Point of No Return: All Aboard the Ghost Train

The Stockport - Stalybridge Train (1128 hours, Saturdays Only)

Is this the worst scheduled passenger rail service in Europe in terms of frequency?

Running once a week, Saturdays only, is a train with only one journey - just one journey in one direction. The train calls between Stockport and Stalybridge via three intermediate stations: Reddish South, Denton and Guide Bridge. Both Reddish South and Denton are unstaffed stations without disabled access and (wait for it) platform lighting.

Before privatisation, this line had a much better service than that of passengers travelling to Mossley by rail from Stalybridge, with an hourly frequency. In 1991-92, 12,000 people signed a petition against cutbacks to the service, which boasted a frequency of five trains a day (two one way, three the other). Now, the current service is once weekly, and passengers to Mossley are now afforded an hourly service with a two hourly Sunday service.

The latest Network Rail Draft Network Management Statement for the North West proposes the closure of Denton and Reddish South stations. The local MP Andrew Gwynne favours the launch of a direct service from the doomed stations to Manchester Victoria.  This move will increase journey opportunities for Denton and Reddish residents, as they would be able to travel to Bury, Bolton, Oldham and Blackburn without crossing Manchester city centre.  This plan will involve turning left at Denton junction onto the line leading to Ashton Moss and Miles Platting.  However, there is one problem in that links between Stalybridge and Guide Bridge would be severed.

In my opinion, I would give 2.5 cheers to this plan (the .5 being due to the real ale lovers missing their once weekly unidirectional shuttle to the Stalybridge Station Buffet Bar).  Perhaps Gwynne’s proposal could prompt the reopening of Droylsden station.  Cut off from the rail network since 1968, the Droylsden area suffers from congestion between Manchester Road (Audenshaw) and Edge Lane/Ashton New Road.  This would be alleviated by a reopened Droylsden station off Lumb Lane near Littlemoss (as well as the Metrolink).

To make up the loss of the Stalybridge - Guide Bridge - Denton section of the route, I would recommend retaining the once weekly train for the time being, in addition to Gwynne’s proposal.  This could be replaced by a direct London service, or other services to Cheshire, starting at Stalybridge or Huddersfield.  This section also offers potential for a prospective Huddersfield to London Euston route (calling at Stalybridge, Guide Bridge and Stockport stations), though subject to line access issues.

Fares Unfair

Or ‘Why is a single from Stalybridge to Dukinfield four times the price per mile as one from Manchester to London?’

Death and taxation are often stated as a main inevitability of life in dear old Blighty.  What is never mentioned are that annual transport fare increases are another one.

Much noise has been made over the rail fare increases on the 2nd January this year.  Several sources have stated that train travel will become a middle class pursuit.

Think again.

A lot of noise has been made over a fare from Manchester Piccadilly to London Euston costing £219 (second class).  That is 34p per mile.

In my area, 34p a mile on my local bus routes would be a fares cut instead of an increase.  A single fare journey from Dukinfield (Morrisons) to Stalybridge (Armentieres Square) on one route will cost £1.40 as of the 14th January this year.  The distance? About one mile; that is four standard (non discounted) fares from London to Manchester per mile!  Over the same distance, a taxi fare on the daytime Tariff 1 of one local private hire taxi firm would cost approximately £3.50 (for four people).  The bus alternative: £5.60 for four people, with a saving of £2.10 for the same party, in a taxi.

Though rail fare increases attract the greatest criticism in the national newspapers, the bus user outside of Greater London is forgotten.  I would love a 5% increase on bus fares rather than a 10% one.  Better still, I would like a swingeing fares cut to 1986 levels and properly subsidised transport.

Bus fares in Greater Manchester have increased by 10% year on year since 1986.  Though this may have seemed realistic in 1990, when inflation was in double digit figures, this is by no means a joke, now that UK 2007 inflation figures are 3.6%.

If you live within the Greater Manchester area, and if you can afford it, I strongly recommend buying one of the System One season tickets - or the company’s own season tickets.  If, like myself, you work in the centre of Manchester, think of how much you will save on single fares to the city - and use your pass for the short distance journeys which would otherwise cost you next to millions.  If you have the legs, and your journey’s a short distance, use a form of transport which has had unparalleled reliability since Adam and Eve or the Big Bang.

Foot/Shank’s Pony/Walking.

A (much belated) Happy New Year to all readers of ‘East of the M60′,

Stuart.