Wilmslow To Crewe Week beginning 27/06/11?

[DazDude]

Hi all

I currently travel to and from Crewe to Manchester Airport every week due to working there. And for the most part getting to work isn't a problem, That said nor is getting home.

However, about every 6 weeks or so up to now there has tended to be engineering works between Wilmslow and Crewe after 22:00 which has meant I have had to make alternative arrangements to get home (As I don't fancy taking the hour long bus..)

Anyway. It has rolled around to that time again, or so I've thought....
as of next week for some strange reason the 22:30 Wilmslow to Crewe Service does not seem to exist, and Instead National Rail's website is telling me to get a service from Wilmslow to Stockport and then catching a train to come back down the exact same line (but not stopping at Wilmslow) to Crewe.

I asked a Northern guard this evening on my way home but he didn't seem to have any idea why.

Anyone have any idea what's going on?

Daz

 

[John @ home]

Anyone have any idea what's going on?

It is certainly true that buses replace trains between Wilmslow and Crewe tomorrow evening. But I don't agree that the Stockport - Crewe service will come back down the exact same line (but not stopping at Wilmslow) to Crewe.

There are Wilmslow - Crewe rail replacement buses available at 2240 and 2317. The 2240 is a stopper due to arrive Crewe 0003, while the 2317 bus is scheduled to run non-stop to Crewe arriving 0002.

Alternatively, the 2229 Wilmslow - Stockport 2238 train may provide a rather tight connection into the 2244 Stockport - Crewe 2346 train. That train is not scheduled to stop in public service between Stockport and Crewe, but is expected to travel via Stoke-on-Trent (reverse) and Alsager, not via Wilmslow.

I guess that the reason for this is that the 2244 is an Arriva Trains Wales service from Manchester Piccadilly to Shrewsbury, but ATW's franchise may not allow them to run trains to/from Stoke.