Chiltern Class 68 diagrams

[jhy44]

Hi all,

I note the previous thread on this topic is closed to new replies.

I can’t seem to see any notes in the Chiltern Timetable to note which services are run by the Mainline-branded Class 68s.

I’m usually relatively flexible when I can travel from Marylebone to Birmingham and would rather opt for one of those services given the far-superior comfort.

Any info that anyone has would be most appreciated.

 

[sharpinf]

http://www.railtourinfo.co.uk/locohauled8.html

This gives the planned workings until May timetable change

 

[HST43257]

Any news on diagrams from May and end of service with Chiltern?

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Any news on diagrams from May and end of service with Chiltern?

Diagrams are reported to remain the same in the May timetable change.

 

[david1212]

Does anyone know if the 68+LHCS sets have continued to be used the last couple of days after the Commonwealth Games ended ?
Given the reduced Avanti service logically Chiltern will be busier while running 168's on the diagrams will mean ' sweating the assets ' e.g. shorter formations, lack of cover for failures.

 

[warwickshire]

December 2022. Update from a few very reliable sources of mine from the December 2022 timetable change due to demand and the Oxford closure next year and the demand for more carriages on the London Marylebone to Birmingham Moor Street corridor the.
1818 1T54 London Marylebone to Oxford 68 Hauled service will come to a end. With it remaining on the London Marylebone to Birmingham Moor street and Kidderminsters. With x3 diagrams on those circuits instead.
However from December 2022 timetable change their will be a 3rd class 68 on a London Marylebone to Birmingham Moor street service in the peak evening rather than it going to Oxford. However for locomotive Hauled class 68 London to Oxford .
Get it in now. But due to daylight sadly diminishing when it runs it will be in the dark though.

 

[NLC1072]

Anybody know whether they still have the business zones, and whether they are open and declassified? Thanks.

 

[sammyg901]

Based on my observations just now they're open and declassified! Saw the 1818 Oxford go, 30% full at best and this is a Wednesday so a busier day. I don't know why they don't add in at least 1 or 2 stops, the following 1821 service was full and standing which is pretty rare for a weekday peak Chiltern these days

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Based on my observations just now they're open and declassified! Saw the 1818 Oxford go, 30% full at best and this is a Wednesday so a busier day. I don't know why they don't add in at least 1 or 2 stops, the following 1821 service was full and standing which is pretty rare for a weekday peak Chiltern these days

That’s why the hauled set on the 18.18 Oxford is going to be moved onto a busier train from December to better match capacity to demand.

 

[87015]

On the 1818 and its two to a bay in the front coach atm which is basically pre-covid for it. The 4-car DMU will be fun from December, the 1715 Birmingham being a DMU is also a brave move.

Its down to losing the route knowledge to Hinksey and they can't turn hauled sets in the platforms rather than loadings.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

On the 1818 and its two to a bay in the front coach atm which is basically pre-covid for it. The 4-car DMU will be fun from December, the 1715 Birmingham being a DMU is also a brave move.

Its down to losing the route knowledge to Hinksey and they can't turn hauled sets in the platforms rather than loadings.

Two to a bay is very low loadings for a peak train - 50% on 2+2 seated stock, this isn’t some high density 2+3 stock with debate about use of the middle seat.

Sounds like a 4 car DMU will perfectly match the capacity to the required demand which is the perfect answer at this time of managing cost. Everyone gets a seat still and the train is a bit cheaper to operate. A Win Win solution.

 

[87015]

Its a straight swap with the 4-car cart off the more lightly loaded 1647 Birmingham as I understand it, so very little in it cost wise overall on that score. I presume dropping Hinksey saves a bit by tightening turnarounds, but does lock the Oxford into 5(?) car max forever.

If the Risboro commuter - which is down the aisles - remains then overall hauled use will increase as be four sets out in the mornings.

 

[sammyg901]

The changes are indeed showing in RTT, 1646 is 68 hauled through to Kidderminster. The 1818 is downgraded to a class 165 75mph path with an additional stop at Haddenham and Thame Parkway which combined does add 9 minutes to the journey time to Bicester Village which is unfortunate!

