10th August - Milford Haven to Holyhead

[Welshman]

Whilst browsing through RRT, I've noticed a couple of interesting variations in stock scheduling, presumably as a result of the closure of the Wrexham-Chester line for conversion to double-track.

On that day, there are two services, 0928 & 1130, advertised as being through trains from Milford Haven to Holyhead - one end of the ATW empire to the other!

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/P22600/2014/08/10/advanced
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/P22604/2014/08/10/advanced

[It's beginning to look a bit like the old Central Trains network. ]

 

[Gareth Marston]

Whilst browsing through RRT, I've noticed a couple of interesting variations in stock scheduling, presumably as a result of the closure of the Wrexham-Chester line for conversion to double-track.

On that day, there are two services, 0928 & 1130, advertised as being through trains from Milford Haven to Holyhead - one end of the ATW empire to the other!

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/P22600/2014/08/10/advanced
http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/P22604/2014/08/10/advanced

[It's beginning to look a bit like the old Central Trains network. ]

Nothing will beat Pwllheli to Grimsby on a 156 or even Aberystwyth to Stanstead Airport on a 158.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Nothing will beat Pwllheli to Grimsby on a 156 or even Aberystwyth to Stanstead Airport on a 158.

Was there ever actually a Barmouth to Yarmouth train in Central days?
That was how some wag once described the Central network.

Manchester-Waterloo/Penzance were pretty long Sprinter journeys too with Wales & West.

 

[SprinterMan]

A few years ago (2010?) the 0425 ex-HHD was actually booked to run through to Milford Haven all the time :P Had an end to end journey time of 8 or 9 hours :P It is split at Cardiff now.

Adam

 

[Bald Rick]

Nothing will beat Pwllheli to Grimsby on a 156 or even Aberystwyth to Stanstead Airport on a 158.

I may be wrong, but I have a recollection from my time with BR in Birmingham in 92/3 that this may sometimes have been formed by a 150.

 

[David Goddard]

I may be wrong, but I have a recollection from my time with BR in Birmingham in 92/3 that this may sometimes have been formed by a 150.

More likely a 156, 150s were VERY in East Anglia at that point.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Two years ago, the layover of the WAG in Cardiff during the day was just enough for the stock to have performed the mid-day trip to Fishguard and back. Based on our experience of the Fishguard it would have been welcomed too!
Now that would be a good end to end trip, for haulage, capacity and connectivity!

 

[ValleyLines142]

A few years ago (2010?) the 0425 ex-HHD was actually booked to run through to Milford Haven all the time :P Had an end to end journey time of 8 or 9 hours :P It is split at Cardiff now.

I was just going to mention this!

To be fair though, these two services on 10th August could have at least an hour knocked off if it wasn't for the fact that they're diverted via Barry and the Vale of Glamorgan Line between Bridgend and Cardiff (i.e. not on the fast line through Pontyclun), they have a twenty minute layover at Cardiff and they're running via Crewe instead of going straight from Shrewsbury to Chester via Chirk.

 

[Welshman]

I was just going to mention this!

To be fair though, these two services on 10th August could have at least an hour knocked off if it wasn't for the fact that they're diverted via Barry and the Vale of Glamorgan Line between Bridgend and Cardiff (i.e. not on the fast line through Pontyclun), they have a twenty minute layover at Cardiff and they're running via Crewe instead of going straight from Shrewsbury to Chester via Chirk.

They're running via Crewe instead of going straight from Shrewsbury to Chester via Chirk because the Wrexham-Chester part of the line is closed!

I suspect the stock re-scheduling because of the Wrexham-Chester closure is the whole reason these two interesting services have been scheduled.

 

[306024]

Was there ever actually a Barmouth to Yarmouth train in Central days?
That was how some wag once described the Central network.

I don't think so, but am more than happy to be corrected. I think I recall a Colchester to Barrow, but again age may be playing tricks with my memory

 

[ValleyLines142]

They're running via Crewe instead of going straight from Shrewsbury to Chester via Chirk because the Wrexham-Chester part of the line is closed!

I suspect the stock re-scheduling because of the Wrexham-Chester closure is the whole reason these two interesting services have been scheduled.

I know, hence the added journey time!