Stations managed by an "odd" TOC

[Bletchleyite]

[N.B. Discovering Chester station is managed by TfW took me by surprise, until I remembered Saltney (part of the same urban area) is in Wales]

I don't think Chester being TfW managed has anything to do with Saltney, it's just based on which the main TOC is*. Same as Shrewsbury which is also TfW managed but in England, and several others. There isn't another TOC that would logically manage it - I suppose Northern *could* but it's a bit out of their main area, while Merseyrail don't have the competency of managing major multi-TOC stations (Southport is probably the closest they get to that, and I'd hardly call it well-run). So TfW is the best fit.

Do I recall correctly that Lockerbie is managed by ScotRail but only served by TPE? And I forget about Reston, is that the same?

* Aside from that there are stations served only by XC that are managed by EMR, but that's because XC don't manage any stations so don't have any relevant staff to do so, and having them for that small number of stations would be uneconomic.

 

[hexagon789]

Do I recall correctly that Lockerbie is managed by ScotRail but only served by TPE? And I forget about Reston, is that the same?

Both managed by ScotRail yes, both mainly served by TPE but Lockerbie also has 6 Avanti calls and Reston has 2 made by LNER.

 

[swt_passenger]

The name TfW is comparatively recent, wasn't it originally the Wales and Borders franchise, and Chester is clearly in the ‘Borders’ part of that franchise area. So that will be why…

 

[AlfDickens]

This site has some useful information on the topic:

Stations not served by their SFO

Railway station data: stations not served by station facility operator (SFO)

www.railwaycodes.org.uk

 

[swt_passenger]

This site has some useful information on the topic:

Stations not served by their SFO

Railway station data: stations not served by station facility operator (SFO)

www.railwaycodes.org.uk

Even when the responsibility has eventually been changed to the more logical successor, a couple of examples illustrate just how long it can take. Dean and Mottisfont & Dunbridge took 13 years to transfer from GWR to SWR, even though it was proposed fairly early after the FGW calls were fully transferred to SWT in 2007. Although unstaffed apparently one reason is the PIS, help points and TVMs would all have to be ‘re-wired’ into the other TOC’s systems. (Romsey also changed ‘ownership‘ in the same deal, but both TOCs had always called.)

 

[Parallel]

Romsey was historically managed by GWR/FGW until a couple of years ago which I found a bit odd as it is somewhat of an island in the GWR area network. GWR do offer the longest distance and most popular services at the station, but it is conventionally more in the SWR area between Salisbury and Southampton.

I don't find Chester that strange, as TfW provide the largest variety of services from the station. If it didn't sit with TfW, the only other operator it would make sense to sit with would probably be Avanti.

Some of the ECML stations:

Chester-le-Street is managed by Northern although most services are provided by TPE.
Alnmouth is managed by Northern but LNER and TPE provide more services. I guess Northern manage all the other stations between Manors and Chathill so it might be more cost efficient for them to manage Alnmouth too.
Reston, as others have said.

 

[SargeNpton]

Burton-on-Trent is managed by EMR, though it's only served by CrossCountry. Due to CrossCountry not being given any stations at privatisation.

 

[RailWonderer]

Stamford, Oakham and Melton Mowbray are managed by EMR though only a few EMR services call there per day.

 

[perkin]

I think the Chester/TfW/previous incarnations thing might be a BR relic - the Area Manager et al covering North Wales used to be based at Chester station - there were once fairly extensive BR admin offices in the station buildings, not sure if there's anything there now?

 

[RHolmes]

Mossley, Greenfield, Marsden and Slaithwaite on the Transpennine route are all managed by Northern but only served by Transpennine Express

 

[Jan Mayen]

Altnabreac is another odd one, as its apparently managed by someone who doesn't want trains to call...

 

[Barry169]

Fishguard Harbour owned and run by Stena, I believe.

 

[Gwr12345]

Fishguard Harbour owned and run by Stena, I believe.

Same for Stranraer

 

[swt_passenger]

Romsey was historically managed by GWR/FGW until a couple of years ago which I found a bit odd as it is somewhat of an island in the GWR area network. GWR do offer the longest distance and most popular services at the station, but it is conventionally more in the SWR area between Salisbury and Southampton.

