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Added on request. I used to trainspot here all the time so I know all about it.

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This is the best way to summarise what goes out of this quite interesting station for rail bus spotters.
One TPH (unless stated)

Marple (142)
Rose Hill Marple (142)
New Mills (142)
Sheffield (142)
Hadfield (323) - 2X Trains Per Hour
Crewe (323)
Stoke On Trent (323)
Newcastle (185)
Hull (170)
Middlesborough (185)
Cross Country (220) - 2X Trains Per Hour
London Euston (PENDOLINO) - 3x Trains Per Hour
Crewe via Manchester Airport (323)
Manchester Airport (323/185) - 4x Trains Per Hour (1x 323, 3x 185)
Cardiff (175)
Buxton (156)
Alderley Edge (323)
Chester (142) - Express to Stockport, local stopper onwards.
ECS moves to/from Longsight Newton Heath etc.

Platform 13 and 14 (through platforms)

Liverpool - Scarborough (185)
Preston - Hazle Grove (150)
Barrow In Furness/Glasgow - Manchester Airport (185 / 2x 185)
Southport - Manchester Airport (142)
Liverpool - Nottingham (158)
Blackpool - Manchester Airport (185)
Liverpool - Manchester Airport (156)
Llandudno - Manchester Piccadilly to terminate (175)

Class 66's, 86's, 90's and 92's on Intermodals, light engine convoys, and 66's on the occasional engineers train and a stone train. Freight is very infrequent during the morning and early afternoon but it intensifies in the late evening and night with around two every hour.
There are 57/3's on Pendolino drags and other freight diversins when the West Coast Mainline is bocked, usually Saturdays & Sundays from September-December.
There is also a number of ECS moves every day/night.

Platform 14 (Down through platform)

Same as Platform 13, only the reverse.

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I recently had 4 sessions over a 3 day period to make inroads into TransPennine & Northern sets.
Count for the 4 sessions were 98 in 135 mins Friday evening ,72 in 110 minutes Sat Morn. 35 in 45 mins Sat Even. and 57 in 110 mins Sunday morning (quieter but good for stabled Hull 170 units).
That's a total of 262 spots in 6 hours & 40 minutes.
This included 3 locos and a track machine

Excluding doubles I saw 166 different machines in that period . Very successful I'd say.

I used platforms 8/9 for good coverage across the entire station. It gives good photo coverage of the freight going through 13 but not 14. You woulkd need to be on 14 to get shots of the Trafford Park bound intermodals going in but mine were coming out so no problem.

Loads of units mainly of TPX and Northern, along with a few Arriva Trains Wales and Central Trains. Also Virgin Voyagers and Pendolinos. Didn't see any freight in the hour and half I was there. Not bad for photos, though the sun is in your face, especially AM. Ticket inspectors on the island platforms, and also platforms 1-4. Platforms 8/9 good for pics, right at the end. Plenty of places to eat/drink or general shopping in a very pleasant environment. Recently voted best UK station by passengers!

This is a great station for seeing First North Western Units. You get loads of 142's, 150's, 156's, 158's & 323's. There is also a regular Virgin Pendolino & Voyager service to the station as well as the Central & First Transpennine Express services. There is freight to be seen running to and from Trafford Park (usually Freightliner 57, 66 or 86) in the week. The best photos can be obtained from the end of platform 9/8 or platform 13/14 but be warned as station staff check tickets on the overpass leading to 13/14 so if your not going on one of that platforms trains your best bet is 9/8!
There are several places for food in the station building.