Which would you prefer, A) reliable, uncrowded service with poor refreshments (though not as bad as was painted at the time) Or B) a nice buttie while you sit waiting for a train you can actually get on for hours on end.
FYI there are now direct Transpennine Express trains to York and Manchester from Wakefield Kirkgate. There are only 4 or 5 services a day, but Barnsley to York via Kirkgate only takes 1 hour and that’s with a 7 minute wait at Kirkgate to change trains!