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22.45 Blackpool North-Man Airport. Advice please

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abbo1234

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Some advice needed please.

I get the 22.45 Blackpool North to Manchester Airport service and alight at Chorley every week without any problems,however last night (15th July)was a nightmare.The destination display listed the train as stopping at Chorley as it also did at Preston.The train approached a red signal at Euxton junction and stopped for a couple of minutes.The guard then announced due to track problems the train was being diverted non stop to Manchester Picadilly and any passengers for Buckshaw Parkway, Chorley, Horwich Parkway, Bolton and Salford Crescent should proceed to the information point at Picadilly where arrangements would be made for onward travel back to our stations.
On arrival at Picadilly there was four of us,myself and three others for Buckshaw Parkway.The guard again told us the previous instruction.
On arrival at the information point there was no one about.After a bit of hunting around we saw a sole member of Northern staff.We explained the situation and he got on his phone.
He then explained to us that the planned works had been publicised and he could not do anything.He then wandered off and left us stranded.At no point at any station did i see a notice saying about the diversion.
After 5 minutes of talking to two nice British Transport officers he reappeared again only to tell us he wasnt going to do anything and told us to all to get a Taxi which we would have to pay for out or our own pockets.

I contacted Northern this morning to put a complaint in which was logged and the nice lady said she couldnt guarantee we would be refunded the Taxi fares even though she said we had been told the wrong information and the destination displays at Blackpool and Preston were incorrect.

I have visited Realtime Trains this morning and yes it wasnt scheduled to stop at those stations.

Any advice would be appreciated on where we stand.
Thanks.
 
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30907

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Looking at Northerns PDF engineering works timetable, the diversion was NOT advertised for Friday night, only Mon to Thur, so you have a case. That is consistent with the driver stopping at Euxton Jn as he presumably thought he'd been misrouted.

The staff member at Piccadilly might have been confused by the fact that the engineering works are headlined as "Monday to Friday" even though they are in fact Monday night to Friday morning.

And no doubt someone failed to pass the info on.... do let us know when Northern pay up.
 
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hairyhandedfool

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The train crew probably weren't expecting the change of route on the service. The stop at the junction, and subsequent announcement, would suggest to me that the driver questioned a wrong route from the signaller and this is when the discovery was made.

Was it advertised? Well, I don't honestly know, but from what I have seen I doubt it. There is a printed amended timetable for works affecting Chorley at weekends (I can only find an online copy on the Network Rail website), but I don't think they include Friday night changes. Information actually available (if you dig far enough) on the Northern website says there is overnight works "Monday to Friday" from 11th July, but all the evening changes are noted as "FX" (Fridays Excepted). I also can't find any information about changes to the timetable on my Northern email.

Personally I think you should get your taxi fare back, but you are not just dealing with Northern now, you are dealing with a Carillion operated "Customer Experience Centre", and they are an experience!.

I wish you the best of luck in your quest!
 

voyagerdude220

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Whilst I can't comment as to why the OP's train didn't run via Buckshaw/Chorley etc, it's notable to see that the following train which was booked to run via this way, did.

Northern's 2J44 23:13 Blackpool North to Manchester Victoria stopping service did indeed run via these stations and ran as planned.

The delay for the OP's 1U86 has been put down to "Diagram Error."
 

les.

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Thanks for the comments.Should have a reply from Northern within 20 days.

It amazes me that certain TOC's take so long to reply. I had a complaint with East Midlands Trains before Christmas and got a similar generic email saying they would reply within 20 days.

Do these companies get that many complaints that it takes so long to respond. Do they just have one person who replies to emails. Surely these TOC's can sort complaints/queries out quicker than what they do.
 

hairyhandedfool

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....Do these companies get that many complaints that it takes so long to respond. Do they just have one person who replies to emails. Surely these TOC's can sort complaints/queries out quicker than what they do.

