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WCML closures Spring 2020

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alangla

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(talking about Euxton) Not sure that this junction can be diverted around unless each pair of lines is sufficiently far apart that two track working (out of four) can be used.
Not practically. You’d be looking at going Preston- Blackburn then over single track to Bolton then via Piccadilly. The via Piccadilly bit has been done before during a blockade (2019?) but they went back onto the WCML via either Eccles or Buckshaw, so electric double track all the way.
 

Staffordian

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That's good, but what about the WCML passengers for Edinburgh?
If they’re starting from Birmingham, they can go XC direct via NCL, while from further north the full TPE service from Liverpool via NCL should be running by then and provide an alternative for some. However, as this goes from Victoria in Manchester it would not necessarily be that straightforward (especially from Wolverhampton or Crewe).
 

squizzler

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Thinking out loud here: Are there any off-lease HSTs that could be dragged out of retirement to operate diversions (assuming one-time exemption to DDA compliance for this gig?)
 

route101

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Looks like the plan according to RTT is Pendos from Euston as far as Carlisle, calling all/most Avanti stops (including stops at both Penrith North Lakes and Oxenholme Lake District, usually they alternate stops) and Voyagers from Carlisle to Glasgow via Dumfries, with a stop at Barrhead or Kilmarnock.

Why would they stop at Barrhead?
 

adrock1976

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What's it called? It's called Cumbernauld
Why would they stop at Barrhead?

The only reason I could see if the diverted trains would stop at Barrhead would be for a train in the opposite direction to clear the single track section between Barrhead and Lugton.

By stopping, I mean that it would most likely be at the signalbox at Barrhead station rather than a passenger call, as I remember back in 2016 the diverted trains only had an intermediate passenger call at Kilmarnock.
 

cosmo

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I should add, some trains aren't scheduled to stop at either Barrhead or Kilmarnock, but I'd presume the stops are to either compensate for lost ScotRail paths or to allow for clearing of single lines etc. It's not listed as unadvertised in RTT so I'd presume any Barrhead calls would be for passengers.

If they’re starting from Birmingham, they can go XC direct via NCL, while from further north the full TPE service from Liverpool via NCL should be running by then and provide an alternative for some. However, as this goes from Victoria in Manchester it would not necessarily be that straightforward (especially from Wolverhampton or Crewe).

Edinburgh pax. would be in a bit more trouble though - say someone who lives in Lancaster and wanted to be there - it would either be TPE to Liverpool and hope there's a through Edinburgh service they could get, or get a
Newcastle terminator, or go to Manchester then change for a Newcastle train or a through train to Edinburgh.

Pax. for Glasgow would have the Carlisle change to do, double back to Birmingham and get an XC, or divert themselves over the Tyne Valley, go to Edinburgh that way, and get a ScotRail to Glasgow via Falkirk or whatever way they fancy.
 

Class 170101

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Not practically. You’d be looking at going Preston- Blackburn then over single track to Bolton then via Piccadilly. The via Piccadilly bit has been done before during a blockade (2019?) but they went back onto the WCML via either Eccles or Buckshaw, so electric double track all the way.

The Pendolinos went from Crewe to Preston via Stockport, Manchester Piccadilly, Golborne Jn to return to the WCML there and that was at the end of July, beginning of August as I recall.
 

The Planner

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Virgin diverted via Manchester during the Acton Grange 16 day blockade last year.
 

Cletus

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There's a page on NRE that I don't think has been linked to yet:

https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service_disruptions/239630.aspx

West Coast
West Coast main line improvement work affecting Easter and May weekend and bank holiday journeys.

Plan ahead to avoid disruption to your journeys over 10 – 13 April (Easter weekend), 2 - 3 May (First weekend in May) and 23 – 25 May (Late May bank holiday weekend).

Fewer people travel by rail over weekends and bank holidays, which is why rail companies carry out essential major improvement and engineering work across the rail network during this time.

This Easter (10 - 13 April), over the weekend of 2-3 May and over the late May bank holiday (23-25 May) - Network Rail will be carrying out essential upgrades to the West Coast main line between London Euston and the north west to improve reliability for future train services and to help prepare the way for HS2.

Last year it was announced that instead of the usual May Day bank holiday (what would be Monday 4 May) the bank holiday would be changed to Friday 8 May, in line with VE Day.

Network Rail plans much of its major engineering work years in advance. In order for VE Day to be kept clear to allow veterans and their families to travel to special events, much of our planned work remained on the original weekend, but was reduced to Saturday and Sunday working only (2 – 3 May).

Due to this essential work, trains running to and from London Euston and along the West Coast main line over these dates in April and May will change and some will not be running, particularly in the North West due to improvements on a busy railway junction near Preston.

