Northern Rail

That's why we are described as very friendly in the North.

 

I had the exact trip. Picked up a train in Berwick upon Tweed to Edinburgh. The train was rammed and about 20 heaved on, all having to stand. It made one stop in Dunbar where a few more managed to get on. Then noticed a family with 2 suitcases and a buggy with a small child being squeezed on.

 

I think it's something to do with levelling up!

 

Northern Rail are useless. Huddersfield has the biggest rate of train cancellations in the country. Penistone Line regularly has two carriages when it's one train an hour.

 

Having caught, or tried to*, the train to Leeds at Burley train station for a year when I was at uni there I can empathise. 2 carriages sometimes, already packed with 100 or so trying to squeeze on. It came to fisty cuffs on a couple of occasions.

* I often just thought 'fook that' and went home and smoked a doobie instead!!

 

I did the reverse of that a couple of times and I was in a state of shock that such a situation was allowed. I’ve never known as many people crammed into one space and I felt so claustrophobic and unsafe. I kept naively expecting someone to somehow magically come along and do something about it but no, the train departed and we were all stuck rammed into each other. I didn’t think I’d manage to get off the train at the stop, even though I was right near the door, but people somehow squeezed up even more and pushed and shoved me until I basically popped out of the door and on to the platform. Never ever again will I travel on that train at that time (about 6pm on a weekday). I can’t believe Will did it for 7 years until he switched to the bus or walking.

 

It is, I believe referred to as; "Levelling Up".

 

I was supposed to be getting 17 40 after match yesterday for a meal in Leeds booked at 18 30. - Guess what? Cancelled.

 

They’re absolutely appalling. Love sneaky fines in their car parks too when you’ve nothing to obstruct anyone or any entrances or exits. Just do you on a technicality. Hate them.

 

It’s the level and quality of service that most people in the Country vote for (and are about to do so again). If you want good public transport, I’m afraid you’ll have to move.

 

Last year after a gig, I stayed at my daughter's in Sheffield. On the Saturday at Sheffield station I got the London to Edinburgh train back to Leeds. It was about half past 2 and the train was rammed. All the aisles were full and we were at the other side of the door jammed in like sardines. About 20 seconds before we set off this woman opens the door and attempts to get on with a pushchair. Everyone was telling her there was no room at all and one bloke said there is another one in 10 minutes. She insisted she HAD to get this train and I don't know how but she somehow managed to get on. By now it was ridiculous (imagine the ginnel at Milmoor). The doors finally closed and she shamelessly says , "I always have to get this particular train, I visit my friend in York every Saturday and it's always packed so they can never check your ticket and there are no barriers at York!!! " Unbelievable!!

 

Funny you say that, our tickets were never checked on the Edinburgh run also a straight exit out of Waverley station.

 

Never happened in British Rail days.

 

You'll be telling us next that the sarnies were better in BR days!

 

One of the problems is that many of the station that Northern service are too short to have more than two carriages on the train. So you end up with people unable to get off at their stop...

 

Unlike buses Fi who have limited capacity by law. For some strange reason trains don't have.to. And never have..

 

I used to get the train from Headingley station into Leeds for work many years ago. It was always rammed back then. Worst journey was when one morning in the middle of summer when it was rammed with people and the train came to a halt just 100 yards from Leeds City station and proceeded to sit there for over half an hour. It was sooooo hot on the train, people were close to fainting.

It's only a matter of time before there's an accident and people cant get out due to a crush. Then they will be like "How was this allowed to happen?"

Utter joke of a country.

 

I get those trains 2/3 times a week to Horsforth. Often see people not manage to get on at Headingley/Burley Park. Must be a nightmare. Imho coming back they need to have 1 carriage specifically for those stops and other 2 for the rest of the line. Problem at Leeds is people see a busy train, panic they won't get off and then all crowd round the doorways leading to much smaller capacity as they understandably won't move down the carriages as they fear they will get stuck in the middle. Keep carriage 1 for BP & Headingley problem solved. Swear I'm in the wrong job