The WCML after HS2

[Bostart73]

Hi

Call me dumb but once HS2 is built and all the longer distance passenger traffic has been moved over, what's going to happen on the old WCML south of Crewe? Will people from places like Milton Keynes and Rugby have to catch loads of stopping trains just to get to Cheshire to catch the faster services they would previously have accessed at stations further south? Or walk from Birmingham Curzon Street to New Street just to make the change?

I'd feel more enthusiasm for the project if I knew.

 

[tomuk]

On the Wolverhampton - Birmingham - Coventry Corridor the expectation appears to be two fast (stopping at Milton Keynes) London services per hour. 1tph continuing to Scotland as now and 1tph extended to Shrewsbury.

 

[Jammy Dodger]

Hi

Call me dumb but once HS2 is built and all the longer distance passenger traffic has been moved over, what's going to happen on the old WCML south of Crewe? Will people from places like Milton Keynes and Rugby have to catch loads of stopping trains just to get to Cheshire to catch the faster services they would previously have accessed at stations further south? Or walk from Birmingham Curzon Street to New Street just to make the change?

I'd feel more enthusiasm for the project if I knew.

I would assume there would be more services with existing/similar stopping patterns to today, allowed for by the longer distance services moving to HS2. I also understand the number of freight paths will increase from 2 to 3tph.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Some classic WCML fast-ish trains will remain, probably with more stops.
Chester/North Wales trains will stay, as HS2 trains can't go off the wires.
Some trains serving MK, Coventry, Rugby and the Trent Valley will stay, maybe also serving Wolverhampton/Shrewsbury.
It's entirely unclear how HS2 and WCML trains will coexist north of Crewe, with the cutbacks in HS2 plans (Golborne etc).
Also with talk of HS2 not reaching Manchester before 2040, the Pendolinos are likely to be gone by then.

 

[The Planner]

None of it is decided yet is the best way of describing it. There are several options being looked at strategically.

 

[Bald Rick]

Latest working assumptions are in the HS2 business case:

https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/939905/full-business-case-hs2-phase-one.pdf

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As @The Planner says this is subject to change.