'Ardwick Blockade' - February 2026 (timetable alteration updates)

[td97]

The timetable is amended otherwise the trains to/from Blackpool would run to Manchester Airport instead of Piccadilly.

My reply was to the specific question about the Manchester Oxford Road to Bolton services. Of which there are no changes to train times.

 

[j37401]

All gone quiet on this thread regarding this blockade which starts at the end of next week. I see all the revised freight paths are in. With all intermodal traffic in and out of Trafford Park diverted via Chat Moss after reversal between Oxford Road & Piccadilly on that first Saturday. These being top & tail. FL attaching / detaching locos at Crewe, DB at Arpley and GBRf at Springs Branch. Not sure about the DRS Tesco job. Perhaps top & tail out of Daventry. Also i believe that most trains will need to be reduced in length for the reversal between Oxford Rd & Man Picc to fit into the section. Makes you wonder who will foot the bill for all the extra resource required to divert these services and running under SLU whereby the customers are often compensated depending on the contract..

 

[Rail Ranger]

I see that from 12.00 on Tuesday 17th February intermodal trains to and from Trafford Park will go through Ardwick Junction and Piccadilly platform 14 after the possession has been given up on the reversible down slow line through Ardwick Junction.

 

[j37401]

I see that from 12.00 on Tuesday 17th February intermodal trains to and from Trafford Park will go through Ardwick Junction and Piccadilly platform 14 after the possession has been given up on the reversible down slow line through Ardwick Junction.

It will be interesting to see how it all goes on saturday and monday especially with limited passenger service inbetween and all services reversing. If one train is late it could knock the whole timetable off..

 

[The Planner]

All gone quiet on this thread regarding this blockade which starts at the end of next week. I see all the revised freight paths are in. With all intermodal traffic in and out of Trafford Park diverted via Chat Moss after reversal between Oxford Road & Piccadilly on that first Saturday. These being top & tail. FL attaching / detaching locos at Crewe, DB at Arpley and GBRf at Springs Branch. Not sure about the DRS Tesco job. Perhaps top & tail out of Daventry. Also i believe that most trains will need to be reduced in length for the reversal between Oxford Rd & Man Picc to fit into the section. Makes you wonder who will foot the bill for all the extra resource required to divert these services and running under SLU whereby the customers are often compensated depending on the contract..

NR do. The freight operators will claim for it.

It will be interesting to see how it all goes on saturday and monday especially with limited passenger service inbetween and all services reversing. If one train is late it could knock the whole timetable off..

Thats the problem with trying to block any significant location, take too many trains out and you can't move people/blockade gets rejected. Too many and it falls apart.

 

[D1537]

A trivial query, but why are various shuttles (Piccadilly-Oxford Rd-Liverpool on the Saturday, Piccadilly-Salford on the Sunday for example) "pathed as Electric locomotive, trailing load 331 tonnes"? Is this simply a typo for a Class 331?

 

[Starmill]

A trivial query, but why are various shuttles (Piccadilly-Oxford Rd-Liverpool on the Saturday, Piccadilly-Salford on the Sunday for example) "pathed as Electric locomotive, trailing load 331 tonnes"? Is this simply a typo for a Class 331?

It's a data glitch in the display on that timing load. Nothing to worry about. The times for it are correct.

 

[CHESHIRECAT]

Out of curiosity wonder why nothing going from Stockport to Victoria? Even a ½ hourly shuttle ?
ISTR that during last blockade in early '90-s?

 

[CHAPS2034]

Out of curiosity wonder why nothing going from Stockport to Victoria? Even a ½ hourly shuttle ?
ISTR that during last blockade in early '90-s?

I suspect there are pathing issues into and around Victoria, as it is much busier nowadays.

RRBs running non stop on Piccadilly - Stockport and vv every 10 minutes - journey time 35 mins during most of the day, with a 10 minute 'pathing allowance' for a 45 minute journey time during the peaks.

 

[voyagerdude220]

ISTR that during last blockade in early '90-s?

I seem to recall Virgin running Voyagers Stockport-Manchester Vic and vice versa in the early 2000s but can't remember precisely when. It may well have been after Cross Country took over.

 

[Geeves]

Yes as others have said any capacity that there once was at Victoria is now filled with 8 TPE services an hour, plus extra Leeds trains and another Blackburn per hour, plus various others in the peaks. From 1600 onwards there's 23 departures per hour from the 6 platforms over a very restrictive east end layout.

 

[Rail Ranger]

Also Northern drivers have route knowledge via Denton-Ashton Moss and Philips Park-Ashburys but their conductors don't. ECS trains via those routes are driver only.

 

[The Planner]

Out of curiosity wonder why nothing going from Stockport to Victoria? Even a ½ hourly shuttle ?
ISTR that during last blockade in early '90-s?

