Man United Halt - After the Match

[Max]

If there are any football fans out there, what are people's experiences of using this after matches? Are the queues horrendous, and what are buses like heading into the city centre?

 

[jonb]

Hi Max - used the station last year to get to the ground from Manchester Piccadilly, it was busy but bearable. However on the return we exited the ground and the queue for the last train was right out of the 'halt' so we opted for a taxi hailed on the main road back into the city centre. Beware it seemed to be chaotic, traffic was terrible all the way so recommend leaving a bit earlier if you can!

 

[trickyvegas]

They don't open the station until the train is in, first one is normally about 30 minutes after the game, if you're in the way end and leave at the final whistle you should get on the train no problems. Metrolink is pretty awful in terms of behing shoe-horned on and the taxis have a reputation for overcharging. If the weather is decent you can walk to the city centre in about 40 minutes.

 

[dk1]

Do they do revenue protection or is that a silly question?

 

[323235]

They did when I went at the turnstiles at the entrance to the station,though it consisted really of just flashing anything which was orange and rectangular.

 

[WatcherZero]

Theres always revenue protection at Piccadilly anyway.

 

[Minilad]

I would imagine the trains back to London from Piccadilly would be pretty full too !!

 

[tbtc]

Going off topic, but where to Northern get the spare 323s for this service? Are fewer needed on Saturday/Sundays?

 

[tom1649]

Going off topic, but where to Northern get the spare 323s for this service? Are fewer needed on Saturday/Sundays?

NWT/FNW used to put DMUs/older EMUs on some of the usual 323 diagrams. (But never the Hadfield services which were always 323s). Of course with Northern Rail, older EMUs are no longer an option but it's still possible that they put DMUs on some 323 diagrams.

Back in 1999/2000 anything could turn up on the Hazel Grove service when a match was on, a 101, a 309 and on rare occasion one of the by then, rarely used 305s in GMPTE livery.

I have a good memory of sitting in a first class compartment on a 309 from Piccadilly to Hazel Grove on a match day.

 

[ANorthernGuard]

They just extend the crewe via mcr Airport or stokes, its usually the Crewes tho

 

[tom1649]

They just extend the crewe via mcr Airport or stokes, its usually the Crewes tho

They used to be 6 car shuttles didn't they?

 

[ANorthernGuard]

They used to be 6 car shuttles didn't they?

Lack of units stopped that apart from the odd one later on in the night the try and get at least 3 football specials each way and they have put on extra when needed, as a guard we dont mind them as its one of the few timws we are in service when we dont have to do tickets (no time and its rammed).

 

[northwichcat]

Going off topic, but where to Northern get the spare 323s for this service? Are fewer needed on Saturday/Sundays?

Northern have peak time extras in weekday timetables, although an increasing number of these are DMUs under wires due to there not being enough 323s.

Northern run a lot less services on a Sunday compared to a Saturday.

 

[tbtc]

Thanks for the answers - its one of those things I'd never seen answered before (but never thought to ask either)...