Shred`s UK trips.

[shredder1]

So it is....apologies for that. Just found the link from Rail Advent describing its conversion from 66 221. Must try and keep up more whilst in Italy chasing D445s.

Italy, amazing country, two great depots in Milan, there was lots of old stuff on when I last visited. 66651 was actually double-headed today, but I cant read the number on the second loco?

 

[shredder1]

Greater Manchester. Thursday 9th May 2024.

A rail strike day, don’t you just love em. The freight however was still operating. So, I had another drive around checking out bridges and location and slowly working my way up the Atherton line capturing the Wilton Efw, (Tees NY), to Knowsley FT. I initially drove to Moorside, the least used station on the Atherton line with a reduced service and very basic facilities these days.

The Wilton Efw, from Tees NY to Knowsley as 6M17 was surprisingly double-headed behind Red liveried class 66651 and EWS liveried class 66057, so that was a nice turn out. There was also a young Irish girl from Dublin on the platforms, waiting for an airport train, she appeared on the platforms just as the freight was about to pass through, so I had to shout to her to step back and I later explained about the rail strike and helped her get her suit cases back up the steps and pointed her to the bus stops.

I next drove down towards Pendleton, and checked out the Freightliner class 66596 which had just arrived at the Brindle Heath RTS and I was also checking out suitable bridges and photographic locations along the route, but my stool was too small, you need ladders for those bridges, and most of the line along this section is overbuilt and difficult to get near the track-bed now.

I then drove through Manchester to the climb towards the top of Miles Platting bank, accessed in a small housing estate nestled between the former Oldham Road station branch and the Calder Valley line. My step stool however collapsed, so I had to search out a few bricks to stand on to get me over fence height and I just managed a few photographs of the Brindle Heath RTS-Dean Lane, 6J34, climbing up the bank behind Freightliner class 66596. The weather was again glorious and I had a nice afternoon out despite the rail strike.

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[50002Superb]

I don't think there is such a loco as a red-liveried 66 651....whereas red-liveried 66 051 is a regular performer on the Knowsley-Wilton binliners. Probably a typo. Open to correction if I'm wrong.

Yep.

651 is alive and well and in DB red.

 

[D6130]

Yep.

651 is alive and well and in DB red.

Indeed it is....see post #1,320!

 

[shredder1]

Greater Manchester. Friday 10th May 2024.

I was out again chasing freight, and back on the rails this time. Driving to Crumpsall Metrolink for a tram into Manchester Victoria. There seems to be a few trams with advertising liveries on at the moment, so I always try to photograph them, as they change them periodically.

From Manchester Victoria I was heading back on the Atherton line, this time to Walkden, (once known as Walkden High Level as the town also had a Walkden Low Level station at one time). Walkden station has some nice ornamental casting displays on the station steps, depicting the towns history in art form, of its industrial mining history.

I was again tracking the Wilton Efw, from Tees NY to Knowsley as 6M16 through Walkden, this time it was back to one loco behind Red liveried class 66651. I caught the next train back to Salford Central and waited for the Hope St Peakstone to Peak Forest Cemex, running as 6H56, behind GB Railfreight loco class 66750.

My next move was a train back to Salford Crescent to wait for 6J44, the Brindle Heath RTS to Dean Lane RTS, a good location to photograph it, it was on time and still behind Freightliner class 66596. The weather was again glorious, and I returned via Manchester Victoria and the Metrolink to Crumpsall, another good afternoon.

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[shredder1]

Manchester-Doncaster. Saturday 11th May 2024.

Summer appears to have come with a vengeance, it must have been the hottest day so far. I was up early and on a Transpennine class 185 from Manchester Piccadilly to Doncaster direct, on a Liverpool to Cleethorpes service, arriving at Doncaster for 08.30.

There were quite a few cranks on the platforms and it was nice to catch up with a few friends. There was steady action through the day and nice to see a few of the class 91s are still operating. In addition, I saw my first Grand Central Voyager heading south. Parked in the works yard were Anglia livery class 47714 and Fragonset class 47703. Parked in front of the works was Colas Rail Freight class 70815, with Colas class 56113 parked behind her. Freight workings included, Northbound EWS liveried class 66024, LNER class 91106 and class 91124, Freightliner 66566, light engine GB Rail Freight 66720. Southbound was a top and tail engineering train GBRf 66707 and 66784, which returned northbound a few hours later. Freightliners 66607 and 66420 and Northbound Freightliner 66514. Double-Headed southbound EWS liveried 66024 and DB red livery 66009, light engine in DB Red livery class 66205 and finally Rail Operations Group, ROG class 37601 light engine.

