The Anonymous Widower

GC Applies For Manchester Paths

The title of this post, is the same as that of a short news item in the August 2026 Edition of Modern Railways.

This is the body of the news item.

Open Access Operator Grand Central has applied to operate five trains per day between St. Pancras International and Manchester Piccadilly from December 2029. These would operate via the Midland Main Line using GC’s five-car Class 180 DMU fleet currently employed on its East Coast Main Line operations. These are due to be replaced by a fleet of tri-mode Class 820s being constructed by Hitachi Rail, which were ordered last year and are being financed by Angel Trains.

Meanwhile, GC is also bidding to operate trains between London Waterloo and Bristol Temple Meads, running via the South West Main Line and Salisbury. The operator says that under these proposals, trains would begin operating from December 2027 with seven trains per day running using stock currently off lease.

These are my thoughts on the St. Pancras International and Manchester Piccadilly service.

The Route Between The Midland Main Line And Manchester Piccadilly

This OpenRailwayMap shows Dore Junction, where the Midland Main Line meets the Hope Valley Line between Chesterfield and Sheffield stations.

Note.

1. Dore Junction is a triangular junction in the middle of the map.
2. Dore and Totley station is on the North point of the junction, which leads to Sheffield station.
3. Dore & Totley Station – 1st April 2025 shows the station before and after its rebuilding.
4. The South-East point of the junction leads to Chesterfield station.
5. The South-West point of the junction leads to the Hope Valley Line and eventually too Manchester Piccadilly station.

There are three routes that trains can take between the Midland Main Line at Chesterfield station and the Hope Valley Line.

• They can take the Dore South Curve shown in the map.
• They can go directly into Sheffield station and reverse.
• They can go via Barrow Hill and enter Sheffield station from the East.

Note.

1. The first route doesn’t call at Sheffield.
2. The second route is taken by trains between Liverpool and Norwich.
3. I wrote about the third route in Reinstatement Of The Barrow Hill Line Between Sheffield And Chesterfield.

The reinstatement of the Barrow Hill Line may ease operations in Sheffield and allow a new station or two.

The Route Between Bristol Temple Meads And Salisbury

Currently, there are two Great Western Railway services between Bristol Temple Meads and Salisbury.

• One has a frequency of one train per hour and calls at Bath Spa, Bradford-on-Avon, Trowbridge, Westbury, Dilton Marsh and Warminster.
• One has a frequency of one train per hour and calls at Keynsham, Oldfield Park, Bath Spa, Freshford, Avoncliff, Bradford-on-Avon, Trowbridge, Westbury and Warminster.

Note.

1. Both services call at Bath Spa, Bradford-on-Avon, Trowbridge, Westbury and Warminster.
2. Only Bath Spa and Westbury have a frequent service to London.
3. There are five other stations, that are called at occasionally by Bristol Temple Meads and Salisbury services.

I do feel that Grand Central Trains have a lot of scope to create a very passenger-friendly timetable.

August 25, 2026 - Posted by AnonW | Transport/Travel | Barrow Hill Line, Bristol Temple Meads Station, Chesterfield Station, Class 180 Train, Class 820 Train, Dore and Totley Station, Grand Central Trains, Grand Central Trains St. Pancras And Manchester Piccadilly, Grand Central Trains Waterloo and Bristol Temple Meads, Hope Valley Line, Manchester Piccadilly Station, Midland Main Line, Open Access Operators, Salisbury Station, Sheffield Station, South Western Main Line, St. Pancras Station, Waterloo Station