I've used the ticket before and i think it's great value for money, so decided to buy one again today.
Originally I planned to get the 2:40pm EMT from Sheffield to Manchester Picc, however I had great difficulty getting the ticket office to sell me one, and they flat out refused as apparently they don't sell it (even though they've sold me one before). Then to add insult to injury I asked the guard if i can purchase it on board, as per the NRCoC seen as Sheff didn't/couldn't/wouldn't sell it me, but he said 'This is South Yorkshire. Cheshire is the Wirral, Chester, yano (duh)'.
Anyway I boarded the 3:11pm TPE from Sheffield to Stockport, formed of 185136. At Stockport, I had a quick change to buy the day ranger and get back on track with my intended journey.
I then boarded the 4:04pm Virgin Trains service down to Crewe which was an 11-car Pendolino (390039). I have to say, they're slightly growing on me recently
I factored in a 20 minute gap at Crewe so I could run down to the bottom of the station car park and take a photo of the APT and other heritage stock which is just visible, then hopped onboard an unknown Merseyrail Class 508 to Lime Street.
Sadly I boarded 319378 to travel from Lime Street to Newton-le-Willows. 'If you've boarded at a station with ticket purchasing facilities, we can only sell you the range of undiscounted fares onboard' was heard every 5 minutes
My first ATW experience, and a short one with 175003 down to Warrington BQ (175's stand very high above the platform!) and then another pendolino (390141) back to Crewe.
More 175-ing with a hop on the 8:10pm Crewe to Whitchurch (175003), and the subsequent 9:13pm Whitchurch to Stockport (175009). From there I got 220033 to Piccadilly and 323231 to the Airport. Got to admit I love the sound of the first 10-20mph of the 323 motors.
And finally I took 185141 from the Airport to Sheffield. This was kind of the point of the trip, as it takes a different route between Manchester and Sheffield, via Huddersfield and Wakefield, and the goods line between Rotherham and Sheffield. Arriving 10 minutes late in Sheffield due to being stuck behind another 185 at Huddersfield on its way to York, my trip ended at 1:33am.
Pretty good value for £15.20 with my 16-25 railcard
Originally I planned to get the 2:40pm EMT from Sheffield to Manchester Picc, however I had great difficulty getting the ticket office to sell me one, and they flat out refused as apparently they don't sell it (even though they've sold me one before). Then to add insult to injury I asked the guard if i can purchase it on board, as per the NRCoC seen as Sheff didn't/couldn't/wouldn't sell it me, but he said 'This is South Yorkshire. Cheshire is the Wirral, Chester, yano (duh)'.
Anyway I boarded the 3:11pm TPE from Sheffield to Stockport, formed of 185136. At Stockport, I had a quick change to buy the day ranger and get back on track with my intended journey.
I then boarded the 4:04pm Virgin Trains service down to Crewe which was an 11-car Pendolino (390039). I have to say, they're slightly growing on me recently
I factored in a 20 minute gap at Crewe so I could run down to the bottom of the station car park and take a photo of the APT and other heritage stock which is just visible, then hopped onboard an unknown Merseyrail Class 508 to Lime Street.
Sadly I boarded 319378 to travel from Lime Street to Newton-le-Willows. 'If you've boarded at a station with ticket purchasing facilities, we can only sell you the range of undiscounted fares onboard' was heard every 5 minutes
My first ATW experience, and a short one with 175003 down to Warrington BQ (175's stand very high above the platform!) and then another pendolino (390141) back to Crewe.
More 175-ing with a hop on the 8:10pm Crewe to Whitchurch (175003), and the subsequent 9:13pm Whitchurch to Stockport (175009). From there I got 220033 to Piccadilly and 323231 to the Airport. Got to admit I love the sound of the first 10-20mph of the 323 motors.
And finally I took 185141 from the Airport to Sheffield. This was kind of the point of the trip, as it takes a different route between Manchester and Sheffield, via Huddersfield and Wakefield, and the goods line between Rotherham and Sheffield. Arriving 10 minutes late in Sheffield due to being stuck behind another 185 at Huddersfield on its way to York, my trip ended at 1:33am.
Pretty good value for £15.20 with my 16-25 railcard
