The current Styal line pattern is utterly broken and won’t last long. There is now 2tph all stops, but at the expense of the Lime Street - Warrington Bank Quay electric service, but too many trains run non-stop, not enough skip-stop calls have been retained and the ones that have should probably run non-stop, e.g. the Barrow/Windermere service should definitely run non-stop and the Blackpool North - Hazel Grove which has been hastily diverted that way should not.
I thought 323s were banned through Chorley. They might get away with replacing many of the 319/769 workings and Sprinters on the new Stalybridge/Westhoughton wires, but they will never displace 6 car 331s to Blackpool North. The line just couldn’t take the capacity reduction.
I doubt 323s could be pathed to run at 90mph on the WCML between Wigan and Preston either, but that might be able to cope with a 4 car 331.
I do hope Lea Green and Newton-le-Willows get done to 6 car length now TPE are running 6 car 185s on the Hull service. The Merseyrail platform extensions are nearly done so the same team may be able to move onto Chat Moss.
I’ve heard that the Roby and Huyton island platforms can’t be lengthened to 6 cars without track realignment, but they don’t look like that would make them too narrow to me.
Down Fast or Down Slow? Roby is 4 platforms.
There does seem to have been many changes to unit allocations in this timetable. I can’t work out what has been freed up or where.
What electric only services run into Victoria? I have seen them on the peak Wigan North Western Chat Moss shuttles.
Does the early morning Stoke-on-Trent - Blackpool North 331 not still run, formerly the only 331 south of Stockport other than to Hazel Grove?
