Last Trains from Manchester to Barrow/Hull/Nottingham cancelled

[Llandudno]

Whilst waiting at Manchester Piccadilly last night (Tue 14 Dec) I noticed that the last trains from Piccadilly to Barrow in Furness, Hull and Nottingham were all cancelled due to a shortage of train drivers.

I think you could just about get to Hull via an alternative route changing at Sheffield, but I don’t think you could get to Barrow or Nottingham.

There did not seem to be any reference on the departure boards or over the PA system mentioning any replacement bus or taxi provision just announcements apologising for the inconvenience and that you may be entitled to compensation.

I guess intending passengers at Piccadilly could get advice of how to get home from station staff, but I am not sure what any intending passengers boarding at the likes of Silverdale, Edale or Bamford are supposed to do as I would imagine that taxis are pretty difficult to source at such remote locations…?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

The Barrow-in-Furness train seems to have operated from Lancaster, if the info on Realtime Trains is correct. Not sure how earlier you would have had to have departed Manchester Airport / Manchester Piccadilly to make the connection. Would probably have been known some time before scheduled departure from Manchester Airport at 2210 that it wouldn't be running over the initial part of its journey.

Realtime Trains | 2210 Manchester Airport to Barrow-in-Furness | 14/12/2021

Real-time train running information for 2210 departure from Manchester Airport to Barrow-in-Furness on 14/12/2021. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Bletchleyite]

A last train cancellation on the Barrow line could be quite bad, Arnside viaduct really does need a footpath.

(Taxis barely exist at all around there, just a small number of drivers who operate individually, and the shortest legal walking route is 14.7 miles!)

 

[Llandudno]

A last train cancellation on the Barrow line of the last train could be quite bad, as people may be effectively "forced" to trespass over Arnside viaduct. It really does need a footpath.

A footpath alongside the railway line over the Kent estuary at Arnside would be a stunning walk not dissimilar to Barmouth bridge!

 

[janb]

Barrow train as said ran from Lancaster so that covered those stations. Passengers from Manchester advised to catch 2234 from Airport to Blackpool, and passengers from Wigan 2301 from Wigan to Blackpool, and then pick up a coach (stopping as required) at midnight from Preston.

 

[robbeech]

Advice (individual advice, not announced it appears) for Nottingham passengers was to get a service towards Sheffield (which I think left at a similar time) and then ask Sheffield staff what to do next. Passing the buck perhaps and unhelpful for many.

It’s just the risk you take as a passenger on the railway now that if your last train is cancelled the railway MAY help or they may just say sorry, you’re on your own.
What are you going to do about it?

 

[Llandudno]

Advice (individual advice, not announced it appears) for Nottingham passengers was to get a service towards Sheffield (which I think left at a similar time) and then ask Sheffield staff what to do next. Passing the buck perhaps and unhelpful for many.

It’s just the risk you take as a passenger on the railway now that if your last train is cancelled the railway MAY help or they may just say sorry, you’re on your own.
What are you going to do about it?

I wonder if there are many staff on duty at Sheffield after midnight with the authority to organise taxis?

 

[Baxenden Bank]

A last train cancellation on the Barrow line could be quite bad, Arnside viaduct really does need a footpath.

(Taxis barely exist at all around there, just a small number of drivers who operate individually, and the shortest legal walking route is 14.7 miles!)

Rail Replacement Guide to the Sands. Not Cedric Robinson as he died recently (Times Obituary yesterday) but there is a successor.

 

[robbeech]

I wonder if there are many staff on duty at Sheffield after midnight with the authority to organise taxis?

Very unlikely but that is not the problem or responsibility of those at Manchester Piccadilly.

 

[Fedupnorthern]

Very unlikely but that is not the problem or responsibility of those at Manchester Piccadilly.

It isn't - but it does exemplify the "couldn't really care about the passenger" attitude that prevails on the railways.

 

[robbeech]

It isn't - but it does exemplify the "couldn't really care about the passenger" attitude that prevails on the railways.

No but that’s the point. Pass them on to the next person until the last person has less opportunity to help OR doesn’t exist in the case that someone needs to make a final change at an unstaffed station, in which case tough luck you’re on your own and standby for the random excuse generator when you try to claim.

 

[Geeves]

Sheffield station has a night shift, I believe. It really does surprise me how many people leave connections to the last possible one of the day, maybe it's just me being totally untrusting of the railway, being an employee of said railway.

 

[185143]

I wonder if there are many staff on duty at Sheffield after midnight with the authority to organise taxis?

