Northern Trains Ltd

[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!!