Manchester Buzzing To Put Rail Into Its Bee Network
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the Railway Gazette.
These two paragraphs introduce the article.
Locally branded stations and integrated ticketing are among the improvements to Greater Manchester’s local rail services envisaged from 2025 under a landmark devolution deal.
The deal agreed with the government on March 15 brings GM Mayor Andy Burnham and local council leaders significant additional powers in several policy areas, including transport. The single funding settlement is similar to those in place covering Scotland and Wales, but this and a similar deal for the West Midlands is the first time such a flexible grant has been granted to English regions.
Included in the deal are the following.
A London-Style Network
It is described in this paragraph.
Greater Manchester has set itself a target of rolling out so-called ‘London style’ transport across modes by 2030. While Transport for Greater Manchester already directly manages the Metrolink light rail network, buses are now being brought under tighter regulation through a franchising model, and TfGM aspires to introduce integrated smart ticketing across the city-region. Today, while paper travelcards can be bought covering buses, Metrolink trams and trains, these are poorly marketed and often more expensive than the fares offered by individual bus operators; there is also no ability for daily or weekly price capping to be introduced.
I hope that Manchester follows London’s rules.
- One card and any bank or credit card gives full access to buses, trains and trams.
- Daily, weekly and monthly caps.
- Freedom Pass or equivalent for those that need them.
- Comprehensive transport mapping.
- Visitor-oriented travel information offices in major stations.
I feel very strongly about the last two, as measures like these encourage visitors to return.
Trials of the ticketing should start by the end of the year.
The Bee Network
This is outlined in this sentence.
Together, the local transport network is to be branded ‘the Bee Network’, reflecting an enduring emblem of the area’s industrial heritage.
I like the name.
- The bee is one of the symbols of the city according to this Wikipedia entry.
- Bees are on the coat of arms of the City of Manchester.
- Bee symbols are used by Manchester and local businesses.
But perhaps most importantly, the bees were a symbol of recovery of the city after the May 2017 Manchester Arena bombing.
The Addition Of Twenty Percent Of the Local Rail Network
This is outlined in this sentence.
Under the agreement announced on March 15, around 20% of local rail services, currently operated by Northern Trains and managed under contract with the Department for Transport, will be brought into the Bee Network.
These rail services are to be added.
- Wigan – Manchester Victoria via the West Coast Main Line and a proposed station at Golborne, which could open from 2025.
- Stalybridge – Southport via Atherton
- Glossop – Hadfield – Manchester Piccadilly
- Rose Hill Marple – Manchester Piccadilly
- Buxton – Manchester Piccadilly
- Alderley Edge – Manchester Piccadilly
I shall discuss each route in detail separately.
New Trains?
Consider.
- The Wigan and Alderley Edge routes are shared with 125 mph trains.
- The diesel trains on the Buxton and Rose Hill Marple routes will need to be replaced.
- The Buxton route is a very stiff climb.
- Do the Class 323 trains to Glossop and Hadfield need to be replaced?
- The Buxton, Southport and Rose Hill Marple routes are not fully-electrified.
I would have two separate fleets.
A small number of 110 mph electric trains for the Wigan and Alderley Edge routes. Class 350, 360, 379 and 386 trains would be possibilities.
An appropriate number of electric for the other routes. Some would have a battery capability to handle the partially-electrified routes. Merseyrail’s Class 777 could be ideal.
Note.
I am fairly certain, that the Class 777 trains can run as tram-trains, which would be useful for Manchester.
A rough calculation indicates that the ideal battery sizes for Southport and Buxton, could be similar.
The battery for the Rose Hill Marple route would be smaller.
There could be advantages if Merseyrail and Manchester had similar high quality trains.
Integration Of The Various Modes Of Transport
This is outlined in this paragraph.
Meanwhile, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority is to establish a North West Regional Business Unit and GM Rail Board to improve local scrutiny of rail service performance and shape the integration with other modes in the Bee Network.
This is critical to the successful development of the Bee Network.
Conclusion
It’s now up to Manchester to first make it work and then develop it for the benefit of the people and businesses of the City, and not forgetting the visitors.
Integration Of The Various Modes Of Transport
This is outlined in this paragraph.
Meanwhile, the Greater Manchester Combined Authority is to establish a North West Regional Business Unit and GM Rail Board to improve local scrutiny of rail service performance and shape the integration with other modes in the Bee Network.
This is critical to the successful development of the Bee Network.
Manchester Arena Attack: Families ‘Disgusted’ By Memorial Trespassing
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.
These are the introductory paragraphs,
Families of people killed in the Manchester Arena attack have said they were “disgusted” after a memorial site for the 22 victims was trespassed on.
