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Northern Station Improvements & New Ticket Machines

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LowLevel

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I was somewhat concerned to find that of all the machines at Worksop not a single 'assistance' button actually works leaving the station without a help point so far as I could find. There's a little notice on the machine telling you to call an 0800 number for assistance but without any info that you need to select customer relations to get any help if you're stranded - the obvious option for up to date train running info connects you to the entirely useless National Rail Enquiries instead.

Also only any good if you happen to have a phone on you. Not at all good for a fairly large and part time staffed station.

Happily I was able to assist and kick Northern into providing replacement transport before my back working departed as I was approached for help.
 
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Killingworth

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I was somewhat concerned to find that of all the machines at Worksop not a single 'assistance' button actually works leaving the station without a help point so far as I could find. There's a little notice on the machine telling you to call an 0800 number for assistance but without any info that you need to select customer relations to get any help if you're stranded - the obvious option for up to date train running info connects you to the entirely useless National Rail Enquiries instead.

Also only any good if you happen to have a phone on you. Not at all good for a fairly large and part time staffed station.

Happily I was able to assist and kick Northern into providing replacement transport before my back working departed as I was approached for help.

Do any of the help buttons on the latest TVMs work? A year after installation I've not seen anyone have success using it at our station, although we do have a stand alone help point - which is often out of order.
 

sheff1

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Do any of the help buttons on the latest TVMs work?

I have never seen one which has worked when someone tried to use it.

When the the new super-size screens began to be rolled out there was much fanfare (possibly other TOCs, rather than Northern) that you could get connected to someone for assistance and that, if necessary, that someone could take over control of the machine to help you buy a ticket. Has anyone seen this in operation anywhere ?
 

Puffing Devil

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A yellow 'Tardis' has arrived at Dore & Totley. Apparently they're intended to go into all busy Northern stations where electrical wiring is available and a secure back wall is present.

Hopefully it is less sensitive than ticket machines, and adds to total revenue for Northern. Is this a station improvement?
View attachment 64025

I wonder if there are any parking concessions at the busier stations as people drop in to pick up their goods?
 

Puffing Devil

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Given that these Amazon pick-up points are quite common at supermarkets, I would imagine any at train stations are more likely to be aimed at commuters on their way home.

Aimed at, though not necessarily. There's one at a filling station close to me.
 

Bantamzen

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Aimed at, though not necessarily. There's one at a filling station close to me.

I would imagine that the usual use of these would be by commuters, other Amazon points tend to be a places that people will visit as part of their pick-up such as supermarkets, petrol stations etc. Busy railways stations, especially those with car parks with charges might not be the most likely choice for someone driving to pick their order up. Someone coming home from work on a train however would find this more useful.
 

Bletchleyite

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I would imagine that the usual use of these would be by commuters, other Amazon points tend to be a places that people will visit as part of their pick-up such as supermarkets, petrol stations etc. Busy railways stations, especially those with car parks with charges might not be the most likely choice for someone driving to pick their order up. Someone coming home from work on a train however would find this more useful.

I'm slightly surprised there isn't one at Euston, though I suppose there's the security risk that someone collects something then inserts a bomb before closing the door, and it would compete with Doddle.
 

Bantamzen

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I'm slightly surprised there isn't one at Euston, though I suppose there's the security risk that someone collects something then inserts a bomb before closing the door, and it would compete with Doddle.

It would be an ideal location, security concerns notwithstanding. Saying that Amazon are also trialling a pop-up shop in Manchester, so for bigger locations like Euston there may one day be a staffed store with collection points that are monitored if the Manchester shop convinces Amazon to expand on the idea.
 

skifans

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I don't know exactly when it was installed but I was very surprised to see one of the new information displays at Heysham Harbor for its one train a day - although not working at the time. I was also very surprised not to be the only passengers onboard not heading for the boat.
 

