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London Midland Villa Special Services

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bb21

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... as indicated on the PSUL website (search 2T01 or 2T02).

Does anyone know whether these still run? I have not seen them advertised for the last year at all on Villa Saturday 1500 KO home game days.
 
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the sniper

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In reference to those specific outbound workings, I never personally known them to exist, not for the last few years that I've been on the railway anyway. Travel to the game is far better catered for by the frequent, more direct Cross City services, particularly as many fans start their journeys from Cross City stations rather than New Street anyway.

What did run in the last few years after the games, up until last year, were ECS out of New Street via Soho to Witton, then in service from Witton, non-stop to New Street. On the Guards side at least the job card that used to cover this would normally feature two trips like this and nothing else, as such it was pretty popular for getting on RDW, though towards the end it was shoehorned into a normal Wolverhampton turn, maybe a New Street one too at some point. LMs well publicised train crew shortages killed these Specials off though, as they could rarely cover all their timetabled workings on a Saturday, let alone additional workings.

So to answer your question, no. :p
 

bb21

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That's a shame, but hey ho, there isn't much we can do if there weren't any available drivers to run those services. :(

Thanks for the insight.
 

the sniper

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The additional after the game from Witton to New St runs every game. Usually a single 323 but has been 2x323 for the odd game.

As I've said above, no it doesn't. I don't think the additional Specials have run at all this year. When it did run it was almost always a double 323.

The only extra provision that has been provided this year has been an additional stop at Witton on a couple of Rugeleys.
 

CC 72100

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I've been on a football special after the game before, 2T04 17:15 Witton - Birmingham NS.

2x 323 (219/210)

This was January 1st 2015 - a full day of fixtures, but not a Saturday. (Villa v C. Palace)
 

bb21

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Ah, but after the game they go via Aston rather than Soho, right?
 

Minilad

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As I've said above, no it doesn't. I don't think the additional Specials have run at all this year. When it did run it was almost always a double 323.

The only extra provision that has been provided this year has been an additional stop at Witton on a couple of Rugeleys.

Oh I'm sorry. I don't know what that train I catch from Witton after every home game is then. It sure isn't any service train. Must be my imagination
 

Kite159

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I think that ATW goes the other side (similar to the New Street - RTV services which bypass Aston). (Perry Barr West to Perry Barr North)

The Villa specials & that XC uses the curve between Perry Barr South & Perry Barr West. That XC also does Didcot West curve, plus Stechford to Aston, a trio of rare curves
 

6Gman

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Perhaps they scrapped it when the Prime Minister switched his allegiance to West Ham?

;)
 

Bungle965

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I think that ATW goes the other side (similar to the New Street - RTV services which bypass Aston). (Perry Barr West to Perry Barr North)

The Villa specials & that XC uses the curve between Perry Barr South & Perry Barr West. That XC also does Didcot West curve, plus Stechford to Aston, a trio of rare curves

Sorry about that, and i must do the Xc from reading some time sounds good.
 

bb21

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So sadly no good for Brian whom I'm assuming is after that curve whose use otherwise is by the 21:46 XC from Reading which arrives into New Street around midnight?

You're correct. I'm lacking the LM green on my coverage map for that section. :)
 

Techniquest

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It has been a long time since that curve was in regular use. I don't have the dates for it at this time, but I'm pretty it was 2005 when I did it on a 350/1 around to Stechford from Birmingham New Street. The same weekend it was beyond strange to do a Birmingham to Wilnecote move by heading south to do Lifford Curve too! Sadly I don't appear to have that day logged in RailMiles so I can't find the relevant date.

Crikey I've just suddenly hit a massive dose of nostalgia there...