The majority of train companies will be confirming service details for the first of these affected weekends at Easter by late January, when tickets for these dates will also become available. Please check if your services are running in advance and for the best value fare for your journey if you do choose to travel please use our Cheapest Fare Finder.

If tickets aren't yet available for your journeys yet (as bookings can be made around 12 weeks in advance of travel dates), you can choose to be kept informed about when advance tickets go on sale by signing up to receive an alert.
 

AndrewE

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Weasel words: the first alert said
over 10 weekends between April and June in 2020....this will mean the short term closure of the railway.
Buses will replace trains between Carlisle and both Glasgow and Edinburgh on weekends between Saturday, April 4, and Sunday, June 7.
On most weekends, the closures will affect trains from mid-morning on Saturdays until the start of service on the following Monday.

If I have read it correctly the NRE one only mentions the 3 bank holidays!
 

The Bear

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Not very possible.
Any idea of the 57s running in service with Pendolino's anymore is a non-starter.
Sam
I presume this is more to do with the 57s not being run/operated by Avanti? I thought DRS had the 57/3s still, but I imagine they'd need to make an arrangement for drags along the TVL. Voyagers of course would be able to do it; maybe a scenario where Pendo services terminate at Carlisle but Super Voyagers continue through via Newcastle?

I hear that there's no problem with DRS delivering a 57 to a Pendo that requires dragging but they're not permitted to drive/haul it with passengers on so the issue must be one of safety-case.
Look at the number incidents (particularly in the north) where Pendo's have become disabled and the passengers have been evacuated onto a Vomiter prior to a 57 being attached to haul it away.

For both planned engineering work and major disruption the "powers that be" are gonna have to be having a major rethink sometime soon. In around two years time they'll be no diesel/bi-mode traction knocking around on the northern WCML to run either diverted services on non-electrified routes or perform train-to-train evacuations.

Looks like the plan according to RTT is Pendos from Euston as far as Carlisle, calling all/most Avanti stops (including stops at both Penrith North Lakes and Oxenholme Lake District, usually they alternate stops) and Voyagers from Carlisle to Glasgow via Dumfries, with a stop at Barrhead or Kilmarnock.
You'll notice that the Avanti service is thinned out with 1tph turning at Carlisle & 1tph turning at Preston, that's why all trains are calling at both Oxenholme & Penrith.


I'd also noticed that TPE must have had a shot of inspiration from somewhere with 1 diverted service going via the G&SW:
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/Y33451/2020-04-04/detailed
 

route101

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I hear that there's no problem with DRS delivering a 57 to a Pendo that requires dragging but they're not permitted to drive/haul it with passengers on so the issue must be one of safety-case.
Look at the number incidents (particularly in the north) where Pendo's have become disabled and the passengers have been evacuated onto a Vomiter prior to a 57 being attached to haul it away.

For both planned engineering work and major disruption the "powers that be" are gonna have to be having a major rethink sometime soon. In around two years time they'll be no diesel/bi-mode traction knocking around on the northern WCML to run either diverted services on non-electrified routes or perform train-to-train evacuations.


You'll notice that the Avanti service is thinned out with 1tph turning at Carlisle & 1tph turning at Preston, that's why all trains are calling at both Oxenholme & Penrith.


I'd also noticed that TPE must have had a shot of inspiration from somewhere with 1 diverted service going via the G&SW:
https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/Y33451/2020-04-04/detailed

TPE using 185 i take it via GSW.
 

AndrewE

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I hear that there's no problem with DRS delivering a 57 to a Pendo that requires dragging but they're not permitted to drive/haul it with passengers on so the issue must be one of safety-case.
Look at the number incidents (particularly in the north) where Pendo's have become disabled and the passengers have been evacuated onto a Vomiter prior to a 57 being attached to haul it away.
That's odd, I know that tests were done with a 57 hauling a Pendo down the N Wales coast. Maybe they concluded that there wasn't enough power for haulage and running the HVAC etc.
 

The Bear

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That's odd, I know that tests were done with a 57 hauling a Pendo down the N Wales coast. Maybe they concluded that there wasn't enough power for haulage and running the HVAC etc.
But that was when both Pendo & 57 were operated by the same TOC.
The 57s are now operated (both maintained & crewed) by DRS.
Avanti drivers no longer sign 57s.......
 

43055

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That's odd, I know that tests were done with a 57 hauling a Pendo down the N Wales coast. Maybe they concluded that there wasn't enough power for haulage and running the HVAC etc.
Not tests but in service. They were used on Saturdays on what is now 0910 to Holyhead and 1358 return.
 

Bletchleyite

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Not tests but in service. They were used on Saturdays on what is now 0910 to Holyhead and 1358 return.

They were also widely used for diversions, and additionally the 2330 Euston-Brum was planned to be hauled by one, presumably (a) so it could run via Nuneaton if it needed to, and (b) for driver training.
 
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