In message <tduqot$2iou9$1@dont-email.me>, at 02:47:57 on Mon, 22 Aug
2022, Anna Noyd-Dryver <anna@noyd-dryver.com> remarked:
>Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
>> In message <tdtqne$2d4cc$3@dont-email.me>, at 17:41:02 on Sun, 21 Aug
>> 2022, Anna Noyd-Dryver <anna@noyd-dryver.com> remarked:
>>> Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
>>>> In message <tdr93n$21kk6$1@dont-email.me>, at 19:28:04 on Sat, 20 Aug
>>>> 2022, Jack Harry Teesdale <noreply492000-medic@yahoo.co.uk> remarked:
>>>>> A Heritage Rail firm Locomotive Services Group based in Crewe has begun
>>>>> a charter service from Crewe to London Euston to compete with Avanti
>>>>> West Coast.
>>>>>
>>>>> The 1st class fare is £75, Avanti charge £169.
>>>>
>>>> That £169 is about halfway down the Avanti price list for Advance Fares,
>>>> I wonder why that one has been picked?
>>>>
>>>>> The service uses BR Mk3 stock and an electric loco.
>>>>>
>>>>> Could this be the future of rail travel?
>>>>
>>>> It's the sort of thing which might be useful for a small number of
>>>> passengers who are willing to make their travel plans significantly in
>>>> advance, and work around the gaps in the timetable of the heritage rail
>>>> firm.
>>>>
>>>
>>> "Gaps in the timetable of the [heritage rail] firm"?!?
>>
>> Apparently their "competitive" service isn't even every hour or every
>> day, but just once a week. It's being vastly over-sold.
>>
>>> Their offering is a mid-afternoon Crewe-Euston and return
>>> Euston-Manchester, 1tpd each way, Fridays only (so actually 1tpw each
>>> way!), the London-Manchester leg taking 3h15 (vs 2h07 for the Avanti
>>> trains).
>>
>> Crikey, 110mph vs 125mph makes that much difference?
>>
>
>Mostly down to the stopping pattern, and the route via Birmingham and
>Crewe, I'd guess.
>
>Friday's train arrived 17 minutes late
><https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U66444/2022-08-19/detail
>ed#allox_id=0>

Must have got stuck behind something, it was 34 late approaching
Wolverhampton (where it recovered slightly, because it has a ten minute
booked stop).
--
Roland Perry

Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
> In message <tduqot$2iou9$1@dont-email.me>, at 02:47:57 on Mon, 22 Aug
> 2022, Anna Noyd-Dryver <anna@noyd-dryver.com> remarked:
>> Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
>>> In message <tdtqne$2d4cc$3@dont-email.me>, at 17:41:02 on Sun, 21 Aug
>>> 2022, Anna Noyd-Dryver <anna@noyd-dryver.com> remarked:
>>>> Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
>>>>> In message <tdr93n$21kk6$1@dont-email.me>, at 19:28:04 on Sat, 20 Aug
>>>>> 2022, Jack Harry Teesdale <noreply492000-medic@yahoo.co.uk> remarked:
>>>>>> A Heritage Rail firm Locomotive Services Group based in Crewe has begun
>>>>>> a charter service from Crewe to London Euston to compete with Avanti
>>>>>> West Coast.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> The 1st class fare is £75, Avanti charge £169.
>>>>>
>>>>> That £169 is about halfway down the Avanti price list for Advance Fares,
>>>>> I wonder why that one has been picked?
>>>>>
>>>>>> The service uses BR Mk3 stock and an electric loco.
>>>>>>
>>>>>> Could this be the future of rail travel?
>>>>>
>>>>> It's the sort of thing which might be useful for a small number of
>>>>> passengers who are willing to make their travel plans significantly in
>>>>> advance, and work around the gaps in the timetable of the heritage rail
>>>>> firm.
>>>>>
>>>>
>>>> "Gaps in the timetable of the [heritage rail] firm"?!?
>>>
>>> Apparently their "competitive" service isn't even every hour or every
>>> day, but just once a week. It's being vastly over-sold.
>>>
>>>> Their offering is a mid-afternoon Crewe-Euston and return
>>>> Euston-Manchester, 1tpd each way, Fridays only (so actually 1tpw each
>>>> way!), the London-Manchester leg taking 3h15 (vs 2h07 for the Avanti
>>>> trains).
>>>
>>> Crikey, 110mph vs 125mph makes that much difference?
>>>
>>
>> Mostly down to the stopping pattern, and the route via Birmingham and
>> Crewe, I'd guess.
>>
>> Friday's train arrived 17 minutes late
>> <https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:U66444/2022-08-19/detail
>> ed#allox_id=0>
>
> Must have got stuck behind something, it was 34 late approaching
> Wolverhampton (where it recovered slightly, because it has a ten minute
> booked stop).

Judging by the lack of reports between Soho and Wolverhampton, I suspect it
was diverted via Bescot.

Anna Noyd-Dryver

On Mon, 22 Aug 2022 02:47:57 +0000, Anna Noyd-Dryver wrote:
> Roland Perry <roland@perry.uk> wrote:
>> Crikey, 110mph vs 125mph makes that much difference?
> Mostly down to the stopping pattern, and the route via Birmingham and
> Crewe, I'd guess.

If they're running via Birmingham, that adds a lot to the journey time.
The Avanti service from Edinburgh to London runs via Birmingham. If
you're travelling to London on it, the conductor advises that you get out
at Crewe and wait for the following train, which gets you to London
earlier, despite the 20-30 minute wait at Crewe.

How does the timing compare to the London North Western service?

Mike