Blackpool North: The most unfriendly station in the country?

me123 said:

....The doors are just completely unnecessary. It's almost as if someone thinks that a necessary process at airports needs to be duplicated on the rail network....

Click to expand...

I think it's less airport and more bus station!

It doesn't bother me because I'm used to it - though it didn't seem so bad before the ticket barriers went in, at least you could still access the cafe/newsagent and a smoker could get outside for a quick drag.

It's a horrible building in a terrible location - it should at least be possible to see the sea from the station in Blackpool of all places. I haven't had negative experiences with the staff but then it's not a place I feel inclined to hang around.

More often than not I'll use Poulton (no barriers, lovely small station) or Layton (only one train an hour but completely open and unstaffed).

Jonny said:

That's one thing, but why bother to enforce queueing especially when there are often four or six doors? I would have thought that jumping queues for boarding was barely a technical breach at worst.

Click to expand...

Among other things it allows you to also assess the condition of passengers who have been drinking all day and refuse them travel before, not after. It also lets you keep fare evaders (of which Skegness has notably fewer than most areas down, at least partly down to the preboarding check) off the train where it's much easier to leave them behind. Finally it also allows you to ensure that the Wainfleet passengers have tickets as there's no way to get through a busy train by Wainfleet.

It's no different to the boarding controls at Euston except it's done in better time. I never come across any actual complaints, and the passengers seem to be quite happy as if anything the steady trickle reduces the scrum.

LowLevel - I thought ticket barriers achieved all that?

And it would only be the same at Euston if they had a gateline before the entrance to all platforms, then a series of doors which would all lead to all platforms.

They police it by saying you can only go through the door directly in front of the platform and you are prohibited from (but physically able to) turn left or right when you go through the door to use a different platform.

Anyone caught dawdling is interrogated and reprimanded when I was there.

I have used literally hundreds of stations and I think its unique from what I've seen.

I was on about Skeggy which is similar but with some differences - Blackpool I'd concur from all I've seen could do with some changes.

theblackwatch said:

The experiences mentioned here are nothing new. Back in the mid-1990s, I remember being turfed off the platform while hanging about waiting for a pair of 33s to arrive on an charter for the illuminations. We'd arrived by train and wanted to photograph the charter coming in from the platform, but the station staff were having none of it. I wonder if it's the same staff there now, or if the high level of customer service has just been handed down to new staff over the years? :P

Click to expand...

Sounds about right the first time I attempted to get a video and photo there was when regional Loco hauled were running in the North West, as I got there 2 other photographers were being marched off the platform, so I didn't even attempt it and haven't done since, I think its been the same for at least the last 20 years.

Last time I was at Blackpool North was back in 2012, and witnessed some pensioners being barked at for being too slow coming off the train with their luggage. I was then told off for wanting to take a picture of the train, before being moaned at at the gates for daring to use a North West Rover issued at Edinburgh Waverley.

Horrible station, horrible staff, and a horrible place generally. I don't think I have been to any seaside resort as run down as Blackpool.

For the rest of the stay I used Blackpool South wherever possible.

I visited the station back in October 2013 part of a day trip to the town for the first time since 1975!! Yes, 1975! Being at Blackpool, naturally wanted to take the opportunity to photograph some of the semaphores at the station before they eventually disappear. Prior to visiting I was made aware of the issues at the station and to gain access to the platforms, needed to seek "permission" from the duty station supervisor. Armed with this information, I eventually got "permission" to access the platforms for an hour, which would be long enough to get what I needed.

I did find the staff on duty were friendly enough but very nervous, sort of reluctant if they had their own way, to grant me access. I was advise the usual provisos about staying away from edge of platform etc which I acknowledged and kept too. After photographing a few arrivals / departures, I was only after one more image of the TPE train arriving at Platform one which was due in 5 minutes and I had only been on the platforms for 40 minutes, I was then ask to leave with the excuse that the signal man was nervous of me being on the platform! Utter rubbish of course! It was clear to me it was no point in discussing this with him! In that time, my wife had to wait in the concourse.

Although, I got some good images, I was left with the impression, they the staff don't like "people", in fact mistrust them and everyone is treated with suspicion. Although the staff will give assistance / information, again they try to keep verbal discussion to a minimum. Visual observations included, on arrival, all passengers are encouraged to get off the platforms asap, in other words, no hanging about and for departures, you are not let through the platform doors until about 2/3 minutes before departure.

