Cross Country trains - services and incidents (merged posts)

[whole diary]

[eightonedee]

The rot set in as Broadgage points out when short rolling stock in the form of Voyagers replaced full length HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) and the loco hauled sets.

As the forum's spokesman for its minority "we quite like Voyagers" group, could I point out that when they were introduced they were a huge improvement over the tired old mark 2 sets we used to have (I remember the "how many toilets are out of action on today's train" gamble you would take towards the end of their use), avoided the need to run a locomotive around the set at Reading, and in the year after Virgin introduced them it was reported that the "Reading to Birmingham corridor" experienced the largest growth in passenger traffic in the country.

OK, it's a shame they didn't respond by lengthening all sets to 5 car sets in response to the demand, but the switch from locomotive hauled to multiple unit working was not a step back - it was a big one forward, just like the introduction of HSTs 25 years before.

I agree though that XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) is a Cinderella service, and really hope that here on the south-eastern leg we'll be back to the pre-covid hourly direct services to Manchester, Southampton and Newcastle and thereby the twice an hour service to Birmingham. 

[didcotdean]

The rot really set in for me with DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) no growth assumption contracts which froze out stock increases. Although the half length but double frequency service struck problems from the start around peak local times and that in some areas such as Leamington to Birmingham NS via Coventry the frequency could not be doubled (the alternate services going via Solihull).

[1st fan]

The rot set in as Broadgage points out when short rolling stock in the form of Voyagers replaced full length HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) and the loco hauled sets.

As the forum's spokesman for its minority "we quite like Voyagers" group, could I point out that when they were introduced they were a huge improvement over the tired old mark 2 sets we used to have (I remember the "how many toilets are out of action on today's train" gamble you would take towards the end of their use), avoided the need to run a locomotive around the set at Reading, and in the year after Virgin introduced them it was reported that the "Reading to Birmingham corridor" experienced the largest growth in passenger traffic in the country.

OK, it's a shame they didn't respond by lengthening all sets to 5 car sets in response to the demand, but the switch from locomotive hauled to multiple unit working was not a step back - it was a big one forward, just like the introduction of HSTs 25 years before.

I agree though that XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) is a Cinderella service, and really hope that here on the south-eastern leg we'll be back to the pre-covid hourly direct services to Manchester, Southampton and Newcastle and thereby the twice an hour service to Birmingham. 

My Dad who was keen on the Voyagers told me how  frequency doubling was the answer to the shorter trains. So then he actually used one during a peak hour and it was packed to the rafters like a tube carriage. He revised his opinion after that. I seem to remember the Voyagers having toilets that needed to be reset or rebooted. If somebody went in there locked the door and didn't use the toilet, (just washed their hands for example) unlocked and left the toilet then the thing locked up. It displayed "out of order" and needed to be reset or rebooted by the train manager.  Also the smell from the toilets was horrendous I think these may be fixed now.

[Mark A]

Is it still the case that use of Crosscountry is tilted heavily towards shorter journeys, with long distance travel in the minority?

With their network now massively capacity constrained, advance purchase fares will no longer be a thing for the time being.

Also, anecdote: from Bristol/Bath, for long distance journeys especially north of Birmingham, people tend to be pulled to travel via London for reasons of space/train smell/cost/. Bristol to Manchester was good, but it's gone.

[Henry]

https://www.rmt.org.uk/news/members-updates/senior-conductorstrain-managers-duties--cross-country171121/

 I believe, not confirmed, that the above industrial action is also a contributing factor.

[eightonedee]

Is it still the case that use of Crosscountry is tilted heavily towards shorter journeys, with long distance travel in the minority?

And that is no bad thing! It is good for those of us around here to have non-stop Reading to Basingstoke trains, and extra Reading-Oxford through trains, trains to Banbury that do not stop at Heyford, King's Sutton and Banbury, and so on. Anyone elsewhere on the XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) network will be able to substitute similar additional useful services they provide. I think it is a win-win situation when there is a service that provides a service to places throughout the country that save changing trains or going through London, and provides additional (and in some cases better) services between the places they stop at on the way. What is not to like?

[Oxonhutch]

Just done a return trip Manchester - Cholsey on a very reasonable (by comparison  ) first class open return on a Senior Railcard. No host or or snacks in the rear half (unreserved) but this isn't my first rodeo. Survived quite comfortably with the help of Mr Tesco (proof of age required) before I hit Piccadilly.

[trainbuff]

https://www.rmt.org.uk/news/members-updates/senior-conductorstrain-managers-duties--cross-country171121/

 I believe, not confirmed, that the above industrial action is also a contributing factor.

