Although I have previously travelled on a Pendolino, I have yet to
experience the full monty 125mph with tilt.

I would like to try a run down from Birmingham - London one weekend
soon (although not the Bank Holiday as my local service is a bus) not
least for the Thunderbird drag across to Nuneaton.

Trouble is, how likely is it on the WCML south of Rugby at the weekend
that 125 plus tilt is operated? Last few times I have been that way
(over a year since though), it's been Northampton loop and slow lines
most of the way. 

Is this still the case?

allan tracy wrote:

> Although I have previously travelled on a Pendolino, I have yet to
> experience the full monty 125mph with tilt.
>
> I would like to try a run down from Birmingham - London one weekend
> soon (although not the Bank Holiday as my local service is a bus) not
> least for the Thunderbird drag across to Nuneaton.
>
> Trouble is, how likely is it on the WCML south of Rugby at the weekend
> that 125 plus tilt is operated? Last few times I have been that way
> (over a year since though), it's been Northampton loop and slow lines
> most of the way.
>
> Is this still the case?


I use the virgin service some sundays from birmingham to london euston
and have never been diverted via the Northampton loop. Although i've
never been at 125mph down the Rugby - Wolverton fast lines either on a
sunday. The trains runs via Nuneaton via a class 57, then on it's own
through Rugby but travels at about 110mph at the most to Wolverton
where it slows to a maximum of 90mph all the way to Watford.

Use Chiltern instead, its quicker on weekends.

On 23 Aug 2005 16:21:41 -0700, therunawayminetrain@lycos.co.uk wrote:


>I use the virgin service some sundays from birmingham to london euston
>and have never been diverted via the Northampton loop. 


IMX it is common.  In the past few weeks the loop was definitely in
use.  South of MK you'll likely end up on the slows.

Neil

-- 
Neil Williams in Milton Keynes, UK
When replying please use neil at the above domain
'wensleydale' is a spam trap and is not read.

wrote in message
news:1124839301.066992.311720@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
<SNIP>

>
> Use Chiltern instead, its quicker on weekends.
>


No - use a car at weekends.
I gave up on the train from Hove-Stockport when Euston-Stockport started
to take upwards of 4 hrs. I can do Hove-Stockport by car in 3h45, and that's
without considering the cost of the ticket.

The last time I did a similar journey (Hove-Manchester) paid for by my
employer, the cost was 111 SOS Hove-Manchester plus 67.10
for a SVR Manchester-Hove. (My employer would have coughed for a 222
SOR but I'm not that daft)

Even after taking depreciation into account I defy any car driver to spend
more than
177 on a 550 mile round trip. (Daewoo/Chevrolet drivers need not reply)

/John

John Kenyon wrote:

>  wrote in message
> news:1124839301.066992.311720@g49g2000cwa.googlegroups.com...
> <SNIP>
> 
>>Use Chiltern instead, its quicker on weekends.
>
> No - use a car at weekends.


There's certainly no reason to avoid Chiltern Railways this (bank 
holiday) weekend. Normal (good) service operating. Indeed, I travelled 
Brnbury - Marylebone with them earlier today. Far better than any 
journey by car.

Philip.