Sheffield-Manchester Transport on Sat Nights?

[Pisces Fish]

Hi everyone! Visiting Your fair city soon and looking at travelling to Manchester on Sat night. Looks like the last train to Manchester on a Saturday night is at 10.24 pm which seems crazy? Can't find any later buses either? Am I missing something, or is this as late as it gets? Many thanks for any help and suggestions! 🙏 

[Cyclone]

It's not a journey I've done, but that sounds about right.

Getting back to Sheffield for York or Leeds or anywhere else for an evening out is basically not possible unless it's as early as you suggest, so it kinda figures.

[Bilge]

1 hour ago, Cyclone said:

It's not a journey I've done, but that sounds about right.

Getting back to Sheffield for York or Leeds or anywhere else for an evening out is basically not possible unless it's as early as you suggest, so it kinda figures.

I've had this problem with journeys on a Saturday night before. I think it might be because the next day is Sunday so the service has to wind down so the last train terminates before Sunday comes (in case the bible-thumpers object or something). Seems mad though as Sat night is the big leisure night of the week.

 

By the way Leeds to Sheff is OK late on as there are coaches at 0020 and 0220.  So when you miss that last train due to having an extra pint don't despair.

Edited July 1, 2019 by Bilge

[Annie Bynnol]

Travel via Leeds by Train, National Express Coach or a combination.

Last train to Leeds 23.14 arr Manchester at 00.56

Coach to Leeds at 02. 00 then train at 04.28 arr Manchester 05.17.

Megabus at 05.10 from Meadowhall to Manchester

 

Stay over

Edited July 1, 2019 by Annie Bynnol

[Cyclone]

2 hours ago, Bilge said:

I've had this problem with journeys on a Saturday night before. I think it might be because the next day is Sunday so the service has to wind down so the last train terminates before Sunday comes (in case the bible-thumpers object or something). Seems mad though as Sat night is the big leisure night of the week.

 

By the way Leeds to Sheff is OK late on as there are coaches at 0020 and 0220.  So when you miss that last train due to having an extra pint don't despair.

Hmm, I've never taken the coach home, might consider that next time.

[I1L2T3]

Only a very small tweak is needed to the timetable to make this more reasonable. If the last train was at say midnight or 1am then who could seriously complain?Services like that have wider economic benefits.

 

How much are we losing as a city because we’re treated effectively like a minor town? You can get a train from Leeds to Manchester well after midnight on Saturday night, and the same going the other way. 

 

We we have a very rough deal. 

 

 

[ECCOnoob]

One of the key problems seems to be that there is no such thing as a Sheffield - Manchester service.

 

All our trains to Manchester are part of a longer service route i.e  Cleepthorpes to Manchester Airport or Liverpool to Nottingham etc.

 

That means that there are problems with scheduling "reasonable" working times for drivers and on board staff.   

 

On the basis of the current journey times, pushing a TPX train service back to 1am departure from Piccadilly would mean a termination time in Cleethorpes of nearly 4am for the driver.

 

Simiarly, using your own example.   That 22.30 departure you refer to actually started its journey from Liverpool over a hour earlier and will not terminate until it reaches Nottingham a further 2 hours after that.      You can see how many extra staffing hours would be required to offer services through to 12am / 1am departures. 

 

I am not saying that's an excuse for not giving the region proper provision, but just trying to give some context why things are the way they are.

 

Its for the same reasons that the last direct service from the Airport to Sheffield is before 10pm with only one service afterwards which involves two changes. 

 

IMO it certainly needs changing and some balance.  Its perplexing to me why every other train from Sheffield seems one way or another to be terminating at Leeds yet fast and efficient Manchester services are one an hour at best. 

Edited July 2, 2019 by ECCOnoob

[tinfoilhat]

20 hours ago, I1L2T3 said:

Only a very small tweak is needed to the timetable to make this more reasonable. If the last train was at say midnight or 1am then who could seriously complain?Services like that have wider economic benefits.

 

How much are we losing as a city because we’re treated effectively like a minor town? You can get a train from Leeds to Manchester well after midnight on Saturday night, and the same going the other way. 

 

We we have a very rough deal. 

 

 

Because the rest of country thinks we are a minor town? 

[Annie Bynnol]

6 hours ago, ECCOnoob said:

One of the key problems seems to be that there is no such thing as a Sheffield - Manchester service.

 

All our trains to Manchester are part of a longer service route i.e  Cleepthorpes to Manchester Airport or Liverpool to Nottingham etc.

 

That means that there are problems with scheduling "reasonable" working times for drivers and on board staff.   

 

On the basis of the current journey times, pushing a TPX train service back to 1am departure from Piccadilly would mean a termination time in Cleethorpes of nearly 4am for the driver.

 

Simiarly, using your own example.   That 22.30 departure you refer to actually started its journey from Liverpool over a hour earlier and will not terminate until it reaches Nottingham a further 2 hours after that.      You can see how many extra staffing hours would be required to offer services through to 12am / 1am departures. 

 

I am not saying that's an excuse for not giving the region proper provision, but just trying to give some context why things are the way they are.

 

Its for the same reasons that the last direct service from the Airport to Sheffield is before 10pm with only one service afterwards which involves two changes. 

 

IMO it certainly needs changing and some balance.  Its perplexing to me why every other train from Sheffield seems one way or another to be terminating at Leeds yet fast and efficient Manchester services are one an hour at best. 

A third of Manchester trains shuttle between  Sheffield/Piccadilly.

Guaranteed seats, cheaper fares and better punctuality- but they are slower.

 

There is no demand for trains to the airport late in the evening as there are no scheduled take-offs.

The 03.24 to the Airport is good for the start of the day. This does not normally go along the Hope Valley.

 

With only infrquent freight and quarry trains running most of the signal boxes between Sheffield and Stockport can close overnight thus saving a considerable amount of money.

 

Light maintainance, stabling, refuelling and train staff depots locations are governed by the TOCs  and this does effect the timetable. The EMT send an empty train from Nottingham to Liverpool (passes Grindleford at 05.00) so that it can be the first train back to Nottingham.  A lot of  changes soon as operators and rolling stock are changing and so the current system of getting trains, guards and drivers to the right places at the beginning and end of the day will change.

 

 

 

 

[Cyclone]

I almost always take a taxi or drive to Manchester airport because the early train simply doesn't get you there early enough for the first departures of the day.

If you have an 0600 departure, you're supposed to arrive at 0400, and a train leaving Sheffield at 0324 is not "good".

Looking at Manchester departures right now, 20 flights left before 0615 this morning, the earliest being 0530.

 

That early train in fact takes 1:46 minutes to arrive...  Which is amazing given that the railways are quiet at that time.

Consider that you also have to get to Sheffield station, leave enough time to not be rushing with your bags from your uber (no trams or buses at that time of course), and the combined journey time for me would be >2hrs easily, then factor in walking to your terminal at the other end.

Assuming I had a 0730 flight and the train was actually useful, I'd have to set off probably 1hr earlier, which is the difference between probably leaving at 0300 (that's cutting it a bit close to be honest), or leaving at 0430 in the car.

Then the cost, off peak return is £32.90 per adult, there are 2 of us.  Parking is £35 for a week.  Petrol costs are probably £10 at the most.  It's quite obviously cheaper, quicker and more convenient to go by car.

It IS cheaper than a taxi, I'll admit, which is £110 now, but the last time we went there were 4 of us, taxi is cheaper, quicker, more convenient!