Cross Country Fantasy Franchise: What would you do?

[mmh]

I wouldn't introduce any new stock which isn't either the maximum length it can be, or half of that so it can run as a pair that splits. I don't understand where suggestions of 6 car trains come from, it'd surely be worse than it is now?

 

[InterCity:125]

If you want a genuinely fast service, then why add 20-odd minutes by going through Leeds?

because Leeds-Bradford is the 8th largest city in the uk

 

[47434]

It needs speeding up somehow. Taking longer from Leeds to Birmingham than Leeds to London is frustrating for regulars

 

[Bletchleyite]

I wouldn't reduce the frequency below hourly; that's the "sweet point" as far as regular interval goes. A seemingly random interval doesn't work anywhere near as well.

 

[adrock1976]

Crosscountry Intercity

1)
Glasgow Central (every 2 hours), Motherwell (every 2 hours)/Edinburgh Waverley (every 2 hours), Haymarket (every 2 hours), then every 60 minutes at the following: Carlisle, Penrith, Oxenholme Lake District, Lancaster, Preston, Wigan North Western, Warrington Bank Quay, maybe Hartford, Crewe, and Stafford where it would couple up with a portion from Manchester Piccadilly, Stockport, Macclesfield, and Stoke-on-Trent. This would continue to Bournemouth via Coventry as at present.

The above would combine the former XC Glasgow/Edinburgh via Preston which is presently with Virgin West Coast, and based on the present timings, the coupling up at Stafford would work southbound. However, the northbound timings would need to be revised for that to work.

2)
Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Piccadilly - Reading/Southampton Central/Guildford calling at Liverpool South Parkway, Runcorn, Hartford, Crewe, and Stafford, with the Manchester portion calling at Wilmslow, Crewe, and Stafford. Both portions would couple up and continue to Reading/Southampton Central/Guildford taking over this leg that presently runs to/from Newcastle Central.

3)
Aberdeen/Dundee/Edinburgh Waverley - Plymouth/Penzance via Leeds would be left as is.

4)
Newcastle Central (via Doncaster) and Hull Paragon (via Leeds) - Bristol Temple Meads/Exeter St Davids/Paignton and Newquay (Summer Saturdays and Sundays only at Newquay). The Newcastle portion would be the same calling pattern as now* and would couple up with the Hull portion at Sheffield Midland having called at Brough, Selby, Leeds City, and Wakefield Westgate (or Kirkgate).

* Could also call at a reopened Rotherham Masborough.

Crosscountry Regional

Nottingham - Cardiff would have a standard calling pattern of Derby, Burton upon Trent, Tamworth, Birmingham New Street, University, Ashchurch for Tewksbury, Cheltenham Spa, Gloucester Central, Lydney, Chepstow, Caldicot (every 2 hours alternating), Severn Tunnel Junction (every 2 hours alternating), Newport (Gwent), and Cardiff Central.

Birmingham New Street - Stansted Airport/Ipswich would have the present calling pattern. There would be a portion that would uncouple at Ely that would continue to Ipswich calling at Bury St Edmunds, Stowmarket, and Ipswich.

Both the Birmingham New Street - Nottingham/Leicester local all stations to be transferred to either East Midlands or West Midlands.

Liverpool Lime Street - Norwich would be revised to run in 2 parts as follows (based on the assumption it will eventually be split):

1)
Liverpool - Hull Paragon via Warrington Central, Manchester Piccadilly, and Sheffield with the present calling pattern, with the calls beyond Sheffield being (maybe a reopened Rotherham Masborough) Doncaster, Goole, Gilberdyke, Brough, and Hull. Perhaps transfer to Northern or Transpennine?

2)
Manchester Piccadilly - Norwich via Nottingham calling at Stockport, Dore & Totley,* Chesterfield, Alfreton, Ilkeston Parkway, Nottingham, then as present to Norwich.

