WAG Express discussion

[SprinterMan]

I think the current rakes will be used until at least sepetember.

Nothing to say 1 of the former WSMR sets could be transfered to work the service with very small ATW & WG logo's instead of chiltern railways

Tbh, there is nothing wrong with the current coaches, and as long as the Mark 2s can be fitted to work with a DVT, they should remain in use.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Its a real shame to see the 57s go tbh

They will still be used on any Pendolinos sent from Crewe to Holyhead (Saturdays at the moment), because there's nothing else with the right couplers.

 

[Penmorfa]

Tbh, there is nothing wrong with the current coaches, and as long as the Mark 2s can be fitted to work with a DVT, they should remain in use.

There is according to this page on Arriva's site:

Acccomodation for wheeelchair users in First Class?
No
First Class accessible toilet?
No
Accommodation for wheelchair users in Standard class?
No
Standard Class accessible toilet?
No
Standard toilet?
Yes
Boarding ramp available?
No
Priority seating?
No
Audible information?
Yes
Visual information?
No

Not sure how many 'yesses' a Mark 3 would get though

 

[Michael.Y]

My point is that the service would miss out Colwyn Bay, Prestatyn and Hereford and yet quite possibly call at Ruabon,Chirk and Gobowen.

It won't call at all of Ruabon, Chirk and Gobowen. Ruabon is basically a satellite town of Wrexham, so that's out. Chirk will be a bit of a stretch to justify... I think Gobowen, being Oswestry's link, is the only one that can be justified.

This is all pointless speculation anyway, as nothing has been drawn up yet.

 

[tbtc]

It won't call at all of Ruabon, Chirk and Gobowen. Ruabon is basically a satellite town of Wrexham, so that's out. Chirk will be a bit of a stretch to justify... I think Gobowen, being Oswestry's link, is the only one that can be justified.

This is all pointless speculation anyway, as nothing has been drawn up yet.

I think that Hereford is more important than the smaller places you are quibbling about

 

[Michael.Y]

I think that Hereford is more important than the smaller places you are quibbling about

Who's quibbling?

Hereford only provides links / connections to England-bound services on non-WG-subsidised TOCs. Therefore it is not desirable for the WG to provide any provision for Hereford.

Makes no sense to me but that's politics for you.

 

[jones_bangor]

Not sure how many 'yesses' a Mark 3 would get though

Refurbishment of railway carriages for use on Arriva Trains Wales Network. Carriage specification may include: std. class, enhanced first class (240v AC power supplies, WiFi, CCTV, passenger information, etc.), standard class, 1st class buffet car (possibly including dining area) actual numbers of carriages to be determined.

estimated cost excluding VAT

Rangebetween 1 500 000,00 and 2 500 000,00 GBP

 

[merlodlliw]

I think that Hereford is more important than the smaller places you are quibbling about

Wag2 only stops at Wrexham,Ruabon,Chirk & Gobowen because it uses an existing franchise path. Some of these forced stops will disappear with redoubling on some improved comfort services like the Wag.

I agree Hereford is important, it is managed by ATW on behalf of WG & is a hub,although not as busy as Chester, but as important as Shrewsbury in my opinion.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

there are actually four stations in Conwy on the Crewe - Holyhead line, WAG2 does'nt call at Conwy or Abergele, neither does it call at Prestatyn. source; Arriva book 4

I appreciate there are four stations in Conwy, I would not expect Conwy & Abergele to be used for the WAG with such a small population compared to the other two at Junction & Colwyn Bay, they are not even stops on most DMUs from Cardiff Up or Down.

Agree about Prestatyn, misread the mini timetable.

All speculation about September.

Bob

 

[Gareth Marston]

Had letter through from ATW re May tt changes - mostly strengthening s on Holyhead and Aberystwyth trains for summer. Zilch on WAG1 or WAG2.

 

[anthony263]

Had letter through from ATW re May tt changes - mostly strengthening s on Holyhead and Aberystwyth trains for summer. Zilch on WAG1 or WAG2.

Any other interesting changes with the new timetable?

 

[Gareth Marston]

Any other interesting changes with the new timetable?

see North Wales questions thread.

 

[jones_bangor]

Had letter through from ATW re May tt changes - mostly strengthening s on Holyhead and Aberystwyth trains for summer. Zilch on WAG1 or WAG2.

Autumn timetable for full changes, although WAG 2 will go to 67 / DVt / Mark 3 as soon as available (June?).

 

[Proud Salopian]

Autumn timetable for full changes, although WAG 2 will go to 67 / DVt / Mark 3 as soon as available (June?).

What will happen to the present set used for WAG2?

 

[merlodlliw]

What will happen to the present set used for WAG2?

I presume it will be put back into franchise service from whence it was pinched,
this stock was used on the 8.05(without checking to the minute) Holyhead to Cardiff & replaced with a 150. Better use would be Cardiff/Manchester which suffers chronic overcrowding.


Bob
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Autumn timetable for full changes, although WAG 2 will go to 67 / DVt / Mark 3 as soon as available (June?).

I think Dec 2012, will see the major changes, I hope they sort out this six hour hangover in Cardiff. Who knows.


Bob

 

[Rhydgaled]

I presume it will be put back into franchise service from whence it was pinched, this stock was used on the 8.05(without checking to the minute) Holyhead to Cardiff & replaced with a 150. Better use would be Cardiff/Manchester which suffers chronic overcrowding.

