Last connection at Hooton

[Old Yard Dog]

Many years ago, the last train from Chester to Liverpool left at 2300 with a later train departing empty about 2330.

I was a member of the Ellesmere Port & Neston Public Transport Liaison Committee at the time and we persuaded Merseyrail to run the 2330 in service to Hooton to provide a useful connection with the last Liverpool - Ellesmere Port service.

Trains now depart Chester at xx28 and xx58 but the last short working to Hooton still operates. However this has now been retarded from 2328 to 2338. This leaves Ellesmere Port passengers with a very tight 3 min connection at Hooton during which they have to cross the footbridge. This connection is not shown in journey planners. Hooton is not a great place for carless to be stranded as it is in the middle of nowhere with no evening bus service or taxi rank. I doubt whether Merseyrail would be obliged to provide taxis if the last train is missed.

Before I complain to Merseyrail, does anybody know why the 2328 now runs at 2338?

 

[jamesst]

Because the unit for it doesn't arrive at Chester until 2331

 

[47827]

Many years ago, the last train from Chester to Liverpool left at 2300 with a later train departing empty about 2330.

I was a member of the Ellesmere Port & Neston Public Transport Liaison Committee at the time and we persuaded Merseyrail to run the 2330 in service to Hooton to provide a useful connection with the last Liverpool - Ellesmere Port service.

Trains now depart Chester at xx28 and xx58 but the last short working to Hooton still operates. However this has now been retarded from 2328 to 2338. This leaves Ellesmere Port passengers with a very tight 3 min connection at Hooton during which they have to cross the footbridge. This connection is not shown in journey planners. Hooton is not a great place for carless to be stranded as it is in the middle of nowhere with no evening bus service or taxi rank. I doubt whether Merseyrail would be obliged to provide taxis if the last train is missed.

Before I complain to Merseyrail, does anybody know why the 2328 now runs at 2338?

It's not ideal but so far as I know if the rules haven't changed Merseyrail don't permit the station to be unstaffed until after the last train has gone. Have done a good few railtours from the excursion platform over the years and Merseyrail always laid on overtime for the staff if it was out of hours. I don't know what time the last bus from Chester to Ellesmere Port is but that may be better than relying on a late night tight connection. I've no idea if you are meant to make it there. If so you have the right to a taxi to Ellesmere Port if it misses. If not then the staff would probably help you get one if your phone was flat rather than leave someone stranded. The alternative is Walk a mile or so down the road to the A41 if there's any buses still about as that's not really completely in the middle of nowhere. Probably better off going for the train half hour earlier though than have the worry.

 

[Kite159]

Shame Merseyrail couldn't hold that last Ellesmere train at Hooton for a couple extra minutes to make it a connection.

Unless those extra couple minutes will push the driver over their hours for the ECS towards Rock Ferry

 

[Old Yard Dog]

Because the unit for it doesn't arrive at Chester until 2331

Interesting - that implies that trains now have a 27 min turnaround at Chester apart from the last one. It's usually 3 mins!

The last Hooton - Chester train leaves at 0012 so Hooton station doesn't have to close at 2357 when the last E. Port train departs.

The last bus from Chester to E. Port and beyond is 2315 - however

When you are my age (70) and have been to the pub, it's a long way home without a toilet. While neither the trains nor buses have little boys' rooms, both have Chester and Hooton railway stations do - and both are usually open till the last train departs, staffing permitted.

So I think I'll wait until ME revert to their normal timetable and see if the connection improves before pursuing it further.

Thank you all for your input

 

[Spandau]

Interesting - that implies that trains now have a 27 min turnaround at Chester apart from the last one. It's usually 3 mins!

Yes, in the current timetable most Merseyrail trains do have a 27-minute layover at Chester. Merseyrail cleaners seem to be outstationed there and sometimes units get locked up for litter picking.

 

[jamesst]

Interesting - that implies that trains now have a 27 min turnaround at Chester apart from the last one. It's usually 3 mins!

The last Hooton - Chester train leaves at 0012 so Hooton station doesn't have to close at 2357 when the last E. Port train departs.

The last bus from Chester to E. Port and beyond is 2315 - however

When you are my age (70) and have been to the pub, it's a long way home without a toilet. While neither the trains nor buses have little boys' rooms, both have Chester and Hooton railway stations do - and both are usually open till the last train departs, staffing permitted.

So I think I'll wait until ME revert to their normal timetable and see if the connection improves before pursuing it further.

Thank you all for your input

Off the top of my head I seem to remember TfW have a couple of paths from platform 7 onto the depot between 2300 and 2320 as stock starts to be stabled for the night.
This means the current 27min turnaround can't happen at that time.
Because of that the 2301 Merseyrail arrival goes out ECS at 2305 whilst the 2331 arrival forms the 2338 departure.

 

[Old Yard Dog]

The 2338 CTR-HOO reverts to its normal 2330 departure time from 14th Feb. However it is not shown on ME timetable pdfs and posters (Mon-Sat) and hasn't been for some time.

Timetable from 14 February

www.merseyrail.org

It is on the Su poster however

Timetable from 14 February

www.merseyrail.org