CHAPS on tour

A couple of interesting outings there. A day of railways, beer and football is always going to be a winner

Flipping heck – it was the end of March when I last posted here and that was for trips in February. It isn’t as if I haven’t been using the trains, more with the light evenings, I have had more time to sort the garden out and then there are a host of beery attractions to be gone to and investigated. I am also actively involved in the organisation of the 3 day Stockport Beer Festival (end of May) and the 11 day Stockport Beer Week (end of September) both of which take a load of planning. All this is a way of saying that these are excuses for not putting some of my train travel stories up here. Lucky us, I hear you cry...

However with the coming of the darker nights, I can try and catch up with this and hopefully there may be something vaguely interesting for you to read.

At the start of March and with the Northern strikes finally over, I went to investigate the pubs in Adlington between Bolton and Chorley. Many pubs, especially micro pubs which I like to visit, only open in the evenings during the week, so Saturday is a good day to go. This stretch of track had only been recently electrified after considerable construction delays and had been closed most weekends. Once it did open, the strikes started, so restricting my research in this area!

My trip to Manchester from Cheadle Hulme was a combo of duds 150124 and 150140 to Piccadilly where 170477 was sitting in Mayfield Loop on its way back from attention at Crewe. 142037 and 156488 were waiting at Victoria, when I got there, to take me to Adlington on the Buckshaw Parkway service; naturally I travelled on the Pacer.

After a perambulation round the eight pubs in and around the village (only a half in each, honestly), I caught 319370 for my first bit of electric haulage on the line; good fun running at some speed down the hill from Bolton to Salford Crescent and plenty of traction noise en-route. Then it was a walk back to Piccadilly where 319376 took me home on a Crewe stopper.

A few days later it was the turn of Yeadon to host a pub research trip. Yeadon is the location of Leeds Airport; it’s on top if a hill about 6 miles north of Leeds. Every so often, a scheme to get heavy rail there is put forward but quickly forgotten again when the costs are investigated. It is however served by frequent bus from the city, appropriately numbered 757. 323236 took me into Manchester where I boarded 185142 for the trip over to Huddersfield from Platform 14. Whilst I was there they were doing a test with the Inspector Sands message which was interesting to say the least. Despite announcing it was a test, many passengers were asking why they had to leave the station. As if they didn't have enough problems on those platforms anyway!

My plan was to catch the stopper from Huddersfield to Leeds, operated at the time by Northern on behalf of TPE. 170473 was sitting waiting; unluckily for me that is one of the two 170s that Northern have received that I have had for haulage in Scotland. Oh well – at least the trip was uneventful and there was plenty of room unlike on the 185! On arrival in Leeds one of those Azuma thingys which was good for sight (800104) was parked up and attracting lots of attention – it was there for platform staff and serving training I gather.

After a rather wet afternoon in the hills and a variety of pubs visited (note for 185143 – there’s a Spoons in Yeadon), I returned to Manchester on a busy early evening 185114, but I managed to get a seat. The same 142 as on the Adlington trip earlier (037) was paired with 156424 this time for my rockin and rollin’ journey home – once again I travelled on the Pacer.

A few days later I headed off south to the West Midlands for a couple of nights in Redditch to join another Saturday tour round pubs, this time in South Wales. 323226 took me to Crewe where 68028 was spotted festering with 397003 in LNWR. Then it was 350265 to Stafford and 325004 passed through as I was waiting for the Trent Valley stopper, formed of winner for haulage 350269.

Alighting late at Lichfield Trent Valley, it was a rapid scramble across to the high level platforms for the half-hourly 323 towards Brum which set off only a few seconds after I had rushed through the doors. The unit was not required 323209. I alighted at Butlers Lane and then walked to Four Oaks, naturally stopping at a load of pubs in between. Halfway between the two stations in Mere Green lies another Wetherspoons, the Mere Pool which is one of the better ones. However it is probably 10-15 minutes from either station, so not good for a PNB if you are in a hurry.

It started raining as I got to Four Oaks where I decided to lurk and see if I could find my last two 323s for haulage. Alas there was no sign, so I gave up after about 40 minutes as it was also getting cold and dark. 323241 and then 214 (a haulage winner on my last trip down here) took me to Redditch.

The Saturday coach tour involved stopping in Chepstow, Magor and Newport plus some country pubs south of Abergavenny. Unfortunately we had to miss one out as the country lanes were very narrow and difficult for a 30-seater coach to negotiate and it was getting dark. However kudos to the driver for even attempting it.