I boarded a Transpennine class 185 from Doncaster at around 15.00 and returned directly to Manchester Piccadilly. On walking towards the ticket barriers, I heard a class 67 arriving into the platforms, and was pleasantly surprised to see the 16.14 WAG arriving behind class 67015, with black liveried rake and DVT 82201, which was a nice finish to the day.

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[Bob figgis]

Manchester-Doncaster. Saturday 11th May 2024.

Summer appears to have come with a vengeance, it must have been the hottest day so far. I was up early and on a Transpennine class 185 from Manchester Piccadilly to Doncaster direct, on a Liverpool to Cleethorpes service, arriving at Doncaster for 08.30.

There were quite a few cranks on the platforms and it was nice to catch up with a few friends. There was steady action through the day and nice to see a few of the class 91s are still operating. In addition, I saw my first Grand Central Voyager heading south. Parked in the works yard were Anglia livery class 47714 and an unknow class 47 with its Res livery being removed. Parked in front of the works was Colas Rail Freight class 70815, with an unknown Colas class 56 parked behind her. Freight workings included, Northbound EWS liveried class 66024, LNER class 91106 and class 91124, Freightliner 66566, light engine GB Rail Freight 66720. Southbound was a top and tail engineering train GBRf 66707 and 66784, which returned northbound a few hours later. Freightliners 66607 and 66420 and Northbound Freightliner 66514. Double-Headed southbound EWS liveried 66024 and DB red livery 66009, light engine in DB Red livery class 66205 and finally Rail Operations Group, ROG class 37601 light engine.

I boarded a Transpennine class 185 from Doncaster at around 15.00 and returned directly to Manchester Piccadilly. On walking towards the ticket barriers, I heard a class 67 arriving into the platforms, and was pleasantly surprised to see the 16.14 WAG arriving behind class 67015, with black liveried rake and DVT 82201, which was a nice finish to the day.

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It was 56113 on the servicing road at Doncaster. That is twice in the same amount of weeks I’ve seen you out, on both occasions, didnt have the chance to say hello though.

 

[D6130]

It was 56113 on the servicing road at Doncaster. That is twice in the same amount of weeks I’ve seen you out, on both occasions, didnt have the chance to say hello though.

One for the 'Seeing other forum members unexpectedly' thread!

 

[shredder1]

One for the 'Seeing other forum members unexpectedly' thread!

Im sure Ill catch up with him at some point,

 

[shredder1]

It was 56113 on the servicing road at Doncaster. That is twice in the same amount of weeks I’ve seen you out, on both occasions, didnt have the chance to say hello though.

Awe, 3rd time lucky mate,

 

[shredder1]

Greater Manchester. Monday 13th May 2024.

Another few hours in my local region again, arriving into Manchester Victoria in time to catch the 6J56 Peak Forest Cemex to Hope Street Peakstone behind GBRf class 66750 passing at 11.47 noon, this was followed at 12.32 by 4M36 Drax Aes to Liverpool Biomass Tml. I then caught a Blackburn bound Northern Sprinter as far as Salford Crescent, to catch a Northern Sprinter bound for Southport as far as Atherton.

At Atherton I waited for the 6M16 Wilton Efw, (starting at Tees NY) to Knowsley Freight Terminal, it passed at 14.10, 9 early, behind red DB class 66651, which appears to be a regular for the time being. This is, or at least I should say was, Atherton`s second railway station, originally known as Atherton Central and built by the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway in 1888, Atherton`s first station however was called Atherton Bag Lane, opened by the Bolton and Leigh Railway in 1831, but sadly closed in October 1963, I can still remember visiting the station just after closure, when walking the line from Bolton Great Moor Street station.

From Atherton I caught the next Northern Sprinter service to Wigan Wallgate. I like Wigan, which is famous for three distinct things, George Orwell, Pies, and Uncle Joes Meat Balls. Needless to say, I visited Uncle Joes Meat Ball factory, as I’m a bit of a fan. I then walked into the town centre, and was surprised to find a gaping big hole in the middle of Wigan, roughly where Wigan Central railway station used to be located, but in more recent years the Galleries Shopping Centre, which was opened in 1991 by Princess Diana, but has now been flattened to make way for a new £135 million development for retail, leisure, commercial and residential in the heart of Wigan, it will certainly change the look of the place.

I returned from Wigan Wallgate to Salford Crescent, with a change for Salford Central, to catch up with the late afternoon freight workings, 6J44, Brindle Heath RTS to Dean Lane RTS had already run at 15.22 so near an hour early and before I arrived, I did however catch up with the 6H58 Hope Street Peakstone sidings to Peak Forest returning for the day, behind GBRf class 66750 passing at 16.43, and this signalled the end of another good afternoon out.

