Manchester Central vs Ordsall Chord

[Bevan Price]

It would solve a lot of problems - and upset some politicians - if Manchester followed the example of other cities (UK or overseas), and the only Airport trains were shuttle services to/from the city centre. Say 4 per hour from Piccadilly, and 2 per hour from Victoria via Ordsall chord would be enough. No need from trains from here, there & everywhere to go through to the Aiport, with all the complicated planning & pathing needed, and less easily upset by delays at locations remote from the Manchester area.

As for Manchester Central, it was inconvenient for station to station interchanges - and - apart from Deansgate, not very convenient for some of the shopping & business centres. However, with Metrolink now nearby, that would have made interchanges easier. And with Metrolink now occupying the former main line to Chorlton & Didsbury, I see little point in trying to reinstate Manchester Central.

Someone mentioned westbound terminating locations for Victoria. Well - there is some space. Much of the former Exchange station site is only used for car parking, which should be easy to remove......

 

[Purple Orange]

It would solve a lot of problems - and upset some politicians - if Manchester followed the example of other cities (UK or overseas), and the only Airport trains were shuttle services to/from the city centre. Say 4 per hour from Piccadilly, and 2 per hour from Victoria via Ordsall chord would be enough. No need from trains from here, there & everywhere to go through to the Aiport, with all the complicated planning & pathing needed, and less easily upset by delays at locations remote from the Manchester area.

As for Manchester Central, it was inconvenient for station to station interchanges - and - apart from Deansgate, not very convenient for some of the shopping & business centres. However, with Metrolink now nearby, that would have made interchanges easier. And with Metrolink now occupying the former main line to Chorlton & Didsbury, I see little point in trying to reinstate Manchester Central.

Someone mentioned westbound terminating locations for Victoria. Well - there is some space. Much of the former Exchange station site is only used for car parking, which should be easy to remove......

Two large office buildings were built on the site of Exchange station several years ago - the area has been transformed. A skyscraper is currently being built right where the end of the Central Station platforms once ended.

I do agree about the airport station. If I had the power, I’d priototise running 8 tph from the airport: 4 to Liverpool via CLC and via Victoria run 2 stoppers to Stalybridge and 2 stoppers to Leeds. The other services would be planned around that.

 

[adamedwards]

In 2 years(?) time it will be possible to run electric trains to the bay plaforms at Stalybridge, originally planned to happen, I believe at the same time as the Ordsall Chord. That will then enable electric trains coming in from the west to run through, saving on platforms occupied by terminating trains, assuming in the timetable there are any left by then.

 

[Chester1]

In 2 years(?) time it will be possible to run electric trains to the bay plaforms at Stalybridge, originally planned to happen, I believe at the same time as the Ordsall Chord. That will then enable electric trains coming in from the west to run through, saving on platforms occupied by terminating trains, assuming in the timetable there are any left by then.

The electrification works are making good progress. The delay on electric services is the remodelling of Stalybridge station due to happen in 2024. Whether it actually gets completed on time is a different matter. As you point out it will help with reducing occupation at Victoria and it will also reduce diesel use by 802s.

 

[snowball]

The electrification works are making good progress. The delay on electric services is the remodelling of Stalybridge station due to happen in 2024. Whether it actually gets completed on time is a different matter. As you point out it will help with reducing occupation at Victoria and it will also reduce diesel use by 802s.

The remodelling of Stalybridge is to take place in a 26-day closure in March 2023, as mentioned several times in the main TRU thread. The only indication we have as to what would count as "completed on time" for the overall Manchester-Stalybridge electrification is mid-2020s, a target which would seem hard to miss in the circumstances!

 

[adamedwards]

So the May 2023 timetable can allow for EMUs to run to Stalybridge? Or more realistically December 2023? Either way, takes some pressure off Victoria. I'm guessing electric traction up Miles Platting Bank will also help speed journeys over diesel.

 

[StretfordEnd96]

So the May 2023 timetable can allow for EMUs to run to Stalybridge? Or more realistically December 2023? Either way, takes some pressure off Victoria. I'm guessing electric traction up Miles Platting Bank will also help speed journeys over diesel.

The station is being remodelled in March the rest of the route still needs gantry's and wires running yet and I believe the idea is for it to start in 2025 although someone may want to correct me there. Into one of the bay platforms.

 

[snowball]

Most of the route has been done, it's difficult to see how they can spin it out till 2025.

 

[zwk500]

Most of the route has been done, it's difficult to see how they can spin it out till 2025.

You don't just need wires, but also power in them!

 

[snowball]

You don't just need wires, but also power in them!

But surely that will follow simply from connecting them to the existing wires at Bromley Street near Victoria. The extension lead from Heyrod to Ordsall has been operational for a few years now, hasn't it?

 

[LittleAH]

So the May 2023 timetable can allow for EMUs to run to Stalybridge? Or more realistically December 2023? Either way, takes some pressure off Victoria. I'm guessing electric traction up Miles Platting Bank will also help speed journeys over diesel.

It won't be happening until 2024. A colleague at Northern was rather confident of that.

 

[StretfordEnd96]

But surely that will follow simply from connecting them to the existing wires at Bromley Street near Victoria. The extension lead from Heyrod to Ordsall has been operational for a few years now, hasn't it?

There's probably a whole lot of other stuff that needs to be sorted too that we probably just don't really know about.

In this day and age everything takes forever, certainly in this country anyway. In other countries a near 9 mile stretch of railway could probably be electrified (from the installation of the first gantry to the running of the first train) in absolutely no time i.e. 6-12 months tops. In this neck of the woods I have always noticed things just seem to drag. And then drag even more. And then when you think it's all finished, stick an extra 12 months on.

Power supplies, safety tests, test trains, other logistics etc. probably all play apart beyond the physical installation of catenary and gantries.