CrossCountry will increase capacity on its Nottingham-Birmingham-Cardiff route from May, as part of a package agreed with Government.
Longer term, XC will receive six additional vehicles designed to lengthen two-car Class 170 Turbostars, while the franchise has been asked to extend train lengths on its long-distance services to meet capacity concerns.
It is now negotiating with franchise owner Arriva regarding a longer Direct Award while decisions made in the Williams Review are implemented.
The operator has been asked to consider the potential for additional long-distance trains to be deployed as soon as possible, as part of a proposal for the Direct Award.
XC spokesman Richard Gibson explained: “The capacity improvements from this May relate to a change to the maintenance arrangements with West Midlands Trains (our maintainer) that will allow an increase in the number of ‘170’ sets in passenger service each day. From May 2021 the increase is the six additional ‘170’ carriages that we are leasing.”
Those extra vehicles will be cascaded from three-car WMT Class 170/6s that will move to East Midlands Railway as two-car sets, freeing up the centre car from each set to move to XC.
Gibson added: “The plan for the other long-distance routes is still being finalised with the Department for Transport as part of the longer Direct Award negotiations we’re working on.”
In a statement, DfT said it and XC were working to finalise plans for more seats through the introduction of longer trains on routes from Scotland, the North East and Manchester to the South Coast and South West. These would run on Mondays-Thursdays from December 2020.
It is understood that one option proposed was for EMR’s 27 Class 222s to move to XC, but these will not be available until the end of 2022.
“We want to fund benefits to address pressing needs and improve journeys for passengers in the short term, as well as in the future,” said Rail Minister Chris Heaton-Harris.
“More seats mean more people can travel, increasing access to opportunities and better connecting our regions.”
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For the FULL story, read RAIL 901, published on March 25, and available digitally from March 21.
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VT Fan 3 - 10/03/2020 15:51
The 9 car LNER HSTs would be perfect on routes from Scotland and the North East to the South West. Also, introducing the Class 222 is a excellent idea as well. The 4 and 5 car units would do great on all long distance routes and along with the Class 220 and 221 on routes from Manchester to the South Coast, However, the 7 car units would help on the Scotland to the South West Route. XC could also add at least 7 full Intercity 225 Mk4 sets with an electro diesel locomotive.
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Stephen Lee - 11/03/2020 16:34
How about Class 180 Adelante
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Daniel Altmann - 10/05/2022 10:16
I think the 4 with EMR could be raken up by Hull trains so they have a single type of units.
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VT Fan 3 - 10/03/2020 16:01
Scotland to the South West Route: XC HST (7 Car, possible extension to 8 Car), LNER HST (9 Car) , Class 222 (4, 5 and 7 Car).| Manchester to the South Coast: Class 220 Voyager (4 Car), Class 221 Super Voyager (5 Car), Class 222 (4 and 5 Car).| Stansted-Nottingham-Birmingham-Cardiff: Class 170 Turbostar (3 Car), Class 220 Voyager (4 Car)
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Dan Sellers - 31/12/2020 03:12
I think XC should get Avanti West Coast's 20x 221s and the EMR 222s when they receive their new trains. Longer term, XC should get bi-mode trains as well, up to 9 coaches for the long distance routes. Eventually cascade 4 coach 220s onto the 170 routes.
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Stephen Lee - 11/03/2020 16:21
In the future the 171s from GTR Southern will be replaced with 12 of them being moved to EMR and turn into 170s. So I wonder if it's possible to lengthen the 2-car 170/1s by the time there are surplus 171s available using the 171s' centre cars
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Stephen Lee - 11/03/2020 16:35
and for long distance routes, think of occupying the Avanti 221s and 180s will also be a good idea
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Stephen Lee - 11/03/2020 16:35
and for long distance routes, think of occupying the Avanti 221s and 180s will also be a good idea
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James - 05/03/2021 00:33
XC's fleet is knackered and inconsistent. It will be the only franchise still operating HST's and the only one apart from London commuter franchises not operating IET's
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Daniel Altmann - 10/05/2022 09:48
Cascading the 222's (well except for some of them) as EMR now has retained and will have to run the Liverpool - Nottingham (-Norwich) service for wich it had no units retaied. the idea to take 185s - which are still in use is illogical, as the service is already has capacity issues with coupled 158 units (4 car vs 3 cars of a 185 ?) EMR should retain at least 15* 5 car 222's for this and the Crewe - Derby (- Lincoln) services. For Cross Country there will be 20* 221 units released from Avanti that would be near the same number of units.
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