Night Services Blackpool - Manchester

[Mugby]

Are these services ever operated by trains or are they permanently buses?

On one occasion I travelled on the 0320 Blackpool - Manchester service which was a replacement bus (coach) It was adequate for the number of people from Blackpool but filled up at Preston. After Bolton some people had to stand.

There was no one at any of these places to regulate things and even if there had been, there were no vehicles in reserve anywhere.

Absolutely no criticism of the driver, it was good of him to make sure everyone was carried. No doubt some people had to get to MIA for flights or work but the operation seems to be left to chance.

Is it legal to carry standing passengers on a coach on the motorway?

 

[reb0118]

Is it legal to carry standing passengers on a coach on the motorway?

Don't think so but stand to be corrected?

 

[TOCDriver]

Is it legal to carry standing passengers on a coach on the motorway?

It's illegal to have standees on a coach on the motorway, but you can on a service bus, if it's fitted with grab rails. Would be interested to have this backed-up by current PCV licence holder if any are reading??? I still hold a class 1 HGV licence but not a PCV.

 

[185]

TPE did this with the Manchester-Yorks for some time, until West Yorks PTE found out about it. Now they can only refuse to run that one if the slightest off-mainline diversion is in place by Network Rail.

Disgusting - any operator which chooses on economic grounds to not operate all of it's franchise, should hand it back.

 

[CockneySparrow]

Don't think so but stand to be corrected?

Depends what type of bus it is, my local stagecoach type have a sign in the bus x amount of seats and x standing

Not sure about a coach though, seeing you have to wear a seat belt in those types of buses probably not

 

[driver9000]

Are these services ever operated by trains or are they permanently buses?

On one occasion I travelled on the 0320 Blackpool - Manchester service which was a replacement bus (coach) It was adequate for the number of people from Blackpool but filled up at Preston. After Bolton some people had to stand.

There was no one at any of these places to regulate things and even if there had been, there were no vehicles in reserve anywhere.

Absolutely no criticism of the driver, it was good of him to make sure everyone was carried. No doubt some people had to get to MIA for flights or work but the operation seems to be left to chance.

Is it legal to carry standing passengers on a coach on the motorway?

Yes this service is frequently operated by train.

No it is not legal to carry standing passengers on a coach the motorway. There will be a panel on the vehicle that give its capacity worded something like:

To carry XX Passengers
XX Seated
XX Standing

I remember the Dennis Javelin Interurban bodied coaches used by Stagecoach Ribble in the late 90s could carry 8 passengers standing despite being coaches.

 

[Mugby]

TPE did this with the Manchester-Yorks for some time, until West Yorks PTE found out about it. Now they can only refuse to run that one if the slightest off-mainline diversion is in place by Network Rail.

Disgusting - any operator which chooses on economic grounds to not operate all of it's franchise, should hand it back.

Funny you should say that because on Saturday night, TPE cancelled the 2335 Preston - Blackpool. The screens were showing bus replacement.
Then someone came out and told us the buses were cancelled too. He said just get the next train, the 0011 Northern Rail service, it will be quicker than the bus anyway!

 

[scotraildriver]

Passengers can stand on a coach on the motorway if the vehicle is operating a local stopping service and is registered as such with VOSA, where part of the route is motorway. An express i.e. end to end service cannot carry standees so in this case - no.

 

[Bevan Price]

Funny you should say that because on Saturday night, TPE cancelled the 2335 Preston - Blackpool. The screens were showing bus replacement.
Then someone came out and told us the buses were cancelled too. He said just get the next train, the 0011 Northern Rail service, it will be quicker than the bus anyway!

Were TP having problems yesterday (29 June) ? The last 2 Manchester Airport - Barrow services were also cancelled at the Manchester end of the route, and on the cross Pennine route, several trains were either cancelled or terminated short of final destination. Too many staff gone to see the Stones at Glastonbury, I wonder ??

 

[Starmill]

Were TP having problems yesterday (29 June) ? The last 2 Manchester Airport - Barrow services were also cancelled at the Manchester end of the route, and on the cross Pennine route, several trains were either cancelled or terminated short of final destination. Too many staff gone to see the Stones at Glastonbury, I wonder ??

Indeed they were I think. My Manchester - Newcastle train was cancelled and there were a few cancelled/very late Airport TPEs from Piccadilly.

 

[Solent&Wessex]

Yes. Lots of cancellations all weekend due to a shortage of available traincrew.

 

[Mugby]

Yes. Lots of cancellations all weekend due to a shortage of available traincrew.

What penalties will TPE incur for this?

 

[dannypye9999]

im due to travel on the 0337 Blackpool north to Manc airport at the end of this month.

Anyone know if its train or bus or in the week beginning 29th July??


Last year it was bus to preston then train connection onward. thx

 

[34D]

Passengers can stand on a coach on the motorway if the vehicle is operating a local stopping service and is registered as such with VOSA, where part of the route is motorway. An express i.e. end to end service cannot carry standees so in this case - no.

This is my own understanding too - but only if the vehicle is certified for standees.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

im due to travel on the 0337 Blackpool north to Manc airport at the end of this month.

Anyone know if its train or bus or in the week beginning 29th July??


Last year it was bus to preston then train connection onward. thx

Here you go http://www.opentraintimes.com/location/BPN/2013-07-31/0300

This is early hours of wed 31st.

 

[NI 271]

Is it legal to carry standing passengers on a coach on the motorway?

Having done hundreds of journeys on rail replacement as a driver, for the purposes of this thread, and for clarity, the answer is a simple no.

Others have mentioned the permitted variations, but for rail replacement work these cannot apply. I am very surprised the driver carried more passengers than he had seats for, and I would hope that nobody reading this has the power to investigate, perhaps it would be better if the details of time and date were edited out of the OP so as not to incriminate?

 

[yorkie]

perhaps it would be better if the details of time and date were edited out of the OP so as not to incriminate?

Done!

Although no forum rules have been broken, you can still report any concern to us for our consideration.... "if any content causes you concern, please alert us to it, by reporting (

) it." which I recommend, as I only happened to read this thread by chance (we can't read all posts - at around 27000 per month, there are too many of them!). Don't worry about giving us too much work - we welcome all reasonable reports. In fact there have been no reports for well over 48 hours now!

 

[34D]

Having done hundreds of journeys on rail replacement as a driver, for the purposes of this thread, and for clarity, the answer is a simple no.

Others have mentioned the permitted variations, but for rail replacement work these cannot apply. I am very surprised the driver carried more passengers than he had seats for, and I would hope that nobody reading this has the power to investigate, perhaps it would be better if the details of time and date were edited out of the OP so as not to incriminate?

Rail rep could (and has been in the past) registered with Traffic Commissioners.

I've seen coaches that came from people like Stagecoach that were COIFed for standees.

Finally, at 4am, I can well understand the coach driver carrying people.

 

[telstarbox]

Indeed - the driver could be criticised for leaving vulnerable passengers behind at 4am in the cold, etc.

 

[34D]

Indeed - the driver could be criticised for leaving vulnerable passengers behind at 4am in the cold, etc.

Plus some will be 'merry' with violent tendancies

 

[Cliveblackpool]

im due to travel on the 0337 Blackpool north to Manc airport at the end of this month.

Anyone know if its train or bus or in the week beginning 29th July??


Last year it was bus to preston then train connection onward. thx

Don't like the way Northern Rail close BPN after 11pm, and you have to wait in the car park (lights turned off) for the 03.37 train etc. A small roller shutter door direct onto the platform opened a few minutes before departure.