 Trent Valley diversions
GazK wrote:
> Could someone give me some info on the route Virgin are using for their
> West Coast trains next week? The Trent Valley is blocked all week, and
> on Tuesday I am going to - ironically - Colwich Junction to do a survey
> taking advantage of the block, before going to Preston for a meeting on
> Wednesday. I've then got to get home to Chippenham by train in the
> afternoon, and I'm trying to work out the least painful way of doing it.
> Are VT services going down the Grand Junction line, or through New Street?
We did a trip from Milton Keynes Central to Manchester Piccadilly on
Friday and the route depends on whether the train is routed via
Birmingham New Street or not. Our outward journey did stop at BNS and
then on through Sandwell and Dudley to Wolverhampton. The return
journey was non stop from Crewe to MKC and, from leaving Stafford, went
up the Grand Junction line through to Aston (Bushbury Jct, then through
Bescot to Aston) where it took the Stechford and Aston line to
Stechford. They appear to build in a fair amount of slack for the
trains with fewer stops; we arrived at MKC about 10 minutes ahead of
schedule which confused station staff who were meant to meet us with a
wheelchair ramp!
An interesting trip, nonetheless.
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