How busy have your trains been?

[Horizon22]

Had to stand for the first time since the pandemic recently. TfL Rail service to Reading from Paddington at 2043 on Fri 2nd. There were just a couple of free seats at the front (and basically none at the back) which is where I was standing, which were normally in the middle of a bank of 3 with bags and such on them. I was only travelling for 15 minutes so no big deal, but first time I've seen it that busy not caused by any disruption.

 

[TravelDream]

Another exceptionally busy day on the Marches line.

A friend of mine is on the 1156 leaving Cardiff (3-car 175) which left full and standing. There was a issue at Newport as lots wanted to get off and even more wanted to get on which has delayed the train. I know relatively few travel the whole route, but I imagine it will be just as busy when it gets to Piccadilly.

 

[trainophile]

Another exceptionally busy day on the Marches line.

A friend of mine is on the 1156 leaving Cardiff (3-car 175) which left full and standing. There was a issue at Newport as lots wanted to get off and even more wanted to get on which has delayed the train. I know relatively few travel the whole route, but I imagine it will be just as busy when it gets to Piccadilly.

I’m somewhat shocked at that, given the bank holiday week/weekend is now definitely over. The sooner the new trains arrive and we can hopefully abandon this daily shambles the better.

 

[PHILIPE]

I’m somewhat shocked at that, given the bank holiday week/weekend is now definitely over. The sooner the new trains arrive and we can hopefully abandon this daily shambles the better.

TFW spin it that new trains are coming in a way to give the impression that the overcrowding will be solved but fail to point out that, in effect, they are not additional trains but replacements for older ones.

 

[TravelDream]

TFW spin it that new trains are coming in a way to give the impression that the overcrowding will be solved but fail to point out that, in effect, they are not additional trains but replacements for older ones.

However, none of the new trains will run as two-carriage on the Marches line eventually.
There'll also be no need to run Sprinters down the line as there'll be enough Class 197s along with the Mark 4s running to Holyhead.
That'll be an important capacity and comfort increase.

 

[dk1]

However, none of the new trains will run as two-carriage on the Marches line eventually.
There'll also be no need to run Sprinters down the line as there'll be enough Class 197s along with the Mark 4s running to Holyhead.
That'll be an important capacity and comfort increase.

Should be a game changer.

 

[Bikeman78]

I’m somewhat shocked at that, given the bank holiday week/weekend is now definitely over. The sooner the new trains arrive and we can hopefully abandon this daily shambles the better.

Cardiff to Manchester is generally busy all year round, especially over the weekend. Only Tuesday to Thursday are relatively quiet. The resumption of Cardiff to Holyhead trains next Monday should help.

 

[Bikeman78]

However, none of the new trains will run as two-carriage on the Marches line eventually.
There'll also be no need to run Sprinters down the line as there'll be enough Class 197s along with the Mark 4s running to Holyhead.
That'll be an important capacity and comfort increase.

There won't be many sprinters! 197s will run almost everything apart from the valleys, Wrexham to Bidston, Maesteg, Cheltenham, Ebbw Vale and the Heart of Wales. I suppose a pair of 153s could turn up but very unlikely.

 

[trainophile]

Cardiff to Manchester is generally busy all year round, especially over the weekend. Only Tuesday to Thursday are relatively quiet. The resumption of Cardiff to Holyhead trains next Monday should help.

Any chance of them restoring seat reservations while they're about it?

 

[TravelDream]

There won't be many sprinters! 197s will run almost everything apart from the valleys, Wrexham to Bidston, Maesteg, Cheltenham, Ebbw Vale and the Heart of Wales. I suppose a pair of 153s could turn up but very unlikely.

I thought that's what I said?

TFW currently have a mix of stock. The 175s are nice, but weren't designed to be used on the routes they're used on. The 2-carriage ones offer too little capacity and there aren't quite enough of them to run on the Marches and in North Wales. So they have to be supplemented. Usually that's by the also decent 158, but TFW also have a limited number of them and most are required for the route to Cambrian Line as only they can be used on the route. That means that sometimes other Sprinters (and not that long ago the occasional Pacer!) sometimes are used on the Marches route.

