May 2026 timetable

[notspy]

Generally I have found that driver-opening doors take slightly longer at some stations, as drivers are told not to open immediately and to manually check they are in the correct position and correct side. At more complex stations such as Leeds, I believe the driver has to input the position and platform details into the TMS before they can be opened, which often takes longer than 10 seconds whereas you'd struggle to find a guard not opening after 10 seconds (unless they've got caught up in the saloon!).
I don't want to turn this into a DOO/DCO debate so I'll leave it there

 

[Adrian1980uk]

Most guards, including where SWR's release the doors, don't have to check the platform hasn't changed since last time they were there. They can just rely on their route knowledge to know if the train is stopped at the correct place or not. Of course where that is the constraint, e.g. Northern, it is far slower.

I did assume they were taking the Mickey as of course the guard knows the platform is there and isn't any different to any other on the network. It's like the a few months ago I must have looked very silly going to the train that's 'always' there except this time of was late out of the depot so wasn't there and I looked up and down and then went back to check the screen.

 

[InkyScrolls]

At more complex stations such as Leeds, I believe the driver has to input the position and platform details into the TMS before they can be opened, which often takes longer than 10 seconds whereas you'd struggle to find a guard not opening after 10 seconds (unless they've got caught up in the saloon!).

Not the case, but I understand why you'd think that. We only touch ASDO before starting a journey, and the guard will override if necessary (as it currently always is at Leeds).

 

[Pyromaniac]

Commuters have comfort preferences too. When their beloved Clactons (309s) finished, the loadings of the Norwichs increased from Colchester in preference to using the BINs (321s). I’d not be surprised if there is some 720 avoidance.

I commute from Colchester to Liverpool Street occasionally so can give you my thinking...

3+2 seating on a 720 vs 2+2 seating on a 745.

70 min journey time on a 720 vs 45-50 min journey time on a 745.

Therefore, my preference is a 745. Except at 5pm as the 1700 Norwich service skips Colchester so I have to slum it on the 1702 stopper instead

 

[SeanM1997]

Cross Country's weekday service: 1725 Manchester Piccadilly - Bournemouth appears to be calling at Crewe at 1756a/1801d. The service will no longer call at Stockport, meaning a non stop service between Manchester Piccadilly and Crewe.

At present, this service calls at Stockport and goes through Crewe without calling.

 

[jfollows]

Cross Country's weekday service: 1725 Manchester Piccadilly - Bournemouth appears to be calling at Crewe at 1756a/1801d. The service will no longer call at Stockport, meaning a non stop service between Manchester Piccadilly and Crewe.

At present, this service calls at Stockport and goes through Crewe without calling.

Indeed, thanks.
Another one to show to the “everything has to stop at Stockport by law” brigade who appear from time to time.

 

[cle]

Cross Country's weekday service: 1725 Manchester Piccadilly - Bournemouth appears to be calling at Crewe at 1756a/1801d. The service will no longer call at Stockport, meaning a non stop service between Manchester Piccadilly and Crewe.

At present, this service calls at Stockport and goes through Crewe without calling.

Interesting. Same path (if it swaps the single call) - must be a connectivity decision.

 

[SeanM1997]

0506 (Saturdays) and 0507 (Weekdays) LNWR Crewe - Liverpool Lime Street calling at Liverpool South Parkway only added to the timetable.

0524 (Weekdays) TfW Crewe - Chester added

 

[The exile]

Interesting. Same path (if it swaps the single call) - must be a connectivity decision.

Or a problem with gross overcrowding with Manchester - Stockport passengers.

 

[jfollows]

Or a problem with gross overcrowding with Manchester - Stockport passengers.

Long ago it called at Wilmslow as well; I only used it once with a first single because, yes, it was a bit busy.

 

[Phillipimo]

0506 (Saturdays) and 0507 (Weekdays) LNWR Crewe - Liverpool Lime Street calling at Liverpool South Parkway only added to the timetable.

Looks like these currently run empty, so an easy win to run them in passenger service, which is good to see.

 

[MasterPhillips]

I don’t understand why Waterloo to Reading services are now stopping at Vauxhall on weekdays but not on Saturdays. I would have thought it would be more useful on weekends when leisure travellers might want to change for the Victoria line. On weekdays, im not sure commuters will be pleased to see journey times increased on what is already a slow service.

Edit: I was looking incorrectly, the trains are stopping on Saturdays.
Doh

I still believe stopping on weekdays is the wrong decision.

 

[cle]

Or a problem with gross overcrowding with Manchester - Stockport passengers.

Same could be said for every service. And the Pendos are the longest by far - and so are needed most ironically. Local services are short formed. XC and Cardiff, esp the older stock, are the worst for this short flow.

Counter argument is that if everything calls and tph are maximized, that demand is more spread. Much like East Croydon, Reading etc - and high volumes of people doing that short hop. This is nowhere as fraught as those examples.

