This has been discussed in some detail in the thread about CrossCountry's intermittent cancellations on Sundays due to a shortage of train crew, and in the (now locked) Northern industrial dispite thread but it was off topic in both locations. Unless anyone can think of a better solution or sees something I have missed, this can go in its own thread here, as a service update thread complementary to this one to discuss timetables on Saturdays, but not to discuss the role of the guard, DOO etc.
I don't know what proportion the shortage of crew is between drivers and guards. It has been endemic for some time - at least six months - and seems to significantly affect North West England. The trains which are cancelled are different every week and go up and down in scope and scale. Exactly what the cause is has been open to debate.
Today the cancellations are really significant, it was quite bad on 22 December but this seems worse:
All Hazel Grove shuttles cancelled, use the 1tph Buxton services
Liverpool - Wigan shuttles all cancelled, use the 1tph Blackpool North services
Hadfield line trains reduced from half-hourly to hourly
Manchester Airport - Liverpool Lime St via Warrington Central all cancelled but were partly affected by engiering work today anyway, use the stopper
The following are all cancelled:
Blackburn - Southport via Todmorden and Machester
Manchester Airport - Blackpool North
Manchester Vic - Blackpool North
Colne - Blackpool South
www.northernrailway.co.uk/news/travel-alerts/2170-planned-cancellations-this-sunday-dec-30
This means that no trains are running at all between Wigan and Southport, between Burnley and Colne, Todmorden and Burnley or on the South Fylde line - all are being replaced with buses. Lostock, Blackrod and Adlington's trains are cancelled so they have to be served by a bus. I am not sure what is happening for the local stations between Burnley and Preston. The Clitheroe - Hellifield services are all cancelled too but then I don't think these have run for months on end. TransPennine Express have called all of their trains additionally at Wigan North Western today to assist. This reduced service level is also having a serious impact on the trains which are left. I was on 1322 Preston to Manchester Airport this afternoon and there were almost people left behind by the 2 car 156.
Looking to next Sunday 6 January, at the moment, broadly speaking a normal service is shown, and even the Clitheroe <> Hellfieild trains are shown as running at the moment. But is this too optimistic?
I don't know what proportion the shortage of crew is between drivers and guards. It has been endemic for some time - at least six months - and seems to significantly affect North West England. The trains which are cancelled are different every week and go up and down in scope and scale. Exactly what the cause is has been open to debate.
Today the cancellations are really significant, it was quite bad on 22 December but this seems worse:
All Hazel Grove shuttles cancelled, use the 1tph Buxton services
Liverpool - Wigan shuttles all cancelled, use the 1tph Blackpool North services
Hadfield line trains reduced from half-hourly to hourly
Manchester Airport - Liverpool Lime St via Warrington Central all cancelled but were partly affected by engiering work today anyway, use the stopper
The following are all cancelled:
Blackburn - Southport via Todmorden and Machester
Manchester Airport - Blackpool North
Manchester Vic - Blackpool North
Colne - Blackpool South
www.northernrailway.co.uk/news/travel-alerts/2170-planned-cancellations-this-sunday-dec-30
This means that no trains are running at all between Wigan and Southport, between Burnley and Colne, Todmorden and Burnley or on the South Fylde line - all are being replaced with buses. Lostock, Blackrod and Adlington's trains are cancelled so they have to be served by a bus. I am not sure what is happening for the local stations between Burnley and Preston. The Clitheroe - Hellifield services are all cancelled too but then I don't think these have run for months on end. TransPennine Express have called all of their trains additionally at Wigan North Western today to assist. This reduced service level is also having a serious impact on the trains which are left. I was on 1322 Preston to Manchester Airport this afternoon and there were almost people left behind by the 2 car 156.
Looking to next Sunday 6 January, at the moment, broadly speaking a normal service is shown, and even the Clitheroe <> Hellfieild trains are shown as running at the moment. But is this too optimistic?
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