1N29 & its repeated Friday woes for LNER

[dk1]

1N29 18:18 Kings Cross-Newcastle (formerly 18:19) has long been a problematic train on the East Coast Main Line particularly on a Friday. It seems to get more complaints on Twitter than any other departure. Overcrowding became so severe last night that it suffered a 21 late start finally terminating 40 down in the NE. It's stopping pattern is Peterborough, Grantham, Doncaster, York, Northallerton, Darlington & Durham. It doesn't look like it's an easy option to remove Peterborough as will break up the regular interval & cause a 27min gap in IC services then no doubt push the problem onto the 18:30 Edinburgh.

One possible reason is that the Super Off Peak restriction (14:59-18:59 FX) is brought forward to 18:15 FO no doubt to help relieve the 19:00 Edinburgh.

Just wondered if anybody has had first hand experience of this service & how the loadings spread throughout its journey & what if any solution there is without simply causing issues with other trains around that time.

 

[jopsuk]

if it wasn't for the lack of paths, I'd make all EC Intercity services Pick Up Only on the Down and Set Down Only on the Up at both Peterborough and Stevenage, with the addition of GN Express services. If the 387s could be cleared for 110, could they beat
A: an HST
B: a 91+mark 4s
C: an 800/801
over that stopping pattern?

 

[TheBigD]

Prior to the May timetable change there was additional Fridays only 1919 Kings Cross - Newcastle shown in TRUST for a while.
It never ran, and given LNER's current rolling stock availability problems is under likely to either.
But it seems to have been an attempt to provide extra capacity on Friday evenings.

 

[cactustwirly]

if it wasn't for the lack of paths, I'd make all EC Intercity services Pick Up Only on the Down and Set Down Only on the Up at both Peterborough and Stevenage, with the addition of GN Express services. If the 387s could be cleared for 110, could they beat
A: an HST
B: a 91+mark 4s
C: an 800/801
over that stopping pattern?

No, definitely not a 80x!
Remember that a large proportion of the route is 125mph so even a HST will beat the 387.
It's a moot point as the OHLE needs to be upgraded.
GWR 387s regularly run at 110 on the main lines.