17:39 XC Oxford-Stafford Query

[M60lad]

Why is the above service only running as far as Stafford at the moment and not all the way through to Piccadilly? Also what's happening to the staff who crew the service when the service gets to Stafford?

Also why after this service gets to Stafford does it sometimes run to Nuneaton before returning back to Stafford and then heading to Barton-Under-Nedwood (Central Rivers)?

 

[Horizon22]

Possibly to do with the Oxford - Didcot block and I imagine something to do with crew and/or stock restrictions seeing as how the route has been split in two.

 

[The Planner]

Why is the above service only running as far as Stafford at the moment and not all the way through to Piccadilly? Also what's happening to the staff who crew the service when the service gets to Stafford?

Also why after this service gets to Stafford does it sometimes run to Nuneaton before returning back to Stafford and then heading to Barton-Under-Nedwood (Central Rivers)?

Unless they are re-learning the Trent Valley as they dropped it as a diversion recently.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Looks to be the only xx39 two hourly XC service from Oxford that terminates at Stafford.

All but one of the others, i.e the 0739, 0939, 1139, 1339, 1539 and then the 1939, all seem to continue through to Manchester Piccadilly, excepting the 2139 which runs only to Birmingham New Street.

 

[py_megapixel]

Looks to be the only xx39 two hourly XC service from Oxford that terminates at Stafford.

All but one of the others, i.e the 0739, 0939, 1139, 1339, 1539 and then the 1939, all seem to continue through to Manchester Piccadilly, excepting the 2139 which runs only to Birmingham New Street.

Also only on weekdays apparently. On Saturdays the 17:39 also runs through to Manchester.

At least Manchester passengers have a reasonable 17 minute connection at Stafford to the 19:50 service from London.

 

[sprinterguy]

Possibly to do with the Oxford - Didcot block and I imagine something to do with crew and/or stock restrictions seeing as how the route has been split in two.

It isn't related to that, the 19:01 off New Street (this service) has been a gap in the usually hourly service to Manchester since the start of this year (perhaps since the December timetable change).

Hadn't realised it was running beyond Birmingham as far as Stafford, though, that feels like a new development: Given the subsequent routing that must surely be for route learning/retention purposes.