Crosscountry strike timetables

[liamf656]

Does anyone know whether Crosscountry have put their strike timetables out, or if anyone has any idea on what will be running? It’ll be interesting to know given their very wide operating area

 

[Peterthegreat]

Does anyone know whether Crosscountry have put their strike timetables out, or if anyone has any idea on what will be running? It’ll be interesting to know given their very wide operating area

They hadn't an hour ago. It was a "watch this space" message on their website.

 

[gc4946]

I'm curious too in case the industrial action drags on into August

 

[Sporty60]

I'm curious too in case the industrial action drags on into August

Guess you're a glass half full type of guy.

 

[gc4946]

Guess you're a glass half full type of guy.

maybe hope the dispute is resolved by then

 

[Grecian 1998]

This BBC report indicates Bournemouth will have no trains at all:

Passengers told not to travel by train during rail strikes

Only a fifth of train services are due to run during next week's strike action.

www.bbc.co.uk

That's not just XC - nothing from SWR either. Given how popular Bournemouth can be on summer Saturdays, presumably easier not to serve it at all than risk leaving hundreds or even thousands behind.

I'd assume the 'classic' routes will focus entirely on the core, so nothing south of Bristol or Reading. Hard to tell if to the NE Sheffield, Leeds or York would be the obvious stopping point. I'd assume they'll run Birmingham - Manchester - if that isn't a core route then what is?

Pure speculation from me though which could be entirely unfounded.

 

[Chingy]

I'd assume the 'classic' routes will focus entirely on the core, so nothing south of Bristol or Reading.

According to the Network Rail map of what passenger lines are open, there is nothing on strike days between Bristol and Birmingham. (Not sure about Bristol to Plymouth).

 

[Bald Rick]

This BBC report indicates Bournemouth will have no trains at all:

Passengers told not to travel by train during rail strikes

Only a fifth of train services are due to run during next week's strike action.

www.bbc.co.uk

That's not just XC - nothing from SWR either. Given how popular Bournemouth can be on summer Saturdays, presumably easier not to serve it at all than risk leaving hundreds or even thousands behind.

I'd assume the 'classic' routes will focus entirely on the core, so nothing south of Bristol or Reading. Hard to tell if to the NE Sheffield, Leeds or York would be the obvious stopping point. I'd assume they'll run Birmingham - Manchester - if that isn't a core route then what is?

Pure speculation from me though which could be entirely unfounded.

Southampton / Reading to Manchester
Birmingham to Newcastle.
Bristol - Plymouth
Birmingham - Leicester
Birmingham - Nottingham.

 

[Peterthegreat]

This BBC report indicates Bournemouth will have no trains at all:

Passengers told not to travel by train during rail strikes

Only a fifth of train services are due to run during next week's strike action.

www.bbc.co.uk

That's not just XC - nothing from SWR either. Given how popular Bournemouth can be on summer Saturdays, presumably easier not to serve it at all than risk leaving hundreds or even thousands behind.

I'd assume the 'classic' routes will focus entirely on the core, so nothing south of Bristol or Reading. Hard to tell if to the NE Sheffield, Leeds or York would be the obvious stopping point. I'd assume they'll run Birmingham - Manchester - if that isn't a core route then what is?

Pure speculation from me though which could be entirely unfounded.

Your speculation is indeed unfounded. Trains will run Edinburgh to Birmingham via ECML and Leeds and Southampton to Manchester via Birmingham. Also Bristol to Plymouth. Some trains will make shorter runs. Details now available.

Buy Cheap Train Tickets and Find Train Fares | CrossCountry

Book quickly and easily without paying a booking fee today. Buy cheap train tickets, find live train times, explore railcards, and more today with CrossCountry.

www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk

 

[gc4946]

Your speculation is indeed unfounded. Trains will run Edinburgh to Birmingham via ECML and Leeds and Southampton to Manchester via Birmingham. Also Bristol to Plymouth. Some trains will make shorter runs. Details now available.

Buy Cheap Train Tickets and Find Train Fares | CrossCountry

Book quickly and easily without paying a booking fee today. Buy cheap train tickets, find live train times, explore railcards, and more today with CrossCountry.

www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk

I'm pleased that at least on strike days their Voyager/HST trains will get as far as Plymouth, Southampton Central and Edinburgh.
I thought under the worst case scenario they could all have been terminated at Bristol, Reading, Manchester and York. Their current plans are reassuring.

 

[Bald Rick]

I'm pleased that at least on strike days their Voyager/HST trains will get as far as Plymouth, Southampton Central and Edinburgh.
I thought under the worst case scenario they could all have been terminated at Bristol, Reading, Manchester and York. Their current plans are reassuring.

well they are terminating at Bristol, just not in the conventional direction!

 

[Martin_1981]

well they are terminating at Bristol, just not in the conventional direction!

I can't believe they are running a few services between Bristol and Plymouth but nothing at all between Birmingham and Bristol. Makes no sense at all to me.

 

[voyagerdude220]

I can't believe they are running a few services between Bristol and Plymouth but nothing at all between Birmingham and Bristol. Makes no sense at all to me.

But are the signallers who would usually control the signals on the Bristol to Birmingham section and any necessary staff such as despatch staff etc. going to be available on strike days?

