A group called 'Midlands Connect' proposes changes to XC services, adding additional stops at Coventry

[Killingworth]

From Newcastle Chronicle today Plans for new hourly rail services from Newcastle to Birmingham and Coventry

New rail plan published today will cost up to £180 million

Details of new rail services linking the North East with Coventry and Birmingham International station are published today.

They include hourly, direct services to and from Newcastle, Durham and Darlington linking them to Coventry and Birmingham International, a station on the outskirts of Birmingham.

The proposals are backed by transport authorities in the Midlands - and one of the goals is to give people in the North East access to Birmingham Airport, which is next to Birmingham International train station.

Birmingham International station is also next to the National Exhibition Centre and Resorts World, and has regular services to central Birmingham.

Midlands Connect, a sub-national transport body, has submitted an initial business plan to the Government, and asked for £20m to develop detailed proposals. It says construction could begin in 2024.

The Government would need to agree to fund the scheme, which would cost between £125m and £180m.

It ties in with Boris Johnson's plan to invest in infrastructure to "level up" the country, and to kickstart the economy following the coronavirus pandemic and lockdown. It's part of a wider set of proposed rail projects know as Midlands Engine Rail.

Sir John Peace, chairman of Midlands Connect, said: "As we work to recover from the economic impacts of COVID-19; embarking on an ambitious and successful path post Brexit, our international connections and relationships with other UK regions will become more important than ever.

"Providing a step change in rail connectivity to the city of Coventry and Birmingham International railway station, our proposals will enhance access to Birmingham Airport, the West Midlands’ gateway to the world, as well as the nearby NEC, Resorts World and Jaguar Land Rover."

I'll stand back on this as Cross Country trains are currently running all but empty. They've axed most stops at Chesterfield because they can't keep to timetable even with fewer trains on the tracks and so few to carry. The money is, of course, a minor issue as we seem to be burning that like there's no tomorow.

 

[swt_passenger]

It’s just the long-standing aim to divert the existing Newcastle to Readings via the airport and a Coventry. Only when capacity becomes available between Brum and Leamington. (Probs HS2 as Edwin_m points out.)

Has been discussed for many years in West Midlands strategies and consultations etc.

“New service” is really just a minor diversion...

 

[edwin_m]

From Newcastle Chronicle today Plans for new hourly rail services from Newcastle to Birmingham and Coventry



I'll stand back on this as Cross Country trains are currently running all but empty. They've axed most stops at Chesterfield because they can't keep to timetable even with fewer trains on the tracks and so few to carry. The money is, of course, a minor issue as we seem to be burning that like there's no tomorow.

I think this proposal is simply to re-route the XC service that currently goes via Solihull, and I thought it needed HS2 capacity release to work.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

It's typical of a piece written for a local north-east audience, with all context removed.
Similar to the "Oxford man in nuclear holocaust" spoof.
There's probably a similar article for a Leeds paper, and another for Sheffield...
It will be interesting to see how "Midlands Connect" prioritises projects like this one at Kenilworth, over (say) the Moor St development proposals.

 

[MarkyT]

I think this proposal is simply to re-route the XC service that currently goes via Solihull, and I thought it needed HS2 capacity release to work.

Perhaps, but I think what it needs most is as much double track as possible between Coventry and Leamington Spa, preferably throughout.

 

[The Planner]

It will be interesting to see how "Midlands Connect" prioritises projects like this one at Kenilworth, over (say) the Moor St development proposals.

This will trump anything at Moor St.

Perhaps, but I think what it needs most is as much double track as possible between Coventry and Leamington Spa, preferably throughout.

It doesn't need it all doing. Plenty of work done in the past on this.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

This will mean that the lovely Newcastle "expresses" (which I note XC states will not be restored until September at the earliest ) will no longer be "expresses".

Just like the current Manchester services, they will no doubt be crowded full of one-stop passengers along the Coventry-Birmingham corridor. Just what is needed!

Coventry-Birmingham needs to be four-tracked (or at the very least a couple of the station-to-station stretches should be) so that an intensive local service can be operated without jamming full long-distance services with local passengers.

All this talk of passengers from Newcastle going to Birmingham Airport because there's a once hourly train that trundles along there in the same time it takes to get to London - utter guff.

Before Covid it had a handful of expensive flights to European business destinations (most of which are better served by Edinburgh, Leeds, Doncaster or Newcastle), along with typical Costa del Sol type cheapo holiday destinations. I very much doubt it's ever going to serve more than that after Covid.