 

[swr444]

I don’t understand why Waterloo to Reading services are now stopping at Vauxhall on weekdays but not on Saturdays. I would have thought it would be more useful on weekends when leisure travellers might want to change for the Victoria line. On weekdays, im not sure commuters will be pleased to see journey times increased on what is already a slow service.

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L80675/2026-05-23 here it says they are stopping on saturdays

 

[MasterPhillips]

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L80675/2026-05-23 here it says they are stopping on saturdays

Thanks, looks like i was looking at a Saturday before the change. I still believe stopping there on weekdays is the wrong decision.

 

[moonarrow458]

Cross Country's weekday service: 1725 Manchester Piccadilly - Bournemouth appears to be calling at Crewe at 1756a/1801d. The service will no longer call at Stockport, meaning a non stop service between Manchester Piccadilly and Crewe.

At present, this service calls at Stockport and goes through Crewe without calling.

Interesting. Same path (if it swaps the single call) - must be a connectivity decision.

Looking at the path, it would appear that it could in theory stop at both Stockport and Crewe, without any change to timings. With the Stockport call as is now, the train is scheduled to pass through Wilmslow at 17:41 1/2. The same is the case from May with the Stockport call replaced by 3 minutes of allowances approaching Stockport so the train passes through Wilmslow at the same time.

The Crewe call is facilitated by the removal of the dwell in the Crewe-up-manchester-loop.

Or a problem with gross overcrowding with Manchester - Stockport passengers.

So this would more likely be the reason...perhaps

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Cross Country's weekday service: 1725 Manchester Piccadilly - Bournemouth appears to be calling at Crewe at 1756a/1801d. The service will no longer call at Stockport, meaning a non stop service between Manchester Piccadilly and Crewe.

At present, this service calls at Stockport and goes through Crewe without calling.

Interesting. Same path (if it swaps the single call) - must be a connectivity decision.

I regularly take the 5am Manchester XC train to Oxford, and this is also first stop Crewe.

 

[OrangeJuice]

I regularly take the 5am Manchester XC train to Oxford, and this is also first stop Crewe.

That one runs booked via styal not Stockport, I believe for route retention of the diversion route for blockades or other issues at Stockport.

 

[Mike99]

The extra GA service from Ipswich @ 07:17 (2W50) to Cambridge from the May timetable will be very welcome, at the moment there is a gap on this semi rural line departing Ipswich from 06:56 until 08:19(ex Harwich International) towards Cambridge, the 06:56 is a very busy service with Thurston College and Bury St Edmunds College students and also commuters heading towards Cambridge. The new service at 07:17 (almost acting as a old school relief to the 06:56) is very much needed. The extra evening peak return from Cambridge will be very welcome as well.

 

[moonarrow458]

0506 (Saturdays) and 0507 (Weekdays) LNWR Crewe - Liverpool Lime Street calling at Liverpool South Parkway only added to the timetable.

Slightly odd that they don't call at Runcorn. Certainly on weekdays there would be enough pathing time to allow it.

Looks like these currently run empty, so an easy win to run them in passenger service, which is good to see.

Indeed and in the West Midlands there are some more ECS converted to express passenger services from May 2026.

On weekdays and Saturdays:
- A new 05:28 SX /05:31 SO Brum New Street to Lichfield Trent Valley calling only at Aston, Sutton Coldfield, Lichfield City and finally Trent Valley (arr. 0601) - currently runs as 5P06
Provides a good connection into 2U19 (LNWR) at 06:16 to Crewe.

On Saturdays:
- A new 05:53 Wolverhampton to Rugeley Trent Valley, running non-stop to Walsall, then all stations to Rugeley Trent Valley (arr. 06:36) - currently runs as 5H04. Interestingly the equivalent ECS on weekdays is not put into service. Connects neatly at Rugeley TV into 1U02 (LNWR) at 06:42 to London Euston

On Sundays:
- A new 08:51 Brum New Street to Lichfield Trent Valley calling only at Sutton Coldfield, Lichfield City and Lichfield Trent Valley (arr. 09:18). Provides a neat connection into 1A24 (Avanti) at 09:24 to London Euston

- A new 08:58 Brum New Street to Redditch, running non-stop all the way to Redditch arriving 09:22 - currently runs as 5R06
Can't help but think it might have been slightly more useful to have it depart Birmingham 2-5 minutes earlier and call at University and perhaps Barnt Green and Alvechurch.

But still good to see much needed earlier services particularly on a sunday from the UK's second city.

 

[jfollows]

Runcorn ticket office currently opens at 05:45, although of course that could be changed.

 

[Kite159]

On Saturdays:
- A new 05:53 Wolverhampton to Rugeley Trent Valley, running non-stop to Walsall, then all stations to Rugeley Trent Valley (arr. 06:36) - currently runs as 5H04.

Bringing back a passenger service on the 'direct' line between Wolverhampton & Walsall for the first time in a couple of years.