Cardiff - Manchester is all booked 175s already though isn't it, except at weekends when the odd 158 appears. As for the WAG2 175 being replaced by a 150, from the unsuitable rolling stock thread:

When the 175 is released from WAG2 it will replace a 158 on Holyhead to Cardiff and the 158 replacing 150 on Cheltenham to Maesteg.

There are no 150s diagrammed on Holyhead to Cardiff services.

So that'll be another surplus 150 and 4 out of 4 Maesteg diagrams will be 158s (currently 3 out of 4 according to posts from another fourm, by I think the same person).

I think Dec 2012, will see the major changes, I hope they sort out this six hour hangover in Cardiff. Who knows.

Provided we get 3 DVTs and 2 coach rakes to go with the 3 67s that suggests two rakes in service and one spare rake. If you want to avoid the six hour hangover by interworking with south Wales - Manchester services then I doubt you can have two Holyhead - Cardiff expresses.

 

[merlodlliw]

150s may not be diagrammed on Holyhead/Cardiff, but they run on a daily basis due to shortage of stock.

Bob

 

[Arglwydd Golau]

There were 7 or 8 in premier class when I boarded at Crewe last night (tho' one business-type man looked comatose so not sure if he should be counted, must have been a good meal!)
- 17 late arriving at Crewe, not sure of the reason, but then followed Voyager along the coast and had a few checks, 30 late at Bangor.

 

[Squaddie]

There were 7 or 8 in premier class when I boarded at Crewe last night...

That's about as full as I like a first class coach to be. Especially when they're piled two high in the vestibules in standard, with their noses pressed up against the door.

 

[Michael.Y]

- 17 late arriving at Crewe, not sure of the reason, but then followed Voyager along the coast and had a few checks, 30 late at Bangor.

May be something to do with the bridge strike at Little Mill resulting in speed restrictions. My 1721 ex-CDF was held at NWP for approx 20 mins, we arrived SHR 25 late due to traffic backing up at Church Stretton (we were a flyer, fast Ludlow-Shrewsbury).

 

[Proud Salopian]

...late due to traffic backing up at Church Stretton.

Whoops!

 

[Chester025]

May be something to do with the bridge strike at Little Mill resulting in speed restrictions. My 1721 ex-CDF was held at NWP for approx 20 mins, we arrived SHR 25 late due to traffic backing up at Church Stretton (we were a flyer, fast Ludlow-Shrewsbury).

Shouldn't have had an affect, the WAG passed over just a few minutes before the bridge strike happened.

 

[jones_bangor]

There's pictures around of 67002 with Gerald this evening.

The 57s are no more on this service.

Just need to get those Mark 3 coaches sorted for push-pull now!!

 

[SprinterMan]

Here is a picture of the 67 on the WAG Express:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chester025/6872456956/

Here is a video of the last northbound 57 worked WAG Express:
http://youtu.be/-4llKBGS778

 

[Rhydgaled]

Here is a picture of the 67 on the WAG Express:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/chester025/6872456956/

Here is a video of the last northbound 57 worked WAG Express:
http://youtu.be/-4llKBGS778

The 57 looks much nicer, hope the DVTs are ready soon so the change to 67s can be more worthwhile. Shame they didn't bring back the Y Gerralt Gymro headboard for the 57's last trip or the 67's first.

 

[anthony263]

The dvt's cannot be used unless the MK2 rakes are wired to allow the 67 & dvt to work together or the MK3 rakes become available.

I have read that it is likely that the MK3 carriages DB purchased from Cargo d shortly after it closed will be used for the WAG.

Another problem is that staff have to be trained so September would be the earliest we could expect 67 & dvt operation to start in my opinion.

 

[merlodlliw]

http://www.nwrail.org.uk/nwnews.htm


Bob

 

[jones_bangor]

The dvt's cannot be used unless the MK2 rakes are wired to allow the 67 & dvt to work together or the MK3 rakes become available.

I have read that it is likely that the MK3 carriages DB purchased from Cargo d shortly after it closed will be used for the WAG.

Another problem is that staff have to be trained so September would be the earliest we could expect 67 & dvt operation to start in my opinion.

I'd go with September for both WG trains with 67 & DVT - although I'd bet that WAG 2 gets replaced with 67, DVT & Mark 3s earlier.

 

[merlodlliw]

The dvt's cannot be used unless the MK2 rakes are wired to allow the 67 & dvt to work together or the MK3 rakes become available.

I have read that it is likely that the MK3 carriages DB purchased from Cargo d shortly after it closed will be used for the WAG.

Another problem is that staff have to be trained so September would be the earliest we could expect 67 & dvt operation to start in my opinion.

My contacts in ATW tell me, big changes afoot from Dec 2012/13 timetable, but are working on getting the WAG via Wrexham with 67s ASAP, pressure to get the 175s back on franchise work.
As expected May is too soon for loco haul via Wrexham.
December is anybody's guess, but my contact tells me the Crewe route will be dropped by Dec at the latest.

Anybody put money on a South/North run? I don't see the 67(Wag2) running into Cardiff after middle day as now.

Bob

 

[anthony263]

I personally thought is was stupid running a 2nd southbound express service where in my opinion wag 2 should be an express service leaving Cardiff at 06:15 and arriving into Holyhead at 10:45/10:50 with a return working from Holyhead at around 17:08

 

[Michael.Y]

Talking about it with my conductor this morning, he said the DVTs won't be running until December.