Northern Reviews 

Old, dirty, noisy and unreliable trains.

I’ve travelled by train throughout the UK and Europe. This (Seaham to Newcastle) is the worst rolling stock I’ve ever had the misfortune to have used. Northern have excellent trains running between York and Harrogate.

This Middlesbrough to Newcastle service is always busy. It should self fund newer rolling stock.

Cancellations are frequent and you have to jump through hoops to get a refund.

The worst train service in the UK

AWFUL! So unreliable.
I got the train to and from Manchester airport for my holiday. The first train was cancelled and so was every one for the rest of the day so I had to get an uber which cost over £50. Thenn… on the return a train that should have taken 90 mins has taken 3 hours and to top it off at the last minute they cancelled my stop due to being so delayed!!

Delays , no coordination, bad service

Delay repay scam. Buy a ticket that is printed so badly to be illegible. When its delayed and you try to claim they refuse saying the ticket is illegible. They could look up the price themselves but wont. Bar stewards

So firstly my platform got changed 3 times which I don't mind. Secondly I was on the train about 10 miles from Preston when it stopped. We got told that 2 young lads had been on the track so we had to wait to for the clear call until we could go. We were waiting for 87 minutes and during that time my daughter. Needed the toilet. I took her to the toilet but they said the toilet was closed because of a previous accident involving substances that had happened in their. I later realised that it was most likely the two lads that had been on the tracks and I suspected that they may have been kicked off the train. After we finally started moving they told us that we could not go to our final destination (Blackpool north) so they would drop us off at Preston. When we got to Preston their were many other families that their trains had been cancelled including ones to Manchester Airport and Liverpool. We waited for around half an hour at preston Station until the next train. Finally came. We got onto the train and 2 lads were raping on the train too. We finally arrived at our final destination at 6pm we were supposed to arrive at 3pm. When I checked on the app for compensation it said £6.60 but my tickets for me and my 2 dayghters was 30 pound in total both ways .

Every time my wife uses these trains there are cancellations. 88% of reviewers give Northern 1 star - mainly because they can't give zero or minus stars. The company don't care.

Just wanted to say that Northern do get some bad press but I was travelling today to Skipton with my Mum from Leeds and the guy helped us get on and off. It was the 12.15 train. Coming back Kelly could not be more helpful with my Mum. It just made our day even better as nothing seemed too much trouble. Thank you 😊

Awful company, dreadful service, and delay repay gaslighters after leaving me stranded for over an hour. I would do anything for merseyrail to take their place in my local station.

Speaking to Theresa at Bradford station when we realised we only bought tickets one way she resolved the issue with a colleague Brandon on ticket.Lets just say she has very good customer 😊 service polite friendly shame the 2 other guys just stood about no interaction with anyone one

The Yorkshire Flyer between Leeds and Sheffield was launched with much hype and publicity a few months ago. It now seems to be cancelled more often than it runs. What’s the point of adding trains to your timetable if you haven’t got enough trains.

I have always had a good experience travelling with Northern Railway until today, which is why I was so disappointed by what happened.

I was due to board the 4:35 PM train from Rochdale to Wigan Wallgate. The conductor appeared to be in such a hurry that the train doors were closed before all waiting passengers had boarded.

Ahead of me was an elderly lady using a mobility scooter. Her son helped her off the scooter, ensured she boarded the train safely, then carried the scooter onto the train himself. As soon as he stepped onto the train, the doors were closed. I was left standing on the platform and the train departed before I had the opportunity to board.

This left me stranded and forced to wait for the next train, causing unnecessary inconvenience and delay. There was also no member of staff on the platform who could signal to the conductor that passengers were still boarding.

I understand the importance of keeping trains on schedule, but passenger safety and ensuring that people have a reasonable opportunity to board should be a priority. Closing the doors while passengers are still in the process of boarding, especially when assisting someone with reduced mobility, is simply not acceptable.

I would appreciate it if you could investigate this incident and review the boarding procedures to help ensure that other passengers do not experience the same situation in the future.

Booked return tickets from Eccles to Liverpool on 11/7/26 to watch the England v Fiji rugby match. This turned into a nightmare journey as each successive train was completely full with passengers packed like sardines and I was refused entry by staff. I eventually got a later train but stood all the way in 33c heat ! I missed half the match. Upon returning to Lime street it was the same scenario!! Each train full. Massive queues and angry passengers unable to travel. I had to take a different train (which was delayed 30 minutes) and get off at Irlam, then take a taxi to complete my journey. I emailed customer service as I at least wanted a refund of my fare for this fiasco, but no response!! Disgraceful and not fit for purpose.

