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TPE Cancellations today (Monday 15 July)

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Ben Bow

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There are a high number of TPE trains showing as cancelled on Journey check today, 55 last time I checked at 13.00. This is mostly down to faults with a new automatic selective door opening system on the 185's which was switched on overnight and has encountered multiple issues. This is despite the "switch on" being delayed previously for further testing and proving, this being the fourth date for its implementation that I am aware off. Can there be a more incompetent train operator in the country at the moment than TPE.... Its embarrassing.
 
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Ben Bow

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A staff notice just posted states that the system is going to be switched off again over the next few days....
 

61653 HTAFC

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At the May timetable change last year, we were promised by TPE that special stop orders would be used liberally in the event of disruption... no signs of that today, so journeys like Huddersfield to Batley are getting only 1tp2h. This wouldn't be so bad had Arriva removed their bus service between the two towns. The Scarborough service is still running non-stop to Leeds when the stopper it overtakes at Dewsbury isn't running this hour. Therefore a stop at Dewsbury could be accommodated with only a couple of extra minutes delay and no impact on following services.

A further question is why this SDO system has been introduced before it is ready, and when 6-car workings are so rare and most (if not all) stations can handle 3-car 185s. It's an unnecessary complication at the present time. There are several Northern units in the sidings at Huddersfield, which under BR could be brought in to fill some of the gaps caused by the 185 issue. Fair enough, the 195s won't have trained crews available but there's a 144 behind them that is better than no train at all.

When the public sector does things to a cost, we get Pacers... but when the private sector does things to a cost, we get Pacers being retained longer than their design life, and disruption when things go wrong, which can't easily be mitigated.
 

LittleAH

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At the May timetable change last year, we were promised by TPE that special stop orders would be used liberally in the event of disruption... no signs of that today, so journeys like Huddersfield to Batley are getting only 1tp2h. This wouldn't be so bad had Arriva removed their bus service between the two towns. The Scarborough service is still running non-stop to Leeds when the stopper it overtakes at Dewsbury isn't running this hour. Therefore a stop at Dewsbury could be accommodated with only a couple of extra minutes delay and no impact on following services.

A further question is why this SDO system has been introduced before it is ready, and when 6-car workings are so rare and most (if not all) stations can handle 3-car 185s. It's an unnecessary complication at the present time. There are several Northern units in the sidings at Huddersfield, which under BR could be brought in to fill some of the gaps caused by the 185 issue. Fair enough, the 195s won't have trained crews available but there's a 144 behind them that is better than no train at all.

When the public sector does things to a cost, we get Pacers... but when the private sector does things to a cost, we get Pacers being retained longer than their design life, and disruption when things go wrong, which can't easily be mitigated.

Don't get this argument at all. Enabling ASDO now allows TPE to be ready for the 6 car workings when their new trains finally come into service. Technology seems to have failed on some trains so they've taken a bold step to readdress the issue. Rather have one day of chaos than several days.

Time after time on these forums you see people complaining about small trains in the north. The technology is being used to enable more capacity, when the reality is what would be easier for all are longer platforms.
 

61653 HTAFC

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Don't get this argument at all. Enabling ASDO now allows TPE to be ready for the 6 car workings when their new trains finally come into service. Technology seems to have failed on some trains so they've taken a bold step to readdress the issue. Rather have one day of chaos than several days.

Time after time on these forums you see people complaining about small trains in the north. The technology is being used to enable more capacity, when the reality is what would be easier for all are longer platforms.
That's all well and good until it goes wrong, as it has today. The moment it was announced that TPE were taking over local calls between Huddersfield and Leeds I was concerned that those calls would be treated as an inconvenience and dropped at the first sign of trouble. Those fears have now been realised.

There's a greater issue at play though, which is the toothless approach by PTEs and TfN, particularly West Yorkshire which used to be more proactive, even funding new rolling stock in the 1980s and 90s.
 
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They've at least managed to find a working unit for the 1653 stopper from Leeds which I'm now on and has just been given its path out of the station throat.
 

Dren Ahmeti

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That's all well and good until it goes wrong, as it has today. The moment it was announced that TPE were taking over local calls between Huddersfield and Leeds I was concerned that those calls would be treated as an inconvenience and dropped at the first sign of trouble. Those fears have now been realised.
What a load of codswallop.
If you had the regulation document to hand, you’d know that - in the event of such disruption - the mitigation is to “run said Service fast to x”, so that it doesn’t screw up the rest of the service by being out of path.

Leeds, especially, has an insatiable and unmet need for capacity, and it’s not made better by metro-style services mixing with long-distance services, all converging on a pinch-point.
 

LittleAH

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That's all well and good until it goes wrong, as it has today. The moment it was announced that TPE were taking over local calls between Huddersfield and Leeds I was concerned that those calls would be treated as an inconvenience and dropped at the first sign of trouble. Those fears have now been realised.

There's a greater issue at play though, which is the toothless approach by PTEs and TfN, particularly West Yorkshire which used to be more proactive, even funding new rolling stock in the 1980s and 90s.

How have have these local calls been dropped at the first sign of trouble? You can't mitigate for what has happened today - it is a massive one off. I get the stopper to Manchester from Hudds regularly and have never had an issue - in fact they're more punctual if you're off to Man Pic.
 

matacaster

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Would it not make more sense to try out SDO late evening AFTER the rush hours on a more modest number of trains until it is perfected. (Say 19.00-23.00)

I seem to recall WYPTE bought the 155's from Leyland and their very basic door opening didn't work - it took around a year to fix and that was only a 2-coach sprinter, not a multi-unit 2x3 coach job. The units were parked up until it was fixed.
 

tpjm

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At the May timetable change last year, we were promised by TPE that special stop orders would be used liberally in the event of disruption... no signs of that today, so journeys like Huddersfield to Batley are getting only 1tp2h.

