The Poolie Bunker

New platform still not open and may not be until the timetable change in June. Can't help think that there is a rabbit away here. It's 12 month late and the speed of the work was at a snails pace. I hope that when it does open our politicians don't try to claim any credit. It's embarrassing.

I went down to Kings X from there the other week - it looks very close to completion and i dont know why they dont just open it and work around the people. Happens all the time down London with no bother.

Nice to see a change finally though to the station and actually having the other side open again after all this time.

not a bad little station is ours - ive been to bigger towns with far worse

Yes it got 3 waiting rooms,pub and cafe. Not bad at all. Just need some direct services to Darlington like we had in the 70s.

That’s what I’ve been thinking, I was down there the other day and it would appear that the refurb work is essentially complete. The ‘ghost trains’ are gliding through the restored platform (between Boro and Newcastle/Carlisle) without stopping which must be costing Northern Rail in lost revenue. As you say it seems that a formal announcement is being delayed. If I was being cynical I might think that the forthcoming Teesside Mayoral election had something to do with the delay - but surely not?

Nothings happened at the station for years, it’s nearly done and much needed.
The services do need improving as does the sub standard rolling stock. Other parts of the country have had decent rolling stock for years, they treat us like a backwater.

How cynical to think it's to do with political issues but I think you are right. An excuse I heard was the regulator has to sign off the work but I don't belief this and yes our carriages are handy downs but ain't too bad.

They look like runaway trains, travel out side the area and see what you’re missing.

Spot on Snowy, the North East’s local trains are indeed up there amongst the worst in the UK. The previous horrendous, clapped out Pacer units were replaced with the current larger and better riding Sprinter units a few years back. However, these units are themselves pushing 40 years old, many of them being introduced in the 1980/90’s in the Scotrail region. As you say, you don’t need to travel too far outside the area ie York/Leeds to witness more modern local trains in service. Coupled with the inept service provided by Northern Rail with cancellations on a daily basis it is evident that NE residents are receiving a raw deal. The refurbished Hartlepool station will benefit the town but will be offset by the provision of shoddy rolling stock and late running/frequent cancellations by the train operating franchise.

I feel Northern run a service for their benefit, not ours.
The service from Newcastle to Middlesbrough could open up access for the North East by running a minimum 30 minute service at realistic hours, with larger capacity.
At present they’re running a clockwork train set service, feels like paying lip service to me.

I was told by a guard we get all the shit trains and only 2 carriages cos we put up with it and dont complain enough...the likes of leeds and sheffield get the new stock cos they wont put up with it

They keep talking about direct trains to London from the Boro but as far as I know it’s not physically possible currently. Let’s hope it stays that way or Hartlepool could lose the GC to London service.

a refurbished station will only help the town if it gets better rolling stock and more direct services from it. when i come up for a match all public transport in the town looks as if its been stuck in 2001 looking closer to a preservation society running day than what itssupposed to be.

Railways like the energy and water industries would be better in state hands but of course we are told the country cant afford it by our masters.
How come then that after WW2 when the Uk was saddled with massive debts financing that war plus the WW1 debts we managed to nationalise coal,telecoms,railways,civil aviation,gas & electric and steel & iron.
Answers on a postcard to........................

Ah, you’ve noticed the number plates on the local buses…passed down from Tyneside I understand, some vintage prospects there for preservation.

It wants doing again ….. but the people in that Labour government were made of sterner stuff than Starmer’s middle class band of hope who ain’t gonna be storming the barricades…..nothing will change.

true, and people who have never voted labour and will vote for anyone but them also agree especially with transport and gas and electric supply.

From the people I know of all. Political persuasions virtually all want rail,energy and water renationalised. Is parliament blocking the will of the people?

Never going to happen, unaffordable, if the U.K. like Norway kept hold of our oil and gas reserves it would worth trillions like Norways Sovereign Fund is but a certain government sold ours off to pay for tax cuts.

or just protecting their shares and the ones their mates own. they,d be all over it if they could get a good deal for themselves and the ones they mix with.

They must be foreign mates as the majority of our utilities are owned by foreign companies.

then if you go onto the continent and see how amazing their infrastructure is you realise the whole of the UK is just lagging behind !
albeit the city of London !

there is rural mountain villages in the alps with more frequent express trains running through them than what us North East get.

The Saturday train to newcastle needs to be a 40 carriage beast especially on match days its ridiculous !

over to you Mr Houchen as it seems your love for our Rail and other things has all come to a resounding dead end now your new play site over on Redcar is up and running !

Aye itll make it easy for you to come and watch some decent football

In 1996 I joined an organisation called Transport 2000 …all about public transport, so God knows why you’re having a pop at Houchen because it’s been crap before I joined the organisation nearly thirty years ago and before that too.
Stop letting your political prejudices get in the way of common sense… face up to the fact no one of any Party has achieved much down the years on the public transport front unless you live in Greater London or the larger urban areas……all the political Party’s just pay lip service and are not really interested.
Mores the pity.

