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Post by gooderson1 on May 16, 2018 14:41:08 GMT 1
Announced at lunchtime. Rail services on the East Coast Main Line are being brought back under government control. Transport Secretary Chris Grayling told Parliament that temporary state ownership would provide the smoothest transition to a new operator. The loss-making service is being renamed London and North Eastern Railway (LNER). It is the third time in a just over a decade that the government has called a halt to the East Coast franchise. Mr Grayling told Parliament that after two months of analysis he had concluded that taking the service back into state control was the best option. "I plan to use a period of operator of last resort control to shape the new partnership," said Mr Grayling. He said the aim was to create a new public-private partnership from 2020, with "one single team operating the railway". "They will then begin the task of working with Network Rail to bring together the teams operating the track and trains on the LNER network." The full story can be found at:-www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-44142258. I find it amazing that the blame has been placed firmly at the door of the operator whilst none falls on Network Rail. if I recall correctly the "figures" used when bidding for the contract were based on the fact the NR would implement line improvements to allow more and faster trains and that is not now happening. As always blame the operator and not the Department for Transport and/or Network Rail. |
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Post by ajw11239 on May 16, 2018 18:02:50 GMT 1
Couldn't agree more with the last couple of lines. Tired of hearing 'ban virgin' 'renationalise' from people who don't have a clue / don't use the service.
From my perspective, using VTEC 3-6 times every week, the on-board service has been great, and their offline customer service has been good. I am happier with VTEC at the helm than I ever was with East Coast; the whole service giving quite a tired impression.
Their reliability is poor at the moment but most of the issues are down to Network Rail. And in terms of the contract as a whole, it's quite clear that Stagecoach/Virgin's bid promised far too much, too early. Whilst yes, I think their bid went too far and promised too much and would've ended up in issues, the fact was that the DfT loved the bid and waved it right through, seeing pound signs in their eyes. And then Network Rail failed to deliver improvements which the bid depended on.
Now, as a result, the franchise has collapsed, and rather than giving Virgin/Stagecoach time to sort it out at their own risk, it's been taken off their hands. It's cost them a fortune losing it, there's inevitably going to be a cost to the taxpayer transferring ownership, and a lot of the extra services are now in question. Nobody wins here...
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Post by deerfold on May 16, 2018 18:15:12 GMT 1
I've used the East Coast rail service regularly since GNER, with 8 years' commuting to London from Yorkshire. Virgin have been terrible - they removed the rewards scheme with no replacement, there is regularly no trolley or hot food on board - now they seem to be having problems with the toilets, with accessible ones remaining out of use for weeks at a time. Many of the (mostly brilliant) staff have rock bottom morale as they're expected to run the service with no margin for recovery when things go wrong.
Many of the cheapest tickets have been removed, but this has not sufficiently improved their earnings.
Virgin gave notice that they would quit the franchise, so they can't complain about it being taken off them.
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Post by gooderson1 on May 16, 2018 18:24:17 GMT 1
I have watched the 6pm news on the BBC1 (aka The Biased Broadcasting Company). How can you rely on what they say when their reporter states to camera that the ECML runs between "London and Glasgow" and then shows a picture of Edinburgh Waverley.
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Post by deerfold on May 16, 2018 20:04:10 GMT 1
I have watched the 6pm news on the BBC1 (aka The Biased Broadcasting Company). How can you rely on what they say when their reporter states to camera that the ECML runs between "London and Glasgow" and then shows a picture of Edinburgh Waverley. What's the problem with that? It does run London - Edinburgh - Glasgow. |
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Post by westyorkshirebus on May 16, 2018 21:01:46 GMT 1
Because it doesn’t run London to Glasgow if all you are mentioning is two places. Glasgow is an infrequent extension.
If it was a story about EMT would you say it should be ‘East Midlands Trains who run between London and Leeds...’
They showed stock footage of Pendolinos and Voyagers on Calendar.
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Post by deerfold on May 16, 2018 22:26:59 GMT 1
At least the BBC did mention two places they do serve (and was aware that Edinburgh was an important place en-route). Better than showing trains of another company.
I don't see a problem with describing EMT as running between London and Leeds.
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Post by Marcus on May 17, 2018 17:00:15 GMT 1
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Post by MetrolineGA1511 on May 19, 2018 20:48:51 GMT 1
I think it will keep the name London & North Eastern Railway t/a LNER after it is next franchised. I notice that the government is already moving towards standard franchise names for operators to keep to instead of introducing their own brand names. Examples are ScotRail, Thameslink, TransPennine Express, Northern and GWR.
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Post by Bradford Traveller on Jul 24, 2019 0:22:35 GMT 1
DECEMBER 2019 CHANGE
Harrogate -> Leeds -> London Kings Cross.
There will be regular trains on this route, up to every two hours.
