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Topic: Grand Central Profile Interview (Read 3345 times)
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Lee
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A limited service is due to start today (18/12/2007, links below.) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7147477.stmhttp://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/wear/7150332.stmGrand Central will run one return service per day until 23 December. It plans to restart services again on 27 December, after a programme of track maintenance. Managing Director Ian Yeowart said: "We expect to have the full timetable up and running by the middle of January, when all the rolling stock has gone through the necessary maintenance checks and upgrades." "It is very important for the crews to start before Christmas, they have been with us for about 11 months and they are chomping at the bit to get started." Mr Yeowart said passengers would initially be able to buy tickets on the train until its web-based ticket purchasing system was up and running. |
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« Last Edit: December 19, 2007, 10:13:24 AM by Lee »
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Lee
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Problems obtaining spare vehicles have delayed the full roll-out of Grand Central's rail link between the North East and London (link below.) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7215037.stmThe firm had hoped to implement a full timetable by mid-January, but has postponed the launch until contractors supply spare power cars and trailers. |
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Lee
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Grand Central will begin operating a full timetable from early March, according to the firm's managing director (link below.) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7251459.stmTom Clift says refurbishment of the necessary spare power cars and carriages is now complete. He added that he was "fully confident" of the new deadline. |
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Lee
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Grand Central is hoping to expand its service five months after it began operating between London and the north-east of England (link below.) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7397698.stmThe East Coast Mainline link from Sunderland, via Teesside and North Yorkshire, was initially plagued by a series of delays and setbacks. However, demand is now so good the company is hoping to run an additional return train every day. It would be timed to benefit day trippers and football supporters. The company is awaiting a decision from the rail regulator before it purchases new rolling stock. |
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Lee
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Grand Central has been forced to cut the number of trains from the north-east of England to London because of technical problems (link below.) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7409823.stmThe company introduced a belated daily service from Sunderland, via Teesside and North Yorkshire, last December. But now it has been forced to reduce operations because of a series of "major component failures". The company apologised to customers and said contingency plans would be in force until further notice. Changes mean some services are cancelled and others starting and terminating in York, with passengers ferried to other destinations by road. Grand Central trains also stop at Eaglescliffe, Northallerton, Thirsk and York. |
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Lee
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Troubled rail company Grand Central is "100% committed" to its service between the north-east of England and London, according to its founder (link below.) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7445875.stmThe firm, which runs trains between Sunderland and London, has been plagued by problems and recently scaled back services due to technical issues. Two of Grand Central's six power cars are now undergoing a full overhaul. Despite the setbacks, Ian Yeowart said the company would never walk away from the "hugely important" service. |
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Lee
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Grand Central hopes to return to full service on Monday (link below.) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7473854.stmTwo engines have now been repaired and tested exhaustively over 1,000 miles. They are in limited service and, if no further issues arise, a full timetable should return on Monday, said operations director Sean English. "We've been testing the power cars over the past couple of days and there have been no problems.
"They are currently being used to operate the shuttle service, and with any luck there won't be any further problems and we should have the resources for a full timetable on Monday." The company's fifth and sixth power cars, which are used as back-ups, have also suffered technical problems, though one is now fully operational. The other has been sent to an engineering firm in Loughborough for repairs. |
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Lee
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Continuing technical problems have forced rail firm Grand Central to delay a return to full service (link below.) http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/england/7493736.stmThe company, which operates between Sunderland and London, was left with only one train and had to introduce a reduced timetable on 21 May. It had hoped to restore the three-times daily service by the start of July. This has now been postponed while the firm carries out further "exhaustive tests" to ensure that passengers face no further disruption. Four of its six power cars are now fully operational - enough to operate a full timetable - but work is continuing to ensure the company has a robust back-up equipment in case of further problems. |
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