The Anonymous Widower

Manchester Piccadilly Station Platform Layout

In this post, I will look at the current platform layout at Manchester Piccadilly station and see if it could be updated for High Speed Two.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the current platform layout at the station.

Note.

  1. There are twelve platforms in the main station, which are numbered 1 to 12 from North to South.
  2. There are also two platforms to the South of the main station, which are on the Castlefield Corridor and numbered 13 and 14.
  3. The current Avanti West Coast services use Platforms 5 to 8.
  4. Platforms 1 to 8 seem well-spaced.
  5. The Internet gives the length of Platform 1 as 238 metres, so it can be used as a ruler on all the platforms.
  6. The green tracks are for the Manchester Metrolink, which runs under the station.

I will now take a detailed look at the four platforms used by Avanti West Coast services, which are 5 to 8.

  • The platforms are 340, 277, 277 and 340 metres long respectively.
  • All four platforms can handle 11-car Pendolino Class 390 trains, which are 265.3 metres long.
  • All four platforms will also handle 8-car HS2 Classic-Compatible trains, which will be 200 metres long.
  • The platforms also seem to have a straight run-in to the buffers, which is about 260 metres long.
  • This straight section is long enough to accommodate an 11-car Pendolino or an 8-car HS2 Classic-Compatible train.

I would think it reasonable that an 8-car HS2 Classic-Compatible train could take over the service of an 11-car Pendolino, but running on HS2 infrastructure, where it exists.

The current Avanti West Coast service to Manchester Piccadilly is as follows.

  • 1 tph – 9-car or 11-car – London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly via Milton Keynes Central, Rugby, Stoke-on-Trent, Macclesfield and Stockport
  • 1 tph – 9-car or 11-car – London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly via Nuneaton, Stoke-on-Trent and Stockport
  • 1 tph – 9-car or 11-car – London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly via Stafford, Crewe, Wilmslow and Stockport

In the original design for HS2, this was the service pattern.

Note.

  1. Trains to the left of the vertical black line are Phase 1 and those to the right are Phase 2.
  2. Full-Size trains are shown in blue.
  3. Classic-Compatible trains are shown in yellow.
  4. The dotted circles are where trains split and join.
  5. In the red boxes routes alternate every hour.

Click on the diagram to enlarge it.

Services to Manchester Piccadilly and the Manchester area are as follows.

  • Train 6 – 200 m. HS2 CC – London Euston and Macclesfield via Old Oak Common, Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent
  • Train 7 – 400 m HS2 FS – London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly via Old Oak Common, Birmingham Interchange and Manchester Airport
  • Train 8 – 400 m HS2 FS – London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly via Old Oak Common and Manchester Airport
  • Train 9 – 400 m HS2 FS – London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly via Old Oak Common and Manchester Airport
  • Train 13 – 200 m HS2 FS – Birmingham Curzon Street and Manchester Piccadilly via Manchester Airport
  • Train 14 – 200 m HS2 FS – Birmingham Curzon Street and Manchester Piccadilly via Manchester Airport

Note.

  1. All trains are one train per hour (tph)
  2. Macclesfield should be able to handle one 200 m. HS2 Classic-Compatible train per hour, as it is shorter and has less passengers than an 11-car Pendolino.
  3. All Manchester Piccadilly services call at Manchester Airport.

I believe this allows two possible solutions.

  • A largely tunneled solution, that gives access to enough 400 m platforms underneath or alongside Manchester Piccadilly station.
  • An interim solution, that replaces 11-car Pendolinos with 200 m. HS2 Classic-Compatible trains.

I will answer this question first.

Will HS2 Use A Tunnel Between Manchester Airport And Manchester Piccadilly Station?

I asked Google AI  and received this answer.

Yes, in the original HS2 proposals, a 7.5-mile twin-bore tunnel was planned to run between Manchester Airport and the Ardwick area, surfacing near Manchester Piccadilly. This tunnel was designed to carry the high-speed line underneath the built-up areas of south Manchester and into the terminal station.

Key Details of the Proposed Tunnel:

Purpose: To connect the new Manchester Airport High Speed Station with Manchester Piccadilly station.

Structure: A 7.5-mile (approx. 12km) twin tunnel.

Route: Following the airport, the line would enter the tunnel, traveling towards Piccadilly station.

Location: The tunnel handles the approach to Manchester city centre, allowing the high-speed tracks to bypass surface-level congestion in the south Manchester suburbs.

Note: While this was the planned route for Phase 2b, the future of the northern leg of HS2 has been subject to change and government reviews, which may impact these designs

The Full Solution

This will entail the following.

  • A two-platform underground station at Manchester Airport, that is capable of handling 400 m. HS2 Full-Size trains.
  • A large enough extension to Manchester Piccadilly station that is capable of terminating enough 400 m. HS2 Full-Size trains.
  • The extension to Manchester Piccadilly station could be underneath or alongside, the current station.
  • A 7.5 mile twin-bore tunnel between the two stations.

I also believe the full solution will need the completion of the high speed line between Handsacre junction and Crewe.

That would be an expensive and difficult solution, so we will need an interim solution.

The Interim Solution

This will entail the following.

  • All HS2 services into Manchester Piccadilly will be run by 8-car 200 m. HS2 Classic-Compatible trains.
  • They will use Platforms 5 to 8 in Manchester Piccadilly station, which are 340, 277, 277 and 340 metres long respectively.
  • The Manchester Piccadilly services will not call at Manchester Airport.
  • The Macclesfield service will run to serve Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent.
  • I also believe the interim solution will not need the completion of the high speed line between Handsacre junction and Crewe.

My project management experience leads me to believe, that after HS2 is completed to Handsacre junction, Manchester Piccadilly station could be served by 8-car 200 m. HS2 Classic-Compatible trains.

How Many Trains Will The Interim Solution Run Through The Trent Valley Line?

If the interim solution is to work, then HS2 trains for North of Handsacre Junction will have to take their chances on the Trent Valley Line.

