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The simple solution to this is to offer cheap advanced tickets on the buses.
The difference between Edinburgh - Peterbrough (by train), and Edinburgh - (train) - Peterbrough - (bus) - London should be very low to encourage people to use the buses instead of flooding the MML.
But are they all LNER passengers. They may have tickets to "London stations" valid either route. The engineering work north of Sheffield, may have drawn passengers in, as they couldn't get to LNER. Either way, we need more capacity and it will never be at St Pancras.
The simple solution to this is to offer cheap advanced tickets on the buses.
The difference between Edinburgh - Peterbrough (by train), and Edinburgh - (train) - Peterbrough - (bus) - London should be very low to encourage people to use the buses instead of flooding the MML.
I have just taken a look at next weeks 810 tests out of Newton Aycliffe, and I have noticed there are 2 timetables on the monday (5Q08 to York and 5Q58 to Doncaster) with 2 return timetables as well (5Q63 from Doncaster and 5Q13 from York). Does this mean that there are going to be 2 810s testing (And if so I'm assuming it'll be 014 and 015) or will one of the 2 flows just get cancelled. There is also only 1 flow (5Q58 - 5Q63) on Tuesday and an outbound 5Q58 on Wednesday, with no return on Thursday and nothing else yet for the rest of the week.
I have just taken a look at next weeks 810 tests out of Newton Aycliffe, and I have noticed there are 2 timetables on the monday (5Q08 to York and 5Q58 to Doncaster) with 2 return timetables as well (5Q63 from Doncaster and 5Q13 from York). Does this mean that there are going to be 2 810s testing (And if so I'm assuming it'll be 014 and 015) or will one of the 2 flows just get cancelled. There is also only 1 flow (5Q58 - 5Q63) on Tuesday and an outbound 5Q58 on Wednesday, with no return on Thursday and nothing else yet for the rest of the week.
The joys of splitting makes this a bit harder. We don’t know how many of the LNER customers are splitting. I certainly would be splitting if I needed to get to London. Of course EMR could increase the price of tickets on their route.
The joys of splitting makes this a bit harder. We don’t know how many of the LNER customers are splitting. I certainly would be splitting if I needed to get to London. Of course EMR could increase the price of tickets on their route.
Also, looks like this morning 810006 failed in Etches and could make out out for 1C17, with 5/1C17 being cancelled for ‘M8’ and every other activated service of that flow being cancelled for ‘YI’ so far, so not looking like they’re subbing in a unit. Same appears to have happened to 810011 with it experiencing the same cancellation codes on 5/1C11, but it looks like they want to bring it in on 1F17 at Derby and resume the cancelled journey from Derby to Sheffield. 013 is running fine though at least.
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Now 810009 is experiencing issues with its safety equipment, however good news is that 810011 has been slipped back into service after failing this morning, no sign of 006 though
Where on the route does the 810 change from Electric to Diesel power? I note that when under the wires around South Leicester area (Great Glen/Kibworth etc.) they run on diesel with the pantograph down.
I think it was mentioned up thread that approaching Kilby bridge is a high workload area for the driver due to the potential for adverse signals. And for that reason the power changeover area is much further south. The train will be coasting or slowing down here anyway. It gives the driver time to manage the power change process within a safe area then he can start processing the signals approaching Kilby, bridge and Wigston.
Just seen that the OLE has gone down outside St Pancras on the MML, however even though the 810s are bi-mode, the test timetables have been turned back at Kettering instead of continuing under diesel like I would've predicted to happen, would this not be an ideal scenario to take advantage of training drivers to have an emergency power changeover?
Just seen that the OLE has gone down outside St Pancras on the MML, however even though the 810s are bi-mode, the test timetables have been turned back at Kettering instead of continuing under diesel like I would've predicted to happen, would this not be an ideal scenario to take advantage of training drivers to have an emergency power changeover?
Just seen that the OLE has gone down outside St Pancras on the MML, however even though the 810s are bi-mode, the test timetables have been turned back at Kettering instead of continuing under diesel like I would've predicted to happen, would this not be an ideal scenario to take advantage of training drivers to have an emergency power changeover?
If wires are down, I expect four tracks worth of trains might be trying to use just two tracks. At that point, any train that doesn't have to be there, will no proceed.
If wires are down, I expect four tracks worth of trains might be trying to use just two tracks. At that point, any train that doesn't have to be there, will no proceed.
Where on the route does the 810 change from Electric to Diesel power? I note that when under the wires around South Leicester area (Great Glen/Kibworth etc.) they run on diesel with the pantograph down.
Had a look the other day, the change to diesel power is about a mile north of Kibworth. Its about the same spot where Wistow signal box was, on the road from Kibworth to Wistow Park and Kilby village you can see the lower pantograph sign a few hundred yards to the North.
Just seen that the OLE has gone down outside St Pancras on the MML, however even though the 810s are bi-mode, the test timetables have been turned back at Kettering instead of continuing under diesel like I would've predicted to happen, would this not be an ideal scenario to take advantage of training drivers to have an emergency power changeover?
Just seen that the OLE has gone down outside St Pancras on the MML, however even though the 810s are bi-mode, the test timetables have been turned back at Kettering instead of continuing under diesel like I would've predicted to happen, would this not be an ideal scenario to take advantage of training drivers to have an emergency power changeover?
Real-time train running information for 5Q08 2151 departure from Merchant Park Sidings to York on 11/02/2026. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.
Seat reservations were removed on Liverpool Norwich long before 170s were even planned to run on the route. Just before COVID the plans were announced. They were seen as a pain and the printers were life expired anyway so were binned off when the HSTs finished.
A small minority of passengers liked them, the majority and the staff hated them.
It wouldn't be particularly difficult to upgrade stock to have electronic reservations. These days with ePaper displays they could even be battery powered, with the batteries only needing changing every few years.
As for the 810/222 situation, I suspect the dated centralised reservation system wouldn't allow this, but it would be fairly easy to do dynamic reservations. Anyone not booking by app gets allocated a seat that would exist on either set. Anyone booking by app is told they've been allocated a seat and it will be finalised on the day of travel. You will get moans that it isn't the seat they want, but as least it's guaranteed while the changeover happens.
A similar setup would have allowed something like XC's 15 minutes reservations to actually work - when a ticket check takes place, scanning a ticket could link a seat to an itinerary, preventing that seat from being reserved from under someone. A short-notice reservation would only have the actual seat confirmed just before the train arrived.
One thing I don't understand - EMR says that if you buy an AP ticket, or an open ticket with a particular train selected, the 'reserve' a seat for you on that train, so you are guaranteed to get one. How? Is the usage of open tickets predictable enough these days that they can be fairly sure a train won't be overwhelmed?
As for it being a small minority who liked them - if I'm travelling any distance I want a fairly decent idea I'm going to get a seat, and I don't know anyone who doesn't hold similar views, especially if travelling in a group, you want to be seated together. The only minority I can imagine when it comes to seat reservations would be those who need / want things like facing or a table. I struggle travelling backwards as I get sick, but most don't. Some want a table if they are in a group, most only want to sit down. So I'd disagree that most don't like the ability to reserve a seat, just that most don't care about the specifics of the actual seat.
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Similar to an above question - do all 810s change power in service? I travelled down to London on one last Wednesday and didn't notice any reduction in engine noise / vibration. Not sure if they are just so quiet to begin with, or if the changeover didn't happen.
Didn't think to pay attention at St Pancras - was too busy trying to beat the queues out of the station and get on the move to find somewhere for tea!
Similar to an above question - do all 810s change power in service? I travelled down to London on one last Wednesday and didn't notice any reduction in engine noise / vibration. Not sure if they are just so quiet to begin with, or if the changeover didn't happen.
Didn't think to pay attention at St Pancras - was too busy trying to beat the queues out of the station and get on the move to find somewhere for tea!
Definitely, and I thought it was noticeable, but if you were in Coach C there is no engine so there might be no difference. They basically 'have' to be on electric under the wires as that's what they are fueled for, except in extraordinary circumstances.
Definitely, and I thought it was noticeable, but if you were in Coach C there is no engine so there might be no difference. They basically 'have' to be on electric under the wires as that's what they are fueled for, except in extraordinary circumstances.
No, I was in the leading coach. According to RTT it was 810013, the 1400 ex Sheffield. I was actually trying to listen out for the change as well so either it is very subtle or there was an issue with that car? Can they keep time on 3 engines?
It wouldn't be particularly difficult to upgrade stock to have electronic reservations. These days with ePaper displays they could even be battery powered, with the batteries only needing changing every few years.
As for the 810/222 situation, I suspect the dated centralised reservation system wouldn't allow this, but it would be fairly easy to do dynamic reservations. Anyone not booking by app gets allocated a seat that would exist on either set. Anyone booking by app is told they've been allocated a seat and it will be finalised on the day of travel. You will get moans that it isn't the seat they want, but as least it's guaranteed while the changeover happens.
A similar setup would have allowed something like XC's 15 minutes reservations to actually work - when a ticket check takes place, scanning a ticket could link a seat to an itinerary, preventing that seat from being reserved from under someone. A short-notice reservation would only have the actual seat confirmed just before the train arrived.
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As far as Norwich to Liverpool was concerned, in my experience joining at Nottingham the reservations worked very poorly, many of the reserved seats ended up unoccupied as people crammed into the unreserved areas. I get the impression that on these sort of regional services people with reservations are much less likely to use them than on proper intercity services; passengers seem to spread out more smoothly at Nottingham since the reservations were abolished.
The main problem I see on the route now is overcrowding on the coaches nearest the buffer stops leaving Liverpool Lime Street and then more people trying to crowd onto these 2/3 rear coaches at the Manchester stations due to the stopping position (which is not a problem for me as I always head for the front coach!). A simple board on the platform at Lime Street saying "the front coaches are often quieter" might help!
On the London services, as you suggest, the ageing failing reservations system would probably not support anything to usefully allow reservations during the 222/810 transition so suspending them for the duration is probably the only feasible option.
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