Running these one or two trains a day off the main operating routes just is uneconomic with all the crews that have to be trained. What we need is standardised timetables on trunk routes with proper connecting services run all day along instead. This would improve stock and crew utilisation. The achillies heel of the disparate railway we've had over the last 25 years is that connections are poorly managed both in timetable design (not the planners faults) and the blatant obsession with PPM means connections are never held so people now have a poor impression of making journeys where a change is required. Shapps can do no wrong if he wants to leverage the Williams review to set out a vision for a wholesale rethink of the railway to now be established to make connections an integral part of providing the service.
It provides a large train between Lincoln and Nottingham in the morning and the route knowledge for a simple 30 mile route isn't onerous. It also means that staff are available and trained to provide things like football specials or the Christmas Market extras. If you have pressures on your rolling stock then novel solutions like this one are great.