Marple Website Community Calendar
Archive => Archived Boards => Local Issues => Topic started by: amazon on December 14, 2011, 08:49:37 PM
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Marple – Manchester: over 1200 extra seats
Northern Rail is increasing the number of seats on eleven peak time services which call at Marple, Romiley, Bredbury, Brinnington and Reddish North; most of these trains run to Strines and New Mills Central.
Six trains in the morning peak and five leaving Manchester in the afternoon and early evening will have extra seats.
Rose Hill – Manchester: over 440 extra seats
The number of seats on four peak time services which call at Rose Hill, Romiley, Woodley, Hyde Central, Hyde North, Guide Bridge and Fairfield will increase.
Three trains in the morning peak and one leaving Manchester in the afternoon will have extra seats.
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That is very good news - where did you get the information? It would be nice to get a seat more than one day in three.
Marple has also got a spanking new ticket machine (on platform 2). However, to get to use the ticket machine you first have to get past the jobsworth who checks tickets at the door of the station - and to get past him you need a valid ticket! His sole raison d'etre seems to be to make as many people miss their train on a Monday morning.
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That is very good news - where did you get the information?
http://www.northernrail.org/news/6947 (http://www.northernrail.org/news/6947)
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Extra seats very good - but why do we get all the cascaded trains that other regions have got rid of?
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The extra seats are welcome but the trains are another regions cast offs. Still, it beats playing sardines everyday.
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The Northern Rail franchise runs out in September 2013.
And indeed more second hand stock...
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-manchester-16136583
At least not this bad, yet !!
http://youtu.be/FJKbLvU5kQM
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The extra seats are welcome but the trains are another regions cast offs. Still, it beats playing sardines everyday.
Agreed. Although what tends to happen is that as extra seats become available, more people use the trains. This is good in a way, of course, because it is getting people off our congested roads, but the extra seats soon fill up, so there are still people left standing. This is exactly what happened on the Transpennine routes when the nice (but noisy) class 185 units took over a few years ago.
And when are we going to get a decent service in the evenings and on Sundays? >:(
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Don’t expect any new trains for a long time, as there will be lots of 2nd hand trains from line that are converted to electric operations.
Does anyone know what times these 2nd hand trains will be used? (I have never had a problem getting a seat at Rose Hill)
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Don’t expect any new trains for a long time, as there will be lots of 2nd hand trains from line that are converted to electric operations.
Good point. Although whatever comes our way in the future is unlikely to be as rubbish as the class 142s, which were already rubbish when they were brand new! ::)
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In reply to Ringi - I understood that the trains would not be extra ones in the timetable, just coupled up to existing ones. I may be wrong - anyone know?
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In reply to Ringi - I understood that the trains would not be extra ones in the timetable, just coupled up to existing ones. I may be wrong - anyone know?
Yes, they're just doubling up certain trains. Of course, another poor design feature of the Class 142s is the lack of a gangway door at each end, making them particularly unsuitable for this. ::)
Where would one begin to push for a better Sunday or evening service? Local councillors, Stockport Council, Northern Rail, Transport for Greater Manchester? I don't feel like the council or councillors are really fighting for any improvements here at all.
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Where would one begin to push for a better Sunday or evening service? Local councillors, Stockport Council, Northern Rail, Transport for Greater Manchester? I don't feel like the council or councillors are really fighting for any improvements here at all.
I don't think that's very fair. I understand that Craig Wright has led the campaign for improvements to Rose Hill Station and the services running from it. He is also a key member of the Friends of Rose Hill Station:
www.marple-uk.com/forhs
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That is very good news - where did you get the information? It would be nice to get a seat more than one day in three.
Marple has also got a spanking new ticket machine (on platform 2). However, to get to use the ticket machine you first have to get past the jobsworth who checks tickets at the door of the station - and to get past him you need a valid ticket! His sole raison d'etre seems to be to make as many people miss their train on a Monday morning.