Northern don't have any staff dealing with complaints, they outsource all of that to Carillion. Carillion, apparently, have 50 staff, operating a 24/7 office, that read emails and letters, and answer the phone.
 

tom1649

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Presumably you can write to the Managing Director at head office if you don't get any joy with Carillion? Whether you'd get a response is another matter I guess.
 

les.

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Northern don't have any staff dealing with complaints, they outsource all of that to Carillion. Carillion, apparently, have 50 staff, operating a 24/7 office, that read emails and letters, and answer the phone.

Blimey, they must get a hell of a lot of emails to deal with then if it takes them 20 days to respond!
 

gray1404

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The staff member at Piccadilly was bang out of order leaving passengers stranded. He needs to be dealt with severely.
 

30907

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The staff member at Piccadilly was bang out of order leaving passengers stranded. He needs to be dealt with severely.

IF s/he knew that they were stranded through the railway's error, I'd agree. But if it was a genuine mistake?
 

miami

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IF s/he knew that they were stranded through the railway's error, I'd agree. But if it was a genuine mistake?

You're suggesting it wasn't a genuine mistake, and he deliberately left them stranded?

Passengers get penalised for genuine mistakes, train companies don't.
 

Busaholic

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Some years ago, caught the 22.40 last train from Plymouth to Penzance. The train got delayed en route and arrived at Truro about an hour late. The conductor/guard then announced that the signalman at Truro had gone home, so the line was now closed. The 20 or so people on the train for beyond Truro got off, to discover that all station staff had gone home too, so no-one to organise taxis. There were taxis there, and 4 or 5 of us bound for Pz got into a people carrier, who took us without demur and didn't ask for a penny piece, saying he'd claim it back from First later!
 

abbo1234

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He definitely knew we were stranded alright.When he got told it was advertised,which it is not for a Friday night,he wasnt interested at all.Will be taking it further if i get no joy.That taxi fare has now left me broke until payday on Friday.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
You're suggesting it wasn't a genuine mistake, and he deliberately left them stranded?

Passengers get penalised for genuine mistakes, train companies don't.

Quite right.What if we had not had enough funds for the taxi,bearing in mind by this time it was after one AM.
 

gray1404

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Some years ago, caught the 22.40 last train from Plymouth to Penzance. The train got delayed en route and arrived at Truro about an hour late. The conductor/guard then announced that the signalman at Truro had gone home, so the line was now closed. The 20 or so people on the train for beyond Truro got off, to discover that all station staff had gone home too, so no-one to organise taxis. There were taxis there, and 4 or 5 of us bound for Pz got into a people carrier, who took us without demur and didn't ask for a penny piece, saying he'd claim it back from First later!

Sounds like the guard/control arranged for that taxi to go on account.
 

bb21

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1U86 was indeed booked via Eccles on Friday 15th. There was no signaller error from what I can see. There did seem to be a bit of a mix-up of some sort.

Whether the ensuing confusion would have had any implication for the dispute, and whether this was publicised in advance, I have no idea.
 

abbo1234

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1U86 was indeed booked via Eccles on Friday 15th. There was no signaller error from what I can see. There did seem to be a bit of a mix-up of some sort.

Whether the ensuing confusion would have had any implication for the dispute, and whether this was publicised in advance, I have no idea.

Yes i agree after looking into it on Saturday but the fact remains that it was only advertised as Monday to Thursday and both the departure boards and station staff at Preston and Blackpool all said it was going to Chorley, plus the guard on the train.

We could have quite easily got on the following Man Vic train if we had been told about this so in my opinion we should get compensation.
 

bb21

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Yes i agree after looking into it on Saturday but the fact remains that it was only advertised as Monday to Thursday and both the departure boards and station staff at Preston and Blackpool all said it was going to Chorley, plus the guard on the train.

We could have quite easily got on the following Man Vic train if we had been told about this so in my opinion we should get compensation.

I am only stating facts. I have no interest in passing judgement since apart from what I stated, I have no idea what else might or might not have been in place/happened.

Depending on the exact combination of factors, you may indeed be entitled to compensation, but that is not something I can pass comment on.
 

abbo1234

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I am only stating facts. I have no interest in passing judgement since apart from what I stated, I have no idea what else might or might not have been in place/happened.