Prior to the reopening of Chandlers Ford I think Romsey would have just been considered as an intermediate station on the Portsmouth - Cardiff route with a very small minority of SWT calls. I think in the mid 90s they’d have definitely not considered it becoming an SWT station. Would it have been branded as Wales and West in 1995? I’m not sure if I ever noticed such things at the time…

 

[Howardh]

Mossley, Greenfield, Marsden and Slaithwaite on the Transpennine route are all managed by Northern but only served by Transpennine Express

Yes, considering the amount of Northern coverage I'm surprised that only TPE cover Stalybridge > Huddersfield. Means their "inter-city" trains have to stop at those smaller stations!

When Great British Rail finally take over, will that include all (or most) of the stations under one banner?

 

[Steddenm]

Hinckley, Narborough and South Wigston managed by EMR, only XC call.

 

[ScottGallagher]

Made me think of the odd station management situation on the Furness line pre 2015 where it would be

Carnforth - TPE
Silverdale - Northern
Arnside TPE - why?
Grange Over Sands TPE
Kents Bank - Northern
Cark - Northern
Ulverston -TPE
Dalton - Northern
Roose - Northern
Barrow - TPE

Still noticeable in the station signage but it's all Northern now, but was there any logic in TPE managing any of them at all?

 

[generalnerd]

Hull is managed by TPE despite northern rail having many more services.

 

[CM Punk]

Longport, Kidsgrove & Alsager are those well known parts of the East Midlands run by EMR

 

[A S Leib]

If it didn't sit with TfW, the only other operator it would make sense to sit with would probably be Avanti.

Avanti have 1 tph there compared to 2 tph for Northern (Leeds via Warrington Bank Quay, Manchester Victoria and Rochdale) or Merseyrail.

Fishguard Harbour owned and run by Stena, I believe.

And I think Southend Airport runs the railway station.

 

[swt_passenger]

Hinckley, Narborough and South Wigston managed by EMR, only XC call.

Yes, but as noted in post #1 that is completely intentional, at privatisation it was decided XC would not be a station facility owner.

 

[Leeds1970]

Altnabreac is another odd one, as its apparently managed by someone who doesn't want trains to call..

Helsby, Frodsham and Runcorn East are also transport for wales

 

[generalnerd]

And I think Southend Airport runs the railway station.

Heathrow owns it’s stations as well, including the underground platforms

 

[truecrimelover]

Worcester Shrub Hill is managed by WMT but at most times of the day there are more GWR services (1tph to/from Bristol and 1tph to/from Paddington) than WMR services (1tph to/from Stratford upon Avon). I suppose WMR do have a depot and train crew based there though

 

[Kite159]

Hull is managed by TPE despite northern rail having many more services.

Same with Middlesbrough & Thornaby.

Longport, Kidsgrove & Alsager are those well known parts of the East Midlands run by EMR

Especially as Longport only gets a limited EMR service these days.

Helsby, Frodsham and Runcorn East are also transport for wales

Who provides the majority of services, remember the Northern Chester - Leeds service has only been around for the last few years (2018?)

 

[RHolmes]

Hull is managed by TPE despite northern rail having many more services.

Selby and Brough on the same line are also served more frequently by Northern.

Avanti operating the ticketing facilities at Manchester Piccadilly is another oddity with nearby Network Rail stations at Leeds and Liverpool both being Northern operated

Who provides the majority of services, remember the Northern Chester - Leeds service has only been around for the last few years (2018?)

TFW provide all services to the referenced stations, with Northern only operating Express (with the exception of the parliamentary Ellesmere Port line)

 

[185143]

Same for Stranraer

Even though they've not ran any ferries there for 15 years or so?

Prestwick Airport is managed by the airport, not sure if that's been mentioned.

 

[XCTurbostar]

Hinckley, Narborough and South Wigston. Only XC but managed by EMR.

 

[Djgr]

I think the Chester/TfW/previous incarnations thing might be a BR relic - the Area Manager et al covering North Wales used to be based at Chester station - there were once fairly extensive BR admin offices in the station buildings, not sure if there's anything there now?

Chester railway station is only 2.3 miles from the Welsh border.

There are always "odd things" around border regions, for example, Heswall on the Wirral being served by Welsh Water and, infamously, for many years receiving its local news from Cardiff!

 

[BeijingDave]

Chester is strange because there is so much history and tales of it being so anti-Welsh.

(Unlike, say, Berwick-on-Tweed which celebrates its dual identity)