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East Midlands Railway short formed services

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londonmidland

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East Midlands Railway will be operating a temporary timetable on their regional routes from the 19th of June until further notice.

More information can be found here
 
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Killingworth

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East Midlands Railway will be operating a temporary timetable on their regional routes from the 19th of June until further notice.

More information can be found here
Email to Stakeholders includes this " these amends are scheduled to remain in place until December 2021, however as our Operational Delivery Improvement Plan progresses we may be able to reinstate services on a case by case basis"
 

Mugby

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I was at Sheffield today and saw the 1244 to Liverpool which was a single 158. Passengers were actually being told by platform staff to get off the train due to it being full, it wasn't actually, there were several unoccupied aisle seats on which passengers had stacked luggage. Those left behind were advised to get the next TPE Manchester service at 1311, which wouldn't have been much help to anyone who wanted Liverpool.

Far more serious (in my opinion) were cancellations on the Crewe service this evening, 1716 Nottm - Crewe and the 1909 return service cancelled, this would have left a 4 hour gap in each direction. Also cancelled, the 2116 Nottm - Crewe, last train of the day.

I use the Crewe service from time to time and I would have been absolutely livid if I had been caught up in this shambles, all the cancellation due to lack of train crew and a stark illustration that even with service cuts of 50%, EMR still can't manage to operate the reduced timetable.
Totally unacceptable and indefensible!
 
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dk1

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The 11:56 ex-Norwich has been reported as F&S from Thetford on several occasions now.
 

Trainfan2019

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I've seen the same happen often at Sheffield in the past. Either a single 156 or 158 and has to leave passengers behind at Sheffield. Was even worse when the airport train turns up already full and can't fit all the passengers on who couldn't get on the Liverpool train.
 

Robertj21a

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I was at Sheffield today and saw the 1244 to Liverpool which was a single 158. Passengers were actually being told by platform staff to get off the train due to it being full, it wasn't actually, there were several unoccupied aisle seats on which passengers had stacked luggage. Those left behind were advised to get the next TPE Manchester service at 1311, which wouldn't have been much help to anyone who wanted Liverpool.

Far more serious (in my opinion) were cancellations on the Crewe service this evening, 1716 Nottm - Crewe and the 1909 return service cancelled, this would have left a 4 hour gap in each direction. Also cancelled, the 2116 Nottm - Crewe, last train of the day.

I use the Crewe service from time to time and I would have been absolutely livid if I had been caught up in this shambles, all the cancellation due to lack of train crew and a stark illustration that even with service cuts of 50%, EMR still can't manage to operate the reduced timetable.
Totally unacceptable and indefensible!
I know it shouldn't be any excuse but I guess that any Saturday in June-August is a potential problem area for public transport operations generally?
 

Llandudno

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I was at Sheffield today and saw the 1244 to Liverpool which was a single 158. Passengers were actually being told by platform staff to get off the train due to it being full, it wasn't actually, there were several unoccupied aisle seats on which passengers had stacked luggage. Those left behind were advised to get the next TPE Manchester service at 1311, which wouldn't have been much help to anyone who wanted Liverpool.

Far more serious (in my opinion) were cancellations on the Crewe service this evening, 1716 Nottm - Crewe and the 1909 return service cancelled, this would have left a 4 hour gap in each direction. Also cancelled, the 2116 Nottm - Crewe, last train of the day.

I use the Crewe service from time to time and I would have been absolutely livid if I had been caught up in this shambles, all the cancellation due to lack of train crew and a stark illustration that even with service cuts of 50%, EMR still can't manage to operate the reduced timetable.
Totally unacceptable and indefensible!
Yet they are still running 6 half empty trains per hour into St Pancras…!
 

Watershed

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Yet they are still running 6 half empty trains per hour into St Pancras…!
That is the Intercity side of EMR. The two sides of EMR are largely operationally separate, just as you wouldn't expect Thameslink drivers at Brighton to be able to help out in case of a shortage of Southern drivers at Brighton.
 

