New timetables start tomorrow (Sunday 19th May) and, if +London Midland Snow Hill station is to be believed, 'certain fares may be revised'... Overall, little has changed for the three TOCs who provide services between Birmingham and London
+Chiltern Railways (Monday-Fridays) Download the timetable
The xx.12 from Birmingham Snow Hill and xx.55 from Moor Street pattern of off-peak services to London Marylebone continues. Silver Sets are timetabled for the services at 0650 and 0706 from Snow Hill and 1055, 1255, and 1555 from Moor Street. It would seem that the 0610 service from Moor Street has lost its catering trolley but the 1612 departure from Snow Hill seems to have gained one.
Returning from London Marylebone, the xx.15 and xx.45 pattern of services continues. Silver Sets are timetabled for the services at 0845, 1015, 1315, 1647, 1715, and 1815. The first catering trolley service north is at 0815 but it would appear that the 1115 has lost its trolley whilst the 1847 has gained one. Don't forget that the 1847 now runs through to Birmingham Snow Hill and beyond whilst the 1915 now terminates at Moor Street.
Of course, being Chiltern, there is no mention of the hot meals service on the Silver sets!
+London Midland (Monday-Fridays) Download the timetable
The first through train departure from Birmingham New Street to London Euston is now at 0654 with subsequent ones at 0714, 0733, 0754 and 0833 before the off-peak pattern of xx.54 / xx.14 / xx.33 starts at 0854. The xx.54 services continue to connect at Rugby with the fast LM Rugby-Euston services through to 18.54. Changing at Rugby saves 28 minutes on the journey AND gives time for a refreshment break at the Travelines kiosk in the station booking hall...
Returning from London Euston the first train continues to be the 0530 (a real masochist service with a journey time of 2 hours 33 minutes) followed by the 0634, 0713 (journey time of 2 hours 4 mins), 0749, 0754, before the off-peak journey pattern of xx.49 / xx.13 starts at 0849. NOTE however that from 0846 until 1446, the fast LM service to Crewe connects at Rugby with a LM local to Birmingham to give a sub-2 hour journey time. The BIG disappointment with the new timetable is that the three fast evening peak services (1713 / 1813 / 1913) have been slowed by around 5 minutes due to operational issues at Northampton.
The big weakness of the LM offering is the lack of power points in standard class, something that may be addressed in the new stock due in 2014 (though only a limited number of new trains are actually on order).
Virgin Trains (Monday-Fridays) Download the timetable
No changes to the 3 trains an hour service pattern both ways.
From Birmingham New Street at xx.10 / xx.30 / xx.50; from London Euston at xx.03 / xx.23 / xx.43
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