The Glade of Light memorial in the city centre remains a building site and does not officially open until the new year.
Two bereaved families said they were appalled to find the security fences pulled down on Sunday.
The article also said this.
Ms Curry said she found hundreds of people were walking through the area, which is supposed to be closed to the public.
She said one man stood on a memorial stone and was abusive when challenged, another woman vomited all over the area, and groups of youths were openly smoking drugs.
I can’t understand what led to this aggressive trespass.
When, I am in certain cities, there does seem to be more low life on the streets than you habitually see in London.
I do wonder, if it is partly because of London’s transport regulations and actions as laid down by the Mayor and Transport for London.
London has an extensive CCTV network and after the London bombings of July the seventh and the shooting of Jean Charles de Menezes in 2005, I’m sure it was improved.
Did the improved CCTV and the police action in the shooting the unfortunate Brazilian, deter a lot of low life from going to the centre?
Ken Livingstone or was it Boris, introduced a policy of banning alcohol on London’s transport system.
The precise details are given in this recent article on the Sun.
I have a feeling it had a positive effect, but did it mean that less drunks found their way to the centre?
In 2011, I sat next to a guy on a Manchester bus going from Piccadilly Gardens to Bury. I noticed that about a dozen youths were harassing the driver, trying to get his fare money and remarked on this to my companion.
My companion on hearing my London accent, said you don’t get that in London because of the contactless ticketing, as there is no fare money on the bus.
I was surprised at his reply and asked him to explain. It turned out he was a Trade Union Official, who looked after bus workers in Manchester. He told me his Union wanted a London-style contactless ticketing system, as it had drastically cut the number of attacks on staff in London.
Having worked with the Metropolitan Police on the analysis of data, they have also found that contactless ticketing helps in the tracing of people through London’s transport network and has solved several serious crimes.
Conclusion
I feel that terrorism and London’s reaction to it, banning of alcohol on public transport, contactless ticketing and other measures have helped keep drunks and those up to no good out of the centre.
Metrolink Tram Drivers To Strike After ‘Pitiful’ Pay Offer
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Railnews.
The strikes will be on the 25th and 26th September, which coincide with a Manchester United home match and the Great Manchester Run.
It would appear that Unite’s new boss; Sharon Graham means business. And in Manchester’s case, a drop in business activity for two days.
I wonder how many extra tonnes of carbon dioxide will be emitted in Manchester on each day of the strike, as people swap from the electric trams to their cars.
Tram-Train Operation To Continue In Sheffield As New Systems Proposed
The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on Rail Magazine.
This is the introductory paragraph.
Tram-trains will continue running in South Yorkshire beyond the end of the two-year trial period, with the Government believing it could act as an inspiration for similar schemes elsewhere.
The article also suggests that more than ten transport authorities want their own tram-train systems in cities including Manchester, Birmingham and Glasgow.
Possibly One Of The Best Underground Railways In A Smaller City In The World!
I took these pictures, as I took the Wirral Line between James Street and Lime Street stations.
I do compare them with the dingy inside of Essex Road station, which was refurbished by British Rail about the same time.
Merseyrail’s stations and trains are generally immaculate and that can’t be said for the dirty and tired infrastructure on the Northern City Line. As I indicated in the title of this post, t is one of the best underground railways under the centre of a smaller city. Liverpool would probably be regarded as a second size of city as it lacks the several millions of London, Paris or Berlin.
The tunnels of Merseyrail’s Northern and Wirral Lines, would have been probably been used as a model for British Rail’s proposed Picc-Vic Tunnel, that sadly never got to be built!
Manchester would be very different today, if it had an underground railway across the City to the standard of that in Liverpool or Newcastle.
This map clipped from Wikipedia show the proposed route of the Picc-Vic Tunnel.
Some of the other proposals included.
- The tunnel would be twin bores and jus under three miles long.
- The tunnel would be electrified with 25 KVAC overhead wires.
- The rolling stock would have been Class 316 trains, which would have been similar to those on Merseyrail.
- Train frequency could have been forty trains per hour (tph)
In some ways the specification was more ambitious than Crossrail, which might be able to handle 30 tph, at some time in the future. But Dear Old Vicky, which was designed at the same time, is now handling forty tph.
Wikipedia says the following routes could have run through the tunnel.
Note.
- The Styal Line now provides the link to Manchester Airport.
