170s at Stafford

[WCML]

Seen a few 170s at Stafford recently. Whilst waiting for the 05:55 at Stafford, there is usually a 170 sitting in Platform 6 and I drove over the railway bridge the other night and there was a 170 sitting in Platform 6, it would've been around 11pm.

Also today at 3pm, a pendolino pulled into Platform 7 (the Royal Mail platform), with Destination: Manchester Piccadilly, Next Stop: Crewe on the doors, except it came from the north of the station.

Can anyone explain all of this?

 

[Eagle]

Seen a few 170s at Stafford recently. Whilst waiting for the 05:55 at Stafford, there is usually a 170 sitting in Platform 6 and I drove over the railway bridge the other night and there was a 170 sitting in Platform 6, it would've been around 11pm.

Those are going to and from Rugeley to operate the Chase line service.

 

[WCML]

Those are going to and from Rugeley to operate the Chase line service.

Yes, but why do they run up to Stafford when there's no passenger service for the Chase line and the stock is based at Tyseley?

 

[Eagle]

Yes, but why do they run up to Stafford when there's no passenger service for the Chase line and the stock is based at Tyseley?

They stable at Wolverhampton overnight after coming off service at Rugeley, and sending them via Stafford is presumably easier than via Walsall.

 

[MK Tom]

From December there will be one train per day running from Stafford down through Cannock and Walsall, so this will become a slightly more normal sight.

No idea about the parcel platform pendo though - there's no pedestrian access to that platform is there? I'm guessing it was just routed through that way for track reasons.

 

[Eagle]

From December there will be one train per day running from Stafford down through Cannock and Walsall, so this will become a slightly more normal sight.

Actually no it won't, it's just the morning ECS becoming a passenger service.

 

[dvboy]

They stable at Wolverhampton overnight after coming off service at Rugeley, and sending them via Stafford is presumably easier than via Walsall.

They sit at platform 6 at Wolverhampton - to go to Walsall would involve a change of direction at a time when there are Pendolinos coming from Oxley into Wolverhampton.