802207 is on its side at Heston depot, passed it last night on the metro. Got the front coach derailed and is half over
(23 Mar 2022, 4:48 pm)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]If you do get stuck, focus on the positives.
There's the delay repay and you've got the decent pubs at both Stalybridge AND Huddersfield.
They've changed my train home and given me a 9 minute connection in Huddersfield.....this can't end well!
(28 Mar 2022, 10:47 am)Ambassador wrote [ -> ]They've changed my train home and given me a 9 minute connection in Huddersfield.....this can't end well!
Slow walk across the station to the next platform (put on a limp incase they check CCTV, look frustrated and angry as your connection pulls away) and spend that inevitable delay repay in the Head of Steam!
(28 Mar 2022, 10:47 am)Ambassador wrote [ -> ]They've changed my train home and given me a 9 minute connection in Huddersfield.....this can't end well!
The minimum connection time is 5 minutes at Huddersfield, so if you miss your connection (because your incoming train is 4 or more minutes late) then you'll be able to use the next one (by approaching station staff) and also claim compensation.
(28 Mar 2022, 10:47 am)Ambassador wrote [ -> ]They've changed my train home and given me a 9 minute connection in Huddersfield.....this can't end well!
Looking at arrivals and departures for Huddersfield, most TransPennine Express services heading North use platform 8, some use platform 4(A/B) such as Huddersfield terminating trips but that's just a case of walking past the waiting room and toilets to reach 8, no stairs involved or owt.
Don't think there's many (if any) opportunities for trains to overtake one another beyond Stalybridge so providing you leave there on time, you should likely be fine.
One thing I will say, trains are so unpredictable, one day everything goes relatively straightforward, other days it's absolute chaos. TPE cancelled my train North of York on Saturday morning due to "a slower train than usual being allocated" (a 185) although I was delighted as I was too ill to undertake the journey on the day so was able to get a full refund rather than mess about selecting a new date to travel and being charged a £10 admin fee.
(28 Mar 2022, 1:34 pm)omnicity4659 wrote [ -> ]The minimum connection time is 5 minutes at Huddersfield, so if you miss your connection (because your incoming train is 4 or more minutes late) then you'll be able to use the next one (by approaching station staff) and also claim compensation.
Ah that's useful to know thanks.
I've booked the Staly to Huddersfield non stopper (and a chance to ride a 185) which should depart 13.50 and arrive 14.08 to make my 14.17 up to Newcastle.
Last time I travelled through Staly everything was closed and I ended up in a glass waiting room surrounded by weird historical vases
I travelled with TPE on Monday and Tuesday. It's not a nice feeling being booked on trains when you know the operation is a mess at the minute, but fortunately the two trains I was booked for ran as planned. I was on the 16.45 out of Manchester Victoria, which was quite busy due to the previous train being cancelled. Even the Redcar Central 185 running half an hour ahead of us didn't do much in terms of spreading out passenger numbers and we had passengers standing in 1st class between Huddersfield and Leeds.
It looks like the last Liverpool to Newcastle journey was
cancelled on Monday, but unsure whether
this was a light run back to York or not.
I am forever cursed with TPE, .my connecting staly to Huddersfield has been cancelled so It’s either leave stay an hour early or ask the nice people at TPE to let me board at Manchester
Update the man at TPE…he say no.
So I’ve bought at £15 first class single from Vic to Huddersfield. I’ll claim delay repay on the unused staly to Huddersfield and debate claiming the two hour delay I’d have had if I’d have followed TPE advice.
I could be quids in!
(27 Apr 2022, 7:24 pm)Ambassador wrote [ -> ]I am forever cursed with TPE, .my connecting staly to Huddersfield has been cancelled so It’s either leave stay an hour early or ask the nice people at TPE to let me board at Manchester
Most people who use TPE on a regular basis share that sentiment, myself included
(27 Apr 2022, 8:04 pm)Jimmi wrote [ -> ]Most people who use TPE on a regular basis share that sentiment, myself included
I’ve been touch wood ok using them lately but I tend to travel either very early in the morning or early afternoon where demand is a lot lower.
Im not going to make Victoria now due to a meeting clash so it’s a 2 hour delay into Newcastle which means TPE forking out for my outward too!
We knew worst group express was going to be nationalised. It was more of just when not why and I am suprised it did take this long
Why is there so many cancellations, are they hiring for drivers?
What's the penalty for getting stripped of the contract?
Is it worse than giving it up voluntarily?
(11 May 2023, 9:29 pm)streetdeckfan wrote [ -> ]What's the penalty for getting stripped of the contract?
Is it worse than giving it up voluntarily?
The lack of income from the remainder of the contract is probably enough of a penalty.
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(11 May 2023, 9:31 pm)Adrian wrote [ -> ]The lack of income from the remainder of the contract is probably enough of a penalty.
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It depends if the contract was profitable for them.
Perhaps getting stripped of the contract was the preferable option and that's why they made no effort to improve
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(12 May 2023, 9:25 am)streetdeckfan wrote [ -> ]It depends if the contract was profitable for them.
Perhaps getting stripped of the contract was the preferable option and that's why they made no effort to improve
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To be honest, I do think there was some improvement on paper.
3 car 185's doubled-up, new rolling stock, extensions from Redcar to Saltburn etc.
However those commitments were made a long time ago (pre-pandemic), before employee and customer relations got worse.
Turning it around, improving those relations, improving staff retention and training new staff is quite a long-term task and they've clearly not achieved it.
Financially - no idea if it was profitable/worthwile or not.
It must have been at some point, otherwise they wouldn't have kept the contract/tendered for it repeatedly over the years.
(12 May 2023, 9:36 am)Andreos1 wrote [ -> ]To be honest, I do think there was some improvement on paper.
3 car 185's doubled-up, new rolling stock, extensions from Redcar to Saltburn etc.
However those commitments were made a long time ago (pre-pandemic), before employee and customer relations got worse.
Turning it around, improving those relations, improving staff retention and training new staff is quite a long-term task and they've clearly not achieved it.
Financially - no idea if it was profitable/worthwile or not.
It must have been at some point, otherwise they wouldn't have kept the contract/tendered for it repeatedly over the years.
The government need to take some blame for it. The railways over the Pennines are Victorian and should've been well on the way for major improvements by now. Instead they've made more plans than GNE route changes and the thing isn't fit for the 21st Century and have gone for sticking some wires up and not an awful lot more.
Why put up with all that crap as a driver when you can go work for LNER instead and have it easy.
I will say the amount of GNE drivers etc which I've heard talking about doing interviews with LNER is ridiculous and I know a few have left for LNER as well.