TPE Mk5/68 sets.

[Geeves]

The 68 yesterday wasn't even showing in Gemini or even Trust so I guess TPE must be doing things a different way

 

[158841]

There seems to be a booked diagram on a Saturday between York and Scarborough which when I travelled up 2 weeks ago was in the hands of 68033 (The Poppy)
Except that I've not seen a single set!

 

[MattRat]

Are you sure about that?

I was pretty sure till everyone kept telling me I was wrong. It is the case at other TOCs, but TPE must be different.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

I was pretty sure till everyone kept telling me I was wrong. It is the case at other TOCs, but TPE must be different.

If anything, double-crewing of ungangwayed units will be the exception rather than the rule (and in any case wouldn't really be "double crewing" as you won't need a second driver, just a second conductor). Certainly Northern don't need two conductors on a 4-car 150/1 set, and GWR don't need a second conductor on a 5-car Turbo.

TPE certainly don't need a second conductor on 6-car 185 sets. They're struggling for crews enough as it is!

 

[SuperNova]

I was pretty sure till everyone kept telling me I was wrong. It is the case at other TOCs, but TPE must be different.

Two crews were only required before C-ASDO was fully up an running on services that had short platforms. This is no longer an issue.

 

[Russel]

What has gone wrong at TPE?

Until a few years ago they seemed like a competent and reliable operation.

 

[MCSHF007]

What has gone wrong at TPE?

Until a few years ago they seemed like a competent and reliable operation.

In their so-called wisdom they decided that train crew only needed to know 50-80 miles of route. Planning to fail.

 

[Sheffcaster202]

I was pretty sure till everyone kept telling me I was wrong. It is the case at other TOCs, but TPE must be different.

I think it varies a lot between tocs and even depots/regions within those tocs

I regularly work 2 units coupled together that aren’t gangway connected and 99% of the time it’s just driver up front and me in the back set, occasionally we’ll have someone travelling pass/assist and they’ll generally jump in the front set but that’s more of a ‘just in case’, never a requirement in my depot

I’ve heard that other depots/regions do require another member of staff up front but not 100% on this

 

[sjpowermac]

Judging by a number of posts in this thread, I think there's an over-reliance on RTT for assuming what is or isn't working. Over the last few months, services operated with Class 68's often show no allocation, a situation not caused by RTT.

Largely due to TPE's kamikaze approach to crew knowledge and diagramming, the situation is indeed dire, but it isn't quite as bad as some of the claims, such as yesterday's "None in service today at all" - which is simply untrue. 68019 worked plenty of passenger services that day.

@sjpowermac would be able to provide more detailed observations.

I didn’t assume no sets were out because of no allocations, I worked it out on the basis that every possible service was, at the time I looked, either allocated a 185 or cancelled. The information was correct to the best of my knowledge at the time of posting. Not all of us have access to industry systems to see what’s really happening, we have to rely on what’s available to us.

Workings for Friday 09.03.2023
68019/TP11
5U40 Scarborough TMD-Scarborough
1U40 0948 Scarborough-York
1U43 1203 York-Scarborough
1U56 1348 Scarborough-York
1U59 1604 York-Scarborough
1U72 1748 Scarborough-Leeds
1U75 1934 Leeds-Scarborough
1U88 2148 Scarborough-York
1U87 2303 York-Scarborough

So, whilst considerably fewer trains than diagrammed, most definitely not zero.

@DanNCL
I’m not sure what website you get your info from, but looking on RTT from about 0230 onwards would have shown your statement about allocations to be completely incorrect: 1U40 through to 1U59 were shown as running, but unallocated, which is the exact point @D6700 was making to you. 1U72 to 1U87 were originally shown as a Class 185, but 68019 switched on to that diagram when its original booked turn was cancelled.

