Potential solutions for overcrowding on the Hereford - Birmingham line?

[sufian123]

The new trains are for both routes though as the 170's are leaving WMR so they could have made Shrewsbury half hourly once they are introduced so that the worst crowded services are better. It's not as if they have even just off the Hereford service as it is as they have actually made some services shorter since may and more 153's so it seams to me that they don't really care about the Hereford route as much as there other routes.
If a half hourly service had to operate on Shrewsbury this year then the extra services should try to be 2 car as much as possible (as it is still extra to before) with the longer formations on the Hereford and existing Shrewsbury services.

Govt and local council and MPs on their back for half an hourly services. It was pressured.

 

[sufian123]

The new trains are for both routes though as the 170's are leaving WMR so they could have made Shrewsbury half hourly once they are introduced so that the worst crowded services are better. It's not as if they have even just off the Hereford service as it is as they have actually made some services shorter since may and more 153's so it seams to me that they don't really care about the Hereford route as much as there other routes.
If a half hourly service had to operate on Shrewsbury this year then the extra services should try to be 2 car as much as possible (as it is still extra to before) with the longer formations on the Hereford and existing Shrewsbury services.

LM knew as well Shrewsbury will be half an hourly. It’s pre planned. It was planned after chase line electric. Promise is a promise which has being delivered. Worcester line is suffering, which I hope be addressed soon

 

[squizzler]

I would better match capacity on the two main legs (Birmingham-Worcester and Worcester-Hereford) by splitting and joining services at Shrub Hill. Sure the journey time might be longer on account of the reversal and coupling manoeuvre but this takes place (okay, it is out of necessity) on the Cambrian Coast services at Shrewsbury and is I feel would be offset in this instance by a better travelling ambience for the passengers on the Malvern line. It would also make better use of the assets.

For even more benefits the unit that meets the ex Hereford service Shrub Hill could itself have run forward from Worcester Parkway! Although on reflection there could be more benefits in making any future Parkway service via Worcester an extension of the Kidderminster route, since XC will eventually link Parkway direct to New Street. Cheltenham maybe?

 

[VT 390]

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I would better match capacity on the two main legs (Birmingham-Worcester and Worcester-Hereford) by splitting and joining services at Shrub Hill. Sure the journey time might be longer on account of the reversal and coupling manoeuvre but this takes place (okay, it is out of necessity) on the Cambrian Coast services at Shrewsbury and is I feel would be offset in this instance by a better travelling ambience for the passengers on the Cotswold line. It would also make better use of the assets.

For even more benefits the unit that meets the ex Hereford service could itself have run forward from Worcester Parkway! Although on reflection there could be more benefits in making any future Parkway service via Worcester an extension of the Kidderminster route, since XC will eventually link that station direct to New Street. Cheltenham maybe?

But most services throughout the day to at least Great Malvern need to be at least 4 carriages so I do not think splitting services would be a good idea unless the frequency between Worcester and Hereford is increased.

 

[squizzler]

The new Class 196 will come in both 4 and 2 car configurations with end gangways so it will be possible to have your 4 cars on the Hereford-Worcester section and 6 or 8 cars on the Worcester-Birmingham section. But if optimising the capacity for the Hereford leg overall means passengers have to stand between Great Malvern and Shrub Hill it will not be such a hardship as it is only for something like 15 minutes.

Ironically I used to use this route quite a lot between Hereford and Droitwich and my proposal would result in a personal dis-benefit as I only needed to ride the crowded section for a short spell whose discomfort does not justify the additional journey time for (un)coupling and reversal at Shrub Hill.

 

[Class172]

Most stations on the line support 6 carriages (Ledbury and Colwall are shorter) so I don’t envisage services ever being longer than that, even with SDO. I wouldn’t be surprised if a couple of peak workings are 6 carriage New St-Worcester then 4 through to Hereford.

 

[Sprinter107]

Most stations on the line support 6 carriages (Ledbury and Colwall are shorter) so I don’t envisage services ever being longer than that, even with SDO. I wouldn’t be surprised if a couple of peak workings are 6 carriage New St-Worcester then 4 through to Hereford.

Malvern Link on the down will only take 5 cars, and Great Malvern willnpmly take 5 cars. Also, the 196s are slightly longer than present carriages.

 

[Class172]

Worcester News are reporting that WMR have got hold of two additional carriages with the purpose of addressing overcrowding on some Hereford services.

COMMUTERS are gaining two extra carriages to reduce congestion on busy services between Worcester and Birmingham - but campaigners say they will "wait and see" if the changes work.

West Midlands Rail announced on October 29 that it has acquired two additional carriages to be added to key services running between Worcester and Birmingham at peak times.

Two additional carriages have been borrowed from sister company, East Midlands Railway, until mid-December.

