Disappointed that Heaton rail maintenance workers going on strike but should be no disruption to services

Rail maintenance workers at depots in Leeds and Newcastle are to hold a six-day strike in a dispute over plans to regrade their jobs. The BBC reports here:  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-26937967
that staff at Northern Rail's depots at Neville Hill and Heaton will stop work at 18:59 BST on Thursday 10 April until 18:58 BST on Wednesday 16 April.
The strike, by 42 members of the Rail, Maritime and Transport (RMT) union, follows a 48-hour walkout in February.
Northern Rail have said there would be "no disruption" to normal services, but I will update regular readers as and when I hear more. Everyone knows I support unions but I would hope that the parties will get talking and common sense will prevail. Northern have had trouble keeping a relationship with the unions -  and everyone in Tynedale will remember Torchgate, and not with fond memories. I am raising other matters with Northern at the moment, not least persistent overcrowding which constituents have brought to my attention, but this is the background to where we have been on employer / employee and customer relations; it is not for me to solve this dispute but I will leave constituents and readers to draw their own conclusions: http://guyopperman.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/torchgatethere-is-light-at-end-of.html

Our local Tyne Valley Trains really matter

My latest blogpost, and the announcement of a pilot project to provide full time cover for the two key late trains from Newcastle to Carlisle, has upset some of the train guards / staff apparently. You can read the post and the indignant and upset comment of the guard here: http://guyopperman.blogspot.co.uk/2014/03/campaign-for-increased-public.html
I have to say I could not disagree more with the individual guard, or the sentiments.
I would make 2 points, and a couple of comments:
- I have had repeated complaints about these late trains at public meetings, surgeries in Haltwhistle in particular, and in letters. Sadly for the staff member who wrote in saying there is not a problem the evidence is against him and he should look to his own colleagues - as one of the people who complained was a train guard with Northern. There has definitely been a problem. It has not gone away. But I hope it will now.
- secondly the company Northern Rail, and the British Transport Police agree. The past prosecutions do not lie, and they have agreed to change the rota to address the problem. They are not spending their cash without a reason. In my view they should be applauded for listening.
- this train line really matters. Many people have gone to great lengths to improve the trains, the stations, the businesses that operate en route, and so much more. It is a line that is integral to our commuters, tourists and occasional users like myself and many others.

Going forward I am pushing hard to support the many people involved with the Gilsland Station Project, talking to Network rail about upgrades regarding train crossings, attempting to get an Oyster card system to operate on both the trains and buses, and trying to help those who want everything from better disabled access to station improvements.
I could say more but would finish on one point. To argue that I am doing this to get extra votes is laughable. As an MP there are only so many battles that you, and your very few staff, can fight, and I could do other campaigns that are way more populist, and would affect more people. But, the truth is I like trains, and I think this is a vital line that needs supporting if Tynedale has a future. And it does need work, as episodes like Torchgate, the franchise issues and other problems with the carriages have shown. Also, the old adage is very simple, and the staff should really grasp this: either we persuade people to use a service - or we will lose or lessen it. All I am doing is representing the constituents who write in, complain as users, and am trying to improve a crucial extra artery down the Tyne Valley. If any staff want to write in and ask for other changes I will help them too. To finish I would thank the Tyne Valley Rail Users Group for their support.   

Trains in the winter - please write in as to how the Tyne Valley Line is coping?

I am not expecting a return of Torchgate, which made the winter of 2011-12 a difficult time for many travellers on the Carlisle to Newcastle line; see my blogpost here:http://guyopperman.blogspot.co.uk/2012/01/torchgatethere-is-light-at-end-of.html

But, several readers and members of the Tyne Valley Rail Users Group have alerted by email myself, and Pete who does the casework in my small team, to possible problems as to the number of carriages / seats available on the morning train to Newcastle, and the evening return. It seems to have been missing a lot recently according to users of the 7.42 from Hexham and the 5.54 from Newcastle, who have written in. I have written to Northern Rail seeking answers. The interim reply I have received makes the point that the company does achieve its required targets 95% of the time. I cannot go further and comment on this without evidence, albeit the level of complaints and overcrowding has caused me to raise the point once again with the representatives of Northern Rail, seeking an urgent review of this situation. This situation will get worse particularly as Christmas approaches, with the inevitable problems of Christmas shoppers. If I wanted to see a silver lining it is the hope that any problems on the trains would make locals do their christmas shopping in the local shops of Tynedale! To be fair to Northern Rail they are good people doing the best they can, and they have come to Corbridge to meet with both myself and local rail users; but I would still like the evidence to put to them. I will update the blog when I know more.