Merseyrail

[N271CKB]

RE: Merseyrail
According to dep boards, the 22.11 moorfields - Chester is cancelled beyond rock ferry and the 23.00 from Chester starting at rock ferry, which was the last through service.

Others may disagree, but in my experience, the Chester service, along with the bidston - Wrexham line are by far the most unreliable in our area

[jtd508110]

RE: Merseyrail
That is a good discussion point... What's your worst merseyrail experience? Mine has to be being stuck on 507003 between central and brunswick when the compressor filled the carriage with smoke.

[First Class]

RE: Merseyrail

(09/12/2012 22:51)N271CKB Wrote:  According to dep boards, the 22.11 moorfields - Chester is cancelled beyond rock ferry and the 23.00 from Chester starting at rock ferry, which was the last through service.

Others may disagree, but in my experience, the Chester service, along with the bidston - Wrexham line are by far the most unreliable in our area

I don't think "unreliable" is the correct word. Merseyrail is very reliable when viewed from a national perspective. Usually, the worst case is that you may have a 30 minute delay to your overall journey, or perhaps have to swap trains at Hooton.

Last months performance on the Wirral Line was 91.9%, against a target of 92% which is quite respectable really.

Ageing rolling stock and limited/congested infrastructure are problematic.

Even the Borderlands line from Bidston-Wrexham isn't too bad, with cumulative service group performance at 92.9% over last 4 weeks, and 96.0% over last 12 months.

For what it's worth, the 2C59 23:45 Liverpool-Chester is running normally and has just left Green Lane Right Time.

[wirralbus]

RE: Merseyrail
Since the turn round time is only 5 minutes at most at chester , the chester is always going to be unreliable , not helped by the use of Platform 7 for most trains needing access straight onto Chester depot as well.

There has been times when Merseyrail trains havent been able to access platform7B due to a service to Manchester Picc not using platform 7A properly and preventing the following Merseyrail service into the platform 7B on permissive working .

[First Class]

RE: Merseyrail

(09/12/2012 23:56)wirralbus Wrote:  Since the turn round time is only 5 minutes at most at chester , the chester is always going to be unreliable , not helped by the use of Platform 7 for most trains needing access straight onto Chester depot as well.

There has been times when Merseyrail trains havent been able to access platform7B due to a service to Manchester Picc not using platform 7A properly and preventing the following Merseyrail service into the platform 7B on permissive working .

In an ideal world, you would create a self-contained, electrified, Birkenhead facing bay at Chester.

Who knows, maybe in the future we'll see third rail extended to Crewe Platform 9 and Merseyrail services continuing onwards instead of the ATW shuttle. Would solve the overhead clearance problems!

Merseyrail will definitely expand... at some point!

[wirralbus]

RE: Merseyrail
I dont see third Rail at Crewe in the near future , not when Network rail seem to be thinking of changing from third rail to overhead line in the other third rail bastion in Southern England.

What i can see is electrification down the line to Wrexham Central in stages .

The Bidston - Wrexham line just seems to be neglected a bit when things go wrong , especially when rail replacements are needed .

[MX12CFE]

RE: Merseyrail

(09/12/2012 23:39)jtd508110 Wrote:  That is a good discussion point... What's your worst merseyrail experience? Mine has to be being stuck on 507003 between central and brunswick when the compressor filled the carriage with smoke.

When did that happen jtd? I only ask because earlier this year think it was at the end of march i was stuck on 507003 between central after its compressor caught fire another train had to be brought up from hunts cross to couple up and shunt us into central who knows we both might have been on that same train.

[jtd508110]

RE: Merseyrail
In that case, we were on the same train!! Were you in the DMS A car (with the compressor)? I think if my memory serves me correctly, 508127 was the unit to the rescue. I would like merseyrail to extent to Crewe, but don't see it happening.

[H101GEV (Administrator)]

RE: Merseyrail
I don't see Crewe happening either, nor Bidston - Wrexham, or certainly not the entire length. Being a Merseyside operator, extensions such as Headbolt Lane are considerably more feasible (and a lot more useful for Merseysiders).

It's funny, 508127 often seems to be the rescue unit. I know when 508118 suffered the arson attack at Birkenhead North back in 2001, 507025 was set alight in June 2009 and 507002 derailed five days later, 508127 was the rescuer each time.

[wirralbus]

RE: Merseyrail
I think that there is enough of a catchment area for electrification to be feasible to either Woodchurch or Neston .