LowLevel

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Yet they are still running 6 half empty trains per hour into St Pancras…!

They're largely not half empty either. I don't think I've gotten on one that hasn't had most rows of seats occupied recently, at least on the Intercity side. Connect with the 360s is a bit different as you'd expect but still gets busy at times.
 

Taunton

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just as you wouldn't expect Thameslink drivers at Brighton to be able to help out in case of a shortage of Southern drivers at Brighton.
Maybe a few here wouldn't. But the rest of the world would.
 

ChrisC

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I know it shouldn't be any excuse but I guess that any Saturday in June-August is a potential problem area for public transport operations generally?
I can fully understand why even with the current EMR reduced timetable occasionally a train may have to be cancelled if there is no crew available. Weekends in July and August can be difficult.
What I don’t understand is why even with the greatly reduced timetable there are still so many short formed trains. On some routes there have been very significant timetable reductions so there must be units available to even strengthen some services rather than short form some. Is it bad management by Abellio? EMR have also recently sent four 156s to Barrow Hill for storage.
 

Dr Hoo

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There is a completely bespoke EMR intercity timetable (all via Corby) this weekend anyway.
 

Djgr

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Yet they are still running 6 half empty trains per hour into St Pancras…!
And presumably lots of fresh air between Northamptonshire stations

And presumably lots of fresh air between Northamptonshire stations
Still I guess this is more important than a service linking six major cities (and Ely!)
 
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153375

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I can fully understand why even with the current EMR reduced timetable occasionally a train may have to be cancelled if there is no crew available. Weekends in July and August can be difficult.
What I don’t understand is why even with the greatly reduced timetable there are still so many short formed trains. On some routes there have been very significant timetable reductions so there must be units available to even strengthen some services rather than short form some. Is it bad management by Abellio? EMR have also recently sent four 156s to Barrow Hill for storage.
Things have been slightly better since the reduced timetable came in to play. Ironically EMR said the wanted to protect the Skegness route whereas most of the short forms are on this line. EMR were already short on stock as we all know but sending the four 156s for storage seems a strange move. IIRC that’s six of the ex GA 156s gone now (156922 stored at Barrow Hill already and 156902 at Wolverton). They were down a 158 that derailed on Etches Park and 153319 that hasn’t moved anywhere in months so that’s eight units gone/unavailable. Add in a few breakdowns and you can see why it’s all falling apart.
 

LowLevel

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Things have been slightly better since the reduced timetable came in to play. Ironically EMR said the wanted to protect the Skegness route whereas most of the short forms are on this line. EMR were already short on stock as we all know but sending the four 156s for storage seems a strange move. IIRC that’s six of the ex GA 156s gone now (156922 stored at Barrow Hill already and 156902 at Wolverton). They were down a 158 that derailed on Etches Park and 153319 that hasn’t moved anywhere in months so that’s eight units gone/unavailable. Add in a few breakdowns and you can see why it’s all falling apart.
156922 is in traffic, it's been on the Robin Hoods today. 156907/909/916/917/918 are the ones stored at Barrow Hill. 902 is at Wolverton for C6 overhaul (don't know if it will return to EMR or go to Northern).

156912, 919 and 922 are the /9s still in traffic.

153319 has some sort of serious defect and is out of service along with 158863 which has one end at Etches Park having been used as a Christmas tree since a derailment in December at Eastcroft which has seen the other car go to Doncaster Works due to major damage caused in the incident.
 

153375

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156922 is in traffic, it's been on the Robin Hoods today. 156907/909/916/917/918 are the ones stored at Barrow Hill. 902 is at Wolverton for C6 overhaul (don't know if it will return to EMR or go to Northern).

156912, 919 and 922 are the /9s still in traffic.

153319 has some sort of serious defect and is out of service along with 158863 which has one end at Etches Park having been used as a Christmas tree since a derailment in December at Eastcroft which has seen the other car go to Doncaster Works due to major damage caused in the incident.
Thanks, I knew one was already at Barrow Hill and for some reason thought it was 922. Given the other five have been stored probably a good chance 902 will go straight to Northern after it’s C6.
 

Skymonster

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Most Robin Hood Line and many Skegness services short formed today - what a shambles
 

paddy1

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They're largely not half empty either. I don't think I've gotten on one that hasn't had most rows of seats occupied recently, at least on the Intercity side. Connect with the 360s is a bit different as you'd expect but still gets busy at times.
And those Intercity trains are now mostly only four of five carriages now and would have been ovecrowded pre covid and will be again once passenger numbers rise, and especially if they ever get back to pre covid numbers.
 

dk1

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Are they busy enough for that to cause real problems?
Been some severe overcrowding on the Skegness route in the last few weeks. One passenger tweeted that there where several hundred trying to board a single 156 last week after no further units where available for the booked strengthening.
 

Skymonster

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Are they busy enough for that to cause real problems?
That’s not the point. EMR said it was cutting back the timetable to avoid the short forming and yet on today’s evidence it has failed.

And let’s not forget that since the cutbacks were announced, it’s emerged that five units have been put into store (note, not gone to another operator where they were immediately put into service, but stored and doing nothing).

Half the Robin Hood line services were cut recently, and today those that remain are running two-car instead of three… So that line is at about 33% of the capacity it should be. If that’s not a complete shambles during a period when services should be being ramped up, not cut back, I don’t know what is.
 

Robertj21a

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That’s not the point. EMR said it was cutting back the timetable to avoid the short forming and yet on today’s evidence it has failed.

And let’s not forget that since the cutbacks were announced, it’s emerged that five units have been put into store (note, not gone to another operator where they were immediately put into service, but stored and doing nothing).

Half the Robin Hood line services were cut recently, and today those that remain are running two-car instead of three… So that line is at about 33% of the capacity it should be. If that’s not a complete shambles during a period when services should be being ramped up, not cut back, I don’t know what is.
Struggling to understand what the real problem is if most passengers aren't affected. Capacity issues are hardly relevant if the passengers are happy - the railways aren't run for spotters or enthusiasts!
 

Stampy

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Saw an EMR service pass me at Grantham on Saturday heading towards Peterborough...

Full & Standing in a 2-car train.
This was at about 1830.
 

ChrisC

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Struggling to understand what the real problem is if most passengers aren't affected. Capacity issues are hardly relevant if the passengers are happy - the railways aren't run for spotters or enthusiasts!
How are most passengers not affected on routes where half the train services have been cut? Passengers are not happy when they were told that these cuts were necessary to reduce short forming and cancellations. I’ve been using the Robin Hood Line to travel into Nottingham since it reopened 30 years ago, but I’m now using the bus as you cannot rely on the trains turning up and with the timing of the hourly service onward connections in Nottingham are very poor.
 

STINT47

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Struggling to understand what the real problem is if most passengers aren't affected. Capacity issues are hardly relevant if the passengers are happy - the railways aren't run for spotters or enthusiasts!

In my view most regional passengers are impacted by this.

I live in Nottingham and can now no longer travel to Matlock line stations direct, Crewe services have been cut to every two hours and Robin Hood Lune to hourly. These have an impact on my ability to travel and no doubt many others as well.

To cap it off far from allowing what remains of the service to be reliable things are still bad. Skegness services are short formed making using them unpleasant whilst services to Liverpool and Norwich from Nottinghsm are still bring canceled and short formed.

I'm sorry to say that for me local rail travel has become a no go in the last few weeks and I suspect this applies for a lot of others in Nottingham
 

MCR247

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What does seem odd is that even with this reduced timetable there are still lots of short forms on Liverpool - Norwich
 
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