I wondered why TfW services from Wales to The Midlands were only going as far as Wolverhampton in recent days, rather than the usual Birmingham International and how valid the reason showing 'due to more trains than normal requiring repair' actually was in this instance?
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TfW services not going beyond Wolverhampton
- Thread starter Pemberton
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RailUK Forums
They had to withdraw most of their 20 plus strong fleet of 175 units to effect inspections/preventative maintenance/repairs following a spate of fires so they're operating without a substantial proportion of their fleet. Quite justified in this case.
Class800
Established Member
Seems reasonable to me - provided arrangements are on offer for TFW only tickets to be accepted by at least one other fairly frequent operator, such as LNWR?
class68fan
Member
2 each hour to international with a 30 weight from wales train. May save a bit if change at New Street. International train are 6 minute gap then 54 minute gap.
Kite159
Veteran Member
Since when was 2 trains an hour from Wolverhampton to Birmingham International (running within 10 minutes of each other) classed as numerous?
Numerous (7-8tph, all be 2 stoppers and 1 via Tame Bridge which gets overtaken on some hours) to New Street
Well it gives you options, 2 direct plus the option to go via New St. Even the Tame Bridge ones give you the option of getting a train to International from Tame Bridge itself.
Surely it's preferable to halving the number of TfW services
Seeing as the trains are running and presumably sticking to their scheduled arrival and departure times from Wolverhampton, these trains aren't being repaired, so why can't they do their full journey? It's inconvenient for say, customers with suit cases on their way to catch a plane from Birmingham Airport, for which Birmingham International is their stop to have to get off at Wolverhampton and search for an alternative train to complete their journey.
They come back from Wolverhampton into Wales as the return of an earlier journey; freeing up trains for repairs to take place.
With the trains from Wales usually arriving at Wolverhampton at 11 minutes past the hour, the direct options from there to Birmingham International generally involve a scheduled wait of 28 minutes for the hourly XC service or 34 minutes for the hourly Avanti service.
Runningaround
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TFW and West Midlands trains really need to manage and encourage more to use the five car brand new trains travelling between Shrewsbury and New St, instead of letting them cram into the sprinters being used instead of the usual trains. Its seems as if they are trying to discourage passengers by taking two carriages off a rammed Chester to International train at Shrewsbury, swapping a four car Aber - New St 158 for a Sprinter and putting RPI's on board.
Either run the new WMT ones it in-front or swap the service round with TFW being the stopper and WMT the express. Even leisure travellers will rather stand from Shrewsbury instead of getting a seat boarding the slower service that's' only a few minutes behind.
Still amazes me how many cram onto two carriage TFW services when only travelling to Wolves from New St, even when the platforms only announced minutes before departure it's the TFW one they head too.
last week a lightly loaded Avanti departed from the same platform within 7 mins of the TFW Aberystwyth which wasn't even showing the platform on the boards until a couple of minutes before departure (so most had used Real Time Trains to find out earlier) and plenty of much longer WMT/LNR services were within minutes.
You see and hear the frustration from staff onboard and on platforms who are almost pleading for passengers to use the other trains so to let those travelling further afield to board.
Either run the new WMT ones it in-front or swap the service round with TFW being the stopper and WMT the express. Even leisure travellers will rather stand from Shrewsbury instead of getting a seat boarding the slower service that's' only a few minutes behind.
Still amazes me how many cram onto two carriage TFW services when only travelling to Wolves from New St, even when the platforms only announced minutes before departure it's the TFW one they head too.
last week a lightly loaded Avanti departed from the same platform within 7 mins of the TFW Aberystwyth which wasn't even showing the platform on the boards until a couple of minutes before departure (so most had used Real Time Trains to find out earlier) and plenty of much longer WMT/LNR services were within minutes.
You see and hear the frustration from staff onboard and on platforms who are almost pleading for passengers to use the other trains so to let those travelling further afield to board.
Runningaround
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I thought there was Engineering work between Wolves and Birmingham hence platform screens showing Wolverhampton Via New St.
The diagrams will have been rewritten to reduce the number of units required. So, for example, (and I don't know the actual figures) it may be that instead of 10 being required it can be covered by 7.
It's not ideal, but not sure how else TfW is meant to respond to having a significant number of units unavailable?
Class800
Established Member
I agree. I haven't found anything clear online about ticket acceptance for TFW only tickets though
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
In my experience those trains are very quiet south of New St (which is why I board them there). They only really go there to reverse so as not to clog a platform up at New St.
If that wait isn't suitable, just take the next New St service and change again there.
It's not the worst they could do - arguably with the hourly WMT service to Shrewsbury it'd be possible to turn them there.
And save at least another pair of 158s in the process…
ValleyLines142
Established Member
By curtailing them at Wolverhampton, when they next return towards Shrewsbury/Aber, they're essentially one service an hour ahead of themselves, so it saves at least 3 to 4 units.
It makes no difference regarding changing onto an Avanti or XC service onto International; there are constant set swaps at Shrewsbury when a 150 is used for the Birmingham leg anyway!
What matters to me is the journey planning and earlier time I would need to leave home to complete my journey to take into account the extra half an hour associated with the wait for another operator's service to complete my journey from Wolverhampton and the inconvenience of being turfed off a train which I expected to be direct with my luggage.
SamYeager
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Considering the number of people whose journeys have been disrupted, replanned sometimes more than once due to industrial action over the last several months I do feel a distinct lack of sympathy.
I think the ‘via Birmingham New Street’ would need manually deleting, and this has just been overlooked while the service is curtailed to Wolverhampton. It’s certainly confusing for anyone who wants to travel to New St. I’m not sure if this message shows on all screens or if it depends what kind they are?
Llanigraham
On Moderation
And by sticking to the original timetable would have inconvenienced far more people across a far bigger area.
That's all well and good but would you rather be on a 175 that may catch fire whilst you're on it? Can't think a very high percentage of passengers would prefer that.
It's a slight inconvenience, not like Crane St junction is blocked which would be a major inconvenience
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
It does, yes, I've seen "Bletchley via Northampton" at Euston before when a Birmingham was terminating short.
Yes, we all appreciate that but is there an alternative that would adversely affect fewer passengers?
ChiefPlanner
Established Member
I used this service last week , starting at Wolverhampton - no problems and it protects the Wolves - Salop section and more importantly the Cambrian with its tight single line sections. The 175 shortage appears to be improving with more sets released after checks. A proactive decision.
The loadings from International , are decent enough , with even on a Sunday quite decent and appreciated by those using the airport. Loadings to and from Salop towards the West Midlands are sound - a 2 car full from Salop towards New St on Sunday afternoon , with considerable standing from Telford Central.
The loadings from International , are decent enough , with even on a Sunday quite decent and appreciated by those using the airport. Loadings to and from Salop towards the West Midlands are sound - a 2 car full from Salop towards New St on Sunday afternoon , with considerable standing from Telford Central.
Class800
Established Member
Hopefully TFW make it clear not Avanti then
Because through creative diagramming, you can probably eek another trip or two by the time saved at each end over the course of the day. This frees up the required units.
Sounds scary!
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