Possible additional diversionary routes

[321362]

With all the talk about the Ardwick blockade next year, I was wondering how services could divert to avoid Manchester and came up with this:

Could EMR theoretically run Hope Valley - Stockport - reverse - Crewe - reverse - Runcorn - Lime Street? (with the correct route knowledge of course)
Alternatively miss out Sheffield and run Nottingham - Derby - Crewe - Runcorn - Lime Street? Less reversals but you miss out Chesterfield and Sheffield
Their current plan is to not run at all west of Chesterfield, with buses non-stop Chesterfield to Manchester, and Manchester-Liverpool passengers encouraged to use the limited Northern service between Piccadilly and Lime Street.

What are some other diversionary routes that could be used by operators but aren't? (not Ardwick blockade-specific)

 

[The Planner]

With all the talk about the Ardwick blockade next year, I was wondering how services could divert to avoid Manchester and came up with this:

Could EMR theoretically run Hope Valley - Stockport - reverse - Crewe - reverse - Runcorn - Lime Street? (with the correct route knowledge of course)

It would take forever, and the bus from Stockport to Manchester and an onward train will still beat it. EMR won't have enough units for it (if they ever did have a mad moment and decide to do it, they would use pilot drivers and charge NR for it.).

Alternatively miss out Sheffield and run Nottingham - Derby - Crewe - Runcorn - Lime Street? Less reversals but you miss out Chesterfield and Sheffield

Again, would take ages and people that want Manchester would just use other TOCs trains to get towards Stockport and Manchester.

What are some other diversionary routes that could be used by operators but aren't? (not Ardwick blockade-specific)

Hundreds, but it all comes down to resource, cost, demand suppression and capacity.

 

[The exile]

Hats off in this respect to GWR who regularly use (I think) all the diversionary routes available to them in England west of Reading - both planned and on an ad hoc basis.
All bar one - don’t think they ever divert Reading - Basingstoke and thence westward, but the combination of circumstances that would render that necessary would be incredibly rare.

 

[MattRat]

So looking at the map, there is a line I found

Instead of turning up through Hazel Grove, you'd go straight, ending up at around Altrincham, and then carry on down that line passed Greenbank and onto the the WCML heading to Acton Bridge, and from there you can carry up straight to Lime Street.

Obviously someone with more knowledge can tell me if this would be a truly valid route or not

 

[The Planner]

So looking at the map, there is a line I found

Instead of turning up through Hazel Grove, you'd go straight, ending up at around Altrincham, and then carry on down that line passed Greenbank and onto the the WCML heading to Acton Bridge, and from there you can carry up straight to Lime Street.

Obviously someone with more knowledge can tell me if this would be a truly valid route or not

It works, again takes ages though and getting a path from Acton Grange would be a challenge.

 

[6Gman]

It works, again takes ages though and getting a path from Acton Grange would be a challenge.

Crossing over at Hartford Junction would be ... challenging, plus there are single track sections involved (Hazel Grove HL Jn to Northenden Junction, through Navigation Road and at Hartford Junction!) but, yes, would maintain a Sheffield-Liverpool service.

Good luck with finding units and route conductors however.