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[shredder1]

Greater Manchester. Wednesday 14th May 2024.

I’m getting to like my little escapes mid-week, and after another early session in the gym, I was again heading for Manchester Victoria via the car and tram. For a bit of variety, I took the lift to the top of the Arena car park, not as good a location since the wires went up, but you can still obtain a few reasonable photographs, and since I had arrived before 12.00 noon, I waited for the Drax Aes to Liverpool Biomass Tml, 4M36 and she passed through at 12.33 behind GBRf class 66723.

My next move was a train to Ince, to catch up with the Wilton Efw to Knowsley FT 6M16, but it was actually running over 2 hours late. So, I walked into Ince town centre to search out Ince Tourist Information Centre, but they haven’t got around to building one yet, nor have they built a town centre, just half a dozen shops on the main road, including a chippy, but it was closed, I couldn’t even find a café for a coffee. I did however find a small Cooperative store, so just settle for a bag of Dorita’s and a Salsa dip, which I took back to Ince railway station, (so much for the early morning gym session), while I waited for 6M16.

As I walked down the hill to the main road, I went past a green area with a path going across it, this was once the Great Central railway line to Wigan Central and the location of Ince`s second station and loco sheds, (Lower Ince). The 6M16 passed through at 16.14, still behind red liveried class 66651, this was the latest I’ve seen it run.

I caught the next train into Wigan Wallgate and then a Leeds train back to Manchester Victoria. The weather was warm, but changeable with heavy showers at times, a nice trip out though considering.

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[shredder1]

Dale Lane Ground Frame for Knowsley Freight Terminal. Merseyside. Thursday 16th May 2024.

My obsession with 6M16 Binliner continues. I decided to drive over to Knowsley and see how close I could get to the freight terminal. I found the gates at Dale Lane ground frame. I managed to drive into the security gates at the terminal and could see some tracks through the steel fencing, but the site is largely inaccessible.

A birdcage footbridge does however cross the line, giving a view to the gates from the main line and also the freight terminal. The gates are opened prior to the train’s arrival. The line is singled between Rainford and Headbolt Lane and worked on a token system. I’ve sequenced my images from the train arriving and running into the spur, it then reverses into Knowsley Freight Terminal and runs around the train on a loop inside the terminal, it then pushes the train back into the spur next to the main line, and then she is ready for its journey back to Wilton Efw.

Today’s loco was red liveried DB class 66651, which is the regular locomotive on the 6M16 at the moment. It was again running late at 74 down. You can focus out the mesh on the birdcage footbridge, quite a few camera lens sized holes a had been cut into the mesh, but most of them had been repaired. It took me around an hour each way, probably longer on the way back as I hit the traffic from the M62 to join the 60 in rush hour, a nice afternoon out though all the same.

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[shredder1]

Greater Manchester. Friday 17th May 2024.

I was back again chasing 6M16, the Wilton Efw to Knowsley FT Binliner, and searching out new locations to phot it. I opted for the bridge on Pendlebury Road, the first bridge east of Swinton railway station. Red DB class 66651 was again doing the honours, passing Swinton at 14.04, 13 down.

I was essentially checking out the various bridges in the location, I later moved to the next bridge east at Park Street and then onto Bolton Road and the site of the former Pendlebury railway station, now just a parting of the lines and vegetation where the platform once stood.

I later went on to check out other bridges around the Salford area and also checked out the paths around the back of the Brindle Heath refuge point, some of which has been reclaimed from the railway, with a few tracks left in situ. The weather was glorious and a good afternoon was had.

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[50002Superb]

I think 651 is a DB loco?

 

[shredder1]

I think 651 is a DB loco?

Ah yes Your right, Ill change it, thank you..

 

[shredder1]

Greater Manchester. Friday 17th May 2024.

I hadn’t been out on the Saturday, so Monday morning it was the gym and sauna at JD in Bury, and later I decided to catch up with 6M16, the Wilton Efw to Knowsley FT Binliner, in a different location again. I arrived at Manchester Victoria for 11.30 and shortly afterwards 6J56 Peak Forest Cemex to Hope Street Peakstone Sidings passed through at 11.42 behind GBRf class 66750 which has been handling a regular working on this job.

I next caught a Northern Sprinter to Wigan Wallgate and took a few photographs from various car parks for a bit of variety. I then boarded a Northern Sprinter to Orrell, I think I said Pemberton was the limit of the Greater Manchester transport region, but it is Orrell, where I waited for 6M16, still behind Red DB liveried class 66651 which passed at 14.45 9 down.

