Chiltern in 2024 post Evergreen

[Nottingham59]

I think it would have been beneficial if the Relief lines between Hatton and Tyseley were re-laid.

It's generally the case that a four track railway has more capacity than two two-track railways.

 

[The Planner]

I think it would have been beneficial if the Relief lines between Hatton and Tyseley were re-laid. Most of the required structures such as bridges, platforms etc. are still in existence. Doing so would have allowed fast Chilterns to avoid the WMR suburban stoppers and freights.

As things stand, Chiltern need a replacement for the 68's and Mark 3s.

The timetable does that for you, its only if a proposal to uplift the service level along there will that be an issue.

 

[stssts1985]

I was looking at the final pre-covid timetable taking 1hr39 mins from Birmingham Moor Street. Off Peak the 2 services tend to take 1hr47 or 1hr54 (11 mins and 10 mins faster than today) What I didn't recall was that there were 5 Services to start at Kiddeminster or Stourbridge Junction arriving in London between 08:30 and 10:40, compared with a sole stourbridge junction service today, with nothing like the old "superfasts" existing.

I also notice in 2024 the Oxford service significantly slower than what used to be a 1hr02 - 1hr05 service, albeit with few stops. Versus today's 1hr30 stoppers, which actually is a completely different service to the one 4 years ago. they have a good every 30 min service between oxford and many stations on route. I guess this is a complete change in market approach to this service.

 

[Kite159]

If I recall before Covid there was an hourly Oxford - Marylebone which was nonstop Bicester Village - London.

I wonder how much impact, if any, there has on timings for those services since they are run with the 75mph 165s rather than the 100mph 168s more frequently than they did pre Covid.

 

[CyrusWuff]

If I recall before Covid there was an hourly Oxford - Marylebone which was nonstop Bicester Village - London.

I wonder how much impact, if any, there has on timings for those services since they are run with the 75mph 165s rather than the 100mph 168s more frequently than they did pre Covid.

165s lost approximately seven minutes on the pre-Covid Oxford runs that were timed for 168s.

 

[SynthD]

I wonder how much impact, if any, there has on timings for those services since they are run with the 75mph 165s rather than the 100mph 168s more frequently than they did pre Covid.

I have felt like they are more likely to slow down a train from Birmingham since covid.

 

[Jamiescott1]

I find this thread interesting as I commuted with chiltern into Marylebone for 10 years until 2021.
I recall a well run service, rarely people standing, clean trains and of there was delays they'd usually give away free brownies or similar the following day at Marylebone as an apology (do they still do that?)
Also as a gold card holder you could travel anywhere on the chiltern network for free at weekends (is that still a thing?)

I had to take a chiltern train recently and it was a 3 car Birmingham service with a lot of stops. The train was dirty and worn out and a lot of people standing.

 

[OliverH68]

Also as a gold card holder you could travel anywhere on the chiltern network for free at weekends (is that still a thing?)

Yes still a thing (though I have a PRIV season which is non gold card stock and it's fine). It's still a season ticket!

 

[12LDA28C]

I find this thread interesting as I commuted with chiltern into Marylebone for 10 years until 2021.
I recall a well run service, rarely people standing, clean trains and of there was delays they'd usually give away free brownies or similar the following day at Marylebone as an apology (do they still do that?)
Also as a gold card holder you could travel anywhere on the chiltern network for free at weekends (is that still a thing?)

I had to take a chiltern train recently and it was a 3 car Birmingham service with a lot of stops. The train was dirty and worn out and a lot of people standing.

What stock was used and what gave you the impression that the train was 'worn out'?

 

[Jamiescott1]

What stock was used and what gave you the impression that the train was 'worn out'?

Stains on carpet, dirty and worn upholstery on seats

 

[BanburyBlue]

There was one peak fast southbound that ran non-stop Leamington to Marylebone.

