RAIL bosses have agreed to face the public to hear their moans about trains.

Top management from First North Western, which runs services between Colne and Preston, and Blackburn to Manchester, will meet passengers at Blackburn station on Tuesday between 4pm and 6pm.

Passengers can share their travel experiences and ask question about any issue they like, from the state of the railway and services to the price of tickets.

The visit follows a catalogue of disruption on the nation's railways. Next month fares on Virgin Trains will be slashed by half, but experts predict it will be ten years before services return to normal after crashes at Paddington and Hatfield.

Bob Hayes, secretary of Blackburn and Bolton Rail Users' Group, welcomed the visit, but said: "They may be listening, but nothing is happening."

He added: "It's a useful exercise but First North Western has been doing that for 18 months.

"One major problem the firm has is that the whole of its stock has been cut back since they took over and it has a constant stream of excuses for delays and cancellations.

"It has a shortage of drivers, a shortage of rolling stock and unreliable rolling stock.

"Every month there is a different excuse -- snow on the track, leaves on the track, no drivers, drivers with flu, it just builds up into a constant stream." Directors and senior managers have been to Blackburn station before on similar fact-finding missions and recently visited stations at Bolton and Manchester Victoria.

First North Western managing director David Franks said: "Taking the management team out of the relative comfort and safety of the boardroom is an absolute must and serves to provide great focus.