I've been speaking with my manager today about the fact we will be playing at shildon. He did not realise this. We talked about the implications of this and the fact that large numbers of fans could be wanting our service.

Has anyone contacted northern Rail regarding the potential of strengthening of the carriages to facilitate this as they have a special events team for these scenarios?

Obviously we need to find out what division we are in and know the fixture list but this needs to be investigated rather quickly as the logistics are quite a nightmare for the TOC.

I would be happy to help with the introductions.

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He wants to be chairman of his football club but can't.

Surely its not the job of the board of 1883 to ask kindly if northern rail can get extra business from our club..

True, but it's not the railway companies job to get say 300 people to the match either!
Read the conditions of carriage before jumping in! You are buying a journey of an unspecified time on that day!

Now if you actually read what I said maybe you would like to take back your comment!

This topic has been discussed on a couple of threads and the best way to bulk move people would be by train. By discussing between each other this could be facilitated and 200+ people are not left stood on a platform!

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He wants to be chairman of his football club but can't.

MKDarlo has been talking about this, saying there is no way of doing it as there is no extra capacity available for such a service?

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QuakerSam ...Once a Quaker, always a Quaker

I've been looking at train times to Shildon, and on a Saturday it would depart Darlington at 12.54, getting in at 1.18. Nothing after this for two hours.

On an evening, the train departs at 5.26 arriving 5.44 or leaves at 6.54 getting in at 7.12.

Trying to get home be train on a weeknight is virtually impossible with the last train leaving Shildon at 9.12.

These times all but rule out the rail network for getting to matches.

Only on a night game. What's wrong with Saturday times?

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QuakerSam ...Once a Quaker, always a Quaker

I am a driver on that route and can probably arrange a meeting between our company and a board member(1883) about looking into strengthing the Saturday services. They would not do this if I asked.

What is the alternative? People trying to get on a train that they have no chance of getting on!

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He wants to be chairman of his football club but can't.

Go for it fatty Will probably be using the train from Thornaby/Eaglescliffe a lot more next season

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QuakerSam ...Once a Quaker, always a Quaker

That's what I'm trying to do, however I will need someone from 1883 to step in after I've made the introductions.

Any takers or are we just going to leave a load of fans behind by not trying?

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He wants to be chairman of his football club but can't.

Give em chance to reply

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QuakerSam ...Once a Quaker, always a Quaker

Do you know how the Northern Rail special events team can help?

Many fans (including me) travel from much farther afield and the train is going to prove a lifeline for many fans traveling to weekend games.
To be honest, the 1883 group have some seriously urgent issues to deal with and I suspect rail travel is somewhere lower down the priority list, but it seems to me that The Supporters' Club might be the best people to play a part here (I realise they usually organise coach travel, but hey, these are unusual times).

The weekend rail option seems pretty good actually - arrive in Shildon for 13:12 - walk up to ground via a pub or two, more drinks at the ground - sorted!
Plus for rail enthusiast types (you guessed it) there's the option of going up a bit earlier and looking round the museum (great for young kids by the way).
The time of the train after the match is not too bad really (time for another pint!), plus people should be reminded that you can catch a train from North Road to Shildon too.

How about trying to make a deal with Northern, if they can provide extra services on Matchdays then let them be the Shirt Sponsor and have a deal for football fans who travel on the train with the fare being a flat 2 quid return, quid for bairns, oaps and anyone in possession of a local authority travel pass and free for bairns under 16 when accompanied by a full paying adult...

Failing that do a deal with a bus company, a company like Garnetts or Scarlet Band to run buses to/from Shildon, run a regular service from Darlo with semi-regular services from Aycliffe, Bishop, Ferryhill, Durham and Spenny...

Worth a thought anyway

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If it looks like a turd,
Smells like a turd,
Your probably in Hartlepool

1883
4 Numbers
1 Year
1 Club
1 Darlington F.C.

I will speak to Denis tomorrow and let you know if he thinks a meeting would be beneficial.
Thanks for offering to help.

What trains do you need to get from Thornaby. Will you have to change at Darlo? How much you reckon it'll cost for a return? I done mind that idea, I'm not far from Thornaby train station.



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Actually, just down some digging. Its £5.70 return at the minute which isn't bad.

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North Road to Shildon looks a great option, it just a shame there isn't a 13:57 train

Questions for "Fatty".

How many people can the usual 2 coach train carry when full and standing?

What is the normal usage on a Saturday PM?

Presumably getting an extra train laid on is a huge ask, but can an additional unit be coupled on when the demand may be high?

Seen as Fatty is not here at the mo:

A 2 coach unit seats between 100 to 120 people. There is actually no limit to the amount allowed to stand, so as many as can fit on or that the guard will allow.

Saturday's can be very busy. This is why we need to at least attempt a unit strengthening.

It is usually very difficult to find additional units for strengthening, there simply isn't enough of them. But we can only ask.

Will that many people really travel by train. There is already already a good bus service running to Shildon every half hour from the town centre

How much does the bus cost return and how long does it take?

What is the maximum number a bus can hold?

Will people wait for the next bus or just go round town instead?

True the train times aren't perfect HOWEVER they are the most logical mode of transport!

The train company are aware of this.

Did you get my pm Craig?

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He wants to be chairman of his football club but can't.

Edit - might have misunderstood that.

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"We have done nothing wrong. I'll admit we have done something wrong. We haven't done it right, the things we have done wrong." - GR

Makka, those times are from Darlo-Shildon on a weekday night

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QuakerSam ...Once a Quaker, always a Quaker

Hi,

I posted this in another forum but I hope it provides helpful info - I keep getting told off for posting things twice

Just checked the trains (Saturday service) and the services run to/from Saltburn and stop at M'bro, Thornaby, Eaglescliffe, Allens West and Dinsdale (for Middleton St George) as well as Darlo and North Road - which is very handy and quick (15mins) for people in that part of town - and Heighington and Newton Aycliffe.
Midweek there is a train which gets you into Shildon for 19:12 but no train after the match, so you would be having to cadge a lift back.

Does anyone know the cost of hiring minibuses from local taxi firms?
The benefit of this would be having a pre-match drink/meet up at whatever your local is in Darlo - get picked up, maybe time for a drink at the ground (and half time?) and home (or pub) very quickly after the match.

I have also "walked" around Shildon's ground using Google Maps' streetview - the camera view is at a perfect height for having a skeg over the fence.

Oops.

In my defence the poster talks about saturday times and then switches to "in an evening" (saturday games finish in the evening and return times are relevant) without mentioning the day.

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"We have done nothing wrong. I'll admit we have done something wrong. We haven't done it right, the things we have done wrong." - GR

Taxi's would be £14 for a car e/w, £21 for an 8 seater e/w or £35 for a 16 seater e/w

It's not just because I'm 3 mins walk from North Rd, but because away days on the train are class that I am really looking forward to next season.

The forum tonight was a real eye opener and we have LOTS to look forward to.

I think the atmosphere will be back next season, the shitter Shildon is the better for me. this is what it's all about, every match is an away match

I don't think there is capacity at Darlington for an extra service. But there should be spare capacity to extend the existing Saturday service to 4 carriages instead of the existing two. This would greatly enhance the comfort of the journey.

I don't think we'll need any more than that, as most people will travel by car.

If the train company provide extra carriages we need them to be full otherwise they will quickly be removed!

That means every Saturday we play!

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He wants to be chairman of his football club but can't.

That's correct.

Especially as we will be competing, so to say, with Newcastle, Sunderland & Middlesbrough home games. Redcar races and the Whitby service (summer mainly), all wanting extra carriages.