Deafdoggie
Established Member
- Joined
- 29 Sep 2016
- Messages
- 3,092
Alas I’ve been a passenger for longer than that! When I said “recently” that is over six years in my book
It’s odd that 158’s we’re out, as that is what EMT are usually shortest of. On race days they usually string 153’s together and put a four car 222 out as that’s the usual spare stock. So sounds like something else wasn’t running and they had the spare stock.
1 extra evening train Mon - Sat.What’s the plan for post 2020??
Mugby was on his return journey - heading towards Derby.You certainly used to be able to. But I think the signal for the level crossing isn’t cleared till train stopped now, so it has to stop short of where it used to stop, as can’t go past signal.
It’s odd that 158’s we’re out, as that is what EMT are usually shortest of. On race days they usually string 153’s together and put a four car 222 out as that’s the usual spare stock. So sounds like something else wasn’t running and they had the spare stock.
Don’t think they usually strengthen for home games & the cynic in me says that’s because neither Stoke fan would notice
This service has really gone down the nick over the last few years. It used to be a very useful through service from Crewe to Skegness, operated by two-car 158s. Then it was cut back to Nottingham. The final kick in the teeth occurred when it was cut back to Derby with poorly timed connections to and from Nottingham. And the last service from Derby to Crewe is inconveniently early at 2042.
There used to be summer through trains to Chester and North Wales, which were always crowded. But crossing the WCML hourly now would be difficult. So bar building a flyover, Crewe is probably best as terminal.
I think most people from Derby don't want to go to Manchester, which is why there isn't a service. There are plenty of Manchester trains from Stoke and Kidsgrove. There used to be summer through trains to Chester and North Wales, which were always crowded. But crossing the WCML hourly now would be difficult. So bar building a flyover, Crewe is probably best as terminal.
I think most people from Derby don't want to go to Manchester, which is why there isn't a service.
I'm not aware of any market research that supports or disproves this assertion. - My theory is that the reason there isn't a service because of a lack of paths and rolling stock.
My second theory, based on occasionally using the route on business (and finding the existing one coach train from Derby to Stoke per hour woefully inadequate) is that if there was a fast, reliable and more frequent service, people from Derby would be delighted to travel to Manchester by train on business or for work, the the demand would rise quickly.
Oi!The Stoke - Derby Market is there, but I doubt there is as much demand from the intermediate stations.
Yes very true and it doesn't help that the bus services have been reduced quite a bit in the last few years with Uttoxeter having no buses at all on Sundays! I think longer or more frequent trains will help, even if it is 2 coaches instead of 1 as 2 coaches on peak hour services from the Derby end of the route seam quite reasonable on the times when a 156 or 158 has turned up on the 0758 from Tutbury.Oi!
I am part of the intermediate market and I am very demanding.
Alternative inter-urban links do not exist in this corridor, despite the good express road available. Pairs of stations may be linked eg Uttoxeter to Tutbury, but there is no service from Uttoxeter to Derby (it's nearest big shopping/leisure destination). Nor from any of the stations to Stoke-on-Trent (for onward rail connections). Plus there is this place called Alton Towers, popular with the youngsters. Now virtually unserved by public transport.
Oi!
I am part of the intermediate market and I am very demanding.
Alternative inter-urban links do not exist in this corridor, despite the good express road available. Pairs of stations may be linked eg Uttoxeter to Tutbury, but there is no service from Uttoxeter to Derby (it's nearest big shopping/leisure destination). Nor from any of the stations to Stoke-on-Trent (for onward rail connections). Plus there is this place called Alton Towers, popular with the youngsters. Now virtually unserved by public transport.
Loads of room at Stoke for extending the North bay (platform 3) into a through platform, so adding a South Bay certainly no issue. But is it really worth it?
To provide a balanced working it would need to turn round pretty quick at Stoke, and platforms 1 & 2 are both bi-directionally signalled.
Aside from all that, if there’s spare stock to be had for this service, probably best to just strengthen existing service
Don't get me started on the lack of Public Transport to Alton Towers...
It did run to Manchester Airport for a short while, but never reached double figures for passenger numbers. And that’s with no through trains to the airport from any station except Crewe.
If a service to Manchester was introduced it would still be faster to change at Stoke, whilst a through train is often preferred, the faster journey time isn’t attracting people at the moment.
I’m not saying the current service isn’t poor, but I’m not sure running to Manchester is the answer
Haven't they recently put a car park behind the platform 2 building?
There were rumblings of the Churnet Valley extending back to Alton Towers wasn't there? The trackbed and platforms are still there
Oi!
I am part of the intermediate market and I am very demanding.
Alternative inter-urban links do not exist in this corridor, despite the good express road available. Pairs of stations may be linked eg Uttoxeter to Tutbury, but there is no service from Uttoxeter to Derby (it's nearest big shopping/leisure destination). Nor from any of the stations to Stoke-on-Trent (for onward rail connections). Plus there is this place called Alton Towers, popular with the youngsters. Now virtually unserved by public transport.
Indeed, my 'bad' as the young people would have it! As an occasional user of the Swift you would have thought that I would remember it, but my head still has it as two separate routes: Uttoxeter to Ashbourne and Mayfield to Derby.There is an hourly bus from Ashbourne to Derby, but it's not direct (journey time well over an hour via Ashbourne).
Indeed, it was rather useful, passing my front door and dropping me off in the centre of Derby. Also convenient in the other direction - 20 minutes direct to Stoke Station instead of an hour plus via Hanley. The timetable was poor though. Like many routes, it had holes in at school-times, just when I wanted to use it for a return journey.Arriva/Wardle did try buses from Hanley to Derby a few years ago (the X50 using branded double deck buses) but there didn't seem to be enough demand for it
Loads of room at Stoke for extending the North bay (platform 3) into a through platform