Northern (Arriva Rail North)

[djb]

RE: Northern (Arriva Rail North)

(14/10/2018 09:22)knutstransport Wrote:  Changes so far to free up paths:
- North TPE Airport services approach Piccadilly from the west
- Liverpool to Scarborough diverted via Victoria
- Piccadilly to Airport stopper scrapped with additional calls on other Airport services.
- Southport to Airport service scrapped - remaining Southport/Wigan to Manchester services now extension of existing Alderley Edge to Manchester service.

Changes so far requiring additional paths:
- Additional Buxton service
- Peak time Piccadilly to Huddersfield stopper

Changes still set to happen requiring additional paths:
- All day Chester to Manchester Airport service, rather than at off-peak times only.

Changes 'under review':
- Hourly Manchester Airport to Cumbria via Wigan service - shouldn't require additional path as service previously ran.
- Hourly Manchester Airport to Bradford/Leeds service.
(Northern Connect is supposed to be under review but TfN haven't confirmed exactly which routes.)

Changes which seem to have been cancelled:
- Extra hourly Greenbank to Manchester
- Extra hourly Macc to Manchester
- Extra hourly Hazel Grove to Manchester

Network Rail claimed North TPE changes would create 5 extra paths (due to Liverpool to Scarborough crossing all the lines at Piccadilly.) Northern changes should have created an additional 2 so there should be enough for all the enhancements but now it seems Network Rail are backtracking on the 5 from the North TPE changes.

I believe the extra greenbank - Manchester is going to be replaced by a Chester - Altrincham extra. The lack of paths prohibiting it going further. Shame the south facing bay platforms at stockport have been filled as the pinch point is north of stockport.

Edit: not till 2019.