Stranded at Nethertown for 3 hours?

[mm333]

I had a lovely morning walking from Braystones to Nethertown.

I got here at 1215, checked online and the next service, the 1341 to Corkickle, has been cancelled. So I rang the Northern customer support line and they’re closed until 2pm for staff training

I tried to flag down a passing (not due to stop) northbound train to no avail. There’s a southbound due (again not scheduled to stop) in 30 minutes so I’ll try that. In the meantime, I’ve sent an email to Northern marked Urgent with my phone number.

If that doesn’t work, every train passing through is now cancelled until 1531. So looks very much like I’m stranded here until then. Thankfully it’s sunny and I have snacks.

 

[Bertie the bus]

13:41 t0 15:35 isn't 3 hours. It is under 2. I don't think you can hold Northern responsible for you turning up at some remote station more than 1 hour before the train is due.

 

[Potatopotato]

I would continue walking to St Bees if i were you

 

[Warrior2852]

Passing trains that aren't scheduled to stop in the timetable won't stop unless they've been given a specific instruction to do extra calls, regardless of how much flagging down anyone on the platform tries.

 

[Potatopotato]

Also, the number 32 bus passes through Middletown....about 10mins walk from the Nethertown

 

[Bletchleyite]

Do you have Twitter/X? This is probably the best way to get through to someone quickly who might be able to arrange a stop order or a taxi. An email will be read some time next week and a boilerplate apology sent.

 

[The exile]

All that said, not arranging a special stop on the next train following a cancellation when it leads to such a massive gap in the service is pretty poor. Surely timings on the Cumbrian Ciadt aren’t that tight.

 

[Bletchleyite]

All that said, not arranging a special stop on the next train following a cancellation when it leads to such a massive gap in the service is pretty poor. Surely timings on the Cumbrian Ciadt aren’t that tight.

It's more that the chance of a passenger being at Nethertown is somewhere between 0 and 0 most of the time. Those two stations tend to be "phone us for a taxi" during rail replacement.

 

[The exile]

It's more that the chance of a passenger being at Nethertown is somewhere between 0 and 0 most of the time. Those two stations tend to be "phone us for a taxi" during rail replacement.

Fair enough - then someone needs to be available to provide that, staff training or no staff training (at the very from about 15 minutes before the train was due - not 20 minutes afterwards).

 

[Bertie the bus]

All that said, not arranging a special stop on the next train following a cancellation when it leads to such a massive gap in the service is pretty poor. Surely timings on the Cumbrian Ciadt aren’t that tight.

The next train after the cancellation is scheduled to stop anyway so there is no need for a special stop order. The 2 trains the OP has tried to flag down are 1 hour 20 minutes and 45 minutes before the cancellation. Why would Northern expect anybody to be waiting at Nethertown at those times?

 

[mm333]

I’m slowly waiting for Twitter to download but the signal is slow. There’s a Barrow to Whitehaven rail replacement bus but they don’t call at Braystones or Nethertown.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Also, the number 32 bus passes through Middletown....about 10mins walk from the Nethertown

Buses from Middletown towards Whitehaven at 1323, 1428, 1533.

 

[The exile]

The next train after the cancellation is scheduled to stop anyway so there is no need for a special stop order. The 2 trains the OP has tried to flag down are 1 hour 20 minutes and 45 minutes before the cancellation. Why would Northern expect anybody to be waiting at Nethertown at those times?

OK - misunderstood the situation. Given that, other than Delay Repay, there’s little northern can (or should) do.

 

[aaronspence]

Im curious what the train drivers might think if they see someone trying to flag them down, they might think theres some sort of emergency? Probably best not doing that.

 

[mm333]

Im curious what the train drivers might think if they see someone trying to flag them down, they might think theres some sort of emergency? Probably best not doing that.

It worked for Jenny Agutter but then I didn’t have my red knickers on today.

 

[mm333]

Buses from Middletown towards Whitehaven at 1323, 1428, 1533.

