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Timeline for restoring various services withdrawn due to Covid

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py_megapixel

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Given there are several threads cropping up asking "when will X service be restored" I thought it might be helpful to have a thread which collects all of the ones that we know. I've started with just a few Northern services - if anyone wants to mention other TOCs I will gladly add them to this first post, but please let me know both what the current and 'normal' levels of service are in your post.

If the service you want is not listed here, please ask, and if someone answers your question I will add their answer to these tables for future use.

Please be aware that a service showing in booking engines or in timetable data does not mean it will definitely run - services may still be subject to short term amendments, such as due to staff isolation, or may be removed from the timetable before the date service was due to start.

EAST MIDLANDS RAILWAY
ServiceCurrent frequencyPre-Covid frequencyStatus of restoring pre-Covid level of serviceNotes
Liverpool-Norwich1 train per 2 hours with some extras1 train per hourMay be restored in Dec 2021
Newark-Crewe1 train per 2 hours with some extras1 train per hourMay be restored in Dec 2021
Nottingham-Matlock1 train per hour Derby-Matlock only1 train per hourMay be restored in Dec 2021
Nottingham-Mansfield1 train per hour, continuing to Worksop2 trains per hour, 1 continuing to WorksopMay be restored in Dec 2021
Leicester-Grimsby1 train per 2 hours with some extras1 train per hour, with 1 train per 2 hours continuing to GrimsbyMay be restored in Dec 2021
Lincoln-NewarkPeak-time service onlyApproximately every 1-2 hoursMay be restored in Dec 2021
Lincoln-PeterboroughApproximately hourly with some services missingApproximately hourlyMay be restored in Dec 2021


GREATER ANGLIA
ServiceCurrent frequencyPre-Covid frequencyStatus of restoring pre-Covid level of serviceNotes
Liverpool Street-ClactonWithdrawnPeak-time service onlyExpected to be restored from 13th Sep
Liverpool Street-HarwichWithdrawnPeak-time service onlyExpected to be restored from 13th Sep
Liverpool Street-Norwich1 train per hour with peak extras2 trains per hourExpected to be restored from 13th Sep
Liverpool Street-SouthminsterWithdrawnPeak-time service onlyExpected to be restored from 13th Sep
Liverpool Street-WaltonWithdrawnPeak-time service onlyExpected to be restored from 13th Sep

LNER
ServiceCurrent frequencyPre-Covid frequencyStatus of restoring pre-Covid level of serviceNotes
Leeds-London1 train per hour with occasional extras2 trains per hourProvisionally in Dec 2021 timetableCurrently 6tpd from Harrogate, 2tpd from Bradford, 1tpd from Skipton, all others start from Leeds. This seems to stay the same in Dec 2021

NORTHERN
ServiceCurrent frequencyPre-Covid frequencyStatus restoring of pre-Covid level of serviceNotes
Chester-LeedsWithdrawn1 train per hourShows in booking engines from 6th Sep
Hull-Halifax1 train per 2 hours1 train per hourProvisionally in Dec 2021 timetable
Liverpool-WarringtonWithdrawn1 train per hourProvisionally in Dec 2021 timetable
Lincoln-Leeds1 train per hour Lincoln-Sheffield only1 train per hourProvisionally in Dec 2021 timetable
Liverpool-Wigan1 train per hour2 trains per hourNo known timeline for restoration

SOUTHERN
ServiceCurrent frequencyPre-Covid frequencyStatus of restoring pre-Covid level of serviceNotes
London Bridge-Caterham/Tattenham Corner1 train per hour2 trains per hourExpected to be restored in September 2021
Clapham Junction - Milton Keynes Central2 trains per day1 train per hourExpected to be restored in September 2021
Note also the withdrawal of shuttles between Brighton and Hove, and an all-day service between Beckenham Jcn and London Bridge every 90 minutes, also expected in September 2021

