Passengers denied boarding at Blackpool North?

[800001]

I wonder if there is a link with the mass of stag and hen do participants that can misbehave after alcohol as well as other silly behaviour from a minority of tourists in Blackpool and the cold nature of the Northern team at Blackpool North: ie: Have the Northern staff at Blackpool lost their friendly nature because of the minority that spoil it for others?

Probably no different to the likes of Manchester, Leeds, York, Liverpool which are full with drinkers/stag/hens at a weekend

 

[furnessvale]

Surely the best way to get rid of passengers is to get them on trains as quickly and efficiently as possible?

The best way to get rid of passengers, permanently, is to treat them as BPN does, hence the massive car and coach parks in the town which used to be railways.

 

[306024]

I wonder if lessons can be learned from Southend Victoria or Clacton-on-Sea which I assume are similar to Blackpool North in that they must attract similar passengers and are both electrified and staffed termini.

Doubt it, folks down here are impeccably behaved

Southend Vic has automatic ticket gates with the platform for the next train usually advertised well in advance so folks with valid tickets just drift through. Clacton is a manual gate but the conductors sometimes do ticket checks on the barrier before working the train. In both cases the presence of overhead wires is irrelevant, but then they have been there for about 60 years.

Used Blackpool North earlier this year. Station is a bit depressing, reminds me of Great Yarmouth, but the staff and the coffee shop chap were both friendly enough.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Brighton probably handles as many drunk people and they seem to manage with a conventional gateline, as I think someone said above. They do delay putting platform numbers up until the inbound train has arrived to avoid conflicting flows, but that's about it.

 

[Whistler40145]

The staff at South Station are much more civilised.

Added bonus, you're nearer the football ground too.

What staff at Blackpool South, it’s unmanned except for the driver and guard on each train

 

[WestRiding]

Ah good old Blackpool North. Thing is, the staff who work there probably read this and think it's some sort of cocky achievement. I get the impression its a very clicky station team, and your life would be hell as an employee whose face didn't fit. Little man syndrome comes to mind.

 

[Platform1]

the tide of miscreants that turn up in Blackpool

Almost exactly the condescending nonsense I was told by a Northern employee at BPN last month.

The station was full of myself and my wife (late 50s) and even older travellers going to Blackpool to revive memories of Bank Holiday c. 1965. Elderly and inform people with walking aids and luggage treated like schoolchildren. Disgraceful!

 

[PaulJ]

I went up to Blackpool North from my native Kent 2 weeks ago - I hadn’t been there for 40 years. I was well aware of their general reputation but I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. I boarded a service to Manchester 10 to 15 mins before departure, took some photos from the platform and was merrily greeted by the conductor too. Had absolutely no problems at all!

 

[Vespa]

I think my use of friendly was poor. I'll try to be more clearer. I'm suggesting that due to the tide of miscreants that turn up in Blackpool, I think the Northern staff rightly or wrongly have become embittered and hard-nosed and are keeping all passengers at arms length to save the hassle from the few idiots that use the station but in doing so tar all passengers with the same brush leading to weird practices as already described.

But to hold passengers back so they will miss the departure of their train is not best practice isn't it ?

 

[riceuten]

They do tend to allow you to board at Euston a little bit sooner than 2 minutes.

 

[Fleetwoodflyer]

I've found this on Twitter:

So with 16 minutes to go, was it really full and standing?
Northern's answer was to send a DM and apologised for any confusion but didn't say yes or no.

A quick look on twitter and there was a German fireworks display last night in Blackpool so it may hold some water.

Our recent experience of travelling from BPN recently is that passengers are allowed onto the trains much earlier than previously. The change of Fireworks Displays from Fridays to Saturdays this year has caused mayhem to all public transport in the town on Saturday nights. It is interesting that according to RTT the last departure to Leeds was a six coach train, whereas they are normally two or three. Perhaps someone who was on one of the last trains may know that they were in fact full and standing?

 

[Kite159]

The issue with saying a train is "dangerous overcrowded" to prevent more from boarding, is when that member of staff only sees the rearmost coach is busy and that the front coach is empty, as passengers do have a habit of boarding at the first set of doors they come to, regardless if that coach is wedged out (and the front coach is empty).

Blackpool a couple weeks ago on a fireworks night was just chaotic with the number of visitors, mostly coming by car and dumping the cars anywhere they can find a space. But no doubt the last trains from Blackpool on a Saturday night will be 'grim' and have a few passengers who have had a bit too much to drink, heading home. No different to other major cities with the last trains on a Saturday night.

 

[ChrisC]

A few years ago I found a way to really annoy the staff at Blackpool North and to experience them at their rudest and most uncooperative. I stayed with friends in Blackpool for a week and dared to use a 7 Day NW Rover which wouldn’t operate the barriers. They treated me as though it was my fault, and they refused to listen when I tried to explain to them that it didn’t work the barriers this morning, yesterday morning or for the past 6 days. They just kept shouting at me to put it through the barrier even when I politely told them it wouldn’t work. Then I was made to stand to one side and wait until they could be bothered to let me through. One morning I actually missed the train that I was intending to catch because they made me wait for so long. I usually find at most stations staff are really friendly when they see you are using a rover but at Blackpool North I was treated like a criminal who didn’t have a valid ticket.