However, in defence of the station staff, they do get the rough end of some horrible verbal / physical treatment from people who use station especially of an evening. I will leave you to decide what type of people they may be when you consider the location they are visiting. With that in mind, I think the staff have decided to maintain a particular "people" policy for the station which works for them regardless of time of day. In some ways, I don't blame the staff as would you like to put up with some of the "dross" they deal with? Probably not. However, they have tarred everyone with the same brush and there is no leeway for individual situations.

Some people have suggested to complain to Northern Rail management about the issues at BPN, but to be honest, I think they are aware of them and quite happy for the staff at BPN to maintain this policy as long as they still provide some form of reasonable customer service which in essence the station staff do but only to a certain level I suspect. Going the extra mile would be non- existent in my impression although in my visit, may be that could be that and gaining platform access was an achievement?

Finally, did I enjoy our visit to Blackpool for the day, well yes, but would we visit again, probably not. People were friendly enough but sadly, given my last visit was 1975, the overall impression / observation suggested a lot of the place had not change since that year. That says a lot about Blackpool unfortunately!

I managed over an hour on the platforms in 2013 after similarly speaking with the supervisor. He spoke to all the station staff first so didn't have any issues there, however still managed to get shouted at by a cleaner, and also someone shouting across from some kind of car park which appeared like some off-duty cleaner. The supervisor was quite happy to provide access, but I would add that both of us were off-duty railway staff which might have helped. It was also a Sunday morning so fairly quiet.

I think the attitude of the staff at Blackpool North is akin to the Daily Mail reader's view of football supporters - i.e. because a tiny handful of the hundreds of thousands of fans who go to matches each Saturday are d/h's that means we treat them all like lunatic hooligans and set the dogs/water cannon/tazers on them all.
If you are going to Blackpool then you are obviously part of a drunken mob on a stag/hen party hell bent on causing mayhem, destruction and annoyance and you should all be treated accordingly.

Jonny said:

I'm surprised that no-one has picked up on the main point - that it is hard to get rid of staff who perform their jobs in a substandard manner, doubly so if they are in a union. It sounds like that some of these staff at Blackpool North deserve to be sacked.

Click to expand...

They'll only go to their union if they get fired.

Easy way round it would be to de-staff Blackpool North, i.e. get rid of the ticket office, cleaners, barriers and their OCD door lockers. Install a few ticket machines and leave it open round the clock. Give it a few years and the bogs will have been vandalised, station lighting will be failing and before you know it there is every excuse in the book to perform a Newhaven Marine on the station. Terminate all services at Layton, and single the line from Poulton to Layton.

Mutant Lemming said:

I think the attitude of the staff at Blackpool North is akin to the Daily Mail reader's view of football supporters - i.e. because a tiny handful of the hundreds of thousands of fans who go to matches each Saturday are d/h's that means we treat them all like lunatic hooligans and set the dogs/water cannon/tazers on them all.
If you are going to Blackpool then you are obviously part of a drunken mob on a stag/hen party hell bent on causing mayhem, destruction and annoyance and you should all be treated accordingly.

Click to expand...

I think the solution to Blackpool North is a visible BTP presence based on the station. I'm not sure if they have any based there, but I can't recall seeing any. Certainly if they were to be there as things stand I can imagine they would spend most of their time diffusing door arguments.

The layout is currently a mess, partly because the gateline has been positioned to give a mimimal 'unpaid' area. No idea if thos was done simply to maximise the size of the waiting area, or if there was also a deliberate attempt to minimise the unpaid area to keep the beggars and loiterers out. If so the approach hasn't really worked, as they just hang around outside the station entrance anyway. It may have changed since I was there, but my experience was that the immediate approach and frontage to Blackpool North is very unpleasant, certainly a bit threatening at night. The whole setup needs a redesign.

I would abolish the famous doors, and create a separate 'paid' area behind the buffer stops. This would involve shortening the platforms a little to create the space. Put the gateline roughly where the doors are.

The other change I would make is not advertise the platform until the train is ready for boarding, or at least the train is in the platform. Part of the doors issue is that people turn up expecting the station to function like any other - when the platform is displayed it's an invitation to go to the train - even if the train is still locked up. Do this at Blackpool North and you'll get shouted at.

