Great Northern Missing Engineering Work Notices

[MikeWM]

I had a moan on here last week about GTR (and NRE) not listing last Sunday's bus replacements between Letchworth and Stevenage in their list of planned engineering work - the only related mention was misleading and listed the wrong times. In addition there was no mention on posters at stations because the February engineering work poster only listed changes from the 12th.

Well, looks like the same thing is happening this weekend. The same misleading and incorrect information on their engineering work page ('Amended services between Stevenage and Peterborough until 10:30 on Sunday 11 February') which states (in the middle of a load of other information) 'Great Northern trains are replaced by buses between Stevenage and Letchworth Garden City'.

Again, that's the wrong route, and the wrong times. It's very rubbish if I have to check a journey planner every weekend because I can't even trust the engineering work notices.

 

[Failed Unit]

I guess we need to write in an complain.

Unfortunately GTR don’t care. They have no incentive to provide decent information about their services. Until they get hit in the pocket (or preferably stripped of the franchise) unfortunately we have to put up with their continued incompetence.

 

[philjo]

It used to be possible to get a PDF listing of future engineering works on the GN route for the next 3 months which I think was updated every 2 weeks, but I can't find that document any more.
Incidentally I did see t a notice at the ticket office at Potters Bar this afternoon warning that all day on Saturdays 24 Feb and 3 March and on the next few sundays all trains are diverted via Hertford with a bus replacement service via WGC.

 

[CyrusWuff]

Strictly speaking, the Engineering Work notices aren't "missing" as the relevant information is in the published timetable! The affected pocket timetables have two Sunday sections: "10 December to 11 February and 1 April to 13 May" and "18 February to 25 March".

I stand for correction, but I'm pretty sure the practice of including it in the base timetable in that manner dates back to the days of WAGN, given it's a regular "fixture" alternating between closures of the main line and the Hertford Loop.

 

[Silver Cobra]

Checking the notice on NRE about these engineering works, I had to laugh at one statement in the notice:

Grand Central services will be re-timed between London / Stevenage and Peterborough. Trains from Peterborough to London Kings Cross will not call at Arlesey and Hitchin.

Since when did Grand Central start stopping at Arlesey and Hitchin?

 

[MikeWM]

Strictly speaking, the Engineering Work notices aren't "missing" as the relevant information is in the published timetable! The affected pocket timetables have two Sunday sections: "10 December to 11 February and 1 April to 13 May" and "18 February to 25 March".

I stand for correction, but I'm pretty sure the practice of including it in the base timetable in that manner dates back to the days of WAGN, given it's a regular "fixture" alternating between closures of the main line and the Hertford Loop.

That's all correct, except that's not what I'm referring to. (and, 'ironically', these changes *are* listed under the engineering work section on GNs website, even though as you say they are all in the timetable!)

I'm talking about replacement buses between Stevenage and Letchworth this Sunday, 11th Feb. As with last week, you can find them in journey planners but no mention on GN's website (except for the useless and confusing mention under a heading about Peterborough services that supposedly only applies until 1030).

 

[MikeWM]

It used to be possible to get a PDF listing of future engineering works on the GN route for the next 3 months which I think was updated every 2 weeks, but I can't find that document any more.

Nor I. Though I can barely find anything at all on GNs website, I find it almost entirely unusable (especially on phone-sized devices). The engineering work calendar is one of the few things that has a semi-sensible UI (though incorrect information, it seems!)

I also remember when FCC would publish PDF timetables of services when there was engineering work. Sadly they stopped doing that before the end of the franchise. GA still do, to their great credit. Much easier to read than trying to work out using a planner.

 

[Andrewh32]

I think I can see what's wrong.

The notice says 1030 which implies 1030am when it's buses between Stevenage & Letchworth until 2230 (1030pm) then it becomes buses Stevenage & Royston which has its own notice.

Agreed the initial Stevenage/Letchworth bit is in the wrong notice which doesn't help

 

[Silver Cobra]

Checking the engineering work posters at Arlesey and Stevenage today, they both correctly listed the replacement bus service between Stevenage and Letchworth for tomorrow. This is the poster at Arlesey:

Now if only the information on their website could be correct like on the posters at stations.

 

[MikeWM]

That poster has now appeared at Ely too, in place of the expired January one that was still there last weekend. No sign of it at Cambridge though - looked this evening.

Also GN have changed the wording on their website now - removed the reference to ‘until 1030’ and changed the wording to ‘disruption between Stevenage and Peterborough’ - a slight improvement, but still not something you’d think to look at if eg. travelling from Cambridge.

 

[Skimble19]

That poster has now appeared at Ely too, in place of the expired January one that was still there last weekend. No sign of it at Cambridge though - looked this evening.

Also GN have changed the wording on their website now - removed the reference to ‘until 1030’ and changed the wording to ‘disruption between Stevenage and Peterborough’ - a slight improvement, but still not something you’d think to look at if eg. travelling from Cambridge.

Out of date posters like this are very rare at GN managed stations hence why Silver Cobra found the in date posters at Arlesey and Stevenage. I can only assume it happens here as there are no GN staff at Cambridge, Cambridge North or Ely to change the posters and it would appear AGA are not managed as strictly as GTR (these would be a QUEST fail, something that is taken extremely seriously in the world of GTR).

If you're on Twitter I'd suggest sending it in to @GNRailUK if you do spot out of date posters whilst at the Greater Anglia managed stations.