SOUTHEASTERN
ServiceCurrent frequencyPre-Covid frequencyStatus of restoring pre-Covid level of serviceNotes
Charing Cross-HayesPeak-time service only2 trains per hourExpected to be restored from 13th Sep

THAMESLINK
Note: Services here are described in terms of where they originate from and frequencies given are into the core.
ServiceCurrent frequencyPre-Covid frequencyStatus of restoring pre-Covid level of serviceNotes
Bedford2 trains per hour with peak extras4 trains per hourExpected to be restored in September 2021
Gatwick Airport6 trains per hour8 trains per hourExpected to be restored in September 20214tph continue to Brighton, 2tph to Horshsam. Additional 2tph from Sept terminate at Gatwick
Sutton2 trains per hour4 trains per hourExpected to be restored in September 20212tph via Tooting, 2tph via Hackbridge

TRANSPENNINE EXPRESS
ServiceCurrent frequencyPre-Covid frequencyStatus of restoring pre-Covid level of serviceNotes
Liverpool-Scarborough1 train per hour York-Scarborough only1 train per hour1tph Manchester Vic to Scarborough provisionally in Dec 2021 timetable
Possibly to Liverpool in 2022?

WEST MIDLANDS TRAINS
ServiceCurrent frequencyPre-Covid frequencyStatus of restoring pre-Covid level of serviceNotes
Birmingham-Shrewsbury1 train per hour with peak extras2 trains per hour all dayNo known timeline for restoration
Leamington Spa-Nuneaton1 train per 2 hours1 train per hourNo known timeline for restoration
[/SPOILER
 
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nw-sparks

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Northern - Liverpool to Wigan stopping service.
Current 1 p/h, Pre-covid 2 p/h, Status: Not in provisional Dec 2021 timetable.
 

tommy2215

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Greater Anglia will be restoring a large amount of services from September 13th. Including a half hourly Norwich-London service and peak services between London and Southminster/Harwich/Walton/Clacton. While not guaranteed to happen yet RTT shows from December, Stansted Express will go from 2tph to 3tph.
 

Kite159

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Northern - Liverpool to Wigan stopping service.
Current 1 p/h, Pre-covid 2 p/h, Status: Not in provisional Dec 2021 timetable.

Which from Wigan is a bit rubbish as from memory the stopper departs a few minutes behind the unit from Blackpool so effectively is 1tph. Likewise for St Helens where the gap between trains is under 10 minutes
 

py_megapixel

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Thanks everyone for the contributions. I will add them to the first post when I get home later today.

@tommy2215 what is the current level of service is on the routes you mention? I'm trying to list that as well if possible.
 

tommy2215

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Thanks everyone for the contributions. I will add them to the first post when I get home later today.

@tommy2215 what is the current level of service is on the routes you mention? I'm trying to list that as well if possible.
Norwich-London is currently hourly with a few extras. There are currently no London to Southminster/Harwich/Walton trains but the peak ones will be restored in September. (Only peak services before COVID as well).

Also on Southeastern, Hayes to London Charing Cross will go from peak only to 2tph all day from September 13th.
 

43055

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The EMR website says the current EMR regional timetable are to stay until December

Liverpool - Norwich 2 hourly with some hourly gaps. Normally hourly.
Newark - Crewe 2 hourly with some hourly gaps. Normally hourly.
Nottingham - Matlock - Derby to Matlock only with the same hourly frequency.
Nottingham - Worksop - hourly. Normally every half hour to Mansfield then hourly to Worksop.
Leicester - Grimsby - mostly hourly with some 2 hour gaps. Normally hourly with 2 hourly to Grimsby.
Lincoln - Newark - peaks only. Normally between hourly and 2 hourly (no standard times/frequency).
Peterborough - Lincoln - Only 2 returns removed from the normal timetable one of which is a short run. Normal frequency is around hourly.
 

