Chiltern during WCML blockades

[sammyg901]

The reason that Romic HSTs sprung to my mind is they're going to be operating charters on the Chiltern route next year inc selling the positioning moves between Birmingham and Marylebone ( https://www.adventure001.com/Home )

So many of these issues must have been or in the process of being dealt with , so a pretty feasible option vs what has existed previously for this route as a hire in option.

But agree, it's likely a non starter on cost basis if not a logistical challenge

 

[LowLevel]

One of the loco hauled sets has failed at Bicester with an air leak on the DVT outside the station stopping the job which is rather unfortunate.

 

[Sparks807Evo]

It also needs to be remembered that multiple 168s are away for the much needed refurbishment / works. Chiltern I find will do what they can within their power and at least communicate issues when they arise and look for solutions. Be excellent to have the MK5s coming in. Not to say though that there should be greater resilience or contingency planning when these works occur - shows how fragile and strained the system currently is.

 

[spp]

Need to leave London for Liverpool on Sunday 11th, with a child. Thought about going Marylebone to Birmingham then Birmingham Liverpool but with no advance reservations on Chiltern I expect it’ll be a horrible packed free for all?

May need to look at other options.

 

[Bungle]

Need to leave London for Liverpool on Sunday 11th, with a child. Thought about going Marylebone to Birmingham then Birmingham Liverpool but with no advance reservations on Chiltern I expect it’ll be a horrible packed free for all?

May need to look at other options.

I’ve booked National Express for my trip. Cheaper than the train, not THAT much slower overall, and guaranteed seats. If I was travelling with a kid I’d definitely do that over attempting a potentially wedged train for 2hrs.

 

[spp]

I’ve booked National Express for my trip. Cheaper than the train, not THAT much slower overall, and guaranteed seats. If I was travelling with a kid I’d definitely do that over attempting a potentially wedged train for 2hrs.

Yeah thinking of doing that, long old trip on the coach though (albeit as you say not much longer than the planned changing trains option just a lot longer than the direct train there the day before). Thinking coach to Birmingham then back onto the train (Birmingham-Liverpool unaffected route) just to break up the journey.

 

[WelshBluebird]

One of the loco hauled sets has failed at Bicester with an air leak on the DVT outside the station stopping the job which is rather unfortunate.

Rather unfortunate timing given the football at Wycombe had just finished. Fair play to the staff on duty, could easily have turned a bit nasty (a decent number of loud and probably still under the influence football fans getting kicked off a train that was supposed to be headed for Oxford), but staff being visible and giving useful advice stopped anything boiling over. Meant I had an unexpected detour via London and ended up back home an hour later than planned, but it was only an hour!

 

[soil]

I am not a lefty, at all. For me, the Boris Johnson government was far too left wing for my liking. But Steven Barrett is just a total and complete moron, I'm sorry to say. It isn't just lefty barristers like "the Secret Barrister" on Twitter who clash with him - it's pretty much everyone! Which tells you something.

I think there is general consensus on this.

Incidentally, there are a couple of 'developments' - he went on Talk TV on New Year's Day to discuss what happened.
Talk TV posted this on Twitter, but their tweet has for some reason been deleted.

It is possible that Chiltern have said something to them.

Barrett says

https://x.com/SBarrettBar/status/2007159067383316657

"
Tomorrow I will explain what
@chilternrailway
did, and what it is now doing These are deeply sinister people."

To further expand on the moron point, Barrett has gone down a far-right rabbit hole, and spends his time arguing that the English legal system is in the services of woke and that judges are all about preserving the Muslamic terrorists and oppressing Tommy Robinson.

It is not really clear if he believes all of this, I suspect much of it is cynically calculated to get clicks from thick people.

 

[Forty29]

The reason that Romic HSTs sprung to my mind is they're going to be operating charters on the Chiltern route next year inc selling the positioning moves between Birmingham and Marylebone ( https://www.adventure001.com/Home )

So many of these issues must have been or in the process of being dealt with , so a pretty feasible option vs what has existed previously for this route as a hire in option.

