Back on the platform

[86247]

Hope you enjoyed your day on Merseyside despite the snow,hail, sleet.

 

[The_Train]

Enjoy your day out on Merseyside Mr. @The_Train. The depot situation has already been well explained - a quick ride out to Kirkdale (from Sandhills) and a trip to a station beyond Birkenhead North will provide you with views of both. It might be worth going out at Kirkdale and walking down to Bank Hall - the main road at the far end of the depot used to afford a few views that might reveal a number not obtainable at the station.

During the offpeak units can have extended lurks at Southport (several) and New Brighton (probably only one) but whether its worth taking the time to go out to either depends on how you are doing with your sightings - the latter is a rather lengthy trip while the latter is more justifiable if you've already get as far as the depot at Birkenhead. Anyway, if you are missing some having spent time on the Northern and Wirral lines and you've also been past both depots, those two stations could well be where they will be. I did the Merseyside Overground and Underground Explorer special a few weeks ago on a Saturday and without really trying I got my Merseyrail units from just one seen to 14 required. I need to go back to get the rest sometime - I prefer Birkenhead Hamilton Square to cover the Wirral lines although it does entail swapping between the platforms occasionally!

Thanks for the info mate (unfortunately I've only just seen it but I did manage to get past the depots). I went as far as Wallasey Village to check out Birkenhead - I considered going all the way to New Brighton but I got my haulage head on and thought I'd be returning on the same unit if I did that. It was nice to see more of the Merseyrail network though!

And yeah it's very easy to bring the numbers required down quickly on the network once you get out on it. Seemingly gets a lot harder once you're down to the last few

 

[The_Train]

508134 has been the first withdrawal and is at New Brighton. Info from latest RAIL magazine.

It was sat outside the Kirkdale depot yesterday

 

[The_Train]

Hope you enjoyed your day on Merseyside despite the snow,hail, sleet.

I saw no bad weather all day to be honest and I was out of the tunnels for a good few hours. Admittedly a day on Merseyrail and a couple of hours at Piccadilly afterwards is a good choice for a day of bad weather

Have to admit though, it was bloody cold at Sandhills. It was ok when the sun broke through the clouds but when it didn't there was a bitter wind up there

 

[Skymonster]

I saw no bad weather all day to be honest and I was out of the tunnels for a good few hours. Admittedly a day on Merseyrail and a couple of hours at Piccadilly afterwards is a good choice for a day of bad weather

Have to admit though, it was bloody cold at Sandhills. It was ok when the sun broke through the clouds but when it didn't there was a bitter wind up there

So how many 507s / 508s do you need now then Mr @The_Train?

 

[The_Train]

So how many 507s / 508s do you need now then Mr @The_Train?

All will be revealed Mr Monster

(Once I catch up on my reports )

 

[Techniquest]

All will be revealed Mr Monster

(Once I catch up on my reports )

Yes indeed we are patiently waiting. As patiently as Sonic The Hedgehog, tapping his foot waiting...

 

[The_Train]

Yes indeed we are patiently waiting. As patiently as Sonic The Hedgehog, tapping his foot waiting...

I'm also behind on reading yours which I keep seeing in my watched thread list. It's safe to say that I'm just behind full stop haha

 

[86247]

should be plenty of 507/8 haulage to read through. I've been out loads of times and I've never written a report about them,always thought mine would be boring.

 

[Kite159]

All the 3rd rail PEPs!

 

[Skymonster]

All will be revealed Mr Monster

(Once I catch up on my reports )

Well pull your blummin’ finger out and get writing then Mr Train!

 

[Techniquest]

Well pull your blummin’ finger out and get writing then Mr Train!

As they say, good things come to those who wait! I'm rather glad I usually type mine up as I go on my trips, last week's one was done the day after which was unusual. I've posted mine before getting anywhere near the end of my last journey of a trip before now, get it done and get it gone kind-of attitude if that makes sense.

 

[xotGD]

I typically wait around 30 years before producing the trip report!

 

[The_Train]

Well pull your blummin’ finger out and get writing then Mr Train!

I know, I know

 

[The_Train]

As they say, good things come to those who wait! I'm rather glad I usually type mine up as I go on my trips, last week's one was done the day after which was unusual. I've posted mine before getting anywhere near the end of my last journey of a trip before now, get it done and get it gone kind-of attitude if that makes sense.