NoMorePacers

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If I remember correctly WMT Birmingham - Shrewsbury services were half-hourly pre-pandemic yet are currently running hourly off-peak (peak services are half-hourly). Nothing showing up for December yet. Similarly Leamington Spa - Nuneaton was hourly but is currently running two-hourly.
 

Jorge Da Silva

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There are a few changes here:
https://insidecroydon.com/2021/08/19/how-the-timetable-changes-will-affect-your-rail-journey/

Bedford to St Pancras International
There will be an overall increase in both all-station and fast trains on the route.

Two services per hour will run all day between Bedford and Gatwick Airport via Redhill from September 6. In combination with Thameslink services between Bedford and Brighton, there will now be up to four services per hour between Bedford and St Pancras International.

Four services per hour will run between St Albans and Sutton from September 6, resulting in more stopping services across the route.

Gatwick Airport to London Bridge via Redhill
There will be an additional two trains per hour on this route.

Two services per hour will run all day between Gatwick Airport and Bedford via Horley, Salfords, Earlswood, Redhill, Purley, East Croydon, Norwood Junction and London Bridge. These trains continue to Bedford as described in the section above.

Sutton to London Blackfriars (Sutton to St Albans)
There will be an additional two trains per hour on this route, to four trains per hour in total. Two trains per hour will travel via St Helier and Tooting, and two via Hackbridge to combine to four in the Streatham to London Blackfriars and Sutton section.

Orpington to Luton/London Blackfriars
Fewer peak-time-only services will run between Orpington and Luton. Stations between Luton and St Pancras International have stops on the Bedford and Gatwick Airport via Redhill or St Albans to Sutton services referenced above.

Customers at stations on the Catford Loop should use the all-day service between Sevenoaks and London Blackfriars.

East Grinstead to London Bridge/Bedford
The one morning and evening peak Thameslink service will not run on this route from Monday September6. Southern services will continue to run. Customers travelling to or from London Bridge will need to change trains at East Croydon.

Cambridge to King’s Cross
Two stopping trains per hour will run between Cambridge and King’s Cross during school and busy times. During the middle of the day, one of these trains per hour will not run between Cambridge and Royston, meaning an hourly service at Foxton, Shepreth and Meldreth outside of busy times.

Peterborough to King’s Cross
In the morning, there will be two semi-fast services from Peterborough to London King’s Cross departing Peterborough at 06:36 and 07:04. In the evening, there will be two semi-fast services from London King’s Cross to Peterborough departing London King’s Cross at 17:42 and 18:12. Customers at other times should use alternative Thameslink services via St Pancras International.

Changes to Southern services

Caterham and Tattenham Corner to London Bridge

Direct fast services to London Bridge will be reintroduced on this route on an every 30-minute basis.

Clapham Junction to Watford Junction and Milton Keynes
One train per hour will run between Clapham Junction and Milton Keynes throughout the day. After 18:30 services will run between Clapham Junction and Watford Junction only. At busy times, some services will be extended to or from Selhurst.

Beckenham Junction to London Bridge
Services will run between Beckenham Junction and London Bridge every 90 minutes throughout the day. Additional services will run at school times to provide improved connections in the Dulwich area.

Customers at stations such as West Norwood and seeking to travel to or from London Bridge should use the “via Norwood Junction” option in www.nationalrail.co.uk journey planners to show additional journey options.

London Bridge to London Victoria
Most current peak-only services will not run on this route. Two morning peak services will operate (07:50 and 08:20 London Victoria to London Bridge) plus some late evening services. Customers should change at Norwood Junction for fast services to or from London Bridge.

Brighton to Hastings
One train per hour will run throughout the day. Most trains will now run with eight, rather than four carriages.

Brighton to Hove
Fewer shuttle trains will run between Brighton and Hove, customers should use longer distance services from Brighton to and from Littlehampton, Portsmouth and Southampton.

Epsom to London Bridge via Carshalton Beeches
Fast services between Epsom and London Bridge will run every half-hour, the exception being a reduced frequency in the early morning. Trains from Epsom to London Bridge will depart at 05:45, 07:16, 08:15 then every 30min until 22:45.