As I understand it, the reason the locos sometimes don’t show up on RTT is that when they switch from being on TOPS to GENIUS (I think) someone doesn’t input that info. 68019/TP11 (along with 68025) worked back from Neville Hill to Longsight on 03.03.2023 as a Rail Operations Group movement. It wasn’t showing up on RTT (and presumably railway industry systems) from 07.03.2023 onwards when it recommenced work for TPE.

Hope that helps

It’s pretty clear why TPE aren’t using the 68s and it isn’t because of the snow.

I would be most grateful if you were to state the reason why you think fewer 68s are being used…

 

[DanNCL]

Workings for Friday 09.03.2023
68019/TP11
5U40 Scarborough TMD-Scarborough
1U40 0948 Scarborough-York
1U43 1203 York-Scarborough
1U56 1348 Scarborough-York
1U59 1604 York-Scarborough
1U72 1748 Scarborough-Leeds
1U75 1934 Leeds-Scarborough
1U88 2148 Scarborough-York
1U87 2303 York-Scarborough

So, whilst considerably fewer trains than diagrammed, most definitely not zero.

@DanNCL
I’m not sure what website you get your info from, but looking on RTT from about 0230 onwards would have shown your statement about allocations to be completely incorrect: 1U40 through to 1U59 were shown as running, but unallocated, which is the exact point @D6700 was making to you. 1U72 to 1U87 were originally shown as a Class 185, but 68019 switched on to that diagram when its original booked turn was cancelled.

As I understand it, the reason the locos sometimes don’t show up on RTT is that when they switch from being on TOPS to GENIUS (I think) someone doesn’t input that info. 68019/TP11 (along with 68025) worked back from Neville Hill to Longsight on 03.03.2023 as a Rail Operations Group movement. It wasn’t showing up on RTT (and presumably railway industry systems) from 07.03.2023 onwards when it recommenced work for TPE.

Hope that helps


I would be most grateful if you were to state the reason why you think fewer 68s are being used…

RTT but I didn’t go in to see the allocations just looked very quickly at the carriages and didn’t see any 5s. So very easy for me to have missed something!

My last comment wasn’t suggesting anything about the 68s themselves, more a reference to TPE struggling to run anything reliably, for reasons that have been covered in several threads several times.

 

[sjpowermac]

RTT but I didn’t go in to see the allocations just looked very quickly at the carriages and didn’t see any 5s. So very easy for me to have missed something!

My last comment wasn’t suggesting anything about the 68s themselves, more a reference to TPE struggling to run anything reliably, for reasons that have been covered in several threads several times.

So, since you didn’t actually check allocations, your claim to @D6700 wasn’t true when you said:

I worked it out on the basis that every possible service was, at the time I looked, either allocated a 185 or cancelled.

Why not just apologise and admit that you were wrong? All ways round, your following statement was factually incorrect:

None in service today at all.

I’m still curious as to what you believe are the reasons behind there being Class 185s operating Class 68 diagrams.

 

[DanNCL]

So, since you didn’t actually check allocations, your claim to @D6700 wasn’t true when you said:

Why not just apologise and admit that you were wrong? All ways round, your following statement was factually incorrect:

I’m still curious as to what you believe are the reasons behind there being Class 185s operating Class 68 diagrams.

I’ve admitted I was wrong. I don’t see any reason to continue dwelling on it.

This has been discussed to death, but we know there are still crews who don’t sign 68s, and we know that route knowledge has been butchered to an extent where depots often can’t cover for unavailable crews elsewhere. Then there’s DFT micro management.

 

[XAM2175]

I’ve admitted I was wrong. I don’t see any reason to continue dwelling on it.

You'd have been fine if you'd just said "when I skimmed the list on RTT at x time, all the services that weren't cancelled showed as being 3 or 6 cars". Being clear about the way you obtained your information, and not overstating your level of confidence, helps readers to assess the likelihood of being accurate and reliable. It's the same as with @MattRat just a few posts ago - they very forthrightly responded "Lack of crew, because lack of end gangways on 185s, which requires two sets of crew" as a certain answer when in actuality it seems it was an assumption based on policy at other TOCs.

