My ideas for new train services.

[ATW Alex 101]

I don't know what worse, this thread, this or this.

 

[FQ]

Obviously this is fantasy.

Realisticly, re-timing the current Highland Chieftain to provide a connection to Wick/Thurso & Kyle of Lochalsh at Inverness. A through London to Kyle service frankly isn't going to happen, probably ever, apart from an odd railtour. ''Really fast'' for that route would be (from London St P) 5 and a half hours to Edinburgh, 9 hours to Inverness and 12 hours to Kyle.

That is verging on ludicrous, sorry.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
My earlier Birmingham to Cambridge fast service suggestion was far too sensible, I therefore would like to suggest a service running from...

Penzance to Wick & Thurso
calling at Truro, Plymouth, Exeter St Davids, Bristol Temple Meads, Birmingham New Street, Crewe, Preston, Carlisle, Motherwell, Stirling, Perth, Inverness and Georgemas Junction, where the train would divide for Wick & Thurso. I think there is a real market for such a service, and would provide an alternative to nutters people intending to walk or cycle between Lands End and John O Groats. It would also speed up links between all of the major cities, but that's just an aside and far too sensible for this thread. Traction would be a 47 between Penzance and Birmingham, 86259 between Birmingham and Motherwell and a 37/4 between Motherwell & Wick/Thurso, with 7 Mark 2 coaches behind.

Yes,
The first post was obviously a joke and would never happen. I really like the idea of the Penzance to Wick and Thurso though and if Network Rail decided to do it they would NEED to keep the traction you said.
Shame it would probably never happen.
With the service between Cambridge and Birmingham New Street it would be really good. Maybe instead send it through to Stanstead airport and have another service from Birmingham to Great Harwich calling at Nuneaton, Leicester, Peterborough, Ely, Ipswich, Harwich International and Harwich Town.

 

[gordonthemoron]

extend EMT Lincoln-Leicester service to Bletchley

 

[Manchester77]

Are some of the proposals on here actually serious?? I think the idea of justifying your proposed service is quite a good one would be interesting

 

[FQ]

Are some of the proposals on here actually serious?? I think the idea of justifying your proposed service is quite a good one would be interesting

Who's proposed service?

 

[Manchester77]

Who's proposed service?

There's been a few but one that sticks out is London - Carlisle via Birmingham and Manchester operated by an 87 and a steam train! I can't tell of people are being serious so having justification for them would help distinguish this and also build a case for them.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

It does just have the one train per day at present (as well as the one to St Pancras), but there are the paths for more - as discussed on another thread somewhere recently, the London - Newark service every other hour was initially intended to run through to Lincoln. If it did run through, I reckon that'd be adequate!

Thanks also for pointing out the difference between a schedule and a diagram - I'd already given up on that one .

Ah thanks for clarifying that not really familiar with EC stuff living in manchester!

Haha it's ok hopefully the mistake won't be made again

 

[Qwerty133]

The other one I'd like to see is the XC service to/from Cardiff being split at Cardiff with the section from Cardiff continuing to Lincoln via Nuneaton, Hinckley, Narborough, Leicester, Loughborough, East Midlands Parkway, Nottingham and Lincoln.
I'd propose that the service continues on its current route to Nottingham via Derby every other hour and my route every other hour.
This would give Leicester, and Lincoln direct services to Wales, which will improve connectivity. It will also Give Loughborough a direct service to Birmingham which is a route which gets a lot of custom and has no easy route.
The service would also return journey times from Narborough and Hinckley to Nottingham and Loughborough, which would cater for a number of passengers, both commuters and passengers travelling for Leisure.
It would also increase capacity between Birmingham and Leicester and improve journey times, between Leicester and Lincoln, and could free up DMUs from the Ivanhoe line service which could then terminate at Loughborough and use a singular DMU all day.
These DMUs could increase service levels and capacity and other lines in the East Midlands, including boosting all Derby to Crewe services to 2 coaches and also increase capacity on other services in Lincolnshire. It could also free up enough DMUs to allow the Derby to Crewe service to extended to Nottingham which is a aim of the user groups and rail partnerships along this line.
The main downside to this would be the loss of a service every 2 hours between Derby and Birmingham, however Derby is a smaller place than Leicester and 3TPH should be sufficient between these 2 cities, when passengers from Loughborough are taken out of the equation.
The other potential loss would be of a service between Derby and Nottingham, but if the Crewe services are extended to Nottingham their will no net loss in services and will allow more direct services.