This OpenRailwayMap shows the route of the Trent Valley Line between Handsacre Junction and Crewe.

Note.

  1. Stafford station is marked with a blue arrow.
  2. Crewe station is in the North-West corner of the map.
  3. Lichfield Trent Valley station is in the South-East corner of the map.
  4. The Northern end of HS2 is should dotted around Lichfield Trent Valley station
  5. Rugeley Trent Valley station is to the North-West of Lichfield Trent Valley station.
  6. Crewe, Stafford, Rugeley Trent Valley and Lichfield Trent Valley stations are all on the Trent Valley Line, which runs North-West and South-East across the map.
  7. Handsacre junction is to the North of Lichfield Trent Valley station and links the North end of HS2 to the the Trent Valley Line.

This second OpenRailwayMap shows Handsacre junction in more detail.

Note.

  1. Rugeley Trent Valley station is in the North-West corner of the map.
  2. Lichfield Trent Valley station is in the South-East corner of the map.
  3. The Trent Valley Line runs diagonally across the map between the two stations.
  4. The route of HS2 is shown as a dotted red line in the South-East corner of the map.
  5. HS2 and the Trent Valley Line will join at Handsacre junction.

The stub of HS2 in the North-East corner of the map, will eventually link to Crewe.

The following services will join the Trent Valley Line at Handsacre junction.

  • Train 4a – 200 m. HS2 CC – London Euston and Lancaster via Old Oak Common, Crewe, Warrington Bank Quay, Wigan North Western and Preston
  • Train 4b – 200 m. HS2 CC – London Euston and Liverpool via Old Oak Common, Crewe and Runcorn
  • Train 5 – 200 m. HS2 CC – London Euston and Liverpool via Old Oak Common, Crewe and Runcorn
  • Train 6 – 200 m. HS2 CC – London Euston and Macclesfield via Old Oak Common, Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent
  • Train 7 – 200 m HS2 CC – London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly via Old Oak Common and Birmingham Interchange
  • Train 8 – 200 m HS2 CC – London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly via Old Oak Common
  • Train 9 – 200 m HS2 CC – London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly via Old Oak Common
  • Train 10a – 200 m HS2 CC – London Euston and Edinburgh Waverley via Old Oak Common, Preston, Carlisle and Edinburgh Haymarket
  • Train 10b – 200 m HS2 CC – London Euston and Glasgow Central via Old Oak Common, Preston and Carlisle
  • Train 11a – 200 m HS2 CC – London Euston and Edinburgh Waverley via Old Oak Common, Birmingham International, Preston, Carlisle and Edinburgh Haymarket
  • Train 11b – 200 m HS2 CC – London Euston and Glasgow Central via Old Oak Common, Birmingham International, Preston and Carlisle
  • Train 12 – 200 m HS2 CC – Birmingham Curzon Street and Edinburgh Waverley/Glasgow Central via Wigan North Western, Preston, Lancaster, Oxenholme, Penrith, Carlisle, Lockerbie, Carstairs and Edinburgh Haymarket/Motherwell
  • Train 13 – 200 m HS2 CC – Birmingham Curzon Street and Manchester Piccadilly
  • Train 14 – 200 m HS2 CC – Birmingham Curzon Street and Manchester Piccadilly

Note.

  1. All trains are one train per hour (tph)
  2. Train 4 splits and joins at Crewe, so runs as a 400 m train on the Trent Valley Line.
  3. Train 10 splits and joins at Carlisle, so runs as a 400 m train on the Trent Valley Line.
  4. Train 11 splits and joins at Carlisle, so runs as a 400 m train on the Trent Valley Line.
  5. Train 12 runs alternatively to Edinburgh Haymarket and Edinburgh Waverley/Motherwell and Glasgow Central.

In any hour, it looks like eight single trains and three pairs will run along the Trent Valley Line.

How Close In Minutes Can Trains Run On The Trent Valley Line?

I asked Google AI  and received this answer.

On the modernised Trent Valley Line (part of the West Coast Main Line), trains can run at high frequencies, often with fast, long-distance services operating with headway (spacing) of approximately 3 to 5 minutes, though typically, a 2-4 train per hour per direction service pattern is standard, equating to 15–30 minute intervals between similar services.

Capacity: The line is a four-track railway between Rugby and Stafford, allowing fast, long-distance express trains (up to 125 mph) to overtake slower, local, and freight trains.

Service Frequency: High-frequency, high-speed travel is standard.

Constraints: While the infrastructure supports close spacing, schedules are constrained by capacity at major bottlenecks and the requirement for consistent track maintenance.

It’s probably tight, but not impossibly so. Especially, as Train 6 to Macclesfield cuts off through Stoke-on-Tent after Stafford.

What Is The Capacity Of Each Train Timetable Between London Euston And Manchester Piccadilly/Macclesfield?

Consider.

  • An 11-car Pendolino has 607 seats.
  • I’m assuming all Pendolinos are 11-car trains.
  • An 8-car HS2 Classic-Compatible train has 504 seats.
  • I’m assuming that HS2 Full Size trains have the same capacity as the Classic Compatible trains.

These are figures for each timetable.

Current Timetable

3 x 11-car Pendolino = 1,821 seats. per hour

Interim Timetable

4 x 8-car 200 m. HS2 Classic-Compatible trains = 2,016 seats per hour, which is a 10.7 % increase over today.

Full Timetable

7 x 8-car 200 m. HS2 Classic-Compatible trains = 3,538 seats per hour, which is a 93.7 % increase over today.

How Many Trains Run On Each Section Of HS2?

Current Timetable

None

Interim Timetable

These are my estimates of trains per hour on each section.

