New Chester to Leeds service

[mrcaa]

I've been using the E Port to Man Vic service both ways a couple of times a week for a while now and there does seem to be a slow and steady increase in patronage both ways. I'm not saying it's fully loaded by any means but the sorry Pacer we endured back to E Port yesterday was half full from Vic and the 150 going into Vic this morning was 2/3 full on arrival. I can't see why the morning service doesn't call at Frodsham and Runcorn East though.

I assumed the stop-skipping was to make it a fast service. Doesn't seem to make much difference though with the congestion on those lines so it might as well stop at those stations. This morning it seemed to speed through them but other mornings it's crawled.

 

[gc4946]

Hi, been lurking here for some time ...
I welcome the direct Leeds-Chester service and was annoyed Northern didn't fully publicise this at first, however I've got timetable leaflet 47 saved online
https://d2cf7kiw5xizhy.cloudfront.net/images/timetables/bucket/chester-to-leeds-2388.pdf
There's three major issues I have with the service at present :
1. Most services don't call at Helsby, Frodsham and Runcorn East. I understand the demand for a quicker service between Chester and Manchester stations, but extra services calling at these stops would relieve pressure on the corresponding TfW service.
2. There's a 2 hour gap on Mons-Fris (0617 then 0821) from Chester.
3. They don't run on Sundays.

 

[mrcaa]

Hi, been lurking here for some time ...
I welcome the direct Leeds-Chester service and was annoyed Northern didn't fully publicise this at first, however I've got timetable leaflet 47 saved online
https://d2cf7kiw5xizhy.cloudfront.net/images/timetables/bucket/chester-to-leeds-2388.pdf
There's three major issues I have with the service at present :
1. Most services don't call at Helsby, Frodsham and Runcorn East. I understand the demand for a quicker service between Chester and Manchester stations, but extra services calling at these stops would relieve pressure on the corresponding TfW service.
2. There's a 2 hour gap on Mons-Fris (0617 then 0821) from Chester.
3. They don't run on Sundays.

I had hoped these issues would be sorted with a Northern Connect launch in December but it’s not looking likely that Connect will launch at all now so we’re probably stuck with this timetable.

 

[Cheshire Rover]

I had hoped these issues would be sorted with a Northern Connect launch in December but it’s not looking likely that Connect will launch at all now so we’re probably stuck with this timetable.

In which case they may as well make them all stops in the Peak at least. I'm on and off at Helsby so the E Port service suits me fine but I'm sure there are potential passengers from Frodsham and Runcorn East who would avail of the service. I notice a few more changing at Helsby off the 0721 from Chester onto the 0729 to Victoria.

 

[scrapy]

I've been using the E Port to Man Vic service both ways a couple of times a week for a while now and there does seem to be a slow and steady increase in patronage both ways. I'm not saying it's fully loaded by any means but the sorry Pacer we endured back to E Port yesterday was half full from Vic and the 150 going into Vic this morning was 2/3 full on arrival. I can't see why the morning service doesn't call at Frodsham and Runcorn East though.

The evening service should be a 2 car 195 from December.

 

[Islandexpress]

I had hoped these issues would be sorted with a Northern Connect launch in December but it’s not looking likely that Connect will launch at all now so we’re probably stuck with this timetable.

I had hoped these issues would be sorted with a Northern Connect launch in December but it’s not looking likely that Connect will launch at all now so we’re probably stuck with this timetable.

Is there any evidence of ‘Connect’ not happening, or is this just one of those internet chat/thread things that just snowball. If I remember rightly the 195s had pretty much been wholesale condemned on here just a matter of weeks before beginning service.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

When I used the service from Ellesmere Port to Leeds a couple of weeks ago, there wasn't a single poster anywhere on Ellesmere Port station giving the times of trains between Ellesmere Port, Helsby, Manchester and Leeds. No wonder usage is low. I tried communicating with the local press when the service was launched but got no response.

When I put in a suggestion online to Northern Rail to rectify this, I got a pithy one-line response from a woman at ISS World:

"Unfortunately Ellesmere Port is not a Northern Station, it belongs to Mersey Rail." I doubt whether she even read my submission beyond the first line.

I then tried writing to Northern Rail at "Freepost Northern Railway" but haven't had the courtesy of a reply.

How do you communicate with Northern Rail? Have they outsourced all suggestion/complaint handling to ISS World who seem to be as obstructive as certain medical receptionists?

 

[cle]

Tweet people if you actually want a response, with something before their @ handle - only way these days...

 

[jamesst]

When I used the service from Ellesmere Port to Leeds a couple of weeks ago, there wasn't a single poster anywhere on Ellesmere Port station giving the times of trains between Ellesmere Port, Helsby, Manchester and Leeds. No wonder usage is low. I tried communicating with the local press when the service was launched but got no response.