Depending on the exact combination of factors, you may indeed be entitled to compensation, but that is not something I can pass comment on.

Hope so,thanks for your comments.
 

bb21

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Having dug a little deeper, it would appear that someone messed up the crew's schedule cards, in light of that, I think you may well have a good case, as it is very likely that incorrect station calls were announced by the crew, and would also explain the stop at the junction to question the (correct) route given.

If so, then that clearly messed up your journey, so I think you should be reimbursed the taxi fare.
 

Bungle965

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Having dug a little deeper, it would appear that someone messed up the crew's schedule cards, in light of that, I think you may well have a good case, as it is very likely that incorrect station calls were announced by the crew, and would also explain the stop at the junction to question the (correct) route given.

If so, then that clearly messed up your journey, so I think you should be reimbursed the taxi fare.

Absolutely, however trying to get the customer service team to sort it out for you will be very time consuming and irritating.
Sam
 

abbo1234

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Having dug a little deeper, it would appear that someone messed up the crew's schedule cards, in light of that, I think you may well have a good case, as it is very likely that incorrect station calls were announced by the crew, and would also explain the stop at the junction to question the (correct) route given.

If so, then that clearly messed up your journey, so I think you should be reimbursed the taxi fare.

Thanks for your time.Much appreciated:)
 

30907

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You're suggesting it wasn't a genuine mistake, and he deliberately left them stranded?

No, I was suggesting it MIGHT have been a genuine mistake. However later posts suggest it wasn't (though there was a scheduling cock-up), so it's not relevant now.
 
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gray1404

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I agree you have a case for compensation for the delay under delay repay and a refund of your taxi as Northern clearly messed up here. Yes there is a long wait at the moment in terms of Northern replying to correspondence but best get it submitted no later then 28 days after travel and then wait. Go to Transport Focus if their reply is not acceptable or they take way too long to reply. Good luck!
 

hairyhandedfool

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Having dug a little deeper, it would appear that someone messed up the crew's schedule cards, in light of that, I think you may well have a good case, as it is very likely that incorrect station calls were announced by the crew, and would also explain the stop at the junction to question the (correct) route given.

If so, then that clearly messed up your journey, so I think you should be reimbursed the taxi fare.

If the op is correct (and I see no reason currently to think otherwise) then the station departure boards were also wrong, and that indicates a problem further back down the chain.
 

abbo1234

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Dear Mr Abbott,

I am contacting you in respect to diverted service.

I am sorry to learn that your journey between Blackpool and Chorley was disrupted, and that you were caused a delay as a result. Please be assured that we are committed to operating a punctual train service on all of our routes, continually reviewing and monitoring the cause of all delays to our trains, to ensure that appropriate measures are put in place to reduce their recurrence wherever this is possible.

Whilst I understand you frustration, under the National Rail Conditions of Carriage we cannot be held liable for consequential loss caused by disruption to our services. In the case where you choose to take alternative transportation due to a delay or cancellation of our services, as long as another service is due in the near future and is readily available for you to use, then I am afraid that you become liable for any consequential loss from choosing an alternate method of transport. Ultimately, the provision of our services would still be ongoing and so I therefore regret that, on this occasion, I am unable to agree to your request in this regard and apologise for any disappointment that this may cause you.

However, if your journey was delayed by 30 minutes or more you are entitled to claim compensation under the Delay Repay scheme. Full details of this can be found on our website northernrailway.co.uk

You can also find the online forms there and either submit online via the website, email us a copy at [email protected] or post a form in to us at Freepost Northern Rail.

If there is anything more we can help with please feel free to phone and speak to one of our friendly advisors on 0800 200 6060 or email for further information at [email protected]



Kind regards,

Gareth Frith
Customer Complaints Manager

What other service can i use,the first rail replacement bus on a Saturday morning,Some seven hours later. Dont think this is an acceptable response.
Any more advice please.
 
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