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Steve White, the SE Rail MD, posted on Twitter/X a while ago that the Greenwich line will revert back to a better spaced timetable come the June 24 timetable changes. https://x.com/stevewhiterail/status/1727015464159838475?s=46

The real answer of course is to build phase 2a to Crewe, and keep the Handsacre link as currently planned. Assuming a change of government at the election, I'd still put money on that being the long term answer. As a very minimum, a Colwich by-pass needs to be built.

The bottleneck will be at Handsacre Junction and through the Colwich tunnels. Assuming sanity prevails, and the Handsacre junction design reverts to the fast line, then we can expect 10tph from OOC/Euston - with 7tph north of Handsacre. The post Sunak train service specification is still being...

Off topic, but another point to remember is that once Phase One is built; that is the hardest work done. Future phases such as a reinstated 2a/b will have a much better stand-alone BCR. My expectation is that when HS2 opens, the wow factor and general impressiveness of the improvements will mean...

This is a good point, but don't forget that it does still free up path into Euston "classic" station for more commuter services - effectively up to 12tph are removed from the WCML between Handsacre and London, which creates the capacity for more LNWR services into Euston. There will the capacity...

At risk of going off topic, for some stations there are more stages than just enabling works then the main civil works. For Curzon St, it was ground clearance, utility diversion, then building the piers for the line to come into the station and for the tracks to fan out, and then the main civils...

Fair cop, those are technically the enabling works, carrying the track into the station and providing the slab for the main station to be built on. The main station construction has not started yet. Realistically, either way, it’s too late to substantially change it now.

The main civil works contracts are in build; so very hard to alter. OOC is in the build phase so again very hard to change. Curzon St and Interchange haven’t started main civils works yet; but the design is nearly complete. I suppose these could be descoped; but at great cost and delay -...

Being an optimist, this government will hopefully be gone in a year. What are the odds that a Network Rail, under a Labour government, when faced with the issues presented by Handsacre, present to the DFT a proposal for fixing the worst bottlenecks around Colwich in order to enable more trains...

This represents a severe downgrade in capacity, especially for Manchester. It replaces upto 3x265m 607 seat trains with 2x200m 528 seat trains. This wouldn’t fly. The proposed trains are going to get rescoped; I know that for sure. Quite what we end up with depends on the Treasury, DFT and the...

There were plans to have two platforms dual connected to both HS2 and the classic WCML. Hopefully that will still happen; and we can can 8 platforms usable for high speed services. We’re basically going back to the drawing board for Euston, yet again, so if it’s possible, then it should be done.

If the hopefully incoming Labour government has any sense, could they still do the on network works at Crewe, so the 400m trains can still split there; making the most of the limited platforms at OOC and Euston? Or would 400m trains not work on the conventional network between Handsacre and Crewe?

The original plan was to upgrade the Fiddler's Ferry freight line from Liverpool to Warrington low level, then build a new line from Warrington to High Legh, where it joined HS2 for the run into the Airport and Manchester Piccadilly.

Euston to Piccadilly via Handsacre, joining the WCML there, and stopping at Stockport and Piccadilly, is expected to take 1hour 40. 2a reduces this to 1 hour 30. For comparison, current journey times vary from 2hours 6 to 2hours 14.

These will be the 200m classic compatible trains; possibly lengthened to 250m or 275m (pure speculation) to take advantage of the perform length at Piccadilly/Stockport. Run at WCML line speeds to Handsacre then 360kph for the run into OOC and Euston.

If Euston and the Handsacre link are built, it will be a useful 6 tracking of the southern WCML, albeit no where near as useful as it should have been. The current 9tph service can be diverted to join the new line at Handsacre and free up a lot of space for southern WCML commuter line - whilst...

It says they’ll outline the broad approach this week; this is also mentioned in the Mirror as well - “ It had been claimed that he could hold off announcing the decision until the Autumn Statement in November to avoid a backlash at the conference, which is being held in the city. But the Mirror...

The Times today is reporting the that Sunak will announce axing of HS2 to Manchester at the Tory conference; but will “sweeten” the betrayal by announcing new road and regional rail schemes. It doesn’t sound like NPR will be accelerated instead; it looks like that may axed too. My inner cynic...

That is also my understanding of the proposed 2A service pattern; 3tph via Chelford and Crewe, with all calling at Stockport and 1tph calling at Wilmslow. These would have to be 200m units, although the platforms could accommodate trains up to 260m, so I'd expect some reconfiguration of train...

The 2 services via Macclesfield (one non stopping) and Stoke on Trent would join HS2 at the Handsacre link in that scenario?