I wonder if the staff realise that their local arrangement is the odd one out. The only termini served from Blackpool North are Lime Street and Manchester Airport. There aren't any nearby seaside termini for them to draw comparison, and I suppose they don't ever need to go for a family day out to the seaside. It would explain why they seem to feel their setup is normal and anyone infringing it deserves rude admonishment.

The proposed remodelling for electrification represents an opportunity to sort things out. Currently the whole station looks and behaves like something out of the Soviet Union, the whole travel experience is unsatisfactory and depressing. Not the sort of image Blackpool needs.

Better for the staff too, there's more fruitful things to do with life, and more to being a railwayman, than opening and shutting doors.

I have friends who live in Blackpool and I go to stay there every summer for a couple of weeks. I agree that most of Central Blackpool, especially on Friday and Saturday nights are areas I choose to stay away from, but where my friends live, just back from the north shore towards Bispham is a nice residential area.

During my stay there I always make full use of the excellent value 7 Day North West Rover and therefore for a whole week witness the antics of the Blackpool North Station staff. I wouldn't like to do their job, especially when you see the behaviour some of the crowds who pass through, again especially at weekends. However, I have also regularly witnessed their rudeness, even at quiet off peak times when there are no troublesome passengers passing through.

Over many years of using the 7 Day North West Rover, meaning departing from and arriving back at Blackpool North each day, I have just despaired of the way that I have sometimes been treated and spoken to by them just because I happen to be using a rover ticket which will not operate the barrier!
Each year, day after day, some of them shout at me to put my ticket in the barrier, even when I try tell them it won't work and hasn't worked all week. They still stand there treating me like a fare dodger insisting that I do try the ticket in the barrier. When it doesn't work they very begrudgingly let me through. Others, who will accept that the rover ticket will not open the barrier keep me waiting ages whilst they deal with other passengers before they let me through. I am now paying over £80 for my ticket and do not expect to be treated like a fare dodger and kept waiting at the barrier just because they don't like my type of completely legal ticket!

I won't even mention the late opening of those doors and the standing in the queues of chavvy people I have to endure every morning often resulting in late departures because it has then taken so long for large crowds with luggage to board the train with their luggage. Over a hundred people and lots of luggage cannot be got on board a 2 car sprinter in just 2 minutes between door opening and departure times.

I have found almost all Northern Rail staff at other stations and on trains extremely friendly and welcoming towards me travelling with a 7 Day Rover but not Blackpool North! About 5 years ago on my last day arriving back at Blackpool North the man who had to let me through the barrier more or less said thank goodness that's the last day I will have to deal with you. I have never been rude to them and have always tried to be polite and friendly.

However, two positive points to end with. I have always found the booking office staff at Blackpool North very helpful and friendly and so we must not class all Blackpool North Staff as having the same gestapo attitude.
Also last summer, for the first time in about 15 years, the staff were noticeably much more friendly towards me, they accepted that my ticket wouldn't go through the barrier and sometimes even let me through with a smile. I wondered if they had been to charm school!
I wait to see if this improvement will be maintained or even bettered when I make my next visit in July.

Its strange how people have problems at blackpool north and yet I have managed to video at the station 11 times in the last 5 years now and on each time got permisson from the supervisor and never got challenged afterwards. Even once spent 2 hours on the platform in June 2011 and not a single problem. Only one supervisor is a bit tricky, One does give you a hi viz jacket which has happened to me twice but the others are good. Check out my videos and diaries of the place.

alexdodds said:

Its strange how people have problems at blackpool north and yet I have managed to video at the station 11 times in the last 5 years now and on each time got permisson from the supervisor and never got challenged afterwards. Even once spent 2 hours on the platform in June 2011 and not a single problem. Only one supervisor is a bit tricky, One does give you a hi viz jacket which has happened to me twice but the others
are good. Check out my videos and diaries of the place.

Click to expand...

I don't think the issue is so much one of enthusiasts - I too had no issue when first asking the supervisor. Although I did sense that it might have been more of a problem had I not been off-duty staff, and I'm not sure I would have got a welcome reaction speaking to one of the gateline or platform staff. As I mentioned elsewhere, it also didn't stop me getting shouted at (very rudely) twice by cleaning staff, odd in that in both cases I was on different platforms to them so it wasn't a case of in any way obstructing them in their duties. The fact that such staff feel they can get away with shouting at customers for no valid reason says a lot about the general attitude there.

