December 2022 Timetable Changes

[louis97]

Regarding SWR West of England services on a Friday all the stock formations in/out of Waterloo are exactly the same the only difference at the London end is the 1720 Front 5 runs on to Exeter instead of Front 3 and the 2340 runs on to Yevoil Jun.

It used to be a lot different pre-covid and pre-SWR when the diesel fleet were not used as intensively. On a Friday multiple trains from Exeter up to London had more coaches attached at Salisbury than a Monday-Thursday. For example, you'd get a 158+159 attached instead of just the 159.

 

[The exile]

Friday only / Friday excepted diagrams to deal with a different travel pattern on the Friday peak hour have existed for year. On SSWT formations on a West of England services were always different on a Friday.

Surely that was more to cope with the weekend getaway rather than reduced commuting?

 

[CarrotPie]

I was looking on RealTimeTrains today to see the December 2022 timetable on the Medway Valley Line. 2T72 terminates from Strood at Maidstone West at 2227, then at 2241, an RTT goes through the same platform, then at 2257, 2T74 arrives to run to Tonbridge. There are no ECS moves planned, so what happens to the stock that formed 2T72?

 

[_toommm_]

I was looking on RealTimeTrains today to see the December 2022 timetable on the Medway Valley Line. 2T72 terminates from Strood at Maidstone West at 2227, then at 2241, an RTT goes through the same platform, then at 2257, 2T74 arrives to run to Tonbridge. There are no ECS moves planned, so what happens to the stock that formed 2T72?

Not all shunts have a path. Take Sheffield - there’s numerous shunts at the end of the night from platforms six and eight, but they don’t have a path. I suspect it just goes into the Up Sidings at Maidstone West.

 

[Class 466]

Not all shunts have a path. Take Sheffield - there’s numerous shunts at the end of the night from platforms six and eight, but they don’t have a path. I suspect it just goes into the Up Sidings at Maidstone West.

Nothing has used those sidings since the 90s. This Will probably run ECS to Gillingham Depot and it’s just not been uploaded yet.

 

[30907]

Nothing has used those sidings since the 90s. This Will probably run ECS to Gillingham Depot and it’s just not been uploaded yet.

It's an unbalanced working so it'll be something like that.

 

[CICERO55]

Any ideas why south eastern are taking one of the 2 london vic trains from the bearstead line and re-routing to charing cross so bearstead is left with just an hourly service? Thanks

 

[317 forever]

Or Hazel Grove, Woodsmoor and Davenport!

Oh yes, those stations are losing Blackpool services, just like the ones I quoted are losing Blackpool and Southport services.

 

[CarrotPie]

Nothing has used those sidings since the 90s. This Will probably run ECS to Gillingham Depot and it’s just not been uploaded yet.

Any ideas when it might be uploaded?

 

[Goldfish62]

Oh yes, those stations are losing Blackpool services, just like the ones I quoted are losing Blackpool and Southport services.

My experience of catching these services is that a lot of people who board at those stations stay on the train at Piccadilly.

 

[175001]

My experience of catching these services is that a lot of people who board at those stations stay on the train at Piccadilly.

Agreed. The SE - NW flow has had a service for as long as I can remember. This change will be a shock to the system for many.

The last reminiscence of the Blackpool - Buxton will soon be gone

 

[BPN2022]

I notice there are already reduction plans in place for the first week of the new TT in real time trains?

When looking at Blackpool North, they have already removed some of the WTT services.

Anyone know if this is just a pre-Xmas thing, expecting severe crew shortages before resuming back to full service on 3 January?

 

[Class 170101]

Notiuced that most TPE services on weekdays from Saltburn have an extended dwell at Redcar Central, around 10 minutes.

 

[Bald Rick]

Anyone know if this is just a pre-Xmas thing, expecting severe crew shortages before resuming back to full service on 3 January?

That’s my understanding.

 

[Bikeman78]

Agreed. The SE - NW flow has had a service for as long as I can remember. This change will be a shock to the system for many.

The last reminiscence of the Blackpool - Buxton will soon be gone

I think Buxton train crew still go to Blackpool.

 

[Killingworth]

I notice there are already reduction plans in place for the first week of the new TT in real time trains?

When looking at Blackpool North, they have already removed some of the WTT services.

Anyone know if this is just a pre-Xmas thing, expecting severe crew shortages before resuming back to full service on 3 January?

As I understand it Northern have looked at rostering in the shorter term and found it's not realistic to run the full intended service prior to conclusion of a full rostering agreeent with ASLEF. That's expected to be achieved in time to plan the full service from January. Apparently there are enough crews when rostering issues are resolved.

