If Northern were a company who regulary had big events to transport people about for, I wouldn't see a problem, but they don't and have not anticipated the extra demand for travel between Halifax and Blackpool this weekend.

Halifax Station on sunday morning will be a shambles, the ticket office can't cope when it has more than 8 people in it, the platforms lack space compared to a lot of stations, and anyone trying to get on at Sowerby Bridge or futher along the line is going to have a hard time at it

Planned but never delivered!!!

i will email them again and see if i can get anywhere this time.

Northern do run extra services for big events - they run two extra from Hebden Bridge to Leeds on Bonfire night - so it is possible.

I think they have just got it wrong and under estimate how many fax and leigh fans will be going via train. Gettin there should not be a problem - its the getting home.

I remember coming home from Preston on a Saturday evening on the same day the following Football matches took place:

Blackpool V Sheffield Wednesday
Preston V Sheffield United
Blackburn V Hull City

Supporters of these away teams fans were on the same train service, including those who had gone to Blackpool for the day and other users. How many carriages? Three. I struggled to get on at Preston, it was a living hell at Blackburn and people couldn't fit on at Accrington, Burnley (where the away fans from their game tried and failed to get on) and Hebden Bridge.

Just been to get my train tickets, and have been advised to go on the later trains 11.07, 12.07 as they said it will be very busy sunday morning, im not getting on no later train because i want to get there early and enjoy myself, so make sure your there early for the 9.17 train to guarantee your place

im still goin on 9.17 train to, gonna make a day of it.

Northen Rail - The sponsors of this competition!

surley the idea behind sponsoring a competition is to gain business in the future?!

thousands of fans travelling from Fax and Leigh to Blackpool for the day, on a return.

they have put zero offers on! and zero additional services!!!! it is a joke!

THEY HAVE MISSED A MASSIVE TRICK (although i wouldv'e thought pretty obvious!) TO MAKE MONEY FROM THIS EVENT!

if they had put a deal on for a £15 adult return (i think its about £19 normally) , most would have left thier cars at home.

glad im going sat dinner and back monday!

Great post is that Simmsi, excelled yourself this time, a return ticket for the day is £19.30

It does seem bizarre that the sponsors of the competition itself seems so distanced to it and unwilling to even really acknowledge it! They could have made a good profit from some deals as SIMMSFAXTEDDY pointed out and if they could ensure it all runs smoothly (from which it seems unlikely atm) then it would have been great advertisement for themselves for the future. Oh well, Im driving! Still can't bloody wait! C'mon Fax!!

So the actual value of having a train station in your town is ?

3 Direct Services to London per day I think, which means they can put posters up in the station advertising West End Musicals