LNR new WCML timetable, May 2019 (in open data feeds)

[RealTrains07]

They did promise an extra service from may timetable crewe-stoke-wolve-newstreet-euston

 

[The Planner]

And they have provided it, it wasnt there before was it.

 

[Bletchleyite]

They did promise an extra service from may timetable crewe-stoke-wolve-newstreet-euston

Not a second TPH, but an additional service to replace the Trent Valley "wobble".

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

Not a second TPH, but an additional service to replace the Trent Valley "wobble".

Indeed - the only place it's "new" is between Stafford and Birmingham.

 

[RealTrains07]

Not a second TPH, but an additional service to replace the Trent Valley "wobble".

Indeed - the only place it's "new" is between Stafford and Birmingham.

Should have worded it better then.
Getting to stoke is going to be a nightmare from stone considering the new bus timetable is even more of an expensive shambles

 

[bussnapperwm]

Not a second TPH, but an additional service to replace the Trent Valley "wobble".

Pity they couldn't introduce a WMT only fare or two for flows on that wobble from Brum...

Especially as XC fares are near enough extortion!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Pity they couldn't introduce a WMT only fare or two for flows on that wobble from Brum...

Especially as XC fares are near enough extortion!

They might well do, though I'd imagine they will be wary of overcrowding.

 

[VT 390]

Should have worded it better then.
Getting to stoke is going to be a nightmare from stone considering the new bus timetable is even more of an expensive shambles

Will stone no longer have any services to Stoke? I thought it was still getting an jourlh service just diverted away from the Trent valley.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Should have worded it better then.
Getting to stoke is going to be a nightmare from stone considering the new bus timetable is even more of an expensive shambles

Getting to Stoke from Stone will be the same as it was?

 

[RealTrains07]

Getting to Stoke from Stone will be the same as it was?

Yes thats what iam trying to say the problem is

 

[The Planner]

You are going to have to explain that one, whats the problem? Overcrowding, cost, journey time?

 

[vlad]

Yes thats what iam trying to say the problem is

There'll still be 1 train an hour and 3 buses an hour, so I don't see the problem (apart from the fact noone in his right mind would want to go to Stoke anyway...).

 

[Deafdoggie]

There'll still be 1 train an hour and 3 buses an hour, so I don't see the problem (apart from the fact noone in his right mind would want to go to Stoke anyway...).

Maybe the problem is not enough trains out of Stoke!

 

[Bletchleyite]

Maybe the problem is not enough trains out of Stoke!

There isn't a problem. The service is adequate for that flow.

 

[RealTrains07]

Maybe the problem is not enough trains out of Stoke!

Stoke isnt’t the issue. It has never been fo trains.
Stone on the other hand is the only station on the loop with 1 train an hour (Longport doesn’t count as its not on the loop) and considering its the route is better and easier to timetable, it cant be that difficult

 

[Bletchleyite]

Stoke isnt’t the issue. It has never been fo trains.
Stone on the other hand is the only station on the loop with 1 train an hour (Longport doesn’t count as its not on the loop) and considering its the route is better and easier to timetable, it cant be that difficult

Stone has the best service it's ever had in recent memory for what is quite a small north Midlands town. It really isn't a priority to increase it in my view.

 

[Glenn1969]

Annual pax at Stone is 145k and rising from 109k 2 years ago. Would a 2tph service mean it went up much more?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Annual pax at Stone is 145k and rising from 109k 2 years ago. Would a 2tph service mean it went up much more?

That's surprisingly high. Though it'll be interesting to see if with a much slower direct London service (but a direct service to Birmingham which it didn't have before) this will increase or reduce. Maybe with that usage it does justify a second TPH, though pathing through Stafford could be an issue.

 

[Deafdoggie]

There isn't a problem. The service is adequate for that flow.

Stoke isnt’t the issue.

I was just joking, in relation to the earlier comment about people not wanting to go to Stoke.

 

[Deafdoggie]

That's surprisingly high. Though it'll be interesting to see if with a much slower direct London service (but a direct service to Birmingham which it didn't have before) this will increase or reduce. Maybe with that usage it does justify a second TPH, though pathing through Stafford could be an issue.

It will be interesting to see, When the London train started, everyone said that Birmingham would have been better. There was talk of a morning XC stopping on the way to Birmingham and an evening stopping on the way back at night (much like Congleton and Manchester), but, of course, nothing became of it.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It will be interesting to see, When the London train started, everyone said that Birmingham would have been better. There was talk of a morning XC stopping on the way to Birmingham and an evening stopping on the way back at night (much like Congleton and Manchester), but, of course, nothing became of it.

