So many comments in this thread that I struggle to process because they fail to address the bigger picture scenario of running a railway in the current franchise structure. As with any franchise bid, TPE was based on several projects delivering on-time and within the parameters set by others. Principally, this means that new trains would be delivered on time, Network Rail would deliver several key infrastructure projects on time, advertised capacity on the network was actually there, etc. All of these things contributed to TPE projecting their revenue stream/growth, and therefore, how much was able to be given back to the Government. As it happens, lots of these things haven't happened, TPE's revenue isn't as strong as predicted and it's a challenging climate. These issues are further compounded by Northern being in a similar position, affected by rolling stock and infrastructure delays which are knocking onto TPE and vice versa.
Poor planning on the Company’s part? They could do training in a period where there is less on leave days/weeks but in a typical TPE face saving exercise they’re getting it done now when the trains are getting busier in the run up to Xmas.
If you read a few of the other threads, you'll know that crew training is currently at an all time high due to the significant delays to both the MkVa and Class 397 stock. The training requirements are so severe that the decision has been taken to prioritise the training on Class 802 which are what have the biggest uplift of diagrams in the Dec TT.
Or of course TPE could just hand the franchise back.
So who would you hand the franchise to and how would they do it better?
No they are not, and as I have written before, I think most of us on here accept that things can occasionally go wrong.
What isn't acceptable whatsoever is cancellations and serious delays being the daily norm. There's no good reason at all why Scarborough shouldn't have a reliable train service to and from York. It is not difficult or challenging to provide.
Clearly TPE are finding it challenging and I would put that down to a
lot of external (and some internal) factors. Maybe you'd like to elaborate on how TPE could better run the service for SCA whilst keeping all the other stakeholders happy?
Really? When...
Square one
NR: we have a late running freight at Trafford Park what do we do?
TPE: let it go through we don’t mind
NR: will do
TPE: Delay minutes Kerching
TPE(1) an hour later: Erm, the Guard has a booked PNB in Scarborough
TPE(2): tell them to have 20mins and carry on
5 mins later
TPE(1): They want their break
TPE(2): Did you say?
TPE(1): Yes I did
TPE(2): Right i’ll email their OBSM
TPE(1): Should we terminate this at York now?
TPE(2): Yes, tell Customer Service for Malton, Seamer and Scarborough to put everyone on the next one it will be alright
Despite all the above
Yeah but 68s
This is the biggest load of rubbish I've ever read. Square One doesn't even control the network. Have you heard of Manchester ROC?
A genuine question as I don't know the answer, but what if you are at an unmanned station (for example Seamer, or Malton after the booking office place has closed) and the train just doesn't turn up. No taxis to jump into and no station staff to sort anything out.
Are you quite litterally on your own to try to sort anything out?
Unstaffed stations (TPE - anyway) generally have Customer help points. I can't think of any stations that don't, although I might be wrong.
Well - the gate shutting thing is stupid - it remains open during the evenings when antisocial behaviour is most likely to happen. New stock - well why does the Scarborough service deserve new stock but the Hull service doesn’t? I would like an answer.
Also the fact that after December, the Hull-Manchester service will take longer than it did in the 1990s. I’m sure others can think of more.
I'm not sure how you work this out... Off-peak, December's service (HUL-MAN) will take 1hr 54mins, including 6 minutes of pathing time at the end of the journey. The current off-peak service takes 1hr 58mins and has less pathing time at the end. In the peak 3x AM, 3x PM, the journey takes 2hrs 3 mins with 3 mins of pathing. Surely this is a small price to pay as it removes the 7th tph between Stalybridge and Huddersfield, currently operated by Northern, in the peaks?
A huge fuss was made about how transferring the Manchester to Huddersfield corridor to TPE would improve performance because only one operator was serving it.
Of course, performance is now worse.
We will never know what would have happened if Northern had continued to run the service on the new TT. What is very clear to me as a local resident, is that Northern's peak time extras cannot be relied upon. The sporadic calling pattern is unhelpful (although that is a product of the TT), but their late notice cancellations, delays due to 'a train being late from the depot' and the limited stock they have available, i.e. 75mph, slow accelerating 142s, do nothing in the peaks for TPE's performance. The number of times I've been on an express 3 trains back from their stopper that's been allowed to leave MAN 10 mins late with the TPE stopper right behind is ridiculous.
