Station volunteer has rant at Northern

[northwichcat]

http://www.thenorthernecho.co.uk/news/9081711._Belittled__rail_pioneer_quits/

A VOLUNTEER who led the renovation of a town's railway station has quit after accusing rail chiefs of belittling his efforts.

Michael O'Neill was one of the founders of the Bishop Auckland Station Trust(BAST)in 2009 but last night said he was leaving the president's role due to frustration over the lack of support for the group's work.

He launched a stinging attack on Northern Rail, who own the station, accusing them of ignoring his emails and belittling the volunteers.

Bast was formed to bring the station back to life. The group has installed hanging baskets and created a large mural to make the station more welcoming.

Mr O'Neill said they had put the station on the map but that Northern Rail saw them as "idiots who know nothing".

He said: "They think we are unreliable because we are volunteers, but that's disgraceful.

"We have shown our commitment time and time again but are always getting knocked back, after climbing every mountain we get another kick in the teeth."

 

[Cherry_Picker]

There isnt much information in that article, but it seems like the guy was hoping that if he did the gardening at the station for 18 months then Northern would let him and his mates build a ticket office there for their charter trains?

 

[driver9000]

Northern run the station they don't own it.

 

[ANorthernGuard]

I see lots of volunteers on my trains as there is loads of "Friends of" Station groups in my area, never heard any of them complain once, the majority know that alot of it is down to network rail and not Northern and that funding can be tight, Volunteers get a free pass that they can use off peak and through themselves/councils/Northern working together alot of good has come out of the scheme, one p**sed off volunteer is such a tiny tiny minority that it is almost laughable

 

[WestCoast]

Yeah, most volunteers do it out of the sheer enjoyment that they get from bringing a station back to life, not for other motives!

 

[ralphchadkirk]

So basically, he's ****ed off because Northern won't let him build and run a ticket office, or have a charter train. The volunteers are there to make the station look pretty, let Northern come up with the business plan!

 

[Greenback]

It sounds like he has taken the role of station volunteer a little too seriously. Did he intend to make himself a uniform, buy a top hat and call himself the station master as well?

 

[strange6]

Unfair on Northern is this. One of my local stations, Hindley, has a friends group and they have regenerated the Manchester bound platform to a lovely condition, complete with flower displays, all with the help and a little bit of money from Northern.

 

[Flamingo]

He didn't get told off after getting a shopping trolley off the line, did he?

 

[ralphchadkirk]

He didn't get told off after getting a shopping trolley off the line, did he?

You mean having a litter pick?

 

[Flamingo]

You mean having a litter pick?

No, preventing a major disaster!

 

[ralphchadkirk]

No, preventing a major disaster!

Oh that one! Saved thousands of lives he did!

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

Unfair on Northern is this. One of my local stations, Hindley, has a friends group and they have regenerated the Manchester bound platform to a lovely condition, complete with flower displays, all with the help and a little bit of money from Northern.

I must confess that both my wife and I were really impressed with the work caried out at Hindley station and the quality of it. The work is more to be admired as the station is situated in a cutting. They have extended the length of the original work. I am pleased that you have noted that Northern were involved. The pity is that the two redundant platform areas tend to spoil the effect of the station as a whole.

Just outside the TfGM boundary is Handforth station, that has had the "Friends of Handforth Station", a body of many years standing. Quite a number of new "Friends" groups have received advice from this group.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

He didn't get told off after getting a shopping trolley off the line, did he?

Please do not go down this line again...that matter is now closed.

 

[scotsman]

Please do not go down this line again...that matter is now closed.

I believe it was a joke?

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

I believe it was a joke?

I am well aware that it was....but we all know what happened on the "other" thread and how the "joke" turned into something rather unpleasant over a succession of following postings on the thread.

 

[ANorthernGuard]

They do a good job at Handforth, don't know where they got all the different signs from but it makes it look different and the platforms look good.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

They do a good job at Handforth, don't know where they got all the different signs from but it makes it look different and the platforms look good.

The very large full-size maroon BR station name board affixed to the outside of the building on Station Road really is eye-catching. That board takes you back quite a few years.

 

[Bish Boy]

from what i can remember he wanted to attract charter trains to weardale to stop at bishop too and reopen the toilets and waiting room that was all dont think that would be to unrealistic at all

 

[Clip]

from what i can remember he wanted to attract charter trains to weardale to stop at bishop too and reopen the toilets and waiting room that was all dont think that would be to unrealistic at all

Thats not to unrealistic. First of all they would have to get Landlords consent and that takes ages because NR would need to see a benefit from doing it too.

However, throwing your toys out the pram just smacks of pettyness.

 

[Skimble19]

Does NR still own the station buildings?

 

[ainsworth74]

Does NR still own the station buildings?

Yep NR still own the stations.

 

[stueybish]

There isnt much information in that article, but it seems like the guy was hoping that if he did the gardening at the station for 18 months then Northern would let him and his mates build a ticket office there for their charter trains?

You could not be further from the truth.

