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Post by Kenton Schweppes on Mar 1, 2016 19:02:51 GMT 1
Not strictly true, Tiger won evenings and Sunday's on 321, 356, 358 & 360. Of course they lost some daytime work, but I imagine TLC Travel are even more low cost than Tiger. Tiger taking work from Arriva does sound like a union matter. TLC have low profit margins, they aren't as greedy as a lot of the other larger operators. They have cheaper fares because cheaper fares mean that people will wait for them instead of getting on the first bus therefore making more money. TLC have taken over the 341 Stocksmoor service and I must say the service has declined from when Yorkshire Tiger used to operate, certain services are continually late noticeably the 17.40, the drivers are miserable too, a smile costs nothing.
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Post by Kenton Schweppes on Oct 12, 2015 18:48:42 GMT 1
On my travels I also passed the Low Moor site, nothing much to report just a lot of vegetation clearance and groundworks, nothing tangible.
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Post by Kenton Schweppes on Oct 12, 2015 17:46:24 GMT 1
First chance I've had to go over today to take a look at the refurbishment and a mixed reaction, I must say. On the whole it's pretty positive, the restoration is pretty good, it looks smart and good, outside looks good with the grassed areas (even if they do need a cut) as do the steps upto the station and the facade looks good with it having a good clean up and some masonry being replaced where it needed it. The windows look good as do the doors. But and there are a few buts, the attention to detail is poor, none more so that in the entrance which looks unfinished up towards the ceiling, in fact its deffo unfinished, the paint work is unimaginative (battleship grey and white) which is already showing marks. At the far end of platform 1 some of the windows haven't been replaced or the door, which is a shame, giving it an unfinished feel and the place looks like it could have done with a good clean, the new canopy is filthy, the window bottoms covered in red brick dust and the entrance area had cobwebs all over it, wouldn't have been hard for someone to whip round with a brush. On the opposite platform there is still vegetation growing out of the brick work too. The benches were left over from the old station, would it have been hard to replace these with some new shiny ones, instead of the red battered ones?
Also where is the ticket office, cafe and toilets? I was under the impression that these were part of the renovation? I noted there was some rooms renovated but empty are these to house the new facilities? Seems a little daft to open the station without any of these promised facilities? On the whole a positive renovation and it looks good aside from the one or two aesthetic issues. Lets hope the ticket office and cafe materialise soon, I was gagging for a cup of tea.
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Post by Kenton Schweppes on Sept 22, 2014 18:57:32 GMT 1
What's Yorkshire Blue when its ay home? Blue and white stripes would be good!
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Post by Kenton Schweppes on Sept 22, 2014 18:54:27 GMT 1
It has now been announced to staff that 'Tiger Blue by K-Line' will launch late in October and, yes, it will see new staff uniforms and some vehicle re-furbishments, including interiors and blinds, too. I like the earlier comment that the business has been in a "frozen state ever since" - this will be the start of unfreezing it! Tiger Blue by K-Line, bit of a mouth full, really don't know why they don't just give it them the Tiger makeover?
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Post by Kenton Schweppes on Sept 20, 2014 12:01:14 GMT 1
I work at HRI and although I live at Almondbury and tend to catch the 372 straight through in a morning but sometimes I catch the 342 or get off in town to maybe go to Sainsburys or get some cash out I usually tend to jump on the first bus that comes at Westgate, although I see no reason why the services couldn't still be branded.
As for the 317, it was just an idea to increase ridership as the few times I have actually caught it, there has never been more than 3 people on it at any one time, the ridership figures must be pitiful on that service.
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Post by Kenton Schweppes on Sept 19, 2014 22:08:33 GMT 1
This news is very welcome, the buses are looking a bit worn and tired, also the K Line brand is a bit low rent. The drivers could do with a smarten up as well.
Hopefully some of the services will be become branded as someone pointed out. Hopefully they might sort out the Cyrillic/heiroglyphics on the destination boards too.
The 317, which is a minor service could do with a review, a simple extension of its route through Almondbury to follow the 342 route would probably increase ridership due to its destination,HRI as well as Castle Hill.