By the way; this isn't intended as dwelling, but rather as a quick and simple learning point for better communication.

 

[ac6000cw]

If anything, double-crewing of ungangwayed units will be the exception rather than the rule (and in any case wouldn't really be "double crewing" as you won't need a second driver, just a second conductor). Certainly Northern don't need two conductors on a 4-car 150/1 set, and GWR don't need a second conductor on a 5-car Turbo.

In the heyday of the 365's on Kings Cross services, the 12-car trains were 3 x no-end-gangway units operated DOO...

 

[sjpowermac]

I’ve admitted I was wrong. I don’t see any reason to continue dwelling on it.

This has been discussed to death, but we know there are still crews who don’t sign 68s, and we know that route knowledge has been butchered to an extent where depots often can’t cover for unavailable crews elsewhere. Then there’s DFT micro management.

At no point did you admit you were wrong, but hey, let’s not let facts get in the way of a sweeping statement.

Some genuine questions for you below.

1. Which Class 68 drivers have had their route knowledge ‘butchered’?

2. How many of the intended Class 68 link drivers have yet to be trained?

3. What examples can you give of DfT micro management?

I’m keen to improve my knowledge on this topic.

 

[IslandLine101]

Most answers are on the thread, and the previous one on this subject a few months ago!

1- All TPE drivers have limited route knowledge know ever since the decision to split the crew diagrams and have multiple crew changes along the way for each service, occasionally Manchester and always Leeds or York. Hence if the Leeds - Manchester driver is sick with no replacement (or lacks route knowledge) on the western side, no-one on the east can cover as they have no knowledge. Both the out and back workings get cancelled outright, or turned back at the crew change point. Happening the whole time at the moment.

2- Scroll up. Apparently one group at York heavily rostered on 68 diagrams a couple of posts ago.

3- DfT micromanagement is purely a speculative topic as you can never confirm this. Only have strong feelings backed by evidence. Industrial relations issues at TPE is your starter for 10. No rest day working (which the company has made a very strong offer on) only because of the main dispute. That has hammered Calder Valley route training and it is showing today. 2tph scheduled and 1.25 ish running although better during the peaks.

I started this thread to try and gain some insight from those in the know at why TPE struggling so much, and am thankful to all those who have chipped in. Not to facilitate a personal argument about who has the clearest phrasing and who has the most reliable sources!

Apologies. Carry on. And hope that helps with some answers!

 

[sjpowermac]

Most answers are on the thread, and the previous one on this subject a few months ago!

1- All TPE drivers have limited route knowledge know ever since the decision to split the crew diagrams and have multiple crew changes along the way for each service, occasionally Manchester and always Leeds or York. Hence if the Leeds - Manchester driver is sick with no replacement (or lacks route knowledge) on the western side, no-one on the east can cover as they have no knowledge. Both the out and back workings get cancelled outright, or turned back at the crew change point. Happening the whole time at the moment.

2- Scroll up. Apparently one group at York heavily rostered on 68 diagrams a couple of posts ago.

3- DfT micromanagement is purely a speculative topic as you can never confirm this. Only have strong feelings backed by evidence. Industrial relations issues at TPE is your starter for 10. No rest day working (which the company has made a very strong offer on) only because of the main dispute. That has hammered Calder Valley route training and it is showing today. 2tph scheduled and 1.25 ish running although better during the peaks.

I started this thread to try and gain some insight from those in the know at why TPE struggling so much, and am thankful to all those who have chipped in. Not to facilitate a personal argument about who has the clearest phrasing and who has the most reliable sources!

I’ve noted that you have thanked posters who have made speculative and/or untrue statements, but taken aim in a patronising tone at someone who posted facts. So, I’m slightly cautious of correcting your post, but here goes.

