Late night London Euston to Birmingham rerouting?

[sprinterguy]

Hi, I've run across a strange enigma with Virgin's late night London Euston to Wolverhampton service that's got me stumped!

The 23:30 London Euston to Wolverhampton is booked into New Street at 01:36 according to the current Virgin timetable.

BUT! My girlfriend was travelling back from the theatre in London on this service last night, and the time into New Street had changed to 02:35. I've looked at the online times, and it seems that this 02:35 arrival time is confirmed for tonight and Friday night's service, but then reverts to normal next week.

And even weirder is the potential routing: Apparently the train passed through Birmingham International non stop, and then continued on to STAFFORD avoiding New Street and Wolverhampton altogether, which by my reckoning means that it used the Stechford to Aston freight only line, then went up past Bescot and over the Wolverhampton freight avoider.

Upon arrival at Stafford, the train then TURNED BACK ON ITSELF, and called at Wolverhampton to arrive into New Street from the north at 02:35.

I'm aware there is some RMT industrial action going on at the moment which is affecting late night trains at Coventry, and I suspect that this may have something to do with this strange occurence, but can anyone shed any light on what on earth went on?

 

[Mojo]

It's more of a 23.30 Euston - Birmingham via Wolverhampton and Stafford!

I'm not aware of any RMT action, NRES says it's down to engineering work this week, and the following alterations apply:

The following train alterations will apply:

Monday - Thursday

The 22:45 Wolverhampton to London Euston service will be diverted and will not call at Northampton

Tuesday - Thursday

The 22:00 London Euston to Manchester Piccadilly service will be diverted and will not call at Crewe. Passengers for Crewe are advised to change at Stafford where a replacement bus will be provided

Tuesday - Friday

The 23:30 London Euston to Wolverhampton service will be diverted via Nuneaton and will not call at Coventry or Birmingham International. A bus will run between Rugby and Birmingham International

I don't think it did pass Birmingham International as it's been recorded as pasing through all timing points between Rugby and Colwich. Service timetabled to set down only at Rugby at 01.00, then setting down at Stafford at 01.45 (passing Nuneaton at 01.10), setting down at Wolverhampton at 02.11, passing Bescot Stadium (ie. not going the normal route through Coseley) before arriving at Birmingham NS at 02.35.

 

[sprinterguy]

Ah right, that explains all.

That sounds like a far better explanation, my girlfriend only thought they passed International from what someone else on the train said, didn't know for sure, so now all is solved! Being diverted via the Trent Valley makes much more sense.

Thanks for the info.

 

[Deerfold]

I think we're going to see a lot more odd routings in the name of avoiding rail replacement buses. I was rather surprised at Stevenage recently - I was on the 1640 Sunday EC train out of Kings X, we pulled in and my wife pointed out that the Leeds srvice was advertised on the opposite platform 10 minutes after the time at that point. We pulled out of Stevanage, hung around for a few minutes and then reversed onto the slow London line, picked up the people wanting the train and went back North again. Slowly. The whole thing including speed restriction added about 30 minutes to the journey - but better than having to bus Stevenage - Biggleswade or Peterborough which I suspect would have been the alternative.

 

[Aictos]

I think we're going to see a lot more odd routings in the name of avoiding rail replacement buses. I was rather surprised at Stevenage recently - I was on the 1640 Sunday EC train out of Kings X, we pulled in and my wife pointed out that the Leeds srvice was advertised on the opposite platform 10 minutes after the time at that point. We pulled out of Stevanage, hung around for a few minutes and then reversed onto the slow London line, picked up the people wanting the train and went back North again. Slowly. The whole thing including speed restriction added about 30 minutes to the journey - but better than having to bus Stevenage - Biggleswade or Peterborough which I suspect would have been the alternative.

Indeed, I know there was a 1713 Leeds service last Sunday at Stevenage (May have been your train) which arrive on Platform 3 at Stevenage to set down only then shunted across to Platform 2 using the points at the north end of the station then run wrong line all the way to Biggleswade before regaining the right line.

 

[TDK]

Hi, I've run across a strange enigma with Virgin's late night London Euston to Wolverhampton service that's got me stumped!

The 23:30 London Euston to Wolverhampton is booked into New Street at 01:36 according to the current Virgin timetable.

BUT! My girlfriend was travelling back from the theatre in London on this service last night, and the time into New Street had changed to 02:35. I've looked at the online times, and it seems that this 02:35 arrival time is confirmed for tonight and Friday night's service, but then reverts to normal next week.

And even weirder is the potential routing: Apparently the train passed through Birmingham International non stop, and then continued on to STAFFORD avoiding New Street and Wolverhampton altogether, which by my reckoning means that it used the Stechford to Aston freight only line, then went up past Bescot and over the Wolverhampton freight avoider.

Upon arrival at Stafford, the train then TURNED BACK ON ITSELF, and called at Wolverhampton to arrive into New Street from the north at 02:35.

I'm aware there is some RMT industrial action going on at the moment which is affecting late night trains at Coventry, and I suspect that this may have something to do with this strange occurence, but can anyone shed any light on what on earth went on?

Stechford to Aston is not "Freight Only"

 

[37401]

Stechford to Aston is not "Freight Only"

Yup, WSMR use it too except the one booked via BHM...but I guess you know that TDK

 

[sprinterguy]

Oh yeah, sorry, I'd forgotten about the WSMR trains that go that way (despite having travelled on them several times )

 

[Geezertronic]

Does that routing turn the 390 around or just it just double-back from Stafford with the driver changing ends?

 

[Old Timer]

Double-back.

Sets only turn if :-

1) Stechford/Aston/Perry Barr Jcts/Soho Road/Soho Jcts/New St and vice versa

2) Wolves/Bushbury Jct/Bescot/Perry Barr Jcts/Soho Road/Soho Jcts/Galton Jct/Wolves and vice versa

3) New St/Proof House Jct/Aston/Perry Barr Jcts then either Soho Road to Wolves or Bescot to Wolves and vice versa

4) Wolves/Bushbury Jct/Bescot/Perry Barr Jcts/Aston/Proof House Jct/New St and vice versa.

 

[Geezertronic]

So what you are saying that it is all Wolverhampton's fault if a 390 gets turned

 

[Deerfold]

Indeed, I know there was a 1713 Leeds service last Sunday at Stevenage (May have been your train) which arrive on Platform 3 at Stevenage to set down only then shunted across to Platform 2 using the points at the north end of the station then run wrong line all the way to Biggleswade before regaining the right line.

That's it - but a week earlier. Very annoying engineering work at the moment. On the weekends it's not affecting the East Coast it's been affecting our local line. Annoying with Sunday frequencies with lots of 40 minute waits - when I'm used to 5-15 minutes. feels a lot when you're only going 20 minutes on the train...