When I put in a suggestion online to Northern Rail to rectify this, I got a pithy one-line response from a woman at ISS World:

"Unfortunately Ellesmere Port is not a Northern Station, it belongs to Mersey Rail." I doubt whether she even read my submission beyond the first line.

I then tried writing to Northern Rail at "Freepost Northern Railway" but haven't had the courtesy of a reply.

How do you communicate with Northern Rail? Have they outsourced all suggestion/complaint handling to ISS World who seem to be as obstructive as certain medical receptionists?

Might be worth a shot contacting Merseyrail and seeing if you can get something sorted that way?
For example Merseyrail operate Bidston station but the TfW service from there to Wrexham is quite well publicised.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

For some reason, Merseyrail class the Ellesmere Port - Helsby & beyond service as a connection to "City Line" and so it appears in their red City Line timetable book. It would make far more sense to treat it as a connection to the "Wirral Line" and put in the green Wirral timetable book and on Wirral Line posters.

I refuse to sign up to Twitter so that avenue is not open to me.

 

[splashoutradio]

For some reason, Merseyrail class the Ellesmere Port - Helsby & beyond service as a connection to "City Line" and so it appears in their red City Line timetable book. It would make far more sense to treat it as a connection to the "Wirral Line" and put in the green Wirral timetable book and on Wirral Line posters.

Not so long ago, the line was categorised as a connecting route on the Wirral line (as shown by this image: https://www.flickr.com/photos/lukeorourke/7976214469/ ) Not sure what brought on the change to City Line status, it does seem a little odd.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

Might be worth a shot contacting Merseyrail and seeing if you can get something sorted that way?
For example Merseyrail operate Bidston station but the TfW service from there to Wrexham is quite well publicised.

I contacted Merseyrail who said they would be happy to put up posters at Ellesmere Port but Northern haven't provided any. ME say they have called contacted the Northern customer services team in relation to this matter who have advised they are going to look into this. As soon as ME receive any posters and timetables from themselves they will be displayed accordingly they say

It is now four and a half months since the Ellesmere Port - Leeds service started and still there are no posters showing the times of any services east of Ellesmere Port anywhere on that station (as of last week). You couldn't make it up. Are they deliberately trying to suppress usage of this line?

 

[Cheshire Rover]

I contacted Merseyrail who said they would be happy to put up posters at Ellesmere Port but Northern haven't provided any. ME say they have called contacted the Northern customer services team in relation to this matter who have advised they are going to look into this. As soon as ME receive any posters and timetables from themselves they will be displayed accordingly they say

It is now four and a half months since the Ellesmere Port - Leeds service started and still there are no posters showing the times of any services east of Ellesmere Port anywhere on that station (as of last week). You couldn't make it up. Are they deliberately trying to suppress usage of this line?

Standing only from Newton Le Willows this morning. Probably down to a cancelled service but it was the busiest I've seen it. It is getting busier slowly. The 0729 from Helsby is benefitting from passengers transferring off the 0721 service from Chester as well as the few locals. The 1707 from Man Vic is getting well populated as far as Bank Quay.

 

[geoffk]

I contacted Merseyrail who said they would be happy to put up posters at Ellesmere Port but Northern haven't provided any. ME say they have called contacted the Northern customer services team in relation to this matter who have advised they are going to look into this. As soon as ME receive any posters and timetables from themselves they will be displayed accordingly they say

It is now four and a half months since the Ellesmere Port - Leeds service started and still there are no posters showing the times of any services east of Ellesmere Port anywhere on that station (as of last week). You couldn't make it up. Are they deliberately trying to suppress usage of this line?

When I went to Castleford there was nothing at the station about the new service to Huddersfield. Admittedly this was soon after the service started in May. Perhaps operators are nervous of promoting a new service until they're confident it works in practice!

 

[Bovverboy]

Standing only from Newton Le Willows this morning. Probably down to a cancelled service but it was the busiest I've seen it.

TPE 9E07 (0725 Liverpool - Newcastle) - 0742 at NLW - was cancelled as far as Leeds. Any passengers waiting for it at NLW (and NLW is a busy station) would have had to catch either your own train or the ex-Chester TfW, there's nothing else.

 

[BrianB]

I contacted Merseyrail who said they would be happy to put up posters at Ellesmere Port but Northern haven't provided any. ME say they have called contacted the Northern customer services team in relation to this matter who have advised they are going to look into this. As soon as ME receive any posters and timetables from themselves they will be displayed accordingly they say

It is now four and a half months since the Ellesmere Port - Leeds service started and still there are no posters showing the times of any services east of Ellesmere Port anywhere on that station (as of last week). You couldn't make it up. Are they deliberately trying to suppress usage of this line?

