Better a contingency service that actually works than a more ambitious service that then falls apart every day (and in a different way each time).Never said it was about the money.
They are taking the easy option to run a minimum service rather than deploy what resources they have available. This is a result of us moving away from a turn up and go service and too much reliance upon advanced bookings to drive revenue.
If I was a commuter (i'm not) I wouldn't be returning until September anyway. Kids are off school, London gets hot in summer and with social distancing reducing services adhoc and short notice, this drop off remaining in situ is of no surprise to me whatsoever.I wonder whether, across a number of impacted TOCs, there will be attempts at demand suppression by way of ‘consider whether your journey is necessary’ messaging, or similar.
It’s a good job that those of us who have been working from home didn’t all return to the office on July 19th, having eschewed ‘advice’ from the outer reaches of the Covid sub-forum.
Which is why journey planners won't suggest it.
The national rail enquires journey planner suggests using the Glasgow service from crewe and changing at Warrington Bank Quay for Manchester but how many people who just turn up on the day will do that I don't know. ...
The NRE app is suggesting it, as it often does when there is a large gap between trains. It's not offering a fare however.Which is why journey planners won't suggest it.
Interesting. I was going off the fact that NRE never offers a fare for that routing (either via Bank Quay or Central), which is usually pretty reliable.I thought it was, and this was changed a few years ago: MA + NR as one of the permitted routes (although this may be Warrington Central though).
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I think there might be some confusion here. It's not a permitted route to travel from Crewe to Manchester via Warrington, but from Rugeley and south thereof (including London), it is.Does the original post not say it is being suggested?
Good point - Crewe to Manchester is map GM only, which means via Wilmslow (other than direct trains, which don't normally exist).I think there might be some confusion here. It's not a permitted route to travel from Crewe to Manchester via Warrington, but from Rugeley and south thereof (including London), it is.
Thanks.I think there might be some confusion here. ...
But passengers could just get a Crewe to Warrington and Warrington to Manchester ticket or it would make more sense to allow passengers ticket acceptance on this route during the lack of direct services from Crewe to Manchester.Although technically that isn't actually a permitted route ticketing wise!
There are even less trains from Warrington though and still end up on a 2/3 car 175. The Northern isnt running for 2 weeks after Friday so Warrington is worse capacity than Crewe!But passengers could just get a Crewe to Warrington and Warrington to Manchester ticket or it would make more sense to allow passengers ticket acceptance on this route during the lack of direct services from Crewe to Manchester.
Although technically that isn't actually a permitted route ticketing wise!
Which is why journey planners won't suggest it.
I would maintain that diverting the XC is the least worst option in the circumstances.
Some point between 1837 and the present day!When did Crewe - Manchester via Warrington BQ, Earlestown cease to be a permitted route?
This was the original route many years ago back in the days of when the Liverpool & Manchester, Grand Junction, and London & Birmingham Railways were built (which all became part of the London & North Western) before the diagonal route(s) via Wilmslow were built.
There was acceptance with northern last time, not seen anything this time but will check next time I'm inI had booked one of their North Wales to Manchester Avanti only tickets via Crewe for this coming Wednesday[28th July].
I checked the website at 7am and found the revised timetable for this week is now up. As expected, the Euston - Manchester via Crewe services are now cancelled, so my ticket is now useless.
I requested a full refund at 7.15am, and by 7.30am had heard that a full refund would be made. So I'm impressed with the speed they are reacting to a problem not immediately of their making.
School holidays are the time to increase frequencies, not reduce them!
It’s difficult to do that if large numbers of staff aren’t available due to self-isolating though.School holidays are the time to increase frequencies, not reduce them!
They might even want to spend time with their children or grandchildren.It’s difficult to do that if large numbers of staff aren’t available due to self-isolating though.
School holidays are the time to increase frequencies, not reduce them!
As I said up threadWhat I don't understand is that if the overall Covid numbers continue decreasing why services cannot be added. It seems an awful long time to reduce to 1 per hour.
Presumably the service to be advertised is one they feel confident can be delivered. Better to do that and maybe run some additionals if possible and required than have to make short notice cancellations, I'd say.
What I don't understand is that if the overall Covid numbers continue decreasing why services cannot be added. It seems an awful long time to reduce to 1 per hour.
Not for services that serve the commuter and business markets, which is typically 20-30% down in school summer holidays.
Agreed, but if you're commuting from Coventry to Euston for example that used to have a fast service every 20 minutes, and now it's hourly (and stops at all three of the usual intermediate stops rather than just one (or none pre-covid!) so it's slower than normal), that's quite the reduction! I had the misfortune to be on the 0732 this morning and it was cosy, to say the least. Couple that with no decrease on ticket prices -- indeed one could call it an increase due to the lack of advance tickets available because of the service reduction -- and it's a bit sh*t, quite frankly. There's no perfect answer to all of this of course, but my example above would be one of many across the network, I'd wager.
Looks like on Saturdays there will be 2tph to Birmingham with the 2nd Birmingham arriving 45 leaving 16 from Birmingham to Manchester, operating via Bescot to Crewe before operating to Man Picc via Wilmslow
I doubt many families use trains these days,too expensive unless its a local journey.School holidays are the time to increase frequencies, not reduce them!
The 12:18 is also cancelled, and so were the 07:37 and 08:36 off GLA, doesn't look goodThe reduced timetable doesn’t seem to be doing too great either. Few cancellations due to a shortage of train crew.
Worst has to be the cancellation of two Euston - Glasgow trains in a row (1010 and 1118).
It’s quite astounding really.
The 12:18 is also cancelled, and so were the 07:37 and 08:36 off GLA, doesn't look good
Just had a look on RTT at Euston for Avanti, 29 passenger outbounds cancelled so far.God damn. This really isn't boding well at all.
I do hope it doesn't mean they have to cut the frequencies further.
Did mean the 11:27 Euston - Preston has been reported as full and standing.
It's looking glum.I do hope it doesn't mean they have to cut the frequencies further.