West Midlands Trains - WMR & LNR

[507022]

RE: West Midlands Trains - WMR & LNR
Sorry for going off thread, but the Euston to Man Vic idea takes me back to the 1990s when Regional Railways were planning a similar service using pairs of 158s, but it never got off the ground

[knutstransport]

RE: West Midlands Trains - WMR & LNR

(30/06/2025 14:44)507022 Wrote:  Sorry for going off thread, but the Euston to Man Vic idea takes me back to the 1990s when Regional Railways were planning a similar service using pairs of 158s, but it never got off the ground

North Western Trains did run a Rochdale to London service (using 158s), as well as a Manchester Airport to Euston service (using 322s). Neither lasted long. There's also been some track applications from Alliance Rail regarding running services from Huddersfield/Victoria to London via Warrington, but they failed to get approved.

I think at one point Central Trains extended a service to Manchester Airport, while London Midland did attempt to start an hourly stopping Preston to Birmingham service. At a timetable change they introduced one northbound afternoon service to Preston that didn't stop between Crewe and Warrington and ran back ECS to Crewe - which defeated the point of it!

[childwallblues]

RE: West Midlands Trains - WMR & LNR
From next Monday Class 730/2 units are due to start in service on the Liverpool to Birmingham route. There will be two diagrams at first.

[knutstransport]

RE: West Midlands Trains - WMR & LNR

(16/07/2025 17:50)childwallblues Wrote:  From next Monday Class 730/2 units are due to start in service on the Liverpool to Birmingham route. There will be two diagrams at first.

Any news on the exact diagrams?

[childwallblues]

RE: West Midlands Trains - WMR & LNR
No yet. I am assuming the first two of the day and then every for hours.

[knutstransport]

RE: West Midlands Trains - WMR & LNR
Looks like there's just the one 730/2 unit out today on Liverpool-Birmingham. It is on a diagram which includes Winsford calls, so that issue with the union must have been resolved (at least enough for them to stop the units there on a temporary basis).

https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/search/...wtt&toc=LM

[childwallblues]

RE: West Midlands Trains - WMR & LNR
730234 was the first unit to be used on the LIV-BHM service on Monday. None out today but it is reported on Rail UK Forums that two should be in service tomorrow. 730234 has been joined at Arriva Traincare Cre by 730213/233.
730204 was seen in Crewe Station this afternoon.