May 2023 changes

[Bald Rick]

When was the last time that sub-5 min savings were actually passed on to public facing timetables …?

it happens, somewhere, at every timetable change.

 

[DaveHarries]

Now for the news my hon. Friend has been waiting for: I am happy to confirm that, subject to the provision of the necessary funding by the West of England Combined Authority, services between Bristol and Gloucester will be doubled to two trains per hour from the May 2023 timetable change as part of the wider MetroWest scheme. I thank my hon. Friend for helping make this happen and the West of England Combined Authority, which has worked in partnership with officials in my Department and the operator, Great Western Railway, to make this possible. GWR has identified all the rolling stock that it will need for the extra trains and is confident that it will have all the staff training completed in time to introduce the additional services from May. I hope that that provides the assurance my hon. Friend was looking for, but as always—and in answer to his request—I am happy to meet him to understand any further concerns, and to help him make this happen.

Above quote taken from https://hansard.parliament.uk/Commo...ribution-65CC8F34-EA44-4767-A015-E879051E8657
Sounds promising. Let us hope this happens. There is also some suggestion that the frequency to Worcester could be doubled also.

Major railway upgrade could see more trains from Worcester to UK city

TRAIN services from Bristol to Worcester could be increased as part of major railway upgrades.

www.worcesternews.co.uk

Dave

 

[Sly Old Fox]

I can’t see the Gloucester trains going half hourly now the 769s aren’t happening to replace turbos at Reading.

 

[43074]

When was the last time that sub-5 min savings were actually passed on to public facing timetables, vs dumbelling the timekeeping for the terminus run? Let's be realistic. Those get gobbled for OTP.

But good to know you might arrive early!

On Thameslink in December 2022, with very slightly improved journey times on trains to/from Brighton.

 

[class ep-09]

I can’t see the Gloucester trains going half hourly now the 769s aren’t happening to replace turbos at Reading.

GWR identified rolling stock it needs to make it work ( from other TOC’s).

Something is up with increased frequencies between Worcester and Bristol as GWR ( not HSS) drivers at Worcester are about to start learning Turbos with intention to start driving them from May TT.
Some of them already sign the route ( to Bristol Parkway ) but all others are to learn that too .

 

[Liverpool 507]

As one or two posters have said on this particular forum topic, one train per hour stopper on Chat Moss between Huyton and Earlestown is appalling. These services have been standing room only quite often and that’s without any expresses either side cancelled. The very least they should be 6 coaches. I have to drive and avoid these trains on a Friday and Saturday for them being so busy.

I believe Chat Moss stations are due platform extension works.

 

[anthony263]

I can’t see the Gloucester trains going half hourly now the 769s aren’t happening to replace turbos at Reading.

Probably class 150s from TFW

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Probably class 150s from TFW

Perhaps, but until such a transfer is formally announced, it remains entirely speculative and is therefore pie-in-the-sky.

 

[Tayway]

As one or two posters have said on this particular forum topic, one train per hour stopper on Chat Moss between Huyton and Earlestown is appalling. These services have been standing room only quite often and that’s without any expresses either side cancelled. The very least they should be 6 coaches. I have to drive and avoid these trains on a Friday and Saturday for them being so busy.

I believe Chat Moss stations are due platform extension works.

Could an additional stopper reverse in Platform 3 at Earlestown if running it to Warrington is deemed uneconomical?

 

[Greybeard33]

Could an additional stopper reverse in Platform 3 at Earlestown if running it to Warrington is deemed uneconomical?

Lime Street to Earlestown is more than 30 minutes, so two units and crew would still be needed to run an hourly service. Therefore the cost saving would be minimal, compared with continuing to Warrington, and might be outweighed by the loss of revenue.

Also the 45 minute layover at Earlestown would block freight paths in some hours.

 

[GoneSouth]

Probably class 150s from TFW

Oh god, I’m in for a horribly noisy journey from Bristol to Worcester in future then. Some nice refurbished turbos with 2+2 seating with at least seat back tables would do nicely.

Or, have TFW got any 158s they need to offload, that would also do nicely.

150s… not at all nice. Great in 1987 when they replaced clapped out old DMUs, but they themselves have now become the clapped out DMUs

It used to be a pleasure when at weekends a trusty old HST turned up to do this route.

Yes, I know, any train is better than no train at all and if it come off it will be great news.

 

[Benjaminmorgan]

Maybe in may 2023 the Watford Junction to Clapham Junction might be withdrawn to free up 377/2 to replace the 313s?

 

[Andy1673]

Maybe in may 2023 the Watford Junction to Clapham Junction might be withdrawn to free up 377/2 to replace the 313s?

What will be instead of?

 

[Benjaminmorgan]

What will be instead of?

Not sure yet

 

[cle]

As much as I love a metro-style Coastway, those are frequency augmentations (e.g. West Worthings) - whereas the Watford-Clapham/Croydon is the sole full service along its route. And needs AC/DC stock, so it's more limited.