My return home on the Sunday was equally unproductive in finding the 323s I needed, despite stepping back at Longbridge and Northfield with 323204 and 213 doing the honours. However during my short fester at the latter, XC HST 43357 + 278 rumbled past Cheltenham-bound whilst an announcement from the far platform informed the grand total of one passenger there to keep away from the platform edge as the next train did not stop there. For those of you who don’t know Northfield, it is four track with the outer (slow) lines only being electrified and having active platforms with the fasts in the middle with disused platforms. I was delighted to see a lone Colas 70 appear from the Brum direction; however this turned to dismay as it turned out to be 70807 which was one of the few I had already seen.

I caught 323201 to Bourneville and then proceeded on a linear walk to Selly Oak via the odd pub or three before boarding 323218 to the Bat Cave. Being Sunday, things were in a gentle state of melt down – and this was before the timetable change – so I caught dud 350260 to Crewe and 323225 straight home. It had been a very productive weekend for new pub visits, but not so for sights and haulage.

So that’s got to mid-March – the next instalment should feature Coventry, the North East and Worcester.

You certainly have been busy by the sounds of it!

Continuing from where I left off, Mid-March saw a day out to the Coventry Beer Festival at the Rugby Club. It’s only a small festival but the organisers obtain beers from rare and new breweries, so it is a magnet for those from all over the country who like to try them. Dud 319382 took me to Crewe passing opposite direction 66594 and 70005 on down freights. Haulage winner 350231 took me to Wolverhampton, unusually departing southbound from Platform 11 at Crewe. Unit 710103 was noted outside LNWR. As I was in no great hurry, I got off at Wolves to see what was on the following TfW service but neither of the 158s were the one I needed. Nevertheless, I took them (158840 and 818) to New St where I dropped lucky and found one of my VT 221 haulage requirements (221116) to take me to Birmingham International and few interesting aircraft were noted at the airport as we passed by. I decided to step-back again off the very busy Voyager and waited for the next LNWR service which was dud 350244.

After a pleasant afternoon of beer and banter, there was no time to visit any pubs and with the train service starting to look distinctly flaky again, it was straight home. 390107 was running a bit late at Coventry and lost more time to New St. Dud 350115 then took me to Stafford with dud 3503368 onwards to Stoke where this service arrives just as the Piccadilly stopper leaves and I was able to wave it goodbye yet again! However a late running 390121 appeared and took me to Stockport where 156441 and 471 were unusually on time on the Wigan-Alderley service.

The following week my cousin, whose father got me interested in railways all those years ago, had got a few days off for good behaviour and suggested that we should go up to Newcastle where he was once a student in the early 70s to visit a few of his favourite haunts. Needless to say this included a few pubs, some of which still exist. At that time the place was a real ale desert, with Newky Brown and Federation dominating; things couldn’t be more different nowadays with a huge number of interesting breweries and bars in Newcastle.

I travelled in to Manchester on 323238 and walked over to Victoria where we met up. He had got a free Northern ticket which he wanted to use to York, so went trundled down the Calder Valley on 142062 which was towing 156455. At Victoria 60026 passed through on an empty biomass for Liverpool. Our journey was uneventful, pitching up in Leeds almost on time where the usual selection of Northern equipment was noted. Onwards to York on dud 158759, where we decided to fester for a while, noting 66749 and 66147 on southbound freights. Azuma 800111, a winner for sight, was parked up on a test train and later TPE’s 802201 also appeared amongst the variety you expect to see there.

We decided to head north to Darlington behind dud 91132 and after a short fester there winner 43272 and dud 43319 took us onwards to Newcastle. At Central we noted that the Thunderbird was 67010 and Scotrail 156504 was resting after its marathon journey from Glasgow before returning there. On our way to the Travelodge near the Quayside, we visited the Beer Street, Box Social and Split Chimp micro pubs under the railway arches just to the east of the station. In the former, the whole place shakes when something passes overhead as there are a set of points directly above. We ate appropriately in the new Head of Steam on the Quayside.