* This would run direct between Dore & Totley and Chesterfield, omitting Sheffield. However, the present short Northern Leeds - Sheffield via Barnsley limited stop could be extended to Nottingham to compensate, and would still provide a frequency of every 30 minutes between Sheffield and Nottingham. The first and last departures of the day could run via Sheffield and Beighton Junction so as to retain route knowledge.

 

[4-SUB 4732]

Crosscountry Intercity

1)
Glasgow Central (every 2 hours), Motherwell (every 2 hours)/Edinburgh Waverley (every 2 hours), Haymarket (every 2 hours), then every 60 minutes at the following: Carlisle, Penrith, Oxenholme Lake District, Lancaster, Preston, Wigan North Western, Warrington Bank Quay, maybe Hartford, Crewe, and Stafford where it would couple up with a portion from Manchester Piccadilly, Stockport, Macclesfield, and Stoke-on-Trent. This would continue to Bournemouth via Coventry as at present.

The above would combine the former XC Glasgow/Edinburgh via Preston which is presently with Virgin West Coast, and based on the present timings, the coupling up at Stafford would work southbound. However, the northbound timings would need to be revised for that to work.

2)
Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Piccadilly - Reading/Southampton Central/Guildford calling at Liverpool South Parkway, Runcorn, Hartford, Crewe, and Stafford, with the Manchester portion calling at Wilmslow, Crewe, and Stafford. Both portions would couple up and continue to Reading/Southampton Central/Guildford taking over this leg that presently runs to/from Newcastle Central.

3)
Aberdeen/Dundee/Edinburgh Waverley - Plymouth/Penzance via Leeds would be left as is.

4)
Newcastle Central (via Doncaster) and Hull Paragon (via Leeds) - Bristol Temple Meads/Exeter St Davids/Paignton and Newquay (Summer Saturdays and Sundays only at Newquay). The Newcastle portion would be the same calling pattern as now* and would couple up with the Hull portion at Sheffield Midland having called at Brough, Selby, Leeds City, and Wakefield Westgate (or Kirkgate).

* Could also call at a reopened Rotherham Masborough.

Crosscountry Regional

Nottingham - Cardiff would have a standard calling pattern of Derby, Burton upon Trent, Tamworth, Birmingham New Street, University, Ashchurch for Tewksbury, Cheltenham Spa, Gloucester Central, Lydney, Chepstow, Caldicot (every 2 hours alternating), Severn Tunnel Junction (every 2 hours alternating), Newport (Gwent), and Cardiff Central.

Birmingham New Street - Stansted Airport/Ipswich would have the present calling pattern. There would be a portion that would uncouple at Ely that would continue to Ipswich calling at Bury St Edmunds, Stowmarket, and Ipswich.

Both the Birmingham New Street - Nottingham/Leicester local all stations to be transferred to either East Midlands or West Midlands.

Liverpool Lime Street - Norwich would be revised to run in 2 parts as follows (based on the assumption it will eventually be split):

1)
Liverpool - Hull Paragon via Warrington Central, Manchester Piccadilly, and Sheffield with the present calling pattern, with the calls beyond Sheffield being (maybe a reopened Rotherham Masborough) Doncaster, Goole, Gilberdyke, Brough, and Hull. Perhaps transfer to Northern or Transpennine?

2)
Manchester Piccadilly - Norwich via Nottingham calling at Stockport, Dore & Totley,* Chesterfield, Alfreton, Ilkeston Parkway, Nottingham, then as present to Norwich.

* This would run direct between Dore & Totley and Chesterfield, omitting Sheffield. However, the present short Northern Leeds - Sheffield via Barnsley limited stop could be extended to Nottingham to compensate, and would still provide a frequency of every 30 minutes between Sheffield and Nottingham. The first and last departures of the day could run via Sheffield and Beighton Junction so as to retain route knowledge.

I am very sorry to say this is awful.

