Old Trafford freight relocation

[Trainman40083]

The Parkside East site has already been purchased by the developer who has previous links to Maritime Transport Ltd, now part of Medlog so they will in all probability move anyway and be appointed as the operator of the site as I stated in my original reply which included a link showing this relationship elsewhere. It's then a question of whether the site could accommodate both operators volumes, but the fact that MUFC have even suggested the the option, and had it reported reported on BBC News tonight suggests to me there is mileage in the proposal. The proposal would potentially allow both the MUFC and the Maritime site to be be redeveloped.

As far as access to Parkside is concerned, I can't comment, except to say if a direct WCML connection is possible without causing further massive disruption to the M6 then I would not rule it out. Mr Alponte has seriously deep pockets. As far as Peels efforts to connect a rail link to Port Salford, as I understood it further development of site was reliant on improvements to the M60 junctions in the area which in present circumstances could be long way off.

As far as the HGV's driving into Manchester, I think you are assuming that the majority of containers railed to and from Trafford Park are destined for the local Manchester area. This I can assure you is not the case, the vast majority of movements are to destinations all over the North West of England, including in some cases even Liverpool. Thus and import container from China going to Burnley would be routed from Southampton or Felixstowe by rail to Trafford Park and then delivered by road to Burnley and then when the container has been emptied it will either be used for an export container which may return to Trafford Park for railing to the port, or alternatively delivered by road to Liverpool to catch the export ship. If the haulier has no export load the empty container, it will be returned to Trafford Park or another depot such as the one in Irlam. Surely you only want HGV's on Manchester's congested road if the start/end point of the journey is outside the area? I suspect even factoring in the extra mileage, the business case is far superior for having the terminal outside the M60 when you also factor the amount of time lost queuing particularly during the peak hours, whilst the drivers hours are ticking away.

And if there is any doubt about the project please see the link on the developer's website and note the comments about the Hinckley site which is one of the same as that mentioned in Maritime Transport Ltd website included in my original post.https://www.tritaxbigbox.co.uk/our-spaces/ilp-north/

Looks like the plan for Hinckley got kicked out.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 12 Mar 2025 ==

Earlestown and Winwick aren't the problem, Winsford Weaver is.

Is that the section with just one passing loop? .

 

[The Planner]

Is that the section with just one passing loop? .

Yes, and potentially up to 7tph passenger service.

 

[Trainman40083]

Yes, and potentially up to 7tph passenger service.

Years ago, when I worked at Unipart Rail, a customer came on the phone. A battery charger had failed that stopped use of that loop northbound. We had none in stock, and it was causing a few delay issues for trains. The manufacturer was in Suffolk and an engineer brought two straight off the production line that were almost fully tested, and was met on site. Couldn't have the loop out any longer .

 

[Class 170101]

If the access is only to the Chat Moss then trains to the south have to cross the down WCML to get to the up. And presumably both directions will take a fair bit of capacity on the Earlestown triangle.

Especially as someone wants to build a new station at Golborne just up the railway from there

 

[The Planner]

Especially as someone wants to build a new station at Golborne just up the railway from there

Not wants, its happening.

 

[Class 170101]

Not wants, its happening.

Has construction started yet? I'll believe it when I see it.

Also it will need a service but the previous service that went that way, either the TPE Scotland services post wiring or the Manchester to Barrow / Windermere service after them do not go this way (mostly) anymore and go via Bolton so how will a proper regular service be provided to such a station?

 

[Geeves]

Has construction started yet? I'll believe it when I see it.

Also it will need a service but the previous service that went that way, either the TPE Scotland services post wiring or the Manchester to Barrow / Windermere service after them do not go this way (mostly) anymore and go via Bolton so how will a proper regular service be provided to such a station?

The service runs in the morning and evening peaks from Victoria, currently its 6 trains a day.

 

[slipdigby]

The service runs in the morning and evening peaks from Victoria, currently its 6 trains a day.

Plan is for this peak only to go hourly all day to serve Golborne. Sorting this out has been one of the major delays in getting it approved.

Obviously 1tph serving Golborne all day doesn't help the operational case for Port Salford or Parkside (also GM mayoral priorities)

 

[The Planner]

Has construction started yet? I'll believe it when I see it.

Also it will need a service but the previous service that went that way, either the TPE Scotland services post wiring or the Manchester to Barrow / Windermere service after them do not go this way (mostly) anymore and go via Bolton so how will a proper regular service be provided to such a station?

It will be a Northern Wigan to Manchester service, where it goes after that is still up for grabs.

 

[LNW-GW Joint]

In the context of congestion around Parkside, I was interested to find that there are 26 weekday passenger workings via Lowton Jn off the WCML.
5 of these are early/late TPE Scotland workings to/from Manchester Airport (not calling at Wigan), and 1 is a Northern service to Newton le Willows/Lime St.
The other 20 are Northern services to/from the Ordsall Lane direction, including the 6 peak Wigan-Victoria services.
Apart from a few Cumbria services to/from Manchester Airport, there's a late Blackpool-Piccadilly service (which yesterday ran on to Macclesfield).

Realtime Trains | Departures from Lowton Jn all day on 13/03/2025

Train information at Lowton Jn all day on 13/03/2025. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[Grumpy]

Plan is for this peak only to go hourly all day to serve Golborne. Sorting this out has been one of the major delays in getting it approved.

Obviously 1tph serving Golborne all day doesn't help the operational case for Port Salford or Parkside (also GM mayoral priorities)

Why is Golborne being discussed as an issue?
Surely the traffic will access the Parkside development via Newton Le Willows and wont go anywhere near Golborne ?

 

[Dr Hoo]

Why is Golborne being discussed as an issue?
Surely the traffic will access the Parkside development via Newton Le Willows and wont go anywhere near Golborne ?

Presumably there are hopes and expectations of Parkside <-> Scotland traffic too? (Not necessarily transfers from Trafford Park.)

 

[Rail Ranger]

Also the hourly train which serves Golborne will be one more train each way per hour passing through Parkside Junction. There could also be the LNR Euston to Manchester Victoria service from 2026 if that happens. Or was that just a blocking tactic to thwart the open access operators from running Euston-Manchester Victoria-Rochdale?

 

[childwallblues]

Winsford Weaver will be the difficult bit. You can hide them at Winwick amd Earlestown. You are forgetting south of Wilmslow too in terms of released paths.

== Doublepost prevention - post automatically merged: 30 Jan 2025 ==


There was no way NR would have accepted anything without access at either end.

Hartford LNW Junction to Acton Bridge is four track.

 

[The Planner]

Hartford LNW Junction to Acton Bridge is four track.

That is a glorified set of loops, you still have to start a 1400t plus train from a stand as well as getting it in there in a suitable gap in the first place.

 

[slipdigby]

Why is Golborne being discussed as an issue?
Surely the traffic will access the Parkside development via Newton Le Willows and wont go anywhere near Golborne ?

Because Port Salford is also being discussed as part of the "solution" to the continuing existence of the Trafford Park terminal(s).

The all-day Wigan NW-Manchester Vic-(elsewhere) services also reduce the opportunity to flex your way around timetabling access and egress to Parkside