There is no RMT^▸ (National Union of Rail, Maritime & Transport Workers) action at the moment. But there is a ballot ongoing. Also plans to use some HST^▸ (High Speed Train)'s on Sundays

[IndustryInsider]

HSTs^▸ (High Speed Train) "mothballed" which is probably code for "about to be withdrawn"

XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) have started to use their HST fleet again.  Specifically for this week there's at least two diagrams helping to provide additional capacity for Cheltenham Festival racegoers.

[grahame]

From the Department for Transport[url]

Cross Country rail services: prior information notice

Contract for provision of commuter, regional and long-distance rail services on the UK^▸ (United Kingdom) conventional mainline rail system. It is envisaged the services will be substantially similar to those currently operated under the XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) Trains Limited Rail Contract (dated 13 October 2020), but subject to route operating and value for money (VfM) review. It is envisaged the services would run between:

Plymouth — Edinburgh via Leeds, with a limited service to and from Penzance – some services are extended to Glasgow via Motherwell and also to Dundee and Aberdeen
Reading — Newcastle via Doncaster
Bristol — Manchester
Bournemouth — Manchester via Coventry
Nottingham — Cardiff via Gloucester
Birmingham — Stansted Airport via Leicester and Peterborough
Birmingham — Leicester local services
A Direct Award is now envisaged, in line with the policy published in March 2013 issued further to Section 26 of the Railways Act 1993.II.1.4 (nature and quantity of services or indication of needs and requirements).

There is a mixture of leisure, business and commuter travel on these rail services.

II.2.7 Envisaged start date and the duration of the contract
Start date
15 October 2023.

Duration in months
96 months.

The contract will be a core term of 4 years with available additional rail periods up to a maximum of 8 years.

No mention of Guildford, Paignton, Newquay or Bath

Edit to add - list of all recent documents for all franchises at https://www.gov.uk/government/collections/rail-franchising

[ChrisB]

Glad to see Reading-Newcastle in there - thought it wasn't going to continue after the pandemic (not running currently)

[IndustryInsider]

I heard a strong rumour RDG^‡(resolve)<>NCL is planned to make a return next May.

[IndustryInsider]

It's been a poor week for CrossCountry.

No full cancellations listed today, but a whole raft of part cancellations, some quite significant:

06:24 Newcastle to Reading due 11:09
06:28 Penzance to Edinburgh due 17:08
06:39 Nottingham to Bournemouth due 11:13
06:45 Reading to Newcastle due 11:45
07:25 Manchester Piccadilly to Bournemouth due 12:13
08:03 Manchester Piccadilly to Paignton due 13:07
08:40 Bournemouth to Manchester Piccadilly due 13:29
09:25 Manchester Piccadilly to Bournemouth due 14:13
09:45 Bournemouth to Manchester Piccadilly due 14:29
10:14 Paignton to Manchester Piccadilly due 14:59
10:35 Newcastle to Reading due 15:05
11:27 Plymouth to Edinburgh due 20:04
11:45 Bournemouth to Manchester Piccadilly due 16:29
11:45 Reading to York due 15:39
12:36 Newcastle to Reading due 17:14
12:45 Bournemouth to Manchester Piccadilly due 17:29
13:25 Manchester Piccadilly to Bournemouth due 18:17
14:03 Manchester Piccadilly to Paignton due 18:53
14:25 Manchester Piccadilly to Bournemouth due 19:13
14:38 Paignton to Manchester Piccadilly due 19:59
14:45 Reading to Newcastle due 20:01
15:24 Manchester Piccadilly to Bournemouth due 20:16
15:43 Reading to York due 19:42
17:23 Plymouth to Leeds due 23:34
17:25 Manchester Piccadilly to Bournemouth due 22:15
17:45 Bournemouth to Manchester Piccadilly due 22:30
19:45 Bournemouth to Birmingham New Street due 22:48
20:19 Paignton to Birmingham New Street due 23:55
23:09 Birmingham New Street to Nottingham due 00:18

Now, a list that long looks bad when TG posts the GWR^▸ (Great Western Railway) alterations, but for an operator of much fewer services like CrossCountry it's far worse.  Especially now that many of them are now back down to 4-car trains .

[Timmer]

I was planning a day of travelling for the last time on a XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) HST^▸ (High Speed Train) tomorrow with the added incentive of the diverts via Newport. After seeing the forecast high winds decided better of it. One tree down on the line anywhere between Plymouth and Birmingham would cause me issues. Now seeing this list of cancellations, though its for today, that's definitely made my mind up not to go. I had a pretty tight connection at New Street as it was with everything running smoothly.

[Wizard]

People said that train drivers should leave and do something else if they aren’t happy with their pay and conditions.

So they are.