Blackpool North customer service improved or same ?

[flixtonman]

According to the present entry on Wikipedia (which doesn't state the source of its information) there were over 1.7 million passenger entrances and exits in the period 2021/2022. According to the Realtime Trains website there appear to be five platforms in use throughout the day. Given the happy (and therefore boisterous) profile of many visitors to Blackpool, it can't be an easy station to manage. It may not, of itself. excuse abrupt and impatient behaviour from station staff at times, but I suspect they have a lot of abrupt, impatient and worse-for-wear passengers to deal with - and who have to be managed for their own safety.

 

[XAM2175]

According to the present entry on Wikipedia (which doesn't state the source of its information)

This is the exact ORR file they all come from:

https://dataportal.orr.gov.uk/media/1909/table-1410-passenger-entries-and-exits-and-interchanges-by-station.csv

It's stated in very basic terms at the bottom of the infobox, though it could definitely be made more clear.

 

[railfan99]

What a strange policy. Never come across that anywhere before

When I was at Bradford Interchange on 5 October 2022, it was terrific that Grand Central trains continued to operate on what was otherwise a strike day.

However we were kept corralled in the foyer until about 10 minutes before scheduled departure. This can make it hard for persons of limited mobility who have a booking in the front car, especially if there's no station buggy to take such passengers to a train.

The booking clerk, however, was very pleasant, issuing me a first class reserved seat on what in standard class was a full train by the time we got to Doncaster, and fairly busy in 1st as well. I suspect many didn't know this operator continued to run on 1 and 5 October last year.

It's the stupid USA/Canada system. I hope it doesn't creep in at more worldwide stations, as it's incredibly inefficient. Far better if we want to, to wait on the plat.

 

[Bantamzen]

When I was at Bradford Interchange on 5 October 2023, it was terrific that Grand Central trains continued to operate on what was otherwise a strike day.

I've made a mental note to avoid rail travel on the 5th October this year...

 

[railfan99]

I've made a mental note to avoid rail travel on the 5th October this year...

Apologies. About to be corrected. Stupid colonials who live 17,000 kilometres from the UK!

 

[Bantamzen]

Apologies. About to be corrected. Stupid colonials who live 17,000 kilometres from the UK!

Ha ha, no worries. I know you guys are ahead of us timewise, I just didn't think it was that far!!

 

[yorksrob]

I once got barked at at Bradford Interchange for having the temerity to walk up and down the platform while waiting for the train.

 

[WillPS]

Blackpool North refused to allow my fiancée through the gates to sit on a bench while we waited to drop off somebody. I added that she has a hidden disability and the person just smiled and said 'No'. Really horrible service.

 

[Meole]

There are other termini where you are allowed on the platform but the train is locked until departure.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

Liverpool Lime Street being one example for TPE trains. Doors are usually locked till 5 or fewer minutes before departure leading to a mad scramble for seats.

 

[LOL The Irony]

There are other termini where you are allowed on the platform but the train is locked until departure.

Blackpool North is a case of the train being open but the platform doors being locked. They have, however, gotten a lot better at unlocking the doors. The doors to my departure yesterday were opened about 15 minutes before departure, so plenty of time.

 

[M&NEJ]

It's the stupid USA/Canada system. I hope it doesn't creep in at more worldwide stations, as it's incredibly inefficient. Far better if we want to, to wait on the plat.

I'm afraid it has recently crept into Thailand with the transfer of long-distance services to the new "Aphiwat" terminal on the outskirts of Bangkok (replacing the central and traditional Hua Lamphong station). Access to platforms begins about 20 minutes before departure.

 

[Vespa]

Coming from the comments I think I'll arrive Blackpool North and leave Blackpool South which is a completely open platform, taking a break of journey in Preston station which never has a problem with passengers on the platforms well before time.


Liverpool Lime st is a terminus platform and you can stand around the platform for as long as you like before the train turns up.

Blackpool North is definitely in some sort of parallel universe of it's own renacting 1970s public service attitude.

Making an official complaints is useless as complaints departments are designed to bury them..

A YouTube or even a Panorama program to expose the station through covert recordings and a working title.

"Britain's most unfriendly station"

That should shake them up, they have been too complacent living in their own little world.

 

[AF91]

Having managed London Marylebone in the past, I find the concept of holding customers on the concourse until the last minute rather odd. We'd hold the posting of platforms if the dispatchers were still supervising the splitting, attaching or locking of trains or if the platforms were clearing from a busy arrival.

However, we tended to post trains as early as we could as its better to have people on the train and getting comfortable than having people crowding the concourse and riding thrive the gates at the last minute. We were also monitored on how often we posted trains late, with us having to give a reason if local trains were posted with less than 7 minutes to go and longer distance trains with less than 12 minutes.

Of course there were times where late running led to very short turnaround times (I think my personal best was 60 seconds) but we tended to try to manage these as best we could and would post spotters on the platforms to ensure that we weren't leaving anyone behind.

 

[philthetube]

Blackpool North refused to allow my fiancée through the gates to sit on a bench while we waited to drop off somebody. I added that she has a hidden disability and the person just smiled and said 'No'. Really horrible service.

Bet I know which member of staff that was.