services you'd like to see

[Class172]

That's a whole new kettle of fish, but I like the idea. There was a massive thread about Manchester services not so long ago. People were designing their layouts and posting them via Google Maps.

Is there a link anywhere?

 

[HST Power]

Is there a link anywhere?

I'll have a look in my subscribed threads.

Found it!

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=40084

 

[Prodigy]

Just a few more stops a long the Huddersfield - Manchester line, for example Uppermill if possible.

 

[Buttsy]

Whitby - York via Pickering
Lewes - Uckfield - Tunbridge Wells - London
Colne - Skipton
Penrith - Keswick
Litchfield - Walsall - Wolverhampton
Fleetwood - Preston
Oxford - MK
Oxford - Witney
Aylesbury - Buckingham - Brackley - Banbury

 

[PinzaC55]

You deserve a medal for working that train . i used to use it a lot in 1997/1998 when it was the 0140. Mon Tue Weds it would be dead then on a thurs and friday I'd be the only sober person aboard (apart from the driver and guard lol)

Well you HAD to work it. You probably wouldn't have been criticised for sitting in the back cab, but if you did the "one door" thing you could take £300 before you even left, and it was fun messing with the drunk's heads.
One night they set fire to a seat!
We also worked an afternoon train about 16.30 stopping at CLS and they would try anything to dodge their fares.

 

[LE Greys]

Aylesbury-Aldgate peak-hour fast (needs the Aylesbury lines to be electrified and 378s on the Met)

 

[Fred26]

Penrith - Keswick

Is Keswick the station that has a ticket office but offers a coach service? Or, am I thinking of somewhere else in the Lake District, or have I imagined it?

 

[OMGitsDAVE]

Keswick is now a walk, there's no ticket office!

 

[els]

I'm not sure how profitable a non-London open-access service would be, and it seems that extending international services north is a no-no for now (unfortunately) due to the border/customs malarkey.

But it would be good and a much better use of the HS1 space than the current South Eastern service if a pendolino-type train did the following route:


Birmingham/Manchester

Milton Keynes

Watford Junction

(via north london line)

Stratford

Ebbsfleet

Ashford


Anyone for London would have a very-well connected station at Stratford, and like thameslink and crossrail, it wouldn't require space in crowded london termini, or even dual-voltage trains!

And it might finally give a use to Ebbsfleet and Statford International other than 3 weeks next August.

 

[bAzTNM]

It's only a small one, but I'd like to see a service between Bellgrove and Bridgeton in Glasgow. Could maybe go Bridgeton, Bellgrove, High Street, Queen Street, Charing Cross one hour and Bridgeton, Bellgrove, High Street, Glasgow Central, or something, the next time.

Bellgrove to be staffed too. It is a rather busy station, in the morning, to not be staffed.

 

[12CSVT]

A service which I've sometimes thought about is this:

Sheffield - Glasgow Central via S&C

Sheffield
Wakefield Westgate
Leeds (reverse)
Shipley
Keighley
Skipton
Settle
Carlisle
Motherwell
Glasgow Central

I like it because it gives some good links within Yorkshire as well as giving Yorkshire a link to Glasgow. However seeing as from May XC are running many more services into Glasgow I suppose it isn't really worthwhile anymore unless there is a time saving to be had going this way, but I doubt it to be honest.

My idea was for a two hourly service operated by something like a 221 to take advantage of the tilt sections on the WCML.

Or how about bringing back the 'Thames Clyde Express' ?

St Pancras
Leicester
Nottingham
Chesterfield
Sheffield
Leeds
Skipton
Settle
Appleby
Carlisle
Dumfries
Kilmarnock
Glasgow Central

 

[LE Greys]

I'm not sure how profitable a non-London open-access service would be, and it seems that extending international services north is a no-no for now (unfortunately) due to the border/customs malarkey.

But it would be good and a much better use of the HS1 space than the current South Eastern service if a pendolino-type train did the following route:

• Birmingham/Manchester
• Milton Keynes
• Watford Junction
• (via north london line)
• Stratford
• Ebbsfleet
• Ashford

<listed for easy reference>

Anyone for London would have a very-well connected station at Stratford, and like thameslink and crossrail, it wouldn't require space in crowded london termini, or even dual-voltage trains!

And it might finally give a use to Ebbsfleet and Statford International other than 3 weeks next August.

That's actually quite a good idea. The NLL bit would be very short, presumably using the north curve at St Pancras, so you would need tunnel-capable trains, probably 6-JAVs. Still, Hitachi could probably restart the production line for a short run. When HS2 is built, I would like to see Javelin-style services heading out to Banbury and Stratford-upon-Avon via Brackley (where HS2 goes very near the site of Brackley Central). Possibly even a Birmingham semi-fast, although that would compete with Chiltern.

