Please travel in the front train only

[dannypye9999]

Something really bugs me about Manchester Piccadilly it mostly happens late at night about 10pm when there are two trains ready to depart a certain platform when there are several platforms available, meaning passengers who want to travel locally sometimes have to walk the entire length of a virgin pendolino (11 cars) just to reach their train.....Why do they do this? I find it so inconvenient and very annoying, especially when I see people missing their trains because of it.

 

[Tomnick]

Platform allocation's a complicated business, needing a fair bit of forward planning - with an eye on units with long layovers (which might need an empty platform to avoid having to drop them on top of one with an earlier departure), units stabling overnight (ditto, plus they need to be in the right place for the next day) and avoiding conflicts (there might be an empty platform further across the station, but the arriving or, more difficult to predict, departing move might get in the way of something else). I'm sure they don't drop one in on top of a 390 unnecessarily, certainly if that's deviating from the booked plan.

 

[1e10]

Slightly offtopic but related to what has been said in the above post, how many trains are usually kept in a platform at MAN overnight?

 

[Thomas6187]

Just 2, both 170s. One for the 06:21 Hull and the other for the rear of the 07:35 Hull.

 

[dannypye9999]

I don't think it has anything to do with overnight storage, as im seeing Man Airport to York services using the far end of platform 5 and having to walk the entire length of the pendolino already standing there, when platform 6 is empty. The York train in front arrives from Man Airport and then takes just 5 minutes to change direction before departing for York.

 

[Starmill]

23:00 last night - think that's the first time I've ever seen 1,2,3, and 4 completely empty!

Never seen ANYTHING arriving on top of a Pendo tho!? Sure a 2 car 170 (or pacer/sprinter) and a Pendo can fit in some platforms at the same time (8 and 9?) but really? I can barely even walk to coach B at Euston on an 11 car set!

 

[hairyhandedfool]

I've never seen a unit platformed beyond a 390 either, but then I don't tend to use Piccadilly that much. However, having trains run from the coaches nearest the buffers may simply not be practical at some times of day, for example, where a 4-car train arrives and is split for a 2-car train to form the next departure, it may not be possible to make two coaches 'disappear'.

 

[anthony263]

I am sure there is a photo on flickr somwhere which has a class 390 and a class 158 at Manchester Piccadily with the 158 at the buffurs

 

[northwichcat]

23:00 last night - think that's the first time I've ever seen 1,2,3, and 4 completely empty!

Never seen ANYTHING arriving on top of a Pendo tho!? Sure a 2 car 170 (or pacer/sprinter) and a Pendo can fit in some platforms at the same time (8 and 9?) but really? I can barely even walk to coach B at Euston on an 11 car set!

Take it you've never walked from the far end of a Eurostar set at Paris Gare Du Nord then - that's 18 carriages plus an engine on the front.

 

[TUC]

Slightly different, though related, subject. I'm always intrigued as to the lack of consistency as to which carriages can/can't be used for disembarkation when the train is too long for the platform.

On the East Coast service from Kings Cross to Selby I've heard the announcements vary from the final carriage, the final two carriages to, last night, all of first class (which didn't actually look to be necessary when you saw the train from the platform)

 

[185]

The box often mess up. Was dropped ontop of a Pendolino some years ago, with half of the back coach off the platform and fouling the points.

The box tried to insist on a shunt manoeuvre to another platform, but with the arriving driver going off duty and the return working's driver literally just booking on, the train stayed put, bringing much of Piccadilly to a halt.

Whilst it may be easier for the box, it is hell for the passengers and station staff.

 

[Starmill]

Slightly different, though related, subject. I'm always intrigued as to the lack of consistency as to which carriages can/can't be used for disembarkation when the train is too long for the platform.

On the East Coast service from Kings Cross to Selby I've heard the announcements vary from the final carriage, the final two carriages to, last night, all of first class (which didn't actually look to be necessary when you saw the train from the platform)

In that respect, I think we are all happy - does any stock even work through Picc that's fitted with SDO?

 

[Quakers Yard]

Theres a Bristol to Exeter via Weston train of 5 coaches on a Sunday late afternoon.
Made of a 153 and two 150s. Saw the staff get a few too many in the front 150 in the heatwave. What is the point of not using at least one of the trailing 150s plus the train was shown to be 5 coaches!