XC Manchester - 2 hour gap at 7pm

[185]

Hello. Can't see any relevent open threads for this.


Anyone know how CrossCountry have gotten away with running a half hourly daytime service Birmingham to Manchester until 6pm, then a huge, two hour gap in service?

Is this temporary or was the ordinary winter XC timetable supposed to have this huge gap between the 1801 & 2001?

Cheers.

 

[JonathanH]

Anyone know how CrossCountry have gotten away with running a half hourly daytime service Birmingham to Manchester until 6pm, then a huge, two hour gap in service?

Who are they 'getting away' with it from?

They are running the service they have agreed with the DfT.

By the looks of things, the relevant train, the 1545 service from Bournemouth terminates at Birmingham New Street at the moment, in order to balance stock. One unit goes to the depot at Barton under Needwood, the other goes to Bristol, joining to the 1703 from Manchester.

 

[mangyiscute]

From what I can see this is because for at least last week, this week and next week, the 15:45 from Bournemouth is terminating at Birmingham rather than continuing to Manchester. However, this is not the case from the 27th February (at least not yet)
I have no idea why this might be.
FWIW it is an hourly service with like 3 extras per day, not half hourly

 

[185]

....terminating at Birmingham rather than continuing to Manchester. However, this is not the case from the 27th February (at least not yet)
I have no idea why this might be.

Thought so, I did make a cursory check just to see what they were supposed to be running before posting this, did see 1801, 1901 and 2001.

Who are they 'getting away' with it from?

They are running the service they have agreed with the DfT.

Which includes a 1901, which appears to be inexplicably P-Coded/Q Awaiting Activation for the foreseeable.

 

[JonathanH]

Which includes a 1901, which appears to be inexplicably P-Coded/Q Awaiting Activation for the foreseeable.

Yes, but the point is that that adjustment will have been signed off by someone, not just made unilaterally by XC.

 

[Man_with_beard]

What gets me is why the xx:01 Manchester departure has now been moved forward four minutes from xx:57 so now the overall Bournemouth to Manchester has an unnecessary extra five minutes added onto it's journey. Also it's left crawling behind the Shrewsbury stopper which goes at xx:56 which often is delayed and only has five mins to turn round from it's Shrewsbury arrival. A badly planned out timetable.

 

[The Planner]

What gets me is why the xx:01 Manchester departure has now been moved forward four minutes from xx:57 so now the overall Bournemouth to Manchester has an unnecessary extra five minutes added onto it's journey. Also it's left crawling behind the Shrewsbury stopper which goes at xx:56 which often is delayed and only has five mins to turn round from it's Shrewsbury arrival. A badly planned out timetable.

Its been moved due the WCML re-write as an Avanti is now in a later slot along the Cov corridor. You do realise it couldnt go at xx.57 if the Shrewsbury is at xx.56? Its not badly planned.

 

[sprinterguy]

Also it's left crawling behind the Shrewsbury stopper which goes at xx:56 which often is delayed and only has five mins to turn round from it's Shrewsbury arrival. A badly planned out timetable.

Using the Manchester service from New Street 3 days a week, I haven't noticed this at all: The run to Wolverhampton seems to be much freer flowing since December, and on time arrivals and departures much more reliable.

Previously, anything more than the smallest of delays would see the XC service quickly stuck behind the xx:04 Liverpool departure, and anything more than that would put it behind the xx:07 Wolverhampton stopper, guaranteed to turn a 10 minute late departure from New Street into a 20 minute delay by Wolverhampton.

 

[Man_with_beard]

Its been moved due the WCML re-write as an Avanti is now in a later slot along the Cov corridor. You do realise it couldnt go at xx.57 if the Shrewsbury is at xx.56? Its not badly planned.

What was wrong with the Shrewsbury leaving at xx:01 and gaining a little extra turn around time?

 

[185]

What was wrong with the Shrewsbury leaving at xx:01 and gaining a little extra turn around time?

The cynic in me thinks that certain companies have these new timings, with no turnaround or padding to use less trains, less drivers, less crew. Moderniszashun, I'm told.

 

[mangyiscute]

What was wrong with the Shrewsbury leaving at xx:01 and gaining a little extra turn around time?

well with the rest of the pathing across the WCML and up into Manchester, it's not going to save you any time ultimately, just sit in Stafford or something like that.

 

[The Planner]

What was wrong with the Shrewsbury leaving at xx:01 and gaining a little extra turn around time?

The XC now arrives later into New St at xx.51 and still needs a decent dwell. It would clash with a Euston Manchester at Stone if it ran back at its normal time and would end up being pathed behind it anyway.

 

[mangyiscute]

I will also add that the Cross Country was known for running a couple minutes late almost all of the time so giving it a little extra time here and there is definitely useful

 

[Grecian 1998]

On the plus side, it certainly isn't an official connection but it is now potentially possible to connect from the SW service arriving at xx56 onto the Manchester-bound train departing 5 minutes later. (previously 1 minute difference).

All you need is to be fleet of foot, light of luggage, know the New Street layout imminently, know exactly which platform you need (RTT is your friend), an on-time arrival from the SW and a dollop of luck. Oh and you need flexible tickets as well. Piece of cake...

 

[mangyiscute]

On the plus side, it certainly isn't an official connection but it is now potentially possible to connect from the SW service arriving at xx56 onto the Manchester-bound train departing 5 minutes later. (previously 1 minute difference).

All you need is to be fleet of foot, light of luggage, know the New Street layout imminently, know exactly which platform you need (RTT is your friend), an on-time arrival from the SW and a dollop of luck. Oh and you need flexible tickets as well. Piece of cake...

although sadly the connection from the ex-york trains onto the Reading bound trains is still not there (its an hour wait) and arguably this is the more important one since in may, the bristol to manchester trains are mainly returning but the reading to newcastle ones are only 5 per day (assuming the timetable isn't further reduced)