I really should start to do this. I actually transferred my sightings for yesterday from my notepad to SpotLog on one of the many train journeys home and I don't usually do that until I get home so it's a step in the right direction. I should probably start to take my laptop with me and at least make a start on reports on the journey home. Problem is, I can't do that until I'm up to date, otherwise they won't be in order and my OCD just won't allow that

 

[The_Train]

I typically wait around 30 years before producing the trip report!

And my, oh my are we glad of it. Gives us all a chance to venture down memory lane and head back to a time when you didn't have to get excited at seeing a 66 just because it isn't a unit

 

[The_Train]

Time to get back on board the trip reporting train and finally get into 2020.
The year started off for me with a dud 92, 92020 being the offending beast as it passed through Stafford. It was a week into the new year before I stretched my trainspotting legs though as I'd seen news of a pacer movement to the cutters torch. So on the 7th January it was an earlyish start as I ventured to the local to jump on the 0824 Avanti service to Crewe (saves a few quid to go Avanti only) but before that my arrival onto the platform at Stafford coincided with my first sighting of 350405 in its new LNWR livery. Just as my Pendolino was crawling into P3, winner 66771 powered through P5 with an Avonmouth to Clitheroe working which was definitely a nice little bonus to get this mini outing underway. 390039 was my traction, a winner for haulage, for the short hop to Crewe and soon enough we were heading past the depots and (thanks to a little help from folk on here) I was able to spy 08691 in the yard at Basford Hall followed by 397012 sat outside the Arriva Traincare depot on the opposite side. I only had one reason for this jaunt but 3 winners had already made it more than worthwhile. This continued in the station as 150235 came by on a TfW run to Manchester and despite being very much dud, it was a pleasant surprise to see 37800 make an appearance as well. After dud DR73916 had come and gone, I noticed that a TfW service had arrived into the 9/10 bays at the other end of the station so I had a steady stroll along P6 to ID 150217 as another winner as it worked the Chester shuttles. Soon enough though, it was the main event and I'd gone from being alone on the platform to being amongst a decent number of spotters as 142042, 142015 and 142066 pulled into P5 for a crew change having worked down from Gascoigne Wood
On your marks... by The_Train

The sight of required 142066 justified my decision to spend over a tenner to witness the sorry sight of these pacers heading for scrap and before we all knew it, we heard that familiar power up of the 142's and with a short blast of the horn they were gone for the very last time
That's all folks.... by The_Train

The new(ish) Basford Hall to the Pinnox Branch sidings at Longport working was due to reverse in the goods line at Crewe but it was running late and I'd been told on the platform that it was 56049 at the helm, a dud for me, so I ventured over the bridge to jump on my return Pendolino. This turned out to be the same one as this morning so it was aboard the now dud for haulage, 390039, to head home so I could venture out on my run - can't let trains get in the way of my exercise regime That said though, there was also an Allerton Depot to Long Marston working which I knew I would beat to Stafford so once I'd alighted at Stafford I went across to P5 to see dud 37884 leading equally dud 319380 and 319377 for storage (I believe) at Long Marston. And with that it was off to exercise having claimed 5 winners for sight along with the Pendolino for haulage - not bad for a couple of hours at Crewe!

It was another week before I was out again but this time it was just a quick visit to the local having spied a working on RTT from Kilmarnock down to Ilford so I assumed it would be a required 317 heading home following modification work. I caught sight of 47813 and 47815 heading home to Leicester as I strolled to the station and then dud 66416 came by with a Felixstowe to Basford Hall 'Liner (I took a pic as Freightmaster was showing it as a different shed of which I required a pic of....)
66416 by The_Train

before 57312 appeared with winner 317342 in tow
ROG 57312 by The_Train

Another winner to add to the 5 from the previous week means 2020 was off to a decent start considering I'd not gone further than 30 miles from my home.

Unfortunately, I've started to write these reports without checking how much battery I have on my phone and it has just gone off as the battery has died and I use my SpotLog logs when writing up reports so unfortunately I am going have to stop here for now. I shall return once my phone has some life back in it

 

[xotGD]

Unfortunately, I've started to write these reports without checking how much battery I have on my phone and it has just gone off as the battery has died and I use my SpotLog logs when writing up reports so unfortunately I am going have to stop here for now. I shall return once my phone has some life back in it

My WH Smith notebooks never ran out of battery charge!

