Stating the case for 5tph on north TPE

[S&CLER]

It's often suggested that 4 trains per hour (tph) on the North TransPennine Express (TPE) route would be more robust than 5, but I would like to make the case for 5 tph.

There are after all 5 potential destinations east of the Pennines (Newcastle via Durham city, Newcastle via Durham coast, Teesside, Scarborough and Hull), so it makes some sense for each to get one train an hour.

The Durham coast would need upgrading with an additional platform at Hartlepool for starters, but it would reduce the excessive number of trains between York and Newcastle via Darlington and Durham, and serve new markets, especially if linked with a Teesside Parkway at Eaglescliffe Junction (a better use of funds than throwing money into Teesside Airport?) .

At the west end, I think that Chester would be a good fit, since it would restore a through service from Warrington to Yorkshire, but from Bank Quay not Central.

It makes more sense than Chester-Leeds via the Calder valley, I feel.

Two trains an hour could originate at Liverpool, 1 at Chester and the remaining 2 at the Airport (via Ordsall Chord), all via Victoria with no Manchester terminators except the stopper from Piccadilly to Huddersfield (which might as well be Northern).

 

[randyrippley]

Have you read and understood the various threads about the current issues with the Manchester stations?

 

[Bletchleyite]

Build Platforms 15/16 and the Oxford Road improvements, and you can go ahead.

Until then it's a firm no.

 

[RT4038]

With all the issues of congestion and unreliability of the Trans Pennine route, the last thing it needs is more trains per hour at the moment. Better to spend time working out how to reduce!

 

[S&CLER]

Have you read and understood the various threads about the current issues with the Manchester stations?

Yes, I've read and understood them and I also travel via Manchester (both stations) about 2 or 3 times a month, mostly on Saturdays, en route to the Macclesfield, Hope valley, Buxton, Calder valley or Standedge lines to go walking, so I think I'm familiar with the problems, if not as a regular commuter. I wanted to make a case for 5 tph as an aspiration for the future. That's why the mods have put the thread in Speculative Ideas. I 'm very willing to admit that it's a non-starter for now, and share the belief of many posters that the Platform 15/16 + Oxford Road package is both essential and urgent.

 

[JonathanH]

There is, of course, already 5tph between Manchester and Leeds, it is just that the fifth train runs from Piccadilly to Hull rather than from Victoria. You would need to maintain this link to Piccadilly if 5tph were to run from Victoria. It sounds from other threads that the TfW service from North Wales could potentially end up running to Stalybridge in the near future as well - effectively linking Chester and the TPE service.

 

[yorksrob]

Is North TPE not already five trains per hour, hence the disruption ?

 

[Fawkes Cat]

the fifth train runs from Piccadilly to Hull rather than from Victoria. You would need to maintain this link to Piccadilly if 5tph were to run from Victoria.

Why, please? (As in why would this link need to be maintained.)