CrossCountry diversionary route (Stafford > Birmingham New St.)

[Jimini]

Hi all,

Quick q: Due to some issues at Stafford earlier, it looks like this XC service was diverted between Stafford and New St.:

Realtime Trains | 1O10 0825 Manchester Piccadilly to Bournemouth | 11/03/2025

Real-time train running information for 1O10 0825 departure from Manchester Piccadilly to Bournemouth on 11/03/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Would it have gone down to Rugeley and then via. Walsall? I'm not familiar with what contingency routes XC can / do take in this area.

Thanks!

Jim.

 

[IrishDave]

Hi all,

Quick q: Due to some issues at Stafford earlier, it looks like this XC service was diverted between Stafford and New St.:

Realtime Trains | 1O10 0825 Manchester Piccadilly to Bournemouth | 11/03/2025

Real-time train running information for 1O10 0825 departure from Manchester Piccadilly to Bournemouth on 11/03/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Would it have gone down to Rugeley and then via. Walsall? I'm not familiar with what contingency routes XC can / do take in this area.

Thanks!

Jim.

Almost certainly that will have run up the Trent Valley to Nuneaton, reversed, and proceeded onwards to Birmingham via Water Orton. That's a fairly standard diversionary route for XC, which at least some crews at both Manchester and Birmingham sign. Admittedly it's been a while since I've seen them do it on a planned basis (e.g. for weekend engineering works), but they definitely have done so in the past.

Neither XC nor Avanti sign the route between Walsall and Rugeley, as far as I know.

 

[TheBigD]

It went via Nuneaton (arr 1015, dep 1017)

 

[barbette165]

Also, the line between Walsall and Birmingham was blocked this morning, so wouldn’t have been available anyway.

 

[Jimini]

Thank you all! As an aside, I can't help up notice all three of you that replied sit in the same camp as I do (been a member on here for 15+ years but have a low post count!). Thanks again for confirming

 

[M60lad]

Out of interest do XC still sign Stoke-Rugeley-Stafford? I know this involves 2 reversals but I know in the past it was used due to engineering works.

 

[The Planner]

Out of interest do XC still sign Stoke-Rugeley-Stafford? I know this involves 2 reversals but I know in the past it was used due to engineering works.

Very much doubt they sign Hixon. As noted above, doing the Trent Valley as a planned diversion doesn't happen.

 

[Minilad]

Very much doubt they sign Hixon. As noted above, doing the Trent Valley as a planned diversion doesn't happen.

Any XC crew that sign via the Trent Valley also sign via Hixon as part of the route learning package. Some may have lapsed but they all sign both routes at the same time

 

[The Planner]

Any XC crew that sign via the Trent Valley also sign via Hixon as part of the route learning package. Some may have lapsed but they all sign both routes at the same time

There clearly can't be many of them then.

 

[Minilad]

There clearly can't be many of them then.

Not sure about Manchester but Birmingham, where I am, probably around 25-30 drivers sign the Trent

 

[The Planner]

Not sure about Manchester but Birmingham, where I am, probably around 25-30 drivers sign the Trent

Interesting, wonder why they won't consider it for planned diversions.

 

[Minilad]

Interesting, wonder why they won't consider it for planned diversions.

I imagine they don't want to lose the Stafford stop. Combined with the risk of not being able to cover the jobs, especially on Sundays

 

[The Planner]

I imagine they don't want to lose the Stafford stop. Combined with the risk of not being able to cover the jobs, especially on Sundays

Normally if a block is planned north of Wolves to Stafford/Norton Bridge, the whole lot to Manchester goes.

 

[gg1]

Neither XC nor Avanti sign the route between Walsall and Rugeley, as far as I know.

What's the reasoning behind that? It's a much shorter route than via Nuneaton if the Stour Valley is blocked and removes the need for a reversal.

 

[jfollows]

I’ve also done Nuneaton-Coventry in the past which was amusing because passengers for Birmingham were told to change at Tamworth, but seemingly nobody thought to tell the driver because we sailed through the platform road without stopping. I think before WCML upgrades so a long time ago for sure, but I was happy because we were hardly late in Oxford.

 

[The Planner]

What's the reasoning behind that? It's a much shorter route than via Nuneaton if the Stour Valley is blocked and removes the need for a reversal.

Cost

 

[Class 170101]

What's the reasoning behind that? It's a much shorter route than via Nuneaton if the Stour Valley is blocked and removes the need for a reversal.

Also all stopper trains via this route so you are bound to be stuck behind one of them. So the route via Nuneaton is probably quicker.

 

[Class15]

Also all stopper trains via this route so you are bound to be stuck behind one of them. So the route via Nuneaton is probably quicker.

No you’re not. The stopping service is every 30 minutes. I can’t see how Nuneaton even gets close.

 

[The Planner]

No you’re not. The stopping service is every 30 minutes. I can’t see how Nuneaton even gets close.

There are two Walsall terminators as well. Nuneaton is about 25 with a clear run, reverse and 15 ish to Rugeley. Call it 45 minutes.It would probably be about 35 at best via the Chase.

 

[Mugby]

Isn't there a West to North curve from Abbey Junction at Nuneaton? I'm sure I've seen some freight creeing along in a northerly direction.

Must admit though, I'd love to be on an XC service climbing up Cannock Chase from Rugeley towards Hednesford!

 

[Class15]

Isn't there a West to North curve from Abbey Junction at Nuneaton? I'm sure I've seen some freight creeing along in a northerly direction.

Not quite. There is one that faces West to South that is north of the station.

 

[The Planner]

Not quite. There is one that faces West to South that is north of the station.

There is the Nuneaton north chord that gets you down from the west on to slow line at Canal Farm Jn.