RAIL .CO Sign up for daily news update from every were great sight .
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Where would one begin to push for a better Sunday or evening service? Local councillors, Stockport Council, Northern Rail, Transport for Greater Manchester? I don't feel like the council or councillors are really fighting for any improvements here at all.
I don't think that's very fair. I understand that Craig Wright has led the campaign for improvements to Rose Hill Station and the services running from it. He is also a key member of the Friends of Rose Hill Station:
Sorry quite right, Craig Wright and the Friends of Rose Hill Station have done great work in a short period of time. I don't envy anyone who has to campaign through our layers of bureaucracy for improvements to rail services. But while additional services to both stations are always quoted as an "aspiration", it would be good to see some form of a feasible plan or strategy.
As an example, the Atherton line on the other side of Manchester was given a "trial" hourly Sunday service in May 2010, funded by Transport for Greater Manchester. It has proved a success and will now apparently be written as a permanent requirement into the new Northern franchise agreement from 2013. There would seem to me to be an opportunity to run a similar trial for Sunday services from Marple or evening services to Rose Hill, allowing them to prove themselves before the new franchise agreement, and ensuring our lines don't miss the boat yet again on the possibility of improved service.
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Good point about trying to get an improved Sunday service on a trial basis. Even an hourly service would be an improvement, and I'm sure it would be well used.
Re the so-called 'improvement' to the daytime Rose Hill service, we should remember that there has been no additional service to the Marple area - all that Craig Wright and the other councillors who claim credit achieved was the switching of one train per hour from Marple to Rose Hill (although they never mentioned that, of course ::)). And as Ringi wrote: I have never had a problem getting a seat at Rose Hill.
...Rose Hill services are are lightly used compared with those from Marple, which has so much more car parking. So was it really such a good idea??
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Good point about trying to get an improved Sunday service on a trial basis. Even an hourly service would be an improvement, and I'm sure it would be well used.
Re the so-called 'improvement' to the daytime Rose Hill service, we should remember that there has been no additional service to the Marple area - all that Craig Wright and the other councillors who claim credit achieved was the switching of one train per hour from Marple to Rose Hill (although they never mentioned that, of course ::)). And as Ringi wrote: I have never had a problem getting a seat at Rose Hill.
...Rose Hill services are are lightly used compared with those from Marple, which has so much more car parking. So was it really such a good idea??
sorry its not to your liking Dave but only posting what i found .why do you have to bring the councillors in to it .
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sorry its not to your liking Dave but only posting what i found .why do you have to bring the councillors in to it .
He mentioned the councillors because they claimed credit for getting additional railway services running for Marple residents when they weren't additional at all. All they did was get a service from Marple station switched to Rose Hill. They were being economical with the truth which was disingenuous to say the least.
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I have to say, as a newcomer, that I'm really surprised at the poor Sunday service from Marple to town. We went in today about midday and the train was just about full before it arrived. I know it's Christmas but last time we caught it, it was heaving as well. I'm surprised that it's not even an hourly service. It's a far cry from where we used to live, where there was a metro to town every 6 minutes! I think we'd drive next time, even though parking is extortionate, even on a Sunday.
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Drive to Stockport and park for free at the station on Sundays. Then you can get a train into Manchester; there is one every 10 minutes or so.
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Sounds like a plan- thanks!
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sorry its not to your liking Dave but only posting what i found .why do you have to bring the councillors in to it .
He mentioned the councillors because they claimed credit for getting additional railway services running for Marple residents when they weren't additional at all. All they did was get a service from Marple station switched to Rose Hill. They were being economical with the truth which was disingenuous to say the least.
Maybe but it did encourage more people to start their journey from Rose Hill at peak times leaving more space to park at and get a seat from from Marple.
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Maybe but it did encourage more people to start their journey from Rose Hill at peak times leaving more space to park at and get a seat from from Marple.
I don't deny it. They still dressed it up as new services when all that happened is that they were moved from Marple to Rose Hill.
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Whilst I applaud Rose Hill supporters for their efforts to brighten their station and gain some more services, I agree with Howard: these are not "extra" services - they have simply been redirected from Marple station, thereby exacerbating the overcrowding problems at the latter.
I don't think that the late evening trains (to Marple) are too bad, but the Sunday service is hopeless.
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Drive to Stockport and park for free at the station on Sundays. Then you can get a train into Manchester; there is one every 10 minutes or so.
Yes, that's a good plan, and we resort to that sometimes. But it negates the point of public transport if you find yourself adding to the traffic in order to get to a decent train service.
I don't think that the late evening trains (to Marple) are too bad
I think we deserve better than one train per hour in the evenings.
Meanwhile, have a look at this: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-16235349
So the government spends 20 times more per head of population on transport in London than it does in the North West. ::)
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In the dim and distant past, when the metro tram system was being planned, one of the lines which were promised first was to Marple. This got quietly forgotten (but not by all of us!!) and never materialised. Maybe we could start campaigning for this to be resurrected? ???
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sorry its not to your liking Dave but only posting what i found .why do you have to bring the councillors in to it .
He mentioned the councillors because they claimed credit for getting additional railway services running for Marple residents when they weren't additional at all. All they did was get a service from Marple station switched to Rose Hill. They were being economical with the truth which was disingenuous to say the least.
yes but thats way gone this is new .
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Drive to Stockport and park for free at the station on Sundays. Then you can get a train into Manchester; there is one every 10 minutes or so.
That's all very well but I struggle driving in a straight line when I come back from having a skinfull.
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Drive to Stockport and park for free at the station on Sundays. Then you can get a train into Manchester; there is one every 10 minutes or so.
That's all very well but I struggle driving in a straight line when I come back from having a skinfull.
Very good point. I wonder how many lives would be saved if public transport kept running over the festive season, as it does in most other countries?
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Drive to Stockport and park for free at the station on Sundays. Then you can get a train into Manchester; there is one every 10 minutes or so.
That's all very well but I struggle driving in a straight line when I come back from having a skinfull.
Very good point. I wonder how many lives would be saved if public transport kept running over the festive season, as it does in most other countries?
Trouble is, as we've seen in London, are the union dominated train drivers too lazy to work on their normal days.
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Drive to Stockport and park for free at the station on Sundays. Then you can get a train into Manchester; there is one every 10 minutes or so.
That's all very well but I struggle driving in a straight line when I come back from having a skinfull.
Very good point. I wonder how many lives would be saved if public transport kept running over the festive season, as it does in most other countries?
Trouble is, as we've seen in London, are the union dominated train drivers too lazy to work on their normal days.
the tube will eventually become driverless .
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In the dim and distant past, when the metro tram system was being planned, one of the lines which were promised first was to Marple. This got quietly forgotten (but not by all of us!!) and never materialised. Maybe we could start campaigning for this to be resurrected? ???
Yes please! Indeed, in both the original 1984 and 1987 proposals Marple would have been connected to Bury, providing the key "Picc-Vic" link.
(http://www.projectmapping.co.uk/Reviews/Resources/Manchester_LRT_1984_proposa.jpg)
The plans were scaled back for cost savings and in 1988 it was decided simply to convert and join the Bury and Altrincham lines with a dead-end spur to Piccadilly. There's a good Wikipedia page on all this, to save me jabbering on more!: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/History_of_Manchester_Metrolink
The plans for Marple seem to always be there, near the top of the pile, just constantly pushed back. Besides funding, they're now apparently waiting for the "results" of a tram-train trial for the Sheffield Supertram, which will link that system over heavy rail to Rotherham. Marple was keenly promoted to be given this trial, but for whatever reason (probably less potential disruption to existing services) Sheffield got it instead.
