Stockport = South Manchester Parkway?

neilmc · 28 Jan 2013

Reading discussions about "Parkway" stations leads me to think that Stockport fulfils this role for the south part of Manchester, thanks to the M60 running right through the middle of the town. I only know of one Manchester-bound train which doesn't stop there, the post-evening peak "relief" from Euston; for a while Cross Country omitted Stockport on their Bristol trains but soon saw the light.

Come to think of it, I hardly ever use Piccadilly these days, only if I'm coming North quite late and can't get a lift as Stagecoach simply don't bother running several of their services from Stockport late evenings.

I work in Wythenshawe and we always tell prospective visitors from the South to only get tickets to Stockport NOT Manchester as they would otherwise expect.

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PR1Berske · 28 Jan 2013

Nah, it'll be "Stockport Metrolink" by 2020

rebmcr · 28 Jan 2013

It's not really a parkway if you can't park there.

Wath Yard · 28 Jan 2013

The M60 around Stockport can get quite busy, so it's sort of a car park.

Xenophon PCDGS · 28 Jan 2013

Where did you propose the car park should be situated and what capacity do you feel should be provided. There is only small-ish existing capacity on the Wellington Road North side of the station. Were you thinking of siting this car park on the Station Road side of the station? Both the Shaw Heath and Edgeley areas have roads that are extremely heavily used with already existing traffic.

MidnightFlyer · 28 Jan 2013

neilmc said:
for a while Cross Country omitted Stockport on their Bristol trains but soon saw the light.

6 months to be precise. I'm not sure it was in as much seeing the light as being forced to by local transport groups etc. The first southbound XC service and the evening Manchester-Cardiff via Brum XC service also omit calling.

pemma · 28 Jan 2013

MattE2010 said:
6 months to be precise. I'm not sure it was in as much seeing the light as being forced to by local transport groups etc. The first southbound XC service and the evening Manchester-Cardiff via Brum XC service also omit calling.

My understanding is XC never objected to calling at Stockport but a result of the WCML recast would have meant a call at Stockport on southbound journeys towards Bristol would have resulted in a missed path and about 5 extra minutes on the Manchester-Birmingham journey time, which is what they objected to.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

neilmc said:
I only know of one Manchester-bound train which doesn't stop there, the post-evening peak "relief" from Euston; for a while Cross Country omitted Stockport on their Bristol trains but soon saw the light.

I actually wonder if the Alliance Rail/Grand Central idea for Bradford-Huddersfield-Guide Bridge-Stockport-London could be really successful.

As you say a lot of people interchange at Stockport not Manchester. On some southbound London trains more people board at Stockport than board at Manchester Piccadilly.

They propose using Guide Bridge as an East Manchester parkway and there's a separate proposal for Rochdale-Victoria-Eccles-London services so Eccles could become a West Manchester parkway.

How many London passengers would still need to use Manchester Piccadilly if all that happened?

gnolife · 29 Jan 2013

I know of one Northern service from Buxton that runs fast from Hazel Grove to Manchester.

Someone mentioned the first southbound XC, but in my experience of it, it always goes via Heald Green.

Xenophon PCDGS · 29 Jan 2013

The construction of platform "0" at Stockport railway station in recent years did take some station platform capacity pressure off other platforms.

wijit · 31 Jan 2013

rebmcr said:
It's not really a parkway if you can't park there.

Is that rather large car park next to the station not a suitable pace to do just that then?

Xenophon PCDGS · 31 Jan 2013

wijit said:
Is that rather large car park next to the station not a suitable pace to do just that then?

Many of the employees of the office blocks and the council buildings nearby use this car park and park there from an early time each morning. This car park that you describe is viewed as being on the Grand Central complex and serving the facilities there rather than anything to do with the railway station.

Bakerbloke · 31 Jan 2013

Stockport is great if you are being dropped off. It is less than 5 minutes to the rear entrance if you know where you are going and you are not intermingled with taxis (which use the front area). I do wish it had an extra fast ticket machine though.

Robert Taggart · 31 Jan 2013

There have been several reports / snippets in the local weekly free 'rag' (Stockport Times) over the last ten years...
Large new car park to be constructed at the back (over the carriage sidings) of the station, new entrance to be constructed at back of station, plans announced...
There was an idea put forward to make Stocky into a 'parkway' station, the idea being that travellers (particularly business class) from Thameside, Oldham, Rochdale and even Bury - would drive along the then recently completed M60, park up at the 'back' / Edgeley side of the station, then catch their train (southwards presumably) - thereby avoiding the hassle of Central Manchester.
As can be seen - nothing has changed - at least at Stocky's 'backside' !

Greybeard33 · 31 Jan 2013

Stockport's status will be downgraded in 20 years' time when (if?) it is bypassed by HS2. Many London or Midlands-bound passengers will then choose to use Piccadilly or the new South Manchester Parkway station at Davenport Green instead.

Xenophon PCDGS · 1 Feb 2013

Robert Taggart said:
There was an idea put forward to make Stocky into a 'parkway' station, the idea being that travellers (particularly business class) from Thameside, Oldham, Rochdale and even Bury - would drive along the then recently completed M60, park up at the 'back' / Edgeley side of the station, then catch their train (southwards presumably) - thereby avoiding the hassle of Central Manchester.
As can be seen - nothing has changed - at least at Stocky's 'backside' !

I mentioned that area in my posting # 5.

323235 · 1 Feb 2013

MattE2010 said:
6 months to be precise. I'm not sure it was in as much seeing the light as being forced to by local transport groups etc. The first southbound XC service and the evening Manchester-Cardiff via Brum XC service also omit calling.

The xx07 Crosscounty services from Manchester Piccadilly and associated return services still don't call at Stockport on Sundays save for the 2016/2116/2216

Robert Taggart · 1 Feb 2013

Paul Sidorczuk said:
I mentioned that area in my posting # 5.

Indeed. Your point being ?...

Xenophon PCDGS · 1 Feb 2013

Robert Taggart said:
Indeed. Your point being ?...

If you read that posting, you would have found that it had already mentioned that existing railway land on that side of Stockport railway station and of the existing heavy road traffic in both Shaw Heath and Edgeley, which traffic using that car park would have to negotiate.

Robert Taggart · 1 Feb 2013

Paul Sidorczuk said:
If you read that posting, you would have found that it had already mentioned that existing railway land on that side of Stockport railway station and of the existing heavy road traffic in both Shaw Heath and Edgeley, which traffic using that car park would have to negotiate.

Yes, well ?

Xenophon PCDGS · 1 Feb 2013

Robert Taggart said:
Yes, well ?

What railway usage is that land put to these days? If a usage for a car park of a good size could both bring in revenue and provide a service to intending rail travellers, why has that particular avenue not been considered to date ?

Robert Taggart · 1 Feb 2013

Paul Sidorczuk said:
What railway usage is that land put to these days? If a usage for a car park of a good size could both bring in revenue and provide a service to intending rail travellers, why has that particular avenue not been considered to date ?

Good question - no change of usage - no idea why development never happend - lacking imagination ? - Network Rail / Virgin Trains :?

Mutant Lemming · 2 Feb 2013

So you suggest relegating the ancient county borough of Stockport, Cheshire in to a car park for Manchester ?

Robert Taggart · 2 Feb 2013

Mutant Lemming said:
So you suggest relegating the ancient county borough of Stockport, Cheshire in to a car park for Manchester ?

Either way - its grim uop nourf

Stockport = South Manchester Parkway?

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