- The route map on the Wikipedia entry, shows only Bury and Bolton as Northern destinations. But surely fanning out the trains could have run to Barrow-in-Furness, Blackburn, Blackpool, Burnley, Clitheroe, Colne, Hebden Bridge, Kirkby, Preston, Rawtenstall, Tochdale, Southport, Stalybridge, Todmorden, Wigan and Windermere
The only problem, I could see would be that there would need to be a lot of electrification North of Manchester, some of which has now been done.
There have also been developments in recent years that would fit nicely with a system of lines running through the Picc-Vic Tunnel.
More Services In Manchester Piccadilly And Manchester Victoria Stations
If you look at Liverpool Lime Street station after the remodelling of the last few years, the station is now ready for High Speed Two.
You could argue, that it would be more ready, if the Wapping Tunnel connected services to and from the East to the Northern Line, as I wrote about in Liverpool’s Forgotten Tunnel, as this would remove a lot of local trains from the station.
The Picc-Vic Tunnel would have done the same thing for Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Victoria stations and removed the local services.
This would have left more space for High Speed Two and other long distance services.
Northern Powerhouse Rail
The original plan also envisaged an East-West Tunnel at a later date. – Northern Powerhouse Rail?
But the creation of capacity by the diversion of local services from Manchester Victoria into the Picc-Vic Tunnel, would surely have enabled the station to be developed thirty years ago as a station on an improved TransPennine route.
Tram-Trains
The system would have accepted tram-trains, which hadn’t been invented in the 1970s.
Manchester Airport
Manchester Airport had only one runway in the 1970s and I think only a few would have believed, it would have expanded like it has.
The Picc-Vic Tunnel would create a superb service to the Airport, at a frequency upwards of six tph.
High Speed Two
The Picc-Vic Tunnel would have created the capacity in for Manchester Piccadilly station and allowed High Speed Two services to use the station.
In The Rival Plans For Piccadilly Station, That Architects Say Will ‘Save Millions’, I talked about a radical plan for extending Manchester Piccadilly station for High Speed Two, that has been put forward by Weston Williamson; the architects.
This sort of scheme would also fit well with the Picc-Vic Tunnel.
Conclusion
Manchester was short-changed and not building the Picc-Vic Tunnel was a major mistake.
It would have created an underground railway in a similar mould to that of Liverpool’s, but it would probably have served a larger network.
They would probably be the best pair of underground railways for smaller cities in the world.
Beeching Reversal – Reinstatement of Bolton-Radcliffe / Bolton – Bury
This is one of the Beeching Reversal projects that the Government and Network Rail are proposing to reverse some of the Beeching cuts.
This article in the Bury Times is entitled Plans For Bolton Metrolink Route To Radcliffe See New Bid Submitted. This is the introductory paragraphs.
A bid to secure funding for a tram link between Bolton and Radcliffe has been submitted to the government.
Mark Logan, the MP for Bolton North East, hopes to secure part of the Department for Transport’s £500m Restoring Your Railway Ideas Fund to connect the town to the major public transport network.
The proposal submitted shows Metrolink connecting Bolton, Radcliffe and Bury by reviving an existing disused track bed; bridging the gap between some of the more deprived areas along the route.
This Google Map shows the triangular area between Bolton, Radcliffe and Bury.
Note.
- Bolton is just off the Western edge of the map.
- Bury is in the North East corner of the map.
- Radcliffe is at the Southern edge of the map, close to the point of the triangular green space.
- There is already a Metrolink line between Bury and Radcliffe.
If you look at this map on a larger scale, you can see the scars of old railway lines between Bolton and Bury and Bolton and Radcliffe.
I will take a more detailed look at this proposal.
Bolton
This Google Map shows the Western point of the triangle, where it connects towards Bolton.
Note.
- The disused railway appears to run South of the Bradley Fold Trading Estate.
- It then split into two branches in the middle of the map.
- The Northern branch goes off in a North-Easterly direction to Bury.
- The Southern branch goes off in a South-Easterly direction to Radcliffe.
I’ve followed the route of the disused railway to the West and it goes all the way to the centre of Bolton.
This Google Map shows between Bolton and Bradley Fold.
This railway used to be part of the Liverpool and Bury Railway. This map, which has been clipped from Wikipedia, shows the route.
This information came in a comment from FS (Thanks!) and there are some interesting bridges and viaducts on the route.
Looking at the route from my virtual helicopter, much of the route between Bolton and Radcliffe, is now a walking and cycle route, so there will have to be some careful design to get shared use right.
Radcliffe
This Google Map shows the Radcliffe point of the triangle.
Note.
- The Bury Line of the Manchester Metrolink runs down the Eastern side of the map.
- The Radcliffe tram stop, with its Park-and-Ride is in the South-East corner of the map.
- The disused railway from Bolton joins the map in the North-West corner.
