Idea to improve connections on the Atherton line

[Philip]

Would it be a good idea if the Southport to Alderley Edge service swapped routes with the Kirkby to Manchester Victoria service?

It would mean the Alderley Edge service taking the Atherton line route and calling all stations to Salford Crescent, with the current Atherton line stopper (the Kirkby) taking the Bolton route, and calling at the same stations as the Alderley currently serves. Journey time difference would be minimal by swapping routes, so the Southport rail user group wouldn't have to worry about that. However it would provide the Atherton line with a direct service to Piccadilly, south Manchester and the Castlefield corridor for the first time and this would be much better than always having to change at either Wigan or Salford Crescent. Bolton would still have a decent number of direct services towards Castlefield.

What do people think?

 

[S&CLER]

I don't know about that, but one improvement would be for the hourly Wigan NW to Leeds via Atherton trains to call additionally at Hindley, where they could offer a same-platform connection out of the Southport-Bolton. At present, you have a very tight 6 or 7 minute connection that involves crossing the road from Wallgate to NW. It can be done, all being well, but it isn't reliable. There is also a 5 minute connection between the same trains at Salford Crescent.

 

[Bletchleyite]

Would it be a good idea if the Southport to Alderley Edge service swapped routes with the Kirkby to Manchester Victoria service?

It would mean the Alderley Edge service taking the Atherton line route and calling all stations to Salford Crescent, with the current Atherton line stopper (the Kirkby) taking the Bolton route, and calling at the same stations as the Alderley currently serves. Journey time difference would be minimal by swapping routes, so the Southport rail user group wouldn't have to worry about that. However it would provide the Atherton line with a direct service to Piccadilly, south Manchester and the Castlefield corridor for the first time and this would be much better than always having to change at either Wigan or Salford Crescent. Bolton would still have a decent number of direct services towards Castlefield.

What do people think?

Does this proposal mean that Southport would lose its Castlefield service? If so just you wait until OPSTA hear about it - and they shout loud.

If you just mean run via Atherton but still onto Castlefield, one of the Options did actually propose that for the Southport peak extra. It's less useful because you can't go to Bolton without a change, but not many people from Southport want to do that, I suspect. It's less scenic, but that is not a reason to make such decisions. So I don't really see an issue there.

 

[Ianno87]

. It's less useful because you can't go to Bolton without a change, but not many people from Southport want to do that, I suspect.

But people from Bolton do want to go to Southport

 

[Bletchleyite]

But people from Bolton do want to go to Southport

Yes, true, more likely than them (or anyone else for that matter) wanting to go to Kirkby.

As a kid we actually did go from Burscough Bridge to Bolton a fair bit, but that was to go to the Water Place swimming pool (there weren't many "beach style" ones about back then) which is no longer there.

 

[Philip]

Yes, true, more likely than them (or anyone else for that matter) wanting to go to Kirkby.

As a kid we actually did go from Burscough Bridge to Bolton a fair bit, but that was to go to the Water Place swimming pool (there weren't many "beach style" ones about back then) which is no longer there.

You could shuffle things around though; potentially have the Stalybridge to Wigan via Bolton continuing onto Southport and redirect the existing Victoria-Southport to Kirkby. Southport would retain its connection to Piccadilly, just via Atherton instead of Bolton.

This is really about connecting the Atherton line with the Castlefield corridor and the south with an hourly service, something which hasn't happened before but would be useful.

 

[S&CLER]

You could shuffle things around though; potentially have the Stalybridge to Wigan via Bolton continuing onto Southport and redirect the existing Victoria-Southport to Kirkby. Southport would retain its connection to Piccadilly, just via Atherton instead of Bolton.

This is really about connecting the Atherton line with the Castlefield corridor and the south with an hourly service, something which hasn't happened before but would be useful.

Stalybridge to Wigan via Bolton does continue to Southport already.

 

[Philip]

Stalybridge to Wigan via Bolton does continue to Southport already.

So the issue of Bolton-Southport connection being lost if the Alderley Edge runs via Atherton isn't there, as there is still an hourly service remaining. With passenger numbers (especially commuters) not what they were, I would look at stopping all the Scotland trains at Bolton instead, with Southport to Alderley Edge running via Atherton.

 

[Ianno87]

As a kid we actually did go from Burscough Bridge to Bolton a fair bit, but that was to go to the Water Place swimming pool (there weren't many "beach style" ones about back then) which is no longer there.

Ah the Water Place. It's closure the very epitome of local council narrow-mindedness...

 

[Bevan Price]

Ah the Water Place. It's closure the very epitome of local council narrow-mindedness...

Mostly the fault of the tory government, which has starved local councils of money since 2010. Funding leisure activities inevitably gets a lower priority than funding social care, etc. And if anyone does not like that - stop voting for tories.

 

[Ianno87]

Mostly the fault of the tory government, which has starved local councils of money since 2010. Funding leisure activities inevitably gets a lower priority than funding social care, etc. And if anyone does not like that - stop voting for tories.

Funny...the Water Place closed in 2002, with Blair on the throne.

 

[Kite159]

Breaking out my crayons I would stop the Wigan - Leeds services at Hindley and if the timings are tight, drop the call at Hag Fold.

More connections possible with a call at Hindley, i.e. same platform change rather than having to change between Wigan stations. I'm pretty sure in previous timetables, Hag Fold only had an hourly service off-peak.