 

[M60lad]

From what I've read elsewhere it looks like Stockport is going to be completely closed on Strike Days so I would have thought any XC services to/from Manchester will operate via Crewe & Wilmslow.

 

[DDB]

Doesn't appear to be any Birmingham Nottingham services at all on strike days despite the line being open.

 

[Martin_1981]

But are the signallers who would usually control the signals on the Bristol to Birmingham section and any necessary staff such as despatch staff etc. going to be available on strike days?

That might explain it.

 

[43055]

Doesn't appear to be any Birmingham Nottingham services at all on strike days despite the line being open.

I think on a previous strike around one Christmas this was also the case.

 

[Sporty60]

The Commonwealth Games start in Birmingham on 28th July....just saying.

 

[JonathanH]

The Commonwealth Games start in Birmingham on 28th July....just saying.

Yes, but what are you just saying? There are events all through the Summer, the strikes will clash with some of those events and the railway will run the service it is able to run.

 

[Geezertronic]

From what I've read elsewhere it looks like Stockport is going to be completely closed on Strike Days so I would have thought any XC services to/from Manchester will operate via Crewe & Wilmslow.

XC Trains to Manchester, whether they route via Crewe or via Stoke still go through Stockport don't they, same as Avanti? The ones I've been on certainly do

 

[Watershed]

From what I've read elsewhere it looks like Stockport is going to be completely closed on Strike Days so I would have thought any XC services to/from Manchester will operate via Crewe & Wilmslow.

Correct. They will however run non-stop between Stafford and Manchester, so Stoke, Crewe and particularly Wilmslow will lose out badly.

XC Trains whether they route via Crewe or via Stoke still go through Stockport don't they? The ones I've been on certainly do

No, at Wilmslow they can either continue to Manchester via Stockport, or they can take the Styal lines to avoid Stockport. Due to the closure of Stockport (it has 5 high-graded mechanical signalboxes, whereas the Styal line is just one panel on Manchester Piccadilly SCC) they'll be taking the Styal line, as with all services into Piccadilly from the south on the strike days.

XC do have a few route retention services that run over the Styal lines, e.g. the 05:11 Manchester to Bournemouth, which runs via Styal, Crewe and Stoke.

 

[Geezertronic]

No, at Wilmslow they can either continue to Manchester via Stockport, or they can take the Styal lines to avoid Stockport. Due to the closure of Stockport (it has 5 high-graded mechanical signalboxes, whereas the Styal line is just one panel on Manchester Piccadilly SCC) they'll be taking the Styal line, as with all services into Piccadilly from the south on the strike days.

XC do have a few route retention services that run over the Styal lines, e.g. the 05:11 Manchester to Bournemouth, which runs via Styal, Crewe and Stoke.

Gotcha, just looked that up on Open Railway Maps. Never knew XC used that route to be honest. Are Avanti drivers also signed for that route?

 

[Sporty60]

Yes, but what are you just saying? There are events all through the Summer, the strikes will clash with some of those events and the railway will run the service it is able to run.

I'm saying that this is an INTERNATIONAL event spanning two weeks and eclipsing Wimbledon as the largest event in the country this year.
With thousands of spectators visiting from Commonwealth countries any strikes would be a massive embarrassment for us.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

I'm saying that this is an INTERNATIONAL event spanning two weeks and eclipsing Wimbledon as the largest event in the country this year.
With thousands of spectators visiting from Commonwealth countries any strikes would be a massive embarrassment for us.

Im not quite sure the relevance to this in regard to XC strike timetables.

 

[The Planner]

Im not quite sure the relevance to this in regard to XC strike timetables.

Surely it is if this becomes the base plan for any future strikes?

 

[Watershed]

Gotcha, just looked that up on Open Railway Maps. Never knew XC used that route to be honest. Are Avanti drivers also signed for that route?

Yes, Avanti also have some retention paths that way. I would imagine both Avanti & XC only have a limited number of traincrew that sign it though - not everyone that signs Manchester will necessarily sign it.

 

[syorksdeano]

Yes, but what are you just saying? There are events all through the Summer, the strikes will clash with some of those events and the railway will run the service it is able to run.

Well we know when the next series of strikes will happen. What better way to get everyone around the table by planning a series of strikes during the games

 

[43096]

XC Trains to Manchester, whether they route via Crewe or via Stoke still go through Stockport don't they, same as Avanti? The ones I've been on certainly do

If they go via Crewe there is then a choice of routes from Wilmslow: either via Stockport or via the Styal line (avoiding Stockport).

Avanti are going via Styal, so presumably XC will as well. I assume the issuing is staffing Stockport’s antiquated signal boxes.

 

[jfollows]

Yes, Avanti also have some retention paths that way. I would imagine both Avanti & XC only have a limited number of traincrew that sign it though - not everyone that signs Manchester will necessarily sign it.

19:40 Euston-Manchester uses the Styal line and will confuse people for Stockport who don’t check, such as a former colleague.

 

[43055]

Seems that Derby to Birmingham am peak is better on the strike days!

Tuesday & Thursday departures at 0800, 0827, 0931 & 1031
Wednesday and Friday departures at 0827 & 1031