What is the purpose of this path?

[_toommm_]

Realtime Trains | 5T96 1133 Manchester Oxford Road to Manchester Oxford Road | 05/11/2022

Real-time train running information for 5T96 1133 departure from Manchester Oxford Road to Manchester Oxford Road on 05/11/2022. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

It originally comes from Ardwick, then goes back and forward several times between Manchester Piccadilly and Oxford Road, before going back to Ardwick. What is its purpose?

 

[Watershed]

Realtime Trains | 5T96 1133 Manchester Oxford Road to Manchester Oxford Road | 05/11/2022

Real-time train running information for 5T96 1133 departure from Manchester Oxford Road to Manchester Oxford Road on 05/11/2022. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

It originally comes from Ardwick, then goes back and forward several times between Manchester Piccadilly and Oxford Road, before going back to Ardwick. What is its purpose?

Likely a training train, taking advantage of the severely reduced service (just 1tph Liverpool-Alderley Edge and a handful of freight) to do intensive training on Piccadilly-Oxford Road in preparation for the December timetable change (where Sheffield and Cleethorpes drivers will work through to Oxford Road).

 

[CAF397]

Cleethorpes drivers will, from December, be driving to Manchester Oxford Road for relief - having previously had Piccadilly as their limit of route knowledge.

As crazy as it might sound, the short section from Manchester Piccadilly to Oxford Road has to be learnt. This is a way of doing it which allows them to drive it.

Sheffield drivers are learning Manchester Piccadilly to Liverpool via Warrington Central, so this short section is included in their learning.

 

[_toommm_]

Thanks to you both. It makes sense now, as of course you wouldn’t want a train with no onward crew to be stuck in Piccadilly 13/14.

 

[BoroAndy]

Intensive training between Piccadilly and Oxford Road???? Good grief..... Surely that could be sorted before first coffee break, or is it for several drivers

 

[Watershed]

Intensive training between Piccadilly and Oxford Road???? Good grief..... Surely that could be sorted before first coffee break, or is it for several drivers

It's rare that one day's training would suffice to learn a route. Over the most complex route, drivers might need as many as 8 return trips to learn the route. But because Piccadilly-Oxford Road is such a short distance, one day's training can sign off multiple drivers.

 

[bengley]

It's rare that one day's training would suffice to learn a route. Depending on the complexity, a driver might have to drive between 4-8 return trips to sign it off. Because Piccadilly-Oxford Road is such a short distance, one day's training can sign off multiple drivers.

Though Piccadilly-Oxford Road is less than a mile, it's a highly complex section of route with lots of different routes that can be given, bidirectional signalling, as well as pitfalls and nuances at both stations.

Picc to Oxford Road is not a complex section of route