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Northern trains


SAFCTEES said:
Just had a reply from Matt Vickers about Northern…


We have been experiencing some real challenges along the Durham Coast recently, and these have been exasperated at weekends when there have been football matches on affecting local North East teams. The confused and inaccurate messaging on the day has been raised with our control office. ‘Communication during disruption’ is now one of our key performance metrics and we are striving to improve our performance in this area with improved Customer Information Screens, better PA announcements and we will soon be piloting a communication tool that links into a passenger’s favoured social media platform so that ‘push’ messages will be easily available to them.

The good news is things are set to improve. With the introduction of the May 2023 timetable change, we have requested that the 0918, 1118 and 1218 services are all strengthened to 4 carriages on an ongoing basis, along with the 1018 which is already in the schedule. In addition, with effect from 8th July (upon completion of the new platform at Hartlepool) we will be able to run a semi-fast service at 1016 and 1216 from Middlesbrough to Newcastle (both 2 carriage services). This will significantly increase the capacity along the Durham Coast and should go a long way to alleviating the overcrowding issues along this route allowing passengers to board services without concern.

Kind Regards
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Great for all if that were to happen, but requesting and getting are two separate things. I’d love to know where all these extra units are coming from to double up all these services as well as running the 2-hourly shuttles.
 
Northern Trains, the absolute bastards. Ruined my weekend. Was intending to go up to Scotland for a couple of nights. Got to Horden station and train was cancelled, meaning I meant missing my LUMO connection at Newcastle. Couldn't get a taxi, so decided to wait an hour for the next train and pay the excess from Newcastle to Edinburgh. After 15 mins it flashed up on the departure board, the 1512 was cancelled, then the 1612, so I went home spitting feathers. I noticed It was the same going South , it would be , as its the same train,couple of trains going back and forth from Nunthorpe to Hexham.

I could've tried again today, but I reckon the same thing would've happened, if they hadn't staff yesterday, unlikely they'll have them today, and the bus service to Durham is half what it used to be, so going from there wasn't really an option either. £170 down the tubes in train fares and accommodation costs. Why do we In England accept this shit? I know cancellations are happening everywhere in the UK but the NE is the worst and East Durham the worst in the NE.

Northern Rail is not fit for purpose, why are they still being allowed to run trains on the NE coast?.

In the past I have applied for refunds, written to Northern Rail, and local MP, but I gave up, not this time, I can't be arsed anymore, and I guess that's just how they want/like it.
 
PTID said:
Northern Trains, the absolute bastards. Ruined my weekend. Was intending to go up to Scotland for a couple of nights. Got to Horden station and train was cancelled, meaning I meant missing my LUMO connection at Newcastle. Couldn't get a taxi, so decided to wait an hour for the next train and pay the excess from Newcastle to Edinburgh. After 15 mins it flashed up on the departure board, the 1512 was cancelled, then the 1612, so I went home spitting feathers. I noticed It was the same going South , it would be , as its the same train,couple of trains going back and forth from Nunthorpe to Hexham.

I could've tried again today, but I reckon the same thing would've happened, if they hadn't staff yesterday, unlikely they'll have them today, and the bus service to Durham is half what it used to be, so going from there wasn't really an option either. £170 down the tubes in train fares and accommodation costs. Why do we In England accept this shit? I know cancellations are happening everywhere in the UK but the NE is the worst and East Durham the worst in the NE.

Northern Rail is not fit for purpose, why are they still being allowed to run trains on the NE coast?.

In the past I have applied for refunds, written to Northern Rail, and local MP, but I gave up, not this time, I can't be arsed anymore, and I guess that's just how they want/like it.
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It’s frustrating that there isn’t much more we can do. Apathy towards the service has set in.

Due to overcrowding you very rarely have to pay. The only positive.
 
PTID said:
Northern Trains, the absolute bastards. Ruined my weekend. Was intending to go up to Scotland for a couple of nights. Got to Horden station and train was cancelled, meaning I meant missing my LUMO connection at Newcastle. Couldn't get a taxi, so decided to wait an hour for the next train and pay the excess from Newcastle to Edinburgh. After 15 mins it flashed up on the departure board, the 1512 was cancelled, then the 1612, so I went home spitting feathers. I noticed It was the same going South , it would be , as its the same train,couple of trains going back and forth from Nunthorpe to Hexham.

I could've tried again today, but I reckon the same thing would've happened, if they hadn't staff yesterday, unlikely they'll have them today, and the bus service to Durham is half what it used to be, so going from there wasn't really an option either. £170 down the tubes in train fares and accommodation costs. Why do we In England accept this shit? I know cancellations are happening everywhere in the UK but the NE is the worst and East Durham the worst in the NE.

Northern Rail is not fit for purpose, why are they still being allowed to run trains on the NE coast?.

In the past I have applied for refunds, written to Northern Rail, and local MP, but I gave up, not this time, I can't be arsed anymore, and I guess that's just how they want/like it.
Click to expand...
My daughter went to Edinburgh yesterday. She drove to Darlington paid £18 to park her car and got the train from there.
At least the train turned up.
 
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