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Manchester Airport to Blackpool North

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Manchester77

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Hi everyone, on Friday the 27th of July (this coming Friday) I'm planning to travel from Manchester Piccadilly to Blackpool North. It departs Piccadilly at 09:46 from platform 14. I have a few questions that I'd like to ask and if anyone answers I'll be most grateful:)

Will it be a class 185 or would it be a 170? Reason I ask is because I quite like the 185s:)

It arraives at Piccadilly at 09:44 and departs at 09:46 meaning its only at Piccadilly for just two minutes. I've never caught a train from platforms 13/14 so I'd like to know, if I get to Piccadilly at 09:30 will I have enough time to get the newspaper, a cuppa tea and something to eat and make my way to platform 14?

If its any help afaik the service is timetabled as 1N58

Thanks:)
 
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MidnightFlyer

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It's a 185, and yes, though I think that's below the official connection time, if all's well you should have enough time to get a paper from WH Smith (or a free Metro from numerous holders), plus there's plenty of Upper Crust-style establishments on the concourse to get food and a drink to take away from. I've done similar in 10 mins before with ease - just remember don't run and don't cut it fine!

I should think the Blackpool trains will be quite busy on summer Fridays, as a sidenote.
 
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Hi everyone, on Friday the 27th of July (this coming Friday) I'm planning to travel from Manchester Piccadilly to Blackpool North. It departs Piccadilly at 09:46 from platform 14. I have a few questions that I'd like to ask and if anyone answers I'll be most grateful:)

Will it be a class 185 or would it be a 170? Reason I ask is because I quite like the 185s:)

It arraives at Piccadilly at 09:44 and departs at 09:46 meaning its only at Piccadilly for just two minutes. I've never caught a train from platforms 13/14 so I'd like to know, if I get to Piccadilly at 09:30 will I have enough time to get the newspaper, a cuppa tea and something to eat and make my way to platform 14?

If its any help afaik the service is timetabled as 1N58


Thanks:)

14 minutes is tight though (if there are queues at Upper Crust/ WH Smith). There is a moving walkway and a lift up to platform 13/14.
 

callum112233

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It's a 185, and yes, though I think that's below the official connection time, if all's well you should have enough time to get a paper from WH Smith (or a free Metro from numerous holders), plus there's plenty of Upper Crust-style establishments on the concourse to get food and a drink to take away from. I've done similar in 10 mins before with ease - just remember don't run and don't cut it fine!

I should think the Blackpool trains will be quite busy on summer Fridays, as a sidenote.

I find that the XX:46 trains to Blackpool are nearly always rammed full. It's rare I get a seat. I would reserve a seat if possible.
 

gnolife

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The 0946 is for Blackpool Nth (front 3 coaches) and Windermere (rear 3 coaches). I usually find that the Windermere portion is much quieter than the Blackpool, so I'd advise joining the Windermere and switching to the Blackpool at Preston.
 

323235

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I tend to find that Coach (B?) in the rear portion of the Transpennine North West services is usually the quietest with very few if any reservations.

Most passengers at Piccadilly tend to pack into the door areas in the front unit and then at Oxford Road they all panic and run down to the rear portion when they discover there's no room to board the front 3 coaches.
 

PR1Berske

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It's often repeated on this forum, but the general public never fail to amaze/amuse on this service

*BIG SIGN* - the train will split
*REPEATED ANNOUNCEMENTS* - this train will divide, ensure you're in the right portion

*train pulls into Preston* - "Aaaagh, I could have been sent to Windermere, stupid train company, why do it like this you morans?!" :roll::roll::roll:
 

WatcherZero

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Theres a WHSmiths in the platform 13/14 concourse area but I dont think 2 minutes is enough time to get off, go up the stairs, go past ticket inspector, queue up at shop, go back past ticket inspector and down stairs and reboard again. Remember also 'doors close one minute before departure'.
 

Solent&Wessex

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Well mentioned - don't forget to allow time to pass through the G4S manned barriers (assuming they haven't pinched the staff for the Olympics!). The barriers are now by the doorways on the main concourse which lead onto platforms 10 and 11, so you have to pass the barrier before going up the travelator. The barrier is no longer situated immediately at the top of the stairs to 13 and 14 as it used to be.

I would echo the previous posters, the rear portion on these trains is normally significantly less busy than the front, although the Blackpool bit should be fine after Preston where you would transfer from one bit to the other.
 

kieron

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*train pulls into Preston* - "Aaaagh, I could have been sent to Windermere, stupid train company, why do it like this you morans?!" :roll::roll::roll:
It all sounds pretty rational to me apart from the complaining. You get a seat from your starting station, and move to the right part of the train in Preston. In an ideal world, there would be different announcements in different carriages, so such people would hear three or four announcements that they're on the Windermere bit before the guard reaches them.
 

