XC Northallerton Call

[tynesider]

Hi all

Today I was a passenger on board 19:04 York to Darlington (1S52, 14:40 Reading to Darlington), a CrossCountry service, which called at Northallerton. The call was not 'unplanned', as both National Rail journey planners, and the PIS screens at York showed the train as stopping. The PIS on board the train, however, did not. The train left York 1 minute late, perhaps due to the Driver and Guard conferring over the calling pattern - although this is merely my assumption

Is this the first time XC have had a booked call at Northallerton?

 

[142094]

One of the first times I've heard of an XC service stopping there, although they may well have done before in the past when the same work was going on (2-3 years ago now, XC [could have been Virgin at the time] were diverted via Allens West as well).

 

[tynesider]

One of the first times I've heard of an XC service stopping there, although they may well have done before in the past when the same work was going on (2-3 years ago now, XC [could have been Virgin at the time] were diverted via Allens West as well).

I remember not too long ago, back in the Virgin days, there were several 'PSUL trains' - 06:50 Newcastle - Bristol (?) on a Saturday morning was via Stillington, Picton and Boroughbridge Road. I think there was a booked northbound working via Dinsdale and Stillington on a Saturday evening. I can't help feeling that if route knowledge had been retained with these services, XC may well be operating through services during the current works...

 

[IanPooleTrains]

First time i've heard of this. Whenever I have been on a train up to York, it's always York, Darlington, Durham, Chester-le-Street, Newcastle and so on and so forth, never heard Northallerton because GC stop there along with FTPE and NR

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Northallerton was a regular XC stop until Operation Princess' introduction: maybe it could have been covering a stop for a delayed/cancelled TPE/GC NE service?

 

[GNERman]

Wensley is the best person to answer this...

All i've seen is an XC voyager being held in the station and the driver calling the signaller, i've never seen them stop at the station...

 

[ainsworth74]

never heard Northallerton because GC stop there along with FTPE and NR

If you mean Northern Rail can't say I've ever heard of them calling there either to be honest!

Is interesting though, I've never been on a XC service that called at Northallerton either, so would be interested in finding out if this is a regular thing.

 

[yorkie]

If you mean Northern Rail can't say I've ever heard of them calling there either to be honest! .

You'd have to go back to around 2005 before the new TPE franchise to find Northern (whatever they were called then) calling at Northallerton. There used to be direct trains between York & Newcastle via Sunderland. For 2 or 3 years there were no direct trains, then GC came along. There was also a train that had TPE branding that was about 1710ish from Manchester, 1840ish from Leeds, that was a through service via Sunderland, they didn't have window stickers for it so they used to put stickers up saying it was calling at Darlo & Durham and had to have manual announcements reminding people to change at York for those places, and if they wanted to arrive at Newcastle quicker. That was when the eastern half of what we now called Northern and the genuine TransPennine (ie, that cross the Pennines!) services, were all operated by the same company (Northern Spirit, Arriva Trains Northern, and possibly more).

 

[ainsworth74]

You'd have to go back to around 2005 before the new TPE franchise to find Northern (whatever they were called then) calling at Northallerton.

Ahh fair enough then! 2005 would be before I took a keen interest in railways.

 

[43167]

You'd have to go back to around 2005 before the new TPE franchise to find Northern (whatever they were called then) calling at Northallerton. There used to be direct trains between York & Newcastle via Sunderland. For 2 or 3 years there were no direct trains, then GC came along. There was also a train that had TPE branding that was about 1710ish from Manchester, 1840ish from Leeds, that was a through service via Sunderland, they didn't have window stickers for it so they used to put stickers up saying it was calling at Darlo & Durham and had to have manual announcements reminding people to change at York for those places, and if they wanted to arrive at Newcastle quicker. That was when the eastern half of what we now called Northern and the genuine TransPennine (ie, that cross the Pennines!) services, were all operated by the same company (Northern Spirit, Arriva Trains Northern, and possibly more).

There used to be a Arriva Trains Northern/Northern Spirit working which was a 1538 York-Newcastle straight up the ECML calling at all stations. I remember it, as it departed York just before the 1400 Kings Cross-Aberdeen.

