Rail Replacement Bus Services

[Stampy]

I'm on a RRB this coming weekend between Preston and Blackpool.....

Will report back my findings!!!!

Anybody else doing this - good luck to them

Arrived at Preston yesterday (en route to Fleetwood) to absolute chaos and queues everywhere outside, with people forcing their way into the queue for the Blackpool bus when it was announced.

They were ramming people onto the buses for the hour long trip, which went around the houses. I think I got on the 3rd bus after waiting 3/4 hour in the rain.

The journey back was a lot better though - they had 2 buses back from Blackpool North.

1 which went NON-STOP from there back to Preston (and then onto Chorley & Bolton)

1 which went ALL-STOPS back to Preston.


Left mine at 0700 and finally got home at 0015 this morning.

 

[Robertj21a]

The lengthy rail replacement for Leicester - Bedford this weekend (90 mins fast, 115 mins stopping) seemed well organised by Stagecoach yesterday. All good quality coaches with plenty of luggage space.

 

[howittpie]

The lengthy rail replacement for Leicester - Bedford this weekend (90 mins fast, 115 mins stopping) seemed well organised by Stagecoach yesterday. All good quality coaches with plenty of luggage space.

I agree the organisation was good at either end and good quality coaches were used however it was the bit in the middle. Travelling northbound the coach went the longest possible way from Bedford to Leicester including a scenic tour of the back streets of Leicester which meant missing the connecting train to Nottingham resulting in an arrival 56 late in Nottingham. Southbound in the evening was much as the coach went on a far more direct route but even then with little traffic the 90 mins was tight. Have read of a few coaches getting lost which considering the wide area they had sourced them from and also an early morning one that never showed up according to a customer complaint.

 

[Robertj21a]

I agree the organisation was good at either end and good quality coaches were used however it was the bit in the middle. Travelling northbound the coach went the longest possible way from Bedford to Leicester including a scenic tour of the back streets of Leicester which meant missing the connecting train to Nottingham resulting in an arrival 56 late in Nottingham. Southbound in the evening was much as the coach went on a far more direct route but even then with little traffic the 90 mins was tight. Have read of a few coaches getting lost which considering the wide area they had sourced them from and also an early morning one that never showed up according to a customer complaint.

True. Most seemed to come from near Mansfield, Walsall or Stoke !

 

[2HAP]

Another reason to avoid rail replacement bus services - they're not safe, especially not on the top deck.

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/lond...bus-after-it-hit-railway-bridge-a3539081.html

Roof ripped off rail replacement bus after it hit railway bridge

The roof was ripped from a double decker bus after it hit a railway bridge in south east London.

Dramatic images shared on social media showed the top of the vehicle completely torn away following the smash in Shortlands,

 

[Blindtraveler]

This is just a schoolboy error in the planning dept IMO, the driver will doubtless get blamed though.

 

[Robertj21a]

Another reason to avoid rail replacement bus services - they're not safe, especially not on the top deck.

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/lond...bus-after-it-hit-railway-bridge-a3539081.html

It was out of service at the time.

 

[Dr Hoo]

Reminds me of an incident many years ago, back in BR days and long before sat navs. The line between Perth and Dundee was blocked for some reason and an emergency rail replacement bus service was rustled up.

An obliging but unfamiliar driver with a double decker turned up at Perth station and asked rail staff for directions to Dundee. After loading the vehicle with stranded passengers they directed him to go via Kings Place (just outside the station and including a 13' 3" low bridge).

Not a wise move.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Anyone know what vehicles are used on the Blackpool Saturday late night RRB's?
Is it coaches or something a little more interesting?

 

[Stampy]

Nyone know aht vehicles are used on the blackpool Sat late night RRB's?
Is it coaches or something a little more interesting?

If the same as my post earlier in this thread.....

Schoolbuses....

Which means a tight squeeze!!!

 

[Bletchleyite]

If the same as my post earlier in this thread.....

Schoolbuses....

Which means a tight squeeze!!!

I personally think carrying adults in those schoolkid 3+2 coaches should be made illegal by way of a minimum seat width and pitch. It is impossible for an average adult to sit properly in a seat and use the belt correctly, therefore they are not adequately safe for the purpose of transport of adults. For school use it would be easy to provide a few rows of 2+2 at the front for teachers etc.

