Great Western Coffee Shop

Exactly, do what VT do! Cut stops, make First Class value for money!

Is Adonis beginning to sound like a man who could get a taste for running rail services directly?

Just a thought...

The end result - much faster trains from the West Midlands, North Wales, North West and Scotland HUGLEY overpowers the losses. The next step should be 2 tph to Liverpool (the new one stopping at Nuneton), and a few extra Voyagers to places like Blackpool, Morecambe, Windermere, Barrow - if demand exists (perhaps summer only)., These should call at Tamworth.

It is a shame about the loss of Etruria etc, but I expect the money required for extra tracks for stopping trains was not worth it.

Is Adonis beginning to sound like a man who could get a taste for running rail services directly?

Just a thought...

Of course he maintains the line that it is impossible for the government to retain the franchise beyond the two year time frame he has imposed and says he has no desire to do so, but there was a distinct feeling on the inaugural train that Adonis was rather enjoying running trains.

Because far more passengers will benefit with lots of expresses and few locals than vice versa! Think about it.

We may not like it, but it's a fact.

Not everybody wants to go to London.

Most people do.

Peterborough train services could be cut

Controversial plans to speed up train services could cut Peterborough out of routes between Edinburgh and London, according to a travel campaign group.

Travel pressure group Passenger Focus has claimed that a new timetable being produced for the East Coast Main Line could cut services to the city by up to half.

The recently nationalised East Coast train operators will switch to a new timetable for services to London King's Cross, the East Midlands, Yorkshire, the North East and Scotland in December 2010.

Passenger Focus manager Guy Dangerfield said: "For Peterborough passengers there will be fewer evening trains from King's Cross.

"There will also be only five trains to Scotland instead of the current 12 - and they would take longer.

"It is not clear to us that the timetable as drafted would strike an appropriate balance between the needs of end-to-end passengers and those making long-distance journeys.

"We are pleased that after hearing about Passenger Focus' fears, East Coast will now be holding a proper consultation in January. Anyone with concerns about the changes should make sure they respond to next month's consultation."

Operators claim that some initial discussions on the timetable changes took place before the service was nationalised on November 14.

A spokesman said: "We will be making further consultations in January and including customers, as we want to listen to all opinions.

"A new East Coast timetable is being developed by the rail industry to deliver more services and more seats across this busy route.

"Our aim is to ensure that Peterborough is served at least by a regular two-hourly direct service to Scotland, with extra intermediate services available through a platform change at York."

The timetable will be created by National Rail after hearing recommendations from East Coast Main Line and the Government's Department for Transport and East Coast.

A Network Rail spokesman said: "As custodians of the railway, our role is to provide advice on the availability of train paths and to improve access for train and freight operators. Passenger timetables are devised by government and by train operators."

Fast off-peak train services to Nuneaton not happening

A call to bring back fast off-peak train services to Nuneaton has fallen on deaf ears.

Local politician Marcus Jones says he is disappointed with the response from Transport Minister Andrew Adonis over concerns that Nuneaton now has a second-rate rail link to the capital and the north.

Mr Jones, a borough councillor and Tory Parliamentary candidate, said: ^The reply from the minister^s department said ^the current time table was designed to maximise earnings and serve stations which have potential for passenger and revenue growth^.

"No mention was made of the government support for services to Nuneaton and no acknowledgement of the importance of fast services to our town.

^I did not expect an immediate solution, but I did expect an acknowledgement of the importance of fast rail services to Nuneaton and a more positive response.

"The poor response I received shows the disregard and contempt that this government is showing to Nuneaton.^

Bid for new Coventry and Nuneaton rail link submitted

A bid for ^15.8m funding for a proposed new rail link between Coventry and Nuneaton has been sent to the Department for Transport (DfT).
The proposal includes a new station at Bermuda Park in Nuneaton, a new bay platform at Coventry station and a longer platform at Bedworth.
On match or major event days trains could go between Coventry and the Ricoh Arena every 15 minutes.
Coventry City Council is aiming to have final approval by early 2012.
The authority said it would continue to work with its partners to add more detail after receiving approval for this outline bid.
It added the final detailed bid would then be submitted to the DfT again for full funding approval, aiming for a final approval in late 2011 or early 2012.

I agree that the Trent Valley stations should have a better service. From a non-experts view it seems a bit over-the-top to have an hourly Chester service throughout the day (occasionally continuing to either Bangor or Holyhead) which stops at Milton Keynes and Crewe only, operated by a Voyager. When I saw a lunchtime service at Milton Keynes the other month it was probably less than a third full - perhaps a stop at Nuneaton should be considered for these trains? I know pathing is tight, but Nuneaton now has a much worse service than it used to.

If a second hourly off-peak service was introduced for Liverpool (with Manchester and Birmingham now getting 3tph, you could argue 2tph to Liverpool would be suitable for a city of its size) then perhaps a stop at Nuneaton could indeed be added on an hourly basis. That could then allow an alternate stop at Tamworth and Lichfield on the Chester services to give a two-hourly fast London service from those stations too.

It's about getting a balance, and I think Virgin have swayed a little to far towards the 'fast train' side of the argument, as Btline has said, and have neglected certain mid-sized towns in the Trent Valley area. The population for Nuneaton, Tamworth and Lichfield combined is getting on for 200k and all three offer connectional opportunities onto local regional services. The changes I've outlined above would help to readdress the balance - without compromising the fast services now being enjoyed by the larger settlements.

Well, although Virgin are showing few signs of adopting my suggestion above, it does appear that Tamworth, Lichfield and Nuneaton (as well as a whole host of other stations) are possibly going to get a much better service through to London, with track access applications submitted from both Grand Central and Alliance Trains to stop at those stations from 2012/13.  Alliance trains using the new Chinese 'Polaris' units and Grand Central looking at Class 67's Mk 3's and a DVT (presumably scheduled for the DVT's maximum speed of 110mph?).

Well worth reading through their applications as they make interesting reading.  Who knows what will come of them...

http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/s17-alliance-rail-application-form-oct2010.pdf (http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/s17-alliance-rail-application-form-oct2010.pdf)

http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/s17-grand-central-wcml-application-form.pdf (http://www.rail-reg.gov.uk/upload/pdf/s17-grand-central-wcml-application-form.pdf)

Who knows what will come of them...