Castlefield corridor stupidity

[Camden]

Which idiot thinks it's ok to route a long freight through during rush hour?

Anyone know if the current broken down train now causing chaos is said absurdity?

Can hardly complain about lack of capacity when that sort of thing is allowed

 

[Ianno87]

Which idiot thinks it's ok to route a long freight through during rush hour?

Anyone know if the current broken down train now causing chaos is said absurdity?

Can hardly complain about lack of capacity when that sort of thing is allowed

Please identify an alternative path for the freight train.

 

[Dspatula]

331002 and 331005 were the culprits.

 

[randyrippley]

Please identify an alternative path for the freight train.

need to know which train it is first!!!!

 

[Mogster]

Castlefield armageddon again...

 

[randyrippley]

331002 and 331005 were the culprits.

doesn't sound like a freight train

do you know whats actually happened?

 

[Dspatula]

doesn't sound like a freight train

do you know whats actually happened?

I’m afraid not. CAF stock being CAF stock once again I have to assume.

 

[Llama]

331 with issues at Piccadilly. TPE unit without driver blocking a platform at Oxford Rd. Job stopped at Victoria as dispatch staff have walked off the job due to abuse.

 

[Bletchleyite]

TPE unit without driver blocking a platform at Oxford Rd

There needs to be a ban on crew changes at the Castlefield stations. Do it somewhere else where it doesn't get in the way.

 

[Llama]

There has always been a ban (although I've never seen it in writing) on traincrew relief at Piccadilly 13/14, however in recent years we've got more and more instances of booked relief there now too, usually later in the evening. It's just asking for disruption.

Once TOC diagrammers can get their heads around the notion that what looks ok on paper isn't realistic in a busy passenger railway bottleneck, things will improve. Until then, the TOCs will continue to plan to fail.

Oxford Road is one of the most common traincrew relief points in Manchester. And TOCs still rely on dodgy taxi firms to get us across Manchester on very tight timing allowances.

 

[The_Train]

So the initial rant about freight has been proven to be unfounded accusations and it actually turns out to be new passenger trains that people have been crying out for. Someone ring Booths and tell them to lay off the Pacers, they might be required again

 

[Andyh82]

There needs to be a ban on crew changes at the Castlefield stations. Do it somewhere else where it doesn't get in the way.

I’m not sure doing a crew change at Victoria would be much better

 

[Eccles1983]

Where do you all suggest changes then?

 

[Bletchleyite]

I’m not sure doing a crew change at Victoria would be much better

Don't do it in central Manchester anywhere. They don't do it on the Thameslink core, do they?

(Northern's diagrammers really do need to spend a day with Thameslink's, I reckon...)

 

[Camden]

So the initial rant about freight has been proven to be unfounded accusations and it actually turns out to be new passenger trains that people have been crying out for. Someone ring Booths and tell them to lay off the Pacers, they might be required again

I must have imagined the mile long freight train passing, as we were stuck at deansgate. As well as the announcement apologising for the delay due to waiting for said freight train.

Know it alls generally do know nothing.

 

[43074]

Once TOC diagrammers can get their heads around the notion that what looks ok on paper isn't realistic in a busy passenger railway bottleneck, things will improve. Until then, the TOCs will continue to plan to fail.

Or, more accurately, when DfT and the TOCs are actually willing to invest in the additional traincrew costs a robust plan incurs, and the time, resources and money to train said crew things will improve. Until then, efficiency will trump reliability; it has to if to be honest there are insufficient traincrew in the first place. Resilience has a cost, and it is very difficult to put a figure on that in pounds and pence to make a business case for improving it.

Don't do it in central Manchester anywhere. They don't do it on the Thameslink core, do they?

(Northern's diagrammers really do need to spend a day with Thameslink's, I reckon...)

Reliefs can and do happen at Blackfriars under STP plans and there are also plenty booked at Finsbury Park as there are still drivers at Peterborough and Cambridge depots who don't sign past Belle Isle towards the Canal Tunnels and the core. The philosophy might be there but for various reasons the implementation isn't yet!

 

[DarloRich]

Which idiot thinks it's ok to route a long freight through during rush hour?

Anyone know if the current broken down train now causing chaos is said absurdity?

Can hardly complain about lack of capacity when that sort of thing is allowed

Another poster who may have difficulty with the following concpet:

The contents of the freight train might he more important than you!

 

[furnessvale]

I must have imagined the mile long freight train passing, as we were stuck at deansgate. As well as the announcement apologising for the delay due to waiting for said freight train.

Know it alls generally do know nothing.

Freight trains have allocated paths even in the passenger rush hour.

