The Newport to Crosskeys start on 13 December
Since there is an hourly through bus service from Soham to Cambridge City Centre (Drummer St bus station), rather than change trains at Ely, with possible missed connections and going to Cambridge station which is a long way from the city centre, I can' t see many people going Soham-Cambridge by train.On a previous thread I searched out the business case for the station, which suggests usage is likely to be pretty poor until such time that an hourly service can be provided.
Since there is an hourly through bus service from Soham to Cambridge City Centre (Drummer St bus station), rather than change trains at Ely, with possible missed connections and going to Cambridge station which is a long way from the city centre, I can' t see many people going Soham-Cambridge by train.
Indeed not. And given the rather limited attraction of Peterborough or Ipswich, very few people will use the station at all. Probably just those going long-distance, who've booked in advance and so don't care how frequent the service is, and whatever London demand there is.Since there is an hourly through bus service from Soham to Cambridge City Centre (Drummer St bus station), rather than change trains at Ely, with possible missed connections and going to Cambridge station which is a long way from the city centre, I can' t see many people going Soham-Cambridge by train.
Indeed not. And given the rather limited attraction of Peterborough or Ipswich, very few people will use the station at all. Probably just those going long-distance, who've booked in advance and so don't care how frequent the service is, and whatever London demand there is.
Aside from Scotrail, most TOCs will provide a bus or taxi if the next train is more than an hour after a cancelled train or missed connection.The inconvenience of needing to change trains to reach Cambridge too. And of course the service calling at Soham won't wait if the connection from Cambridge and is late in arriving at Ely. And it's two hours 'till the next one...
But isn’t the Scotrail thing down to industrial action?Aside from Scotrail, most TOCs will provide a bus or taxi if the next train is more than an hour after a cancelled train or missed connection.
They may well do, but will that be offered on a proactive basis on every occasion? And will prospective passengers actually know that?Aside from Scotrail, most TOCs will provide a bus or taxi if the next train is more than an hour after a cancelled train or missed connection.
A paper for the 15 September Rail North Committee meeting has the following summary of the Northern and TPE changes:Northern actually has Hull-Halifax going back to hourly, Lincoln-Sheffield being extended to Leeds again, return of the hourly Liverpool-Warrington Bank Quay and a half hourly Leeds-York via Harrogate which is an improvement even on the pre pandemic timetable. But as the previous poster says this could still change.
Northern is introducing the following service changes at the December 2021 timetable change:
- improves to an all-day 1 train per hour (tph) service between Newcastle – Morpeth – Chathill
- improves to an all-day 2 tph service between Carlisle – Hexham – Newcastle
- improves to a 3 trains per day (tpd) service between Chester-le-Street & Durham
- improves to an 8 tpd service between Morecambe/Lancaster – Skipton
- reduces to a peak only service between Bridlington – Hull until the May 2022 timetable however the Scarborough to Hull service will remain at once an hour.
- improves to an all-day 2 tph service between York – Harrogate – Leeds
- improves to an all-day 1 tph service between Leeds – Sheffield – Lincoln
- improves to an all-day 1tph service between Hull – Leeds – Halifax
- improves to an all-day 1 tph service between Liverpool – Warrington – Manchester Airport
- improves to a 7 tpd service between Liverpool – Warrington Bank Quay
TransPennine Express is introducing the following service improvements at the December 2021 timetable change:
- improves to a 5 trains per day (tpd) service between Edinburgh – Newcastle
- improves to an all-day 1 train per hour (tph) service between Manchester – Scarborough
- improves to an all-day 1 tph service between Manchester – Edinburgh/Glasgow
Thanks, that's very helpful! Them saying all-day 1tph service between Newcastle - Morpeth - Chathill seems a bit misleading!A paper for the 15 September Rail North Committee meeting has the following summary of the Northern and TPE changes:
Chathill is getting an hourly service? That’s interesting. Maybe just as far as Alnmouth would suffice, as Chathill is in the middle of nowhere - and it’s a good 11 miles between the two stations. If it’s going ahead however I would eventually I’d like to see this ran through to Berwick via Belford, which should hopefully reopen. The stops in between Chathill and Newcastle (the ones only served by the peak time Chathill services) all would benefit from an hourly service as they are in the middle of villages.
Chathill is getting an hourly service? That’s interesting. Maybe just as far as Alnmouth would suffice, as Chathill is in the middle of nowhere - and it’s a good 11 miles between the two stations. If it’s going ahead however I would eventually I’d like to see this ran through to Berwick via Belford, which should hopefully reopen. The stops in between Chathill and Newcastle (the ones only served by the peak time Chathill services) all would benefit from an hourly service as they are in the middle of villages.
Not according to Real Timetrains in December. Only hourly between Newcastle and Morpeth and mostly runs south of Newcastle towards Carlisle.
Realtime Trains | Departures from Morpeth between 0200 and 0159 on 15/12/2021
Train information at Morpeth between 0200 and 0159 on 15/12/2021. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.www.realtimetrains.co.uk
Sunday service looks poorNo guarantees that things wont change, but this is a quick n dirty extract of what is in the database today.
The December 2021 timetable still does not have:
1) Avanti's three trains an hour between London to Birmingham
2) Chiltern's two trains an hour on weekends between London and Birmingham, with a fast service taking about 1 hour 45 minute.
Are these likely to ever return and if so when?
Doubt you'll get the third Brum before May 22.The December 2021 timetable still does not have:
1) Avanti's three trains an hour between London to Birmingham
2) Chiltern's two trains an hour on weekends between London and Birmingham, with a fast service taking about 1 hour 45 minute.
Are these likely to ever return and if so when?
Is it definitely going to return at some point?Doubt you'll get the third Brum before May 22.
Is it definitely going to return at some point?
Because by May 2022, these ‘temporary timetables‘ will have been in place for over 2 years. I do not think it is unreasonable for passengers who frequently use a service is currently significantly worse to ask if such changes will be permanent if they have been going on for that long.You’re asking a question nobody in the industry knows the answer to.
Why the worry about something that has already been explained will be a long time into the future before it has been decided.
If they do plan on eventually restoring pre Covid service levels they should be honest with passengers on how long the reductions will continue for.
In the particular case of SWR, they’re still trying to get a timetable into place to meet the 2017 franchise requirements. I don’t think it’s really because they’re more on the ball than other TOCs regarding current issues…Because by May 2022, these ‘temporary timetables‘ will have been in place for over 2 years. I do not think it is unreasonable for passengers who frequently use a service is currently significantly worse to ask if such changes will be permanent if they have been going on for that long.
If train operators do wish to reduce services permanently, they should release a proposed future timetable which passengers can consult on, rather then continually rolling over temporary timetables, which can’t be consulted on. Scotrail, SWR and LNER have already done this. If they do plan on eventually restoring pre Covid service levels they should be honest with passengers on how long the reductions will continue for.
I thought LNER was back to pre Covid timetable already?Because by May 2022, these ‘temporary timetables‘ will have been in place for over 2 years. I do not think it is unreasonable for passengers who frequently use a service is currently significantly worse to ask if such changes will be permanent if they have been going on for that long.
If train operators do wish to reduce services permanently, they should release a proposed future timetable which passengers can consult on, rather then continually rolling over temporary timetables, which can’t be consulted on. Scotrail, SWR and LNER have already done this. If they do plan on eventually restoring pre Covid service levels they should be honest with passengers on how long the reductions will continue for.