I must say, true dedication to head up to Crewe just to see a 142 before it gets cut up. I reckon 37800 and 37884 were the true highlights of the day, rather than the treble Pacer.

 

[Techniquest]

I dunno about that, there must have been something quite funky about seeing 142s off for scrap. Observing history as it were...

Great read so far, looking forward to more when it's ready And good lad on keeping up the exercise regime!

 

[The_Train]

My WH Smith notebooks never ran out of battery charge!

I must say, true dedication to head up to Crewe just to see a 142 before it gets cut up. I reckon 37800 and 37884 were the true highlights of the day, rather than the treble Pacer.

I dunno about that, there must have been something quite funky about seeing 142s off for scrap. Observing history as it were...

Great read so far, looking forward to more when it's ready And good lad on keeping up the exercise regime!

It was certainly a strange feeling seeing them taken off to meet their fate. Almost felt like there was a need for the death march or the last post to be played in the background. No matter your opinion of these units, it's always a sad day when trains with such nostalgia and history are sent to be chopped up.

It was certainly always an exciting trip as a kid if I got to go on a 'bus on rails'

 

[The_Train]

Time to crack on with a few more updates and having left you with my 317 winner whilst it was in a foreign land, it was around a week later on the 20th January that I ventured out next. It was only the short walk to the local as I'd spotted a 0Z92 move from Crewe to Wembley and I was under the impression that it may be a locomotive of interest to me. My impressions were correct as CS liveried 92018 rolled through on it's way to the capital. There was also a Norwich Crown Point to Crewe Electric which was by now only 30 minutes away so I decided to hang around in the hope that it was a required GA 90. I settled myself down at the south end of P3/4 and bizarrely the first two sheds I saw were 66124 and 66125, the former with the Cliffe Vale empties and the latter with an intermodal to London Gateway. Both were duds but it was interesting that I should get consecutive numbers! They would actually be the only sheds I saw during this short stint as the Felixstowe to Trafford Park working made for a pleasant surprise - not only was it a pair of 86s which is a nice sight in itself, it was winners 86637 and 86609 which made for a superb sight
FLT 86s by The_Train

That takes me to having sighted 18 of the 21 class 86s that were intact when I started the hobby up again. Unfortunately since then 86229 has been turned into a tin can so that's never going to be sighted and unless I catch 86251 being moved to the scrapyard then I'm unlikely to ever see that either. So that just leaves 86632 as the final active loco of this class to find.....

(Also, as an aside to this report the above pic gives me an opportunity to ask a question I've been meaning to ask for a while. For those of you who like to take pics of every loco/unit, would you class both locos as being photographed in the above pic as only one is entirely clear or would you have needed to take a 2nd snap of the 2nd loco as it went by? - I know this will probably boil down to preference once again but I'm always intrigued to find out how others work)

Anyway, back to the task in hand and it was over to the Norwich to Crewe working next and my hopes that it would be a winning GA 90 being moved were dashed as it was 90014 which I had previously seen at both Norwich and Ipswich but I did grab a winner still and it was a much better winner as 37401 went into the book as it hauled the 90 to Crewe Electric
37401 and 90014 by The_Train

The following day, I was heading back from town when a quick check of RTT showed a Wembley to Crewe 5Z91 working. I suspected it may be 92018 at the helm as it had gone down the previous day but I decided to head onto the platform anyway. My first sighting was actually 350404 which was my first sighting of this unit in it's new LNWR livery and working on their network. 390156 also went by in it's new Avanti livery before my classic electric traction came by with duds 90028 and 90036
90s on the fasts by The_Train

90036 has been out on test for the new Blackpool-London GC workings over recent days so I assume the next time I see it through Stafford will be under a different guise than as a container hauler.

Next up was the 5Z91 working from Wembley and it was indeed 92018 hauling a rake of ex CS coaches to Crewe H.S for onward delivery to their new homes on preserved railways
92018 by The_Train

I made a quick check on RTT and a Crewe Basford Hall to Nottingham Eastcroft working had gone in to the schedules so I hung around for another 15 minutes or so to see Colas 67027 hauling required 56094 back to base camp
56094 by The_Train

A decent few days and all 4 winners are what I would describe as good winners, especially those 86s considering the fact that these locos are living on borrowed time. Next up was my first real outing of the year...…...

