TFW Holyhead to Chester next week

[Phil from Mon]

Trying to book a trip to Liverpool from Bangor next Monday, and the earliest train we can do with a 2-together railcard leaves Bangor 1109, which doesn’t get us there until lunchtime. What has happened to the 1003 Holyhead to Birmingham? Not showing on journey planners or RTT.
Thanks, Phil

 

[Freightmaster]

Trying to book a trip to Liverpool from Bangor next Monday, and the earliest train we can do with a 2-together railcard leaves Bangor 1109, which doesn’t get us there until lunchtime. What has happened to the 1003 Holyhead to Birmingham? Not showing on journey planners or RTT.

1I14 starts from Shrewsbury instead of Holyhead for two weeks from next Monday:

Realtime Trains | 1I14 1230 Shrewsbury to Birmingham International | 07/04/2025

Real-time train running information for 1I14 1230 departure from Shrewsbury to Birmingham International on 07/04/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Reverts to running from Holyhead from April 28th:

Realtime Trains | 1I14 0923 Holyhead to Birmingham International | 28/04/2025

Real-time train running information for 1I14 0923 departure from Holyhead to Birmingham International on 28/04/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

MARK

 

[Watershed]

It looks like it has been amended to begin at Shrewsbury, at approximately 1-2 weeks' notice, for virtually the entirety of the current timetable period.

Wonder whether this is down to a shortage of 158s following the Talerddig crash last year? There's nothing on the TfW website to clarify.

 

[Phil from Mon]

Yes, it is a pain in the ….. No idea why they have not bothered to announce it. And with the Easter holidays coming up the trains either side are going to be packed, plus many pax who will turn up for it and assume it is running as usual.

 

[Flying Snail]

Yes, it is a pain in the ….. No idea why they have not bothered to announce it. And with the Easter holidays coming up the trains either side are going to be packed, plus many pax who will turn up for it and assume it is running as usual.

Fast ferry is back from Apr 15, feeds into the 10.38 from Holyhead so even more pressure on that one especially with a 90+ min gap, guaranteed to be full and standing by Llandudno Junction if it's a 2 car.

Long gaps and overcrowded short trains, practically a tradition west of LLJ on the coast, second generation of new post-privatisation trains and bugger all has changed for the better.

 

[Llandudno]

Fast ferry is back from Apr 15, feeds into the 10.38 from Holyhead so even more pressure on that one especially with a 90+ min gap, guaranteed to be full and standing by Llandudno Junction if it's a 2 car.

Long gaps and overcrowded short trains, practically a tradition west of LLJ on the coast, second generation of new post-privatisation trains and bugger all has changed for the better.

The north Wales coast timetable is a ‘dog’s breakfast!’

No attempt to make a clockface timetable, irregular stopping patterns, big gaps in service then two trains running within a few minutes of each other, dreadful Sunday and Saturday evening service etc etc.!

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

The worst bit about it is TFW own website is still selling tickets for the 10.03 that isn't running.

 

[louis97]

The worst bit about it is TFW own website is still selling tickets for the 10.03 that isn't running.

Except it is, it's just running as a separate service between Holyhead and Shrewsbury: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:V10873/2025-04-07/detailed

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

Except it is, it's just running as a separate service between Holyhead and Shrewsbury: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:V10873/2025-04-07/detailed

There we go then @Phil from Mon you can get your 10.03

 

[MCR247]

Except it is, it's just running as a separate service between Holyhead and Shrewsbury: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:V10873/2025-04-07/detailed

Presumably in case it ends up being worked by a 197

 

[jawr256]

Except it is, it's just running as a separate service between Holyhead and Shrewsbury: https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:V10873/2025-04-07/detailed

Joining the dots, Charlwood House indicates that schedule was created yesterday evening, explaining why the service was missing for the OP.
https://www.charlwoodhouse.co.uk/rail/livetrain/$37494128/03/04/25

 

[Phil from Mon]

Useful to know it is back, thanks guys

 

[Statto]

The north Wales coast timetable is a ‘dog’s breakfast!’

No attempt to make a clockface timetable, irregular stopping patterns, big gaps in service then two trains running within a few minutes of each other, dreadful Sunday and Saturday evening service etc etc.!

Agreed, last Eastbound trains are far too early, around 20.30 from Holyhead & around 21.45 Llandudno, when last Westbound train is around 00.40 from Chester to Holyhead, the North Wales Coast timetable needs a rethink, with a couple of later trains to Chester.

 

[185]

Asked TFW why they've withdrawn the last Chester Manchester and got radio silence.

At one point, the 2300ish Chester Manchester came off the North Wales Coast - then in recent years off 1R98 the last Birmingham Wrexham. Now TFW run their final service at 2152... utterly disgraceful.

Despite this train being entirely in England, the DfT are effectively powerless to act against the Welsh operator, and hopefully GBR might finally address this much misused loophole. Currently asking our occasional bus driver with a peerage to have a look at it.

 

[Llandudno]

Asked TFW why they've withdrawn the last Chester Manchester and got radio silence.

At one point, the 2300ish Chester Manchester came off the North Wales Coast - then in recent years off 1R98 the last Birmingham Wrexham. Now TFW run their final service at 2152... utterly disgraceful.

Despite this train being entirely in England, the DfT are effectively powerless to act against the Welsh operator, and hopefully GBR might finally address this much misused loophole. Currently asking our occasional bus driver with a peerage to have a look at it.

I think the 2325 Chester to Manchester is still running post May 2025, but there are occasions when there are some rail replacement buses running…

 

[sd0733]

I think the 2325 Chester to Manchester is still running post May 2025, but there are occasions when there are some rail replacement buses running…

It is, runs as 2109 Birmingham International to Manchester Pic, arriving 0022 and returns immediately back to Chester as the 0024.

 

[185]

I think there's been a short term effort to quickly restore the train before then. No details yet, but good on them for fixing the mistake.

 

[Lewisham2221]

I think there's been a short term effort to quickly restore the train before then. No details yet, but good on them for fixing the mistake.

Looks like it's just a short term thing (i.e this week only) that it's not running. It ran last week, it's running next week (edit: actually, it's running again from tomorrow) - this week the service terminating at Chester is showing on RTT as VAR, with a corresponding ECS move showing as STP.