Historically, it has always been the responsibility of the station 'owner' to provide impartial timetable information for ALL services, by whatever operator, from their station. Whether they produce it themselves or display what the other TOCs provide to them, the responsibility sits with them to do it, so following the proper channels this would be a Merseyrail issue to resolve. Sadly this rigid discipline seems to have gone out of the window over the last few years with the 'not our trains' attitude.

 

[geoffk]

I see that the Chester service is to call at Low Moor from December. It already stops at Sowerby Bridge and Mytholmroyd. Given that this was a part-replacement for the previous TPE Leeds - Warrington service, you would think it would be fast between Bradford and Hebden Bridge, with the other Leeds - Man Vic service picking up these intermediate calls, but perhaps it's not possible because of pathing.

 

[superkev]

I see that the Chester service is to call at Low Moor from December. It already stops at Sowerby Bridge and Mytholmroyd. Given that this was a part-replacement for the previous TPE Leeds - Warrington service, you would think it would be fast between Bradford and Hebden Bridge, with the other Leeds - Man Vic service picking up these intermediate calls, but perhaps it's not possible because of pathing.

I've always puzzled why the Calder Valley stoppers extend beyond Man vic rather than the express.
As for non stop Bradford to Hebden Bridge the catchment area of Sowerby bridge exceeds both Hebden Bridge and Todmordon combined but from December has significant service cuts.
K

 

[Glenn1969]

I think they were all supposed to extend but there are no paths for any more extensions

 

[Starmill]

The original plan for the franchise saw express services from Bradford being run through to:

Chester
Liverpool Lime Street
Manchester Airport

via Manchester Victoria. Unfortunately only one of these has been delivered.

 

[Cheshire Rover]

TPE 9E07 (0725 Liverpool - Newcastle) - 0742 at NLW - was cancelled as far as Leeds. Any passengers waiting for it at NLW (and NLW is a busy station) would have had to catch either your own train or the ex-Chester TfW, there's nothing else.

That will explain things, thank you. That said it was busy again this morning.

 

[frodshamfella]

I contacted Merseyrail who said they would be happy to put up posters at Ellesmere Port but Northern haven't provided any. ME say they have called contacted the Northern customer services team in relation to this matter who have advised they are going to look into this. As soon as ME receive any posters and timetables from themselves they will be displayed accordingly they say

It is now four and a half months since the Ellesmere Port - Leeds service started and still there are no posters showing the times of any services east of Ellesmere Port anywhere on that station (as of last week). You couldn't make it up. Are they deliberately trying to suppress usage of this line?

How difficult can it be to get a few posters up ! I contacted NCRUG a few years back as at Helsby Station the timetable did not mention timings to Ellesmere Port at all. It did eventually happen after some lobbying, but its shouldn't happen.

 

[Cheshire Rover]

Ellesmere Port to Leeds cancelled again this morning. Train crew again.

 

[Camden]

As the only train hearing that way in the morning, it's not surprising that few choose to rely on it even when run. Cancellations will drive that to the bare minimum.

It would be much better for Ellesmere Port to get that Merseyrail extension to Helsby.

 

[Cheshire Rover]

As the only train hearing that way in the morning, it's not surprising that few choose to rely on it even when run. Cancellations will drive that to the bare minimum.

It would be much better for Ellesmere Port to get that Merseyrail extension to Helsby.

It would. Better for passengers and better for Northern. This Northern morning service does get a few on it, but you just can't trust it to run.

 

[frodshamfella]

As the only train hearing that way in the morning, it's not surprising that few choose to rely on it even when run. Cancellations will drive that to the bare minimum.

It would be much better for Ellesmere Port to get that Merseyrail extension to Helsby.

Very much so.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

Ellesmere Port to Leeds cancelled again this morning. Train crew again.

Did they provide a replacement bus?

 

[mrcaa]

Did they provide a replacement bus?

I’ve never heard them mention one whenever it’s been cancelled. Just expect you to get a TfW or Chester Northern and then walk from Helsby I guess.

 

[VT 390]

I’ve never heard them mention one whenever it’s been cancelled. Just expect you to get a TfW or Chester Northern and then walk from Helsby I guess.

Surly they can't expect you to walk from Helsby if you have a valid ticket to Ellesmere Port? If no alternate transport is arranged I would have thought they would accept tickets via Chester and Hooton but I don't know.

 

[mrcaa]

Surly they can't expect you to walk from Helsby if you have a valid ticket to Ellesmere Port? If no alternate transport is arranged I would have thought they would accept tickets via Chester and Hooton but I don't know.

Yeah I guess maybe that. I’ve never actually asked them as I’d always parked at Helsby when I was getting it. It would still be a massive delay if you had to go via any other route though so I’d probably stick to driving if I lived in Ellesmere Port.