That won't be the case soon.

TFW will get 26 3-carriage and 51 2-carriage trains to replace 27 175s and 24 158s. That's on top of the Mark 4s operating to Holyhead. You do the maths. They'll also replace some Sprinters, but in the main that'll be done by the Stadlers (756 and 398).

 

[Bikeman78]

Various news headlines reporting that the number of passengers using the Underground has shot up today. Good news.

 

[Bikeman78]

I thought that's what I said?

TFW currently have a mix of stock. The 175s are nice, but weren't designed to be used on the routes they're used on. The 2-carriage ones offer too little capacity and there aren't quite enough of them to run on the Marches and in North Wales. So they have to be supplemented. Usually that's by the also decent 158, but TFW also have a limited number of them and most are required for the route to Cambrian Line as only they can be used on the route. That means that sometimes Sprinters (and not that long ago the occasional Pacer!) sometimes are used on the Marches route.

That won't be the case soon.

TFW will get 26 3-carriage and 51 2-carriage trains to replace 27 175s and 24 158s. That's on top of the Mark 4s operating to Holyhead. You do the maths. They'll also replace some Sprinters, but in the main that'll be done by the Stadlers (756 and 398).

I was nitpicking. You said they would not need to but in reality they won't be able to. 175s do manage to cover the vast majority of long distance trains although the refurb has reduced the number available by one. The only trains booked for 150s are 1W80, 1V99 and a few on Sundays. As you say, the 158s turns are often 150s too. Pacers rarely ran north of Hereford although they did go there early in 2020.

 

[TravelDream]

Fair enough.
Though I suppose, nitpicking, the 153 will still be on the Marches line .

No matter what, it will be great for passenger experience and passenger numbers reducing some of the terrible crowding on the line.

Various news headlines reporting that the number of passengers using the Underground has shot up today. Good news.

Quite substantially
''Rush-hour trips on the tube were up 17% from last Tuesday, to just under a million – their highest since March 2020. Buses also saw 39% more passengers, according to Transport for London figures for the period to 10am on Friday.

The rise was particularly pronounced between 8am and 9am, with 22% more tube journeys and 71% more bus trips. Almost 2m contactless “tap-ins” were recorded across the capital’s two main transport modes by 10am.

Schoolchildren and parents travelling appears to have had the biggest impact, with bus journeys already rising rapidly by Friday last week, after most schools returned on Wednesday or Thursday.''

Returning London commuters put the rush back into rush hour

Morning trips on the tube were up 17% on last week, and buses saw 39% more passengers

www.theguardian.com

 

[Adrian1980uk]

Will we see more timetables return to near normal in the next couple of months as more and more return to the office, I don't buy this wfh a permanent change

 

[Wolfie]

Will we see more timetables return to near normal in the next couple of months as more and more return to the office, I don't buy this wfh a permanent change

Perhaps... or it may all come to a shuddering halt again...

Winter lockdown fears sparked after No10 warning to take further steps

New fears of a winter lockdown have emerged as Downing Street warned they were willing to take “further steps if necessary” to tackle Covid.

www.standard.co.uk

 

[Bald Rick]

Will we see more timetables return to near normal in the next couple of months as more and more return to the office, I don't buy this wfh a permanent change

It depends what you mean by ‘normal’. Timetables are published out until May next year, what you see there is the highest it will get.

Trains definitely busier today at commuting time, but leisure traffic was very noticeably reduced compared to the last few weeks (for obvious reasons).

 

[ScotGG]

Govt wants to cut billions from rail, yet in the other hand more people are bing told to return to work.

In the mid term tourists return and I expect migration too will keep pushing the population up.

 

[Bald Rick]

I expect migration too will keep pushing the population up.

