LNER to resume full pre-virus timetable from 14th February. Will other operators follow suit?

[Peter Mugridge]

I believe this is the first TOC to do so?

LNER has announced it will resume the full, normal, timetable in just over three weeks from now.

https://twitter.com/DavidHorne/status/1484512039699636226?s=20

We're returning to our full timetable in time for the February half-term school holidays

In time for the half-term school holidays and Valentine’s Day, we’re returning to a full timetable back to pre-covid levels. Get booking now on the LNER app and website and discover the 956 miles of route for yourself

 

[hexagon789]

I believe this is the first TOC to do so?

LNER has announced it will resume the full, normal, timetable in just over three weeks from now.

https://twitter.com/DavidHorne/status/1484512039699636226?s=20

Now all we need is the other TOCs to follow suit, here's looking at you ScotRail

 

[Class83]

With the end of WFH guidance this is necessary, commuter TOCs could be pretty mobbed over the next few weeks if they don't reinstate services quickly. Even with slightly reduced demand due to some people going in 3 days rather than 5, many of these services were full and standing pre-covid so all seats will probably be taken even if fewer standees.

 

[Peter0124]

Eyes on you now, Avanti!!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Having thought about this... given that LNER have recently started operating to a couple of new destinations, are they in fact going to be operating more services than they did in pre-virus days...? That's even better isn't it?

 

[greyman42]

Eyes on you now, Avanti!!

And Cross Country.

 

[Watershed]

Eyes on you now, Avanti!!

Who are currently operating less than half their pre-Covid service - 4tph out of Euston in the standard hour vs 9tph.

In combination with other operators' cancellations and reductions, it is leaving numerous flows with massive gaps between fast services - or services at all, in some cases.

Similarly over at XC, where the roughly halved Voyager timetable has been further reduced since 29 November as a result of the withdrawal of Rest Day Working by ASLEF.

It's like night and day.

 

[Marton]

Let’s hope they can keep the service afloat while the compulsory self isolation is required.

We still get serviced cancelled most days “because a member of staff has been taken ill” which I take to be covid most of the time.

IMHO planned cancellations are better than unplanned.

 

[TheAlbanach_]

Hopefully ScotRail get their act together. Don’t think they will, but service levels in Scotland are shocking.

 

[Peter0124]

Hopefully ScotRail get their act together. Don’t think they will, but service levels in Scotland are shocking.

Oh I agree, hourly on Lanark is awful

 

[Starmill]

Having thought about this... given that LNER have recently started operating to a couple of new destinations, are they in fact going to be operating more services than they did in pre-virus days...? That's even better isn't it?

Compared to the December 2019 timetable there's one new round trip between Middlesbrough and London.

The two-hourly service from Harrogate and the 0915 from Leeds to London Kings Cross staring back at Bradford Forster Square and the 1633 London Kings Cross to Leeds extending to Bradford Forster Square probably can't be described as recent changes. There's not yet evidence of Huddersfield services.

Is there anything else?

 

[cactustwirly]

Oh I agree, hourly on Lanark is awful

Chessington South, Dorking, Shepperton and Guildford via Cobham are also hourly which is completely ridiculous

 

[DanNCL]

They must finally think they’ll have 5 91s working at the same time by that point

 

[NSE]

I’ve always thought people on here saying ‘things won’t go back, everyone will work from’ blah blah was wrong. I have loads of friends who are wanting to go back to the office as they find it more productive. Sure, many will work from home, but plenty still want to travel. I live with SWR so not holding out hope

 

[Starmill]

I’ve always thought people on here saying ‘things won’t go back, everyone will work from’ blah blah was wrong. I have loads of friends who are wanting to go back to the office as they find it more productive. Sure, many will work from home, but plenty still want to travel. I live with SWR so not holding out hope

I don't think I've ever seen a single comment here from anyone saying that LNER's timetable can't / won't / shouldn't return to something very similar to the 2019 timetable.

 

[geoffk]

Chessington South, Dorking, Shepperton and Guildford via Cobham are also hourly which is completely ridiculous

A former work colleague, who's a former railway manager, is of the opinion that SWR lacks management with proper railway experience, hence the situation with the Exeter - Waterloo service. He suspects the decision to split and reduce the service is partly political, with staff concentrated on the Hampshire/Surrey commuter (blue!) belt. But that must apply to many TOCs given that many experienced managers called it a day after privatisation.

 

[seagull]

Good on LNER, and agree with other posters here that Avanti needs to do likewise: having witnessed more than a few full-and-standing Manchester or Glasgow departures from Euston late last year I think the demand justifies it, or will do again very shortly. Even the very first arrivals into Euston were, prior to Omicron, picking up traffic very nicely especially at Milton Keynes. Enough to make it worth running them.

