|
|
|
|
London Midland
|
| |
|
| |
London Midland is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Legally named London and Birmingham Railway Ltd., it is a subsidiary of Govia, and has operated the West Midlands Franchise since 11 November 2007.
Their services operate primarily on the West Coast Main Line from London Euston and in the West Midlands region, replacing previous operators Central Trains and Silverlink (both subsidiaries of the National Express Group).
on Midland's services are divided between two sub-brands, London Midland Express and London Midland City.
sub-brand is used primarily for semi-fast services on the West Coast Main Line (WCML).
Discussion
Ask a question about 'London Midland' Start a new discussion about 'London Midland' Answer questions from other users |
Encyclopedia
London Midland is a train operating company in the United Kingdom. Legally named London and Birmingham Railway Ltd., it is a subsidiary of Govia, and has operated the West Midlands Franchise since 11 November 2007.
Their services operate primarily on the West Coast Main Line from London Euston and in the West Midlands region, replacing previous operators Central Trains and Silverlink (both subsidiaries of the National Express Group).
Routes
London Midland's services are divided between two sub-brands, London Midland Express and London Midland City.
London Midland Express
This sub-brand is used primarily for semi-fast services on the West Coast Main Line (WCML). The main service pattern is as follows:
- Birmingham New Street Liverpool Lime Street. Every half hour, calling at either Smethwick or Coesley (alternating to give each an hourly express service), Wolverhampton, Penkridge (hourly service), Stafford, Crewe, Winsford (hourly/two hourly service), Hartford, (limited service), Runcorn and Liverpool South Parkway. Journey times vary between apporx 1½ hours and 1Ύ hours.
- London Euston - Birmingham New Street. Every half hour to Northampton, calling at Watford Junction (hourly), Hemel Hempstead (hourly), Berkhamsted (hourly), Leighton Buzzard, Bletchley, Milton Keynes Central and Wolverton, with hourly extensions to Birmingham New Street, additionally calling at Long Buckby, Rugby, Coventry, Canley, Tile Hill, Berkswell, Birmingham International and Marston Green. Journey times are about an hour longer than Virgin trains' InterCity service.
- London Euston - Milton Keynes. Every 20 minutes to Tring, calling at Harrow & Wealdstone, Bushey, Watford Junction, Kings Langley, Apsley, Hemel Hempstead and Berkhamsted, with hourly extensions to Milton Keynes which call at Watford Junction, Hemel Hempstead, Berkhamsted, Tring, Cheddington, Leighton Buzzard and Bletchley. This service is complemented by an hourly Southern train service between Harrow & Wealdstone and Milton Keynes.
- London Euston - Crewe. Hourly, off peak, calling at Watford Junction, Milton Keynes Central, Northampton, Rugby, Nuneaton, Atherstone, Tamworth, Lich?eld Trent Valley, Rugeley Trent Valley, Stafford, Stone, Stoke-on-Trent, Kidsgrove and Alsager. This semi-fast service replaced the old Virgin Trains service from December 2008. This coincided with the number of Virgin Trains off peak services calling at stations on the Trent Valley Line (and other parts of the WCML) being reduced. This again was controversial, as smaller towns have in effect been cut off from the Intercity rail network. This service takes longer than Virgin services did/do. During peak times, Virgin stops certain trains at one or two of the more major stations, so there is no peak service between the stations.
The brand is also used for two branches off the WCML:
It is a requirement of the franchise that Transport for London's Oyster Cards can be used on trains between London and Watford Junction. In the past, TfL have expressed interest in taking over the St Albans branch, and installing Oyster Card readers on the stations along it; however this route was included within the London Midland franchise.
London Midland City
This sub-brand is used for local and commuter services around the Birmingham / Coventry Area, sponsored by Centro/ Network West Midlands, that were previously run by Central Trains. These services are:
- Birmingham New Street Northampton. Hourly. Semi fast.
- Birmingham New Street Wolverhampton. Half hourly, all stops.
