Northern Rail - Now't ever changes !

[yorksrob]

Arrived at platform 1, Victoria expecting the usual 20:23 crush onto a two carriage pacer. Imagine my surprise to see the prospective Leeds passengers luxuriating on a 158. A 150 was also in the far end of the platform.

"Are all these carriages going to Leeds" I asked the barrier man, not sure I could believe my luck. "Yes" he said. Perhaps Northern had turned a corner on this traditionally abysmal service. I walked up the platform asking the railway official whether it was really true - would we finally be getting a decent service on the Calder valley evening route ?

Alas, it proved to be a mirage and those waiting on the 158 were turfed out onto the platform, to await the opening of the doors to the 150, two minutes before departure. Tradition was conserved !

 

[Bungle965]

Arrived at platform 1, Victoria expecting the usual 20:23 crush onto a two carriage pacer. Imagine my surprise to see the prospective Leeds passengers luxuriating on a 158. A 150 was also in the far end of the platform.

"Are all these carriages going to Leeds" I asked the barrier man, not sure I could believe my luck. "Yes" he said. Perhaps Northern had turned a corner on this traditionally abysmal service. I walked up the platform asking the railway official whether it was really true - would we finally be getting a decent service on the Calder valley evening route ?

Alas, it proved to be a mirage and those waiting on the 158 were turfed out onto the platform, to await the opening of the doors to the 150, two minutes before departure. Tradition was conserved !

Normally the Calder Valley services are 158s (tend to be 158/7 will the comfy seats in the middle coach) with a couple of exceptions. However I am noticing a lot more cancellations on weekdays and other stock appearing. The reasoning that I have come up with in my head is that they are short because a set is off to Kilmarnock for refurbishment.
Sam

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[47802]

Normally the Calder Valley services are 158s (tend to be 158/7 will the comfy seats in the middle coach) with a couple of exceptions. However I am noticing a lot more cancellations on weekdays and other stock appearing. The reasoning that I have come up with in my head is that they are short because a set is off to Kilmarnock for refurbishment.
Sam

Sent from my ONEPLUS A3003 using Tapatalk

Well I'm sure that will come as news to Calder Valley regulars some are some aren't.

Still a fair wait for the brave new world of a Calder Valley route Pacer free and worked by new trains/170's.

Mind I was waiting at Worksop the other day imagine the shock they are long overdue going to get when the new trains turn up instead of Pacer on the Lincoln services, and just to rub in how crap the Northern product is, a very tidy looking EMT 158 turned up for the Nottingham service.

 

[Bungle965]

Well I'm sure that will come as news to Calder Valley regulars some are some aren't.

Still a fair wait for the brave new world of a Calder Valley route Pacer free and worked by new trains/170's.

Mind I was waiting at Worksop the other day imagine the shock they are long overdue going to get when the new trains turn up instead of Pacer on the Lincoln services.

I am a Calder Valley regular, and over the last couple of weeks I have seen a definite decrease in the punctuality of some of the services, peak time services being cancelled and a decrease in the quality of the rolling stock. An example being I caught a Manchester Victoria-Leeds semi fast service which was a 142*150 combo neither of them suited to the service. However things can only get better!
Sam

 

[J-2739]

I've had a similar scenario happen to me at Man Picc last 2 months. 142 (bus seated) came, we got on. 5 minutes later, we were thrown out and got given a 150 instead. 5 seconds later [/hyperbole] we got chucked out and were given the sweet delight of another dirty looking 142 instead...

 

[yorksrob]

To be honest, as a user of Calder valley services at 8:20 from Man Vic over the past few years, a 150 is at least an improvement on the 142's they've tried to put on in the past on occasion, but still rubbish.

Having everyone settle into a nice comfy 158 added insult to injury (although I, with my jaundiced eye, wasn't taken in !).

 

[Blindtraveler]

I persomally dont mind pacers so wouldnt have a problem with this. Something a member of platform staff said to me last year comes to mind with this and indeed many other situations involving Northern. What they lack in qualitty of stock, Northern make up for, in terms of their own directly employed staff anyway in friendlyness, warmth and a real desire to help and Id say with 1 or 2 acceptions Im with them on that.

 

[D841 Roebuck]

I persomally dont mind pacers so wouldnt have a problem with this. Something a member of platform staff said to me last year comes to mind with this and indeed many other situations involving Northern. What they lack in qualitty of stock, Northern make up for, in terms of their own directly employed staff anyway in friendlyness, warmth and a real desire to help and Id say with 1 or 2 acceptions Im with them on that.

Agreed. That's my view too. Northern do a pretty decent job, on the whole.

 

[robbeech]

On my way to the York meet on Tuesday i was shocked to be given a 158 between Worksop and Retford, and almost as shocked to see a single 153 going the other way to Sheffield. This was a lunch time ish service, its not a time i would normally catch it so for all i know it could be normal but it was a delight not having to have to step through the barely open Leyland doors as i normally have to.

 

[lejog]

I am a Calder Valley regular, and over the last couple of weeks I have seen a definite decrease in the punctuality of some of the services, peak time services being cancelled and a decrease in the quality of the rolling stock. An example being I caught a Manchester Victoria-Leeds semi fast service which was a 142*150 combo neither of them suited to the service. However things can only get better!
Sam

As a fellow Calder Valley regular, I'd agree with your previous post with some qualifications, that since the May 2015 timetable change the vast majority of the daytime services between Victoria and Leeds via Bradford or Brighouse have been 158s or 155s, and most rush hour services have also been one of these (2 car units being strengthened by a 150/142). For a year from May 2015 I enjoyed Pacer free travel on the line, with 150s being rare.

However since April this year the line has had one (now 2) 3 car 158s and a 155 away for refurbishment, so 150s/142s have been turning up fairly frequently, especially with 158s still forming 100% of the York-Blackpool services. Hopefully one of the refurbished 158s will return shortly, but with all the other Sprinters due for refurbishment, I can see the current situation lasting until the delivery of new rolling stock.

Until May 2015, pretty well all the evening Victoria services were 142/150s, it seemed that 155s/158s weren't allowed out at night - in particular the last service from Leeds was usually a convey of Pacers that had gathered at Platform 1. But this also seems to have changed since May 2015 and there's a number of 155s/158 on evening services - YorksRob just seems to be unlucky with his choice of trains.

 

[yorksrob]

Perhaps it's just an issue with that diagram.

To be fair, Northern have definitely been making an effort on strengthening services from Leeds of an evening. The last train to Wakefield Kirkgate on Saturday was two units, which is an improvement.