This Google Map avows the Radcliffe tram stop.
I don’t think it would be the most challenging of projects to connect the Radcliffe tram stop to a tram branch to and from Bolton.
- There seems to be plenty of space on both sides of the main road.
- Extra platforms could probably be added for Bolton trams if required.
Although, there could be problems threading the route, through the new housing and over the viaducts and bridges.
Bury
This Google Map shows the South-West approaches to Bury.
Note.
- Bury Interchange is in the North-East corner of the map.
- The tracks and sidings of the East Lancashire Railway can be seen running South-West from the centre of Bury.
- The proposed line from Bolton enters the map in the South West corner.
Where will the new line terminate, as getting across the town might be expensive?
New Tram Stops
There is a Wikipedia entry, which is entitled Proposed Developments Of Manchester Metrolink, which says nothing about the Bolton – Radcliffe and Bolton – Bury Lines.
But it does indicate, there may be two new stops between Bury Interchange and Radcliffe tram stop.
Buckley Wells
The Wikipedia entry for Buckley Wells tram stop says this.
Buckley Wells is a proposed tram stop on the Bury Line of Greater Manchester’s Metrolink light rail system. It is to be between Bury Interchange and Radcliffe Metrolink station, in the Buckley Wells area of Bury, north of Fishpool and south of Bury town centre.
The proposed site of Buckley Wells stop, by the A56 road, is owned by Transport for Greater Manchester, was proposed in 2003, offering (in addition to the Metrolink stop and services for southern Bury) a park and ride facility, and opportunity to provide an interchange with the East Lancashire Railway.
This Google Map shows the wider area of the site.
Note.
- The Bury Line of the Manchester Metrolink runs SW-NE across the map.
- The A56 Manchester Road runs roughly North-South and crosses over the Bury Line.
- The tracks and sidings of the East Lancashire Railway, can be seen in the North-West corner of the map.
- The main route of the East Lancashire Railway can be seen crossing the Bury Line in the North-East corner of the map.
If you follow the Bury Line back towards Manchester, there is a connection between the Manchester Methrolink and the East Lancashire Railway.
Elton Reservoir
The Wikipedia entry for Elton Reservoir tram stop says this.
Elton Reservoir, also known as Warth, is a proposed tram stop on the Bury Line of Greater Manchester’s Metrolink light rail system. It is to be located between Bury Interchange and Radcliffe Metrolink station, southeast of Elton Reservoir and south of Bury town centre.
This Google map shows the wider area of the site.
Note.
- The Bury Line runs North-South from the North-East corner of the map.
- The stop is being proposed for new housing, that might be built in the area.
It should be noted that the proposed Bolton – Bury tram line would run on the reservoir side of the houses in the North-West corner of the map.
Infrastructure
On a quick look, the two new lines and the two new tram stops, don’t appear to be too challenging.
The only parts that appear difficult might be.
- Running the trams between Bolton Town Centre and Bradley Fold.
- Running the trams into Bury Town Centre.
- Some of the Radcliffe route seems to have been built on.
But there doesn’t seem to be any bridges over major roads or waterways.
Conclusion
There is a lot to like about these two new tram routes.
Manchester Metrolink Opens Trafford Park Line
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Railway Gazette.
This is the introductory paragraph.
The 5·5 km Manchester Metrolink light rail extension to the Trafford Centre shopping complex was opened for revenue service on March 22, around seven months ahead of the original target date.
I had hoped to go up to Manchester on the day it opened to take a few pictures, but COVID-19 kyboshed that!
Connecting The North West Of England’s Three Powerhouses
It could reasonably be argued that the three most important economic centres of the North West of England are.
- The City of Liverpool and Merseyside
- Manchester Airport
- The City of Manchester and Greater Manchester
I’ll take a quick look at each, with particular reference to public transport links.
The City of Liverpool and Merseyside
Liverpool is introduced by this paragraph in Wikipedia.
Liverpool is a city and metropolitan borough in Merseyside, England. As of 2018, the population is approximately 494,814. Liverpool is the ninth-largest English district by population, and the largest in Merseyside and the Liverpool City Region. It lies within the United Kingdom’s sixth-most populous urban area. Liverpool’s metropolitan area is the fifth-largest in the United Kingdom, with a population of 2.24 million.
Knowing Liverpool with affection as I do, I find the City difficult to describe in an unbiased manner, but in my experience few people go for a visit to Liverpool and don’t come back enchanted in some way. It is a many-faceted city!
One of Liverpool’s strengths is the local rail system; Merseyrail, which connects the suburbs to the centre, just like the Underground does in London. As with London, Merseyrail is backed up by a comprehensive bus network. And like London, Liverpool is introducing hydrogen-powered double-deck buses.