It is very common for failing passenger TOCs to blame freight when things go wrong to deflect it from themselves.

It is a matter of fact that two new 331 passenger units failed in platform 13 at that time.

 

[The_Train]

I must have imagined the mile long freight train passing, as we were stuck at deansgate. As well as the announcement apologising for the delay due to waiting for said freight train.

Know it alls generally do know nothing.

Bit touchy aren't you?

You seemed to be blaming a non-existent broken down freight train for your troubles but as you've now mentioned that it passed you, it couldn't have been all that broken. Maybe the freight train was also delayed by the broken passenger trains and was always planned to be pathed ahead of your service. Anyone would think that freight trains run for the fun of it and aren't actually loaded with goods that are needed elsewhere

 

[The_Train]

Another poster who may have difficulty with the following concpet:

The contents of the freight train might he more important than you!

Come on Rich, we all know that those containers are empty and are run just to inconvenience the great British public

 

[TrainTube]

331 with issues at Piccadilly. TPE unit without driver blocking a platform at Oxford Rd. Job stopped at Victoria as dispatch staff have walked off the job due to abuse.

Ah yes, the combination of TPE and Northern helping the North run on rails.
A Christmas miracle happened on Wednesday when a 350 from Glasgow arrived through Castlefield only 6 mins late!

 

[yorksrob]

Another poster who may have difficulty with the following concpet:

The contents of the freight train might he more important than you!

That's certainly a very modern concept, as opposed to the more traditional method of classifying trains.

 

[furnessvale]

That's certainly a very modern concept, as opposed to the more traditional method of classifying trains.

Yes and it's a concept that needs developing. Under the old system, a late running DMU with half a dozen passengers onboard could be prioritised over an on time fast freight carrying a couple of £millions of export Range Rovers or whisky rushing to the port for export. Thankfully, times are changing.

 

[yorksrob]

Yes and it's a concept that needs developing. Under the old system, a late running DMU with half a dozen passengers onboard could be prioritised over an on time fast freight carrying a couple of £millions of export Range Rovers or whisky rushing to the port for export. Thankfully, times are changing.

That DMU could be carrying half a dozen chief executives, who's time is very important. Range Rovers can take their time.

 

[furnessvale]

That DMU could be carrying half a dozen chief executives, who's time is very important. Range Rovers can take their time.

HaHa, very good................half a dozen chief executives in a DMU!

 

[yorksrob]

HaHa, very good................half a dozen chief executives in a DMU!

You can't make assumptions about the value of peoples time, based on the rolling stock type y'know.

 

[js1000]

There has always been a ban (although I've never seen it in writing) on traincrew relief at Piccadilly 13/14, however in recent years we've got more and more instances of booked relief there now too, usually later in the evening. It's just asking for disruption.

Once TOC diagrammers can get their heads around the notion that what looks ok on paper isn't realistic in a busy passenger railway bottleneck, things will improve. Until then, the TOCs will continue to plan to fail.

Oxford Road is one of the most common traincrew relief points in Manchester. And TOCs still rely on dodgy taxi firms to get us across Manchester on very tight timing allowances.

I see multiple Northern crew walking around Manchester between Victoria, Oxford Road and Piccadilly on a daily basis. Since the May 2018 timetable, this has become a more common sight. Clearly something is amiss. My personal opinion is that staff changeovers shouldn't really be happening at key 'through' bottlenecks.

Re. the freight train: as others will state on here there simply is no other route it can take to get to Trafford Park other than through Manchester.

 

[Y Ddraig Coch]

The loco hauled and MarkIII s just passed my house a while ago arriving 46 late into Llandudno where it usually has a half an hour turn around but left 16 late due to the Manchester chaos.

 

[The Planner]

Which idiot thinks it's ok to route a long freight through during rush hour?

Anyone know if the current broken down train now causing chaos is said absurdity?

Can hardly complain about lack of capacity when that sort of thing is allowed

Sounds like the Trafford Park to Felixstowe Freightliner if it was entering the corridor, the one that was on time and presented correctly at Castlefield Jn at 1625 and was stuffed by everything else.

 

[Llama]

Staff walking between stations across Manchester is fairly common, I often do it because I am sick of getting in filthy, late taxis whose drivers take risks, take ridiculous routes because many of them are not local (have a look how many City of Wolverhampton Council licenced minicabs there are around Manchester) and where there is nowhere near enough time alloted on traincrew diagrams for some journeys, eg Victoria to Oxford Rd.

Ask any member of station staff at Oxford Rd what the top reasons for relief crew being late to trains are, taxis will probably be the first thing they say.