The next day, after visiting some of Nick’s old haunts in the city we decided to make a journey out to Morpeth where there are a nice number of pubs for a stroll round. After watching the movements at Newcastle for a while, we joined dud 156472 from the bay. It should have been a through service but there was a set swap at the last minute which took a while for the PIS to catch up with. On the way up to Morpeth an Azuma on test passed us, but I noted that it was due to come back north not too long after we arrived so we festered waiting for it noting that the old station buildings on the up platform were undergoing reconstruction and the ticket office was housed in a portacabin. 800109 eventually appeared, paused briefly and then trundled off north on diesel. Following a wander around some of the town’s hostelries including tea at Spoons, it was back to the station for winner ex Scotrail 156485 back to Newcastle.

The next morning was spent riding around on the Newcastle Metro eventually getting to South Shields and several haulage cops were made, reducing my needs to 14. Then it was back south, first behind dud 91125 as far south as Darlington where 2 Scotrail HST Powercars ran past on the avoider. Then it was duds 43206 and 274 to York where Azuma 800111 was again alongside us in a south facing bay as we boarded haulage winner 158845 for the trip to Leeds. After a short while we boarded 142055 (coupled to 150270) for a cosy and bumpy journey down the Calder Valley back to Victoria where Nick took his leave.

I had spotted haulage winner 150126 in Victoria so I boarded it for the short journey to Salford Crescent. Thence dud 319385 pitched up to take me on to Piccadilly where 323231 took me back to Cheadle Hulme. It had been a good few days out with good beer, trains and company.

A couple of days later I was back in the North East for Darlington’s small beer festival. 323235 took me from Cheadle Hulme to Piccadilly where I boarded 185138 for the trip to York. However we ground to a halt outside Huddersfield and were told that the line was blocked at Dewsbury due to a police incident. Eventually we were informed that the train would now terminate at Huddersfield and we trundled into the middle platform (4) as Platform 8 was already occupied by another canx TPE. Plenty of staff were on hand and we were advised that a local to Leeds via Halifax would be departing shortly.

So most people off 2 TPE 185s attempted to get onto 150137; unsurprisingly many were left behind. How the hell it got up to Halifax I don’t know and I decided to bale there as I wasn’t in a hurry and I was fed up with staring into other peoples' armpits. The Calder Valley was operating normally(ish)and haulage winner 158860 soon arrived, attached to 153316 and 322 and took me to Bradford Interchange where I decided to step back and wait for the following Preston- York service which was formed of dud 158868. 800107 was the Azuma on test at York today and soon dud 91130 took me to Darlington.

A very pleasant sociable afternoon was spent at the beer festival and an uneventful trip home involved 43316 and 43238 from York to Darlington, 185141 from York to Piccadilly and 323230 to Cheadle Hulme.

My last trip away in March was on the last Saturday of the month to the first Worcester Pubs festival, curated by the local CAMRA branch. It was very well organised too with a stand handing out glossy programmes at the exit to Foregate St Station. I had a chat with some of the organisers, there were some interesting pubs to visit and good beer to be had – and the sun shone.

323231 was my first train to Crewe where I picked up haulage winner 350122 which took me to Stafford passing 710103 on LNWR. Changing there, I caught dud 350368 to Galton Bridge and dashed up the two flights of stairs just in time to catch winner 172214 with dud 215 which was a Shrub Hill terminator. Looking at RTT, I could see that the next connection to Foregate St was likely to be an IEP which would be my first ride on one. 800312 rolled up and took me the short distance to Foregate St but I did try and test the hardness of the seats on the journey…Ouch!

Returning home, duds 170503 and 509 took me to New St where I continued my journey on 390047 to Crewe and then on 323228 to Cheadle Hulme without any drama.

So that was March – standby for a summary of April which includes Matlock, West London and Swindon.

CHAPS on Tour –April 2019

In early April I had a day out exploring the pubs in Matlock. Yet again 323231 was my steed from Cheadle Hulme to Stockport where 66413 trundled north with a load of empty flats. Duds 158858 and 854 were my transport to Sheffield and were only 3 minutes late – usually these Liverpool- Norwich trains are much later having got stuck in Castlefield corridor. Unusually there were no wagons at Earles which allowed 66602/20/22 to be identified stabled by the trees.

At Sheffield I let a horrible and crowded XC Voyager go, preferring lightly loaded EMT 222008 a few minutes later to take me to Derby. Whilst I waited there for the Matlock train, my original last GBRF 66 for sight (778), appeared along with 760 on separate freights. Double dog-box dud 153372 and 381 was the haulage for my first trip up the valley since the route to Manchester was closed all those years ago.