- Lichfield Birmingham New Street - Redditch (the Cross-City Line). Every ten minutes between Longbridge and Four Oaks, all stops, with half hourly extensions to the termini.
- Birmingham New Street - Walsall - Rugely (the Chase Line). Every 15 minutes, with half hourly extensions to Rugely.
- Birmingham New Street Shrewsbury. Hourly, all stops beyond Wolverhampton, complemented by Arriva Trains Wales' fast services to give a half hourly service at major stations.
- Birmingham New Street Hereford via Bromsgrove. Hourly off peak, half hourly peak. Semi-fast.
- Worcester - Birmingham Snow Hill Leamington Spa / Stratford-upon-Avon (the Snow Hill Lines). Every ten minutes between Stourbridge Junction and Birmingham Moor Street, various extensions and patterns.
- Stourbridge Junction Stourbridge Town (the Stourbridge Branch Line). Every ten minutes.
- Coventry Nuneaton. Hourly.
- Worcester - Gloucester. Every two hours, complementing the First Great Western Service to give an hourly service overall, off peak. All stops.
Smaller stations
London Midland operate several "limited stop" stations, where only a handful of trains a day stop:
These include :
Former routes
In December 2008, London Midland discontinued the service between Walsall and Wolverhampton. Usage on the route was low, but growing, and a campaign existed to keep the service.
The service was a priced option with the new West Midlands Franchise, but the West Midlands Passenger Transport Authority (Centro) decided not to take up this option, and as a result the service ceased.
The rolling stock was re-allocated to run the new Worcester to Gloucester service. London Midland advised that passengers should use a Travel West Midlands bus to make the journey.
Performance
The most recent performance figures for London Midland to be released by the ORR for the second quarter of the financial year 2008/9 are 88.4% Public Performance Measure.
The figures are expected to decrease, as a result of problems encountered since the recent timetable change in December 2008.
Rolling stock
Current fleet
London Midlands fleet is currently composed of rolling stock inherited from Silverlink and Central Trains. They plan to improve the reliability and interior design of the existing Class 153 and Class 170 trains, and install passenger information systems and CCTV on the majority of the fleet. They also intend to use automatic load-monitoring systems to measure how heavily their services are used, for the purpose of alleviating over-crowding.
The first of London Midland's Class 153 Sprinters (153 365) has gone to the Eastleigh Wabtec works for an overhaul and a repaint.
As of 12 November 2007 there are already several units operating in the new livery and re-furbished green interior, but all of the Class 150 "Sprinter" units still carry their original liveries, albeit without Central Trains branding.
The first of the 37 new Desiro units arrived in the UK in early October for testing at the Siemens Northampton depot. London Midland currently have 14 units in operation as from December 2008.
The two PPM railcars were due to enter service on the Stourbridge line with the start of the new timetable on 14 December 2008. However, delays in testing the units caused a delay in their introduction, with a replacement bus covering the route following the reallocation of the Class 153 originally used.
Future fleet
As part of its franchise agreement, London Midland is committed to a major programme of new rolling stock. In its initial plan, it announced that it would bring into service an additional 37 Class 350 units from Siemens which it plans to use in replacing its Class 321s. After beginning its operations, London Midland announced two further orders, with fifteen 3-car and twelve 2-car Class 172 Turbostar units ordered from Bombardier Transportation, together with a pair of Class 139 railcars from Parry People Movers for use on the Stourbridge line. The Class 153 units off the Stourbridge Town branch were moved to the Bedford - Bletchley line in December 2008, even though their replacement Parry People Mover was not ready. The Stourbridge branch has been operated by bus since the new timetable came into force. The Class 153s replaced Class 150s on the Bedford to Bletchley route; the remainder of London Midland's Class 150s will be replaced like for like by the Class 172s. Under the government's rolling stock plan, the Class 150s will be cascaded to other TOC's.
As part of the Department for Transport's rolling stock plan, published in January 2008, the current fleet of 17 Class 323s currently operated by Northern are expected to be transferred to London Midland in order to form a uniform fleet with 24 new units being ordered for Northern.
See also
External links
|-
|
| |
|
|