I did also get a somewhat suspicious look from another member of station staff, although to be fair was able to have a quite normal conversation with her. Following on from what another poster wrote, I remember also experiencing a bit of disgruntlement using a 'box' pass at the gateline too.

The main issue just seems to be the attitude of many, not all, of the staff. Any little out-of-the-ordinary situation seems to cause a problem. The ridiculous system of the doors does not help, as by the staff's own admission it's always causing arguments and conflicts. I don't doubt the station has more than its fair share of dross passengers to deal with, but the staff should put their foot down and get themselves a BTP presence to deal with this. I'm sure if the staff were as robust with their management as they are with their customers they could get the support needed.

The trouble my colleagues have at BPN is quite simply the amount of p**sed up people they have to deal with and I can imagine that can frustrate and wind them up easily especially in season. BUT that is no reason for lack of customer service skills. Management need to get involved and try and find better methods of working as obviously a lot of people have had problems with the staff there and my final point if a member of staff has not done their job correctly not even the union will back them up. They will make sure no rules have been broken and the correct procedures have been followed thats all.

Ive had a number of customer complain to me about the attitude of the staff at BPN , If the staff are rude or not providing proper customer service this needs to be addressed obviously .

However the doors I think are a good idea assuming that they are opened at a sensible time before departure to allow boarding . At least 5 minutes before I would say . The reason I say they are a good idea is because they allow the cleaning staff to do their job in peace . Take the BPN to LIV services . They arrive in BPN at xx:47 and are out at xx:00 . If there where no doors you would have a crowd gathered on the platform waiting to board the service as soon as it arrives . Making it nearly impossible for the cleaners to do their job . Another complaint we get a lot of as guards is about the cleanliness of trains . Nobody wants to be sat there with their kids surrounded by beer cans and bottles and fast food wrappers and half eaten burgers brought in by the hen and stag parties on their arrival .

One of the things that could be done to improve the station is to provide a lot more seating in the waiting area , that way people would not have to stand around queuing and could take a seat so wouldn't be as anxious to get on the train and sit down .

I've not much recent experience of Blackpool north station, but do recall being corralled in the concourse with little time to board trains.

Given the nature of Blackpool & some of its visitors, I can see the need for a firm approach to the more unruly elements. What I've picked up from the comments here though is that there doesn't appear to be any difference to the approach between the unruly and the compliant.

There is no excuse for rude behaviour, nor "barking" at elderly customers for "being slow" this is appalling customer service and really ought to be stamped out.

I fully appreciate the issues that the staff experience day to day, but other locations also have issues with anti-social behaviour & nowhere else seems to report the issues related here. If I do go to Blackpool by train & I experience anything like the rudeness reflected here, I'll not only complain to Northern, I'd most likely go to the national press if they are unwilling to effectively deal with the issues raised.

It was one of my local stations for over 7 years and I don't think I ever had reason to complain. Generally orderly. OK, it'll never win any awards for the best station or suchlike, but I've never found it particularly unpleasant. It was better before the barriers appeared though, although I can't say I have ever experienced rudeness from the staff there.

Who I do remember is the ticket office staff, they were always pretty cheery and happy to deal with unsual requests. Far nicer than at Preston in my experience.

Sure, the unlocking and locking of platforms is somewhat unusual. It's their way of tackling crowding issues and ensures the trains can be litter picked which if you've seen some inbound trains to Blackpool North on a Summer Saturday, you can see why. Not perfect, but I can understand the logic. A sort of similar situation happens at Euston with VT and on 13/14 at Manchester Piccadilly ("Wait in Lounge"), they just don't tell you the platform until X mins before departure so you're also held.

In the off-peak hours they often open the doors well in advance.

As for people commenting on Blackpool as a "horrible place". Most of the Fylde Coast is fine and better than many other places, especially away from one or two areas in the South Shore of Blackpool in particular. If you get to know the coastline or some of the inland areas with a local you might change your mind. The visitors to town centre and tourist bits, can't do much about them as they're sadly a lifeline to many small businesses.

yorkie said:

Anyone caught dawdling is interrogated and reprimanded when I was there.

Click to expand...

Isn't this illegal under the Disability Discrimination Act ?

bramling said:

Currently the whole station looks and behaves like something out of the Soviet Union, the whole travel experience is unsatisfactory and depressing. Not the sort of image Blackpool needs.

Better for the staff too, there's more fruitful things to do with life, and more to being a railwayman, than opening and shutting doors.

