• Our booking engine at tickets.railforums.co.uk (powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!

May 2022 Timetable Changes

Status
Not open for further replies.

bramling

Veteran Member
Joined
5 Mar 2012
Messages
17,685
Location
Hertfordshire / Teesdale
Start of a new timetable related to rolling stock changes on Southern Coastway routes and DfT mandated cost savings on TL/GN.

What is actually planned for GN/TL? This has been rumoured, however it's hard to see what cuts could be made. Elements of the GN service, in particular the inners, have already been cut quite heavily to the bone.
 
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R

RailUK Forums

thedbdiboy

Member
Joined
10 Sep 2011
Messages
955
Every 20 minutes at those stations off peak but I get your point
I just based it on how long I was having to wait during a visit a couple of weeks back (and yes, that picture was indicative of the level of patronage...)
 

Attachments

  • IMG_20220414_143448.jpg
    IMG_20220414_143448.jpg
    2.6 MB · Views: 180

LNW-GW Joint

Veteran Member
Joined
22 Feb 2011
Messages
19,551
Location
Mold, Clwyd
Many of the missing Chester-Euston-North Wales services are back in the GBTT from September 12 (just as the tourist season is ending).
However there still significant gaps, eg 1035-1435 southbound.
The 0710 Euston-Chester, which used to form the very popular 0935 back, have both not returned.
 

Watershed

Veteran Member
Associate Staff
Senior Fares Advisor
Joined
26 Sep 2020
Messages
11,945
Location
UK
Many of the missing Chester-Euston-North Wales services are back in the GBTT from September 12 (just as the tourist season is ending).
However there still significant gaps, eg 1035-1435 southbound.
The 0710 Euston-Chester, which used to form the very popular 0935 back, have both not returned.
I suspect that's just a placeholder - Avanti did much the same last year, before rolling over the reduced timetable until December. I'd be (pleasantly) surprised the increase actually materialised.
 

NoOnesFool

Member
Joined
26 Aug 2018
Messages
602
It's a great loss and shame that CrossCountry services from Newcastle-Reading/Southampton have been axed. A direct service really gave value to the experience.
 

Martin_1981

Member
Joined
15 Jul 2011
Messages
257
What’s happened to XC’s Summer Saturday HST services? Leeds-Paignton, Paignton-Glasgow; York-Penzance, Penzance-Leeds; Glasgow-Paignton, Paignton-Leeds; Glasgow-Penzance, even Manchester-Newquay voyagers? Does no one go on holiday anymore to Devon & Cornwall from the midlands and the north? We always use the 1V44 and 1E67 on a summer Saturday to get to/from Dawlish to/from Bristol and those trains are always busy. With this awful timetable, that now means an extra change at Exeter both ways to get to Dawlish, so unfortunately this year I will be inclined to drive instead as its cheaper and now quicker. Its as if people are being deliberately “put off” travelling to/from great holiday destinations in Devon & Cornwall, with practically no XC summer Saturday services to/from the Midlands and the North? Im surprised councils & businesses in Dawlish, Teignmouth, Torquay, Paignton and resorts in Cornwall have not kicked up a fuss as this summer timetable will no doubt cost these resorts valuable pounds of lost revenue as many people will be put off with the increased prices and the added inconvenience of multiple changes to get to these places.
The XC Summer Saturday holiday trains have been in decline for years, even more so from around 2002 onwards and by 2009 they were scaled back further to become nothing more than extensions of some normal weekday services to Exeter and Plymouth to run onto Paignton, Penzance and Newquay. To go from Birmingham or Bristol to Newquay again this summer would involve changing at Plymouth and Par, which would elongate the journey considerably and add to considerable inconvenience. Hardly entices people in this instance to choose the train over driving except for those who don't drive of course. Plus the fares are ridiculous.
 

Goldfish62

Established Member
Joined
14 Feb 2010
Messages
9,933
The XC Summer Saturday holiday trains have been in decline for years, even more so from around 2002 onwards and by 2009 they were scaled back further to become nothing more than extensions of some normal weekday services to Exeter and Plymouth to run onto Paignton, Penzance and Newquay. To go from Birmingham or Bristol to Newquay again this summer would involve changing at Plymouth and Par, which would elongate the journey considerably and add to considerable inconvenience. Hardly entices people in this instance to choose the train over driving except for those who don't drive of course. Plus the fares are ridiculous.
The alternative is flying to Newquay . The daily links between Cornwall and the North are far better than the paltry one train a day offering from XC.
 
Last edited:

HamworthyGoods

Established Member
Joined
15 Jan 2019
Messages
3,905
The XC Summer Saturday holiday trains have been in decline for years, even more so from around 2002 onwards and by 2009 they were scaled back further to become nothing more than extensions of some normal weekday services to Exeter and Plymouth to run onto Paignton, Penzance and Newquay. To go from Birmingham or Bristol to Newquay again this summer would involve changing at Plymouth and Par, which would elongate the journey considerably and add to considerable inconvenience. Hardly entices people in this instance to choose the train over driving except for those who don't drive of course. Plus the fares are ridiculous.

To get from Bristol (either Parkway or Temple Meads) to Newquay on Saturdays you just take the direct 06.30 Bristol Parkway to Newquay service.
 

