Idea for Whitby Services

[Bigman]

Could there be case for Northern taking over some of the work from TPE between York and Middlesbrough? These could then extend through to Whitby which would improve connections down South. Thoughts?

 

[yorksrob]

It would be technically difficult, but in normal times, there is definitely a market from South of Middlesborough to Whitby.

I was once on a TPE to Middlesborough that got diverted to Darlington. Once the Whitby daytrippers had been told to turn back as it wasn't worth carrying on, there was still a minibus full of passengers carried onwards.

 

[NorthOxonian]

It wouldn't make a great deal of sense. At the moment the bus service between Whitby and York is pretty poor, but in normal times there is a bus every two hours which takes just over two hours. This has through ticketing from most railway stations, with a change at York. Any train service would struggle to compete with that considering it takes 90 minutes just to get to Boro.

 

[HST43257]

Also got to remember that pathing down that route is so tough, with huge restrictions like 1 train between Nunthorpe and Grosmont.

 

[Llandudno]

It wouldn't make a great deal of sense. At the moment the bus service between Whitby and York is pretty poor, but in normal times there is a bus every two hours which takes just over two hours. This has through ticketing from most railway stations, with a change at York. Any train service would struggle to compete with that considering it takes 90 minutes just to get to Boro.

The Coastliner bus between York and Whitby may run approx every 2 hours, but the the daily period of operation in non Covid times is only for around 8 hours!

 

[Bigman]

I was thinking more of just the odd train a day. If you take the 2D84 08:45 from Whitby for example, this arrives in Middlesbrough at 10:15. The 1P68 TPE leaves just 6 minutes later going to Manny Airport, so the path already exists for this Northern service to be extended to York. I am guessing it would not be able to keep to the same timings South of Northallerton though unless you could put a 170 or 195 on it. Interestingly, the 1B25 York – Blackpool leaves York only 6 minutes after 1P68 arrives, so this opens up the possibility of extending the train even further to Leeds and beyond. That really would open up the connections..and no change of train either.