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Post by Kenton Schweppes on Aug 17, 2014 9:48:08 GMT 1
Most people plan their journeys and know the connections and what not have you before hand. The conductor is more than happy to dispense travel advice should things go wrong with late trains as to what the passenger should do. As I said, well the last time I caught the Leeds/Victoria service up the Calder Valley there and back it did connect well with the Huddersfield service at Brighouse, although I'm not sure what it's like now after the timetable recast. All the planning and advice in the world is no good if your train is late and you miss your intended connection, what's the conductor going to tell you, where the best coffee and comfy seats are you are still going to have a wait and late arrival which you hadn't factored into your journey. Maybe he could tell the passenger to change elsewhere, in this instance it could be Mirfield. Besides if you were travelling with a Day Rover you could go whatever route you wanted!! We are talking about a local journey here, not one down to Penzance.
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Post by Kenton Schweppes on Aug 16, 2014 18:42:33 GMT 1
I never understand why people dislike changing trains so much. Could be something to do with the fact that connections cannot be guaranteed, great when it works but no so good when it doesn't especially if you are stuck for an hour! Most people plan their journeys and know the connections and what not have you before hand. The conductor is more than happy to dispense travel advice should things go wrong with late trains as to what the passenger should do. As I said, well the last time I caught the Leeds/Victoria service up the Calder Valley there and back it did connect well with the Huddersfield service at Brighouse, although I'm not sure what it's like now after the timetable recast.
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Post by Kenton Schweppes on Aug 15, 2014 21:52:58 GMT 1
There is a good connection time at Brighouse from the Huddersfield service to the Leeds to Manchester Victoria service, is changing at Brighouse such an ordeal? I never understand why people dislike changing trains so much, although I can see their beef due to the closeness geographically but by rail it might as well be on another planet. On a night when the Leeds to Victoria ceases I presume you change at Halifax, not sure what the connection time is though. I'm assuming from this then that a lot of the Calder Valley populous work in the Huddersfield area? (Having now read the article, I hadn't before, but yes that's what they are saying)
I would certainly agree though that the Leeds to Victoria service via Brighouse needs to be extended to evenings and a Sunday service too and I'm in favour of the Elland station.
I'm a little surprised that they haven't called for a Manchester to Wakefield service as well.
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Post by Kenton Schweppes on Aug 15, 2014 19:11:10 GMT 1
Disappointing, but I grew up with similar restrictions on Merseyside's Saveaways. Presumably this means the PAYG MCard (when it comes) won't be able to function like an Oyster card, because there isn't an equivalent all day ticket to cap your spending against. The potential for confusion is rife- there must be hundreds of scratch-off day rovers out there with reference to only a morning peak, and it could be interesting if Northern enforce their new conditions against what's actually written in black and white on the back of the ticket. It'll probably lead more concessionary pass users back onto buses (on the grounds that a lot of older folk tend to be wary of anything with too many terms and conditions for fear of falling foul of one or the other)- but then the object of the exercise is to kick leisure travellers off peak trains. Essentially it's an admission that all parties involved have failed to manage supply to meet demand. It'll put a lot of people onto peak time buses, the services like the X6 and 72 services out of Leeds are busy enough they will be rammed now during midweek with the new restrictions, particularly during the summer months when people are on annual leave from work. The only way back to Bradford and Huddersfield from Leeds at peak times is on these bus services, ok, there is the Arriva services into Huddersfield but they take an age.
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Post by Kenton Schweppes on Aug 13, 2014 20:54:20 GMT 1
Metro need to make an official statement regarding DayRovers to clear up the situation. People will not be impressed if restrictions start to appear on these tickets. I assume it's just Northern Rail and not TPE? I use the Day Rover ticket regularly and I live in Huddersfield, so it won't really affect me, but if you live only where Northern provide the service, you're snookered a bit. Like this one? www.wymetro.com/news/Changes_to_Evening_Peak_Restrictions_on_Northern_Trains/It could be clearer - I suspect it will not be valid on any operator rather than just Northern/TPE (they do specifically say TPE via Hudds will be affected) but that's not clear. Fair enough, I hadn't seen this statement, still think it's a bit shabby. This kind of thing could drive people away from the trains onto the buses and worse still back into their cars. Granted a lot of Day Rover tickets will be used on the weekend as opposed to midweek, where these remain unaffected, I just don't get what they are trying to achieve? I use the ticket for getting about with my missus during the week, especially when we are off work. Like today we've been to Harewood House and we travelled back at peak time back to Huddersfield, I'll have to jump on the X6 from now on then at peak hours. It seems a clumsy way to free up some seats for commuters.
