Bank Holiday engineering update 26 August 2011

Please note that London Midland tickets are NOT valid on Virgin Trains services between Milton Keynes and Euston even on Sunday morning and on any Virgin Trains service except between Birmingham International and Birmingham New St on Sunday and Monday (we run the only trains operating between these two points). Southbound customers with LM tickets should change at Birmingham International for LM services.


A briefing on the August bank holiday 2011 arrangements
Updated 23 August
Saturday 27 August
• Warrington to Wigan blocked on Saturday with hourly Birmingham to Preston Voyager trains via Wigan and Manchester. Euston to Glasgow services run Pendolino trains Euston to Crewe (some extended to Liverpool) and Wigan to Glasgow. The 1039 and 1240 Glasgow to Euston trains run as Voyagers and are diverted via Wigan and Manchester to Euston
• Chester services do not run and North Wales services run between Crewe and Holyhead
• Rail replacement coaches operate between Wigan and Warrington and Warrington and Crewe for local flows. Additional coaches are running to cater for Wigan fans attending the Rugby League Challenge Cup final at Wembley ( 1430 Kick of)

Sunday 28 August
• Some engineering work south of Rugby /Milton Keynes until approximately 1300 and only a limited train service south of Milton Keynes can operate using diesel trains (either Voyagers or Pendolino trains dragged by diesels) as there is also single line working so whilst some trains run to and from Euston most trains from the north will start and terminate at Milton Keynes
• Operating this service, there is NO need for the West Coast Replacement Voyager shuttles to run between Euston and Nuneaton via the Chiltern route.
• These are the morning services from Euston
o 0855 double Voyager to Glasgow diverted via Manchester (not Wigan though)
o 0900 Pendolino to Liverpool
o 0905 Pendolino to Manchester via Stoke and Macclesfield
o 0910 Pendolino to Wolverhampton
o 1015 double Voyager to Glasgow diverted via Manchester (not Wigan) calling at Milton Keynes to connect with starting trains at MK
o then the 1120 and 1231 Voyagers run to Wolverhampton calling at Milton Keynes to connect with starting trains there. Also 3 trains will start from Rugby in the early part of the morning
• Southbound, the following services will operate
o an hourly West Midlands to Euston Voyager service will operate calling at Rugby and Milton Keynes to connect with trains terminating at MK
o the first two trains from Manchester and one from Liverpool will terminate at Rugby and customers change there for Euston
o later services from the north west will terminate at Milton Keynes for customers to connect with hourly West Midlands trains to Euston
• In the main, train crew changeovers will be at Rugby not Milton Keynes
• Prior to 0930, London Midland operate coaches Northampton – Wolverton – Milton Keynes – Watford and all stations Northampton to Watford to connect with London Overground services to Euston.
• After 0930, LM operates coaches Rugby to Northampton, Northampton to Milton Keynes, half hourly trains Milton Keynes to Hemel Hempstead to connect with a coach all stations to Watford for the London Overground to Euston. After 1230, LM run trains into Euston
• From approximately 1300, a reduced service into and out of Euston will operate each hour (two West Midlands, two Manchester, one Liverpool and one Crewe). Euston to Milton Keynes will be open to electric trains. Chester services do not run and North Wales services run between Crewe and Holyhead
o Northbound, when the line is open, the first of the trains to run normally will be the 1310 Euston to Birmingham Pendolino
o Southbound, the first through service to Euston from the north west is the 1135 from Manchester (arrives Euston 1356) and the 1148 from Liverpool (arrives Euston 1422)
• Warrington to Wigan blocked all day with hourly Birmingham to Preston Voyager trains via Manchester (not calling at Wigan). Euston to Glasgow Pendolino trains run Euston to Crewe and Preston to Glasgow.
• Rail replacement coaches operate between Crewe, Warrington, Wigan and Preston for local flows
• Stetchford to New St is blocked for the Birmingham Gateway project with West Midlands trains diverted round the back to New St with extended journey times (approx 10 – 15 minutes). No CrossCountry, Arriva or LM trains run between Birmingham International and New St only 2 Virgin Trains services an hour
• London Midland train services from the south (Rugby) will terminate at Birmingham International and not be diverted into New St with an hourly coach service all stations from International to New St.
• CrossCountry will operate an hourly coach service between International, Coventry and Leamington

