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Barrowjack - Back on the Tracks!

barrowjack

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Joined
18 Jun 2015
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247
Location
Barrow - Home of the Bluebirds!!!
Not a bad haul at all in such conditions! Hopefully next time the remaining sets will be achieved :)
Hopefully, I think a lesson learned was to look at Intertube before I go / or on the way down so I can work out the partners of my required half sets to make finding them easier. I need to get them all cleared before the new Piccadilly stock arrives.

The original intention on the Wednesday had been to walk to Battersea Power station but Vauxhall was more than enough in the heat. Still managed a couple of 455's and am chipping away at the 345, 376 and 700's too.

Anyway, next trip is early July, the only rail involvement will be the journey to Manchester Airport, for a short trip to a place with no railways!
 
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barrowjack

Member
Joined
18 Jun 2015
Messages
247
Location
Barrow - Home of the Bluebirds!!!
10/07/2023

Rail would only needed for a short part of this much anticipated trip (Postponed from 2021) so an early start saw departure at 06:48 n one of my few remaining class winners,195108 taken from Barrow In Furness through to its destination of - Manchester Airport

On arrival it was about a 15-20 minute walk over to terminal 3 and although arriving in plenty of time I went straight into the check in queue as I knew it was going to be a busy flight. After check in I went through to the lounge, sourcing coffee before sitting watching the planes take off and land before eventually making my way to the gate boarding Aurigny’s Embraer 195 (G-NESY) for the hour long flight to Guernsey. Arrival was on time and within 30 minutes of landing had got the bus from the airport and was waiting for kick off in the first of 5 football matches I was to see at the Island Games over the next few days.

Unfortunately as I had only made a late booking due to a hotel room becoming available (Les Cotils Hotel can highly recommend, lovely rooms, great hot breakfast cooked to order and less than £100 a night for a suite) I could only stay or two nights so by Wednesday and all too soon it was time to head back to the airport after breakfast this time boarding one of Aurigny’s ATR72’s G-ORAI. Leaving in brigh sunshine the flight back was uneventful until... .. the pilot announced due to poor weather at Manchester Airport we would be doing donuts round Chester until it had cleared. After about half an hour he then announced we were heading to Manchester for what was a horrendous landing in wind, fog and pouring rain. I am not keen on flying at the best of times and this reminded me why!

The consequence of the late arrival was that my plans for the trip home were now in tatters as I had missed the 802 and 197 that were my preferred services back to Piccadilly as I hadn’t used either type before. Ironically the first available service out of the airport was 195130 (another winner) on a Barrow service although I disembarked at Piccadilly for the afternoon heading onto the tram network for:

3022 Manchester Piccadilly - Piccadilly Gardens (For a much needed Pret!)
3021 Piccadilly Gardens - St Peter's Square (Got confused board a tram in the wrong direction but got a winner!)
3057 / 3037 St Peter's Square - Market Street
3053 Market Street - Shudehill
3058 / 3043 Piccadilly Gardens - Manchester Piccadilly

For dud’s 195126 / 195102 home

19/07/2023
A trip to Day 1 of the Ashes test at Old Trafford this time it was double dud 195116 / 195126 on the 06:48 to Manchester Piccadilly for a return on the trams to Old Trafford

3022 / 3024 Manchester Piccadilly - Old Trafford returning on
3052 / 3026 Old Trafford - Manchester Piccadilly

Sourcing coffee at Pret for dud 195104 home

Since then circumstances have meant that I have been unable to do anything so the Glasgow trip for the cycling was cancelled as was a planned trip to the Edinburgh festival though hoping it wont be too long before I can head out again
 

Techniquest

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Joined
19 Jun 2005
Messages
21,674
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Nowhere Heath
Sorry to hear circumstances have ruined your summer plans, I won't ask what's going on but do hope all will be good :)

I don't envy you with that flight back to Manchester, it sounded a bit grim. However it sounded like an excellent time was had on the islands :) I've not yet flown with that airline, what were they like?
 

barrowjack

Member
Joined
18 Jun 2015
Messages
247
Location
Barrow - Home of the Bluebirds!!!
I don't envy you with that flight back to Manchester, it sounded a bit grim. However it sounded like an excellent time was had on the islands :) I've not yet flown with that airline, what were they like?

Guernsey seems lovely, it is just unfortunate I could only manage 2 nights there because of the games and I only managed to get a late cancellation for that. However I will definitely be going back at some point.

