As a local It's St Anne's and Lytham. 2 different places and demographics
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Blackpool North: The most unfriendly station in the country?
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As a local It's St Anne's and Lytham. 2 different places and demographics
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Muenchener
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No way Jose. Let's scotch that rumour now...
61653 HTAFC
Veteran Member
Not sure about the Morecambe one, but the one in the South West (can't remember exactly where) has featured on a few "Urban* Exploration" channels on YouTube. Searching for "Mr Blobby House" should get you results but will also ruin your "recommended" tab for the foreseeable...
*This is rather stretching the term "urban", but never mind!
Deafdoggie
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There is something about Blackpool that it can carry off "Cheap and Tacky" in a way other resorts can't, such as Rhyl. Yes, it is a bit (as my Mother would say) "common" but somehow it can carry it off. Off the front, it is actually quite a nice town. Stanley Park is very nice, and there are many quality non-pound shops in the town. But the front is a different beast. In one of the bargain shops on the front, I was amazed by just how much stuff there is I don't actually want.
Blackpool still has more holiday beds than the whole of Portugal, and it can still be hard to find somewhere to stay. its popularity shows no sign of waning, weather you like it or not. Although the railway is doing all it can with the welcome at Blackpool North! Yes, some are cheap B&B, but there posh 5* hotels too, and everything in between.
Blackpool still has more holiday beds than the whole of Portugal, and it can still be hard to find somewhere to stay. its popularity shows no sign of waning, weather you like it or not. Although the railway is doing all it can with the welcome at Blackpool North! Yes, some are cheap B&B, but there posh 5* hotels too, and everything in between.
I dont think theres any 5* hotels there just yet but they are building one on the site of the old Sands venue on the promenade
superkev
Established Member
The two 5* hotels currently in build near Talbot square have no parking!
K
Which Two - the ones by Wilkos may take a while as it hasnt been demolished yet
NorthernSpirit
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Not sure about the Morecambe one, but the one in the South West (can't remember exactly where) has featured on a few "Urban* Exploration" channels on YouTube. Searching for "Mr Blobby House" should get you results but will also ruin your "recommended" tab for the foreseeable...
*This is rather stretching the term "urban", but never mind!
I wonder if the lads at Hell On Earth have visited it? I know they've visited a couple of railway sites.
lancastrian
Member
They certainly are, my mum a Lytham Lady, would get very annoyed if any said she was from Lytham St. Annes. Lytham was in the Domesday Book, where as St. Annes was just a 'new town' built on sand hills in the late 1860's. They are very different, Lytham is much more genteel and refined. Plus the Cafes and Tea Shops are much nicer.
Just a personal view point, but based on many visits over the last 60 years.
Baxenden Bank
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Very soon the problems will cease.
Cuadrilla will lubricate the geological faults sufficiently for the Blackpool 'peninsula' to float off in to the Irish Sea and sink.
Cuadrilla will lubricate the geological faults sufficiently for the Blackpool 'peninsula' to float off in to the Irish Sea and sink.
61653 HTAFC
Veteran Member
I believe they have... I've watched a few of their videos, mostly the ones they do closer to home, them being Wakey boys.
Eric
Member
After my experience tonight I never want to visit this ridiculous station ever again.
Keeping the train out on the platform and only open the doors three minutes to departure by the Blackpool Gestapo caused me and my brother to miss our connecting train.
When challenged why three minutes the station supervisor said it was in the stations health and safety certificate signed off by both northern and blackpool council that passengers cannot venture out onto the platforms until the train is ready to depart.
This antiquated rule meant our train was late setting off as there was another unit in front of our train so all the people in the picture had to suddenly race down the platform.
Absolutely bloody disgraceful. I will be phoning Northern Rail in the morning.
Keeping the train out on the platform and only open the doors three minutes to departure by the Blackpool Gestapo caused me and my brother to miss our connecting train.
When challenged why three minutes the station supervisor said it was in the stations health and safety certificate signed off by both northern and blackpool council that passengers cannot venture out onto the platforms until the train is ready to depart.
This antiquated rule meant our train was late setting off as there was another unit in front of our train so all the people in the picture had to suddenly race down the platform.