I returned to Manchester Victoria in time to catch the returning 6H58, Hope Street Peakstone to Peak Forest Cemex, behind GBRf class 66750 pass at 17.00 19 down. Another good afternoon with decent weather again.

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[shredder1]

Greater Manchester. Tuesday 21st May 2024.

I wanted to revisit some of the locations which I did yesterday, only taking photographs from different angles. At Orrell, I noticed a bridge high up above the railway station, but didn’t have time to get up there before 6M16, the Wilton Efw to Knowsley FT Binliner, passed, today however I made sure I was on an earlier train, so managed my image from the bridge.

I had caught a Sprinter from Manchester Victoria to Wigan Wallgate and spent an hour or so on the platforms of the North Western station, nothing exciting passed through however apart from a Colas track machine and a pair of Royal Mail class 325. I then walked back over to Wigan Wallgate station and caught another Northern Sprinter service to Orrell, making sure to get on top of the bridge south of the station and waited for the binliner. The Wilton Efw to Knowsley FT Binliner, 6M16, was still behind red DB liveried class 66651, which passed at 14.36 3 down.

I returned to Salford Central and walked around to the NCP multi-storey car park, which nicely overlooks the Ordsall curve and the lines from Bolton and the Atherton line. You can also see Hope Street Peakstone Sidings and at the time I arrived 16.00, 6H58 was waiting to join the main line, behind GBRf class 66767 to Peak Forest Cemex. At 16.30 on time was the Brindle Heath RTS to Dean Lane RTS 6J44, while the Peak Forest 6H58 pulled onto the main line at 16.41 4 down behind GBRf class 66767, a new loco on the working, and so ended another nice day out, the weather wasn’t too bad, sunny spells and hot most of the afternoon.

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[shredder1]

Greater Manchester. Wednesday 22nd May 2024.

A big change in the weather with lots of rain everywhere. I was in the gym for 08.00, followed by a breakfast in Wetherspoons and arriving into Manchester Victoria for around 11.00. I was a bit unsure on what to do because of the weather, so took a Transpennine Airport service class 185 around the Ordsall Curve and on to Manchester Piccadilly to see what was around. There was nothing unusually and I also noted a few freight workings had been cancelled, so I took a Blackpool Northern class 331 to Salford Crescent and then a Northern Sprinter to Pemberton, a location I wanted to photograph 6M16 the Wilton Efw -Knowsley FT binliner which was working its way down country.

However, when I checked Realtime Trains and noticed 6M16 had only got as far down as Milford Junction 32 down and the next entry was at Ferrybridge 149 down, so I had failed for the third time to capture an image of her at Pemberton. What I did was, decided to meet 6m16 on her way down and caught the 14.14 from Pemberton, the Headbolt Lane to Blackburn Northern Sprinter service direct to Rochdale, where I met the late running 6M15. She was behind the regular Red DB Liveried class 66651which passed at 15.42 144 down.

I had also timed the Drax returning to Yorkshire on 6E10 Liverpool Biomass Tml to Drax Aes passed at 16.11 3 down, behind GBRf class 66788. It had been a wet one and I took a soaking at Rochdale, later returning to Manchester Victoria for the tram and short drive home. Despite the weather though it had been a good afternoon.

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[shredder1]

Greater Manchester. Thursday 23rd May 2024.

No really change in the weather today, but less rain. I started the day off by taking a tram from Crumpsall to Manchester Piccadilly for around 11.30. An East Midland liveried Class 170 was sat in Platform 12, but nothing else unusual.

I then took a Blackpool Northern class 331 to Salford Crescent for a change of train to Wigan Wallgate. I had decided for the fourth time to try to get a photograph of 6M16 passing through Pemberton railway station. Catching the 14.16 Headbolt Lane train to Pemberton, I caught up nicely with 6M16, the Wilton Efw -Knowsley FT binliner still behind red liveried DB loco class 66651, passed at 14.56 6 up.

I returned from Pemberton on a Headbolt Lane to Blackburn Northern Sprinter to Salford Crescent at 15.06 and since I was there, waited for 5J44 Brindle Heath RTS to Dean Lane RTS behind Freightliner class 66533 pass at 16.16 5 early.

Catching the next rain to Salford Central I was also in time for 6H58 Hope Street Peakstone P sidings to Peak Forest Cemex behind GBRf class 66767 pass at 16.37. I later returned to Manchester Victoria and then the tram and car home, another good afternoon.

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