Just wondering if anyone can help confirm some rather hazy memories and bits of information I’ve picked up over the years about how services on the Chase Line have gradually improved over the years.
My recollection is that it goes something like this:
1989 - hourly Walsall - Hednesford shuttle with peak extras to Birmingham, not sure how many there were and if they called all stations or ran non stop Birmingham to Walsall. No evening or Sunday service.
Approx 1991 - hourly Birmingham -Hednesford with peak extras. An hourly emu (mainly 310’s) made Walsall - Birmingham half hourly. Still no evening or Sunday service.
1995 - following the opening of the Jewellery Line, two paths per hour were freed up New Street to Soho and Birmingham - Walsall becomes 4tph. The Hednesford services now run semi-fast to New Street, calling only at Tame Bridge south of Walsall. Evening services is now hourly all stations Birmingham - Hednesford.
1997 - Rugeley extension opens. Birmingham - Rugeley services run semi fast southbound and all stations northbound. Some tight turnaround times at Rugeley.
1998 - extension to Stafford.
Approx 2000 - Sunday service introduced, hourly all stations Birmingham - Hednesford.
2004 - Birmingham - Stafford services start running semi fast in both directions and more peak extras introduced, some morning ones running fast Cannock to Walsall.
2008 - Stafford services cut back to Rugeley and off peak services become half hourly with 1tph running fast Walsall to Cannock. Rugeley gets at evening and Sunday service for the first time and Walsall and Tame Bridge get 2tph.
2010 - Weekday off peak Rugeley services cut back to 1tph when council funding cut.
2011 - Morning peak extras withdrawn due to shortage of 170’s.
2018 - Weekday off peak Rugeley services go back to 2tph. All services now call at all stations north of Walsall.
2019 - electrification, 2tph evening service, introduction of direct London services and the timetable falling apart.
2020 - Covid timetables and recovering to a pre pandemic timetable relatively quickly compared to other lines.
Have I got this broadly correct?
My recollection is that it goes something like this:
1989 - hourly Walsall - Hednesford shuttle with peak extras to Birmingham, not sure how many there were and if they called all stations or ran non stop Birmingham to Walsall. No evening or Sunday service.
Approx 1991 - hourly Birmingham -Hednesford with peak extras. An hourly emu (mainly 310’s) made Walsall - Birmingham half hourly. Still no evening or Sunday service.
1995 - following the opening of the Jewellery Line, two paths per hour were freed up New Street to Soho and Birmingham - Walsall becomes 4tph. The Hednesford services now run semi-fast to New Street, calling only at Tame Bridge south of Walsall. Evening services is now hourly all stations Birmingham - Hednesford.
1997 - Rugeley extension opens. Birmingham - Rugeley services run semi fast southbound and all stations northbound. Some tight turnaround times at Rugeley.
1998 - extension to Stafford.
Approx 2000 - Sunday service introduced, hourly all stations Birmingham - Hednesford.
2004 - Birmingham - Stafford services start running semi fast in both directions and more peak extras introduced, some morning ones running fast Cannock to Walsall.
2008 - Stafford services cut back to Rugeley and off peak services become half hourly with 1tph running fast Walsall to Cannock. Rugeley gets at evening and Sunday service for the first time and Walsall and Tame Bridge get 2tph.
2010 - Weekday off peak Rugeley services cut back to 1tph when council funding cut.
2011 - Morning peak extras withdrawn due to shortage of 170’s.
2018 - Weekday off peak Rugeley services go back to 2tph. All services now call at all stations north of Walsall.
2019 - electrification, 2tph evening service, introduction of direct London services and the timetable falling apart.
2020 - Covid timetables and recovering to a pre pandemic timetable relatively quickly compared to other lines.
Have I got this broadly correct?