East Coast Advance Tickets 12/13 February

[Shutax]

Does anyone know why East Coast have not yet released Advance tickets for 12/13 February 2011? Other than on these dates Advance tickets are available up until 25 February.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

Because there's only a very limited service that weekend, with a few diversions via the Hertford loop but many journeys between London and Edinburgh only available by the WCML.

 

[philjo]

This what FCC says for their GN services on Saturday 12th & Sunday 13th February:

http://www.firstcapitalconnect.co.uk/static/filemanager/Web_GN_Engineering_Summary_Combined_101125_RD.pdf

Peterborough route: Buses will replace trains between Welwyn Garden City and Biggleswade. A limited train service will also operate between London King's Cross and Peterborough, calling at Stevenage,
Hitchin, St Neots and Huntingdon (and vice versa)
Cambridge and Kings Lynn routes: Buses will replace trains between Welwyn Garden City and Hitchin
Hertford route: Buses will replace trains between Hertford North and Stevenage
Finsbury Park, Harringay and Hornsey: Trains will be unable to call at Harringay and Hornsey (in both directions) or at Finsbury Park (towards London only). Use local buses or Tube services to access these stations

 

[yorkie]

Sounds like they're using the Down Slow 2 and Up Goods (or is that called Up Slow 2 these days?). But why the limited stops north of Hitchin? To call at Hitchin the slow lines must be open, I guess the slows could be closed between there and Huntingdon (exclusive) which would prevent calls at Arlesey and Sandy, but Biggleswade has island platforms so there's no reason not to call there is there?

 

[philjo]

FCC may be operating an hourly 12-car service from London to Peterborough as all the stations mentioned can handle 12 coaches. Arlesey, Biggleswade & Sandy can only take 8 coaches at present.

Also it suggests that the fast lines are closed in the Hitchin area so they cannot cross the junction - otherwise why would the Cambridge trains only operate north of Hitchin (they can start back from Platform 1 onto the Cambridge branch) ? Unless it is because the available paths through Hitchin/Stevenage area etc are very limited.

Sounds like services are also diverted via the Hertford Loop as FCC are replaced by buses from Welwyn GC & the bus replacement for the Hertford-Stevenage service frees up the loop for diverted services.

update:

it looks like there may be single line working or something as the journey planner on the EC site for saturday 12 Feb shows a number of trains close together then nothing for 90 minutes on a 2-hourly pattern.
looks like all EC are calling at Stevenage as is & GC services to Sunderland all call additionally at Stevenage, grantham, retford, doncaster.
Only 1 thorugh Hull Trains service seems to be showing -others start at Doncaster to Hull connecting out of GC service from Kings Cross.