1. The three train crew depots that sign Class 68/Mk5a sets on the North Route have the following route knowledge:

York and Manchester drivers: Manchester to Scarborough

Scarborough drivers: Leeds to Scarborough

The one thing that has changed there is that previously Scarborough drivers worked beyond Leeds as far as Manchester.

I’ve only noted routes directly relevant to the Class 68s, the drivers do sign other routes as part of their work with Class 185s e.g. to Saltburn for York/Scarborough drivers.

I’d struggle to see how that could be described as “limited route knowledge” of the core routes.

Yes, indeed about the way the train crew diagrams are constructed, but I’ll return to that later.

2. Correct, but I believe this group accounts for just 15 drivers, so I’m not sure it will be possible to ‘heavily’ roster them. Not helpful in the slightest, but it wouldn’t account for all of the Class 185 substitutions. I have to say though, I am completely nonplussed by the idea of rostering drivers who don’t sign Class 68s to Class 68 turns.

3. DfT micro-management, as you note, is speculation. To be fair, the DfT did recently sign off an improved rest day working offer for drivers of time and a half, with a minimum payment for 10 hours. This compares with time and three-quarters, with a minimum payment for 10 hours that was in place previously. I make no representation as to whether this is a good/bad/indifferent offer.

Here are the day to day reasons that there are few Class 68/Mk5a sets working.

From December there were six diagrams for the North Route working as two three day cycles. In theory a set was programmed to work as follows:

Day 1
Longsight start with
1P05 0242 Manchester Piccadilly-York
Ending the day in Scarborough station

Day 2
Scarborough station start
Ending the day on Scarborough TMD

Day 3
Scarborough TMD start
Ending the day on Longsight after
1P98 2245 Scarborough-Manchester Piccadilly

A further three diagrams were arranged in a similar way:

Day 1
Longsight start with
1P07 0359 Manchester Airport-Scarborough
Ending the day in Scarborough station

Day 2
Scarborough station start
Ending the day on Scarborough TMD

Day 3
Scarborough TMD start
Ending the day on Longsight after
1U80 1948 Scarborough-Manchester Piccadilly

The problem with these diagrams have been as follows:

1. Not all Manchester drivers sign Longsight-Piccadilly, so you could have a situation with 1P05/1P07 fully crewed, but nobody to work the 5P05/5P07 ecs moves. Similar comments apply to the ecs moves from 1U80/1P98. So, getting on/off the depot is your first problem.

2. The routes followed by 1P05/1P07/1P98 are often quite circuitous. Calder Valley is baked in, but also sometimes via Wakefield Kirkgate. So, ‘diversionary’ routes are a requirement to operate the everyday service.

3. Worse still, on some days 1P07 is routed via Castleford. This route is signed by all Scarborough drivers, but that’s of no use at 0550ish in the morning. Not all York/Manchester drivers sign this route. So, you can have a situation where the direct route via Micklefield is open, but the train gets cancelled because it’s due to operate via Castleford and the driver doesn’t sign that route.

4. As far as I’m aware, little/no provision/flexibility is available to run sets off Longsight later in the day. So, once a Class 185 gets on to a Class 68/Mk5a diagram, you are pretty much guaranteed it’s game over both for that day and for the follow on diagrams on days 2 and 3.

5. The general problems that TPE are having with cancellations are also affecting the Class 68/Mk5a sets.

None of the above is a criticism of front line staff, or indeed management, but just my own personal observations. Unlike some posters, I’m open to correction.

Feel free to take it or leave it as you wish.

 

[Confused52]

Thank you for that detail sjpowermac. Do you also have details on what is supposed to happens and why it isn't on the South Route. It seems to be 1 set from each end and a full ECS working in both directions which doesn't run. What can you tell us please?

 

[sjpowermac]

Thank you for that detail sjpowermac. Do you also have details on what is supposed to happens and why it isn't on the South Route. It seems to be 1 set from each end and a full ECS working in both directions which doesn't run. What can you tell us please?

