Does Avanti have route knowledge through Coleshill? Why don't they run there when there are engineering works blocking Coventry?

[hvshe]

Going via Nuneaton and Coleshill is not the most direct route between London and Birmingham, but it still is an effective diversionary route when there are incidents/engineering works through Coventry. The route does not seem busy, and there should be capacity for running London-Nuneaton-Birmingham services if needed. The switch between Trent Valley and Birmingham-Leicester lines seems not to be difficult at Nuneaton as well, with only two tracks needed to be crossed, and the switching between diesel and electric can also happen easily at Nuneaton Platform 1/2(to B'ham) 7(from B'ham).

Considering that Birmingham-London is a main source of revenue for Avanti, why don't Avanti run trains that way, even just 1tph, just to keep a basic service between Birmingham? Do they even have route knowledge through Coleshill?

Thank you (also if it should be in another channel please move me mods)

 

[JonathanH]

Considering that Birmingham-London is a main source of revenue for Avanti, why don't Avanti run trains that way, even just 1tph, just to keep a basic service between Birmingham?

Insufficient diesel stock for the diversion and the ability to divert passengers to use other routes.

How often is the route via Coventry actually shut?

 

[philosopher]

Going via Nuneaton and Coleshill is not the most direct route between London and Birmingham, but it still is an effective diversionary route when there are incidents/engineering works through Coventry. The route does not seem busy, and there should be capacity for running London-Nuneaton-Birmingham services if needed. The switch between Trent Valley and Birmingham-Leicester lines seems not to be difficult at Nuneaton as well, with only two tracks needed to be crossed, and the switching between diesel and electric can also happen easily at Nuneaton Platform 1/2(to B'ham) 7(from B'ham).

Considering that Birmingham-London is a main source of revenue for Avanti, why don't Avanti run trains that way, even just 1tph, just to keep a basic service between Birmingham? Do they even have route knowledge through Coleshill?

Thank you (also if it should be in another channel please move me mods)

Either in 2020 or 2021, I definitely remember going on Avanti service to Birmingham that was diverted via Coleshill, so it definitely use to happen.

 

[The Planner]

Insufficient diesel stock for the diversion and the ability to divert passengers to use other routes.

How often is the route via Coventry actually shut?

Probably 4 or 5 times a year on a planned basis. They won't have enough 805s to allow a decent level of diversion. Either that or North Wales just gets culled to do it.

 

[sonic2009]

It's certainly happened in the past either with Class 221 units, or 57 + 390.

 

[Falcon1200]

Do Avanti not divert Euston/Birmingham services via Wolverhampton nowadays, when Rugby/Stechford is blocked? Longer and presumably therefore slower than via Coleshill, but fully electrified and fewer if any route knowledge issues.

 

[The Planner]

Do Avanti not divert Euston/Birmingham services via Wolverhampton nowadays, when Rugby/Stechford is blocked? Longer and presumably therefore slower than via Coleshill, but fully electrified and fewer if any route knowledge issues.

They tend not to now.

 

[hvshe]

Insufficient diesel stock for the diversion and the ability to divert passengers to use other routes.

How often is the route via Coventry actually shut?

4-6/5/24
16/6/24
22-23/6/24
30/6/24
8/9/24
15/9/24
22/9/24

 

[Carlisle]

Either in 2020 or 2021, I definitely remember going on Avanti service to Birmingham that was diverted via Coleshill, so it definitely use to happen.

Virgin West Coast axed virtually all diversionary routes requiring diesel traction towards the end of its tenure aside from Glasgow via Dumfries which hung on until Avanti began withdrawing its 221 fleet.

 

[QueensCurve]

Going via Nuneaton and Coleshill is not the most direct route between London and Birmingham, but it still is an effective diversionary route when there are incidents/engineering works through Coventry. The route does not seem busy, and there should be capacity for running London-Nuneaton-Birmingham services if needed. The switch between Trent Valley and Birmingham-Leicester lines seems not to be difficult at Nuneaton as well, with only two tracks needed to be crossed, and the switching between diesel and electric can also happen easily at Nuneaton Platform 1/2(to B'ham) 7(from B'ham).

It isn't electrified though but.

 

[PudseyBearHST]

It’s just the Wolverhampton drivers that can go via the Derby lines so you’d need
(1) To be on a diesel train
(2) Have a Wolverhampton Train Driver
(3) Have a Wolverhampton Train Manager
Which isn’t very likely