The Poolie Bunker

and when it concerns the railways they will be quick to advertise the facts of the millions spent on a new refurbed railway station somewhere but fail to say that the same crap service is still running from it. seems there is a obsession with new bus and railway stations that have this and that extra facilities where all that most want is extra bus and train routes from somewhere.

The so-called interchange as near as damn it to the old bus station was trumpeted from the roof tops but by the time the time they cut this an that off we ended up with a couple of bus shelters (never used) which Stagecoach wouldn’t entertain diverting to … and a bloody car park.

When Labour get in, will they be bringing the net zero date back to it’s original date so I can get my gas boiler renewed before they demand we get a heat pump you can’t afford.

If Stagecoach aligned some of the bus times to coincide with the train times it might could work ?

Why would you disrupt all other people’s time tables to accommodate the literal handful of people who arrive by bus for a meagre two trains an hour…..the nearest bus top is on the bridge where people can get off and walk a hundred yards to the station ….why an intricate time wasting manoeuvre for the bus to accommodate a handful of people…. and inconvenience the majority of passengers to play buses.

Snowy, people don’t want to walk hundred yards nowadays, you obviously haven’t travelled on the trains very often, I have travelled on the train loads of times, in some cases it’s standing room only at certain times of the day. In these days of technology I am sure the rail company and Stagecoach could get their heads together and sort the buses out times to suit the peak period train times, it might even mean increased revenue for Stagecoach as well.

Why would you disrupt all other people’s time tables to accommodate the literal handful of people who arrive by bus for a meagre two trains an hour…..the nearest bus top is on the bridge where people can get off and walk a hundred yards to the station ….why an intricate time wasting manoeuvre for the bus to accommodate a handful of people…. and inconvenience the majority of passengers to play buses.[/quote]

Snowy, people don’t want to walk hundred yards nowadays, you obviously haven’t travelled on the trains very often, I have travelled on the train loads of times, in some cases it’s standing room only at certain times of the day. In these days of technology I am sure the rail company and Stagecoach could get their heads together and sort the buses out times to suit the peak period train times, it might even mean increased revenue for Stagecoach as well.[/quote]
you would need to do a survey on the numbers getting off trains and where there next destination is. its a town we are talking about and not a major city where that would work for everyone. even a city the size of leeds you,ll have that distance to walk when getting off the train due to the geography of a station thats still quite central.

I’ve heard some patronising tosh in my time but you really take the biscuit for pig ignorance…so, I ‘haven't travelled on trains very often’ and you’ve ‘travelled on the trains loads of times’ how do you know what I’ve done.
Yes Everytime I see one I call it the iron horse on wheels and get really excited, and everytime I see a plane I call it Great Silver Eagle in the Sky and my head explodes…. Jeeez
Stagecoach are not stupid, when approached they declined, they do their homework, they ain’t successful for nothing.
And as for people being too lazy to walk 100 yards, that may be the case for you, but normal people see that as no great inconvenience.
Be honest, are you human or AI Artificial Intelligence?

By your tales on here you drive everywhere, you might travel on trains but very infrequently or you might have travelled on trains years ago. I don’t drive so it’s always been the train for me whether Northern Rail or Grand Central in the last 15 years so I imagine I have more experience of how busy trains are. When was the last time you were on a bus or a train regularly Snowy ? Do you stand and observe counting the passengers on buses and trains, where do you get your facts from ?
The nearest bus stops to the station are the Grand Hotel or the one on the flyover hardly a hundred yards, not the easiest walk if you are elderly, infirm or have bags or both certainly more than 100 yards and not very pleasant in inclement weather, I have done it on numerous occasions hauling a bag.
You take the biscuit Snowy for the number of times you are always having a dig at me for one thing or another for what ever reason.

I’ll keep it dead simple….Stagecoach were asked by the Council to use the joke ‘interchange’ for services, they said no, it wasn’t finically viable for the few users….also I recall there being a charge for everytime it’s used which is why Arriva (United as was) also avoid using it.
Simple as that, if you don’t understand still ….phone for help.

If Stagecoach aligned some of the bus times to coincide with the train times it might could work ?[/quote]
Why would you disrupt all other people’s time tables to accommodate the literal handful of people who arrive by bus for a meagre two trains an hour…..the nearest bus top is on the bridge where people can get off and walk a hundred yards to the station ….why an intricate time wasting manoeuvre for the bus to accommodate a handful of people…. and inconvenience the majority of passengers to play buses.[/quote]

Snowy, people don’t want to walk hundred yards nowadays, you obviously haven’t travelled on the trains very often, I have travelled on the train loads of times, in some cases it’s standing room only at certain times of the day. In these days of technology I am sure the rail company and Stagecoach could get their heads together and sort the buses out times to suit the peak period train times, it might even mean increased revenue for Stagecoach as well.[/quote]