 

[xotGD]

Still plenty of variety through Stafford I see!

 

[433N]

Good stuff there, Mr Train.

On the photographing issue, my own particular rule is that the loco or unit should be clearly identifiable by having a clear view of the number ... If it isn't, I'll be looking for another opportunity if I can get one. In your case, I would probably take a back shot of the second loco and hope it's half way decent.

This rule is a nightmare for clearing Voyagers (I've failed at least twice on 221105 and there's even a couple of Pendos I still need to catch up with too) and may need revision in light of the impossibility of the task for 397s.

Having said all that, I'm quite relaxed about it all.

 

[The_Train]

A Cheap Day Return Please - Thursday 23rd January 2020

Northern were being very generous with yet another 10p flash sale so I decided to bag a couple of cheap days out, starting with another venture into Yorkshire. There was no real reason for this except to maybe see what I could muster from the remaining Mk4 stock that I still required for sight - either way, it was undoubtedly going to be that little bit more disappointing than previous outings with no HST's anywhere to be seen.

None the less I was up and about early and was across to the station in time to grab my first LNWR 350/4 haulage as 350410 was my steed to Crewe. Earphones in and Sam Fender blasting into my ears, I settled down for the 20 minute hop to Crewe and was welcomed into the ex Mecca of the railways by the sight of winner 319422 sat in the Arriva Traincare depot along with TPE 68028 which was a definite bonus sighting. It was a busy depot this morning and I also noted DVT 82226 with a rake of ex LNER Mk4's and 67008 at the helm along with the future of TPE, 397010 which seems to be a regular here
A new lease of life by The_Train

Once onto the platform at Crewe, I noticed a bit of shunting going on in the LSL depot yard and caught 08780 pushing some Mk1's around the depot - always nice to bag an 08 as they have become a lot more difficult to sight these days, compared to when I was younger and they had duties around stations
08780 at Crewe by The_Train

I made my usual trek across the bridge to the deserted platform 12 to have a check at what Thunderbird loco is on duty today and it was 57308 but it was sat next to Northern 195113 which was running driver training between Crewe and Liverpool
195113 and 57308 by The_Train

A couple of dud Avanti Voyagers came by before 156404 pulled in to the bay having arrived from Derby now that these workings are no longer single carriage 153's. The TfW working from Llandrindod arrived over the other bays so I wandered across but only to note dud 153327. There was little else happening so I made my way back across to P1 for my next haulage which turned out to be another haulage winner in the shape of 323238 for the run to Manchester. It was a fairly quiet journey with nothing of note to mention, until we reached the Airport where I was able to chalk off 195111. After we reversed out of the Airport, there was only 66588 sat on Longsight and soon enough we pulled into the chaos of P14. I didn't hang around that particular platform, instead choosing to head inside the shed to see what was about. Unfortunately, there was very little of interest with a raft of dud units but I was more interested in seeing what would be on my next haulage - there was a bit of hope that it might have been a pacer!!! Before we get to that though, my hunt for units went on and finally I was able to add to the winners book thanks to 150269 but that would be my solitary winner during a 20 minute spell around Piccadilly. It was over to P1 with hope in my heart, only to see 156488 with nothing else attached waiting to work the 1049 to Sheffield. I have a fondness for all of the Sprinter classes but it's not quite a pacer is it. However, it is a winner for haulage so every cloud and all that. The journey across the Pennines was uneventful, in fact I spent most of it with my head in my book and before I knew it we were slowing for the crawl into Sheffield - even more so as we were held at Dore and then held again just outside the station. As everyone else got up in readiness to alight, I was sat with my pen and pad eagerly awaiting the passing of the sidings where there have been many a pacer kept whenever I've passed in the past. Our slow speed was helping as I would surely be able to ID everything there...….indeed I would, as there was not a thing there!!!!