I don't like flying at the best of times so certainly wasn't impressed with the Manchester landing! For a small airline, Aurigny were ok to fly with, I think they are the only ones to regularly fly to Guernsey from the UK and couldn't get the best prices by booking relatively late on. I booked an aisle seat each way and was worried about the leg room as I am very tall but there was plenty even for me, even in the smaller plane on the way back. The hand luggage sizes are also a bit smaller than most airlines but for 2 nights I travelled very light so wasn't an issue for me.

As a bonus all the buses during the games were free which made it easier to get about whilst there too
 

barrowjack

Member
Joined
18 Jun 2015
Messages
247
Location
Barrow - Home of the Bluebirds!!!
Definitely sounds like a decent airline, and the Channel Islands are on my list to research at some point :)
I think you would like the Channel Islands especially if cycling round. No railways now but the old track bed from St Aubin to Corbiere (for the lighthouse) in Jersey is now a cycleway.

PICT2613.JPG

Corbiere Station (Now a private house) taken in 1998

If you haven't seen it was a programme on Channel 5 recently about both islands you might find interesting.

https://www.channel5.com/show/jersey-and-guernsey
 

barrowjack

Member
Joined
18 Jun 2015
Messages
247
Location
Barrow - Home of the Bluebirds!!!
Monday 25th September - An Out and Back
An out and back for an afternoon of football.

195129 Barrow In Furness - Preston

Went into WH Smiths at Preston and bought 6 Lancashire Posts for the £10 Northern offer as this would be my only opportunity go get them. Think the assistant was a bit surprised as she asked me if I really wanted 6 copies! :lol:. Erm Yes!

319369 Preston - Wigan North Western

For Wigan Athletic U21 0 Burnley U21 1 at the DW Stadium then back home with

319372 Wigan North Western - Preston
195122 / 195118 Preston - Barrow In Furness


Annoyingly neither of the 319's were amongst the couple I still require but with them now being endangered species they still had to be done with both only having the mega mileage of City Thameslink to Blackfriars in the book! Sat in the motor coach of 372 for maximum noise!

Having discovered that my intended train from Lancaster home was cancelled, I stayed in Preston for a McDonald's coffee, leaving on the 16:32 about half an hour before the chaos commenced at Preston by all accounts.

Hopefully I will get at least one more chance to pick up the required 319s before they go especially now Northern have the £10 day ticket offer on!
 

Techniquest

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Nice work on getting out for a bit of local action :) Duly noted on the TV programme, something I can watch during the forecast bad weather tomorrow evening!

Agreed on the 319s, now they're endangered it's more important than ever to enjoy them. My last one was months ago, and just a quick leap from Wilmslow to Manchester Airport. I'm hoping to have a couple of trips on the class next month, which will be my last chance!
 

Kite159

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27 Jan 2014
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19,155
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West of Andover
Nice work on getting out for a bit of local action :) Duly noted on the TV programme, something I can watch during the forecast bad weather tomorrow evening!

Agreed on the 319s, now they're endangered it's more important than ever to enjoy them. My last one was months ago, and just a quick leap from Wilmslow to Manchester Airport. I'm hoping to have a couple of trips on the class next month, which will be my last chance!
Probably the best run will be a Liverpool - Blackpool service as they can get up to a good speed on the WCML.

Jersey has a lot of cycle routes available, both off-road and along 'Green Lanes '
 

barrowjack

Member
Joined
18 Jun 2015
Messages
247
Location
Barrow - Home of the Bluebirds!!!
Probably the best run will be a Liverpool - Blackpool service as they can get up to a good speed on the WCML.

Jersey has a lot of cycle routes available, both off-road and along 'Green Lanes '

Was a couple of the Blackpool - Liverpool runs I did on Monday and they certainly did get some speedup between Wigan and where the slow lines diverge south of Euxton. Was plenty of noise in 372!


Agreed on the 319s, now they're endangered it's more important than ever to enjoy them. My last one was months ago, and just a quick leap from Wilmslow to Manchester Airport. I'm hoping to have a couple of trips on the class next month, which will be my last chance!

Apart from one run from St Pancras to St Albans with 217 & 432 and one to Blackpool all my 319 mileage has been generally confined to the "core" through London so most of those I have had have less than a mile recorded!
 

barrowjack

Member
Joined
18 Jun 2015
Messages
247
Location
Barrow - Home of the Bluebirds!!!
Monday 23rd October - Deja Vous
Another out and back for an afternoon of football..

