Northern Trains Ltd

[knutstransport]

RE: Northern Trains Ltd
Well I suppose it could be the guard had been taxied to Chester, while the driver was on the train. Drivers that sign Mid-Cheshire services are mainly Piccadilly, but some are worked by Victoria drivers when the unit has come ECS via Warrington or Denton.

But even then they could have sent the guard-less train to Delamere or somewhere further up and arranged road transport for the guard. (Leaving it at Mouldsworth would have been a problem because of the single track and the train scheduled to arrive from the Manchester direction).

I suspect the driver was given a break after arriving at Chester 2 hours late, as the unit was sent into platform 7 and then worked the 09:56 Chester to Manchester. It was originally scheduled to work the 06:56, while the unit and crew for the 08:56 were en-route but very late.