 

[rjhglover]

Never going to happen but I'd get a Class 170 to run from London Kings Cross to Stamford once a day. Going south in the morning and returning in the evening. Also like a Peterborough - Swindon service.

 

[els]

That's actually quite a good idea. The NLL bit would be very short, presumably using the north curve at St Pancras, so you would need tunnel-capable trains, probably 6-JAVs. Still, Hitachi could probably restart the production line for a short run. When HS2 is built, I would like to see Javelin-style services heading out to Banbury and Stratford-upon-Avon via Brackley (where HS2 goes very near the site of Brackley Central). Possibly even a Birmingham semi-fast, although that would compete with Chiltern.

I believe there used to be a direct Ashford (starting at Dover?) to Manchester service back in the 1990s (?). I imagine one via HS1 and WCML would be a whole lot quicker!

It would be good if the trains could tilt for the WCML section too. It would all pair very neatly with a transmanche metro service...

 

[Buttsy]

Gatwick-Guildford-Reading-Oxford-Worcester-Bromsgrove-Birmingham-Walsall-Wolverhampton-Shrewsbury-Crewe-Wigan-Preston-Blackpool

Provides through service from South to Blackpool and provides a number of different journey opportunities throughout the run. One for connections and part journeys rather than as a direct train.

 

[DarloRich]

Whitby - York via Pickering
Oxford - MK

I would like that extended on to Bedford, Cambrisdge and perhaps even Norwich.

Abnother cross country route avoiding London - it will never happen

 

[sulli_os]

I'd like to see a commuter service between London and the Shires using only Pacers. See how long they stay in service when they're inflicted on that part of the country.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I believe there used to be a direct Ashford (starting at Dover?) to Manchester service back in the 1990s (?). I imagine one via HS1 and WCML would be a whole lot quicker!

My Oct 89-May 90 InterCity timetable shows that Monday-Saturday there was 1tpd that went as follows:
Folkestone Ctl (1716)
Dover Priory
Canterbury East
Faversham
Chatham
Bromley South
Kensington Olympia
Reading
Oxford
Banbury
Leamington Spa
Coventry
Birmingham Intl
Birmingham New St
Sandwell & Dudley
Wolverhampton
Stafford
Crewe
Wilmslow
Stockport
Manchester Piccadilly (2333)

There was a southbound service too - 0618 from Manchester Pic, calling at all statioons as above, into Folkestone Ctl at 1232. There was no Sunday service.

 

[Buttsy]

I'd like to see a commuter service between London and the Shires using only Pacers. See how long they stay in service when they're inflicted on that part of the country.

Pacers on Thames Valley trains - fantastic, might get a touch more leg room...

 

[DarloRich]

Pacers on Thames Valley trains - fantastic, might get a touch more leg room...

wouldnt last more than a few weeks before they were replaced as the letters page of the times was besieged by " disgusted of Oxford"

 

[Buttsy]

wouldnt last more than a few weeks before they were replaced as the letters page of the times was besieged by " disgusted of Oxford"

Never! I enjoy the undulations you get from a 4-wheeled wagon, really helps you sleep!

 

[route:oxford]

70mph down the smooth, straight, flat track of the great western mainline on a warm summers evening with all the windows open and good high backed chairs. Sounds blissful.

 

[DarloRich]

move to Darlington and get the train to Middlesbrough everyday then!

 

[Eagle]

Gatwick-Guildford-Reading-Oxford-Worcester-Bromsgrove-Birmingham-Walsall-Wolverhampton-Shrewsbury-Crewe-Wigan-Preston-Blackpool

Just plotted that on a map. Very squiggly

 

[Class172]

Gatwick-Guildford-Reading-Oxford-Worcester-Bromsgrove-Birmingham-Walsall-Wolverhampton-Shrewsbury-Crewe-Wigan-Preston-Blackpool

Provides through service from South to Blackpool and provides a number of different journey opportunities throughout the run. One for connections and part journeys rather than as a direct train.

That's similar to my 'Severn & Thames' open access idea:
Brighton-Gatwick-Redhill-Guildford-Reading-Swindon-Cheltenham Spa-Worcester-Droitwich Spa-Bromsgrove-Birmingham (not all stops shown)

 

[12CSVT]

Pacers on Thames Valley trains - fantastic, might get a touch more leg room...

wouldnt last more than a few weeks before they were replaced as the letters page of the times was besieged by " disgusted of Oxford"

Perhaps pacers should be confined to routes to and from Grantham (or Dulwich - and yes I do know about restictions on the running on third rail) to remind everybody which former prime minister compelled British Rail to order the cheapest possible 2nd generation DMU.

