London Midland TRIPLE frequency of services between Birmingham and London Euston

[All Line Rover]

I believe this has already been mentioned, but not in depth, so here goes...

http://www.londonmidland.com/tickets-and-fares/birmingham-to-london-every-20-minutes/

London Midland are to TRIPLE the frequency of their Birmingham to London services from 4th September 2011, with one service every 20 minutes instead of the current hourly service. Basically it will be just as frequent as Virgin!

Journey times will also be significantly improved. Journeys will be up to 20 minutes quicker compared to now, with at least one service per hour taking just over 2 hours - only 40 minutes slower than Virgin.

Overall this excellent news for people living in the West Midlands, excellent news for people who hate Pendolino's, excellent news for people who love Desiro's, excellent news for people who are strapped for cash, and is some healthy competition for Virgin. The only downside is that the Super Off-Peak return ticket will go up from £18 to £19, but that's not really a massive increase!

 

[SS4]

Good news. I wonder if they'll reduce the dwell time at NMP?

That being said 40mins is still about half the journey time on virgin

 

[All Line Rover]

That being said 40mins is still about half the journey time on virgin

Let's put it another way. Is it worth paying DOUBLE just to save 1h 20m of your time (for a return journey)?

 

[NightatLaira]

I wonder how Virgin will fight back? Or if they'll fight back?

More non-stop Euston to Birmingham trains? Greater FC provision? Cheaper Fares? Or just admit defeat on the West Mids and plough their resources into the North West and Scotland?

 

[tony_mac]

So they will be joining the Crewe and Birmingham trains together at Northampton, still a reasonably long wait there (up to 17 minutes).

 

[317 forever]

They have been inspired by Chiltern Rail, whose Birmingham- London Marylebone will be accelerated that week.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Only 2tph northbound though, isn't there?

 

[tony_mac]

As far as I can see there is an additional hourly service from 09:13 to 15:13, the trains join at Northampton but keep the same timings, and nothing else has changed at all.

While that's obviously a good thing, I think the hyperbole is a little unwarranted!

 

[All Line Rover]

Only 2tph northbound though, isn't there?

I get the impression that the 3rd service has not been timetabled into the journey planners yet.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

I get the impression that the 3rd service has not been timetabled into the journey planners yet.

I'm fairly certain one train runs to Northampton only northbound...

 

[tdg1986]

Hasn't the Crewe train always joined another at Northampton or am I imaging it from when I used to use it?

If so is this just an extension of the second part so that it runs between Birmingham and Northampton rather than waiting for the Crewe part at Northampton?

 

[Mojo]

Hasn't the Crewe train always joined another at Northampton or am I imaging it from when I used to use it?

This presently only happens on Saturdays once per hour in each direction.

 

[tbtc]

I wonder how Virgin will fight back? Or if they'll fight back?

More non-stop Euston to Birmingham trains? Greater FC provision? Cheaper Fares? Or just admit defeat on the West Mids and plough their resources into the North West and Scotland?

I doubt they'll "admit defeat" because of this...

 

[dk1]

Let's put it another way. Is it worth paying DOUBLE just to save 1h 20m of your time (for a return journey)?

Probs not if its coming out of your own pocket & not in any hurry. However if its business & the company is paying then its the fastest & least restrictive every time.

 

[swt_passenger]

I get the impression that the 3rd service has not been timetabled into the journey planners yet.

In the earlier thread it was pointed out that the 'third service' gets overtaken at Northampton, so I expect it won't normally be shown in planners by default

 

[All Line Rover]

In the earlier thread it was pointed out that the 'third service' gets overtaken at Northampton, so I expect it won't normally be shown in planners by default

I'm talking about the WebTIS journey planner here.

 

[Dreadnought]

I believe this has already been mentioned, but not in depth, so here goes...

http://www.londonmidland.com/tickets-and-fares/birmingham-to-london-every-20-minutes/

London Midland are to TRIPLE the frequency of their Birmingham to London services from 4th September 2011, with one service every 20 minutes instead of the current hourly service. Basically it will be just as frequent as Virgin!

Journey times will also be significantly improved. Journeys will be up to 20 minutes quicker compared to now, with at least one service per hour taking just over 2 hours - only 40 minutes slower than Virgin.

Overall this excellent news for people living in the West Midlands, excellent news for people who hate Pendolino's, excellent news for people who love Desiro's, excellent news for people who are strapped for cash, and is some healthy competition for Virgin. The only downside is that the Super Off-Peak return ticket will go up from £18 to £19, but that's not really a massive increase!

I posted on the other thread about this that I think it is more London centric rubbish. If you want to travel to certain intermediate stations there is still no improvement in service. Not everybody always wants to go to London!!

