Salford engineering - oh dear!

[6Gman]

Having forgotten about the Salford engineering until I saw a Bullock's double decker showing 'Railway Service' on Deansgate, Manchester I had a walk down to Salford Central intending to catch a train (if running), a bus (if not) to Victoria.

Got there to find the screens showing all departures as 'Bus', and a poster advising that the location of rail replacement stops was shown on the Location Maps at the station entrance. Couldn't find said maps anywhere but assumed bus would stop on Bridge Street (under the railway viaduct). Met another equally confused passenger, but no sign of staff [but see below].

The bus turned up spot on time and stopped where I'd assumed it would. Having boarded I noticed a chap in a dark anorak and woolly hat in animated conversation near the station entrance. I think he may have been a NR employee - a distinctive uniform would be helpful.

Bus journey to Victoria was o.k. though we took a detour to be dropped on Corporation Street rather than outside the station itself.

Victoria was busy with passengers, many very confused. No ticket checking and no staff to be seen. Large queue at booking office. Ended up fielding questions from public - once one had approached me I think everyone else assumed I was staff. Able to help some - not a clue re others!

Very, very poor show by Northern Rail. Why on earth couldn't they have staff in place to deal with enquiries?
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I sent Northern Rail a suitably-worded e-mail.

Their acknowledgement states they will aim to respond within 20 working days!

Don't rush lads!

 

[VTPreston_Tez]

Bad service as usual from Northern then? They don't seem to be good with RRBs at larger stations.
I would like to see how they reply to you for this instance.

 

[Tugzrule]

Noticed the exact same today waiting for the 1823 from Victoria to Bolton. Was on the platform at 1805 where it was already looking busy. Departure time got closer and by now the platform was really busy: 6-7 deep along the whole length of the platform with people standing at the edge of the platform in a scene more akin to London rush hours. Now, I know that the train is booked to arrive at 1821 from Bolton and that it had departed late, but despite there being staff in the customer assistance office behind me on P5 this message was not relayed.

1823 came and went and the train disappeared from the departure boards (which I know it often does by default anyway) and they were replaced by the 1923 departure which lead to lots of confused passengers and still there were no announcements or information given by staff.

The train finally arrived 11 late where it was met with a huge scrum, leaving 14 late before being held twice due to the engineering works at Salford Crescent - once on the platform avoiding line and again just the other side of Pendleton. Whilst I knew this was related to the single line working passengers were again worrying. Again there was no explanation from the guard. Probably the worst case of customer service I've seen from Northern

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Are the engineering works at Salford Crescent still running to their original time completion schedule?

 

[mwmbwls]

Are the engineering works at Salford Crescent still running to their original time completion schedule?

Original schedule
Contractors will be on site throughout Christmas, including the two days when the railways shut down, and for a further two days to complete the following tasks: piling work for the new footbridge, extending the platform and commissioning relocated signals.

The weather has been appalling and in view of local emergency repairs in the Manchester area my sympathies are with the guys on the ground. Fortunately the University is closed until the 7th.

 

[trainophile]

I'm booked on a Southport to Manchester Pic tomorrow, which calls at Salford Crescent. I only have 11 minutes connection time at MAN. Would it be advisable to get an earlier train ex-SOP?

 

[caliwag]

Well I agree entirely...anorak and woolly hat is a joke: totally unacceptable. People (passengers) need total reassurance by a bod in uniform, who looks as though he knows what's going on...Hell's teeth the Private railway sussed that ages ago.

 

[34D]

I'm booked on a Southport to Manchester Pic tomorrow, which calls at Salford Crescent. I only have 11 minutes connection time at MAN. Would it be advisable to get an earlier train ex-SOP?

Hard to say without knowing what ticket you have and where you are going, and whether the service you are booked on and/or the earlier from Southport is reservable (I guess not, if Northern).

I probably would get the earlier train though. If one of the trains is reservable then speak to the guard at Southport before boarding.

 

[Wath Yard]

Very, very poor show by Northern Rail. Why on earth couldn't they have staff in place to deal with enquiries?

It's the law. Any bus replacements or farces and staff have to disappear into the ether. Although I make every effort to avoid bus replacements every time I've been unfortunate to have to endure one there has never been any staff around to ask questions of or give guidance or reassurance - those have mainly been VWC and EC (or NXEC as it was at the time), so it isn't just Northern.

 

[snail]

If one of the trains is reservable then speak to the guard at Southport before boarding.

Nothing from Southport is reservable. They should get the earlier train.

 

[trainophile]

That's what I did, and probably just as well, as if the train on my itinerary had run to the same timings as the one I was on, I would have had three minutes at MAN to get from P13 (14? didn't actually notice in the scrum) to P8. Doubt I'd have made it. It crawled a bit on approach to Salford Crescent but wasn't unduly delayed there, however it hung around at Oxford Road for the customary couple of minutes, even though it was already on the late side. Never understood why they do that.

They've move the ticket "checking" from the top of the P13/14 escalator to the exits into the main concourse now. Just in case anyone is interested .

("Checking" as in shouting "tickets please" and then barely glancing at them!).

