TPE services allocated for Double units

[Jamesrob637]

All South TPE services to be 6-car after 06 Jan

Wishful thinking...

 

[ZL exile]

The. Tamworth squadron will fly first!

 

[Jamesrob637]

06:26 Cleethorpes to Airport was 6-car today!! Merry Christmas to me!

However... why was it 6 when there are so many cancellations on other routes? Are TPE going to detach a set at Piccadilly and run it to reinstate some of the cancelled North services?

 

[Killingworth]

06:26 Cleethorpes to Airport was 6-car today!! Merry Christmas to me!

However... why was it 6 when there are so many cancellations on other routes? Are TPE going to detach a set at Piccadilly and run it to reinstate some of the cancelled North services?

Give them a rest, they can't do right for doing wrong! However, Friday is work from home day as many have decided they can't endure 5 days of rail hell. 3 would have been adequate today for that run.

However other reports say the rear 3 were locked out at Sheffield?

But it's not like a model railway where you can pick up a train and put it down anywhere on the tracks, then turn your electric controller and off it goes.

 

[BHXDMT]

However... why was it 6 when there are so many cancellations on other routes? Are TPE going to detach a set at Piccadilly and run it to reinstate some of the cancelled North services?

The cancellations on the North and Scottish are all train crew related, so what would sending a 185 up there achieve when there are no crew to run it??

 

[Jamesrob637]

The cancellations on the North and Scottish are all train crew related, so what would sending a 185 up there achieve when there are no crew to run it??

Thanks for confirming that all the North/Scotland cancellations are crew-related!

 

[Jamesrob637]

Give them a rest, they can't do right for doing wrong! However, Friday is work from home day as many have decided they can't endure 5 days of rail hell. 3 would have been adequate today for that run.

However other reports say the rear 3 were locked out at Sheffield?

But it's not like a model railway where you can pick up a train and put it down anywhere on the tracks, then turn your electric controller and off it goes.

Yeah the shock of actually seeing a double made me forget to look in properly - the rear three could have been empty for all I know. With the Northern Blackpool to Hazel Grove managing 6-car and Cross Country's 07:31 Birmingham to Manchester managing a whopping 8-car, all within almost seconds of each other, you can only imagine how the mind must have (not) worked for those magical few minutes!

 

[BHXDMT]

15:18, 16:18, 17:18 and 18:18 departures from Manchester to Cleethorpes all 6 car tonight. 17:18 didn't call Dore due to no 2nd Conductor but as far as I know all 4 services ran with all 6 cars available to passengers until Scunthorpe, as scheduled.

Let's see what the first Saturday of the new timetable brings for the South route, as 6 cars were desperately needed on Saturdays more than anything else.

 

[Killingworth]

15:18, 16:18, 17:18 and 18:18 departures from Manchester to Cleethorpes all 6 car tonight. 17:18 didn't call Dore due to no 2nd Conductor but as far as I know all 4 services ran with all 6 cars available to passengers until Scunthorpe, as scheduled.

Let's see what the first Saturday of the new timetable brings for the South route, as 6 cars were desperately needed on Saturdays more than anything else.

Well that's alright then, except for those with cars parked at Dore this morning! The platform there was 6 car until 1985, is now 4, and won't be lengthened until 2023.

That 17.18 was 27 minutes late, arriving Sheffield at 18.34 so only just failed to connect with Northern's late running stopping service due to leave at 18.14, but actually left at 18.31, to get back to Dore.

OK, not so long to wait in the Sheffield Tap for the 19.14, which left at 19.29 getting to Dore at 19.36. That's an hour and a half after that TPE service should have stopped, if on time.

I'd expect most of the over carried passengers would have gone for taxis as bus services in Sheffield are as bad as trains. If they'd known it wasn't stopping some may have gambled on taking the following EMR or even Northern stopping service from Piccadilly. All were late by 10-25 minutes. Almost half of trains at Dore are that late just now.

What a farce.

 

[PG]

Well that's alright then, except for those with cars parked at Dore this morning! The platform there was 6 car until 1985, is now 4, and won't be lengthened until 2023.

Forgive my ignorance but why was the platform shortened?!... and why another 3 years to lengthen it?

 

[SteveyBee131]

Forgive my ignorance but why was the platform shortened?!... and why another 3 years to lengthen it?

The whole area was rationalised in the late eighties. Dore used to have 4 platforms and a double-track junction. It won't be any better until at least 2023 because of how long it takes for funds to materialise, and red tape and 1,000 other hurdles to be overcome!

 

[Killingworth]

The whole area was rationalised in the late eighties. Dore used to have 4 platforms and a double-track junction. It won't be any better until at least 2023 because of how long it takes for funds to materialise, and red tape and 1,000 other hurdles to be overcome!

