Are modern trains faster than steam? Bolton to Manchester Vic

[30907]

The surviving route to Bolton was Lancashire and Yorkshire so I think it would have been Victoria. The LNWR had a route to Bolton branching off the Liverpool line and passing through Little Hulton, terminating at a different station to the south west whose name escapes me.

As late as the winter 62-63 timetable a handful of trains from ex LNW origins still ran into Exchange, fitting the OP's description of a station near Victoria - though the only one I can quickly find from Bolton (ex Morecambe) stopped at Moses Gate and Salford.

 

[30907]

True, but we are talking about a 45 minute journey which 'takes' 59 minutes with this route.

The best times I can concoct from current schedules on RTT are around 55min with 1 minute stops and no engineering allowance.
45 min would be, on average, 2 min less between each stop. Impressive going.
But I get the impression you are staff, so have made right time from a +10 start before now.

 

[Llama]

Yes there are a few times I've been 10+ late and turned it around quite easily. The permissible speed increased last October on a few sections when much of the route was resignalled yet I don't think the sectional running times were adjusted as they should've perhaps been. On the old, lower, permissible speeds it was certainly possible to do Manchester to Bradford or vice versa on a 'semi-fast' in ~50 minutes. It's normal to drive pretty conservatively nowadays and still end up hanging around waiting time at Halifax & Todmorden especially.