Since when did trains from Stoke on Trent to go to Manchester Oxford Road?

[390051]

Right I've just come to Stoke station to see a cancellation for the 10:55 Service to Oxford road and I had a look at RTT (Realtimetrains) and was said to that it was planned to be cancelled yet it was activated an hour before. Does anyone understand why this may be the case and can anyone try and help me with the question above too?
Here's a link below on what exactly I mean:

Realtime Trains | 2H16 1055 Stoke-on-Trent to Manchester Oxford Road | 15/09/2024

Real-time train running information for 2H16 1055 departure from Stoke-on-Trent to Manchester Oxford Road on 15/09/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

 

[MerlinRail 804]

I think there's some roof work at Piccadilly which has closed a couple important platforms so perhaps it's going to Oxford Road to reduce the strain at Piccadilly. Not 100% sure though as I'm not local but that would be my best guess.

 

[py_megapixel]

It's a single Sunday-only service. It used to be more common, with a few trains each weekday starting/terminating at Deansgate (via Oxford Road) instead of the more usual Piccadilly.

All the weekday services are now gone - falling victim, I believe, to the many timetable changes that have taken place since 2018 in the hope of getting the Castlefield corridor to run vaguely reliably - and the Sunday service is now all that remains.

I can't advise on any reason for these services existing in the first place, other than Oxford Road and Deansgate simply being more convenient for some parts of the city. But it's part of the normal timetable, and I don't believe it has anything to do with the roof maintenance works at Piccadilly.

 

[390051]

I think there's some roof work at Piccadilly which has closed a couple important platforms so perhaps it's going to Oxford Road to reduce the strain at Piccadilly. Not 100% sure though as I'm not local but that would be my best guess.

That is quite in fact correct, but I wouldn't have thought they were doing any of the platforms that Northern services for Stoke on Trent usually terminate at until the other platform roofs are done. And if you look at the timetable, it stops at Piccadilly anyways but then moves on to Oxford road as an extra stop. I wonder why would this be the case if it was to reduce the strain there. Wouldn't that put on strain on Oxford road too?

It's a single Sunday-only service. It used to be more common, with a few trains each weekday starting/terminating at Deansgate (via Oxford Road) instead of the more usual Piccadilly.

All the weekday services are now gone - falling victim, I believe, to the many timetable changes that have taken place since 2018 in the hope of getting the Castlefield corridor to run vaguely reliably - and the Sunday service is now all that remains.

I can't advise on any reason for these services existing in the first place, other than Oxford Road and Deansgate simply being more convenient for some parts of the city. But it's part of the normal timetable, and I don't believe it has anything to do with the roof maintenance works at Piccadilly.

Ahhh this makes more sense, so this service that goes to Oxford road is basically one a week service that used to be more frequent until Northern stopped that and made it where it's less frequent after the 2018 timetable changes. Yeah thank you for that, makes much more sense now

It's a single Sunday-only service. It used to be more common, with a few trains each weekday starting/terminating at Deansgate (via Oxford Road) instead of the more usual Piccadilly.

All the weekday services are now gone - falling victim, I believe, to the many timetable changes that have taken place since 2018 in the hope of getting the Castlefield corridor to run vaguely reliably - and the Sunday service is now all that remains.

I can't advise on any reason for these services existing in the first place, other than Oxford Road and Deansgate simply being more convenient for some parts of the city. But it's part of the normal timetable, and I don't believe it has anything to do with the roof maintenance works at Piccadilly.

Ahhh this makes more sense, so this service that goes to Oxford road is basically one a week service that used to be more frequent until Northern stopped that and made it where it's less frequent after the 2018 timetable changes. Yeah thank you for that, makes much more sense now

 

[ayubdaud]

I think it may be convenience to avoid a platform at Piccadilly. Before 12pm Sunday, Piccadilly operates under a two-track so platform capacity and timetabling is constrained, so probably seems easier keeping it running on the through lines as it otherwise would need a platform at Piccadilly for an hour.

 

[390051]

I think it may be convenience to avoid a platform at Piccadilly. Before 12pm Sunday, Piccadilly operates under a two-track so platform capacity and timetabling is constrained, so probably seems easier keeping it running on the through lines as it otherwise would need a platform at Piccadilly for an hour.

Yeah I mean the thing is, even if they did use through lines to get to Manchester Oxford Road, it would cause more congestion there since there isn't any terminating platforms there coming In from either the west coast mainline, or other branch lines. Now if it was coming through from Preston/Southport and upwards then I would understand but that's not the case.

 

[Kite159]

Yeah I mean the thing is, even if they did use through lines to get to Manchester Oxford Road, it would cause more congestion there since there isn't any terminating platforms there coming In from either the west coast mainline, or other branch lines. Now if it was coming through from Preston/Southport and upwards then I would understand but that's not the case.

It can use platform 1 or 3 at Oxford Road to get out of the way before heading back towards Piccadilly

 

[390051]

It can use platform 1 or 3 at Oxford Road to get out of the way before heading back towards Piccadilly

If I remember correctly, platform 1 is never in use and hasn't been in public use for a long time. So why would they just open up platform 1 just for a train that doesn't run on weekdays but a day on a weekend (Sunday)?

