A lot has changed since 2016...

[Donny Dave]

I've been out of circulation for a while, and there has been quite a few noticeable changes around here.

Firstly most LNER services are run using Azuma sets, along with Hull Trains and Lumo. Also there appears to be very few cross country services via Doncaster now.

Other changes to trains around here that I have noticed. The Sheffield to Hull service has been extended to Scarborough, and uses 3 car 170s. Local trains from Scunthorpe terminate at Doncaster, while local trains to Sheffield now appear to start at Adwick, thus cutting out conflicts on the northern approach to Doncaster.

I'm sure there is quite a few other changes for me to note around here, but could you help me out by pointing out other things that have changed?

The 2 things that haven't changed as far as I can see are that both Mojo and Yorkie are still admins on here.

 

[trainswitheddy]

Grand Centrals 221s might be one of note.
Depending on how long you've been out you might also not know that WCR have the contract for thunderbird locos on the ECML, replacing the 67s with 47s (and 57s)...

 

[yorksrob]

No more HST's on the Midland Mainline is a particularly sad loss IMO.

 

[Taunton]

Is Doncaster platform 0 new for you? I think it opened about 7 years ago.

Cross Country have indeed reduced their services that go this way. Essentially it's an Orcats Raid, there being more tickets sold on York to Leeds, and Leeds to Sheffield, regardless of whether they travel on a Cross Country train, and indeed whether they can even get into one ...

 

[eastwestdivide]

while local trains to Sheffield now appear to start at Adwick

But only one an hour, versus two pre-covid.

 

[Donny Dave]

Thanks for the updates everyone. Platform 0 isn't new to me, but with the Scunthorpe local using it, it is busier than I remember.

 

[greyman42]

Also there appears to be very few cross country services via Doncaster now.

Nearly all cross country services on this route now run via Leeds to Sheffield and then onto the south west. Very few on this route go to Reading and beyond.

 

[route101]

Nearly all cross country services on this route now run via Leeds to Sheffield and then onto the south west. Very few on this route go to Reading and beyond.

I don't think any XC services run from the NE beyond Reading now. There used to be the odd Sunday working and early Reading to Edinburgh but last time I scanned the timetable there is none.

 

[swt_passenger]

I don't think any XC services run from the NE beyond Reading now. There used to be the odd Sunday working and early Reading to Edinburgh but last time I scanned the timetable there is none.

That’s right. They’re no longer even mentioned in the latest XC track access application, although Reading to York or Newcastle is intended to be mostly hourly again from May 2025.

 

[apinnard]

The class 442’s aren’t a thing any more.

Somebody had to mention it.

 

[YorkRailFan]

The 331s came online on Leeds stoppers.

 

[CaptainHaddock]

Marathon bars are now known as Snickers.

 

[eastwestdivide]

Saw a greetings card with Stonehenge and a bunch of druids, one saying to another “I remember when it was all fields round here”

 

[trainswitheddy]

Pacers being preserved en masse might be another surprise?

 

[johnnychips]

The two biggest changes are:

- Sheffield stopper reduced from half-hourly to hourly.
- Cross-Country to Reading and beyond reduced from hourly to sporadic, Reading being the furthest you can go; at the end of the day Derby or Birmingham.

Oh, and since this is the General thread, Doncaster is now a city.

 

[Donny Dave]

Right then, I should be out and about a little bit in the next week or so. In addition to the 331s on the Leeds stoppers, I'll be trying other things around South Yorkshire.

I've seen that there are 195s operating out of Sheffield. Do these go to Leeds, and if so, via Barnsley or Moorthorpe? What other routes do they operate on?

One good thing about local trains around here though, no more pacers!

 

[Anonymous10]

TFW now are within sight of having no more 15x on the Marches and new stock being introduced on the valleys.

 

[eastwestdivide]

I've seen that there are 195s operating out of Sheffield. Do these go to Leeds, and if so, via Barnsley or Moorthorpe? What other routes do they operate on?

195s usually on the semifast Sheffield-Barnsley-Leeds trains, either from Nottingham or Lincoln. They occasionally turn up on Moorthorpe services, but not very much (regular on the first Sunday service Sheff-Moorthorpe-Leeds). More usual allocation during the week for the three trains required on the Moorthorpe circuit are two of the 3-car 150s plus one 158 or 2-car 150. Usually two more of the six 3-car 150s are on Penistone line services.

 

[Donny Dave]

Thanks for the update. Something to bear in mind when it comes to sampling new stock when deciding what ticket(s) I'll need....

 

[Shaw S Hunter]

195s also dominate the Hope Valley stoppers.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

The 68s and Mk5a sets have come and gone...

 

[Donny Dave]

195s also dominate the Hope Valley stoppers.

Again, thanks for the update. I've just checked the Northern website as well, and noticed the Hope Valley now gets an hourly service. Something else for me to consider.