  • London Euston and Birmingham – 11 tph
  • Birmingham and Stafford – 11 tph
  • Stafford and Crewe – 10 tph
  • Stafford and Macclesfield – 1 tph
  • Crewe and Liverpool – 2 tph
  • Crewe and Manchester Piccadilly – 5 tph
  • Crewe and Preston – 4 tph
  • Preston and Lancaster – 4 tph
  • Lancaster and Carlisle – 3 tph
  • Carlisle and Edinburgh Waverley – 2.5 tph
  • Carlisle and Glasgow Central – 2.5 tph

There would appear to be spare capacity for up to six trains per hour, South of Crewe.

Full Timetable

These are my estimates of trains per hour on each section.

  • London Euston and Birmingham – 11 tph
  • Birmingham and Stafford – 11 tph
  • Stafford and Crewe – 10 tph
  • Stafford and Macclesfield – 1 tph
  • Crewe and Liverpool – 2 tph
  • Crewe and Manchester Airport- 5 tph
  • Manchester Airport and Manchester Piccadilly – 5 tph
  • Crewe and Preston – 4 tph
  • Preston and Lancaster – 4 tph
  • Lancaster and Carlisle – 3 tph
  • Carlisle and Edinburgh Waverley – 2.5 tph
  • Carlisle and Glasgow Central – 2.5 tph

There would still appear to be spare capacity for up to six trains per hour, South of Crewe.

Conclusions

Theses are my conclusions.

  1. There Are At Least Six Free Train Paths In Every Hour Between London And Crewe

This is partly because the Eastern leg was cancelled. But it does seem silly to waste them.

I believe Blackpool would be a good place to serve and I said so in Could High Speed Two Serve Blackpool North?

Other possible places would be Chester, Holyhead and Scotland.

2. There Will Need To Be A Tunnel To Connect Manchester Piccadilly And Manchester Airport

This is because you can’t knock all the houses down to build the link.

The Channel Tunnel Rail Link is tunnelled under Dalston in East London for the same reason.

3. Manchester Piccadilly and Manchester Airport services will be five Trains Per Hour

Two of these five trains will go to Birmingham Curzon Street and three to London Euston.

I would expect that the Manchester Tunnel will be an important project for the finances of Manchester Airport.

4. When The Manchester Tunnel Is Built, This Will Double Seat Capacity Between London And Manchester Piccadilly

This is because it will allow 400 metre trains between London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly.

5. HS2 Can Run To Manchester Without Building The Manchester Tunnel Or A High Speed Line Between  Crewe And Birmingham

This surprised me at first, but it appears, that it’s because HS2 Classic-Compatible trains are shorter than 11-car Pendolinos.

6. HS2 Can’t Run To Manchester Airport Without Building the Manchester Tunnel.

It’s all because of the houses in between.

7. Single 200 m. HS2 Classic Compatible trains, Can Use The Unmodified Manchester Piccadilly.

This is because they are shorter than 11-car Pendolinos. But pairs can’t, as they are too long!

8. Stockport Gets A Raw Deal From HS2

Currently, Stockport, gets three 11-car Pendolino services between London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly.

Under the Interim Solution, these services will continue as HS2 Classic-Compatible trains are shorter than 11-car Pendolinos.

But under the Full Solution, HS2 trains will be in the Manchester Tunnel between Manchester Airport and Manchester Piccadilly.

9. The Interim Solution Will Work

I am more and more convinced, that a proposed solution which entails the following will work.

  • A new service from London Euston to Macclesfield via Old Oak Common, Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent is introduced.
  • 11-car Pendolinos are replaced by 8-car HS2 Classic-Compatible trains, which are shorter.
  • The Trent Valley Line is updated, so that it can handle 11 trains per hour, that will eventually be transferred to the new HS2 line between Handsacre junction and Crewe.
  • London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly will get three trains per hour via HS2 to Handsacre junction the Trent Valley Line.
  • There will be no major work to be done at Manchester Piccadilly.
  • Three trains per hour between London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly could still call at Stockport.

I also believe that this solution can be easily built, as it is mainly improving the existing route between Handsacre junction and Manchester Piccadilly via Crewe and Stockport.

April 25, 2026 Posted by | Artificial Intelligence, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Ministers Sack Top Rail Adviser Who Spoke Out Over HS2 Train Debacle

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on The Times.

This is the sub-heading.

Chris Gibb, an industry veteran, said plans to shorten HS2 trains would likely inflate costs, slow services beyond Birmingham and result in fewer seats

These three paragraphs add more details.

A leading government adviser has been fired for criticising Whitehall plans to reduce the length of HS2 trains, it can be revealed.

Chris Gibb, a non-executive director of the nationalised train operator, is understood to have had his contract terminated by ministers this weekend after allegedly breaching media engagement rules.

Gibb was appointed to the board of the Department for Transport Operator Limited (DFTO) in 2020, having worked in the rail industry for more than 40 years. DFTO is the state-owned company that oversees train companies as they are brought into full public ownership.

This paragraph appears to detail what Gibb has said that caused offence.

Gibb said there was “no doubt that if HS2 opened by replacing 11-coach Pendolinos with eight-coach trains, these would be full and leave people behind on day one”.

So I will audit, what he said.

Now that Leeds is not going to be served by HS2, Manchester Piccadilly, is the only station other than Birmingham Curzon Street, that will terminate 400 m. trains, and the Birmingham station will be brand-new, so hopefully, that will be designed for the right capacity.

Manchester Piccadilly currently handles three trains per hour from London.

  1. Milton Keynes Central, Rugby, Stoke-on-Trent, Macclesfield and Stockport
  2. Nuneaton, Stoke-on-Trent and Stockport
  3. Stafford, Crewe, Wilmslow and Stockport

Trains are usually Class 390 11-car Pendolino with 607 seats

These will be replaced by.

  1. 200m. train – Euston and Macclesfield via Old Oak Common, Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent.
  2. 400m. train – Euston and Manchester Piccadilly via Old Oak Common, Birmingham International and Manchester Airport.
  3. 400m. train – Euston and Manchester Piccadilly via Old Oak Common and Manchester Airport.
  4. 400m. train – Euston and Manchester Piccadilly via Old Oak Common and Manchester Airport.