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NorthernSpirit

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Seems rather excesive having screens installed at a station that only gets one train a day.
 

td97

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Platform extensions are underway at Entwistle and Hall ith Wood.

Not sure if they've given up with the idea of installing a ticket machine at Hall ith Wood, as the orange barriers (which were up for about a year) around where a machine would have been installed have been gone for over a month without any indication of electrical works being done. Perhaps anti-social behaviour around other machines has forced a re-think.
 

Howardh

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I don't know exactly when it was installed but I was very surprised to see one of the new information displays at Heysham Harbor for its one train a day - although not working at the time. I was also very surprised not to be the only passengers onboard not heading for the boat.
Which would be cheaper, installing one of those displays, or buying a cheap 41" TV from Argos and putting that inside a protective box and sending the times to that?
 

61653 HTAFC

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NR have begun stocking a compound near Honley station ahead of works to extend platforms at several stations on the Huddersfield to Sheffield line.

Though without the much trickier task of extending P2 at Huddersfield, those extensions will not be able to be used.

That is until the TPE stoppers are rejoined, which would leave platform 4b available for Sheffield services longer than 50m.
 

AndyHudds

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NR have begun stocking a compound near Honley station ahead of works to extend platforms at several stations on the Huddersfield to Sheffield line.

Though without the much trickier task of extending P2 at Huddersfield, those extensions will not be able to be used.

That is until the TPE stoppers are rejoined, which would leave platform 4b available for Sheffield services longer than 50m.

Could they not cut into Platform 1? Platform 1 is quite long at Huddersfield shaving a bit off could be an option.
 

61653 HTAFC

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Could they not cut into Platform 1? Platform 1 is quite long at Huddersfield shaving a bit off could be an option.
That's the plan, and is what I was referring to when I described it as tricky: in order to gain the extra 15-20metres needed will shorten P1 such that a 6-car 185 wouldn't fit, so it needs to be extended at the other end. Then there's the issue of doing so whilst P1 remains open, and while keeping access to both the pub (step-free access is via the platform) and to P2 itself. Excavation of a section of platform (such as to extend P2 as planned) is more tricky than extending the timber platform at Berry Brow in a similar way to how Deighton and Slaithwaite were done recently. The worksite is a riskier environment, with far more pedestrian traffic nearby, and more frequent train movements* adjacent.

*=More frequent than BBW, not DTN, obviously!
 

61653 HTAFC

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I believe this is part of the Trans Pennine Upgrade programme as Huddersfield station will be remodelled.
Forgot to mention this in my reply above: the plans for Huddersfield haven't been finalised as yet, and may involve some revision to the earlier proposal with regard to the Penistone line bay. The mk1 carriage in the original Platform 2 may be removed, with the Penistone line bay returned to that position. Hopefully this won't mean that no extension happens until a decision is made, otherwise any 3-car 150s on Sheffield services will have to use platform 4b... which would return to the way things were in 1988!
 

NorthernSpirit

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How long before Denton gets one? :)

Or Reddish South or even Redcar British Steel for that matter.

At the more limited stations, could there be a way to integrate the departure boards into these video wall ticket machines?

GWR and/or Southern have similar, but integrated into their video screen help points.
 

scrapy

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Or Reddish South or even Redcar British Steel for that matter.

At the more limited stations, could there be a way to integrate the departure boards into these video wall ticket machines?

GWR and/or Southern have similar, but integrated into their video screen help points.
It is actually in the franchise spec that every station in the Greater Manchester ticketing area (and other metro areas) got one, along with every other Northern station which had more than 3k passengers in per annum in 2015 by 2022. So under the franchise agreement Reddish South should get one. MUFC halt was also on the original list for installation despite being effectively closed.

I do know that the installation programme for machines is nearly complete and all the concrete bases for machines are in. So if there isn't a base in it's unlikely a station will now get a machine. Some stations are awaiting actual machine installation due to issues with power/communications but these should all be in by April 2020.
 