I’ve heard some patronising tosh in my time but you really take the biscuit for pig ignorance…so, I ‘haven't travelled on trains very often’ and you’ve ‘travelled on the trains loads of times’ how do you know what I’ve done.
Yes Everytime I see one I call it the iron horse on wheels and get really excited, and everytime I see a plane I call it Great Silver Eagle in the Sky and my head explodes…. Jeeez
Stagecoach are not stupid, when approached they declined, they do their homework, they ain’t successful for nothing.
And as for people being too lazy to walk 100 yards, that may be the case for you, but normal people see that as no great inconvenience.
Be honest, are you human or AI Artificial Intelligence? [/quote]

By your tales on here you drive everywhere, you might travel on trains but very infrequently or you might have travelled on trains years ago. I don’t drive so it’s always been the train for me whether Northern Rail or Grand Central in the last 15 years so I imagine I have more experience of how busy trains are. When was the last time you were on a bus or a train regularly Snowy ? Do you stand and observe counting the passengers on buses and trains, where do you get your facts from ?
The nearest bus stops to the station are the Grand Hotel or the one on the flyover hardly a hundred yards, not the easiest walk if you are elderly, infirm or have bags or both certainly more than 100 yards and not very pleasant in inclement weather, I have done it on numerous occasions hauling a bag.
You take the biscuit Snowy for the number of times you are always having a dig at me for one thing or another for what ever reason.[/quote]
I’ll keep it dead simple….Stagecoach were asked by the Council to use the joke ‘interchange’ for services, they said no, it wasn’t finically viable for the few users….also I recall there being a charge for everytime it’s used which is why Arriva (United as was) also avoid using it.
Simple as that, if you don’t understand still ….phone for help.[/quote]



Now that was a nice civil answer Snowy, can I have your phone number in case I have to call you

it never seemed a big problem when some buses left from church street and the out of town ones left from the United bus station. surely redevelopment could have left the bus station and church st continues to be used.

No buses go down Church street anymore, possibly in the time of Lynn Street obviously, but not now.

1. I’m always civil.
2. I don’t encourage nuisance calls or double gazing calls.

was in the station yesterday - cash only for a bacon butty and cup of boiling hot piss. But its a nice Cafe ... need to keep up with the times and have card machines though <<< although thats an argument for another day with regards to small business, cash etc etc...

anyways the thing looks complete - there is 3 blokes left out of a squad of subbies just walking about.

not sure why it cant open sooner than June ?

[quote="Eiphos_3"]was in the station yesterday - cash only for a bacon butty and cup of boiling hot piss. But its a nice Cafe ... need to keep up with the times and have card machines though <<< although thats an argument for another day with regards to small business, cash etc etc...


need to get a greggs, a costa and a starbucks before you can call something anything now and go cashless.

meant to say continued and not continues as the d and s key are too close together.

People can’t just get a cuppa or a snack anymore, their precious ego’s mean they have to make a statement by buying a branded overpriced ‘beverage’ or food experience and wander about clutching it.

The station cafe is going to open on a Saturday afternoon until about 6pm. Good on them i hope it works out well.
As regard bus linkage with the rail station i see no reason why the outward going (towards York Road and beyond) number 7 and 36 cannot just swing into the interchange and out again adding only a couple of minutes to the journey. I do accept though that co-ordination of both bus and train arrival and departures would be a problem as we have multiple companies and organisations involved who all have different objectives.
That is why transport should have one organisation controlling/directing it like in London and Manchester etc. The current model we have is simply outdated.

You didn’t read Snowys explanation why Stagecoach buses don’t use the Transport Interchange.

So I’ ll go through it again…..
They can’t just ‘ swing in’ because nobody ever used the bus when Arriva initially used it especially for a handful of people every half hour.
I could see it if regular trains unloaded commuters, but the Titfield Thunderbolt got bigger crowds the Hartlepool station gets on the half hour at peak times.
I used the District Line in the 80’s and 90’s getting off at Barking Station in the Main Street with all bus stops there to take commuters home at peak times.
The 36 is a no go as it stands over in the Marina and would be swinging in to drop off nobody one stop from it’s setting off point…it parks for nothing at the marina….even if if didn’t it would be pointless.
Stagecoach know their figures and declined to use it.
Unfortunately Councillors decided they wanted a shiny new shopping centre and moved the towns geography to it’s detriment, from which we’ve never really recovered.

Just wait till Power station number 2 is built - the facility to store the waste for the one torn down and also new steel works and other stuff goin on over redcar - the station will almost certainly see a rise in footfall but thats a convo for another day

I didn’t realise there was another railway station in Hartlepool,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hartlepoo ... 26_Railway)

The original station was where Cameron’s taxi’s place is now, an attractive building demolished in the 70’s sadly, opposite was the theatre where Sir Compton Mackenzies father was performing and he was born nearby.
So Whiskey Galore’s author is a Poolie whether he likes it or not.

I’ll believe it when it happens ..trains and buses are second rate sadly in this area.

I would like to know why Arriva use the interchange as they only serve the population to the north of the town and why do they see it as economically to pay any usage charges?
Whats wrong with a bit of swinging?

I would like to know why Arriva use the interchange as they only serve the population to the north of the town and why do they see it as economically to pay any usage charges? If the council are keen on developing the Church Street area it needs a bus service.
Whats wrong with a bit of swinging?

