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Northern to lose franchise

LancasterRed

Mad Scientist
Joined
Mar 24, 2019
Messages
4,387

Good on paper. But multiple government failings, such as Ordsall and Piccadilly platforms 15/16 haven't helped. Not having proper railway people in management has held them back.

The government have done what the people wanted and stripped them of the franchise (rightfully) but they need to get it right - sack the entire management (as all staff remain when a franchise changes) and get proper railway people in, implement an emergency timetable, temporarily mothball the Ordsall Chord and get building the Manchester Piccadilly extension.
 

Good on paper. But multiple government failings, such as Ordsall and Piccadilly platforms 15/16 haven't helped. Not having proper railway people in management has held them back.

The government have done what the people wanted and stripped them of the franchise (rightfully) but they need to get it right - sack the entire management (as all staff remain when a franchise changes) and get proper railway people in, implement an emergency timetable, temporarily mothball the Ordsall Chord and get building the Manchester Piccadilly extension.

They also need to deal with the vast majority of Northern drivers being on four days a week contracts with Sundays 'optional' which is why the most trains are cancelled.

Not sure where platforms 15/16 are meant to go given how narrow the corridor between Deansgate and Piccadilly is with buildings either side virtually the entire length.
 
There already cancelled 166 trains.....this year!
Its a joke Giro... Living in Euxton, we have got access to 2 very handy train stations ( Buckshaw and Balshaw ) but the number of times that our social calendar has been disrupted thanks to Northern is becoming annoying...

On NYE we went into Preston for some afternoon festivities, but only just - the two trains either side of the one we caught were cancelled due to a lack of drivers !!!
 
They also need to deal with the vast majority of Northern drivers being on four days a week contracts with Sundays 'optional' which is why the most trains are cancelled.

This happened to us in the summer Sav... we bought tickets to go and watch Lanky play cricket at Old Trafford but couldnt get there because most of the trains were cancelled - the ones that did turn up were that rammed that we couldnt get on them
 
Ando,

I could write a book on the number of times I’ve been screwed over by this inept bunch of money grabbers.

They have absolutely no management presence whatsoever, at Manchester Victoria and Piccadilly.

The same applies to Preston. If you want to complain about the service directly to someone you have to talk to Virgin/Tren Italia staff.

Like they’d give two stuffs about the incompetence of North Fail?
 
about bloody time, a shambles of a company with train drivers and 2nd persons responsible for delays and cancellations and the company responsible for old stock that is filthy and unreliable.
 
Looks like Boris is cracking the whip and isn't prepared to put up with sub standard service from these companies.. good !

Regardless of what you think of him that has to be a good thing.
 
if those lazy arsed guards/conductors/2nd person/bear fuckin grylls did their jobs collecting fares and checking tickets then the hundreds of revenue collectors Northern employs would be removed, the lazy arsed drivers who think THEY run the bloody franchise striking at a whim are the ones responsible. I have NO sympathy for them losing their current cushy jobs and having to accept proper commercial contracts which will mean them doing their fucking jobs, this has been 5 years too late, and the fuck the RMT union who must also take some of the blame urging strikes and sod the paying customers.
 
if those lazy arsed guards/conductors/2nd person/bear fuckin grylls did their jobs collecting fares and checking tickets then the hundreds of revenue collectors Northern employs would be removed, the lazy arsed drivers who think THEY run the bloody franchise striking at a whim are the ones responsible. I have NO sympathy for them losing their current cushy jobs and having to accept proper commercial contracts which will mean them doing their fucking jobs, this has been 5 years too late, and the fuck the RMT union who must also take some of the blame urging strikes and sod the paying customers.
Those lazy arse guards, not too long ago, at Bamber Bridge station, late on a dark evening, walked my daughter from the train to my car in the car park where i was sat waiting for her.