Uckfield to London Bridge
The hourly service from Uckfield will run as half-hourly between 06:33 and 07:33 to support peak time and school travel on the route. The service will be hourly at busy times, but will reduce to every two hours in the middle of the day when trains are quieter in the following periods: Uckfield to London Bridge: 10:30-16:30; London Bridge to Uckfield: 09:07-15:07 and 21:07-23:07

Sutton to London Victoria via West Croydon
Up to four trains per hour will run between Sutton and London Victoria via West Croydon at busy times, with two trains per hour at quieter times. There will however be a change at busy times, with fewer trains running where there is less demand, such as away from London Victoria in the morning rush hour, or towards London Victoria in the afternoon.

I also heard somewhere in the forum cant remember where so please moderators dont ask, that Scarborough to Liverpool is back in May 2022?
 

TC7

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Cross Country is currently missing some pre-Covid services, albeit I acknowledge these are not running to increase capacity on other services.
Manchester - Bristol - (Exeter). Normally hourly
North East - Reading. Normally hourly
Daily extensions to Guildford
Plus a bunch of places are previously served hourly (Winchester and Brockenhurst but to name a couple) have varying levels service, if any at all
 

PHILIPE

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If I remember correctly WMT Birmingham - Shrewsbury services were half-hourly pre-pandemic yet are currently running hourly off-peak (peak services are half-hourly). Nothing showing up for December yet. Similarly Leamington Spa - Nuneaton was hourly but is currently running two-hourly.

December is showing the current Timetable that has been rolled forward. Could be editing to be done yet.
 

Halish Railway

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Looking at LNER from Leeds, the 06:30 departure from Bradford Forster Square will go back to being non-stop to London from Wakefield Westgate from December, along with a half-hourly service to London, although the 11:45, 15:45 & 17:45 departures are missing, although they just might not have been loaded into the schedule yet.
 

MikeWM

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Which from Wigan is a bit rubbish as from memory the stopper departs a few minutes behind the unit from Blackpool so effectively is 1tph. Likewise for St Helens where the gap between trains is under 10 minutes

It's pretty pathetic even down at Huyton towards Liverpool, which has those two and the Crewe-Manchester-Liverpool train, all leaving within 15 minutes of one another and then a gap of 45 minutes. Almost as bad in the other direction, with all 3 trains leaving within 18 minutes of each other, then a 42 minute gap.

For a station that has had 5 tph service to/from Liverpool for many years [1], rather well spread over the hour, now having a 42-45 minute gap every hour is really rubbish. I'd not realised quite how bad it was until I looked at the current timetable a couple of days ago.

[1] at least as far back as 1998, according to the random copy of the NRT I just pulled off my shelf.
 

py_megapixel

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I've tried to put all of the information that has been provided into the initial post. If you have time those who have contributed may wish to check that what I have written is accurate and I have not made any mistakes!

Edit: The edits pertaining to EMR have somehow not been saved properly and so are not showing up. I don't have time to type them in again now, but I will try again this evening. Apologies to @43055 for this!. Edit again: this has now been fixed.

@Jorge Da Silva I'm a little confused about your post. Do the patterns described in those quotes represent the reduced service level, or the increased one?
 
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Jorge Da Silva

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I've tried to put all of the information that has been provided into the initial post. If you have time those who have contributed may wish to check that what I have written is accurate and I have not made any mistakes!

@Jorge Da Silva I'm a little confused about your post. Do the patterns described in those quotes represent the reduced service level, or the increased one?

Both. Some are reduced some are increased. The ones which are reduced are temporary due to staffing issues. There are some reintroductions including Bedford to Gatwick back to 2tph, Sutton to Wimbledon back to 4tph. Also Liverpool to Scarborough is apparently back in May 2022
 

Bow Fell

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It's pretty pathetic even down at Huyton towards Liverpool, which has those two and the Crewe-Manchester-Liverpool train, all leaving within 15 minutes of one another and then a gap of 45 minutes. Almost as bad in the other direction, with all 3 trains leaving within 18 minutes of each other, then a 42 minute gap.

