Blackpool North: The most unfriendly station in the country?

[skyhigh]

Too much jargon for me ... a few simple words of explanation would help. Thanks. I get BPN ok!

Sorry. I think that Blackpool North has Right Away or Train Ready To Start buttons on the platform that alert both the driver and signaller that it is ready to go. Don't think they can leave without them.

The presence of a TRTS button doesn't mean that there has to be platform staff - a guard could equally operate it and leave without permission of station staff (and I can think of plenty of examples where that's the case). A RA would need platform staff, but I haven't signed Blackpool since before the electrification so I'm not sure what's provided there these days.

 

[furnessvale]

In the early 90's I was bashing and took a run in on the Euston - Blackpool North with a 47/8 and mark 2's. I remember distinctly standing on the platform watching them shunt and nobody bothered me. What did stick in my mind was the shunting technique which ended up with the rake hitting the buffers quite hard while backing in and it seemed that the shunter was leaning out the rearmost window and opening the butterfly valve (someone can correct me if this is impossible) or whatever it is to apply the brakes. This was all being done after dark so maybe nobody saw me hanging around but I certainly wasn't trying to hide

Quite common years ago. I have no idea if modern stock or H&S makes it now impossible.

 

[RT4038]

You also have to remember if they give majority/all of the staff their notice, that gives them 90 days to find, hire and train new staff, which is why they're reluctant to give people the sack. Not to mention the union will most likely get involved, especially if the rep is one of those to go.

This whole thread really makes me laugh!

Perhaps it hasn't occurred to anyone that the arrangements at Blackpool North are a product of years of experience of the customers there, and that upsetting a few rail enthusiasts who think they should have the run of the station and the trains because that is what is done elsewhere takes precedence over more serious issues?

The staff aren't going to get sacked - I suspect the management view the current arrangements as a lesser problem than changing to a less controlled situation, probably costing more and a lot more hassle. The vast majority of station users are probably fairly unconcerned anyway.

 

[Howardh]

No, it's not.

Correct, and I can't understand how many don't y understand the law.

 

[Malcmal]

This whole thread really makes me laugh!

Perhaps it hasn't occurred to anyone that the arrangements at Blackpool North are a product of years of experience of the customers there, and that upsetting a few rail enthusiasts who think they should have the run of the station and the trains because that is what is done elsewhere takes precedence over more serious issues?

The staff aren't going to get sacked - I suspect the management view the current arrangements as a lesser problem than changing to a less controlled situation, probably costing more and a lot more hassle. The vast majority of station users are probably fairly unconcerned anyway.

I think you miss the point of this discussion entirely. Or are you the member of the station staff who claims to be reading this thread??

Many people here are reporting appalling encounters with staff even when they don't have their "spotters hat" on.

 

[LOL The Irony]

This whole thread really makes me laugh!

Perhaps it hasn't occurred to anyone that the arrangements at Blackpool North are a product of years of experience of the customers there, and that upsetting a few rail enthusiasts who think they should have the run of the station and the trains because that is what is done elsewhere takes precedence over more serious issues?

The staff aren't going to get sacked - I suspect the management view the current arrangements as a lesser problem than changing to a less controlled situation, probably costing more and a lot more hassle. The vast majority of station users are probably fairly unconcerned anyway.

This whole post really makes me laugh!

Perhaps it hasn't occurred to anyone that there's inherent problems with the attitude of staff who appear to be tarring every passenger with the same brush of drunken hen do, which sinks the reputation of the station and causes it and the good staff to get a bad name.

The staff will probably never get sacked, however, the only open the doors to the platforms at the last minute thing that they have going on is all well and good, until Granny trips and ends up spending 2 months in hospital needing a hip replacement, and Northern finds themselves with a lawsuit, which would make the vast majority of users (and northern) concerned.

PS: Never spotted at BPN

 

[Hugo3000]

The presence of a TRTS button doesn't mean that there has to be platform staff - a guard could equally operate it and leave without permission of station staff (and I can think of plenty of examples where that's the case). A RA would need platform staff, but I haven't signed Blackpool since before the electrification so I'm not sure what's provided there these days.

It's self dispatch from Blackpool North (for Northen anyway).

 

[scrapy]

Blackpool North has both TRTS and RA but only TRTS normally used and this is operated by the guard. Station staff play no part in the dispatch procedure. That said I'm sure a guard would use common sense, and contact station staff if passengers were unable to access the train. Under Virgin there was a poster saying station staff close access to the platform 2 minutes before departure, not sure if that is still the case under Avanti.

 

[jon0844]

Blackpool North has both TRTS and RA but only TRTS normally used and this is operated by the guard. Station staff play no part in the dispatch procedure. That said I'm sure a guard would use common sense, and contact station staff if passengers were unable to access the train. Under Virgin there was a poster saying station staff close access to the platform 2 minutes before departure, not sure if that is still the case under Avanti.

Wouldn't that mean the gates are shut before they're opened?!

 

[LOL The Irony]

Wouldn't that mean the gates are shut before they're opened?!

For some reason (probably because Virgin told them to), the doors for London services were opened with plenty of time.