If you are going to do a comprehensive crawl of Matlock pubs there are a few very steep hills to negotiate, so some sustenance was taken on at the local Spoons, the Crown early on. During the afternoon it started raining which spoilt the trip a bit as it had been pleasant early on. Sadly torrential rain later during the summer caused the river to burst its banks and flood some of the town including some of the small bars near the station, a few of which have still to re-open as I start to write this in December.

The line from Matlock is single track all the way to Ambergate and features good views of the valley when not in tunnels. There’s only an hourly service and dud 156403 arrived at the terminus to take me back to Derby where 67023 and another unid Colas 67 were noted passing through on a test train as we arrived. The next Sheffield train was dud 222012, so I swerved that and waited for the HST coming up behind. Don’t need any of EMT HSTs for haulage but I would prefer a ride on one of these to a Meridian. 43047 and 081 did the business and got me to Sheffield for my connecting TPE (185143) to Stockport where I managed to make a snappy connection onto 150128/150142 on a slightly late Wigan – Alderley service.

I’m ashamed to say that I had never travelled on the East Lancs Railway extension from Bury to Heywood. I hadn’t been to Heywood’s pubs either and the Wetherspoons there (The Edwin Waugh) was my last one to visit in Greater Manchester, so I decided to kill two birds with one stone. On a Saturday. 323236 took me into Manchester and 142044 was noted at Stockport operating the parliamentary to Stalyvegas. A Bury tram (3050) came into the undercroft at Piccadilly seconds after I arrived and I took it all the way up to Bury, grabbing a front seat for the journey.

There was time to sample one of the many beers at the Trackside before winner Hoover 50015 rolled up for the short and slow journey to Heywood. After watching the loco run round and the train depart, I had just set off for the town and when the front end of a Black 5 passed on a lorry just too far away to identify. I gathered from ELR staff later it was 45407, one of the Riley locos coming back to Bury after a winter overhaul.

My timing for the return wasn’t good as the Hoover returned for the last train of the day and the theme continued with the next tram for Piccadilly being 3050 again. There 150116 and 142056 took me home; naturally I travelled in the 142.

April is the time when the local CAMRA branch run a mild challenge called Mild Magic. A number of pubs round Manchester still sell mild, a rare type of beer in most parts of the country. I went to visit some of the pubs on the trail to the west of Manchester. Dud 156429 was unusually working a Crewe – Piccadilly service vice a 319 or 323 and from Piccadilly I caught Tram 3064 to Cornbrook, changing to 3091 for the journey to the terminus at Eccles. Whilst at Cornbrook 66710 passed on a freight for Trafford Park.

You will find the Lamb, a wonderful Holt’s pub opposite the tram stop. It’s got an historic interior, is a real community pub and serves a tip-top pint of mild. The Eccles Cross Wetherspoons is yards away for Spoons tickers. A bus then took me to Patricroft for another couple of mild stickers and then I walked to Monton, passing the historic Queens Arms pub by the station which was built in 1828 for the opening of the Liverpool and Manchester Railway. It only opens in the evening during the week, so no opportunity to visit on this occasion. The road then follows the banks of the Bridgewater Canal for a short distance, but time to observe some of the antics of the ditch-crawling community as my yachty friend the Beer Snob would say.

A bus to Eccles saw me board Tram 3068 and alight at Deansgate-Castlefield for some more mild magic pubs in Manchester before 323239 took me home from Piccadilly noting 37606 on a test train at Longsight.

Easter saw me make my regular trip to Egham Beer Festival, staying as usual at the Feltham Travelodge. My preferred routing to London is on the Pendolino via Crewe, joining the train at Wilmslow. However this means that the Wigan-Alderley service must be on time; it usually isn’t and today was no exception. So 156440 and 150120 took me to Stockport to catch the following Pendo via Stoke which was 390137. All the locos at Wembley went unidentified this time due to being bowled by a down liner and 710262 was identified at Willesden. After walking to Euston Square the first train that came was winner for everything 21066 which I took to Harrow on the Hill, logging lots of Metropolitan and Jubilee line units, a good number of which were winners.

After visiting the three pubs in the centre including a Spoons, the trip continued westbound courtesy of haulage winner 21094 to Rayners Lane where the only pub close to the station is the Village, another of Mr Martin’s establishments. Dud 21044 took me to visit Eastcote and the single pub there before continuing to Ruislip Manor on winner 21006 for the JJ Moons pub, where tea was taken courtesy once again of Spoons. Another haulage winner, 21084 provided the transport to Ickenham where one of the two pubs near the station is also a Wetherspoons (The Tichenham Inn).