Not letting that disappointment grind me down, I was off the unit and off for a scout of the Sheffield platforms. 195011 was the first thing I noted as it was sat parked up in the middle lines and as I made my way up to the northern end, 66614 ventured through P8 with a West Burton to Tunstead working
The loco & the unit by The_Train

I'm still needing a few of the Northern 144's as well and Sheffield seemed to be the perfect place as 144018, 144014 and 144023 were all sat in the north bays.....unfortunately all were duds!!
144018 & 144014 by The_Train

My luck improved slightly though thanks to the newer breed of unit, as 195010 came by before I caught sight of tram 121 passing by. That would be it for my luck at Sheffield as I was able to note a pair of dud EMR units along with more Northern duds before I was on the move again, departing a very sunny Sheffield - this time courtesy of 170477 which became my 4th haulage winner of the day for the trip to Doncaster
Northern 170477 by The_Train

I enjoyed my pre-made ham sandwiches on this journey but it was another journey with little to see en route until we got into the Doncaster area where I was able to spy 56049 and 56105 sat in the Down Decoy. Our crawl into P8 allowed me to nab 195108 which was sat in the West Yard. A quick roam around also saw 802303 and 195130 chalked off in quick succession as a decent start was made in Doncaster. I ventured back around to check out what else was in the West Yard and was welcomed by the sight of duds 67028, 66423 and 66424 parked up. 144006 became the latest dud pacer and 91128 was my first sighting of this class for the day but unfortunately it also came with a rake of dud coaching stock. That run of duds was completed by 144014 before my luck changed once again as 180105 became the next into the book, but this was a significant development as that was the completion of sightings of the 180 class. By this time I was back at the southern end of the station where I walked into a mass of spotters - I've literally never seen so many in one place so clearly the Northern offer has worked well. Whilst I was down this end 66782 became the first working shed of the day at Donny as it passed through with a working to Doncaster IPort
GBRf 66782 by The_Train

After this shed had gone through I decided to escape the spotters, a couple of whom seemed overly excitable and definitely too loud for my liking, so I headed back to my usual spot at Donny at the north end of P4. Up here I immediately bagged a winning double as Northern 158789 and LNER 801106 went into the book before it was back to the Mk4 sets as 91115 came by and I was able to chalk off 1 of the coaches from the set as a winner - little steps and all that!! 144004 became the next dud pacer - am I destined not to see any of my required 144's? - but 153358 attached to it did go into the book along with 801219 which came by a few minutes later. The required number of sheds continues to slowly head downwards and that, of course, means that more and more of my sightings of these are duds. That proved to be the case with 66594 which was working Belmont Yard to Hepscott Jn
66594 by The_Train

Another batch of dud Mk4's came by along with 144013, another dud 144 (grrrr!!!) as was 144014. Not going well in my quest to complete this class. 801209 offered a bit of respite from the duds and I was now following a York Engineers to Doncaster Up Decoy working which I realised was being pathed through the goods line so I made a swift dash to P8 just in time to see winner 60001 crawl through
Number 1 by The_Train

91107 was at the helm of the next batch of Mk4's and it had 82230 as it's DVT at the rear and that, my friends, is the final LNER Mk4 DVT's for sight. Another class cleared!!! Not only that but I also required the full rake of Mk4 coaches that were between loco and DVT and this rake completed all of the variations of the Mk4 coaching stock for sight - that is all except for TSOE 12227. I have a feeling that this particular coach has already found the cutters torch so I will forever be left on 1 for the East Coast coaching stock but to be honest I'm happy to have completed the DVT's and also to have done 99% of the coaches - particularly as I didn't start to note coaches until months after restarting the hobby. After this bit of excitement had subsided, there was a familiar noise over in the Wabtec yard as 08724 came out to play in the Yorkshire sunshine as it shunted an ex GWR Mk3 coach around the yard
08724 by The_Train

Another dud shed made an appearance next courtesy of 66712 working 6E86 0820 Middleton Towers to Monk Bretton
66712 by The_Train

It was everyone's favourite that became my next winner - a track machine DR75401 did the honours to keep my winner count ticking over before I hit another run of duds, including - yes you got it - more 144's. The 180's were no longer a priority of mine but as I'd missed out on a pic of my final winner of the class earlier in the day, I took my chance to add 180107 to my photo gallery as it passed through the fasts on it's way to Sunderland
180107- 1N93 1257 London Kings Cross to Sunderland by The_Train

The newbies on the East Coast did continue to help me out as 800210 broke the run of duds before it's relative 800208 also went into the book. In between these 2 winners, we had 2 examples of our modern railways sat side by side as 331109 and 800108 waited their departures. Both are duds for sight but I thought it made a decent pic, not taking into account the sunshine.....
The new kids on the block by The_Train

Suddenly the Mk4 sets had lost a bit of the pull they've had on me previously although it was still nice to hear the noise that the 91's offered and that was experienced as dud 91128 exited on it's way to the English capital. The East Coast has lost a lot of character with the withdrawal of the HST's and once the 91's are gone, it will literally have no character. Such a shame!!

