VT extra Thursday evening service to Manchester

[TomJ93]

The Pretendo runs the 18:43 to Crewe on a Friday night to free up a 390 to strengthen the Manchester services by running a 18:57 train that there wasn't the stock for, how have they magiced up this Pendo on a Thursday?

 

[Pumbaa]

Probably getting a 221 on the case. There are 2 extra 221 workings on a Friday which mean they can't release a Pendo, thus the use of WB64.

 

[Crossover]

Not sure if it was related but circa 10pm tonight, there was a VT Voyager (221113) sat idling, out of service, in platform 6 at Stafford

 

[northwichcat]

There is no Wales subsidy for the N Wales coast - it's always been talked of ans assumed to be gospel, but it isn't true. The differential prices and conditions were inherited from BR. They haven't changed dramatically since 1980s.

At the same time peak time fares from Manchester/Crewe and the like to London have increased by over 40%, North Wales to London fares have seen an increase of around 20% so if it's not the Welsh Assembly that are subsiding fares then Virgin seem to be using increases in the Manchester/Crewe fares to keep the North Wales fares low.

Virgin, have changed the times of peak and off-peak since BR.

 

[rich.davies]

There's also a subsidy from the Welsh Assembly to Virgin to allow the Welsh residents to benefit from more attractive prices.

True, it would have cost me £39 to get the 16.05 from Euston to Chester on sunday, but it was cheaper to get a ticket to Wrexham & change at Chester, which cost me £20.80.

These are railcard prices too, and im not even going to Wrexham by train!!

 

[Pumbaa]

At the same time peak time fares from Manchester/Crewe and the like to London have increased by over 40%, North Wales to London fares have seen an increase of around 20% so if it's not the Welsh Assembly that are subsiding fares then Virgin seem to be using increases in the Manchester/Crewe fares to keep the North Wales fares low.

Virgin, have changed the times of peak and off-peak since BR.

Off peak times aren't that different, they were bumped a little with VHF. And the difference in costs of the SVRs hasn't changed dramatically. It's just good business sense for Virgin to continue pricing the tickets like that, if they increase the N Wales prices further they just won't get anyone travelling with them.

 

[4SRKT]

Is it really a WAG subsidy? I agree with Pumbaa when he says it's just business sense and yield management. It's far from the only example where this happens, as illustrated by my example Leeds > Leicester peak return and Shipley > Leicester off peak return using the same train. I really doubt Bradford Council is subsidising cheaper fares from its rating area!

 

[northwichcat]

Is it really a WAG subsidy? I agree with Pumbaa when he says it's just business sense and yield management. It's far from the only example where this happens, as illustrated by my example Leeds > Leicester peak return and Shipley > Leicester off peak return using the same train. I really doubt Bradford Council is subsidising cheaper fares from its rating area!

The difference is the Shipley example is saving £13 on a £55 fare (23.6% saving.) Flint-London is £70 return while Crewe-London on the same train is £214 return (a 67.3% saving) while Shipley-Leeds is a shorter distance than Flint-Crewe.

 

[tbtc]

The difference is the Shipley example is saving £13 on a £55 fare (23.6% saving.) Flint-London is £70 return while Crewe-London on the same train is £214 return (a 67.3% saving) while Shipley-Leeds is a shorter distance than Flint-Crewe.

True, but then again, how does the Shipley - Leeds part of Shipley - Leicester compare with the Flint - Crewe part of Flint - London (since the London service is longer overall)?

(I don't know the answer, I'm not being rhetorical, I'm just saying that the proportions need to be taken into account)

 

[4SRKT]

The difference is the Shipley example is saving £13 on a £55 fare (23.6% saving.) Flint-London is £70 return while Crewe-London on the same train is £214 return (a 67.3% saving) while Shipley-Leeds is a shorter distance than Flint-Crewe.

I meant to illustrate a principle rather than some sort of scale of saving, which is totally irrelevant IMHO.