 

[43096]

For some reason (probably because Virgin told them to), the doors for London services were opened with plenty of time.

Probably because even Blackpool North didn't want to be clobbered with delay minutes for the evening peak out of Euston after they late dispatched.

 

[Vespa]

Blackpool North has both TRTS and RA but only TRTS normally used and this is operated by the guard. Station staff play no part in the dispatch procedure. That said I'm sure a guard would use common sense, and contact station staff if passengers were unable to access the train. Under Virgin there was a poster saying station staff close access to the platform 2 minutes before departure, not sure if that is still the case under Avanti.

Has the passengers ever missed the train because they were held back by the platform staff ?

 

[davetheguard]

Has the passengers ever missed the train because they were held back by the platform staff ?

Whether they have or not, there will be plenty who will have been worried that they are going to.

 

[trainmananthon]

I thought Blackpool North was getting better in terms of experience, but my latest passage through this week was by far the worst!

Tickets and passes are now checked on the platform by shouty members of staff when alighting (not boarding though) despite the ticket barriers being in use and manned.

I had to stop just before the checks to try and find my pass to exit, and was shouted at for standing on the platform. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I can't exactly not stand on the platform when I can't exit because I'm trying to find my pass to leave the station!

The only good thing was the doors to the platforms seem to be left open and people no longer need to queue right up to departure time to get on the train

 

[D.K.TAYLOR]

I thought Blackpool North was getting better in terms of experience, but my latest passage through this week was by far the worst!

Tickets and passes are now checked on the platform by shouty members of staff when alighting (not boarding though) despite the ticket barriers being in use and manned.

I had to stop just before the checks to try and find my pass to exit, and was shouted at for standing on the platform. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I can't exactly not stand on the platform when I can't exit because I'm trying to find my pass to leave the station!

The only good thing was the doors to the platforms seem to be left open and people no longer need to queue right up to departure time to get on the train

Afraid some things never change; it needs someone with a backbone to sort the staff out.

 

[Wolfie]

I thought Blackpool North was getting better in terms of experience, but my latest passage through this week was by far the worst!

Tickets and passes are now checked on the platform by shouty members of staff when alighting (not boarding though) despite the ticket barriers being in use and manned.

I had to stop just before the checks to try and find my pass to exit, and was shouted at for standing on the platform. Forgive me if I'm wrong, but I can't exactly not stand on the platform when I can't exit because I'm trying to find my pass to leave the station!

The only good thing was the doors to the platforms seem to be left open and people no longer need to queue right up to departure time to get on the train

Presumably they would have whinged and kicked off had you shouted right back at them....

 

[BrianW]

Has any of you written to the MP for Blackpool North with your personal experience of Blackpool North? He was a member of the House of Commons Transport Committee and (twice) Parliamentary Under Secretary for Transport so not without knowledge or interest. Or your local MP? Arguably a better route to getting action than just 'sounding off' here?

 

[38Cto15E]

Put it in your calendar Saturday 7th August 2021,
The Blackpool Flyer,
A Class 90/82 trip from the Birmingham area to Blackpool North, if the train runs this could be Spotters Super Saturday, 200-400 enthusiasts on the BPN platforms, all with Cameras, videos etc etc up against the infamous BPN Jobsworths.
Who will win, in my opinion........youtube

All being well Covid-19 is under control and all of the 2021 railtours are able to go ahead.

 

[ashworth]

Will they also be made to queue at the barrier and be shouted at by staff insisting that they put their tickets through the barrier. Their railtour tickets will not operate the barrier but the staff at Blackpool North won’t listen.

They have never listened to me when I have been staying with friends in Blackpool and using a 7 Day North West Rover for a whole week. Even on the last day, on my 14th time of trying, they still rudely won’t listen and insist I try to put my ticket through.

 

[Vespa]

There will come a point when passenger will have had enough and riot.

 

[Bletchleyite]

There will come a point when passenger will have had enough and riot.

There won't. It's been an issue for over 20 years, if they were going to they would have done by now.

 

[py_megapixel]

There will come a point when passenger will have had enough and riot.

There won't. It's been an issue for over 20 years, if they were going to they would have done by now.

The thing is, I imagine BPN is absolutely fine if you aren't a trainspotter (and so would prefer to sit indoors in the warm), have a basic single/return to Blackpool (so the barriers work) and don't pay huge amounts of attention to the exact time of departure - which is probably the position of the vast majority of "normal" passengers who pass through there. Possibly they might find the staff attitude a little bit lacking, but not enough to actually bother reporting, let alone starting a campaign against!

 

[ashworth]

The big difference that I find is that most rail staff elsewhere are usually very friendly towards me when I am using a 7 day rover. They genuinely seem pleased to see someone using one and I usually get waved through the barriers with a smile and friendly conversation. At Blackpool North I’m made to feel that I am an inconvenience, almost a problem customer. At times I have been ignored and kept waiting whilst they let people with more ‘normal’ tickets pass straight through.

As a complete contrast the ticket office staff at Blackpool North are always very helpful and friendly.