Trains will be 200m 8-car HS2 train which will have 504 seats. 400m trains will be two trains running as a pair.

I can add up the hourly seats.

 

Currently, if the three trains per hour are 11-car Pendolinos, then the hourly London-Manchester capacity is 1821 seats.

On HS2, if the four and a half trains per hour are 8-car HS2 trains, then the hourly London-Manchester capacity is 9 x 504 or 4536 seats, or a 149% increase in capacity.

  • And HS2 doesn’t serve Macclesfield, Stockport or Wilmslow!
  • Four 200m. HS2 trains would give a 121 % increase in capacity.
  • Perhaps, as there is spare capacity on HS2 between Crewe and London, another service could be fitted into the hourly scheme of things.

How about Blackpool?

How Many 8-car HS2 Trains Would Be Needed To Replace The Capacity Of The Current Service?

To provide an hourly London-Manchester capacity of 1821 seats with 8-car HS2 trains would need around 3.6 trains.

Even in the unreal world that in which politicians exist, I doubt fractions of a train exist.

So I suspect, a practical timetable could be.

  1. 200m. train – Euston and Macclesfield via Old Oak Common, Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent.
  2. 200m. train – Euston and Manchester Piccadilly via Old Oak Common, Birmingham International and Manchester Airport.
  3. 200m. train – Euston and Manchester Piccadilly via Old Oak Common and Manchester Airport.
  4. 200m. train – Euston and Manchester Piccadilly via Old Oak Common and Manchester Airport.

This would be 2016 hourly seats, which is an increase of about 10 %

Please check my figures, as they could explain a lot.

 

 

 

April 19, 2026 Posted by | Design, Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Manchester To London Train To Run Without Passengers

The title of this post, is the same as that of this article on the BBC.

This is the sub-heading.

A train service taking commuters from Manchester to London is to run empty for around five months following a decision by the rail regulator.

These three paragraphs add more detail.

A decision by the Office of Rail and Road (ORR), means the 07:00 GMT service operated by Avanti West Coast from Manchester Piccadilly to London will still run but will only be used to carry staff from mid-December.

An Avanti West Coast spokesperson said they were “disappointed” with the decision, which would “clearly impact those customers who already use these services”.

An ORR spokesperson said the decision was made on “robust evidence” from Network Rail to guard against possible service disruption on the West Coast Main Line.

It is a long article on the BBC and I suspect, it is one of those, that should be fully-read before commenting.

I looked up last Friday’s service and found this.

  • It was an eleven-coach Class 390 train.
  • The train goes via Macclesfield, Stoke-on-Trent and Stafford, but only stops to pick up passengers at Stockport.
  • It left on time at 07:00.
  • It arrived in London at 09:20, which was twenty-one minutes late.

I think, I’ll see this train arrive on Monday.

Could Avanti West Coast Be Planning A Fast Service From Both Liverpool and Manchester?

Consider.

  • Manchester Piccadilly has a 07:00 train to Euston, that takes two hours via Stoke-on-Trent.
  • The train also stops at Stockport.
  • The Manchester Piccadilly train is an eleven-car Class 390 train, that is 265.3 metres long.
  • Liverpool Lime Street has a 06:43 train to Euston, that takes two hours and 11 minutes via Crewe, that stops at Runcorn.
  • The Liverpool Lime Street train is a seven-car Class 807 train, that is 182 metres long.

Note.

  1. I wonder, if at some time in the future, these two services could both be run by seven-car Class 807 trains, that joined at Crewe.
  2. This might not have been possible with Class 390 trains, as the pair of trains would have been very long.
  3. Class 390 trains may not be able to split and join.
  4. I don’t think any extra paths would be needed.

This would give Crewe, Liverpool, Manchester, Runcorn and Stockport, a fast early train to Euston.

November 29, 2025 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Beeching Reversal – East Didsbury – Stockport

This is one of the Beeching Reversal projects that the Government and Network Rail are proposing to reverse some of the Beeching cuts.

This project has been puzzling me.

Search Google for “East Didsbury and Stockport Rail Link” and all you find is grandiose plans for billion pound extensions to the Manchester Metrolink.

Having researched a lot of the proposed Beeching Reversal projects, it appears to me, that the ones likely to be built, will give a lot of benefit for millions, not billions of pounds.

I just wonder, if in this project, Manchester is stealing an idea from Birmingham – the four-poster station!

This Google Map shows Smethwick Galton Bridge station.

This extract from the Wikipedia entry, describes the station.

The station was opened in September 1995 as part of the Jewellery Line scheme to reopen the line between Smethwick and Birmingham Snow Hill station. It was built as an interchange station between two lines, and the platforms on both lines opened at the same time.

Note.

  1. The four lift towers with stairs, that connect the four platforms, have pyramid roofs.
  2. The station is fully step-free.
  3. The rail lines are at different levels.

These pictures show the station.

It is a very practical architectural idea and the world needs more four-poster stations to connect rail lines where they cross at different levels.

Could A Four-Poster Station Link East Didsbury And Stockport?

These are my thoughts.

The Location

This Google Map shows the general area, where the station could be built.

It is a spaghetti of motorways and rail lines with a lumpy sauce of new housing called Barnes Village in the middle.

Note, where the two rail lines cross in the South-West corner of the map.

This second Google Map, shows an enlarged image of the location, where the two rail lines cross.

Note.

  1. The Styal Line runs North-South.
  2. The line running East-West is the Mid-Cheshire Line between Altrincham and Stockport stations.

I suspect most travellers joining the rail network at this point, would walk or cycle in from nearby locations or turn up in a taxi.

The Styal Line

The Styal Line has the following characteristics.

  • It is an electrified double-track line.
  • It connects Manchester Piccadilly and Wilmslow stations.
  • There is a spur that serves Manchester Airport station.
  • East Didsbury station, is the station North of where the two lines cross.
  • Gatley station, is the station South of where the two lines cross.
  • It is the route of trains to and from Manchester Airport.

