THERE were once again no rail services between Bolton and Manchester at the weekend.

As is the custom, replacement buses were laid on instead.

Somehow, though, Northern Rail even managed to turn the replacement bus experience into a fiasco.

My son and his girlfriend discovered this to their bemusement as they travelled from the city back to Bolton on Saturday afternoon.

They boarded the bus at Victoria. So far, so good.

But alarm bells immediately started to ring when the driver declared: “You will have to bear with me, I’m not from around here.” Oh dear.

The bus set off. Then, part way through the journey when it was at a standstill, the driver stood up to address the passengers and asked: “Is anyone here going to Kearsley?”

No one answered, so that potential stop was crossed off the list.

He then asked if anyone wanted to get off at Farnworth.

One man replied that yes, he did indeed want to go to Farnworth (the train station) and as the bus got closer, the driver announced over the microphone that he would like the person who was going to Farnworth to join him at the front to guide him as he didn’t know exactly where he was.

So, the man duly obliged. But then it transpired that he too had never been to Farnworth. It turned out he was as in the dark about directions as the bus driver.

As a result, the passenger offered to “Google Map” the destination for the driver. Despite the technology, neither could find the station.

Suddenly, someone spied railway track out of the window, so it was naturally assumed there was a station nearby.

The passenger (who was apparently relaxed about the whole situation) then told the driver to stop and got off to go and find it for himself.

As the bus got closer to Bolton town centre, it was time for another request.

“Can anyone from Bolton come to the front and guide me?” asked the driver.

After some time, a woman who said she also wasn’t from the area, offered to help, as she had “half an idea” where to head. She gave the driver some direction.

Eventually the bus arrived at Bolton Interchange, but by all accounts, it appears that it did so more by good luck than judgement.

The episode reinforces the notion that Northern Rail still haven’t got a grip, despite weeks of chaos.

If it all strikes you as like something from a Peter Kay sketch, you have a fair point. It would be funny if wasn’t so pathetic.

But, as well as insufficient and cramped carriages, missing and cancelled services, timetable changes and now replacement bus services with drivers who don’t know exactly where they are driving to, it is yet another anecdote that does nothing to give confidence that Northern Rail can run the train service in a professional and efficient way.

It is now weeks since Chris Grayling, transport minister, castigated Northern Rail’s management (after lots of pressure from northerners tormented by the appalling service) and there has been no improvement.

Just how bad does it have to get before some meaningful action is taken?