 

[Solent&Wessex]

Noticed the exact same today waiting for the 1823 from Victoria to Bolton. Was on the platform at 1805 where it was already looking busy. Departure time got closer and by now the platform was really busy: 6-7 deep along the whole length of the platform with people standing at the edge of the platform in a scene more akin to London rush hours. Now, I know that the train is booked to arrive at 1821 from Bolton and that it had departed late, but despite there being staff in the customer assistance office behind me on P5 this message was not relayed.

1823 came and went and the train disappeared from the departure boards (which I know it often does by default anyway) and they were replaced by the 1923 departure which lead to lots of confused passengers and still there were no announcements or information given by staff.

The train finally arrived 11 late where it was met with a huge scrum, leaving 14 late before being held twice due to the engineering works at Salford Crescent - once on the platform avoiding line and again just the other side of Pendleton. Whilst I knew this was related to the single line working passengers were again worrying. Again there was no explanation from the guard. Probably the worst case of customer service I've seen from Northern

That is nothing new for Northern at Victoria. It is always like that there. Only the other week I had a similar experience whilst catching a Leeds train. Departure time came and went, the screens still said "on time" until a few mins after it should have gone, when it just disappeared off the screens altogether. I checked on my phone and noticed it was late on the way in and would be at least 20 mins late. I went and enquired of a particularly scruffy member of staff (the only member of staff I could find, but he was wearing one of the purple "customer assistance" vests), and he just grunted at me. A few mins later the train reappeared on the screens, with a delay, but no announcements or explanations. There was nothing on the train either.

I have given up sending them emails as I only ever get apologies for not meeting the usual high standards, and promises that the matter will be referred to the local manager who will sort it out.

 

[34D]

Departure time came and went, the screens still said "on time" until a few mins after it should have gone, when it just disappeared off the screens altogether.

I've just started a separate thread about this sort of thing.

 

[6Gman]

Well, the 20 working days have been and gone and no reply from Northern.

Should I be surprised?

 

[6Gman]

Bad service as usual from Northern then? They don't seem to be good with RRBs at larger stations.
I would like to see how they reply to you for this instance.

My response arrived yesterday (21st March) dated 17th March from them. Not 20 working days by a long way!

It was basically "sorry to read about your experiences ... apologies ... did not go as it should have done ... enclosing a voucher ... thank you for contacting us ... hope future use more positive"

So, no response whatsoever about the actual complaint.

The voucher is a 4 day complimentary travel ticket (Northern Rail only), which isn't hugely helpful since my only local Northern service is the stopper between Crewe and Manchester!

But the most annoying thing is the lack of any comment, still less any response, to the actual complaint!

 

[chuckles1066]

Their acknowledgement states they will aim to respond within 20 working days!

Don't rush lads!

Do they have an internal audit team?

I assume they should.....so what are they doing?

20 working days is a joke.

 

[455driver]

Do they have an internal audit team?

I assume they should.....so what are they doing?

20 working days is a joke.

Yeah because every TOC has a hundred staff just sitting around waiting for somebody to write to them dont they! :roll:

 

[6Gman]

Yeah because every TOC has a hundred staff just sitting around waiting for somebody to write to them dont they! :roll:

Not sure what point you're making here 455driver, but surely every business should be capable of responding to complaints/ comments/ praise within a reasonable period of time?

 

[Mojo]

Yeah because every TOC has a hundred staff just sitting around waiting for somebody to write to them dont they! :roll:

Not sure what point you're making here 455driver, but surely every business should be capable of responding to complaints/ comments/ praise within a reasonable period of time?

Agreed, 20 days seems a particularly excessive amount of time. Just looking at a few other Tocs and railway companies, they aim to respond as follows:

Arriva Wales - 10 working days
Chiltern - 10 working days
XC - 10 working days
East Coast - 10 working days
London Midland - 10 working days [although currently have a 40+ days backlog]
Lorol - 7 days
Southeastern - 10 working days

 

[tsr]

Agreed, 20 days seems a particularly excessive amount of time. Just looking at a few other Tocs and railway companies, they aim to respond as follows:

Arriva Wales - 10 working days
Chiltern - 10 working days
XC - 10 working days
East Coast - 10 working days
London Midland - 10 working days [although currently have a 40+ days backlog]
Lorol - 7 days
Southeastern - 10 working days

Yes, but Southern is "21 working days - oh, and perhaps longer if we're a bit busy", or something along those lines. It's not good enough, and I have complained to senior staff, who have grovelled very much but not really promised to so much as try to improve.

 

[Mojo]

Yes, but Southern is "21 working days - oh, and perhaps longer if we're a bit busy", or something along those lines. It's not good enough, and I have complained to senior staff, who have grovelled very much but not really promised to so much as try to improve.

Southern's Customer Charter says they will respond within 10 working days. The 20 working days is only for something particularly complex.

 

[Lucky63]

Just wait until the 19 week shut down between Bolton & Salford due to bridge work at Farnworth tunnel then Northern will be dealing with complaints! 20 days response will be respectable then!

 

[tsr]

Southern's Customer Charter says they will respond within 10 working days. The 20 working days is only for something particularly complex.

This is not what they cunningly decide to tell you once you've already emailed them. The auto-responder said "21 days" last time I used it, and a somewhat senior member of staff said that they really wouldn't be able to do anything in this time due to some level of demand they claimed they couldn't rise to (on the grounds that they didn't have enough staff, wouldn't employ any more and couldn't possibly say why anyone would want to contact them, anyway).