Merseyrail is also in a strong expansionist phase.
- New trains are being delivered to replace some of the oldest trains on the national network in the UK.
- New stations are being added to the core Merseyrail network.
- Stations are being improved with refurbishment and step-free access.
- Merseyrail have ambitions to expand their network to Liverpool Airport, Preston, Skelmersdale, Warrington and Wrexham.
The City of Liverpool and Merseyside in general are getting ready to expand their economy.
Manchester Airport
This Google Map shows Manchester Airport.
Note.
- The two runways.
- The railway station in the middle of the Airport.
- The M56 motorway passing across the North-West of the Airport.
Manchester Airport is the third-busiest airport in the UK in terms of passenger numbers.
- It is a two-runway airport like Heathrow, which helps a lot in operational efficiency.
- In 2018, it handled 61% of the number of passengers as Gatwick, but 71% of the aircraft movements.
- The airport has three terminals.
- The airport has rail connections to Crewe, Manchester, Northern England, the Central Belt of Scotland and Wales.
- The airport is connected to the trams of the Manchester Metrolink.
I’ve never flown from the airport as a passenger, so I can’t comment.
Wikipedia has a section on the Future of Manchester Airport, which says.
- Terminal 2 will be expanded with fifteen more covered stands,
- The airport will expand to handle more freight.
Airport City Manchester is an £800million expansion to create an airport city on the lines of those at Barcelona and Frankfurt, alongside the airport.
Manchester Airport is certainly building for a future expansion.
Reading about rail links to the airport, you get the impression that some places like Bradford, Derby and Nottingham would like direct links to Manchester Airport.
The City of Manchester and Greater Manchester
Manchester is introduced like this in Wikipedia.
Manchester is a city and metropolitan borough in Greater Manchester, England, with a population of 547,627 as of 2018 (making it the fifth most populous English district). It lies within the United Kingdom’s second-most populous urban area, with a population of 2.5 million and second most populous metropolitan area, with a population of 3.3 million. It is fringed by the Cheshire Plain to the south, the Pennines to the north and east, and an arc of towns with which it forms a continuous conurbation.
I don’t know Manchester as well as I know Liverpool and most of my visits to the City are usually with limited objectives and a possible overnight stay.
Like Liverpool, Manchester has an extensive public transport network based on the trams of the Metrolink and some local railway lines, backed up by lots of buses.
Transport for Greater Manchester is developing the transport network, with a new Metrolink line to the Trafford Centre opening soon.
Note that if Manchester’s rail system has a problem, it is congestion in the Castlefield Corridor through Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Oxford Road and Deangate stations and on to Manchester Victoria and Salford Crescent stations. A permanent long-term solution is needed.
The City of Manchester and Greater Manchester are getting putting in the necessary transport links to expand their economy.
Connecting The Three Powerhouses
In Changes Signalled For HS2 Route In North, I wrote the following, which I am now repeating in an updated form.
This clip of a map from this Transport for the North report , which is entitled At A Glance – Northern Powerhouse Rail, shows a schematic of the current and possible rail links in the triangle between Crewe, Liverpool and Manchester.
High Speed Two, which is shown in dark green, would appear to come North and split into two routes.
- One continues North to join the existing West Coast Main Line just South of Wigan.
- Another goes through Crewe station.
North of Crewe, the two routes join and then split into three at the Junction labelled 6.
- To Warrington and Liverpool
- To Wigan, Preston and Scotland
- To Manchester Airport and Manchester.
A second Junction labelled 5, allows Northern Powerhouse Rail trains to run Liverpool-Warrington-Manchester Airport-Manchester.
This is a new layout and has the following advantages.
- I estimate that trains could save 7-8 minutes on services running between Crewe and Wigan because of the longer running at High Speed Two operating speeds at 225 mph.
- ,If they don’t stop at Crewe and Runcorn, further minutes could be saved.
- Trains between London and Preston and London and Glasgow could skip the stop at Warrington to save further minutes.
- There could be an advantageous reorganisation of stopping patterns.
- London and Liverpool services and Liverpool and Manchester services could stop at Warrington, which would give Warrington very good connections.
- The Liverpool-Manchester and Liverpool-Crewe Lines could be built to High Speed Two standards, which could allow 225 mph running.
I also think the track layout can be run alongside or underneath the various motorways in the area for a lot of the route between Liverpool, Crewe, Warrington and Manchester Airport.
It would appear to be a very good solution to a complex problem and overall, I suspect it gives better connectivity, at a more affordable cost, whilst creating a railway that can be built with less disruption and will ultimately produce less noise.
