Grantham - St Pancras - next two weekends

[G0ORC]

I note EMT are providing some services Grantham - St. Pancras for the next couple of weekends due to a planned blockage between Peterborough and Kings Cross.

On Saturdays an EMT ECS (presumably HST) arrives at Grantham from Neville Hill as 5Z33 at 0927 and another ECS from Nottingham at 1027 as 5Z38 to start things off and then the Nottingham fast terminators are extended to Grantham to start the next service off from there.

In the modern world, I've not often seen co-operation like this.

Are VTEC "hiring-in" these services or are EMT simply taking up a commercial opportunity?

 

[TheBigD]

Similar happened a few years ago when NR were doing work at Peterborough over Xmas... EMT ran Grantham-St Pancras whilst EC bussed Grantham-Huntingdon... Though this time VTEC/HT/GC are running a reduced service diverted via Cambridge as well..

 

[SeanG]

Given that EMT & VTEC have the same parent company, I wonder if this has anything to do with it

 

[bunnahabhain]

Given that EMT & VTEC have the same parent company, I wonder if this has anything to do with it

Nope, happened a few years back for East Coast as well, as previously mentioned.

 

[edwin_m]

While I was at Nottingham station this morning a 1054 to Grantham only was being announced, complete with 8 coaches and buffet counter service so presumably an HST. I didn't actually see it or get time to investigate due to being with family, but I would be interested in suggestions on why they were running this. There didn't appear to be any disruption on the London route and while it's the start of half term here I don't think a train just to Grantham would help with any Skegness crowds*. No relevant info on the EMT website but there was some kind of promotion going on by the East Lincolnshre tourist people.

*I really can't imagine anyone choosing to go there at this time of year - it was cold enough in Nottingham with a freezing easterly and flurries of sleet and it would be so much more so on the east coast. Felt quite sorry for the tourist people, though they did have a model of the "Jolly Fisherman" on their stand.

 

[causton]

Posted in a lot of other places, it is because the East Coast Main Line is closed between Peterborough and Hitchin, so this is an alternative route for people to use to get from London to Doncaster, Leeds etc.

 

[43096]

While I was at Nottingham station this morning a 1054 to Grantham only was being announced, complete with 8 coaches and buffet counter service so presumably an HST. I didn't actually see it or get time to investigate due to being with family, but I would be interested in suggestions on why they were running this. There didn't appear to be any disruption on the London route and while it's the start of half term here I don't think a train just to Grantham would help with any Skegness crowds*. No relevant info on the EMT website but there was some kind of promotion going on by the East Lincolnshre tourist people.



*I really can't imagine anyone choosing to go there at this time of year - it was cold enough in Nottingham with a freezing easterly and flurries of sleet and it would be so much more so on the east coast. Felt quite sorry for the tourist people, though they did have a model of the "Jolly Fisherman" on their stand.

So you posted this question on a thread that tells you exactly the answer to your question. Is it just me who is utterly baffled as to why you did that?

 

[matt]

So you posted this question on a thread that tells you exactly the answer to your question. Is it just me who is utterly baffled as to why you did that?

This post was merged into the existing thread.

 

[edwin_m]

This post was merged into the existing thread.

Thanks for the merge and the explanation.

 

[IanXC]

If only there were suitable tickets priced so that these services would carry a meaningful passenger load!

 

[bunnahabhain]

If only there were suitable tickets priced so that these services would carry a meaningful passenger load!

I'm guessing no Advance Purchase fares were loaded? They didn't seem as heavily loaded as last time, although VTEC were running via Ely fairly regularly when I went that way on Sunday.

 

[IanXC]

I'm guessing no Advance Purchase fares were loaded? They didn't seem as heavily loaded as last time, although VTEC were running via Ely fairly regularly when I went that way on Sunday.

Absolutely there weren't. If you didn't know the detail of this option you're hardly likely to choose an itinerary to St Pancras, especially if there are only walk up tickets showing.

 

[bunnahabhain]

Ahh well, it'll probably have been noted as when these things run headcounts are the order of the day. On another tangent I know the six main Summer Saturdays last year at Skegness saw 20,000 using the trains (I can't remember if the flow was both directions or just one) hence the the HST diagrams being doubled (TBC still!) and running as extras again this year!

 

[Starmill]

National Rail Enquiries was displaying the trains with the £50.50 Off-Peak Day Return (Grantham to London Terminals) or £52.50 Off-Peak Day Travelcard from Grantham but only if your journey was from Grantham and to either London or a London Zones 1-6 station. I could not get it to show me anything using these services from any origin but Grantham. However that could have just been NRE.

 

[43096]

Ahh well, it'll probably have been noted as when these things run headcounts are the order of the day. On another tangent I know the six main Summer Saturdays last year at Skegness saw 20,000 using the trains (I can't remember if the flow was both directions or just one) hence the the HST diagrams being doubled (TBC still!) and running as extras again this year!

Not sure if I'm reading this right - are you saying there is a plan for TWO HSTs to Skegness on Summer Saturdays?

I still don't understand the attraction of Skegness, mind you!

 

[bunnahabhain]

Not sure if I'm reading this right - are you saying there is a plan for TWO HSTs to Skegness on Summer Saturdays?

I still don't understand the attraction of Skegness, mind you!

Yes, the services this year were over capacity and luggage is a major issue. It should be two relief services this year as opposed to one running on a service train. Skegness is cheap, and has the seaside, and Butlins! What's not to love?

 

[TheBigD]

Yes, the services this year were over capacity and luggage is a major issue. It should be two relief services this year as opposed to one running on a service train. Skegness is cheap, and has the seaside, and Butlins! What's not to love?

Does that mean there will be 2 HST's in use or is it just one set doing 2 round trips in addition to the normal service???

EMT reduced the summer Saturday morning capacity to/from Skegness last year by 3 carriages, the equivalent of a 153+156, to enable the Matlock-Nottingham service to be extended through to Newark Castle...

 

[Jonny]

Not sure if I'm reading this right - are you saying there is a plan for TWO HSTs to Skegness on Summer Saturdays?

I still don't understand the attraction of Skegness, mind you!

I could well believe that there are plans for such a train service and a market for tickets on it, given that the weak pound makes overseas travel significantly more expensive - hence domestic travel is an option.

Having been there on a couple of occasions, Skegness does have a certain charm... but not quite to my taste.

 

[class26]

Does that mean there will be 2 HST's in use or is it just one set doing 2 round trips in addition to the normal service???

EMT reduced the summer Saturday morning capacity to/from Skegness last year by 3 carriages, the equivalent of a 153+156, to enable the Matlock-Nottingham service to be extended through to Newark Castle...

......and they were putting road coaches on from Grantham to Skegness to take the overflow. Summer weekends need large capacity and that includes Fridays as it is Butlins change over day.

 

[43096]

I could well believe that there are plans for such a train service and a market for tickets on it, given that the weak pound makes overseas travel significantly more expensive - hence domestic travel is an option.

Good point - that thought had crossed my mind too.

 

[Class 170101]

I'm surprised that EMT aren't running extra trains to Grantham in connection with works btween Leicester and Bedford for connections to East Coast Main Line on 25th February.