More Virgin services Birmingham-Scotland

[Muzer]

I don't know much about the area or the TOCs in the area, but presumably there's no chance of a unit being found to run a shuttle in the peak or something? Or am I going crazy?

 

[The Planner]

Depends what is in the SLCs for LM, Virgin, XC and Arriva. If they are meeting their commitments (which presumably they are) then they are under no obligation to run another service. Considering the issues LM tend to have with stock I cannot see them doing anything.

 

[cle]

I'm sure the answer will be a short, sharp no - but is there any benefit in Virgin running a shuttle type service from Blackpool to Crewe instead, which would connect to a Euston service.

Possibly a long-formed Holyhead or one of the new Liverpool stoppers?

Would reinstate some stops, build a bit more of a foundation and open those stations up to other connections Crewe offers, London aside.

 

[Old Hill Bank]

Oh no, then there'll only be 9tph between the two instead of 10tph. Mass overcrowding will ensue. :P


In case you haven't noticed, any sarcasm in this post is itself tongue-in-cheek. There could be genuine ramifications of losing a service here. Although I'm not sure LM would have the necessary stock and crew (even if it's just one unit) to run a replacement service at the moment. (This may change of course when the 350/3s arrive.)

When the Reddich and Bromsgrove projects are completed in the next couple of years it will swallow up any gains made by the additional 350s. If you all remember when the order was placed it was stated that it would provide for seven additional units for Euston commuter services and only the other three to supplement West Midlands locals.

 

[MCR247]

I'm sure the answer will be a short, sharp no - but is there any benefit in Virgin running a shuttle type service from Blackpool to Crewe instead, which would connect to a Euston service.

Possibly a long-formed Holyhead or one of the new Liverpool stoppers?

Would reinstate some stops, build a bit more of a foundation and open those stations up to other connections Crewe offers, London aside.

What benefit would there be by changing at Crewe rather than Preston?

 

[cle]

More London trains, services to North and South Wales and others, an intercity standard journey the whole way?

Doesn't the planned path arrive after the fast Preston-London service will have left now also?

 

[Failed Unit]

Now the London - Scotland services are on the timetable, I must admit it is a disappointment for Scotland to Birmingham travellers. It confirms what the posters have stated, namely because of a 13 minute wait at Wolverhampton going Southbound the journey is now 10 minutes longer than previously. (arriving at 05 minutes past the hour rather than 55 minutes past the hour.)

Typical journey
Arrive Wolverhampton x32, Depart x45, Sandwell and Dudley x54 x55 and Birmingham New Street x05 depart x10

I did look to see if the journey could be sped, but not without major restructuring of the timetable. To arrive at x47 to continue from New Street at x50 would require two London Midland services to be sped up.

Not sure if in future timetable if it is possible to depart Scotland later, but again I suspect pathing would be very difficult. It is quicker to change at Wolverhampton to go to Birmingham or Coventry.

Likewise now it is in the journey planner the northbound journey is slowed down by 5 minutes as they now leave at x15.

The increase in seats is of course welcome and it will be argued that another 10 minutes on a 4 hour journey doesn't really matter, but I like my cake and eating it

 

[dvboy]

Having travelled on the 1850 from Birmingham to Wolverhampton last night which had a bum on almost every seat and some people standing in vestibules, I'm really concerned about the effect the withdrawal of this service will have come December.

 

[Sheepy1209]

Re the Blackpool - Crewe idea - yes please! (Actually, Blackpool - Birmingham would be even better).

I have no idea what the market for Blackpool/Midlands is, but last time I came back from Birmingham the scrum at the doors closest to the subway had to be seen to be believed, as a good couple of dozen people raced over to Platform 1 to board the 150 we'd passed between Leyland and Preston. They were watching it online, and many clearly did this regularly.

Connections to Blackpool can be erratic; services from Preston tend to be hourly but they're made up from multiple routes and the gaps between trains can be variable: e.g. departures at 15:34, 15:38, 15:55, 16:34, 16:38, 16:55, 17:21, 17:32 - times are all over the place, and anything from 4 to 41 minutes apart.

The whole thing feels cobbled together!