Click to expand...

Its some of the staff that make it feel like something out of the Soviet Union. When I went in 2012 the idiot on the gate was whining at me like a trampled bagpipe until I said to him that I was wearing a wire and anything said would be handed over to both the BTP and Northern HQ for evidence, he soon changed his tune.

Other than what I've suggested in my previous post, maybe tearing down Blackpool North and actually rebuilding it completely may be another way to go.

LowLevel said:

Skegness operate a similar system but for different reasons - there's often only a short turnaround time for trains and holding the passengers back allows the station staff to go down the train and clean it - a lot of fairly disgusting folk travel to and from Skegness and the state of the train has to be seen to be believed.

Click to expand...

I think this is a big part og the issue - whilst I wouldn't want to stereotype, I think there is indeed a stereotype for people who holiday in, say, Skegness/Scarborough/Blackpool compared to other more genial destinations at home and on the continent.

Is there a way to word this comment without causing offence to people - I did do an overnight trip to Blackpool about three years ago, but in connection with tram rides not holidaying.

34D said:

I think this is a big part og the issue - whilst I wouldn't want to stereotype, I think there is indeed a stereotype for people who holiday in, say, Skegness/Scarborough/Blackpool compared to other more genial destinations at home and on the continent.

Is there a way to word this comment without causing offence to people - I did do an overnight trip to Blackpool about three years ago, but in connection with tram rides not holidaying.

Click to expand...

I spent a week in Blackpool two years ago and found it ok. This was to do with trams and railways in the surrounding area, I wouldn't go there for a 'holiday' as such. It was also well "out of season" so the place was virtually dead. I did enjoy going up the tower, and will go back again for a night or two once the electrification is completed. Looking at a lot of the hotels along the front, especially around South Shore, I can imagine how bad things can get in season however - it seems the resort is centred around on getting ****ed and the pleasure beach.

Unruly passengers are for BTP to deal with, station staff shouldn't be allowing themselves to be getting unduly bogged down with these issues.

Blackpool North the worst station I have ever used customer service wise to the point I use south now, station staff have always made me feel like that bit of dog poo on bottom of their shoe. Appreciate they may put up with more than at your usual station but not everyone should be tarred with the same brush!

Another station Blackpool North could be compared with (keeping passengers held back until a few minutes before a train is due) is Wembley Central for Southern services (plus the odd London Midland when they can stop).

Although in fairness the platform edges on P5/P6 are not the widest so with non-stop services rushing through it can be quite dangerous.

Heading into North was bad enough, I can imagine it will be worst trying to leave.

Passed through Blackpool North today, can only agree with some of previous remarks on this thread, I think the staff need to go on a customer relations course to improve the way they deal with customers, politeness and courtesy does not appear to be high on their agenda.

I'm from Blackpool and agree regarding the customer relations of staff, but not as bad as they have been in the past.

As a driver, I find the method of operation (keeping passengers on concourse until train ready for departure) at Blackpool North helps hugely - BPN would be a nightmare if the platforms were open, especially at certain times and when attempting to attach / detach units etc.

I agree, plus that, I can't see any reason to wander around the platforms, not as if there's anything spectacular to see!

Llama said:

As a driver, I find the method of operation (keeping passengers on concourse until train ready for departure) at Blackpool North helps hugely - BPN would be a nightmare if the platforms were open, especially at certain times and when attempting to attach / detach units etc.

Click to expand...

TimSYoung40145 said:

I agree, plus that, I can't see any reason to wander around the platforms, not as if there's anything spectacular to see!

Click to expand...

I dont think any one is disagreeing with you there, as most understand some things need to be done and the platforms need to say clear, this happens at other stations. I have already previously stated in this thread that the staff do encounter some "unique" issues especially with the reputation that Blackpool has but they need to learn how to treat customers on an individual basis and that they are all not under the influence of drink!! Not every customer are idiots or loose their senses! A bit of common sense and better judgement by the staff would go a long way.

TimSYoung40145 said:

I agree, plus that, I can't see any reason to wander around the platforms, not as if there's anything spectacular to see!

Click to expand...

But what about what happened in my case? It's not like I was "wandering" and there was no attaching or de-attaching going on. (Something to discuss in Todmorden next month! )

As for the attaching and de-attaching argument, I am not convinced. How come stations like Horsham or Purley cope?