Was that the Palace or next door ish?
The pub was a Dryboroughs outlet i think?

Depends if the service is subsidised by a council, usually they lay up opposite Asda.
They serve the north of the town by coincidence on their way to Durham or Sunderland….we’re the only town in the North East without a bus service to Newcastle.
Arrival’s predecessor had a route from Hartlepool to Middlesbrough but did a deal with Stagecoach so all services to the North go to Arriva and those to the south go to Stagecoach…so much for competition Eh.

We tried it but ended up with each other …we made our excuses and left.

Time for structural change in the public transport industry across the Tees Valley i think.

Yes life is a bit like a boomerang

Not sure the new platform is vfm not unless we get an increase in the rail services ?

Isn’t that a bit like saying the entire station is not value for money if we don’t get an increase.
Services can be increased on the whim of a politician, Labour in power might grant that increase, it’s an easy variable in the equation, whereas static infrastructure cannot,
Never settle for the bare minimum in infrastructure..

knew it existed but never actually seen a photograph of it. anyone who has got one and can download it would be appreciated. must have passed it loads of times but never got past the front at the headland as when my old man took me it was straight off the trolley or motor bus to the front where his uncle lived.

I would like to see the Darlington service reintroduced and a direct Leeds, Manchester, Liverpool service with out having to go to the Boro.Build a train station at Tees-Side Airport to try and make the airport viable.
France, Italy, Spain and Germany all have decent train services but they are heavily subsidised by their governments, no U.K. government would do that.
Catch 22 situation provide a better service hoping people would use it but in the day of the motor car people like to able to go door to door.

It was only £13 million which is peanuts in railway terms. It will stop congestion when two trains arrive slightly off timetable. I was delayed a few minutes the other day. It will improve scope for additional services as it creates extra capacity for scheduling. A Darlo link is my preference and it might come when the £130 million development at Darlo is complete with two new platforms been completed.
Where is Casey Jones when you need him!

http://www.hhtandn.org/gallery/18/the-t ... s-derelict.

cheers for that jamie. didn,t know that site existed till you put it up.

its not as if people do not have cars in other countries either. its just public transport has been well down the list of all governments and councils outside of big cities. hartlepool is quite lucky in the fact that the station is quite central to the town but other places are not as lucky. just wonder what the situation on the continent is where the stations of smaller towns and villiages are actually situated. we are still suffering from the era of victorian land owners and their views on the railways.

Well the walls still there but I could never work out how the local railbus ran from Hartlepool to West Hartlepool back in the day as it must have been a direct servic3 through the docks.
Trains ran with Pupils from the Colliery’s to Henry Smiths when it was a grammar school.
So in effect there had been three stations in the two boroughs.
Mind you I wouldn’t have minded restoring that abandoned wooden chair in the background.

The level crossing at the bottom of Church Street was going to be the site of ‘Albert Square’ under the plans of Ralph Ward Jackson and only one corner was built, still there to this day…. but he was in dispute with the Railway Company at the time and so they ran the railway line though it. At the time….don’t forget, the place was a boom town and a more Wild West than West End.

Google helps, it was not all my own work Accrington.

Chris McEwan the labour bloke running against Ben Houchen is promising to take the Tees Valley busses under public control and creating an integrated transport policy covering rail too.
If he gets in he needs to be held accountable for his promises like all our other politicians should be in future..........but that aint going to happen.

Ah the Darlington Councillor, just got his manifesto through the door with a picture of him looking grimly out to sea at the Headland like a Darlo season ticket holder wondering where he’s at.
Apart from ‘sorting the buses out’ , they’ve all tried that one and failed, his other main policy’s are…..
1 Bring back free parking into town centres.
2. Introduce a £2 fare cap on buses and trains….trains and the Tory’s brought the £2 fare cap a while ago.
3. Help local people get ‘well paid’ at every stage of their life. Apparently in ‘new green industries’….
4. Invest in CCTV to make the streets safer . He states the police are spread too thin because of Tory cuts but offers CCTV but oddly nothing about investing in police officer numbers….?

The manifesto of a Councillor, but whose manifesto?

Where is he going to get the funding for that ?

He has no chance of controlling train fares and which services is he talking about?
Unless he’s splurging a load of cash to satisfy the rail operators
I think he’s a placement and feel sorry for the bloke asrealistically the manifesto has been written for him because he sounds like an idealistic Councillor lumbered with a rather bland offering.

Almost £18 million for transport improvements in the Tees Valley (Levelling Up Fund 2), no mention of improvements to bus or rail services, it’s for cycling and walking routes.
https://www.gov.uk/government/case-stud ... -up-fund-2

it is possible to control local rail fares inside his area. this is done in west yorkshire and greater manchester but with more passengers and trains though. pensioners bus pases can be used on the trains in both areas but the manchester area lot get a better deal than us lot do. thing is it will be a subsidy that ratepayers have to pay for it indirectly.

What i read was it was just the buses that would be brought under public control with some coordination with the rail services.
I dont remember where i saw this