Three hour train wait for Rochdale commuters

Commuters travelling from Rochdale to Manchester had a three hour wait in freezing conditions this morning after a train broke down at Moston and other trains on the track were held up behind it.

Passengers had to use replacement buses as attempts to repair the broken down train failed. When the problem was finally fixed passengers got the following 06.13 Leeds to Manchester Victoria service, which arrived at its destination at 11am.

Oliver Uttley was travelling on a train that could not continue its journey because of the hold up. Mr Uttley, who works as a chef in Manchester, said the train he was travelling on had ground to a halt just before Mills Hill Station. He told Rochdale Online: “It was an absolute nightmare, it was freezing cold and the train was packed.

“The train had already been delayed but nobody at the station said anything about there being another train stuck on the track. We were the third train to have stopped and the brakes eventually started to freeze.

“The train had been still for 20 minutes before we were told anything, a message came over the tannoy explaining that a train ahead of us had been stuck behind another train.

“It was 45 minutes before we were told anything again. People on the train were calling work to say they would be late. All the seats were full and people were stood in the middle of the aisles.

“After two and a half hours the train moved and shunted forward to Mills Hill station, there wasn’t much to hold on to and people were falling about.

Mr Uttley alighted the train at Mills Hill after missing part of his shift, he said: “We were told there could be anything up to a two hour wait for the coaches. I decided to get off there and make my own way.”

Northern Rail explained that initial attempts to repair the train at Moston, and then join it to another train to take it forward to Manchester Victoria, were unsuccessful and replacement buses were ordered for passengers at Moston and Mills Hill. 

However, engineers then managed to repair the train, which was pulled out of the way by an assisting train and the 150 passengers onboard made the remainder of their journey to Manchester Victoria on the following 06.13 Leeds – Manchester Victoria service arriving at approximately 11.00.

Lee Wasnidge, Area Director, Northern Rail said: “We apologise to those customers who were affected by problems on the Calder Valley line this morning and thank them for their patience while we got services back on the move.”