Abandoned in Shipley on my train to Leeds, no replacement bus and all trains cancelled, phone on 2% just about managed to get an Uber in time, but otherwise no idea what I would have done. Always seems to be a delay or an issue, only response from the company has been to make tickets harder to refund, absolutely despicable.

Very terrible service, there is always an issue leading to a delay. Almost everytime. I tend to avoid using this trains,and when I eventually need to do so, they never fail to continue to disappoint me.

17:25 York to Blackpool 15th July, exceptional train conductor. She was marvellous, person centred, professional but kind. And kept us all well informed. Well done to her, wish I had her name.

Today I got the train from cramlington to morpeth I've been doing it for the past few weeks no issues giving the car a rest but today the train was early and was coming in earlier that it said on the platform. I usually get my tickets from trainline and was just about to open the app when the train pulled up so I got on the train and within seconds two inspectors came over asked for my ticket I said im just getting it they then said your meant to have it before you board we'll have to fine you im pretty new to this in my day you could use the conductor thedidnt give me chance even with the train being early so now I have to appeal they did tell me I have one minute to cross to the other side use the machine I had no cloue how to use plus I have a badly injured leg stairs are a issue for me it's disgusting they could have taken payment but or let me continue to use the app I've appealed and put in a formal complaint for their aggression guess I'm no longer using the train back to the car on Monday. Plus the station itself is not cleaned bird mess on the seats have been like that for days and the shelter smells like a public toilet yes people do that but the bird mess all over heavily on the seats have been that way for weeks health risk . Northern trains is owned by the government and I fully intend to email the transport minister and .are a formal complaint of his staff acting in this fashion not everyone know how to use the machines plus the other side wasn't very easy to get to if stairs are a issue as they are you have to leave the station walk all they way around to the otherside come in from the car park then go back this is not a company doing its best for people

Train cancelled at short notice, messing up plans for a family day out.

Cancelled trains again this morning and standing only available going from London to Lancaster with luggage.

Having just come from Austria where trains run on time and have enough carriages to have a seat. The UK is a complete joke. Its a wonder toursits would ever come here.

Couldnt organise a P up in a brewery.

Absolutely useless - not only utterly incompetent but a complete lack of interest for the passengers they have onboard.

Not able to carry out their job, not able to communicate their inability to carry out their job which leads to lies being sold to customers and an absolute failure of service.

If you have any urge to arrive when you would like I would strongly encourage you not to travel by Northern Rail. If you can drive I urge you to do so, if you are able bodied I encourage you to walk.

You may think that walking 6 hours from Liverpool to Manchester is excessive but I promise you it will be a less frustrating and painful journey than attempting to travel by Rail.

Save yourself the money, indignity, and ultimately inability to arrive on time and do NOT travel by Northern Rail.

At best you will be late, at worst you will be told that the journey is not possible. Annoying, but more annoying when you are standing on the platform ready to go.

Travel by Northern Rail with extreme caution.

The recent ads on TV paint a picture that this service is half decent - trains on time - Northern folk delivering a decent service for Northerners ? The reality is very different.
They consistently set their bar very very low and still fail to deliver!

Today - I was travelling between Wombwell and Barnsley - one stop for Christ sake.

The train going to Barnsley was supposed to depart at 12.56 - it eventually turned up 13 mins late and we then sat at the station for 8 minutes with no explanation why.

So we got to Barnsley 20 mins late.

Going back - I turned up at Barnsley station just after 4pm with the train due at 4.22.
Around 4.10 they announced that the train was running late.
Oh My God! Quelle Surprise!
We are running late by 11 minutes.

2 trains - both running late - you’ve got to admire their consistency.

At 4.30 pm - 8 mins after the train should have arrived (had it been on time) and 3 minutes before its new late arrival time, they announced that the train will stop and pick up in Barnsley but it won’t actually stop at my stop or the next 2 stops.

They decided to just cancel those stops.
The train will just go straight to Meadowhall and Barnsley.

Apparently it’s OK just to abandon Wombwell, Elsecar and Chapeltown passengers - we don’t matter.

Again - no explanation as to why - but I’d assume it was to try and make up for their tardiness.

There was no contingency for us - we dont matter
No - we are Northern folk and we’ve just got to suck it up and wait for the next train at 5pm.

Northerners serving Northerners?

Northern Rail - you’re a bloody joke.

I can’t wait for privatisation- get rid of the deadwood within your organisation (95 per cent of your workforce probably).