Manchester - York via Wakefield...a bumpy ride?

[johntea]

I've been travelling on the Manchester - York via Wakefield route recently and noticed today in particular that at some sections of the route (can't remember specific locations off the top of my head) the ride becomes slightly white knuckle...all of a sudden a jerk to one side or the other, if you're stood up you'll get thrown off balance and a couple of items I had on the seat table in front of me went flying!

Is it the train itself (185), the track or a combination of both?

 

[BeijingDave]

From memory there is a sharp turn to join the Brighouse - Mirfield line just between Deighton and Mirfield, which would be bumpy if approached at speed.

 

[Iskra]

It’s a route that crosses lots of junctions so they are going to cause bumps and swaying. It’s also a much more secondary route compared to the Transpennine core, with lower linespeeds so probably has seen lower investment and a lower maintenance regime.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

It’s a route that crosses lots of junctions so they are going to cause bumps and swaying. It’s also a much more secondary route compared to the Transpennine core, with lower linespeeds so probably has seen lower investment and a lower maintenance regime.

The section through Wakefield will be very busy for the next 3 weeks as all TPE trains are going that way, with the Dewsbury route being closed.
In normal times the xx58 Manchester Piccadilly-York (via Victoria and Leeds) is matched by the xx00 Piccadilly-York (via Guide Bridge and Castleford).
On a good day the trains will run into York in parallel, one on the Leeds lines and one on the Normantons, around xx35/36.

 

[yorksrob]

I've been using it quite a bit and not noticed anything particularly untoward.

That said, some sections were in very infrequent passenger services up until recently.

I can't overemphasize how useful I've been finding this service.

 

[Djgr]

I do enjoy this route because it misses out Leeds, which is generally a stressful experience, both in terms of trains gaining access into and out of, and the massive swarms of passengers entering and exiting every service.

 

[johntea]

Not as bad today so must have just been an excited driver

Although did have the drama today of someone somehow accidentally activiating the emergency button which brought the train to a grinding halt temporarily in the darkness of the tunnel just after Huddersfield station!

Becoming quite a busy little service now to the extent advances are sometimes now unavailable, found out there is a bit of a splitting point ticketing wise at Marsden (must be to do with the West Yorkshire boundary point)

 

[Tetchytyke]

The ride always seems to be a bit 'lively' around Healey Mills, especially in the eastbound direction, and that's on both a 185 and a 802.

Beyond that, the only real jolts I've felt have been across junctions, especially at Ravensthorpe.

If these services had the same catering as the 'main line' services via Leeds, they'd be perfect.

 

[childwallblues]

The ride always seems to be a bit 'lively' around Healey Mills, especially in the eastbound direction, and that's on both a 185 and a 802.

Beyond that, the only real jolts I've felt have been across junctions, especially at Ravensthorpe.

If these services had the same catering as the 'main line' services via Leeds, they'd be perfect.

They do have a trolley.

 

[Tetchytyke]

They do have a trolley.

Are you sure? The trains via Castleford are not timetabled to have a trolley.

 

[dodecahedron67]

The trains via Cas do not have any catering

 

[Watershed]

Are you sure? The trains via Castleford are not timetabled to have a trolley.

The catering codes in the schedules are often not kept particularly up to date. The catering provider (Gate Gourmet, I think?) creates their own schedules independently.

 

[YorkshireBear]

Commute on the service and have never seen a trolley

 

[D6975]

Commute on the service and have never seen a trolley

At typical commute times, would a trolley be able to make it through the train? On my occasional visits up there peak time trains are full and standing, especially single 185s.

 

[YorkshireBear]

At typical commute times, would a trolley be able to make it through the train? On my occasional visits up there peak time trains are full and standing, especially single 185s.

On the eastern section, definitely, maybe not at Manchester end at peak times.

 

[Crossover]

From memory there is a sharp turn to join the Brighouse - Mirfield line just between Deighton and Mirfield, which would be bumpy if approached at speed.

That turn out has been a bad one for a while - it’s not a turn as such but fairly high speed points. The 185’s didn’t used to take it well, though and I often found some of the Northern units jolted far less