 

[clagmonster]

This is interesting. As I understand it, HS2 will be needed to create the path between New St and Cov to allow this to happen. However, when HS2 opens, it is not known if the existing Newcastle - Reading will continue to operate in its existing form. However, when HS2 opens it will presumably by very easy to provide a direct service from Newcastle to Birmingham Interchange, which will achieve much the same thing.

 

[JamesT]

It might not have many takers for Newcastle to Birmingham Airport, but it would be really good for places like Oxford to have a better than hourly service to the Airport.

 

[clagmonster]

This will mean that the lovely Newcastle "expresses" (which I note XC states will not be restored until September at the earliest ) will no longer be "expresses".

Just like the current Manchester services, they will no doubt be crowded full of one-stop passengers along the Coventry-Birmingham corridor. Just what is needed!

Coventry-Birmingham needs to be four-tracked (or at the very least a couple of the station-to-station stretches should be) so that an intensive local service can be operated without jamming full long-distance services with local passengers.

All this talk of passengers from Newcastle going to Birmingham Airport because there's a once hourly train that trundles along there in the same time it takes to get to London - utter guff.

Before Covid it had a handful of expensive flights to European business destinations (most of which are better served by Edinburgh, Leeds, Doncaster or Newcastle), along with typical Costa del Sol type cheapo holiday destinations. I very much doubt it's ever going to serve more than that after Covid.

Not sure how easily Cov - Brum can be four tracked - HS2 will provide some relief there though by getting some of the Eustons off that stretch, allowing it to be used for the stoppers and Cross Country services.

Is the attraction at International the NEC rather than the Airport perhaps? That would seem more of a draw for a direct service from the north east to me.

 

[Energy]

If they are going to route the Newcastle service through Coventry I would also suggest doubling the Coventry to Leamington line, it is already busy for a single track line with an hourly WMR service and an already existing XC service, however because it is single track it is 4 trains per hour as each service has a train from each direction. There are also quite a lot of freight trains.

 

[ForTheLoveOf]

It might not have many takers for Newcastle to Birmingham Airport, but it would be really good for places like Oxford to have a better than hourly service to the Airport.

Really? An hourly service is plenty good enough for the majority of the population that go to the airport once a year. From Oxford, Heathrow or Gatwick (even Luton, if driving) would be much more logical airport options than Birmingham given the paucity of destinations on offer at the latter. Access to Heathrow will be much easier once the Western Access is built, though I wouldn't make any bets on whether that or HS2 (to OOC) is completed first.

I am all for good links to airports but there is really no need for more than an hourly service from most places to as small an airport as Birmingham.

People tend to plan to arrive at the airport about 2 hours before their flight (of several hours) leaves, so having a service half an hour earlier barely reduces the overall door to door journey time percentage-wise. It's not a justification for letting the tail wag the dog as has happened in the north with Manchester Airport.

Not sure how easily Cov - Brum can be four tracked - HS2 will provide some relief there though by getting some of the Eustons off that stretch, allowing it to be used for the stoppers and Cross Country services.

Is the attraction at International the NEC rather than the Airport perhaps? That would seem more of a draw for a direct service from the north east to me.

It's not easy, and certainly not cheap if done properly, but that doesn't mean it shouldn't be done. HS2 isn't going to be a panacea for the corridor because fundamentally, places like Coventry won't want to lose their fast services to London. So you will still need to path fast London services alongside (an increased number of) local stoppers.

 

[si404]

However, when HS2 opens, it is not known if the existing Newcastle - Reading will continue to operate in its existing form.

Nothing is going to change on XC northeast of Birmingham until later parts of XC open.

However, when HS2 opens it will presumably by very easy to provide a direct service from Newcastle to Birmingham Interchange, which will achieve much the same thing.

It's not about Newcastle to Birmingham Airport, but about linking Coventry to Derby with no-change services and enhancing stuff like Leamington-Airport and Oxford-Coventry.

Derby-Airport is useful though, and access to Airports always makes for attractive proposals. Politically they help justify stuff, but pragmatically, it's about Coventry rather than the Airport.

This will mean that the lovely Newcastle "expresses" (which I note XC states will not be restored until September at the earliest ) will no longer be "expresses".

Surely 'Newcastle' isn't the relevant bit, but more the 'non-stop to Leamington' bit?

Coventry-Birmingham needs to be four-tracked (or at the very least a couple of the station-to-station stretches should be) so that an intensive local service can be operated without jamming full long-distance services with local passengers.