WE are trying to attract someone to man the ticket office after Durham County Council has finished refurbishing the building. WE wanted to charter a train paid for by OUR funds.

Sadly, Northern are unable to do the latter and Durham County Council are delayed in the former.

In the meantime our floral displays and housekeeping are continually being vandalised by mindless idiots and Mr. O'Neill has decided enough is enough. However, the newspaper report is a classic bit of journalism with bells and whistles added and some facts missed out.

Our main aim is to get people on the train to and from Bishop Auckland. We are succeeding in this and Northern are quite happy they are getting free advertising for the service. We are getting a lot of pleasure from seeing more and more people take the train from Bishop.

I hope that our work would be an inspiration to others and applauded by those in the rail enthusiast fraternity.

 

[DarloRich]

But why do you want or even need a ticket office? I cant believe that passenger usage at Bishop requires one. Surely people turn up and get on the Darlo train. They don’t hang about .

As for charter trains - why ask northern to run one. All they can give you is a pacer or a sprinter IF one is free.

I applaud anyone who wants to make "their" station a nicer place. God knows Bishop station is bleak, what with the public toilet inspired station architecture and the Morrison’s car park based location! ( A far cry form the old Bishop station) BUT I would concentrate on tarting the place up, pressing for better security systems, closer liaison with the local BTP/Durham Constabulary, pressing for a better Sunday service ( which could go altogether soon) getting press releases out to the Echo every time you do something.

I Would also try and get in with the Weardale railway and get them running into Bishop station itself THEN you have a chance of getting better facilities. With a turn back service offered by Northern this wont ever happen.

BUT it is a small terminus station in the arse end of nowhere (as far as many are concerned!) at the end of a dead branch line that only survived because of the pits and the wagon works. You have to get beyond that perception and advertise the area and the service.

They are my thoughts, for what they are worth

 

[ralphchadkirk]

. WE wanted to charter a train paid for by OUR funds.

Do you appreciate how difficult it is to charter trains, and how expensive it is? You can't just find a unit one morning and decide to do it.

In the meantime our floral displays and housekeeping are continually being vandalised by mindless idiots and Mr. O'Neill has decided enough is enough.

I don't see how that's Northerns fault though.

Our main aim is to get people on the train to and from Bishop Auckland. We are succeeding in this and Northern are quite happy they are getting free advertising for the service. We are getting a lot of pleasure from seeing more and more people take the train from Bishop.

I think you're taking your role far too seriously. The aim of these schemes is to have a few community plant pots on the platforms, not a whole band of mini-managers.

 

[northwichcat]

But why do you want or even need a ticket office? I cant believe that passenger usage at Bishop requires one.

A similar station - Rose Hill Marple has annual passenger usage of 97,000 journeys and has a part time ticket office. Bishop Auckland has annual passenger usage of 95,000 journeys and no ticket office. The lack of a ticket office usually means passengers are uncounted.

As for charter trains - why ask northern to run one. All they can give you is a pacer or a sprinter IF one is free.

Northern have run paired up 156s as excursion trains on Sundays on the west side in the past. However, they aren't allowed to go outside the Northern area and I've not heard of them doing this since Dec 2008.

 

[DarloRich]

A similar station - Rose Hill Marple has annual passenger usage of 97,000 journeys and has a part time ticket office. Bishop Auckland has annual passenger usage of 95,000 journeys and no ticket office. The lack of a ticket office usually means passengers are uncounted.

Fair enougth - i have no knowledge of Rose Hill Marple. BUT i wonder if GMPTE or TfGM put up some subsidy for this facility. Are there any other privately run ticket offices at stations?

Northern have run paired up 156s as excursion trains on Sundays on the west side in the past. However, they aren't allowed to go outside the Northern area and I've not heard of them doing this since Dec 2008.

Never known them do this on the east side - w2hy not just give WCRC a call

 

[ANorthernGuard]

Rose Hill will be Part funded by TfGM its gotten even busier now they have 2 trains an hour to Picc instead of just the one via Hyde

 

[Deerfold]

A similar station - Rose Hill Marple has annual passenger usage of 97,000 journeys and has a part time ticket office. Bishop Auckland has annual passenger usage of 95,000 journeys and no ticket office. The lack of a ticket office usually means passengers are uncounted.



Northern have run paired up 156s as excursion trains on Sundays on the west side in the past. However, they aren't allowed to go outside the Northern area and I've not heard of them doing this since Dec 2008.

Good luck. Steeton & Silsden has 648,000 journeys a year and Northern are showing no signs of putting in a ticket office there (though we did get a card-only ticket machine recently).

 

[hairyhandedfool]

....Fair enougth - i have no knowledge of Rose Hill Marple. BUT i wonder if GMPTE or TfGM put up some subsidy for this facility. Are there any other privately run ticket offices at stations?....

AFAIK, the only one close to that is Chester-Le-Street, which is run by Chester-Le-Track, for Northern.

 

[bse35]

I believe the ticket office at Woodbridge is also run privately.