Google says it’s a 29 minute walk, so I’ll leave here in plenty of time. Thank you.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Half an hour looks about right. Bus stop at Middletown is near to Kell Head Cottage on the B5345. If you arrive by 1420, you should see the 32 bus on its way out to Egremont, before it turns round & then returns (more or less straightaway) towards Whitehaven.

 

[D6130]

It worked for Jenny Agutter but then I didn’t have my red knickers on today.

Err....I think you'll find that it was a petticoat!

 

[mm333]

Err....I think you'll find that it was a petticoat!

Perhaps I saw a different version

Twitter was the answer. I got a DM back to say Control was arranging me a taxi, and then a text from CMAC to say that a taxi had been booked. I might even get home on time at this rate!

 

[mm333]

Of course, the taxi came from non-nearby Cockermouth rather than nearby Whitehaven so I missed the aimed-for train, so I’ll be 2 hours late. #DelayRepay

 

[Skiddaw]

Of course, the taxi came from non-nearby Cockermouth rather than nearby Whitehaven so I missed the aimed-for train, so I’ll be 2 hours late. #DelayRepay

I hope you enjoyed your walk regardless mm333. It's lovely over there isn't it?

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Of course, the taxi came from non-nearby Cockermouth rather than nearby Whitehaven so I missed the aimed-for train, so I’ll be 2 hours late. #DelayRepay

Which train was that? The 1541 from Whitehaven for Carlisle? Reckon the 1428 bus from Middletown for Whitehaven would have got you to Whitehaven station on time. In any event, isn't there another train departing Whitehaven for Carlisle at 1613?

 

[mm333]

I hope you enjoyed your walk regardless mm333. It's lovely over there isn't it?

It really was today in the sunshine. The coastal path between the two stations was marvellous.

 

[mm333]

Which train was that? The 1541 from Whitehaven for Carlisle? Reckon the 1428 bus from Middletown for Whitehaven would have got you to Whitehaven station on time. In any event, isn't there another train departing Whitehaven for Carlisle at 1613?

Once Northern Control had sent me the text to say they’d booked me a taxi, I stayed in Nethertown, not knowing said taxi was going to take an hour to get there from Cockermouth.

So missed the 1438 and got the 1541 from Whitehaven. I missed the 1618 from Carlisle back to Shipley so will get the 1824.

Time for my tea and a coffee in the Spoons near Carlisle station

 

[Djgr]

So I rang the Northern customer support line and they’re closed until 2pm for staff training

Had to laugh at that.

In order to improve customer service we aren't providing customer service!

 

[mm333]

Looking at RTT, and the recent and new timetables on the Northern site, it looks like Nethertown and Braystones request stops are now normal stops and have been since the line between Sellafield and Corckicle reopened on 1 September. Still infrequent, but no longer requests.

 

[Farigiraf]

Looking at RTT, and the recent and new timetables on the Northern site, it looks like Nethertown and Braystones request stops are now normal stops and have been since the line between Sellafield and Corckicle reopened on 1 September. Still infrequent, but no longer requests.

Think that means no more request stops on the entire Northern network now? As well as in the entire North of England, provided you count Wrenbury, Prees and Yorton as being in the Midlands.
Certainly strange as I doubt more than one or two of the services actually calling at Nethertown or Braystones have anyone getting on or off. Seems like a cost-cutting measure to avoid training staff on request stop procedure.

Can't be that expensive to just install some buttons at the request stops, as many other countries (and ScotRail on the far north line) have done, can it?

 

[mm333]

Think that means no more request stops on the entire Northern network now? As well as in the entire North of England, provided you count Wrenbury, Prees and Yorton as being in the Midlands.

I didn’t realise that Burnley Barracks, Hapton and Pleasington were no longer request stops from the 14th. So yes, no more such stations on the Northern network.

 

[williamn]

You really shouldn't be forced to use X to get customer service.