Grand Central Discussion

[Royston Vasey]

I am often shocked when I pull into Eaglescliffe at just how many people get on in the up direction and off in the down direction, all the suited business types too!!

Very good to hear. They are clearly starting to serve the previously remote market they were aiming for.

I noticed recently that Hull Trains have pick-up/drop-off only stops at Stevenage... any chance that GC could apply for the same, or is the pathing too tight? This would potentially allow far easier access to the north of York destinations from Hertfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Bedfordshire without the need to go via London, particularly attractive perhaps to the business market... Maybe this was denied in the long battle with GNER?


PS, Mods, is this thread best merged with GC discussion?
MOD EDIT: Done

 

[spoony]

Canny half price offer on for November - Dec

 

[Techniquest]

24th Nov - 13th Dec

Hmm, me thinks a bit of a bash is in order!

 

[Auximines]

Very good to hear. They are clearly starting to serve the previously remote market they were aiming for.

Or people like me who live close by that used to use Northern/TPE/NatEx from Thornaby or Darlington. What I have noticed is that quite a lot of GC pax get lifts to and from Eaglescliffe - the car park is small and is never full no matter how many passengers there are (somewhere around a dozen regularly get on the 07:28 and off the 16:50)

 

[91101]

GC want to expand the Eaglscliffe business to be a "Middlesborough Parkway" perhaps they might look into funding some enhancements to the carpark in the near future.

One oddity that I found was that GC never chose to stop at Yarm, given the towns prosperity, and relative wealth.

 

[DaveNewcastle]

. . . . One oddity that I found was that GC never chose to stop at Yarm, given the towns prosperity, and relative wealth.

Good point! Perhaps an equally compelling argument could be put forward for Stockton (Eaglescliffe is pretty far south from the town centre).
But are those stations suitable for CG's train lengths?

 

[Craig]

That platforms at Yarm are definitely too short for an HST. Not sure about Stockton but, although it's geographically closer to Middlesborough town centre, Eaglescliffe has a more frequent service and stopping at both would probably add unnecessary time to the journey.

 

[1D53]

Yarm barely fits a 185 so a HST is definately out.

 

[91101]

Neither to Hartlepool, Eaglescliff or Thirsk, doesn't stop them there! My point was less as a railhead for Middlesborough as Eaglescliffe is and more as a stop in it's own right, with Yarm being "upper class" like Northallerton and Thirsk, I'd haveimagined that it could generate some business of it's own.

 

[Sir_Clagalot]

5 coaches fit just nicely at HPL and THI... in both direction the whole train is platformed at Eaglescliffe, just in the down direction the platform edge gets a bit poor halfway along. Yarm has TPE connections to Northallerton and York, and in the down direction you would only just get two coaches on if the driver pulled right up to the signal...

 

[class 313]

Yarm barely fits a 185 so a HST is definately out.

Nor does it stop Loughborough... (I know Alex, not short platforms... )

 

[Max]

Nor does it stop Loughborough... (I know Alex, not short platforms... )

But wouldn't there be some problem with grandfather rights, as Yarm is relatively new I believe?

 

[Craig]

The current station opened in the late 90s, I'm fairly sure it's only ever has units calling there.

 

[class 313]

Maybe?

 

[Jordy]

1A60 and 1N26 cancelled today, any idea why?

(0641 SUN-KGX and 1127 KGX-SUN respectively)

 

[richa2002]

Maybe?

Hellfire!

 

[Jordy]

Dreadful, where when and why?!

 

[devon_metro]

Its somewhere on the Newquay branch

 

[Guinness]

I'm guessing a former junction station given the curve of the opposite disused platform.

 

[Craig]

Its somewhere on the Newquay branch

Luxulyan, if Wikipedia is to be believed.

ETA: http://www.luxsoft.demon.co.uk/village/hst.html

 

[Guinness]

Imagine the noise of the thrash out of that Valenta.

 

[Craig]

After uncoupling, it returned at walking pace through the tunnel to Luxulyan Station

Probably about 10 seconds in notch 1 before coasting to the station...

Mind, that would still get some people here rather excited

 

[Guinness]

Probably about 10 seconds in notch 1 before coasting to the station...

Mind, that would still get some people here rather excited

[Clarkson Voice] Coasting at 8000mph [/clarkson voice]


I could imagine a few members on here buying tickets of eBay for that experience

 

[Auximines]

Went to that London yesterday. Odd formations on both diagrams. Up 06:41 had an FO in place of the usual 3rd SO. 16:50 back had no buffet car, instead was formed 3x FO 2x SO. So, free first class upgrades in both directions!

A pity about the usual late running. Southbound blamed on signal theft at Sseaham (again...?). Nnorthbound clearly not their fault - we were held for an hour immediately south of Eaglescliffe due to 39 horses on the track (I kid you not) Interesting viewing as various scraggy gypsy horses sat munching on the grass next to the train, and when eventually the line reopened the car park at Eaglescliffe looked like a horse show!

 

[williamn]

Whats going on with the coaches? If I was a 1st class passenger I might start wondering why I was bothering if FO's are so foten declassified.

 

[Techniquest]

Just a quick note to say I finally, finally got onto a GC service last weekend with the late running 1840 KGX - SUN.

It was quite nice to have 43068 again, first time in over 4 years for me. She's quite the noise maker, fair play! Finally got 43067 in the book too, which was quite nice. Although I reckon her Marston was going much more than the one on 43068. Both very enjoyable though.

Enjoyed the luxury of proper seats, although it felt so strange to have sooooooo much room between the seats and the tables!

Only niggle I had was the late running. It might have been only 7 minutes, but it sure did make me worried about my connection at Northallerton! Otherwise, a nice performance out of the Valentas and I look forward to a longer run with GC in 2009.

 

[spoony]

Went to York for a bash (and a few pints) on Monday. Was most impressed with the passenger numbers. Everytime I use them there seems to be more and more travellers which can only be good. On the way home from York to Sunderland there was a NXEC about 5 minutes before en route to Newcastle which was a lot less full than the Grand Central Service. Both trains were on time as well and £16 return to York cannot be sniffed at Also had a bit of a birthday bash on Tuesday and went from Saltburn to Bishop Auckland via Eaglescliffe. Didnt realise how close Eaglescliffe was to 'Boro and Darlo. Hopefully GC can steal some of the NXEC business from Darlo due to lesser prices and also pick up the trade from Tesside

 

[91101]

GC, FHT and WSMR are probably the three most likely operators to "benefit" from the impending recession. The public at large, as well as business still need and/or want to travel, whilst the airlines almost seem to be imploding by the minute, the franchises TOC's are at a slight disadvantage in that their pricing is offputting.

GC and WSMR for the markets that they serve have the capacity, the flexibility, and the small scale of operation to keep costs low, whilst maintaining quality, and the low prices will continue to attract. HT is slightly more of an issue, they, in the peaks dont have that capacity available.

 

[djw1981]

You say that but i just booked travel (with RC) from Glasgow for a weekend in London for £20. that's traveling NX one way and VWC the other. Had I booked when I first saw the prices, but before my plans were certain, I could have done Virgin return for £7.90 each way.

That plus staying at a friends or even a travelodge gives a weekend for under £100

 

[upyourjunction]

I can't see GC, FHT and WSMR "benefiting" from the impending recession at all, its the last thing these operators need. How can TOC's prices be off putting as djw1981 has said £20 Glasgow to London, they just cannot compete with these prices for much longer. NXEC are going to do an offer costing just £5 to go anywhere in the new year!