Stockport are still leaving space for a new line into the town from Bredbury (see the plans for the new Sainsbury's), and this plan below shows how the current line from Marple to Piccadilly would use a fly-over to cross the other lines at Ashburys, then running on-road for a short stretch into the ground floor undercroft of the station:
(http://i654.photobucket.com/albums/uu267/smartcma1/Map_124.png)
So plans are still washing around, maybe we just need to be more vocal in support of the idea?
In any case, I'd still like to see timetable improvements as a short-term solution. ...Sorry for the long post! :o
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Good post this interesting thanks for the info
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Six trains in the morning peak and five leaving Manchester in the afternoon and early evening will have extra seats.
I wish Northern Rail would make up their minds exactly which services they are lengthening - it seems to be different every day!
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What advantage does this have over the train? The train is a two crriage, 2-3 time an hour service into manc which has the advantage of going into the peaks. A tram will be a 2-3 times an hour service going into manc that doesn't service the peaks!
I just see a way of making mr Leese' Quango look more important.
I'd not trust that man to spend £3m on a Tiff brochure (actually he's managed that but I'd still like to see the receipts)
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What advantage does this have over the train? The train is a two crriage, 2-3 time an hour service into manc which has the advantage of going into the peaks. A tram will be a 2-3 times an hour service going into manc that doesn't service the peaks!
Besides the fact we'd get clean, quiet, electric trams rather than clapped-out Pacers? The idea of the "tram-trains" which are being mooted for our lines is that regular trains can still run alongside them. So Marple could retain one platform for heavy rail through to Sheffield, while Rose Hill could come into its own as a Metrolink terminus. I'd expect services at least every 15 minutes from both stations at peak times and a massively improved evening and Sunday service. The cost of running a light electric tram with only a driver is far less than a heavy, diesel-glugging Pacer with added conductor.
Trams would run through Piccadilly right into the centre of Manchester and beyond (Wigan via Atherton has been mentioned). And of course it's beneficial for Marple itself to be part of this network. Same ticketing, same service information. Not just for us but for visitors to Marple. Add us onto the Metrolink map and a visit to the canal locks, etc suddenly looks like a much more inviting prospect for someone familiar with the network from Bury, Eccles, ...
And if we ever want a rail link to Stockport, it would have to be a tram link (via Bredbury, Portwood, Great Egerton st and the bus station, eventually connecting up with the new East Didsbury line, giving us a very welcome connection to South Manchester just like the days of the old Midland line).
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And if we ever want a rail link to Stockport, it would have to be a tram link (via Bredbury, Portwood, Great Egerton st and the bus station, eventually connecting up with the new East Didsbury line, giving us a very welcome connection to South Manchester just like the days of the old Midland line).
Blimey rsh - is that remotely possible? I'd like to think so, but hasn't the old rail line between Bredbury and Stockport been built over?
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I take it they are the same gauge? If so, there is no issue. Of tehy are cheaper to run, why not just electrify across to Sheffield and tram all the way or is it a speed issue?
The trouble with trams and trains though is they are very inefficient at taking up space. Surely a bus is better and cheaper to put in.
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And if we ever want a rail link to Stockport, it would have to be a tram link (via Bredbury, Portwood, Great Egerton st and the bus station, eventually connecting up with the new East Didsbury line, giving us a very welcome connection to South Manchester just like the days of the old Midland line).
Blimey rsh - is that remotely possible? I'd like to think so, but hasn't the old rail line between Bredbury and Stockport been built over?
. Yip filled in and built on in parts .part of it is open from the Woolley line as. Far as the cement works wagons still use it from the tip or incinerator works or whatever they call it now and to take stone to the cement works after that forget it .
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And if we ever want a rail link to Stockport, it would have to be a tram link (via Bredbury, Portwood, Great Egerton st and the bus station, eventually connecting up with the new East Didsbury line, giving us a very welcome connection to South Manchester just like the days of the old Midland line).
Blimey rsh - is that remotely possible? I'd like to think so, but hasn't the old rail line between Bredbury and Stockport been built over?
The route has been listed as an aspiration for some time, so it must be possible somehow! Not strictly following the old Midland line, but serving similar areas. It might unfortunately require an expensive new bridge or two over the M60, depending on whether Brinnington was served, but similar structures are going up for lines to Wythenshawe and elsewhere...
Once you get to Portwood roundabout, the route is already reserved - see the neat tramline-sized gap between the new Sainsbury's and the motorway (http://www.sainsburys-stockport.co.uk/pages/proposals.html). The (unfortunately somewhat dead) regeneration plans for Bridgefield also highlighted the route, even showing a tram with "Marple" on the front below the viaduct!
I take it they are the same gauge? If so, there is no issue. Of tehy are cheaper to run, why not just electrify across to Sheffield and tram all the way or is it a speed issue?
The trouble with trams and trains though is they are very inefficient at taking up space. Surely a bus is better and cheaper to put in.
Sheffield probably wouldn't be suitable for trams, but perhaps running to New Mills or Chinley wouldn't be too far out.
I'm sure there's quite a lot of research somewhere to show that people won't switch from a car to a bus, but build rails and they'll happily jump on.
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And if we ever want a rail link to Stockport, it would have to be a tram link (via Bredbury, Portwood, Great Egerton st and the bus station, eventually connecting up with the new East Didsbury line, giving us a very welcome connection to South Manchester just like the days of the old Midland line).
Blimey rsh - is that remotely possible? I'd like to think so, but hasn't the old rail line between Bredbury and Stockport been built over?
The route has been listed as an aspiration for some time, so it must be possible somehow! Not strictly following the old Midland line, but serving similar areas. It might unfortunately require an expensive new bridge or two over the M60, depending on whether Brinnington was served, but similar structures are going up for lines to Wythenshawe and elsewhere...
Once you get to Portwood roundabout, the route is already reserved - see the neat tramline-sized gap between the new Sainsbury's and the motorway (http://www.sainsburys-stockport.co.uk/pages/proposals.html). The (unfortunately somewhat dead) regeneration plans for Bridgefield also highlighted the route, even showing a tram with "Marple" on the front below the viaduct!
I take it they are the same gauge? If so, there is no issue. Of tehy are cheaper to run, why not just electrify across to Sheffield and tram all the way or is it a speed issue?
The trouble with trams and trains though is they are very inefficient at taking up space. Surely a bus is better and cheaper to put in.
Sheffield probably wouldn't be suitable for trams, but perhaps running to New Mills or Chinley wouldn't be too far out.
I'm sure there's quite a lot of research somewhere to show that people won't switch from a car to a bus, but build rails and they'll happily jump on.
Sheffield had trams before Mancland.
There is something in your dastardly plan though. Perhaps Marple / Swan Mills could be the tram Terminus and the sheff train starts. That would free up space at picadilly which is a major problem.
I still think we should close rose hill, have a cable car / light monorail linking Marple station to Stockport station
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When I have had to return by train on a Sunday, I have found a train to Stockport then a bus works well, as the bus is fast when the roads are clear. For a Sunday service to be useful to me at Rose Hill, I think it was have to be at least very hour, if not every half hour.
So at off peak time, should we be having fewer trains but more busses?
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When I have had to return by train on a Sunday, I have found a train to Stockport then a bus works well, as the bus is fast when the roads are clear. For a Sunday service to be useful to me at Rose Hill, I think it was have to be at least very hour, if not every half hour.
So at off peak time, should we be having fewer trains but more busses?
ok but would people use on a sunday or would they be running nearly empty /
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The two-hourly train service between Marple and Piccadilly is well used on Sundays. We badly need an hourly service
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I still think we should close rose hill, have a cable car / light monorail linking Marple station to Stockport station
I'd rather see Rose Hill extended over to join the Hazel Grove line (making sure to keep the Middlewood Way open) ...Or a cable car up Brabyns. :D
The two-hourly train service between Marple and Piccadilly is well used on Sundays. We badly need an hourly service
Agreed, and I'd imagine a lot are currently put off by the inconvenient two hour service so don't bother to use it at all.