But agree, it's likely a non starter on cost basis if not a logistical challenge

I've heard these charters have been cancelled and indeed are not being advertised on websites anymore including the one you quoted, though will be happy to be proved wrong.
People asking if Class 390's are cleared for the Chiltern line they are electric only so can't!.

 

[TwinTurbostar]

Need to leave London for Liverpool on Sunday 11th, with a child. Thought about going Marylebone to Birmingham then Birmingham Liverpool but with no advance reservations on Chiltern I expect it’ll be a horrible packed free for all?

May need to look at other options.

I went via Leicester to get from Birmingham to London and back over new years, and while EMR's Sheffield services seemed very busy, the ones I caught that started/terminated at Nottingham weren't that busy at all, although I did treat myself to a Seatfrog upgrade each way. I would've thought doing London to Sheffield, and then across to Liverpool from there, would be a fairly easy alternative.

 

[Steve Harris]

I've heard these charters have been cancelled and indeed are not being advertised on websites anymore including the one you quoted, though will be happy to be proved wrong.
People asking if Class 390's are cleared for the Chiltern line they are electric only so can't!.

Just because they are electric doesn't mean that they can/can not be route cleared for a route.
Heck I travelled on a Class 312 EMU to Kings Lynn before the electic wires even got there ! (14/9/1991 to be precise), Admittedly it was hauled by a Class 60. So yes a Class 390 could potentially be route cleared to Marylebone, but the deciding factors would be the cost of getting it route cleared* + the hire of suitable loco's to haul the 390 off the wires (providing it is deemed safe to haul a 390 dead in tow with passengers on board) and if it could physically fit in the platform. So it is a valid question for people to ask, but I would say it's probably all of the reasons I've given as to why it's not happening.

*The paperwork, physical checks being carried out if needed, checking to make sure no interference with signalling etc etc.

 

[PLY2AYS]

Just because they are electric doesn't mean that they can/can not be route cleared for a route.
Heck I travelled on a Class 312 EMU to Kings Lynn before the electic wires even got there ! (14/9/1991 to be precise), Admittedly it was hauled by a Class 60. So yes a Class 390 could potentially be route cleared to Marylebone, but the deciding factors would be the cost of getting it route cleared* + the hire of suitable loco's to haul the 390 off the wires (providing it is deemed safe to haul a 390 dead in tow with passengers on board) and if it could physically fit in the platform with said loco's. So it is a valid question for people to ask, but I would say it's probably all of the reasons I've given as to why it's not happening.

*The paperwork, physical checks being carried out if needed, checking to make sure no interference with signalling etc etc.

It couldn’t fit in any platform without locos!

 

[Belperpete]

Travelled down from Moor St to Marylebone yesterday late afternoon. It was a 6 car train. The front unit that I travelled in seemed a bit poorly, one coach didn't have lights, and the driver had to restart the unit a couple of times as the engine in the front coach seemed intent on throwing itself to bits. But my fears about overcrowding came to nought, there were spare seats and noone had to stand.

 

[sammyg901]

Decided to risk a Bicester North to London service this evening. 6 cars - 2x165 and a 4x168. The 168 was pretty busy but front car of the 165 (leading) is quiet . Saw some reports of full and standing + a disturbance earlier . Some 8 cars out and about so think Chiltern did pretty well considering they also had Bicester Village crowds to handle as well as their usual passengers (except Met line of course)

 

[spp]

I went via Leicester to get from Birmingham to London and back over new years, and while EMR's Sheffield services seemed very busy, the ones I caught that started/terminated at Nottingham weren't that busy at all, although I did treat myself to a Seatfrog upgrade each way. I would've thought doing London to Sheffield, and then across to Liverpool from there, would be a fairly easy alternative.

Looked at that 4.5 hours journey not really worth the risk, coach to Birmingham (guaranteed seat) then Birmingham to Liverpool train (unaffected) not much longer.

