(12/06/2013 13:34)wirralbus Wrote: [ -> ]At the best i think Network Rail are trying to say that they can not reliably get the Virgin Trains timetable to run properly as it stands what hope have they with a reversal at Stafford , one delay could escalate badly if say it fails in the platform .
Electrifying Wolves-Shrewsbury would be a great improvement. You could then just extend the VT Wolverhampton services. (Shrewsbury-Crewe may then also be worthwhile)
You'd also free up quite a few Class 170/172 DMUs, if LM then used electric stock.
I think this Euston - Shrewsbury service would have had to have turned back from Platform 6 , enabling a following service to follow it into Stafford and Continue north on Platform 5 . One out of course delay and the service would be late on the turn round , I can see Network Rail's reticence for allowing this service .
Virgin train services are being diverted via Northampton due to signalling problems between Rugby and Milton Keynes Central.
The cab end Virgin motif on 390127 now says FLY VIRGIN TRAINS.
I have been told that they are going to apply the "fly virgin trains" braiding to all of their fleet of pendos
390156 was named "Stockport 170" at Stockport Station today to celebrate 170 years of the station.
The Bank Holiday today brings engineering work to the WCML and diversions to the Chiltern Mainline.
I have been reliably informed that these diversions are 15 car super voyagers and WB64.
For WB64, the timings are:
1Z04, 10:04 London Euston - Birmingham Intl (calls unadvertised Banbury & SDO Coventry).
1Z07, 12:48 Birmingham Intl - London Euston (calls Coventry PUO & unadvertised stop Banbury)
1Z16, 16:04 London Euston - Birmingham Intl (calls unadvertised Banbury & SDO Coventry).
1Z19, 19:07 Birmingham Intl - London Euston (calls Coventry PUO & unadvertised stop Banbury).
The mk3 rake will be hauled by 2 class 57's
A virgin voyager has hit the buffers on platform 1 at Chester station at slow speed.
No reports of any serious injurys.
Led to believe its causing severe delays to all services at Chester as permissive working of platforms has been withdrawn , therefore only one train is allowed to be platformed at any one time on platforms 4 and 7.
I would suspect that Platform 1 will be out of action for a while as they will need to check the rails to look for contamination when the train eventually gets removed.