locoholic Posted July 11, 2018 Share Posted July 11, 2018 It was a bit tongue in cheek, hence the exclamation mark. Thinking more widely. How about a chord from the Midland line curving around from just south of the Costwold line to join the line coming up from Abbotswood Junction? This would allow WM trains services from New St to enter Worcester from the south. As it stands, the new station is a great P&R site for the Cotswold line but serves little purpose for the Midland line, without some useful connexions. Keith I was wondering which Midland line services would actually stop; Cardiff - Birmingham units only? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Miles Posted July 12, 2018 Share Posted July 12, 2018 I was wondering which Midland line services would actually stop; Cardiff - Birmingham units only? This would make them even slower. When I moved from Brum to Cardiff in 1980 the journey time was 2 hours and it is still that now and it's going to get worse with the Cross City trains running to Bromsgrove providing an additional source of delays. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
locoholic Posted July 12, 2018 Share Posted July 12, 2018 This would make them even slower. When I moved from Brum to Cardiff in 1980 the journey time was 2 hours and it is still that now and it's going to get worse with the Cross City trains running to Bromsgrove providing an additional source of delays. The city to city car journey is no faster, with potential for horrendous delays. Which other services use the direct line from Abbottswood Junction to Stoke Works? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted July 12, 2018 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 12, 2018 (edited) This would make them even slower. When I moved from Brum to Cardiff in 1980 the journey time was 2 hours and it is still that now and it's going to get worse with the Cross City trains running to Bromsgrove providing an additional source of delays. I don't see why. Most XC trains, apart from the Cardiff ones don't stop at Bromsgrove they sail straight through, platform 2 Northbound (or platform 4 Southbound), whilst the Cross City train waits in it's own platform (3) for them to pass. As long as a Cross City isn't sent in preference to the XC there shouldn't be a problem Once passed Barnt Green nothing will have changed. As well as the Cardiff service (nearly?) every other XC to the SW will be passing through Worcester Parkway. Keith Edit for clarity. Edited July 12, 2018 by melmerby Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John_Miles Posted July 13, 2018 Share Posted July 13, 2018 I don't see why. Most XC trains, apart from the Cardiff ones don't stop at Bromsgrove they sail straight through, platform 2 Northbound (or platform 4 Southbound), whilst the Cross City train waits in it's own platform (3) for them to pass. As long as a Cross City isn't sent in preference to the XC there shouldn't be a problem Once passed Barnt Green nothing will have changed. As well as the Cardiff service (nearly?) every other XC to the SW will be passing through Worcester Parkway. Keith Edit for clarity. Won't they be stopping at Barnt Green? The platform is being lengthened so I suspect they will. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted July 13, 2018 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 13, 2018 (edited) Won't they be stopping at Barnt Green? The platform is being lengthened so I suspect they will. Cross City? Just one of the Bromsgrove Cross City trains will stop per hour each way. Here is the first full day of service: http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/advanced/BTG/2018/07/30/0000-2359?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt Keith Edited July 13, 2018 by melmerby Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
28XX Posted September 27, 2018 Share Posted September 27, 2018 Two better shots of HK9 in this mornings glorious sunshine. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted July 24, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted July 24, 2019 GWR publicity shot... https://www.gwr.com/about-us/modernising-gwr/worcestershire-parkway?dclid=CjkKEQjwg-DpBRCg-Z24qYDuvdcBEiQA3OS-yFZ3THO--vaA52F0KPDkXmtyNvJ9S943ZMKsacREGbzw_wcB Phil 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Siberian Snooper Posted July 25, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted July 25, 2019 There don't appear to be any Bristol, birmingham trains, are they now goig through Shrub Hill or are they just not going to stop at the new station? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted July 25, 2019 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 25, 2019 2 hours ago, Siberian Snooper said: There don't appear to be any Bristol, birmingham trains, are they now goig through Shrub Hill or are they just not going to stop at the new station? What I read suggests only one XC service, the Cardiff to Nottingham will call there, that will be roughly 1 tph on current timetables. Somewhat underwhelming! 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
caradoc Posted July 25, 2019 Share Posted July 25, 2019 (edited) 4 hours ago, melmerby said: What I read suggests only one XC service, the Cardiff to Nottingham will call there, that will be roughly 1 tph on current timetables. Somewhat underwhelming! Absolutely, and in my experience the Cardiff/Nottingham trains (2-car or at best 3-car Class 170 sets) are busy enough already ! Worcester really suffers from being off the main line, in the same way perhaps as Northampton. Edited: As, I should have said, does Gloiucester, being on (or rather just off) the same main line as Worcester. Sometimes the quickest rail journey from Gloucester to Bristol is via Cheltenham ! Edited July 25, 2019 by caradoc Additional info 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
John-Miles Posted July 25, 2019 Share Posted July 25, 2019 IIRC Worcester is off the main line due to its citizens asking for high prices for land when the Birmingham and Gloucester was being planned. The promoters (mostly Birmingham business men) were mainly focussed on getting access to Gloucester docks. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted July 25, 2019 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 25, 2019 4 hours ago, caradoc said: Absolutely, and in my experience the Cardiff/Nottingham trains (2-car or at best 3-car Class 170 sets) are busy enough already ! Worcester really suffers from being off the main line, in the same way perhaps as Northampton. Northampton actually has a very good train service. LNWR/WMR run about 4 tph to London and some do Euston in 55mins with just three stops. In t'other direction trains go to Rugby/Coventry/Birmingham/Crewe/Walsall/Rugeley/Liverpool etc. If you want to go further north change at Rugby. Worcester on the other hand has a very poor north/south long distance service with only GWR providing anything like a service for Bristol etc. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
