They don’t like going south! To be fair they don’t spend all week away from Tyseley like the units on the vale.
Bulletproof up here in t’midlands.
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Kenilworth station Opened 30th April 2018
- Thread starter Xenophon PCDGS
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They don’t like going south! To be fair they don’t spend all week away from Tyseley like the units on the vale.
Bulletproof up here in t’midlands.
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ChiefPlanner
Established Member
From a local correspondant , now the first day excitement has passed , the trains are loading quite well ....
Kind of strange arrangement? Why not just employ staff members with west midlands trains? Surely a ticket seller should have the same terms and conditions as the rest of the ticket sellers in the TOC? Why would they want to have non rail staff selling tickets on site?
The station signage looks interesting. It's not WMR style. Isn't it Network Rail signage?
There are probably several reasons why the TOC wouldn't want to employ staff at a station who's usage is unknown.
Firstly, by letting someone else run it the risk is then but their's. In addition the requirement to sell other products to help fund the staff member's pay doesn't mean a change from what everyone else is doing, and the possible complications that could result in with unions.
The final thing I can think of is that with the increasing use of online ticket sales it could well be that the TOC may not loose or on that much commission anyway.
I'm sure others could think of it reasons (and may well disagree with the above reasons).
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
There are 3 of them so if they're not bothered about no spare at Tyseley...there have been 3 units at Bletchley quite a lot of late (I guess this must be improving reliability). Though most of the time it's been 2 153s and a 150.
STKKK46
Member
There’s been a 150 most times I’ve gone past Tyseley over the last few weeks. Wish WMT hard more.
I’m still led to believe that a Hereford diagram suffers from a lack of 153 which has been donating to the Kenilworth service.
Nothing about it is ideal. If COV-LMS was electrified I’m almost certain we’d be seeing Kenilworth having a 350 LIV service by December. Real shame.
The Planner
Veteran Member
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- 15,930
The original plan many moons ago was to electrify it and divert a Brum to Cov local to Leamington, that soon fell over when the stopper got extended out to Northampton so LM as was wouldn't have agreed to it anyway (there is more money in going towards London).
Kenilworth passengers, or Cov-Leam passengers?
Smethwickian
Member
Not strange at all. There are several previously destaffed stations where ticketing facilities were reopened by independent providers and have been running successfully for years - Gobowen, Llandrindod, Newtown, Barmouth, Ludlow, Ledbury and Knighton immediately come to mind and I'm sure there are more.
It would be highly unlikely that a reopening like Kenilworth would be of the size and service level to have permanent staffing from the start - locals and councillors in Cannock lobbied for years without success, for example, for a ticket office, at least at peak times. So why not let someone else take the risk and offer an innovative or multi-purpose facility - tickets and teas together could just make the difference between a completely deserted station and one with a regular welcoming presence to reassure and encourage customers.
Batman
Member
The problem with Cannock is that there’s no obvious place to build a ticket office as the Birmingham platform is at the top of a very steep embankment. It looks like it will be getting one now as the whole station is due to be re-developed as part of the Mill Green shopping centre development.
But for the time being, I’d hazzard a guess at Cannock possibly being one of the largest towns in Britain without a staffed station.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
Just looked at a Google Streetview of it and the car park seems an obvious possibility.
LNW-GW Joint
Veteran Member
The station project is a Warwicks CC affair, so no doubt they are determining the staffing, at least for an initial period.
I suppose it's possible the new Worcestershire Parkway might be the same when it opens.
So do they use the same computer system to sell tickets as WMR uses?
Also, do they have to accept some sort of liability if they wrongly advise a customer on ticketing options? E.g. if they didn't adivse of a peak evening period which applied a long way from Kenilworth itself or something but where the passenger would be returning from?
As I believe TOC staff are fully retail trained so as they can give passengers suitable ticketing advice.
Also, do they have to accept some sort of liability if they wrongly advise a customer on ticketing options? E.g. if they didn't adivse of a peak evening period which applied a long way from Kenilworth itself or something but where the passenger would be returning from?