Spartacus

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At the more limited stations, could there be a way to integrate the departure boards into these video wall ticket machines?

I guess the trouble is that at some point someone's going to be dithering taking 15 minutes to buy a ticket while others just want to know when their train's due.
 

61653 HTAFC

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Nearly everyone has a "departure screen" on their person every time they leave the house, which gives pretty much the same information as the countdown screens...
 

DaveB10780

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Yesterday we had another issue with this software. This is a journey from Furness Vale to Manchester Piccadilly where the tickets were bought at 1035. Despite me telling the family member that this is an off peak journey whatever the time of return since we are outside the Manchester area they bought any time return tickets. I suggest that it is outrageous that the machine should offer an any time ticket under these conditions. This was for a standard and 16-25 rail card ticket so paid £8.40 too much. This is because they find it hard to understand the rules and were worried when buying the ticket that I was wrong. This would NEVER have happened in the days when tickets were bought on the train. I will be writing to Northern to attempt to claim the money back since this is really theft by any other name.
 

johntea

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Derby-based contractor Input Group is to start work this month on a £2·8m modernisation of Castleford station. This includes the provision of improved waiting facilities and a ticket machine, accessible toilet and sheltered cycle parking, as well as an upgrade of the subway link to residential areas south of the town centre. The Castleford Rail Station Gateway scheme is a joint initiative of the West Yorkshire Combined Authority, Northern, Network Rail and Wakefield Council, financed from the West Yorkshire-plus Transport Fund.

Source:https://www.railwaygazette.com/uk/uk-railway-news-round-up/55066.article

Also some artistic impressions here : https://www.yourvoice.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/castleford_rail

It seems a bit of a random makeover, also how on earth have they arrived at a figure of 2.8 million quid?!
 

Killingworth

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Source:https://www.railwaygazette.com/uk/uk-railway-news-round-up/55066.article

Also some artistic impressions here : https://www.yourvoice.westyorks-ca.gov.uk/castleford_rail

It seems a bit of a random makeover, also how on earth have they arrived at a figure of 2.8 million quid?!

Having seen a much less ambitious railway scheme quadruple in cost from first estimates it doesn't surprise me. There are a lot of details that have to be considered. Sad to say there are a lot more bells and whistle that won't be providede. (Like why were the ticket machines at Kirkstall Forge not placed under cover?! ) In this case there's a disabled toilet, and hopefully a toilet for any of us. It's a regularly raised question at our station "where's the toilet?" Many stations would love to have one, but like many other nice additions they don't come cheap, not least because of modern maintenance criteria.
 

_toommm_

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Having seen a much less ambitious railway scheme quadruple in cost from first estimates it doesn't surprise me. There are a lot of details that have to be considered. Sad to say there are a lot more bells and whistle that won't be providede. (Like why were the ticket machines at Kirkstall Forge not placed under cover?! ) In this case there's a disabled toilet, and hopefully a toilet for any of us. It's a regularly raised question at our station "where's the toilet?" Many stations would love to have one, but like many other nice additions they don't come cheap, not least because of modern maintenance criteria.

At least with Dore and Totley or a lot of the stations on the Hope Valley line, there will be a lot less chance of the toilet facilities being misused compared to Cas...
 

Killingworth

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At least with Dore and Totley or a lot of the stations on the Hope Valley line, there will be a lot less chance of the toilet facilities being misused compared to Cas...

Knowledge of nearby pubs, cafes and restaurants is an advantage when travelling to many stations, but buying a cuppa or a pint will usually be appreciated before using their other services. Without purchase the exchange rate is 20p for a pee at Grindleford station cafe! Otherwise when out in the Peak District find a secluded bush!!
 

td97

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Platform extensions are underway at Entwistle and Hall ith Wood.
And looking fairly completed.
Presumably this is to allow 4x23m services to stop at stations on the line?
Given double 150s already fit and are already used, is there a plan for 4-carriage 156s or even 158s at any point?
 

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