Topic: New West Coast Mainline train timetable for Liverpool from December

[MKB]

I don't know why I'm surprised given that the wholly inept Grant Shapps is at the helm, but the new train timetable from December on the West Coast Mainline is not a good read for anyone who travels up to matches from/via Trent Valley stations (i.e. Rugby through to Rugeley).

Checking journeys on fastjp.com it looks like Avanti trains from Euston to/from Liverpool will no longer be calling at Stafford.  Journey times back from Liverpool to Trent Valley stations on the morning after a mid-week game look to be increased by about 35 minutes, and even more at some times at weekends.

It looks like I'm going to be driving in future.

[Statto Red]

Apparently from December most AWC Liverpool trains will run non stop Crewe-Milton Keynes, the AWC Chester/North Wales trains will call at Stafford instead

Stafford-Liverpool will still have LNWR trains calling, just not direct AWC trains

[MKB]

Yes, that's correct.  The London North Western trains stay at the post-pandemic level of one per hour rather than reverting to two, and connection times in either Crewe or Stafford are far worse.  Typical journey times home on a Saturday for me are going up from 1hr 47 to 2 hr 27.  I can drive it in less, and I don't have to get to Lime Street first.

[Statto Red]

Yeah, LNWR staying at one an hour, but with the same capacity as 2 an hour, as most of the time, LNWR trains are strengthened to 8 car, were with 2 an hour it was 4 car sets. The only annoyance is, if an LNWR Liverpool service is cancelled, it's an extra half hour wait.