Merseyrail revised timetable with closure of West Kirby?

[joke2711]

Hi Forum members

My usual commute Rainford to Manor Road requires a change at Birkenhead North. I usually arrive at North at 0802 on a New Brighton service and then catch the 0807 from North to West Kirby.

This morning, obviously trains were showing as travelling as far as Hoylake only .. but the timings on the information screens had the trains leaving 4 minutes later at 11, 26, 41 & 56.

I presume that this is to allow the departing Liverpool bound train to clear the platform and points at Hoylake before the incoming train arrives.

To my surprise the 0807 arrive on-time and immediately departed and proceeded as per the usual timetable to Manor Road where it was obviously held at a Red Signal.

This is shown in Realtime trains https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/train/S17492/2019/09/23

To my knowledge there was no mention of a change to train times on this route .. just announcements of replacement buses to and from West Kirby.

Out of interest, have the timings been changed officially for this week or was there some error in the trains operation?

 

[30907]

Again using RTT, the times have been changed. Most likely explanation is human error.

 

[Ianno87]

Again using RTT, the times have been changed. Most likely explanation is human error.

Given that 'waiting time' at a station by several minutes is pretty much never practiced on Merseyrail, presumably the driver just continued assuming he had a standard dwell time. Quite easy to do when it's the only thing you've ever done for years and years.

 

[TheSel]

Given that 'waiting time' at a station by several minutes is pretty much never practiced on Merseyrail, presumably the driver just continued assuming he had a standard dwell time. Quite easy to do when it's the only thing you've ever done for years and years.

... but a handful of services DO have such booked waiting time. The first four Monday to Saturday services from Southport To Hunts Cross (0538, 0553, 0608 and 0623 ex SPT) all wait five minutes at Bank Hall. Essentially they're all booked to depart from Southport (and all stations up to and including Bootle Oriel Road) five minutes ahead of the standard 'clock face' timings, and then having waited time at Bank Hall, continue at standard 'clock face' timings for the rest of their otherwise standard journey.

 

[Ianno87]

... but a handful of services DO have such booked waiting time. The first four Monday to Saturday services from Southport To Hunts Cross (0538, 0553, 0608 and 0623 ex SPT) all wait five minutes at Bank Hall. Essentially they're all booked to depart from Southport (and all stations up to and including Bootle Oriel Road) five minutes ahead of the standard 'clock face' timings, and then having waited time at Bank Hall, continue at standard 'clock face' timings for the rest of their otherwise standard journey.

That's a bit odd - why do they do that? Doesn't seem to be related to getting stuff out of Southport sidings. Possibly to do with reaching Bank Hall in time to do sone sort of driver/guard swap to the train headed the other way?

Point taken nonetheless!

How much do Merseyrail drivers cross over between Northern and Wirral lines?

 

[jamesst]

... but a handful of services DO have such booked waiting time. The first four Monday to Saturday services from Southport To Hunts Cross (0538, 0553, 0608 and 0623 ex SPT) all wait five minutes at Bank Hall. Essentially they're all booked to depart from Southport (and all stations up to and including Bootle Oriel Road) five minutes ahead of the standard 'clock face' timings, and then having waited time at Bank Hall, continue at standard 'clock face' timings for the rest of their otherwise standard journey.

That's down to adhesion issues causing the trains to lose time on the first few times esp in the autumn. Also done on the Chester line with the first couple of departures in the morning.
Itll just be down to human error, dockets issued to Merseyrail traincrew only have terminal end timings on then.

 

[Ianno87]

That's down to adhesion issues causing the trains to lose time on the first few times esp in the autumn. Also done on the Chester line with the first couple of departures in the morning.
Itll just be down to human error, dockets issued to Merseyrail traincrew only have terminal end timings on then.

Thanks - makes sense.

 

[jamesst]

Thanks - makes sense.

No worries.
There are literally a handful of drivers that can drive all Merseyrail routes, otherwise its Birkenhead for Wirral and Kirkdale/Southport for Northern.

 

[TheSel]

No worries.
There are literally a handful of drivers that can drive all Merseyrail routes, otherwise its Birkenhead for Wirral and Kirkdale/Southport for Northern.

Thanks from me too. Always wondered about those five minute 'dwells'.

Purely out of interest, are the 'stock transfer' moves (i.e. those that use Paradise Junction twixt Liverpool Central and James Street) confined to that 'handful' of drivers, or do these moves tend to involve a change of crew at Central?

 

[jamesst]

Thanks from me too. Always wondered about those five minute 'dwells'.

Purely out of interest, are the 'stock transfer' moves (i.e. those that use Paradise Junction twixt Liverpool Central and James Street) confined to that 'handful' of drivers, or do these moves tend to involve a change of crew at Central?

Forgot that bit sorry!
All Wirral drivers also sign the stock interchange and between there and Kirkdale depot purely for empty stock moves.
The small group at both Birkenhead and Kirkdale additionally sign all routes both sides (for both passenger and empty stock).
Apart from that handful no other Northern drivers sign the stock interchange so cant do cross cover stock moves.

 

[TheSel]

Forgot that bit sorry!
All Wirral drivers also sign the stock interchange and between there and Kirkdale depot purely for empty stock moves.
The small group at both Birkenhead and Kirkdale additionally sign all routes both sides (for both passenger and empty stock).
Apart from that handful no other Northern drivers sign the stock interchange so cant do cross cover stock moves.

Many thanks - much appreciated.

 

[joke2711]

Thanks for the replies. It must have been human error (or lack of communication). This morning the train was held at Birkenhead North until 0811 with an on-board announcement explaining why.