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How bad was your journey today?
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theironroad
Established Member
Today
Swr x 2, Hull trains, tpe, Northern X 2
6 trains - swr both on time, Hull about 11 mins late, tpe on time, 1 northern 7late, second train 2 early.
No complaints.
Swr x 2, Hull trains, tpe, Northern X 2
6 trains - swr both on time, Hull about 11 mins late, tpe on time, 1 northern 7late, second train 2 early.
No complaints.
Same rubbish again. We had a decent service last week and have done for the last 15 years - now it's been utterly ruined. My personal opinion is that the Manchester Airport line is particularly badly affected and screwing the whole system up - simply put there are too many trains which are running and there are too many trains which are running late. No punctuality and no slack to absorb the hits. Add to that the Manchester Airport trains are getting delayed through Oxford Road, Piccadilly causing delays to every other train trying to get through Manchester. It just doesn't work.
Of the 16 services this morning from my local station, not a single one was 'on time' (within 1 min) and 10 were officially late (PPM = >5 mins). 0% on time and 37% PPM - that is absolutely atrocious. Any competent franchise cannot hide behind "we are training drivers" to explain that - that's a flawed timetable.
My mother has decided to bike it into Manchester. Another colleague is arranging a car share. Northern need to wake up because this is going to bankrupt them if this continues. Any franchise that is willing to risk its bread and butter commuter passengers really needs to question its purpose because the odd passenger or two to Manchester Airport is not going to make up for that. And why would anyone flying from Manchester trust Northern Rail to get them to the Airport on time to catch the flight at the moment? The whole thing is a complete mess.
Of the 16 services this morning from my local station, not a single one was 'on time' (within 1 min) and 10 were officially late (PPM = >5 mins). 0% on time and 37% PPM - that is absolutely atrocious. Any competent franchise cannot hide behind "we are training drivers" to explain that - that's a flawed timetable.
My mother has decided to bike it into Manchester. Another colleague is arranging a car share. Northern need to wake up because this is going to bankrupt them if this continues. Any franchise that is willing to risk its bread and butter commuter passengers really needs to question its purpose because the odd passenger or two to Manchester Airport is not going to make up for that. And why would anyone flying from Manchester trust Northern Rail to get them to the Airport on time to catch the flight at the moment? The whole thing is a complete mess.
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Monday travelled from Stafford to Llandudno & back.
Outward journey (06:01 Virgin Trains to Llandudno Junction) ran on time; return train (19:34 Arriva Trains Wales from Llandudno to Crewe) was cancelled, so ended up arriving back in Stafford over 1 hour late. Delay repay submitted.
Outward journey (06:01 Virgin Trains to Llandudno Junction) ran on time; return train (19:34 Arriva Trains Wales from Llandudno to Crewe) was cancelled, so ended up arriving back in Stafford over 1 hour late. Delay repay submitted.
methethpropbut
Member
I swear I didn't jinx it!
But I bet it sure seems that way when I have a good run on Monday and the line goes down not only the next day, but the one after that Although there is a limited service due to electrification works between Newport and Cardiff Central, the 08:35 GWR from Paddington still managed to turn up at Newport 22 mins late this morning so the platform started to get very crowded. A similar occurrence happened on Monday morning (and in the evening from Central)....
It is about time that Manchester Airport stopped being treated as the centre point of the entire North of England transport network. Or if it is to be, it should start payig for the necessary infrastructure works
Wilts Wanderer
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My journey this morning didn’t go well (nearly 1hr late) but as it wasn’t on Thameslink, I’m not complaining.
Harrogate line seems to be suffering quite a few teething problems since the changes, not sure what is causing it quite a lot of 5-10 minute delays which soon start to add up. Also a complete game of bingo at the moment as to what will turn up, this week alone I've travelled on a 142, a 144, a 153 and a 170!
And again. I’m getting bored of this right time punctuality now, so not going to use the train tomorrow in protest.
bramling
Veteran Member
If it's that bad, why not move to somewhere like Hitchin, Letchworth or Arlesey? Certainly not right-time punctuality at any of these at the moment!
Just balancing the discussion
As you know, people who complain are much more vocal compared to those who have a good service.
Don't think there were any in to Liverpool so at least none were late or cancelled. Ha ha. I am lucky living near South Parkway so I had options.
Since Arriva took over Northern I have noticed that the trains on the Airedale line have got worse with delays and cancellations What used to be a 26 minute journey is timetabled at 28 minutes but in the last week has taken over 35 minutes every night since timetable change except on strike day when there were no trains after 6 pm.
I have not received any meaningful response from Arriva though other than we are improving the railway!
I have not received any meaningful response from Arriva though other than we are improving the railway!
Cheshire Lines and Lime Street are almost hilarious at the mo. Nothing for two hours in the evening peak at West Allerton. Got to Lime Street at about six and got off the train to hear of a Wigan service cancelled. I laughed to myself, not because it's really funny but it is just ridiculous at the mo, it started before the new timetable as well.
Dr Hoo
Established Member
I ventured out to see how things were settling down around Manchester after a week of the new timetable but experienced numerous delays and cancellations on TPE and Northern. A possible trip to Clitheroe aborted and ended up escaping from Westhoughton by bus back to Bolton. Got home an hour later than planned after missed connection at Manchester Piccadilly following heavy delay along the Oxford Road corridor again.
I did find it slightly amusing that Network Rail have abolished the waiting rooms on platforms 13&14 at Piccadilly (which does at least give stranded passengers more room to mill about) but left the four Waiting Room signs suspended from the canopy.
