Cross-City Electrification from Barnt Green to Bromsgrove

[The Planner]

Yes, I've heard that rumour too. Might be something to do with the New St signalling renewal.

Won't be anything to do with New St. Only phase 7 left to do which is the station itself and that isn't until 2021.

 

[Shrewbly]

AFAIK, only 2 of the 3tph will reach Bromsgrove

Worcestershire County Council's website has long stated that 'full' service will begin in December 2018, and the recent publicity release referred to an increase in services from 1 to 3 an hour, so I wondered whether this might be the case. During the day there are a few services that are scheduled to reverse at Longbridge anyway, so looks like there will be definitely be some periods where only 2 out of the 3 start at Bromsgrove.

Three return 323 ecs workings between New St and Bromsgrove scheduled this evening on Real-time trains.

A 323 ran last night as well - didn't have any problems at all keeping to time between Bromsgrove and Barnt Green.

 

[linuxlad7]

so, but still no commercial rocket rides up the the Lickey until Christmas??

 

[causton]

As far as WMR are concerned, the services will start on the 29th 'as planned' - whether that is 2 or 3 electric trains per hour

 

[linuxlad7]

As far as WMR are concerned, the services will start on the 29th 'as planned' - whether that is 2 or 3 electric trains per hour

gone very quiet ... is the 29th still the intended date for commercial 323s
PS will there be any electric freight facilitated by the route up the lickey either with or without use of bimodes, or any use of electric bankers

 

[swt_passenger]

gone very quiet ... is the 29th still the intended date for commercial 323s
PS will there be any electric freight facilitated by the route up the lickey either with or without use of bimodes, or any use of electric bankers

As is often the case, some of the latest discussion, (timetable related), has started is in a new thread:
https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...romsgrove-from-30th-july.167146/#post-3551326

 

[59CosG95]

gone very quiet ... is the 29th still the intended date for commercial 323s
PS will there be any electric freight facilitated by the route up the lickey either with or without use of bimodes, or any use of electric bankers

I believe so; no news is good news here.
No freight at present is due to be electrically hauled, as there wouldn't be much point in them using the wires without the Camp Hill Line being electrified too, along with the line through Washwood Heath to Water Orton, and thence to Nuneaton/Derby etc.

 

[Class 170101]

The middle pair of lines would need to be wired too between Barnt Green and Kings Norton.

 

[linuxlad7]

The middle pair of lines would need to be wired too between Barnt Green and Kings Norton.

any role for say a type 92 as a banker??

 

[59CosG95]

any role for say a type 92 as a banker??

Again; only if the Camp Hill line and centre lines from Longbridge to Kings Norton were electrified. 66s should be on it for the foreseeable future.

 

[lammergeier]

any role for say a type 92 as a banker??

Wouldn't a maxed out 92 bring most of the cross city to a grinding halt?

 

[The Planner]

Nothing is going to be electrically banked. As mentioned, a 92 is likely to take out everything through New St as the feeder won't cope!

 

[DavidGrain]

National Rail Enquiries shows a full service from next week. I have not checked if XC have dropped the Bromsgrove stop from the Cardiff trains

 

[sufian123]

National Rail Enquiries shows a full service from next week. I have not checked if XC have dropped the Bromsgrove stop from the Cardiff trains

Seems Bromsgrove is not showing from next week?

 

[swt_passenger]

Seems Bromsgrove is not showing from next week?

The benefits of having two overlapping threads, as I pointed out above:
https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...romsgrove-from-30th-july.167146/#post-3551326
Post 1 there said XC had announced it.

 

[jhy44]

The benefits of having two overlapping threads, as I pointed out above:
https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...romsgrove-from-30th-july.167146/#post-3551326
Post 1 there said XC had announced it.

This is going to make a big positive difference to the lives of those who commute into Birmingham from Ashchurch, Cheltenham & Gloucester, cutting out the Bromsgrove stop will massively reduce overcrowding on those trains in the peaks.

 

[Noddy]

This is going to make a big positive difference to the lives of those who commute into Birmingham from Ashchurch, Cheltenham & Gloucester, cutting out the Bromsgrove stop will massively reduce overcrowding on those trains in the peaks.

Although maybe not for folk trying to travel to Bromsgrove/North Worcestershire from Gloucestershire and S.Wales

 

[Shrewbly]

The benefits of having two overlapping threads

Sorry - my fault! (Foolishly thought that Cross-country timetable changes should be in the timetable forum )

Although maybe not for folk trying to travel to Bromsgrove/North Worcestershire from Gloucestershire and S.Wales

Indeed. There are some making this journey, and they will face a considerably longer journey time.

