Hope Valley service improvements from December

[tom1649]

It's only been used for one service per day since Dec 08.

Something like the 19.22 off Piccadilly isn't it? Presumably to keep the wiring in working order.

 

[Xenophon PCDGS]

There is always the option of extending the electrification, if the Hazel Grove service was extended to Buxton/Sheffield. The existing Preston-Hazel Grove service could be diverted to Alderley Edge (still going via Stockport) after electrification on the Bolton corridor.

Do I note the first signs of the brave new world of trans-Pennine electrification being mentioned here?

 

[VideozVideoz]

while the Hope Valley stoppers are well utilised and have a frequency of around 2tph.

Don't you mean 1 train every 2 hours rather than 2tph??

 

[northwichcat]

Don't you mean 1 train every 2 hours rather than 2tph??

Yes I meant 1tp2h

 

[tom1649]

Yes I meant 1tp2h

Hourly on a Saturday.

 

[Bakerbloke]

So let me get this straight. They currently catch the 17:20 departure for Cleethorphes but instead they will catch the 17:23 to Hazel Grove and then drive home from Hazel Grove, even though the 17:23 Hazel Grove service is being extended to Chinley!

For those that can make it - the 1658 to Hazel Grove - would enable a return to Chinley way before 6 by car. Otherwise the faster 1723 to Hazel Grove, although I appreciate this will be no quicker in the end than getting the slower 1723 that will be extended to Chinley but will reduce rail costs. Marple has the 1703 or the 1718. It is going to be tough for those who need to be back before 6 - it was never foreseen until too late that the 1720 service would be axed.

 

[incus]

Departures from Manchester Piccadilly to Sheffield: 16.45, 17.23 (final stop Chinley), 17.48 and 18.45.

http://www.buxtonadvertiser.co.uk/community/passengers_win_rush_hour_fight_1_3608017

It is confusing that we have 2 threads covering this topic, (can the moderators merge them?) and I have already posted on the other one (Chinley to lose services....) but I must point out that this information in the Advertiser and much quoted since is wrong - in that the 1643 and 1743 EMT services will also still run. The same number of services will run from Piccadilly to Chinley BUT effectively the fast 1720 TPE is replaced by a slow 1723 Northern, and the slow 1718 Northern by a slow 1645Northern.

As a result we will have one fewer train between 5 and 6pm and an increase of journey time from 23 mins to 37 mins. There will be is a 30 mins extra wait for those travelling on into Hope Valley. This is what is upsetting many of us (about 50 a day use the 1720) And calling this an 'improvement' is disingenuous. Some councillors (and our MP) seem to have bought the spin that all is wonderful.

This is an improvement for those travelling from Sheffield into the Hope Valley and Manchester , but at the expense of worse services for the rest of us.

 

[VideozVideoz]

In reality the new 17:23 will arrive into Chinley 5 mins earlier as there is cushion in the timetable so it'l only take 10 mins extra than the TPE train. 10 mins isn't really a long time.

As mentioned in a previous post (could be on the other thread) the 17.18 was a push for a lot of Hope Valley commuters to catch. Having it half an hour later will help a lot of people.

 

[northwichcat]

It is confusing that we have 2 threads covering this topic, (can the moderators merge them?) and I have already posted on the other one (Chinley to lose services....) but I must point out that this information in the Advertiser and much quoted since is wrong

Yes we shouldn't be trusting the Buxton Advertiser since it was the Buxton Advertiser was the source that originally incorrectly claimed 'Chinley will lose services' when in fact the proposal all along was that Chinley will get local services instead of express services, as well as gain a Manchester bound service in the evening and most other Hope Valley stations will see more trains in the evening.

 

[incus]

Yes we shouldn't be trusting the Buxton Advertiser since it was the Buxton Advertiser was the source that originally incorrectly claimed 'Chinley will lose services' when in fact the proposal all along was that Chinley will get local services instead of express services, as well as gain a Manchester bound service in the evening and most other Hope Valley stations will see more trains in the evening.

That is incorrect. What was proposed then was indeed that we would lose the 1718 and 1720 and gain a 1645. There was only a vague hope that a new train would be run around 1720.

 

[northwichcat]

That is incorrect. What was proposed then was indeed that we would lose the 1718 and 1720 and gain a 1645. There was only a vague hope that a new train would be run around 1720.

Someone, who works for Northern, posted on another forum that Northern and GMPTE/TfGM have been planning to make the proposed Hope Valley improvements for over 12 months and the only thing stopping them introducing the changes earlier is the delayed DMU cascade.