Meridians for Grand National

[Pumbaa]

Next saturday sees 7-car Meridian working for the Grand National providing additional capacity between Liverpool and Nottingham. Go get if you can!

0845 NOT - 1131 LIV
1152 LIV - 1431 NOT
1445 NOT - 1731 LIV
1752 LIV - 2031 NOT

 

[First class]

1R62 - 08:45 NOT-LIV 11:31
1R86 - 14:45 NOT-LIV 17:31
1L10 - 11:52 LIV-NOT 14:31
1L16 - 17:52 LIV-NOT 20:31

Surely if EMT can add a 222 diagram of a Saturday, then the (very busy) Sunday workings could probably be entirely 222 worked, (2-3 units?).

Annoys me no end that Sunday workings are only 2-car!

 

[c259]

I'm suprised at EMT still running 2 car services to/from Lime Street. Will be nice to see something different at Lime Street.

 

[Pumbaa]

Surely if EMT can add a 222 diagram of a Saturday, then the (very busy) Sunday workings could probably be entirely 222 worked, (2-3 units?).

Annoys me no end that Sunday workings are only 2-car!

I make it 6 units to cover an hourly Liverpool - Nottingham service.

 

[MCR247]

I'm suprised at EMT still running 2 car services to/from Lime Street. Will be nice to see something different at Lime Street.

And what other choice do they have?

 

[First class]

I make it 6 units to cover an hourly Liverpool - Nottingham service.

Didn't think Sunday was hourly...

Either way I'm sure there are 6 cl222s available during the weekend even if it is just the 4car.

 

[323235]

It is hourly from 1252-1952

 

[Arriva158]

Not a bad service actually because during the day yes it's busy but it's well used and it's preferred traction for me in comparison to a 185, but would not want to be on the EMT that does stops over the Hope Valley and all stops to Liverpool from Manchester.... yikes!:cry:

 

[Tomnick]

Just missed the 1752 off Lime Street, formed of a 4-car 158? Any idea whether the Meridian diagram's changed, or has the job gone up the wall with a single 153 on the 1852??

 

[c259]

17:52 was a four car 158. 18:52 was a Meridian.

Imagine the chaos if 18:52 was a single car 153.

 

[323235]

which Meridian was it?

 

[Chester025]

222001

 

[c259]

Here she is at South Parkway on the 08:45 Nottingham-Liverpool. They actually don't fit on the platform at [stn]LPY[/stn].

222001 Meridian by chrismid259, on Flickr

 

[tbtc]

18:52 was a Meridian.

Here it is leaving Sheffield around half four http://www.flickr.com/photos/thebustocrookes/sets/72157626463121098/ - good to see EMT make the effort to do this kind of thing (same with putting an HST on summer Skeg services) - the kind of "joined up thinking" that we used to take forgranted...

 

[northwichcat]

Here she is at South Parkway on the 08:45 Nottingham-Liverpool. They actually don't fit on the platform at [stn]LPY[/stn].

So did they use Selective Door Opening at South Parkway? I imagine some people using online journey planners would have been told to change to Merseyrail at South Parkway.

 

[HST Power]

Here she is at South Parkway on the 08:45 Nottingham-Liverpool. They actually don't fit on the platform at LPY.

Great shot! 222 looking good as always!

 

[Johnny Lewis]

A 7 car 222 wouldn't fit at Widnes either, and would struggle to fit at Warrington Central. They do have SDO though don't they?

Presumably, as Norwich / Nottingham - Liverpool is Standard Class only, the 3 First Class carriages were declassified?

 

[Mike395]

Yeah SDO is fitted to the Meridians (on one occasion under MML they ran 2x7 car trains, and said the platform at Bedford was 'short' :P )

 

[c259]

A 7 car 222 wouldn't fit at Widnes either, and would struggle to fit at Warrington Central. They do have SDO though don't they?

Presumably, as Norwich / Nottingham - Liverpool is Standard Class only, the 3 First Class carriages were declassified?

Considering the first class carriages where at the front of the 8:45 NOT-LIV service I didn't really understand why the driver positioned the train with two standard class carriages off the platform.

In the case that a signal is present at the end of the platform, are trains not allowed to pass the signal on arrival, especially in the case of the Meridians? Possibly the reason for the back carriages being left off the platform.

 

[Jordy]

If you look closely you'll see SDO stop boards all along the Liverpool - Nottingham route, at the far end of the platform (or where the driver should stop) - they say something like "5 SDO" - my understanding is that the driver stops at this board and selects the number shown, which opens that number of doors. I guess that's why they can't have the front of the train overlapping the platform.

 

[c259]

So did they use Selective Door Opening at South Parkway? I imagine some people using online journey planners would have been told to change to Merseyrail at South Parkway.

Quite a lot of people got off at South Parkway.

If you look closely you'll see SDO stop boards all along the Liverpool - Nottingham route, at the far end of the platform (or where the driver should stop) - they say something like "5 SDO" - my understanding is that the driver stops at this board and selects the number shown, which opens that number of doors. I guess that's why they can't have the front of the train overlapping the platform.

I see those signs all the time. I never knew what SDO stood for though.

 

[northwichcat]

A 7 car 222 wouldn't fit at Widnes either, and would struggle to fit at Warrington Central. They do have SDO though don't they?

TPE have used 8 car 158s stopping at Warrington Central and Birchwood in the past. This was obviously before TPE served South Parkway and EMT obviously serve Widnes not Birchwood.

 

[Kneedown]

Was working the afternoon run from Nottingham. A claim to fame in that we were told that we'd be the first ever Meridian to stop at Irlam and Birchwood. Good job i remembered!
We kept time pretty much everywhere. Only delays were entering Lime St where we were kept outside for Class 67 hauled charter to depart, and Leaving Lime St when no one could decide where to put the two wheelchair passengers who arrived.
Even over the Hope Valley, with it's reduced speeds for non-Sprinters we kept to 158 timings due to the extra power. As we spent a lot of the time coasting or on low power i'll bet we used a fair bit less fuel than a 158 on full whack all the time.
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EMT obviously serve Widnes not Birchwood.

We've got a few trains that call at Birchwood. One or two in the morning and one in the evening. Only one that stops at Irlam though.

 

[dk1]

At Warrington Central Saturday we decided to let the late running & absolutley wedged TPx & following Northern 156+donkey services to Lime Street go & wait for the right time 10.57 Meridian. Managed to get seats in first class on what turned out to be a 7-car . Well done East Mids as the on board team did a fantastic job & this must have been one of the few trains arriving that was comfortably loaded. Such a good day i cant remember what time or train we got back :roll: