Piccadilly to Sheffield train

[CllrGeoffAbell]

Just to add my pennyworth as I sat on TfGMC and heard the train companies give their view.

The Train Operating Company that took over the Northern franchise guaranteed to improve the service, not just keep it ticking over.  The service has improved a little, with a few more trains and strengthened services (i.e. more carriages) but it's still far from perfect.  More passengers use Rose Hill (good) but now the car park is often full.

They are bringing new trains on board next year, but the delay of electrification from National Rail has messed them up a bit.

I agree that 23:24 last train is poor.  (As is 23:16 last bus from Stockport).

However there are some winter time trains that are still rammed (and were in the old days when passenger numbers were less).  I suspect that we won't less a big improvement on the Hope Valley Line.  The :09 service from Sheffield is very frequently late, especially in the afternoon.  You will need to ask Northern why.

We are not the worst performing line - that honour is still with the Southport to Wigan line.  Little comfort. I know.  It's still better than being in the line of traffic going through Dan Bank at rush hour.

2 final points: Labour-controlled Stockport Council are proposing to put charges on council-owned parking.  Consultation has been poor.  Cllr Sheila Bailey was the exec member who proposed this.

And plans are afoot, thanks to N Plan and Friends of the Station,  to create a community cafe instead of the leaking building that is the Manchester-bound waiting room.  So at least there will be a nice place to wait for the delayed train.

[Harry]

No wonder people don't use public transport.

But they do. That's why it is standing room only.

[Cyberman]

Did you not inquire why it was late .

No - I didn't go in the ticket office, just dropped someone off.

[amazon]

Actually a rant about the Sheffield to Piccadilly train... Took my son to the station today - he was going with the Scouts, ice-skating in Manchester. The train (13:09) was nearly 20 mins late, so they had to hang around a cold station for 20 mins+ and they missed a significant time of skating. Also apparently the train was standing room only (although there were quite a few of them).

Is it too much to ask for a service which is on time and offers sufficient seats? Come on Northern Rail - pull your finger out!! Perhaps things will improve when they increase fares next year.

No wonder people don't use public transport.

Did you not inquire why it was late .

[Cyberman]

Actually a rant about the Sheffield to Piccadilly train... Took my son to the station today - he was going with the Scouts, ice-skating in Manchester. The train (13:09) was nearly 20 mins late, so they had to hang around a cold station for 20 mins+ and they missed a significant time of skating. Also apparently the train was standing room only (although there were quite a few of them).

Is it too much to ask for a service which is on time and offers sufficient seats? Come on Northern Rail - pull your finger out!! Perhaps things will improve when they increase fares next year.

No wonder people don't use public transport.

[Dave]

Just to clarify, the hourly service from Marple is only on Sundays.  It's every 30 minutes Monday to Saturdays, with extra trains at peak periods.

[ringi]

Rose Hill without a Sunday service is ridiculous.

I would rather have a service evey half hour at Marple, then a hourly service at each of the stations.   (And we live much closer to Rose Hill)

[Melancholyflower]

At last it seems NR are moving into the twentieth century with the Marple Sunday services, but when will they move into the twenty-first?  Dave is quite right.

I await the new timetable with interest. Rose Hill without a Sunday service is ridiculous.

[ringi]

It may be that more trains need to be run coming up to Christmas due to the number of people shopping in Manchester.  At other times of the year, most trains other than commuting services are nearly empty.

[andrewbowden]

This time next year there's apparently going to be a major reworking of the rail timetable.  Although whether that improves the frankly appalling (and infuriatingly inconsistent) Rose Hill timetable is anyone's guess.

[Dave]

It's good news that the Sunday service is slightly better, although it's a sign of how bad our service has been that having a train every hour is seen as something to celebrate.

But look at the Sunday evening times: there's a train back from Piccadilly at 19.40, but if you miss it, the next one after that is - wait for it (you certainly have to) - 22.20!  How pathetic is that!

[Tillyed1]

Believe it or not the 13.09 train from Marple to Piccadilly was a whole different experience  intercity type carriages some with tables and ample seating

[wheels]

The last train back from Manchester still seems to be a ridiculously early 23.24 and indeed the last train to Manchester is also too early at 23.36.

[marplerambler]

Believe it or not there has been an improvement for those who use the train on Sundays. Daytime Sunday trains are now running every hour in the Winter timetable (which commences tomorrow 10th December 2017)). The previous Sunday winter timetable was a two hourly service. There is now also a train to Manchester at 0844 (for many years it has been 1010). All we need now is an extra couple of carriages: the 0943 to Sheffield is always either standing room only or very close to being full and last Sunday the 1610 to Manchester was damned near full when I alighted at Marple so there would not have been much of a chance of a seat for passengers boarding at stations closer to Manchester.

[Tillyed1]

Just been aboard the 18.49 Piccadilly to Sheffield which doubles as the Bangladesh express complete with train surfing to get on it , 2 carriages ! What a shambolic joke of a service .