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