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Post by Kenton Schweppes on Aug 13, 2014 18:42:41 GMT 1
Metro need to make an official statement regarding DayRovers to clear up the situation. People will not be impressed if restrictions start to appear on these tickets. I assume it's just Northern Rail and not TPE? I use the Day Rover ticket regularly and I live in Huddersfield, so it won't really affect me, but if you live only where Northern provide the service, you're snookered a bit.
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Post by Kenton Schweppes on Aug 10, 2014 22:27:52 GMT 1
Off to Harewood House this week on the bus, going to use the Transdev 36 service from Leeds but does anyone know if I can use my bus only M-Card and if my wife buys a Metro Day at £5.50 is this valid for use on the 36 service within West Yorks? Yes its valid on 36 as far as harewood house, and 781 service also Ah, a quick reply, cheers for the confirmation and your speedy response.
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Post by Kenton Schweppes on Aug 10, 2014 22:20:01 GMT 1
Off to Harewood House this week on the bus, going to use the Transdev 36 service from Leeds but does anyone know if I can use my bus only M-Card and if my wife buys a Metro Day at £5.50 is this valid for use on the 36 service within West Yorks?
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Post by Kenton Schweppes on Aug 3, 2014 17:44:27 GMT 1
It need not necessarily be 'high' in the sky either. If you google 'H-Bahn' some of the images show it operating just above ground level.
I do think it would need to have more capacity than the two carriages the German system operates with as well but on the whole it does seem a plausible answer to Leeds' problem. I don't think Metro will abandon the trolley bus plan now though.
I do wonder if this has been put to Metro for them to look at. I know which system I'd rather have, trolley bus or H-Bahn....H-Bahn everyday.
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Post by Kenton Schweppes on Aug 3, 2014 10:44:11 GMT 1
Where as we know Leeds lags behind other big cities close by, Manchester and Sheffield, in terms of a 'rapid transit system' and the 'trolley bus' idea is in the pipeline, but what about a 'H-Bahn' type system? A Leeds professor has mooted the idea of the 'H-Bahn' for Leeds citing it to be more cost effective than the 'trolley bus' project and other various benefits over trams and the trolley bus. It would be a great way of linking areas of 'high traffic' together with the city centre, places like Elland Road, The White Rose Centre, Leeds/Bradford Airport. The more I think about it, the more it's growing on me. It would be the first of it's kind in Britain although Germany has a couple of these systems, Dortmund has one as does Wuppertal, in fact Wuppertal have had theirs for over 100 years. docs.google.com/file/d/0B8aHDmtcwr3-aXgta0ZhU09MeW8/edit?pli=1www.facebook.com/pages/The-Leeds-H-Train/685896068110034
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Post by Kenton Schweppes on Jun 20, 2014 18:10:26 GMT 1
Interesting to note that the Clayton West branch makes an appearance on the rail map. In hindsight was its closure a mistake? As now, I'm willing to bet the line would be busy from the two stations of Clayton West and Skelmanthorpe and would give the intermediate local Huddersfield stations another service per hour into Huddersfield.
Also interesting is that the last departure for Sheffield on the Penistone Line from Huddersfield is 18.04!! We complain nowadays about night services but 18.04 is dire.
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Post by Kenton Schweppes on Jun 8, 2014 21:26:55 GMT 1
Elland station is one step nearer, the matter was discussed at HADRAG's latest meeting and Network Rail,Metro and Calderdale Council are all on board. Network Rail said it can be done in the next CP, so its looking good for Elland being put back on the railway map, although not before time, it should have been done when the line re-opened to passenger traffic. I assume it'll be in the Lowfields area and there is a small article in the latest edition of 'Rail' on it.
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Post by Kenton Schweppes on Jun 4, 2014 17:35:40 GMT 1
You sound surprised? Its been common knowledge that its been happening for years.