195131 Barrow In Furness - Preston
331024 / 331013 Preston - Leyland
(purely to red pen a required 331)
319385 Leyland - Wigan North Western

For Wigan Athletic U21 3 Barrow B 1 (Not a good afternoon to be a Barrow fan!) then back home with a almost copy and paste from the previous trip

319372 Wigan North Western - Preston
195118 Preston - Barrow In Furness
(short formed)

Another 319 down so still a few to go and hopefully at least 1 if not 2 chances to get those in before December along with hopefully at least 1 TPE class 68!
 

barrowjack

Member
Joined
18 Jun 2015
Messages
247
Location
Barrow - Home of the Bluebirds!!!
23/11/2023
Theatre trip to see “I should be so Lucky” but with an early start so I could finally try a Mk5 TPE set before their withdrawal

195118 / 195119 Barrow In Furness - Manchester Piccadilly (notable for tipping 118 over 500 miles highest mileage one so far for me!)
12807 / 68028 Manchester Piccadilly – Stalybridge (First and last Mk5 set)
769456 Stalybridge - Manchester Victoria (first 769 for me)

From there several very short tram moves bagging winners 3109, 3117, 3134, 3099, 3071, 3137, 3041, 3051, 3108, 3032, 3125 as well as looking at some of the (absolutely extortionate! Christmas markets)

After the show, back home

195123 Manchester Piccadilly - Barrow In Furness

29/11/2023
More football at Wigan and another day that didn't go to plan due too the heavy frost with the game moved from the DW to the training ground due to a frozen pitch. The additional bus journeys resulted in missing out a final 319 move on the “White Knight of Allerton”. The pair of 331’s were taken purely to give them the red pen treatment.

195116 Barrow In Furness - Preston
331004 / 331019 Preston - Leyland
319366 Leyland - Wigan North Western (Last run for me on a 319)
390123 Wigan North Western - Preston
195132 / 195119 Preston - Barrow In Furness

05/12/2023
Pre Christmas trip to London for the Mosconi Cup (9 Ball Pool)
195101 Barrow In Furness - Lancaster
390008 Lancaster - Euston

Missed the intended train at Lancaster due to late running of the Barrow service, 9 coach Pendo provided for what ended up being about 3 trains due to cancellations but managed to bag the last seat in Standard Premium. One of the most uncomfortable journeys I have ever had due to the number standing in the aisles.

During the course my afternoon perambulations managed to pick up two of my remaining Piccadilly Line half sets 231 and 163 plus 21082 on the way back to Kings Cross at night. Down to 7 half sets now required on the Piccadilly Line

06/12/2023
The original intention was to but a travelcard but due to the strikes there was no service south of the river today so decided it wasn’t worth it.

Before this trip I had 10 345’s in the book, and after winner 700126 I spent a while linear leaping the Elizabeth line of the 10 units taken I later discovered only 2 were required. As you can guess I wasn’t impressed at all! Finally taking another winner 700122 to Blackfriars for a walk along the Thames and into Central London

The pool tonight was up at Alexandra Palace for convenience going from Kings Cross as a reduced service was in place again due to the industrial action.

387104 / 387112 King's Cross - Alexandra Palace
717009 Alexandra Palace - Finsbury Park for the Piccadilly line back to Kings Cross

During the course of the day also picked up winners 54 and 113 on the DLR.

07/12/2023
A morning in London followed by earlier train home due to the rotten weather

345024 Bond Street - Tottenham Court Road (Had it the day before too)
390127 Euston – Preston (Surprised how quiet this service appeared to be )
195124 Preston - Lancaster
156421 Lancaster - Barrow In Furness

Again 2023 was not the busiest of years for me, only 2,715 miles done and 80 winners (mainly trams) but already I have a few trips booked and others in mind for 2024. Happy New Year all, hope you have a year full of enjoyable travels!
 

barrowjack

Member
Joined
18 Jun 2015
Messages
247
Location
Barrow - Home of the Bluebirds!!!
Friday 15th March 2024

With an early alarm call set for the unearthly hour of 4.30am (I think it is only about the third time this century I have been up so early!) it must have been for something I thought was worthwhile to do. The reason was the “Legends of Steam” event at the East Lancs Railway, featuring Sir Nigel Gresley, Brittania and Leander.