I expect net migration to be significantly negative over the past two years, particularly for those that are economically active (ie of working age and working).

 

[dk1]

Govt wants to cut billions from rail, yet in the other hand more people are bing told to return to work.

In the mid term tourists return and I expect migration too will keep pushing the population up.

Nothing much will change with rail in my opinion.

 

[Bald Rick]

Nothing much will change with rail in my opinion.

It will. Medium and long distance commuting will reduce significantly. Premium fare business travel similarly. Unfortunately these are the market segments that support the rest of the railway (financially). That still leaves a big hole in the bank, and that must be addressed.

 

[Starmill]

It will. Medium and long distance commuting will reduce significantly. Premium fare business travel similarly. Unfortunately these are the market segments that support the rest of the railway (financially). That still leaves a big hole in the bank, and that must be addressed.

You two have had almost this precise exchange before

I think it was concluded that predictions have been made, early indications are of more change rather than less, and now we wait and see how it goes.

 

[Bald Rick]

You two have had almost this precise exchange before

I think it was concluded that predictions have been made, early indications are of more change rather than less, and now we wait and see how it goes.

Indeed, and the next few weeks are when we do ‘see how it goes’.

 

[dk1]

It will. Medium and long distance commuting will reduce significantly. Premium fare business travel similarly. Unfortunately these are the market segments that support the rest of the railway (financially). That still leaves a big hole in the bank, and that must be addressed.

Jury is out with me on that one. What with green credentials & the continuation of leisure travel, I think any loss in commuting will more than compensate. Can’t beat face to face business.

 

[philosopher]

My GF has a few employees who are too scared to go into the office (allegedly). A couple of weeks ago she was talking to one of them (over the phone obviously!) and they were saying how leaving the house is just too dangerous etc. and she asked them if they’d been taking regular tests, to which they replied they hadn’t. She then asked them how they knew they hadn’t already been infected, to which they replied along the lines of “I wouldn’t be talking to you now if I had”. It’s worth pointing out that this person is in their mid 20s with no disclosed underlying health conditions. It’s difficult to know whether they’re taking the proverbial or not! Anyway these people are one social media slip-up from a P45 at this stage.

I was on a train from Birmingham Moor Street to Marylebone today. The car parks at Beaconsfield and Gerrards Cross looked like they were a quarter to a third full. This suggests commuting is still way down from normal.

 

[Bikeman78]

Perhaps... or it may all come to a shuddering halt again...

Winter lockdown fears sparked after No10 warning to take further steps

New fears of a winter lockdown have emerged as Downing Street warned they were willing to take “further steps if necessary” to tackle Covid.

www.standard.co.uk

I've seen similar headlines almost every day. Remains to be seen if it actually happens.

 

[Wolfie]

I've seen similar headlines almost every day. Remains to be seen if it actually happens.

Agreed, although this bears all of the hallmarks of news management to me....

Government plans October firebreak lockdown if Covid hospital admissions remain high

A senior Government scientist and Sage member has told i half-term could be extended to two weeks in late October if NHS is pushed to the brink of capacity

inews.co.uk

 

[Bald Rick]

What with green credentials & the continuation of leisure travel, I think any loss in commuting will more than compensate.

But the leisure travellers won’t be paying the same fares, and neither will they be catching a 10 coach Aventra at 0730 from Colchester. The peak railway will be smaller, and the railway overall will be a few billion a year short of cash.

 

[dk1]

But the leisure travellers won’t be paying the same fares, and neither will they be catching a 10 coach Aventra at 0730 from Colchester. The peak railway will be smaller, and the railway overall will be a few billion a year short of cash.

Still be plenty of passengers & any shortfall will be supported in the meantime. Railways always have a way of sorting themselves out in this country. Not something I have much concern over,

 

[Bald Rick]

any shortfall will be supported in the meantime.

That is a very, very brave assumption!

 

[dk1]

That is a very, very brave assumption!

I don’t think so. Things will work themselves out.