Could the Buxton line be made to run a perfect clockface timetable?

[py_megapixel]

There are two things that seem to be preventing the services from Manchester Piccadilly to Buxton operating to a perfect clockface timetable:

• Trains lay-over at Buxton for an inconsistent amount of time (but only by a few minutes)
• Dove Holes and Middlewood are served by alternate services

To the casual observer, these look like rather trivial things to fix. The Dove Holes stop only adds 1 minute to the journey time between Buxton and Chapel-en-le-Frith, and likewise for the Middlewood stop. And the trains tend to arrive in Buxton several minutes early anyway. So why couldn't the precise departure times from Buxton be slightly adjusted, so that they (a) allow for an extra minutes' journey time from Buxton to Stockport, so all trains can serve all stations and (b) are the same every hour?

 

[VideozVideoz]

For starters, they could stop calling at levenshulme and heaton chapel. The journey from Buxton is such a drag. I keep hoping one day they will do a fast 35/40 min service to MAN calling at maybe 2 stations. It’s an hour every time. In the past there was the odd 50-minuter like the main 7.40ish commuter run in

 

[py_megapixel]

For starters, they could stop calling at levenshulme and heaton chapel. The journey from Buxton is such a drag. I keep hoping one day they will do a fast 35/40 min service to MAN calling at maybe 2 stations. It’s an hour every time. In the past there was the odd 50-minuter like the main 7.40ish commuter run in

Weekday Buxton services currently call northbound only at Levenshulme, and they don't call at Heaton Chapel at all. I reckon you could take the Levenshulme stop out, but then another service would have to stop instead, which might cause difficulties for the timetable elsewhere.

Would fast services actually lead to substantially increased usage of the train, bearing in mind that the journey time from Buxton is already competitive with the car?

 

[VideozVideoz]

Weekday Buxton services currently call northbound only at Levenshulme, and they don't call at Heaton Chapel at all. I reckon you could take the Levenshulme stop out, but then another service would have to stop instead, which might cause difficulties for the timetable elsewhere.

Well those stations should be removed from the network completely :P

Would fast services actually lead to substantially increased usage of the train, bearing in mind that the journey time from Buxton is already competitive with the car?

Many people drive to Macclesfield and get a 20ish minute XC or Avanti into town so yes, I would expect an increase in usage. I know the drive to Manchester is also a drag, as is the current train journey…

 

[liamf656]

Many people drive to Macclesfield and get a 20ish minute XC or Avanti into town so yes, I would expect an increase in usage. I know the drive to Manchester is also a drag, as is the current train journey…

Are you sure? It in fact takes longer to drive to Macclesfield and get the train from there than it is to get the train from Buxton itself. Although I don’t disagree that journey times may need to be sped up, removing the majority of the stops on one journey in the hour imbalances the timetable as the other journey will still need to stop everywhere. You may also find that the stopper might become a bit busier if these people have less trains to their stations now

 

[VideozVideoz]

Are you sure? It in fact takes longer to drive to Macclesfield and get the train from there than it is to get the train from Buxton itself. Although I don’t disagree that journey times may need to be sped up, removing the majority of the stops on one journey in the hour imbalances the timetable as the other journey will still need to stop everywhere. You may also find that the stopper might become a bit busier if these people have less trains to their stations now

Yes I’m sure. It’s a 20-25min drive to Macc from Buxton and the ticket price is a tad cheaper. I didn’t actually mean to replace the existing services with a fast service. There is a petition going on at the moment to reintroduce half-hourly services, as was the case pre-pandemic. One of these could be utilised for a fast service maybe at peak times

 

[Killingworth]

What is surprising is how many use Middlewood station. No road access and wooded paths to get there yet passenger numbers would seem to justify more stops than Dove Holes.

Currently Buxton line users feel a half hourly service would be a better solution than the current hourly. It could then skip different stations to achieve faster end to end times leaving all with an hourly service.

Would a doubled service attract twice as many passengers? Certainly not immediately and that's why in the present financial situation it won't happen any time soon.

 

[py_megapixel]

What is surprising is how many use Middlewood station. No road access and wooded paths to get there yet passenger numbers would seem to justify more stops than Dove Holes.

I'd guess it's mostly people starting walks. It's the first station that feels properly rural (as the name suggests, and as you've alluded to, it's literally in the middle of a wood!).

Although I don’t disagree that journey times may need to be sped up, removing the majority of the stops on one journey in the hour imbalances the timetable as the other journey will still need to stop everywhere.

If it would be preferable overall for there to be 1tph "express" (maybe Buxton - Whaley Bridge - Disley - Stockport - Manchester for example) and 1tph all-stops, then I don't think the stopper needs to be spaced exactly half an hour from the express as it's serving quite a different purpose.

You may also find that the stopper might become a bit busier if these people have less trains to their stations now

Currently the once-an-hour stoppers are the only service, and they've hardly been packed when I've been there since Covid.

 

[VideozVideoz]

I'd guess it's mostly people starting walks. It's the first station that feels properly rural (as the name suggests, and as you've alluded to, it's literally in the middle of a wood!).


If it would be preferable overall for there to be 1tph "express" (maybe Buxton - Whaley Bridge - Disley - Stockport - Manchester for example) and 1tph all-stops, then I don't think the stopper needs to be spaced exactly half an hour from the express as it's serving quite a different purpose.


Currently the once-an-hour stoppers are the only service, and they've hardly been packed when I've been there since Covid.

The biggest complaint at the moment is the morning peak offering from BUX to MAN. There’s is a huge gap - 07:34 then 08:58

 

[Senex]

What is surprising is how many use Middlewood station. No road access and wooded paths to get there yet passenger numbers would seem to justify more stops than Dove Holes.

Some of us remember that path when it was still lit by paraffin lamps and led to both stations, not just the one. Strange place to arrive back at late in the evenings.

 

[VideozVideoz]

Some of us remember that path when it was still lit by paraffin lamps and led to both stations, not just the one. Strange place to arrive back at late in the evenings.

Personally I wouldn’t risk it. It’s a long walk in the dark and it isn’t just a straight path towards the High Lane end