The long-distance services are (and will remain) turn up and go (3 London, 1 XC becomes 2 of each). You are not going to attract many more people onto making Intercity journeys on the local service anymore than now just by increasing the local service, even if it's 6tph local trains between Coventry and Birmingham rather than the current 3tph - as is the aim of the same bodies (Midlands Connect, Network Rail's long term planning department, West Midlands Rail Executive) that have been proposing the XC reroute for some time now - purely because the intercity service is so good.

The cheaper way to deal with overcrowding on intercity trains between Birmingham and Coventry is longer trains on XC, with the benefits spread across the XC network, rather than focused on one area.

 

[Dr Day]

btw, Midlands Connect aren't a random "group" of campaigners, they are the government body with responsibility for developing transport projects in the Midlands. Hence their focus on improving (or at least maintaining post-HS2) connectivity within their region (as their name suggests), as well as out of it.

 

[David Goddard]

This has been coming up from time to time pretty much since the XCs started going via Solihull.
It will most likely make these trains busier between Birmingham and Coventry, a corridor which has plenty of trains already, but if the Reading train happens to be the "next service" then everyone will pile on it, even if there is a Pendolino five minutes later.

Travelling from Reading if we go to Birmingham for the day we normally try to take the Newcastle service both ways as it is quieter, plus you can use a nNetwork Daytripper from Leamington via Solihull on the Newcastle trains, but only from Coventry on the Manchesters!

 

[Ianno87]

This has been coming up from time to time pretty much since the XCs started going via Solihull.
It will most likely make these trains busier between Birmingham and Coventry, a corridor which has plenty of trains already, but if the Reading train happens to be the "next service" then everyone will pile on it, even if there is a Pendolino five minutes later.

Travelling from Reading if we go to Birmingham for the day we normally try to take the Newcastle service both ways as it is quieter, plus you can use a nNetwork Daytripper from Leamington via Solihull on the Newcastle trains, but only from Coventry on the Manchesters!

My impression is that it's not so much about adding to Birmingham-Coventy frequency, but giving Coventry/Intermational a half hourly link to Oxford, plus restoring direct links north to Derby/Yorkshire etc

 

[swt_passenger]

btw, Midlands Connect aren't a random "group" of campaigners, they are the government body with responsibility for developing transport projects in the Midlands. Hence their focus on improving (or at least maintaining post-HS2) connectivity within their region (as their name suggests), as well as out of it.

That’s what puzzled me a bit about the modified thread title, which is sort of implying “who are they“...

 

[JamesT]

Really? An hourly service is plenty good enough for the majority of the population that go to the airport once a year. From Oxford, Heathrow or Gatwick (even Luton, if driving) would be much more logical airport options than Birmingham given the paucity of destinations on offer at the latter. Access to Heathrow will be much easier once the Western Access is built, though I wouldn't make any bets on whether that or HS2 (to OOC) is completed first.

I am all for good links to airports but there is really no need for more than an hourly service from most places to as small an airport as Birmingham.

People tend to plan to arrive at the airport about 2 hours before their flight (of several hours) leaves, so having a service half an hour earlier barely reduces the overall door to door journey time percentage-wise. It's not a justification for letting the tail wag the dog as has happened in the north with Manchester Airport.

Birmingham had a reasonably good selection of destinations, though Flybe’s demise will have hit it somewhat. Heathrow is a logical choice, but also attracts a premium on the airlines that run out of there. The last time I had to fly on business I was asked to choose anywhere but Heathrow that was convenient.

Gatwick is 2.5 hours from Oxford either on a coach or changing on a train, Luton is 1.44 at its fastest on a coach. Birmingham is a direct train in around an hour. Aiming for the train to get you to the airport 2 hours before is reasonable, but if you miss it, you’re now looking at being at the airport only an hour before, which can get stressful. Whereas if you’ve only got the penalty of half an hour till the next train that becomes much more comfortable for using the train.

 

[Ianno87]

Birmingham had a reasonably good selection of destinations, though Flybe’s demise will have hit it somewhat. Heathrow is a logical choice, but also attracts a premium on the airlines that run out of there. The last time I had to fly on business I was asked to choose anywhere but Heathrow that was convenient.

Gatwick is 2.5 hours from Oxford either on a coach or changing on a train, Luton is 1.44 at its fastest on a coach. Birmingham is a direct train in around an hour. Aiming for the train to get you to the airport 2 hours before is reasonable, but if you miss it, you’re now looking at being at the airport only an hour before, which can get stressful. Whereas if you’ve only got the penalty of half an hour till the next train that becomes much more comfortable for using the train.

Not just the Airport, but the NEC and Coventry are equally targets for half-hourly links too.

