Here is the letter that S Riley wrote.

Overcrowding (1 of 2)

Like many others me and my family could'nt get on the 19.28 train to Blackpool at Mancheter Victoria, at least one carriage short on capacity. I have yet to see a central London tube train at rush hour as packed as this.
Managed to get on the 20.22 train. By the time it was ready to leave the train was bursting at the seams, with people having to remain on the platform. The guards answer, YELL at travellers through the window to move up, not that there was anywhere to move up!!!!!!
From the Northern Rail website "business that meets the social and sustainability needs of all our stakeholders" it was both social (like yates at last orders) and sustainable (maximum profit from avaliable square foot of floor space).
Why bother laying on extra carriages at the busiest time of year at extra cost, customers will manage won't they? disgusting attempt at 21st century public transport

There is a very frequent service that gets you from Blackpool to Preston and more trains call there offering capacity to get from Preston to Manchester. The main trouble being that some go from Blackpool North and some from Blackpool South (the connecting line having been ripped out many years ago). Leaving Blackpool you might need to catch a train to Blackburn or other places which will require a change at Preston, but once there you get around 4 TPE trains per hour to Manchester Piccadilly or Deansgate and a free bus or tram transfer to Victoria.

At times like this there should be better passenger management to use all the services and confirmation of ticket acceptance on all trains so that those with limited availability tickets can get to Preston/Manchester by all available capacity.

Modern communications mean that a text or twitter or online message can be rapidly posted to advise of high demand for a particular train/station and which alternatives are available - sadly NorthernRail does not appear to be as far advanced as some other operators in using these media to best effect.