 

[L+Y]

My most recent Blackpool North experience, from August, was the one that to me really took the biscuit.

We'd opted to avoid the scrum of the last train, so left around 9PM. There was already a long queue on the station, being locked up as per. A few of the passengers had had a drink or two, but it certainly wasn't an intimidating or even a particularly rowdy atmosphere.

Anyway, somehow or other, a door was left open, and the queue started piling on to the train, a pair of 331s, with 'Manchester' prominently displayed on the external PIS. Again, while there was the usual scrum in the rear carriage, it was all otherwise roughly what you'd expect. This was probably about ten minutes prior to departure.

The attitude of the staff at this point surprised even me. They boarded the train, and started shouting at passengers, informing them they shouldn't have boarded, and that this wasn't their train. I'd checked RTT and could see this was a barefaced lie- but half the passengers in the carriage were asking why the PIS screens so clearly displayed Manchester. In the end, the whole train was cleared off, and everybody was, very slowly, herded back into the building- by this point we were about ten minutes late.

Only at that point did tempers start to fray, with a couple of "wtf" type comments- at which point the BPN staff immediately started threatening to contact the BTP because of passenger "intimidation".

Once everybody was herded back onto the station, we were then let back out the door we came through originally, back onto the same train, and allowed to board. We eventually departed perhaps 25 minutes late.

Farcical...

 

[voyagerdude220]

It is interesting that according to RTT the last departure to Leeds was a six coach train, whereas they are normally two or three. Perhaps someone who was on one of the last trains may know that they were in fact full and standing?

I'm under the impression that the York train you refer to has been booked to be formed of 2x3-car 195s for a few months. 1 of the 195s runs empty from Preston to Blackpool North beforehand, having previously formed a Barrow to Preston service.

The majority of Blackpool to York services are usually formed of a single 3-car 195, which can be very cosy at times. Longer trains would be great, but of course I realise how unrealistic it is to expect that to happen.

 

[Sm5]

Actual signage or photo-shopped?

Actual signage, on all platforms & lamposts observed from the GBRF charity railtour in 2018.

 

[tommy2215]

Been to Blackpool North a couple of times in the last few months and the staff were all very friendly and let me watch the trains for as long as I wanted on both occasions! And they were letting people board the trains with plenty of time to spare. To be honest I think a lot of the hate for the station in 2021 on this forum is just because its become very trendy to hate it. And some of these harrowing-sounding stories of recent trips to Blackpool North station are really quite exaggerated.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

What staff at Blackpool South, it’s unmanned except for the driver and guard on each train

Which was exactly the point I was making, in a roundabout way.

 

[Wolfie]

My most recent Blackpool North experience, from August, was the one that to me really took the biscuit.

We'd opted to avoid the scrum of the last train, so left around 9PM. There was already a long queue on the station, being locked up as per. A few of the passengers had had a drink or two, but it certainly wasn't an intimidating or even a particularly rowdy atmosphere.

Anyway, somehow or other, a door was left open, and the queue started piling on to the train, a pair of 331s, with 'Manchester' prominently displayed on the external PIS. Again, while there was the usual scrum in the rear carriage, it was all otherwise roughly what you'd expect. This was probably about ten minutes prior to departure.

The attitude of the staff at this point surprised even me. They boarded the train, and started shouting at passengers, informing them they shouldn't have boarded, and that this wasn't their train. I'd checked RTT and could see this was a barefaced lie- but half the passengers in the carriage were asking why the PIS screens so clearly displayed Manchester. In the end, the whole train was cleared off, and everybody was, very slowly, herded back into the building- by this point we were about ten minutes late.

Only at that point did tempers start to fray, with a couple of "wtf" type comments- at which point the BPN staff immediately started threatening to contact the BTP because of passenger "intimidation".

Once everybody was herded back onto the station, we were then let back out the door we came through originally, back onto the same train, and allowed to board. We eventually departed perhaps 25 minutes late.

Farcical...

At face value l have to say what a bunch of arrogant self-important jumped-up little Hitlers who deserve their UB40s immediately. Perhaps they need a new career as traffic wardens.

If railway staff have the cheek to shout at me in circumstances like that l will call BTP myself. They need to look up the definition of "assault"....

Oh, and l sincerely hope that every single passenger claimed delay repay. Perhaps it seriously hitting Northern in the pocket might get some useless manager off his lazy ass to do something about what sounds like a running sore.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

At face value l have to say what a bunch of arrogant self-important jumped-up little Hitlers who deserve their UB40s immediately. Perhaps they need a new career as traffic wardens.

If railway staff have the cheek to shout at me in circumstances like that l will call BTP myself. They need to look up the definition of "assault"....

I agree they should be fired, but forcing them to listen to atrocious cod-reggae is probably outlawed by the Geneva Convention.