Mainline421

Member
Joined
7 May 2013
Messages
481
Location
Aberystwyth
It's a great loss and shame that CrossCountry services from Newcastle-Reading/Southampton have been axed. A direct service really gave value to the experience.
They're not officially axed yet as far as I know. They're in the May 2023 East Coast timetable still, and CrossCountry are planning to restore more Voyager services in Dec.
 

HamworthyGoods

Established Member
Joined
15 Jan 2019
Messages
3,905
Oh well that's perfectly reasonable...!

Or 12.45 from Bristol TM, into Exeter St David’s 13.44, same platform connection for the 13.58 Exeter St David’s direct to Newquay (16.41).

The point I was trying to make was the OP post was on about having to change at Plymouth and Par.
 

Horizon22

Established Member
Associate Staff
Jobs & Careers
Joined
8 Sep 2019
Messages
7,443
Location
London
There is a frequent bus service between Herne Hill and Brixton. The trains on that corridor are rarely packed at off peak times which is why 2tph is deemed enough.

Are the Bromley South stoppers being binned off-peak?
 

route101

Established Member
Joined
16 May 2010
Messages
10,594
It's a great loss and shame that CrossCountry services from Newcastle-Reading/Southampton have been axed. A direct service really gave value to the experience.
Wasn't there one service than ran to and from Edinburgh ?
 

Nicholas Lewis

Established Member
Joined
9 Aug 2019
Messages
5,996
Location
Surrey
Start of a new timetable related to rolling stock changes on Southern Coastway routes and DfT mandated cost savings on TL/GN.
Yes DfT has mandated all operators to reduce costs but recommendations for cost reductions come from the operators for DfT to accept. Remember the operators know better than anyone where their revenue vs costs balance lies on each route and largely only ran the services DfT stipulated for the franchises.
 

Horizon22

Established Member
Associate Staff
Jobs & Careers
Joined
8 Sep 2019
Messages
7,443
Location
London
Yes DfT has mandated all operators to reduce costs but recommendations for cost reductions come from the operators for DfT to accept. Remember the operators know better than anyone where their revenue vs costs balance lies on each route and largely only ran the services DfT stipulated for the franchises.

Crosscountry in particular has had significant requirements, hence why there service remains so poor.
 

Horizon22

Established Member
Associate Staff
Jobs & Careers
Joined
8 Sep 2019
Messages
7,443
Location
London
I’m lead to believe that it’ll return to 4tph VIC - ORP from December 22

Are you sure? Because the clash was always with Thameslink & line/platform capacity into Orpington post Dec 18, hence the fudge to terminate every other service at Bromley South. Of course GTR might have their own reductions which make this feasible.
 

Class 466

Established Member
Joined
5 Mar 2010
Messages
1,408
Are you sure? Because the clash was always with Thameslink & line/platform capacity into Orpington post Dec 18, hence the fudge to terminate every other service at Bromley South. Of course GTR might have their own reductions which make this feasible.
The Thameslink service to Orpington isn’t off peak or Saturdays (yet was going to be when SE cut the service back to BMS twice an hour) so SE are going back through. I assume at peak times some will still terminate at Bromley South however.
 

Horizon22

Established Member
Associate Staff
Jobs & Careers
Joined
8 Sep 2019
Messages
7,443
Location
London
The Thameslink service to Orpington isn’t off peak or Saturdays (yet was going to be when SE cut the service back to BMS twice an hour) so SE are going back through. I assume at peak times some will still terminate at Bromley South however.

Yes presumably so. Thanks.
 

SE%Traveller

Member
Joined
23 Jan 2020
Messages
163
Location
London
The Thameslink service to Orpington isn’t off peak or Saturdays (yet was going to be when SE cut the service back to BMS twice an hour) so SE are going back through. I assume at peak times some will still terminate at Bromley South however.
The Orpington Thameslink Service was running All day Monday to Friday prior to COVID and local campaign groups were advised that the weekends were to be implemented in 2020 (but only to Blackfriars on Sundays). Sadly Covid put pay to that. I'd hope that The Catford loop would go back to 4 tph at the same time the Penge East stoppers did.

I suppose the Thameslink Stoppers could terminate at Bromley South if it came to it, but as i recall one (though not the only) reasons for the 20/10 service pattern on the loop was the Bromley South stoppers occupying platform 2 that bing the case you'd just replicate the problem for the Penge East stoppers instead.
 

Class 466

Established Member
Joined
5 Mar 2010
Messages
1,408
The Orpington Thameslink Service was running All day Monday to Friday prior to COVID and local campaign groups were advised that the weekends were to be implemented in 2020 (but only to Blackfriars on Sundays). Sadly Covid put pay to that. I'd hope that The Catford loop would go back to 4 tph at the same time the Penge East stoppers did.

I suppose the Thameslink Stoppers could terminate at Bromley South if it came to it, but as i recall one (though not the only) reasons for the 20/10 service pattern on the loop was the Bromley South stoppers occupying platform 2 that bing the case you'd just replicate the problem for the Penge East stoppers instead.
Orpington-Luton/Kentish Town Thameslink has never run all day. It was meant to but never materialised.
 

Llandudno

Established Member
Joined
25 Dec 2014
Messages
2,178
TfW Rail timetables for May are now on the website at last.

Let’s hope that TfW don’t have too many ‘Resource Availability’ issues….!
 

Bald Rick

Veteran Member
Joined
28 Sep 2010
Messages
29,070
Crosscountry in particular has had significant requirements, hence why there service remains so poor.

Crosscountrys current service offer is more to do with ‘other factors’ than the budget provided, though.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Top