There is actually one morning LNER Azuma train running direct from Boro to London with a return around 6pm. This has been running for around a year or so now I understand. Additional trains have been promised, however high speed pathing issues have apparently prevented these from being introduced.

Boro residents have two alternatives ie utilise Northern or Trans Pennine trains to Eaglescliffe or Northallerton respectively in order to access regular Grand Central or LNER services direct to London. Surely this shouldn’t represent a great hardship for our Smoggie neighbours?

Always wondered why the Grand Central never stopped at Stockton.

How does the LNER train get in and out of the Boro, I didn’t think the line linked up with the main line.

Join the main line at Northallerton.

I regard Darlington as nothing but a place for onward direction to places more interesting.

yes, just a small version of leeds.

Do the trains run through to Spennymoor like?

It closed to passenger traffic on 31 March 1952.

In a few years time they’ll be re-opening all the shut down lines.

no chance as there is no real will of either of the two big party,s to do that. loads of lines were shut pre beeching as well because they made losses year after year with many reasons for it. one was too many stations well over a mile from the population they were supposed to serve due to the geography of the area and landowners refusing to sell land causing lines to by pass them.

We’ll have to, you and me will be car less…..driving will be for the those with ‘loadsa money ‘ and essential users under green plans.

no they want to push us back 200 years where we will be born, work and die where only a few will leave there towns. own nothing, go nowhere and be happy. since loads celebrated the millenium i bet none had any idea what would be in store for them with all the changes since then and its frightening to think what the next 25 years hold for us if they go at the same rate since 2000.

Absolutely spot on, I live in Belfast and everything public transport wise has funding and is being massively improved, huge new transport hub close to completion same as other cities across UK and Ireland. There has just been a huge feasibility study conducted around transport links connecting all the cities in Ireland with Belfast, its a climate backed study, joint proposal. They want us out of our own cars and into controlled public transport.

thought the thing is that air quality is now the thing because that might be easier to sell to the public than a climate emergency has even if that has improved in all the old industrial areas where the majority still live.

After they’ve got us out of our cars, it’ll be food and the increase artificial food products because it’ll be cheaper, no more farms, they’ll be for the wild life and giant factories churning out reconstituted gunk will replace them with whatever they choose to add to it to keep you happy.

They talking insects now for us lot.

I was at the station the other day and the staff seemed tight lipped about the opening of the new platform as if they have been warned. Whats going on here its coming up a year late.?
The work on the shopping centre has not started.
The Wesley has a man and a dog working on it.
The U Boat pen replica that is going to be not much more than swimming baths has at last started.
Church street is still awaiting its latest make over and the flagship "Shades" is still closed.
Whitby Street and Scarborough Street has a few developments but as soon as one opens another closes into disrepair.
The Clippy club is shut awaiting demolition as is the Engineers.
Smith & Graham have moved from their extensive premises in Church Street/Square to the Marina.
Teesworks seem to be nothing more than a site clearence exercise badged as major redevelopment.
The site of the Market pub and land opposite remains undeveloped.
The Staincliffe is boarded up and a car sales lot and the Longscar Hall is just a lot of weeds.
The Odeon........dear god!
The Heugh is falling down.
The town is a mess, on life support trying to keep open what is not sustainable for this type of town and population. Buildings should be repurposed or demolished and development needs to be kept in key areas.
AND.......we are a mid/lower National league club and will be for a long time.
Happy Easter everyone have a great time.

Whoever has pinched Mr B's Easter Egg FFS give it back.

No one gave me one. I was told that on Tuesday they would be reduced by 70% at Tesco but that turned out to be not true.
I was there forced to buy one at a cost of £1.50 but with your Club Card it was only £1.20. Unfortunately i tapped my debit card before my clubcard and was charged £1.50.
I am sure that all Bunkerites can understand why i am so upset.

But beside that….?

Indeed, Can I buy you a hot chocolate

The future beckons.
20 mph speed limits everywhere..
And this.....
https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/articl ... tores.html
They wont be happy till we are all on pushbikes.

RAFA club?

Aye , what’s going on there….?

Public utilities and the railway companies have no competition so we have to just pay because there is no alternative.
What I would like to know is how can a failing company like Thames Water pay huge dividends? In the competitive business world, a failing company cannot replicate the actions of monopolies.

Public utilities and the railway companies have no competition so we have to just pay because there is no alternative.
What I would like to know is how can a failing company like Thames Water pay huge dividends? In the competitive business world, a failing company cannot replicate the actions of monopolies.[/quot

Thames Water took out about £2.7bn in dividends using a complex financial structure ultimately underpinned by money paid into Thames Water by bill payers.
I like when they quote the word ‘complex’ but ultimately the bill payers are paying out as it says.

And whoever gets in won’t change a single thing.
Tinker possibly round the edges and claim a victory….. but change nowt.
None of them have the balls to re-nationalise it, mores the pity.