For a station that has had 5 tph service to/from Liverpool for many years [1], rather well spread over the hour, now having a 42-45 minute gap every hour is really rubbish. I'd not realised quite how bad it was until I looked at the current timetable a couple of days ago.

[1] at least as far back as 1998, according to the random copy of the NRT I just pulled off my shelf.

Indeed, it’s really a shame. Local stations on the route have seen the service halved (understandably during lockdown) but with passengers returning, a return to 3tph at least would be a great improvement.

The withdrawal of the Liverpool - Warrington Bank Quay stopper is no great loss, but this looks like it’s returning, which is bizarre.

But a second Liverpool to Wigan stopper would be a welcome return.

The only other suggestion is adding stops at Broad Green, Prescot, Garswood to the Blackpool express service?
 

Jorge Da Silva

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I've tried to put all of the information that has been provided into the initial post. If you have time those who have contributed may wish to check that what I have written is accurate and I have not made any mistakes!

Edit: The edits pertaining to EMR have somehow not been saved properly and so are not showing up. I don't have time to type them in again now, but I will try again this evening. Apologies to @43055 for this!

@Jorge Da Silva I'm a little confused about your post. Do the patterns described in those quotes represent the reduced service level, or the increased one?

Does this help?
  • 4tph Sutton to Wimbledon back this month
  • 2tph Bedford to Gatwick Airport back this month

Southern:

  • Caterham and Tattenham Corner to London Bridge returns every 30 minutes
  • West London Route returns to hourly between Clapham Junction and Milton Keynes with peak extensions to Selhurst
  • Beckenham Junction to London Bridge every 90 minutes
  • Brighton to Hastings every hour
  • Sutton to Victoria runs every 15 minutes via West Croydon at peak times with 2tph off-peak.
All increases from GTR this month
 

43055

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Cross Country is currently missing some pre-Covid services, albeit I acknowledge these are not running to increase capacity on other services.
Manchester - Bristol - (Exeter). Normally hourly
North East - Reading. Normally hourly
Daily extensions to Guildford
Plus a bunch of places are previously served hourly (Winchester and Brockenhurst but to name a couple) have varying levels service, if any at all
There are 3 Newcastle - Birmingham via Doncaster services on weekdays which one extends to Banbury around lunchtime/early afternoon.
 

py_megapixel

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Does this help?
  • 4tph Sutton to Wimbledon back this month
  • 2tph Bedford to Gatwick Airport back this month

Southern:

  • Caterham and Tattenham Corner to London Bridge returns every 30 minutes
  • West London Route returns to hourly between Clapham Junction and Milton Keynes with peak extensions to Selhurst
  • Beckenham Junction to London Bridge every 90 minutes
  • Brighton to Hastings every hour
  • Sutton to Victoria runs every 15 minutes via West Croydon at peak times with 2tph off-peak.
All increases from GTR this month
I've added most of those - however, looking on RTT Brighton-Hastings is already hourly? And there are already 2 off-peak tph Sutton-West Croydon-Victoria, unless you mean extra services in addition to the ones that start from Epsom.
 

james60059

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Given there are several threads cropping up asking "when will X service be restored" I thought it might be helpful to have a thread which collects all of the ones that we know. I've started with just a few Northern services - if anyone wants to mention other TOCs I will gladly add them to this first post, but please let me know both what the current and 'normal' levels of service are in your post.

If the service you want is not listed here, please ask, and if someone answers your question I will add their answer to these tables for future use.

Please be aware that a service showing in booking engines or in timetable data does not mean it will definitely run - services may still be subject to short term amendments, such as due to staff isolation, or may be removed from the timetable before the date service was due to start.

