May 2019 timetable changes

[PHILIPE]

Some May 19 GWR and Transport for Wales services seem to have made it onto Real Time Trains (plus all the usual stuff about it not necessarily being correct at this stage).

It will be the last Timetable rolled forward with editing to be done.

 

[Bevan Price]

And for Stone passengers, is changing at Stafford for a direct service *really* such an inconvenience?

I bet more people benefit every day from a direct Birmingham service insteas.

I suppose a lot depends on how good (or how bad) are the connection times at Stafford.

 

[158756]

And for Stone passengers, is changing at Stafford for a direct service *really* such an inconvenience?

I bet more people benefit every day from a direct Birmingham service insteas.

More people probably travel from Stone to Birmingham than to London. But London dominates rail travel in this country, and almost certainly demand for trains from Stone will be more to London, with people happy to drive to Birmingham regardless of a direct service.

 

[Deafdoggie]

With four trains an hour Birmingham-Stafford, and just one new slow one an hour (all stops Wolverhampton-Birmingham) they will drive to Stafford and get the train from there. The people for London will join them from May.
There is a bus every 20 minutes from Stone Town Centre (the station is a short walk outside the town centre, and uphill) to Stafford Rail Station too. Yes, there will be those who have no choice but to catch the train at Stone, but I can't see the market growing.
At the moment very few people join at Stafford and change at Stafford, suggesting that really isn't the market.

 

[Camden]

More people probably travel from Stone to Birmingham than to London. But London dominates rail travel in this country, and almost certainly demand for trains from Stone will be more to London, with people happy to drive to Birmingham regardless of a direct service.

If more people travel from Stone to Birmingham, then demand for trains will match exactly according to the various computations that go into determining rail market share for an area.

Especially given the M6, a decent direct service to Birmingham is likely to be a winner.

 

[Deafdoggie]

If more people travel from Stone to Birmingham, then demand for trains will match exactly according to the various computations that go into determining rail market share for an area.

Especially given the M6, a decent direct service to Birmingham is likely to be a winner.

But given the stopper nature of the rail service I can't see it attracting a switch of use. If, say, XC called, then maybe. But Stafford, Penkridge, Wolverhapmton and all stations to Birmingham isn't going to be fast!

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

But given the stopper nature of the rail service I can't see it attracting a switch of use. If, say, XC called, then maybe. But Stafford, Penkridge, Wolverhapmton and all stations to Birmingham isn't going to be fast!

Still, an attractive service to the likes of Stafford, Penkridge and Wolverhampton - and especially so if your destination is actually one of the shacks between Wolverhampton and Birmingham.

 

[BluePenguin]

Still, an attractive service to the likes of Stafford, Penkridge and Wolverhampton - and especially so if your destination is actually one of the shacks between Wolverhampton and Birmingham.

Apart from the people who live there is anyone that interested though?

 

[Deafdoggie]

Apart from the people who live there is anyone that interested though?

Most of them aren't too bothered either!

 

[43055]

Some May 19 GWR and Transport for Wales services seem to have made it onto Real Time Trains (plus all the usual stuff about it not necessarily being correct at this stage).

East Midlands Trains are showing as well but with little/no differences from my quick look. The main difference that I can see in the planning is extra services on the Cornish mainline making a 30 minute service for most of the day Monday to Saturday with the odd larger gap. Although this can all change.

 

[43074]

East Midlands Trains are showing as well but with little/no differences from my quick look.

A few of EMTs peak services are accelerated: the 0729 Sheffield to London departs at 0725 and is 10 mins faster, the 0755 Nottingham to London departs 5 mins later from Nottingham and the 1647 London to Sheffield departs St Pancras at 1702; there are a few changes to accomodate these. The basic service pattern is the same though and there seem to be few other changes apart from these.

 

[43055]

A few of EMTs peak services are accelerated: the 0729 Sheffield to London departs at 0725 and is 10 mins faster, the 0755 Nottingham to London departs 5 mins later from Nottingham and the 1647 London to Sheffield departs St Pancras at 1702; there are a few changes to accomodate these. The basic service pattern is the same though and there seem to be few other changes apart from these.

Some good changes there. The 1647 moving to 1702 helps to fill the large gap for Sheffield and the service is also sped up by around 13 minuets arriving at 1902 rather than the current 1900.

 

[43055]

A few of EMTs peak services are accelerated: the 0729 Sheffield to London departs at 0725 and is 10 mins faster, the 0755 Nottingham to London departs 5 mins later from Nottingham and the 1647 London to Sheffield departs St Pancras at 1702; there are a few changes to accomodate these. The basic service pattern is the same though and there seem to be few other changes apart from these.

Some good changes there. The 1647 moving to 1702 helps to fill the large gap for Sheffield and the service is also sped up by around 13 minuets arriving at 1902 rather than the current 1900.

 

[Starmill]

Especially given the M6, a decent direct service to Birmingham is likely to be a winner.

