The second option was to leave the layout broadly the same but provide a platform on the Up Bolton line which would reduce conflicts by reducing platform dwell time for some trains.
Not too late to build one, surely?
The second option was to leave the layout broadly the same but provide a platform on the Up Bolton line which would reduce conflicts by reducing platform dwell time for some trains.
Suddenly, the engineer Mark Whitby seems not to "have talked with forked tongue" with his strenuous solitary objection to the Ordsall Chord project.
A lot of it stems from the ordsall chord.It seems to me, a total outsider, as though the Ordsall Chord & the through links it enabled have caused massively more problems than it solved & should never have been built - too simplistic or is there more to Northern’s problems than WM-style too-long-routes?
It would still block which junction?
A lot of it stems from the ordsall chord.
The presence of the chord means TPE uses it, adding extra congestion through castlefield and also through Victoria.
To be able to accommodate TPE at Victoria, Northern are unable to terminate services in the through platforms as much, leading to two services being stitched together and ridiculously long routes.
Said long routes are unreliable due to their length, and also due to the fact they are often crewed in two halves meaning more chance of a freeing shortage half way.
All of it needs to be backed out and the chord mothballed until 15/16 are built. Northern need to go back to terminating everything at Victoria with nothing running through.
There’s no way they’ll mothball the bridge now.
There’s no way they’ll mothball the bridge now.
Just the fact that people keep suggesting this and the daily problems do demonstrate that 15&16 and the Oxford Road improvements should have been built before the chord bridge though.
If they don't, they need to remove two other trains from Castlefield.
It would still block which junction?
Windsor Bridge South Jn Windsor Bridge y (2 x directions, 1 in move and 1 out move)
"Mayors demand answers over Northern Rail's future
The mayors of two northern cities have called for "clarity" after a Sunday newspaper was told Northern Rail would be stripped of its franchise."
"The Sunday Times was briefed that private train operator Northern Rail was to lose the franchise and, under plans reported by the weekly title, an "operator of last resort" would be brought in to run the railway, effectively bringing it under direct government control."
Courtesy: https://www.thestar.co.uk/news/traf...nd-answers-over-northern-rails-future-1347887
Also on Andy Burnham;s Twitter: https://twitter.com/andyburnhamgm/status/1208735721797935107?s=21
The benefits of TransPennine Express using the Chord haven't really been realised anyway. There are no additional services between Guide Bridge and Manchester taking their place.
From Manchester Piccadilly, the committed fourth Northern service to Hazel Grove, second Northern service to Macclesfield and second Northern service to Greenbank haven't been delivered.
So what was the point of services from the North TP route moving over to Manchester Victoria, given the huge pressure it has put on Northern?
The journey times for people using or making connections at Manchester Piccadilly are now worse than before, as its no longer possible to travel between Manchester Piccadilly and Leeds in 48 minutes.
I agree with the mathematics - 1tph each way Salford Central - Salford Crescent - Ordsall Lane would add four movements per hour through the junction, taking the current 26tph max up to 30tph max. A flat double track turnout such as Windsor Bridge South can handle at least double that.
"Mayors demand answers over Northern Rail's future
The mayors of two northern cities have called for "clarity" after a Sunday newspaper was told Northern Rail would be stripped of its franchise."
"The Sunday Times was briefed that private train operator Northern Rail was to lose the franchise and, under plans reported by the weekly title, an "operator of last resort" would be brought in to run the railway, effectively bringing it under direct government control."
Courtesy: https://www.thestar.co.uk/news/traf...nd-answers-over-northern-rails-future-1347887
Also on Andy Burnham;s Twitter: https://twitter.com/andyburnhamgm/status/1208735721797935107?s=21
At least it's not just a witch hunt against Northern and they're acknowledging TPE are perfmorming worse.
Simply stripping Northern of the franchise doesn't immediately solve line infrastructure issues, create new ready drivers, solve the technical problems with the new trains, solve the timetable shambles, solve Northern trains delayed due to congestion outside Manchester or Leeds or due to TPE train issues. Nor will it see new platforms installed at Piccadilly.
The passenger is not likely to see any immediate benefit. There's too many fundamental issues.
A lot of it stems from the ordsall chord.
The presence of the chord means TPE uses it, adding extra congestion through castlefield and also through Victoria.
To be able to accommodate TPE at Victoria, Northern are unable to terminate services in the through platforms as much, leading to two services being stitched together and ridiculously long routes.
Said long routes are unreliable due to their length, and also due to the fact they are often crewed in two halves meaning more chance of a freeing shortage half way.
All of it needs to be backed out and the chord mothballed until 15/16 are built. Northern need to go back to terminating everything at Victoria with nothing running through.
As I mentioned on one of the many other Northern Rail threads, the driver retention issue could be solved by inserting a "golden handcuffs" clause into their new drivers' contracts.
A change of ownership may not give any immediate benefit but given that Northern have proved incapable of coming up with any long term solutions to all their issues I would wholeheartedly be in favour of them losing the franchise.
Problems could be solved in the long run but the first quarter of 2019 will be more of the same
This would be my idea for all TPE through Manchester and Northern through Victoria and Castlefield:
TPE North: (per hour)
1 x Edinburgh/Newcastle - Liverpool via Victoria
1 x Scarborough/York - Liverpool via Victoria
1 x Redcar - Manchester Piccadilly via Guide Bridge
1 x Newcastle - Piccadilly via Guide Bridge
1 x Hull - Piccadilly via Guide Bridge (semi-fast)
1 x Leeds/Huddersfield - Piccadilly via Guide Bridge (stopping train)
1 x Cleethorpes - Airport (fast)
1 x Edinburgh/Glasgow - Airport via Bolton (fast)
Northern:
1 x Preston - Victoria (stopper)
1 x Southport - Airport via Bolton (semi-fast)
1 x Southport - Blackburn via Bolton and Rochdale
2 x Clitheroe/Blackburn - Victoria via Bolton
1 x Kirkby - Victoria via Atherton
1 x Wigan - Stalybridge via Atherton
1 x Wigan - Victoria via Atherton
2 x Victoria - Leeds via Rochdale and Bradford
1 x Victoria - Leeds via Brighouse
1 x Victoria - Rochdale
1 x Liverpool - Victoria via Chat Moss (stopper)
1 x Piccadilly - Crewe via Airport (Airport line stopper)
2 x Piccadilly - Airport non-stop (shuttles)
1 x Liverpool - Airport via Warrington (fast)
1 x North Wales - Airport (semi-fast)
1 x Blackpool - Airport (semi-fast)
1 x Blackpool - Hazel Grove
1 x Barrow/Windermere - Airport (fast)
Any potential problems that stand out here? Can Victoria platforms 5 and 6 cope with five terminating trains from the west and two through services?
It would have been fine if all the Castlefield improvement works were done first - the trouble is they were not. And if money was short, 15/16 would have been more useful.