Constant TfW overcrowding in West Midlands (telford, wolvehampton)

[hkstudent]

Travelled on the Birmingham to Shrewsbury and Dovey Junction services on multiple occasions last month, and often the case is the train is rammed to Wolvehampton and Telford with no standing space available.

While for Birmingham bound, it often overloaded with luggages starting at Newton and then emptied at Shrewsbury, and then overarmed with luggage and standees after Telford.

I am thinking of whether TfW is wrongly using low density fleet to serve the connections, or just be a wrong planning to serve the busiest corridor of Telford / Wolvehampton to Birmingham on fast, while other longer formed trains like WMT or Avanti are running slower.

 

[amahy]

This has been a huge issue for years. Frequent short forming on Transport for Wales (and previously Arriva Trains Wales) of services that should be 4 or 6 coaches down to 2.

I have long been an advocate for Wolverhampton being a pick-up only stop going north, and set-down only going south, to avoid West Midlands commuters taking up space of long distance passengers which have a much poorer service.

 

[hkstudent]

This has been a huge issue for years. Frequent short forming on Transport for Wales (and previously Arriva Trains Wales) of services that should be 4 or 6 coaches down to 2.

I have long been an advocate for Wolverhampton being a pick-up only stop going north, and set-down only going south, to avoid West Midlands commuters taking up space of long distance passengers which have a much poorer service.

I suspect a better solution would probably be, trying to time a Avanti service before the TfW services, which the 9 or 11 car train would be able to take all of them.

 

[Meole]

I suspect a better solution would probably be, trying to time a Avanti service before the TfW services, which the 9 or 11 car train would be able to take all of them.

Avanti is not intended to be for that commuter journey though

 

[amahy]

I suspect a better solution would probably be, trying to time a Avanti service before the TfW services, which the 9 or 11 car train would be able to take all of them.

As the above poster said, these trains are designed for people travelling between London, the West Midlands, the North West, and Scotland. The best solution is that all TfW services are at least 4 coaches!

 

[hkstudent]

As the above poster said, these trains are designed for people travelling between London, the West Midlands, the North West, and Scotland. The best solution is that all TfW services are at least 4 coaches!

That would also be a problem, as the train would run quite empty beyond Shrewsbury.

Tbf, last Saturday i travelled with a 6 car train from Mach to the east , the train is still packed after Wolvehampton

 

[Krokodil]

That would also be a problem, as the train would run quite empty beyond Shrewsbury.

Only on here is a train having a bit of spare capacity ('empty' my foot!) considered "a problem".

 

[Andy Pacer]

That would also be a problem, as the train would run quite empty beyond Shrewsbury.

Always the option to drop 2 coaches at Shrewsbury as it heads to the coast and use those to strengthen the next Birmingham.

 

[SalopBuses]

I know this is an old thread but I travel Birmingham - Telford frequently and it is always dreadful.

 

[jusj]

I know this is an old thread but I travel Birmingham - Telford frequently and it is always dreadful.

What times are the worst im going from Shrewsbury to Telford anytime between 4-6pm which time is the quietest 4? 4.30? or 6? Also from Telford to Shrewsbury is quieter at 1pm

 

[Mcr Warrior]

What times are the worst im going from Shrewsbury to Telford anytime between 4-6pm which time is the quietest 4? 4.30? or 6? Also from Telford to Shrewsbury is quieter at 1pm

Wouldn't it be more straightforward to just get one of the West Midlands Trains services that actually start at Shrewsbury? WMT departures to Telford Central/Birmingham New Street at 1605, 1659, 1705 and 1759. Ballpark 21 minute journey time, if that.

 

[jusj]

Wouldn't it be more straightforward to just get one of the West Midlands Trains services that actually start at Shrewsbury? WMT departures to Telford Central/Birmingham New Street at 1605, 1659, 1705 and 1759. Ballpark 21 minute journey time, if that.

That is what I’m doing didn’t even realise this thread was just about TFW my bad. But just wanted know how busy those trains are at that time

 

[Kite159]

I would imagine the stopper at 5 past the hour might be quieter from Shrewsbury (considering most passengers will use the faster train 5 minutes earlier).

Only potential issue could be school kids if Shrewsbury has schools attended by kids from the stations served by the stopper

 

[SalopBuses]

What times are the worst im going from Shrewsbury to Telford anytime between 4-6pm which time is the quietest 4? 4.30? or 6? Also from Telford to Shrewsbury is quieter at 1pm

I've never travelled out of Telford at peak times but coming back then 4-6pm is dreadful due to being only 4 cars usually.

 

[SalopBuses]

I would imagine the stopper at 5 past the hour might be quieter from Shrewsbury (considering most passengers will use the faster train 5 minutes earlier).

Only potential issue could be school kids if Shrewsbury has schools attended by kids from the stations served by the stopper

Shrewsbury college students tend to use the X10 bus service as it stops right outside and the main campus is far from the town centre, some on the campus closer to the town centre get the train though.

 

[jusj]

I've never travelled out of Telford at peak times but coming back then 4-6pm is dreadful due to being only 4 cars usually.

Even the 6.05 one?

 

[Harpo]

Applying railway knowledge here is beating yourself up. Realtime trains data over recent days shows that less than half of of TfW services going through New Street are less than 4 cars. There can be no excuse for that.