LM Tickets
• London Midland tickets are NOT valid on Virgin Trains services between Milton Keynes and Euston even on Sunday morning and NOT valid on any Virgin Trains service except between Birmingham International and Birmingham New St on Sunday and Monday ( we run the only trains operating between these two points). Southbound customers with LM tickets should change at International

Monday 29 August
• South of Rugby, two track railway to 1200 with a reduced service operating at these times (two Manchester and two West Midlands trains an hour) and trains depart Euston slightly earlier than normal
• Stetchford to New St blocked for the Birmingham Gateway project with West Midlands trains diverted round the back to New St with extended journey times (approx 10 – 15 minutes). No CrossCountry, Arriva or LM trains run between Birmingham International and New St only 2 Virgin Trains services an hour
• London Midland train services from the south will terminate at Birmingham International and not be diverted into New St with a half hourly coach service all stations from International to New St.
• CrossCountry will operate an hourly coach service between International, Coventry and Leamington

LM Tickets
• London Midland tickets are NOT valid on any Virgin trains service except between Birmingham International and Birmingham New St on Sunday and Monday (we run the only trains operating between these two points). Southbound customers with LM tickets should change at International

Friday update TPE Industrial action cancelled

We have been advised by Trans Pennine Express that the proposed Industrial Action by Drivers for today Friday 26th August has been CALLED OFF. TPE are hoping to run a full service. **Please Note that we will still accept TPE tickets as previously agreed as there is a possibility that TPE will still have some cancellations on their Anglo-Scottish routes**

TPE update for travel 26th August 2011

TPE have sent us the following update

Holders of Advance Purchase tickets dated for travel on the 26 August, with either 'TPE ONLY' or 'TPE &
Connections' printed on the ticket will be able to use any First TransPennine Express service that is
operating on these dates.

Advance purchase tickets dated 26 August with 'TPE ONLY' printed on the ticket will be valid for travel up to
seven days after the date on the ticket, but only on First TransPennine Express services.
Other train operators will accept TPE tickets on Friday and have also agreed to the following;
Advance purchase tickets dated for the 26 August with 'TPE & Connections' printed on the ticket will be valid
for travel on other operators’ services 48 hrs before and up to seven days after the date on the ticket.
They will be valid for travel for the journey stated on the ticket and customers should travel as near to the
original journey time as possible.

Customers who decide not to travel
Customers who choose not to travel will be entitled to a full refund for the affected journey with no admin
charges applied. Tickets should be returned to the point of purchase for refund.

If customers have any queries about this please contact TPE customer relations team on 0845 600 1671 for further
information.

proposed TPE strike action 24 Aug & 26t Aug

proposed TransPennine Express (TPE) strike action on Wednesday 24th August and Friday 26th August forwarded on behalf of TPE

Holders of tickets booked for strike days:

Holders of Advance Purchase tickets dated for travel on the 24 or 26 August, with either 'TPE ONLY' or 'TPE & Connections' printed on the ticket will be able to use any First TransPennine Express service that is operating on these dates. Advance purchase tickets dated the 24 and 26 August with 'TPE ONLY' printed on the ticket will also be valid for travel 48 hrs before and up to seven days after the date on the ticket, but only on First TransPennine Express services.

Other train operators (including Virgin Trains) will accept TPE tickets on the strike days and have also agreed to the following;

Advance purchase tickets dated for the 24 and 26 August, with 'TPE & Connections' printed on the ticket will be valid for travel 48 hrs before and up to seven days after the date on the ticket. They will be valid for travel for the journey stated on the ticket and travel as near to the original journey time as possible.

Customers who decide not to travel:

Customers who choose not to travel will be entitled to a full refund for the affected journey with no admin charges applied. Tickets should be returned to the point of purchase for refund.

If customers have any queries about this please advise them to contact the TPE customer relations team on 0845 600 1671 for further information.