As I believe TOC staff are fully retail trained so as they can give passengers suitable ticketing advice.
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ChiefPlanner
Established Member
About 50 on board each end , some churn at KW , reports of up to 30 boarding / alighting now the first day frenzy is over.
ChiefPlanner
Established Member
Time will tell ...
MidnightFlyer
Veteran Member
- Joined
- 16 May 2010
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- 12,857
I believe the biggest is Livingston, about double the size of Cannock
What with LM's proposals for booking offices around 2012 I am not surprised nothing was ever actively looked into - it took them until rebuilding the actual station to do something for Bromsgrove.
I'm hoping to visit today. Normally when going slightly 'off-piste' out of the West Midlands county, I get a Daytripper Plus. However, this doesn't include travel between Coventry and Leamington Spa despite the ticket including both places.
This has been the case for many years, presumably because the hourly XC is so rammed. Does anyone know if there are plans to change this to include the WMR service?
This has been the case for many years, presumably because the hourly XC is so rammed. Does anyone know if there are plans to change this to include the WMR service?
OwlMan
Established Member
Warwickshire CC have put on a subsidised bus around Kenilworth for rail passengers in the morning and evening rush hours.
As stated on the WCC website A NEW Bus service for Kenilworth to encourage residents to use the new Station will come into operation to coincide with the opening on Monday 30th April.
Operated by Stagecoach and called the Station Link (abbreviated to SL) it provides amazing value for residents of Kenilworth at just £1 for Single or Return journeys (Concessionary passes accepted as normal) and has been timed to provide a comfortable link with Train arrival and departure times at peak periods in the morning and afternoon.
As stated on the WCC website A NEW Bus service for Kenilworth to encourage residents to use the new Station will come into operation to coincide with the opening on Monday 30th April.
Operated by Stagecoach and called the Station Link (abbreviated to SL) it provides amazing value for residents of Kenilworth at just £1 for Single or Return journeys (Concessionary passes accepted as normal) and has been timed to provide a comfortable link with Train arrival and departure times at peak periods in the morning and afternoon.
Kite159
Veteran Member
A nice station it is as well 
Around 20 passengers alighted from the 153 from Coventry yesterday evening (17:36ish departure) with a good 10+ boarding it back towards Coventry.
Around 20 passengers alighted from the 153 from Coventry yesterday evening (17:36ish departure) with a good 10+ boarding it back towards Coventry.
causton
Established Member
Not sure what you are implying here.
They do not give ticket machines to everyone and their dog, the person would be suitably trained whether they were employed by West Midlands Trains or Burger King!
For what it is worth, they use Tribute which is the same software as WMR use. Barring technical faults, it should not make a difference what the software is though.
I see that the cost overruns are now being used in the railway press as an excuse by those siren voices who would dearly like to see any expansion of the regional passenger railway terminated.
Perhaps the answer is to open with a basic modular platform in the first place, then add more substantial built accommodation later.
Perhaps the answer is to open with a basic modular platform in the first place, then add more substantial built accommodation later.
Bletchleyite
Veteran Member
There was at one point a "standard modular station" design - East Grinstead is one. This seems to have gone in favour of more substantial customised buildings?
Yes I remember seeing pictures of it being erected on the Southern.
I went to Kenilworth. Travelled Kenilworth to Leamington, spent a couple of hours there and returned to Coventry.
Healthy loadings both ways, the cafe/ticket office was closed and the ticket machine out of order. Guard doing a good job selling tickets.
Healthy loadings both ways, the cafe/ticket office was closed and the ticket machine out of order. Guard doing a good job selling tickets.
Leo1961
Member
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- 13 Sep 2013
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And how many days has it been operational for?
Not a very good portent of things to come is it?
Could be that it's sold so many tickets that the stock has run out!
Leo1961
Member
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- 13 Sep 2013
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Which begs the question, who is in administrative charge and has allowed this to happen?
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