Route Northampton Loop 1990s: Milton Keynes - Birmingham New St Via Northampton + Saltley Lip

The line from Milton Keynes to Birmingham New Street is 65 miles long, and in the 1990s had a few different service patterns to the modern day. The Euston - Birmingham via Northampton services only call at Birmingham International between Coventry and Birmingham New Street, with the local stops being serviced by an all stops Coventry - Wolverhampton service. Most WCML services via Birmingham terminate at New Street or Wolverhampton, excluding CrossCountry workings. There was also still loco hauled services into Birmingham New Street, so a vast amount of loco moves will take place during the day. Saltley depot is also included in this route to make more of these loco moves drivable

Proposed Rolling Stock

• Class 90 + Mk3 DVT in InterCity Swallow livery

The Class 90s were more common on the Liverpool and Manchester services than services via Birmingham, but I feel the route would be empty without any WCML express services included, especially with the DVT included with this route. The 86/2 and 87 will layer in to replace the 90s on the majority of Birmingham services, although they will still appear occasionally. The DVTs were first introduced to service in 1989, with them being on the south end of WCML loco hauled services and eliminating the need for shunt release moves at WCML terminal stations, leading to the withdrawal of the final class 85s that were employed on shunting moves at Euston. The 90s and DVT are capable of 110mph running.

• Class 321/4 in Network SouthEast livery

Introduced to service on the WCML from late 1989, they replaced 310s and 317s on local services from London Euston to Milton Keynes, Northampton and Birmingham New Street. 37 of the subclass were allocated to West Coast duties, with the remaining 11 joining the first 46 321s on the Great Eastern main line from London Liverpool Street. The 4 coach units are capable of doing 100mph.

• Class 323 in Centro livery

Whilst this livery does look broadly similar to the more modern livery on 323221, the headlight cluster and doors are a different colour (the doors had to be changed due to disability regulations). 26 of the units were based in the West Midlands at Soho depot, with them operating on Cross City and Coventry - Wolverhampton services, as well as doing some peak time services to/from Walsall. They have a top speed of 90mph.

• Class 43 in Intercity Swallow livery

Built in the 1970s, the HSTs revitalised long distance travel on BR's diesel services, with these including the Manchester - Bournemouth and Plymouth - Newcastle/Edinburgh/Aberdeen services. During the 1990s, they were also fitted with the iconic Paxman Valenta engines that were well renowned for their turbo scream.

Layers:
Preston - Carlisle: Class 87 for WCML express services, FFA wagons for intermodal freight services, Class 47/4 for diesel hauled CrossCountry workings and light locos from Saltley.
Class 86/2: Class 86/2 for WCML express services.
Preston - Crewe: Class 47/3 for diesel hauled freight workings, Mk2D/E coaches for CrossCountry workings
West Cornwall Local: Class 150 for workings to Hereford, Worcester, Walsall, Rugeley, Shrewsbury, Wales and East Midlands.
Class 31: Express services from East Anglia to Birmingham.