Northern rail service increases in July

[yorksrob]

The intended service patterns for services from 14th September were released to stakeholders earlier today together with backgound explanations and statistics. They are worded slightly differently for West and Central Regions and East and North Regions. The following are just two relevant sentences from the West and Central Regions.

"The fact that we have several drivers who are scheduled to leave the business during the current calendar year either due to retirement or because they are scheduled to join other businesses in the rail industry only adds to the complexity of this resource situation."

"It is paramount that any changes we are proposing are both deliverable and resilient to ensure we provide a service our customers can rely on."

I'd accept a resilient service that is delivered and around which I can plan. Having the situation we had only too recently where trains failed to turn up, sometimes leaving folks to wait 2 or 3 hours in the hope that the next might arrive, certainly was unacceptable.

We may stamp our feet and gnarl our teeth, but they can't conjure up further trained staff overnight.

Are these service patterns available to the mere passengers who rely on the trains yet ?.

 

[AdamWW]

Are these service patterns available to the mere passengers who rely on the trains yet ?.

I thought by the usual definition of the term, passengers (or customers if you prefer) would be considered to be stakeholders.

 

[yorksrob]

I thought by the usual definition of the term, passengers (or customers if you prefer) would be considered to be stakeholders.

Well, I've not seem any evidence of this although someone's welcome to post a link.

 

[Howardh]

Earlier today I'm sure RTT wasn't showing the 2331 Piccadilly - Bolton. Anyhow glad it's there for September, but the uncertainty of it running at all - not even a bustitution, is putting me off a couple of advance tickets to London. I like to leave London around 2100 when things are quieter.

 

[Killingworth]

Are these service patterns available to the mere passengers who rely on the trains yet ?.

I'm sure someone will be able to pass them on but it comes as a very large email with tables and the actual times of trains aren't there. However, looking at the Hope Valley route the summary in the emails seem to tally with what's on RTT.

Previous posts in this thread seem to have picked up on the intentions for specific routes. There are a lot of routes and there's another 6-7 weeks before the timetables come into effect.

 

[yorksrob]

I'm sure someone will be able to pass them on but it comes as a very large email with tables and the actual times of trains aren't there. However, looking at the Hope Valley route the summary in the emails seem to tally with what's on RTT.

Previous posts in this thread seem to have picked up on the intentions for specific routes. There are a lot of routes and there's another 6-7 weeks before the timetables come into effect.

I'm particularly interested in how long the fiasco west of Skipton is set to continue.

 

[Llandudno]

I'm particularly interested in how long the fiasco west of Skipton is set to continue.

I don’t think the fiasco is solely limited to the route west of Skipton...

 

[yorksrob]

I don’t think the fiasco is solely limited to the route west of Skipton...

Indeed I'm aware of that, however it's the fiasco West of Skipton that affects me more.

 

[Killingworth]

I'm particularly interested in how long the fiasco west of Skipton is set to continue.

It says Morecambe/Lancaater to be 4 trains a day, some extended to Leeds.

The emails I've seen will have been received by user groups and the press. The actual details of each service are being loaded and RTT and others seem to have them. Unfortunately on the Bentham line RTT currently shows only 3 trains a day from September whereas 4 are currently running. Clearly some details still being thrashed out!

 

[yorksrob]

It says Morecambe/Lancaater to be 4 trains a day, some extended to Leeds.

The emails I've seen will have been received by user groups and the press. The actual details of each service are being loaded and RTT and others seem to have them. Unfortunately on the Bentham line RTT currently shows only 3 trains a day from September whereas 4 are currently running. Clearly some details still being thrashed out!

At present, the morning train is just about do-able. It's the lack of anything to get back that's the killer.

I'm desperately hoping that the new service is the 20:30 from Lancaster.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It says Morecambe/Lancaater to be 4 trains a day, some extended to Leeds.

The emails I've seen will have been received by user groups and the press. The actual details of each service are being loaded and RTT and others seem to have them. Unfortunately on the Bentham line RTT currently shows only 3 trains a day from September whereas 4 are currently running. Clearly some details still being thrashed out!

That's about as useful as Rose Hill Marple. Though at least there's a good bus service there (don't know about Bare Lane though?)

 

[peters]

The intended service patterns for services from 14th September were released to stakeholders earlier today together with backgound explanations and statistics. They are worded slightly differently for West and Central Regions and East and North Regions. The following are just two relevant sentences from the West and Central Regions.

The date is going to be an issue on any lines where there's a significant number of school pupils using the line and the service they usually use isn't going to be reinstated until 14th September. For high schools in Cheshire it seems there's going to be a phased return during the first week of September meaning by 4th September everyone is back at school, so 14th September is at least 10 days too late.

Having the situation we had only too recently where trains failed to turn up, sometimes leaving folks to wait 2 or 3 hours in the hope that the next might arrive, certainly was unacceptable.

Agreed. However, what happens if instead of the 18:00, 19:00 and 20:00 trains being scheduled to operate only the 19:00 service is scheduled to operate, then there's a problem at the last minute like the train breaking down or a driver feeling sick? Are Northern going to ensure the 19:00 runs no matter what even if it's delayed until 20:15 while they fix the train or source another driver or will they just cancel it meaning the problem you're describing will be just as bad for people?

We may stamp our feet and gnarl our teeth, but they can't conjure up further trained staff overnight.

But are Northern looking at every possible alternative like looking at loaning in drivers from other operators and looking at providing suitable replacement bus options or ticket acceptance on other forms of transport? Haven't there been instances where freight operators have got involved with emergency passenger train operations in Cumbria before?

Moderator note: As we've reached the end of July, this thread is now closed.

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