Manchester77

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It's often repeated on this forum, but the general public never fail to amaze/amuse on this service

*BIG SIGN* - the train will split
*REPEATED ANNOUNCEMENTS* - this train will divide, ensure you're in the right portion

*train pulls into Preston* - "Aaaagh, I could have been sent to Windermere, stupid train company, why do it like this you morans?!" :roll::roll::roll:

So does this mean that when it pulls into MAN it's a double 185 which splits at Preston??
 

redthunder

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Yes that one does split at Preston, if ur still struggling for overcrowding on that train at Preston there are quite a few alternative Northern services from Preston too (3/4 I think) or there's the Blackpool South train too!!!

To add to that very few normally would join the TP train at Preston anyways because there's the train from York that leaves Preston about 3/4 minutes before you (providing its on time that is)
 
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WestCoast

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In an ideal world, there would be different announcements in different carriages, so such people would hear three or four announcements that they're on the Windermere bit before the guard reaches them.

On TPE, the automated announcement system on the 185s already does that by saying "this part of the train is for X".
 

PR1Berske

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It all sounds pretty rational to me apart from the complaining. You get a seat from your starting station, and move to the right part of the train in Preston. In an ideal world, there would be different announcements in different carriages, so such people would hear three or four announcements that they're on the Windermere bit before the guard reaches them.

Don't get me wrong - I haven't a problem with the existence of split-service trains (for want of the actual technical term). It's just I have witnessed far too many examples of people ignoring messages, posters and announcements only to get prissy at Preston!

Oh, and as above, TPE does have announcements which are divided between carriages, so it says "This is the carriage for X" or something similar.
 

WatcherZero

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Don't get me wrong - I haven't a problem with the existence of split-service trains (for want of the actual technical term). It's just I have witnessed far too many examples of people ignoring messages, posters and announcements only to get prissy at Preston!

Oh, and as above, TPE does have announcements which are divided between carriages, so it says "This is the carriage for X" or something similar.

Lol I was in McDonalds today, big sign up on the front door 'We apologise but the milkshake machine is out of order' Similar sign hangin above the counters. Girl walks straight up to the till and says 'Can I have a milkshake?' then walks off when she cant.
 

142094

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Lol I was in McDonalds today, big sign up on the front door 'We apologise but the milkshake machine is out of order' Similar sign hangin above the counters. Girl walks straight up to the till and says 'Can I have a milkshake?' then walks off when she cant.

Sign at a certain local station at the weekend:

"Platform 1 is closed. All trains will arrive and depart from platform 2".

Probably around 20% of people still walked past and went to platform 1.
 

krisk

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Blackpool services always a 185 and very busy, full of cheap advance fares, good luck with a seat. You know your on a Blackpool bound train when your the only one with a full set of teeth
 

Manchester77

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Blackpool services always a 185 and very busy, full of cheap advance fares, good luck with a seat. You know your on a Blackpool bound train when your the only one with a full set of teeth

That's very true. Ive booked and it with the trainline and it cost £22.80 for standard (me and my son) but £22.50 for first class. It's weird w the faires work
 

MidnightFlyer

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That's very true. Ive booked and it with the trainline and it cost £22.80 for standard (me and my son) but £22.50 for first class. It's weird w the faires work

I suspect that's controlling numbers and spreading them out - that will fill up First and Standard as opposed to having a heaving Standard and empty First. It's quite common on a few inter-city services in advance too.
 

calc7

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That's very true. Ive booked and it with the trainline and it cost £22.80 for standard (me and my son) but £22.50 for first class. It's weird w the faires work

It would have cost £21.50 if you didn't use thetrainline. I suggest you use one that doesn't charge a booking fee next time, such as Redspottedhanky or Virgin Trains.
 

Manchester77

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It would have cost £21.50 if you didn't use thetrainline. I suggest you use one that doesn't charge a booking fee next time, such as Redspottedhanky or Virgin Trains.

Will keep that in mind for next time. Thank you very much :)
 
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Lol I was in McDonalds today, big sign up on the front door 'We apologise but the milkshake machine is out of order' Similar sign hangin above the counters. Girl walks straight up to the till and says 'Can I have a milkshake?' then walks off when she cant.

There's always one who does that isn't there:roll:
 
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