The Transport for the North report, also says the following.
- There could be a new Warrington South Parkway station.
- Six tph between Liverpool and Manchester via Warrington are planned.
- Journey times will be 26 minutes.
The Twenty-first Century will finally get a modern and fast Liverpool and Manchester Railway.
- Trains would stop at Manchester Airport, a new Warrington South Parkway and possibly Liverpool South Parkway.
- Trains would run every ten minutes.
- Trains would take 26 minutes between Liverpool and Manchester.
These are a few other thoughts on the route.
The Liverpool Terminus
The Transport for the North report proposes a new High Speed station in Liverpool.
- It would possibly be alongside Liverpool Lime Street station.
- It would handle both High Speed Two and Northern Powerhouse Rail services.
- The station would need at least four platforms.
- The station could be connected to Liverpool Lime Street station’s Wirral Line platform.
I believe that a well-designed station could be squeezed in, on the edge of Liverpool City Centre.
Should Trains Stop At Liverpool South Parkway?
I think this could be important, especially, if the station gets a link to Liverpool Airport.
Between Manchester Airport And Manchester City Centre
Most current trains between Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Airport stations take between 15-18 minutes.
I don’t believe that these times are compatible with a 26 minute time between Liverpool and Manchester.
So I am fairly certain that to achieve the planned time in the Transport for the North report, that an almost direct tunnel between Manchester Airport and Manchester City Centre is necessary.
The Manchester City Centre Station
Could the tunnel pass through underground platforms at Manchester Piccadilly station, which run across the station and then surface to connect with the chosen route to Leeds?
In an earlier plan, referenced under Manchester City Centre (Phase 2b) in the Wikipedia entry for High Speed Two,, this is said.
The route will continue from the airport into Manchester city centre via a 7.5-mile (12.1 km) twin bore branch tunnel under the dense urban districts of south Manchester before surfacing at Ardwick.
Under the earlier plan, trains would have gone into a rebuilt Manchester Piccadilly station.
I also wonder, if the solution would be to bore a tunnel under Manchester City Centre with stations under Manchester Piccadilly station, Piccadilly Gardens and Manchester Victoria.
- It might be just one set of platforms with travellators, escalators and lifts all over Manchester City Centre.
- It should be noted that two High Speed Two trains, running as a pair would be four hundred metres long.
One of the advantages of a train connection between Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Victoria station, would be that the Castlefield Corridor would be by-passed.
- TransPennine Express services between Manchester Airport and the North-East would be replaced by Northern Powerhouse Rail services between Liverpool and the North-East via Manchester Airport.
- The Castlefield Corridor would probably be reserved for local services.
- Passengers needing Manchester Oxford Road or Deansgate stations would use the current Manchester Airport station.
There are probably other advantages.
Building The High Speed Liverpool And Manchester Line
I believe that this line can be built without too much disruption to existing services, because Crossrail’s construction didn’t disrupt London.
Conclusion
My overall conclusion is that it is feasible to build a Liverpool and Manchester High Speed Line, as an early part of Northern Powerhouse Rail, that will also be used by High Speed Two, when that is extended to Liverpool and Manchester.
Manchester Piccadilly, Liverpool Lime Street And Some Other Stations Compared
I am doing this exercise to get a handle on the scale of the problem at Platforms 13 and 14 at Manchester Piccadilly station.
In 2018/19, these were some passenger statistics for the two stations and some others.
- Birmingham New Street station handled 47.928 million passengers on its thirteen platforms or 3.62 million per platform per year.
- Brighton station handled 17.385 million passengers on its eight platforms or 2.17 million per platform per year.
- Bristol Temple Meads station handled 11.368 million passengers on its thirteen platforms or 0.87 million per platform per year.
- Cardiff station handled 14.205 million passengers on its eight platforms or 1.78 million per platform per year.
- Chelmsford station handled 8.927 million passengers on two platforms of 4.46 million per platform per year.
- Crewe station handled 3.318 million passengers on its twelve platforms or 0.28 million per platform per year.
- Deansgate station handled 0.458 million passengers on its two platforms or 0.23 million per platform per year.
- Doncaster station handled 3,918 million passengers on its nine platforms or 0.44 million per platform per year.
- East Croydon station handled 24.770 million passengers on its six platforms or 4.12 million per platform per year.
- Exeter St. Davids station handled 2.620 million passengers on its six platforms or 0.44 million per platform per year.
- Gatwick Airport station handled 21.225 million passengers on its seven platforms or 3.03 million per platform per year.