 

[lincolnshire]

I personally think carrying adults in those schoolkid 3+2 coaches should be made illegal by way of a minimum seat width and pitch. It is impossible for an average adult to sit properly in a seat and use the belt correctly, therefore they are not adequately safe for the purpose of transport of adults. For school use it would be easy to provide a few rows of 2+2 at the front for teachers etc.

I think you will find that the majority of the time school buses are used they have no teachers on them so what would be the point of 2 + 2 seats?
They mostly just transport school kids to school and back the thats it for the day. Some have as many as 73 seats.

If they did have some 2+2 seats on them when used for rail replacement I bet very few would be used as you usually find on rail replacement if there was 2 people already on the coach there will always be someone that has to go and sit right at the back of the coach.

 

[al78]

Another reason to avoid rail replacement bus services - they're not safe, especially not on the top deck.

http://www.standard.co.uk/news/lond...bus-after-it-hit-railway-bridge-a3539081.html

The bus is safe, it is trying to drive it under a bridge that is lower than the vehicle which is unsafe.

 

[Blindtraveler]

And it maybe also needs to be remembered that once you get past year 9/10 many of the schoolkids will be adult shaped/sized anyway. A good example would be the twins, boy and girl who live near me. They are 15 and he is 6 foot and she is 5ft6 and very curvy/plump.

On the flip side I can see why school vehicles are running to blackpool, High capacity and half trashed already!

 

[radamfi]

I personally think carrying adults in those schoolkid 3+2 coaches should be made illegal by way of a minimum seat width and pitch. It is impossible for an average adult to sit properly in a seat and use the belt correctly, therefore they are not adequately safe for the purpose of transport of adults. For school use it would be easy to provide a few rows of 2+2 at the front for teachers etc.

I now refuse to get on a rail replacement "bus" that has 2+3 seating.

 

[Blindtraveler]

That must make for an interesting dilemma for the TOCs late at night!

 

[quarella]

I personally think carrying adults in those schoolkid 3+2 coaches should be made illegal by way of a minimum seat width and pitch. It is impossible for an average adult to sit properly in a seat and use the belt correctly, therefore they are not adequately safe for the purpose of transport of adults. For school use it would be easy to provide a few rows of 2+2 at the front for teachers etc.

There is legislation regarding the seat dimensions and pitch. As it is within certain parameters some seats are better than others and as someone who considers myself about average build I have been able sit and wear the seatbelt without difficulty.
As for your suggestion of 2+2 rows for teachers at the front. I know some drivers who will not move off until a responsible adult is by the emergency exit when transporting a school party or other group of young people.

 

[quarella]

Deleted

 

[marks87]

This is just a schoolboy error in the planning dept IMO, the driver will doubtless get blamed though.

A driver is ultimately responsible for their vehicle, regardless of anything else. For high-sided vehicles, this includes knowing the height and thus whether or not it can fit under low bridges.

 

[30907]

It was out of service at the time.

There were no RRBs serving Shortlands yesterday, so probably taking an unwise route back to depot.
I gre up there - the bridge is notorious for strikes but it's the first time I've heard of a decker involved.

 

[FenMan]

Blackwater station is fully set up for rail replacement buses. Adjacent to Platform 1 there's a nice turnround facility and a bus stop with a shelter and a raised ramp for boarding.

So, a few Sundays ago, along comes the replacement bus and the driver attempts to access the station from the other side, which is a very tight turn off an extremely busy traffic light system. D'oh!

Of course the bus got stuck and caused a traffic jam. Such was the commotion from angry drivers stuck at the lights, a group of drinkers emerged from the pub opposite to watch the unfolding spectacle (I suspect they offered every form of assistance short of actual help).

 

[A0wen]

Reminds me of an incident many years ago, back in BR days and long before sat navs. The line between Perth and Dundee was blocked for some reason and an emergency rail replacement bus service was rustled up.

An obliging but unfamiliar driver with a double decker turned up at Perth station and asked rail staff for directions to Dundee. After loading the vehicle with stranded passengers they directed him to go via Kings Place (just outside the station and including a 13' 3" low bridge).

Not a wise move.

Did it result in a new open-top decker for the summer season?

 

[Mag_seven]

Does anyone know if "connecting trains" are supposed to wait for the "connecting bus" when Engineering works are in operation?