 

[ambi23]

I took the Chiltern Mainline from Moor Street to Marylebone on Friday, returning yesterday. The 10:15 from Moor Street was moderately full on departure, and was completely full after Bicester. The train broke down for 20 minutes at Haddenham and Thame Parkway, at which point more people got on despite it being set down only.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 4 Jan 2026 ==

2. The return yesterday was more comfortable, despite the heating and outlets not working on the carriage we were in. When boarding at Marylebone, staff were directing passengers where there were spaces but it also appeared that they were preventing people from using the front carriages. When arriving at Moor Street I noticed that the front carriages were Class 165 and people were departing from those carriages so I'm guessing those passengers only alighted after Banbury or Leamington Spa.

Overall I'm pretty satisfied with the trip. The seats on the older livery 168s are more comfortable than the new ones though.

 

[CyrusWuff]

Overall I'm pretty satisfied with the trip. The seats on the older livery 168s are more comfortable than the new ones though.

The seats haven't been changed as part of the 168 refurbishment, just reupholstered.

 

[trundlewagon]

The seats haven't been changed as part of the 168 refurbishment, just reupholstered.

Some (all?) of the units have a mix of different seating types on them. So although the seats haven't been changed, it is possible they sat in a different seat type on each journey!

Their 165s also have a mix of different seating, with 2+2 at the ends and 3+2 (and a different type of seat) in the middle of the cars.

 

[MerlinRail 804]

Did the 1043 off Moor St all the way up to London on Saturday. 2x 4/168. Boarding at Moor St I saw the country end unit was completely rammed and the London end unit was virtually empty. Filled up on the way and was full ish from around Banbury.
Also, I noticed that many of the turnarounds at Marylebone were just under 80 mins. (eg arr 1245 dep 1402). I understand that is the usual way at weekends but surely, especially during the blockade, they could save a couple units by bringing that down to 50 (so 1245 would leave 1332 etc)

 

[150219]

Did the 1043 off Moor St all the way up to London on Saturday. 2x 4/168. Boarding at Moor St I saw the country end unit was completely rammed and the London end unit was virtually empty. Filled up on the way and was full ish from around Banbury.
Also, I noticed that many of the turnarounds at Marylebone were just under 80 mins. (eg arr 1245 dep 1402). I understand that is the usual way at weekends but surely, especially during the blockade, they could save a couple units by bringing that down to 50 (so 1245 would leave 1332 etc)

As long as all of the timetabled services run, I think the turnaround time is not a great consideration. What is does give you, is reliance if the stock for the next departure isn't there or needs changing.

 

[MerlinRail 804]

As long as all of the timetabled services run, I think the turnaround time is not a great consideration. What is does give you, is reliance if the stock for the next departure isn't there or needs changing.

Yeah that makes sense. I was just thinking that it’d save a couple units. IIRC In the weekdays there are more 20-30 minute turnarounds for the Birminghams, but I guess since the timetable is slightly more intense than at weekends that would make sense

 

[Poets Lad]

I think there is general consensus on this.

Incidentally, there are a couple of 'developments' - he went on Talk TV on New Year's Day to discuss what happened.
Talk TV posted this on Twitter, but their tweet has for some reason been deleted.

It is possible that Chiltern have said something to them.

Barrett says

https://x.com/SBarrettBar/status/2007159067383316657

"
Tomorrow I will explain what
@chilternrailway
did, and what it is now doing These are deeply sinister people."

To further expand on the moron point, Barrett has gone down a far-right rabbit hole, and spends his time arguing that the English legal system is in the services of woke and that judges are all about preserving the Muslamic terrorists and oppressing Tommy Robinson.

It is not really clear if he believes all of this, I suspect much of it is cynically calculated to get clicks from thick people.

He's still going....

Its feels very 'do you know who I am?'

 

[PLY2AYS]

He's still going....

Its feels very 'do you know who I am?'

Have they put an update up? I’m not on X, so can’t search through posts/profile, but it will throw up the post with a direct link.

 

[soil]

Have they put an update up? I’m not on X, so can’t search through posts/profile, but it will throw up the post with a direct link.

He was on Talk TV, twice, about this.

The first interview was deleted.

The second one is here

https://x.com/TalkTV/status/2008697044169351387

He basically says that staff member #1 told him to leave the station, and he argued the toss, and then they called over a second staff member who said the same.

