Local train stations affected by weekend cancellations

Littleborough Train Station

A number of train cancellations affected a number of stations in the Rochdale borough on Saturday 17 August.

Littleborough and Smithy Bridge suffered four cancellations whilst Castleton and Mills Hill suffered eight cancellations and had no train from Manchester between 7.09pm and 8.42pm.

Rochdale Online understands, of the four cancellations affecting Smithy Bridge and Littleborough, two were crew issues and two were due to late arrival of earlier working services. Of the eight other cancellations, four were signal failures, two down to brake problems, and two due to problems at the depot.

Richard Greenwood, chairman of STORM (Support the Oldham Rochdale Manchester rail line), said: “With these stations having a basic two trains an hour service, any cancellation has a very significant impact on would-be passengers.

“These Greater Manchester stations are also regularly without any trains on Sundays. Smithy Bridge, Castleton, Mills Hill and Moston should have an hourly service of trains to, and from, Manchester, though trains between Leeds and Manchester pass through without stopping.

“People who try to use the trains to get to work on a Sunday are left stranded.”

• www.rochdaleonline.co.uk/news-features/2/news-headlines/129669/no-sunday-railway-services-at-local-stations-after-cancellations

Mr Greenwood continued: “There are two solutions. The first is to draw up an emergency Sunday timetable incorporating all the stops: why has it not been done already? 

“The second is to recognise that it is not just unfair, but extremely bad business and dreadful public relations, to permit West Yorkshire stations to enjoy two trains per hour on Sundays to their principal destination whilst most Greater Manchester stations have none at all to anywhere.   

“Reduce the service at two or three of the smaller West Yorkshire stations to one train an hour to Leeds by removing the calls of the Manchester trains and the Manchester trains could then call at Smithy Bridge, Castleton and Mills Hill.

“This would give our stations an hourly service instead of none at all and the overall journey time would remain the same. Punctuality would not be affected.”

Northern did not respond to an invitation to comment.