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It does, and the (somewhat modified!) interlocking too, but the kit on the ground is much younger so it’s a bit of a stretch to describe the installation as of 1884 vintage!
It does. Along with the other Stockport area boxes it was comprehensively relocked and refurbished after the failure of the Manchester South scheme to take over as planned. The whole area was relaid and rebuilt and I believe they had to ship in locking fitters from Indian Railways to lead the work.
It just uses a very old interface between the signaller and some modern signalling kit.
A new line was laid to go straight through the site of Edgeley No2 and had to be ripped back up again.
I'm needing to travel S-o-T to Man Pic tomorrow. The reality of what I saw last week was a frequent dispatch of coaches from S-o-T to Stafford, Crewe & Macclesfield at least. Journey planners for tomorrow are suggesting only one hourly bus service to Macclesfield, replacing the Northern stopper. Nothing theoretically replacing Avanti or Cross Country, I doubt this to be the actual case?
Obviously this singling issue throws a curve ball regarding the already planned closure....
My question is....could anybody advise on how best to make a journey from Stoke-on-Trent to Man Pic and return tomorrow?
If it's the same as today I'd say you have two choices:
1. Hourly service to Piccadilly, will be delayed.
2. Go to Crewe, whence an hourly service to Piccadilly (post 51 above). There may be an additional Crewe service formed of the diverted London-Glasgow via Stoke (post 64 above).
Hopefully these services are well spaced. Also check on planned engineering work, because the plan was for the direct route to Manchester to be closed anyway (but in fact not until late Saturday)
EDIT for stated plan: Engineering work is taking place between Stafford and Stoke-on-Trent / Cheadle Hulme, closing all lines from 22:15 on Saturday and all day on Sunday.
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Today's Crewe-Manchester service was about once every two hours in fact, so who knows what it might be tomorrow?
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Personally I'd go outbound on a direct service which should leave Stoke roughly on time anyway, check for the special timetable, and then consider the Crewe option as an alternative for coming home depending on what's happening at Piccadilly when you come back.
Experiences on the 1215 Manchester to London train today...
The incoming train arrived about 1215, with about three train-loads of passengers (at the current reduced levels) waiting on the platform. When we were all settled, there was an announcement that the staff would have to check numbers. Then we were told that there were 270-something passengers on board, and the current limit (for class 390/1) is 240-something.
I was wondering how they were gong to persuade 30 passengers to get off, but the staff had a cunning plan. The train would not stop at Stockport, Macclesfield or Stoke, and passengers for these stations should go for the Northern service. This did the trick.
We did in fact stop at all these stations, but as far as I could see few passengers got off or on.
Experiences on the 1215 Manchester to London train today...
The incoming train arrived about 1215, with about three train-loads of passengers (at the current reduced levels) waiting on the platform. When we were all settled, there was an announcement that the staff would have to check numbers. Then we were told that there were 270-something passengers on board, and the current limit (for class 350/1)
I was wondering how they were gong to persuade 30 passengers to get off, but the staff had a cunning plan. The train would not stop at Stockport, Macclesfield or Stoke, and passengers for these stations should go for the Northern service. This did the trick.
Every stopper on Manchester to Stoke showing as cancelled tomorrow, marvellous, if I'm going to need to go to Middlewood tomorrow to get a train then that might swing my decision of which game to watch from Atherton to Buxton
Every stopper on Manchester to Stoke showing as cancelled tomorrow, marvellous, if I'm going to need to go to Middlewood tomorrow to get a train then that might swing my decision of which game to watch from Atherton to Buxton
That was planned as part of the engineering works anyway as far as I'm aware: The stoppers are only running between Macclesfield and Manchester on Saturdays and not at all on Sundays.
Quite surprised to see that there's supposed to be an hourly London - Manchester Avanti service via Stoke and Macc tomorrow to be honest, as last weekend they had the rails pulled up south of Macclesfield and I assumed the next two weekends would be the same.
That was planned as part of the engineering works anyway as far as I'm aware: The stoppers are only running between Macclesfield and Manchester on Saturdays and not at all on Sundays.
That was planned as part of the engineering works anyway as far as I'm aware: The stoppers are only running between Macclesfield and Manchester on Saturdays and not at all on Sundays.
Quite surprised to see that there's supposed to be an hourly London - Manchester Avanti service via Stoke and Macc tomorrow to be honest, as last weekend they had the rails pulled up south of Macclesfield and I assumed the next two weekends would be the same.
Avanti running one train an hour Manchester to Stoke tomorrow. Northern running hourly bus Stoke to Macclesfield and two hourly train Macclesfield to Manc.
Avanti running one train an hour Manchester to Stoke tomorrow. Northern running hourly bus Stoke to Macclesfield and two hourly train Macclesfield to Manc.
If this is the case - there will be adequate road transport as far as Macclesfield, where passengers will be promptly deposited at the wrong end of a bottleneck into Manchester which could take hours to cross. Will some of the road transport coaches be redeployed to offer direct (faster) journeys from Stoke to Manchester?
Guess we’ll have to tune in to tomorrow’s episode to find out...
Mess room rumour has it that the two engineers drafted in from Italy have both tested positive for covid so have to self-isolate for 14 days... now awaiting some new engineers to fly over
How much of that is true I'm not sure, but it does add to the ridiculousness of the whole situation
Mess room rumour has it that the two engineers drafted in from Italy have both tested positive for covid so have to self-isolate for 14 days... now awaiting some new engineers to fly over
How much of that is true I'm not sure, but it does add to the ridiculousness of the whole situation
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