Boarding the 05:50 Barrow to Manchester Piccadilly short formed with 195114 my original plan was to change at Bolton for Manchester Victoria and easier access to Metrolink, however this was scuppered by Northerns cancellation of the connecting service. Arrival at Piccadilly was on time and after sourcing coffee at Pret, arrived on the Metrolink platform just as units 3089 and 3119 were arriving on a Bury service giving plenty of time to walk up to Bolton Street station ahead of the 09:30 double header.

SNG & Britannia Bury Bolton Street - Rawtenstall

SNG leading with Britannia tailing Rawtenstall - Ramsbottom

Leander Ramsbottom - Rawtenstall

Leander Rawtenstall - Ramsbottom

11456 (L&Y saddle tank) Ramsbottom - Bury Bolton Street

SNG Bury Bolton Street - Ramsbottom

Britannia Ramsbottom – Heywood

Britannia Heywood - Bury Bolton Street

All trains were well loaded with few seats on most services I used even with load 7, and plenty standing even on the 09:30.

Having got back to Bolton Street with Britannia, I waited for SNG to arrive back from Rawtenstall so I could get some photographs then headed back towards Metrolink stopping off at the Bury Town café outside the bus station for food (Gammon, egg, chips and peas for a very reasonable £6)

Fuelled up it was off home, 3057 / 3103 into Manchester for 195112 / 195123 home.

A great day and well worth the early start and 4 kettles in the book.

P1190691.JPG 153317 in the Bay at Bolton Street

P1190695.JPG SNG hiding behind the steam and Britannia await departure with the 09:30 to Rawtenstall


P1190710.JPG Leander at Rawtenstall

P1190774.JPG SNG at Bolton Street
 

Iskra

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11 Jun 2014
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7,786
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West Riding
It looks an interesting event, and you certainly can't argue with the quality of the locomotives on offer, but I do hesitate to visit such events due to how busy they get and your report confirms my doubts. Thanks for sharing.
 

barrowjack

Member
Joined
18 Jun 2015
Messages
247
Location
Barrow - Home of the Bluebirds!!!
It looks an interesting event, and you certainly can't argue with the quality of the locomotives on offer, but I do hesitate to visit such events due to how busy they get and your report confirms my doubts. Thanks for sharing.
It was the quality of the 3 steam locomotives on offer, particularly SNG that made me want to go as I rarely do this sort of event either. I would dread to think how much busier it was over the weekend, but good for the railway I guess with so many visitors.
 

barrowjack

Member
Joined
18 Jun 2015
Messages
247
Location
Barrow - Home of the Bluebirds!!!
Sunday 24th March 2024.
A rarity for me in that this was the second time in just over a week I was on the rails, and also the first part of the journey I also had to drive!! A reasonable start time of around 08:50 saw my way along a fairly quiet A590 (via Mcdonald's at Ulverston for coffee) for the roughly half hour drive to Lakeside and the Lakeside and Haverthwaite Railway. Although this is my local preserved line, it has been a fair while since I have been here apart from Santa special's but this weekend both "Leander" and the railways new toy Ivatt 2MT 46441 were sharing the services and the reason for starting at Lakeside meant I could have haulage from both.

For once it was a lovely day, sun shining and hardly any wind so after photographing some of the magnificent scenery on offer, I purchased a return to Haverthwaite and then took the time to work out the best place to view the incoming service. I had a specific spot in mind and despite the sun being in the wrong spot it worked. As I was hoping, Leander duly arrived right on time with the first service of the day with a good loading many off on one of the cruise on Windermere boarding a virtually empty TSO that looked like it had just been refurbished. In fact it was so recent that you could still smell the new varnish on the tables! After a good run, arrival at Haverthwaite was maybe slightly ahead of schedule and with a short turnround of 12 minutes the Ivatt was duly attached. This really seemed to struggle on departure from Haverthwaite and at one point I was wondering if it would get the train out of the platform! Eventually it did get going though certainly not as smooth as Leander had been. The large number of photographers lineside was surprising however top marks go to the person standing on a paddle board on Windermere photographing the train!

P1190810.jpg
View towards Ambleside from Lakeside

P1190814.jpg
Leander arriving at Lakeside

P1190896.jpg
46441 awaiting departure with the 11:20 to Lakeside
 

Iskra

Established Member
Joined
11 Jun 2014
Messages
7,786
Location
West Riding
I’m glad that you had an enjoyable trip for this rare opportunity and I’m slightly envious of the better weather you got! And yes, it does seem that watercraft have some of the best perspectives of the railway
 

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