Delays, disruption and dear prices - there aren't many glowing reviews for the railway services from passengers in Manchester. But the experiences of TransPennine Express customers have been among the most frustrating in recent months.
The train operating company, owned by FirstGroup, is being relieved of its duties later this month. A Government Operator of Last Resort (OLR) will take over the franchise on May 28, effectively nationalising services on more than a dozen routes across northern England and parts of Scotland.
It follows 'continuous cancellations' in recent months, with hundreds of services being axed on the night before they were due to run. John Booth and Sue Rourke arrived at Manchester Victoria from Blackburn at lunchtime, hours after the Government's announcement.
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While they mostly use Northern services, John travels on TPE trains 'once every four to six weeks'. He told the Manchester Evening News: "It's normally fine, but obviously there were major issues a few months ago.
"If it's on time it's great. It's when it's not on bloody time it's a problem, or there's a cancellation, or leaves on the line, and it disrupts everything."
John points out that it's not a problem unique to TPE though. He recalls having to jump in a taxi with three other passengers from Blackburn to Manchester one time rail disruption was so bad, with the cab fare costing £60.
Mohammed Shaib, from Rochdale, is more scathing about TPE's performance. "It's s***," he said.
"It's the delays more than anything, that's about it. I can't say anything good about it. The prices are always rising, they go on strike every few weeks.
"We're in the UK, it should be better than that, but it's not. We haven't improved over the years."
Mohammed wasn't alone in his criticism of the company either. A commuter arriving at Manchester Victoria before rushing over to work briefly stopped for a quick word to the M.E.N.
"It's a bit rough," he said of his experience as a TPE passenger. "It's one of those things, you never expect it to be like that, but obviously it's atrocious.
"The delays - every time I use it it's at least 10 minutes late, sometimes it's about an hour. I don't understand it really."
It's experiences like these which have prompted repeated calls for TPE to lose its contract from leaders across the North in recent months. Commenting on the Government decision yesterday, Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham tweeted: "As Mayors, we have spoken up consistently for long-suffering rail passengers in the North.
"I am glad the Government has listened. We will now work with them to restore trust in train services and build a railway people can rely on."
Yet while announcing the TPE decision yesterday, transport secretary Mark Harper moved to ease expectations, insisting the decision would not be a 'silver bullet' for better services overnight on May 28. Speaking outside Manchester Victoria, passenger James Richardson suggested there were other issues facing the region's railway.
"The rail infrastructure is creaking," he said. "It needs huge amounts of investment, and no one is really talking about that at the moment.
"I'm happy with stuff being renationalised, but I don't think it's necessarily who is running it that's the problem. We are running on Victorian infrastructure."
Most of James' journeys are done on Northern services, between Todmorden and Manchester. Northern has been under Government control for three years - yet James admits he sometimes casts envious glances at TPE passengers who get to travel on 'nicer' trains.
It isn't just the age of the infrastructure that James believes to be an issue either. "It's hard since covid, people are not in the office as much any more," he said.
"Before covid, the trains were really busy, but now you can get a seat - which is nice, but I guess it means there's less money there." Another issue which the transport secretary singled out in his announcement yesterday was the recent industrial action, affecting train operating companies including TPE, which Mr Harper claimed was 'preventing TPE from being able to run a full service'.
For some passengers at Manchester Victoria, patience for the strikes was wearing thin. "They're alright when they aren't on strike," said Margaret Cowburn, from Bolton.
"They're always on strike when we want to get somewhere." Again, the issue of industrial action is not unique to TPE, with Margaret and friend Sandra Hall describing being caught up in a 'melee' when Avanti West Coast services to London were cancelled last year.
Over at Manchester Piccadilly, Jamie Pickles said he had started to use the car more because of the recent industrial action. "I find it less convenient than it was because of the strikes," he added.
Aslef, the train drivers' union, welcomed the decision made by Mr Harper on TPE - but hit out at the transport secretary's comments about the industrial action, after he called on the union to 'play their part' by calling off strikes and the ban on rest day working. General secretary Mick Whelan says TPE has 'never employed enough drivers to deliver the services it promised to run' - adding that the company has now 'got exactly what it deserves'.
Graham Sutherland, chief executive of TPE owner FirstGroup, said in a statement following the Department for Transport's (DfT) decision: "We have operated TransPennine Express and its forerunners since 2004, and are very proud to have served the communities across northern England and into Scotland, carrying millions of passengers and introducing new trains, new routes and more seats for our customers. Our team have worked extremely hard to improve services, including by recruiting and training more drivers than ever before.
"We have also worked closely with the Department for Transport and Transport for the North on an agreed recovery plan as well as an improved offer on overtime working for our drivers. FirstGroup is a leading UK rail operator with a strong and diversified portfolio.
"Today’s decision does not alter our belief in the important role of private rail operators in the delivery of vital, environmentally-friendly transport for customers and communities across the UK." The DfT insists nationalisation of the franchise is a temporary measure.
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