London Northwestern Railway

[Roy]

No - diesels and 323s don't go beyond Walsall. There is  a Tyseley-Rugeley ecs but I assume that is an error.

The May timetable proposal submitted by WMT to Network Rail included a diesel train from Rugeley Trent Valley to Shrewsbury at 06:22.  This was turned down by NR and now starts from Walsall at 06:54.  This would explain the proposed ecs working from Tyseley arriving at Rugeley at 0612.  WMT have said that they hope that this train will start back at Rugeley from the December timetable when the arrival of the 350/4s from TPE will mean that they won't have to substitute diesels for electrics in an emergency.

In addition, WMT applied for the 23:18 service from New Street to be extended from Hednesford to Rugeley Trent Valley but Network Rail refused as they want the line cleared in time for any overnight engineering works, and that is the same reason they gave for not allowing the 21:49 Euston to Crewe service to stop at Rugeley Trent Valley even though WMT requested it.

[Tony]

The May timetable proposal submitted by WMT to Network Rail included a diesel train from Rugeley Trent Valley to Shrewsbury at 06:22.  This was turned down by NR and now starts from Walsall at 06:54.  This would explain the proposed ecs working from Tyseley arriving at Rugeley at 0612.  WMT have said that they hope that this train will start back at Rugeley from the December timetable when the arrival of the 350/4s from TPE will mean that they won't have to substitute diesels for electrics in an emergency.

In addition, WMT applied for the 23:18 service from New Street to be extended from Hednesford to Rugeley Trent Valley but Network Rail refused as they want the line cleared in time for any overnight engineering works, and that is the same reason they gave for not allowing the 21:49 Euston to Crewe service to stop at Rugeley Trent Valley even though WMT requested it.

The 2149 is in the schedules as stopping at Rugeley at 23:22

[Roy]

The 2149 is in the schedules as stopping at Rugeley at 23:22

That's good news.  The information I got came from a colleague who attended a Chase Line meeting with WMT in January, although WMT said at the meeting that they were still trying to sort this out with NR who were saying that the service had to clear the line by a certain time and the only way this could be achieved was by cutting out a couple of stops (Atherstone and Rugeley) to reduce running time by a few minutes.  It appears that WMT have managed to convince NR to reverse the decision at Rugeley.

[Tony]

That's good news.  The information I got came from a colleague who attended a Chase Line meeting with WMT in January, although WMT said at the meeting that they were still trying to sort this out with NR who were saying that the service had to clear the line by a certain time and the only way this could be achieved was by cutting out a couple of stops (Atherstone and Rugeley) to reduce running time by a few minutes.  It appears that WMT have managed to convince NR to reverse the decision at Rugeley.

I believe a lot more services will be 8 cars as well now they don't go via Alsage, Kidsgrove and Stone.

[Roy]

I believe a lot more services will be 8 cars as well now they don't go via Alsage, Kidsgrove and Stone.

Looking at the email I was sent about the meeting, WMT said that they would be tight on the number of electric units available in May and would be running about a third of Trent Valley services as 8-car from May.  They were taking on a few more class 319s for use south of Northampton to release 350s, and the ten 350/4s operated by TPE were expected in the summer.  This will allow most Trent Valley services to be increased to 8-car from December.

[Tony]

WM's 150s are moving to Northern.  I can't find the scheduled date just now, but IIRC it should already have happened.

They are on lease until the beginning of May

[mikestone]

I've had a go at working out the emu diagrams and it looks like about two-thirds of the TV services will be eight cars - given that the 16.46 and 17.46 already are, most of the services to be covered are off-peak.

[mikestone]

Although stated ob another group they were no longer to be used  on the Marston Vale line one in Bletchley CS.

[mikestone]

15.01 Birmingham-Liverpool noted with eight cars today - I don't recall that for previous Grand Nationals.

[mikestone]

Now likely to be the 8th as they don't want to start them on April Fools day!

Presume it didn't hapen from the lack of reports or press releases?

[Tony]

Presume it didn't hapen from the lack of reports or press releases?

Put back until the 23rd

[mikestone]

Thanks.
;
The detaching of the second Chase line train from the Euston-Crewe service has now been added to the schedules - perhaps surprisingly so has the attachment of Liverpool-Birmingham trains to the corresponding Crewe-Euston.

[mikestone]

In the new rail replacement bus area which as you come out the main entrance is just to the left

Rather amazingly national rail enquiries does actually carry the information that they do load outside Wetherspoons - I don't drive but I find it hard to believe it could ever have been thought a full size coach could negotiate the station front.

[Sh4318]

When are the May timetables set to be published on WMR & LNR sites, it's getting pretty close to the change date, I would've thought they would be live by now

[Steveminor]

https://www.westmidlandsrailway.co.uk/travel-information/may-timetable-changes