Chase Line SDO

[Batman]

It's been a few weeks now since 4 car trains first made an apearence on the Chase, and in my opinion it's been a success.

I've seen a few passengers get up and move along the train as soon as the 'Due to the train configeration, the doors of the rear carriage of this service will not be opening at station between Bloxwich and Rugeley Town' anouncement is made when the train leaves Walsall, but no problems to report.

I've just been reading in the RUS that there is a potential for further train lengthening subject to demand. I'd argue that further train lengthening is not needed at the moment (apart from the 0903 arrival at New Street and the 1639 departure from New Street which need lengthening from 2 coaches to 3), that may not be the case in 5 or 10 years.

Would it be logistically possibe for 5 car trains to run on the Chase using 172's so that passengers can walk through the train, or would that require platform extensions?

 

[Juniper Driver]

Holy SDO batman.

 

[Nym]

Possible, of course...

Sensible, maybe not...

 

[Simon Poole]

It's been a few weeks now since 4 car trains first made an apearence on the Chase, and in my opinion it's been a success.

I've seen a few passengers get up and move along the train as soon as the 'Due to the train configeration, the doors of the rear carriage of this service will not be opening at station between Bloxwich and Rugeley Town' anouncement is made when the train leaves Walsall, but no problems to report.

I've just been reading in the RUS that there is a potential for further train lengthening subject to demand. I'd argue that further train lengthening is not needed at the moment (apart from the 0903 arrival at New Street and the 1639 departure from New Street which need lengthening from 2 coaches to 3), that may not be the case in 5 or 10 years.

Would it be logistically possibe for 5 car trains to run on the Chase using 172's so that passengers can walk through the train, or would that require platform extensions?

I can agree with you on this, i've travelled on the 0744 to Birmingham New Street and it's way better than it used to be, there still an few people standing but not much as it used to be, but the 1539 is better, not many people stand on that service as well

Also on the posters it says that you need to walk foward at Rugeley Trent Valley to get off but at that Platform you CAN fit all the passengers doors on that platform, the only part of the train that doesn't fit onto the platform is the drivers cab door but they do need to extend the platforms

 

[Crossover]

Having the cab door off the platform is a safety issue as the guard can't release the doors from there, I believe, so extensions probably would be necessary

 

[Batman]

I can agree with you on this, i've travelled on the 0744 to Birmingham New Street and it's way better than it used to be, there still an few people standing but not much as it used to be, but the 1539 is better, not many people stand on that service as well

Also on the posters it says that you need to walk foward at Rugeley Trent Valley to get off but at that Platform you CAN fit all the passengers doors on that platform, the only part of the train that doesn't fit onto the platform is the drivers cab door but they do need to extend the platforms

I agree with you on that. When the timetable changes first happened I thought the 0740 from Rugeley would become unbearably over-crowded because the 0739 from Hednesford has been withdrawn, but that has proven not to be the case. I can guarentee that there will be passengers standing from Walsall on that train in 5 years time and I wonder what solutions might be used to deal with that. More train lengthening or bringing back the trains that were withdrawn in December?

Also, I've noticed that the 0704 from Rugeley has now been reduced back to just 2 coaches and passengers are now standing from Cannock! That idealy needs to be a 4 car train because even when it was 3 car, passengers were standing from Tame Bridge.

With regard to the 1539, that one is now almost dead, in terms of the amount of free seats available. A few years ago that was only a 2 car train and was standing room only. How times change.
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Does anyone know when the actual re-signaling work on the Chse Line/Walsall area is due to start?

I've seen a lot of lineside work taking place in preperation for the new signaling equiptment, but does anyone know how much disruption to services this will cause and when it's due to happen. Will it just be a couple of Sunday blockades or will it be more substancial.

And am I correct in thinking that the only improvments re-signaling will bring is a 65mph line speed from Rugeley to Bloxiwch and closure of the signal boxes?