Sheffield-Doncaster alterations weekend of 2/3 July 2022

[eastwestdivide]

It seems the Sheffield/Hull/Brid/Scarborough services are picking up all the stops between Sheffield and Doncaster this weekend, with no Sheffield/Adwick service. This gives an hourly service for Rotherham-Conisbrough inclusive, which is a bit of an improvement over the current “normal” timetable of 2 trains per 3 hours.
Anyone know the reason?

edit: e.g. https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:W37639/2022-07-02/detailed

 

[JonathanH]

It seems the Sheffield/Hull/Brid/Scarborough services are picking up all the stops between Sheffield and Doncaster this weekend, with no Sheffield/Adwick service. This gives an hourly service for Rotherham-Conisbrough inclusive, which is a bit of an improvement over the current “normal” timetable of 2 trains per 3 hours.
Anyone know the reason?

edit: e.g. https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:W37639/2022-07-02/detailed

Looks like closure of the Hope Valley line and diversion of TPE Sheffield to Manchester trains via Hare Park requiring the paths through Meadowhall / Swinton which requires the Northern services to be combined.

 

[eastwestdivide]

Bit of an odd reason on the face of it, as TP aren’t running Sheff-Donc, so saving a path out of Sheffield anyway?

 

[JonathanH]

I guess the more pressing reason has been services from Chesterfield using the 'old road' via Beighton to access Sheffield. This reduces the number of paths from Meadowhall at the north end of Sheffield Station.

 

[eastwestdivide]

Hmm, a quick RTT search for Nunnery Main Line Jn shows:
Sunday 1200-1300 at Nunnery Main Line Jn: 18 passenger + one engineering train
Monday 1200-1300 at Nunnery Main Line Jn: 21 passenger + one freight path (although that's a reduced number from pre-covid levels of service)
On the other hand, the weekend timetable had more conflicting moves across the junction (Lincoln, XC and EM Nottingham/Norwich), while the weekday only has the one (Lincoln)

As an aside, that revised timetable this weekend gave only one train an hour between Sheffield and Doncaster, mostly 3-car 170s but I also saw a 4-car 150. When I caught the tram-train Saturday afternoon, the 170 shortly before it was packed full and standing.

 

[TC60054]

I guess staffing problems may have also contributed to that decision - usually when there's diversions via Nunnery, some local Northern services will terminate/start at Meadowhall, using the loop at Brightside to reverse from P1 to P2, or reversing in P4 from Barnsley.

 

[Peterthegreat]

A similar service should be running over the next two (at least) weekends. Northern have published pdfs for these weekends. However this coming Saturday they have NOT amended the stopping pattern in the online systems in the Sheffield to Doncaster direction. Therefore there are no trains shown from Rotherham, Swinton, Mexborough and Conisbrough to Doncaster!

As an aside I am reliably informed many passengers were left behind at intermediate stops last weekend. Hardly surprising when the pre-Covid 5 trains per hour between Sheffield and Doncaster was reduced to one.

 

[CaptainHaddock]

A similar service should be running over the next two (at least) weekends. Northern have published pdfs for these weekends. However this coming Saturday they have NOT amended the stopping pattern in the online systems in the Sheffield to Doncaster direction. Therefore there are no trains shown from Rotherham, Swinton, Mexborough and Conisbrough to Doncaster!

As an aside I am reliably informed many passengers were left behind at intermediate stops last weekend. Hardly surprising when the pre-Covid 5 trains per hour between Sheffield and Doncaster was reduced to one.

With women's Euros matches at Rotherham and Sheffield over the next two weekends and Sheffiekl's Tramlines Festival taking place on 22-23 July, this really isn't the best time for Northern to be slashing the Doncaster Sheffield weekend service by 80%!

 

[Peterthegreat]

With women's Euros matches at Rotherham and Sheffield over the next two weekends and Sheffiekl's Tramlines Festival taking place on 22-23 July, this really isn't the best time for Northern to be slashing the Doncaster Sheffield weekend service by 80%!

To be fair Northern have only reduced their service by 67% ,TPE by 100% and XC by 100% (most hours).