Dales Rail - Blackpool to Carlisle

[Karl]

I was hoping to use Northern's newspaper offer for a trip to Ribblehead next Sunday but the service isn't listed. Has the service been cancelled?

 

[Bletchleyite]

I was hoping to use Northern's newspaper offer for a trip to Ribblehead next Sunday but the service isn't listed. Has the service been cancelled?

I suspect so. This Sunday's were cancelled due to staff shortages, replaced with a bus to Hellifield for connections.

Edit: This Sunday was the "Lancashire Rambler" short working to Hellifield anyway - DalesRail appears to have finished for the season, it's summer only.

 

[IanD]

But you can connect from the "Lancashire Rambler" at Hellifield to the normal S&C service (assuming no staff shortages).

 

[Bletchleyite]

But you can connect from the "Lancashire Rambler" at Hellifield to the normal S&C service (assuming no staff shortages).

You can indeed (or the bus that replaces it, as is likely), which is rather the point of it as Hellifield is hardly a destination of high demand, being essentially a fairly large station in the middle of a field. It isn't run as a through service in winter due to the lower demand - though the one time I used it it had very low demand, in a "driver, guard, me, not even a dog or bicycle" sense of the phrase.

It's in the timetable on the NRE planner as 0839 from Preston but it does start back from Blackpool North. If it doesn't run, they'll put a bus (taxi, probably, given the level of non-demand) on.

 

[pdeaves]

According to someone on Gensheet, the service hasn't run "since they replaced the through Carlisle services".

 

[Bletchleyite]

According to someone on Gensheet, the service hasn't run "since they replaced the through Carlisle services".

The Lancashire Rambler service hasn't *replaced* anything, it is an additional winter service added to complement Summer DalesRail. I'm surprised it's lasted, though, as hardly anyone seems to use it unlike DalesRail itself.

It was definitely replaced by a bus this week.

 

[Gathursty]

I went on a Clitheroe - Hellifield service about three years ago. About a handful of people on it both ways.

 

[Bertie the bus]

They probably don't use it because Northern don't run it. It was only supposed to start on 15 Sep and they've cancelled it on 15th, 22nd and 29th.

 

[Ant158]

The Lancashire Rambler service hasn't *replaced* anything, it is an additional winter service added to complement Summer DalesRail. I'm surprised it's lasted, though, as hardly anyone seems to use it unlike DalesRail itself.

Did this winter Rambler service not originally replace the second trip on Dalesrail during the Summer Service? (Using the funding) Seems strange to have two return trips in Winter as supposed to one full working in summer. Always wanted to take that journey but never got round to it.

 

[Karl]

I'm surprised at the reported low demand. I've used it twice this summer and there were a good dozen passengers joining at Bamber Bridge. I suspect a ramblers' club. The train was busy too when boarding. It's a great day out. Horton-in-Ribblesdale, up and over Pen-y-Ghent then back down to Ribblehead for the return journey.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I'm surprised at the reported low demand. I've used it twice this summer and there were a good dozen passengers joining at Bamber Bridge. I suspect a ramblers' club. The train was busy too when boarding. It's a great day out. Horton-in-Ribblesdale, up and over Pen-y-Ghent then back down to Ribblehead for the return journey.

There's plenty of demand for DalesRail. It's the truncated winter "Lancashire Rambler" to Hellifield that I have found to be very poorly patronised indeed.

I think the reason for two round trips on the "Lancashire Rambler" is that you can do that with one unit. But if they've got a unit and crew for the day (as it's to all intents and purposes a charter), why don't they run it to Carlisle (or at least Ribblehead) and have the same thing all year? Far more people would use it.

 

[Karl]

Ah, I see. I hadn't realised there was a Lancashire Rambler too. The Yorkshire Dales are beautiful in winter too.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Ah, I see. I hadn't realised there was a Lancashire Rambler too. The Yorkshire Dales are beautiful in winter too.

Indeed, I did enjoy my ride too, but it was a rather large double-staffed taxi service north of Clitheroe.

 

[IanD]

Seems strange to have two return trips in Winter as supposed to one full working in summer. Always wanted to take that journey but never got round to it.

It's only two return trips as far as Hellifield where travellers are expected to connect in to/out of the regular S&C service. Both northbound trips allow a connection with services heading to Carlisle but only the evening southbound service connects with a service from Carlisle - this allows a day out in the Dales/Cumbria, albeit shorter than when the through trains run. If they only ran one return trip, then people wouldn't be able to get home without a convoluted detour.

In the previous winter timetable, the second return trip was early afternoon so didn't facilitate a day trip, timings have improved now so maybe loadings will also improve - if the trains actually run.

 

[DarloRich]

I've used it twice this summer

There is a clue there

The weather up the Dales in winter can be grotty so not much to entice walkers and ramblers out of the house

The Yorkshire Dales are beautiful in winter too.

They are. They are also harsh and savage for large parts of the winter.