Lumo - new Open Access operator on the East Coast Main Line

[tommy2215]

Yes it has although the stopper caught it up again while it waited for a stone train to cross at Doncaster

I hope no one on that train was on it because its booked to use the York avoiding lines...

 

[centro-323]

Missed it at least once already this week when a defective freight train was parked in the down avoiding line. It's always a bit of a lottery!

 

[ScotRail158725]

I hope no one on that train was on it because its booked to use the York avoiding lines...

It went via York station. Through P5. I was a bit dissapointed it never used the York avoider but oh well maybe next time

 

[Wolfie]

That is very, very naughty if they intend to use that to refuse boarding (as their Twitter implies) rather than just to avoid any more Anytimes being sold "for" those trains.

They better expect awful publicity and a shedload of litigation if they are dumb enough to do any such thing. How to completely destroy your credibility in one easy lesson....

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 29 Oct 2021 ==

Posters are so harsh and judgemental. Give the guys running Lumo a break, eh? Setting up a new train operator really is no easy task and - of course - they will make some mistakes at first. Being supportive, rather than kicking them at every opportunity, would be great. I do expect they have been surprised by the level of demand - but that's fantastic to see.

If l was an affected passenger l'd sue their asses off. Being new is no excuse for incompetence, breach of contract and very possibly consumer legislation.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 29 Oct 2021 ==

You don't know how they are going to deal with the issue yet (if, indeed, there is an issue). I hope they have a successful launch day tomorrow.

Agreed.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 29 Oct 2021 ==

Is it possible to get a feel for the total number of passengers on the train, because it seems as if the disaster predicted over the last few days hasn’t come close…

Those getting their retaliation in first must be rather disappointed

Re your last sentence. I'd missed how old some of the posts that l'd replied to were. The tweet sent out by the company was the source of the concern/confusion. For what it's worth l'm glad that appears to have been unjustified.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 29 Oct 2021 ==

There were no checks at all at Edinburgh, Morpeth or Newcastle. Still some seats free from Newcastle, so Lumo's tweet was entirely unjustified fearmongering IMO.

Agreed.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 29 Oct 2021 ==

Hopefully it hasn't caused anyone to feel they had to abandon their journey and lose e.g. money on a hotel, or pay more for a LNER walk-up fare.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 25 Oct 2021 ==



I remain of the view that selling open tickets and then saying they are in effect not open tickets is bait and switch and thus not lawful. The Tweet should not have been sent, and the situation managed a different way.

I have no issue with them setting the CR flag to prevent more non-reserved sales (practically they had to do the same as LNER otherwise they'd end up swamped), but it's what they were saying to existing purchasers of their dedicated Anytime tickets that isn't on.

Absolutely.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 29 Oct 2021 ==

I understand Avanti are fitting the same seats (though with a slightly different cushion) into the Pendolinos in the same layout as they currently have - this should bode well for a legroom improvement as it's presently quite bad, and the current seats are quite thick backed. Hopefully the thin armrest will mean they can fit one on the window side, too.

Sounds promising.

 

[dk1]

I hope no one on that train was on it because its booked to use the York avoiding lines...

That's the only reason I'm going to use it

 

[jumble]

Can't help but think todays shambles highlights the problems of microfleets, if it was an LNER service failing another set may have been found on Craigentinny, yet with LUmO the minute there is a set failure its game over.
As with so many things on the railway, they work so well on paper, but in practice there just isn't the resilience.
And I hope Lumo is successful, as fast limited stop IC trains is what the country needs more of, its just a shame the franchised operators are so keen to make so called express trains stop everywhere!

I agree
This is why I was not willing to travel with Norwegian when they used to go to USA pre Covid
Fly Norwegian plane goes tech you will be stuck in USA for heaven knows how long
Fly British Airways plane goes tech Ba and their codeshare partners will have had a choice of 20 or what ever flights a day and odds are on you will get back same day.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Extremely rare for a spare set to be pulled out that quickly, though one might well take over the service later. If it was an LNER cancellation the same thing would happen - everyone packs onto the next one.

