Extra tfwrail service Saturday

hi

I’ve noticed extra Manchester to Chester services are scheduled to run again this Saturday according to realtraintimes.

Can anyone explain why these aren’t advertised services as it would be really useful at this busy time of year.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/V40503/2018/12/22/advanced

Thanks

Chris

Plus it booked for the 67+MK3

a22book said:

hi

I’ve noticed extra Manchester to Chester services are scheduled to run again this Saturday according to realtraintimes.

Can anyone explain why these aren’t advertised services as it would be really useful at this busy time of year.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/V40503/2018/12/22/advanced

Thanks

Chris

Click to expand...

ATW never did and TFW don't either advertise by the look of it. If you want to know when you can catch a train go to "Journey Planner" and the answer is there. That appears to be the attitude of the TOC - the information is out there so look for it !!! From Twitter, it would appear that TFW expect everybody to check their journey each time they travel even if it's their regular daily commute. When Wales are playing at home at the Principality Stadium a train has run from Holyhead to Cardiff and return for some years but never seen it advertised anywhere yet.
Both LHCS are out tomorrow, from Holyhead and from Crewe

But it doesn’t appear in the journey planner on national rail website, just on realtraintimes which most people wont know about.

The Crewe one in the morning is cancelled, no traincrew

PHILIPE said:

ATW never did and TFW don't either advertise by the look of it. If you want to know when you can catch a train go to "Journey Planner" and the answer is there. That appears to be the attitude of the TOC - the information is out there so look for it !!! From Twitter, it would appear that TFW expect everybody to check their journey each time they travel even if it's their regular daily commute. When Wales are playing at home at the Principality Stadium a train has run from Holyhead to Cardiff and return for some years but never seen it advertised anywhere yet.
Both LHCS are out tomorrow, from Holyhead and from Crewe

Click to expand...

I saw 1T50 1413 Holyhead-Manchester Piccadilly proceeding along the NW coast today approximately 18 minutes late. A Loco-hauled train [the Gerald set?], 4 coaches complete with 1st class[declassified?], and hardly anyone on board!!!

I appreciate TfW has problems crewing extra trains at present, and that's why they are not advertised in advance, but in light of recent bad publicity re shortage of stock, short-forming and cancellation of services, it does seem a great pity that more cannot be made PR-wise of services such as this.

Had I needed to be in Manchester this tea-time, and been assured this service would run, I would have changed my travel plans to travel in such comparative luxury, cf. a crowded 158 or 175[0].

And as for a return - a 2020 departure from Manchester - this seems unbelievable when the last through train is at 1752!!!

I know the answer is "check the jouney-planner" but it doesn't work like that. Mrs Welshman and I travel frequently to Manchester, buying off-peak returns at the booking-office on the day. We know the timetable by heart and although we consult the "jouney-check" to ensure there are no last-minute alterations/cancellations, we do not check the journey-planner each time in case TfW has
decided to shove in an extra service without publicity.

I must admit I don't understand this argument. If you aren't looking at journey planners because you know when you are travelling, I don't imagine you will look at publicity either-and what is a journey planner if not publicity?
Where could it be advertised, surely a journey planner is the obvious place? If you are planning a journey it seems a logical place to put it. And if there is s chance it could not run, less publicity the better anyway I would have thought?
It is, essentially, a relief train, with a little more notice.

But I do check publicity!

I mentioned 'journey-check' which is where, to me at least, it is logical list extra services, as indeed some are when a train has been cancelled earlier in its journey. Or simply list intended extras on the front page of the website - either I think is better than relying solely on people delving into the 'journey - planner" each time, especially when they are familiar with the usual times, and will be booking at the station. Perhaps it would be better to put them in both places.

It just seems a shame that four comfortable coaches of fresh air are being carted round the country, when other less - comfortable and shorter trains are full and standing.

I fear the response of TfW to the suggestion of running relief trains in the future will be 'Why? There's no demand"