Why so few Manchester Pendos via Wilmslow?

[CosherB]

VT have a half-hourly service of Pendelinos between Manchester and Euston. All but about 2 each way route via Macclesfield and Stoke, as opposed to Wilmslow and Crewe (which was always the quickest and the premier route - as taken by the flagship Manchester Pullman).

Why such an imbalance? I've heard it said that it's because VT operate the major stations on the Potteries route and so don't get charged as much to stop at Macc and Stoke as they would at Wilmslow.

Is that the real reason, or is it something else?

 

[Guinness]

Variety of Reasons. The main reason is to call at Stoke-on-Trent. Going via Wilmslow and then over the Alsager line is not only longer than going via Macclesfield. The Alsager line is Single Track between Alsager and Crewe and that can capacity problems, particularly with the Central Trains Stoppers to Derby. Crewe is well served and there isn't a lot of demand compared to Macclesfield for a stop.

It's *slightly* quicker via Macclesfield rather than Wilmslow, but this is only between 4 - 7 minutes on some journey comparisons.

Macclesfield has more passengers than Wilmslow, hence the hourly stop. 1 Pendolino is a non-stop to Stoke.

In December 2008 or even Summer 2008, Wilmslow will get an hourly service making it every 20 minutes to Manchester.

 

[Snapper]

I suspect it's more to do with where the business lies than anything else. Wilmslow is commuter country rather than a major business centre. Whilst Stoke is a destination in its own right and generates enough business for Virgin to merit a first Class lounge:

http://paulbigland.fotopic.net/p22905496.html

 

[richa2002]

Nice plug there Paul .

 

[CosherB]

I hear what folk say (read what they write?) about Macc / Stoke offering more business than Wilmslow / Crewe. However, I still don't see why almost ALL the trains go the Potteries route - Wilmslow has a big enough customer base (counting all the folk from Altrincham, Hale, Bowden, Knutsford and Manchester Airport etc. who'd use it) to warrant more trains than we currently get (hardly any), especially as the Crewe route was always faster than the Potteries route (I wouldn't consider they'd use the Alsager line - that is a long way round).

I wondered if it had more to do with lack of train paths between Stafford and Colwich, on the two-track section through Shugborough tunnel?

CS

 

[Snapper]

Nice plug there Paul .

LOL!

I should be charging them for it!

 

[87015]

Isn't the supposed third Euston-Manchester each hour going to be routed via Crewe and Wilmslow? Whether it will stop or not may be another question. Have they got a decent pattern back on the local services up there yet, i haven't heard of any riots with the signals for a few months - must be due one!

 

[gordonthemoron]

Surely Manchester-Crewe services go via Sandbach rather than Alsager?

 

[CosherB]

Isn't the supposed third Euston-Manchester each hour going to be routed via Crewe and Wilmslow? Whether it will stop or not may be another question. Have they got a decent pattern back on the local services up there yet, i haven't heard of any riots with the signals for a few months - must be due one!

Be great if it does - especially if Northern Rail match its timings with a regular Manchester Airport to Wilmslow shuttle, allowing a Manchester Airport to central London journey time that would beat the time by air.

The local suburban service is back to normal now I think. I travelled from Crewe the other week on a train that switched to the Styal line at Wilmslow, and some trains once again reverse at Alderley Edge using the passing loops and crossovers there, so all that seems to be working (which it wasn't following the 'blockade').

However, I think the 'bi-directional' working has been shelved in many places. There are a lot of new signals that face 'the wrong way' which are still 'out of use', with big white crosses on them.

Alsager is irrelevant to the Mancheser to Crewe line - it's on the Crewe to Kidsgrove line.

 

[Guinness]

Isn't the supposed third Euston-Manchester each hour going to be routed via Crewe and Wilmslow? Whether it will stop or not may be another question. Have they got a decent pattern back on the local services up there yet, i haven't heard of any riots with the signals for a few months - must be due one!

Yeah. 2008 it's planned and it's due to call at Wilmslow as mentioned early in my post.

Surely Manchester-Crewe services go via Sandbach rather than Alsager?

You have to go via Sandbach before you can go via Alsager.........

 

[CosherB]

I posed this question to VT. They replied:


--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
From: customer.relations@virgintrains.co.uk

Thank you very much for your E-mail received on 9 May 2007.

I really am very sorry that you are so unhappy with our new West Coast timetable.

Virgin Trains are one operator out of many on this busy stretch of railway. As part of the West Coast Mainline route strategy the SRA has taken a policy decision that in peak times, Virgin Trains will cater for long distance travellers and both Central Trains and Silverlink will offer a service for commuters.

The timetable is designed for the West Coast Mainline as a whole and Virgin Trains have to fall in line with this bigger picture.

Once again, I can assure you that this was a policy decision taken by the SRA, however, the new timetable will reduce journey times and improve the service provided for the majority of our customers.


-----------------------------------------------------------

To which I have replied:

Thank you for this. But you have answered a question I didn't ask, and not answered the one I did ask.

I'll repeat it. With 2 trains per hour throughout the day from Manchester to Euston, why do only about 2 each way route via Wilmslow while the rest route via the Potteries?

Please try to answer the question this time, instead of pulling the first 'standard reply' off the top of the pile.