Not sure why you'd want a nasty, smelly, filth-belching Voyager when you could have a Class 350, to be honest. And as there aren't many stations between there and Brum it won't be much slower even if it calls at all of them.

 

[bionic]

I don't think the Stone passengers have done too badly out of this.

It currently takes 36 minutes from Stone to Lichfield direct. From May it'll take 38 minutes, with a 12 minute change at Stafford. An extra two minutes and easy, step free interchange for Trent Valley stations. They will also have far more chance of a seat when they get on the London train at Stafford as many of them will be 8 cars now. You can't stop 8 cars at Stone so the only way to lengthen the London trains is to miss Stone out. On the way back it's a 20 minute change at Stafford, but as these trains often pick up late running at the London end it's not a bad cushion to have.

They are also gaining a direct Birmingham train. I think Stone has done alright out of this and anyone complaining about it clearly doesn't understand the issues and is probably just moaning for the sake of it.

 

[RealTrains07]

That's surprisingly high. Though it'll be interesting to see if with a much slower direct London service (but a direct service to Birmingham which it didn't have before) this will increase or reduce. Maybe with that usage it does justify a second TPH, though pathing through Stafford could be an issue.

It will be interesting to see, When the London train started, everyone said that Birmingham would have been better. There was talk of a morning XC stopping on the way to Birmingham and an evening stopping on the way back at night (much like Congleton and Manchester), but, of course, nothing became of it.

I don't think the Stone passengers have done too badly out of this.

It currently takes 36 minutes from Stone to Lichfield direct. From May it'll take 38 minutes, with a 12 minute change at Stafford. An extra two minutes and easy, step free interchange for Trent Valley stations. They will also have far more chance of a seat when they get on the London train at Stafford as many of them will be 8 cars now. You can't stop 8 cars at Stone so the only way to lengthen the London trains is to miss Stone out. On the way back it's a 20 minute change at Stafford, but as these trains often pick up late running at the London end it's not a bad cushion to have.

They are also gaining a direct Birmingham train. I think Stone has done alright out of this and anyone complaining about it clearly doesn't understand the issues and is probably just moaning for the sake of it.

Compared to someone living on the stafford - birmingham - coventry line
Theres what? 2-3 trains per hour at the moment and thats just LNR.
Crewe - liverpool as well for the most part, even small places like acton bridge have more trains per hour, specially after may when amount of trains is from what i have heard meant to increase compared to now? So unless you live in a 1tph place like stone you cant say iam just another moaner when you dont know how difficult it can be for daily commuters like myself

Problem with having XC service is since the trains are although 4 coaches (for the most part) are still longer than the 350. If that was gonna happen only could see trains that length stopping only on the south platform not on the North platform on the way to Manchester simply because of the location of the signalling

 

[Bletchleyite]

A Voyager has more wasted space and thus a lower capacity than a 350.

 

[RealTrains07]

A Voyager has more wasted space and thus a lower capacity than a 350.

Funny that, you wouldn’t think by the look of them

 

[bionic]

Compared to someone living on the stafford - birmingham - coventry line
Theres what? 2-3 trains per hour at the moment and thats just LNR.
Crewe - liverpool as well for the most part, even small places like acton bridge have more trains per hour, specially after may when amount of trains is from what i have heard meant to increase compared to now? So unless you live in a 1tph place like stone you cant say iam just another moaner when you dont know how difficult it can be for daily commuters like myself

I appreciate your frustration but surely you checked the frequency of trains from Stone before you moved there, and if you've always lived there then I'm sure you appreciate the service now is much better than it was before the hourly Trent Valley service started?

The position of Stone on the railway network means its never going to get much more of a service than it does now. Stone does not have a high footfall and I can't see XC stopping there (even if they could?), and there'll be less incentive from May with all southbound trains running to Birmingham anyway.

The difference between Stone and places on the Stafford, Birmingham, Coventry route is purely that those places are on a main trunk route and Stone is on a branch. The same is true for Acton Bridge. The railway travelling public in Stone are victims of geography.

 

[Southern Dvr]

You can't stop 8 cars at Stone so the only way to lengthen the London trains is to miss Stone out.

Due to the location of the junction I presume? Obviously the 350s have SDO?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Funny that, you wouldn’t think by the look of them

The Voyager layout is incredibly wasteful, it only has seats in about 2/3 of the centre vehicles and less than that in the end vehicles.

 

[bionic]

Whichever way you tried to stop an 8 car at Stone you'd either be over the junction at one end or in a neutral section at the other.

Due to the location of the junction I presume? Obviously the 350s have SDO?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Whichever way you tried to stop an 8 car at Stone you'd either be over the junction at one end or in a neutral section at the other.

Will one of the new 5x24m (120m) sets fit to add a bit of extra capacity, or is 80m the absolute max?