No problem at all, I’m delighted that you found it helpful.

Unfortunately, I’m not really familiar with the south route, but I’ll put the information as I understand it

Initially there were planned to be two diagrams: one working off Longsight, the other from Doncaster Europort.

Diagram 1
5B64 0432 Longsight-Manchester Airport
1B64 0543 Manchester Airport-Cleethorpes
5B73 0926 Cleethorpes-Liverpool (or Manchester) crew training
5B80 1319 Liverpool (or Manchester)-Cleethorpes (1652)
5B99 2236 Cleethorpes-Doncaster
5D99 0006 Doncaster-Doncaster Europort

Diagram 2
5D60 0506 Doncaster Europort-Doncaster
5B60 0539 Doncaster-Cleethorpes (0645)
1B85 1524 Cleethorpes-Liverpool
5H85 1927 Liverpool-Longsight

If I’m honest, I’m not really sure what’s gone on, but at a guess:

5B64 might be subject to the same problems with not all Class 68 drivers signing Longsight.

This bit is just a further guess, the diagrams would have involved sets standing at Cleethorpes for quite lengthy periods. As I understand it, there has been infrastructure work to bring one of the platforms there back into use, so having a Class 68/Mk5a set stood in the station for hours on end might have been a problem.

There have already been some Cleethorpes-Doncaster driver refresher runs with Class 68/Mk5a sets, with the stock working on/off Doncaster Europort.

I think it has been extremely hard going for the Drivers doing the training at Cleethorpes, I wouldn’t envy them or the management trying to put together a major training programme without the flexibility of rest day working.

Sorry not to be able to offer more of an insight. Again, just my observations and absolutely no criticism of front line staff or indeed management.

 

[Confused52]

No problem at all, I’m delighted that you found it helpful.

Unfortunately, I’m not really familiar with the south route, but I’ll put the information as I understand it

Initially there were planned to be two diagrams: one working off Longsight, the other from Doncaster Europort.

Diagram 1
5B64 0432 Longsight-Manchester Airport
1B64 0543 Manchester Airport-Cleethorpes
5B73 0926 Cleethorpes-Liverpool (or Manchester) crew training
5B80 1319 Liverpool (or Manchester)-Cleethorpes (1652)
5B99 2236 Cleethorpes-Doncaster
5D99 0006 Doncaster-Doncaster Europort

Diagram 2
5D60 0506 Doncaster Europort-Doncaster
5B60 0539 Doncaster-Cleethorpes (0645)
1B85 1524 Cleethorpes-Liverpool
5H85 1927 Liverpool-Longsight

If I’m honest, I’m not really sure what’s gone on, but at a guess:

5B64 might be subject to the same problems with not all Class 68 drivers signing Longsight.

This bit is just a further guess, the diagrams would have involved sets standing at Cleethorpes for quite lengthy periods. As I understand it, there has been infrastructure work to bring one of the platforms there back into use, so having a Class 68/Mk5a set stood in the station for hours on end might have been a problem.

There have already been some Cleethorpes-Doncaster driver refresher runs with Class 68/Mk5a sets, with the stock working on/off Doncaster Europort.

I think it has been extremely hard going for the Drivers doing the training at Cleethorpes, I wouldn’t envy them or the management trying to put together a major training programme without the flexibility of rest day working.

Sorry not to be able to offer more of an insight. Again, just my observations and absolutely no criticism of front line staff or indeed management.

Interesting thanks.
So this is a two day long diagram which has to include route learning. Given the circumstances this rarely going to happen and with the Longsight depot issue being to the Airport not Piccadilly it is presumably a dead duck. With the Platform 4 issue and only providing one revenue earning trip per day. Not a useful proposition.

Thanks for the help.

