Recent content by Kettledrum

Some of XC fares are eye watering, and for distances of any length, other options such as travelling by coach or flying are often far cheaper, as is going via London and using different operators. The trains are often packed too, so the shortfall in revenue has always puzzled me. One factor...

I predict that there will be no "jam" tomorrow. Rail schemes take an awful long time in the planning, and compulsory purchase powers etc. HS2 has been years in the planning, and now this is cancelled. The only jam I can definitely predict will happen out of this will be the daily jams on the M6...

How complicated (or expensive) would it be to install additional signalling at Burton to enable reversals? (Either for the driver to change ends and enable the train to continue in the Birmingham direction, or to terminate the train at Burton and send it back down the Ivanhoe line to Coalville)

Tamworth also has some fast trains to London so changing at Burton and then Tamworth might be an option for Ashby and Castle Gresley travellers. I suspect the track configuration at Burton won't allow the trains to head south towards Tamworth and Birmingham, as well as the planned service North...

This is a really sensible approach and all the thinking that has gone into this is to be commended. Of course, it's a shame that it isn't going all the way to Leicester (yet) but an incremental approach of Coalville to Derby is a very good start, and much more likely to get the funding and be...

I'm curious as to why they are using a double decker on this route. Whenever I see buses on this route (between Ashby and the airport) they are pretty empty.

The Buster's beach buses are currently for sale but they were very old though, and dating from 2002. With all the safety checks you'd need to do and re branding etc, is it really worth it?

The press release suggests there will be more open top buses, and route 12 (previously Busters Beach Bus) is perfect for open top services......but where will they find the extra open top buses from?

Well I welcomed your insight, so I hope you are not deterred from sharing more insights in future

That's a pretty good summary of why EM Parkway doesn't attract the passenger numbers that it had the potential to. I used to use it, but it's not very passenger friendly at all: Inconvenient train times, uncompetitive journey times, uncompetitive ticket prices, bleak exposed platforms, high...

Not really, my post highlights why it is a bad idea to remove these through trains. I refer you to my first sentence "Birmingham New Street isn't the best station for passengers to change trains. Platforms are dark, narrow in places and full of diesel fumes."

Birmingham New Street isn't the best station for passengers to change trains. Platforms are dark, narrow in places and full of diesel fumes. At least with XC being through trains, some passengers will stay on the train. New Street is better for commuters when the commuters can exist the...

I don't think the XC railway currently "works" at all

Had the DfT been vaguely competent in negotiating franchise and contract extensions, they would have ensured that there were sufficient penalties for not running trains, or operating short formed trains that Arriva XC made sure that they did actually recruit and train enough drivers. What are...

As for Arriva XC not having enough drivers.........how long have they had the contract? Ample time to train the drivers and sort out rosters so the company are not too reliant on rest day working.