December Northern times now in realtimetrains. A number of services re-instated in Yorkshire, along with the Liverpool-WBQ electric service but seems nothing in Greater Manchester except the pingdemic reductions - perhaps because still negotiating with TfGM?
No peak extras on the Mid-Cheshire line, despite the absence of them causing school pupils to have to arrive almost an hour before school starts.
It's encouraging to see the Liverpool - WBQ service returning as there were one or two rumours suggesting it never would. It never picks up as well as the Crewe service it runs alongside but more than one stopping train an hour via Rainhill is badly needed.
Speaking of which, I had a job fitting onto the 2027 Lime Street - Wilmslow service on Saturday. With a combination of the Bank Holiday and returning football fans, this service was completely full out of Liverpool and left a considerable number of people behind. In the future, six car 323s would be a massive help at certain times on this line.
I See the Liverpool - Wigan line will still be down to 1 stopper per hour. Not good for the intermediate stations between Huyton & Wigan not served by the Blackpool service.
(30/08/2021 17:17)H101GEV Wrote: [ -> ]It's encouraging to see the Liverpool - WBQ service returning as there were one or two rumours suggesting it never would. It never picks up as well as the Crewe service it runs alongside but more than one stopping train an hour via Rainhill is badly needed.
Speaking of which, I had a job fitting onto the 2027 Lime Street - Wilmslow service on Saturday. With a combination of the Bank Holiday and returning football fans, this service was completely full out of Liverpool and left a considerable number of people behind. In the future, six car 323s would be a massive help at certain times on this line.
I’m not sure whether 6 car trains will fit in the platforms, particularly between Wavertree and Rainhill.
Most are only long enough for four cars, I think.
The 6 cars on some of the Blackpool services are also affected with the conductor telling passengers in the rear two coaches to move forward to alight at certain stations. This does not exactly help performance on these lines
(30/08/2021 23:22)507022 Wrote: [ -> ]I’m not sure whether 6 car trains will fit in the platforms, particularly between Wavertree and Rainhill.
Most are only long enough for four cars, I think.
The 6 cars on some of the Blackpool services are also affected with the conductor telling passengers in the rear two coaches to move forward to alight at certain stations. This does not exactly help performance on these lines
Numerous stations are supposed to get platform lengthening. Long term the plan is 6 car 331s on Skipton-Bradford services, 4 car 331s on Glossop, Stoke and Crewe services and 6 car 323s on Liverpool-Manchester via Chat Moss services. Not sure if Liverpool-Blackpool is supposed to end up 323 or 331.
With the announcement of the electrification of Wigan North Western to Lostock Junction it is likely that all 26 x 323s in the West Midlands will now transfer to Northern.
(05/09/2021 11:11)childwallblues Wrote: [ -> ]With the announcement of the electrification of Wigan North Western to Lostock Junction it is likely that all 26 x 323s in the West Midlands will now transfer to Northern.
That was the idea anyway, wasn’t it. They were to replace the 319s once West Mids trains received their new trains and the 323s were released
(05/09/2021 14:59)507022 Wrote: [ -> ]That was the idea anyway, wasn’t it. They were to replace the 319s once West Mids trains received their new trains and the 323s were released
Only 17 are confirmed to be transferring. Nothing official to suggest the remaining 9 will join Northern.
(05/09/2021 11:11)childwallblues Wrote: [ -> ]With the announcement of the electrification of Wigan North Western to Lostock Junction it is likely that all 26 x 323s in the West Midlands will now transfer to Northern.
While the final 9 do not appear to have been confirmed, this electrification could be good use for them.