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Post by Bradford Traveller on Nov 8, 2019 21:14:03 GMT 1
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Post by Bradford Traveller on Jan 29, 2020 1:08:09 GMT 1
MAY 2020
* Bradford Forster Square -> London King's Cross (via Shipley and Leeds)
Additional train each way (Mondays to Saturdays)
from Bradford 08:43
ret. from London 16:03
Additional train each way (Sundays)
from Bradford 10:25
ret. from London 19:35
* Huddersfield -> London King's Cross (via Dewsbury and Leeds)
New service from
Huddersfield 05:50
ret. from Leeds 20:32
(through service from London as the 'rear' portion of the 18:03 London -> Skipton train)
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Post by deerfold on Jan 29, 2020 3:20:22 GMT 1
MAY 2020 * Huddersfield -> London King's Cross (via Dewsbury and Leeds) New service Huddersfield 05:50 ret. from Leeds 20:32 (assuming this is the 'rear' portion of a London -> Harrogate train) The evening service is the 1803 from Kings Cross. The other half will continue to go to Skipton. |
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Post by Bradford Traveller on Mar 11, 2020 23:29:38 GMT 1
Please note that the extra Sunday train from Bradford Forster Square to London and return will not run on the first day of the new timetable. This is due to engineering work in May.
The extra Saturday train will also start after the first Saturday.
Tickets for the new weekday services will be on sale from this Friday, 13 March.
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Post by Bradford Traveller on Mar 21, 2020 2:02:36 GMT 1
There will be a reduced timetable from 23 March
* Bradford Forster Square -> London to restart from 4 April
* Harrogate -> London CANCELLED (most trains)
* Skipton -> London CANCELLED
* Leeds -> London will be 1 or 2 trains an hour
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Post by deerfold on Mar 21, 2020 9:28:45 GMT 1
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Post by Bradford Traveller on Apr 3, 2020 0:00:26 GMT 1
Saturday 4 April
Bradford Forster Square 06:30 to London,
RETURN arr 22:20 (appears to start at Leeds, but could be a through train from London)
Following the announcement that Grand Central are suspending all services from Saturday, LNER will run the Bradford Forster Square - London train as partial replacement, with the London - Bradford Forster Square service also resuming from 6 April.
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Post by glennh2 on Apr 4, 2020 22:43:02 GMT 1
It departs P6 at Leeds. An arrival from London does happen on this platform but an hour earlier at 2054.
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Post by Bradford Traveller on Jun 27, 2020 0:43:27 GMT 1
The Department for Transport announced on June 26 that LNER would continue to operate InterCity East Coast services from London to Leeds and Edinburgh for a further three years from June 28, with an option for a further extension.
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Post by Bradford Traveller on Jun 27, 2020 1:10:10 GMT 1
The new timetables from 6 July are now up. Weekends: www.lner.co.uk/globalassets/azuma/lner-temporary-weekend-timetable-4-to-26-july-2020.pdf The new Sunday train from Bradford Forster Square is running. During the week, a basic hourly service will operate from Leeds at :15 calling at Grantham and Stevenage, returning at :33 past. Trains will run from and to Bradford Forster Square (2), Harrogate (2-hourly) and Skipton (1), as scheduled, but not from Huddersfield. |
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Post by Bradford Traveller on Mar 2, 2021 1:38:44 GMT 1
MARCH 2021
The current weekdays timetable is in operation 1 March until 23 April.
Leeds – London is generally a ½-hourly service on weekdays, but some trains terminate at Peterborough due to capacity issues and engineering works.
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Post by Bradford Traveller on Jun 12, 2021 2:12:05 GMT 1
Proposed timetable from May 2022 lner.citizenspace.com/user_uploads/consultation_timetable_a4_web-2.pdfBradford Forster Square departure reduced to one return service daily, the second train recently (re)introduced is dropped. Harrogate service retimed (EVERY TWO HOURS Leeds :59 towards Harrogate), this will continue to run via Wakefield Westgate as at present. Huddersfield departure introduced, one return service, note that the return service will be earlier and not split off from the Skipton set. Leeds (northbound, via York) this service is WITHDRAWN Leeds (southbound, via Wakefield Westgate) dep. xx:10 & xx:40 daytime Standard stopping patterns during the day ex Leeds :10 calling at Newark North Gate and Stevenage ex Leeds :40 calling at Grantham and Peterborough London King's Cross (via Wakefield Westgate) dep. xx:10 & xx:40 daytime. |
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Post by deerfold on Jun 12, 2021 10:05:31 GMT 1
What service is withdrawn?
Leeds Northbound will be at 10 and 40 from Kings Cross through the day; instead of the current 2033, 2133 and 2330 from London there will be 2040, 2108, 2140, 2240 and 2340.
Instead of the current last service at 2045 from Leeds, there's a 2010 and a 2110 - a little better, but still very early (York has 2130, 2202 and 2258, with a 0001 to Doncaster).
Presumably the plan to make Bradford Forster Square to London 2 hourly has been quietly dropped - looks like the 2 hourly London to Leeds not via Wakefield is gone, too.
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jst
Forum Member
Posts: 209
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Post by jst on Jun 12, 2021 10:18:27 GMT 1
What service is withdrawn? The later Southbound and early Northbound go. They could come back in future if there is infrastructure improvements at Bradford. |
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Post by squeaky on Jun 12, 2021 12:41:46 GMT 1
The later southbound and earlier northbound Bradford require a set (801108 is sitting in Neville Hill 9 hours today) so quite expensive to run. You could run Bradford all day without additional rolling stock then, but there's no platform for LNER trains at Forster Square during the day time.
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