Info:- Changes to rail services at York during Royal Ascot

[ArrivaTrains]

Well, we have received the final brief on Ascot Week events.

Alot of it, I cannot repeat here as it is classed as internal information, for rail staff only (security info etc).

Heres what I can print....

Royal Ascot At York

This will take place from Tuesday 14th to Saturday 18th June 2005. To ensure the safety of all those using York station during that time, a number of special arrangements will be in place.

York station will no longer be accessible as a 'public thoroughfare' during ascot week. The concourse will however still be open as a public area.


Access to Platforms

York station will become 'closed' - platforms will be accessible to ticket holders and station staff only.

Tickets will be checked before you will be allowed to access the platforms from the concourse.

Tickets will also be checked when you disembark services arriving at york.
Customers who 'lose' tickets en route will be asked to buy a replacement before being allowed to leave the station.

Passengers travelling 'home' from York should be at the station at least 30 minutes before the time of the train they wish to catch.



Alcohol

Alcohol will not be aloud on the station. Any open bottles or cans in your possesion will be confiscated on arrival at the station.

Alcohol will not be sold on services passing thru York at all during Ascot.

Now for the best bit...
Intoxicated passengers will be refused permission to travel, no questions asked


Service changes

TPE/Virgin - Most (where possible) trains passing through York will be lengthened

GNER - 2 specials to run from KX - York (and rtn) non stop each day of the Ascot event.
These trains will be formed of the GNER 'Eurostar' sets.

GNER services KX - Leeds will run to a special timetable all week.


Enthusiasts
Enthusiasts will not be allowed on the station during the days of the event, for safety reasons.



Finally, there will be a huge BTP and North Yorks Police prescence at York. Anyone causing trouble will be arrested.




From what we have been told, a lot of planning has gone into this, and everything 'should' run smoothly (we hope).

EDIT:- By the Way, it is estimated that around 10,000 people will arrive by rail each day

Anyway, if you want to comment, please do



Providing Intercity Services across the North

[Easilyconfused]

Some of the measures sound a bit over the top but given the extra load that Royal Ascot brings I am not surprised. I take it they will be on the lookout for the maniac ex-priest who disrupted the British Grand Prix and the Athens Marathon ? He was banned from the Espom area during the Derby weekend : http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/other_s ... 603545.stm

Sadly, with Royal Ascot moving north this year due to the redevelopment at the normal venue we do not get to see all the Ascot girlies in Windsor this week. Some of them are very nice but a good deal of them are very drunk.

More seriously - the ban an alcohol is a very good idea. Last year in Windsor we saw already well plastered people coming from the race course into the pubs and ordering loads more drinks. One guy was so drunk he could barely stand-up but got well nasty when the barmaid refused to serve him. Another puked in the bar and then just walked out without saying a word to the bar staff. Very charming guy Finally someone puked and then collapsed in the bog - paramedics called and he was revived and carted off. Pretty evil stuff all round.

You are led to believe these people are the creme of our society but their behaviour is appalling - most of our local taxi companies in Windsor insist on pre-payment and lock the doors until they are sure the car has not been fouled.

Luckily we found a pub where the girls who look after the horses tend to frequent. They are more down to earth and aware they need to be up at 06:00 so they are more restrained but very pretty

[staticxfreak]

...and why, may I ask, are enthusiasts not allowed on the platform?? Are we going to make it look all scruffy for the posh ppl?? Di dums. I've heard that the ticket price for the VSOE that will be going to York for the gee gee's starts at a minimum of £450 a head...

[Easilyconfused]

...and why, may I ask, are enthusiasts not allowed on the platform?? Are we going to make it look all scruffy for the posh ppl?? Di dums. I've heard that the ticket price for the VSOE that will be going to York for the gee gee's starts at a minimum of £450 a head...

I suspect the main problem will be on the return trip and a substantial number of race-goers are behaving like drunken arses. They don't want that witnessed

Why is alcohol banned in football stadiums but not at racecourses ? When we went to Windsor a couple of weeks ago for the Monday night racing there were plenty of drunken louts there. Same at Sandown and Kempton last summer - lots of people with far more money than sense / alcohol capability getting very drunk and very "punchy".

[sootyxfd]

what about passengers travaling through the station eg dfrom sheffield to Newcastle

cheers

[ArrivaTrains]

what about passengers travaling through the station eg dfrom sheffield to Newcastle

Don't worry about a thing, just travel as you normally would.




Providing Intercity Services across the North

[allypally]

I should imagine banning enthusiasts will be something to do with the fact that the station will be totally full, and having people stand with a camera for a couple of hours in the middle of the platforms is not going to help matters.

[centraltrains1987]

The 2 specials according to my information only 1 will be eurostar,
that is the 1430 KX to York and 1741 return

[johncard]

You are led to believe these people are the creme of our society but their behaviour is appalling

What? Because they're rich?

Personally, and I know this is going OT a little, but I would much prefer it if they called it the 'Royal York Races' or something like that this year. It's NOT Ascot, the only reason I can see why they would have called it Ascot is because that is where it is usually held.

I don't whether or not this already happens, but what I'd love to see is all the charities (eg. Oxfam) for people in poor countries lining up outside the gates for donations. If stupidly rich people will only feel inclined to spend it on gambling and alcohol, the least they can do is feel guilty about it.

John

[staticxfreak]

I should imagine banning enthusiasts will be something to do with the fact that the station will be totally full, and having people stand with a camera for a couple of hours in the middle of the platforms is not going to help matters.

Yeah, but enthusiasts arent stupid. As soon as I heard about this... even though I ain't goin... I just thought about standing on the south end of platform 3 or somethin. Surely none of the "rich people" would go down there and the enthusiasts would be well out of the way.

[petermakosch]

I agree that Rail Enthusiasts should not go there. The reason? Because it's something special. Come on, this is one week, or however long it is, just be nice and not go?
Having extra train people there will only make it another thing the station have to look out for and such, it would just be easier to operate the station safely without other hassles - 10,000 people is a lot of people, even for a busy London Terminus, so imagine how the staff will cope at York!

[JCogman]

TPE/Virgin - Most (where possible) trains passing through York will be lengthened

GNER - 2 specials to run from KX - York (and rtn) non stop each day of the Ascot event.
These trains will be formed of the GNER 'Eurostar' sets.

The same happened on the 4th June when it was the Derby at Epsom. Smitham Trains were extended to run to Tattenham Corner, Victoria - Caterham services were revised to serve Tattenham Corner, Charing Cross - Tattenham Corner services ran fast between Smitham - Tattenham and the xx:55 Victoria - Epsom services were revised to serve Epsom Downs. Everything except the extended Smitham services ran with 6 or 8 coaches.

[nigelgresley]

There was a bit of talk at the course today about a broken down train causing delays into York. Anyone know any more about this?

[centraltrains1987]

Well if you want a whole story, its been a . day and a complete farce if you ask me!

the 8.05 was delayed by 101 mins into leeds the 9.10 stoped alongside the
8.05 on the slow lines just outside sandy for 10 mins we got a 40 min delay. Then i heard there was a broken rail between donny and york.

Some right nice women at KX but some were dressed really weird :S

[Stone220]

There is always the viewing balcony at the NRM, you can see a good load of the station from there.