- Leeds station handled 30.839 million passengers on its seventeen train platforms or 1.81 million per platform per year.
- Leicester station handled 5.582 million passengers on its four platforms or 1.40 million per platform per year.
- Liverpool Lime Street station handled 14.221 million passengers on its eleven platforms or 1.29 million per platform per year.
- London Bridge station handled 61.308 million passengers on its fifteen platforms or 4.08 million per platform per year.
- London Fenchurch Street station handled 18.508 million passengers on its four platforms or 4.63 million per platform per year.
- London Paddington station handled 38.18 million passengers on its thirteen platforms or 2,94 million per platform per year.
- Manchester Oxford Road station handled 9.338 million passengers on its five platforms or 1.87 million per platform per year.
- Manchester Piccadilly station handled 30.252 million passengers on its fourteen platforms and two tram platforms or 1.89 million per platform per year.
- Manchester Victoria station handled 8.950 million passengers on its eight platforms or 1.12 million per platform per year.
- Newcastle station handled 8,914 million passengers on its twelve platforms or 0.74 million per platform per year.
- Nottingham station handled 8.005 million passengers on its nine platforms or 0.89 million per platform per year.
- Peterborough station handled 5.060 million passengers on its seven platforms or 0.72 million per platform per year.
- Preston station handled 4.646 million passengers on its nine platforms or 0.52 million per platform per year.
- Reading station handled 17.081 million passengers on its fifteen platforms or 1.14 million per platform per year.
- York station handled 9.991 million passengers on its eleven platforms or 0.90 million per platform per year.
These figures have given rise to a few thoughts.
Brighton
Brighton station is an eight platform terminal station, that handles a lot of passengers, considering that the City doesn’t have any mass transit system and passengers rely on walking, bicycles, buses and private cars for onward travel.
- There are upwards of eight trains per hour (tph) at the station to and from London, all of which can be up to twelve cars.
- The West Coastway and East Coastway Lines have at least six tph in the Off Peak.
- Arriving passengers can walk straight through the wide gate line and out to walking routes and the buses, with leaving passengers walking the other way.
I wouldn’t be surprised to hear that Brighton station is at capacity.
Chelmsford
It is truly remarkable that Chelmsford station is the second busiest station in terms of passengers per platform per year on my list.
- The station has two separate platforms on either side of the tracks.
- Access is via wide stairs and lifts.
- The station appears to handle five tph in both directions in the Off Peak, with up to twice that number in the Peak.
- Most trains calling at the station are between eight and twelve cars.
- Chelmsford station could get even busier in terms of passengers when the new longer Class 720 trains and Class 745 trains are brought into service in the next twelve months, as these trains have higher capacities, than the current trains.
- It is aimed, that the new trains though will have level access between train and platform, at some point in the future.
I very much feel, that Chelmsford shows what can be done at an ordinary two platform station with the application of good simple design.
London Fenchurch Street
London Fenchurch Street is the busiest station on my list.
- The limited number of platforms will increase the number of passengers per platform per year.
- The station has two entrances to each platform.
- Arriving passengers can walk straight through the wide gate line at the main entrance and down escalators to walking routes at street level, with leaving passengers walking the other way.
- Many trains in the Peak are twelve cars.
- Adding extra platforms would be difficult.
It does appear, that work has been done to maximise the station’s capacity.
Crewe, Doncaster, Exeter St. Davids, Newcastle, Peterborough, Preston and York
All these stations are interchange stations on the main lines, that may have been improved, but have not been substantially rebuilt.
They all manage to handle between 0.5 million and 1 million passengers per platform per year.
Leeds
Leeds station has been improved over the last few years.
- There are six through platforms and eleven where trains can terminate.
- After passing through the gate line, passengers are in a concourse from where long distance services to London and the North and local services to Bradford, Harrogate, Ilkley and Skipton can be boarded.
- A new wide bridge with escalators, a lift and steps leads from this concourse across the through lines and platforms to the other side of the station.
- There are lifts and escalators from the bridge to some of the through platforms and the terminating platforms beyond them.
- At the far side of the bridge, a new Southern entrance has been added.
<The bridge works well and shows how a wide bridge over or a wide concourse under the tracks, can improve circulation in a station.
If you compare the bridge at Leeds, with the bridge at Reading, which was designed at around the same time, the Reading one is better in that it is wider and has more escalators, with one up and one down escalator to each pair of platforms.
Was a certain amount of design at Leeds station performed by accountants?
London Bridge
London Bridge station shows what can be done by applying good design in a new or rebuilt station.
- There are nine through and six terminal platforms.
- All platforms can take full-length twelve-car trains.