Absolutely bloody disgraceful. I will be phoning Northern Rail in the morning.
It's a shame because the inside of the building isn't all too bad, and on a nice day, the platforms are open and bright.
The staff on the other hand...
Eric
Member
But how can health and safety keep people queuing like this and then make the train depart late? The rude staff all need retraining asap. Zero customer service skills. It's like they take joy in making us all queue whilst the feral children run around screaming and shouting.
Northern probably think it's ok because the train can set off late and make its time up but what about those passengers who have connections along the line?
Don't say we didn't tell you old bean! We were not joking. It's been like it forever.
Northern will have no say in it - BPN do as they please. Delay minutes are chargeable as they're incurred so if they lose 3 minutes they pay for it even if the train finally arrives at the destination on time.
superkev
Established Member
Slightly off topic but interesting article re photographers rights in public places may be particularly applicable to hostile station's like Blackpool north.
http://www.sirimo.co.uk/2009/05/14/uk-photographers-rights-v2/
K
http://www.sirimo.co.uk/2009/05/14/uk-photographers-rights-v2/
K
Eric
Member
But to see the line policed by Northern like the Gestapo though? A cleaner had gone on to the platform and one of the doors was open with the red tape across. An elderly man bypassed the tape and before he could get near the train he was accosted and brought back inside.
I honestly just don't get why they are all so protective of the platforms and trains.
Anyway, I'm done moaning about it. I'll report back with Northern say in the morning.
Elecman
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The station isnt a public place its private property, so you need the owners express permission to be on it
Deafdoggie
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But they are travelling somewhere else too! The risk assessments there don't mind! And what risk is there to have people on a platform where stationary trains are, that is not increased by having huge numbers of people in a confined indoor space? I suspect if ever a fire did break out on the concourse, there would be a lack of any supporting evidence saying passengers should have been trapped in there. No one is going to say it is best to keep everyone in an enclosed space than let them spread out. I suspect no such document exists, and this is just the staff there making it up.
Baxenden Bank
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Oooooh, I say.
They've bought some of those flexible, stretchable, movable barriers to coral people into a queue instead of a doorway scrummage.
Progress?
They've bought some of those flexible, stretchable, movable barriers to coral people into a queue instead of a doorway scrummage.
Progress?
What is the reason for this Health And Safety requirement?
Deafdoggie
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I don't believe that it is at all
Elecman
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I would assume It used to be because of the train tanking water pipes being run over the platform when tanking coaches
Simply not true - look at any mainline terminal in major city centres at a weekend and they will be the same
They've been there a while now
I've never seen them tank any services since I've started using it and didn't the rebuild get rid of this requirement?
What he said - they seem to do this every evening that I use it, and why they would ever be allowed to delay trains is amazing. Though again yesterday they didn't have the doors open to actually exit the station again - until someone from the barrier saw and heard us banging on one of the doors. A proper shambles of a station.
Does Network Rail have a presence on the station? Though it's always a good idea to let the managing TOC know why you are there and what you are wanting to do if wanting to photograph at these places
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My understanding is that Northern HQ are aware of the ongoing issues at Blackpool North and are either unwilling or unable to do anything about it. They have been behaving this way for years and they thrive on it. I can't see them changing their ways. Good luck getting anyone at Northern to do anything about it. I'm far from convinced there is anyone who is in a position to make a positive change who cares.
It's a shame that political party conferences no longer seem to take place in Blackpool. Pulling these stunts on politicians possibly including Mr Failing himself would likely cause a change PDQ..
Paul Maynard, the local MP, was a junior minister with responsibilities for rail for a couple of years.
I Think they have excelled themselves this time and just not opened the station never mind the platforms.
Northern are saying the station should have been open. This was a strike day, do they work to different opening times on those days?
https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/...-after-blackpool-north-is-left-shut-1-9440758
Northern are saying the station should have been open. This was a strike day, do they work to different opening times on those days?
https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/...-after-blackpool-north-is-left-shut-1-9440758
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Ah, so that's the next step. Keeping the station closed and making people queue outside.
What's next after that? Making people queue on the north pier?
(Also, has anyone requested a copy of the risk assessment for the station. Could that be requested by a member of the public?)
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