After several rumours and persistent lobbying by Northern English political figures in the last six months, it was announced today that Arriva lost its Northern rail franchise. Under the Anglo-German company’s tenure, the rail franchise was dogged by poor service, delayed rolling stock deliveries and gross overcrowding.
Continue reading “Northern Nationalised: Franchise Transfers from Arriva Rail North to DfT”
Where is Lancashire? Is it the present-day county that has been chipped away by the 1974 Local Government Act and the later creation of Unitary Authorities? Or, if you go to the Friends of Real Lancashire website, is it the historic county that covers Barrow-in-Furness, Ashton-under-Lyne and Liverpool as well as Morecambe?
Continue reading “Ten Good Reasons to Love Lancashire: The Not So Perfect Ten”Once again, Arriva Rail North and Merseyrail Electrics staff will be taking industrial action. This shall take place on the 03 March 2018.
Continue reading “Northern and Merseyrail Electrics Rail Strike Update: 03 March 2018”
Following on from last year’s strikes, the first normal working week of 2018 will see three rail strikes in Northern England. As well as Northern’s dispute, Merseyrail Electrics staff will also be striking on the same days.
Continue reading “Northern and Merseyrail Electrics Rail Strike Update: Three January Dates”
Once upon a time, almost fifty years ago, it was possible to cross the Pennines by bus from Manchester, via a number of different routes. Without a change of bus en route. Today, there are only three routes where you can do just that. Two of which are National Express coach services: the 351 to Sheffield, and the 060 to Leeds via the M62. The only proper service bus to do that is First Greater Manchester’s 184 service to Huddersfield. Continue reading “The X67: A Lost Bus Routes of Greater Manchester Special”
Northern Powerhouse project put on back burner
The Northern Powerhouse has been dealt a body blow as plans to electrify the Trans-Pennine route have been ‘paused’. As quoted in Hansard, the Secretary of State for Transport, The Right Honourable Patrick McLoughlin MP (Conservative, Derbyshire Dales) stated that: Continue reading “A Northern Snub? Trans-Pennine Electrification ‘Paused’”
A Beer and an Imbiber: East of the M60’s new real ale feature
The United Kingdom’s most unique contribution to the food and drink world is its multiplicity of cask conditioned and bottle conditioned ales. Real ale is enjoying a rise in popularity, but the amount of beer (crappy keg lagers and bitters included) supped in licensed premises has fallen. Therefore, the same crappy keg beers are – increasingly – drank at home thanks to nasties like the Beer Tax Escalator which favours superstore chains over pubs. Continue reading “Top Beer: 1. Liverpool Organic Brewery’s Kitty Wilkinson”
East of the M60 