It was looked at. Platform capacity at both ends cause problems as well as the fact you can't get into 3 and 4 from the north and you can only go north out of 1 at Stockport.

 

[CHESHIRECAT]

Interesting; wasn't a criticism more of a discussion point!

 

[M60lad]

Out of interest one thing has got me thinking what will all the staff at Piccadilly be doing during the blockade for example Gateline Staff and all the dispatchers that work at Piccadilly as there won't be that much work for them to do?

 

[AndrewE]

Out of interest one thing has got me thinking what will all the staff at Piccadilly be doing during the blockade for example Gateline Staff and all the dispatchers that work at Piccadilly as there won't be that much work for them to do?

Hopefully training on ticket validity and customer care!

 

[Peter749]

It will be interesting to see how it all goes on saturday and monday especially with limited passenger service inbetween and all services reversing. If one train is late it could knock the whole timetable off..

There are very few freights reversing in P14 and the passenger trains in P13.

I think Piccadilly can handle 3 trains per hour. They can always turn round at MCO if running late.

 

[The Planner]

There are very few freights reversing in P14 and the passenger trains in P13.

I think Piccadilly can handle 3 trains per hour. They can always turn round at MCO if running late.

Oxford Road is pretty much wedged during the block.

 

[Peter0124]

How is the reversing going to work on Sat/Mon? P14 according to google maps is only about 250 metres, so I'm assuming freights will be that length maximum?

 

[800001]

Out of interest one thing has got me thinking what will all the staff at Piccadilly be doing during the blockade for example Gateline Staff and all the dispatchers that work at Piccadilly as there won't be that much work for them to do?

Helping direct all Customers to any trains that are running, assisting people to Rail replacement busses and general Customer service.

 

[scrapy]

I know on driver/guard strike days Carlisle agency staff working on behalf of Northern went unpaid unless they chose to take annual leave. Whilst its likely some may be repositioned to other stations such as Guide Bridge, and some will likely check the trains arriving on P13, its likely several will be on zero hours next week.

 

[The Planner]

How is the reversing going to work on Sat/Mon? P14 according to google maps is only about 250 metres, so I'm assuming freights will be that length maximum?

That is just how its shown in the timetable, they will be much longer with the other end pretty much at Oxford Road.

 

[Peter0124]

That is just how its shown in the timetable, they will be much longer with the other end pretty much at Oxford Road.

I assume there will be two drivers at each end?

 

[HST125Scorton]

From what I gathered freights will going through P14 to stop between MP334 to MP306 on the DS to enable the reverse. I believe 'Correct me if wrong' that FL, DB & DRS are running in top & tail with additional locos coming on/off at Arpley and Basford Hall while DRS will be on/off at Daventry. Some of these trains are well over 200mtrs+ in length and can go up to near 600mtrs. I believe the US/DS slow points are been done first to allow this, then from around 18th some can go through P14, DS, Longsight DG to Slade Lane Jn both ways.

 

[The Planner]

I assume there will be two drivers at each end?

As they will be top and tailed with no walking route, Id hope so.

 

[The exile]

As they will be top and tailed with no walking route, Id hope so.

Why does it need two drivers at each end ?(understand why it needs one at each end!)

 

[Freightmaster]

Why does it need two drivers at each end ?(understand why it needs one at each end!)

I think Peter meant to say "two drivers, one at each end"



MARK

 

[thealexweb]

I think Peter meant to say "two drivers, one at each end"



MARK

“Four drivers Peter? That’s insane”

 

[HST125Scorton]

So for the reversals at Manchester Piccadilly; they will occur once the rear loco is in clear of MP403/MP405 signals outside of Oxford Road.

Confirmation of the operation of 4H43 Daventry to Trafford Park and 4B43 Trafford Park to Daventry during the Manchester Piccadillly blockade:

14th, 16th and 21st February ONLY:
4H43 and 4B43 will operate in top-and-tail fashion, running via Chat Moss to and from Crewe with reversal at Manchester Piccadilly.

17th to 20th February:
Both 4H43 and 4B43 will operate over their booked route via Styal, with Pilot working in operation between Longsight and Manchester Piccadilly through the affected section.

In all instances, traction for 4H43/4B43 will be booked as Class 66s.

With thanks to DRS Driver; C.Bray.

 

[Howardh]

Couple of questions - can someone explain the 1213 Piccadilly (arr/terminate Oxford Road 1215) as seen on the screenshot? Also, the station's not completely closed, are the retail units fully open; and would they get compensation for lack of footfall? Seen pictures of Piccadilly this morning and hardly a soul in sight!

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 14 Feb 2026 ==

Out of interest one thing has got me thinking what will all the staff at Piccadilly be doing during the blockade for example Gateline Staff and all the dispatchers that work at Piccadilly as there won't be that much work for them to do?

Hopefully helping passengers find the right bus and checking their tickets!