 

[py_megapixel]

If I remember correctly, platform 1 is never in use and hasn't been in public use for a long time. So why would they just open up platform 1 just for a train that doesn't run on weekdays but a day on a weekend (Sunday)?

It's not actually closed to the public but generally an effort is made to avoid stopping trains there because it's not served by the lifts, only by stairs. But it's still open, and used occasionally to keep the service running it if there is no better option.

For the record, I'm not a fan of this service being booked to use it, as it does disadvantage passengers who need the lifts - especially considering the bus link from Piccadilly to Oxford Road (147) doesn't run on Sundays.

 

[rg177]

Platform 1 is definitely in use - I used this service earlier in the year and it terminated there (quite a lot of people went through to Oxford Road too).

 

[warwickshire]

Years ago 1998 to 2004 First North Western period in particular 1998 to 2002, when First North Western only had a few services to Stoke on Trent in the evenings ie peak and evening, which also included Saturdays.

Class 323 operated, very occasionally Class 305. 305 note ended end 1999.

However Monday to Friday would be
2201 Stoke on Trent to Deansgate Gmex via Manchester Oxford Road, before going to Trafford Park East Turnback Sidings opposite The Mufc Football Station, then forms 2330, Deansgate Gmex to Crewe, Friday nights that train was the train to he'll.

Saturday it would be exactly the same again. 2201 Stoke on Trent to Deansgate Gmex via Manchester Oxford Road, before going to Trafford Park East Turnback Sidings, but on Saturday it was 2330 Deansgate Gmex to Alderley Edge.

However those services from Stoke On Trent to Deansgate Gmex via Manchester Oxford Road was booked. and timetabled.

More importantly at Stoke on Trent around 2145 before working back to Birmingham New Street after doing Stafford to Stoke On Trent shuttles all day, and itself a 323 returning back to Birmingham, to get it to Soho Lmd, would be a Centro green 323 in Centro livery, Parked opposite a 323 in Gmpte livery for Manchester, both Birmingham and Manchester pte livery 323s on display as well next to each other.

More ironically, now the majority of these ex Centro 323s have transferred to Northern, and are all together with ex Gmpte 323s at Northern now.

So history repeats itself both Stoke on Trent to Manchester Oxford Road and 323 wise.

 

[Mcr Warrior]

It does previously look to have been scheduled to use Manchester Oxford Road platform 1 today, wasn't it, and then return to Stoke-on-Trent as the 1243 semi-stopper from the same platform. But also seemingly cancelled.

Realtime Trains | 1243 Manchester Oxford Road to Stoke-on-Trent | 15/09/2024

Real-time train running information for 1243 departure from Manchester Oxford Road to Stoke-on-Trent on 15/09/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Looks like there might be another Stoke-on-Trent to Manchester Oxford Road (platform 1) through working, scheduled next Sunday (22SEP2024) and back again.

 

[390051]

Platform 1 is definitely in use - I used this service earlier in the year and it terminated there (quite a lot of people went through to Oxford Road too).

Whelp my mistake then, so I was wrong about that. Thank you for the heads up

It does previously look to have been scheduled to use Manchester Oxford Road platform 1 today, wasn't it, and then return to Stoke-on-Trent as the 1243 semi-stopper from the same platform. But also seemingly cancelled.

Realtime Trains | 1243 Manchester Oxford Road to Stoke-on-Trent | 15/09/2024

Real-time train running information for 1243 departure from Manchester Oxford Road to Stoke-on-Trent on 15/09/2024. From Realtime Trains, an independent source of train running info for Great Britain.

www.realtimetrains.co.uk

Looks like there might be another Stoke-on-Trent to Manchester Oxford Road (platform 1) through working, scheduled next Sunday (22SEP2024) and back again.

Hmmm I wonder why on earth northern had cancelled the service in the first place? Maybe due to more timetable changes? Until the next Sunday comes around, we'll never know why

It's not actually closed to the public but generally an effort is made to avoid stopping trains there because it's not served by the lifts, only by stairs. But it's still open, and used occasionally to keep the service running it if there is no better option.

For the record, I'm not a fan of this service being booked to use it, as it does disadvantage passengers who need the lifts - especially considering the bus link from Piccadilly to Oxford Road (147) doesn't run on Sundays.

Of course that's my mistake, I thought this would have been more of the case rather it not being in public use. Well at least I know now. Thank you

 

[davehsug]

Except of course, like the day in June, when it doesn't go to Oxford Road, resulting in me missing my connection to Blackpool, and with the next one cancelled, having to stand all the way (I have limited mobility), on a Crush-loaded Barrow train to Preston. It may claim to go to Oxford Road, but when it actually runs at all, seems to often terminate at Piccadilly.

 

[jfollows]

In July, 2K50 17:12 Oxford Road platform 1 to Stoke ran on weekdays; this is the rush-hour extra which normally used platform 12 at Piccadilly but instead started from Oxford Road for a while. It’s now gone back to Piccadilly platform 12. More at https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/manchester-piccadilly-platform-12.261069/page-2#post-6835127