 

[TheBigD]

Lump only running between Doncaster and Edinburgh when ECML services are diverted via Lincoln during November/December weekends. Connections made with Hull Trains...

Planned Engineering Works & Upcoming Work | Lumo

Find out more about upcoming engineering works and affected dates so you can plan your train journey and avoid disruption when travelling with Lumo.

www.lumo.co.uk

 

[pdeaves]

Lump only running between Doncaster and Edinburgh

Accidental typo?

 

[TheBigD]

Accidental typo?

Auto correct or fat fingers!

 

[Kite159]

Interestingly I've received an email about that extra Edinburgh - London train on Sunday (the 13;52) which seems to suggest that passengers who have a booked seat on the earlier/later train can switch to the additional service (clearly first come first serve).

If you have a seat reservation for our other services then this still stands and you can still board your original train. If our additional service runs at a better time for you then you are welcome to change. We hope this doesn’t inconvenience you too much and we look forward to welcoming you on board!

As long as it isn't the same unit which is due to work tomorrow's Edinburgh train from London I might take them up on the offer. Get a better seat location for the run back south

 

[ainsworth74]

Lump only running between Doncaster and Edinburgh when ECML services are diverted via Lincoln during November/December weekends. Connections made with Hull Trains...

Planned Engineering Works & Upcoming Work | Lumo

Find out more about upcoming engineering works and affected dates so you can plan your train journey and avoid disruption when travelling with Lumo.

www.lumo.co.uk

Interesting! I recall some discussion of what they'd do when the ECML is shut and a tie up with HT is a logical move and far simpler than borrow an 802 to run a service themselves.

Be interesting to see how practical it is when they start running more than two trains per day (where reducing to one isn't quite so extreme) and also whether HT will run the connecting services as 10-car.

 

[TheBigD]

Interesting! I recall some discussion of what they'd do when the ECML is shut and a tie up with HT is a logical move and far simpler than borrow an 802 to run a service themselves.

Be interesting to see how practical it is when they start running more than two trains per day (where reducing to one isn't quite so extreme) and also whether HT will run the connecting services as 10-car.

Hull Trains are running 4 services via Lincoln on the weekends in question, requiring 3 units. Hull Trains have 5 units so 1 diagram could be a 10 car.
Hull Trains units have a capacity of 327 seats compared to Lumo's 394 so you'd hope that they connect in to/out of a 10 car HT service.

There's ECML diversions via Cambridge 3 weekends in January so I'd expect a similar plan to operate.

I believe there's ECML diversions via Hartlepool/Sunderland in February. Given that TPE don't (or didn't) divert that way, wonder what Lumo's plans will be for that, or for next autumn when ECML sees weekend diversions via Carlisle.

 

[ainsworth74]

or for next autumn when ECML sees weekend diversions via Carlisle

Same as XC I'd imagine and bus to/from Newcastle!

 

[Kite159]

Could Hull Trains in theory borrow a TPE 802 for extra strength? (As it's not like the TPE 802s are heavily used on the current timetable with no Newcastle - Manchester Airport services)

 

[wessextrains]

Who is operating the Twitter Account and Email Address and Phone Number of Lumo? Is it run directly by them? By another First Group TOC? By some outsourced agency? Capita? I notice that Lumo and FTPE and GWR and Avanti all seem to be giving out links to this strange new "railhelp" website in response to questions on Twitter so wondering if all First Group TOCs customer services are all run from the same place?

 

[DanNCL]

Nothing to say an 803 couldn’t be dragged over unelectrified lines by an 802, much like the 801s are dragged across the Tyne Valley by 800s each autumn. However Lumo would be much more likely to simply not operate any diversions (other than via the Hertford Loop) and terminate short where required for replacement buses and/or connections to Hull Trains.

Could Hull Trains in theory borrow a TPE 802 for extra strength? (As it's not like the TPE 802s are heavily used on the current timetable with no Newcastle - Manchester Airport services)

If I recall correctly there’s a restriction that prevents franchised TOCs from providing units to open access operators for passenger service. Hull Trains when they first launched used 170s hired in from Anglia Railways but were forced to obtain their own units not long afterwards.

