Grand Central Problems

[Andyh82]

Grand Central are once again cancelling vast numbers of services this weekend

Yesterday the 1318 Sunderland & 1548 Bradford were cancelled and the 1957 Bradford was curtailed to run only as far as Wakefield. There were inbound cancellations as well.

Today the 952, 1653 & 1822 Sunderland and 1150 Bradford are all cancelled along with all the inbound trips.

Seems to be being blamed on a shortage of drivers, train crew and a fault with rolling stock.

What is notable is that due to their trains already being full LNER are not allowing ticket acceptance. In some cases such as for Sunderland services GC are advising passengers to travel via Derby on EMT and then Cross Country with a vastly extended journey time. For other services GC are saying customers must buy a new walk up ticket to travel on LNER and then ask for a refund later, which won’t be cheap.

It doesn’t seem like a good set of circumstances for Grand Central, and they will be losing business if this carries on.

 

[greyman42]

The 1412 Sunderland - Kings Cross was cancelled at York. The train carried on empty after all the passengers had got off.

 

[asw22]

Sounds like Arriva are struggling here as well as at Northern.

 

[Andyh82]

There is a long list of cancellations for tomorrow as well.

 

[800001]

The 1412 Sunderland - Kings Cross was cancelled at York. The train carried on empty after all the passengers had got off.

It went empty to Doncaster, as Holgate Sidings were full, amd due to only platform's 3 and 5 being available for through trains, the unit needed shifting asap.

 

[yorkie]

Just to add there is also a separate thread specifically for the fares advice given to passengers today: https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...ption-to-grand-central-services.166836/unread b

 

[Crossover]

On Saturday, the 1021 from Bradford was canned. It was actually listed in RTT as a CAN so I guess they knew about that one early on

 

[Adam0984]

Twitter had a list last night of what was planned to be cancelled today

 

[Crossover]

On the West Riding route, 4 of 8 trains appear to have been planned cancellations today. Of the 4 that have run, one is running only part of the route (and I am skeptical it will be on time as the ECS to Doncaster is already 30 late)

 

[Mag_seven]

Whatever happened to the privatised utopia we were promised with open access operators bending over backwards to serve the customer?

 

[Darandio]

Whatever happened to the privatised utopia we were promised with open access operators bending over backwards to serve the customer?

When was that promised? Was open access even on the agenda when privatisation was mooted?

 

[Mag_seven]

Was open access even on the agenda when privatisation was mooted?

Very much so!

 

[Andyh82]

Some quite ridiculous alternative travel arrangements advised today https://twitter.com/gc_rail/status/1016352038664404996
Travel via Leeds and Sheffield instead of direct

 

[Crossover]

Some quite ridiculous alternative travel arrangements advised today https://twitter.com/gc_rail/status/1016352038664404996
Travel via Leeds and Sheffield instead of direct

I guess LNER have had enough of propping them up!

 

[ChiefPlanner]

Whatever happened to the privatised utopia we were promised with open access operators bending over backwards to serve the customer?

The ORR is always commenting on the high satisfaction scores of these operators.

 

[Mag_seven]

The ORR is always commenting on the high satisfaction scores of these operators.

Well we can expect a dip in that soon.

 

[darloscott]

Out of interest - whilst cancelling their own services have the ones run for Northern been running? Admittedly they're only short trips probably easily covered on overtime but if you're short of units surely the evening one that runs from/to depot would be the first to be binned?

 

[chrissawer]

Out of interest - whilst cancelling their own services have the ones run for Northern been running? Admittedly they're only short trips probably easily covered on overtime but if you're short of units surely the evening one that runs from/to depot would be the first to be binned?

The early morning 0702 Hebden Bridge -> Leeds service uses Grand Central stock and has been cancelled for the last two days.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/Y27002/2018/07/09/advanced
"This service was cancelled throughout due to a planned cancellation by the train operator (PG)."

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/Y27002/2018/07/10/advanced
"This service was cancelled throughout due to a problem with the train (M8)."

 

[yorksrob]

Has the latest slew of problems been largely due to the flakeyness of 180 reliability ?

 

[Whattraintoday]

Given GC have got their clearance for another 8 years or so, do you think they’ll decide to dump the 180s for IETs like HT or will they struggle on?

 

[Wallsendmag]

The thing is that now the Open Access operators aren't the plucky start ups that they once were. It's Arriva and First Group.

 

[Crossover]

Has anyone else noticed GC's penchant for posting inaccessible service updates (i.e. in a JPG)?

 

[Crossover]

Out of interest - whilst cancelling their own services have the ones run for Northern been running? Admittedly they're only short trips probably easily covered on overtime but if you're short of units surely the evening one that runs from/to depot would be the first to be binned?

The afternoon one didn't run yesterday (Monday) - the jury is still out on today

 

[Carlisle]

Whatever happened to the privatised utopia we were promised with open access operators bending over backwards to serve the customer?

Indeed, hopefully countries like France are taking note of our systems flaws before breaking up their national networks in a similar manner

 

[monxton]

Yesterday I saw a train in Grand Central livery heading northbound into Winchester

 

[greyman42]

The GC problems are definitely worse since they got rid of their HSTs.

 

[route:oxford]

When was that promised? Was open access even on the agenda when privatisation was mooted?

When was privatisation first mooted? Open Access services were operating in 1992.

 

[Darandio]

When was privatisation first mooted? Open Access services were operating in 1992.

But was it utopia back then? That is what I was interested in.

 

[thejuggler]

The early morning 0702 Hebden Bridge -> Leeds service uses Grand Central stock and has been cancelled for the last two days.

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/Y27002/2018/07/09/advanced
"This service was cancelled throughout due to a planned cancellation by the train operator (PG)."

http://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/Y27002/2018/07/10/advanced
"This service was cancelled throughout due to a problem with the train (M8)."

I heard an on platform explanation for this.

"Due to a higher number of trains requiring maintenance than expected."

Not heard that one before!

 

[Andyh82]

Has the latest slew of problems been largely due to the flakeyness of 180 reliability ?

They’ve been blaming train faults, driver shortages and crew shortages.

Some have still run either ECS or part way, some Bradford’s have only run to Wakefield for example.