Northern cancellations getting worse

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Did anyone really expect any betterment of service when Northern was "taken in hand"?

 

[317 forever]

Not just on Northern, but other operators when on an hourly route they claim "you were only delayed by 59 minutes & 45 seconds" as the train arrived 15 seconds earlier than the public timetable [along with every other train]. In my eyes the thresholds should be 14-29-59 minutes but that is probably something for another thread

Indeed, the train can arrive 59 minutes and 45 seconds late. They can then take an extra 15 seconds to open the door, meaning the delay for us was the full hour.

 

[northwichcat]

Indeed, the train can arrive 59 minutes and 45 seconds late. They can then take an extra 15 seconds to open the door, meaning the delay for us was the full hour.

I don't think the reporting is that accurate either. The GPS might detect a 2 car train at a platform long enough for 8 cars before the train actually comes to a stop.

 

[Kite159]

I don't think the reporting is that accurate either. The GPS might detect a 2 car train at a platform long enough for 8 cars before the train actually comes to a stop.

And sometimes they don't apply berth offsets correctly, error always working to their benefit.

(Although SWR are the best at that with claiming a train can travel from Andover to Grateley (6 miles) in 3 minutes [uphill] due to the position of the signals)

 

[td97]

The latest cancellation figures for the previous month put TPE at 18.9% whilst Northern were at 9.1%.

P-coded cancellations | ORR Data Portal

 

[lawried123]

A chap on YouTube who does travel blogs has just posted that he went to do the new boat from Heysham and the train from Lancaster to Heysham was cancelled. Considering that that's only one train a day you would have thought the least they could have done was to try and run that.
Apparently they did run a replacement coach from Lancaster but it seems no one made any announcements at Lancaster as to where the coach went from and he very nearly missed it.

Lawrie

 

[BoroAndy]

Yesterday the last train on the wolds Coast line terminated at Bridlington nirthbound due to a train fault M8? So no last train Brid to Scarborough or then Scarborough to Hull. Is there not an alternative transport to be provided in a case like this?

 

[northwichcat]

Yesterday the last train on the wolds Coast line terminated at Bridlington nirthbound due to a train fault M8? So no last train Brid to Scarborough or then Scarborough to Hull. Is there not an alternative transport to be provided in a case like this?

There should be. Annoucements at Manchester Piccadilly last night indicated there would be a replacement bus to Macclesfield, when the last train was cancelled. It wasn't as clear whether that would be the case with the last Hazel Grove service being terminated short at Stockport. Although, I'm not sure the reason behind the latter - possibly there wasn't a crew member available who signed the Buxton line?

 

[david737]

A chap on YouTube who does travel blogs has just posted that he went to do the new boat from Heysham and the train from Lancaster to Heysham was cancelled. Considering that that's only one train a day you would have thought the least they could have done was to try and run that.
Apparently they did run a replacement coach from Lancaster but it seems no one made any announcements at Lancaster as to where the coach went from and he very nearly missed it.

Lawrie

I think the Heysham boat train has been cancelled everyday this week as have loads of trains on the Morecambe branch as well. No mention of replacement bus's on Northern's website although I didn't think they had to provide any as these cancellations have gone in before 2200 the day before.

 

[_toommm_]

With the Heysham trains, you’ll have the bus replacement advertised on the station PIS screens at Lancaster more often that not. It’ll normally have a footnote saying it departs from the entrance outside platform three.

The only problem is the TIPLOC code isn’t localised, so it’ll say something like HEYSHBR (for the actual station) or HEYMST (for the actual sea terminal). From memory it’ll normally say the latter, as the former should localise to Heysham Port (or Heysham Harbour).

(This is just from the several times I’ve been at the station or passing through and seen it cancelled, for clarity).

 

[Watershed]

No mention of replacement bus's on Northern's website although I didn't think they had to provide any as these cancellations have gone in before 2200 the day before.

Short-notice replacement buses are usually (but not always) shown on the JourneyCheck tool, which is very poorly advertised.

Whether or not a train has been cancelled by 10pm the night before has no impact on Northern's obligation to provide alternative transport - at least for those who bought tickets before the cancellation was published.

 

[david737]

Short-notice replacement buses are usually (but not always) shown on the JourneyCheck tool, which is very poorly advertised.

Whether or not a train has been cancelled by 10pm the night before has no impact on Northern's obligation to provide alternative transport - at least for those who bought tickets before the cancellation was published.

OK thanks for clearing that up.

 

[td97]

Short-notice replacement buses are usually (but not always) shown on the JourneyCheck tool, which is very poorly advertised.

OK thanks for clearing that up.

These in turn are also shown on Northern's booking engine at www.buytickets.northernrailway.co.uk

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

It wasn't as clear whether that would be the case with the last Hazel Grove service being terminated short at Stockport.

At that time of the day, does the 192 Stagecoach Manchester bus service from Stockport to Hazel Grove offer an option?

 

[northwichcat]

At that time of the day, does the 192 Stagecoach Manchester bus service from Stockport to Hazel Grove offer an option?

The 192 bus continues until 3am on Friday night/Saturday morning. However, legislation in place requires Northern to pay for replacement transport. So unless they arrange ticket acceptance with Stagecoach, they should be providing their own replacement bus service or taxis from Stockport station approach.

