Transport for Wales Rail

[knutstransport]

RE: Transport for Wales Rail

(08/07/2020 06:43)iMarkeh Wrote:  Oh, Northern would probably treat Victoria to Chester quite well as they seemed to do pre covid. I think the Covid timetables is just Northern running the minimum they can on all lines. The Mid Cheshire line I admit isn't looked after much and i'm not sure why.

The Vic-Chester Sprinter ECS movement is at a 6am. It can't divert because it has a path set via Earlestown. It's not easy to divert trains ECS or in service. It ran via Earlestown prior to the regular passenger services. I don't know if it is just replacing ECS or it's a contractual agreement (perhaps both). Either one, it's a welcome additional trip.

I fail to see where the evidence is that Northern would provide a better service than TfW Rail. The Victoria-Chester services get 195s because they are part of which was going to be branded a 'Northern Connect' service from Leeds. The only short 'Northern Connect' service is Manchester Airport to Liverpool via Warrington and it was a franchise requirement for high spec trains to used on that service due to people expressing concerns that transferring a semi-fast from TPE to Northern would mean a downgrade in rolling stock. The Huddersfield-Halifax-Bradford service is not a Northern Connect or 195 route even though it part duplicates a Northern Connect route.

The trains on the Llandudno-Manchester Airport route would meet the Northern Connect requirements and they are to be replaced by brand new CAF Civity trains anyway. It's rare for either Northern or TfW Rail to run a diesel formation of more than 3 carriages.

I'll reply to your comment about ECS workings to/from Chester in the Northern thread.