I agree this is likely to be a significant benefit. The current direct train from Stone to Birmingham at 0704 has always picked up a significant number of people when I have used it.

 

[Starmill]

How much use this slow service will be

This is bizarre. Nobody travelling time-sensitviely will be doing so from Stone station. They will be in a taxi or their car to Stoke-on-Trent or Stafford for a non-stop train to London. Even if they do, they won't be messing about on the Trent Valley stopper. However, people going to Birmingham will probably find it useful not to have to change. They may also be able to change if they wish to arrive 5 minutes quicker.

 

[87015]

It will be the last Timetable rolled forward with editing to be done.

Nonsense. There is no such thing, it’s the live times which will be as per bid/offer/response.

 

[The Planner]

Offer has been and gone along with all the offer responses that have been back and worked on.

 

[Alfie1014]

One possible reason is that the 755's will be G.A.'s fastest accelerating trains.....

Their maximum speed is still only 100 mph, (line limit) but with 2600 kW per 3 or 4 car unit (in electric mode....) they might be more able to keep to the timetable.
The 12 car 745's (really 2x6 cars back to back) have 4 rather than 2 motor bogies, so totaling 5200 kW, & will be longer & heavier than the 755
bi-modes, but when compared to the weight & power output of a Cclass 90 + 8/9 Mk.3's they should be capable of Norwich in 90.

And from May likely to be the only new trains available but are reported to go like the 'preverbial' off of a shovel!

 

[vlad]

But given the stopper nature of the rail service I can't see it attracting a switch of use. If, say, XC called, then maybe. But Stafford, Penkridge, Wolverhapmton and all stations to Birmingham isn't going to be fast!

All stations between Wolves and Brum? Strewth - it's going to be worse than I expected!

 

[47421]

Offer has been and gone along with all the offer responses that have been back and worked on.

Are you aware / at liberty to disclose whether GA have bid for the new Meridian Water to Stratford service?

 

[The Planner]

No idea, there are lots of us and we dont do it all!

 

[Starmill]

All stations between Wolves and Brum? Strewth - it's going to be worse than I expected!

What services are going to call at Smethwick Rolfe Street, Dudley Port or Tipton if this service does not? Surely you wouldn't propose to have those stations closed, or frequency cut at the others?

 

[Starmill]

As far as data upload goes, with all of the usual caveats, the hourly service between Chester and Liverpool Lime Street with indermediate calls at Helsby, Frodsham, Runcorn and Liverpool South Parkway is now shown. Some of these also run through to Wrexham General. 0635 and 1909 departures from Wrexham General, and 1737 departure from Liverpool Lime Street. Journey time approximately 70 mins.

This has the happy side effect of giving Frodsham and Helsby a sensible 2tph to Chester, as well as the obvious beginning of direct trains to Liverpool for them. A through train to Liverpool South Parkway will no doubt open up new access by rail to Liverpool Airport, and facilitate better connections. I have no idea what effect this might have on Runcorn, given the obvious diffuculty of travel between there and Chester by rail at the moment, but it will be most fascinating to see.

 

[Starmill]

Elsewhere, we can see that an hourly service will run between Guildford and Farnham. At the moment this is a most unattractive journey by rail requring in this direction, at least officially, some 32 minutes sat waiting at Aldershot.

 

[GW43125]

Will this be the time we finally get our long-promised 4tph to Reading? Or are we waiting another year of being wedged into an 8 which really needs to be a 12 ?

 

[Deafdoggie]

A through train to Liverpool South Parkway will no doubt open up new access by rail to Liverpool Airport, and facilitate better connections. I have no idea what effect this might have on Runcorn, given the obvious diffuculty of travel between there and Chester by rail at the moment, but it will be most fascinating to see.

Id there much demand for travel between Runcorn and Chester?

 

[Llandudno]

I disagree, I think there will be decent demand for the Runcorn to Chester service, especially for leisure journeys.
I expect to see increased patronage from Helsby and in particular, Frodsham, although car parking at or near Frodsham station will be a challenge!
The other burning issue is what fares will be charged on this route, will Liverpool to Chester be more expensive via Runcorn than via Hooton?
Will Merseytravel Zone and Saveaway Tickets be valid via Runcorn, especially as Merseytravel/Liverpool City Region part funded reopening? I gather there are already some Merseytravel branded bus stops in Halton!

Does anyone have a simple to find link of the proposed Halton Curve timetable for May 2019?

Thanks!

 

[scrapy]

I doubt Merseytravel tickets will be valid via Runcorn as if that was the intention they would be valid to Runcorn now.

 

[TEW]

Will this be the time we finally get our long-promised 4tph to Reading? Or are we waiting another year of being wedged into an 8 which really needs to be a 12 ?

There are a few extra peak services, but Off Peak remains as 2tph.

 

[GW43125]

There are a few extra peak services, but Off Peak remains as 2tph.

Big woop
What we really need right now is a train in between the 0842 and 0912 off Reading (0842 is first off-peak and is only 8)