(25/09/2018 15:21)wirralbus Wrote: [ -> ]Hightown will now be getting a service on the Southport to Liverpool South Parkway service.
Chester - Hooton service will now also call at Bache
I don't see the big deal with Bache. Anyone who used Bache can make it to Chester quite easily. I would probably stop at Bache into Chester only with ticket acceptance via Chester like GWR do with Pilning. This then discourages travel but it enables those with no alternative to use the train and stay on it.
(25/09/2018 15:25)wirralbus Wrote: [ -> ]From this Saturday the South Wirral Lines will be running to a revised timetable .
The main function of this revised timetable will be to add in an extra set on the Chester line extending turnback time at Chester from 4 mins to 13 mins , the trains will have extra holding time at Rock Ferry and Birkenhead Central to enable the normal times to be adhered to in the Liverpool Loop.
I hated the leaf fall timetable last time. 4 mins I think you used to have in Birkenhead and boy did it drag.
The extra time is essential to the timetable , the other week when it started raining the Chester timetable was littered with cancellations a plenty .
Capenhurst , Eastham Rake , Bromborough Rake and Spital are leaf fall hotspots .
So much for local management having its fingers on the pulse. It's already had to reverse its decision to close two stations (Bache and Hightown) during the forthcoming Giants weekend and is now trying to figure out how to facilitate the Soccerbus service for Liverpool's home game with Sandhills scheduled to be closed throughout the weekend despite the fact that many passengers use Sandhills to transfer to the Kirkby/Ormskirk/Southport lines.
Currently, it's advising fans to alight at Central and catch a local service bus to Anfield. As Central is one of the most congested stations in the country and there are very few bus services that actually pass close to Anfield, I regard this advice as laughable and amateurish.
(25/09/2018 19:40)iMarkeh Wrote: [ -> ]I don't see the big deal with Bache.
There’s a large building near Bache, fairly popular with ill people apparently..
The whole thing is a fiasco.
This is done with a fleet of 59 , there is only 52 of the new ones , if the giants happened with the new trains what would happen ?
I absolutely dread the thought. I mean come on, 7 trains less in the new fleet is ridiculous.
It was bad enough a few yeats ago when the 3 Queen ships were in the mersey.
Me and my other half waited at rock ferry for a train to go to hamilton square, we haf 2 x 6 car sets stop there and could not get on either. They were absolutely crammed to the hilt.
It was a scene that reminded me of seeing the london underground trains on tv.
In the end we thought forget the train, got our money back and drove to seacombe in the car and found a parking space.
There is according to 1 of the railway magazines an option for merseyrail to order extra units which I think would take the total number up to near 70 units but in my straight up opinion, if merseyrail want to be successful in the management of passengers safety and efficient transport, they seriously should at the very least consider placing the order for the extra units.
These problems with passenget numbers began back in the 90s when 15 of the 508 units were sent down to kineton before continuing to london and the south lines instead of keeping them up here and thinking hey, if we want to get the passenger numbers up we need to keep these trains so there are plenty of extra units for this purpose.
But no, they goofed up and sent them away and now except for 2 driving cars in use as barrier coaches and 2 in use at seacombe for fire training purposes the other 41 coaches are in bits, what a waste.
Anyway as I have said, merseyrail needs to think long and hard about how they intend to manage transportation during these events and be fully aware that at some point though they don't like spending money on new or extra stock, that they occasionally might have so that an efficient transport system can be maintained because without it, we risk scenes like on the london underground with high passenger numbers on the platforms wanting to cram onto trains and/or station closures during busy times to regulate the flow of passengers and maintain safety on the platforms.
(28/09/2018 16:34)508143 Wrote: [ -> ]I absolutely dread the thought. I mean come on, 7 trains less in the new fleet is ridiculous.
Anyway as I have said, Merseyrail needs to think long and hard about how they intend to manage transportation during these events and be fully aware that at some point though they don't like spending money on new or extra stock, that they occasionally might have so that an efficient transport system can be maintained because without it, we risk scenes like on the London underground with high passenger numbers on the platforms wanting to cram onto trains and/or station closures during busy times to regulate the flow of passengers and maintain safety on the platforms.
If I understand it correctly, the new 4-car units will have a much higher capacity than the current 3-car units which is why there will be a reduction from 59 to 52 units. It is claimed that they will the same number of seats but provide 50% additional standing capacity. Having said that, I do agree that the additional capacity that these new units provide will be quickly absorbed by increased ridership on the system.
Looking a few years ahead, should Everton FC ever succeed in building a new stadium at the Bramley-Moore dock, I envisage total chaos on a regular basis at Sandhills.
The reasons for less new stock basically is the thinking that the new trains won't need as much maintenance as the existing 507/508s meaning they can get away with less units but providing the same level of service.
As has already been pointed out this leaves absolutely little to no room for growth. Don't be surprised if the company holds out for as long as possible on any add on order.
(28/09/2018 16:34)508143 Wrote: [ -> ]Anyway as I have said, merseyrail needs to think long and hard about how they intend to manage transportation during these events and be fully aware that at some point though they don't like spending money on new or extra stock, that they occasionally might have so that an efficient transport system can be maintained because without it, we risk scenes like on the london underground with high passenger numbers on the platforms wanting to cram onto trains and/or station closures during busy times to regulate the flow of passengers and maintain safety on the platforms.
While I do partly agree, I think the main issue is Lime Street will be crammed with mainline passengers, Moorfields with Northern line passengers. James Street is along the route and directly outside the station will be very busy so Central is really the only safe stop for Wirral line passengers. (I know Central is along the route but as people disperse into the shopping centre, it should make life a little easier).
In my opinion, I think they should be upping the speed limit on the stock exchange line. That would really help in these sort of situations. All North Northern line trains terminate at Moorfields, run Central - Hunts Cross and then run New Brighton/West Kirby services through James Street and into Central (Northern line platforms) to terminate. It would go against all signage in stations but there is a lot more platform space and it would disperse crowds more onto the larger platform.
I think it is funny how they have still split the Chester service despite how easy it would be to link it to the main Hooton - Liverpool service. Every 10 mins Hooton to Liverpool extending to Chester every 20 mins. Surely this would help more people? Otherwise you will just overcrowd Hooton with people parking and those connecting on top. Hooton isn't the biggest of stations in terms of platform space.
Hooton has three platforms .
If they get there timings right Chester train terminates platform 1 and passengers transfered to Platform 2 for onward travel to Liverpool Central .
Will work until something happens elsewhere in the system