Grand Central Discussion

[Max]

At least Hull Trains are making an effort! Although not great enthusiast wise, the 180s will provide much needed extra capacity when they arrive in March.

 

[Sir_Clagalot]

Not that time, as Management had informed us that we could let them travel. NX have done the same with our ticket holders when we have had problems. Plus it lets them have the "GC Experience"! In many cases, where we have seen NatEx tickets, the price on them is way more than the GC fare...

 

[yorkie]

Not that time, as Management had informed us that we could let them travel. NX have done the same with our ticket holders when we have had problems. Plus it lets them have the "GC Experience"! In many cases, where we have seen NatEx tickets, the price on them is way more than the GC fare...

Nice stuff, and good to see co-operation, and yes hopefully they enjoyed the experience!

 

[theblackwatch]

In many cases, where we have seen NatEx tickets, the price on them is way more than the GC fare...

I hope you have used that as an opportunity to do a 'sales pitch' and inform them of what they would have saved had they booked a GC ticket!

 

[Max]

Sir Clagalot, are relations better with the new NXEC than they were with GNER?

 

[BOSCH]

Sir Clagalot, are relations better with the new NXEC than they were with GNER?

Dont seem too bad at the moment,except for the "tanking" procedure at KX.
Apparently we are "stealing" the water from natex when we tank the train,one Natex "manager" threatened to get the BTP to arrest the person tanking our set !!! Good job I wasn't there when it happened cos it would have been a case of "You get the police,but you'll be paying our delay charges !!!"

 

[andylloyd]

Dont seem too bad at the moment,except for the "tanking" procedure at KX.
Apparently we are "stealing" the water from natex when we tank the train,one Natex "manager" threatened to get the BTP to arrest the person tanking our set !!! Good job I wasn't there when it happened cos it would have been a case of "You get the police,but you'll be paying our delay charges !!!"

This reminds me about school yard tactics and telling tales 8)

 

[Metroland]

Reminds me why I left. An atmosphere where everyone is at each others throats.

(Railway industry in general, like so much of the rest of modern life)

 

[djw1981]

Can GC use coaches from rake 3 to supplement rakes 1 & 2 if demand so dictates or do they not have sufficient SDO for the Durham Coast stations.

 

[andylloyd]

Have just seen this on the bbc news website:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7215037.stm

Can anyone say how far the sets are away from operational use?

Cheers

Andy

 

[91101]

But GC offer significantly more capacity than HT. I agree thaat HT use up valuable capacity and should be ordered to lengthen their trains or be stripped of their access rights.

This is one of the most ill advised, and poorly thought out posts I have ever seen!

Hull Trains do not use up vital capacity, instead they actually provide additional extra capacity, as well as encouraging overall takeup of the railway network.

Every passenger on a HT service would other wise be on an already crowded NXEC to Doncaster, meaning less available seats on the various LDS/NCL/Scottish services that call at Doncaster. Alternatively, those passengers on the HT, might otherwise be driving down the A1!

HT are well aware that they are running almost at capacity and are looking into a number of options to expand their service provision.

I might remind you that GC's use of HST's was not through choice, but through the fact that they were the only suitable train available, GC also wanted to make use of 222's when they thought they would be available.

 

[djw1981]

Could Ht run 2x180's as one train, coupled together? or even 2x222?

 

[Sir_Clagalot]

then they would need two crews...

 

[djw1981]

In the currently rolling stock climate, crews may be easier to find and cheaper than stock.... also, only catering need to be duplicated? FSR happily run a train (2x170) with only driver in front Unit and only conductor in rear unit.

 

[schmoo_smith]

I might remind you that GC's use of HST's was not through choice, but through the fact that they were the only suitable train available, GC also wanted to make use of 222's when they thought they would be available.

Grand Centrals use of hst's were a great choice i think, i was very disappointed when Virgin dropped their HST's.

To quote Pete Waterman - "For me you can keep your Eurostar's and Tgv's, they're the best train ever built"

 

[Techniquest]

They are indeed the best thing to run on our network still, 31 years later. Nice as the 373s and the TGVs are, our HST will never be beaten!

 

[scb201]

from the article, I get the feeling they are waiting for the third train till they start the full service.

 

[andylloyd]

from the article, I get the feeling they are waiting for the third train till they start the full service.

My sentiments exactly plus from what i've read on other forum sites aswell...

