Northern rail replacement buses on Sunday

[knutstransport]

Northern rail replacement buses on Sunday
As Northern seem to have long term issues affecting Sunday services, and they're sourcing replacement buses from whoever is willing to run them, I thought maybe it deserves its own thread.

I saw a Mario Coaches EVORA (MA23 RYO) on a Chester to Stockport earlier, it passed an unbranded coach on the Stockport to Chester in the other direction I didn't get the full registration but it was similar, so I think it was one of Mario's.

[Metroline1511]

RE: Northern rail replacement buses on Sunday
The saga of Northern still not having enough staff to run Sunday rail services even after nearly 5 years of nationalisation does not suggest that the mass nationalisation of TOCs will improve matters much.

Still better to have replacement buses than no service at all.

[knutstransport]

RE: Northern rail replacement buses on Sunday
The situation has got worse in the past 12 months. Last year around this time 24 Dec and 31 Dec fell on Sundays and we saw no service and no replacement buses on many routes. Now that's become commonplace with Northern only starting to properly get replacement buses over the past couple of weeks.

[507022]

RE: Northern rail replacement buses on Sunday
I understand that from the new year, the Lime St to Wigan and Lime St to MIA services will be 2 hourly on Sundays and nothing at all on the MCR to Chester line.
I’ve not heard anything about replacement buses.

[knutstransport]

RE: Northern rail replacement buses on Sunday

(29/12/2024 15:34)507022 Wrote:  I understand that from the new year, the Lime St to Wigan and Lime St to MIA services will be 2 hourly on Sundays and nothing at all on the MCR to Chester line.
I’ve not heard anything about replacement buses.

Replacement buses aren't showing on RealTimeTrains and there's no full timetable published. They're being added in on an ad-hoc basis but are showing if you check the National Rail app on the day. For instance currently for Stockport it showing a 17:15 bus to Buxton, a 17:22 bus to Stoke and a 17:50 bus to Chester.

There's also some ticketing arrangements with other transport providers, like Metrolink and the 192 bus.

[knutstransport]

RE: Northern rail replacement buses on Sunday

(29/12/2024 15:34)507022 Wrote:  I understand that from the new year, the Lime St to Wigan and Lime St to MIA services will be 2 hourly on Sundays and nothing at all on the MCR to Chester line.
I’ve not heard anything about replacement buses.

Well the first Chester to Manchester is running today - a rare train service on a Sunday! However, the first Manchester to Chester and second Chester to Manchester showing as cancelled with no replacement bus showing, meaning the first arrival in Chester isn't until 12:30.

There's a 2 hourly replacement bus showing for Wilmslow to Manchester Airport.