Greater Manchester and the wider north west are facing travel disasters today as train operator Northern grapples with severe staff shortages, and railway lines have suffered a £100k theft grinding them to a halt.
Northern has issued an apology, saying that due to a lack of available conductors for Sunday shifts, it is implementing a reduced timetable across its network, aiming to provide ‘structure’ amidst a spate of last-minute cancellations. The rail service, which came under government control in March 2020, has seen persistent disruptions on Sundays, a day not covered by standard working contracts.
Greater Manchester Mayor Andy Burnham previously labelled Northern a ‘part-time rail service’, referencing the frequent train cancellations.
Meanwhile other services – including Northern and TransPennine Express trains across Greater Manchester – have been cancelled today following a £100,000 theft on the railway lines. The theft of high voltage signalling cables took place between Wigan and Bolton. Engineers discovered the missing cable when they arrived to carry out work in the Lostock area of Bolton over the Christmas period in part of the ongoing £1m works to electrify the line between Wigan and Bolton, which began in 2022. The stolen cable provides power to the overhead line equipment, which powers electric trains across the tracks.
The theft, occurring just a week before the line was set to be energised on New Year’s Day, has caused significant setbacks. Network Rail officials have stated that the stolen cable must now be replaced and retested.
Rail authorities are collaborating with the police to “find and prosecute those responsible.”
£100k theft
The affected routes today (Sunday, December 28) because of the cable theft include Blackpool North to Preston in both directions, with fewer trains running and limited replacement road transport replacing rail services. The Preston to Bolton and Manchester stations route is also impacted, with no trains running until approximately 6pm and limited replacement road transport operating between Preston and Manchester Piccadilly.
Services between Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Airport will also be disrupted, with fewer trains running and limited replacement road transport operating between these stations.
Travellers have been urged to consult the National Rail website or contact their train operator for information on how the closure affects their journey.
The first trains expected to serve all stations are the 18:45 from Manchester Airport to Blackpool North and the 17:51 from Blackpool North to Manchester Airport. National Rail has suggested alternative travel options, including using Northern tickets at no extra cost on Avanti West Coast services between Warrington Bank Quay and Oxenholme Lake District, TransPennine Express between Manchester stations and Preston, and provided road transport.
TransPennine Express services between Manchester Airport and Glasgow/Edinburgh are among those affected by the cancellations
(Image: PA)
“Where limited replacement road transport is operating, customers are advised to speak to station staff, see station information screens, or check online journey planners for the departure times,” they said.
“Please note, journey times will be extended by up to 60 minutes when travelling using road replacement transport.”
National Rail has given particular advice for TransPennine Express customers. TransPennine Express train services will not call at Bolton whilst the repair work is taking place.
“Rail replacement transport is running between Preston – Bolton – Manchester Piccadilly to help with your journey.
“Your ticket will be valid for use on all TransPennine Express services on Sunday 29 December between Edinburgh / Glasgow Central and Manchester Airport at no extra cost.
“It is advised that you travel earlier than your booked journey where possible, to allow for alternative connections.”
Rail bosses say they are working with police to ‘find and prosecute those responsible’ for the theft. Christian Irwin, Network Rail’s capital delivery director, apologised for the disruption. “I am very sorry to passengers who will be impacted by the rail closure between Chorley and Bolton on Sunday,” he said.
“It is extremely frustrating for this crime to take place so close to the energisation of the line. Our teams have been working very hard to deliver this upgrade for passengers over several years including over this Christmas period.
“We are working closely with the British Transport Police to provide additional security measures and to find and prosecute those accountable.”
Staff shortages
Because of the staff shortages, Northern said today’s schedule will see a limited service of one train every three hours between Manchester Piccadilly and Sheffield, and a two-hourly service from Manchester Oxford Road to Liverpool Lime Street. Additionally, late-night services from Manchester Victoria to Leeds will not run.
Replacement bus services will also be operating on several routes, including: Stockport – Chester; Wigan North Western – Euxton – Preston; Stockport – Stoke on Trent; Manchester Airport-Wilmslow; Wigan Wallgate – Bolton and Wigan Wallgate – Manchester Victoria (via Atherton).
In a previous statement, Northern said: “Recently, we have seen higher levels of cancellations in the north west and for that we are sorry. The underlying reason is train crew availability, in particular on Sundays which is contractually outside of the working week.
“Due to conductor unavailability, there will be some cancellations and alterations to our timetable on Sunday. Journeys may be longer and less frequent than usual. Check before travelling, particularly the last services of the day which may be earlier than usual.”
Northern trains are plagued by staff shortages
(Image: MEN MEDIA)
Yesterday, the operator said: “On Sunday 29 December we will have high levels of cancellations in the North West and for that we are sorry. We encourage everyone to plan ahead and check journeys before travelling for the latest information and train times.”
The full list of changes in the North West includes a limited service running across multiple routes.
Trains will run less frequently than usual on many routes and the last train of the day may be earlier than usual. On the following routes, Northern train services will not run and a limited rail replacement bus service will operate: Preston – Colne; Preston – Blackpool South; Oxenholme Lake District – Windermere; Stockport – Chester; Stockport – Crewe; Wigan North Western – Euxton Balshaw Lane – Preston.
The following routes are also a replacement bus service, but are already included in the scheduled short term timetable: Stockport – Stoke-on-Trent; Blackburn – Clitheroe; Lancaster – Morecambe / Heysham Port.
Manchester Airport – Wilmslow and Southport – Manchester Victoria are among the routes experiencing disruptions. Other routes, including Manchester Piccadilly – Sheffield (3 hourly), Manchester Piccadilly – Buxton (with road transport provided between Stockport and Buxton where necessary), Blackburn – Manchester Victoria via Todmorden (2 hourly), Blackburn – Manchester Victoria via Bolton (2 hourly), Liverpool Lime Street – Manchester Oxford Road via Newton-le-Willows (2 hourly), Liverpool Lime Street -Wigan (2 hourly) – with early finishing and later starting trains, Manchester Victoria – Leeds – with late services cancelled, and Blackpool North – York – with reduced early / late services, are running but have large gaps in services.
Passengers are advised to check before travelling, particularly for the last services of the day which may be earlier than usual. In Yorkshire and Humber and North East, there will be amended times and services on multiple routes.
If your Northern train has been cancelled, you can travel on other Northern trains before or after your original time (on the same route, valid all day). Alternatively, if your service is cancelled, you can use your ticket on TransPennine Express or LNER trains up to 2 hours before or 2 hours after at no extra cost.
Your ticket will also be valid, at no extra cost, on Avanti West Coast between Manchester Piccadilly and Stoke-on-Trent, and between Warrington Bank Quay and Oxenholme Lake District, as well as Bee Network Bus 192 route only between Stockport and Hazel Grove.
Blackpool Transport buses are operating between Blackpool North and Lytham St Annes. CrossCountry services are running between Manchester Piccadilly and Stoke-on-Trent.
East Midlands Railway is providing connections between Manchester and Liverpool Lime Street/Sheffield. Merseyrail is functioning between Liverpool and Hunts Cross/Southport.
Metrolink is in service between Manchester and Ashton-under-Lyne/Altrincham. Lastly, Transport for Wales is maintaining its route between Manchester and Chester.
Planned closures
Meanwhile, a planned line closure between 10.30pm on New Year’s Eve and 10.30am on New Year’s Day means there will be no trains between Lostock Junction and Wigan North Western. On January 1, Westhoughton, Hindley or Ince stations will be inaccessible.
Replacement buses will run between Wigan North Western, Westhoughton, Daisy Hill, Ince and Lostock.