Manchester Piccadilly closed Sunday 15th. January 2023

[CAF397]

Yes, I think there's going to be a lot of reversing ECS over the viaduct.

I'd imagine XC would run to/from Longsight to reverse, as if they run double sets you can't walk between the sets on the Viaduct.

Avanti might choose to do that anyway.

 

[jfollows]

I'd imagine XC would run to/from Longsight to reverse, as if they run double sets you can't walk between the sets on the Viaduct.

Avanti might choose to do that anyway.

Interesting, thank you, I'll watch what happens with interest.

 

[The Planner]

I'd imagine XC would run to/from Longsight to reverse, as if they run double sets you can't walk between the sets on the Viaduct.

Avanti might choose to do that anyway.

Which is exactly what is happening, XC in Longsight, Avanti a mixture of inside and on the mains outside.

 

[Foxcover]

Not even a shuttle via Denton and Ashton Moss from Stockport to Victoria? Seems unimaginative (assume that’s still physically possible!)

 

[The Planner]

Not even a shuttle via Denton and Ashton Moss from Stockport to Victoria? Seems unimaginative (assume that’s still physically possible!)

The route is possible, dealing with it at Stockport and it being frequent and long enough is different.

 

[Tetchytyke]

Not even a shuttle via Denton and Ashton Moss from Stockport to Victoria? Seems unimaginative (assume that’s still physically possible!)

It's possible, ECS trains go that way, but the line is slow, there's always the issue of whether Northern would have staff, and it's unlikely to be of any more utility than an RRB anyway.

 

[jfollows]

Not even a shuttle via Denton and Ashton Moss from Stockport to Victoria? Seems unimaginative (assume that’s still physically possible!)

It's been done in the past, I've been on a Manchester Victoria to Buxton service which provided a service in place of the normal one, but it was quite a few years ago (I'd guess at more than ten) and it may not be as simple to arrange nowadays as it was then, or it's no longer considered worth the effort, or the people in charge no longer think the same way as they used to. Whatever the reason, I agree it's a shame that it's no longer done, it's a service I would use if it were ever introduced as a regular service.

 

[Greybeard33]

It's been done in the past, I've been on a Manchester Victoria to Buxton service which provided a service in place of the normal one, but it was quite a few years ago (I'd guess at more than ten) and it may not be as simple to arrange nowadays as it was then, or it's no longer considered worth the effort, or the people in charge no longer think the same way as they used to. Whatever the reason, I agree it's a shame that it's no longer done, it's a service I would use if it were ever introduced as a regular service.

I doubt that any Northern guards sign that route. ECS workings from/to Newton Heath are normally driver only, with the guard joining/leaving the train at Stockport.

The Saturday Denton line parliamentary goes to Stalybridge via Guide Bridge, so does not use the Denton to Ashton Moss line.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

It's been done in the past, I've been on a Manchester Victoria to Buxton service which provided a service in place of the normal one, but it was quite a few years ago (I'd guess at more than ten)

I've also done that in the past, Manchester Victoria -> Stockport via Denton (and changing at Stockport for an onwards WCML journey starting at Stockport to London Euston) but it's got to be over a decade ago, now.

Not a fan of rail replacement buses if there's an interestingly-routed rail alternative on offer!

 

[CAF397]

The last time I recall such workings was June 2004 when the points at Longsight were being replaced. There was a near 2-week blockade, and the Buxton services ran to Manchester Victoria.

 

[Jez]

Seems like TFW are just starting and terminating their services from South Wales in Crewe. In the past when there has been engineering work between Crewe-Stockport they have diverted via Warrington and terminated in Manchester Oxford Road but it seems like they arent doing this today.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Unusually as a result of this, the Manchester service is not calling at MKC, but all the Scottish services are instead.

 

[JonathanH]

All the talk of what has been done on previous occasions with regard to diverting via Denton seems to forget that some of the through routes that may once have gone that way due to engineering no longer cross Manchester.

CrossCountry no longer go north of Manchester and haven't for 14 years. When they did it made sense to go to Victoria, now it doesn't. Nowadays, it isn't called for. Likewise, Buxton services all now end in the trainshed at Piccadilly, rather than running to Blackpool.

 

[CJ]

All the talk of what has been done on previous occasions with regard to diverting via Denton seems to forget that some of the through routes that may once have gone that way due to engineering no longer cross Manchester.

CrossCountry no longer go north of Manchester and haven't for 14 years. When they did it made sense to go to Victoria, now it doesn't. Nowadays, it isn't called for. Likewise, Buxton services all now end in the trainshed at Piccadilly, rather than running to Blackpool.

Yes, I remember when I travelled on a Virgin XC Voyager from Stockport to Manchester Victoria, it went via Denton and Ashton Moss Junction (and it was a very slow journey!).

I think the service originated from Bournemouth, and it was just before Arriva XC had taken over the franchise (circa-2007).

At Victoria, there were coach stop markings of VT around the platforms, which was an indication that they were present, but not sure if those coach stop signs are still there now.

