Ormskirk - Preston Sunday services

[adrock1976]

While searching online the other day for a reasonable fare from London to Glasgow, I have found that there are trains running between Ormskirk and Preston on Sunday 15 July between the approximate hours of 11:00 - 20:00. Historically and to the best of my knowledge, there is normally no Sunday service between Ormskirk and Preston.

I have already booked the tickets, so it is showing in website journey planners (the WebTis ones such as GWR, and obviously by specifying "Via Ormskirk"). Furthermore, the Real Time Trains website also shows these journeys as STP workings for that day.

On further checking, these trains are also shown to run as STP workings on the 22 July, but none on the 1st or 8th at all.

Could somebody explain exactly what is happening here?

 

[MidnightFlyer]

As a wild guess, to provide better connectivity into Liverpool whilst Lime St High Level is shut?

 

[Ianno87]

Huyton-Liverpool is bus replaced entirely on 22/7, so Ormskirk is operating to give an alternative train route from Preston and beyond.

However trains are running throughout via Huyton on 1/7 and 8/7 so no need to operate via Ormskirk.

 

[Vinnym]

Services are running on a Sunday during Lime Street blockade just as they did last year when Lime Street was closed.

 

[M28361M]

Trains were supposed to run every Sunday during the Lime Street blockade but were cancelled when Northern's current problems started.

I note they have disappeared from RTT for the 15th but are still in for the 22nd

 

[adrock1976]

Looks like I will have to go via Southport and met the Virgin Intercity at Wigan by the look of things, as there is also no Sunday service between Kirkby and Wigan.

On a side note during observations at Preston when I have changed trains there, it does seem to me that in the event of disruption/driver illness etc on Northern, it seems that the Ormskirk trains are the first to get the chop. I would like to add that my observations are unscientific when it is decided which trains are the first to be given the chop.

 

[Merseysider]

seems that the Ormskirk trains are the first to get the chop

Barrow to Manchester passengers get shafted even quicker.

As an example of how crap Northern are, today, 100% of the BIF -> MIA trains were cancelled and 3 out of the 4 MIA -> BIF trains were cancelled; the one survivor running 30 minutes late.

At least Ormskirk to Preston isn’t faring that badly!

 

[yorkie]

Does anyone know any more information about this?

Did any run on Sundays, and if so which Sundays?

Did Northern offer any publicity regarding either the additional trains being scheduled to run, or the subsequent cancellation of them?

I am aware of a passenger having made a booking in mid July for a journey in late July and when they got to the station staff denied all knowledge of trains ever having run on Sundays, which is not a nice situation for someone to be in.

 

[Bletchleyite]

OPSTA, the Ormskirk to Southport and Preston Traveller's Association, a very long running (since the 1980s at least) and small independent passengers' association for the line, had been conducting surveys and pressed Northern to introduce the services experimentally. However the timetable debacle caused them to be pulled.

There's quite a bit of info on their website:
http://www.opsta.btck.co.uk