 

[brick60000]

Largely due to TPE's kamikaze approach to crew knowledge and diagramming

Yes, indeed about the way the train crew diagrams are constructed, but I’ll return to that later.

Keep seeing this mentioned. Other than a reduction in route knowledge, what is it about the construction of the train crew diagrams that is particularly poor?

 

[Failed Unit]

Keep seeing this mentioned. Other than a reduction in route knowledge, what is it about the construction of the train crew diagrams that is particularly poor?

I don‘t know if it is the case here, but one of the early changes back in WAGN days was to try and keep train and driver together as much as possible.

In the bad old days at WAGN the train was sat on the platform waiting for a driver and another platform had a driver waiting for a train.

i get the impression that happens a lot on TPE where a cancelation has a large impact as the train goes further (no driver) and the snowball as later in the day the driver is around but the train isn’t.

 

[IslandLine101]

I’ve noted that you have thanked posters who have made speculative and/or untrue statements, but taken aim in a patronising tone at someone who posted facts. So, I’m slightly cautious of correcting your post, but here goes.

1. The three train crew depots that sign Class 68/Mk5a sets on the North Route have the following route knowledge:

York and Manchester drivers: Manchester to Scarborough

Scarborough drivers: Leeds to Scarborough

The one thing that has changed there is that previously Scarborough drivers worked beyond Leeds as far as Manchester.

I’ve only noted routes directly relevant to the Class 68s, the drivers do sign other routes as part of their work with Class 185s e.g. to Saltburn for York/Scarborough drivers.

I’d struggle to see how that could be described as “limited route knowledge” of the core routes.

Yes, indeed about the way the train crew diagrams are constructed, but I’ll return to that later.

2. Correct, but I believe this group accounts for just 15 drivers, so I’m not sure it will be possible to ‘heavily’ roster them. Not helpful in the slightest, but it wouldn’t account for all of the Class 185 substitutions. I have to say though, I am completely nonplussed by the idea of rostering drivers who don’t sign Class 68s to Class 68 turns.

3. DfT micro-management, as you note, is speculation. To be fair, the DfT did recently sign off an improved rest day working offer for drivers of time and a half, with a minimum payment for 10 hours. This compares with time and three-quarters, with a minimum payment for 10 hours that was in place previously. I make no representation as to whether this is a good/bad/indifferent offer.

Here are the day to day reasons that there are few Class 68/Mk5a sets working.

From December there were six diagrams for the North Route working as two three day cycles. In theory a set was programmed to work as follows:

Day 1
Longsight start with
1P05 0242 Manchester Piccadilly-York
Ending the day in Scarborough station

Day 2
Scarborough station start
Ending the day on Scarborough TMD

Day 3
Scarborough TMD start
Ending the day on Longsight after
1P98 2245 Scarborough-Manchester Piccadilly

A further three diagrams were arranged in a similar way:

Day 1
Longsight start with
1P07 0359 Manchester Airport-Scarborough
Ending the day in Scarborough station

Day 2
Scarborough station start
Ending the day on Scarborough TMD

Day 3
Scarborough TMD start
Ending the day on Longsight after
1U80 1948 Scarborough-Manchester Piccadilly

The problem with these diagrams have been as follows:

1. Not all Manchester drivers sign Longsight-Piccadilly, so you could have a situation with 1P05/1P07 fully crewed, but nobody to work the 5P05/5P07 ecs moves. Similar comments apply to the ecs moves from 1U80/1P98. So, getting on/off the depot is your first problem.

2. The routes followed by 1P05/1P07/1P98 are often quite circuitous. Calder Valley is baked in, but also sometimes via Wakefield Kirkgate. So, ‘diversionary’ routes are a requirement to operate the everyday service.

3. Worse still, on some days 1P07 is routed via Castleford. This route is signed by all Scarborough drivers, but that’s of no use at 0550ish in the morning. Not all York/Manchester drivers sign this route. So, you can have a situation where the direct route via Micklefield is open, but the train gets cancelled because it’s due to operate via Castleford and the driver doesn’t sign that route.

