Snow Hill Lines Likely To Stay at 4tph Long Term

[Dyl518]

So the changes have been announced.

 

[Nova1]

Much better connection times at Solihull is good

 

[Ridercross]

Sadly the suggestions that all trains being 5 carriages in length doesn't appear to be happening. According to the timetable, whilst all the 6 car formations have gone, there are still 2, 3 and 4 carriage formations including at rush hour .

 

[Nova1]

Some of the retiming in the morning on the bottom bit of the snow hill lines into Stratford-Upon-Avon is a bit annoying. Pushed back 10 ish minutes which makes it tight for some of the school students.

Also the once a day early morning Stratford-Upon-Avon -> London Marylebone is gone. Disappointing to see no return of these services as they were highly used by tourists going to and from London.

 

[NewClee153]

I still can’t get over the fact that there’s no changes at all on Sunday. Still no train into Birmingham till after 10 from the north side

 

[Fragezeichnen]

I've always found that bizarre, and yet all promises to change it somehow never lead to anything(something to do with volunteer-only Sunday working?). It alone renders relying purely on the train service and not having a car untenable for anyone who wants to get out and about on Sundays.

To be fair, the last time I checked, bus services in Worcestershire, despite operating mostly to weekday Frequency on Saturdays, on Sunday just don't run at all. Not one single bus service anywhere in Worcestershire(excluding a couple which originate elsewhere and cross the border).
So it could be argued the train timetable is merely optimised for maximum synergy with the Worcestershire concept of a 6 day a week public transport system.

 

[The Planner]

I still can’t get over the fact that there’s no changes at all on Sunday. Still no train into Birmingham till after 10 from the north side

Blocks don't come off between Droitwich and Stourbridge until 0900 and Stourbridge to Snow Hill until 0915. If WMT want to run earlier then they need to ask NR to cut back.

 

[newtownmgr]

Sadly the suggestions that all trains being 5 carriages in length doesn't appear to be happening. According to the timetable, whilst all the 6 car formations have gone, there are still 2, 3 and 4 carriage formations including at rush hour .

5 cars on all trains won’t be achieved until the 196’s are fully in service releasing the 172’s from the Hereford & Nuneaton services back onto the Snow Hill Lines. As regards 2 car carriage formations, there are no booked 2 cars with the exception of Leamington - Nuneaton. All Snow Hill Lines Services are booked min 3 cars and have been for sometime. Obviously short formings do take place short notice.

 

[NewClee153]

Blocks don't come off between Droitwich and Stourbridge until 0900 and Stourbridge to Snow Hill until 0915. If WMT want to run earlier then they need to ask NR to cut back.

The first train of the day southbound from Stourbridge doesn’t leave until 0958. Do WMT stable any 172s at Stourbridge overnight?

 

[newtownmgr]

The first train of the day southbound from Stourbridge doesn’t leave until 0958. Do WMT stable any 172s at Stourbridge overnight?

No. No WMT drivers at Stourbridge & no room to stable

 

[barbette165]

As regards 2 car carriage formations, there are no booked 2 cars with the exception of Leamington - Nuneaton. All Snow Hill Lines Services are booked min 3 cars and have been for sometime. Obviously short formings do take place short notice.

There is one 2 car (half) diagram according to the PDF timetable published on the WMR website. The diagram starts the day as 4 cars but reduces to 2 with the 10:47 departure from Shrub Hill to Stratford. It then becomes 4 cars again from the 15:16 from Shrub Hill to Dorridge, before ending the day as 2 cars with the 21:03 departure from Dorridge.
Looking at RTT, there are empty coaching stock movements that correspond with all the length changes.

 

[newtownmgr]

There is one 2 car (half) diagram according to the PDF timetable published on the WMR website. The diagram starts the day as 4 cars but reduces to 2 with the 10:47 departure from Shrub Hill to Stratford. It then becomes 4 cars again from the 15:16 from Shrub Hill to Dorridge, before ending the day as 2 cars with the 21:03 departure from Dorridge.
Looking at RTT, there are empty coaching stock movements that correspond with all the length changes.

Ah ok. Not looked at it in depth. Will wait & see the diagrams when I’m working them. Was under the impression the original poster was referring to the current timetable. To be honest a 2 car during the middle of the day mon to fri for one return trip to Stratford via Dorridge will not be an issue.

 

[Ridercross]

Ah ok. Not looked at it in depth. Will wait & see the diagrams when I’m working them. Was under the impression the original poster was referring to the current timetable. To be honest a 2 car during the middle of the day mon to fri for one return trip to Stratford via Dorridge will not be an issue.

My post was referring to the general reduction in carriage lengths on the new timetable. Currently all services are planned to operate with between 3 and 6 carriages. The new timetable has train lengths from 2 (albeit non many of these as mentioned) to 5 maximum. We were advised by WMR that all services would be 5 carriages, which will not be the case initially at least. Certainly some peak hour 5 carriage trains already have standing passengers on the Stourbridge side, so the reduction in carriages to 3 or 4 doesn't at this stage fil me with delight for hopes of a pleasant journey.

 

[JW4]

Does anyone know why Small Heath has no Sunday service? Except for Bordeseley the other Snow Hill line stations up to the Lakes typically get an hourly Sunday service