Talking of the new kids on the block though, my next winner was my first sighting of a Hull Trains IET as 802302 arrived and I have to say the livery on these might just keep a small percentage of character on the East Coast. A fantastic effort, I have to say
802302- 1H04 1348 London Kings Cross to Hull by The_Train

I'd become slightly bored and cold of standing in the same place by now so I made a move underneath the tracks and onto P3 and just as I arrived up the stairs I saw a 66 heading through the goods line so I raced down to the north end of P3 where I was able to see 66424 running light just as yet another dud 144 came by
66424 & 144022 by The_Train

I made my way to the south end of P3 and it appeared that the throngs of spotters had dispersed now. A few were hiding in the shelter on P3 but the masses on P4 had now been reduced to a couple of hardy souls who soon disappeared also. My Xmas body warmer was doing it's job well though so I wasn't feeling the cold as much as I have done in the past at Donny and so I settled down for my last hour or so before the journey home. My first sighting from the new vantage point was another LNER Mk4 set and as much as they are not on the level of loco's I still have a fondness for a DVT as they were a big part of my childhood on the WCML
DVT 82215 by The_Train

That said, a DVT is definitely not on the same level as a 91 and it was 91118 that offered the power on the next set I saw which came through P1
LNER 91118 by The_Train

Having seen a couple of dud GBRf sheds come through it was back to what could be a final farewell for the 91s from me as 91121 headed into the station
91121- 1S21 1430 London Kings Cross to Edinburgh by The_Train

A 144 came in next and yes, it was a dud - I think I will have to try and revisit my needs on these another day as today clearly wasn't my day. However, the next working through the goods line did play into my hands as 66047 in Maritime Blue rolled through with a working from Wakefield to London Gateway before 801213 also got chalked off
Maritime Two by The_Train

Light was now fading and time was ticking on my spell in Yorkshire but there was still a little bit more for me to see before I exited. However, another run of duds did ensue including another 180, in the form of 180102 this time working towards Kings Cross
180102-1A67 1450 Bradford Interchange-London KX by The_Train

It was a very surprise appearance next as a loco working appeared through the station consisting of 60001, which I had seen earlier in the day, winner 60054 and dud 66014. I couldn't find any working for it on RTT so I can only assume that whatever they were doing, their trip through Doncaster wasn't on the original plan but whatever it was, it was a great sight and a definite added bonus
60001, 60054 & 66014 by The_Train

I was into the final half hour of my time at Donny by now but the winners kept creeping in as 801211 and 800205 went into the book in quick succession. I decided to move up the platform in readiness for my departure back to Sheffield and whilst waiting here 800112, 801217, 800204 and 800206 all went into the book to give my figures a real boost late on in the day. That would be my lot at Doncaster though as 170459 arrived to be my haulage to Sheffield, another winner for haulage. It wasn't too badly loaded and I was able to find a seat no problem and with the light having gone outside, I decided to entertain myself with a few more chapters of my book as we headed through Yorkshire. We were soon into Sheffield where I only had around half an hour before I was back on my way across the Pennines and it was only a few dud units that were spied as I waited for my next train. 150274 arrived into P7 but as I was stood on the buffers (not literally) I hadn't noticed that it was a 4 car service until I walked around the train when my eyes lit up at the sight of this on the front.....
142035 at Sheffield by The_Train

An absolute dream of a way to complete the day as 142035 was my steed for the journey back to Manchester. Even better was the fact that the masses went for the 150 at the rear which meant there was plenty of space on the pacer and a seat was sourced no problem even though I was one of the last on board having spent some time grabbing a pic. I simply sat and admired the work the unit was still doing despite being chastised for many years in some quarters and enjoyed the noise it made as we worked our way along the Hope Valley. All too soon, the journey was at an end though and we were arriving into Manchester but that isn't where the pacer luck ended as I also found 142045 heading out of Manchester which was another winner into the book and although it is now impossible for me to complete the 142 class, it is nice to get as close as possible with those that are still opeational. Again, I didn't have too much time at Piccadilly before my next train and a quick wander around the platforms lead me to nothing but duds and with tiredness now kicking in, I decided to head to my next train earlier than I normally would as it allowed me a PNB as well. This was 323226 for the journey to Crewe and kept my haulage winners at 100% for the day.

