Readers ’ Platform
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TransPennine Express woes
WHILST it is ‘early days’, the TransPennine Express debacle continues after the franchise has been taken over by the ‘operator of last resort’ in May, with TPE trains continuing to being cancelled at short notice during the evening of the day before, allegedly to avoid penalty payments.
One example being on June 8, when only two trains (one northbound from York to Newcastle at 07.13 and one southbound from Newcastle to Liverpool Lime Street at 21.07) called at Chesterle-Street, which has 18 TPE weekday services scheduled to call there.
Michael Denholm Dunbar
Concerning the Esk Valley Line
IF I remember correctly, the 06.30 ex-Whitby service to Middlesbrough did not stop at Sleights as well as several other local stations. Hardly surprising it wasn’t patronised (RM June). Closure by stealth even before it was fully established.
Common sense would suggest that a DMU be stabled overnight at Whitby or nearby, crewed by local drivers who would be rostered to take it to Middlesbrough then every night return it to it Whitby, thus enabling a regular early and late service.
The powers that be would of course point out that rescheduling train times to fit in with the NYMR and other lines would be too difficult. They would also no doubt argue the possibility of security and vandalism at the Whitby end.
Philip Waite By email
Northern cancellations
IN the South Yorkshire area, Northern appears to have taken over the position of most unreliable operator from TransPennine Express.
On Monday, June 19, the following morning departures were cancelled at Sheffield: 05.51 Barnsley; 06.02 Leeds; 06.05 Adwick; 06.27 Doncaster; 06.30 Huddersfield; 06.44 Leeds; 07.01 Adwick; 08.35 Huddersfield; 09.57 Doncaster; 10.05 Adwick; 10.18 Leeds; 10.39 Lincoln; 11.05 Adwick; and 11.06 Nottingham.
All were due to no train crew.
Geoff Griffiths By email
STAR LETTER
How steam returned to the Southern
I RECENTLY heard that an old friend of mine, Steve McColl, had passed away a couple of years ago. I first met Steve when he was a manager in Liverpool in 1984, and I have never known anybody before or since who could cut red tape like him.
Being an enthusiast himself, he did not keep information to himself, and would even put up lists at Lime Street of Class 40 rosterings. He supplied me with a lineside permit so I could photograph Aintree specials on Grand National day.
Every time he organised an event, he would send me the details through the post. And in 1991 he sorted me a main line cab ride on ‘N7’ No. 69621 from Marks Tey.
And so, when our attempts to secure an open day to celebrate Longsight depot’s 150th anniversary in May 1992 were struggling, the committee agreed to my suggestion for him to visit the depot, have a tour and report back to his mate Ivor Warburton, boss of InterCity. We ended up with a twoday event, 25,000 punters and £10k to charity… all down to him.
A bright idea
One hurdle Steve could not crack was the 25-year steam ban on Southern third-rail lines for fear of photographers trespassing. By this time, he was operating in the South, having become big mates with Chris Green. One day in 1992 I received a letter from Steve on BR notepaper that simply said ‘Many thanks, you have given me an idea, keep checking the steam specials list for 1992’. We next met at a Sheffield auction in 1993, he was there with Bill McAlpine, and he told me the tale. Evidently it was my letter in a railway publication about ‘not minding tours in the dark’ that got him thinking.
The powers relented and at 20.00 on Friday, September 1, 1992, ‘West Country’ No. 34027 steamed out of Waterloo and into the night, heading for Bournemouth (where it appeared that the whole town had turned out to see it). I lost touch with Steve and, after finding out he had died, I spoke to his old mates in Liverpool and none attended the funeral because they did not know when it was.
It was a sad end for a man who brought pleasure to many, rubbed shoulders with knights, royalty, and every boss there ever was.
Mel Thorley Stockport