Worst Sunday Rail Service

[Deerfold]

The railway is only just catching up with recent changes, it was only in 1994 large scale Sunday trading was made legal.

Only? That was 18 years ago!

 

[Statto]

Although it's a lot better than most Sunday services Liverpool-Wigan with 1 tph compared to 3 Mon-Sat is not great, hope there's at least an extra tph once the line is Wired.

 

[scrapy]

An interesting thing would be, is there any lines/stations that get a better service on Sunday compared to the rest of the week?

Styal.

 

[MidnightFlyer]

An interesting thing would be, is there any lines/stations that get a better service on Sunday compared to the rest of the week?

LE Grays and myself posted a few above your post, but in brief - Beaulieu Road, Buckenham, Shippea Hill and Lakenheath for starters.

 

[Blindtraveler]

I notice the Far North has thus far gone unmentioned with only 1 return service on a Sunday between Wick/thurso and Inverness.
This is probably fine in the winter however when the tourists are out it makes rather a fool of Visit Scotlands claims that we are open for business 7 days a week as the northbound working doesnt leav INV till early evening.
This also makes bashing the line impossible on a Sun without staying up there and at all times of year puts a great deal of pressure on the X99 bus service from Inverness to the north which provides the only Sunday connection into ferry services to Orkney

 

[CockneySparrow]

Peterborough to Lincoln, line closed on a Sunday

 

[leytongabriel]

Even in the great metropolis we have our Sunday dead spots. The Great Northen Electrics service was promoted as offering an underground-style service but try finding any trains between Finsbury Park and Moorgate on a Sunday. Likewise the much-vaunted improvements to the NLL and Goblin lines have still left the late starts on Sunday mornings we knew in Silverlink days.

 

[gimmea50anyday]

Would love to know why tpe weekday service is 4 trains an hour weekday yet is cut in half Sunday but carries same number of pax. Middlesbrough and Scarborough are hourly yet on Sunday both become bi-hourly alternating.

 

[Roverman]

Although it's a lot better than most Sunday services Liverpool-Wigan with 1 tph compared to 3 Mon-Sat is not great, hope there's at least an extra tph once the line is Wired.

The Kirkby-Wigan line is a disgrace,all week not just on Sundays. Feels like the line is run to suit the driver's lifestyle as opposed to running a 21st century mass transit system!

 

[CockneySparrow]

I read somewhere ( I might be wrong ) that passenger numbers on " Northern Rail " was up 34% in the last 10 years for Sunday travel

It will increase due to various factors, one being Sunday buses have stopped running in most areas, also the amount of cheap advanced tickets you can buy now encourages more people to travel

 

[PR1Berske]

Ditto Preston - Ormskirk, for I suspect the same reason!

 

[calc7]

Would love to know why tpe weekday service is 4 trains an hour weekday yet is cut in half Sunday but carries same number of pax. Middlesbrough and Scarborough are hourly yet on Sunday both become bi-hourly alternating.

Same could also be said for weekday evenings! Manchester - Leeds is never quiet.

 

[tbtc]

Would love to know why tpe weekday service is 4 trains an hour weekday yet is cut in half Sunday but carries same number of pax. Middlesbrough and Scarborough are hourly yet on Sunday both become bi-hourly alternating

I'm not certain, but I'd guess that staffing is one of the reasons for situations like this?

Sunday can be a horribly busy day of the week on some lines, but we still rely on enough people volunteering to work it.

 

[sheff'd victoria]

I'm not certain, but I'd guess that staffing is one of the reasons for situations like this?

Sunday can be a horribly busy day of the week on some lines, but we still rely on enough people volunteering to work it.

I did hear once that all EMT services on a Sunday are run due to staff doing overtime ?

 

[Tomnick]

Correct, Sundays are outside the working week, in common with some other TOCs.

 

[Roverman]

Maybe in line with other Sunday operating businesses the TOCs could offer 1.5x hourly rate for those who work Sundays, perhaps even given them a Sat or Mon off in lieu?

I am not sure if the problem will improve until the cost of not running services costs more than hiring enough staff (and thats enough based on what a human works it out to be rather than a fancy computer programme!)

 

[High Dyke]

For a while in the mid 2000s, I lived in Newark and couldn't believe the Sunday service - if you wanted to go shopping in Nottingham it was out of the question, as the first departure from Newark Castle was at around 1600 - but bizarrely, operated hourly until around 2300. The same was true of departures towards Lincoln, although you did have the option of going out of North Gate if I remember rightly.

And it's still like that. Mind you the Newark - Nottingham never opens before15:30 all year round. Wih the first train to Nottingham @ 15:43; this then forms the first service from Nottingham @ 16:33 (ex Nottm). In summer there is an additional working from Nottingham - Cleethorpes (15:29 ex Nottm).

The Skegvegas line isn't much better in winter. First train from Skeg @ 14:10 to Nottm (formed off the 11:55 ex Nottm), though there is an earlier service from Boston - Grantham. Last service from Skeg - Sleaford departs 19:15.

The Whitby line has a poor service doesn't it?

 

[Tomnick]

Maybe in line with other Sunday operating businesses the TOCs could offer 1.5x hourly rate for those who work Sundays, perhaps even given them a Sat or Mon off in lieu?

I am not sure if the problem will improve until the cost of not running services costs more than hiring enough staff (and thats enough based on what a human works it out to be rather than a fancy computer programme!)

I don't think they normally have too many problems covering Sunday jobs - I'm sure suitable incentives are offered if they're struggling! Whether that'd be the case if there was an improved service (and thus more traincrew required), I don't know. The real problems begin when they start withdrawing their Sunday availability (as they're perfectly entitled to do), usually because they're upset with something. The TOC(s) could negotiate to bring Sundays inside the working week, but it probably works out cheaper to cover it with overtime!

 

[trek]

West Ealing and Hanwell have no Sunday service; even though the Heathrow Connect still runs on that day! Hopefully once Crossrail comes they will open on Sundays.

Bit of a late quote but this line only has 3tph (with two out of London leaving within 5 minutes of each other calling at the same stations until Hayes & Harlington) and Heathrow Connect only has 1tph. Sure there are lines with far worse services but surely that has to be the worst in London especially when you consider the usage (usually busy) and style of service?