 

[BrianW]

That’s what puzzled me a bit about the modified thread title, which is sort of implying “who are they“...

I'm with swt-passenger, and he's a Veteran with 22.545 messages to his credit. How are we supposed to know or work out who these people like 'Midland Connect' are. It's the same with the self-styled English Economic Heartland. It kind of suggests 'Regions' that don't exist, 'served' by crayonists paid for by you and me. It's a logo looking for a purpose.

 

[Dr Day]

Straying off-topic, but the Rest of England does struggle for regional identities so not a particularly easy job to come up with a good name. These new Sub-national transport bodies are responsible for planning all modes of transport, not just rail, so the traditional radial Western/LNWR/Eastern type railway routes/regions don't really fit. And these bodies could well be the ones specifying franchises/concessions and how future investment on enhancing railway infrastructure is prioritised, so may end up being be a bit more than a

logo looking for a purpose.

 

[A0wen]

Not sure how easily Cov - Brum can be four tracked

Somewhere between difficult and almost impossible.

Nearly all the intermediate stations would need to be rebuilt. Approach to Cov probably impossible with alot being spent, there's a short tunnel between Cov & Int'l.

It may be possible to 4 track some of it more easily, but would partial 4 tracking provide the necessary capacity?

 

[Bald Rick]

An extra two tracks between Berkswell and Birmingham are actually under construction....

As others have said, this is the “Birmingham International Connectivity Project”, and is specifically to improve connections between Oxford / Banbury Etc to Coventry and International; and to a lesser extent services from Derby / Sheffield. The research done clearly demonstrates there would be extra demand generated through this improved connectivity. Particularly in the context of the increased importance of Birmingham Airport post HS2, from when it will have a more frequent and quicker service from central London than Stansted.

 

[BrianW]

Straying off-topic, but the Rest of England does struggle for regional identities so not a particularly easy job to come up with a good name. These new Sub-national transport bodies are responsible for planning all modes of transport, not just rail, so the traditional radial Western/LNWR/Eastern type railway routes/regions don't really fit. And these bodies could well be the ones specifying franchises/concessions and how future investment on enhancing railway infrastructure is prioritised, so may end up being be a bit more than a

Midlands Engine Rail plans to provide step change in connectivity to Coventry and Birmingham International railway stations

www.midlandsconnect.uk

The Leadership Team

www.midlandsconnect.uk

Sub-national transport body - Wikipedia

en.wikipedia.org

So there you have it.

 

[class26]

An extra two tracks between Berkswell and Birmingham are actually under construction....

As others have said, this is the “Birmingham International Connectivity Project”, and is specifically to improve connections between Oxford / Banbury Etc to Coventry and International; and to a lesser extent services from Derby / Sheffield. The research done clearly demonstrates there would be extra demand generated through this improved connectivity. Particularly in the context of the increased importance of Birmingham Airport post HS2, from when it will have a more frequent and quicker service from central London than Stansted.

and it`s worth pointing out that Birmingham airport will be technically in London zone 6 come HS2 going by journey time.

 

[Bald Rick]

and it`s worth pointing out that Birmingham airport will be technically in London zone 6 come HS2 going by journey time.

Excellent. Will to be on Oyster?

 

[The Planner]

I will drag this one out from my PC clipboard again, the original plans for 4 tracking the Cov corridor only went from Stechford to Beechwood tunnel, not the whole way.

 

[swt_passenger]

I'm with swt-passenger, and he's a Veteran with 22.545 messages to his credit. How are we supposed to know or work out who these people like 'Midland Connect' are. It's the same with the self-styled English Economic Heartland. It kind of suggests 'Regions' that don't exist, 'served' by crayonists paid for by you and me. It's a logo looking for a purpose.

I was meaning the exact opposite. Midlands Connect IS an already known official body, there should be no need to include “A group called” in the title.

 

[Ianno87]

An extra two tracks between Berkswell and Birmingham are actually under construction....

As others have said, this is the “Birmingham International Connectivity Project”, and is specifically to improve connections between Oxford / Banbury Etc to Coventry and International; and to a lesser extent services from Derby / Sheffield. The research done clearly demonstrates there would be extra demand generated through this improved connectivity. Particularly in the context of the increased importance of Birmingham Airport post HS2, from when it will have a more frequent and quicker service from central London than Stansted.

I could imagine journeys like Oxford > Birmingham International/Interchange > HS2 > Leeds/York/Newcastle being popular.

 

[class26]

Excellent. Will to be on Oyster?

I did say "technically" !!! That`s travel time