 

[MidlandMainlie]

I would have the following routes:

XC1 - 1tph Plymouth-Exeter-Taunton-Bristol-Birmingham-Derby-Sheffield-Leeds-York-Newcastle-Edinburgh.
XC2 - 1tph Plymouth-Exeter-Taunton-Bristol-Birmingham-Stafford-Stoke-Manchester-Preston-Carlisle-Glasgow
XC3 - 1tph Reading-Oxford-Banbury-Leamington-Birmingham-Derby-Sheffield-Leeds-York-Newcastle-Edinburgh.
XC4 - 1tph Reading-Oxford-Banbury-Leamington- Birmingham-Stafford-Stoke-Manchester-Preston-Carlisle-Glasgow
XC5 - 1tph Manchester-Crewe-Hereford-Cardiff (ex Wales Franchise)
XC6 - 1tph Liverpool-Crewe-Hereford-Cardiff (ex Wales Franchise)

Stock to be a fleet of fixed formation 8 car bi-modes.

I agree with the above but would add one extra route

XC7 -1tph Nottingham-Burton-Tamworth-Birmingham NS-Worcester Parkway (when built)-Cheltenham-Gloucester-Newport-Cardiff

Links between Nottingham and Birmingham are particularly poor and slow (often quicker to drive via M42) so the above would run via the Castle Donnington line to speed up journey times.

However to comensasate for the loss and to pick up the minor stations between Birmingham and Derby I would recast EMT local services to call at stations between the two by running the Matlock service to Birmingham calling at All stations north of Derby-Willington-Burton-Tamworth-Wilnecote-Water Orton Pway-Birmingham NS.

The Crewe-Derby would be extended to Nottingham calling all stations to replace the diverted Matlock and the Ivanhoe services from Leicester to Nottingham would be extend to Newark.

Not sure how services in West Midlands and Wales would have to be recast but it should remove as many local stops from XC as possible.

Finally the Birmingham-Stansted should be transferred to EMT or its successor, I really can not see the logic in giving it to WMT.

 

[4-SUB 4732]

I would have to agree with running one Cross Country 'Express' from Nottingham to Cardiff via Castle Donington with the use of a Voyager for suitable capacity.

The only thing I might do is to suggest the Newark Castle starter with Lowdham and Carlton stops be absorbed.

 

[43055]

I would keep the Nottingham's as they are as there is pretty much no time difference as showing in the Derby remodelling timetable.

 

[class 9]

It needs speeding up somehow. Taking longer from Leeds to Birmingham than Leeds to London is frustrating for regulars

At the moment it maybe due to the Derby blockade, but usually Leeds - New st just under 2 hrs, whereas most Leeds - Kings cross trains are around 2h 15 depending on stops.
Also without major infrastructure improvements eg extra slow lines etc at the pinch points, to get local stoppers out of the way there isn't much scope to speed things up.
I've been using XC between New St & Leeds a lot recently and the vast majority of delays have been following late running stoppers!

 

[Ianno87]

I would keep the Nottingham's as they are as there is pretty much no time difference as showing in the Derby remodelling timetable.

I suspect there is scope for line speed improvements on the Castle Donington route.

 

[Parallel]

I quite like some of the suggestions on here!

I would go for:

1tp2h Aberdeen/Dundee/Edinburgh/Glasgow Central - Plymouth/Penzance (latter early morning/late evening) or Newquay in summer. Aberdeen, Stonehaven, Montrose, Arbroath, Dundee, Leuchars, Cupar, Ladybank, Markinch, Kircaldy, Inverkeithing, (Glasgow Central, Motherwell,) Haymarket, Edinburgh, (Select peak time only stops at Dunbar/Berwick/Morpeth/Alnmouth) Newcastle, Durham, Darlington, York, Leeds, Wakefield Westgate, Sheffield, Chesterfield, Derby, (Burton-on-Trent), Birmingham New Street, Cheltenham Spa, Bristol Parkway, Bristol Temple Meads, Taunton, Exeter St David's, Newton Abbot, Totnes, Plymouth, (Liskeard, Bodmin Parkway, Par, St Austell, Truro, Redruth and St Erth and Penzance)

1tp2h Glasgow Central - Plymouth. Glasgow Central, Carlisle, Penrith, Oxenholme, Preston, Wigan North Western, Warrington Bank Quay, Crewe, Birmingham New Street, Cheltenham Spa, Bristol Parkway, Bristol Temple Meads, Taunton, Exeter St David's, Newton Abbot, Totnes and Plymouth.