 

[louis97]

Maybe in may 2023 the Watford Junction to Clapham Junction might be withdrawn to free up 377/2 to replace the 313s?

Its likely the 377/2s on the West London Line services will be replaced with the 377/7s, which will have separate diagrams from the /6s (unlike now). If this goes ahead, from what I have seen it seems fairly likely, the /2 fleet will be diagrammed in with the rest of the 4 car 377 fleet.

 

[PGAT]

Its likely the 377/2s on the West London Line services will be replaced with the 377/7s, which will have separate diagrams from the /6s (unlike now). If this goes ahead, from what I have seen it seems fairly likely, the /2 fleet will be diagrammed in with the rest of the 4 car 377 fleet.

Well an extra coach is better than nothing I suppose.

 

[Benjwri]

Something is up with increased frequencies between Worcester and Bristol as GWR ( not HSS) drivers at Worcester are about to start learning Turbos with intention to start driving them from May TT.
Some of them already sign the route ( to Bristol Parkway ) but all others are to learn that too .

Presumably that can only mean Turbos from Devin are moving to Worcester/Bristol, and therefore the new stock is likely more 150s? Only way there wouldn’t be more driver training needed.

 

[geoffk]

I can’t see the Gloucester trains going half hourly now the 769s aren’t happening to replace turbos at Reading.

Presumably there's still a path for the XC Bristol - Manchester service if and when it resumes. Do we know if the new service will call at Yate and Cam & Dursley (and Charfield if and when it opens)? There's a lot of "if and when" about at the moment.

 

[MCSHF007]

Presumably there's still a path for the XC Bristol - Manchester service if and when it resumes. Do we know if the new service will call at Yate and Cam & Dursley (and Charfield if and when it opens)? There's a lot of "if and when" about at the moment.

Hopefully not!

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Presumably there's still a path for the XC Bristol - Manchester service if and when it resumes. Do we know if the new service will call at Yate and Cam & Dursley (and Charfield if and when it opens)? There's a lot of "if and when" about at the moment.

The new Gloucester service will call at Yate but not Cam & Dursley.

 

[SouthEastBuses]

In May 2023, will there be an increased frequency on trains to Milford Haven, Fishguard Harbour and Pembroke Dock? Such as GWR's Summer Saturdays service from London Paddington to Pembroke Dock?

If yes, what will the improved frequency be like?

 

[class ep-09]

The new Gloucester service will call at Yate but not Cam & Dursley.

Will they run beyond Gloucester - that is towards Worcester , Gt Malvern or that bit of the line will have trains every 2hrs as now ?

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Will they run beyond Gloucester - that is towards Worcester , Gt Malvern or that bit of the line will have trains every 2hrs as now ?

The new services run to Gloucester, the existing services run to Worcester each now (up from 2 hourly).

 

[Wilts Wanderer]

In May 2023, will there be an increased frequency on trains to Milford Haven, Fishguard Harbour and Pembroke Dock? Such as GWR's Summer Saturdays service from London Paddington to Pembroke Dock?

If yes, what will the improved frequency be like?

GWR will be reinstating the previous summer frequency to Tenby and Pembroke that they have run in the past, I.e. an early morning Swansea-Pembroke balancing move, 1000 Pembroke-Paddington, 0848 Paddington-Pembroke and 1500 Pembroke-Paddington. The difference this year will be that they run (mainly) as extensions of the additional Carmarthen services, rather than simply extensions of Swansea terminators.

 

[SouthEastBuses]

GWR will be reinstating the previous summer frequency to Tenby and Pembroke that they have run in the past, I.e. an early morning Swansea-Pembroke balancing move, 1000 Pembroke-Paddington, 0848 Paddington-Pembroke and 1500 Pembroke-Paddington. The difference this year will be that they run (mainly) as extensions of the additional Carmarthen services, rather than simply extensions of Swansea terminators.

Ahh that's great to hear then. Should hopefully make travel from Oxford to Pembrokeshire much easier.

Where can I find the new timetable?

 

[Sly Old Fox]

The new services run to Gloucester, the existing services run to Worcester each now (up from 2 hourly).

Is there definitely the stock for that? Or are some 150s expected imminently?

 

[Bald Rick]

Ahh that's great to hear then. Should hopefully make travel from Oxford to Pembrokeshire much easier.

Where can I find the new timetable?

It will be out next week or the week after in public sites such as Realtime trains.

 

[Class 170101]

It will be out next week or the week after in public sites such as Realtime trains.

At least two, maybe three, weeks.

 

[Nicholas Lewis]

It will be out next week or the week after in public sites such as Realtime trains.

presumably this will the original bid timetable before DfT set operators the challenge to cut costs so can't be totally relied upon to be the one that operators finally publish.