Yet another winner was my steed to Hillingdon 21086 where the pub by the station produced a rotten sample of Hobgoblin, so it was quickly on to Uxbridge on winning Piccadilly unit 238 where there was only time for a couple of half pints in each of 2 pubs including the Wetherspoons (the Good Yarn).

Winner 21105 took me back to Rayners Lane and then a series of linear leaps took me via Acton Town to Hatton Cross; this involved winners 367, 356, 415, 138, 361, 134. I often used Piccadilly line trains when travelling in from Heathrow years ago when it was the only way but never used to note numbers, so there is plenty of potential for sights and haulage here. A bus then took me to Feltham and my lodgings for the night.

On the Wednesday after a hearty Spoons breakfast I went by bus to investigate the Spoons in Hayes, a place that is otherwise useless for cask beer. Returning to Hayes and Harlington I caught haulage winner 360201 to Hanwell. Whilst waiting there, 345008 was not in service in the bay, but the doors were open and passengers were piling in despite the PIDS saying not in service. Every so often one of the station staff had to go through the train and everyone got off. This process was repeated several times during my fester as they couldn’t lock the doors. Meanwhile a mix of HSTs and IEP-thingys raced through on the fasts along with colourful Hex units and a few Turbos with 59006 and 66610 on the slows on stone and a liner respectively in between numerous 387 units.

An extended linear walking leap of pubs then took place from Hanwell to Ealing taking until early evening; my step count was rather high that day! By early evening enough was enough and I made my way to Ealing Broadway to go back to Feltham. The station was very busy and again a variety of traction was noted as well as lots of LUL units. My first trip was on District winner 21324 to Ealing Common and then another attack on Piccadilly units involving winners 421, 874,363, 452,419, 395,410, 874 and 170 back to Hatton Cross. 421, 874, 363, 452 and 395 were all time winners.

Thursday saw me go to Egham where many familiar faces were to be found and much banter ensued. The winning 707015 and 006 combo on a Windsor service took me to Staines where duds 458828 and 829 were the traction for the short hop to Egham. Arriving back at Egham station mid-afternoon, the same combo appeared so I took them back to Staines where haulage winner 450101 with dud 450124 returned me to Feltham. Next up was winner 707028 with dud 707001 which took me to Richmond where I decided to bale for pub investigations to the north of the centre as I had a couple of hours to kill before my off peak ticket from Euston was valid.

Eventually haulage winner 458807 pitched up with dud 812 to convey me to Waterloo and then a series of linear leaps on the Northern Line saw me pick up haulage winners 51584 and 51665. I caught the 1900 Manchester service (390137) which is the first off peak service but it wasn’t very busy as I guess many had already started their Easter break. 710262/5 were noted in Willesden and 66710 at Wembley but a 37 and 92 went begging due to being bowled by another Pendo. An on time arrival at Stockport saw 319374 provide my local service home after a productive few days of trains, beer and socialising.

The end of the month saw a trip out to be based in Swindon for a couple of nights. I will try and avoid XC Voyagers at all costs; horrible, rattly, smelly and always full to bursting, so it is the traction choice of last resort. First train of the journey was 142017 and 156459 on a just for once on-time Wigan - Alderley service; naturally the Donkey was the chosen unit to travel in. At Wilmslow 66547 trundled past towards Guide Bridge with 2 empty flats. 390039 rolled up to take me to Crewe and that annoying announcement about something ending in “Ah that’s better” made me think the person had just passed wind…

Anyway the next stage of the Vomiter-less trip was dud 350237 to Wolverhampton followed by winner 170505 to Sandwell with 66014 and 056 noted in the Steel Works. Winner 350262 then took me to the Bat Cave.

This leisurely journey allowed me to walk across to Moor St for some 68 traction action and I was pleased to note winner 68009 waiting in the bay to head south. I took this as far as Solihull and awaited the next Chiltern unit which was dud 168113 and this took me to Leamington. Next Marylebone service was dud 68012 which I took to Banbury. On the way I spotted winner 70816 looped and whilst at Banbury 66727 in Maritime livery passed through on a liner.

