Remaining "old school" timetables

[nw1]

This arises from the thread on peak-only unit diagrams but when I was looking at the Chiltern timetable and operations the other day I was thinking: "what operations still retain a pre-Covid pattern"?

By pre-Covid in this case I basically mean an off-peak timetable with a certain frequency, then a significantly ramped-up peak timetable (rather than just one or two extras in the busiest hour). So the peak timetable showing 50% to 100% enhancement in frequency compared to that of the off-peak; for example 2tph becomes 3tph or even 4tph.

Chiltern would qualify as its base off-peak service is 5tph mainline, 1-2tph Aylesbury which ramps up to 9tph in the busiest hour, and 4tph, respectively.

I believe LNWR and Greater Anglia also still have a similar peak ramp-up, however AFAIK SWR, Southern and GWR do not.

Any others though?

This is not supposed to be a debate on whether we should return to a pre-Covid pattern of service but just a place to note where pre-Covid style timetables still exist.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

This arises from the thread on peak-only unit diagrams but when I was looking at the Chiltern timetable and operations the other day I was thinking: "what operations still retain a pre-Covid pattern"?

By pre-Covid in this case I basically mean an off-peak timetable with a certain frequency, then a significantly ramped-up peak timetable (rather than just one or two extras in the busiest hour). So the peak timetable showing 50% to 100% enhancement in frequency compared to that of the off-peak; for example 2tph becomes 3tph or even 4tph.

Chiltern would qualify as its base off-peak service is 5tph mainline, 1-2tph Aylesbury which ramps up to 9tph in the busiest hour, and 4tph, respectively.

I believe LNWR and Greater Anglia also still have a similar peak ramp-up, however AFAIK SWR, Southern and GWR do not.

Any others though?

This is not supposed to be a debate on whether we should return to a pre-Covid pattern of service but just a place to note where pre-Covid style timetables still exist.

A few others in the UK are:

c2c
NIR
South Eastern
Scotrail

 

[30907]

A few others in the UK are:

c2c
NIR
South Eastern
Scotrail

Northern have the full pre-Covid peak offering for Airdwle/Wharfedale and Harrogate, not sure about the Garforth route.
SE's peak timetable is considerably slimmer though, and based round the offpeak 30min pattern.

 

[josh-j]

a significantly ramped-up peak timetable (rather than just one or two extras in the busiest hour).

If the service is only 1tph off peak, one or two extras covers the whole peak period with a 50% uplift.

I was going to give TPE Manchester to Huddersfield stoppers as an example but not sure it qualifies depending what you think of the above

It has the pre-covid service, 1tph off peak and 2tph peak, achieved by additional calls added to longer distance services in the peak.

 

[Dave W]

Overground Enfield branch? It steps up to 4tph for quite a while during the peak. Usually 2tph.

 

[boiledbeans2]

How about the Shenfield Metro? Off-peak every 7-8min (8tph). Peak 4-5min (14tph? Not evenly spaced out)

 

[nw1]

If the service is only 1tph off peak, one or two extras covers the whole peak period with a 50% uplift.

I was going to give TPE Manchester to Huddersfield stoppers as an example but not sure it qualifies depending what you think of the above

It has the pre-covid service, 1tph off peak and 2tph peak, achieved by additional calls added to longer distance services in the peak.

I wouldn't fully count this, as additional calls to longer-distance services means one less true fast in the peak, so isn't a net enhancement. I would however agree that if it's only hourly, one peak additional would suffice - but it would have to be an actual additional, not merely extra stops on services which are normally fast.

 

[norbitonflyer]

SWR has some peak extras, such as the "Surbiton peakbuster" (one of the first to go over to 701s, the unit does a single run in the mornin g peak and then goes back to Wimvbledon depot). Indeed, on some routes the post-COVID service is more peak-based than before - the Brentford roundabout services (Waterloo - Brentford - Twickenham - Waterloo) which used to run all day currently only run in the peaks, meaning that stations like Brentford, Mortlake etc now have an off peak service of only 2 tph (4tph pre-COVID), provided respectively by the Weybridge via Brentford, and the Kingston roundabout services.

 

[nw1]

SWR has some peak extras, such as the "Surbiton peakbuster" (one of the first to go over to 701s, the unit does a single run in the mornin g peak and then goes back to Wimvbledon depot). Indeed, on some routes the post-COVID service is more peak-based than before - the Brentford roundabout services (Waterloo - Brentford - Twickenham - Waterloo) which used to run all day currently only run in the peaks, meaning that stations like Brentford, Mortlake etc now have an off peak service of only 2 tph (4tph pre-COVID), provided respectively by the Weybridge via Brentford, and the Kingston roundabout services.

Off topic I know but 2tph off-peak does seem low for stations well within the London urban area. I guess in an ideal world it'd be 4tph off-peak and 6tph in the peak...

 

[81A]

The Elizabeth Line between Maidenhead and London? Seems to be 6tph peak, 3 or 4tph off peak.

 

[norbitonflyer]

Off topic I know but 2tph off-peak does seem low for stations well within the London urban area. I guess in an ideal world it'd be 4tph off-peak and 6tph in the peak...

I agree - indeed planning permission for a development near North Sheen station was only granted because there was, at the time 4tph.

Particularly poor given that, this being SWR-land, users of the stations in question have to pay over the odds compared with much better-served stations in the same zones. (between 60% and 75% higher depending on zone and time of day)
eg North Sheen (zone 3) to Bank £6.60 peak, £5.40 off peak.
Kew Gardens to Bank £3.90 peak, £3.30 off peak

Fulwell (Zone 6) to Bank £10.40 peak, £7 off peak
Uxbridge to Bank £5.40 peak, £4 off peak

 

[MikeWM]

Kings Lynn gets 2tph to London in the morning peak, and in both directions in the evening peak - with 'peak' being fairly generously defined - and 1tph the rest of the time. More unusually, this also applies (though to a lesser degree) on Saturdays.