 

[richardderby]

All LNER needs now, is another little seat sale, perhaps after half term finishes...

 

[Clarence Yard]

A former work colleague, who's a former railway manager, is of the opinion that SWR lacks management with proper railway experience, hence the situation with the Exeter - Waterloo service. He suspects the decision to split and reduce the service is partly political, with staff concentrated on the Hampshire/Surrey commuter (blue!) belt. But that must apply to many TOCs given that many experienced managers called it a day after privatisation.

No, it was due to the speed that the timetable had to be put in, which precluded the planners being able to do it in time - the DfT wanted “COVID secure” timetables in by the 17th. So a previous one was just “taken off the shelf” and implemented.

These timetables were supposed to run to the 21st of February, when, if the COVID situation improved, they would revert to the December 2021 timetable, as long as the TOC resources were there and there wasn’t any IR issues. Last week the DfT told the TOCs (& NR) to bring it forward and the current plan is to do this on the 14th with TOCs under instructions to try and limit overcrowding in the meantime, by inserting trains back, if possible.

 

[skyhigh]

There's not yet evidence of Huddersfield services.

I've heard a rumour from a fairly reliable source that the Huddersfield services are now not going to happen.

 

[31160]

I've heard a rumour from a fairly reliable source that the Huddersfield services are now not going to happen.

Are they still going ahead with the Cleethorpes service, if so when is it due to start?

 

[TheBigD]

Are they still going ahead with the Cleethorpes service, if so when is it due to start?

Was in the proposed by now deferred May 2022 timetable. If my memory is correct there was a note in the consultation about it starting sometime after May 2022 due to crew training but happy to be corrected on that one. I think there was also something mentioned about the calling pattern not yet being decided either.

On a related note, does anyone have anymore info on when/if the propsed May 2022 ECML will be implemented or has it now been abandoned?

 

[55002]

They must finally think they’ll have 5 91s working at the same time by that point

Been 4 out today hasnt there? 109, 111, 127, 130

 

[Watershed]

Was in the proposed by now deferred May 2022 timetable. If my memory is correct there was a note in the consultation about it starting sometime after May 2022 due to crew training but happy to be corrected on that one. I think there was also something mentioned about the calling pattern not yet being decided either.

On a related note, does anyone have anymore info on when/if the propsed May 2022 ECML will be implemented or has it now been abandoned?

Cleethorpes can't start yet, at least not in the paths that were proposed, until the layout is improved (i.e. bringing platform 4 back into passenger use). There simply isn't the capacity for it otherwise.

They could start at Grimsby Town in the interim, of course.

 

[800001]

They must finally think they’ll have 5 91s working at the same time by that point

Prior to this last reduction in service, they did manage to get 5 sets out each day, all 5 might not of lasted the day, but, they started

 

[NSE]

I don't think I've ever seen a single comment here from anyone saying that LNER's timetable can't / won't / shouldn't return to something very similar to the 2019 timetable.

It was more commuter services. I saw comments saying ‘oh it won’t go back to how it was’, I think it will. Or very close too.

 

[DorkingMain]

It was more commuter services. I saw comments saying ‘oh it won’t go back to how it was’, I think it will. Or very close too.

Certainly in Surrey it was starting to ramp up quite significantly on commuter routes, before Omicron / Christmas dampened things.

 

[robbeech]

Compared to the December 2019 timetable there's one new round trip between Middlesbrough and London.

The two-hourly service from Harrogate and the 0915 from Leeds to London Kings Cross staring back at Bradford Forster Square and the 1633 London Kings Cross to Leeds extending to Bradford Forster Square probably can't be described as recent changes. There's not yet evidence of Huddersfield services.

Is there anything else?

When did the additional Lincolns start? Time is very mixed up for me at the moment.

They could start at Grimsby Town in the interim, of course.

It’s unlikely as they’d want a big publicity thing so would sooner do it in one go.

 

[DanNCL]

When did the additional Lincolns start? Time is very mixed up for me at the moment.

Some time in 2019, possibly September. It was before the December 2019 timetable change as a HST made it to Lincoln on one of the additional daytime services on at least one occasion.

 

[JonathanH]

When did the additional Lincolns start? Time is very mixed up for me at the moment.

Some time in 2019, possibly September. It was before the December 2019 timetable change as a HST made it to Lincoln on one of the additional daytime services on at least one occasion.

21 October 2019 was the first day for the additional Lincoln services.