He appears to have refused, said he went limp, and they forcibly dragged him from the station.

 

[styles]

As someone who’s worked a few years on pub and nightclub front doors, his snide comment of “I’m a barrister” oozed with the same intensity of “do you know who I am?”

I don't think it's this, though he does seem to carry that aura.

or “you can’t do this to me, I’m studying law!”

It's this. An appeal to authority.

I'm sure pointing out that you're a qualified legal professional does work sometimes, it probably holds just a tad more weight when you're sober and discuss things in a calm manner and don't call people clowns.

I assume he's aware that he can be removed from private property including railway stations using reasonable force, so I'm not really sure what point he thinks he has in law.

For what it's worth, I'd genuinely never even heard of the guy before now.

 

[Travelmonkey]

classic play stupid games win stupid prizes. He will continue to milk this. it's a shame "mr Gumbo" felt pitty for him rather than getting a propper WIP produced. he compared staff to Nazis on the night too "just following orders" a rather unsavory charecter whos trying to spin a yarn. all london termini have queing system guidelines especially given the festive period.

 

[styles]

He might have had a point about the queueing or barrier system, I don't know enough about it. But either it's so dangerous you should probably contact BTP, or it's actually just inconvenient and you should sober up and drop an email in to the station operator the next day.

 

[Travelmonkey]

He might have had a point about the queueing or barrier system, I don't know enough about it. But either it's so dangerous you should probably contact BTP, or it's actually just inconvenient and you should sober up and drop an email in to the station operator the next day.

given that he didn't contact BTP about his assult it seems he was running late and decided to take it out on staff. it is funny though London is one of the most camera centric places on the plannet but yet no other angles or footage of the incident. something don't quite add up in it all to be honnest. dread to think how much he'd be milking it if he did get nicked and taken to custody.

 

[Bletchleyite]

He might have had a point about the queueing or barrier system, I don't know enough about it. But either it's so dangerous you should probably contact BTP, or it's actually just inconvenient and you should sober up and drop an email in to the station operator the next day.

I had similar feelings about Preston on the day of the Lamington collapse (I think it was that) - things were so bad that I wandered around the station announcing trains and buses and got some people on their way. I don't think the staff liked it very much but they had utterly lost control and at least I know I got some people where they were going before getting into the last remaining replacement taxi to Edinburgh myself.

However what I didn't do is give them a gobful of abuse, as that wouldn't have achieved anything for anyone. I did write to Virgin Trains about it in some detail, making it clear that because it was handled so incompetently on the night I intended to claim every last bit of Delay Repay that was due (I had about 6 weeks' worth booked ahead because of a fixed term contract, so it was a 100% refund of the lot amounting to over a grand, as back then it applied to the timetable at the time of booking, not this nebulous timetable of the day thing). I doubt they really read it, though writing it felt good, and I did enjoy stinging them for all that Delay Repay that I might not have bothered with (as I didn't pay for the tickets*) had it been handled properly.

In short there are ways to deal with things like this, I guess he chose the wrong one. Though staff aren't always reasonable in stressful situations, I did once get threatened with being thrown out of Luton Airport by security after a very junior member of easyJet/Menzies staff claimed I was abusing her, which I wasn't (I might have said the classic "that isn't good enough" but nothing worse than that), fortunately her manager was within earshot and heard the whole exchange and came over, told her to go into the back for a bit, asked the security to stand down and actually dealt with the problem.

* It got used for additional office visits as a bit of a compromise between me and my employer at the time on who it really belonged to, as back then it was in the form of vouchers, not money. As this was free train rides I didn't really mind.

 

[Travelmonkey]

there will be times things go wrong, it's how you deal with it, sadly I've had a few fails in my time but I don't start on the staff even if they start on me first I had one gaurd call me "An absaloute clown" becuase i had assistance booked at a unstaffed station, I was later found to be in the right with my actions (pulling emergency lever) by gold command management on arrival at Terminal station & by the MD in a phone call a few weeks post incident. adrenaline can be powerfull but it don't give you carte blanche to act like a bafoon.