Franconia - Manchester

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Franconia Goes To Holyhead continue their world tour with a lunchtime gig at Heaton Park, Manchester. As the actual event this scenario is based on (the visit of Pope John Paul II to Manchester on 31 May 1982) took place on a Bank Holiday Monday, British Rail decided to tear up Table 96 of the timetable and introduce a 30 minute frequency loco-hauled service between Manchester Victoria and Blackpool North. The Manchester - Bury EMU service consisted of a 15 minute interval service calling at Bowker Vale and Bury only, running 24 hours a day over the entire weekend. It was hoped that this service level would cater both for people wanting to get to Heaton Park, and also those who wanted a day out in Blackpool.

The high quality of recorded workings from the time has enabled this scenario to be modelled with a high degree of accuracy.