Train fault leaves passengers stranded at Cumbrian stations
Last updated 12:53, Thursday, 20 November 2008
Commuters have been stranded by trains that didn’t turn up twice in a fortnight.
Passengers attempting to board the Barrow to Carlisle service, which calls at Whitehaven, Workington and Wigton, found themselves waiting for a train that never came yesterday.
It is claimed the same thing happened on November 7, though operator Northern Rail said it had no record of that incident.
Yesterday’s cancellation was caused by a train breakdown at Whitehaven. A replacement bus was laid on.
But on smaller unmanned stations like Aspatria, confusion reigned as passengers were not told the train was not coming.
It was due to arrive there at 7.57am, but travellers were left in the dark until one of them rang National Rail Enquiries at 8.15am and was told the journey had been abandoned.
Northern Rail said: “A fault with the train meant the 05.56 Barrow to Carlisle service had to terminate at Whitehaven and a bus replacement service was put on to take customers on to Carlisle. We apologise to customers whose journeys were disrupted.”
The service, which gets into Carlisle at 8.31am, is one of the busiest on the line, ferrying hundreds of people from west Cumbria to work in the city.
Regular travellers say when it does turn up, the 75-seater train is often overcrowded with many people forced to stand.
Northern Rail has produced a solution to that problem with the announcement that the service will be lengthened by one extra carriage from December 14.
Extra trains will also be laid on between Whitehaven and Millom, taking the number travelling between the destinations to 10 a day to “ensure a more even spread of services throughout the day”.
The improvements have come following discussions with Cumbria County Council.
Council leader Stewart Young said: “I’m delighted the carriage space on the Whitehaven to Carlisle train is being doubled and I’m sure the many commuters using the service will welcome the news. The extra trains between Whitehaven and Millom are also very good news.
“Hopefully this improvement, which follows Cumbria County Council and Northern Rail’s successful negotiations with the Department for Transport, will not only make existing passengers’ journeys more comfortable, but will encourage others to use the train.”