- There is a massive concourse underneath all fifteen platforms.
- There are lots of escalators and lifts between the concourse and the platforms.
- Steps provide additional and reserve capacity.
- Passengers changing between routes can take an escalator or lift to the concourse and another one to their new route.
- Arriving passengers can walk straight through the wide gate lines and out to walking routes, the Underground and the buses, with leaving passengers walking the other way.
- London Bridge station was designed by Grimshaw Architects
It is a design with a wow factor that works very well.
Reading
Reading station is another good design applied to a rebuilt station.
- There are nine through platforms, three East-facing bay platforms and three West-facing bay platforms.
- All through platforms can take full-length trains.
- All bay platforms are a level walk from the Southernmost through platform and the main entrance gate line to the station.
- There is a massive bridge over all nine through platforms.
- There are lots of escalators and lifts between the bridge and the through platforms.
- Steps provide additional and reserve capacity.
- Passengers changing between routes can take an escalator or lift to the bridge and another one to their new route.
- Arriving passengers can walk straight through the wide gate lines and out to walking routes, the car-parks and the buses, with leaving passengers walking the other way.
- Reading station was designed by Grimshaw architects.
It is a design with a wow factor that works very well.
Redesigning Manchester Piccadilly
Could some of the principles of these stations be applied to rebuilding Manchester Piccadilly station?
There are currently twelve terminal platforms numbered 1-12 in the main part of the station.
- Platforms 1 to 4 are used for services to Marple, New Mills, Rose Hill and Sheffield via the Hope Valley Line, and services on the Glossop Line.
- Platforms 5 to 9 are the longest and used by Avanti West Coast and CrossCountry services.
- Platforms 10 to 12 are shorter than the others and are usually used to accommodate local trains to Crewe and Manchester Airport, plus Mid-Cheshire line, Buxton Line and South Wales services.
The two through platforms 13 and 14 are on the Southern side of the station.
These ideas might be possible.
A Wide Bridge Or Concourse Connecting The Platforms At The London End
Currently, there is a bridge over the platforms 1 to 12 at the London end, but compared to the bridges at Leeds or Reading stations, it is a rather feeble affair.
- It is narrow.
- It doesn’t have any kiosks or shops.
- It is only connected to the platforms by steps.
Could this be replaced by a wide bridge, like say the one at Reading?
It would certainly give advantages if it could!
- Passengers arriving in Manchester Piccadilly needing to change to another service, might find it more convenient to use the bridge, rather than exit on to the main concourse.
- The bridge could be designed as a waiting area, with kiosks, shops, cafes and other facilities.
- The bridge would be connected to all platforms by escalators and lifts.
- Steps would provide additional and reserve capacity.
Note that if you buy a ticket to Manchester stations, that allows you to go to either Manchester Piccadilly, Manchester Oxford Road, Deansgate or Manchester Victoria stations, So a quick route up and down an escalator at the London end of Piccadilly station to Platform 14 would be very convenient.
Access To Platforms 13 And 14
Compared to the wide island platforms at Leeds and Reading, platform 13 and 14 are a bit narrow, but I’m fairly sure, that a good layout for escalators and lifts could be designed, so that access to these two platforms can be improved.
Trains Through Platforms 13 and 14
These must be arranged, so that they are all similar with wide double doors and step-free access between platform and train.
Improvement Along The Castlefield Corridor
Various improvements need to be done on the Castlefield Corridor.
- Deansgate can be improved to provide better access to the Metrolink at Castlefield.
- Manchester Oxford Road station needs a complete rebuilt and a better track layout.
- The Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Airport service via Warrington and Manchester Oxford Road needs a strong rethink.
It appears that it has already been decided to reduce the number of trains, as I wrote about in Castlefield Corridor Trade-Off Plan For Fewer Trains.
Wide Gate Lines
Passengers arriving at Manchester Piccadilly station in the main part of the station should be able to walk forward to a gate line stretching right across all the platforms.
- The present gate line isn’t continuous.
- There is still a lot of manual checking of tickets.
The current layout can certainly be improved.
Access To Metrolink
I also wonder if better access to the Metrolink could be provided, so that passengers access the Metrolink station from inside the gate line. Now that the Metrolink allows contactless ticketing, this might be easier.
Conclusion
I believe there’s a solution in there somewhere!
Metrolink Trafford Park Line Start Date Announced
The title of this post is the same as that of this article on Rail Technology Magazine.
This is the introductory paragraph.
Greater Manchester’s new £350m Trafford Park line will launch on Sunday 22nd March.
Manchester Metrolink keeps growing and will become 96km of track and 93 stops.
The Anonymous Widower 