 

[cle]

Precursor to the new stations perhaps... lots of random, probably positioning Sunday patterns, but as said, anything which opens up the railway earlier on Sundays is welcome.

 

[nw1]

When I commuted in the 90s was Clapham Jn and Richmond, lovely 15 min journey to Richmond…those were the days!

I think it's been Clapham Junction and Richmond only for the main services for a long time, since at least 1982.

There was however a period in the 90s when there were 4tph to Reading, the other two calling at Vauxhall and Putney and routed via Hounslow and thus being slower overall though they made up time later by being limited-stop west of Ascot.

You could argue, perhaps sensibly, that as Reading is a longer-distance service then they need to be limited-stop inside Greater London, so Clapham and Richmond sounds about right then Twickenham, Feltham, and Staines (compare Clapham and Surbiton then Walton and Weybridge for similar-class services on the mainline). Zillions of trains per hour Clapham Junction to Vauxhall, so you can always change at Clapham.

 

[GW43125]

Thanks, looks like i was looking at a Saturday before the change. I still believe stopping there on weekdays is the wrong decision.

As a Reading line resident, it's something we've been begging for for years-getting up to Vauxhall to catch a train from King's Cross, for instance, is a pig when the rounders aren't running!

Quite happy to take the 2 minute time penalty if it means not staggering across Clapham Jn with a suitcase!

 

[cle]

You could argue, perhaps sensibly, that as Reading is a longer-distance service then they need to be limited-stop inside Greater London, so Clapham and Richmond sounds about right then Twickenham, Feltham, and Staines (compare Clapham and Surbiton then Walton and Weybridge for similar-class services on the mainline). Zillions of trains per hour Clapham Junction to Vauxhall, so you can always change at Clapham.

This service does many things, including a ton of non-Central London / orbital journeys. The one thing it isn't really good for is London-Reading, but Wokingham and Bracknell unfortunately are both busy places at the end of quite a local line.

A few quicker patterns in the western half, during the peaks, might be useful - eg Reading / Wokingham / Bracknell / Egham --- stations. Missing Ascot is probably not ideal, but it's sub 1m. If connections work with the other services, it's less of a hardship.

But yes, reinstating the Hounslow pattern might also help. Doubling frequency is better than skipping 2-3 stops and saving 5 mins.

 

[swr444]

This service does many things, including a ton of non-Central London / orbital journeys. The one thing it isn't really good for is London-Reading, but Wokingham and Bracknell unfortunately are both busy places at the end of quite a local line.

A few quicker patterns in the western half, during the peaks, might be useful - eg Reading / Wokingham / Bracknell / Egham --- stations. Missing Ascot is probably not ideal, but it's sub 1m. If connections work with the other services, it's less of a hardship.

But yes, reinstating the Hounslow pattern might also help. Doubling frequency is better than skipping 2-3 stops and saving 5 mins.

Reading - Wokingham - Bracknell - Ascot - Virginia Water - Egham - Staines - Feltham - Twickenham - Richmond - CLJ - Waterloo. I think it is a reasonable stopping pattern if you were going to add faster services. Ascot and Virginia Water allow connections to other services, so I think it's good to include them.

 

[JonathanH]

Reading - Wokingham - Bracknell - Ascot - Virginia Water - Egham - Staines - Feltham - Twickenham - Richmond - CLJ - Waterloo. I think it is a reasonable stopping pattern if you were going to add faster services. Ascot and Virginia Water allow connections to other services, so I think it's good to include them.

It still wouldn't be quick. One issue with the speed of trains to Wokingham is that it leads to quite a lot of railheading to Twyford (with parking issues) and Farnborough, but realistically the Waterloo to Reading route, with its 70 mph limit, is a line best suited to trains that call at all stations to support all possible journeys.

 

[Mitchell Hurd]

Interesting LNER changes in May 2026...

14:03 London to Aberdeen timetable now terminates at Edinburgh and so does the 14:52 from Aberdeen.

A new 19:25 to London Kings Cross is introduced which presumably is formed after the 14:03 from London.

The 18:36 from Edinburgh to Aberdeen (formed after the 14:52 from Aberdeen) no longer comes from London.

Passengers for Haymarket - Dundee / Aberdeen will no doubt be unhappy at the near 10-minute connection onto the LNER service to Aberdeen at Edinburgh!

 

[cle]

Reading - Wokingham - Bracknell - Ascot - Virginia Water - Egham - Staines - Feltham - Twickenham - Richmond - CLJ - Waterloo. I think it is a reasonable stopping pattern if you were going to add faster services. Ascot and Virginia Water allow connections to other services, so I think it's good to include them.

This still feels like too many.

A full time Shepperton via Richmond routing, if ever done (that branch is dead) - might enable Twickenham to be skipped.

Virginia Water, even as an interchange - isn’t an important one. Nor is Ascot really. The 2tph for each seems enough.