16:59 Leeds to Castleford service

[johntea]

The conductor on board my train home has just announced that apparently there is a brand new 16:59 service from Leeds to Castleford...calling at Castleford only (not even Woodlesford!)

Presumably to help bridge the large gap between the 16:33 and 17:16 services but I can't seem to see it on my mobile train times app yet

 

[IanD]

The conductor on board my train home has just announced that apparently there is a brand new 16:59 service from Leeds to Castleford...calling at Castleford only (not even Woodlesford!)

Presumably to help bridge the large gap between the 16:33 and 17:16 services but I can't seem to see it on my mobile train times app yet

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/Y21170/2017/02/13/advanced

 

[DarloRich]

Express pacer action!

 

[Kite159]

Looking at that entry for RTT it suggests it isn't advertised on the GBTT (hence won't show on the app).

Express pacer action indeed

 

[kevconnor]

It runs as express to Castleford then forms an express non stop train back to Leeds, after which it forms an all shacks service to Sheffield.

 

[mervyn72]

It looks like its the units that would have come off Neville hill on 5N35 to do the 1748 to Sheffield. Is this evidence of Northern being more customer centric.

 

[Kite159]

It runs as express to Castleford then forms an express non stop train back to Leeds, after which it forms an all shacks service to Sheffield.

RTT seems to suggest it works back to Leeds as ECS:
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/Y21171/2017/02/14/advanced

 

[Andyh82]

RTT seems to suggest it works back to Leeds as ECS:
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/Y21171/2017/02/14/advanced

I thought empty coaching stock generally began with a 5 rather than a 3?

I wonder if there are any other late 'off shed' workings that could come out earlier and do an extra trip?

 

[causton]

I thought empty coaching stock generally began with a 5 rather than a 3?

I wonder if there are any other late 'off shed' workings that could come out earlier and do an extra trip?

3 is commonly used as a more important class 5 working, i.e. empty stock but will form an important working back out so prioritise it over others.

For example, 3A91 Bletchley CS - Euston which forms the 2K91 1705 Euston - Milton Keynes.

 

[Harpers Tate]

I wonder if they are trying to alleviate numbers on the 1716. The last time I used that, it was 4 or 5 cars rammed full out of Leeds, but by the time it had left Knottingley towards Goole, had maybe five of us on it. No doubt the return trip was similarly sparse. Quite wasteful for much of the mileage. If the extra service means the 1716 can be shorter formed then it's quite efficient. Depends, I suppose, on how many 1716 folk are able to travel that bit earlier - and how many are headed for Castleford.

 

[darloscott]

The 1748 usually arrives as a 4 car (usually 144s) from Neville Hill at 1726. Presumably all they need to do is send them out an hour earlier to do a run to Castleford, back empty to then do their usual Sheffield run.

 

[DarloRich]

I wonder if they are trying to alleviate numbers on the 1716. The last time I used that, it was 4 or 5 cars rammed full out of Leeds, but by the time it had left Knottingley towards Goole, had maybe five of us on it. No doubt the return trip was similarly sparse. Quite wasteful for much of the mileage. If the extra service means the 1716 can be shorter formed then it's quite efficient. Depends, I suppose, on how many 1716 folk are able to travel that bit earlier - and how many are headed for Castleford.

I often end up on the Goolie on a Friday night and it is very busy certainly to Woodlesford and Cas Vegas - anything to thin that out must be a good idea

 

[bradders1983]

Is there anything stopping the service also calling at Woodlesford or would it get in the way of a Leeds-Sheffield fast service?

 

[30907]

Is there anything stopping the service also calling at Woodlesford or would it get in the way of a Leeds-Sheffield fast service?

The fast is 5 or 6 min behind, so it's dodgy even if a 3min headway is possible. But in any case they want to get it back to LDS asap.

 

[xotGD]

The fast is 5 or 6 min behind, so it's dodgy even if a 3min headway is possible. But in any case they want to get it back to LDS asap.

It also needs to get away from Cas in good time for the 17.14 from Knottingley to arrive. There is no need to run it as a service train back to Leeds since this is a 3 car bendy just a few minutes behind. My regular train home!

 

[johntea]

Just out of curiosity how did Northern manage to launch this outside of the May / December timetable changes? Or was it just a delayed plan from December 2016?

 

[Adam0984]

Is there anything stopping the service also calling at Woodlesford or would it get in the way of a Leeds-Sheffield fast service?

There is a freightliner path that it would clash with if it stopped at Woodlesford. It can't leave a bit earlier from Leeds as it would affect other departures mainly TPE. It has to have a minimum turn round time at Castleford then it's got a tight path back into Leeds ECS for the 1748. Hopefully in the proper timetable change they can get a stop at Woodlesford in by retiming and re platforming some trains. It's a short time idea they've got running as the situation on the Goole was getting silly

 

[CaptainHaddock]

I caught the 1659 yesterday, having found out about it by accident and was pleasantly surprised to find that it was a 4 car (2 x 144) service which, as presumably not many people know about it yet, was barely 30% full. It does seem a bit of an anomaly though, particularly it not stopping at Woodlesford.

Just an idea, but perhaps Northern could extend the 1659 to Normanton and cut out the Normanton stop on the 1706, as the 1706 is normally full and standing due to the number of Normanton commuters, which means those of us going through to Barnsley and Sheffield sometimes struggle to get a seat.

 

[Segedunum]

I caught the 1659 yesterday, having found out about it by accident and was pleasantly surprised to find that it was a 4 car (2 x 144) service which, as presumably not many people know about it yet, was barely 30% full. It does seem a bit of an anomaly though, particularly it not stopping at Woodlesford.

Just an idea, but perhaps Northern could extend the 1659 to Normanton and cut out the Normanton stop on the 1706, as the 1706 is normally full and standing due to the number of Normanton commuters, which means those of us going through to Barnsley and Sheffield sometimes struggle to get a seat.

Having had a look at RTT, one would assume maybe an extra 10 minutes to get to Normanton once reversal is complete, so arriving 1725.

The 1706 seems to take 12 minutes to cover Leeds to Normanton.

Say that the ECS to Leeds left at 1730, that'd be arriving there 1742 at the earliest so as to form the 1748 to Sheffield.

It might be possible, but a bit of a squeeze on timings considering the extra pathing time normally added to ex Woodlesford services arriving at Leeds.

 

[darloscott]

I caught the 1659 yesterday, having found out about it by accident and was pleasantly surprised to find that it was a 4 car (2 x 144) service which, as presumably not many people know about it yet, was barely 30% full. It does seem a bit of an anomaly though, particularly it not stopping at Woodlesford.

Just an idea, but perhaps Northern could extend the 1659 to Normanton and cut out the Normanton stop on the 1706, as the 1706 is normally full and standing due to the number of Normanton commuters, which means those of us going through to Barnsley and Sheffield sometimes struggle to get a seat.

Working out diagrams last night it should be booked for a 142+144