It was another case of head in book for the journey to Cheshire where we arrived around 10 minutes late having departed Manchester late after the driver had to correct a technical issue. That meant that the usually unlikely connection on to the ex Glasgow train was an impossibility tonight so it was a wait for the next LNWR service but this did allow me to finish the day off nicely as 66025 passed through with a fully loaded car/van train from Dagenham Dock to Mossend - always makes a nice change to see a freight train work directly through Crewe station. Dud 67010 was at the rear of a TfW LHCS ECS move into the carriage sidings before 350368 became my final haulage for the day and the bugger ruined my 100% record for haulage...…..

For Sight

Winners: 34
Coaching Stock Winners: 11
Tram Winners: 1
Classes completed: 1 - 180
Sub classes completed: 1 - 82 DVT4
TOCs completed: Grand Central (for now anyway!!)

For Haulage

Winners: 8
Total Mileage: 230 miles 75 chains
Classes completed: N/A
Sub classes completed: N/A

 

[The_Train]

That last report is a bit longer than usual as I'd normally split a day out like that into 2 or 3 parts but I just wanted to get it done and if I took a break between parts you might have been waiting a week until the next part

It's a bit photo heavy as well so apologies for that!

 

[The_Train]

Still plenty of variety through Stafford I see!

Can't complain at having it on my doorstep

 

[The_Train]

Good stuff there, Mr Train.

On the photographing issue, my own particular rule is that the loco or unit should be clearly identifiable by having a clear view of the number ... If it isn't, I'll be looking for another opportunity if I can get one. In your case, I would probably take a back shot of the second loco and hope it's half way decent.

This rule is a nightmare for clearing Voyagers (I've failed at least twice on 221105 and there's even a couple of Pendos I still need to catch up with too) and may need revision in light of the impossibility of the task for 397s.

Having said all that, I'm quite relaxed about it all.

That's pretty much how I've been logging them to be honest (although not too fussed about the number as long as it's a decent shot showing much of the loco/unit - I try and remember to amend the details of the photo to read the number immediately after taking it just in case the number is illegible), so in the example of the photo of the 86s I only logged the front one as photographed. Getting rear locos in a 2 loco convoy can be very hit and miss, especially using a phone, as spinning around and becoming stable quickly is difficult (especially for someone with my lack of balance haha) but for some reason I never even tried to snap the 2nd loco in this instance - not a clue why as I did for the 37/90 combo where I nearly fell over whilst trying to spin round in a crouched position much to the amusement of those on the Pendolino behind me

 

[Kite159]

A productive few trips, well done with the active Mk4s & 180s

 

[xotGD]

Looks like you had an enjoyable day out to Donny. That night shot of the 142 has come out really well - nice lighting effects.

On the subject of photography, I'd rather have 2 decent shots of the same loco than 10 iffy shots of different things, but then I've never had a notion of wanting to photograph everything. Looking through an album of pictures of every Pacer would be worse than being subjected to a relative's holiday photos!

But as with all these things, each person has their own take on the hobby, and there is nobody else setting the rules.

 

[The_Train]

Looks like you had an enjoyable day out to Donny. That night shot of the 142 has come out really well - nice lighting effects.

On the subject of photography, I'd rather have 2 decent shots of the same loco than 10 iffy shots of different things, but then I've never had a notion of wanting to photograph everything. Looking through an album of pictures of every Pacer would be worse than being subjected to a relative's holiday photos!

But as with all these things, each person has their own take on the hobby, and there is nobody else setting the rules.

I never gave much thought to that pacer pic until the next day and yeah I was pretty happy with it. Reminds me a bit of when they used to unveil Bullys Special Prize on Bullseye Imagine winning a pacer

And I kind of agree on the photos. I've just spent half hour going through my collection of 66s and removing those that are of poor quality, especially where I have multiple shots of the same loco!

As for you not enjoying a pacer album.....I best have a re-think on your Xmas present this year