Train travails: I travelled from Preston to Blackpool to test out the reliability of Lancashire’s railways

Speaking to rail users at Preston Railway Station, people didn’t think the increase was fair, especially with high levels of delays, strikes and cancellations. However, on Tuesday (5 March) I took a trip from Preston to Blackpool North and had a positive experience.

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I booked my ride, which cost £6.05 and took a short walk to the railway from UCLan’s campus.

Preston Railway Station

Although cold, which is usual for the station, when I arrived it was very quiet with no signs of cancellations or delays across the board. Off to a bad start, my train was due to set off at 10:40 from platform one, but with five minutes to go, there was a sudden platform change so everyone had to walk across the bridge to platform three.

Despite this, the Northern Service arrived on time with plenty of seats available for the few amount of passengers who got on board. The journey was quick and took around half an hour, with only two stops at Kirkham and Wesham and Poulton Le Fylde.

Throughout the ride somebody checked my ticket and came round to collect rubbish, ensuring the carriage was clean. We arrived at Blackpool North station on time where the train terminated.

Blackpool North Railway Station

When I arrived I walked straight through the automatic ticket barrier which wasn’t working and was greeted by a very empty station. Again, there were no signs of any delays or cancellations, although this time I thought the train back to Preston would be busier as it was due to carry on to Liverpool Lime Street.

The train heading back was on time and with a few more passengers on board, but as I took my seat I realised I had the whole carriage to myself. Similar to the journey before, a train conductor scanned my ticket and the ride was peaceful and warm.

Verdict

Overall, the trip cost £8.55 with a student railcard. The only downsides being the significant difference in the ticket fares as my return cost only £2.50, and the slight inconvenience of having to change platforms at the beginning.

Both trains were on time, clean and quiet and the stations provided well-kept facilities such as coffee shops and toilets. It was a Tuesday afternoon which meant I was travelling at an off-peak time but the experience was a positive one.