 

[FQ]

Maybe an East Midlands Trains service between Derby and Hull calling Derby, Duffield, Belper, Chesterfield, Dronfield, Sheffield, Medowhall, Rotherham Central, Swinton, Mexborough, Coinsbrough, Doncaster, Kirk Sandhall, Hatfield and Stainforth, Thorne North, Goole, Saltmarche, Gilberdyke, Broomfleet, Brough, Ferriby, Hessle and Hull.

Maybe also a fast one too calling at Derby, Chesterfield, Sheffield, Medowhall, Doncaster, Goole, Brough and Hull.

There aren't any direct services between Nottingham and Scotland and Nottingham and York so maybe Northern could operate a Nottingham-Scarborough calling at Nottingham, Langley Mill, Alfreton, Chesterfield, Dronfield, Sheffield, Medowhall, Rotherham Central, Swinton, Bolton-Upon-Dearne, Goldthorpe, Thurnscoe, Moorthorpe, Pontfract Baghill, Sherburn-In-Elmet, Church Fenton, Ulleskelf, York, Malton, Seamer and Scarborough.

 

[Tomnick]

It does rather look like lots of cases of looking at a rail atlas and randomly joining the dots to come up with a proposal, without considering the actual patterns of demand. Saltmarshe and Broomfleet - really?! Rather than trying to provide a meaningless direct service between every single pair of stations, I'd much rather see efforts to improve connections.

PS - how do you divide a train, hauled by a single loco, at Georgemas to go forward as two portions??

 

[43074]

PS - how do you divide a train, hauled by a single loco, at Georgemas to go forward as two portions??

Didn't mention it in the original post, but there would be a loco at Georgemas to take the other portion. I was only joking with that proposal by the way, I don't actually think there should be such a service! (Hence the smiley )

 

[Tomnick]

Sorry, yes, I got the light-hearted nature - 'fishquinn' certainly reckoned it was a go-er though, even comparing it to another one that was a joke and would never happen . On that note, it's not for Network Rail to encourage TOCs or others to operate such services, and certainly not to specify the traction.

 

[FQ]

Sorry, yes, I got the light-hearted nature - 'fishquinn' certainly reckoned it was a go-er though, even comparing it to another one that was a joke and would never happen . On that note, it's not for Network Rail to encourage TOCs or others to operate such services, and certainly not to specify the traction.

The DFT can specify the traction.
It is what they did with the IEPs on the East Coast.

 

[306024]

........With the service between Cambridge and Birmingham New Street it would be really good. Maybe instead send it through to Stanstead airport and have another service from Birmingham to Great Harwich calling at Nuneaton, Leicester, Peterborough, Ely, Ipswich, Harwich International and Harwich Town.

Harwich is good (at least The Alma pub is) but I wouldn't call it Great
Colchester has a much bigger population and potential catchment area.

It would be interesting to see a full business case for some of these suggestions, if only to see which lost the most money.

And to please the pedants society, for the umpteenth time it is Stansted instead of Stanstead

 

[higthomas]

I've always thought that it would be nice to put in a maybe once a day service from London to Edinburgh and Glasgow via the settle and Carlisle, with a full restaurant on board. Obviously it wouldn't be designed for those who want to get there quickly, but I think there might be some kind of mrket for this sort of thing, basically a rail tour, but with normal tickets valid.
I don't think one could make it viable with ORCATS, but I'd love to be able to essentially turn up and go for a rail tour, whilst it would be cheaper than most railtours.
Sadly I don't think it would be viable, so I guess I will have to leave it as a dream for when I'm rich enough to fund a loss making open access operator.
Maybe I could even run it with steam trains ??????

 

[Tomnick]

The DFT can specify the traction.
It is what they did with the IEPs on the East Coast.

Network Rail isn't, however, the DfT.

