Coming back from Liverpool departures are 1134, 1334, 1434, 1534, 1704, 1804, 1834, 1934, 2034, 2134, 2234 & 2234.  Hourly would be so much better.

Here on 28 December is the crowd awaiting the arrival of the 1106 to Liverpool.

Waiting for the 1106 at Winsford - (c) John Harris

Virgin were a little bit late, seen here passing at 125mph as intending passengers crowd up to and over the yellow line.

Virgin zoom past - (c) John Harris

Followed by the 1106.

The 1106 arrives - (c) John Harris

An hourly service with extras in the peaks would be so much better.

British Transport Police are appealing for information.

Click here for details.

Note that there are again add ons for selected routes off the ATW area. The Northern add-on has increased by 50p to £1.50 being valid from Knutsford and stations along our line towards Manchester. The London Midland add-on remains at £5 for our West Coast Main Line stations. There are some great value add-ons for First Great Western services to the South West.

Railcard discounts still apply with £2 off for holders of Senior or Disabled Person Railcards.

Happy travelling!

Acton Bridge FULL - (c) David Miller

At Hartford, users overspill onto the main road (we know the police have been taking an interest). The Coachman Pub across the road allows users to park there for the day at a charge of £5. We don’t know how much this facility is used.

At Acton Bridge, the station had an adequate car park until the start of the West Coast Main Line Upgrade in 1996. Then Railtrack fenced off around 70% of it for the use of contractors. Since the service at that stage was so poor, this turned out not to be an issue. Do you remember – few trains on Central Trains’ Stansted Airport to Liverpool service and these as well as being filthy were often so late that they were turned round at Crewe and sent back to Stansted to get them back on time.

Network Rail leave the compound - (c) David Miller

The service is now much better at both stations, though sadly still no trains to London or northbound trains towards Preston – the Office of the Rail Regulator recently turned down London Midland’s application to run an hourly service northwards from Crewe to Preston calling at most stations.

Usage has climbed and car parking has become a serious problem.

More Room .... - (c) David Miller

We’ve approached Network Rail about Acton Bridge and extending the car park, but in such a way that they could still access the end of the site.

Gates - (c) David Miller

The response has been the site is “not within London Midland’s area of lease”. We think they might have assumed we had guessed that!

ex spaces behind the gate - (c) David Miller

Some of the road parking - (c) David Miller

On the other side of the road over railway bridge on the north side Network Rail also have another site.

Other Site - (c) David Miller

We’re going to approach Network Rail again about Acton Bridge.

Hartford however looks more difficult ….

If this affects you, please let us know.

We think this is quite the wrong thing to do at this time when usage is growing; indeed in comparison Northern has been increasing ticket office opening hours on the Mid Cheshire line.

This is London Midland’s proposal.

The formal route for objections is to Passenger Focus – click here to see MCRUA’s formal objection.

Users affected and who also object to the proposal are encouraged to also write to Passenger Focus. The address is on our letter.

Coincidentally, we wonder if one of the reasons for lower usage after the morning peak is the virtual impossibility of finding a parking spot at both stations after about 0700, something we are looking to discuss with London Midland to see how this can be improved.

The response was put together by the Transport Committee (I am a member), then reviewed and agreed by the Chamber prior to submission.

Specific mention is made of the suppressed demand at Hartford, Winsford & Acton Bridge stations caused by all three car parks being full by 7am on weekdays, and by poor bus public transport connections to Hartford & Acton Bridge.

Note is also made that the alternative of driving to Liverpool and its Airport is also unattractive due to the serious congestion over the Runcorn-Widnes Bridge and the regularly extended journey times.

This makes both Liverpool and its Airport unattractive destinations from mid Cheshire, something LCCI sees could be relieved through better car parking at our three Crewe – Liverpool line stations allowing more people to use the much improved train services to Liverpool.

Click here to see the LCCI response.

Merseytart writes an interesting and amusing blog and has recently written about his further experiences in Mid Cheshire in January and February.

We hope he’ll continue to experience the many attractions along our line. If he wants further information on rail walks (preferably without the 10ft puddles!) we’ll be happy to share our Mid Cheshire rail walks with him – watch out for full details soon on the CRP website.

The blog’s worth a visit for a view from elsewhere and a chuckle!

We’re inviting members living in areas local to the stations to a meeting on Tuesday 1 March from 1900hrs onwards in The Coachman, opposite Hartford Station.

Our intention is to form a small group to ensure continued progress with an initiative concerning Hartford and Acton Bridge stations, and to a lesser extent Winsford.

There is inadequate car parking at both Hartford and Acton Bridge stations and also an inadequate train service at Acton Bridge.

MCRUA have made a start in requesting enlargement of the Acton Bridge car park. If the train service were improved as well, this might offer an attractive alternative to Hartford.

If you are unable to attend but would like to help, please contact David Miller by our contact page or at 16, Primrose Hill, Cuddington, Northwich CW8 2TZ, or phone 01606 888093.

We look forward to meeting with those interested on 1 March.

Here’s a picture from the Saturday before last Christmas with lines of passengers waiting to board a Liverpool-bound service.

(c) John Harris

Liverpool One shopping centre is proving a great attraction. Plus, many in Winsford have family in Liverpool.

It’s also a very fast way to get to Liverpool John Lennon Airport via Liverpool South Parkway.

These will be bigger bendy buses soon courtesy of London Mayor Boris Johnson who is replacing them in London long before they are life-expired such that they are being picked up at a good price for use elsewhere in the country. The ones for Liverpool are having one of the centre doors removed and the seating changed to provide extra space for luggage.

The TPE change is great news for those of us living towards the Manchester end of the line, this now giving 2 fast trains an hour from Manchester Piccadilly to LSP (those from Norwich and Scarborough) and well as Northern’s half-hourly stopping service.

For those of us using stations nearer the Chester end of our line it’s still quicker to go via Chester, changing again in Liverpool at Moorfields onto a Merseyrail Northern Line Hunts Cross service to LSP.

And for those on the Crewe-Liverpool Line or close to Mid-Cheshire Line stations but able to get to Hartford, it’s only a 20 minutes trip on London Midland’s hourly service to LSP.