Looks like you may need to wait for a massive bit of signalling replacement at the north/east end of New Street to get it done easily. Just be grateful it's got movements booked over it, Soho North to East has nothing these days and I never had the chance to do the PSUL move over it at the time! One of the few bits of track across the West Midlands I need and it's really annoying!
 

the sniper

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Oh I'm sorry. I don't know what that train I catch from Witton after every home game is then. It sure isn't any service train. Must be my imagination

Well blow me down, I was wrong. My apologies! :oops:

I think though that my confusion here might stem from this 'Special' essentially being a bodge job. I've proven to be wrong before, so may well be again, but I don't think this is the traditional additional working via Soho that I described. Instead I wonder whether this comes ECS from Walsall having been the stopper on the way out, with the Rugeley behind stopping at all stations to compensate? This would explain why you normally get a single 323 rather than a double, as the additional football working via Soho was routinely a double set*.

If no one knows, I guess we'll get to see this coming Saturday...

* - I did know of an extra additional Villa football special once which was formed of a 2 car 170 + 153! Lucky most fans had gone home by the time this turned up...
 

LowLevel

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It has been a long time since that curve was in regular use. I don't have the dates for it at this time, but I'm pretty it was 2005 when I did it on a 350/1 around to Stechford from Birmingham New Street. The same weekend it was beyond strange to do a Birmingham to Wilnecote move by heading south to do Lifford Curve too! Sadly I don't appear to have that day logged in RailMiles so I can't find the relevant date.

Crikey I've just suddenly hit a massive dose of nostalgia there...

Looks like you may need to wait for a massive bit of signalling replacement at the north/east end of New Street to get it done easily. Just be grateful it's got movements booked over it, Soho North to East has nothing these days and I never had the chance to do the PSUL move over it at the time! One of the few bits of track across the West Midlands I need and it's really annoying!

Soho North to East has always been a bit of track you tend to 'fall on' - last time I went over it was on a train from Shrewsbury to get a knackered unit at the right end of New Street station to go to Tyseley. Nearly buggered me up for my last train of the evening.
 

Class 170101

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It was done by Virgin Trains in the last couple of years on an Engineering Works diversion, I was on one of the trains in question.
 

the sniper

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I think though that my confusion here might stem from this 'Special' essentially being a bodge job. I've proven to be wrong before, so may well be again, but I don't think this is the traditional additional working via Soho that I described. Instead I wonder whether this comes ECS from Walsall having been the stopper on the way out, with the Rugeley behind stopping at all stations to compensate? This would explain why you normally get a single 323 rather than a double, as the additional football working via Soho was routinely a double set*.

Wrong again, damn... :lol:

It is the traditional two trips, out ecs via Soho. The only thing I don't know now is how it fell off my radar for so many months! But apologies again to Minilad. :oops:

This still doesn't help bb21 though...
 

adrock1976

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Soho North to East has always been a bit of track you tend to 'fall on' - last time I went over it was on a train from Shrewsbury to get a knackered unit at the right end of New Street station to go to Tyseley. Nearly buggered me up for my last train of the evening.

I got Soho North - Soho East in both directions back in 1989/90, when there was a football special that ran from Stourbridge Junction to Bescot. West Bromwich Albion were away to Walsall at their previous ground Fellowes Park. As I was not attending the match, I then continued south to Birmingham, then back to Bescot to pick up the return working.

As I've already completed the other side of the Soho triangle with the limited stop Walsall/Hendesford services where the first stop is Tame Bridge Parkway, the only section I require is the Perry Barr West - Perry Barr South curve for me to have completed the Perry Barr triangle.

In peace

Adam
 

Minilad

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I got Soho North - Soho East in both directions back in 1989/90, when there was a football special that ran from Stourbridge Junction to Bescot. West Bromwich Albion were away to Walsall at their previous ground Fellowes Park. As I was not attending the match, I then continued south to Birmingham, then back to Bescot to pick up the return working.

As I've already completed the other side of the Soho triangle with the limited stop Walsall/Hendesford services where the first stop is Tame Bridge Parkway, the only section I require is the Perry Barr West - Perry Barr South curve for me to have completed the Perry Barr triangle.

In peace

Adam

Get yourself on the 2140 Reading to Birmingham then. Booked route From International - New St covers that
 
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