Another fantastic day with Avanti

[jagardner1984]

Burnham wants Avanti out and replaced by the OLR unless they improve by Feb, he's got a constant eye on them. Nothing will 'shut him up', he's extremely vocal.

To be fair, regardless of your political persuasion, making noise about the issues your constituents care about is, quite literally, his job description, and he is an articulate communicator of the issues facing transport policy in Greater Manchester. I certainly know more about it as a result of his media appearances.

And before I am accused of some wild political point scoring - I think Andy Street has been a good communicator on issues facing transport in Birmingham too.

Don’t agree with either on everything, but credit where it is due, they have done more to hold the government’s performance on Avanti to account than most.

 

[LOL The Irony]

Burnham wants Avanti out and replaced by the OLR unless they improve by Feb, he's got a constant eye on them. Nothing will 'shut him up', he's extremely vocal.

Exactly. So if it was a ploy to silence him, it was never going to work. I think the timetable was misplaced hopeful optimism on the part of Avanti.

 

[350401]

Interesting trip tonight on the 20.37 Macclesfield to Euston - ended up being 1hour 10 down at Milton Keynes but getting to Euston “only” 45 minutes late. Either a lot of timetable padding or the driver floored it between MKC and EUS. Not too bad considering conditions. The train was lightly loaded but clearly hadn’t been cleaned at the turnaround - it was pretty filthy, even by Avanti standards. The Victoria line seemed to be heavily impacted - a 10 minute service was operating.

 

[All Line Rover]

Considering the extensive and poorly handled* disruption on LU services this week due to "snow/ice" (even on the hot, wholly underground Victoria line - really??), Avanti aren't the only bad apples. Makes a change, I suppose!

*e.g. not advertising upcoming depatures on tube station platform indicators, and locking up some stations around 10pm - well before the last timetabled trains around midnight - with station staff saying "sorry, the last train of the day has already left", suggesting that this is the normal service.

 

[jfollows]

Interesting trip tonight on the 20.37 Macclesfield to Euston - ended up being 1hour 10 down at Milton Keynes but getting to Euston “only” 45 minutes late. Either a lot of timetable padding or the driver floored it between MKC and EUS. Not too bad considering conditions. The train was lightly loaded but clearly hadn’t been cleaned at the turnaround - it was pretty filthy, even by Avanti standards. The Victoria line seemed to be heavily impacted - a 10 minute service was operating.

52 minutes late at Macclesfield, 67 minutes late at Milton Keynes Central (presumably diverted via Northampton), up slow line to Ledburn Junction, 75 minutes late into London Euston per Real Time Trains (https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:W97553/2022-12-12/detailed#allox_id=0).

Maybe Avanti has come up with a new wheeze to manipulate the figures - adding 30 minutes to the schedule of late running trains so that they don't appear to be running as late? Anyway, everything I can see shows a 22:31 advertised arrival into London and an actual arrival time of 23:46, but you were on the train, not me, and I'm only looking at one source of information.

 

[TJM]

Considering the extensive and poorly handled* disruption on LU services this week due to "snow/ice" (even on the hot, wholly underground Victoria line - really??), Avanti aren't the only bad apples. Makes a change, I suppose!

*e.g. not advertising upcoming depatures on tube station platform indicators, and locking up some stations around 10pm - well before the last timetabled trains around midnight - with station staff saying "sorry, the last train of the day has already left", suggesting that this is the normal service.

The Victoria line's depot at Northumberland Park is above ground - the snow was pretty heavy in that area, so presumably the problem.

 

[fandroid]

Considering the extensive and poorly handled* disruption on LU services this week due to "snow/ice" (even on the hot, wholly underground Victoria line - really??), Avanti aren't the only bad apples. Makes a change, I suppose

Victoria Line has an above ground depot in exactly the same area that was hit hard by snow on late Sunday. Even the nearby stretch of the M25 was closed, and that's a road with heavy traffic 24 hours.

 

[Llandudno]

Burnham wants Avanti out and replaced by the OLR unless they improve by Feb, he's got a constant eye on them. Nothing will 'shut him up', he's extremely vocal.

and so he should be!

If only MPs across the north were just as vocal…

 

[Some guy]

I assume these will be worked by Preston crews then up to GLC?

Yeah Preston train manager but Glasgow driver northbound and Preston driver on return

 

[Kite159]

Burnham wants Avanti out and replaced by the OLR unless they improve by Feb, he's got a constant eye on them. Nothing will 'shut him up', he's extremely vocal.

If only that failed MP was as vocal on the failings of the Greater Manchester police and other bits he has control over.

 

[North-Valiant]

If only that failed MP was as vocal on the failings of the Greater Manchester police and other bits he has control over.

Yes if only he'd have been as vocal about that....

Greater Manchester Police taken out of special measures

Greater Manchester Police shows "clear, demonstrable progress" and can return to routine monitoring.

www.bbc.co.uk

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

Burnham wants Avanti out and replaced by the OLR unless they improve by Feb, he's got a constant eye on them. Nothing will 'shut him up', he's extremely vocal.

Burnham doesn't have to fund Avanti services or draw up their contracts or manage WCML investment for the next decade.
Grandstanding is easy for him, and for Steve Rotheram down the road.
Ask Mr Rotheram where Merseyrail's new trains are (which he is responsible for).

 

[North-Valiant]

Burnham doesn't have to fund Avanti services or draw up their contracts or manage WCML investment for the next decade.
Grandstanding is easy for him, and for Steve Rotheram down the road.
Ask Mr Rotheram where Merseyrail's new trains are (which he is responsible for).

