My Idea for a XC service to Inverness.

[MidnightFlyer]

What about reintroducing the 'Clansman' which ran back in the 80's and early 90's from Euston to Inverness via Birmingham? Run it with a Voyager/ double Voyager and it could even serve Manchester. Although it wouldn't be operated by XC it is kind of an XC service in a way, especially if it links Inverness with Carlisle, Preston, Manchester, Birmingham and Coventry.

Trouble is, running via Manchester could make the journey times so unattractive that it remains quicker for West Mids customers to use the current Brum-Scotland via Preston services and change at Edinburgh or across Glasgow. Similarly you'd get almost zero custom from London to Scotland as it would be getting on for 2 hours plus quicker to use the existing Euston-Glasgow via Trent Valley service.

 

[Class83]

With the introduction of the bi-mode IEPs perhaps the Aberdeen Services could be increased to a more regular 2 hourly service.

 

[Liam_Hendry]

2 hourly! Surely 4 EC per day to Aberdeen from England is enough. Let alone the 2 XC services which terminate there. Adding the sleeper thats 7 trains per day going from Aberdeen to England. That's surely more than enough. Don't know why everyone would add extra services to Aberdeen when Inverness only recieves 1 day time train to England per day. More Inverness trains from England would be good for connecting the Highlands more and it would be good for transporting people all over the UK to the Ryder Cup in Gleneagles.

 

[tbtc]

Aberdeen to London makes some sense for a decent (bi-hourly?) service because the service from Aberdeen to Edinburgh is pretty regular, services are fairly busy, there's the Dundee/ Leuchars (for St Andrews) market etc.

Inverness is a whole different market, a lot of single track to deal with, a much more tidal flow (south in the morning, north in the afternoon), a lot of quiet space north of Perth...

...whilst I appreciate that people might want Inverness to have a better service to places further south, a one-off golfing event next year certainly isn't justification - I think a bigger priority would be sorting out capacity on the Inverness - Aberdeen line.

 

[The Ham]

2 hourly! Surely 4 EC per day to Aberdeen from England is enough. Let alone the 2 XC services which terminate there. Adding the sleeper thats 7 trains per day going from Aberdeen to England. That's surely more than enough. Don't know why everyone would add extra services to Aberdeen when Inverness only recieves 1 day time train to England per day. More Inverness trains from England would be good for connecting the Highlands more and it would be good for transporting people all over the UK to the Ryder Cup in Gleneagles.

If you run it every 2 hours from 07:00 to 21:00 that is only 9 services (including the sleeper) or 10 services if is run between 06:00 and 22:00, so not a massive increase in train numbers if that bi-hourly service is split between XC and EC.

If XC keep there services as 4 coach sets, then there wouldn't be a massive increase in the number of seats either.
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...whilst I appreciate that people might want Inverness to have a better service to places further south, a one-off golfing event next year certainly isn't justification - I think a bigger priority would be sorting out capacity on the Inverness - Aberdeen line.

Which given that most people will be wanting to travel at similar times could be dealt with by running two trains in the same direction one after the other. Which wouldn't be such a viable option for providing a good level of service through out the day for normal daily running.

 

[TorqueOfTheDevil]

I feel there should more England services

Well good for you but how about the concerns over pathing, stock and demand which various posters have voiced?!

With the Ryder Cup coming up next year, it would be a good idea.

Apart from the valid points made about re-arranging timetables for a one-off event, how many people would get the train to the Ryder Cup in any case? Most of those travelling from England to the golf will either fly or go in their Range Rovers.

Aberdeen to London makes some sense for a decent (bi-hourly?) service

I can't see the demand for this...given that I could fly from Aberdeen to London later today for £65, how many people would really go all that way by train if there were more direct services?