I've thought there must be something going on here for a while. The DfT much as they'd previously consulted never accepted the outcome that people didn't want the service split, that, coupled with TPE refurbishing all the 185s when they'd not planned to keep them all has long said to me that there are loose ends.
This is all about Grayling/Dft finding something for the 185 fleet at Ardwick to do. They even acknowledge that in the consultation 65% wanted the Liverpool-Norwich to stay as it is, so I don’t think it’s about improving the service for users.
Places such as Chinley, Widnes, Liverpool South Parkway are only 4 car Platforms, could the 185’s be reformed into 4 car and 2 car sets ?
Agreed. There is a fleet of modern trains needing a home. While we'd like to have the idea the DfT are not intervening and directing rolling stock this does appear to be a factor here.
Didn't the CLC route see 6 car 185s up until the last timetable change? Surely that means Liverpool South Parkway isn't a problem?
My suspicion in all of this is that DfT are trying to build up the South TPE route. 3 express trains an hour over the Piccadilly--Sheffield core, all operated by TPE with 185s. Its an area that Rail North have long wanted to improve the proposition on, and I think this could be how it's achieved.
Service pattern could look something like:
Cleethorpes-Airport
Nottingham-Liverpool
Mystery-Mystery
The 3rd service I would argue ought to be Liverpool to Manchester (in place of the TPE replacement Northern CLC service), then be the 3rd service over the Valley, and then, replace the Northern Connect to Lincoln (which avoids a further reversal move at Sheffield)
In terms of the Liverpool to Norwich split, the ITT talks about bidders having the option to continue service Sheffield from Norwich - and I think this is now the optimum outcome. In many ways it's the medium distance links across Nottingham that are where journey opportunities are lost rather than the long distance ones.
For the 'TPE' service to Nottingham, I'd advocate sending this via Derby, so adding a missing East Midlands to North West link. This might also allow for the removal of Chesterfield calls on CrossCountry services as being discussed in that Consultation's thread.