Seems like Merseyrail is a lot better than avanti

 

[The Prisoner]

There is a track defect between Penrith and Carlisle. 1222 Glasgow to Euston (last direct today) has been cancelled from Carlisle. Doesn't look like there is another service for customers on that 1222 to go south as far as London (there is another train south from Carlisle, but only as far as Wolverhampton).

Track defect is already clear and freights have been passing.

 

[frodshamfella]

To be fair on fares (!) I think it's more that they're operating less than half their normal service so there are far fewer seats to flog off cheap.

True , and the passenger ends up paying through the nose. But even before all the current bother, they are still dearer than Virgin

 

[gazzaa2]

Seems like Merseyrail is a lot better than avanti

Although it's been delayed the new rolling stock is imminent. A lot of other TOC's are having a nightmare with rolling stock (or lack of it). Even Avanti need more 11 cars given how reduced their levels of service are.

 

[North-Valiant]

Although it's been delayed the new rolling stock is imminent. A lot of other TOC's are having a nightmare with rolling stock (or lack of it). Even Avanti need more 11 cars given how reduced their levels of service are.

It's also a weird argument talking about rolling stock when we are discussing timetable issues, afaik Merseyrail don't have the catastrophic issues that Avanti have

 

[philthetube]

Considering the extensive and poorly handled* disruption on LU services this week due to "snow/ice" (even on the hot, wholly underground Victoria line - really??), Avanti aren't the only bad apples. Makes a change, I suppose!

*e.g. not advertising upcoming depatures on tube station platform indicators, and locking up some stations around 10pm - well before the last timetabled trains around midnight - with station staff saying "sorry, the last train of the day has already left", suggesting that this is the normal service.

It works just the same as for teachers, if staff cannot get to work because of trains not running or whatever, quite a few vic line staff travel in from Watford or MK

 

[Oxfordblues]

I remember once visiting the Western Region Control at 125 House. They told me that the controller with authority to cancel trains commuted to Swindon, so they made sure his train was never cancelled. (Could this be true?)

 

[Wolfie]

LNR tends to get declassified at weekends anyway as it's so busy the guard can't get down the train.

I don't know what you're actually paying for on those first class services. It's just the same seats. Standard Premium with Avanti is better for 25 quid.

It's not the same seats in LNR first class albeit that they are still 2+2. There are quite a few on here who subjectively say that the LNR first class seats are worse!

I agree Avanti is much better seating. That is if they actually run the damned train!

 

[Bletchleyite]

It's not the same seats in LNR first class albeit that they are still 2+2. There are quite a few on here who subjectively say that the LNR first class seats are worse!

I do think LNR have got it wrong here. If they installed reasonable 2+1 seating (doesn't need to be amazing, could just be Grammers with double armrests) more people would pay extra for it, I would.

 

[Wolfie]

Its not, but you get a charging point and it's quiet . Avanti first isn't a patch on Virgin, and they don't offer decent fares in first the way Virgin did. Plus of course you never know if Avanti Will actually run. LNWR is more reliable on that count.

Exactly. Compared to Virgin Avanti's offering is significantly inferior and vastly more expensive. The only appropriate phrase is complete rip-off.

 

[TomG]

substantial increase in services from timetable change although strikes will wreck that so they will probably buy themselves several weeks before they can truly demonstrate whether they can deliver the daily increase in services reliably.

Weeks? That is optimistic!

 

[gazzaa2]

Exactly. Compared to Virgin Avanti's offering is significantly inferior and vastly more expensive. The only appropriate phrase is complete rip-off.

It wasn't that long ago it was £15 for a first class upgrade on Virgin Trains and was for a long time. I think it went up to £20 and may have been £25 before the end. Now it's £25 just for Avanti Standard Premium (although less if shorter distance).

 

[Bletchleyite]

It wasn't that long ago it was £15 for a first class upgrade on Virgin Trains and then I think it went up to £20 and may have been £25 before the end.

On weekends only, and without the full First Class product - i.e. it was basically just for the seat, plus a very cheap snack box and tea/coffee/water.

Now it's £25 just for Avanti Standard Premium.

7 days a week. That's a definite improvement.

 

[gazzaa2]

On weekends only, and without the full First Class product - i.e. it was basically just for the seat, plus a very cheap snack box and tea/coffee/water.



7 days a week. That's a definite improvement.

Yeah, I only use it at weekends tbf.

 

[nlogax]

7 days a week. That's a definite improvement.

It is tbh. I imagine for most people 1st / Standard Premium is more about the space and the relative peace and quiet than anything else. If passengers want the full treatment at short notice then Seatfrog is usually there.

 

[Skiddaw]

It is tbh. I imagine for most people 1st / Standard Premium is more about the space and the relative peace and quiet than anything else. If passengers want the full treatment at short notice then Seatfrog is usually there.

Definitely. I always go for SP if no Seatfrog upgrade to 1st is available. It's just so much more civilised.

 

[Bertie the bus]

Weeks? That is optimistic!

A cynic might say Avanti ploughed ahead with the increased number of services this timetable change knowing full well they couldn't resource it because they know there are several months of disruption ahead and the media is unlikely to have the understanding or interest to be able to distinguish between disruption caused by industrial action and disruption caused by Avanti's uselessness, so they can say they restored all these services in December even though they can't resource them and pretty much get away with it.

 

[frodshamfella]

On weekends only, and without the full First Class product - i.e. it was basically just for the seat, plus a very cheap snack box and tea/coffee/water.



7 days a week. That's a definite improvement.

However you could still get pretty good first class fares mid week, out of the peak times, and enjoy the full first class product on Virgin. Friday afternoons going to London, was often available and a nice treat. Nothing like that now.