NORTHERN FAIL'S EPIC, APPALLING, EMERGENCY-TIMETABLE FAILURE, PART 2

Now, obviously after yesterday's shambolic events I did not think that I would be writing a new story of how today unfolded.  

I thought that things would improve and we would all be getting along fabulously after learning from mistakes ...Right?

After all, we have been told for decades that Private Sector management are so much smarter than the Public Sector with geniuses at companies like Long-Term Capital Management, Enron, Arthur Anderson, Lehman Brothers, Royal Bank of Scotland, Marlins, Woolworths, Toys R Us, Carillion, BHS, MFI, HBOS, Northern Rock, etc etc etc, forever... 

However, here we are and here I am again about to report on a route that the press and the MP's and other bigwigs don't seem to give a monkey's about because it doesn't feature Liverpool or Manchester (the only places that actually exist in the North of England)  This tale again features the almost Adrian-Mole-Esque adventure from Accrington to Bamber Bridge (just before Preston)  On the train at rush hour it would take 30 minutes usually but as Northern Rail have decided (smartly) to take trains off the tracks when customer's need them this is what I had to endure today...

Afternoon:  Check the website because if the trains Northern have declared on their emergency timetable are running there is a train route home (joy!)  It's a rag-tag one and requires 3 trains being on time but it would get me at the Bamber Bridge station for approximately 18:09.

I look for the 17:20 to Preston that was declared on the emergency timetable yesterday ...Now it isn't even on the timetable as "Cancelled".  It has been completely removed.  Coach is now the only option...

16:30  Leave Work

16:34  Arrive at the waiting point at the station for the coach at 17.01

16:35  Coach already there (Yay!)  I ask the driver which way he's going to Colne or to Preston ..."Colne" he replies.  (Balls!)

16:40  Check the board for the Accrington train to Blackburn.  It is relatively on time.  I could have a look at Blackburn if the mysterious 17.20 to Preston is running still, that is if the coach is not on time.

17:01  The coach is not on time

17:04  The coach is still not here

17:05  I get on the train to Blackburn (worst case scenario I can catch the late coach from there)

17:15  Arrive at Blackburn.  The 17.20 to Preston, undeclared on the timetable, is cancelled.

17.18  Arrive at the coach stop for the 17:27 to Bamber Bridge (this is the 17.01 from Accrington.  My hopes are not high for this turning up).

17.27  No coach

17.30  Me and my fellow passengers waiting - still no coach

17.37  Yep, all still here, no coach.

17.42  Still no coach

17.44  For all these people during rush hour a mini-bus shows up.

17.46  We all get on and it is revealed he is a replacement bus service for the replacement bus service after the other replacement bus service was (supposedly) involved in some sort of collision, what with all this extra traffic being on the roads because of the lack of trains no doubt.

17:47  Are we moving?  Are we balls, he needs approval from Control to set-off, and neither he nor the station manager can get through to Northern Rail to get approval to go.

18:00  Driver reveals that he is expected to wait to pick up the next coach driver's rush-hour passengers and transport them home on this mini-bus ...THIS FULL MINI-BUS!

I am going to say it. Control are a bunch of dildo-shaped, fuckwits!

18:13  After nearly half an hour waiting for dithery Northern Rail managers decide what they want to do (they can't blame Network Rail for this, this exposes how awful and clueless and inept they are) we now set-off

19:09  The journey that according to the timetable should take 40 minutes take 56 and I finally arrive in Brig, pissed-off, another night destroyed by stupid managers who are looking at squeezing every penny rather than getting passengers home.  Tonight they deliberately delayed the coach in order to save on paying two coach drivers to do the same route and had the same effect as the previous night when they provided zero service.

Also just as a side note, the 17:20 Blackburn to Preston (as we know) cancelled

18.20 Blackburn to Preston - Cancelled

18.54 Blackburn to Preston - 14 minutes late.

Last week I heard a rail announcement saying the train was late due to Congestion

CONGESTION?  

WHAT CONGESTION?  

There's 2000 services you've cancelled!  How can there be congestion without trains????

Tomorrow I am back slightly later and will have to endure God only knows what.

I don't know what time I can expect to make it back after 2 days of nearly 3 hour delays.

Wish me luck.

Mr Chatable.

Oh and check out my previous entry yesterday where Network Rail lie about booking replacement coaches and laugh at customer's plight enjoy.

https://mike-lambert.blogspot.com/2018/06/northern-fail-sink-to-new-low-with.html

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