04:40 TPE DON-MIA Service

[AirRail]

Possibly circa 2008-2010, can anybody please clarify if there was an early morning TPE departure from Doncaster towards Manchester Airport - leaving at approximately 04:40?

I may of course be confusing it for the later 05:38 departure - which still operates towards Liverpool today. However, I'm almost certain i used it for a flight departing MAN airport at around 8am and even remember waiting for the station to open up for those of us waiting to catch the service.

Thanks

 

[Spartacus]

It certainly rings a bell.

Reminds me of when the overnight ones stopped in Dewsbury. Very useful for coming home after a night out in Leeds, Huddersfield or Manchester!

 

[jfollows]

Not 2008, in which there were

• 1B61 05:12 Sheffield-Manchester Airport (advertised 05:11)
• 1B63 05:43 Doncaster-Manchester Airport (1 hour later than 1B61)

Clearly the train you're looking for could have started from Doncaster and run in the times of 1B61 from Sheffield in other years. If I find it I'll update here.
EDIT 2009 as for 2008. I'm not sure I have 2010 timetables but if I do .....
EDIT May 2010 at https://history.networkrail.co.uk/uncategorized/IO_e359013f-15b4-43f4-8c8f-59a196036711/, 1B61 still starts from Sheffield (page CM578).
You should be able to find the working timetables for other years from this last link. CM covers the Manchester area out to Dore.

 

[Galaxy]

No. Earliest has always been 1B63.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

Not 2008, in which there were

• 1B61 05:12 Sheffield-Manchester Airport (advertised 05:11)
• 1B63 05:43 Doncaster-Manchester Airport (1 hour later than 1B61)

In the Winter 2013/14 timetable, there was an 0538 service direct from Doncaster to Manchester Airport via Sheffield. There were, however earlier 0325 and 0511 services, direct to Manchester Airport, but starting from Sheffield. Can't see any connections from Doncaster.

 

[AirRail]

Thanks all.

Not sure why i was almost certain that it was a 04:40 departure. I just remember all of us booked on the service, waiting outside a cold and dark Doncaster Railway Station, for them to unlock the doors. It turns out the person responsible wasn't available and another staff member had to lead us through a staff tunnel underneath to get in to the platforms.

I have managed to find the flight confirmation email for the time I had in mind. It was in March 2010 with a 0820 departure from T3. So i was very much risking it using the 0538 service!

A 04:40 departure ex-DON would however be pretty beneficial these days i think. Encouraging more people to be able to take the train towards Manchester airport and early morning flights, plus offering additional early morning services to the onward direct destinations towards Liverpool.