London Midland Trains

[Kevin]

Platform 1 won't normally be used. All trains towards Rugeley will use 3, all trains towards Birmingham will use 2

Didn't realise platform 3 was a through platform, guess that happened recently?
Rather bizzare set up then, trains crossing over before and after the station.
Doesn't that restrict any future growth? Any proposed increase in frequency will just result in tighter turn around times or the potential for trains to be blocking a platform, or would all trains become through services?

[Tony]

Didn't realise platform 3 was a through platform, guess that happened recently?
Rather bizzare set up then, trains crossing over before and after the station.
Doesn't that restrict any future growth? Any proposed increase in frequency will just result in tighter turn around times or the potential for trains to be blocking a platform, or would all trains become through services?

Yes I think it will be restrictive. Apparently the two signal Gantries between Pleck and Walsall on the slow lines would have to be replaced to allow electrification of the slow lines.

The aim is to have two trains an hour continuing north which eliminates the one train that currently sits in Platform 3 for 40 minutes each hour, but the other two trains an hour will have to arrive and depart in the 30 min gaps between the through trains. Freights will still be able to use 1 and '4' to keep them out of the way

[Kevin]

So if they do want to increase the frequency Brum to Walsall (previously heard mention of 6tph) they'll have problems
And then what of any proposed Wolverhampton direct service?

[Tony]

So if they do want to increase the frequency Brum to Walsall (previously heard mention of 6tph) they'll have problems
And then what of any proposed Wolverhampton direct service?

The line is signalled so that terminators can arrive in 3 continue up to the next signal and come back into 2 which is what I suspect they might do will all trains.

I only found out about the slow lines not being electrified from a friend at Network Rail. The other odd decision is they are putting the new neutral sections in at Pleck. This is helpful from the North as it means in the event of them having to switch the power off around Bescot/Tame Bridge they will still be able to run a Walsall-Rugeley electric service, but if for any reason the power has to be switched off between Walsall and Rugeley it will take out Walsall-Pleck, so wires down at Cannock stop the Birmingham-Walsall trains!

[mikestone]

I trust they will install ticket gates!
.

[Kevin]

I trust they will install ticket gates!
.

Imagine how much revenue they'd get if they actually checked the tickets on that line

[Bob]

What happened on the Birmingham to Walsall line yesterday that led to almost every rush hour train being cancelled??

[D10]

What happened on the Birmingham to Walsall line yesterday that led to almost every rush hour train being cancelled??

Tragic incident:

https://www.expressandstar.com/news/local-hubs/walsall/2017/09/27/girl-14-dies-after-being-hit-by-train-in-walsall/

[Bob]

724am Landywood to Birmingham 12 mins late....every day the peak hour trains on this route are late it's such a s##t service!

[Bob]

17 mins late in the event....the 1712 from new st should be in Landywood in around 2 mins....its just left Walsall!

[Tony]

17 mins late in the event....the 1712 from new st should be in Landywood in around 2 mins....its just left Walsall!

Yes, damn Nationised Railway delaying nice privatised train companies

[DJ]

A London Midland Class 350 has derailed at West Allerton.

From what's been said over on RailUK, it was on an empty stock movement, I think back down to Crewe but I could be wrong on that one.

[mikestone]

Shunt from platform 4 to platform 3.

[Kevin]

My dad was caught up in that
LM just abandoned their passengers with no word on how to get home
VT laid on taxis/buses/whatever they could get their hands on to Warrington where their London trains were diverted to, then went out of their way to lay on a taxi for those few Brum passengers that came this way in a hope of getting close to home. He got home at 1am

VT 1 - LM 0

[DJ]

My dad was caught up in that
LM just abandoned their passengers with no word on how to get home
VT laid on taxis/buses/whatever they could get their hands on to Warrington where their London trains were diverted to, then went out of their way to lay on a taxi for those few Brum passengers that came this way in a hope of getting close to home. He got home at 1am

VT 1 - LM 0

LM have a replacement bus service between Liverpool South Parkway and Crewe, according to their Twitter feed. I'm guessing that wasn't there last night?