Services and Operations
The majority of passenger services on the line are provided by London Midland using Class 350 electric multiple units. As of 2011, the service consists of three 'semi fast' trains per hour between London Euston and Northampton, one of which continues as a through service to Birmingham New Street and one continues to Crewe. There is also an hourly local service from Northampton to Birmingham.
Virgin Trains provide a small number of fast Pendolino services to Northampton at the extremes of the day. But nearly all Virgin trains use the direct main line. Line speeds on the loop line are currently limited to 75 mph (120 km/h) compared to 125 mph (200 km/h) on the fast line, making the line unattractive to the routing of fast services. As of 2011, line speeds are expected to increase to 90mph once signalling improvements are in place north of Northampton up to Rugby.
Long Buckby; the one other station on the line, is served half hourly in each direction by the London-Birmingham/Northampton-Birmingham services. However the Crewe service does not call there except on Sundays.
The Daventry International Railfreight Terminal (DIRFT) is located between Northampton and Rugby on the loop line, and so the line sees heavy freight traffic. Mostly container trains.
Read more about this topic: Northampton Loop Line
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