These trains go through East Didsbury and Gatley stations in trains per hour (tph)

  • 1 tph – Northern – Liverpool Lime Street and Crewe
  • 1 tph – Northern – Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Airport
  • 1 tph – Northern – Manchester Airport and Blackpool North
  • 1 tph – Northern – Manchester Airport and Cumbria
  • 1 tph – Trains for Wales – Manchester Airport and Chester
  • 1 tph – TransPennine Express – Manchester Airport and Redcar Central
  • 1 tph – TransPennine Express – Manchester Airport and Newcastle
  • 1 tph – TransPennine Express – Manchester Airport and Glasgow Central or Edinburgh

Freight trains also use the route.

This means that currently, there are eight tph between the Castlefield Corridor (Deansgate, Manchester Oxford Road and Manchester Piccadilly) and Manchester Airport, all of which go through the location, where the four-poster station could possibly be built.

So could the new station, be used to take pressure off the overloaded Castlefield Corridor?

The Mid-Cheshire Line

The Mid-Cheshire Line has the following characteristics.

  • At this point it is a single-track without electrification.
  • It connects Stockport and Altrincham stations.

Re-Doubling Of The Mid Cheshire Line Between Stockport and Altrincham And Associated Station Reopenings is another of the Beeching Reversal projects and envisages the following.

  • Re-doubling the route.
  • Possible electrification
  • Reopening some stations.

This is the only passenger service that uses the route.

  • 1 tph – Northern – Manchester Piccadilly and Chester

Up to two-three freight tph, also use the route.

In the related post, I said this about the desired frequency of services between Manchester and Chester stations.

It could be argued that two tph between Manchester Piccadilly and Chester are needed now and that four tph should be the preferred frequency.

There certainly needs to be four tph going through the proposed four-poster station.

Conclusion

I am being drawn to the conclusion, that this station if it were to be built, would help a lot of problems with Manchester’s railways.

  • It would allow a sort out of train services to Manchester Airport.
  • It would connect Stockport and Manchester Airport.
  • It would connect Stockport and East Didsbury.
  • It could help a solution to the problem of the Castlefield Corridor.

The station should be built.

August 5, 2020 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Beeching Reversal – Re-Doubling Of The Mid Cheshire Line Between Stockport and Altrincham And Associated Station Reopenings

This is one of the Beeching Reversal projects that the Government and Network Rail are proposing to reverse some of the Beeching cuts.

Much of this project appears to be about bringing the former Stockport, Timperley and Altrincham Junction Railway, back up to somewhere near its original state.

This map clipped from Wikipedia shows the railway.

Note.

  1. Stockport Edgeley is now just Stockport station.
  2. Altrincham station is on the Mid-Cheshire Line.
  3. Baguley, Northenden and both Cheadle stations are now closed.

I have just flown my virtual helicopter between Stockport and Altrincham stations and much of the route is already double-track.

  • At Cheadle Village Junction, which appears to be behind Cheadle Heath Police Station, the track becomes single.
  • Just before Sharston Junction, which appears to be to the North-East of Sharston, the track becomes double again.

I estimate, that the single-track section is just over two miles long.

I was also able to ascertain, that there appeared to be plenty of space, where British Rail singled the track.

There is also a second section of single-track, through Navigation Road station, which is shown in this Google Map.

Note.

  1. Both tracks through Navigation Road station are bi-directional.
  2. The Metrolink track is on the West.
  3. The National Rail track is on the East.
  4. South of Navigation Road station, both Metrolink and National Rail get two tracks.

In the twenty-four hours to 0600 this morning, a total of seventeen freight movements, went through this section.

  • Some were biomass trains between Liverpool and Drax power station, up to 6400 tonnes.
  • Some were stone trains from the quarries in the Peak District.
  • Some were Network Rail engineering trains.

I suspect this abort section of single track for both Metrolink and Network Rail is an absolute pain.

The single track must cause a lot of problems as the route is sometimes used by two or three trains per hour (tph) in both directions.

As some of the trains are some of the UK’s longest freight trains, it could  also be very challenging for the signalling and the signallers.

Work That Could Be Done

These sub-projects could be performed.

Elimination of Single Track At Cheadle

I think this is essential and could greatly increase the capacity of the route.

This Youtube video from Don Coffey, shows the view from the cab, which travelling from Manchester to Chester. If you watch from about thirteen minutes, you’ll see the single-track section.

Sorting Out Navigation Road

As with the single-track section at Cheadle, I think this is essential and could greatly increase the capacity of the route.

Watch the same Youtube video from about twenty-two minutes, and you’ll see the single-track section, through Navigation Road station.

In Tram-Trains To Hale Station, I talked about the possibilities of using a variant of Class 399 tram-trains, similar to those running on the Sheffield Supertram.

Signalling

It could be there are minor adjustments or major work to get the most out of a double-track railway.

Electrification

This is an excerpt from the Wikipedia entry for the Mid-Cheshire Line.

In March 2015, the Electrification Task Force said that the Mid-Cheshire line was a tier 1 priority for being electrified in the CP6 period (2019-2024)

Would electrification be installed to perhaps run electric trains between Manchester Piccadilly and Chester?

Baguley Station

I covered Baguley station in Glazebrook Junction And Skelton Junction, where I said this.

Baguley station could be an interesting station, as it would be possible to create an interchange with the Manchester Metrolink. Wikipedia says this.

Proposals were made in the early 2000s to reopen a station in the Baguley area when the extension of the Metrolink out to Wythenshawe and Manchester Airport is actioned. In May 2011 re-opening of the station on the Stockport-Altrincham line was included in Transport for Greater Manchester’s Passenger Plan. The station would be on Southmoor Road and would be a tram/train interchange with the Baguley tram stop, which opened in 2014.

This Google Map shows the possible Baguley Interchange.

Note.

    1. The North-South road is Southmoor Road.
    2. The Metrolink branch to the Airport runs alongside.
    3. The Stockport and Altrincham Line crosses East-West towards the North of the map.

