Avanti stopping patterns

[mangyiscute]

Also when I travelled to Haymarket on an Avanti service recently a lot of people got off there - it relieves a lot of pressure from people potentially changing at Edinburgh as almost anyone heading further into Scotland would change at Haymarket instead.

 

[childwallblues]

Runcorn together with Widnes are part of the Borough of Halton and have a combined population of 124,000 which in my opinion justifies having its service to London.

 

[Some guy]

The Avanti stop at Haymarket is mainly down to putting space between it and any train travelling along the Up Midcalder, which is not limited to the fast and slow Shotts services, but also freight coming off the Suburban Lines at Slateford (which then has a constant uphill slog to Midcalder Junction, or Cobbinshaw for Carstairs routings).

haymarket is an extremely popular changing point. Lots of passengers alight for Inverness and Aberdeen as much easier walk than at Waverley. It’s a useful stop

 

[EllieAquitrain]

haymarket is an extremely popular changing point. Lots of passengers alight for Inverness and Aberdeen as much easier walk than at Waverley. It’s a useful stop

Haymarket is also very useful for Edinburgh residents! It's closer to a good chunk of the city and for other parts it's a much, much, much nicer and easier change to your bus home — you don't have to negotiate the crowds on Waverley Steps and Princes Street!

 

[stephen rp]

What length trains is Avanti going to run calling at South Parkway (designed for 6 coach maximum)?

 

[hexagon789]

What length trains is Avanti going to run calling at South Parkway (designed for 6 coach maximum)?

Seven coaches planned (807s), but may be the five-car 805s initially due to power supply issues Weaver-Liverpool.

 

[stephen rp]

Seven coaches planned (807s), but may be the five-car 805s initially due to power supply issues Weaver-Liverpool.

Given the line capacity issues on the WCML it seems odd to use low capacity trains.

 

[hexagon789]

Given the line capacity issues on the WCML it seems odd to use low capacity trains.

They seat almost as much as a 9-car Pendolino though and actually more in Standard?

 

[Class15]

They seat almost as much as a 9-car Pendolino though and actually more in Standard?

I think this was referencing the 805s rather than the 807s.

 

[hexagon789]

I think this was referencing the 805s rather than the 807s.

That would only be temporary in the case of Liverpool and the other working will still be a Pendolino.

 

[frodshamfella]

I’m a regular commuter on the WCML and have spent many journeys battling, to no avail, with the on-board WiFi to find an answer to this question.

Given Avanti follows the high(ish) speed / intercity model – prioritising few, strategically placed stops to minimise journey time – the stop every WCML Liverpool branch train makes at Runcorn baffles me. It’s not a particularly big conurbation and Lime Street (20 mins), Crewe (27 min) and Warrington (25 mins) are all within striking distance via local rail, providing easy links to fast ‘main line’ services.

While the station seems reasonably well used, I’m sure you could make an argument that tens of other stations across the network would see similar use if Avanti stopped at it. I use these lines less frequently, but stops at Haymarket and Sandwell and Dudley could probably also go by this description as they're close to the origin / termination stations and well-served by local rail to the bigger hubs.

I’m sure there’s a reason for the stops at Runcorn, but it makes no logical sense to me. Given it's proximity to Liverpool (let alone Crewe and Warrington) it seems directly contrary to the model. Could anyone enlighten me?

There is a lot of industry in Widnes / Runcorn, indeed Runcorn had a huge ICI presence in years gone by. I think the area more than justifies a direct London service. I live in north Cheshire, and always use Runcorn over Warrington BQ to reach London, its much easier to reach, lots of traffic around Warrington.

 

[Travelmonkey]

Also worth noting Runcorn is Avanti managed, if you were to pull their trains what TOC will pick it up?

There are lots of areas of "why don't you go to the bigger city?" one I can think of close to me is why do so many voyagers call at Burton on trent? when Derby is very close by,

But back to topic Runcorn is a surprisingly busy station served by many different operators and has a easier draw due to the fact of it being a "new town" favours Park & ride patrons whereas driving into Warrington or Liverpool is a chore,

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Also worth noting Runcorn is Avanti managed, if you were to pull their trains what TOC will pick it up?

London NorthWestern/West Midlands Trains, presumably?

There are lots of areas of "why don't you go to the bigger city?" one I can think of close to me is why do so many voyagers call at Burton on trent? when Derby is very close by,

They're not all that close. Over 11 miles, isn't it?

But back to topic Runcorn is a surprisingly busy station served by many different operators and has a easier draw due to the fact of it being a "new town" favours Park & ride patrons whereas driving into Warrington or Liverpool is a chore,

Don't disagree there.

 

[sprinterguy]

There are lots of areas of "why don't you go to the bigger city?" one I can think of close to me is why do so many voyagers call at Burton on trent? when Derby is very close by,

It's essentially one Voyager every two hours (largely alternate trains on the NE-SW axis), which doesn't seem excessive for a town of now over 75,000 people (at the last census) on a major inter-city route.

 

[BeijingDave]

deleted