Next train was the every 2 hours stopper to Oxford with haulage winner 165133, changing there for the Didcot train formed of another winner – 165124. 70803 and 66199 were in Hinksey Yard and 66060 and 66740 were noted at Didcot along with numerous 387 and IEPs. Eventually one of these stopped – it was 800005 + 30 – both would be haulage winners but as I was only going 1 stop, I chose the one which stopped in front of me (005)

So I had managed to get to Swindon without travelling on a Voyager. It takes time and the difficult bit is the Banbury to Oxford link but I had plenty of time.

On the Friday, there was beery business to transact in and around London. With the help of posts here, I was able to take the last diagrammed HST from Swindon to Reading with 43098 leading and 071 on the rear. After a relatively short fester at Reading with all the things you would expect to see there keeping the notebook full, 43194 and 43155 came off the mid-Berks line to take me to Paddington. No haulage winners here but good to still have the old traction. Acton yard was full with 66012, 140, 161 and 59204 noted. After a quick wander round Paddington, I took all time winner 21392 to Kings X and after a quick look at St Pancras and Kings X main stations it was time to visit the Queens Head nearby for their small but excellent beer festival.

Next destination was the Kentish Belle micropub adjacent to Bexleyheath station. My journey there was disrupted by a fire alarm at Kings X and Euston underground stations which resulted in me having to go to Goodge St where all time winner 51628 took me to Charing Cross. Haulage winners 465034 and 465237 were taken to London Bridge, leaping from one unit to the other at Waterloo East. Being behind schedule now I jumped on the first train to Bexleyheath which was formed of duds 465903 and 465164.

The pub had a tap-takeover by a new local brewery, Tankleys, and after sampling a couple of their beers, I took duds 376020 and 018 to Barnehurst to visit the Bird & Barrel micropub there. Next stop was New Cross for the Ale House (sadly closed in the autumn) which was the only regular outlet for Headcorn Hop beers. The journey involved haulage winning Networkers 465029, 465929 and 465012.

Time to go back to Paddington now. This involved dud 376002, winners 465045 and 375307 to get to Charing Cross followed by a series of leaps on the Bakerloo which yielded haulage winners 3565, 3531 and 3333. It was too late for any more HST haulage, so my steed back to Swindon was winner 800028 coupled to 800013. I fell asleep, so the seats must be quite comfortable… but woke up in time for my stop.

There was little railway action on the Saturday which involved visiting Chippenham pubs and their Beer Festival for the first time. I got to Swindon in time to see kettle 46233 passing through on the first leg of the big RTC railtour with 47746 on the rear. Haulage winner 166215 took me to Chippenham; in the evening my return was on all time winner 800313.

Sunday saw a return home avoiding Voyagers again. Winner 166218 took me from Swindon to Gloucester and from there I enjoyed a Donkey ride on 143604 up to Cheltenham where 43154 and 155 and coaches passed through northbound after being withdrawn and going for storage. A Voyager came and went and I waited for the Cardiff train to take me to Brum. It pitched up with 170639 and 170105 but unfortunately the latter was locked out, so it was a sardine can ride north although I did get a seat after asking someone to remove some bags. It all got a bit claustrophobic however, so I baled at University and a few minutes later got 323205 into New St.

This was all thirsty work, so a couple of Brums finest pubs were visited before winner 350247 conveyed me to Crewe. Interesting units noted in LNWR were 397001, 345023 and 710103. Arriva Wales 175108 took me back to Stockport where there was a comfortable connection back to Cheadle Hulme on 323236.

So that was April. I thought I could get up to date in the last couple of months but that has not been possible, so the next few reports will be more of summaries to help catch up. And if you got this far, thanks for reading.

CHAPS on Tour – May 2019

The first weekend of the month saw me back in London to visit the excellent Reading Beer Festival. Once again a Donkey (142009) started off my haulage, coupled to 150216. Just as we were leaving Cheadle Hulme the NMT HST passed through. 390125 was the unit which took me to Euston via Crewe. LNWR had 37116, 397001, 319421 and 710103 whilst 710265 and 37611 were seen at Willesden. 21472 took me to Paddington.

From here the 1303 and 1403 towards Reading should be HST haulage and here I bumped into a beer and train enthusiast from Great Yarmouth who had just been onto a friend in GWR control and found out the traction for these. The first one was 43063 and 43162; neither were required for haulage but required by me 43171 was on the 1403 along with 43004. So the latter it was and after a run round identifying some units, time for an expensive pie and pint.