If you take a train between Manchester Piccadilly and Chester via Stockport, Navigation Road, Altrincham and Knutsford, you cross on the railway through here.

So perhaps a Baguley Interchange station, would help some people get to and from Manchester Airport?

Baguley station certainly has possibilities.

Cheadle North Station

Could Cheadle North station be replaced?

This article on the Manchester Evening News is entitled Cheadle ‘On Cusp’ Of Having Own Railway Station For First Time Since Mid-1960s, where this is said.

If ministers back the proposals, the railway station is likely to be built next to the Alexandra Hospital along the mid-Cheshire line – close to where the original Cheadle (later Cheadle North) station was.

This Google Map shows the Cheadle Alexandra Hospital and the Mid-Cheshire Line.

Note.

  1. The hospital is the largest private hospital in the UK, outside London.
  2. The railway, which is single-track at this point, runs along the South side of the site.

If the line is double-tracked, as seems likely, adding a small station would not be a challenging addition.

Northenden Station

Could Northenden station be replaced?

Future Train Services

The train service between Manchester Piccadilly and Chester is as follows.

  • The service is 45 miles.
  • It takes 90 minutes.
  • There are stops at Stockport, Navigation Road, Altrincham, Hale, Ashley, Mobberley, Knutsford, Plumley, Lostock Gtalam, Northwich, Greenbank, Cuddington, Delamere and Mouldsworth.

It could be argued that two tph between Manchester Piccadilly and Chester are needed now and that four tph should be the preferred frequency.

There are other services.

 

Conclusion

After restoring the double-track on this route, there are possibilities to spend, as much money as you want.

In Tram-Trains To Hale Station, these were my conclusions.

  • Tram-trains can deliver a capacity improvement through Navigation Road station.
  • Tram-trains could be extensively tested on the existing Manchester Metrolink network.
  • Tram-trains could be used to build a simple extension to Hale station from Altrincham.
  • The Manchester and Chester service via Stockport, Navigation Road and Altrincham stations could be run by tram-trains.

A comprehensive network of tram-trains could be developed between, through and beyond Altrincham, Crewe and Chester.

Cheshire would have a quality commuter and local train network into Manchester.

After all in the next couple of years, Merseyrail’s Cheshire network will be getting a major upgrade with new trains and perhaps another new route.

August 3, 2020 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , | 6 Comments

Beeching Reversal – Glazebrook Junction And Skelton Junction

This is one of the Beeching Reversal projects that the Government and Network Rail are proposing to reverse some of the Beeching cuts.

This Wikipedia entry, which is entitled Glazebrook East Junction–Skelton Junction Line. gives a lot of information.

Closure Of Passenger Services

This is said.

As part of the London Midland region of BR, It remained a busy line with trains from Liverpool Central and Warrington Central up until the mid-1960s. It was only on the withdrawal of these stopping passenger services in 1964 that all the stations closed along the line.

Where did the services terminate?

I would assume it was Stockport.

Closure Of Freight Services

This is said.

The line carried on as freight only until 1983 when Cadishead Viaduct was in need of serious and costly repair. British Rail decided rather than repairing the viaduct to close it and mothball the line. The tracks were lifted in the mid-1980s from Glazebrook to Partington.

This Google Map shows Cadishead Viaduct over the Manchester Ship Canal, which appears to need some TLC.

It looks to be in similar condition to that of this bridge at Tottenham Hale station in London, before it was replaced.

This Google Map show the bridge at Tottenham Hale now.

It certainly looks a lot better and was installed in a few days over Christmas.

It might be expensive but it certainly looks possible, to add a pair of replacements at Cadishead Viaduct.

Glazebrook Junction

This is said about Glazebrook Junction.

As of 2010 Glazebrook East Junction is still intact and remains part of the national network. The junction towards Cadishead on the original deviation is also still in place with a powered signal lamp showing a permanent red signal. This short section of track from the still live passing loop at Glazebrook East Junction towards Cadishead on the original non-deviated line is permanently point locked. The short section ends near a barrow crossing shortly before a bridge carrying a bridleway above.

This Google Map shows the Junction and Glazebrook station.

Note.

  1. Glazebrook station is in the South-West corner of the map.
  2. The line to be reinstated leaves the map in the South-East corner.

Could there be space for a double-track junction?

Skelton Junction

This is said about Skelton junction.

The tracks from Skelton Junction to the south east of Partington were left and remained intact for chemical trains for a local chemical plant. These trains continued to use this route until 10 October 1993. To this day however this part of the line is intact but disused; the signal lamps at Skelton Junction remain powered red. Also in 2005 this part of the track saw some work; vegetation clearance took place for the line to reopen for freight but this fell through.

This Google Map shows Skelton junction.

Note, that from Skelton junction it appears, it is an easy run to Stockport station.

Stations

Four stations from the route have closed.

Baguley station could be an interesting station, as it would be possible to create an interchange with the Manchester Metrolink. Wikipedia says this.

Proposals were made in the early 2000s to reopen a station in the Baguley area when the extension of the Metrolink out to Wythenshawe and Manchester Airport is actioned. In May 2011 re-opening of the station on the Stockport-Altrincham line was included in Transport for Greater Manchester’s Passenger Plan. The station would be on Southmoor Road and would be a tram/train interchange with the Baguley tram stop, which opened in 2014.

This Google Map shows the possible Baguley Interchange.

Note.

  1. The North-South road is Southmoor Road.
  2. The Metrolink branch to the Airport runs alongside.
  3. The Stockport and Altrincham Line crosses East-West towards the North of the map.

If you take a train between Manchester Piccadilly and Chester via Stockport, Navigation Road, Altrincham and Knutsford, you cross on the railway through here.

So perhaps a Baguley Interchange station, would help some people get to and from Manchester Airport?

Future Train Services

It would appear that at the simplest level it creates a passenger connection between Liverpool Lime Street and Manchester Piccadilly stations via South West Manchester and Stockport.

There are also large projects underway, close to Glazebrook.

