XC new timetable HST diagrams

[MidnightFlyer]

Well, they were kind of. Considering if you travelled from Plymouth - Warrington, technically wouldn't you be using VXC and VWC?

No, because Birmingham-Crewe-Preston-Carlisle-Scotland used to be XC territiory, it was included in the WC franchise from Dec 2008.

 

[TomJ93]

How do you work that one out?

 

[Failed Unit]

Well, they were kind of. Considering if you travelled from Plymouth - Warrington, technically wouldn't you be using VXC and VWC?

But they were still very distinct. If you travelled from Glasgow - Preston you could tell the West Coast train. (full service) the XC got no catering as it was out the core. (in first class). So you avoided using XC. The products were very different even if they both had virgin colours. A bit like connex in the south.

 

[MCR247]

How do you work that one out?

Because Birmingham - Scotland via West Coast is VWC and the rest is XC? Surely, if they were run as separate franchises, there wouldn't have needed to be any service changes anyway?

 

[matt]

Birmingham to Scotland via the West Coast was VirginXC (although now a Virgin WC route).

 

[MCR247]

Ok, my mistake

 

[Class 33]

I was amazed to spot a Cross Country HST at Bristol Parkway on Sunday at 6:25pm. Amazed because according to the info given on here, the HST's all head south in the mornings and head north in the afternoon's. The opposite to what would suit me!

I just checked the timetable and providing this train was on time, this would have been the 1124 Edinburgh-Taunton service. Have they added another HST to their fleet, and this works this service every Sunday now then? Or could this have been just a one off?

I allways get on alternative services now to avoid travelling on those cramped cattle market class Voyagers. But it would be very useful to know if the Sundays 1712 departure from Birmingham is an HST now.

 

[swt_passenger]

I was amazed to spot a Cross Country HST at Bristol Parkway on Sunday at 6:25pm. Amazed because according to the info given on here, the HST's all head south in the mornings and head north in the afternoon's. The opposite to what would suit me!

The bit about 'all south in the mornings' etc is weekdays only.

Weekend diagrams are somewhat different, but in any case are often changed completely for engineering work.

If the XC service is discontinuous (like it was last weekend between Exeter and Taunton), all the timings will be different again, and they won't want any HSTs marooned beyond Exeter as they're all needed up north for Monday morning.

 

[TEW]

The 1712 Birmingham New Street-Taunton will probably be an HST on Sundays while the blockade between Taunton and Tiverton Parkway continues. Because of the engineering work it gains a couple of hours reversing at Taunton not Plymouth so the HSTs can operate on later down services and still get back up North for Monday morning. The only normal service that heads south later on is the 0900 Glasgow Central-Penzance on Saturdays, but only when there is little engineering work taking place.

 

[387star]

Sorry to bring it up again but xc increased weekday hsr diagrams from 2 to 4 again? looked at 125 site and shows 4 just wishing for confirmation

 

[MCR247]

Yes, they have 4 since December! Don't know where you've been :P

 

[387star]

Great thanks obviously wasnt following this well!

 

[Masbroughlad]

It would be good to see HSTs out of Manchester Piccadilly again. Any diagrams allow this to happen or likely too?

 

[Max]

It would be good to see HSTs out of Manchester Piccadilly again. Any diagrams allow this to happen or likely too?

Having seen the new diagrams for May, this is not happening unfortunately.

 

[IanPooleTrains]

Having seen the new diagrams for May, this is not happening unfortunately.

So have they stopped putting the HST on then for the run down to Paignton Saturdays only?

 

[voyagerdude220]

I would've thought that the Man Picc to Newquay run would warrant an HST, with it being popular & also lots of surfboards etc to put in the guard's van.

 

[TEW]

The Manchester Piccadilly-Newquay was also a voyager last year and the year before that it was not very busy at all when an HST.

 

[voyagerdude220]

Ok, thanks for that Tew.

I thoroughly enjoyed my Manchester-Newquay-Manchester run with Cross Country in May 2008, I had a Valenta'd 43108 next to my First Class coach ("silent" MTU at the other end) , and a proper buffet selling very good NXEC? branded hot snacks.

 

[oliverj8]

Having seen the new diagrams for May, this is not happening unfortunately.

Any chance you could post them on here??

 

[Mojo]

Saturdays 28 May - 10 Sept inclusive

06.00 Leeds - Paignton
12.34 Paignton - Glasgow Central

06.32 Dundee - Newquay
19.55 Newquay - Plymouth

06.01 Glasgow Central - Paignton
16.34 Paignton - Leeds

07.44 York - Penzance
16.25 Penzance - Leeds

 

[caliwag]

Apologies for joining the thread late...
Mojo, are these 125 diagrams?

 

[Paignton train]

I remember the proper summer saturday HSTS to Paignton, I also remember the 4 car class 153s that used to come from Cardiff to Paignton, great days at least XC are sort of putting it back slowly

 

[Zoe]

I remember the proper summer saturday HSTS to Paignton, I also remember the 4 car class 153s that used to come from Cardiff to Paignton, great days at least XC are sort of putting it back slowly

There alway used to be many additional summer Saturday services to Paington. These trains had run for many years continued until the early 2000s. Not only did you have XC but also addtional FGW services and direct trains from Paignton to Southampton and Brighton. I don't know why this has declined in recent years.

 

[Paignton train]

I know i remember well, i recall the barriers on Torbay Road level crossing going down every second hehe, If you think about how tight the time and paths were on the branch on a saturday because you got your local trains that run every 45 minutes to an hour and plus all the other extras, it must have been hard.

 

[Mojo]

Apologies for joining the thread late...
Mojo, are these 125 diagrams?

They are the HST diagrams for Saturdays only 28 May - 10 Sept inclusive