Railways around Coventry

As I understood, it was not just about the building work, but also timetabling problems, solving pathing issues for the local services in between the Cross Country trains and freight

Kenilworth News: Kenilworth Station's opening delay 'not our fault', Department for Transport claims I think you're right Midland Red. There is still a lot that needs to be agreed/signed off before the service can start. If anything February is looking optimistic. The Class 172s from London Overground which would cut the Coventry-Leamington journey time by 3 minutes over a class 153 won't be available until Spring 2018. Peter.

Empty trains are due to run between Coventry & Leamington today (6th Dec) and tomorrow (7th Dec) mornings (times). There are two return workings booked for next Monday (11th) and Wednesday (13th) lunchtime which are booked to stop at Kenilworth, also non-passenger. They are booked for class 15x, probably a single car class 153. Peter.

Canley Gates and hoardings advertising fags and booze!

West Midlands Trains took over the running of the local rail franchise from London Midland at 02:00 today. The franchise operates in two parts: London North Western Railway which operates the long distance Birmingham-London Euston, Birmingham-Crewe/Liverpool and London Euston-Nuneaton-Crewe services. West Midland Railway who operate local services around Birmingham including Coventry-Nuneaton & (starting in 2018) Coventry-Leamington. Network Map

Morning all Tile Hill Station relief. The number of passengers who use Tile Hill station, I am surprised that a commercial vendor hasn't set up shop anyway. Maybe too much red-tape.

I use THL often. Canley would be easier, but there are far fewer parking spaces, and only alternate trains stop there, unlike THL, where all the London Midland (or whatever it's now called) trains stop. But in the week, the car park is chock-a-block during working hours. There's a mobile café van selling coffee etc., first thing for the commuters, during the weekdays (not sure about weekends). Sadly, THL is quite often used by suicidists. A few years ago, during the day at COV station, the ticket office attendant suddenly put up a sign saying "all trains to New St cancelled"; no reason given. It turned out that someone from my workplace had cycled to THL and jumped in front of the Inter City. The rail network was closed for several hours.

This letter has appeared on the ORR Website (although dated 17th November it has only been added recently). The letter removes the Sunday service from the track access application to run the Coventry-Kenilworth-Leamington service; so Kenilworth station will open with only a Monday-Saturday service. Because Cross Country run additional trains via Coventry on a Sunday it was not possible to accommodate the Kenilworth service with class 153 timings. There was also concern over reduced maintenance time for the class 153's. It is planned to introduce the Sunday service when the Class 172 units become available in 2018, but this will now require a new track access application. Peter..

Kenilworth Station opening delayed again - report

An interesting selection of pictures appeared on `FB Coventry Old and New` a couple of days ago showing the loco `Rocket` which used to move goods from Courtaulds to the main line. It appears that it it is being used in a railway restoration site near Shropshire.

The words booze-up, brewery, organise and couldn't spring to mind!

Latest news is that Kenilworth Station will open on 5th March However, there will be no Sunday services Several operating companies expressed concerns at West Midlands Trains' proposed use of Class 153 single car trains, and the 'performance impact' of the new services WMT had hoped to run a Class 172 set instead, which would offer superior braking and acceleration, but they have been unable to secure one which would have alleviated some performance concerns, particularly on Sundays, and therefore they withdrew its application for a seven day service They still hope to acquire a 172 set in the near future

So . . . 5th March has come . . . and gone "Arrival of first train at Kenilworth Station still a mystery" - Leamington Observer

Latest news is that there is no definite news No firm date has been agreed although it is believed that the target is next Monday, 19th March We shall see!

Midland Red, The "Unadvertised public service" timings for 19-24th March were taken off Real Time Trains today, but are still on for Monday 26th March. Given all the false starts I can see the benefit of starting the service and the telling people afterwards. The Track Access Agreement was finally approved on the 8th February 2018 (Submitted in July 2017). There is currently no application shown for the Sunday service. Separately, Networks Rail's Business Plan for 2019-24 includes "Double tracking Coventry-Leamington" in the list of proposed enhancement schemes. Peter.