Climate Emission Killer: Construction Begins On World’s Biggest Liquid Air Battery

railfuture On The Castlefield Problem

Will these two projects and others like them by the Manchester Ship Canal, create the need for more passenger and freight trains to the area?

Conclusion

It looks to me, that opening this new passenger train route could be very beneficial for those that live, work and play in the area.

August 3, 2020 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , | 4 Comments

Beeching Reversal – Stockport And Ashton Line

This is one of the Beeching Reversal projects that the Government and Network Rail are proposing to reverse some of the Beeching cuts.

I came across this railway, when I was writing Macclesfield Station And High Speed Two, as I felt the Stockport and Stalybridge Line could be a useful connection to the proposed High Speed Two terminus at Macclesfield station.

This article on the Quest Media Network is entitled Proposals For New Rail Link Between Ashton And Stockport.

This paragraph described the political backing.

The Labour politicians are backing a bid to the ‘Restoring Your Railway Fund’, which will distribute £500 million of funds to reinstate axed local services and restore stations. 

The bid was put forward by Transport for Greater Manchester (TfGM) and Stockport Council, but also has the backing of Tameside Council.

Not fans of Boris, I would presume!

These paragraphs describe the proposals

It proposes two options – a heavy rail service between Stockport and Manchester Victoria via Denton and Reddish South, and a light rail service connecting with the existing Manchester-Ashton Metrolink line at Ashton Moss in the north, and with the proposed Stockport-East Didsbury line in the south.

The proposals also open possibilities of new stations along the line at Audenshaw, Thornley Lane and Heaton Norris.

These are my thoughts.

Macclesfield As A Terminal

As I said in conjunction with High Speed Two, I believe that Macclesfield station would make a good terminal, where a Stockport-facing platform could be built, which would give step-free access to the hourly High Speed Two train to Stoke, Stafford and London.

Manchester Victoria And Stockport

This route map, which has been clipped from Wikipedia, shows the route between Manchester Victoria and Stockport stations.

Note.

  1. The connection to Manchester Victoria station joins at Denton Junction.
  2. There are possible stations at Denton, Reddish South and Heaton Norris.
  3. Trains to Macclesfield station take the West Coast Main Line from Stockport station.
  4. At Stalybridge there is a connection to the Huddersfield Line for Huddersfield and Leeds.

Realtimetrains devolves this extra information.

  • Manchester Victoria and Stockport are twelve miles apart via Denton.
  • It is a busy freight route with upwards of a couple of trains per hour (tph)
  • There used to be a station at Miles Platting.

It is a comprehensive route and deserves a lot more than a simple hourly service to Manchester Victoria station.

Battery Electric Trains

Consider.

  • Macclesfield, Manchester Victoria and Stockport stations are all fully electrified.
  • About twelve miles of track are not electrified.
  • Manchester Victoria and Macclesfield stations are twenty-four miles apart.
  • I estimate a four-car 100 mph battery electric train like a Class 350 train would do the trip in close to 25 minutes.

It looks like an ideal route for a battery electric train to me.

Two trains would be needed to run a two tph service, with no extra infrastructure.

Conclusion

Develop a service between Manchester Victoria and Macclesfield stations using battery electric trains, with at least a frequency of two tph.

 

July 15, 2020 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Could East Midlands Railway’s Liverpool And Norwich Service Avoid A Reverse At Sheffield By Using the Barrow Hill Line?

When East Midlands Railway’s service between Liverpool and Norwich runs between Chesterfield and Stockport stations, the train goes via Sheffield station, where the train reverses.

In Reinstatement Of The Barrow Hill Line Between Sheffield And Chesterfield, I talked about the reinstatement of the Barrow Hill Line, which could be used as an alternative route between Sheffield and Chesterfield.

The Norwich and Liverpool train would enter Sheffield station in the other direction, so there would be no need for the train to reverse direction or the driver to change ends.

There must be a very sensible reason, why the Barrow Hill route is not used.

July 14, 2020 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , | 1 Comment

Macclesfield Station And High Speed Two

Today, I went to Macclesfield station.

In the latest iteration of High Speed Two, two new destinations were added to the High Speed Two Network; Macclesfield and Lancaster.

These pictures show Macclesfield station.

It is a modern station, with three through platforms, two bridges and some Modernist architecture from the 1970s, that could be improved.

This Google Map shows the layout of the station.

Note.

  1. Platform 1 is in the West and is used by trains to Stockport and Manchester Piccadilly.
  2. Platform 2 is in the middle and is used by trains going to Stoke, London and the South.
  3. Platform 3 is in the East and appears to be used a couple of times per day.
  4. It also appears there might have been a fourth platform.

All platforms appear capable of handling an eleven-car Class 390 train, which are over two hundred and sixty metres in length.

 

Is the plan to use Macclesfield as a High Speed Two terminal feasible?

Which Trains Will High Speed Two Use On Macclesfield Services?

It appears that High Speed Two will have two types of trains.

  1. Trains built to the European loading gauge, that will only be able to work on high lines like High Speed One and High Speed Two. Examples would be Eurostar’s Class 373 and Class 374 trains.
  2. Trains built to the UK loading gauge, that could also work on existing UK 125 mph routes like the East Coast, Great Western, Midland and West Coast Main Lines. Examples would be Class 800. Class 801, Class 802, Class 390 and Class 745 trains.

The second type, which are referred to, as class-compatible trains will be used to Macclesfield, as these services will share track with Class 390 and other trains, that have been or will be built to the smaller UK loading gauge.

Will Classic-Compatible High Speed Two Trains Fit Into Macclesfield Station?

Currently, every hour, one eleven-car Class 390 train calls in Macclesfield station in both directions, as they provide one of Avanti \west Coast’s three trains per hour (tph) between London Euston and Manchester Piccadilly stations.

The current trains are sixty metres longer than the proposed classic-compatible High Speed Two trains, that could be terminating in Macclesfield station.

How Would Passengers Who Started And Finished Their Journeys In Macclesfield, Connect to Manchester?