 

[Mojo]

Seen of Voyagers calling at a few unusual stations because of delays/cancellations, such as Yate in lieu of a FGW local service which was cancelled, and University one evening after the last Birmingham > Cardiff was cancelled!

 

[DarloRich]

Have cross country/virgin xc/inter city xc ever called at Northallerton - after a few Saturday night drinks my brain has turned to mush!

Is it because the line is closed/disrupted?

As said above i have only ever seen voyagers held at signals and the driver get out to complain.

Northern Spirit or whatever they were called used to run a Newcastle-Thirsk (i am sure it terminated at Thirsk!) service at one point! Ran via Durham coast, Easglesliffe and Northallerton. They used to recess for a bit in the sidings north of the station. Got it once or twice back home from uni in Newcastle. I am sure it was 153 the few times i got it

 

[Crossover]

I may be wrong but I'm sure when I was at York on NYE, there were 2 trains due in just after our arrival departed...one was an EC to Edinburgh (which overtook us and then we overtook again as it waited for our platform after our TPE service had stopped there), which I am sure was next stop Darlington.

There was also an XC service to Newcastle at a similarish time, which I'm sure was calling at Northallerton before heading onwards. Or maybe I have got my wires crossed

If anyone has access to TRUST it was about 14:30 on NYE - the EC was from platform 11, and the XC I seem to recall was platform 10

EDIT: On looking at National Rail timetables for a Friday, it is the EC that calls Northallerton - and takes about 15 mins longer than the XC

 

[wensley]

Haven't heard of it happening before. Definitely never seen it. As far as I know XC staff haven't been trained to despatch from Northallerton either as normally they have assistance from the platform. 1S55 SuO, not shown as stopping today.

It is not uncommon for XC stuff to be held at the platform start signals but the doors are never released. The only occasion I can think of a non-stoppping train putting in a call was when a northbound EC 225 stopped at the signal in the snow. There had been no trains north for nearly 2hrs. The pax on the platform were rather unhappy when the doors didn't release and the signal stayed at red. The conductor then spoke to the driver and then reached an understanding by which passengers were able to board (just as the signal cleared!)

 

[Ferret]

Haven't heard of it happening before. Definitely never seen it. As far as I know XC staff haven't been trained to despatch from Northallerton either as normally they have assistance from the platform. 1S55 SuO, not shown as stopping today.

It is not uncommon for XC stuff to be held at the platform start signals but the doors are never released. The only occasion I can think of a non-stoppping train putting in a call was when a northbound EC 225 stopped at the signal in the snow. There had been no trains north for nearly 2hrs. The pax on the platform were rather unhappy when the doors didn't release and the signal stayed at red. The conductor then spoke to the driver and then reached an understanding by which passengers were able to board (just as the signal cleared!)

Since when do we need training to self-dispatch at a different station?! Hell, we do it at Sesame St, and often at Tamworth/Burton/Chesterfield!

For the record, I've stopped at Northallerton three times - both as a result of a cancelled TPE and them asking us very nicely if we'd mind sticking an SSO in for them.

 

[Jordy]

Do staff really need to be trained to dispatch from a station with straight platforms and a signal at the end of both platforms?

EDIT: Beaten too it by Ferret!

 

[Ferret]

Jordy - great minds! Lol!

It's all covered when you learn the route. If you do it properly, you'll use stopping trains at least once just so you can have a look at the layout of stations. I know I got off at Northallerton when I learned Newcastle There's lots of places where I have self-dispached over the years, it's quite a regular event. As an aside, I've also managed to take Cheltenham's platform staff to Bristol Parkway after he didn't tell me he was getting on and I didn't see him, so self-dispatched in the belief the platform was unstaffed again! Doh!

 

[bluenoxid]

Do staff really need to be trained to dispatch from a station with straight platforms and a signal at the end of both platforms?

EDIT: Beaten too it by Ferret!

Sometimes I wonder what rail staff need to be trained to do.

Sir this is a piece of toilet paper

Humour aside

You'd have to go back to around 2005 before the new TPE franchise to find Northern (whatever they were called then) calling at Northallerton.

