Poynton to Sheffield on Saturday afternoons: can I go via Manchester?

Is the Stoke Piccadilly trains' not stopping at Stockport on Saturday afternoons a permanent feature?
I regularly travel from Poynton to Sheffield at this time, changing at Stockport to stand all the way to Sheffield.
Are their any alternatives other than walking to Middlewood?
Can I go via Manchester and back through Stockport?
Can I go via Manchester use a Hope Valley stopper?

unlevel42 said:

Is the Stoke Piccadilly trains' not stopping at Stockport on Saturday afternoons a permanent feature?
I regularly travel from Poynton to Sheffield at this time, changing at Stockport to stand all the way to Sheffield.
Are their any alternatives other than walking to Middlewood?
Can I go via Manchester and back through Stockport?
Can I go via Manchester use a Hope Valley stopper?

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Which train are you referring to the 14:30 from Poynton or the 16:30? If it's the latter you can alight at Cheadle Hulme and catch the following train (from Alderley Edge to Manchester/Wigan) from Cheadle Hulme to Stockport.

Poynton to Manchester tickets appear to be Route:Any Permitted so unlike tickets issued from stations like Macclesfield, Wilmslow and Knutsford it doesn't look like you are not permitted to travel via Piccadilly.

Also if you know exactly which services you'll travel on and that won't change you could buy a Poynton to Manchester off-peak ticket and a Manchester to Sheffield advance ticket.

jcollins said:

Which train are you referring to the 14:30 from Poynton or the 16:30? If it's the latter you can alight at Cheadle Hulme and catch the following train (from Alderley Edge to Manchester/Wigan) from Cheadle Hulme to Stockport.

Poynton to Manchester tickets appear to be Route:Any Permitted so unlike tickets issued from stations like Macclesfield, Wilmslow and Knutsford it doesn't look like you are not permitted to travel via Piccadilly.

Also if you know exactly which services you'll travel on and that won't change you could buy a Poynton to Manchester off-peak ticket and a Manchester to Sheffield advance ticket.

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I buy a standard single at £13.45 (senior).
I usually catch the 14:30 or 15:30 from Poynton.
I cannot force the search engine to show either journey via Piccadilly.
Sheffield ticket office told me to ask the guard and so travel perhaps without a valid ticket.
Will the machine at Poynton sell a valid ticket?

Trainline won't offer any itineraries after the 1329 until 1630!

The problem is that the fastest journey involves doubling back between Stockport and Manchester and this is not permitted.

Trainsplit will offer a fast 1430 itinerary via Manchester & doubling back through Stockport for £16.40.

Trainsplit will also offer a slower 1430 itinerary via Manchester & Romiley for £12.70.

unlevel42 said:

Will the machine at Poynton sell a valid ticket?

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For the fast itinerary? No, it will not. You may wish to write to Northern and ask them if you should buy a through fare to Sheffield from the machine, and use it to double-back between Stockport & Manchester (if they say yes, keep a copy of the letter/email as evidence) or if you should purchase a combination of tickets to make this journey, and if the latter, should you buy the first ticket from the machine, and the second on board, or should the entire combination be purchased on board

I would be very interested to hear what Northern have to say.

Nobody seems to have thought these implications through!

I personally wouldn’t hesitate to do the doubleback via Manchester.

I can’t imagine too many guards caring.

Merseysider said:

Nobody seems to have thought these implications through!

I personally wouldn’t hesitate to do the doubleback via Manchester.

I can’t imagine too many guards caring.

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I would second this advice. They can't complain that you didn't get off at Stockport if they haven't given you the option to!

I "third" this advise too. It is exactly what I would do in these circumstances.

They really should introduce an easement.

It’s amusing (yet disappointing) that with some advanced tickets you are forced to go via Manchester even though this involves a doubleback through Stockport (there was a thread on this within the last year I’m sure) and yet here we see the opposite.

As you travel off peak, a simple, and cheaper, way around this would be to buy a Wayfarer for £8* (ENCTP) and a single from Grindleford to Sheffield at £2.60 (senior) and you could double back at Chorley if you wanted to, though Manchester or Stockport may be more convenient.

* TFGM put the price of the Wayfarer up to £13.50 for an Adult yesterday, no notice on their website but it had certainly made it to the ticket machines. The concession version may be up by a few pence as well.