Currently, these hourly services connect Manchester Piccadilly and Stoke stations.

  • Avanti West Cost – Manchester Piccadilly and London Euston.
  • CrossCountry – Manchester Piccadilly and Bournemouth
  • CrossCountry – Manchester Piccadilly and Bristol
  • Northern – Manchester Piccadilly and Stoke, which stops at all stations.

The characteristics would be common to all these four trains.

  • Services call at Stockport, Macclesfield and Stoke stations.
  • As services share tracks with a High Speed Two service, they must be reasonably fast.
  • All except the Northern service are 125 mph trains.
  • The Northern service is run by a 90 mph Class 323 electric train.
  • As Manchester Piccadilly and Stoke via Stockport is a fully-electrified route, the trains should probably be able to take advantage.

In an ideal world should the frequency be six tph or one train every ten minutes in each direction?

Which Platforms Would Be Used To Terminate High Speed Two Services?

Trains built to the UK loading gauge could probably terminate in any of the three platforms.

But it might be advantageous to terminate all services in the same platform.

Platform 3 would be the obvious choice.

  • It shares an island platform with classic services going South between Manchester Piccadilly and Stoke.
  • Passengers starting their journeys in Manchester Piccadilly or Stockport could just walk across from their connecting train to the High Speed Two train.

It must surely be a possibility to make Platform 2 able to operate bi-directionally, so that all trains between Manchester Piccadilly and Stoke stations in both directions, stop in Platform 2, alongside the High Speed Two train for London and the South, that is waiting in Platform 3. The combined frequency would be eight tph. All passengers would just walk across the island platform to change trains.

Could A North-Facing Bay Platform Be Fitted Into The Northern End Of The Island Platform 2/3?

If you are going to provide a High Speed Two service to and from Macclesfield station, it needs to have superb and comprehensive connections to as many places as possible.

The station currently has four tph to Manchester Piccadilly, Stockport and Stoke, but would a North-facing bay platform with level access to the High Speed Two platform make any of the following feasible?

  • Run a second local stopping service between Manchester Piccadilly and Macclesfield to give all intermediate stations two tph to High Speed Two.
  • Run hourly services to places that don’t have good connections to high speed services to London and the South.
  • The Stockport and Stalybridge Line could be used to connect Stalybridge and Huddersfield to High Speed Two.
  • There might even be a way of creating a link between Macclesfield and Manchester Airport.

Note.

  1. Looking at the platform layout at Macclesfield station, fitting in a bay platform would appear to be feasible.
  2. The important Stockport station, which seems to have been forgotten by High Speed Two would probably have at least six tph to High Speed Two at Macclesfield station.
  3. The local train could be timed to arrive at Macclesfield station, a convenient time before the High Speed Two train is scheduled to depart.

The bay platform could even be part of Platform 3, if it was decided that trains stopping in Platform 3, never used the platform as a through platform. It would be Macclesfield’s version of the Clapham Kiss.

I suspect more space could be found, by moving the signal box at the end of the station.

\remember that these days most signalling is controlled from centralised Rail Operation Centres.

Could High Speed Two Trains Run Between Macclesfield And Manchester Piccadilly?

As I said earlier, High Speed Two’s classic-compatible trains will be the same cross-section and shorter, than an eleven-car Class 390 train.

So the answer to my question must be yes!

  • This would enable a stop at Stockport station.
  • No platform lengthening would be required at Manchester Piccadilly and Stockport stations.

High Speed Two must have good reasons for using Macclesfield as a terminal.

  • There are capacity issues between Macclesfield and Manchester Piccadilly stations.
  • Macclesfield offers opportunities to connect to places, that are difficult to reach from Manchester Piccadilly station.

But these problems could probably be overcome by digital signalling or extension of the Manchester Metrolink.

Could More High Speed Two Services Run Between Macclesfield Station and The South?

Consider.

  • I believe that Macclesfield station could handle more than an hourly High Speed Two train.
  • It is a general principle, that on a metro like the London Overground or Merseyrail, that a single platform can handle up to four or even six tph.
  • Four tph would surely be too high, but Macclesfield could easily handle a second classic-compatible train to and from Birmingham Curzon Street via Stoke and Stafford.
  • During the inevitable works at Manchester Piccadilly station to sccomodate High Speed Two, Macclesfield could offer an alternative route, between London and Manchester.

Using Macclesfield station, as an alternative terminal for Manchester Piccadilly, builds in extra capacity for the future and offers a valuable alternative route during construction and upgrade works.

Rationalisation Between Cross Country And High Speed Two

Consider.

  • In a lot of locations North of Birmingham, CrossCountry and High Speed Two seem to provide similar services between the same stations.
  • Using currently proposed connections between High Speed Two and the classic network, CrossCountry’s services could run faster.
  • CrossCountry’s new fleet of trains will probably be multi-mode trains, that will be very similar to the classic-compatible High Speed Two trains.
  • Some of the routes used by CrossCountry’s services will have a substantial upgrade to allow higher speeds and more trains, to speed up High Speed Two services.

There must be a case for rationalisation of services.

Conclusion

The more I look at High Speed Two terminating at Macclesfield station, the more I like it.

I can see these services running from the station in the future.

  • High Speed Two – Macclesfield and London Euston – One tph – This service would additionally call at Birmingham Interchange to link up with CrossCountry to the South.
  • High Speed Two – Macclesfield and Birmingham Curzon Street – One tph
  • CrossCountry – Macclesfield and Bournemouth, Plymouth or Reading – One tph.
  • Northern and others – Macclesfield and Manchester Piccadilly via Stockport – Four-six tph
  • Northern – Macclesfield and Huddersfield via Stockport and Stalybridge – Two tph
  • Northern – Macclesfield and Manchester Airport – Two tph.

Obviously, this is all speculation, but Macclesfield will develop into an important rail hub to the South-East of Manchester.

 

July 14, 2020 Posted by | Transport/Travel | , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments