Prioritising freight vs passenger trains and how it works in other countries?

[signalbox2015]

mods note - title changed from “Passenger train delays”

Yet again signallers at rugby put a freight train out in front of 1z33 at Northampton,train left Northampton 1 min late got to rugby 16 late! And don’t feed me the usual oh but freight trains have a timetable as well! Passenger trains should take priority over any freight train. I bet if the public knew about this there would be uproar!!

 

[zwk500]

Freight is far more valuable to the railway than a steam tour. You've got 7 minutes stopped at Brinklow to recover and the train's timed generously. Which loco have you got on it? A class 7 or up will easily eat back time on the Trent Valley, even with the stops.

 

[AlterEgo]

Yet again signallers at rugby put a freight train out in front of 1z33 at Northampton,train left Northampton 1 min late got to rugby 16 late! And don’t feed me the usual oh but freight trains have a timetable as well!

But that's true. Freight is extremely valuable - much more so than any passenger train, and vastly more so than your railtour.

 

[signalbox2015]

This happens on a daily basis delaying any passenger trains not just this one.class 1 and 2 trains should have priority.

 

[AlterEgo]

This happens on a daily basis delaying any passenger trains not just this one.class 1 and 2 trains should have priority.

Why?

 

[WizCastro197]

I bet if the public knew about this there would be uproar!!

What kind of ‘uproar’ do you imagine? I can’t see it being very big.

 

[LowLevel]

This happens on a daily basis delaying any passenger trains not just this one.class 1 and 2 trains should have priority.

Nonsense. What if a full intermodal train misses it's slot at the docks?

You work to best advantage. Sometimes that means getting freight out of the way.

Or to put it another way, what if holding up the freight delays other passenger trains?

 

[zwk500]

This happens on a daily basis delaying any passenger trains not just this one.class 1 and 2 trains should have priority.

Class 1 and 2 trains DO have priority, and arguably get given a lot more than they should. However at some point freight trains do have to run otherwise drivers will run out of hours and shops will run out of goods.

FWIW, I'm struggling to see which freight you were delayed by at Northampton. 1Z33 departed RT at 0821, the previous freight before that had been at 0618. And 6M13 appears to have been let out of Daventry behind 1Z33. 1Y13 was running 10 minutes or so ahead of 1Z33 and also lost time so I suspect you actually lost time due to a PSR/ESR or Caution for a track defect, track circuit fault or similar.

There are no delays at Long Buckby for an hour either side, other than 1Y13 and 1Z33 which both lost about 15 minutes between Northampton and Long Buckby. This is consistent with a fault being repaired and then 2 trains being cautioned through.

Your rant about regulation and priority appears to have been misdirected. https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/se...23-03-04/0730-0930?stp=WVS&show=all&order=wtt

 

[CBlue]

Yet again signallers at rugby put a freight train out in front of 1z33 at Northampton,train left Northampton 1 min late got to rugby 16 late! And don’t feed me the usual oh but freight trains have a timetable as well! Passenger trains should take priority over any freight train. I bet if the public knew about this there would be uproar!!

so let me understand this correctly. 1z33 is a railtour....are you suggesting the working railway should give priority to a train full of cranks, operation of which wouldn't be deemed essential in the slightest?

i think you have your priorities mixed up and respectfully suggest you re-read your post, perhaps then you'll see how silly your rant sounds.

 

[Tomnick]

It might interest the OP to know that the delay has been attributed to a trespass incident north of Northampton, apparently involving a photographer presumably out for 1Z33.

Might I suggest that some humble pie would be in order?

 

[The Planner]

It might interest the OP to know that the delay has been attributed to a trespass incident north of Northampton, apparently involving a photographer presumably out for 1Z33.

Might I suggest that some humble pie would be in order?

Oh that is beautiful. As others have noted, the railtour is going to be right down the priority list.

 

[Sly Old Fox]

And is now 1 early at Colwich Jn too!

 

[zwk500]

I notice OP has not been back to respond since the delay was explained...

 

[AlterEgo]

It might interest the OP to know that the delay has been attributed to a trespass incident north of Northampton, apparently involving a photographer presumably out for 1Z33.

Might I suggest that some humble pie would be in order?

I do love this forum sometimes.

 

[43066]

It might interest the OP to know that the delay has been attributed to a trespass incident north of Northampton, apparently involving a photographer presumably out for 1Z33.

Might I suggest that some humble pie would be in order?

Priceless .

 

[Mag_seven]

And don’t feed me the usual oh but freight trains have a timetable as well!

Sorry but I'm afraid to say.....

 

[Meglos]

It might interest the OP to know that the delay has been attributed to a trespass incident north of Northampton, apparently involving a photographer presumably out for 1Z33.

Might I suggest that some humble pie would be in order?

Tongue in cheek - It seems to me that Steam Charters should be removed from the network, as all those poor passenger on their 'regular' services are being delayed because of the trespassers which these charter services seem to attract.

 

[43066]

Tongue in cheek - It seems to me that Steam Charters should be removed from the network, as all those poor passenger on their 'regular' services are being delayed because of the trespassers which these charter services seem to attract.

Sadly, from what’s been said on here, there’s a non negligible chance of precisely that happening if these incidents continue.

 

[zwk500]

Sadly, from what’s been said on here, there’s a non negligible chance of precisely that happening if these incidents continue.

It became a big enough problem for Flying Scotsman that special measures were taken to avoid times getting into Realtimetrains too early.

 

[Dieseldriver]

It might interest the OP to know that the delay has been attributed to a trespass incident north of Northampton, apparently involving a photographer presumably out for 1Z33.

Might I suggest that some humble pie would be in order?

Brilliant

 

[td97]

Poorer decisions have been made this week, a few examples below.

8-13 minutes late for 1Y55 to Manchester Airport after being held at Bolton for the late running Rochdale 2J23 stopper seems to be a weekly occurrence

Realtime Trains | 1Y55 0722 Blackpool North to Manchester Airport | 23/02/2023

Real-time train running information for 1Y55 0722 departure from Blackpool North to Manchester Airport on 23/02/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 1Y55 0722 Blackpool North to Manchester Airport | 01/03/2023

Real-time train running information for 1Y55 0722 departure from Blackpool North to Manchester Airport on 01/03/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

A 7 minute delay departing Oxford Rd whilst held for 1Y50 that had only just departed Salford Crescent

Realtime Trains | 2F43 1614 Manchester Oxford Road to Warrington Central | 02/03/2023

Real-time train running information for 2F43 1614 departure from Manchester Oxford Road to Warrington Central on 02/03/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

1Y54 (all stops) was signalled to depart Preston 3 minutes ahead of the express 1Y91, and not regulated at either Bolton or Salford Crescent. Therefore was terminated short at Piccadilly due to this delay.

 

[6Gman]

Yet again signallers at rugby put a freight train out in front of 1z33 at Northampton,train left Northampton 1 min late got to rugby 16 late! And don’t feed me the usual oh but freight trains have a timetable as well! Passenger trains should take priority over any freight train. I bet if the public knew about this there would be uproar!!

I think "the public" have rather more important things to worry about at the moment.

But, if you're offering, I'd happily take the bet.

£20?

 

[skyhigh]

Poorer decisions have been made this week, a few examples below.

Seeing as the signaller didn't hold the train in question for anything other than a trespasser, I don't think anyone could describe this as 'poor'.

 

[mrcheek]

I notice OP has not been back to respond since the delay was explained...

Note that he never said he was on the train, just that it was delayed. maybe OP was the trespassing photographer!!

 

[12C]

i think you have your priorities mixed up and respectfully suggest you re-read your post, perhaps then you'll see how silly your rant sounds.

I notice OP has not been back to respond since the delay was explained...

I do love this forum sometimes.

Unfortunately threads like this are the reason I don’t love it so much sometimes.

Something which comes across as ‘a rant’ will usually be someone genuinely trying to engage in conversation with others. It can often be easy to get the tone of of a first post wrong, and it does make me sad to see new members being immediately shot down/ganged up on by others. If you don’t agree with the post or you think the OP is incorrect I think it’s best to either leave a respectful reply or simply scroll on.

It’s worth remembering that people can reach out to forums for all sorts of reasons, and what may seem a bit of a witty/funny reply could leave someone feeling pretty low. It’s nice to be kind.

 

[zwk500]

Unfortunately threads like this are the reason I don’t love it so much sometimes.

Something which comes across as ‘a rant’ will usually be someone genuinely trying to engage in conversation with others. It can often be easy to get the tone of of a first post wrong, and it does make me sad to see new members being immediately shot down/ganged up on by others. If you don’t agree with the post or you think the OP is incorrect I think it’s best to either leave a respectful reply or simply scroll on.

It’s worth remembering that people can reach out to forums for all sorts of reasons, and what may seem a bit of a witty/funny reply could leave someone feeling pretty low. It’s nice to be kind.

Perhaps you could read the first post again?

Yet again signallers at rugby put a freight train out in front of 1z33 at Northampton,train left Northampton 1 min late got to rugby 16 late! And don’t feed me the usual oh but freight trains have a timetable as well! Passenger trains should take priority over any freight train. I bet if the public knew about this there would be uproar!!

OP started in a tone that determined the rest of the thread.

 

[43066]

Perhaps you could read the first post again?

OP started in a tone that determined the rest of the thread.

Yes exactly. The OP was framed as a rant, rather than a serious question.

 

[dk1]

Yet again signallers at rugby put a freight train out in front of 1z33 at Northampton,train left Northampton 1 min late got to rugby 16 late! And don’t feed me the usual oh but freight trains have a timetable as well! Passenger trains should take priority over any freight train. I bet if the public knew about this there would be uproar!!

And if there was uproar from the public, what difference would that make?

It might interest the OP to know that the delay has been attributed to a trespass incident north of Northampton, apparently involving a photographer presumably out for 1Z33.

Might I suggest that some humble pie would be in order?

This has just made my day lol.

 

[The Planner]

Unfortunately threads like this are the reason I don’t love it so much sometimes.

Something which comes across as ‘a rant’ will usually be someone genuinely trying to engage in conversation with others. It can often be easy to get the tone of of a first post wrong, and it does make me sad to see new members being immediately shot down/ganged up on by others. If you don’t agree with the post or you think the OP is incorrect I think it’s best to either leave a respectful reply or simply scroll on.

It’s worth remembering that people can reach out to forums for all sorts of reasons, and what may seem a bit of a witty/funny reply could leave someone feeling pretty low. It’s nice to be kind.

Dont always go off post count. They have been a member for 8 years.

 

[RailWonderer]

On another thread about the railways @yorkie mentioned that compared to most of the world which puts customers first the UK railways don't and should do be doing more to and it's things like putting freight ahead of all passenger trains that shows up the railway as being less interested in prioritising customers.

I think some passenger trains should have priority, like headline IC services and already delayed services to prevent accumulating delay time but other regional expresses and locals shouldn't (and especially not leisurely railtours), since there is an importance of freight.

That said, freight is given too much priority as it stands and that is what contributes to the image of British railways being anti-customer. It isn't a half hour delay up the WCML that will prevent food getting onto the shelves before it all runs out.