Chiltern Mk3s on which services.

[Peter Sarf]

I have had a look and cannot find an existing thread on the subject since 2022.

How can I tell which services are planned to use Mark3 coaches and 68s ?.

I am hoping to take the Granddaughter to Birmingham from London. Probably a weekday but maybe the Saturday or Sunday.
Will be during her half term - Sunday 23/02/2025 to Saturday 01/03/2025.

@CyrusWuff
Everywhere I look it is you answering so I better mention you !. Pleeeeeze.

 

[hexagon789]

I believe the Class 68 website has the current diagrams up, but perhaps someone can confirm if they are still accurate since the December timetable change.

 

[Bletchleyite]

While it's not guaranteed correct, looking at what a given train is timed for on Realtime Trains is usually correct for Chiltern, and you can confirm for certain on the day as they show actual allocations.

 

[Peter Sarf]

I believe the Class 68 website has the current diagrams up, but perhaps someone can confirm if they are still accurate since the December timetable change.

Thanks. I see it might be updated for 2024. I note a London to Birmingham in the late morning followed but a return at the end of the day looks tricky !.

While it's not guaranteed correct, looking at what a given train is timed for on Realtime Trains is usually correct for Chiltern, and you can confirm for certain on the day as they show actual allocations.

Thanks. i will look into that. Could corroborate by looking at allocations for last week.

Hoping to book in the sale which i think is starting tomorrow.
Otherwise I will chicken out and go by LNWR.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I should note that 165 and 168 do swap around - but if it says "diesel locomotive" on RTT it usually is, bar a last minute swap due to a failure or lack of guard.

 

[CyrusWuff]

Pretty sure the Mk3 diagrams are unchanged from the June 2024 timetable, though they're not in the Frequently requested diagrams thread at present.

 

[Peter Sarf]

I should note that 165 and 168 do swap around - but if it says "diesel locomotive" on RTT it usually is, bar a last minute swap due to a failure or lack of guard.

I have also realised that they would be 6car so an RTT search all day at Marylebone should make them easier to spot.
That assumes they are all 6car ?.
I have searched for Chiltern at Birmingham Moor Street last Wednesday as there is less chaff there than at Marylebone !.
Any 6car class 168 formations would be easy to rule out.

Pretty sure the Mk3 diagrams are unchanged from the June 2024 timetable, though they're not in the Frequently requested diagrams thread at present.

Thanks. On first impressions it does look similar or same now to what the Class 68 website has for 2024.

 

[LittleRedTrain]

I have also realised that they would be 6car so an RTT search all day at Marylebone should make them easier to spot.
That assumes they are all 6car ?.

Usually 6 car, but it's not unknown for at least one set to be running around as a 5 car when they've had to take a coach out for maintenance, so not 100% guaranteed.

 

[Bigchris]

Weekdays should be the 09:02 and 10:02 Marylebone-Birmingham Moor St, and they return back from Moor St-Marylebone at 11:45 and 12:45 so you'd probably have to get a unit back to London. On a Saturday it's 12:02 off Marylebone and it returns from Moor St at 14:43 so not ideal as you'd get to Birmingham quite late in the afternoon. Looks like they're your only options for the times you're looking at I'm afraid.

 

[Peter Sarf]

Weekdays should be the 09:02 and 10:02 Marylebone-Birmingham Moor St, and they return back from Moor St-Marylebone at 11:45 and 12:45 so you'd probably have to get a unit back to London. On a Saturday it's 12:02 off Marylebone and it returns from Moor St at 14:43 so not ideal as you'd get to Birmingham quite late in the afternoon. Looks like they're your only options for the times you're looking at I'm afraid.

Thanks. Does look easier if I was living at the other end !.

Usually 6 car, but it's not unknown for at least one set to be running around as a 5 car when they've had to take a coach out for maintenance, so not 100% guaranteed.

Thanks - that was the sort of snag I feared !.

 

[Budge1980]

Are Chiltern using more of their loco stock (and stock generally) at the weekend at the moment? We are seeing 7 car 168 formations on a Saturday which feels unusual and lots of 5-6 car formations of 165/168 units as well. I’m used to 3 or 4 cars with the very occasional 2, 5 and 6.

Put a Chiltern mainline station into realtraintimes today like Hdm and see very few 3 car offerings, one of which I was actually on. The Saturday 10:00-11:00 rush at Haddenham for London seems to have been sorted by an extra service from Banbury. Hence my 10:20 arrival I could exit from without the doors been blocked by those desperate to board because the previous service from Stourbridge had no space to board. A bit fortunate given the Stourbridge service was delayed.

All in all seems a massively better offering on a Saturday now with more carriages to deal with demand than before the December change.

 

[OliverH68]

Are Chiltern using more of their loco stock (and stock generally) at the weekend at the moment? We are seeing 7 car 168 formations on a Saturday which feels unusual and lots of 5-6 car formations of 165/168 units as well. I’m used to 3 or 4 cars with the very occasional 2, 5 and 6.

Put a Chiltern mainline station into realtraintimes today like Hdm and see very few 3 car offerings, one of which I was actually on. The Saturday 10:00-11:00 rush at Haddenham for London seems to have been sorted by an extra service from Banbury. Hence my 10:20 arrival I could exit from without the doors been blocked by those desperate to board because the previous service from Stourbridge had no space to board. A bit fortunate given the Stourbridge service was delayed.

All in all seems a massively better offering on a Saturday now with more carriages to deal with demand than before the December change.

No uplift in loco services for the last few TTs. The extra train from Banbury on Saturdays seems to be a weekly addition by Control for what has been ongoing for some time now by converting what is an empty stock move path into a passenger one instead. It has been operated by 68s occasionally but mainly operated with units.

 

[12LDA28C]

Are Chiltern using more of their loco stock (and stock generally) at the weekend at the moment? We are seeing 7 car 168 formations on a Saturday which feels unusual and lots of 5-6 car formations of 165/168 units as well. I’m used to 3 or 4 cars with the very occasional 2, 5 and 6.

Put a Chiltern mainline station into realtraintimes today like Hdm and see very few 3 car offerings, one of which I was actually on. The Saturday 10:00-11:00 rush at Haddenham for London seems to have been sorted by an extra service from Banbury. Hence my 10:20 arrival I could exit from without the doors been blocked by those desperate to board because the previous service from Stourbridge had no space to board. A bit fortunate given the Stourbridge service was delayed.

All in all seems a massively better offering on a Saturday now with more carriages to deal with demand than before the December change.

The Met line service wasn’t running over the weekend due to a planned line block so no doubt Main Line services were strengthened to compensate for more people using that route which probably helped.