An extra couple of evening trains for Rose Hill should also be priority. The last train being 20.36 isn't ideal, but it's the two-hour gap from the previous train at 18.36 that's the pain. An extra service at 19.36 (and perhaps another at 21.36) shouldn't be too much to ask.
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I suspect those of us caught up in the rush-hour fiasco at Piccadilly station tonight would have been glad to see any trains leaving Manchester for Marple.
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New report here (PDF) (http://www.transportforgreatermanchestercommittee.gov.uk/download/4295/item_11_rail_service_timetable_dec_and_may_2012) from the TfGM Committee about proposed timetable changes from December 2012.
Key point for Marple is that the second hourly Rose Hill service (xx.51 departure) will now go via the Hyde loop, rather than the far faster, direct Bredbury route as present. Obviously this benefits Woodley, Hyde Central, Hyde North with a twice-hourly service, but means both trains from Rose Hill will now take at least 32 minutes in each direction (vs. a best of 22 mins from Marple!), putting the station at a considerable disadvantage. (I don't know about anyone else, but I do begin to despair when the Pacer is chugging towards Hyde and you seem to be getting further away from Beetham Tower...)
TfGM have also negotiated for trains from Rose Hill to call additionally at Gorton, rather than those from Hadfield/Glossop as present, which will only further increase journey times. Their thinking being that Hadfield/Glossop is a busy route and this will speed up their journey times! I can understand these ideas: Rose Hill trains are often emptier and so stopping at more stations would make better use of the service. But it will also make it a very unattractive service to those living towards the end of the line. I sense many passengers switching straight back to Marple.
Several points raised here have been noted - such as the uneven scheduling of departures, requirement for extra Rose Hill evening services - but as you can read below, very little progress will be made on any of those issues. Sunday services from Marple aren't mentioned at all.
Manchester – Marple – New Mills – Sheffield (Piccadilly Eastern Lines)
In December 2011, Members approved a preferred option for this corridor which would divert the second train from Rose Hill to operate via Hyde in the off-peak. At present the second Rose Hill services operates express between Manchester and Romiley, in both directions, running non-stop through the busy stations at Bredbury and Reddish North.
The TfGM Rail Policy (approved in 2011) states that stations with less than 25,000 passengers per annum should have an intermittent service. Therefore, it is also proposed to change stopping patterns at Belle Vue (patronage 12,000 in 2009/10), the least used station on the line.
Members should note that Belle Vue is linked with Manchester city centre by a number of high frequency bus services. Strines (9, 000 in 2009/10) currently has a train every two hours. It is proposed to maintain this frequency, but to balance it with a 2 hourly service at Belle Vue.
The proposed changes will:
• Maintain frequencies at the busiest stations on the route.
• Improve the balance of times at Romiley each hour.
• Extend the journey time for one service per hour to/from Romiley by some 5 minutes, but maintain or improve other journey times.
• Provide a more balanced 2tph service from Rose Hill via Hyde
• Increase the off-peak frequency at Hyde Central, an important local centre in Tameside, to 2 tph.
• Increase the frequency at Guide Bridge (patronage 211,000 in 2009/10) to 4ph.
• Allow Rose Hill services to serve Gorton, in lieu of trains to Hadfield and Glossop, reducing journey times and crowding on that busy route.
• Reduce journey times and so boost patronage on some trains on the line via Bredbury and Reddish North.
Manchester – Marple – New Mills – Sheffield (Goyt Valley)
In the context of the wider revision of Piccadilly Eastern (Goyt Valley) services and the option of a 2 trains per hour (tph) service over the Hyde Loop a review of some calling patterns is justified. Some examples of issues to be addressed (but not all) are outlined below, together with some specific service ideas.
