Northern Trains Ltd

[childwallblues]

RE: Northern Trains Ltd
With regard to the previous two postings electric units could potentially run to Stalybridge from the December timetable but they will not be. Services not just to Rainhill but also Earlestown and Whiston are still only getting one train per hour which runs all stations between Lime Street and Manchester Airport sometimes with only three carriages. No increase in the service is planned in the December 2024 timetable and the Liverpool City Region Mayor makes no comment on the poor service on his watch.
The article shows a picture of a Class 195 unit, a type that has never operated in service through Rainhill except maybe in an emergency. Since electrification the line has been operated in the main by Class 319/323/331 units.
Northern claim that the problem is staff sickness or unavailability but that cannot be true because the second stopping train per hour is not timetabled.

[507022]

RE: Northern Trains Ltd

(04/09/2024 10:29)childwallblues Wrote:  With regard to the previous two postings electric units could potentially run to Stalybridge from the December timetable but they will not be. Services not just to Rainhill but also Earlestown and Whiston are still only getting one train per hour which runs all stations between Lime Street and Manchester Airport sometimes with only three carriages. No increase in the service is planned in the December 2024 timetable and the Liverpool City Region Mayor makes no comment on the poor service on his watch.
The article shows a picture of a Class 195 unit, a type that has never operated in service through Rainhill except maybe in an emergency. Since electrification the line has been operated in the main by Class 319/323/331 units.
Northern claim that the problem is staff sickness or unavailability but that cannot be true because the second stopping train per hour is not timetabled.

I think the point that was being made was that the hourly service was often cancelled because of crew issues.
One day last month I noticed at my local station there was a 3 hour gap in the Airport stopping service!!

[childwallblues]

RE: Northern Trains Ltd

(04/09/2024 11:00)507022 Wrote:  I think the point that was being made was that the hourly service was often cancelled because of crew issues.
One day last month I noticed at my local station there was a 3 hour gap in the Airport stopping service!!

I was makng a point about the generally poor service. Rainhill only gets one train per hour yet Newton-le-Willows seven miles further along the same line is served by four trains per hour to Manchester and two trains per hour to Liverpool.

[knutstransport]

RE: Northern Trains Ltd
Very bad weekend for Northern.

Saturday saw services suspended out of Manchester Piccadilly for a couple of hours due to emergency services dealing with an incident. Northern had already cancelled some services due to staff shortages and control didn't seem bothered about reallocating staff so some lines were left with no trains for 3 hours, while others had no service for around 1.5 hours.

Sunday saw some routes have no services and no replacement buses due to guards choosing not to work.

[knutstransport]

RE: Northern Trains Ltd

(04/09/2024 19:50)childwallblues Wrote:  Rainhill only gets one train per hour yet Newton-le-Willows seven miles further along the same line is served by four trains per hour to Manchester and two trains per hour to Liverpool.

Newton-le-Willows has the advantage of being an interchange between two routes. It's the same on other routes as well - Cheadle Hulme should have 3tph to Manchester but Bramall and Poynton have just 1.

[knutstransport]

RE: Northern Trains Ltd

(13/08/2024 10:13)mikestone Wrote:  The reduction in cancellations apparent from journey check apears to have been acheived at least in part by withdrawing Manchester-Alderley Edge locals - not sure when this began or whether it has ever been announced. Can't see a press release.

Northern's Twitter/X account have said it relates to the roof repairs at Piccadilly
https://x.com/hxexlxexn/status/1812830052989415605
https://x.com/dnewton2310/status/1818316064075256159

[knutstransport]

RE: Northern Trains Ltd
Services cancelled due to a short notice change to the timetable are returning tomorrow.

[mikestone]

RE: Northern Trains Ltd
Which trains are you referring to - the Alderley Edge cancellations appear to continue,

[knutstransport]

RE: Northern Trains Ltd
A number of Stalybridge, Southport, Wigan and Blackpool services are being 'deleted' from journey planners for tomorrow

[knutstransport]

RE: Northern Trains Ltd
Mass cancellation of Northern services again today. To make matters worse an IT glitch is meaning some station CIS systems are not showing 'short notice changes'.