Manchester to Leeds Today (31/7/23)…

[Miken]

I've been trying to get from Manchester Victoria to Leeds today. The situation at Victoria is 'beyond carnage' with nearly every single train cancelled and there is currently a huge mob of people hoping to get on a 3-car TPE (1130 Hull) that, whilst delayed, seems to be the only train for some time. I'm on my way to Piccadilly in a taxi in the grim hope I can get on the 1235 to Newcastle which starts there. There is no constructive information just very weary staff who "know no more than me".

 

[jfollows]

https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service-disruptions/tpe-20230731/ says line via Hebden Bridge blocked all day and TPE staff shortages affect the other route
1P25 12:35 to Newcastle is 802208 and inbound service is near enough on time, 12:18 into Piccadilly platform 1
EDIT 1P25 left on time

 

[wellhouse]

https://www.nationalrail.co.uk/service-disruptions/tpe-20230731/ says line via Hebden Bridge blocked all day and TPE staff shortages affect the other route
1P25 12:35 to Newcastle is 802208 and inbound service is near enough on time, 12:18 into Piccadilly platform 1
EDIT 1P25 left on time

8 out of10 TPE Huddersfield services cancelled between 1100 and 1200

 

[kkong]

I see the passenger unfriendly "short notice change to the timetable" is being used on the CIS display.

Whoever is in charge of the TOCs should really make them explain the real reasons for cancellations (like they did with LNER).

 

[185]

Plenty of available capacity on their 'novelty' loco & 5 coaches currently being driven up and down outside Longsight shed.

Seriously reckon those have more empty stock miles than passenger miles

 

[GardenRail]

Cables hanging from the ventilation shaft down to the track in Summit Tunnel. Found by a freight train, earlier. With regards the Calder Valley services.

 

[wellhouse]

This situation prompts an interesting point about Northern diversionary route knowledge.

There has been plenty of speculation about the need for all TPE drivers to learn the Calder Valley route for the forthcoming electrification works, but what is the position regarding Northern drivers on the Standedge route? There is the current occasional Northern ECS working, but with today's TPE cancellations, there was clearly capacity for Northern services blocked by the Summit Tunnel incident to divert via Huddersfield if only sufficient crews had the route knowledge.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Chester-Leeds reduced to a Chester-Victoria shuttle today, late-running "because of an obstruction on the line" (without saying where).
But trains were guaranteed to be late as they were turning the incoming Chesters 20-odd minutes after departure time.
The conductor told Leeds passengers to change to TPE at Victoria.
Fat chance.

 

[yorksrob]

Any reason for TPE's cancellations ? Given there's a rest day working agreement, are they still affected by the ASLEF action short of a strike ?

 

[wellhouse]

Any reason for TPE's cancellations ? Given there's a rest day working agreement, are they still affected by the ASLEF action short of a strike ?

I believe there's a distinction between rest day working and overtime working on rostered days, but I'm just a passenger, so those in the industry will be able to offer more insight.

 

[RHolmes]

Any reason for TPE's cancellations ? Given there's a rest day working agreement, are they still affected by the ASLEF action short of a strike ?

Action short of strike applies.

Can work as much overtime as you like on a ‘normal’ week but nothing on ASLEF collective action days.

This Sunday and next will be the only day where this doesn’t have an effect for two weeks

 

[yorksrob]

Ah cheers.

I was planning a long E/W journey tomorrow, so it would help to know what will be running at the start of the day

 

[johntea]

Northern were running to Hebden Bridge with (supposedly) coach services to Manchester from there

TPE were sticking all sorts of additional stops on the few services that weren’t cancelled

 

[syorksdeano]

Knew things didn't look to good today at about 4am when I checked and it mentioned something about 117 TPE cancellations .

Wonder why the South route doesn't seem that badly affected... For now

 

[Bantamzen]

Cables hanging from the ventilation shaft down to the track in Summit Tunnel. Found by a freight train, earlier. With regards the Calder Valley services.

Sounds like the line may be reopened now, but obviously delays expected until at least 17:30.

Incident: Todmorden | National Rail

Lines reopened: disruption between Manchester Victoria and Todmorden. Find details of all current incidents on National Rail Enquiries.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

Lines have reopened following an obstruction on the line between Manchester Victoria and Todmorden. As service recovers, trains may be cancelled or delayed by up to 60 minutes.

This is expected until 17:30.