'Wider Marple'. The Marple/Rose Hill areas would probably benefit and patronage could be enhanced if there was wider spacing between Rose Hill and Marple departures. Therefore, if a train is missed at Marple or Rose Hill there should always be time to get to the other station. The difficulties of pathing Piccadilly Eastern (Goyt Valley) services into and out of a busy Manchester Piccadilly terminus has prevented an idea timetable being developed for the route.
Balance of calls at busier stations. The present calling pattern of trains has gaps in frequency at Reddish North (patronage 110,000 pa) and Rose Hill in the peaks. It has not been possible to resolve all the issues for December 2012, but TfGM officers will continue to work with Northern Rail to try to resolve the issues.
Gorton stops – With the introduction of 2 tph via Hyde, it is proposed that the Rose Hill services should stop at Gorton. This will open-up some travel opportunities and will to reduce journey times on the busier Glossop and Hadfield trains. Both should further boost patronage.
Two Trains per hour to New Mills. TfGM Officers working with Northern Rail were able to achieve 2tph to/from New Mills Monday to Friday, at no additional cost. TfGM Officers, working with Derbyshire Country Council, the Hop valley & High Peak Community Rail Partnership (CRP), the South East Manchester CRP and Northern Rail continue to investigate the potential for 2 tph Monday to Saturday. At present the Saturday service would require subsidy.
Early Evening Trains to/from Rose Hill. There is a gap in Rose Hill departures from Piccadilly of 2 hours from 1836 until 2036. TfGM is investigating ways to close this gap.
Later Evening Trains. It has been suggested that there is a strong need for a late evening service to Rose Hill via Hyde loop train. Whilst not part of the changes proposed for December 2012, TfGM Officers are further investigating the issue of later evening trains via Hyde.
Less well used Stations - Of the 14 stations served by Goyt Valley services, 6 have less than 50 passengers per day. The TfGM Rail Policy (approved in 2011) states that stations
with less than 25,000 passengers per annum should have an intermittent service.
Ryder Brow and Belle Vue. Belle Vue and Ryder Brow share catchment areas, and so there is justification for reviewing how best to serve the area by rail .Belle Vue is well served by very frequent buses to/from Manchester City Centre. Ryder Brow is less well served, and is in a regeneration area. There are no proposals to alter the pattern of calls at Ryder Brow, but recognising the Rail Policy criteria, it is proposed that the service at Belle Vue be 2-hourly.
Strines. This train is presently served by a train every two hours. Given the Rail Policy criteria it is proposed that this frequency be retained, and that the station be served by
alternative services to/from New Mills.
Fairfield. – There are plans for some 600 houses within 1 mile or so of the station. The developments are slow at present, but there are already 100 houses on the former station
goods yard. These are a mix of houses, but include 3/4 bedroom properties aimed at professionals. Therefore, it is proposed that Fairfield will retain a 1tph service.
Early morning services from Chinley. At present two of the trains starting from New Mills in the early morning (0613 and 0636) operate as empty stock from Stockport. TfGM Officers are working with Northern Rail to investigate the scope to start these trains from Chinley.
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As a daily commuter to Manchester, and a user of both Marple stations, I'd like to thank you for taking the time to post this info, it's very useful. :)
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As a daily commuter from Marple (and occasional returnee to Rose Hill) I'm not impressed with the comment
"Therefore, if a train is missed at Marple or Rose Hill there should always be time to get to the other station."
On foot it is a good 20-25 minutes between stations. We don't all take cars to the station.
As far as I can see, during the main commuter times there are enough scheduled services - they just aren't long enough (and at times, not reliable). In the late evening and on Sundays there simply aren't enough services.
