Manchester to Sheffield loadings

[p.d87]

Hi,

Short notice but does anyone have any idea about the loadings on both the 1643 Occy road to sheffield emt and the 1720 tpe from piccadilly. I will be buying 2 off peak day returns so will not be allocated seats. Is the EMT a 4-car set or a single 158, any help would be great. I have still to decide which service to take as I would rather know if we have a better chance of getting 2 seats on either service

Thanks

 

[Pumbaa]

1552 off Liverpool is 2-car. Not sure if the 1720 is 3-car 185 or 2-car 170. As its a busy peak time working, I'd hazard a guess at a 2-car 170
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And both will be rammed. If you have a seat reservation, you probably won't be able to get to it.

 

[p.d87]

thanks very much for the quick reply, so its just a case of squeeze onto either, would i be better off getting the EMT at oxford road as this would give me an advantage over passengers boarding at Piccadilly or is that train normally rammed full before it gets to Manchester??

 

[Pumbaa]

You'd have a slight advantage, but I think that working makes calls at Dore and somewhere else, so you get rammed regardless.

 

[MCR247]

Deffo board at Oxford Road if possible

 

[dk1]

15.52 EMT service has been severely overcrowded for years. On a Friday the loss of 15mins is not uncommon through the North West & the delay is purely down to passenger loadings. This will hopefully be allieviated from May when additional 156s are allocated which in turn will release 158s to strengthen the very busy Liverpool-Norwich route.

 

[p.d87]

my other option is to head to sheffield earlier than planned, would the 1620 TPE be quieter as its not quite in the peak or are all fast manchester to sheffield trains busy, i have never travelled this route so i am really in the dark about loadings.

 

[Pumbaa]

The last relatively quiet train to Manchester would be the 1420. They're all going to be busy unfortunately! I'd just hope and pray at Ox Road with the 1552 ex Lime Street.

 

[gnolife]

Theres also an all-stopper at 16:45 thats usually quieter than the TPX and EMT, but it takes a while

 

[p.d87]

I will go for the 1545 stopper or the 1620 TPE as they get there within 5 mins of each other. Spend a bit longer in Sheffield than planned. Squeezed onto a train for an hour doesn't seem so appealing, I feel for the people who have to do this day in and dayout.

 

[Pumbaa]

1620 is the one to go for, unless you like travelling by bus.

 

[telstarbox]

It's usually easier to get a seat on the TPE services if you're going from Piccadilly, but if not then definitely get on the 16.39 at Oxford Road.

Loadings are usually noticeably higher on Friday compared to the rest of the week too.

 

[bse35]

Could you not get a seat reservation before you travel?

 

[northwichcat]

I will be buying 2 off peak day returns so will not be allocated seats.

You can get seat reservations using off-peak day returns but you need to specify which service you are travelling on when you buy your tickets and there's a latest time for getting reservations which varies between operators. (If the train's left it's origin station then it's certainly too late.)

 

[Pumbaa]

(If the train's left it's origin station then it's certainly too late.)

Unless its an XC service, which now take reservations until 20 mins before you get on

 

[ashworth]

On numerous occasions when I have travelled on the EMT Liverpool to Norwich service there have been no reservations on the train. Even though I have had a seat reservation with an AP ticket there are regularly no reserved seats on the train when you board.

 

[Pumbaa]

Its quite common at the Liverpool end, no reservations printed and then added at Stockport, usually given to the RailGormless dolley.

 

[dk1]

On numerous occasions when I have travelled on the EMT Liverpool to Norwich service there have been no reservations on the train. Even though I have had a seat reservation with an AP ticket there are regularly no reserved seats on the train when you board.

Much more chance of them going on Northbound as there is good reliability inbound, a decent 45-50 minute layover & some very dedicated cleaning staff. All falls down though if units are swapped at Nottingham.

 

[VideozVideoz]

I know its too late for this reply to help out but those 2 trains you mentioned are all rammed. Oxford Road is def da best bet.

By the way Gnolife, there is no 16:45 stopper to Sheffield, its either 15:45 or 17:18.