Blackpool North: The most unfriendly station in the country?

[scrapy]

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?)

It can be requested by anyone but there's no requirement for them to give it. Northern aren't subject to freedom of information act.

 

[Deafdoggie]

I would think the North Pier would be too welcoming an environment. They’ll make people wait in the North Sea!

 

[jon0844]

It can be requested by anyone but there's no requirement for them to give it. Northern aren't subject to freedom of information act.

I thought that too, but what input does Network Rail have given it's their infrastructure? The risk assessments could go beyond the current operator?

 

[NorthernSpirit]

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

Give it long enough and they'll start playing with the shutters let alone the platform doors.

It has to be said Central needs to be rebuilt (as a two platformed halt) near to where Bonny Street market is and North needs to be closed for good.

 

[ChiefPlanner]

https://www.railnews.co.uk/news/2018/11/08-blackpools-economy-was-hit-by.html

New survey figures show that the number of day trips to Blackpool was down by almost 400,000 this summer compared with 2017. Longer-stay visits remained steady at about 1.5 million, but the total of day visitors fell from 1.7 million to 1.3 million.

The number of people arriving by train at Blackpool this year has been more than 15 per cent lower so far than in 2017.

The deputy leader of Blackpool Council Gillian Campbell said: ‘After the long-awaited completion of electrification works and the introduction of new direct services to Blackpool, this summer should have seen an upsurge in inbound rail travel. Instead our passenger numbers have gone backwards

Not great news !

 

[Darandio]

Captured outside Blackpool North on Saturday morning...........

 

[Chrism20]

Captured outside Blackpool North on Saturday morning...........

There really should be a like button on here.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I would think the North Pier would be too welcoming an environment. They’ll make people wait in the North Sea!

Irish Sea, surely? Given that with the station locked they can hardly cart the people over to the East Coast...?

 

[Karl]

Captured outside Blackpool North on Saturday morning...........

View attachment 55304

Excellent!! Someone should get that printed and displayed at the station. Did anyone else spot the fourth social media logo symbol at the bottom of the poster? Very clever

 

[yorkie]

https://www.railnews.co.uk/news/2018/11/08-blackpools-economy-was-hit-by.html

Not great news !

I've added a text quote. Indeed, not good news, but I am not surprised.

Captured outside Blackpool North on Saturday morning...........

View attachment 55304

Can you add a text quote or description/summary to this post please? thanks

 

[GusB]

I've added a text quote. Indeed, not good news, but I am not surprised.

Can you add a text quote or description/summary to this post please? thanks

Text from the "poster" is as follows:

We are listening


You said that Blackpool North was the most unfriendly hellhole on earth.


We hear you! From now on you don’t have to worry about encountering the wonderful staff at the station, we aren’t going to even bother letting you in!


Just look at the image above, look at how quiet it is when you lot aren’t cluttering the place. Bliss.


Download our app now at northernrailway.co.uk

 

[GusB]

Excellent!! Someone should get that printed and displayed at the station. Did anyone else spot the fourth social media logo symbol at the bottom of the poster? Very clever

Didn't spot it until you mentioned it, but very good

 

[Clip]

Give it long enough and they'll start playing with the shutters let alone the platform doors.

It has to be said Central needs to be rebuilt (as a two platformed halt) near to where Bonny Street market is and North needs to be closed for good.

Thats rather silly seeing how much has been spent on north.

Not surprised they kept the station closed as poated earlier- its like they are doing you a favour by actually opening it in the firat place

 

[Darandio]

Excellent!! Someone should get that printed and displayed at the station. Did anyone else spot the fourth social media logo symbol at the bottom of the poster? Very clever

I did wonder if anyone would notice that bit.

Thanks @GusB for adding the text quote.

 

[Deafdoggie]

Irish Sea, surely? Given that with the station locked they can hardly cart the people over to the East Coast...?

I was wondering who’d be the first to spot that...

 

[DelW]

(Also, has anyone requested a copy of the risk assessment for the station. Could that be requested by a member of the public?)

