Manchester stations

[d9003meld]

I've got a few hours to spare in Manchester later this week. I usually confine my spotting to rural lineside locations, but thought this may be a chance to try a city station. Are any of the Manchester stations accessible to spotters? If so do I need to sign in at the station office? Would I need a valid ticket to go through ticket barriers? Or is there such as a thing these days as a platform ticket?
Where am I likely to see the most traffic?

Any recommendations and advice would be most welcome.

Regards
Mel

 

[Kite159]

In my experience Piccadilly normally has a good gathering of spotters at the country end of one of the platforms so that station is "spotter friendly" (so to speak)

 

[palmersears]

If you explain to the barrier staff at Piccadilly what you're doing you'll be waved through no bother. Go for the country end of platforms 8/9, or just wander from platform to platform using the footbridge spanning the middle of the platforms. Are you after specific types of unit or just a general spotting session?

Victoria is also worth a couple of hours if you fancy a bit of 158/153 action, but the staff there are a bit more wary of spotters.

 

[d9003meld]

Are you after specific types of unit or just a general spotting session?

General spotting session. I normally go lineside near home, just thought it was an opportunity to try something a bit different.
Thanks for the advice.

 

[433N]

As it happens, I'm also planning a trip to Manc and wondered if someone could answer a couple for me (well, if you can answer both then great ; if not then answering 1 of the 2 would also be great and much appreciated).

1. I'm planning to arrive on P13. Can I get access to the other platforms without exiting barriers from there ? The National Rail station map is truly a work of great beauty but unclear on this point. Is all the action visible from the end of P13 ?

2. I'm principally going to sample a bit of pacer action before they go. From what I can work out from RTT, there seem a couple assigned to the Rose Hill Marple service and the odd New Mills / Sheffield service but Victoria looks alot better for pacer action. Is this an accurate summary of what to expect.

Bit embarrassing I'm having to ask this - I lived in Altrincham for a year.

 

[FQ]

1. You can indeed access any platform at Piccadilly from platform 13 without going through barriers, thanks to the footbridge (with the possible exception of 12 but I think that there's a lift to get onto that platform if you needed to). Just go up the escalator/stairs on arrival at platform 13 and you're straight onto the footbridge. If you're spotting then I believe platform 8/9 is best because you can easily get numbers of stuff from the lower numbered platforms.

2. Mancester Piccadilly has a lot of 142 action, as does Victoria but probably fewer in the space of an hour because of the lower number of Northern services (although this is just a guess and it may vary). I suggest getting a Greater Manchester Rail Ranger ticket, which covers a good area around Greater Manchester (http://railrover.org/pages/greater-manchester-rail-ranger.html). Pacers can be found on a lot of the New Mills, Rose Hill, Chester, Southport and Sheffield services in my experience but you wouldn't be waiting for too long if you just saw a pacer and hopped on. Just a reminder that RTT only shows timing load, not what the service is booked for. All of the above workings are shared with 150s (and sometimes other sprinters) but pacers are common.

 

[433N]

Many thanks for that fishquinn !

I did have a gut instinct that there might be more pacer action at Picc than RTT was leading me to believe (and maybe less at Vic).

The Manchester Rail Ranger does look good, but on this visit I've probably only got about 3 hours as I'm doing a long car journey and it's about half way. I'm planning to come off the M6 and travel in from Newton-le-Willows since I want a 319 ride and so I can do Picc / Vic or both. I always think I'll get bored for 3 hours in one place but I do find that time flies when you watch trains.

 

[Kite159]

Don't forget about the Oxford Road - Warrington Central - Liverpool stoppers, those quite often throw up pacers

 

[CHAPS2034]

I suggest getting a Greater Manchester Rail Ranger ticket, which covers a good area around Greater Manchester (http://railrover.org/pages/greater-manchester-rail-ranger.html).

The Manchester Rail Ranger does look good, but on this visit I've probably only got about 3 hours as I'm doing a long car journey and it's about half way

I note that you won't have time to ride around this time but for future reference, the Manchester Rail Ranger validity is
Mon to Fri: valid from 09:30 but not valid between 16:01-1829 inclusive
No restrictions at weekends or bank holidays

If you come bashing at some stage during the week in future you may like to think about a GM Wayfarer which is more expensive but covers a bigger area and hasn't got the blackout time in the afternoon.

https://www.tfgm.com/tickets-and-passes/wayfarer-adult

As has been mentioned, Pacer action varies from day to day at Victoria and Piccadilly as many Northern diagrams seem to be interchangable with 150s and 156s. But I'm sure you will see a few!

Have fun
CW

 

[433N]

Thanks kite and CHAPS for the extra info. I must admit I'm getting a little tempted to do a Manchester Rail Ranger on the return trip north !

I might write this trip up as a report but I'm not sure what the form is in these parts if a c*r is involved and it's a sort of father-son, post-exam, parent/grandparent - visiting, with a-bit-of-learning-to-drive-but-with-lots-of-trains bonding trip ... it all makes sense in my head and will probably end up as chaotic as it sounds. Still, if it keeps the boy away from drugs ...

 

[palmersears]

Piccadilly and Victoria throw up tonnes of Pacers, the Northern Random Unit Generator sees to that. If time is limited then just concentrate on these two and you'll get all the nodding donkey action you could wish for.

 

[robbeech]

Trip reports are just that. Reports of trips. They include many forms of transport including cars and are all welcome here. People who don’t want to read about your driving part can either skip that bit or not read it at all. I quite like a bit of variety, I even got on a bus between Selby and York yesterday for a change.