversions before say how busy these are likely to be?

I am particularly intertested in the 0745 from Crewe on Easter Saturday (4th April). Various website are showing this as "Reservations compulsory". Are they serious about this?

I believe this will be operated by a class 805 bimode. Will this be a single 5-car unit or two 5-car trains hitched together?

From looking at the reservation options for the 07:45 on 4th April it looks like that is planned to be a double set (10 carriages formed of 2 class 805 units), at the moment there are still plenty of seats available.
In January there were a mix of single and double sets on these services, including some single sets which were short formed from the booked 10 carriages.

The services I used in January were very quiet but many services were reported being very busy so it will probably vary depending on the exact service, but I would have thought the easter weekend will be quite busy.

 

[voyagerdude220]

Let's hope that the 805s are much more reliable on this group of diversions compared with January..

 

[_toommm_]

Let's hope that the 805s are much more reliable on this group of diversions compared with January..

With the cold snap gone, it should be better. IIRC last time some the problems last time were frozen waste pipes and engines refusing to start (meaning they didn't want to risk the long slog up to Carlisle)

 

[31160]

I see the 1630 Avanti service from Chester to Preston is no longer showing on RTT, anyone know why? Do we assume they no longer need it

 

[ian1944]

What's the route from Crewe to Blackburn? ECML to Lostock Hall or somehow to Bolton?

 

[VT 390]

What's the route from Crewe to Blackburn? ECML to Lostock Hall or somehow to Bolton?

The upcoming diversions in April will go via the usual West Coast Main Line route (via Warrington and Wigan) to Preston where services will reverse to continue (via Lostock Hall) through Blackburn.

 

[VT 390]

What's the route from Crewe to Blackburn? ECML to Lostock Hall or somehow to Bolton?

In January when Preston was also closed services did not reverse and avoided Preston completely (direct Leyland to Bamber Bridge).

 

[yorkie]

Various websites are showing this as "Reservations compulsory". Are they serious about this?

LNER and Avanti regularly state their services are "reservations compulsory" in the timetable data, but in reality they aren't.

There is no ombudsman, regulator or passenger watchdog who can get companies such as LNER, Avanti etc to behave and stop misleading people. There have been various threads in the past. The "powers that be" don't care.

 

[voyagerdude220]

somehow to Bolton?

There was a spate of diversions via Darwen/Bolton when Virgin still operated the Cross Country franchise. I'm guessing they would have been routed Carlisle-Settle-Blackburn-Darwen-Bolton-Manchester-onwards.

I remember there being a Glasgow to Penzance formed of a double Voyager booked through Blackburn/Darwen area at around 13:30 on Saturday afternoons, which would fit with the usual timetable of a train departing Glasgow for Penzance at around 10:00 ish.

 

[Bahnopa]

I have just organized a day out on 16th April with a circular tour from York to Preston and on to Carlisle via the S and C, and return via Newcastle for a very reasonable £37 with my oldie's railcard. In January I did a similar journey in reverse order. I was amazed to see with both bookings that the cheapest element was the single from Preston to Carlisle. Excellent stuff!

 

[lrbvoyager]

Hi all, with the first weekend of diversions closely approaching I was just wondering if I should expect the same amount of chaos as last time with the number of cancellations. I’m hoping that Avanti would of had the time to look at what went wrong last time to correct for this time…

 

[The Planner]

Hi all, with the first weekend of diversions closely approaching I was just wondering if I should expect the same amount of chaos as last time with the number of cancellations. I’m hoping that Avanti would of had the time to look at what went wrong last time to correct for this time…

Weather will e warmer for a start.

 

[Topological]

Weather will e warmer for a start.

Though there may be some effect from Storm Dave?

Hopefully not, but there does seem to be something about the weather and these diverts.

 

[paul@skegby.org.]

Little help please, looking to book the following,
Friday 17th April
08:54 Dep Preston to Carlisle

It's appearing on Realtime Trains, but I'm finding it hard to book. It's not appearing on Avanti, LNER, or Railforum Tickets.