 

[Foxcover]

Yes, I remember when I travelled on a Virgin XC Voyager from Stockport to Manchester Victoria, it went via Denton and Ashton Moss Junction (and it was a very slow journey!).

I think the service originated from Bournemouth, and it was just before Arriva XC had taken over the franchise (circa-2007).

At Victoria, there were coach stop markings of VT around the platforms, which was an indication that they were present, but not sure if those coach stop signs are still there now.

I wonder why XC didn’t just use the Windsor Link to get north via Piccadilly - it would have been much quicker!

I do remember a few ex-Nottingham and Harwich trains daily doing the Stockport-Denton-Ashton Moss-Victoria route for the year after the Hazel Grove Chord opened, mid-80s, until the Windsor Link opened shortly afterwards - it was a good 25-30 mins journey - and then they went via Piccadilly ever after.

 

[CHAPS2034]

Looking at RTT and Traksy today, it looks like Northern were reversing using the crossovers just north of Stockport on the viaduct and Avanti and XC were running into Longsight to reverse.

 

[JonathanH]

I wonder why XC didn’t just use the Windsor Link to get north via Piccadilly - it would have been much quicker!

It was shut on the day in question!

 

[_toommm_]

It was shut on the day in question!

What exactly is the Windsor link please? Is it the chord from Oxford Road to Salford Central?

 

[Foxcover]

Yes that’s right, but it’s west of Deansgate; part of the strategy then to focus as much as possible on Piccadilly.

(JH, makes total sense if it was shut!!!)

 

[jonesy3001]

They had trains running from oxford rd on Sunday, while Piccadilly was shut to Liverpool, via the clc and the chat moss lines and Blackpool, as noted there was a double 195 on the Blackpool run with the 331s.

Realtime Trains | 1N54 0907 Manchester Oxford Road to Blackpool North | 15/01/2023

Real-time train running information for 1N54 0907 departure from Manchester Oxford Road to Blackpool North on 15/01/2023. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[js1000]

I live near Piccadilly station with a decent view of the station and track into the station. There wasn't any work on the train shed roof from what I could see but a lot of work on the track. Something makes me think it was more pre-planned than they let on - potentially something they previously identified and wanted to do over Christmas but couldn't due to strikes.

 

[Bletchleyite]

I live near Piccadilly station with a decent view of the station and track into the station. There wasn't any work on the train shed roof from what I could see but a lot of work on the track. Something makes me think it was more pre-planned than they let on - potentially something they previously identified and wanted to do over Christmas but couldn't due to strikes.

I asked above and it was stated that it was pre-planned. I guess people just hadn't noticed it.

 

[snowball]

What exactly is the Windsor link please? Is it the chord from Oxford Road to Salford Central?

It's the chord from Ordsall Lane Junction (west of Deansgate station) to Salford Crescent. It was built in the 1980s.

The more recent Ordsall Chord (opened 2017) could be described as going to Salford Central and there have been proposals to put platforms there, but at present there are no platforms there on the relevant tracks. So to get from Oxford Road to Salford Central, you'd either have to

1) go via the Windsor Link to Salford Crescent and double back to Salford Central, or

2) go via the Ordsall Chord to Manchester Victoria and double back to Salford Central.

 

[Crossover]

To get to Salford Crescent you go via the more recent Ordsall Chord, opened 2017.

I believe thee bolded bit is meant to say Central, just to avoid any confusion

 

[snowball]

Thanks. I've now corrected it and amplified the wording.

 

[Greybeard33]

It's the chord from Ordsall Lane Junction (west of Deansgate station) to Salford Crescent. It was built in the 1980s.

The more recent Ordsall Chord (opened 2017) could be described as going to Salford Central and there have been proposals to put platforms there, but at present there are no platforms there on the relevant tracks. So to get from Oxford Road to Salford Central, you'd either have to

1) go via the Windsor Link to Salford Crescent and double back to Salford Central, or

2) go via the Ordsall Chord to Manchester Victoria and double back to Salford Central.

Being pedantic, Salford Central is closed until the summer, so to get there at present you need to walk from Victoria, Deansgate or Oxford Road, or get a bus from Salford Crescent.

 

[faltskog36abba]

I wonder why XC didn’t just use the Windsor Link to get north via Piccadilly - it would have been much quicker!

I do remember a few ex-Nottingham and Harwich trains daily doing the Stockport-Denton-Ashton Moss-Victoria route for the year after the Hazel Grove Chord opened, mid-80s, until the Windsor Link opened shortly afterwards - it was a good 25-30 mins journey - and then they went via Piccadilly ever after.

I remember travelling on a central train service from Nottingham in the late 90s to Manchester Victoria, It then continued to Liverpool via chat moss. It was a Sunday so probably engineering works around Piccadilly?.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

I live near Piccadilly station with a decent view of the station and track into the station. There wasn't any work on the train shed roof from what I could see but a lot of work on the track.

Was the roof work that was done at Manchester Piccadilly last weekend, largely underneath the roof canopy, rather than on the top of it?