1tph Manchester Piccadilly - Exeter St David's/Paignton. Manchester Piccadilly, Stockport, Stoke-on-Trent, Stafford, Wolverhampton, Birmingham New Street, Worcester Parkway, Cheltenham Spa, Bristol Parkway, Bristol Temple Meads, (Weston-super-Mare), Taunton, Tiverton Parkway, Exeter St David's, (Dawlish, Teignmouth, Newton Abbot, Torquay and Paignton - Summer only)

1tp2h Edinburgh - Bournemouth. Edinburgh, (Select peak time only stops at Dunbar/Berwick/Morpeth/Alnmouth), Newcastle, Durham, Darlington, York, Leeds, Wakefield Westgate, Sheffield, Chesterfield, Derby, (Burton-on-Trent), Birmingham New Street, Birmingham International, Leamington Spa, Banbury, Oxford, Reading, Basingstoke, Winchester, Southampton Airport Parkway, Southampton Central, Brockenhurst and Bournemouth.

1tp2h Manchester Piccadilly - Bournemouth. Manchester Piccadilly, Stockport, Macclesfield, Stoke-on-Trent, Stafford, Wolverhampton, Birmingham New Street, Leamington Spa, Banbury, Oxford, Reading, Basingstoke, Winchester, Southampton Airport Parkway, Southampton Central, Brockenhurst and Bournemouth.

1tp2h Manchester Piccadilly - Reading. Manchester Piccadilly, Stoke-on-Trent, Wolverhampton, Birmingham New Street, Leamington Spa, Banbury, Oxford and Reading.

1tp2h Newcastle to Reading. Newcastle, York, Leeds, Sheffield, Derby, Birmingham New Street, Leamington Spa, Banbury, Oxford and Reading.

--
1tp2h Cardiff Central to Stansted Airport. Cardiff Central, Newport, Gloucester, Cheltenham Spa, Worcester Parkway, Birmingham New Street, Coleshill Parkway, Nuneaton, Leicester, Melton Mowbray, Oakham, Stamford, Peterborough, March, Ely, Cambridge, Audley End and Stanstead Airport. 5 coach 17x.

1tp2h Cardiff Central - Nottingham. Cardiff Central, Newport, (Severn Tunnel Junction, Caldicot), Chepstow, (Lydney), Gloucester, Cheltenham Spa, Ashchuch for Tewkesbury, Worcester Parkway, Bromsgrove, Birmingham New Street, (Water Orton), Wilnecote, Tamworth, Burton-on-Trent, (Willington), Derby, (Spondon), Long Eaton, Attenborough, Beeston and Nottingham. 5 coach 17x.

Then 1tp2h short workings Birmingham - Nottingham (all stations) and 1tp2h Birmingham to Stansted Airport (calling at a couple more stations en-route between Birmingham and Leicester.) 5 coach 17x.
--
I know that looks complicated, but it is fantasy after all! IMO Crosscountry needs to encourage long distance travel, as that's where the money is in their franchise, so a bigger variety of destinations with a less frequent service on various parts of their network would open more opportunities and through travel. Sure, Bristol loses 1 direct train per 2 hours to Derby - Edinburgh. But it would gain one to stations Crewe - Carlisle.

Brackets = Selected peak time stops only.

 

[swt_passenger]

Yet another post which basically says let’s go back to something far more complicated, with alternating long distance destinations. This is what the 2007 timetable attempted to fix, by limiting reversals at New St, and having a standard repeating set of paths every hour.

It isn’t an original suggestion, and it still really isn’t a good idea, sorry.

 

[nw1]

From a fantasy, rail-enthusiast POV I'd bring back the whole alternating destinations thing... just because it makes the operation much more interesting as well as, more usefully, meaning that you'll get a through journey to most important destinations at least every 4 hours or so. However I recognise that on the current railway this may not be possible.

