61653 HTAFC
Veteran Member
Well, it looks like there's finally some money being spent to improve Batley station...
One new bench! :roll:
One new bench! :roll:
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Batley Station gets multi-pound improvement!
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To be fair, it's better than the horrid thin bench next to it.
Iskra
Established Member
Or a 142...
61653 HTAFC
Veteran Member
That's what I mean though... Why only do half?!
61653 HTAFC
Veteran Member
I hope so, though it it's anything like that at other Northern stations in West Yorkshire it'll spend a long time listing "Passing Service"...
Iskra
Established Member
By the time it gets installed it will be redundant. It's needed now, when there are actually a variety of services that could cause confusion. In 5 years time we'll be back to only having Huddersfield and Leeds as destinations again, thus making it quite difficult to get wrong.
Also, I used Batley station today and there are at least 3 brand new benches that have been installed recently. Today was the first time I used Batley station in years and I have to say the subway really needs a lick of paint.
61653 HTAFC
Veteran Member
Has it been confirmed that the Manchester via Brighouse services are not long for this world? I wasn't aware of any details of future services via Dewsbury being set in stone other than 6tph TPE services.
A more pressing situation at Batley is the lack of step free access to platform 2, especially as I'd imagine the existing subway is too narrow to be compliant with post-2020 regulations even if lifts were provided. I'm also not sure where a lift would fit on platform 1, due to the curved staircase that echoes a time when the station was considered more than simply a local halt.
Ploughman
Established Member
61653 HTAFC
Veteran Member
Doubt it as the PIS has been taken.
Well done! To be fair, the subway smells like it has PIS installed...
Iskra
Established Member
Now I think about it, no- I think I must have seen rumours of it on here and therefore assumed it was happening. The Vic-Leeds stopper doesn't seem well used to me (although it is an amalgamation of services that causes duplication in places so maybe it's better used elsewhere) and that path Dewsbury-Leeds will probably become increasingly valuable as TPE/EC increase/start services. Personally, I think it's a good service for Batley to have, but I'm not sure the business case is fantastic for it (I was one of two getting on at Batley towards Vic yesterday and it was a very quietly populated 3 car 158). Incidentally, there were more people (4) in my carriage that were accidentally on the train than those who were supposed to be on it due to faulty PIS at Halifax (they had stayed on board at Leeds thinking it was going to York)!
I didn't notice the access situation, I'm not a regular user, I usually use Dewsbury or Leeds stations being a Birstall resident. However, as you allude, it is clear that a once fine station needs a decent renovation.
61653 HTAFC
Veteran Member
With regard to use of the Victoria services from Batley, I use it regularly and loadings aren't massive but there's usually at least around 10 including myself. It does have a good connection for Huddersfield at Dewsbury which is usually what I do, but then the direct Huddersfield does the same in the other half-hour. At times there's over-provision of capacity but that's due to interworking with other Calder Valley services. Dedicating say a 144 or 150 to the services might seem better but would require longer platform occupation at MCV and LDS which is at a premium.
Iskra
Established Member
Bit of a puerile comment that, most urban station approaches are far from utopian and I actually don't think Batley is too bad.
On Batley station improvements, I notice there are also induction loops for deaf people and there was an RPI selling tickets at the station entrance- good to see a staff presence.
The Vic stopper was well patronised when I used it yesterday too, some of it's trade may be lost due to the trainline though, as it doesn't show the 2 minute same-platform connection for Huddersfield at Dewsbury, instead telling people to change at Mirfield.
On Batley station improvements, I notice there are also induction loops for deaf people and there was an RPI selling tickets at the station entrance- good to see a staff presence.
The Vic stopper was well patronised when I used it yesterday too, some of it's trade may be lost due to the trainline though, as it doesn't show the 2 minute same-platform connection for Huddersfield at Dewsbury, instead telling people to change at Mirfield.
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61653 HTAFC
Veteran Member
The RPIs are there most mornings, though one of the two on Tuesday could do with a little more training as it took her a good 5 minutes to print my off-peak return to Huddersfield on her Avantix, by which time I had to sprint down the subway to get the 0939 to Victoria. It was only once on board that I realised she had in fact printed an off-peak day return to Leeds by mistake! Thankfully the barrier staff at Huddersfield accepted my explanation!
