Did 2-car 170s really run on the Midland Mainline?

[Haywain]

Unthinkable to have 2 car trains on the Midland Mainline (running to St Pancras) today.

Sadly not unthinkable to have 5-car trains though.

 

[GatwickDepress]

Sadly not unthinkable to have 5-car trains though.

Too true. The Cinderella line moniker strikes again.

I only really use the MML if I think I have a chance of bidding for a First Class upgrade on SeatFrog now, having been squished into an overcrowded Meridian too many times.

 

[Haywain]

I only really use the MML if I think I have a chance of bidding for a First Class upgrade on SeatFrog now, having been squished into an overcrowded Meridian too many times.

I don't have too much choice about using it but the experience of have to change twice to get to Derby/Sheffield and likely have to stand doesn't encourage discretionary travel.

 

[Harpo]

Unthinkable to have 2 car trains on the Midland Mainline (running to St Pancras) today.

(Off topic). It’s the WCMLs turn. Waiting at Watford around 1725 on Friday, four Avanti services formed of only 5 cars passed through within a few minutes. What capacity shortage?

 

[QSK19]

Too true. The Cinderella line moniker strikes again.

I only really use the MML if I think I have a chance of bidding for a First Class upgrade on SeatFrog now, having been squished into an overcrowded Meridian too many times.

Tbh, First Class on EMR is pathetic. LNER & Avanti are so far ahead that, IMO, it’s not worth even bidding on EMR unless it’s to beat any overcrowding - I wouldn’t upgrade based on the product offering.

But that isn’t really any of EMR’s fault: coming back to the Cinderella line point of view, if the DfT won’t back EMR, not much EMR can do!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Feb 2025 ==

Midland Mainline gave complimentary tea and coffee out as well

Ah the memories - was brilliant to commute to uni and back and have a tea. I remember a member of the onboard team saying free tea & coffee cost them £2m (can’t remember what timeframe; but I presume annually).

 

[Sad Sprinter]

Tbh, First Class on EMR is pathetic. LNER & Avanti are so far ahead that, IMO, it’s not worth even bidding on EMR unless it’s to beat any overcrowding - I wouldn’t upgrade based on the product offering.

But that isn’t really any of EMR’s fault: coming back to the Cinderella line point of view, if the DfT won’t back EMR, not much EMR can do!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 23 Feb 2025 ==


Ah the memories - was brilliant to commute to uni and back and have a tea. I remember a member of the onboard team saying free tea & coffee cost them £2m (can’t remember what timeframe; but I presume annually).

The Midland really does feel like a regional line that extended to London, instead of away like the other trunk routes.

 

[Magdalia]

The Midland really does feel like a regional line that extended to London, instead of away like the other trunk routes.

That is how the Midland route to London developed. It started with trains from Derby to London via Leicester and Rugby with running powers into Euston.

Then it extended south to Bedford with running powers to Kings Cross via Hitchin.

Bedford to St Pancras came last opening in 1868.

 

[ac6000cw]

It started with trains from Derby to London via Leicester and Rugby with running powers into Euston.

The earliest route from Derby to London (via the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway, opened in 1839) was via Burton and Whitacre to a junction with the London and Birmingham near Hampton-in-Arden. The shorter route via Leicester to Rugby (the Midland Counties Railway) opened about a year later and the two railways then competed for London traffic.

Both railways merged (along with the Derby-Leeds North Midland Railway) to form the Midland Railway in 1844, at which point the via Leicester ex-Midland Counties route became the main route to London.

 

[Haywain]

Then it extended south to Bedford with running powers to Kings Cross via Hitchin.

It extended to Hitchin with running powers from there. The Bedford - Hitchin line was part of the Midland Railway.