Shakespeare Line - 19th May Changes

[Sh4318]

The new timetable from the 19th May - 7th December on the Shakespeare Line (Stratford-upon-Avon to Birmingham Snow Hill) is up:
http://www.londonmidland.com/download/80043.6/stratford-upon-avon-shirley-birmingham/

Main changes are, more evening services to Stratford-upon-Avon, evening xx:55 Stourbridge Junction to Whitlock's End services extending to Stratford-upon-Avon and an extra journey per hour on Saturdays, the ex-Worcester services that call at xx:50 from Birmingham Moor Street, and running semi-fast from Whitlock's End calling at Wythall, Henley-in-Arden, the new station (Stratford-upon-Avon parkway) and Stratford-upon-Avon

[D10]

Great news about the Evening service as it ludicrous that there is no current Evening public transport between Birmingham and Stratford.

There is talk too that from the December 2013 timetable there will be daytime links between Solihull and Stratford. Perhaps this will happen by extending one train per hour that currently terminates at Dorridge to Stratford via Lapworth and Bearley?

[Sh4318]

Great news about the Evening service as it ludicrous that there is no current Evening public transport between Birmingham and Stratford.

There is talk too that from the December 2013 timetable there will be daytime links between Solihull and Stratford. Perhaps this will happen by extending one train per hour that currently terminates at Dorridge to Stratford via Lapworth and Bearley?

Yeah, it's quite unbelievable how disappointing the service from Birmingham to Stratford is, the change coincides with the opening of Stratford-upon-Avon parkway, with a handful of Chiltern services from Leamington and London said to be using the new station. I have heard the rumours about a service to Stratford via Lapworth & Bearley, it was rumoured to start from May and to be the xx:00 from Dorridge extended to create an evenly 30 minute frequency, will be exciting to see what happens in the December timetable change

[Roy]

Great news about the Evening service as it ludicrous that there is no current Evening public transport between Birmingham and Stratford.

There is talk too that from the December 2013 timetable there will be daytime links between Solihull and Stratford. Perhaps this will happen by extending one train per hour that currently terminates at Dorridge to Stratford via Lapworth and Bearley?

Yeah, it's quite unbelievable how disappointing the service from Birmingham to Stratford is, the change coincides with the opening of Stratford-upon-Avon parkway, with a handful of Chiltern services from Leamington and London said to be using the new station. I have heard the rumours about a service to Stratford via Lapworth & Bearley, it was rumoured to start from May and to be the xx:00 from Dorridge extended to create an evenly 30 minute frequency, will be exciting to see what happens in the December timetable change

London Midland and Centro have confirmed that an hourly service will run to Stratford from December by extending one of the Dorridge terminating services.  I do not know what the stopping pattern will be (i.e. if there will be stops at Lapworth, Claverdon or Bearley).

[Justin Tyme]

More information is available on Warwickshire County Council's website (e.g. here - http://news.warwickshire.gov.uk/blog/2013/03/22/progress-is-far-from-station-ary-at-stratford-parkway/) - and yes, the improvements are part of the package with the opening of Stratford Parkway.  Stratford town bus services in the area, operated  by Johnsons, have been improved already as part of the plan.

In addition, one morning peak London Midland journey on the Snow Hill line (to Birmingham and  Stourbridge Junction) is now sometimes run by a  5 coach train (3+2 class 172s) due to increased use and in anticipation of more passengers still when Stratford Parkway opens.

[Kevin]

Ah fair play, always wondered why there wasn't a direct link Solihul - Stratford

[Roy]

Proposals for the December 2013 timetable show that the xx27 service from Stourbridge Junction (xx58 from Snow Hill) will be extended from Dorridge to Stratford-upon-Avon stopping at Stratford Parkway and Stratford-upon-Avon only and arriving at Stratford at xx41.  It will return from Stratford at xx03 and Snow Hill at xx53 arriving at Stourbridge Junction at xx22. 

The existing service via Shirley will depart Stourbridge at xx57 (xx28 from Snow Hill) and arrive at Stratford at xx21.  It will return from Stratford at xx26 (xx23 from Snow Hill) arriving Stourbridge Junction at xx52. 

Both of the above services will stop at Langley Green, Old Hill and Lye in both directions.  This means that the trains at xx03 an xx33 from Snow Hill will run to Kidderminster quicker as they will omit the stops at Langley Green, Old Hill and Lye.

Finally, there is proposed to be an hourly all-day service at Hartlebury stopping at xx52 towards Worcester and xx32 towards Birmingham.

As I have said, these are proposals and will be finalised in about a month's time.

[Sh4318]

Proposals for the December 2013 timetable show that the xx27 service from Stourbridge Junction (xx58 from Snow Hill) will be extended from Dorridge to Stratford-upon-Avon stopping at Stratford Parkway and Stratford-upon-Avon only and arriving at Stratford at xx41.  It will return from Stratford at xx03 and Snow Hill at xx53 arriving at Stourbridge Junction at xx22. 

