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grahame
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« on: September 30, 2021, 08:46:09 » |
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From Durhamshire - in the Northern EchoONE of the region’s MPs▸ has blasted a train company after passengers were left stranded on the platform due to overcrowding.
Easington MP Grahame Morris has called the Durham Coastline Northern rail service ‘the worst train service in the UK▸ ’ after more weekend transport chaos.
Mr Morris hit out after overcrowding left passengers stranded on the platform at Seaham.
He said: “It is a second-rate rail service failing in its most fundamental function.
“The public has lost faith, and the responses I have received from the Government shows a clear indifference to the problems.
“Looking at people crammed into two carriages, standing on top of each other, it is easy to forget that we are living with a deadly pandemic taking more than 100 lives a day.
“As we have seen across the whole economy, the Government has failed to prepare and invest, and the public pays the price. Is this MP correct, or are there even worser services? Illustration (below) - not from the article but from lunchtime on Saturday 18th September between Keynsham and Bristol Temple Meads - mind you, the SWR» train from Waterloo / Salisbury that was supposed to be ahead of it had been cancelled.  |
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Coffee Shop Admin, Acting Chair of Melksham Rail User Group, Option 24/7 Melksham Rep
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broadgage
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« Reply #1 on: September 30, 2021, 10:18:52 » |
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There are no doubt many similarly overcrowded services.
Hard to say which is the worst.
The so called intercity route with new shorter trains, and at weekends many of those cancelled ?
Or the suburban commuter route on which journeys are shorter, but crowding even worse ?
I suspect that we have already moved on from "capacity no longer matters because more people are working from home" and towards "the increase in passenger numbers is greater than expected, and providing extra capacity is more complicated than it sounds"
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A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU▸ is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
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GBM
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« Reply #2 on: September 30, 2021, 11:39:07 » |
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Was Northern taken over by OLR (Operator of Last Resort) recently, or was it threatened that would be the case?
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Personal opinion only. Writings not representative of any union, collective, management or employer. (Think that absolves me...........)  |
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ChrisB
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« Reply #3 on: September 30, 2021, 11:41:19 » |
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Arriva lost their contract to OLR
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paul7575
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« Reply #4 on: September 30, 2021, 15:18:41 » |
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Durhamshire  or County Durham? |
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Lee
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« Reply #5 on: September 30, 2021, 16:34:01 » |
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There are no doubt many similarly overcrowded services.
Hard to say which is the worst.
The so called intercity route with new shorter trains, and at weekends many of those cancelled ?
Or the suburban commuter route on which journeys are shorter, but crowding even worse ?
I suspect that we have already moved on from "capacity no longer matters because more people are working from home" and towards "the increase in passenger numbers is greater than expected, and providing extra capacity is more complicated than it sounds"
An Intercity route with new shorter trains you say? - Why have you not mentioned this before?... |
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JayMac
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« Reply #6 on: September 30, 2021, 17:17:52 » |
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An Intercity route with new shorter trains you say? - Why have you not mentioned this before?...
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"Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for the rest of the day. Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."
- Sir Terry Pratchett.
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broadgage
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« Reply #7 on: September 30, 2021, 17:50:45 » |
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In my defence I would say that I have avoided unduly frequent mention of new shorter trains, in deference to those who think that,
A) Some of them are full length, and that in general train length and capacity are fine.
B) That this is a minor issue that will soon be overcome.
C) That people like me should stop moaning a get used to the new normal.
Or variations on the above.
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A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU▸ is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
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JayMac
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« Reply #8 on: September 30, 2021, 19:50:25 » |
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No offence intented broadgage. Just a bit of gentle ribbing. Feel free to do likewise!
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"Build a man a fire and he'll be warm for the rest of the day. Set a man on fire and he'll be warm for the rest of his life."
- Sir Terry Pratchett.
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Rhydgaled
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« Reply #9 on: September 30, 2021, 20:34:24 » |
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There are no doubt many similarly overcrowded services.
Hard to say which is the worst. You could also define 'worst train service' in different ways. Overcrowding is one thing, a station with only one train a week is quite another although could also be described as having the worst train service. |
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Don't DOO▸ it, keep the guard (but it probably wouldn't be a bad idea if the driver unlocked the doors on arrival at calling points).
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Kernow Otter
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« Reply #10 on: September 30, 2021, 22:16:34 » |
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An Intercity route with new shorter trains you say? - Why have you not mentioned this before?...
Quite a rare 78 that... Shame |
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eightonedee
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« Reply #11 on: September 30, 2021, 22:41:21 » |
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Gentlemen please....
To get us back on topic, I am a bit surprised that this is nominated, as surely this is one of the areas where Pacers have been replaced recently? I've not had a trip through the north east by train for a couple of years (perhaps a bit more), but almost everything that looked like a local train was a Pacer until recently. Perhaps it wasn't just the rolling stock,
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broadgage
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« Reply #12 on: October 01, 2021, 06:26:38 » |
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Pacers are nasty, but I and many others would rather sit on a pacer than stand on something better.
And a pacer is much better than no train.
There is more to running a railway than simply getting rid of pacers.
It is a bit like getting rid of slam door EMUs▸ in favour of networkers. "The railway" kept saying "we have promised new trains, and look we have delivered new trains" But passengers started to say that they got a seat on the old 8 car trains but had to stand on the new trains that were 6 car in theory but often 4 car in practice.
There often seems to be an irrational faith that new trains will cure unrelated issues, such as staff shortage or unreliable infrastructure.
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A proper intercity train has a minimum of 8 coaches, gangwayed throughout, with first at one end, and a full sized buffet car between first and standard.
It has space for cycles, surfboards,luggage etc.
A 5 car DMU▸ is not a proper inter-city train. The 5+5 and 9 car DMUs are almost as bad.
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rogerw
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« Reply #13 on: October 01, 2021, 20:02:25 » |
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I travelled on that line last June. It was a 2 car cl156, comfortably full but by no means crowded. I wonder if on the day in question one of the local football teams was playing at home causing higher than normal loadings
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I like to travel. It lets me feel I'm getting somewhere.
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