 

[Tetchytyke]

A chap on YouTube who does travel blogs has just posted that he went to do the new boat from Heysham and the train from Lancaster to Heysham was cancelled. Considering that that's only one train a day you would have thought the least they could have done was to try and run that.

Living here, that train is of interest to me. In the last month it has been cancelled more than it has run. When I last sailed on the Manxman it ran, but it was the only day that week it did run.

Stagecoach’s 2X drops you off at the very south end of Heysham village (Coombermere Road if you want to find it on Bustimes.org) on the main road about 10-15 minutes walk along the main road to/from the port. It’s the most reliable way of getting to Heysham, and at £2 it’s the cheapest too.

 

[janb]

I think the Heysham boat train has been cancelled everyday this week as have loads of trains on the Morecambe branch as well. No mention of replacement bus's on Northern's website although I didn't think they had to provide any as these cancellations have gone in before 2200 the day before.

As @Watershed said Journeycheck should show bus information, and they will show up in Journey Planners when they are entered into the data.

The pattern last week for the morning cancellations was all trains between 05.xx and 0941 were replaced by a bus. The 11.16 cancelled but not replaced because the trains either side were running.

Evening cancellations tend to be more spaced out replacements, ie today 6 train round trips have been cancelled, with 3 bus round trips operating.

The Heysham is always replaced by a bus if (some would say "when" these days) the train is cancelled.

 

[dunc695]

As @Watershed said Journeycheck should show bus information, and they will show up in Journey Planners when they are entered into the data.

The pattern last week for the morning cancellations was all trains between 05.xx and 0941 were replaced by a bus. The 11.16 cancelled but not replaced because the trains either side were running.

Evening cancellations tend to be more spaced out replacements, ie today 6 train round trips have been cancelled, with 3 bus round trips operating.

The Heysham is always replaced by a bus if (some would say "when" these days) the train is cancelled.

I do wonder if the ultimate goal is to eventually abandon the Heysham boat train altogether, or operate it as a once a week parliamentary because at the rate its being cancelled its not of much use to anyone. Even the Morecambe Branch itself can be blighted by cancellations some days, even this morning bringing disruption to school journeys.

 

[yorksrob]

Another cancellation of my train.
The Hallam line used to be fairly reliable. Now fast turning into a bag of pants.

 

[TUC]

Did anyone really expect any betterment of service when Northern was "taken in hand"?

Some naively did. I do hope lessons are learned from this that who owns a TOC is irrelevant.

 

[JD2168]

Quite a few cancellations on the Sheffield to Scarborough via Hull service this morning. The 8:56 am & 9:57am journeys were started from Hull with the 10:57am was started from Doncaster due to the Train being late from the Depot & terminated at Hull.

 

[Ianigsy]

I do wonder if the ultimate goal is to eventually abandon the Heysham boat train altogether, or operate it as a once a week parliamentary because at the rate its being cancelled its not of much use to anyone. Even the Morecambe Branch itself can be blighted by cancellations some days, even this morning bringing disruption to school journeys.

Perhaps the Steam Packet could take it over, re gauge the Heysham branch to 3ft and run the Donegal railcars on it!

 

[TheLunaPark]

Some naively did. I do hope lessons are learned from this that who owns a TOC is irrelevant.

Although it has to be said that the ECML franchise seems to work better under public ownership than the private operators. Different kind of franchise to Northern of course but sometimes it does seem to make a difference.

 

[yorksrob]

Another cancellation of my train.
The Hallam line used to be fairly reliable. Now fast turning into a bag of pants.

Cancelled again today.

It seems to be impossible to have all of our TOC's running properly at the same time. One minute its TPE, then as soon as they start to show signs of improvement, Northern goes down the pan again.

 

[Swanley 59]

Services on the Durham Coast - Tyne Valley route have really fallen to pieces in the last few weeks. I'm fortunate to have the Metro as an alternative for the Sunderland - Newcastle leg of my commute as the Northern service is invariably cancelled or heavily delayed. Indeed, it hass become a standing joke between my colleague, who commutes in the opposite direction, Sunderland - Hartlepool, and I as to whose train will be cancelled first.

 

[JD2168]

The 9:54am Sheffield to Cleethorpes via Brigg was cancelled this morning & I also notice the last Train to Hull from Sheffield tonight is cancelled as well. With regards the Hull cancellation would replacement transport be offered as this is the last through Train to Hull?

 

[Peterthegreat]

The 9:54am Sheffield to Cleethorpes via Brigg was cancelled this morning & I also notice the last Train to Hull from Sheffield tonight is cancelled as well. With regards the Hull cancellation would replacement transport be offered as this is the last through Train to Hull?

According to National Rail passengers should take the 23.05 Sheffield to Doncaster service for a bus forward.

 

[Jamesrob637]

Blackpool trains are bad right now. Last Saturday my mate had to leave me alone for nearly 40 minutes in Poulton-le-Fylde because he elected to catch an earlier train rather than the hour later. Still claimed delay repay and was successful

 

[skyhigh]

because he elected to catch an earlier train rather than the hour later. Still claimed delay repay and was successful

Which is fraudulently claiming delay reply if he put on the claim he was on the later train.

 

[Kite159]

According to National Rail passengers should take the 23.05 Sheffield to Doncaster service for a bus forward.

Which knowing Northern will probably end up being a 16 seated minibus assuming they remember to book the bus and tell it to wait for that train to arrive from Sheffield.