NEWSLETTER AUTUMN13 2009 Extended Opening for Morpeth Boost for ABT Northern Rail has announced that the ticket office at Morpeth Railway Campaign Station is to open during the afternoon for a trial period of six weeks; plus more news of improvements at Morpeth Station. Industry report says “strong business case” SENRUG Has long urged North- announcement, SENRUG the extended opening hours. for re-opening the line ern Rail to extend the open- chairman Dennis Fancett said: “We know this was trialled ing hours of the ticket office “The ticket office being open three years ago and was a suc- GEOFF HOON came and went, at Morpeth and welcomes means that people will be able cess back then”, said Dennis. but rather more excitement the announcement that—for to buy tickets for both imme- “For some reason action was was generated by the pub- six weeks from 14th Septem- diate and advance travel. Any not taken immediately and lication of a report from the ber—the opening hours will UK rail ticket can be purchased now of course the economic Association of Train Operat- be extended until 4.30pm on and we have always found the situation has changed, so ing Companies (ATOC) that weekdays. In addition to sell- staff very helpful and able to we appreciate that Northern listed the Ashington Blyth & ing tickets, the office provides guide passengers through the Rail need to conduct the trial Tyne line as one of 14 reopen- access to the station facilities, full range of fares.” again.” ing schemes across England including the toilet and wait- It is hoped that sufficient Just IN time for the extended- it believes would be good ing room; when the office is tickets are purchased during opening trial—and following value for money and should shut, these are unavailable. the trial period to warrant the a little prompting from SEN- be taken forward. Now at Commenting on the permanent implementation of » continued, Page 2 last our campaign has formal support from within the rail Hunt Hunt industry itself. ALD ALD SENRUG, Northumberland on on : R : R County Council and the Asso- oto oto PH PH ciation of North East Coun- cils have all written to ATOC welcoming the report, and making various points about the detail. HAVE YOUR SAY Tell us what you think about rail services in South East Northumberland. » [email protected] » www.senrug.co.uk PICtureD: Detail of a mural (left) and the refurbished waiting room (right) at Morpeth Railway Station Network Rail snubs SENRUG NetwORK RAIL has shown con- Morpeth. This was followed in re-think of plans to remove feels that it is not answerable tempt for SENRUG by ignor- June by a request for progress infrastructure in Ashington to ordinary passengers. But ing three letters regarding key on the level-access project that would be required if ser- whatever the case, it has infrastructure decisions affect- at the station. Neither letter vices to the town resumed—a shown utter contempt to rail ing passengers in the area. solicited a reply or acknowl- swift acknowledgement was users in South East Northum- The first letter to be ignored edgement. When the SENRUG received but no further reply. berland. was sent in December 2008 Chairman wrote to Network Perhaps the organisation— You can find out more about expressing concern over the Rail Chairman Iain Coucher which primarily deals with Network Rail on their website planned parking charges at in February—requesting a Train Operating Companies— at www.networkrail.co.uk. 2 SENRUG Newsletter 13 Autumn 2009 No High-Speed for North East Network Rail says no to TGV-like services linking the North East to London and Scotland, leaving the North East’s railways stuck in the 1930s. PICtureD: A4 Pacific class № 60007 Sir Nigel Gresley leaves Newcastle Central with a charter bound for Edinburgh. Classmate Mallard set a world NetwORK RAIL has announced lobby furiously for a change speed record of 126mph in 1938, faster than today’s inter-city services. its preferred route for a new of mind. But it looks like an Y E High Speed Line from London uphill struggle. L rier B to Scotland—and it cuts out Although a North East route N H O the North East. The proposed would not serve any Nor- : J oto route would serve the Mid- thumberland stations directly, PH lands and the North West, it would free capacity on the thus denying the North East of existing East Coast Main Line, a much-needed boost to the creating additional opportu- economy that would result nities for regional travel links from faster journey times to and connections with high- London. speed services at Newcastle. As the announcement is not A High Speed Line to the the final decision—indeed, North East would therefore funding for the link still has provide Morpeth and other to be agreed—we