Northern Weekend Trains between Clitheroe and Hellifield

[507020]

No services today

I know. I would’ve liked to have travelled on it today if it was running. I’m lucky I found out before leaving and didn’t find myself stranded at Hellifield as I have been intending to travel to Carlisle via the Cumbrian coast and return via the S&C and Clitheroe.

With Clitheroe being the only point of Western access to the Settle - Carlisle line and only a single scheduled passenger working per week, is there no commitment/requirement for a minimum level of service to be provided, or is it not a true parliamentary service because the line is still “closed” to passengers and Northern is no longer a franchise?

Either way it is very disappointing for anyone wishing to travel on the S&C line without a detour via Leeds or Lancaster, in good weather and when there isn’t a blockade east of Manchester Victoria.

It did not operate last Sunday which was to be the final dalesrail for this year.

Luckily Community Rail Lancashire publishes cancellations before people attempt to travel. Given how often this happens, it would be very useful if the Upper Wensleydale Railway proposal gained enough traction for ALL Rochdale/Manchester/Bolton - Blackburn/Clitheroe services to be extended via Hellifield to a new terminus and interchange with heritage services at Hawes.

 

[Roger B]

It did not operate last Sunday which was to be the final dalesrail for this year.

They were in RTT when I looked on Friday. Elsewhere I've seen it stated elsewhere that today's services are included in Northern's PDF, and I've also seen it reported that both round trips were showing as VCN yesterday - ie VSTP cancellation.

 

[507020]

Will the Clitheroe - Hellifield services definitely be running tomorrow?

 

[_toommm_]

Will the Clitheroe - Hellifield services definitely be running tomorrow?

Its still in the timetable for tomorrow - whether they get any free on the day is another question though…

 

[Ant158]

Will the Clitheroe - Hellifield services definitely be running tomorrow?

This service ran today (26/09/21). Unfortunately I havn't seen it advertised anywhere. 158757 was doing the honours today, pictured here at Whalley on the 16.05 to Hellifield.

Northern Trains 158757 at Whalley Railway Station on the Winter Sundays only 16.05 to Hellifield

Explore Ant (ac_1076)'s 14201 photos on Flickr!

flic.kr

 

[Bletchleyite]

This service ran today (26/09/21). Unfortunately I havn't seen it advertised anywhere. 158757 was doing the honours today, pictured here at Whalley on the 16.05 to Hellifield.

I used it once. On my own, no other passengers.

Unlike DalesRail there isn't much attempt to publicise this service - who sponsors it?

 

[Ant158]

I used it once. On my own, no other passengers.

Unlike DalesRail there isn't much attempt to publicise this service - who sponsors it?

When this was first introduced I remember reading that the funding for the 2nd Sunday Dalesrail train in the summer would be transferred to provide the funding for this winter service. I'm not sure if this still applies.

 

[Bletchleyite]

When this was first introduced I remember reading that the funding for the 2nd Sunday Dalesrail train in the summer would be transferred to provide the funding for this winter service. I'm not sure if this still applies.

Interesting. I think the second DalesRail provided more value, to be honest - the first one is quite early and so doesn't have decent connections from very many places.

 

[507020]

This service ran today (26/09/21). Unfortunately I havn't seen it advertised anywhere. 158757 was doing the honours today, pictured here at Whalley on the 16.05 to Hellifield.

And here it is pictured again at 17:25 at Hellifield, with several passengers getting ready to board. I was very happy to be able to travel on it and found that the line from Clitheroe - Hellifield is just as scenic as the main Settle - Carlisle line.

While I do like the 3 car 158s, would it not have made more sense to have swapped 158757 with one of the 2 car 158s on the connecting Carlisle - Leeds service where more capacity is needed? Both services I travelled on yesterday, 12:23 Carlisle - Ribblehead and 16:43 Ribblehead - Hellifield, had no spare seats and a few passengers were forced to stand.

 

[30907]

While I do like the 3 car 158s, would it not have made more sense to have swapped 158757 with one of the 2 car 158s on the connecting Carlisle - Leeds service where more capacity is needed?

Unfortunately, that would leave Blackpool short for the weekday service.
There are 3-car sets available for the Leeds services - indeed one was out yesterday, but not on those trains.

 

[507020]

Unfortunately, that would leave Blackpool short for the weekday service.
There are 3-car sets available for the Leeds services - indeed one was out yesterday, but not on those trains.

How would it be too short for Blackpool on a weekday when it runs Sundays only? I was asking why a 3 car 158 isn’t swapped with a 2 car 158 on one of the busier Leeds - Carlisle diagrams instead of running virtually empty on the Hellifield - Blackpool North while people are standing from Carlisle - Leeds. I did see the 3 car 158759 going in the other direction while I was at Ribblehead, so I know they weren’t all 2 car.

 

[Adam0984]

The 3 car for the Dalesrail comes ECS from Wigan on the Saturday evening and goes ECS back to Wigan on Sunday evening

The Sunday Leeds to Carlisle are a mixture of 2, 3 and 4 cars usually (the morning Leeds to Carlisle started at Skipton this Sunday gone because or engineering work)