The existing service via Shirley will depart Stourbridge at xx57 (xx28 from Snow Hill) and arrive at Stratford at xx21.  It will return from Stratford at xx26 (xx23 from Snow Hill) arriving Stourbridge Junction at xx52. 

Both of the above services will stop at Langley Green, Old Hill and Lye in both directions.  This means that the trains at xx03 an xx33 from Snow Hill will run to Kidderminster quicker as they will omit the stops at Langley Green, Old Hill and Lye.

Finally, there is proposed to be an hourly all-day service at Hartlebury stopping at xx52 towards Worcester and xx32 towards Birmingham.

As I have said, these are proposals and will be finalised in about a month's time.

Very interesting. A twice-hourly service between Birmingham & Stratford is definitely required in my opinion. I wonder if the Stratford via Dorridge services will run over the weekend and evenings. Giving at least a 2tph frequency between Stratford & Stourbridge Junction (via B'ham Snow Hill) every day.

Also this means the xx:23 & xx:53 services from Snow Hill to Stourbridge Junction will be longer, and journey times between Langley Green, Old Hill & Lye to Worcester will be longer, as passengers travelling from these stations will now have to wait 17 minutes at Stourbridge Junction, instead of the current 6 to change onto the next train, from both directions.

I wonder if the changes will have any effect on the Sunday timetable for smaller stations, as Langley Green, Old Hill, Lye currently have no Sunday service after 6, it will be very interesting when the changes are made official

[Roy]

The xx23 and xx53 services from Snow Hill will be the longer services arriving at Stourbridge at xx52 and xx22.  They will use the new crossover to terminate in platform 2 at SBJ, returning at xx57 and xx27  (the majority of the current xx25 and xx55 services from SBJ currently use platform 3).  However, it means that the xx03 and xx33 services from Snow Hill to Kidderminster will be 4 minutes shorter.

I agree with you that services from Lye, Old Hill and Langley Green to Worcester will take longer.  The good thing about the new timetable for passengers at these stations is that the stations they can reach without changing is the same in both directions.  At present you can get to Stratford and Kidderminster without changing, but you can't get back.  With the new timetable, you will be able to get to and from Stratford without changing, but you will need to change in both directions if you want to get to Kidderminster.

The service to Stratford via Dorridge will run Monday to Saturday, but not in the evenings or on Sundays. 

Sunday services basically follow the same pattern as at present, but the Stourbridge to Dorridge stoppers will operate a few minutes later in both directions.  I know that the departure time from Stourbridge is proposed to be xx26 rather than xx22, with departures from Dorridge at xx27 rather than xx25.  No enhanced services for Lye, Old Hill or Langley Green on Sunday evenings are proposed.

[Sh4318]

The xx23 and xx53 services from Snow Hill will be the longer services arriving at Stourbridge at xx52 and xx22.  They will use the new crossover to terminate in platform 2 at SBJ, returning at xx57 and xx27  (the majority of the current xx25 and xx55 services from SBJ currently use platform 3).  However, it means that the xx03 and xx33 services from Snow Hill to Kidderminster will be 4 minutes shorter.

I agree with you that services from Lye, Old Hill and Langley Green to Worcester will take longer.  The good thing about the new timetable for passengers at these stations is that the stations they can reach without changing is the same in both directions.  At present you can get to Stratford and Kidderminster without changing, but you can't get back.  With the new timetable, you will be able to get to and from Stratford without changing, but you will need to change in both directions if you want to get to Kidderminster.

The service to Stratford via Dorridge will run Monday to Saturday, but not in the evenings or on Sundays. 

Sunday services basically follow the same pattern as at present, but the Stourbridge to Dorridge stoppers will operate a few minutes later in both directions.  I know that the departure time from Stourbridge is proposed to be xx26 rather than xx22, with departures from Dorridge at xx27 rather than xx25.  No enhanced services for Lye, Old Hill or Langley Green on Sunday evenings are proposed.

I see. It may be easier for passengers of Lye, Old Hill & Langley Green to change both at SBJ & KID to get to Worcester, with the first train arriving at SBJ at xx.22 or xx.52, change onto the xx.29 or xx.59 to KID arriving in KID at xx.40 or xx.10, then change onto the Worcester train from KID at xx.47 or xx.17.

I also couldn't help but notice that the Kidderminster services now call at Hagley & Blakedown in both directions instead of the Worcester services, but there is only a 7 minute interchange required at Kidderminster in both directions. Also I couldn't help notice that the 13:03 departure from Snow Hill still only goes as far as SBJ, I'm not entirely sure why this happens, but doesn't this leave an hour frequency gap between Birmingham Snow Hill and Hagley/Blakedown? I also couldn't help but notice that the fast Stratford to Worcester services have been omitted from the Saturday timetable, I couldn't help but anticipate that.

Two changes I'd like to see to the Sunday timetable are Stourbridge terminators extended to Kidderminster, as the trains to Worcester always seem to clear/get less busy when they arrive at Kidderminster, and most diagrams to Worcester on Sundays are 172/2s and a few evening trains to smaller stations (Langley Green, Old Hill & Lye) maybe every other evening train or just the last one to Birmingham & Worcester