A few weeks ago we learned that from May 2016, VTEC are withdrawing the key 18:30 Edinburgh to Morpeth service, replacing it with a Morpeth call on an alternative train an hour later. SENRUG has strongly opposed the move believing the replacement train to be too late for commuters, business visitors and leisure day-trippers. Morpeth to London passengers will find their single evening service now arrives at Kings Cross at 01:05, way too late to check in to a hotel or turn up at a friend’s house with any decency, instead of the pre May 2016 more respectable 23:37 arrival. A classic case of not stress-testing the impact on Morpeth of plans to enhance Edinburgh – London services. SENRUG has lobbied furiously on the point and whilst we now have confidence our point has been understood, it is apparently too late for VTEC to reverse the May change, though we are promised this, and other possible improvements for Morpeth, will be looked at again for December 2016.
Meanwhile, passengers wishing to return from Edinburgh to Morpeth after 18:00 will now need to take the earlier 18:05 and change on to the Chathill Chugger at Alnmouth, for which dubious privilege they will find the advanced ticket price some 3 times more expensive as the journey now involves more than one operator. Those needing to travel from Morpeth to London in the evening will need to leave an hour earlier at 18:54 and change at both Newcastle and Doncaster to get into Kings Cross before midnight, instead of the current direct service at 19:57 from Morpeth.
