Wolverhampton/Birmingham-Euston: Speed?

[Coradia]

Something that I have wondered since Ive not travelled on a 390 from the West Mdlands down to Euston, but why do they appear to have such slow timings?

On average it takes 2 hours for a Wolv-Euston, at 110 miles thats 55mph on average, much slower compared to the 90 mph the 390s do down from the further North to London. Do these trains pick up high speeds on any part of te route or just mostly take it slower due to the shorter route and closer stops?

 

[matt]

Line speed is 110 mph max north of Coventry and is a lot less than that north of New Street in places.

 

[rail-britain]

Doesn't seem like much of an improvement since the 1980s...
Euston to Rugby at full line speed, limited stop
Rugby to Wolverhampton, very rarely up to full line speed, along with congested lines

 

[Chafford1]

Fastest New Street - Euston timing from December will be 72 minutes for the 113 mile journey - an average speed of 94 mph

 

[Metroland]

New Street-Wolves is pretty slow, mostly around 60-80mph

 

[Coradia]

Just another question, apparently upon arrival into Wolverhampton the 390s offload pax and head up to Oxley depot, before then re-arriving to work a Euston service later on, but some in the morning stay in the paltforms and wait to go back down. Do the majority of weekday services do the manouver to Oxley or just wait for next service in the platforms? Also on Saturdays, does the same 390 work the xx:33 arrival and the xx:35 departure? Seems good to free up platform space with a quick turnaround (rather than waiting an hour in Oxley to work the next one) but these seem ridiculous turnaround times considering delays e.t.c.

 

[mumrar]

Maximum speed between New St and Wolves is 75mph, but at several locations (Soho Jcns, Sandwell & Dudley, Tipton) you have 60mph, not to mention the 10mph and then 40mph out of New St until out of the tunnels. Add the fact that local services run along with a large quantity of others and some freight and you have to time some slack into things really

 

[The Planner]

Also on Saturdays, does the same 390 work the xx:33 arrival and the xx:35 departure? Seems good to free up platform space with a quick turnaround (rather than waiting an hour in Oxley to work the next one) but these seem ridiculous turnaround times considering delays e.t.c.

You would never ever have a 2 minute turnaround on a service, it isnt RotP complaint for a start and as for the performance risk..

 

[Mojo]

You would never ever have a 2 minute turnaround on a service, it isnt RotP complaint for a start and as for the performance risk..

One train from the Severn Beach Line every two hours has a 2 min turnaround at Bristol Temple Meads even though RotP says 5 min for there. I think there may also be others at Severn Beach/Avonmouth during the day but I'm not sure. The only thing I can think of is that the working timetable is different from the public, or that there is some form of derogation.

 

[matt]

Just another question, apparently upon arrival into Wolverhampton the 390s offload pax and head up to Oxley depot, before then re-arriving to work a Euston service later on, but some in the morning stay in the paltforms and wait to go back down. Do the majority of weekday services do the manouver to Oxley or just wait for next service in the platforms?

They used to go ECS to Oxley but I think the majority now just stay at Wolverhampton station.

 

[Coradia]

Thanks.

 

[Aureol]

I believe the train which does the Manchester Victoria - Rochdale via Oldham and the subsequent Rochdale - Manchester Victoria service has just a 2 minute turnaround time at Rochdale, 2 minutes at most!
I'm sure someone will correct me if I am wrong...

 

[91101]

That's a circular service though, its the same with our Sutton/Wimbledon terminators that come down one side of the loop "terminate" and continue forward as a new headcode. In practise its just one service on a loop.

The cynical amongst us may say that its split into two services as two services hitting PPM is better than one!

 

[heart-of-wessex]

One train from the Severn Beach Line every two hours has a 2 min turnaround at Bristol Temple Meads even though RotP says 5 min for there. I think there may also be others at Severn Beach/Avonmouth during the day but I'm not sure. The only thing I can think of is that the working timetable is different from the public, or that there is some form of derogation.

I know it used to be 2 mins turnaround at Avonmouth, usually a bit longer though as it arrived a min or so early anyway IIRC.

2 mins turnaround for a 390 would be difficult, it takes the best part of a minute to close the doors as well and would always leave late no doubt. An hour at Oxley would be enough time to service it and fill the tanks up.

The shortest turnaround I've seen at a termini is at Paddington, where our HST from Bristol was rather late, and was due on the Swansea service. It departed on time with a rather short 5 minute turnaround!



Cheers,

James.

 

[Pumbaa]

Shortest (unintentional) turnaround I've witnessed is a delayed XC service in August come into Man Piccadilly at 1905 for a 1904 departure... Whoops... It was out again by 1910, but we got stuck behind it heading for Stoke as the 1915 off Piccadilly for Euston. It then developed TMS problems up from Stockport annoyingly, delaying us by over 30 mins. Grr...

 

[87015]

Some Valley Lines units do (or at least did a few years back) have -1 turnarounds at Penarth at least on public timings. Lots of inbound recovery...

 

[Coradia]

Shortest (unintentional) turnaround I've witnessed is a delayed XC service in August come into Man Piccadilly at 1905 for a 1904 departure... Whoops... It was out again by 1910, but we got stuck behind it heading for Stoke as the 1915 off Piccadilly for Euston. It then developed TMS problems up from Stockport annoyingly, delaying us by over 30 mins. Grr...

Remember a similar one muself at Piccadilly involving a Virgin 87 set, was working a Euston service which had to be diverted a couple of times resulting in a large delay into Manchester, resulting in a classic, load of passengers wait to board as the load onboard come off situation, so it could work the next diagram which was minutes away. Bash at the doorways .