The Poolie Bunker

Just read a regional government report the Hartlepool Station is one of the busiest in the region.
This is despite the ageing rolling stock and only two coaches on most services.
The line between Newcastle and Middlesbrough should be run as a frequent Metro style service…to open acres between the major areas of population in the North East instead of the joke we have now.

Down at Lymington a couple of weeks back and the boat we were going on was held up because of an onboard incident so we had two hours to waste before sailing…..I noticed a modern six seater coach train arrived every 15 minutes at the nearby station and hardly anyone got on or off…on two occasions nobody got on or off….yet travelling locally here at peak times or weekends you’re crammed aboard and no one gives a toss.

the north/south divide seems to exist where the railways are as well.

It's not just north/south - the local trains in Yorkshire/Manchester/Midlands/Wales/Scotland and Northern Ireland are all more modern, longer and faster than ours which are the worst in the UK - fact! I understand that the now Nationalised Northern will be introducing new trains from 2028 or 2029. By which time the already clapped out Sprinters will be almost 50 years old. The North East is treat like a third world region - unless you happen to live in Tyne and Wear that is.