4. As far as I’m aware, little/no provision/flexibility is available to run sets off Longsight later in the day. So, once a Class 185 gets on to a Class 68/Mk5a diagram, you are pretty much guaranteed it’s game over both for that day and for the follow on diagrams on days 2 and 3.

5. The general problems that TPE are having with cancellations are also affecting the Class 68/Mk5a sets.

None of the above is a criticism of front line staff, or indeed management, but just my own personal observations. Unlike some posters, I’m open to correction.

Feel free to take it or leave it as you wish.

Nope- you’ve got slightly the wrong end of the stick.

Delighted to be corrected, and all your points are exceedingly interesting. Never feel bad about correcting people if you’re confident that you’re right (and clearly are here). Should have posted all this earlier on! Just remember people posting false truths on here is never out of spite or intent, only incorrect knowledge we’ve usually picked up from elsewhere in the forums!

I slightly apologise for my mini rant, I just detest it when these threads go to points scoring and shouting. We’re all interested and trying to learn from those in the know, and debate is enjoyable. It’s never hard feelings. We wouldn’t be here if we know everything.

Anyway cheers. Much appreciated

 

[KevL]

for what its worth
im at seamer (mcdonalds!) 08:45 to now 0900
just seen a drs 68 n stock go scarborough bound, and a tpe 68 n stock go york bound.

 

[sjpowermac]

Interesting thanks.
So this is a two day long diagram which has to include route learning. Given the circumstances this rarely going to happen and with the Longsight depot issue being to the Airport not Piccadilly it is presumably a dead duck. With the Platform 4 issue and only providing one revenue earning trip per day. Not a useful proposition.

Thanks for the help.

Yes, I agree with what you’ve put there. As I understand it, the reason for the two day diagram is to

Nope- you’ve got slightly the wrong end of the stick.

Delighted to be corrected, and all your points are exceedingly interesting. Never feel bad about correcting people if you’re confident that you’re right (and clearly are here). Should have posted all this earlier on! Just remember people posting false truths on here is never out of spite or intent, only incorrect knowledge we’ve usually picked up from elsewhere in the forums!

I slightly apologise for my mini rant, I just detest it when these threads go to points scoring and shouting. We’re all interested and trying to learn from those in the know, and debate is enjoyable. It’s never hard feelings. We wouldn’t be here if we know everything.

Anyway cheers. Much appreciated

Correcting factually incorrect posts is hardly point scoring.

I only got involved in the thread because I was tagged into a post, I wouldn’t have bothered otherwise.

I’ve got things wrong in the past and will always write something along the lines of “many thanks for the information and apologies for my mistake”. It’s a pity the person I replied to couldn’t have offered the same.

Regarding posting earlier, I’d already made a very similar post on one of the earlier threads. I was genuinely curious to see what additional information the person I replied to had, having previously corrected other posts that they had made on the topic in other threads.

Thank you for your slight apology.

 

[Jamesrob637]

As a slight aside, only 13 full cancellations on the TPE Journey Checker today. An improvement.

 

[CAF397]

It's an amended service at the moment with much reduced services due to the Stalybridge blockade. Arguably easier to staff trains as the timetable can be specially written for the resources available.

 

[Bletchleyite]

It's an amended service at the moment with much reduced services due to the Stalybridge blockade. Arguably easier to staff trains as the timetable can be specially written for the resources available.

Can I smell an emergency timetable having improved things?

 

[CAF397]

Can I smell an emergency timetable having improved things?

Probably more co-incidence! The timetable would've been planned months ago with other TOCs. The only spanner in the works would be how many TPE crews sign the diversionary route via Rochdale, but as the diagrams are engineering based, easier to roster crews to the jobs.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Don't get me wrong, it's 12 too many (there will always be one!), however it makes for better reading!