Grand Central books minubus from York to London after TPE service fails to call at Eaglescliffe

[yorkie]

Would be very interesting to hear from anyone who was actually caught up in this, as to how it eventually worked out, what vehicle turned up and when, what stops were made, and the eventual arrival time in London. Any lurkers out there care to join the forum and let us know?

Personally I think I would have tried to find a hotel in York rather than have such an unpleasant journey.

I would assume passengers would have been offered that option; they would be entitled to it in my opinion.

 

[A Challenge]

If this situation occurs in the future, I very much doubt that GC would rely upon FTPE to be reliable.

As TPX don't normally serve Eaglescliffe, could it just be that the driver had no knowledge and therefore couldn't?

 

[moley]

Saturday evening is the quietest of the week for long distance travel.

On a Saturday the late night long distance services tend to be travelling out of London.

That said, I do agree that it is a very poor situation for many large cities.

A national desire not to support football fans travelling to distant matches by public transport.

 

[ainsworth74]

As TPX don't normally serve Eaglescliffe, could it just be that the driver had no knowledge and therefore couldn't?

TPE have called at Eaglescliffe in the past for various reasons be it to rescue stranded passengers or because of late running of the TPE service itself or as the route onwards is shut. I would imagine it is much more likely that a miscommunication or simple memory lapse occurred.

 

[Intermodal]

As TPX don't normally serve Eaglescliffe, could it just be that the driver had no knowledge and therefore couldn't?

A TPE driver has all the knowledge required to stop at Eaglescliffe as they pass through there on every Middlesbrough job anyway. It's just an island platform - nothing more to do than stop there instead of going through it.

 

[Intermodal]

Does anyone know what speed a minibus is limited to? Reading the thread so far I feel it is a topic that we haven't really discussed.

 

[Polarbear]

Aside from the debate about the speed of minibuses, (which may be better having its own thread), it sounds to me that GC took a pragmatic decision to run the minibus through. Granted, it’s a long haul for the customer, but it gets the job done!

 

[DPWH]

Why weren't the passengers sent via the East Coast route?

 

[Failed Unit]

Aside from the debate about the speed of minibuses, (which may be better having its own thread), it sounds to me that GC took a pragmatic decision to run the minibus through. Granted, it’s a long haul for the customer, but it gets the job done!

I wonder what happened when it got to Kings Cross, as I suspect that the stations was closed and no staff available to help people get to thier final destinations. Even if they would have used the tube to get there much of it would be closed. The 5 hours from York - London seems about right so I hope the hotel in York and travel in the morning option was also offered.

 

[Intermodal]

Why weren't the passengers sent via the East Coast route?

All this knowledge AND MORE can be yours for the low low price of reading the thread!

 

[DarloRich]

may I ask a silly question: Why not just take the passengers to Darlo and put them on a train from there?

This seems a bizarre decision!

 

[Bletchleyite]

may I ask a silly question: Why not just take the passengers to Darlo and put them on a train from there?

This seems a bizarre decision!

I thought it had been established that there were no more connections that day?

 

[DarloRich]

I thought it had been established that there were no more connections that day?

On a Saturday there is a 1902 and 1934 from Darlington to Kings Cross, however I guess once they had been left behind by the TPE there was no other way apart from offering a hotel and travel on the first service on Sunday.

PS it is 20 minutes from Eaglescliffe to Darlington by car on a bad day.

 

[cuccir]

PS it is 20 minutes from Eaglescliffe to Darlington by car on a bad day.

It must be one if you're driving to Darlington

 

[Paul Duck]

There was around 10 on the platform at 1817 and then at 1906 when Transpennine went sailing by. No one returned at 2000 for the TP that did stop.

 

[trainophile]

So perhaps the minibus operation was not required after all. I wonder if anyone stayed in the Locomotion Hotel just around the corner from Eaglescliffe station. There’s only three rooms and pretty basic but fine for a night.

 

[mpthomson]

I would assume passengers would have been offered that option; they would be entitled to it in my opinion.

Knowing people who have been trying to find hotels here over the past few weekends, the chances of finding anything in York would have been remote.

 

[mpthomson]

I wonder what happened when it got to Kings Cross, as I suspect that the stations was closed and no staff available to help people get to thier final destinations. Even if they would have used the tube to get there much of it would be closed. The 5 hours from York - London seems about right so I hope the hotel in York and travel in the morning option was also offered.

They would have been extremely lucky to find any hotel accommodation in York on a weekend at that short notice at this time of year. The city is rammed at weekends due to St Nicholas Fair. Any rooms that are around are £300+ currently.

 

[trainophile]

Perhaps they should have let them stay in the pub/cafe on York station!