This was followed by an excellent all-greens run to Reading sitting in the front carriage for some noise along with some other cranks. Numerous units were noted on the way with a few gap-fillers being red-penned. And that was that – my last ever run on a proper GWR HST. At least there are still a few HSTs around elsewhere.

After a very convivial evening in the big tent at the festival, the next day saw a return home via the Royal British Legion Club in Marlow who just happened to be having a small beer festival. They source beers from lots of rare breweries. One of my 387 needs for sight (130) rolled up with haulage winner 135 and took me to Maidenhead. Haulage winner 165125 was on duty on the branch.

On my return to Maidenhead I joined winner 387168 coupled with 134 for a fast journey back to Paddington with more units falling to the red pen. Dud 21459 took me to Euston Square and after a brief fester I joined 390154 on the 1800 to Manchester. Lots of locos were hiding in Wembley; a few were identified but nothing of note. Final part of the journey was on board 150214 coupled to 274 on a Wigan-Alderley which was only 15 late!

Later the next week I visited the Forever Bury beer festival at Gigg Lane; traction was provided by 319372 to Manchester and tram 3040 to Bury. I returned on a bus to Manchester and 323236 took me home. Another trip out was to Clitheroe. 142062 and 156427 took me to Bolton and 153324 plus 150209 completed the journey. Return to Manchester was on solo 150226 with 323236 doing the honours from Piccadilly.

The Calder Valley is always a good day out for pubs; there are so many excellent places in Todmorden, Hebden Bridge, Sowerby Bridge and Halifax. The Three Pigeons is an art–deco pub in Halifax quite close to the station and they have an annual beer festival which attracts people from all over the place. 150201 and 269 took me to Piccadilly and I walked across to Victoria to board dud 158755. I still need several Northern 158s for haulage, so I decided to get off at Hebden Bridge and wait for the Preston – York about 10 minutes later. It was a good move as it was winner 158901 which completes that small sub class.

After a good visit to the festival and a few pubs in company with others, another 158 winner in the shape of 842 (attached to dogbox 153307) took me back to Victoria. Tram 3004 and 3009 appeared to get to Piccadilly and 150110/28 completed the day’s haulage on a Wigan-Alderley which was strangely on time.

A couple of local trips out saw me visit Wigan and Bolton – the only railway highlight being 319374 flying down the hill from Bolton to Salford Crescent.

The next week saw another 319 journey, this time on 319382 from Wigan to Preston and not so fast this time due to late runners. 350406 brought me back to Manchester; I had forgotten about the timetable change which meant these now went via Bolton and was flummoxed when we turned left at Euxton. Unfortunately we got stuck behind a late-running stopper but passed it on the through line at Salford Crescent and I made my connection home on 142046 – finally some class haulage!

The Bank Holiday at the end of the month sees a Beer Festival held in a field close to Newark Castle. Although the cheap way is to go via Nottingham, I chose to go via Donny in the hope of picking up some of my missing 91s for haulage. An early start saw me mixing it with commuters into Manchester with the luxury of 142035 attached to 150145 on an Alderley - Wigan. 185122 wasn’t too busy especially after Sheffield and deposited me at Donny. 319424, 331105 and 331107 were here and 800210 passed through on test. 800108/9 were also seen. It wasn’t long before winner 91122 appeared and whisked me off to Newark North Gate –just what the Doctor ordered.

Not what the doctor ordered was that at the last minute the new organisers at the beer festival decided not to serve beer in third pints as has always been the case. Cue heated discussions as some of the volunteer staff weren’t happy either. It wasn’t resolved!

Unfortunately the return to Donny produced dud 91131 – as I only needed 4 for haulage it was probably too much to ask for another winner. 331102 had appeared at Doncaster and I had the luxury of haulage winner 170474 back to Sheffield. 185135 took me back to Stockport and then the bus was taken home.

Chasing mild ales on an ale trail was the order of the day at the end of the month which involved a trip to Stalybridge station buffet and Rochdale. Solo 156484 was operating a Crewe Manchester and 185125 took then took me to Stalyvegas. The use of the rear door of the rear carriage minimises the walking distance into the door of the Buffet! It was of course busy with Ale Trailers. 156486 then took me to Victoria where 153301 and 150137 conveyed me to Rochdale. Later I returned to Manchester on the same units and ended up on the same 156484 taking me back to Cheadle Hulme.

And that was it for my train travels for May.

Sounded like a productive couple of months

Wow fair play that was a busy spring time! More than a few beers tried by the sounds of it too!