What seems unlikely is that such an assessment would identify unusual let alone insuperable risks at a terminus. After all, there must be many hundreds of stations where passengers can access the platforms at all times, even with fast through trains running past those platforms. However, I suppose using that as an argument might result in the Blackpool system being applied more widely, which wouldn't be welcome!

 

[PR1Berske]

Captured outside Blackpool North on Saturday morning...........

View attachment 55304

That is very naughty...... I love it.

 

[philthetube]

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.
View attachment 54520

NOthing personal but I do hope it cost you enough to warrant delay repay, money is the only thing Northern will notice, though letters to the press linking the service and reduced visitor numbers might have some effect.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Seen on Twitter this morning:

"The issue at Blackpool North is currently being tackled" following recent changes to the area team. Screenshot below.

 

[Karl]

Gordon's explanation of Blackpool North.

 

[ElectroSoldier]

I had the misfortune to visit Blackpool North yesterday and was struck by the unfriendly atmosphere and the lack of "customer service and customer experience" i received.

I don't want to say to much as i am going to write to Northern but:

1) Accused by staff of dawdling on the station platform having helped the guard help an old lady off the train!
2) General stasi like approach to anyone on the station - NOT happy about taking pictures of station/train/tower
3) A gated station which then holds you in the concourse behind locked doors?
4) Allowed through said locked doors 1 minute before departure

It was all a very poor image for Blackpool and all very odd

Are you not allowed to dawdle on a platform?
Are you not allowed to walk on the platforms... to take pictures etc?

 

[Karl]

You've just got to laugh at the finger! https://www.railforums.co.uk/attachments/nrposter-jpg.55304/ It's right at the bottom

 

[Bletchleyite]

Are you not allowed to dawdle on a platform?
Are you not allowed to walk on the platforms... to take pictures etc?

Nope, it's like an airport, you board when you're told to and you don't go onto the platforms for any other reason nor hang around on them.

It's how you might expect Euston to be operated, but in fact it isn't.

 

[ainsworth74]

Are you not allowed to dawdle on a platform?
Are you not allowed to walk on the platforms... to take pictures etc?

At every other station on the GB network yes. Perhaps with a enquiry as to what you're up to but yes. At Blackpool North such behaviour will not be tolerated and you will be asked to leave the platforms directly. Nor will you be allowed onto the platforms until a few minutes before the train is due to leave and certainly not if you're not planning on catching a train.

An incredibly unfriendly and poorly organised (from the point of view of efficient boarding of trains) station.

 

[ainsworth74]

you board when you're told to

And I have seen trains leave Blackpool North late as a result of this. Train is in the platform and unlocked but the gates are not opened until minutes before departure simply because they would not allow boarding until minutes beforehand.

It's shocking that no-one has ever got to grips on the way this station is run over the decades that it has been an issue.

 

[leananger]

The few times I have used it, Clacton is a bit like that too. Mind you, once I was just in time to catch an hourly service as passengers were still going through the barrier!

 

[Karl]

Blackpool is a major tourist attraction and the first welcome you get from the train doesn't impress

 

[DelphDonkey]

And I have seen trains leave Blackpool North late as a result of this. Train is in the platform and unlocked but the gates are not opened until minutes before departure simply because they would not allow boarding until minutes beforehand.

It's shocking that no-one has ever got to grips on the way this station is run over the decades that it has been an issue.

They weren't bothering last Friday ... barrier gates wide open when I arrived in the morning, and nobody manning them, and then whilst the barriers were working when I left in the afternoon, the entrances to the platforms were open and unstaffed, so I sat on a 319 for about twenty minutes.

 

[ainsworth74]

They weren't bothering last Friday ... barrier gates wide open when I arrived in the morning, and nobody manning them, and then whilst the barriers were working when I left in the afternoon, the entrances to the platforms were open and unstaffed, so I sat on a 319 for about twenty minutes.

Well, maybe someone is finally getting to grips with it! We can only hope!!

 

[DarloRich]

Are you not allowed to dawdle on a platform?
Are you not allowed to walk on the platforms... to take pictures etc?

Nein. Das ist verboten. Ver are your papers? For you Tommy ze spotting is over!