 

[GardenRail]

Knew things didn't look to good today at about 4am when I checked and it mentioned something about 117 TPE cancellations .

Wonder why the South route doesn't seem that badly affected... For now

Doing wonders under government control isn't it. Got to feel sorry for the gullible people that believed things would change. Especially overnight. Also it doesn't help delays when Transpennine are giving Special Stop Orders for Dewsbury, but not telling the signaller, meaning they get routed fast line, driver stops, and tells the signaller that they have Stop Orders, signal has to time out, and be re-routed via platform 1. Couldn't script it.

 

[yorksrob]

Interestingly, Northern (outside of the tunnel problem) doesn't seem to be anywhere near as badly affected. Less reliance on overtime ?

 

[skyhigh]

Interestingly, Northern (outside of the tunnel problem) doesn't seem to be anywhere near as badly affected. Less reliance on overtime ?

There hasn't been rest day working at Northern for ages now, so the only impact is no ad-hoc on the day favours if it goes beyond your day.

 

[Rail Ranger]

Northern don't have a rest day working agreement.

 

[Whisky Papa]

Northern were running to Hebden Bridge with (supposedly) coach services to Manchester from there

TPE were sticking all sorts of additional stops on the few services that weren’t cancelled

From RTT it appears that by 1200 some trains from Leeds were running through to Todmorden and reversing there. I'm not sure if this is a first at times of similar disruption? Granted there is more space for replacement buses at Hebden Bridge, but the signalling to enable eastbound departures from p1 at Todmorden (ie the usual Manchester platform) has been in place for the best part of a decade but rarely seems to be taken advantage of.

 

[yorksrob]

There hasn't been rest day working at Northern for ages now, so the only impact is no ad-hoc on the day favours if it goes beyond your day.

Northern don't have a rest day working agreement.

If you don't have rest day working, there's less need for an agreement !

 

[skyhigh]

If you don't have rest day working, there's less need for an agreement !

To be fair, the only reason there has been no RDW is because there's no RDW agreement.

 

[CalderTrains]

I live in Sowerby Bridge. This morning it was really difficult train situation, but eventually it was relatively OK. Northern's buses were running from HBD to MCV and the trains were turning back, a bit delayed but turning up.
On the general cancellations topic, I find Northern a preferable choice to TPE and especially if heading for Chester FAR better than TfW . Speaking of TfW, got to do a huge journey with them on Friday

 

[mythrail]

Sounds like the line may be reopened now, but obviously delays expected until at least 17:30.

Incident: Todmorden | National Rail

Lines reopened: disruption between Manchester Victoria and Todmorden. Find details of all current incidents on National Rail Enquiries.

www.nationalrail.co.uk

Apart from usual chaos at MCV with their version of 'Musical Platforms', Northern did well today including replacement coaches.

 

[Bantamzen]

Apart from usual chaos at MCV with their version of 'Musical Platforms', Northern did well today including replacement coaches.

I'm going to be travelling across the Pennines later this week, and before I read about today's issues I was wondering about heading into my office in Leeds before using TPE towards Manchester.

Thankfully I've given my head a wobble and it'll be a trip down the Calder Valley. Because at least Northern can cope with issues and not completely melt down like TPE!

 

[noddingdonkey]

This situation prompts an interesting point about Northern diversionary route knowledge.

There has been plenty of speculation about the need for all TPE drivers to learn the Calder Valley route for the forthcoming electrification works, but what is the position regarding Northern drivers on the Standedge route? There is the current occasional Northern ECS working, but with today's TPE cancellations, there was clearly capacity for Northern services blocked by the Summit Tunnel incident to divert via Huddersfield if only sufficient crews had the route knowledge.

It's got to be three years or more since Northern ran passenger services through Standedge. I imagine a lot of the competency has lapsed.

 

[175001]

Manchester Victoria, the only depot to sign Standedge, lost it all last year when the once a day ECS from Piccadilly to NH TMD via Huddersfield was curtailed to reverse at Ashburys.

 

[GardenRail]

The most stupid decision ever, taking the stoppers off Northern and giving them to TP.

 

[syorksdeano]

79 cancellations so far today with a further 40 'other train updates'.

1 train from from Sheffield to Liverpool cancelled with customers told to catch the next TPE service that is only running as far as Manchester.
Suppose it beats yesterday in Leeds where customers were told to get the next TPE service, only to find that cancelled as well

 

[wellhouse]

Huddersfield TPE cancellations down to just 5 out of 10 in an hour this morning