Virgin Trains to Shrewsbury

[Eagle]

A great idea would be for Arriva and Chiltern to work together on an extension of Mainline. Arriva staff working 67's and stock on existing Shrewsbury-International paths handing them on to Chilterns staff for Leamington and Marylebone... Free up 158s for an hourly Aberystwyth too...

Haven't you basically described Wrexham & Shropshire there? :P

(ATW, Chiltern and W&S are/were all part of the Arriva Group.)

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

A great idea would be for Arriva and Chiltern to work together on an extension of Mainline. Arriva staff working 67's and stock on existing Shrewsbury-International paths handing them on to Chilterns staff for Leamington and Marylebone... Free up 158s for an hourly Aberystwyth too...

But the franchise specs don't allow for it.
In particular Chiltern don't serve International/Coventry.
VT, XC and LM would have something to say about it as well.
Shrewsbury-International services also mostly run through from Holyhead/Cambrian.
And there's not enough stock.
And Shrewsbury/Telford want fast services to Euston, not round the houses to Marylebone.

 

[Eagle]

And Shrewsbury/Telford want fast services to Euston, not round the houses to Marylebone.

Birmingham to Marylebone is barely longer timewise than Birmingham to Euston using non-tilt stock. (Assuming a similar number of stops between the two.)

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Birmingham to Marylebone is barely longer timewise than Birmingham to Euston using non-tilt stock. (Assuming a similar number of stops between the two.)

Nobody is going to send a Class 67-hauled train to Euston.
The comparison is between International-Euston on (say) a 221, against a Class 67 service International-Marylebone via Kenilworth which is much slower (if there is a path).
Anyway it's nonsense, as Arriva well know.
They have enough franchise problems without adding more.

 

[WatcherZero]

Interesting in RAIL that Virgin were still talking to the Dft about the mini-pendo order.

 

[NickJ]

In tonight's Shropshire Star there is a story to say that Virgin have reapplied to run Shrewsbury-London direct trains from next May and that they are expecting to hear within 2 to 3 weeks whether the application has been successful. They seem more confident this time.

 

[The Planner]

They should know by next Friday evening if NR have offered the paths for May 14.

 

[NickJ]

There are 'strong rumours' that Virgin have just been granted track access to start the new Shrewsbury-London service in May 2014. Anyone heard anything?

 

[The Planner]

Yes..

 

[Zoidberg]

There are 'strong rumours' that Virgin have just been granted track access to start the new Shrewsbury-London service in May 2014. Anyone heard anything?

The Shropshire Star claims credit ...

http://www.shropshirestar.com/news/2013/11/13/shropshire-star-wins-direct-rail-link-to-london/

The Shropshire Star this afternoon won its campaign for a direct rail service to London.

The Shropshire Star this afternoon won its campaign for a direct rail service to London.

The Office of Rail Regulation has confirmed that Virgin Trains will operate a service between the county and the capital from May next year.

It follows a three-month campaign by the Shropshire Star, backed by MPs and business leaders to have the direct service reinstated.
Shropshire Star London rail campaign logo

A Shropshire Star petition was signed by more than 3,000 readers.

 

[Eagle]

Nice bit of post hoc ergo propter hoc reasoning there...

 

[Zoidberg]

Nice bit of post hoc ergo propter hoc reasoning there...

It's the Shropshire Star

 

[NickJ]

This news has been confirmed on all the Shropshire media but no details of times etc - but it will start in May 2014.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Nothing on other media yet, or Dft, ORR or Virgin.
What about Blackpool?

 

[dannypye9999]

As far as I remember there used to be a good service between Blackpool and Birmingham International for London Connections. These trains ran at two hourly intervals with the last train from Birmingham New St at 22:10.

 

[Baxenden Bank]

As far as I remember there used to be a good service between Blackpool and Birmingham International for London Connections. These trains ran at two hourly intervals with the last train from Birmingham New St at 22:10.

Memory being the operative word.

It's that Operation Princess rearing her head again. Short lived cross country services ran to Blackpool. Now no trains from Blackpool escape the north-west region, except for the hourly service across to York. Could be worse, it could just get a shuttle service from Preston.

 

[dannypye9999]

I don't know how a station as small as blackpool north (8 platforms) can cope with all these trains within a one hour period lol

 

[The Planner]

There is likely to be only one winner in this, make your own easy deductions....

 

[sn1975]

Nothing on other media yet, or Dft, ORR or Virgin.
What about Blackpool?

London to Shrewsbury has just been mentioned briefly on Midlands Today but no mention of Blackpool.

 

[merlodlliw]

London to Shrewsbury has just been mentioned briefly on Midlands Today but no mention of Blackpool.

From my colleagues in the media,ORR have put a midnight embargo(0001 14/11/13) on the story which as been blown by someone talking/tweeting to someone,full chapter & verse tomorrow, VT informed today.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

London to Shrewsbury has just been mentioned briefly on Midlands Today but no mention of Blackpool.

Nothing on Blackpool Gazette/Granada today or North West tonight,make your own conclusion about Blackpool,or the embargo is respected in the North West.

 

[The Planner]

From my colleagues in the media,ORR have put a midnight embargo(0001 14/11/13) on the story which as been blown by someone talking/tweeting to someone,full chapter & verse tomorrow, VT informed today.

Nothing on Blackpool Gazette/Granada today or North West tonight,make your own conclusion about Blackpool,or the embargo is respected in the North West.

LOL Virgin knew before today. The only reason there is a 14/11 date on it is because that is when NR release the May 14 timetable back to the TOCs.

 

[thenorthern]

If the service does run would it be too hard to change some of the London to Chester trains to run via Shrewsbury?

 

[Eagle]

London to Shrewsbury has just been mentioned briefly on Midlands Today but no mention of Blackpool.

Midlands Today is hardly likely to report news about Blackpool, is it?

Anyone watch North West Tonight?

 

[WatcherZero]

If its embargoed to midnight then you could just be patient and wait 2 hours

 

[merlodlliw]

LOL Virgin knew before today. The only reason there is a 14/11 date on it is because that is when NR release the May 14 timetable back to the TOCs.

Of course VT knew before like NR, the ORR Official letter/electronic version was sent out dated yesterday followed by the press release with a time embargo.

I am surprised its not out chapter & Verse in general media,Shropshire Star seem to be holding electronic copy until the paper hits the streets late this morning.

I am wondering have VT reapplied for Blackpool?

For what its worth,a colleague in the trade tells me

"I hear one return service a day"

this is unconfirmed.

 

[The Planner]

Some may suggest that because LM are likely to get some fast paths to and from Northampton in the peaks that Virgin would have to be given something (whilst playing my signature disclaimer card...)

 

[NickJ]

There are still no details and the rumoured one return off peak service a day will be of little use to Shropshire. It looks like a 'token service' to appease politicians.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

There are still no details and the rumoured one return off peak service a day will be of little use to Shropshire. It looks like a 'token service' to appease politicians.

Well it was only ever going to be 2 services a day (until Virgin or First got new trains).

 

[merlodlliw]

There are still no details and the rumoured one return off peak service a day will be of little use to Shropshire. It looks like a 'token service' to appease politicians.

Its now all in a state of rumour,my latest contact in the trade tells me

since heard that nothing has been agreed as yet!

So we wait to see what the Shropshire Star tells us later this morning,currently its just saying

The Office of Rail Regulation has confirmed that Virgin Trains will operate a service between the county and the capital from May next year.

Note the wording will operate a service not services


Bob

 

[WatcherZero]

They seem to be using as their source a tweet by the local MP, though posting the story just 20 minutes after he posted the tweet is fast journalism :P