Tom Richmond: Freezing passengers who lost track of the train that never was

Most other Northern Rail services were delayed or cancelled. One train was already more than 60 minutes late at this early hour. But there was hope; a main commuter train was running and, for once, it would be "on time" – that phrase which can be so elusive.

Even the matter-of-fact staff at Guiseley Station confirmed this when the statement's authenticity was doubted by many of those with past experience of Northern Rail's reliability record.

Yes, he confirmed, the train had left Ilkley a few minutes earlier – and was already steaming down the Wharfedale Line towards Leeds. "And on time," he added by way of reassurance.

Relieved to learn about this minor miracle, dozens of commuters started forking out 4.65 for the return fare and the prospect of a trouble-free commute, unlike those motorists bravely battling along roads resembling ice rinks.

There was just one problem. The 8.17 from Ilkley, and due at Guiseley 14 minutes later, did not run last Friday.

As Northern Rail staff were telling travellers that it was "on time" and accepting their money, the train was sitting in Leeds waiting for a maintenance train, causing an obstruction and safety threat to overhead power cables, to be moved to the sidings.

As we stood shivering at Guiseley Station, 8.31am – the scheduled departure time – came and went.

Yet the electronic information board said it was "on time".

So did the ticket office attendant who continued to accept the money of late-arriving passengers. And, while the public announcements dutifully listed other delays and cancellations, there was still no mention of this Leeds train.

Where was it? Had it become stuck in snow drift? Broken down? Ground to a halt because of overcrowding? All these theories were discussed; they, after all, had been excuses that had been encountered earlier in the week.

Only at 8.45am – half an hour after the train should have begun its journey from Ilkley – were a couple of hundred people, myself included, put out of our collective misery.

"We regret to inform you that the 8.31am train to Leeds has been cancelled," said the station announcer.

No explanation. Nothing. Just a monotone announcement that the service was not running; a service which had been supposedly "on time" until this point.

The 200 hardy souls splintered into three groups. Some waited – and finally made it into Leeds an hour or so later (and probably caught hypothermia for their troubles). Others trudged to the bus stop (where the electronic information board was unerringly accurate) and then discovered a First Group driver surprisingly tolerant of those with the incorrect change and said they did not need to pay the full fare. And the rest trekked home, exasperated and vowing never to rely upon Northern Rail again after being told that no refunds would be available for tickets for a "phantom" train unless they applied in writing.

To me, this was akin to taking money under false pretences, with Northern Rail no doubt hoping that travellers will not pursue such claims.

By way of an explanation, Richard Allan – the firm's head of communications and marketing – simply said control room staff faced a logistical nightmare and safety had to come first. He confirmed the train was still at Leeds when it should have been well on its way back into the city from Ilkley.

This is accepted. And, indeed, people know there will be delays – and minor inconvenience – when the country is hit by blizzard-like conditions. Our railways are not as resilient as those on the Continent – or across North America.

But what Northern Rail – and other operators – singularly fail to grasp is the need for passengers to be given honest, up-to-date information.

If a train is going to be late, they should say so (Mr Allan's remarks show they clearly knew there were difficulties in this instance).

If it is cancelled, they should tell passengers.

What they should not do is continue misleading passengers and those who've bought worthless tickets.

For, in case it has escaped Northern Rail and its fellow operators, the "big freeze" – one of the longest on record – actually offers the railway industry an opportunity to entice motorists off the roads and on to the railways.

Many routes are barely passable. Tailbacks in Yorkshire's main towns and cities are even more pronounced. And now there's the prospect of many councils running short of grit and salt.

With buses, inevitably, caught up in the road chaos, the trains are the one form of transport that should be able to beat the big freeze.

Yet the railways are not fit for purpose – simply because train operators are, invariably, relying upon some outdated rolling stock that cannot handle below-freezing temperatures and the failure of companies, like Northern Rail, to appreciate that they're supposed to be proving a public service.

Punctuality and reliability are fundamental. And, why Northern Rail's record has improved in recent times – mind you, some would argue that it couldn't get any worse – I guess the snow havoc will be conveniently excluded from the relevant round of performance figures that govern the rail industry.

As Northern Rail's chief executive Heidi Mottram leaves shortly to manage Northumbria Water, she'll have one final duty to perform. She's due to travel to Buckingham Palace to collect the OBE that she received in the New Year honours list "for services to the rail industry" – an accolade that is barely believable as the chaos deepens on her railways.

I can only hope that she does not rely upon Northern Rail for accurate information when planning her trip – certainly if she wants to get to the Palace

on time.

She won't want a late-running or non-existent train to spoil her

special day. So why should her customers be any different?