Going north from Banbury now, it seems there are more stops than before. It seems all trains now do Leamington, Warwick, Warwick Parkway, Dorridge, Solihull, Moor St./Snow Hill. I'm sure (though may be rose tinted spectacles) that it used to be Leamington, Warwick Parkway, Moor ST./Snow Hill.

 

[12LDA28C]

Stains on carpet, dirty and worn upholstery on seats

So a Class 168 then, as you didn't specify. They have just commenced a major program of interior and exterior refresh for the 168s which will address those issues.

 

[30907]

There was one peak fast southbound that ran non-stop Leamington to Marylebone.

Going north from Banbury now, it seems there are more stops than before. It seems all trains now do Leamington, Warwick, Warwick Parkway, Dorridge, Solihull, Moor St./Snow Hill. I'm sure (though may be rose tinted spectacles) that it used to be Leamington, Warwick Parkway, Moor ST./Snow Hill.

The last pre-Covid t/t has Solihull all day and Dorridge in the peaks - hardly surprising as both must have been pretty lucrative markets.

 

[Kite159]

The last pre-Covid t/t has Solihull all day and Dorridge in the peaks - hardly surprising as both must have been pretty lucrative markets.

I could swear Dorridge was hourly on the slower service pre Covid, the faster services skipping it with all the Chiltern services calling at Solihull.

 

[50010 Monarch]

I think it would have been beneficial if the Relief lines between Hatton and Tyseley were re-laid. Most of the required structures such as bridges, platforms etc. are still in existence. Doing so would have allowed fast Chilterns to avoid the WMR suburban stoppers and freights.

As things stand, Chiltern need a replacement for the 68's and Mark 3s.

There's a few Mk 5s not doing much at the moment....

 

[EnriqueEspaña]

Although the resulting slower journey time for London - Brum has been infuriating for some, it's been great for me. I now can go straight from Birmingham to Princes Risborough without changing. Although this was sometimes possible pre COVID, it's now much more regularly served by trains from Birmingham. Only downside is we've lost the faster trains from Risborough - London, although this started once they reinstated the down fast at PRR. All in all, not many complaints from me.

 

[30907]

I could swear Dorridge was hourly on the slower service pre Covid, the faster services skipping it with all the Chiltern services calling at Solihull.

Yes it was. I was commenting on a post about the faster one.

 

[Taunton]

As a generalism, if you change a service which was mixed express and semi-fast, which needed going for a specific departure, to one which is all semi-fast, it then becomes Turn Up and Go, both for intermediate journeys and even for the end-to-end. This is one of the key aspects that leads to more patronage, and in the final analysis you end up with more money in the till for the same train miles.

Principal competition for rail passengers is the car, and that is the ultimate Turn Up and Go. It's a significant part of why cars became the dominant transport medium.

The issue the rail industry still has to crack is Turn Up and Go frequencies are the complete opposite of Advance fares tied to specific departures.

 

[67018]

As a generalism, if you change a service which was mixed express and semi-fast, which needed going for a specific departure, to one which is all semi-fast, it then becomes Turn Up and Go, both for intermediate journeys and even for the end-to-end. This is one of the key aspects that leads to more patronage, and in the final analysis you end up with more money in the till for the same train miles.

Principal competition for rail passengers is the car, and that is the ultimate Turn Up and Go. It's a significant part of why cars became the dominant transport medium.

The issue the rail industry still has to crack is Turn Up and Go frequencies are the complete opposite of Advance fares tied to specific departures.

Not sure this really applies in the case of Chiltern, though, as I'm not convinced that the post-Covid timetable is that attractive to increase patronage and there often isn't the capacity to handle it anyway, to judge by the number of poor journeys on rammed trains I've had in the last few years. Being delayed stuck behind 165s doesn't help either. Principal competition for the train is often working from home where at all possible and minimising the number of times you have to make the unpleasant journey.

With any luck they will find some stock to deal with the chronic shortages that go back a number of years.

I note that the large fare increases that were introduced post-Evergreen for the faster trains have not been reversed now the journey times have reverted to what they were before.