2 or 3 car on Marches Line

[BRM]

I've noticed a lot more 2 car units on the Piccadilly - Cardiff and west trains. Are there any 3 car diagrams or are these being used on the Holyhead routes more. Do they change to meet expected demand?

 

[PHILIPE]

I've noticed a lot more 2 car units on the Piccadilly - Cardiff and west trains. Are there any 3 car diagrams or are these being used on the Holyhead routes more. Do they change to meet expected demand?

There shouldn't be. There are 4 x 2 Car 175 Diagrams per day but a lot have been short formed recently due to tree bashing damage which by sods law seems to have affected the 175/1s more than the 175/0s.

 

[BRM]

That might explain it. Are the 2 car diagrams listed or do you know them?

 

[craigybagel]

There shouldn't be. There are 4 x 2 Car 175 Diagrams per day but a lot have been short formed recently due to tree bashing damage which by sods law seems to have affected the 175/1s more than the 175/0s.

Not to mention Gerald 1 and 2 both having something of a purple patch when it comes to reliability lately, causing a reverse cascade every time they need replacing.

That might explain it. Are the 2 car diagrams listed or do you know them?

There are set diagrams, and within those there are some that are a higher priority for keeping at 3 cars than others. I can't remember them all at the moment but for starters in the morning from Crewe

0449 (3 car)
0555 (3 car)
0708 (0630 from Manchester - 2 car)
0808 (0730 from Manchester - 2 car)
0908 (0830 from Manchester - 3 car)
1008 (0930 from Manchester - 3 car)

The first 4 above all start their day at Chester and so if there is a problem with either loco hauled set they are liable to get pinched. The 0555 set seems most likely to get reduced from what I've seen.

 

[Gareth Marston]

With Transpenine Express going to 5 car formations in the next few years this part of the regional railways express network is lagging behind. However the crayons have been out and serious consideration of migrating the Manchester to Cardiff's to Cross Country is being done by DfT so that "not for profit" contagion stays as within Wales as much as possible.