caradoc Posted July 25, 2019 Share Posted July 25, 2019 1 hour ago, melmerby said: Northampton actually has a very good train service. LNWR/WMR run about 4 tph to London and some do Euston in 55mins with just three stops. In t'other direction trains go to Rugby/Coventry/Birmingham/Crewe/Walsall/Rugeley/Liverpool etc. If you want to go further north change at Rugby. Worcester on the other hand has a very poor north/south long distance service with only GWR providing anything like a service for Bristol etc. The current through service between Northampton and Liverpool has only been running since, IIRC, the last timetable change, runs via Birmingham so is not exactly fast, and is formed of 4-car outer suburban EMUs, some with 3+2 seating, and no catering facility whatsoever. Meanwhile Virgin do not serve the town at all. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted July 25, 2019 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted July 25, 2019 46 minutes ago, caradoc said: The current through service between Northampton and Liverpool has only been running since, IIRC, the last timetable change, runs via Birmingham so is not exactly fast, and is formed of 4-car outer suburban EMUs, some with 3+2 seating, and no catering facility whatsoever. Meanwhile Virgin do not serve the town at all. That's where the "Change at Rugby" quip came from. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold martin_wynne Posted October 10, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 10, 2019 Latest drone footage of Worcestershire Parkway station nearing completion: https://twitter.com/worcscc/status/1181926153034047489 Martin. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted October 10, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted October 10, 2019 Good to see and hear the progress - thanks Martin. Speaking to XC on train staff they think December is a possible opening date and that the Cardiff - Nottinghams will be calling. Platform 3 on the Worcester - Oxford line looks inevitably windswept! Shades of Tamworth perhaps? But has to improve links both north and southbound for S Worcestershire residents - there has been much ribaldry locally about potential usage but given rail travel in West Midlands has risen by 121% recently I hope the services can cope with demand. Will also be interesting to see how services get recast in future - and what price any other re-openings - Bredon or Eckington perhaps? Travelled to Norwich from Cheltenham recently and one ticketing option was via Evesham so is plainly already in systems..... Phil Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Young Posted October 10, 2019 Share Posted October 10, 2019 Can see Worcestershire Parkway becoming a useful park and ride station for London commuters living that side of Worcester. As for the Midland Side, as recent years have seen line speed increases further west and pathing tweaks to speed up the service between New St and Bristol (they also have padding in them for coping with the Cross City services), stopping at the new station will do nothing to continue these improvements. Especially as currently, the Cardiff’s have the Bristol on their tale by Cheltenham as it is and the Nottingham’s have the HST/Voyager following them into Derby. Andrew Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Phil Bullock Posted December 5, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 5, 2019 On 10/10/2019 at 06:39, Phil Bullock said: Good to see and hear the progress - thanks Martin. Speaking to XC on train staff they think December is a possible opening date and that the Cardiff - Nottinghams will be calling. Platform 3 on the Worcester - Oxford line looks inevitably windswept! Shades of Tamworth perhaps? But has to improve links both north and southbound for S Worcestershire residents - there has been much ribaldry locally about potential usage but given rail travel in West Midlands has risen by 121% recently I hope the services can cope with demand. Will also be interesting to see how services get recast in future - and what price any other re-openings - Bredon or Eckington perhaps? Travelled to Norwich from Cheltenham recently and one ticketing option was via Evesham so is plainly already in systems..... Phil Ah well - inevitably optimistic! CLPG are now saying the New Year... but no news on the web site at http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/parkway except a picture of a Voyager - with doors closed and no-one getting on or off!!!! Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Killybegs Posted December 5, 2019 Share Posted December 5, 2019 10 minutes ago, Phil Bullock said: Ah well - inevitably optimistic! CLPG are now saying the New Year... but no news on the web site at http://www.worcestershire.gov.uk/parkway except a picture of a Voyager - with doors closed and no-one getting on or off!!!! Probably because it's a model 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
locoholic Posted December 11, 2019 Share Posted December 11, 2019 https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-hereford-worcester-50730763?fbclid=IwAR0iuwtN1cx8TxEdqDqLdw7tflAIGJb427Ra0DSi937V7M1IO6vThLjK7Kg 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium melmerby Posted December 11, 2019 Author RMweb Premium Share Posted December 11, 2019 (edited) I notice it says when it opens passengers will be able to travel from Worcester to Paddington in under two hours. Are they speeding up the timetable? Currently the best time from passing Worcester Parkway* is 2 hours 10 minutes. *Now in the timetable as a calling point but not stopping there: e.g. https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C20792/2019-12-11/detailed Edited December 11, 2019 by melmerby Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Robert Shrives Posted December 11, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 11, 2019 The other week a 170 was used for test stops and writing the ops notice for Xc services so getting even nearer! Robert Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold martin_wynne Posted December 11, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted December 11, 2019 38 minutes ago, melmerby said: I notice it says when it opens passengers will be able to travel from Worcester to Paddington in under two hours. It says to London, not Paddington. Via New Street? Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Zomboid Posted December 12, 2019 Share Posted December 12, 2019 6 hours ago, melmerby said: I notice it says when it opens passengers will be able to travel from Worcester to Paddington in under two hours. Are they speeding up the timetable? Currently the best time from passing Worcester Parkway* is 2 hours 10 minutes. *Now in the timetable as a calling point but not stopping there: e.g. https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/C20792/2019-12-11/detailed Yes, there's a few trains in the December timetable which run non stop from Oxford to Paddington, they'll probably just about dip under the 2 hours. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Create an account or sign in to comment
You need to be a member in order to leave a comment
Create an account
Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!
Register a new accountSign in
Already have an account? Sign in here.
Sign In Now