Direct Cardiff to Edinburgh service from 15th December

[whole diary]

[grahame]

From The National

TRAIN operator CrossCountry has announced a new service linking Scotland, Wales and England by one train for the first time.

The services will be introduced as part of the rail industry’s twice-yearly timetable change, rolled out from December 15.

The 455-mile journey will connect 22 stations between Cardiff and Edinburgh directly by rail in what is thought to be the first service of its kind.

[grahame]

From The National

TRAIN operator CrossCountry has announced a new service linking Scotland, Wales and England by one train for the first time.

The services will be introduced as part of the rail industry’s twice-yearly timetable change, rolled out from December 15.

The 455-mile journey will connect 22 stations between Cardiff and Edinburgh directly by rail in what is thought to be the first service of its kind.

Eh?   I thought VT4 in Operation Princess linked Aberdeen and Edinburgh to Cardiff and Swansea?

See https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Virgin_CrossCountry

[Chris from Nailsea]

Is it possibly the 'by one train for the first time' that is their 'first'?  That is, not having to change trains at Birmingham New Street?

I don't know - just a suggestion?

[grahame]

Is it possibly the 'by one train for the first time' that is their 'first'?  That is, not having to change trains at Birmingham New Street?

I don't know - just a suggestion?

No, it isn't Chris. I have just looked at my summer of 2003 timetable which show trains from Cardiff to Edinburgh at 06:56 (arriving 14:42) and 12:10 (arriving 19:44) as - err - part of the Cross Country franchise.

[Chris from Nailsea]

I just knew you'd have a copy of the 'summer of 2003 timetable' in your library! 

[grahame]

I dropped a note to Cross Country asking for clarification ... then as an afterthought I did a Google search for their press office to see what the TOC^▸ (Train Operating Company) had actually said ...  from https://www.crosscountrytrains.co.uk/about-us/press

CrossCountry introduces a new direct service from Cardiff to Edinburgh, connecting capitals of Wales and Scotland by train for the first time.

Long distance train operator CrossCountry has announced a new weekday service linking Wales, England and Scotland by one train for the first time. The services are being introduced as part of the rail industry’s twice-yearly timetable change, rolled out from Sunday 15 December.

The 455-mile journey will connect 22 stations between the capitals of Wales and Scotland directly by rail in what is thought to be the first service of its kind. Passengers are already able to book journeys on the new route.

It’s not just long-distance travellers who will benefit from the new service: many new direct journey options will be available for passengers to book across the entire route, meaning more choice for CrossCountry customers.

Scott Maynard, CrossCountry’s Interim Managing Director, said: “We’re delighted to introduce this new service joining Cardiff and Edinburgh directly by rail for the very first time – meaning even more connections for customers across the length and breadth of the country.

“Thanks to colleagues across CrossCountry and the wider rail industry for their support in delivering these new services linking two of Great Britain’s capital cities, as well as many other key towns and cities in between.”

Scotland’s Cabinet Secretary for Transport, Fiona Hyslop said: “The launch of a new direct weekday train service between Edinburgh and Cardiff for the first time is welcome news for rail users wishing to travel between these two capital cities. The new service should have a positive impact for jobs and local economic growth, while providing direct connectivity between Scotland, Wales, and intermediary locations when it commences later this year.”

Oops!  It would appear that the researchers haven't gone into this as deeply as they should and have come up with the wrong answer, and as a result here are Cross Country's MD and the Scottish Cabinet Secretary for Transport spreading incorrect information!


Edit to add ... initial response from CrossCountry

We aim to send you a full reply within 20 working days, however during busy periods where we experience high volumes of correspondence this could be for an extended period of time

so I should be able to let you know what they say at about the time the new service starts ;-)

[Chris from Nailsea]

So, they 'aim' to reply in '20 working days time', so we may have an answer by Christmas? 

[Mark A]

From The National

TRAIN operator CrossCountry has announced a new service linking Scotland, Wales and England by one train for the first time.
The 455-mile journey will connect 22 stations between Cardiff and Edinburgh directly by rail in what is thought to be the first service of its kind.

This might be the massively underwhelming part of the announcement. Unless the service is routed via e.g. the Central Wales line where is Crosscountry going to find 22 new stations to provide a direct link with Edinburgh, let alone for the first time?

Mark

[ChrisB]

Definitely going via Gloucester....

From Worcester News

Heading north, the service will be formed of trains from Cardiff and Penzance which will be joined together at Birmingham New Street.

On the Southbound journey, the train will reach Gloucester before splitting, with one section of the train heading to Cardiff and the other half terminating in Plymouth.

[grahame]

From the days that timetables were big fat books that wouldn't lie still

[grahame]

... and I'm reading of a train called "The Principality" southbound and "The Caledonian" northbound in the 1980s, via the West Coast main line, at times splitting / joining at Carstairs for Edinburgh / Glasgow, and at times extended to Swansea ...

[CyclingSid]

Another stupid question. I thought they were running an emergency timetable because of a lack of staff. So who is going to man these jaunts across three countries. Sorry if I have been asleep and missed something.

[ChrisB]

You've been asleep & missed XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise)) stating that the temporary timetable would finish this weekend (or was it next, I can't recall) & revert to 'normal' once driver training was complete - the exchange of letters between them & DfT^» (Department for Transport - about) is online somewhere.

... and I'm reading of a train called "The Principality" southbound and "The Caledonian" northbound in the 1980s, via the West Coast main line, at times splitting / joining at Carstairs for Edinburgh / Glasgow, and at times extended to Swansea ...

This new service joins a portion from Penzance at Birmingham New Street (northbound) and splits from a portion to Plymouth at Gloucester (southbound)

[grahame]

Further research ... direct trains from South Wales as far as Newcastle in 1971 and 1981 ... and as far as York in 1991.

[TonyN]

You've been asleep & missed XC^▸ (Cross Country Trains (franchise))▸ stating that the temporary timetable would finish this weekend (or was it next, I can't recall) & revert to 'normal' once driver training was complete - the exchange of letters between them & DfT^» (Department for Transport - about)» is online somewhere.

The temporary timetable seems to have finished last weekend. The 09:58 to Cardiff is running from Worcestershire parkway this week. It has been missing since the temporary timetable was introduced.

However there are still short notice cancellations every day.