Practically, simply do something about the Reading Birmingham corridor. The frequency is OK (jamming the railway with yet more services causing yet more congestion is doomed to fail) but the trains need to be longer.

A controversial proposal would be to run one train an hour fast from Oxford to Birmingham to speed up journeys from the south coast (the other train an hour going via Coventry) with GWR Oxford trains (at the appropriate time in the hour to combine to give an even interval with the 'stopping' Birmingham service) extended to Banbury to connect with Chiltern trains, maintaining a decent intermediate-stops frequency.

 

[boxy321]

Reduce the number of short-distance pax by changing ticket acceptance and stopping patterns to encourage local passengers onto other services. The bulk of the serious overcrowding is caused by people making short journeys on trains covering very long distances.

I never use XC from Coventry to Brum even in first. It's always heaving. Other than open seasons (like my PTE one), it should not be possible to buy an 'any permitted route' ticket between the two places that includes XC. This would cause havoc with people on the wrong trains of course.

Then there's Coventry-leamington. To you allow locals on that XC service which is equally packed (or was)?

 

[boxy321]

I'd agree with this. I commute from Wolverhampton to Birmingham, which is a very well served route indeed, and I see a lot of people cram on to the Voyagers to make this journey. Loathe though I am to reduce services, the Voyagers just aren't suitable for this. In the absence of XC getting much better stock, I think it would probably be for the best if the XC service to Manchester stopped calling at Wolverhampton. There are so many other services to do this journey on, many (though not all!) of them with much more appropriate stock. Perhaps when WMR get new stock they could strengthen their services (it seems to me the Shrewsbury train needs it most) and then XC could skip Wolves.

Hence why XC don't stop at Solihull...

 

[boxy321]

As most people commuting from Wolves will have TfWM seasons, is there scope to bar these from ICs as they would in Germany? It would make sense.

I would *think* most people with seasons have the common sense and experience to avoid XC at all costs. It's more occasional punters (shoppers and the like) who ram them.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I never use XC from Coventry to Brum even in first. It's always heaving. Other than open seasons (like my PTE one), it should not be possible to buy an 'any permitted route' ticket between the two places that includes XC. This would cause havoc with people on the wrong trains of course.

PTE season tickets are 99% of the problem, it's those that should be barred from IC services like they are in Germany.

 

[boxy321]

PTE season tickets are 99% of the problem, it's those that should be barred from IC services like they are in Germany.

Of course do you then bar them from VTWC too and put everyone on the green seated peril? It's hard to selectively do. Could bar using platform 4 in the mornings from Coventry?

 

[matacaster]

Unless I am wrong, all cross-country trains come / go South or to South West. Why are there no cross country trains to the South East? Surely some people up north and in Midlands want to travel to Channel tunnel or other destinations in South East?

 

[The Ham]

Unless I am wrong, all cross-country trains come / go South or to South West. Why are there no cross country trains to the South East? Surely some people up north and in Midlands want to travel to Channel tunnel or other destinations in South East?

The reason being that there's no XC trains to the South East is that London gets in the way, meaning that the most effective way to transport everyone where they want to go is to break their journey at London or use the North Downs Line to connect to Reading.

Could there be a case for more XC services on the North Downs Line? Maybe, but there's capacity issues (including level crossings) to overcome.

 

[irish_rail]

Crosscountry Intercity

1)
Glasgow Central (every 2 hours), Motherwell (every 2 hours)/Edinburgh Waverley (every 2 hours), Haymarket (every 2 hours), then every 60 minutes at the following: Carlisle, Penrith, Oxenholme Lake District, Lancaster, Preston, Wigan North Western, Warrington Bank Quay, maybe Hartford, Crewe, and Stafford where it would couple up with a portion from Manchester Piccadilly, Stockport, Macclesfield, and Stoke-on-Trent. This would continue to Bournemouth via Coventry as at present.

The above would combine the former XC Glasgow/Edinburgh via Preston which is presently with Virgin West Coast, and based on the present timings, the coupling up at Stafford would work southbound. However, the northbound timings would need to be revised for that to work.