 

[brad465]

Nothing has used those sidings since the 90s. This Will probably run ECS to Gillingham Depot and it’s just not been uploaded yet.

Isn't there only one siding there that electric stock can use? There's a couple of other sidings that I recently saw an engineering unit parked in.

 

[Man_with_beard]

I hope the removal of the overnight trains from Blackpool North to Manchester Airport isn't permanent. I have used these every August for the past 25 years since First North Western days.

 

[BPN2022]

I hope the removal of the overnight trains from Blackpool North to Manchester Airport isn't permanent. I have used these every August for the past 25 years since First North Western days.

Is this the 0330 ish departure? Never used it, but surely can’t be many at all that do - so unfortunately one they might want to cut?

 

[Peter0124]

Is this the 0330 ish departure? Never used it, but surely can’t be many at all that do - so unfortunately one they might want to cut?

I wonder if anyone who uses the Highland Sleeper gets off at Preston to wait on the 0509 service.

 

[175001]

I think Buxton train crew still go to Blackpool.

For now....

 

[CAF397]

Is this the 0330 ish departure? Never used it, but surely can’t be many at all that do - so unfortunately one they might want to cut?

That is because it is (former TPE operated) Blackpool train crew that operate it, which would form one of the first departures back to Blackpool from Manchester Airport.

Presumably now the service is Class 331 operated by Northern, who now have a plentiful traincrew depot at the Manchester end and a choice of stabling locations for 331s, it is easy to resource that service to Blackpool starting at Manchester.

 

[Bletchleyite]

That is because it is (former TPE operated) Blackpool train crew that operate it, which would form one of the first departures back to Blackpool from Manchester Airport.

Presumably now the service is Class 331 operated by Northern, who now have a plentiful traincrew depot at the Manchester end and a choice of stabling locations for 331s, it is easy to resource that service to Blackpool starting at Manchester.

There have been middle of the night Manchester<->Blackpool services for years, right back to North West Regional Railways or earlier. They may have lasted for the reason noted, but that isn't why they existed.

 

[subk2010]

Seems the Wednesday Chiltern service from West Ealing to West Ruislip wiil be using replacement bus.
Why they are doing that and any possibility that the train service will resume in the future?

 

[Goldfish62]

Seems the Wednesday Chiltern service from West Ealing to West Ruislip wiil be using replacement bus.
Why they are doing that and any possibility that the train service will resume in the future?

Sounds like a case of bustitution in action to save money. I'm sure the DfT would like to do that more extensively if it were not for the general bus driver shortages and unwillingness to pay decent rates.

 

[800002]

Seems the Wednesday Chiltern service from West Ealing to West Ruislip wiil be using replacement bus.
Why they are doing that and any possibility that the train service will resume in the future?

Yes. 100% correct. Will not be a rail going vehicle, will be a road going vehicle.

Generally when something goes it does not come back.
Especially when the DfT are on such a cost reduction exercise and always looking for the quick wins.

Happy travels.

 

[Southern Dvr]

Yes. 100% correct. Will not be a rail going vehicle, will be a road going vehicle.

Generally when something goes it does not come back.
Especially when the DfT are on such a cost reduction exercise and always looking for the quick wins.

Happy travels.

I’d suggest a driver shortage (all TOCS) and a route with limited service and footfall that is served easily enough by the incumbent operator and a cross platform change was always going to be in the firing line. Driver training requirement now reduced and focus can be made on other routes.

Does this mean that they can’t use Paddington as a diversionary station now I wonder?

 

[Watershed]

I’d suggest a driver shortage (all TOCS) and a route with limited service and footfall that is served easily enough by the incumbent operator and a cross platform change was always going to be in the firing line. Driver training requirement now reduced and focus can be made on other routes.

Does this mean that they can’t use Paddington as a diversionary station now I wonder?

Their drivers lost all route knowledge of Paddington when the "New North Main Line" to Old Oak Common closed.

With the route not being cleared for DOO, it was never a particularly practical diversionary route anyway. I think the most you could hope for would be for the Chiltern platforms at Old Oak Common to be built, but that's still many years away from fruition.

 

[sammyg901]

It serves no useful purpose so I'm not surprised. In the event they cannot get into Marylebone then West Ruisip is a perfectly sensible alternative with LUL onwards

 

[Horizon22]

The Greenford shuttle is already very poorly patronised, so this service had been on the cards to be removed for some time. As above, it doesn't really serve any practical purpose.