Wrexham to Chester extra services

[Broseley man]

Does anyone have any observations on how passenger numbers are reacting to the newly increased service frequency?

 

[Djgr]

Just watched the 1401 arrival into Chester. Looks pretty rammed.

According to the public timetable this appears to have a very optimistic 2 minute turnaround time!

 

[Broseley man]

Just watched the 1401 arrival into Chester. Looks pretty rammed.

According to the public timetable this appears to have a very optimistic 2 minute turnaround time!

Thanks, Djgr - good news. Anymore observations anyone?

 

[styles]

Thanks, Djgr - good news. Anymore observations anyone?

We observation is that Chester appears to have optimistic dwelling times for a few services, so if these are scheduled for 2 minutes turnaround that is indeed seemingly optimistic!

 

[Sheridan]

The working times for these will be at least 4 minutes, I’m pretty confident. But if they leave a little late it’s no real problem, all the turnaround time is in Wrexham, and the single line conflicts are all at the other end, so a train leaving Chester a few minutes late is less likely to encounter a late-running Shrewsbury-Holyhead anyway.

As for loadings, they’re usually very quiet, but useful at weekends and football times.

 

[Mugby]

Has Wrexham - Chester been completely re-doubled or is there still a single track section somewhere?

 

[Ian Hardy]

Has Wrexham - Chester been completely re-doubled or is there still a single track section somewhere?

There is 4 mile single line section between Wrexham North Junction (202.40) and Rossett Junction (206.48).
This section includes a bridge over the A483 dual carriageway at mp 204.09 which is only wide enough for a single track, see screenshot from Google Earth:

 

[The Planner]

Can't see any with a turnaround of less than 4 in the WTT?

 

[parkender102]

They are competing with the regular Arriva Bus no 1 which leaves from outside Chester Station every 20 Minutes. However this is a far slower option at 44 min (train takes 15-17 mins). Not sure how they compare on cost as I have a Welsh Bus Pass which allows me to use any bus in Wales for free including any journey starting or finishing in Wales so it covers the Chester - Wrexham Bus Route. Handily, because I live in Hawarden the Borderlands Line is also covered by the Bus Pass so it's easiest to just take the train from Hawarden to Wrexham for free. The wife and I had a jolly day out in Llangollen yesterday all for free apart from the drinks in The Cornmill and the Welsh Oggie Lamb and Mint Pasty!

 

[Krokodil]

If nothing else the extra services take the pressure off of the long distance trains which are often rammed between Chester and Wrexham. It also offers slightly better connections with other services, though the timings aren't as great as they could be.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

Can't see any with a turnaround of less than 4 in the WTT?

The WTT has 4 minute turnarounds, but TfW like to add time to the public timetable (presumably to pay less delay repay, and make tight connections below minimum connection time) so it looks like only a 2 minute turnaround.

 

[Sheridan]

If nothing else the extra services take the pressure off of the long distance trains which are often rammed between Chester and Wrexham. It also offers slightly better connections with other services, though the timings aren't as great as they could be.

It’s very handy for a Llandudno in certain hours, especially as it’ll often come into platform 2 and the Llandudno will be on 3B. Does combining it with Crewe in May lead to a more regular time (as the Crewe is currently pretty much clock-face from Chester) or will the vagaries of the timetable from Wrexham be passed on?

 

[Krokodil]

It’s very handy for a Llandudno in certain hours, especially as it’ll often come into platform 2 and the Llandudno will be on 3B.

Handy for getting to Wrexham, less handy for going back.

Does combining it with Crewe in May lead to a more regular time (as the Crewe is currently pretty much clock-face from Chester) or will the vagaries of the timetable from Wrexham be passed on?

It will have a regular path from May. Unfortunately (primarily due to the lack of through platforms) it will be absolutely useless for connections. Trains to Wrexham will depart at xx:44, trains from Wrexham will arrive at xx:58.

Frankly it would have been better if the services remained split, with trains to/from Wrexham using platform 2 at times mirroring the Crewe shuttle in platform 1 (I haven't checked to see if this might create a conflict on the single line). At least then the handful of Crewe-Wrexham passengers slightly inconvenienced by having to walk from platform 1 to 2 would be massively outweighed by the number of North Wales-Wrexham and Warrington/Manchester-Wrexham who would have a much shorter connection than the half hour they currently get.

 

[glenbogle]

Used it on a return journey to Bidston and back from Chester a couple of Sundays ago.
3 car 197 and had a coach to myself both ways between Chester and Wrexham.
Enjoyed my first trip on one of the ex London Underground sets on the Borderlands line.

 

[trainophile]

Its departure time from Chester is four minutes (I think) from the arrival time of the subsequent Holyhead-Cardiff service, which is usually on the same platform (2). Mind you the 14:22 to Cardiff has a good 12 minutes or so dwell time at Chester built in, for the reversal presumably, so if it's slightly delayed arriving then it's not such a big deal.

It does cut down the overcrowding on the intercity service, which is quite often just two coaches, although recently they seem to have upped their game and are putting the threes on again. Two coaches on that route is stupid, but that's for another discussion.