2)
Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Piccadilly - Reading/Southampton Central/Guildford calling at Liverpool South Parkway, Runcorn, Hartford, Crewe, and Stafford, with the Manchester portion calling at Wilmslow, Crewe, and Stafford. Both portions would couple up and continue to Reading/Southampton Central/Guildford taking over this leg that presently runs to/from Newcastle Central.

3)
Aberdeen/Dundee/Edinburgh Waverley - Plymouth/Penzance via Leeds would be left as is.

4)
Newcastle Central (via Doncaster) and Hull Paragon (via Leeds) - Bristol Temple Meads/Exeter St Davids/Paignton and Newquay (Summer Saturdays and Sundays only at Newquay). The Newcastle portion would be the same calling pattern as now* and would couple up with the Hull portion at Sheffield Midland having called at Brough, Selby, Leeds City, and Wakefield Westgate (or Kirkgate).

* Could also call at a reopened Rotherham Masborough.

Crosscountry Regional

Nottingham - Cardiff would have a standard calling pattern of Derby, Burton upon Trent, Tamworth, Birmingham New Street, University, Ashchurch for Tewksbury, Cheltenham Spa, Gloucester Central, Lydney, Chepstow, Caldicot (every 2 hours alternating), Severn Tunnel Junction (every 2 hours alternating), Newport (Gwent), and Cardiff Central.

Birmingham New Street - Stansted Airport/Ipswich would have the present calling pattern. There would be a portion that would uncouple at Ely that would continue to Ipswich calling at Bury St Edmunds, Stowmarket, and Ipswich.

Both the Birmingham New Street - Nottingham/Leicester local all stations to be transferred to either East Midlands or West Midlands.

Liverpool Lime Street - Norwich would be revised to run in 2 parts as follows (based on the assumption it will eventually be split):

1)
Liverpool - Hull Paragon via Warrington Central, Manchester Piccadilly, and Sheffield with the present calling pattern, with the calls beyond Sheffield being (maybe a reopened Rotherham Masborough) Doncaster, Goole, Gilberdyke, Brough, and Hull. Perhaps transfer to Northern or Transpennine?

2)
Manchester Piccadilly - Norwich via Nottingham calling at Stockport, Dore & Totley,* Chesterfield, Alfreton, Ilkeston Parkway, Nottingham, then as present to Norwich.

* This would run direct between Dore & Totley and Chesterfield, omitting Sheffield. However, the present short Northern Leeds - Sheffield via Barnsley limited stop could be extended to Nottingham to compensate, and would still provide a frequency of every 30 minutes between Sheffield and Nottingham. The first and last departures of the day could run via Sheffield and Beighton Junction so as to retain route knowledge.

Surely the south west deserves services to the north west? Why do u have your new West coast routes all focusing on Bournemouth? Bristol , Plymouth , torbay and Cornwall far more in need of hourly links to places like Liverpool and Manchester compared to our one Manchester train a day.

 

[route101]

There used to be services to Ramsgate and Brighton back in the day . Loco hauled , not sure the HSTs ever went that way , dont think they were frequent .

 

[Bletchleyite]

A couple a day via the WLL. Doubt there would be paths now.

 

[InterCity:125]

Run from the south west to Holyhead, Swansea and Wrexham general.

 

[43074]

Yet another post which basically says let’s go back to something far more complicated, with alternating long distance destinations. This is what the 2007 timetable attempted to fix, by limiting reversals at New St, and having a standard repeating set of paths every hour.

It isn’t an original suggestion, and it still really isn’t a good idea, sorry.

Actually I disagree: alternating the paths of the longer distance service (i.e. As per the pre December 2008 timetable) still provides a reasonable spread of direct services over the longer distances (and no this isn't stuff like Par to Dunbar, rather flows like Leeds to Oxford or Manchester to Exeter) which makes it attractive to the leisure market whilst at the same time maintaining the half hourly services on all the higher volume interurban flows into Birmingham, e.g. from Bristol. The new XC franchise consultation has actually floated the idea of varying the cross Birmingham linkages a bit more.

