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I was wondering if it might be this Monday as the 17.05 Euston-Blackpool (or its ECS moves from and to Oxley) isn't showing cancelled next week, but if it is it seems to be going to be a very low key launch.
(Until now It has been cancelled, well in advance, every day since it appeared in the timetable)

There's no 1705 EUS-BPN service showing anywhere.

Interestingly the 06.18 from Wolves has a VAR schedule to use 5B instead of 4C - but only on Tuesday.
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Following the working through it appears to end at Soho, so is a different turn the rest of the week, or a different unit?

The unit that starts the day on the 0618 ends at Soho with a fresh unit coming off Soho about 22:25 to form the 22:41 BHM-WVH.

I have just had it confirmed that 730s do have SDO (selective door opening) not UDS (Unit de-select) like the 350s do, so no intermediate stations would be a problem, only terminals if there isn't room for turnaround would be a problem

It's ASDO the Class 730s are fitted with. Infestructure is already in place. 

Rather belatedly I have spotted that the 05.33 Birmingham-Liverpool is booked off platform 4C, which sees much more use from December with the reversion to four-car working on the Liverpool route. It appears from RTT to be formed off the previous nights 23.16 arrival from Wolverhampton.
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Some mornings RTT has the platform changed, but on at least two mornings, including today, it hasn't yet the 11.33 ex Liverpool has been eight cars with no obvious opportunity for a swap or attachment - on one occasion the 05.33 was overtime at Wolverhampton, but not I would have thought enough to do an attachment, and it wasn't this morning.

The 05:33 Liverpool attaches at Lime Street to form an 8 car for its back working, 07:33 Liverpool-New Street.

From December, all Monday-Friday Liverpool services are formed of 4 carriages, however there is a service uplift in the peaks with services running every 30 minutes. These services will run express from Crewe to Runcorn and vice versa, bar one service in each direction which will call additionally at Hartford due to the high footfall. This paves the way for further uplifts back to a similar sort of timetable seen pre covid.

Additionally, on Saturdays, the Liverpool services will run half hourly all day with a mixture of 4 and 8 car units.

A platinum in limp mode hardly moves, most drivers even refuse to return them to garage, they certainly never leave garage in limp mode

I once had a 66 plate go into limp mode on me. Stranded it straight away, not safe to drive.

There's a big difference between a bus being slow and being in limp mode. 803 and 867 used to be dreadfully slow pulling away and picking up speed, they weren't in limp mode though.

So opening week is here? Will it be happening

Literally two posts ago I said it wasn't happening. Driver training hasn't started yet.

There was gossip or hear say that it opens this Sunday or next Tuesday.

Was planned for 4th July, that is no longer happening.

Witton Station can take up 6 coach trains which I think the new trains will be. But is the platform at Perry Barr long enough for 6 coach trains ?

Witton can only accommodate 6 carriages on the Birmingham-bound platform. Perry Barr can not accomodate 6 carriages.

I wonder if all these workers continued to receive their 'poverty wages' while they were unable to work when the trams were out of service earlier this year.

It wasn't the fault of the workers though was it? 

Disgusting bosses should be frank and say we look at a better pay offer when the extensions open and when we offer a proper service to passengers.

And which extension is that then?

Forthcoming railway strike listened to the clip about closing tickets offices. Surely most bus stations have lost their ticket offices due to the way their passengers travel and tickets are now eTickets meaning you don't have to go to a ticket office to buy them you can buy from local shop before travel.  Surely it will be the same with trains stations and companies the way you sell your products, if 80% is now eTickets ie there train pass is on mobile phone surely you will have to adapt your business and it will be saft having someone just sitting there not selling tickets. You have to use the resources to the best of the availability

Booking office staff on the railway do more than just sell tickets. E Tickets are a popular way for people to purchase their tickets, but have flaws. It leads to potential fare evasion (With the simplicity for passengers to purchase child rate tickets, add railcards they don't have or simply not buy one at all). 

How do you know that it's 80% E tickets?

I have just been trying to work out the cheapest way to get from Rugeley to Halifax and get offered a single ticket for £42.30 Valid on Northern Trains only. That is a bit difficult as Northern Trains have never served Rugeley Trent Valley (They have wizzed through in the past)

Hi Tony

Just out of curiosity where have you seen this ticket?

Is there any information online about it?

Why would there be? It's ran for employees of the company that runs it...

Ticket machine on 7532 on the X2 said it was running 15 minutes down this morning. Also packed with a full and standing load.

Ahh schucks, BC forgot to fill the buses up with Red Bull again  ::)

They've got a station at Shenstone as well, haven't they?

I don't remember, the couple of times I've been past there, much housing in that bit of the route.

There's a retail or business park I think, of some description.

Does Hill Hook have some sort of Sunday link with Four Oaks Station?

Yes. Blake Street station.