I travel Rugby - Watford regularly on Saturdays and this so called enhanced service has absolutely no impact on the journeys I will make! It is bad enough catching the limited stop xx:20 with its 10+ mins layover at NMP so no chance of getting the xx:32 all stations 12 mins behind it!

Personally I think desiros are not all they are cracked up to be especially the 350/2s which are awful!

 

[gingerheid]

Is it not really more competition for Chiltern rather than Virgin?

 

[tbtc]

Is it not really more competition for Chiltern rather than Virgin?

I think you are right.

The majority of people will always go for the fastest service/ longest trains (Virgin win both hands down).

Chiltern and LM are competing for the bargain conscious (along with National Express coaches, Megabus etc), they'll obviously pick up a few people doing this (as the market is huge), but it'll be more of a fight between the "cheaper" alternatives than really hitting Virgin's profits.

 

[knight2004]

I actually think the tickets are a bargain with LM in some cases
6 pounds for a longer journey doesn't bother me, o.k. so i've got no plug socket or might be stuck on a commuter 3+2 train but its a bargain and the is often enough space to relax as the off peak trains are not so bad the additional trains must definately mean better prices and also more space
question- where will the stock come from for these extra trains?

 

[Greeby]

I posted on the other thread about this that I think it is more London centric rubbish. If you want to travel to certain intermediate stations there is still no improvement in service. Not everybody always wants to go to London!!

I travel Rugby - Watford regularly on Saturdays and this so called enhanced service has absolutely no impact on the journeys I will make! It is bad enough catching the limited stop xx:20 with its 10+ mins layover at NMP so no chance of getting the xx:32 all stations 12 mins behind it!

Personally I think desiros are not all they are cracked up to be especially the 350/2s which are awful!

Really? Well, bring them to my window, because it seems like the whole of Milton Keynes has forgotten that there is an actual country out there besides London

 

[gingerheid]

Well...

When going to Scotland I'd travel to Milton Keynes by bus and then to Glasgow by train if there were more direct trains.

But there aren't, so I tend to go via London...

 

[DarloRich]

Let's put it another way. Is it worth paying DOUBLE just to save 1h 20m of your time (for a return journey)?

it depends if you are paying a full open adult fare out of your own pocket or if it is on the company.

Are they just going to extend one/some of the Northampton trains to Birmingham?

Are there paths available to enable this to happen?

 

[sonorguy]

Let's put it another way. Is it worth paying DOUBLE just to save 1h 20m of your time (for a return journey)?

I use trains solely for business and the answer to your question is yes, undoubtedly, every single time.

Leisure travellers may feel differently but the business community look for fastest with most sensible arrival times and cost is in general a secondary consideration (though still important).

 

[All Line Rover]

I use trains solely for business and the answer to your question is yes, undoubtedly, every single time.

Leisure travellers may feel differently but the business community look for fastest with most sensible arrival times and cost is in general a secondary consideration (though still important).

So Virgin have nothing to fear!

 

[scotsman]

I'd book advances if I was travelling from Brummy to London anyway

 

[Minilad]

Will be more interesting to see the effect the speeding up of Chiltern services have on Virgin. Personally I would use Chiltern over Virgin if travelling to London anyway as I hate Pendolinos but once the travelling public realise its only about 20 mins longer more comfortable and much cheaper then who knows how many will switch

 

[WestCoast]

I also think it will affect Chiltern more than Virgin. On a business-orientated route such as this, there is always going to be a band of travellers that place a great importance on journey times.

Still, a heck of a competitive route, great for travellers on a budget:

Virgin - offering megatrain and advances off-peak
London Midland - cheap semi-flexible walk-up fares and advances
Chiltern - cheap semi-flexible walk-up fares and advances.

Add that to megabus and National Express coaches, both with fares from a £1!

Will be more interesting to see the effect the speeding up of Chiltern services have on Virgin. Personally I would use Chiltern over Virgin if travelling to London anyway as I hate Pendolinos but once the travelling public realise its only about 20 mins longer more comfortable and much cheaper then who knows how many will switch

Isn't Virgin vs. Chiltern generally at least 35 minutes more still? I think most people can put up with a Pendo with 1h25 of their lives, most "normals" aren't bothered for that long if they can get a seat. Heck, I spend longer on Pacers!

Some people may also wish to travel directly from Wolverhampton/Birmingham International/Coventry so that rules out Chiltern. Equally, the same could be said for Chiltern about their stations.

Again, the bottom line is that they do serve different markets and I reckon LM and Chiltern is where the battle will take place, as they have similar journey times (LM a bit longer)...

Virgin still have a clear USP over the others, ignoring stuff like loco-hauled on CH which a lot of people won't know/don't care about e.t.c.