Its a straight swap with the 4-car cart off the more lightly loaded 1647 Birmingham as I understand it, so very little in it cost wise overall on that score. I presume dropping Hinksey saves a bit by tightening turnarounds, but does lock the Oxford into 5(?) car max forever.

If the Risboro commuter - which is down the aisles - remains then overall hauled use will increase as be four sets out in the mornings.

Not many weekday Chiltern unit operated services run as more than 5 car these days. 5 is fine for Oxford as long as intermediate stops are minimised on busier services. 1Y10 0642 Oxford - Marybone was 6 car 168 today though so no problem there

 

[NLC1072]

Based on my observations just now they're open and declassified! Saw the 1818 Oxford go, 30% full at best and this is a Wednesday so a busier day. I don't know why they don't add in at least 1 or 2 stops, the following 1821 service was full and standing which is pretty rare for a weekday peak Chiltern these days

Thank you very much! Have booked an advance ticket for £6.40 MYB to BMO on the 12:10, so I'll make sure to grab a seat in there!

 

[Vanmanyo]

Thank you very much! Have booked an advance ticket for £6.40 MYB to BMO on the 12:10, so I'll make sure to grab a seat in there!

I'm on 68013 now, they are declassified ad a always empty! Many people don't realise they are declassified and think you have to pay. Peak time services leaving London are always funnily quiet in business zone and full in 'standard class'.

 

[Kite159]

I'm on 68013 now, they are declassified ad a always empty! Many people don't realise they are declassified and think you have to pay. Peak time services leaving London are always funnily quiet in business zone and full in 'standard class'.

It's a bit like the rear FC area on a 700, those with knowledge know it's declassified. If word got out more people will use the nicer seats in the former business zone, rather than the IC70 seats in standard class.

Although for some it will be a hard choice between sitting in the more comfortable business class coach or sitting close to the loco to hear it working hard

 

[Alanko]

Is there a former Chilterns 68 knocking about at the moment without any livery or markings? I saw a video on Instagram today of what appeared to be a completely white 68 on an engineering train.

 

[STKKK46]

I'm on 68013 now, they are declassified ad a always empty! Many people don't realise they are declassified and think you have to pay. Peak time services leaving London are always funnily quiet in business zone and full in 'standard class'.

Keep it as hush as you can

Very much enjoying using these trains at the moment.

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Keep it as hush as you can

Very much enjoying using these trains at the moment.

Having a coach running around empty really isn’t good for the railways especially if people are standing elsewhere on the train for no good reason.

 

[Vanmanyo]

Having a coach running around empty really isn’t good for the railways especially if people are standing elsewhere on the train for no good reason.

As much as I agree, being in a coach by yourself is also fun, although when i went home on the same 68 business zone was full and standing along with the rest of the train

 

[xotGD]

Why would anyone want to travel in the coach furthest from the 68? The prime seats are at the other end of the train!

 

[STKKK46]

Having a coach running around empty really isn’t good for the railways especially if people are standing elsewhere on the train for no good reason.

Point being it isn’t empty but I can always get a seat. I like the choice. It was said in jest.

 

[12LDA28C]

Big shake-up of the 68-hauled services happening from the December timetable change, mostly in the morning and evening peaks in an attempt to reduce overcrowding on busier trains.

 

[TrainTrackJack]

Big shake-up of the 68-hauled services happening from the December timetable change, mostly in the morning and evening peaks in an attempt to reduce overcrowding on busier trains.

This is what I've worked out so far (Mondays - Fridays). Cant find a 3rd diagram as of yet.... Down to 2 a day?

5J17 0610 Stourbridge Jn CS - Stourbridge Jn
1H17 0641 Stourbridge Jn - Marylebone
1R91 1010 Marylebone - Moor St
1H45 1255 Moor St - Marylebone
1K48 1646 Marylebone - Kidderminster
5J48 1926 Kidderminster - Stourbridge Jn CS


5R14 0556 Stourbridge Jn CS - Moor St
1H14 0630 Moor St - Marylebone
5E17 0905 Marylebone - Wembley
5F30 1122 Wembley - Marylebone
1R93 1210 Marylebone - Moor St
1H53 1455 Moor St - Marylebone
1K52 1746 Marylebone - Kidderminster
5J52 2026 Kidderminster - Stourbridge Jn CS

 

[HamworthyGoods]

Monday to Friday Diagrams:

The changes compared to current timetable is the evening Birmingham trains have been moved from the Express to Banbury departures to the ones which call at Haddenham and Bicester to better suit capacity to demand and the other change is the 3rd diagram has no booked work now the Oxford working is a DMU as part of some cost efficiencies.

