Cross City Line Cool facts

[the sniper]

Pretty sure all the Met Camm built 373s were tested this way but unfortunately, because it was overnight you don't get to see any photos online.

Well, not for some time I guess.

 

[32475]

This may be a really obscure answer but if Blake Street had an ‘i’ in its spelling then it would have an anagram of Kestrel Balti. That would have been a really cool answer to your question. So near and yet so far!

 

[Strat-tastic]

This may be a really obscure answer but if Blake Street had an ‘i’ in its spelling then it would have an anagram of Kestrel Balti. That would have been a really cool answer to your question. So near and yet so far!

It would sound like the locals pronouncing it

 

[304033]

Well, not for some time I guess.

THANK YOU! I've been looking for these for ages...
I was under the impression during the day they were shunted onto the Anglesea Sidings Branch until the next nights testing??

 

[the sniper]

THANK YOU! I've been looking for these for ages...
I was under the impression during the day they were shunted onto the Anglesea Sidings Branch until the next nights testing??

You're welcome. No idea on the latter I'm afraid.

 

[Joe_Dodman]

In the past twelve months the Class 323 used on the Cross City Line have received names of the stations they serve, all except 323240 Dave Pomfrey an engineer at Soho Depot where the units are maintained. A named example is 323201 Duddeston.
The future for the 323s is unclearwhen they are replaced by new Class 730/0 units. 19? will transfer to Northern Rails Allerton Depot in Liverpool to replace older Class 319 units but the rest seem to be surplus to requirements.

Correction - its 241 that's Dave. 240 is named Erdington

 

[william.martin]

It would sound like the locals pronouncing it

I must admit, I previously come from that way and its said like "blike street"

 

[MPC]

Bourneville was a destination for very many special excursions visiting the nearby factory.

Bournville.

 

[Wolfie]

During the period immediately prior to electrification it was apparently known as the 'Wacky Races' as a result of the diverse hotchpotch of clapped-out DMU vehicles in use, together with the service frequency. I think the term may have originated from the drivers of long-distance services from the southwest, who would often find themselves stuck behind one of these things from Kings Norton all the way into New Street. Does anybody know more about this?

I remember using ex-BEDPAN line first generation DMUs, complete with the line diagrams for that service, when l did my masters at Brum Uni in the mid-80s.

 

[JW4]

It was planned for the Cross-City Line to be 6tph on Sundays by May 2021
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/...ly-1-billion-is-invested-in-midlands-services

• more Sunday services on the Cross City line with the number of trains per hour between Longbridge and Birmingham doubling from 2 per hour to 4 in December 2018, and then increasing to 6 in May 2021

 

[Liam L]

and then increasing to 6 in May 2021

It’s April 2023, where this increase?

 

[Fidelis]

It’s April 2023, where this increase?

The government paper quoted is dated 2017 and circumstances have significantly change in the six years.
WMRE draft RIS 2022-50 states on pages 75 and 76 that 4tph on the Cross City upto 2030