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No trains from Blackpool South today?

Starmill

Starmill

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This was posted at 0602 this morning:
Route(s) affected
Between Colne and Blackpool South

Description
A short-notice change to the timetable between Colne and Blackpool South means that trains are unable to run between these stations, and have been cancelled.

Disruption is expected until the end of the day.

Customer advice:

Customers are advised DO NOT TRAVEL.

Rail replacement transport will not be provided.

Customers may use their tickets onboard the following services at no additional cost until the end of the day:

Alternative Northern services between Blackburn and Preston, and between Preston and Blackpool North

Blackpool Transport buses between Lytham and Blackpool stations (from 09:00 until the end of today)
Click to expand...
It makes very little sense to the average customer. A short notice change to the timetable isn't the reason for the change. And there is replacement transport provided for most of the South Fylde even though it says there is none (obviously elsewhere that's more of a problem). I suspect what has actually happened is that there is a serious shortage of conductors - unsurprisingly given a bank holiday weekend.

In any case what makes less sense is that 0911 Blackburn to Blackpool South and 1014 Blackpool South to Preston appear to have run fine? Apparently the 1133 is waiting at Preston for departure to Blackpool South now?
 
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BrianW

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How will all the merrymakers wanting to celebrate Labour's success in the by-election get there? Not even a 'parliamentary service' ...
 
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ainsworth74

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I appreciate some industry insiders disagree but for customer facing messaging the reason "short notice change to the timetable" should be outlawed. It means nothing to the average passenger and smacks of making an excuse.
 
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Southern Beau

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Starmill said:
This was posted at 0602 this morning:

It makes very little sense to the average customer. A short notice change to the timetable isn't the reason for the change. And there is replacement transport provided for most of the South Fylde even though it says there is none (obviously elsewhere that's more of a problem). I suspect what has actually happened is that there is a serious shortage of conductors - unsurprisingly given a bank holiday weekend.

In any case what makes less sense is that 0911 Blackburn to Blackpool South and 1014 Blackpool South to Preston appear to have run fine? Apparently the 1133 is waiting at Preston for departure to Blackpool South now?
Click to expand...
A message on Northern’s twitter account suggests it’s the colne to bps services which are cancelled. The every other hour Preston to BPS are running. Not what the original notice implies!
 
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Towers

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That is, from a customer perspective, absolutely appalling and essentially reads as “We’ve decided not to run any trains today, no replacement buses either, tough sh*t, sod off.”

The railway smacks of an industry that utterly fails to grasp the value of its customers. Really, really need to do better than this. Surely that’s obvious?! :rolleyes:
 
Starmill

Starmill

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Towers said:
That is, from a customer perspective, absolutely appalling and essentially reads as “We’ve decided not to run any trains today, no replacement buses either, tough sh*t, sod off.”

The railway smacks of an industry that utterly fails to grasp the value of its customers. Really, really need to do better than this. Surely that’s obvious?! :rolleyes:
Click to expand...
It's so confusing isn't it? Why does the communication imply no service at all, when Preston - Blackpool South all stations (except Salwick, which usually isn't served anyway) is being served? Same for Preston - Blackburn - Church & Oswaldtwistle - Burnley Manchester Road is being served but this isn't being offered as an alternative.

It's implying the service is doing much worse than it actually is. There's no way the onboard staff wouldn't accept tickets on services to Manchester Road station instead in these circumstances so one has to wonder why it's not 'official'?
 
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BrianW

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Starmill said:
It's so confusing isn't it? Why does the communication imply no service at all, when Preston - Blackpool South all stations (except Salwick, which usually isn't served anyway) is being served? Same for Preston - Blackburn - Church & Oswaldtwistle - Burnley Manchester Road is being served but this isn't being offered as an alternative.

It's implying the service is doing much worse than it actually is. There's no way the onboard staff wouldn't accept tickets on services to Manchester Road station instead in these circumstances so one has to wonder why it's not 'official'?
Click to expand...
It's Sunday, and tomorrow's a Bank Holiday. Who's on duty to write or approve 'arrangements', let alone decent communications? ;)
 
Starmill

Starmill

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BrianW said:
It's Sunday, and tomorrow's a Bank Holiday. Who's on duty to write or approve 'arrangements', let alone decent communications? ;)
Click to expand...
Clearly someone drafted the message that was posted, and as suggested up thread tweeted.
 
30907

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Starmill said:
It's so confusing isn't it? Why does the communication imply no service at all, when Preston - Blackpool South all stations (except Salwick, which usually isn't served anyway) is being served? Same for Preston - Blackburn - Church & Oswaldtwistle - Burnley Manchester Road is being served but this isn't being offered as an alternative.

It's implying the service is doing much worse than it actually is. There's no way the onboard staff wouldn't accept tickets on services to Manchester Road station instead in these circumstances so one has to wonder why it's not 'official'?
Click to expand...
Even worse is the Northern website saying "all lines are blocked" :(
 
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thealexweb

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Towers said:
That is, from a customer perspective, absolutely appalling and essentially reads as “We’ve decided not to run any trains today, no replacement buses either, tough sh*t, sod off.”

The railway smacks of an industry that utterly fails to grasp the value of its customers. Really, really need to do better than this. Surely that’s obvious?! :rolleyes:
Click to expand...

Matching the day to day attitude of the Blackpool North platform staff then I see.
 
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Geeves

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The random trains running make perfect sense when you factor in Blackburn having had turn outs of virtually zero guards on Sundays for months, same as the other northern west depots. It's likely what ever ran was covered by Blackpool N also is very short. There's not been any movement on Sundays with the RMT so expect to see this continuing for the foreseeable
 
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BrianW

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Geeves said:
The random trains running make perfect sense when you factor in Blackburn having had turn outs of virtually zero guards on Sundays for months, same as the other northern west depots. It's likely what ever ran was covered by Blackpool N also is very short. There's not been any movement on Sundays with the RMT so expect to see this continuing for the foreseeable
Click to expand...
Maybe the new MP will 'roll up his sleeves' (as well as his trousers to 'take a dip' in the briney for a photo-opportunity?) and 'sort out' the railway (with assistance from the RMT) to Blackpool South, showing the MP for Blackpool North how it should be done?!
 
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