Replacement bus services, Sundays from 16th September

There will be no Sunday trains at Slaithwaite and Marsden from 16^th September. There are posters on the stations giving this information, but if you’ve gone down to either Marsden or Slaithwaite stations, then you’re already in the wrong place to catch the replacement bus. The information is available, via Metro or Northern Rail’s timetables, but not particularly easy to find and rather vague as to where the replacement buses call.

Why?

Stalybridge station is to be remodelled, creating two extra platforms. One is to be a bay platform facing towards Manchester Victoria, next to the buffet bar. This will be for the Stalybridge to Liverpool trains which will no longer have to cross the main line. There will be one additional through platform, which will enable express trains to overtake local trains at Stalybridge, in either direction. This gives more flexibility to reduce the impact of delays.

The construction process will cause some disruption.

When?

There will be no Sunday trains from 16th September to 3rd December. [Actually that’s not quite true, there might be one mid-evening train from Huddersfield to Marsden and back, shown in Metro’s timetable but not in Northern Rail’s timetable.]

During October half term from Saturday 27^th October to Sunday 4^th November the line will be closed (a “complete blockade” at Stalybridge, as it has been described) with Trans Pennine expresses sent along the Calder Valley route through Todmorden & Rochdale and a replacement bus between Victoria and Huddersfield. SMART requested that during that week, trains should continue to run from Huddersfield to Marsden and back. Local councillors and, so we understand, our MP, have made this same request of Northern Rail and Metro.

Current plans (as at 11^th September) do not include a Huddersfield to Marsden train service even though we are firmly of the opinion that there are no insurmountable operational reasons why this could not be done. Hopefully it is not too late for Northern Rail to have a change of heart and come up with a timetable which involves running trains up to Marsden during that week.

Replacement bus services

Where from?

According to the timetables published by Metro, buses will call at Marsden “town centre” and Slaithwaite “town centre”. Northern Rail corrected their timetable to state that the buses call on A62 Manchester Road, but Metro didn’t.

If you were to assume, as well you might, that Marsden town centre meant somewhere near the Mechanics Hall, you’d be wrong. Actually the replacement buses will call on Manchester Road, next to the New Inn.

§        Services towards Manchester use bus stop 45019367, opposite the New Inn.

§        Services towards Huddersfield use bus stop 45015146, outside the New Inn.

Likewise, if you were to assume that Slaithwaite town centre means somewhere near either the circular car park, the roundabout or the library, you’d be wrong again. Actually the rail replacement buses will call at the bus stops outside the Star Hotel on Manchester Road.

§        Services towards Manchester use bus stop 45028140, opposite the Star Inn

§        Services towards Huddersfield use bus stop 45019392, outside the Star Inn.

At all other intermediate stations – Greenfield, Mossley, Stalybridge, Ashton – the replacement bus calls on the station forecourt.

Having discovered where the replacement bus calls, when?