Interesting Salford Crescent move 15/16th Oct

[Dspatula]

Noticed this set of moves to and from Salford Crescent booked for Wednesday night, are there they something to do with the platform or is should I be reading something into that class 350 timing path?

Realtime Trains | 5H50 2035 Db Cargo Fan A And B Sdgs to Manchester Piccadilly | 15/10/2025

Real-time train running information for 5H50 2035 departure from Db Cargo Fan A And B Sdgs to Manchester Piccadilly on 15/10/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 3Q51 0022 Manchester Piccadilly to Salford Crescent | 16/10/2025

Real-time train running information for 3Q51 0022 departure from Manchester Piccadilly to Salford Crescent on 16/10/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 3Q53 0132 Salford Crescent to Salford Crescent | 16/10/2025

Real-time train running information for 3Q53 0132 departure from Salford Crescent to Salford Crescent on 16/10/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 3Q54 0209 Salford Crescent to Salford Crescent | 16/10/2025

Real-time train running information for 3Q54 0209 departure from Salford Crescent to Salford Crescent on 16/10/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 3Q55 0240 Salford Crescent to Manchester Piccadilly | 16/10/2025

Real-time train running information for 3Q55 0240 departure from Salford Crescent to Manchester Piccadilly on 16/10/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Realtime Trains | 5R56 0310 Manchester Piccadilly to Db Cargo Fan A And B Sdgs | 16/10/2025

Real-time train running information for 5R56 0310 departure from Manchester Piccadilly to Db Cargo Fan A And B Sdgs on 16/10/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[tfw756rider]

Being discussed over at:

London NorthWestern Railway Class 350/2 withdrawal

Someone's just asked the question in the allocations and diagrams section about a train running empty on Wed (15th) night from Wembley to Manchester, then acquiring a Q headcode (generally testing) and spending a few hours running Salford Crescent to Bolton, then back to Wembley for 7am. Could...

www.railforums.co.uk

and

Future of the 350/2s

16 units would be needed for Blackpool. Plus you have the 2 Crewe services, potentially Stoke, Manchester Airport-Liverpool, Liverpool-Wigan/Blackpool and the 331s in the east which could all be replaced with 350/2. With some extra infrastructure, a couple could be sent to the North East to run...

www.railforums.co.uk

 

[Geeves]

350s quite happily ran on all the routes tested tonight including to Victoria under TPE so you have to wonder why. It can't be for route clearance as they are already cleared.

 

[pokemonsuper9]

350s quite happily ran on all the routes tested tonight including to Victoria under TPE so you have to wonder why. It can't be for route clearance as they are already cleared.

Testing if they fit as 8 car in Salford Crescent?

 

[Geeves]

Testing if they fit as 8 car in Salford Crescent?

Maybe! 10 of them to replace the 769s with a couple of timetable alterations will be very nice as well .

 

[Dspatula]

350s quite happily ran on all the routes tested tonight including to Victoria under TPE so you have to wonder why. It can't be for route clearance as they are already cleared.

Cheers.
So this was for TPE?
Yeah, I completely misread that, please ignore.

 

[Geeves]

Cheers.
So this was for TPE?

I can't see it myself.

 

[Mamorin]

Maybe! 10 of them to replace the 769s with a couple of timetable alterations will be very nice as well .

Northern plan to replace the 769s with Class 781s.

 

[Geeves]

Northern plan to replace the 769s with Class 781s.

We are likely ten years away from 769s going anywhere in the current plan

 

[Mamorin]

The issue with replacing the 769s with 350/2s is 350/2s can't work to Southport.

So Northern will not use the 350/2s to replace the 769s even in the short term.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Oct 2025 ==

So this was for TPE?

I would guess this was maybe for Northern.

Can't see why TPE would be interested in the 350/2s.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Oct 2025 ==

350s quite happily ran on all the routes tested tonight including to Victoria under TPE so you have to wonder why. It can't be for route clearance as they are already cleared.

Glad to hear all the tests tonight ran.

I know some of the Glossop tests got cancelled back when those were happening.

 

[Geeves]

The issue with replacing the 769s with 350/2s is 350/2s can't work to Southport.

So Northern will not use the 350/2s to replace the 769s even in the short term.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Oct 2025 ==

Of course but they don't need to go to Southport if the timetable is altered to suit with the Southport trains going back to the Atherton line and the trains via Bolton end at Wigan NW thus you've removed the need for 769s in one easy move

 

[Mamorin]

That would require spare DMUs to operate the Southport service, and do Northern have enough spare DMUs to operate such a service.

There would be an issue early mornings and late evenings at Wigan NW since the bay platform is quite busy during those times.

 

[Gordonman]

Does anyone know which units worked the test runs last night?

Thanks

 

[wickham]

The issue with replacing the 769s with 350/2s is 350/2s can't work to Southport.

So Northern will not use the 350/2s to replace the 769s even in the short term.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Oct 2025 ==


I would guess this was maybe for Northern.

Can't see why TPE would be interested in the 350/2s.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 16 Oct 2025 ==


Glad to hear all the tests tonight ran.

I know some of the Glossop tests got cancelled back when those were happening.

Somebody here has completely got hold of the wrong end of the stick ! What was being said is that TPE DID RUN 350s (350/4) on their Manchester-Edinburgh & Glasgow services until they were replaced by new trains and the 350/4s transferred to London MIdland.

 

[Mamorin]

Yes TPE did run 350/4s, they would not want the 350/2s.

While TPE do want more trains they want any more trains to:
A. Be New
B. Be Bi-Mode/Multi Mode.

The 350/2s are nether of those.

Does anyone know which units worked the test runs last night?

Thanks

Anyway let’s get back on topic, and perhaps somebody could very kindly answer this question?

 

[Geeves]

That would require spare DMUs to operate the Southport service, and do Northern have enough spare DMUs to operate such a service.

There would be an issue early mornings and late evenings at Wigan NW since the bay platform is quite busy during those times.

Some days no 769s run at all so yes it's possible to run the service without them at the expense of some short forms around the network.

One of the 350s was 350267 plus one in old West Midlands Trains colours but we can't see the number unfortunately!

 

[185]

I reckon it's the leasing company is running these, checking platform & route structural clearance, ohl compatibility etc to increase their chances of reletting them.

 

[Dspatula]

I reckon it's the leasing company is running these, checking platform & route structural clearance, ohl compatibility etc to increase their chances of reletting them.

They don't need to as Geeves said, and I misread, they already know that from when TPE ran them on all these routes.
The only thing they need to know is does an 8 car foul the junctions when it's in a platform at Crescent, sadly I suspect the answer will be it doesn't fit.

 

[Bevan Price]

Some EMUs will be required for Manchester - Huddersfield - Leeds stopping services in a few years. Also, lthough still competent units, Class 323 will need to be replaced sometime. Although maybe not quite as good acceleration, Class 350/2 could be a potential (shortish term) replacement.

 

[Gordonman]

Some days no 769s run at all so yes it's possible to run the service without them at the expense of some short forms around the network.

One of the 350s was 350267 plus one in old West Midlands Trains colours but we can't see the number unfortunately!

Thanks for the unit ID.The other was probably 350266 as that and 350267 ran together off lease to Wembley recently