Could we see Class 777s on the Borderlands route?

[Peter Sarf]

Moderator note: Split from https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...g-introduction-on-the-borderlands-line.191986

Those are relatively healthy numbers for a slow hourly service, especially at the Liverpool end at Heswall and presumably a future woodchurch station. It’s very much a line where the phrase “if you build it, they will come” applies.

Anecdotally I have multiple colleagues in Liverpool who live within the catchment areas of stations along that line but who drive to a Merseyrail station instead, or drive all the way into the office.

And another who become a permanent home worker post lockdowns because it was much more convenient than continuing to suffer that journey. 30 minutes isn’t great, but it’s a damn sight better than hourly.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 9 Apr 2023 ==


I very much doubt thats it’s worth the expense to change the signalling if instead they can add a few more 777/1s to the fleet and deliver a service through Liverpool.

And considering TFW and the LCR are making a bid for funding to buy the trains to do this, the only infrastructure required will be for charging. Though it would be better to have P1 at Birkenhead North more useful in times of disruption.

Now your last paragraph makes it look like 777s taking over are more likely than not. Particularly for the North end of the route.

So I have to conclude one way or another that the 230s on Borderlands are only less temporary than the Martson Vale 230s !.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Now your last paragraph makes it look like 777s taking over are more likely than not. Particularly for the North end of the route.

So I have to conclude one way or another that the 230s on Borderlands are only less temporary than the Martson Vale 230s !.

The 777s offer amazing potential for Merseyrail expansion, where previously they've been held back by 3rd rail.
They are going to want to expand.
Wigan, Preston, Helsby and Wrexham are all places they could expand to and make better interchanges then current Kirkby, Ormskirk, Ellesmere Port and Bidston.

I think the 230s on TfW will last quite some time, but I think they may well go eventually.

 

[Bertie the bus]

Now your last paragraph makes it look like 777s taking over are more likely than not. Particularly for the North end of the route.

So I have to conclude one way or another that the 230s on Borderlands are only less temporary than the Martson Vale 230s !.

It depends on where they expect this funding to come from. Applying for funding doesn't mean the application will be successful and if they are expecting the UK government to fund it then why should they when rail services in both Wales and Merseyside are devolved and many parts of England are seeing reduced rail services?

 

[Skie]

Now your last paragraph makes it look like 777s taking over are more likely than not. Particularly for the North end of the route.

So I have to conclude one way or another that the 230s on Borderlands are only less temporary than the Martson Vale 230s !.

They were always meant to be a stop-gap, it just took so bloody long to get them in they might really feel like a waste of time. Funding isn't guaranteed, but a bid is only one way of funding it.

“TfW are working with LCR to develop the business case for increasing the frequency of services on the line. Linked closely to this is a joint bid from TfW and LCR to the Union Connectivity Fund which aims to enable the use of MerseyRail’s brand new Stadler 777 fleet on the Wrexham to Bidston Line. The extension of these new trains would then ultimately enable direct services into Liverpool from this line rather than the current need to change trains at Bidston.

“TfW are hopeful that they will hear the outcome of this bid in the very near future ....[snip]"

From this article: https://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/23431429.talks-ongoing-wrexham-liverpool-direct-trains/