Cardiff to Manchester Fast Service

[Shrop]

I did wonder whether the Crewe Shrewsbury stopper should be hourly, but I don't know the route well enough.

I would certainly support increasing the Marches service, but the Crewe-Shrewsbury stopper doesn't need to serve Wrenbury, Prees and Yorton every hour, the present two-hourly pattern for those stations is plenty, as even at that they stop on request only. But for Nantwich and Whitchurch, yes an hourly service would be welcomed, and probably for Wem too. South of Shrewsbury, once again I would support a more frequent service.

I've played with a draft timetable having read comments on this thread over the last few days, and having had an initial stab at post #54, I would offer a new draft as below. This provides a Liverpool to Newport train via Chester instead of Crewe, it terminates at Newport in order to make fewer demands on train paths between Newport and Cardiff, and to allow trainsets to turn round more quickly. This recognises that there are numerous onward connections to Cardiff.

This draft offers an hourly train from Manchester to Cardiff, one semi-fast which continues to Milford Haven, and one fast stopping only at Crewe, Shrewsbury, Hereford and Newport. (Stockport and Wilmslow are omitted but could be reinstated). Once every two hours would be a train from Holyhead to Cardiff, an all stations stopper running Crewe to Newport, and a train from Liverpool which again could run only as far as Newport, but on to Cardiff if paths and stock permit.

The stations along the route would get 1tp2h (train per 2 hours) at Wrenbury, Prees and Yorton as above. 2tp2h at Nantwich, Whitchurch, Wem, Church Stretton, Craven Arms, Leominster and Pontypool. 4tp2h at Ludlow, Abergavenny and Cwmbran, and 5tph at Crewe, Shrewsbury, Hereford and Newport.

Compiling this is quite a challenge and there are shortfalls such as no through trains from some stations north of Ludlow to Cardiff, but every change to this draft means that something else is compromised. So this draft which shows a two hour weekday period (with the first train repeated 2 hours later) is just for fun, but I'm open to comments ...

 

[Bikeman78]

If we return to the original question, 3hrs is possible with a moderate reduction in stops (not necessarily down to only 2, which would be politically unacceptable). However this would require a major rejig of the timetable between Cardiff and Newport to allow the new paths into Cardiff itself.

In May 2020 the 1031 from Manchester arrived at Cardiff Central at 1336. South of Shrewsbury, it only skipped Craven Arms and Pontypool & New Inn. Missing out Church Stretton and Leominster should do it. Departing Newport around xx18 to arrive at Cardiff at xx30 appears to be clear though a conflict at Maindee West with the Cardiff to Taunton would need to be resolved.

 

[Harpo]

Whether the Mk4 is the premier offering is open for discussion. To me a 5-car 197 is the premier offering because it accelerates better, has a higher percentage of standard class accommodation, less space wasted for a buffet, and has shorter dwells than the Mk4. That is subjective though because some people use buffets and some people prefer the capacity of the Mk4's first. Some people even pay for food on the train (but I would love to see proof that is more than 20 per train, and therefore 200 per day)

To me a quiet unpowered vehicle without annoying drafts from mid-vehicle doors at every stop is the premier offering. The method of propulsion is irrelevant for me.

TfW’s continuation of catering despite its severe financial pressures suggests the business case is still strong.