SMART continues to press Northern to give passengers information about the passage of their trains through the valley. Fortunately they have been relatively reliable in recent months and certainly over Christmas and New Year period have been very good in running transport services.
We have had several letters back from the Northern Customer Relations office in Leeds purporting to explain why there are no announcements. Unfortunately the last letter was merely a copy of the letter they had sent to similar sufferers on the Penistone line and had no relevance to the Colne Valley.
The news that the managing director of Northern was awarded the OBE for her efforts in running Northern Rail as greeted with derision by the local newspaper. Rumour has it that the managing director is now going on to run a water company. A search of the Northern Rail website reveals no mention of the award to their director.
The commentator on the local newspaper, The Huddersfield Examiner was not terribly impressed by the award,
“ For there among the names is M, of Holmfirth, who has been made an Officer of the British Empire for her services to the rail industry in her role as managing director of Northern Rail.
Now, I’ve never met Mrs M or had any direct dealings with her, but I have been on her trains.
Her awful, awful trains.
Those rickety 1980s vehicles which connect Huddersfield – after a fashion – to Manchester via Slawit and Marsden and to Sheffield by way of Honley and Denby Dale.
Those trains, so ancient that the conductor has to open the doors manually at each station. Those trains, so poorly looked after they are frequently strewn with rubbish.
The only good thing I can say about taking a Northern Rail train is that it gives you plenty of time to enjoy the beautiful Yorkshire countryside. There’s no question of rushing past any of those nice hills.
I’ve no reason to believe that Mrs M is anything other than a decent human being who gets up every day and tries to do a good job.
But the fact remains that her trains are a running insult to the fare-paying public of Huddersfield.
And yet, Mrs M is to be honoured for her services to the rail industry.
Ask the punters on the 17.30 from Huddersfield to Manchester Victoria if she deserves her OBE. I think I know what the answer will be”
The struggle to restrain the destruction of the shelters at Slaithwaite continues unabated. SMART has attended two meetings with British Transport Police based in Leeds and has raised the issue of the continuing vandalism. The police have insisted that they can identify the graffiti artists by their unique signatures, but despite supplying them with information the destruction continues. Possibly the new Youth Centre in Slaithwaite may give some of the vandals an alternative.
Passengers can contact the British Transport Police on the following number
Emergency: 0800.405040
Non emergency: 0113.247.9710
FoSLS. The “adopt a station” group in Slaithwaite has negotiated a substantial grant from the west Yorkshire Criminal Justice Board for planters to be placed on the Platform 2 approach. A newly commissioned bench will be placed on the site o0f the former bicycle lockers next to platform 1.
There will be a launch of the project on Monday February 15th at 12.45. For more details please contact Jean on 01484.846441.
Smart is trying to come to terms with the possibility that the government will award 22 year contracts to rail operators in the next round of franchises which begin in about 2 years time. Whilst many in the rail industry have argued with considerable justification that Train Operators (TOC’s) are unable to invest adequately in rolling stock and infrastructure under the current 7 years franchise. They are too short a period for them to repay capital invested and obtain an adequate return, some might think that another 22 years of Northern Rail is a less than perfect solution to public transport needs.
Tony Bowers
February 1st 2010
