I know this may sound a bit far fetched an idea but wouldn't a service from Liverpool Airport - Liverpool Lime St - Manchester Airport be a good idea in the future.
Think a better idea whilst the Blackpool service is still diesel would be to extend one of the Wigan stoppers to LSP once that service is 319's as Manchester already has trains stopping at LSP.
319363 worked 5Z19 Allerton-Crewe and 5Z20 Crewe-Allerton driver training today. 5Z21/2 are not running this afternoon.
(17/09/2014 18:04)wirralbus Wrote: [ -> ]A good question to ask regarding the Liverpool Lime St - Liverpool South Parkway extension of the Blackpool North service , would this not be better as a standalone service.
AFAIK the Blackpools were originally extended to South Parkway to fill in the long layover in Lime St, but I'm willing to be proved wrong|
Not sure whether this still applies since the Summer Timetable change
319361/63 are being used on a regular basis on driver training between Allerton TMD and Crewe. 319362/64/65 are all at Wolverton for overhaul, refurbishment and repainting. On loan 319380 has not been out of the depot and it is assumed that it is being used for internal training.
319363 was seen at Crewe earlier on training run, departed northbound approx 1420
I think at this rate they will have the all the staff trained on the new units but no line electrified line into Liverpool L St to use them on at this rate .
(27/10/2014 20:14)wirralbus Wrote: [ -> ]I think at this rate they will have the all the staff trained on the new units but no line electrified line into Liverpool L St to use them on at this rate .
Possibility an overstatement. There are over 70 drivers at Lime Street alone to be trained, plus those from Wigan Wallgate and Manchester Victoria who have will have to come to Liverpool for their training.
Northern were having some reliability problems this evening at Wigan North Western, the 1650 (1603 Blackpool North - Liverpool) was showing as delayed and the 1703 Wigan - Liverpool cancelled. Apparently the reason the 1650 was delayed was having to wait for crew at Preston. Interestingly the unit which should have formed the 1703 to Liverpool tagged on to the 1703 to Blackpool North (service from Liverpool). Probably the worst evening so far I've had since my work moved to Wigan four weeks ago, so I suppose the first major disruption in four weeks possibly isn't too bad.
(29/10/2014 21:21)St Helens Rider Wrote: [ -> ]Northern were having some reliability problems this evening at Wigan North Western, the 1650 (1603 Blackpool North - Liverpool) was showing as delayed and the 1703 Wigan - Liverpool cancelled. Apparently the reason the 1650 was delayed was having to wait for crew at Preston. Interestingly the unit which should have formed the 1703 to Liverpool tagged on to the 1703 to Blackpool North (service from Liverpool). Probably the worst evening so far I've had since my work moved to Wigan four weeks ago, so I suppose the first major disruption in four weeks possibly isn't too bad.
Exactly the same thing happened tonight. Coming back on the delayed 1650 (running around 28 minutes late) the Guard announced that the delay was due to driver shortages at various depots. Are Northern having some staffing problems? Delays/cancellations like this reduces people's trust in the railway and it's no wonder people are unhappy when the annual fare rises are announced.