And the 4 platforms were reduced to one on a single track bottleneck of 2/3 of a mile through the station. A longstanding festering sore on the Sheffield - Manchester route. The single platform is not straight. Adding a temporary extension would not be simple and, apparently, complicate arrangements for early completion of the full Hope Valley Capacity Improvement Scheme. Different budgets. Conflict with the TWAO. Even rail professionals find it hard to follow.

Why did they single a route that carries 6 passenger services per hour, plus freights? Back in the early 1980s railways were declining. There were only 3 passenger services an hour and an occasional freight then.

Since then passenger numbers at Dore have gone up 5 fold and that's in line with passenger traffic growth between the two cities. Seemed a good idea at the time.........

 

[PG]

Thanks for the replies.

I can get the rationalisation of the 80's as I've lived through it, just a shame that the sole remaining platform couldn't have been left at its original length...

Anyway I can believe that nothing these days, railway or otherwise, can be done without this that and the other hoops being jumped through so I guess we'll just have to wait until 2023!

 

[Jamesrob637]

15:18, 16:18, 17:18 and 18:18 departures from Manchester to Cleethorpes all 6 car tonight. 17:18 didn't call Dore due to no 2nd Conductor but as far as I know all 4 services ran with all 6 cars available to passengers until Scunthorpe, as scheduled.

Let's see what the first Saturday of the new timetable brings for the South route, as 6 cars were desperately needed on Saturdays more than anything else.

And what has it brought? As mentioned upthread I've given up on TPE's Journey Check as it just says 0 the entire time.

 

[BHXDMT]

And what has it brought? As mentioned upthread I've given up on TPE's Journey Check as it just says 0 the entire time.

There are several 6 car services running around today. Not sure on exact number but I'm sure I've seen at least 3 out and about.

 

[MDB1images]

There are several 6 car services running around today. Not sure on exact number but I'm sure I've seen at least 3 out and about.

Allocated ex Cleethorpes between 08:26-20:26.....

08:26 185125/ 185131
09:26 185144
10:26 185109/ 185121
11:26 185116/ 185107
12:26 185130/ 185118
13:26 185148
14:26 185111/ 185117
15:26 185125/ 185131
16:26 185138
17:26 185109/ 185121
18:26:canx
19:26 185130/ 185118
20:26 185135/ 185127.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Allocated ex Cleethorpes between 08:26-20:26.....

08:26 185125/ 185131
09:26 185144
10:26 185109/ 185121
11:26 185116/ 185107
12:26 185130/ 185118
13:26 185148
14:26 185111/ 185117
15:26 185125/ 185131
16:26 185138
17:26 185109/ 185121
18:26:canx
19:26 185130/ 185118
20:26 185135/ 185127.

That's not bad going and only one full cancellation. Might have been more stop cancellations.

 

[johnnychips]

There was a double on the 1610-ish from Sheffield to Cleethorpes tonight.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Hope everybody had a good Christmas. Journey Check has 11:53 Airport to Cleethorpes full and standing from Stockport - presumably only 3-car? In fairness the 10:53 Airport to Cleethorpes started in Sheffield so the 11:53 will have to take two trainloads' worth who didn't wanna take the EMR and change.

 

[SteveyBee131]

So, my first travel experience since the timetable changes was today, the last Saturday of the year, and blighted with disruption from signalling/points problems around Meadowhall, perfect for 6 coach formations to deal with!

So, hey presto, 6 coach formations galore! Which on every service I either travelled on or observed, might as well have been 3 coaches, as the rear unit was locked out of use, carrying fresh air!

Now, I know the reasons why as I'm sure most on here do. But what a shambles! If the necessary technical wizardry was in place to allow 6 carriages to be used, every passenger would have been seated today. Instead, 6 carriages worth of people, crammed into 3, even on the sections of route advertised to have all 6 available!

In an ideal world with everyone working as a team, the technology would be in place and working in good time. If it wasn't possible, enough staff would be available to cover the necessary extra duties. (Or indeed, the trains would have been built with end gangways in the first place!)

We watch, and wait with baited breath, to see how long the shambles takes to clear...!!!

 

[Killingworth]

So, hey presto, 6 coach formations galore! Which on every service I either travelled on or observed, might as well have been 3 coaches, as the rear unit was locked out of use, carrying fresh air!

Now, I know the reasons why as I'm sure most on here do. But what a shambles! If the necessary technical wizardry was in place to allow 6 carriages to be used, every passenger would have been seated today. Instead, 6 carriages worth of people, crammed into 3, even on the sections of route advertised to have all 6 available!

