R.I.P London Midland

This week the rail franchise "London Midland" finally ceased operations being replaced by West Midlands Trains on December 10th, a combination of part local authority group here in the Midlands and part private sector.

London Midland started operations in 2007 and was one the biggest operators here so not surprisingly I travelled on them quiet a bit not least to littles camp passing through Wolverhampton, Staffordshire where you can see a Class 170 parked on platform one.

One place you certainly would see many of their services is at the Virgin owned Crewe rail station one of the biggest and busiest stations in the UK and is my local main station as the stations in Greater Stoke-on-Trent have a much more limited set of connections.
Here therefore you'll see a Class 350/3 on one of the twelve operational platforms as I have numerous times.
London Midland had a rather so-so reputation from the start but I would have to say outside of one overcrowding incident on a early evening Ex Birmingham service to Liverpool, I always found them punctual and the conductors exemplary, being gendered correctly.
Farewell then London Midland, a part of my life, and welcome aboard West Midland Trains.