If people are foolish enough to use thetrainline.com, they deserve to be charged a pound for the privilege and to have 20minutes freezing at Mirfield rather than 2-3minutes at Dewsbury!
pdq
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I noticed that journey/change missing on NRE as well. I guess it's due to the connection time at DEW being below the minimum, despite the fact that the TPE follows the stopper through so is impossible to miss.
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We are getting PIS here in Mirfield - been a couple of weeks since I was at the station but the posts were all in. I think Northern have had a bulk buy on the induction loops - nigh on every shack now has them
Tbh - even if you get a train from Batley direct to Huddersfield, you're still better changing at DEW as the stopper gets passed at Heaton Lodge
Tbh - even if you get a train from Batley direct to Huddersfield, you're still better changing at DEW as the stopper gets passed at Heaton Lodge
LNW-GW Joint
Veteran Member
Not confirmed, but once electrified there is not a lot of point in sticking with DMUs on the route.
An electric Selby-Manchester stopping service via Huddersfield is more likely, I would have thought.
61653 HTAFC
Veteran Member
I did notice the new induction loop at Batley last week...
As for the change at Dewsbury, the HUD stopper ALWAYS gets held at Heaton Lodge, whereas if the TPE is more than a few minutes late the Victoria service is let out of the loop ahead of it. I'm always surprised to see people in HTFC shirts getting onto the stopper that I'm getting off at Dewsbury on a Saturday!
61653 HTAFC
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61653 HTAFC
Veteran Member
Latest news: the "Station Shop" at Batley is being cleared as we speak... Not sure if anyone has deep enough pockets to take it on, but it seems to me to be ripe for a Merseyrail style shop-cum-ticket office operation.
61653 HTAFC
Veteran Member
Screens are up at Mirfield, but still blank. Batley has a dead screen on the down platform but just a hole on the Up.
A friend mentioned about the shop going - it having been the target for thieves recently I think?
Mirfield has had the posts since end of 2014 - not looking likely to change anytime soon!
61653 HTAFC
Veteran Member
The shop at Batley has been seemingly abandoned for at least the last six months, just before Christmas a solicitors letter was taped in the window, saying that if the contents weren't removed by 17th Feb, the solicitors acting on behalf of Northern and Network Rail reserved the right to sell the items at auction (though how much they'll raise from selling boxes full of out of date crisps is anyone's guess!). There were no signs of a break-in there in the 6 months that I've been living in Batley.
I'm surprised Serco/Abellio haven't expanded the 'M-to-go' concept at any Northern stations, to be honest...
I'm surprised Serco/Abellio haven't expanded the 'M-to-go' concept at any Northern stations, to be honest...
pdq
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The shop was broken into a month or two ago. BTP were in attendance one morning getting evidence I presume.
I think the shop sold the wrong stuff: tea was from a Nescafe dispenser and cost £2! If they had an urn, some milk and disposable cups they could have sold a cuppa for a pound and made a tidy profit. Throw in fresh bacon butties and I'd have gone in more than once or twice.
I think the shop sold the wrong stuff: tea was from a Nescafe dispenser and cost £2! If they had an urn, some milk and disposable cups they could have sold a cuppa for a pound and made a tidy profit. Throw in fresh bacon butties and I'd have gone in more than once or twice.
61653 HTAFC
Veteran Member
With only 2 tph in each direction, I'm not really surprised the shop failed, regardless of bad decisions made by the proprietor. I never saw the shop open, so I can't really comment on whether it was any good.
Looking at other Northern stations in West Yorkshire which have either a ticket office or another business, or both, most have a much higher service level and footfall than Batley.
I believe that premises within railway stations generally have a higher rent than a similar unit away from stations. If this assumption is correct, I can only see a shop at locations such as Batley surviving if it also serves as a ticket office. This works at the central Merseyrail stations which all have a higher service level and footfall. I'm quite surprised that Serco/Abellio haven't tried this concept at any Northern stations. Halifax would be an ideal location but already has a ticket office and a shop. Wakefield Kirkgate would be a candidate too, once the refurbishment is finally finished.
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