 

[FQ]

Network Rail isn't, however, the DfT.

I know that but surly network rail get a say.

 

[Tomnick]

Not really, certainly not to the point of encouraging an operator to use heritage traction!

 

[southern442]

I don't know what worse, this thread, this or this.

I quite like the idea of a Wales-Anglia and east service. Maybe Holyhead to Skegness calling at all Virgin stations to Chester, then Warrington, Manchester, Stoke, Derby, Nottingham, Sleaford, Boston and Skegness Some of these fantasy routes are quite interesting, but coming back to reality, Northern going to Berwick-Upon-Tweed would be useful, wouldn't it?

 

[reb0118]

I think there should be a really fast service from London to Kyle of Lochalsh via the EMML calling at London St Pancras, Sheffield, York, Darlington, Newcastle, Edinburgh, Haymarket, Perth, Pitlochry, Newtonmore, Avimore, Inverness and Kyle of Lochalsh.

What about Dingwall (for Strathpeffer) and Plockton (for the seal trips)?

 

[Suraggu]

Most of these posts are damn right stupid... I know its hypothetical train services but come on.

How about,
kings Cross - Lincoln every two hours
kings cross -Middlesbrough via Darlington
Kings cross -Sunderland via Newcastle
Kings cross -Huddersfield via Leeds

Oh wait... They actually planned to run as part of the new ECML franchise.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

I quite like the idea of a Wales-Anglia and east service. Maybe Holyhead to Skegness calling at all Virgin stations to Chester, then Warrington, Manchester, Stoke, Derby, Nottingham, Sleaford, Boston and Skegness Some of these fantasy routes are quite interesting, but coming back to reality, Northern going to Berwick-Upon-Tweed would be useful, wouldn't it?

Actually Scotrail running a Edinburgh -Newcastle 'semi fast' would fill the gap but East Coast are trying to squeeze the diagrams even further to find a spare set so the London KGX -Edinburgh line is every 30 mins instead of terminating some trains at Newcastle.

 

[gnolife]

For me, I think it would be good to get a service doing Holyhead, calling at Rhosneigr, Llanfairpwll..., Bangor, Llanfairfechan, Conwy, Llandudno Junc, Colwyn Bay, Abergele, Rhyl, Shotton, Chester, Helsby, Runcorn East, Warrington Bank Q, Earlestown, Eccles, Deansgate, Manchester Ox Rd, Manchester Picc, East Didsbury, Heald Green, Styal, Wilmslow, Alderley Edge, Crewe, Alsager, Kidsgrove, Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, Stone, Stafford, Rugeley Tr V, Rugeley Tn, Hednesford, Walsall, Tame Bridge Pkwy, Birmingham New St, Solihell, Dorridge, Claverdon, Wilmcote, Stratford Parkway and Stratford-upon-Avon.
The train would also stop without allowing passengers to board or alight at Mauldeth Road, for the purpose of making rude gestures to certain forum members who live in that area. The main selling point is to start a 'not everything has to stop at MIA' revolution.

 

[Martin_1981]

The reintroduction of a Scotland-South West service via the WCML I think would go down quite well, for example a once daily Glasgow-Penzance service via the WCML, Manchester and the Marches line avoiding Birmingham, calling at; Carlisle, Lancaster, Preston, Bolton, Manchester Picc, Stockport, Crewe, Shrewsbury, Hereford, Abergavenny, Bristol TM, Taunton, Exeter, Newton Abbot, Plymouth, Liskeard, Bodmin, Par, St Austell, Truro, Redruth, St Erth and Penzance.

 

[cm39275]

What about a service between Oxford and Grimsby using east to west link when complete. The calling pattern would be Oxford parkway, Bicester town (for Bicester village), Winslow (once rebuilt), Bletchley (if the high level platforms are built), Bedford, Leicester, Loughborough, East Midlands parkway, Derby, Sheffield, Worksop, Retford low level, Gainsborough Central, (rebuilt as a parkway station for north Lincolnshire), Barnetby, Haborough, Grimsby town, first service and last service of day extended through to Cleethorpes. Services could also be extended to Cleethorpes on summer Saturdays.