can expect stations in South East Nor- City Councillors and Regional thumberland with a faster, Development Agencies to more frequent service. It’s not fare! Why are cheap fares only available days (or often weeks) in advance, and could National Express’s problems be of their own making, asks Dennis Fancett, SENRUG Chairman MOst peOple accept that its relative is taken ill or there is London and is generally fairly National Express say their pointless to offer cheap fares another emergency is like a empty. The advance purchase financial woes are being on busy peak hour trains, as tax on misery. fare is a bargain at just £10.70. caused not by less people lower fares are a useful way The only explanation I have But book your ticket for the travelling (their trains are just of directing those with flex- been able to extract from rail wrong day, or change your as full as ever) but by passen- ibility in their travel arrange- companies is that this is what plans at the last minute and gers getting clever and switch- ments onto less busy trains. the low cost airlines do. Yes, you will pay £49.50 to travel ing from full priced (dare I say, But try as I might I can not and how they are hated for it. on exactly the same train—or over-priced) anytime fares to understand the logic in only So why copy them? Surely the more likely jump in your car. the much cheaper advance offering the cheaper tickets whole advantage of rail is that How can such a difference purchase tickets. A more rea- through advance sales. If the it is a much simpler, stress free be justified? Would it not be sonable, clearer to understand train is lightly loaded, why process. This should extend to more sensible to take the policy such as we suggest not offer cheap tickets on it choosing your ticket too. average—say £25—and let above, would have avoided right up to when it departs? Take the 8.55am departure this be the price regardless of this problem, which seems to Having to pay a full fare to from Morpeth to Aberdeen. whether you book 3 months be of the rail company’s own travel at the last minute if a This train does not start in or 5 minutes before? making. « Extended Opening for Morpeth, continued from page 1 RUG—Northern Rail has fin- which can be found in the area given SENRUG use of the dis- causes Northern Rail to fail ished redecorating the ticket leading towards the subway play area which can be found quality checks. office at Morpeth Station - and steps on the Southbound on the Southbound platform Remember that when the very smart it looks too! Thank platform, provide a welcome and will be used to display ticket office is open, tickets must you to Northern for a job well distraction from boarded-up details of campaigns and be purchased before boarding done. windows and considerably forthcoming meetings. your train. STUDents FROM Morpeth’s improve the appearance of In return, SENRUG support- If you have information that King Edward VI School have the station. See the photo- ers are asked not to stick up you feel is appropriate to dis- painted a set of murals at graph on Page 1. their own notices on the back play in SENRUG’s poster case, Morpeth Station in associa- A POster display case has of the poster cases either at please contact Ronald Hunt on tion with Northern Rail and been designated for use by Morpeth or other stations, 01670 518055. the Town Council. The murals, SENRUG. Northern Rail has as unauthorised flyposting www.senrug.co.uk Autumn 2009 SENRUG Newsletter 13 3 CrossCountry undercut Situations Vacant THE POSITIOns of Treasurer and Membership Secretary both Northern Rail need to be filled as the existing position holders wish to focus on their other roles within SENRUG. Both roles involve basic CrossCountry’s argument to limit stops record-keeping and require email access and spreadsheet expe- at Morpeth due to commuter numbers is rience (Excel). Given that the two jobs both primarily involve undermined by their own fare policy. dealing with membership records and payments, it is likely that both could be more efficiently filled by one person. Neither job THOse WHO attended SEN- trains only. This undercuts is particularly onerous, requiring only a few hours per month. RUG’s meeting on 26th March the standard off-peak fare of SENRUG’S small exhibition on the Ashington Blyth & Tyne Re- 2009 will recall Richard Gibson £4.10 single (£5.30 return), opening Campaign urgently needs to be updated. Some of the saying that CrossCountry did which allows travel on any text has been overtaken by more recent events, and of course not want to stop more services operator’s trains (including there is now an excellent range of photos of the line in use from at Morpeth as they believed Northern Rail’s trains).