Diagram 1

5P08 06+46 Wembley LMD - Princes Risborough
1H12 07.40 Princes Risborough - Marylebone
5E15 08+50 Marylebone - Wembley LMD
5F30 11+22 Wembley - Marylebone
1R93 12.10 Marylebone - Moor St
1H53 14.55 Moor St - Marylebone
1K52 17.46 Marylebone - Kidderminster
5J52 20+26 Kidderminster - Stourbridge Jn CS

Diagram 2

5J17 06+10 Stourbridge Jn CS - Stourbridge Jn
1H17 06.41 Stourbridge Jn - Marylebone
1R91 10.10 Marylebone - Moor St
1H45 12.55 Moor St - Marylebone
1K48 16.46 Marylebone - Kidderminster
5J48 19+26 Kidderminster - Stourbridge Jn CS

Diagram 3

5R14 05+56 Stourbridge Jn CS - Moor St
1H14 06.30 Moor St - Marylebone
5E17 09+05 Marylebone - Wembley

 

[sammyg901]

Along with an extra stop in the 18.18 Oxford (now DMU) vs having to take the 18.21 stopping train this is quite a nice set of improvements for Haddenham & Thame commuters as the 06.30 Moor St is a key commuter service from there also and is also now hauled set vs 4-car 168 (and is one often complained about on Twitter as being overcrowded)

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Although for some it will be a hard choice between sitting in the more comfortable business class coach or sitting close to the loco to hear it working hard

Crazy that some actually want to hear that racket. I'd take the peaceful option any day even if it meant the less pleasant seats. In these circumstances I'd be lucky and have both.

 

[12LDA28C]

This is what I've worked out so far (Mondays - Fridays). Cant find a 3rd diagram as of yet.... Down to 2 a day?

5J17 0610 Stourbridge Jn CS - Stourbridge Jn
1H17 0641 Stourbridge Jn - Marylebone
1R91 1010 Marylebone - Moor St
1H45 1255 Moor St - Marylebone
1K48 1646 Marylebone - Kidderminster
5J48 1926 Kidderminster - Stourbridge Jn CS


5R14 0556 Stourbridge Jn CS - Moor St
1H14 0630 Moor St - Marylebone
5E17 0905 Marylebone - Wembley
5F30 1122 Wembley - Marylebone
1R93 1210 Marylebone - Moor St
1H53 1455 Moor St - Marylebone
1K52 1746 Marylebone - Kidderminster
5J52 2026 Kidderminster - Stourbridge Jn CS

Chiltern need all the stock they can get, unlikely to see any reduction in the number of loco-hauled turns until the earliest opportunity to dispense with the 68s which is now May 2024. I'm sure the LHCS sets would be used more, if Chiltern were allowed, which they're not.

Crazy that some actually want to hear that racket. I'd take the peaceful option any day even if it meant the less pleasant seats. In these circumstances I'd be lucky and have both.

You're clearly not a 'basher' then if you don't like to hear the sound of a loco working? Most people I know who rate the 68s do so precisely because they do make a bit of noise.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

You're clearly not a 'basher' then

Absolutely am not.

 

[sammyg901]

Chiltern need all the stock they can get, unlikely to see any reduction in the number of loco-hauled turns until the earliest opportunity to dispense with the 68s which is now May 2024. I'm sure the LHCS sets would be used more, if Chiltern were allowed, which they're not.

It's a bit of a mixed bag - I'm mainly using the Aylesbury via Amersham services during the week and they're not full by any means even on Tues/Weds/Thurs, especially the fast services. You could definately take a coach out of some of these or even reduce these trains and shift some passengers back to the Met which similarly don't look too busy when I pass them

It's actually the weekend services that I find to be the most crowded - there were some 8 car services operating on Saturday & that'll only get worse up to Christmas