Monday AM - 0738 Man Picc - Cheadle Hulme was 38 minutes late (I was actually trying to catch the 0807).
Monday PM - Trains leaving Staybridge between 5 and 15 minutes late.
Tuesday AM - nothing ...
Tuesday PM - 1812 Stalybridge - Mossley - CANCELLED ... 2300 ManVic - Mossley - 30 LATE
Wednesday AM - 0724 Mossley - Man Vic - CANCELLED - Phone Line - NOT WORKING - train info system on platforms - Not WORKING
Wednesday PM - 1855 Mossley - Stalybridge - 5 late (so I missed my bus connection to Glossop)
Thursday AM - nothing
Thursday PM - 1929 Mossley - Stalybridge - CANCELLED
Friday AM - nothing
Friday PM -Platform 2 at Manchester Piccadilly - dangereous, overcrowded, slippery surfaces - just the day for the clueless ones to suddenly become over-zealous ticket checkers - thus contriving to cause further chaos - people waiting over an hour for a train to Mossley (about 1600 hrs) - 1831 - Stalybridge - Manchester - 10 late even though this train now contrives NOT to stop at Greenfield or Mossley (yes the midweek 1829 is no more ...) - 1842 Stalybridge - Mossley 6 late...
And just for clarity - here's some words from the Customer Relations Department @ Northern Rail in response to an e-mail sent by "a friend" regarding the crappiness of the new timetables ....
I can understand your disappointment at the timetable which will be implemented from the 14th December 2008, and I apologise for any inconvenience caused.
This December’s timetable change is unusual in that it is a network wide radical change in service patterns. This has been brought about by the completion of the West Coast Route Modernisation in which the Government has invested £8 billion, and as a result a new main line timetable is introduced to and from London Euston with faster and more frequent trains operated by Virgin Trains. For example,
Additionally, new franchises that came into effect in November last year, such as Arriva Cross Country (who operate from
It is these long distance trains operated by Virgin and Arriva and other operators that are planned first in order to ensure that they can "fit" along the length of the West Coast Main Line and beyond. Only after their timings were settled could Northern plan services around them, and it was written into our Franchise Agreement with Government back in 2004, and into our Track Access Agreement with Network Rail, that in planning the December 2008 timetable, certain other services took priority.
Northern has put a lot of effort into studying ways of improving services. However, the railway is very heavily utilised, particularly in the peaks. This gives Northern little ability to alter timings because of the constraints caused by the close pathing of other services on lines and at junctions, and platform availability at stations.
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2 comments:
Agreed, yet another abysmal week on the train. Standing at Greenfield each morning (approximately 0640 hours) in these wintry months, pondering the absence of a tanoy system and/or computerised displays I really am forced into the idea of buying another car. Your blog is a great read mate.
Alex
www.quosh.com
To my memory all but very, very few trains were on time during December and I travel through to Leeds from Stalybridge. A friend who works as a conductor for TPE said that there was a shortage of drivers and the main priority was the Edinburgh route as TPE desperately cling on to the franchise.
He also told me that First had applied to put on a fourth carriage to the 185's way before the TIF. He told me First are still awaiting a reply from the DfT. It is as if the powers that be are trying to manipulate the need for a charge.
*Puts tin foil hat away*
Other rumours I hear is that Stalybridge Railway Station was to become a listed building, so they quickly changed it to avoid any problems in future. This is why there was a delay in getting it built.
Even though TPE could do better in providing more regular and on time services, I do prefer them over the Northern trains which are ghastly. It is about time they were laid to rest.
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