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Thanks rsh, that's really useful and interesting. But as rsh says, there's little to celebrate there as far as Marple is concerned, and as hollins says, the major problems (poor evening and Sunday services) are not addressed at all. :(
And as hollins also pointed out a few weeks ago on this thread, the extra carriages that appeared in December seem to be randomly used - there's no consistency from one day to the next as to which train they are on, although the 07.59 from Marple does seem to be reliably a four-carriage train at the moment. But there are still some overcrowded two-carriage services, and half empty four-carriage services - such as the 18.06 from Piccadilly to Rose Hill which I used the other day.
Incidentally, I see from the latest LibDem newsletter that our councillors are claiming the credit for the extra rolling stock. They may have had something to do with it for all we know, but we also know that Northern Rail were doing their best to get additional carriages anyway. And when you consider the poor quality of the clapped-out cast-offs that we have inherited from other train companies, it's not a lot for the councilors to get excited about! ::)
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Early Evening Trains to/from Rose Hill. There is a gap in Rose Hill departures from Piccadilly of 2 hours from 1836 until 2036. TfGM is investigating ways to close this gap.
Well it's not exactly rocket science, is it?!
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Early Evening Trains to/from Rose Hill. There is a gap in Rose Hill departures from Piccadilly of 2 hours from 1836 until 2036. TfGM is investigating ways to close this gap.
Well it's not exactly rocket science, is it?!
Where does the over-staffed Quango GMTE become yet another Quango TFGM?
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Early Evening Trains to/from Rose Hill. There is a gap in Rose Hill departures from Piccadilly of 2 hours from 1836 until 2036. TfGM is investigating ways to close this gap.
Well it's not exactly rocket science, is it?!
I'd have thought not, I don't see why Rose Hill doesn't close and introduce a shuttle bus from Marple station
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A few points…
Once the cycle bridge is in to Romiley, I will consider switching from Rose Hilll to Romiley.
Way can’t there be a bus between the two Maple stations timed for people that miss a train that is free for all travel card holders? I don’t understand way the travel cards up north don’t work on all buses when all of the London ones do….
My wife would not be happy getting the train to Maple in the evening then a bus to Rose Hill unless the train remained in the station until the bus comes and that the train staff extorted passages to the bus.
A mad ideal… If the train lines were converted to a guided bus (http://www.thebusway.info/), then the guided bus could run on the lines to Maple, the hop onto the road to Rose Hill and run back along the lines from Rose Hill. The same could be done with a tram by adding lines to the road.
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simple answer privertization
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A few points…
Once the cycle bridge is in to Romiley, I will consider switching from Rose Hilll to Romiley.
Way can’t there be a bus between the two Maple stations timed for people that miss a train that is free for all travel card holders? I don’t understand way the travel cards up north don’t work on all buses when all of the London ones do….
My wife would not be happy getting the train to Maple in the evening then a bus to Rose Hill unless the train remained in the station until the bus comes and that the train staff extorted passages to the bus.
A mad ideal… If the train lines were converted to a guided bus (http://www.thebusway.info/), then the guided bus could run on the lines to Maple, the hop onto the road to Rose Hill and run back along the lines from Rose Hill. The same could be done with a tram by adding lines to the road.
I like that solution.
Guided buses were all very well when I lived in Leeds and they were a cheap alternative to trams. The problem is, rather than give them dedicated routes away from the road, they remove a full lane of existing road for use exclusively for guided buses and this creates congestion.
Guided Buses an suburban train routes would be a lot cheaper and a better use of space than trams and trains.
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simple answer privertization
A full privatisation and deregulation would be the answer. New services would natuarally be created to fit the needs of passengers.
Unlikely to happen.
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Early Evening Trains to/from Rose Hill. There is a gap in Rose Hill departures from Piccadilly of 2 hours from 1836 until 2036. TfGM is investigating ways to close this gap.
Well it's not exactly rocket science, is it?!
I'd have thought not, I don't see why Rose Hill doesn't close and introduce a shuttle bus from Marple station
Cost how often would it be used mostly morning and evening ,