EAST MIDLANDS RAILWAY
ServiceCurrent frequencyPre-Covid frequencyStatus of restoring pre-Covid level of serviceNotes
Liverpool-Norwich1 train per 2 hours with some extras1 train per hourMay be restored in Dec 2021
Newark-Crewe1 train per 2 hours with some extras1 train per hourMay be restored in Dec 2021
Nottingham-Matlock1 train per hour Derby-Matlock only1 train per hourMay be restored in Dec 2021
Nottingham-Mansfield1 train per hour, continuing to Worksop2 trains per hour, 1 continuing to WorksopMay be restored in Dec 2021
Leicester-Grimsby1 train per 2 hours with some extras1 train per hour, with 1 train per 2 hours continuing to GrimsbyMay be restored in Dec 2021
Lincoln-NewarkPeak-time service onlyApproximately every 1-2 hoursMay be restored in Dec 2021
Lincoln-PeterboroughApproximately hourly with some services missingApproximately hourlyMay be restored in Dec 2021


GREATER ANGLIA
ServiceCurrent frequencyPre-Covid frequencyStatus of restoring pre-Covid level of serviceNotes
Liverpool Street-ClactonWithdrawnPeak-time service onlyExpected to be restored from 13th Sep
Liverpool Street-HarwichWithdrawnPeak-time service onlyExpected to be restored from 13th Sep
Liverpool Street-Norwich1 train per hour with peak extras2 trains per hourExpected to be restored from 13th Sep
Liverpool Street-SouthminsterWithdrawnPeak-time service onlyExpected to be restored from 13th Sep
Liverpool Street-WaltonWithdrawnPeak-time service onlyExpected to be restored from 13th Sep

LNER
ServiceCurrent frequencyPre-Covid frequencyStatus of restoring pre-Covid level of serviceNotes
Leeds-London1 train per hour with occasional extras2 trains per hourProvisionally in Dec 2021 timetableCurrently 6tpd from Harrogate, 2tpd from Bradford, 1tpd from Skipton, all others start from Leeds. This seems to stay the same in Dec 2021

NORTHERN
ServiceCurrent frequencyPre-Covid frequencyStatus restoring of pre-Covid level of serviceNotes
Chester-LeedsWithdrawn1 train per hourShows in booking engines from 6th Sep
Hull-Halifax1 train per 2 hours1 train per hourProvisionally in Dec 2021 timetable
Liverpool-WarringtonWithdrawn1 train per hourProvisionally in Dec 2021 timetable
Lincoln-Leeds1 train per hour Lincoln-Sheffield only1 train per hourProvisionally in Dec 2021 timetable
Liverpool-Wigan1 train per hour2 trains per hourNo known timeline for restoration


ServiceCurrent frequencyPre-Covid frequencyStatus of restoring pre-Covid level of serviceNotes
London Bridge-Caterham/Tattenham Corner1 train per hour2 trains per hourExpected to be restored in September 2021
Clapham Junction - Milton Keynes Central2 trains per day1 train per hourExpected to be restored in September 2021



Pre-Covid frequencyStatus of restoring pre-Covid level of serviceNotes
Charing Cross-HayesPeak-time service only2 trains per hourExpected to be restored from 13th Sep

ServiceCurrent frequencyPre-Covid frequencyStatus of restoring pre-Covid level of serviceNotes
Birmingham-Shrewsbury1 train per hour with peak extras2 trains per hour all dayNo known timeline for restoration
Leamington Spa-Nuneaton1 train per 2 hours1 train per hourNo known timeline for restoration
[/SPOILER[/SPOILER]

I was speaking to one of the RRB drivers at Nuneaton a few weeks back regarding the services to Leamington Spa, and he said that the company have the contract until the December 2021 TT change. (The 1tp2h is complimented by a bus at alternate hours).
 
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One for TfW.
The first and last trains on the line to Blaenau Ffestiniog don't appear to have been reinstated from December. This means that there are only 4 trains per day instead of the pre-covid 6.
 
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