A lot of very disgruntled passengers moaning about the new timetable, some worryingly empty off-peak trains on what should have been an ideal sunny half term day for family trips, and many clearly weary and despairing staff.
Sadly still seems a long way to go.
I did find it slightly amusing that Network Rail have abolished the waiting rooms on platforms 13&14 at Piccadilly (which does at least give stranded passengers more room to mill about) but left the four Waiting Room signs suspended from the canopy.
A lot of very disgruntled passengers moaning about the new timetable, some worryingly empty off-peak trains on what should have been an ideal sunny half term day for family trips, and many clearly weary and despairing staff.
Sadly still seems a long way to go.
The Liverpool to Manchester Airport service is currently massively delayed or cancelled.
The service on this line today was vile! I think records were broken for the number of people on an East Midlands train. I think it’s payback for me slagging TPE off. Now I’m wishing they were back.
xotGD
Established Member
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Passengers left behind at Oxford Road tonight by 17.38 to Newcastle. Partly because previous train from the airport to Boro didn't operate and partly because Bolton passengers were told to get on and change at Victoria because their train was cancelled. Things aren't improving.
It has been for a while, a good few weeks before the timetable change as well. The few services that have run of an evening have been single Pacers as well when I've seen them. A few longer trains once everyone is home.
CheshireCrusty
Member
- Joined
- 6 Feb 2014
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- 88
Can anyone advise on the situation on Platforms 13 and 14 at Manchester Piccadilly?
My wife is disabled and used to travel in to MAN from MIA using services which used platforms 1 to 12 at Piccadilly. This was not because of the long walk and poor lift access from platforms 13 and 14 but because of the perpetual overcrowding on those platforms and the pressure of people desperate to board the train she takes a long time to disembark from. She then had to fight her way along the platform to the lift. (For those from the South I found the crowding situation at any time of day was as bad as the Piccadilly Line platforms at Holborn at 5:30pm except there is no crowd control and at least 50% of passengers have cases, prams or children). This was before the timetable change and all the additional cancellation problems.
After the new timetable it appears the only train from MIA which uses any platform other than 13/14 is the TPE Cleethorpes service. With all the additional long distance services using those platforms I can only imagine what was previously a hellish situation on 13/14 has now become totally unsurvivable.
Incidentally she dislikes using Wilmslow because of the steps onto VT services on a time pressured stop and finds Metrolink very uncomfortable and unbelievably tedious from MIA (>40 mins with a change vs 11 mins direct from MIA)
My wife is disabled and used to travel in to MAN from MIA using services which used platforms 1 to 12 at Piccadilly. This was not because of the long walk and poor lift access from platforms 13 and 14 but because of the perpetual overcrowding on those platforms and the pressure of people desperate to board the train she takes a long time to disembark from. She then had to fight her way along the platform to the lift. (For those from the South I found the crowding situation at any time of day was as bad as the Piccadilly Line platforms at Holborn at 5:30pm except there is no crowd control and at least 50% of passengers have cases, prams or children). This was before the timetable change and all the additional cancellation problems.
After the new timetable it appears the only train from MIA which uses any platform other than 13/14 is the TPE Cleethorpes service. With all the additional long distance services using those platforms I can only imagine what was previously a hellish situation on 13/14 has now become totally unsurvivable.
Incidentally she dislikes using Wilmslow because of the steps onto VT services on a time pressured stop and finds Metrolink very uncomfortable and unbelievably tedious from MIA (>40 mins with a change vs 11 mins direct from MIA)
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Dr Hoo
Established Member
I used P13 and P14 on Tuesday, when services were disrupted in both directions on both occasions. Network Rail has demolished the former waiting roooms to create more space but this seems to have just made it seem more threatening, with nowhere to 'escape'. Definitely for the faint hearted or vulnerable. I saw a lot of encumbered people struggling.
Dr Hoo
Established Member
Meanwhile, back on the trains today and I have to give a more balanced report. Used 16 servicies across Northern, CrossCountry, VTEC, GWR, Heathrow Express, SWR and EMT.
Despite the continuing carnage on Thameslink the ECML signallers got me into King's Cross early. Every train made PPM at the point where I alighted apart from Heathrow Express, which had a unit failure - nothing to do with the timetable.
Coming back north from St Pancras, connecting into the revised skip-stop Hope Valley service at Sheffield, I managed my fastest ever London > Home trip at an average rail speed of over 68mph! The excellent staff in West Hampstead box saw us bypass the Thameslink carnage again, offering us through Bedford spot on time.
Both Northern trains that I used had two guards on board - presumably assisting or training - so it is good to see the new timetable delivering on the promise to create more jobs as well as better journey opportunities.
Despite continuing problems in some areas there is clearly some good railway operating going on in many places.
Despite the continuing carnage on Thameslink the ECML signallers got me into King's Cross early. Every train made PPM at the point where I alighted apart from Heathrow Express, which had a unit failure - nothing to do with the timetable.
Coming back north from St Pancras, connecting into the revised skip-stop Hope Valley service at Sheffield, I managed my fastest ever London > Home trip at an average rail speed of over 68mph! The excellent staff in West Hampstead box saw us bypass the Thameslink carnage again, offering us through Bedford spot on time.
Both Northern trains that I used had two guards on board - presumably assisting or training - so it is good to see the new timetable delivering on the promise to create more jobs as well as better journey opportunities.
Despite continuing problems in some areas there is clearly some good railway operating going on in many places.
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