In an ideal world with everyone working as a team, the technology would be in place and working in good time. If it wasn't possible, enough staff would be available to cover the necessary extra duties. (Or indeed, the trains would have been built with end gangways in the first place!)

We watch, and wait with baited breath, to see how long the shambles takes to clear...!!!

Says it all about the 185s big weakness. You get 3 coaches or 6, but no connection between the two units. Even when one isn't locked out one half can have plenty of space while the other is full. Offering refreshments in a 3 car unit is costly (even more so if 2 trolleys needed in a 6 car train) when lightly loaded and impossible when rammed full.

 

[Jozhua]

Forgive my ignorance but why was the platform shortened?!... and why another 3 years to lengthen it?

Welcome to the UK, especially the rail industry here.

It takes ages to get anything done, yet instead of people getting ahead of the curve, knowing things will take a millenia to solve, they put plans in motion once it is too late.

Remember, you need the correct environmental reviews before you get some bricks to reinstate the thing that was there before. Let's just forget the planet is burning because our public transport system cannot compete with cars and worry about wether this platforn reinstatement could affect the migratory paths of beetles.

Anyways, looking forward to being crammed in half of a 6 car 185 formation in a couple of days, not used Transpennine Express for a while. I'll be even more surprised if a toilet with running water is available on the train.

 

[SteveyBee131]

...
Anyways, looking forward to being crammed in half of a 6 car 185 formation in a couple of days, not used Transpennine Express for a while. I'll be even more surprised if a toilet with running water is available on the train.

There'll be at least two, in the back of the train what's locked out of use! A 3 carriage train, using 6 carriages worth of fuel, carrying 6 carriages worth of passengers! What a shambles!

 

[Killingworth]

7.07 from Sheffield was 6 car today with rear unit locked out. Quite adequate with 3 today. Rear unit seemed to have experienced a major party with litter everywhere so probably best to leave it out of service!

8.08 was 3 car but adequate today. Other services observed this morning seemed to be 6 cars with all in use.

Both 8.08 and 9.11 were late due to problems East of Doncaster, then delaying westbound Northern and eastbound EMR services on the Hope Valley route.

 

[BHXDMT]

8.08 was 3 car but adequate today. Other services observed this morning seemed to be 6 cars with all in use.

Anything calling at Dore with 6 will run with the rear set locked out at the moment, due to the assisting Conductor diagrams being stopped so actual jobs can be covered instead.

 

[Killingworth]

Anything calling at Dore with 6 will run with the rear set locked out at the moment, due to the assisting Conductor diagrams being stopped so actual jobs can be covered instead.

As I said, it was best locked out as rubbish was piled high on almost every table! But yes, no point in overmanning this week when loadings are very light on the commuting services. Might as well have left the 2nd set behind and got it properly cleaned up. Hopefully that happened in Manchester or at the Airport.

 

[yrreb]

They're not currently able to run through to MIA as six carriages due to platform capacity there so they're leaving three carriages behind to pick them up again on the return trip. Not all carriages are currently able to be utilised beyond Doncaster because Habrough, with short platforms, is now a regular call every hour. C-ASDO hopefully switched on in a couple of weeks at the end of the ongoing training so Cleethorpes will be able to feel the benefit of it too

 

[BHXDMT]

As I said, it was best locked out as rubbish was piled high on almost every table! But yes, no point in overmanning this week when loadings are very light on the commuting services. Might as well have left the 2nd set behind and got it properly cleaned up. Hopefully that happened in Manchester or at the Airport.

Interesting! I'm not sure why it's in that state, as usually all units at Cleethorpes get cleaned overnight. It will certainly have been done at the Airport as the rear unit detaches and heads down there. It looks like they've also finally got cleaners to clean the units being dropped at Piccadilly too, as at the start of the timetable they weren't being cleaned as there was nobody to do it.

 

[Jamesrob637]

7.07 from Sheffield was 6 car today with rear unit locked out. Quite adequate with 3 today. Rear unit seemed to have experienced a major party with litter everywhere so probably best to leave it out of service!

8.08 was 3 car but adequate today. Other services observed this morning seemed to be 6 cars with all in use.

Both 8.08 and 9.11 were late due to problems East of Doncaster, then delaying westbound Northern and eastbound EMR services on the Hope Valley route.

Both would be fine with 3 until Friday I think. But TPE had better pull their fingers out from next Monday!

 

[CheerDanielita]

Finally 6 carriages starting at 15:35 to Hull, on a day where fewer people are travelling but good to have all the room leaving Manchester Piccadilly and it was what they promised in the franchise but taken 3 weeks to see 1 running.