 

[LowLevel]

Does Skegness, I think it used to.

And possibly Falmouth

Skegness manage a hard job as well as possible, boarding is usually 10 minutes before departure at least and I've never known them intentionally leave anyone behind and I've been working trains out of there for years - if someone runs up at the last moment they will go out of their way to get them ticketed and on the train.

When your train is a chronically short formed DMU some control is needed for boarding, this allows the staff to get everyone boarded in a sensible manner including safely loading all of the luggage into the right parts of the train and also to deal with any passenger assistance jobs in an organised manner.

In winter there is still a gate check because it is the most effective way to discourage the local druggies, dealers and other ne'er do wells from fare evading. They know they won't get in so they pay up. You can either board the train or wait in the heated waiting room.

It is a different world to Blackpool North. I know the Skegness platform staff have taken people home in their own cars in extremis.

 

[Western Sunset]

If things need to change at Blackpool North, then customers/passengers must write to the management of Northern, outlining their specific complaints and concerns of the attitude of some staff there.

 

[Wolfie]

I agree they should be fired, but forcing them to listen to atrocious cod-reggae is probably outlawed by the Geneva Convention.

Perhaps you have to be a certain vintage lol... Indeed the name got their name from a DHSS form...

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 10 Oct 2021 ==

Skegness manage a hard job as well as possible, boarding is usually 10 minutes before departure at least and I've never known them intentionally leave anyone behind and I've been working trains out of there for years - if someone runs up at the last moment they will go out of their way to get them ticketed and on the train.

When your train is a chronically short formed DMU some control is needed for boarding, this allows the staff to get everyone boarded in a sensible manner including safely loading all of the luggage into the right parts of the train and also to deal with any passenger assistance jobs in an organised manner.

In winter there is still a gate check because it is the most effective way to discourage the local druggies, dealers and other ne'er do wells from fare evading. They know they won't get in so they pay up. You can either board the train or wait in the heated waiting room.

It is a different world to Blackpool North. I know the Skegness platform staff have taken people home in their own cars in extremis.

That all sounds like pragmatic good customer service. Well done Skeggy.

 

[61653 HTAFC]

Perhaps you have to be a certain vintage lol... Indeed the name got their name from a DHSS form...

I know... sorry, I seem to be in a "dad joke" mood today!

 

[Trackman]

The issue with saying a train is "dangerous overcrowded" to prevent more from boarding, is when that member of staff only sees the rearmost coach is busy and that the front coach is empty, as passengers do have a habit of boarding at the first set of doors they come to, regardless if that coach is wedged out (and the front coach is empty)..

I've seen this before,the frontmost of the was train 60% loaded if that but pax thought it was full boarding at the rear.

 

[Bevan Price]

If things need to change at Blackpool North, then customers/passengers must write to the management of Northern, outlining their specific complaints and concerns of the attitude of some staff there.

And if anyone thinks that "last minute dashes" create a hazard, perhaps they should send a report to HSE (Health & Safety Executive - or whatever they call themselves this week)

 

[Whistler40145]

Which was exactly the point I was making, in a roundabout way.

My apologies

 

[XAM2175]

(Health & Safety Executive - or whatever they call themselves this week)

... they've literally had the same name since 1975

 

[BluePenguin]

It is not dissimilar to the way Euston is operated, I suppose. Very few if any other stations like that, though,

I would actually say that Euston is the worst station in the country. Blackpool North has bad staff although is pretty insignificant in terms of importance. I have heard of a few instances from people I know, who have nearly punched some of the staff over missing their trains. Fortunately this has never happened although I would not be surprised if it did one day at this rate

Euston on the other hand, gateway to the North, is operated by obnoxious, arrogant and manipulative thugs who stop you boarding trains for any reason they can think of.

At any other London terminal you can turn up at any time you like, put your ticket in to breeze through the barrier and be on the train in minutes. At Euston? Be prepared for an to entourage to roll their eyes at your presence.

 

[bramling]

I would actually say that Euston is the worst station in the country. Blackpool North has bad staff although is pretty insignificant in terms of importance. I have heard of a few instances from people I know, who have nearly punched some of the staff over missing their trains. Fortunately this has never happened although I would be surprised if it did one day at this rate

Euston on the other hand, gateway to the North, is operated by obnoxious, arrogant and manipulative thugs who stop you boarding trains for any reason they can think of.

At any other London terminal you can turn up at any time you like, put your ticket in to breeze through the barrier and be on the train in minutes. At Euston? Be prepared for an to entourage to roll their eyes at your presence.

I’ve always found it surprising the Euston “experience” survived the Virgin era, as generally their stations tended to be quite relaxed - and indeed few of any had gatelines for many years.

Then again there historically seems to be a bit of an issue with the London-end West Coast staff. Apart from the “coach K” antics, some of their London train managers seem slightly frosty. I’ve had it more than once from northern TMs on there “Where are you going? Euston, oh, if you were going as far as Preston no problem but if you’re going to Euston you’d better date a box, it’ll be a London guard taking over and some of them are really funny about some things”.