 

[cle]

For me, I think it would be good to get a service doing Holyhead, calling at Rhosneigr, Llanfairpwll..., Bangor, Llanfairfechan, Conwy, Llandudno Junc, Colwyn Bay, Abergele, Rhyl, Shotton, Chester, Helsby, Runcorn East, Warrington Bank Q, Earlestown, Eccles, Deansgate, Manchester Ox Rd, Manchester Picc, East Didsbury, Heald Green, Styal, Wilmslow, Alderley Edge, Crewe, Alsager, Kidsgrove, Longton, Stoke-on-Trent, Stone, Stafford, Rugeley Tr V, Rugeley Tn, Hednesford, Walsall, Tame Bridge Pkwy, Birmingham New St, Solihell, Dorridge, Claverdon, Wilmcote, Stratford Parkway and Stratford-upon-Avon.
The train would also stop without allowing passengers to board or alight at Mauldeth Road, for the purpose of making rude gestures to certain forum members who live in that area. The main selling point is to start a 'not everything has to stop at MIA' revolution.

Proof that this thread would only ever end in lunacy.

 

[D6975]

Through services to Seaside towns that get little or no such service in the week used to abound on Summer Saturdays, but not so nowadays. There are a few of course, like Paignton, Newquay and EMT to Scarborough.

Service like Glasgow-Weymouth, London-Blackpool and Midlands-Llandudno would I'm sure all generate enough traffic to load a Voyager/Meridian.

 

[southern442]

Through services to Seaside towns that get little or no such service in the week used to abound on Summer Saturdays, but not so nowadays. There are a few of course, like Paignton, Newquay and EMT to Scarborough.

Service like Glasgow-Weymouth, London-Blackpool and Midlands-Llandudno would I'm sure all generate enough traffic to load a Voyager/Meridian.

Which is making me wonder about how much traffic the 'Sussex Scot' would have if it were reinstated.

 

[alex17595]

Service like Glasgow-Weymouth, London-Blackpool and Midlands-Llandudno would I'm sure all generate enough traffic to load a Voyager/Meridian.

In XC's case the stourbridge shuttle could fill a voyager (as they are more rammed than not)

What about a service from somewhere like Peterborough to Ashford (both Places with various onward connections.
Peterborough - places such as North-East Anglia, Leicester, Doncaster, Notts ect.
Ashford -Eurostar (possibly swap them to stop at Ashford instead of Ebbsfleet), local services to Canterbury/Dover/Ramsgate/Margate

It could something of an express Thameslink.

Possible calling pattern with times:
Peterborough 12:00
Stevenage  12:35
Welwyn Garden City 12:42
Finsbury Park 13:02
Stratford* 13:22
Barking 13:33
Ebbsfleet Int 13:48
Ashford Int. 14:12
* Used a freight train for times

A bonus is that the whole route has OHLE and I doubt any infrastructure work would be needed.

 

[DarloRich]

I LOVE these threads: In General they are a total and utter wibble fest!

kings cross -Middlesbrough via Darlington

Not a bad idea but why reverse at Darlo when you can run direct from Northallerton via Yarm? If the Northallerton - Boro line was actually electrified you could use the same traction all the way

 

[dannypye9999]

how about a Newcastle to Edinburgh hourly service operated by Loony Trains calling at

Darlington
York
Leeds
Doncaster
Sheffield
Derby
Uttoxeter
Stoke on Trent
Macclesfield
Prestbury
Stockport
Manchester Victoria
Bolton
Wigan North Westen
Preston
Blackpool North
Preston
Lancaster
Barrow In Furness
Whitehaven
Workington
Carlisle
Lockerbie
Motherwell
Glasgow Central
Haymarket
Edinburgh

 

[Suraggu]

I LOVE these threads: In General they are a total and utter wibble fest!



Not a bad idea but why reverse at Darlo when you can run direct from Northallerton via Yarm? If the Northallerton - Boro line was actually electrified you could use the same traction all the way

Well once an all IEP fleet is introduced by 2019 for the East Coast Franchise Holder their is nothing stopping the service running, as its part of the invite to tender and is part of the franchise specifications.