 

[Mark_re]

Well you HAD to work it. You probably wouldn't have been criticised for sitting in the back cab, but if you did the "one door" thing you could take £300 before you even left, and it was fun messing with the drunk's heads.
One night they set fire to a seat!
We also worked an afternoon train about 16.30 stopping at CLS and they would try anything to dodge their fares.

I was a regular on the 0210 (as was). The all time worst must have been on New Year's Day (!) at 0210 in the morning. I remember the one door opening well. I'd get a return fare on the 21 bus from Durham, fully expecting to make the 2305 back. It would end up being a big night, I'd miss it, then get stung for a peak fare with no Y-P discount. Ouch.

My grandparents once caught it down to the Airport and the guard moved them both to 1st for their safety.

I also remember guards bringing the 0753 from Chester le Street and refusing to unlock the doors for a good few minutes at Newcastle until they'd sold all the fare-dodgers tickets.

 

[route:oxford]

wouldnt last more than a few weeks before they were replaced as the letters page of the times was besieged by " disgusted of Oxford"

Just thinking about it, I think you'd probably find that a Pacer will offer more leg room than the alternative Tube service from Oxford to London.

Although at least when you take the Tube, it offers free internet access.

 

[Rhydgaled]

Class 158s, 2x 2-car units

Portsmouth Harbour - Cardiff Central hourly (as now, but trains lengthened to 4-car from 3-car). Then comes the different bit, the two units detatch

Unit 1 - continues to Carmarthen via the Swansea District Line and carries on to Fishguard every other hour, perhaps send it to Milford Haven in the other.

Unit 2 - either stays at Cardiff and waits for the returning train or perhaps continues to Swansea.

Getting that number of 158s would be tricky, so I'll settle for 3 units just running the Cardiff - Fishguard bit (via Swansea District Line) every two hours.

East of Cardiff the west Wales service would only call at Llanelli, Carmarthen and Whitland, then all stations on the Fishguard branch or Haverfordwest and Milford Haven on the Milford Branch. If you can add in Bridgend and/or Port Talbot stops and still save 15mins versus the route via Swansea though I'd add those stops too. If the other unit goes to Swansea it'd stop at Neath, Port Talbot and Bridgend.

 

[A0]

The plan is not to skip out Potters Bar. This whole idea is about increasing services out of Potters Bar to Cambridge and Peterborough.
A lot of people seem to agree that service to WGC is too heavy, and service further north at a reasonably quick rate is insufficient.

Every single train out of Potters Bar stops at Welwyn Garden. I'm not going to type out the entire idea again, but if you scroll back a few pages, it'll be there somewhere.

No justification for this idea at all. WGC rightly gets a good standard of service, particularly given it's passenger numbers compared to Potters Bar:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Potters_Bar_station - 09/10 1.569m

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welwyn_Garden_City_Station - 09/10 2.385m

WGC has approximately 50% higher passenger usage that Potters Bar, if anything there is a far better case for Potters Bar losing the outer suburban service stops so they run fast from Hatfield - Finsbury Park and increasing the inner services from WGC to Moorgate to every 15 or 20 mins.

And, by the way, good luck with proposing a turn at Welwyn North - that's the biggest bottleneck on the ECML from London - Peterborough - trying to reverse units there would cause major capacity and movement problems.....
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

One small problem with your plan is the feasibility of terminating services at Welwyn North, surely Welwyn Garden City is a much better place.

Although I do have a different take on your proposals, I rather remove Hatfield from the slow Peterborough's and Cambridge's and instead alternate them between the Welwyn routes and the Hertford routes.

It would be possible to do this by terminating all existing Letchworth/Stevenage services at Hertford and rely on the Cambridges and Peterboroughs for the though services to Stevenage however what would be much better is if a a single faced platform was built at Stevenage with a line independent to the existing Down Slow which would be bi directional and join up with the Down Slow just north of the station.

This way all the existing Letchworth services would be cut back to terminate at Stevenage which would then enable a half hourly service between Hertford and Stevenage with new direct journeys to Cambridge and Peterborough.

They did run Peterboro services via Hertford (early 90s?) -the problem is that anything running via Hertford is slower than via Welwyn (a combination of line-speed and capacity which prevents overtaking slower trains).

And Hertford isn't exactly a major destination - usage of 1.246m according to Wikipedia - and has Hertford East providing London services.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
More a change to existing services than entirely new but....

Midland mainline, I'd remove all stops for Luton, replacing with Luton Airport Parkway.

Also, as both Wellingborough and Kettering lost out with northbound services when Corby services commenced I'd add in a Bedford - Derby stopper.

Also, whilst on the MML, extending Corby services to Peterborough via Manton.