As someone who was directed to Road transport at Sheffield at 23:30 on Wednesday night, there are at least 2 members of staff able to sort such a thing.

 

[Nym]

Sheffield station has a night shift, I believe. It really does surprise me how many people leave connections to the last possible one of the day, maybe it's just me being totally untrusting of the railway, being an employee of said railway.

Maybe it's not unreasonable to expect that a service that you've paid for being available to run as advertised?

 

[Llandudno]

As someone who was directed to Road transport at Sheffield at 23:30 on Wednesday night, there are at least 2 members of staff able to sort such a thing.

That’s reassuring to hear, hope you got home ok and weren’t delayed too much?

Sheffield station has a night shift, I believe. It really does surprise me how many people leave connections to the last possible one of the day, maybe it's just me being totally untrusting of the railway, being an employee of said railway.

The last trains to Barrow, Hull and Nottingham that were cancelled on Tuesday night weren’t connections they were through trains…

 

[185143]

That’s reassuring to hear, hope you got home ok and weren’t delayed too much?


The last trains to Barrow, Hull and Nottingham that were cancelled on Tuesday night weren’t connections they were through trains…

It was horrific unfortunately!

Rail replacement, with stops, to Manchester at Midnight. I'd alighted a train, admittedly with the successful intention of a few pints in the Sheffield Tap at 20:20! Then a taxi home from Manchester, got in at 02:30.

 

[robbeech]

Sheffield station has a night shift, I believe. It really does surprise me how many people leave connections to the last possible one of the day, maybe it's just me being totally untrusting of the railway, being an employee of said railway.

Are you suggesting they shouldn’t? One of the key complaints at the moment is train services finishing too early. For many people taking anything other than a local journey home in an evening whilst allowing a later connection for extra security would mean travelling home in the evening peak!

As someone who was directed to Road transport at Sheffield at 23:30 on Wednesday night, there are at least 2 members of staff able to sort such a thing.

Good to know.

Maybe it's not unreasonable to expect that a service that you've paid for being available to run as advertised?

A service they’re contracted to provide in one form or another.

 

[Llandudno]

It was horrific unfortunately!

Rail replacement, with stops, to Manchester at Midnight. I'd alighted a train, admittedly with the successful intention of a few pints in the Sheffield Tap at 20:20! Then a taxi home from Manchester, got in at 02:30.

Oh no!

At least the Sheffield Tsp has a fabulous choice of beer, mind you I guess the rail replacement bus didn’t have a toilet on board!

 

[Mag_seven]

Whatever happened to the last train of the day being sacrosanct? Don't control normally go out of their way to ensure the last train of the day is not cancelled by for example cancelling the penultimate service?

 

[185143]

Oh no!

At least the Sheffield Tsp has a fabulous choice of beer, mind you I guess the rail replacement bus didn’t have a toilet on board!

It was a coach in fairness.

 

[Pinus contorta]

Doesn't the last train to Barrow have to get there to be fuelled up tanked etc otherwise it doesn't go out the following day? That's what the station supervisor at Barrow told me late one evening while he was busy organising taxis for everyone up the Cumbrian coast due to a cancellation.

 

[Horizon22]

Whatever happened to the last train of the day being sacrosanct? Don't control normally go out of their way to ensure the last train of the day is not cancelled by for example cancelling the penultimate service?

That's always an intention yes. Sometimes it is unavoidable though - normally this is broadcast and passengers to board the next station as close to the destination and onward transport arranged as required. It is normally communicated in good time, but I imagine some teams are better than other at communicating this.

 

[30907]

Doesn't the last train to Barrow have to get there to be fuelled up tanked etc otherwise it doesn't go out the following day? That's what the station supervisor at Barrow told me late one evening while he was busy organising taxis for everyone up the Cumbrian coast due to a cancellation.

Maybe, but possibly the working was cancelled between Lancaster and Airport inward as well. It ran as booked from LAN.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Maybe, but possibly the working was cancelled between Lancaster and Airport inward as well. It ran as booked from LAN.

Seems to have been cancelled South of Preston due to trespass (?!)

Realtime Trains | 1945 Barrow-in-Furness to Manchester Airport | 14/12/2021

Real-time train running information for 1945 departure from Barrow-in-Furness to Manchester Airport on 14/12/2021. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[robbeech]

Whatever happened to the last train of the day being sacrosanct? Don't control normally go out of their way to ensure the last train of the day is not cancelled by for example cancelling the penultimate service?

It went out of the window when there was no longer anyone to hold them to account. (Thankfully it’s rare and they do at least try most of the time)