You seem to be one of those in the clan of let's snip XC to run no further than Bristol/York/Reading and Manchester rather than giving them the resources to cater for both the longer distance market and the higher volume interurban flows, which are both important parts of the rationale behind an XC network in the first place. Although I disagree with most of the suggestions floated for service patterns and new destinations on here, I don't disagree with the concept of alternating routes in principle.

 

[swt_passenger]

You seem to be one of those in the clan of let's snip XC to run no further than Bristol/York/Reading and Manchester...

I doubt that very much, as I’ve never agreed or proposed that, not surprising really living in Southampton, and travelling to the midlands now and again. I just think the rationale behind the 2007 changes remains valid, as explained by DfT in the franchise spec at that time. I also think combining the ex-Central Trains routes with the main XC services was a flawed decision, and they seem to be intending to reverse at least some of that.

 

[adrock1976]

Surely the south west deserves services to the north west? Why do u have your new West coast routes all focusing on Bournemouth? Bristol , Plymouth , torbay and Cornwall far more in need of hourly links to places like Liverpool and Manchester compared to our one Manchester train a day.

What I did not mention in my lengthy post was that there could be an Intercity between Liverpool and/or Manchester - Bristol and/or Exeter via Shrewsbury calling at St Helens Junction (Liverpool portion), Earlestown, and Warrington Bank Quay where both portions couple/uncouple so as to avoid doing this at Crewe. The train would continue forwards calling at Hartford, Crewe, Shrewsbury, Hereford, Abergavenny, maybe Cwmbran, Severn Tunnel Junction, Filton Abbey Wood, Bristol Temple Meads, Weston-super-Mare, Taunton, Tiverton Parkway, and Exeter St Davids.

Also, with the earlier suggestion in the previous post that I did not mention was that Platforms 6 and 7 at Birmingham New Street could be specially dedicated for the XC Intercity trains and nothing else, so as provide an easy same island platform interchange between the various arms.

 

[D9009Spotter]

Route wise, reinstate Liverpool in some capacity. Give it an hourly service to the south coast alternating with one terminating at Manchester Piccadilly. Bring back a Portsmouth Harbour service by extending the Newcastle to Reading trains forward via Eastleigh. Would also push for a south Wales service to Swansea via Cardiff from York, extending to Scarborough on summer Saturdays, and while I'm in that part of the country, I don't see what other franchise the Stansted to Cardiff trains would go to so I'd push those towards Swansea as well in alternating hours. I would provide Hull with a sporadic 2 return trains per day to BNS and South Wales.

To operate this new franchise,

A fleet of 802 Bi-Modes for the main NE-S/SW elements formed into 8 carriage sets, with an option in the contract for a further batch depending on demand for the service.

For the Stansted - Brum - South Wales routes and the previously mentioned Hull - Birmingham - South Wales service I'd repurpose the Voyager fleets (unpopular I know) to operate these lines, giving the number to double if necessary.

I'd dispand the HST fleet citing age and I would cascade the Turbostar fleet to the ROSCOs.

 

[43074]

What I did not mention in my lengthy post was that there could be an Intercity between Liverpool and/or Manchester - Bristol and/or Exeter via Shrewsbury calling at St Helens Junction (Liverpool portion), Earlestown, and Warrington Bank Quay where both portions couple/uncouple so as to avoid doing this at Crewe. The train would continue forwards calling at Hartford, Crewe, Shrewsbury, Hereford, Abergavenny, maybe Cwmbran, Severn Tunnel Junction, Filton Abbey Wood, Bristol Temple Meads, Weston-super-Mare, Taunton, Tiverton Parkway, and Exeter St Davids.

Also, with the earlier suggestion in the previous post that I did not mention was that Platforms 6 and 7 at Birmingham New Street could be specially dedicated for the XC Intercity trains and nothing else, so as provide an easy same island platform interchange between the various arms.

What are you actually trying to achieve with your various plans? What, in your opinion, should XC be trying to do in terms of serving passengers?