Incidentally, I notice that in the latest Cross-country franchise document Bromsgrove is considered not to be an interchange station, although clearly it will be an interchange for the Cross-city line.

 

[jhy44]

Although maybe not for folk trying to travel to Bromsgrove/North Worcestershire from Gloucestershire and S.Wales

Have you ever seen a single soul get off the one such train at Bromsgrove? What sort of commuter flows do you honestly expect there to be into Bromsgrove from Gloucestershire?

If there was any sort of passenger flow they’d have kept the stop.

Bromsgrove station is awfully placed for the town, if anyone were to need to commute from Cheltenham to Bromsgrove town they would undoubtably drive.

In the event there is someone who commutes from Cheltenham to Bromsgrove, they can change at Worcester or University. One soul (if he exists) having his journey made slightly longer for the benefit of 1000s of other passengers is a trade worth making.

 

[D1009]

From what I can see the 1707 Nottingham Cardiff mentioned above is the only train to have its stop removed, and actually according to RTT will still make an unadvertised stop there. Presumably that is the easiest way of "removing" the stop mid timetable. I can't see there being much demand for a train going south at that time of day, the only people to lose out will be those currently enjoying a fast journey from New Street.

 

[Shrewbly]

From what I can see the 1707 Nottingham Cardiff mentioned above is the only train to have its stop removed, and actually according to RTT will still make an unadvertised stop there. Presumably that is the easiest way of "removing" the stop mid timetable. I can't see there being much demand for a train going south at that time of day, the only people to lose out will be those currently enjoying a fast journey from New Street.

The removed stops are (times at Bromsgrove) - 2 in each direction:

07:49 Gloucester-Stansted
08:24 Cardiff-Nottingham
17:50 Nottingham-Cardiff
18:50 Nottingham-Cardiff

Have you ever seen a single soul get off the one such train at Bromsgrove? What sort of commuter flows do you honestly expect there to be into Bromsgrove from Gloucestershire?

Cross-country did produce some figures a long time ago; I vaguely recall something like 20 passengers per train to/from Bromsgrove from stations south of Bromsgrove. Would that make approx. 17,000 journeys per annum??. To be honest that's more than I would have expected, so that may not be right. However, afaik there has been a Cardiff Nottingham service with a morning and evening Bromsgrove stop for over 40 years, so I assume somebody managed to find a way to use it. (I did for a while!)

 

[59CosG95]

Well, Bromsgrove is now much better served by trains than it was 24 hours ago!
The introduction seems to have gone fault free...

 

[MidnightFlyer]

The electronic advertising screens atop the platform stairs at New St yesterday mentioned the cut to XC services, as well as showing the nearest equivalent new WMT /WMR/LNWR/LM service either side. This is the only publicity I have seen on the matter.

 

[jhy44]

The electronic advertising screens atop the platform stairs at New St yesterday mentioned the cut to XC services, as well as showing the nearest equivalent new WMT /WMR/LNWR/LM service either side. This is the only publicity I have seen on the matter.

Those screens have been displaying that info for at least 3 weeks. I'd imagine they've made announcements on the services too but alas I haven't taken that train last week due to the Derby works so I can't comment.

 

[absolutelymilk]

Has this released any DMUs or are all the new services just extended EMU services?

 

[59CosG95]

Has this released any DMUs or are all the new services just extended EMU services?

All extended EMU services; every Longbridge terminating service now terminates at Bromsgrove.

 

[DavidGrain]

The middle pair of lines would need to be wired too between Barnt Green and Kings Norton.

In the UP direction (towards Derby) the fast line is wired from Barnt Green to Longbridge but not the slow line. At Longbridge the wires switch to the slow line to allow the trains to serve the stations. For some reason one of the centre platforms is wired at Kings Norton but the platform entrances are bricked up.

I have not observed how the down lines are wired between Longbridge and Barnt Green. Between Kings Norton and Longbridge the slow lines are wired

There is a sign board at the end of the Redditch-Birmingham platform at Barnt Green saying 'Electric trains not to enter the Up Gloucester Slow Line'.

 

[linuxlad7]

earlier in the year there was reported to be a shortage of 323s - has that resolved itself??

 

[sufian123]

earlier in the year there was reported to be a shortage of 323s - has that resolved itself??

They using existing class 323. It’s a terminating longbridge service extended to Bromsgrove.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Would require an extra unit though wouldn't it, given the old Longbridge terminators had much shorter turnaround times than is necessitated now? At a guess it would be done by destrengthening other services or fiddling maintenance / stabling diagrams.