 

[DaveNewcastle]

Grand Central's website has just been updated (about time too - its "News" page has had a message saying it WILL start services on 18th Dec for weeks now).

"We were hoping to introduce our full timetable of services this month, but unfortunately this will not now be possible because of further delays in the delivery or commissioning of vehicles from the organisations undertaking their refurbishment.

Frustratingly for all of us, these delays mean that we cannot at this stage accurately predict when we will have enough reliable rolling stock to introduce the full timetable.

Whilst we currently have two train sets in working condition, we still have no back-up vehicles delivered, or available, should anything go wrong, and we cannot entertain introducing further services until that position improves.

We have been looking at the possibility of hiring-in, on a short term basis, other trains capable of the required top speed of 125mph, though that is not an easy task."

I guess its frank enough

 

[Sir_Clagalot]

It's disappointing for us of course, though it does read a bit like "Marcroft & DML, Get you're fingers out, we've been waiting long enough" to me!!

 

[DaveNewcastle]

. . . been waiting for MORE than long enough!
It all goes to show just how many obstacles can get in the way of actually getting anything done - who would have thought 3 train refurbs would take so long?

 

[me123]

It's frankly appauling when you consider how long they've been waiting. To be fair, I personally wouldn't know where to start with the monumental task of converting a train carriage, but these people are professionals. The time GC have been waiting is unacceptable, and I can only hope the company are just being "typical builders/contractors" and not basing their delay on the fact GC aren't technically provising an essential service ATM.

 

[paul1609]

Hmm. Alledgedly most of the power car delays are a result of failure to pay the agreed stage payments last spring. GC consequently have no redress for late delivery under the terms of the contract.
Delaying the other services is probably actually to GC's advantage since they are cherry picking the most profitable York to London slots without the costs of running 3 train sets to the back of beyond.

 

[Sir_Clagalot]

hmm, I think it may have more to do with the faults not being sorted quick enough, so payment was withheld. It has now been sorted, so R3 should be making its merry way to Heaton.

 

[mealybar]

I can see by the timetable that GC could run a full service on 2 trains, but with problems already encountered its definately best to wait for 3. - I've travelled twice and been slightly surprised by seeing northern engineers running up and down the train!

With three sets and the base at Heaton where will the early morning/late night set stay near Kings Cross? Does GC rent space from Northern at Heaton and ? at Kings Cross? Is there a train crew based in London for the early morning set? So far I've only waitnessed some very young northern chaps who must be geordies or maccams.

Its a great servie for the north east, and with no publicity about launch - other than stories of delay in local press - I was surprised to see so many using the service at Hartlepool in January. With a little press (and a full reliable service) I don't see why even without AP tickets it wouldn't pick up further and at stations in North Yorkshire.

Roll on set 3!!

 

[Sir_Clagalot]

we have riding fitters, who are under contract from Northern. All train crew are based in the northeast. The set will be stabled in the KX area, possibly Ferme Park overnight. The crew that works the last one down brings the first one back.

 

[paul1609]

hmm, I think it may have more to do with the faults not being sorted quick enough, so payment was withheld. It has now been sorted, so R3 should be making its merry way to Heaton.

Think the alledged missed payments were to do with GC's change of ownership in spring /summer 07.
Glad to hear its sorted now. Will hopefully do a day trip to Sunderland when i return to the Uk in June.

Posted from Just off Algiers.

 

[andylloyd]

Hi all,
just read some info on Grand Central's site and railway centre.

http://www.therailwaycentre.com/News February 2008/220208_GC.html

Full service to be started provisionaly on the 1st weekend of March.

Cheers

Andy

 

[DaveNewcastle]

Yes, Andy!
From Grand Central's website:-

"[22 February 2008]

We are targeting the first weekend in March for the introduction of our full timetable of three trains each way between Sunderland-Hartlepool-Eaglescliffe-Northallerton-Thirsk-York & London Kings Cross. This follows delivery of our sixth & final Power Car & the first three Carriages for our third train."

And the passenger numbers on the existing limited one-train service certainly seems to have grown steadily (with standing-only between Thirsk & York in the morning rushhour).

 

[BOSCH]

Okay guys,just to let you know,Grand Central will be operating a full timetable from tomorrow 01/03/08.
The 17.30 Sun -KGX ran tonite to get the set in place for tomorrows AM departure,enjoy !!