 

[pdeaves]

If I recall correctly there’s a restriction that prevents franchised TOCs from providing units to open access operators for passenger service. Hull Trains when they first launched used 170s hired in from Anglia Railways but were forced to obtain their own units not long afterwards.

I think it's not the principle of hiring that's the problem but a) how they account it and b) whether DfT (etc) perceive it as at detriment to the franchise service. The latter is the harder one to resolve.

Chiltern/Wrexham & Shropshire fell foul of this, too.

 

[357]

Reports on Facebook of huge overcrowding yesterday.

 

[Kite159]

The ECS for the 10:25 Edinburgh is running late at King's Cross

Interestingly the LNER TVMs refused to print off the Lumo tickets but the Great Northern ones did.

 

[dk1]

The ECS for the 10:25 Edinburgh is running late at King's Cross

Interestingly the LNER TVMs refused to print off the Lumo tickets but the Great Northern ones did.

Would you not have to pay to collect in a similar way it works with XC?

 

[tornado]

A couple of new thoughts on LUMO

• I'm reading reports of the 803s being the "best ride quality of any 800 class" from various people who have reviewed LUMO this week. Nice to hear! I'm guessing that's down to the removal of undercarriage backup diesel/disel engines.
• LUMO is the closest we currently have to a Flying Scotsman service, with the advantage of not being crazily early in the morning and only in one direction. Once the May 2022 timetable change happens I imagine they will become even more attractive for Edinburgh-London travellers. Also, just about the only long distance train you can take in the morning without paying >£100 for.

 

[Watershed]

Would you not have to pay to collect in a similar way it works with XC?

No, XC are the only retailer to charge such a fee AFAIK.

 

[Kite159]

Pretty much full & standing on the Edinburgh train this morning. It will probably empty out a bit at Newcastle judging by the seat reservations

 

[Grumpy Git]

Pretty much full & standing on the Edinburgh train this morning. It will probably empty out a bit at Newcastle judging by the seat reservations

Almost certainly due to Newcastle having a home game v Chelsea.

 

[CC 72100]

Reports on Facebook of huge overcrowding yesterday.

Haven't Friday - Sundays been historically busy on both the WCML/ECML though? This doesn't strike me as particularly newsworthy.

 

[cambsy]

I have just booked today(Sat 30th Oct) for Weds 03rd November, a return on 10.45 London-Edinburgh and 16.12 Edinburgh-London back, for £19.99 each way, to try out the service, I will do trip report after get back, it was easy to book, had no major problems, and surprised got the cheap fare so near the day.

 

[TheBigD]

Haven't Friday - Sundays been historically busy on both the WCML/ECML though? This doesn't strike me as particularly newsworthy.

Dont know how much it's changed post covid but historically Friday afternoon/early evening out of London and Sunday afternoon/Early evening in to London was the traditional weekend rush.

LNER operate 3 trains an hour southbound from Edinburgh to Kings Cross most of Sunday afternoon, along with a couple of extra service from Newcastle to Kings Cross.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Pretty much full & standing on the Edinburgh train this morning. It will probably empty out a bit at Newcastle judging by the seat reservations

Are Open Access operators mandated to join ORCATS? You'd think they would opt out and do their own thing rather than end up in this position.

 

[Fokx]

Who is operating the Twitter Account and Email Address and Phone Number of Lumo? Is it run directly by them? By another First Group TOC? By some outsourced agency? Capita? I notice that Lumo and FTPE and GWR and Avanti all seem to be giving out links to this strange new "railhelp" website in response to questions on Twitter so wondering if all First Group TOCs customer services are all run from the same place?

TPE staff run the social media for TPE and HT and I’m under the impression they may have been helping with Lumo too the last week.

The First Group contact centre for phone calls, passenger complaints, enquiries etc is based in Sheffield.

The phone/email contact team is not the same people as the online social media teams