Upcoming future plans and changes

[507020]

What are some examples of changes being planned for by either the TOCs, Network Rail or both, either imminently, at the December timetable change or beyond into 2024?

These could include new or old services or rolling stock being introduced or withdrawn, or moving to a different operator, or currently separate operators being merged into a single undertaking (Northern and TPE…) or alternatively changes to service frequencies or rolling stock allocations, or services being diverted due to either the aforementioned reasons, or infrastructure intervention including platform lengthening, new electrification being energised, or upcoming engineering works.

I am looking for where the railways are actually going in the short term, regardless of the situation with the current government and industrial relations, of which I am too aware.

 

[blelic]

GTR have begun a timetable consultation on the West Coastway, and with to procure around 30 new EMUs for the GN side.

 

[London Trains]

GTR have begun a timetable consultation on the West Coastway, and with to procure around 30 new EMUs for the GN side.

Guessing that means at least some of the 387s will go to Southern then?

 

[blelic]

Guessing that means at least some of the 387s will go to Southern then?

Hopefully, and then possibly longer term increases to Southern services as a result.

 

[Energy]

30 new EMUs for the GN side.

24-30 additional 4 car EMUs with gangways to be exact

Guessing that means at least some of the 387s will go to Southern then?

Likely. The 387s get moved around GN, GX and Southern depending on where demand is high.

Procurement will be for GN units as there are young 25kv units off lease.

new electrification being energised

Midland Mainline is being done bit by bit, slowly reaching Sheffield.

Expect headspan to portal OHLE conversions as well, some occuring on MML iirc.

rolling stock being introduced

Northern, GWR and SouthEastern are tendering/expected to tender for sprinter, 165/166/sprinter and networker fleet replacement respectively.

 

[PGAT]

We speculated about this over a year ago and nothing came of this. Seems like nothing is on the cards in terms of rolling stock atm.

 

[Energy]

We speculated about this over a year ago and nothing came of this. Seems like nothing is on the cards in terms of rolling stock atm.

Inflation will have delayed any additional DfT expenditure.

 

[swt_passenger]

Guessing that means at least some of the 387s will go to Southern then?

Based on a re-read of the relevant thread, I don’t believe the west coastway changes require additional rolling stock. The two subjects don’t seem to be related.

 

[London Trains]

Based on a re-read of the relevant thread, I don’t believe the west coastway changes require additional rolling stock. The two subjects don’t seem to be related.

If anything the West Coastway changes probably save a couple of units. The extra 387s will allow Southern to restore services that were removed (such as Victoria to Epsom via Mitcham) and to run longer trains.

 

[PGAT]

Based on a re-read of the relevant thread, I don’t believe the west coastway changes require additional rolling stock. The two subjects don’t seem to be related.

They're not really related, but Southern do need more stock for the network as a whole

 

[blelic]

They're not really related, but Southern do need more stock for the network as a whole

Definitely. There are many services where formations should probably be strengthened.

 

[507020]

GTR have begun a timetable consultation on the West Coastway, and with to procure around 30 new EMUs for the GN side.

Consultation? I am aware that the timetable is a bit broken down there but will there be a full recast in 2023/24? Otherwise this is not relevant here.

Midland Mainline is being done bit by bit, slowly reaching Sheffield.

Expect headspan to portal OHLE conversions as well, some occuring on MML iirc.

Will any more of the Midland Main Line actually be energised before Stalybridge?

Northern, GWR and SouthEastern are tendering/expected to tender for sprinter, 165/166/sprinter and networker fleet replacement respectively.

Tendering is certainly not relevant here. There will be no Sprinter replacements in service for the next timetable change.

I was looking for the finer detail on minor changes being made in the short term, that are actually happening, because I have become a bit vague on many of them. Not the kind of speculation on things that would have a 10 year lead time if started today, that are not actually planned.

Examples of the kind of thing I’m interested in would be 150s moving from Northern to LNR to restart the Marston Vale service before the end of 2024, that is existing rolling stock moving to another operator and a service being reinstated using different rolling stock than previously. What short term changes are actually being made?

 

[PGAT]

Consultation? I am aware that the timetable is a bit broken down there but will there be a full recast in 2023/24? Otherwise this is not relevant here.

Could we see fast Southampton > Brighton services?

Havant is probably the main interchange station in that area, having any services passing straight through would be limiting very useful interchange. I’ve thought Barnham should ideally have had four through platforms with overtakes taking place there. It can already be done in the down...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Bald Rick]

Expect headspan to portal OHLE conversions as well, some occuring on MML iirc.

Little if any of that on the MML.

 

[Energy]

Little if any of that on the MML.

Ahh ok. Have the ECML south ones happened yet?

 

[Bald Rick]

Ahh ok. Have the ECML south ones happened yet?

that I don’t know.

 

[winks]

GTR have begun a timetable consultation on the West Coastway, and with to procure around 30 new EMUs for the GN side.

Do you have a link on this, there doesn’t appear to any consultation happening re West Coastway that I can see.

 

[jdp30]

Ahh ok. Have the ECML south ones happened yet?

There's still plenty of headspans on the southern ECML. You can see it on Google maps I think, long stretches that don't seem to have any OHLE on it at all because the headspans are too thin for the camera to pick up. If you compare to around Reading for example, you can see a big metal structure every 50m or so.

 

[swt_passenger]

Do you have a link on this, there doesn’t appear to any consultation happening re West Coastway that I can see.

The thread linked in post #13 has a link that takes you to the SN consultation document.

 

[London Trains]

Do you have a link on this, there doesn’t appear to any consultation happening re West Coastway that I can see.

Southern - West Coastway timetable changes

www.southernrailway.com

 

[winks]

Slightly annoyed that Portsmouth is losing a direct service to Brighton. Wonder how long that route has operated. It’s probably my favourite route to travel and reminds me of summers gone by !

 

[Halish Railway]

I seem to remember that a Modern Railways article mentioned that the Leeds to Wigan Wallgate service would be split at Manchester Victoria, so maybe this would happen in conjunction with the introduction of the electric Stalybridge to Wigan Northwestern services.

I also wonder if the the timings of the Diggle line services would be altered to take advantage of the various TransPennine Route upgrade improvements, those being the Miles Platting curve realignment, Stalybridge remodelling and Morley realignment.