The aim is to get these trains on the route by the end of October to strengthen the 7.09am Hereford to New St and the 1.50pm and 4.20pm departures from Birmingham New Street to Hereford.

Given the make-up of the EMR fleet I would presume that the two carriages consist of 2 153s.

 

[Sprinter107]

Worcester News are reporting that WMR have got hold of two additional carriages with the purpose of addressing overcrowding on some Hereford services.



Given the make-up of the EMR fleet I would presume that the two carriages consist of 2 153s.

That's correct. 2 X 153 sets.

 

[Failed Unit]

Love to know considering how short EMT are of stock how they have managed to release them. They constantly leave passengers stood on platforms when 1 coach trains show up. Lending them to another operator seems to tell us that leaving their own passengers behind is acceptable.

 

[Starmill]

Love to know considering how short EMT are of stock how they have managed to release them. They constantly leave passengers stood on platforms when 1 coach trains show up. Lending them to another operator seems to tell us that leaving their own passengers behind is acceptable.

Aren't EMR phasing out all of their cl153 solo diagrams?

 

[Failed Unit]

Aren't EMR phasing out all of their cl153 solo diagrams?

yes. But they need more stock to replace them. I understand this will come from Anglia in December when the flirts replace the 156s. The maths doesn’t work for me. I can think of 9 solo 153 diagrams. Unless the use 153s (with prm clean 158s) on Norwich - Liverpool the won’t have enough stock. EMR have said the 153 will always be coupled to PRM stock after December. So that rules out 2x 153. They have a few of these as well. But 158+153+153 may be the solution to get more prm units for the local routes.

still not aware of any extra stock yet, so the 9 solo diagrams still cause issues in the peak.

 

[Starmill]

still not aware of any extra stock yet, so the 9 solo diagrams still cause issues in the peak.

Didn't a former ScotRail 156 arrive at EMR recently?

 

[Failed Unit]

Didn't a former ScotRail 156 arrive at EMR recently?

I heard 156503 is at Derby. Didn’t know if it was for EMR or maintenance. If it was for EMR that would close the gaps.

 

[VT 390]

Will the 3 services mentioned be the only ones to be strengthened? As some Saturday services have been so full that myself and others have not been able to get on.

 

[jimm]

The 153s are due to be followed on to Birmingham-Hereford duties by three Class 170s that are still being used on some of WMR's Chase Line services pending the arrival of the Class 350/4s from TransPennine - their release is dependent on progress with introduction of the Class 397s between the North West and Scotland.

 

[sufian123]

The 153s are due to be followed on to Birmingham-Hereford duties by three Class 170s that are still being used on some of WMR's Chase Line services pending the arrival of the Class 350/4s from TransPennine - their release is dependent on progress with introduction of the Class 397s between the North West and Scotland.

No class 170s used on the chase line at the moment.

 

[Sprinter107]

Theres a 2 car 170 that does a couple of trips as far as Walsall, but I dont know of 2 others on the same line. As for the Chase Line, I believe that's all emus now.

 

[sufian123]

Theres a 2 car 170 that does a couple of trips as far as Walsall, but I dont know of 2 others on the same line. As for the Chase Line, I believe that's all emus now.

Hi

0830 wsl-bhm (2)
0900 wsl-bhm (4 )
0930 wsl-bhm (4)
1000 wsl-bhm (4)

I use them to get to work. One of them being 3 cars 0930

 

[Sprinter107]

Hi

0830 wsl-bhm (2)
0900 wsl-bhm (4 )
0930 wsl-bhm (4)
1000 wsl-bhm (4)

I use them to get to work. One of them being 3 cars 0930

Ah, that's them ! Thought they still had work as far as Walsall.

 

[Sprinter107]

There is an evening stopper to Birmingham International that's diagrammed for a 170/5 too, that comes back ECS, then goes to Worcester.

 

[sufian123]

Ah, that's them ! Thought they still had work as far as Walsall.

no worries. Is it in Dec it’s changing. Class 350s taking over. 0757 bhm-wsl and return will be 170s?

 

[Sprinter107]

no worries. Is it in Dec it’s changing. Class 350s taking over. 0757 bhm-wsl and return will be 170s?

Havent seen the new diagrams yet.

 

[sufian123]

Havent seen the new diagrams yet.

Cool thanks

 

[jimm]

No class 170s used on the chase line at the moment.

Theres a 2 car 170 that does a couple of trips as far as Walsall, but I dont know of 2 others on the same line. As for the Chase Line, I believe that's all emus now.

In that general direction out of Birmingham then, if you prefer.

The fact remains that whatever exactly it is that they are doing now, three of WMR's 170s are destined to switch to Birmingham-Worcester-Hereford duties once enough 350/4s have arrived from TPE - but the timing is down to TPE's progress with introducing the 397s and releasing the 350s.

 

[Sprinter107]

I'm sure the extra capacity will be welcomed on the Hereford line.