Peak district to Manchester commute

[Haywain]

A family member lives in Tideswell in the Peak District, and will soon be starting a new job in central Manchester, close to Oxford Road station.

They are required to be in the office on 3 day a week generally, and we are looking at travel options that avoid driving all the way.

There are quite a range of stations that can be used, from Buxton and Edale up to New Mills. I know nothing about car parking or access to any of these stations, so would be interested in any help that forum members can give with making informed choices about which station to use.

Obviously fares will come into it as well, but there's no point in saying travel from station X because it's cheap if there is no reasonable parking option.

 

[Bletchleyite]

If it's any help the impression I have (from occasional use) is that the Buxton line has less of an overcrowding and unreliability issue than the Hope Valley locals do, though if you're bothered about stock comfort (15x vs 195) that might swing you the other way.

In terms of good quality roads it looks like your sensible choice is between Chapel-en-le-Frith and Chinley?

Though an upside of Buxton itself would be getting first dibs on seats.

 

[Tetchytyke]

My immediate thought would be Hazel Grove, which is in the TfGM fares area, has frequent trains, and a massive multi-storey car park. But it would be quite the trudge along the A6 and I don't know whether Hazel Grove, even with its 400 parking spaces, fills up early.

 

[Bletchleyite]

My immediate thought would be Hazel Grove, which is in the TfGM fares area, has frequent trains, and a massive multi-storey car park. But it would be quite the trudge along the A6 and I don't know whether Hazel Grove, even with its 400 parking spaces, fills up early.

The congestion on the A6 in the morning peak is legendary...though if they don't mind that and it's just not wanting to drive into Manchester city centre (and the huge cost of parking there) then it's not a bad option.

I think if I was going that far in Rose Hill Marple would be worth considering - again, an origin so you get first dibs on seats, and you can use TfGM ticketing which is very cheap. But I think I'd probably be picking from Chapel or Chinley to be honest.

Talking of Chinley I do know it's fairly easy to park on street a short walk from the station for free on a weekend, I don't however know what it's like on a weekday.

 

[HOMELESS]

Northern do a FLEXI season ticket which might be cheaper for them.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Northern do a FLEXI season ticket which might be cheaper for them.

Also worth comparing prices of Advance fares if the days are known in advance. Though obviously these are not guaranteed not to change price or disappear entirely but they can be good value.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Talking of Chinley, it's the only station of those mentioned that offers a (limited) peak hours direct train, of any use, both to/from Manchester Oxford Road. Otherwise, a change will be required, likely up on busy island platform 13/14 at Manchester Piccadilly.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Talking of Chinley, it's the only station of those mentioned that offers a (limited) peak hours direct train, of any use, both to/from Manchester Oxford Road. Otherwise, a change will be required, likely up on busy island platform 13/14 at Manchester Piccadilly.

It's such a short walk that unless tipping down I'm not sure how much I'd bother about doing that. But yes, good point.

 

[Killingworth]

A family member lives in Tideswell in the Peak District, and will soon be starting a new job in central Manchester, close to Oxford Road station. They are required to be in the office on 3 day a week generally, and we are looking at travel options that avoid driving all the way. There are quite a range of stations that can be used, from Buxton and Edale up to New Mills. I know nothing about car parking or access to any of these stations, so would be interested in any help that forum members can give with making informed choices about which station to use. Obviously fares will come into it as well, but there's no point in saying travel from station X because it's cheap if there is no reasonable parking option.

The Hope Valley, Buxton and Rose Hill Marple stations all go into Piccadilly so proximity to Oxford Road would require a train through Stockport. EMRs 7.41 and 8.41 from Chinley are now the only two. Getting to Stockport by car is a frustrating task at the best of times.

Changing platforms to 13/14 at Piccadilly is daunting at commuting times, especially when waiting for another train that may be running late, so walking to the Oxford Road area would probably be better.

It's hard to tell which stations would be best at commuting times, especially during school and university term times. Mondays and Fridays generally are work from home days so easier to get parking space. (Like Harry and Meghan you need to check details on the days of the week you plan to travel!) I suspect the stations in the Hope Valley itself involve too long a drive. A Buxton line station, say Dove Holes, might be worth checking.

For number of services into Piccadilly Romiley is best with trains starting from Sheffield, New Mills Central and Marple Rose Hill - but it's not easy to access by road at peak times. New Mills Central gets a half hourly service.

All the stations within the Peak District are managed by Northern and charges apply to all but Bamford (which has a very small parking area but there's usually parking nearby at commuting times, depending on how early). Parking for all the stations needs checking for commuting times and the local best spots.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Question... Do any tickets from an origin station in the area allow dual route availability into Manchester Stns between either New Mills Central (via Romiley) or New Mills Newtown (via Stockport)?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Question... Do any tickets from an origin station in the area allow dual route availability into Manchester Stns between either New Mills Central (via Romiley) or New Mills Newtown (via Stockport)?

I don't know if it's changed but this thread:

Are tickets to New Mills available to either station?

Can anyone tell me if a return ticket to New Mills would be available to travel out to one station and return from the other? Or would I be better advised to buy a day return to Parbold and a Greater Manchester Concessionary Wayfarer?

www.railforums.co.uk

...seems to suggest that a ticket from Chinley is acceptable both ways due to a walking interchange existing between the two New Mills stations in the data and thus itineraries can be generated using that.

It has always struck me as silly that there isn't a New Mills Stations (and for that matter a Marple Stations*), but here we are...

* Given the massive hill between the two there is a good use case for this for anyone living on Brabyns Brow or just off it who only wishes to walk downhill!