That's all well and good until it goes wrong, as it has today. The moment it was announced that TPE were taking over local calls between Huddersfield and Leeds I was concerned that those calls would be treated as an inconvenience and dropped at the first sign of trouble. Those fears have now been realised.

Whilst I appreciate that today has been somewhat of a mess, I'm not sure you can complain about 1tp2h between Huddersfield and Batley when it was also 1tp2h between York and Scarborough and 1tph vice 2tph York to Newcastle at points today. If TPE are cancelling long distance routes, surely it makes sense to economise and slim out the stopping services, especially when (despite being inconvenient) you could travel Batley to Leeds, then connect to go back the other way to Huddersfield without too much trouble. Also note worthy that on the whole, from 15:30 onwards, both sets of stopping services resumed to normal workings, thankfully as I was on my way home.

Would it not make more sense to try out SDO late evening AFTER the rush hours on a more modest number of trains until it is perfected. (Say 19.00-23.00)

My understanding is that to switch it on requires a person with a computer and all units had to be activated on the same day to avoid the 'is it C-ASDO or not' scenario which could present a serious safety risk.
 

Mugby

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Were TPE passengers accepted onto any other services or was it a case of 'Tough, wait for the next one'?
 

37057

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tpjm said:
My understanding is that to switch it on requires a person with a computer and all units had to be activated on the same day to avoid the 'is it C-ASDO or not' scenario which could present a serious safety risk.

There's a rotary switch in each vehicle, I think that's it.
 

setdown

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Is it the same system that South Western Railway are using on their Desiro trains? That’s been in use for a while now so I guess lessons could be learned from that.
 

tpjm

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Were TPE passengers accepted onto any other services or was it a case of 'Tough, wait for the next one'?
Ticket acceptance with most other TOCs running the same lines and buses where this wasn't the case.

There's a rotary switch in each vehicle, I think that's it.
Still the challenge of hitting 51 sets in one night I suppose... Although surely if that was the case, it would have been quick for a few TIs to switch off on problem units and not have the number of cancellations?
 

37057

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tpjm said:
Still the challenge of hitting 51 sets in one night I suppose... Although surely if that was the case, it would have been quick for a few TIs to switch off on problem units and not have the number of cancellations?

I'm not aware of the situation to be honest as I've been off for a few days. I'm sure I'll be up to speed when I'm back in though!
 

Ben Bow

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....

My understanding is that to switch it on requires a person with a computer and all units had to be activated on the same day to avoid the 'is it C-ASDO or not' scenario which could present a serious safety risk.

Staff have been warned it may take a few days to get all the units switched off again and to be vigilant during this period.
 

BeHereNow

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Bless their cotton socks, they keep doing such a good job and yet everything conspires against TPE.

Network Rail, open access operators, Northern, the disabled, train manufacturers, engineering companies, silly passengers overcrowding their trains, London Midland for taking the 350s away. Everyone seems so set on spoiling their brilliant ideas, making them look incompetent. Really not fair!
 

LittleAH

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Bless their cotton socks, they keep doing such a good job and yet everything conspires against TPE.

Network Rail, open access operators, Northern, the disabled, train manufacturers, engineering companies, silly passengers overcrowding their trains, London Midland for taking the 350s away. Everyone seems so set on spoiling their brilliant ideas, making them look incompetent. Really not fair!

Somebody get sacked by TPE I guess and still holds a grudge?
 

Iskra

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At the May timetable change last year, we were promised by TPE that special stop orders would be used liberally in the event of disruption... no signs of that today, so journeys like Huddersfield to Batley are getting only 1tp2h. This wouldn't be so bad had Arriva removed their bus service between the two towns. The Scarborough service is still running non-stop to Leeds when the stopper it overtakes at Dewsbury isn't running this hour. Therefore a stop at Dewsbury could be accommodated with only a couple of extra minutes delay and no impact on following services.

A further question is why this SDO system has been introduced before it is ready, and when 6-car workings are so rare and most (if not all) stations can handle 3-car 185s. It's an unnecessary complication at the present time. There are several Northern units in the sidings at Huddersfield, which under BR could be brought in to fill some of the gaps caused by the 185 issue. Fair enough, the 195s won't have trained crews available but there's a 144 behind them that is better than no train at all.

When the public sector does things to a cost, we get Pacers... but when the private sector does things to a cost, we get Pacers being retained longer than their design life, and disruption when things go wrong, which can't easily be mitigated.

Not sure what the former 229 bus between Huddersfield and Batley could have offered considering the snail-paced, roundabout journey it took on the congested A62. And of course, the bus station is still a decent walk to the train station. Wouldn't the sensible thing to do be to travel to Dewsbury and wait for a Northern service to Batley, which would still probably be quicker?
 

61653 HTAFC

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Not sure what the former 229 bus between Huddersfield and Batley could have offered considering the snail-paced, roundabout journey it took on the congested A62. And of course, the bus station is still a decent walk to the train station. Wouldn't the sensible thing to do be to travel to Dewsbury and wait for a Northern service to Batley, which would still probably be quicker?
The 229 was never too bad outside of the rush hour, though noticeably worse if there's an issue with the trains. In the end I took the Casvegas flyer to Mirfield and changed there.
 
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