Chase Line electrification

DavidGrain · 20 May 2019

dangie said:
I have an interest in railways but I'm by no means very knowledgeable, so please forgive these simple questions.

Will the 'new' EMU's on the Chase Line be driven by the same drivers who drove the DMU's? In other words is a driver qualified to drive either type of traction?

How many units are required to provide the half hourly service between Rugeley & Birmingham New St. & vice-versa?

Where have all these EMU's come from?

Will the new EMU service on the Chase Line mean a reduction on other lines?

Where have the DMU's gone?

I said they were simple questions, but if you don't ask.....

There are many drivers on this forum who are more qualified than I am to reply to your specific questions. However my general comments.
1. As a general rule drivers have to be trained and passed out on each class of train that they drive. So a class 350 EMU driver who drives to Euston regularly would probably not be passed out on a class 323 EMU running on the Cross City line.
2. The way the timetable has been worked the Rugeley to Birmingham service is not a stand alone service so does not have its own dedicated trains. The trains from Rugeley also continue on to Euston or they go to Birmingham International where they then form the Birmingham to Liverpool service.
3. A rejigging of the timetable throughout the franchise. Described as the bigest shake up in 10 years
4. As a temporary measure some EMU services on the Birmingham to Walsall local service will be replaced by DMUs mainly in the peak periods.
5. Mainly to increase the services on the Hereford and Shrewsbury lines.

RailUK Forums

craigybagel · 20 May 2019

There's been some changes for traincrew. Some services were worked by Shrewsbury based Drivers and Guards but they will no longer work North of Walsall as they don't sign electric traction.

Wolverhampton and New Street depots also had work on the route previously and presumably will continue to do so.

I believe line speed has gone up from 45 to 60. There was a proposal for 75 but it wasn't worth the cost, with the number of stops it gave minimal benefit.

sufian123 · 20 May 2019

Does anyone know what times 350s doing the local All stations between Walsall-Wolverhampton and from rugeley calling all stations please

The Planner · 20 May 2019

craigybagel said:
I believe line speed has gone up from 45 to 60. There was a proposal for 75 but it wasn't worth the cost, with the number of stops it gave minimal benefit.

Gave none at all apart from resilience, the line speed increase was a separate scheme to the wires and was to allow a 2tph service, 60mph lets you do that.

a good off · 20 May 2019

I suppose, subject to traction route clearance and train crew route knowledge, there wouldn’t be any reason that pendolinos couldn’t divert that way via Walsall, Bescot and the Grand.

craigybagel · 20 May 2019

The Planner said:
Gave none at all apart from resilience, the line speed increase was a separate scheme to the wires and was to allow a 2tph service, 60mph lets you do that.

Thanks, always good to have an expert on hand!

dangie · 21 May 2019

The Planner said:
The linespeed hasnt gone up to 75mph for a start, that got binned off early on.

Has there been any line speed upgrade between Rugeley and Walsall?

craigybagel · 21 May 2019

dangie said:
Has there been any line speed upgrade between Rugeley and Walsall?

Yes, it's gone up to 60.

driver_m · 21 May 2019

a good off said:
I suppose, subject to traction route clearance and train crew route knowledge, there wouldn’t be any reason that pendolinos couldn’t divert that way via Walsall, Bescot and the Grand.

You’d need a justification to train us to go that way. Most obvious one would be if Penkridge was ever blocked long term or long term engineering works. None of us at VT sign the route at the moment.

Cherry_Picker · 21 May 2019

I'm sure it would happen so infrequently that you'd just get conducted over the route by someone who does sign it.

sufian123 · 26 May 2019

Hi 2233 and 2304 off Rugeley were 323s on 25/05 anyone managed to spot or ride maybe?

DavidGrain · 26 May 2019

I have not done the Rugeley trip yet but last Thursday I caught the Rugeley to Euston train between New Street and Coventry and was surprised that it was a 323. Sorry did not note the unit number.

sufian123 · 26 May 2019

DavidGrain said:
I have not done the Rugeley trip yet but last Thursday I caught the Rugeley to Euston train between New Street and Coventry and was surprised that it was a 323. Sorry did not note the unit number.

It’s booked to be on Saturday night. 2233 and 2304.

edwin_m · 26 May 2019

Is this the first time 323s have routinely visited Euston?

RMcE · 26 May 2019

I'd expect there was a set swap somewhere. Don't think any of the crews who work to Euston have traction knowledge on 323s.

LNW-GW Joint · 26 May 2019

edwin_m said:
Is this the first time 323s have routinely visited Euston?

I think FNW ran 323s into Euston when they tried a Manchester Airport-Euston service in the late 1990s.
Didn't last long.

Ianno87 · 1 Jul 2019

LNW-GW Joint said:
I think FNW ran 323s into Euston when they tried a Manchester Airport-Euston service in the late 1990s.
Didn't last long.

No, was operated with 322s (ex- Stansted Skytrain).

sd0733 · 1 Jul 2019

edwin_m said:
Is this the first time 323s have routinely visited Euston?

They dont, the furthest south one could ever work would be Northampton due to crew route/traction knowledge, even that never happens Coventry is as far as they get

edwin_m · 2 Jul 2019

sufian123 said:
[I have not done the Rugeley trip yet but last Thursday I caught the Rugeley to Euston train between New Street and Coventry and was surprised that it was a 323. Sorry did not note the unit number.]
It’s booked to be on Saturday night. 2233 and 2304.

sd0733 said:
They dont, the furthest south one could ever work would be Northampton due to crew route/traction knowledge, even that never happens Coventry is as far as they get

You can't both be right!

sufian123 · 2 Jul 2019

edwin_m said:
You can't both be right!

Both is correct. 323 do run as far as Coventry. The 323 I saw was 2121 bhm-Rgl. Then comes back and terminated at new st. Then goes to Coventry.

edwin_m · 2 Jul 2019

sufian123 said:
Both is correct. 323 do run as far as Coventry. The 323 I saw was 2121 bhm-Rgl. Then comes back and terminated at new st. Then goes to Coventry.

The poster you quoted was talking about a Rugeley-Euston, so I interpreted your reply stating that a 323 was diagrammed as also relating to a Rugeley-Euston.

sufian123 · 2 Jul 2019

edwin_m said:
The poster you quoted was talking about a Rugeley-Euston, so I interpreted your reply stating that a 323 was diagrammed as also relating to a Rugeley-Euston.

Ah got it.

Realfish · 2 Jul 2019

I saw, on the VT site, that there was disruption between Stafford and Wolverhampton a few days back. Was (is) the Chase line used as a diversionary route as it used to be many years back?

thecrofter · 4 Jul 2019

Realfish said:
I saw, on the VT site, that there was disruption between Stafford and Wolverhampton a few days back. Was (is) the Chase line used as a diversionary route as it used to be many years back?

I'm fairly sure Pendo's aren't cleared (electrcially) for the Rugeley - Walsall route as there is no Harmonic Damper in service. One was partially installed at the new Bescot TSC but never been commissioned.

The Planner · 4 Jul 2019

thecrofter said:
I'm fairly sure Pendo's aren't cleared (electrcially) for the Rugeley - Walsall route as there is no Harmonic Damper in service. One was partially installed at the new Bescot TSC but never been commissioned.

Pretty sure they are cleared, they tried to make a big thing out the capability to divert, VT don't sign it though.

Chase Line electrification

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