London Midland 110mph

[WatcherZero]

They did manage to get 108 out of a 442, maybe with some CRE fettling and shoegear mods 444's could manage it. Dare to dream!

Problem was more its like taking an alcoholic to a drink the bar dry party, suddenly theres nothing for anyone else to drink :P

 

[Eagle]

Problem was more its like taking an alcoholic to a drink the bar dry party, suddenly theres nothing for anyone else to drink :P

Bournemouth to Weymouth needs a redo anyway for that exact reason (not quite sure if the factoid that a 2x444 would be enough overload it is true or not, but it's certainly a vestige of the Cheap and Cheerful Electrification for Everyone!!! policy of the 1980s).

I'm sure there might be a way to make the system robust enough—although I have a sinking feeling that the solution might just be "lots more substations".

 

[MKB]

By the sounds of it though, Nuneaton might get back what it had prior to 125mph running. An hourly service throughout the day at 110mph on the fast route. So Euston will only be 1hr 7m away at any time.

Getting to Euston quickly has never been much of a problem. I just drive to Coventry and go from there! It's going to/from the North that takes so long from Trent Valley stations. Coming back from Liverpool on Sunday afternoons, I can get to London quicker than I can Nuneaton.

Iirc, the proposed LM timetable didn't offer much at all in the evening peak, but my memory is a little hazy as it was a few months ago when I saw it.

 

[Eagle]

Getting to Euston quickly has never been much of a problem. I just drive to Coventry and go from there!

Although, unless you can drive to Coventry in under eight minutes, LM's new timetable will be faster than that.

 

[The Planner]

All off-peak proposals at the mo, any changes to peak trains won't be until the back end of 2013.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

DfT announcement now out: http://www.dft.gov.uk/news/press-releases/dft-press-20120229-2/

and on LM: http://www.londonmidland.com/news/l...ns-brings-extra-capacity-and-faster-journeys/

Mentions extra services to Redditch and Bromsgrove electrification by 2015.
Can't see anything from TP yet.

 

[swt_passenger]

TPE press release is here:

http://www.tpexpress.co.uk/about-ft...land-and-scotland-to-benefit-from-new-trains/

confirms all 185s will definitely stay with the franchise (for now).

...and it's 350/4s for TPE.

 

[IanXC]

TPE press release:
http://www.tpexpress.co.uk/about-ft...land-and-scotland-to-benefit-from-new-trains/

 

[WatcherZero]

So 350/4
'Similar seating to existing 185's' 19 first class seats and 191 standard, luggage racks, catering trolley, bike racks, three toilets.

2 more first class and 37 more standard class seats than 185's.

 

[swt_passenger]

So 350/4
'Similar seating to existing 185's' 19 first class seats and 191 standard, luggage racks, catering trolley, bike racks, three toilets.

2 more first class and 37 more standard class seats than 185's.

How does that square with the stated 80% capacity increase then - presumably a 10 unit fleet, (with perhaps 9 in service daily), is significantly more than the number of 185s allocated to Scottish services now?

More services altogether? Or some doubled up, or with portion working - and if so they'll have the advantage of through gangways as well.

 

[WatcherZero]

Goes to hourly from existing bi-hourly.

 

[swt_passenger]

Goes to hourly from existing bi-hourly.

Thanks - I wonder if that change will result in a VXC style massive increase in passengers, filling the extra capacity in a very short time..

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

The TP blurb says the 350/4 are 100mph units with "design work progressing" on 110mph. Doesn't sound a done deal yet.

It would need 8 units to provide an hourly Manchester Airport-Scotland service.
With one unit spare, that only leaves one service unit for doubling up/portion working unless the overall service is reduced from hourly.

 

[IanXC]

Thanks - I wonder if that change will result in a VXC style massive increase in passengers, filling the extra capacity in a very short time..

At least if that does happen there is an opportunity when the "permanent" stock for Manchester-Scotland is procured, to obtain a fleet in line with demand rather than be stuck as the XC franchise is.

 

[DarloRich]

I see the dft press release indicates that the FTPE depot at Ardiwck will be wired up and that both 350/3 & 350/4 will be 110 mph capable units

Thye have also indicate3d that the WCML south of Wigan will be electrified

 

[tbtc]

Good news, good to see confirmation

Goes to hourly from existing bi-hourly.

Thanks - I wonder if that change will result in a VXC style massive increase in passengers, filling the extra capacity in a very short time..

At least the diversion away from Bolton will free up a few additional seats (though how the Bolton capacity is dealt with by DMUs, before the wiring through there is completed, is another story).

 

[Nym]

Well, one hopes that we will return to the 07 timetable with Barrow/Windermere hourly throughout the day. And that some additional trains can be found to double up more Blackpool services and the peak services from Barrow and Windermere to give more peak seats through Bolton.

 

[IanXC]

Thye have also indicate3d that the WCML south of Wigan will be electrified

TransPennine Express’ 40 new carriages will be used on the Manchester to Scotland route following the electrification of the line between Manchester and the West Coast Main Line south of Wigan.

I'm not quite sure how it says that?

 

[DarloRich]

I'm not quite sure how it says that?

opps! misread that! :roll:

 

[WatcherZero]

Good news, good to see confirmation





At least the diversion away from Bolton will free up a few additional seats (though how the Bolton capacity is dealt with by DMUs, before the wiring through there is completed, is another story).

Theres talk of an extra Manchester-Blackburn via Bolton to soak up the demand a bit and of course the spare 185's are available for strengthening the odd Cumbrian service but most of them will be going to a extra Liverpool-Newcastle service.

If the rumours are true that the electrification of the Bolton line would require a 4 month line closure due to tunnels needing to be excavated deeper then theres going to be a whole lot more to worry about in the near term.

 

[Nym]

If there is going to be a 4 month blockade at Farnworth they will need to do something along the lines of either re-open the route for Metrolink via Bury, (Well, Radcilffe, theres only a few houses in the way and one might be able to loop round them) to take the strain from Bolton or put a coard / loop in around Hindley kind of area so that services can run North out of Bolton and on to Manchester via Atherton.

EDIT: Or to be less extreme, put in crossovers either side of the tunnels and run 3tph of a massive length as a shuttle 6x23/20m (Six car 150s running round), and divert everything else. As in 3tph from Preston to Victoria or Airport, send all other services via the Chat Moss or Atherton.

What do people think to trying to jam in 4tphpd through the big tunnel that won't need any major work doing to it, (then swapping sides to do the other one).

If we can do 3tph, I'd have all of these running Preston - Victoria or Preston - Oxford Road, one of these would stop at each intermediate station (Moses Gate, Farnworth, Kearsley) and journies between each of these replaced by buses. 2tph would run a shuttle between Wigan Wallgate / North Western and Bolton, terminating in Platform 4, Clitheroe would be curtailed to Bolton and run into Platform 1 and terminate. Alternativly be diverted via Lostock Hall and the Chat Moss for direct services, although that could prove un-nessesarry. 3tph would then run from Preston to Manchester via Bolton formed up as 6 car 150s (The longest the route through Salford can take and stop) or 6 car 185s (proberbly more popular with the locals) calling with a standardey pattern all the way. Possibly have one service start AT bolton in Platform 3.