London gets everything it wants transport wise, Crossrail, DLR, Underground improvements, Trams, New buses, whilst we can't get rid of the dreaded Pacers, struggled on and on to get the Tod Curve (which we still can't use due to no rolling stock, that wouldn't have happened it London that's for sure) and the Ordsall curve, we can't have anymore rolling stock until the south gets their new trains and we get their cast offs, although we are getting some 319's for the Liverpool/Manchester route, although they won't be refurbed just given a respray with Northerns livery, it all feels like a token gesture.
In defence of London, it is the capital and the pressure on the transport is immense so it does need constant investment.
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Post by Kenton Schweppes on May 5, 2014 19:42:10 GMT 1
Metro have started to roll out new style timetable sheets at bus stops. I've only seen them at Bus Stations in Leeds and Huddersfield so far. As is often the case, there are teething troubles, mainly with the info obviously coming straight out if the database with no cleansing. So instead of "10 to Someplace" you now have "10 to Someplace, High Street, opp Police Station" I.e the exact name shown in the database of the terminal stop. The 301/302 are listed in the Bus Station as going to "Huddersfield Town Centre, Huddersfield Bus Station", the 319 going to Lindley when it goes to Berry Brow at that point and the 324 heading to Holmfirth(Meltham) for some reason. The buses to Marsden Hard End & Dirker end up with some unfriendly listing as well. Services operated by multiple operators that used to be split into two blocks are now merged but some services with differing terminals are now split, so the 241 now runs every 2 hours to Grange Moor with a separate 241 running every 2 hours to Houses Hill. One thing they've not resolved for a while is that since they got rid of the plastic light boxes above the stands listing the services, there is no clear way of knowing what services stop there, without looking closely at the timetable. I suppose it was a luxury though that you don't get elsewhere. Think this is a minor problem and it would only be a problem if you were catching a service you were unfamiliar with. All the main Holmfirth services depart from the same stand, as do the Marsden/Colne Valley buses and so on, so if you know which general area you're heading then you could make and educated guess as to which stand you're heading to. The currents set up at Huddersfield Bus Station is pretty decent with the big electronic departures board and the smaller displays at the each stand. One addition that would be nice is to do away with the paper timetable boards and replace them with electronic timetable boards. I have seen them in Birmingham at City Centre stops. Even casual users might familiarise themselves before setting off on a unfamiliar journey, what with the array of journey planning tools available now. I agree with some of the info displayed being a bit odd on the new timetable papers.
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Post by Kenton Schweppes on Feb 13, 2014 20:14:11 GMT 1
I went to Cleethorpes once and that was enough, well Blundell Park, why anyone would want to spend anytime in Cleethorpes is beyond me.
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Post by Kenton Schweppes on Feb 11, 2014 18:46:08 GMT 1
Well, its not rocket science in all honesty is it?
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Post by Kenton Schweppes on Dec 24, 2013 20:09:06 GMT 1
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Post by Kenton Schweppes on Dec 8, 2013 20:57:32 GMT 1
I have to ask myself why has it taken so long? All we've ever had is the cascading of the 158's, ok we've had a few new electrics but they are exclusive the the Airedale Line and can't be widely used across the network. We've had 'well past their sell by date' Pacers and Sprinters for yonks on what are extremely busy services. The current stock is totally unsuitable and the customer just does not get value for money for their fare. And do you think it's better anywhere else? Compare Northern Rail with the non-IC parts of First Great Western. They have 8 × Class 143, 45 × Class 150, 12 × Class 153, 16 × Class 158, 36 × Class 165 and 21 × Class 166. The newest trains there are 20 years old, nearly twice as old as the trains used on the Aire and Wharfe lines. Or how about Arriva Trains Wales? They have 15×142, 15×143, 36×150, 8×153, 24×158 and 27×175. While Northern Rail may have a slightly higher proportion of Pacers, it isn't completely out of step with other similar franchises. And it's all very well to demand new trains, but are you going to be happy to pay the higher fares that will be needed to pay for them? Just cos it isn't any different elsewhere doesn't make it right!!! The passenger always pays higher fares, its nowt new, whether we get new rolling stock or not the fares increase year on year. So if we are going to pay higher fares we might as well and try and get something for the higher fares!!!
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