Timetable improvements including later evening trains on Northern

yorksrob · 13 Jun 2019

Moderators note: split from https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/financial-difficulty-at-northern.184079/page-2#post-4056413

To be fair to Northern (and I admit, we've had it a lot easier over here than out west), they have delivered some very useful timetable changes, such as later trains in particular, that have been long overdue. They've also attempted to deliver some which have been deliberately obstructed by Network Rail (later trains on Saturday).

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Bantamzen · 13 Jun 2019

yorksrob said:
To be fair to Northern (and I admit, we've had it a lot easier over here than out west), they have delivered some very useful timetable changes, such as later trains in particular, that have been long overdue. They've also attempted to deliver some which have been deliberately obstructed by Network Rail (later trains on Saturday).

It does seem like a tale of two Northerns at times doesn't it? There's no doubt improvement has taken place on the right side of the Pennines, we've had some genuine changes for the better, a lot more strengthened services running around, and we've probably had some of the best refurbishments with the 333s and 170s. Its just a shame that the North West doesn't seem quite so well run.

At the risk of a flame war, they could learn a few lessons from us Yorkshire folk...

YorkshireBear · 13 Jun 2019

yorksrob said:
To be fair to Northern (and I admit, we've had it a lot easier over here than out west), they have delivered some very useful timetable changes, such as later trains in particular, that have been long overdue. They've also attempted to deliver some which have been deliberately obstructed by Network Rail (later trains on Saturday).

Unfortunately later trains on Saturdays means less engineering access...

There is nothing more disheartening than needing track access to find all you can ever get is 2 hours productive time. It's a joke. Reliable infrastructure needs time to maintain it.

yorksrob · 13 Jun 2019

YorkshireBear said:
Unfortunately later trains on Saturdays means less engineering access...

There is nothing more disheartening than needing track access to find all you can ever get is 2 hours productive time. It's a joke. Reliable infrastructure needs time to maintain it.

I'm afraid I don't really see why everywhere else radiating from Leeds gets trains until 23:00 and beyond, yet for some reason this is impossible on the Hallam line. I'm not expecting trains throughout the night - just what most other routes seem to get.

YorkshireBear · 14 Jun 2019

yorksrob said:
I'm afraid I don't really see why everywhere else radiating from Leeds gets trains until 23:00 and beyond, yet for some reason this is impossible on the Hallam line. I'm not expecting trains throughout the night - just what most other routes seem to get.

Like I say, engineers don't give up their access easily. They might feel lucky to have slightly longer on that line! It might require more maintenance, not familiar enough with the area from that perspective.

yorksrob · 14 Jun 2019

YorkshireBear said:
Like I say, engineers don't give up their access easily. They might feel lucky to have slightly longer on that line! It might require more maintenance, not familiar enough with the area from that perspective.

There aren't any outstanding engineering features on the route. I fear it's more the case of Hallam passengers being the fall guys who are expected to put up with an inadequate timetable because other more politically 'sexy' routes, such as trans-pennine and the Aire valley have already bagged late night engineering slots.

Iskra · 14 Jun 2019

yorksrob said:
There aren't any outstanding engineering features on the route. I fear it's more the case of Hallam passengers being the fall guys who are expected to put up with an inadequate timetable because other more politically 'sexy' routes, such as trans-pennine and the Aire valley have already bagged late night engineering slots.

As a regular Hallam line user, I agree the line is overlooked, even though it is technically Northern’s flagship route between Leeds and Sheffield due to the semi-fasts using it.

However, the timetable has definitely improved recently. The early morning timetable was always pretty good compared to similar lines. Now on an evening there are direct services from Leeds to Chapeltown at: 2130, 2200 and 2300, which is an improvement.

Persistent issues remain though: the Castleford diversion issues on the stopper and the fact that all trains are confined to being 2 carriages due to the short length of platform 17 at Leeds. These are major barriers to the attractiveness of the service.

Providing you aren’t heading to Leeds though, the service on the line between Sheffield and Barnsley is pretty good and onto Huddersfield it is adequate.

Iskra · 14 Jun 2019

Bantamzen said:
It does seem like a tale of two Northerns at times doesn't it? There's no doubt improvement has taken place on the right side of the Pennines, we've had some genuine changes for the better, a lot more strengthened services running around, and we've probably had some of the best refurbishments with the 333s and 170s. Its just a shame that the North West doesn't seem quite so well run.

At the risk of a flame war, they could learn a few lessons from us Yorkshire folk...

The NW side does seem to get a lot more doubled up units though, particularly centred on Manchester where most trains seem to be 4 car now. That’s isn’t as common on the East side, where Leeds sees a lot of 2 cars or 3 cars. This is probably due to the 319’s and electrification releasing DMU’s.

So it’s swings and roundabouts.

yorksrob · 14 Jun 2019

Iskra said:
The NW side does seem to get a lot more doubled up units though, particularly centred on Manchester where most trains seem to be 4 car now. That’s isn’t as common on the East side, where Leeds sees a lot of 2 cars or 3 cars. This is probably due to the 319’s and electrification releasing DMU’s.

So it’s swings and roundabouts.

Yes, I've noticed that the Atherton line gets a lot more doubled up services as well.

I've said before on here that platform 17 would be comparatively easy to extend. The platform line continues some way beyond the end of the platform before converging, and the viaduct is as wide as the platform section.

nicolaboo · 15 Jun 2019

yorksrob said:
Yes, I've noticed that the Atherton line gets a lot more doubled up services as well.

I've said before on here that platform 17 would be comparatively easy to extend. The platform line continues some way beyond the end of the platform before converging, and the viaduct is as wide as the platform section.

The platform is long enough for four carriages, it's the fact that it often deals with multiple trains that doesn't help the situation, with the Knottingley stopper going out first followed by the Sheffield or Lincoln semi-fasts.

30907 · 15 Jun 2019

yorksrob said:
I'm afraid I don't really see why everywhere else radiating from Leeds gets trains until 23:00 and beyond, yet for some reason this is impossible on the Hallam line. I'm not expecting trains throughout the night - just what most other routes seem to get.

The Hallam line, like the Calder Valley route, just happens not to have a stabling point at a convenient distance from Leeds. The prime destination of Airedale has its last at 2320, which isn't so much later, though Harrogate and Halifax do better.

Glenn1969 · 15 Jun 2019

The 2338 Halifax train runs ECS back to Leeds and doesn't run on Saturdays. I haven't had the chance to use it yet but am hoping to be on it from Bradford when I come back from Riga late on 2 July. I hope it is being well used

Timetable improvements including later evening trains on Northern

yorksrob

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