Yesterday the "connecting train" at Sittingbourne to St Pancas pulled out of the station as the "connecting bus" from Faversham pulled into the car park. When asking the operative on the gates as to why it had gone before the connection had arrived the reply was "it's not our fault you were late". Thereby an hour wait for the next service to St Pancras.

Still awaiting an acknowledgement from Southeastern.

I used a RRB from Swindon to Didcot today - needless to say the bus arrived at didcot just in time to see an Oxford bound turbo disappear round the corner - 30 minutes wait til the next one!

(Incedentally all tickets were checked before boarding the bus going to show that it can be done)

 

[Blindtraveler]

This sort of sloppy service will stop if enough people bombard the TOC with delay repay claims.

Incidentally last Sat, the 20th I got a leather seated low floor service bus on the Midnight God only knows what Preston Blackpool leading me iether to assume that Northern are reading this or that they have been threatened with a bill for some kind of corrective treatment for cramp by someone who was a school kid and used school buses 10 years and a couple of stone ago!

 

[6Gman]

Was on a London - Crewe - Stockport - Wigan - Lancaster train today.

The TM - to his credit - gave a full description of what long-distance passengers could expect, including departure and arrival times of RRBs.

However, what seemed odd was that the Preston - Carlisle bus was due in at 1730 but the onward Carlisle - Glasgow bus wasn't until 1815! On a journey stretching toward 9 or 10 hours it seemed unhelpful to insert a 45" wait in Carlisle.

 

[Bungle965]

This sort of sloppy service will stop if enough people bombard the TOC with delay repay claims.

Incidentally last Sat, the 20th I got a leather seated low floor service bus on the Midnight God only knows what Preston Blackpool leading me iether to assume that Northern are reading this or that they have been threatened with a bill for some kind of corrective treatment for cramp by someone who was a school kid and used school buses 10 years and a couple of stone ago!

An example of what was being used on northern`s RRB during the closure of Victoria.

https://www.flickr.com/photos/selmerorselnec/34097763604/in/photolist-TX6XaW-U2PASn

An L reg single decker school bus is what is pictured.
This is not a lone example which plenty of other archaic vehicles being used during the week.

I took a journey from Rochdale to Manchester last week with one of northern`s rail replacement services the journey was far fro pleasant with the coaches speedometer not functioning correctly and the driver either not knowing the stop for Castleton or neglected to use it as he simply stopped in the middle of the road for around 30s before leaving, finally he spent a really unacceptable period of time on his mobile phone through use of an earphone.
There seems to be a complete and utter lack of care by Arriva Rail Rail Replacement of the standard of coaches and of drivers who are used on RRB work.
Sam

 

[Blindtraveler]

That said the Manchester incident was a bit acceptional so they have in my book anyway a bit of leeway.

As to the RRB's Northwest to Scotland via Carlisle the change of coach part way is what bugs me there but as it has to happen for I assume driver and vehicle reasons the break is probably a good thing both to ensure that the Scottish coach doesnt go without connecting pax who might be delayed or have to be taxid and also to allow those on the full journey a chance to use a propper toilet, get a coffee and clearout the sandwitch chiller in smiths!

 

[Bungle965]

That said the Manchester incident was a bit acceptional so they have in my book anyway a bit of leeway.

As to the RRB's Northwest to Scotland via Carlisle the change of coach part way is what bugs me there but as it has to happen for I assume driver and vehicle reasons the break is probably a good thing both to ensure that the Scottish coach doesnt go without connecting pax who might be delayed or have to be taxid and also to allow those on the full journey a chance to use a propper toilet, get a coffee and clearout the sandwitch chiller in smiths!

I agree with you that for the first couple of days anything would be better than nothing, however I would have hoped that they would have been able to find some better quality coaches as the days went on.
Sam

 

[Blindtraveler]

Possibly but dont forget the School trip and pensioner coach holiday season is infull swing right now so available vehicles could be limmited plus I shouldnt think rail replacement is all that proffitable.

 

[185143]

Possibly but dont forget the School trip and pensioner coach holiday season is infull swing right now so available vehicles could be limmited plus I shouldnt think rail replacement is all that proffitable.

Why should that matter? We're dealing with Arriva-A MASSIVE bus company. If a company that also runs lots of buses can't get RRBs right, what hope does anyone else have?