[Welshman]

Originally Posted by dzug2

Still is

I'm wondering (pure speculation) if the train in the other direction which OP missed was the empty stock?

According to an article about Northern Fleet utilisation in May's "Today's Railways", the 0922 Fridays only from Stockport - Stalybridge [a pair of 142s]
comes off the 0715 Macclesfield-Manchester Piccadilly, which then head for Newton Heath.

On Mondays-Thursdays they go via Styal, Wilmslow[reverse], Stockport, Denton and direct to Ashton Moss, but on Fridays become the 0922 at Stockport, and reverse at Stalybridge to reach Newton Heath.

[Green Lane]

Firstly, thanks all for the encouraging comments and for the further interesting and informative posts!

As for the price of the ticket, you are right tbtc, it does seem relatively expensive, especially when you consider that the anytime day single from Stockport to Stalybridge is cheaper at only £3.10. That allows travel either via the direct route along this whole line, or alternatively travel via Piccadilly and then tram to Victoria and on to Stalybridge from there. With hindsight I probably should have bought that cheaper and far more flexible ticket, which I think would also have been valid for the journey I made anyway. (Assuming break of journey is allowed) On the other hand, I suppose the one I bought is a memento of sorts and I presume adds to the exit/entrance stats of these stations!

I also agree that what's really killed this route is that it's not a radial route out of central Manchester. If I may take Merseyside as a similar example that I'm familiar with, generally speaking it's the routes which did not run directly towards Liverpool city centre which have been lost.

But yet, here we have the situation with the Stockport-Stalybridge line where it is useful for ECS moves and is I believe quite cheap to run this one train a week over this one remaining track. It would have been great to see this route in its heydey though. I certainly can see that these stations have seen better days. In fact at Denton, on the wall outside the station there are a few B&W photos of the station from back when it was really busy.

As for the empty train I saw run through Reddish South at around 09:07. It was just a single Pacer unit, although I did not get the number. Also, apologies I forgot to mention that it was travelling in the same direction as the later passenger service. Although, I can quite clearly see that the line does allow bi-directional working as I did notice a speed limit sign further down the track for trains going the other way.

Also, thanks very much for the timetable info. I've now downloaded Northern Rail timetable number 22 (Manchester-Rose Hill/New Mills Central) and I can confirm that on page 4 of the PDF, footnote Q states

Q From Stockport dep 0922, to Stalybridge arr 0949. Also stops on request at Reddish South 0926 and Denton 0931.

Perhaps the fact that it's just a footnote (as opposed to a whole page for Chester-Runcorn service) might explain why you can't use "Reddish South" or "Denton" on the timetable search page. Although I guess it wouldn't hurt to add them.

[craigwilson]

Originally Posted by Green Lane

around 09:07 a pacer on an apparent ECS move travelled through the station

Nice write up!

That ECS move...might it have been this?

http://rail.staging.swlines.co.uk/sc...ate=2012-07-27

[142094]

When I did the service earlier in the year the empties came from the south (Edgeley Junction area IIRC). Was suprised to see it as a double 142 working as well.

[Green Lane]

Originally Posted by craigwilson

Nice write up!

That ECS move...might it have been this?

http://rail.staging.swlines.co.uk/sc...ate=2012-07-27

Thanks for identifying the move! Yes, I'd say that's almost certainly it. Although I remember looking at my watch and seeing the time 09:07, it's quite possible that a couple of minutes then elapsed after that, but before the train actually came through, as I was chatting at the time. So that particular time I stated might have been slightly inaccurate. It could have easily been 09:10 when it actually passed us.

Originally Posted by 142094

When I did the service earlier in the year the empties came from the south (Edgeley Junction area IIRC). Was suprised to see it as a double 142 working as well.

Yes, that's the same as the empty 142 I saw, which was also from the south. You'd think they'd want all these trains back again! Presumably they must eventually return via a different route.

[323235]

Something I never noticed on a previous visit to the station that was apparent on your pictures is the lack of PTE logo on some of the signs.

[Green Lane]

Originally Posted by 323235

Something I never noticed on a previous visit to the station that was apparent on your pictures is the lack of PTE logo on some of the signs.

Yes, at the time I was there, I didn't notice that either to be honest. But after checking back through my photos, I have found the following:-

Both stations have three white "lampposts" on the platform, each with the Northern Rail "blue ring" painted on them. None of these lampposts have actual lamps fitted though. I assume this is because no passenger service calls here at night.

For both stations, only the two lampposts nearest the steps have station signs fitted, with the third one having no sign.

Also for both stations, only the southern half of the platforms are in use, with the northern half partially partitioned off with a fence (which can be quite easily walked around).

Looking again at Reddish South, both station signs on the platform appear to have the GMPTE logo, but in the case of Denton the one nearest the steps does not have the logo:-



Also, in the case of both stations, the main station signs at street level, at the entrance do not have the GMPTE logo (photos previously posted).

One more unrelated thing I noticed today, on this page on the National Rail Enquiries website, the PDF rail map listed as Zoomable version showing Train Operators (all stations shown) does not show Reddish South or Denton. (direct link to PDF here). The map does have a key which includes a broken line to indicate "limited services", so I thought that might have been suitable to indicate this particular line.