The same train appears bookable from Crewe (0740) on Avanti

 

[ChilliSauce]

Well, Monday 13th April 2026 and 1T23 10.04 Preston to Carlisle departed Preston just about on-time.

2 x 5 cars.

No seat reservations posted.

Certainly very cold in "J" but then I guess the Hitachi Generators can't provide Heat & Traction Power at the same time...

 

[paul@skegby.org.]

Well, Monday 13th April 2026 and 1T23 10.04 Preston to Carlisle departed Preston just about on-time.

2 x 5 cars.

No seat reservations posted.

Certainly very cold in "J" but then I guess the Hitachi Generators can't provide Heat & Traction Power at the same time...

What is the loading like? Is it busy?
Is there an at seat service?

Was thinking of taking this service on Friday.

 

[ChilliSauce]

What is the loading like? Is it busy?
Is there an at seat service?

Was thinking of taking this service on Friday.

In "J" 1st class just 5 people ..

The only 1st class at seat offered has been to just 2 people who are clearly friends of the TM .. so it seems it's a case of "Not What You Know, How much you have paid, but Who you know" that delivers an Avanti at seat 1st class service

 

[paul@skegby.org.]

In "J" 1st class just 5 people ..

The only 1st class at seat offered has been to just 2 people who are clearly friends of the TM .. so it seems it's a case of "Not What You Know, How much you have paid, but Who you know" that delivers an Avanti at seat 1st class service

Thanks, think I'll go std and buy sandwiches before I board.

 

[ChilliSauce]

Thanks, think I'll go std and buy sandwiches before I board.

A fault free run ... Arrived Carlisle on time .. but no heating in "J" ..

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Apr 2026 ==

Well 1T50 departed Carlisle bound for Preston on time at 14.05


This time "J" (1st class) is properly staffed and offering a full 1st class at seat service..

Hot meals as well .. just hope the Hitachi Generator can cope with the Extra Load of the electric oven.

15.22 Update : Stuck at Garsdale Home Starter ... However the 1st class at seat service continues

After a 24L at Ribblehead after awaiting a train load of logs to be looped at Blea Moor arrived Preston only about 4L.

 

[voyagerdude220]

A fault free run ... Arrived Carlisle on time .. but no heating in "J" ..

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 13 Apr 2026 ==

Well 1T50 departed Carlisle bound for Preston on time at 14.05


This time "J" (1st class) is properly staffed and offering a full 1st class at seat service..

Hot meals as well .. just hope the Hitachi Generator can cope with the Extra Load of the electric oven.

15.22 Update : Stuck at Garsdale Home Starter ... However the 1st class at seat service continues

After a 24L at Ribblehead after awaiting a train load of logs to be looped at Blea Moor arrived Preston only about 4L.

Sounds good! (The First Class service, not the hold up) It's frustrating Avanti seem to be so inconsistent at getting their advertised full First Class service offered on the diversions.

 

[AlterEgo]

`I can report full breakfast service on the 0813 off Carlisle this morning!

 

[voyagerdude220]

`I can report full breakfast service on the 0813 off Carlisle this morning!

Very nice!
That's certainly a positive contrast to the measley hot drink and biscuit other members got offered from the onboard Shop in January's Diversions. (And of course other reports of pax being offered nothing at all!)
Enjoy!

 

[duffield]

Hot dishes from the menu being served on 1T50 1405 Carlisle to Preston yesterday (14/04/2026). I didn't sample the menu as on a status pass I'm not permitted but the other 1st passengers seemed very appreciative and remarked that they enjoyed the pasta. Service was prompt, efficient and friendly, I had lots of coffee, including some in a small pot with a separate milk jug.

1st was quite full, I thought I'd have to face backwards but then realised that the "reserved for companion" seat pair next to the unreserved wheelchair space were not really reserved at all, so I bagged them when no unreserved wheelchair user boarded (non-stop to Preston so I knew no-one would need them along the way!).