IIRC, trains to/from Cannon Street, Waterloo East and Charing X were mightily constrained for years by Borough Market Junction. Only comparatively recently have expensive changes at London Bridge and its approaches addressed that. I agree that investment in Manchester and other locations is much needed- a programmed pipeline of major infrastructure improvements, including Liverpool- Sheffield- Hull. It cannot be beyond the wit of man to work out a way, and the means will follow if there is political will.Can't see that working tbh. Shutting Oxford Rd would mean the 2tph CLC services would have to terminate at Piccadilly instead, making P13/P14 busier. Additionally - given guard/driver swaps for Northern services happen at Occy Rd would need to happen at Pic instead, again making P13/14 busier especially if a guard/driver is late and a train gets stuck at Pic (as what happens at Oxford Rd currently). Deansgate is also really popular for commuters - particularly thanks to easy metrolink connections.
I do wish the three stations got a propper rethink and the section needs investment such as desperately needed additional capacity. I just doubt closing the two stations would help as such.
Personally - I don't see why its too much to ask for Manchester to get four tracks on the entirety of the Castlefield corridor. If we were London - the section would be given an additional six tracks by now and Piccadilly would be 30 platforms
For sure. Sometimes I wish that if the UK was blessed with politicians who were actually pro public transport generally, we actually might see meaningful investment that could include much needed expansions to places like Piccadilly. Can't remember what the ballpark figures were regarding adding the additional platforms to Piccadilly specifically.
Did I mention closing Manchester Victoria?
Ultimately, if it wasn't for the Grade II listing of the Palace Hotel (or whatever it is called this week - 'the Kimpton Clocktower Hotel'?), I would propose demolishing it and developing Oxford Road into the primary station for Manchester, given its excellent potential for overwhelming bus connectivity.
Deansgate isn't proposed to close as part of Oxford Road.
I would expect no 'closures' anyway, just death by how every many timetable reductions toward a 'parliamentary service'. How are services at Reddish South these days?
Two, which is an increase I think.
The trams between Victoria and Piccadilly work the Bury to Piccadilly service. A substantial proportion of southbound passengers alight at Victoria, so there is always some capacity for Piccadilly-bound passengers to board in their place. Conversely northbound.
Thank you, I do lose track of where the different routes terminate these days. Presumably, all Ashton line trams are going to Eccles and none go the Victoria way.
No, but it is the way you word your comments which basically 'stuff' Victoria and put everything through Piccadilly. If trains are using the Ordsall Chord from the west to Oxford Road / Piccadilly, how could they call at Victoria then (again, it is the way you have word your reply)?
They are 6 cars partly because Northern fill them with Advance ticket passengers from Preston and Chorley though. Southport could head to Victoria, but removing 1tph isn't going to make a massive difference to Castlefield corridor reliability.
From 2nd January TfGM is changing the Metrolink timetables such that all Picc-Vic trams become doubles all day Mon - Sat, with the majority also doubles on Sundays. This should help heavy rail passengers transferring between the stations.
Ah OK, so one part of my proposal is already in place.From 2nd January TfGM is changing the Metrolink timetables such that all Picc-Vic trams become doubles all day Mon - Sat, with the majority also doubles on Sundays. This should help heavy rail passengers transferring between the stations.
It wouldn't vastly reduce the utility of rail travel - a same platform change would be available at Chorley/Bolton on to a direct airport service.
You mean another Northern service - to complement the current hourly... Chester to Leeds via Vic and the Calder valley!
Yes but this would have a different stopping pattern likely.
Seems sensible enough
Agreed - Manchester Airport would also be a good place to send an InterCity service from the southern direction too.
Impracticable with the current layout at Crewe. Only Platform 6 is available for such movements.
This would be welcome and was part of the original 'Option C' for Greater Manchester. Bradford and Halifax could and should have 2ph "fast" to Manchester.
Why when a lot of Manchester Airport's traffic comes from the north?
If Avanti actually ran hourly like Virgin used to there would be no capacity issues on the shuttles.
If only we had a brand new line between London and Manchester Airport. Oh wait, the government cut it.
Got to solve the issue of the farm crossings first.