Twat ;)
 
if those lazy arsed guards/conductors/2nd person/bear fuckin grylls did their jobs collecting fares and checking tickets then the hundreds of revenue collectors Northern employs would be removed, the lazy arsed drivers who think THEY run the bloody franchise striking at a whim are the ones responsible. I have NO sympathy for them losing their current cushy jobs and having to accept proper commercial contracts which will mean them doing their fucking jobs, this has been 5 years too late, and the fuck the RMT union who must also take some of the blame urging strikes and sod the paying customers.
???
 
if those lazy arsed guards/conductors/2nd person/bear fuckin grylls did their jobs collecting fares and checking tickets then the hundreds of revenue collectors Northern employs would be removed, the lazy arsed drivers who think THEY run the bloody franchise striking at a whim are the ones responsible. I have NO sympathy for them losing their current cushy jobs and having to accept proper commercial contracts which will mean them doing their fucking jobs, this has been 5 years too late, and the fuck the RMT union who must also take some of the blame urging strikes and sod the paying customers.
What a load of bollocks, lame, limp management from the top to the bottom of the shiny pen pushers are what has fucked northern up, the lads on the front line are only working to their contracts.
 

Good on paper. But multiple government failings, such as Ordsall and Piccadilly platforms 15/16 haven't helped. Not having proper railway people in management has held them back.

The government have done what the people wanted and stripped them of the franchise (rightfully) but they need to get it right - sack the entire management (as all staff remain when a franchise changes) and get proper railway people in, implement an emergency timetable, temporarily mothball the Ordsall Chord and get building the Manchester Piccadilly extension.

Throw into the mix the electrification of the Chorley corridor which was a shambles from start to finish & the timetable fiasco last May that was caused solely by Network Rail & there are reasons why Northern fail so badly.

Not saying that are blameless as this is far from the case but they aren't totally to blame.
 
Looks like Boris is cracking the whip and isn't prepared to put up with sub standard service from these companies.. good !

Regardless of what you think of him that has to be a good thing.

Don't know how Johnson can be mentioned in regards to this announcement - he's been in office for long enough to have put his foot down before today. Northern Rail should have lost their franchise this time last year when the service started getting really bad but then you could argue it was only fair they were given time to turn it round it round but they've obviously failed.

Good money as a train driver - close to 60K when qualified and know someone who recently started with them but the shift patterns have to change as the same problems continuously occur.

Only been properly affected by Northern's delays/cancellations once. Was waiting for the last train back on a Sunday from Manchester Airport only to be told that it would be a replacement bus when we got to the station. Ended up getting home two hours late but one poor sod ended up having to get off in Chorley as I didn't want the bus to stop in Adlington as it was already taking too long. Anything could have happened to the poor sod as he and his wife claimed they didn't have the money for a taxi but it was more important that I got home 20 minutes sooner than taking other people into consideration.
 
Ando,

I could write a book on the number of times I’ve been screwed over by this inept bunch of money grabbers.

They have absolutely no management presence whatsoever, at Manchester Victoria and Piccadilly.

The same applies to Preston. If you want to complain about the service directly to someone you have to talk to Virgin/Tren Italia staff.

Like they’d give two stuffs about the incompetence of North Fail?

They don't have any "presence" at Picc as the station is run by Avanti.

Victoria is run by Northern & I know for a fact managers are based there but you're right you won't see them especially when it's going pear shaped.
 
Those lazy arse guards, not too long ago, at Bamber Bridge station, late on a dark evening, walked my daughter from the train to my car in the car park where i was sat waiting for her.

Twat ;)

A train guard? Fair bloody play. The guards on the Colne and Ormy lines are top notch though, have a lot of time for them.

Issues lie solely with both upper management and the government/Network Rail for approving unmeetable timetables, forcing the early replacement of stock for that which is not ready, and all around incompetence.

TransPennine is on the chopping block for similar reasons.

For me I'd get proper railway people into the top roles at the companies and get people with potential trained up to take over to ensure long term stability and to prevent these issues in the future.
 
if those lazy arsed guards/conductors/2nd person/bear fuckin grylls did their jobs collecting fares and checking tickets then the hundreds of revenue collectors Northern employs would be removed, the lazy arsed drivers who think THEY run the bloody franchise striking at a whim are the ones responsible. I have NO sympathy for them losing their current cushy jobs and having to accept proper commercial contracts which will mean them doing their fucking jobs, this has been 5 years too late, and the fuck the RMT union who must also take some of the blame urging strikes and sod the paying customers.

Before you go off on one check your facts, Northern drivers haven't been on strike.
 
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