Bit longer than that Yorkie. Transpennine split off in Feb 2004 and the Northern franchise started in December 2004.

 

[tynesider]

Thanks for all of your replies.

Had this been a SSO, I wouldn't have bothered posting, as I know SSOs are fairly common. It was the fact this was booked to call, (and also shown as a 19:23 departure on the boards at Northallerton), that took me by surprise.

 

[Failed Unit]

Maybe because of the engineering works?

 

[embers25]

It probably stopped due to the reduced East Coast service running as a result of the Stillington Diversion. The PIS on board would not be updated due to that being fixed relating to the train ID. For example both XC I observed yesterday at Edinburgh heading Southwest were both showing destination Plymouth inside and out despite both terminating at Newcastle (just slightly short of Plymouth!) due to XC not running via Stillington and being replaced by buses.

 

[DarloRich]

Haven't heard of it happening before. Definitely never seen it. As far as I know XC staff haven't been trained to despatch from Northallerton either as normally they have assistance from the platform. 1S55 SuO, not shown as stopping today.

It is not uncommon for XC stuff to be held at the platform start signals but the doors are never released. The only occasion I can think of a non-stoppping train putting in a call was when a northbound EC 225 stopped at the signal in the snow. There had been no trains north for nearly 2hrs. The pax on the platform were rather unhappy when the doors didn't release and the signal stayed at red. The conductor then spoke to the driver and then reached an understanding by which passengers were able to board (just as the signal cleared!)

Think i got on that train!

 

[tynesider]

Same XC train is showing as calling at Northallerton again tomorrow (Sat 15th) 19:22-19:23

 

[DarloRich]

Right - i am going to get on this train from York!

 

[swt_passenger]

Slightly odd situation at Eastleigh last Sunday. For those not familiar this is another station XC don't normally call at. With Southampton Central closed, XC were terminating at Southampton Airport Parkway. Up trains were leaving Parkway soon after arrival at about xx45, and then sitting at Eastleigh for around half an hour to pick up their normal timings. I suspect this was because single line working with pilotman is used between ESL and SOA if St Denys is blocked.

The result was that anyone using a journey planner for Parkway to Reading wasn't shown the XC service, cos it was quicker to use the next SWT and change onto FGW at Basingstoke.

On the Saturday, XC and SWT ran through and turned back south of St Denys, and with the various options for reversal there up trains were able to run in their normal timings.

[I've been told that AXC make much more use of Eastleigh than their predecessors - regularly calling during engineering work, whereas Virgin never called, preferring to turnback at Winchester if Southampton was blocked, but this predates my taking an interest so may be wrong.]

 

[Oracle]

Did they use the Down>Up GF at St Denys or go further south, just before Northam Junction? When I passed by on the Saturday there was a Class 66 + engineers' train on the Up Slow with work going on on the Mount Pleasant Level Crossing. I couldn't see any evidence of the crossover being used but there was a guy in a high-vis jacket on the Up main platform at St Denys who might have been a signaller.

 

[swt_passenger]

I had a look from St Denys on the Saturday, early afternoon. All the reversing was between the station and Mount Pleasant LC using normal signalled moves (however I think some of the shunt moves are only ground signalled).

SWT mainline services were crossing over from the down fast immediately south of St Denys onto the up slow or up fast; the XC I saw used the up loop(aka Bevois Park reception road).

SN and SWT off the Netley line were reversing from the down slow, which requires crossing onto the down fast then back onto the down Netley (ie towards Woolston) through St Denys.

 

[ReverendFozz]

Have cross country/virgin xc/inter city xc ever called at Northallerton - after a few Saturday night drinks my brain has turned to mush!

Is it because the line is closed/disrupted?

As said above i have only ever seen voyagers held at signals and the driver get out to complain.

Northern Spirit or whatever they were called used to run a Newcastle-Thirsk (i am sure it terminated at Thirsk!) service at one point! Ran via Durham coast, Easglesliffe and Northallerton. They used to recess for a bit in the sidings north of the station. Got it once or twice back home from uni in Newcastle. I am sure it was 153 the few times i got it

I remember years ago getting a York bound train from Seaham to Thirsk 2002 possibly, went to northallerton after teesside