Recent Transpennine Express problems: What's going on?

[BeHereNow]

Oh dear.

 

[tpjm]

Hmm... 7 into 13 doesn't go. Two short....

6 car Cl185 propping it up.

 

[Ben Bow]

Another poor day today. JourneyCheck even had an announcement about a shortage of control staff. How much longer can this go on....

 

[gazzaa2]

Another poor day today. JourneyCheck even had an announcement about a shortage of control staff. How much longer can this go on....

Not enough staff, not enough carriages, overcrowded trains, creaking infrastructure, Manc-Leeds electrification and Piccaddilly 15-16 shelved.

There's enough other TOCs with some of the same problems to keep the pressure off (Northern, Cross Country, LNR).

It's a general shambles at the moment.

 

[londonmidland]

More fun on the TPE network today, due to a broken down train and the usual congestion in and out of Manchester Victoria.

There’s also a points failure at Chorley.

 

[scarby]

Five incoming services cancelled into Scarborough yesterday, with corresponding outward cancellations.

0840 20 minutes late arriving this morning and the 0940 over 30 minutes late.

Services have now been between terrible and regularly late for a year and a half. For as long as I can remember Scarborough-York services were mundanely reliable, but that has been savaged since May 2018. Shameful that what should be a straightforward service has declined so massively. A real pity as it puts a cloud over the introduction of the new trains.

 

[AndyHudds]

16.40 and 16.50 from Leeds both cancelled tonight leaving the 16.53 stopper service to Huddersfield crammed. Absolutely crazy.

 

[MalaiseForever]

16.40 and 16.50 from Leeds both cancelled tonight leaving the 16.53 stopper service to Huddersfield crammed. Absolutely crazy.

The 1640 is usually full and standing too.

 

[AndyHudds]

The 1640 is usually full and standing too.

It is but not tonight due to it being cancelled. Driver shortage apparently.

 

[gazzaa2]

16.40 and 16.50 from Leeds both cancelled tonight leaving the 16.53 stopper service to Huddersfield crammed. Absolutely crazy.

This TOC has been worse than Northern lately.

 

[northernchris]

This TOC has been worse than Northern lately.

It is frustrating when consecutive services are cancelled especially as there's no guarantee you would be able to board the next available service. In the case of today, that's 6 carriages lost during the height of the evening peak and TPE are seemingly getting away with this. It's about time the media and MPs focussed their attention on TPE to at least get the operator to acknowledge their failings

 

[BeHereNow]

Quite a few crew-related part cancellations today according to JourneyCheck.

 

[tpjm]

It is frustrating when consecutive services are cancelled especially as there's no guarantee you would be able to board the next available service. In the case of today, that's 6 carriages lost during the height of the evening peak and TPE are seemingly getting away with this. It's about time the media and MPs focussed their attention on TPE to at least get the operator to acknowledge their failings

On a positive note, a couple of the trains that came through after were 6 cars!

 

[northernchris]

On a positive note, a couple of the trains that came through after were 6 cars!

Not all bad then

I noticed today's 1740 from Leeds - Manchester Piccadilly was a 6 car set so looks like the displaced 185s are providing much needed capacity where it's needed

 

[AndyHudds]

Just arrived at Huddersfield and the 6.45 to Middlesbrough is delayed by 30 minutes, the 7.00 to Scarborough delays by 17 minutes!!! All the while the platform fills up. Who are TPE accountable to?

 

[BeHereNow]

Another dire week for northern TPE routes, plenty of cancellations and late running 14.45 from York to Scarborough cancelled as well as return trip at 16.47 from Scarborough due to train crew shortages.

The only solution I see to this is to make the financial penalty for this type of cancellation so severe that it is cheaper to have enough train crew on hand to cover for sickness, holidays, training etc.

ORR publish the number of cancellations by cause here https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/media/1424/train-cancellations-quarterly-by-toc-table-368.xlsx

In the last quarter TransPennine ran 29555 services, and had 518 + 36 = 554 TOC on Self cancellations, an average of about 6.6 a day.

 

[Dr Hoo]

ORR publish the number of cancellations by cause here https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/media/1424/train-cancellations-quarterly-by-toc-table-368.xlsx

In the last quarter TransPennine ran 29555 services, and had 518 + 36 = 554 TOC on Self cancellations, an average of about 6.6 a day.

But the ORR data seems to lump ‘Train faults’ all together with things like crew shortages.

A wider issue that having ‘enough’ drivers can’t be solved quickly no matter how big the penalties or reputational damage. Even with full or even ‘over’ establishments a TOC could have depots full of drivers with the right route knowledge twiddling their thumbs waiting for the new stock to clock enough fault-free miles per set to be delivered and trained on.

Nearly all of the TPE cancellations that I have experienced recently seem have been traceable back to new stock sitting down in mid-diagram at York, Leeds, Manchester Victoria or wherever with no realistic prospect of finding a Class 185 to cover.

I well remember being on a train at York with the then TransPennine MD in the middle of the switch from Class 158s to 185s when we got ‘stuck’ in mid-diagram so this is nothing new. At least the Main Man was there with his badge on to walk through and apologise to all the passengers personally.

Moderator note: please continue the recent discussion about how to solve the problems on TPE in this thread: https://www.railforums.co.uk/thread...lems-what-could-be-done-to-solve-them.194110/ thanks