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Curve Crunching in Lancashire

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D841 Roebuck

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This trip was a couple of months ago, but I' ve only recently joined the forum, and been inspired by other reports in this section.

On 18/01/2012 i decided to go after a couple of curves which I hadn't covered before. I bought a Lancashire Day Ranger and set off.

I took the 11:02 from Rochdale to Hebden Bridge (158860), then crossed to 158757 through to Preston via Copy Pit)(11:38). After a smoke break, winning pendo 390020 took me briskly to Lancaster (12:41), for a fester and then 156480 to Morecambe (13:44).

Time for a walk and a beer break. As to be expected for a seaside town in January, Morecambe was mainly closed, but I found the local "spoons" and an excellent 2nd hand bookshop on the prom.

Back to the station, and time for some new track. The 16:19 to Leeds is one of the few trains that avoid Lancaster by using the Bare Lane to Hest Bank curve, which I duly scratched on 150275. Bailing here, I had 50 minutes peering into the gloom trying to identify anything interesting (33030, 37214, 47772, 57005) in WCRC's sidings before 156479 appeared round the corner and trundled me back to Lancaster (1712).

390005 then positioned me at Wigan (1736) for my second new curve. Veteran 142003 was taken on the 1821 to Newton-le-Willows, which enabled me to scratch Golborne Jc to N-l-W Jc.

The rest of the trip was going home:
156486 N-l-W to Oxford Rd (1835 running 10 late)
156249 Oxford Rd to Salford Crescent (1924)
142052 Salford Crescent to ManVic (1933)
142028 ManVic to Castleton (1955)
(Several pints)
158755 Castleton to Rochdale (2337).

A pleasant, unambitious, day out - but then I'm getting old!

Hope you enjoyed reading...
 
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142094

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16.19 is the only Northern service that does the Bare Lane curve, the others are TPEs but at 'unsociable' times of the day. Still need to do that bit, not sure why I didn't do it a couple of years ago when I was in Morecambe for the day.
 

table38

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Due to weekend work at St Helens it appears that all of the Liverpool/Wigan's are going via Lowton Junction for the next 6 weekends. psul confirms this:

Golborne Junction - Lowton Junction - Newton le Willows Junction
¶ SATURDAYS AND SUNDAYS 31 MARCH / 1 APRIL UNTIL 12/13 MAY 2012:
Trains between Wigan North Western and Liverpool Lime Street
 

142094

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I don't have track maps for the NW, so I'm guessing that is the route that goes Wigan North Western - Earlestown - Liverpool and not the other route via St Helens Central?
 

MidnightFlyer

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I don't have track maps for the NW, so I'm guessing that is the route that goes Wigan North Western - Earlestown - Liverpool and not the other route via St Helens Central?

Indeed, south along the WCML, then you curve away to Lowton, over the WCML to Earlestown, then down through Rainhill to Huyton, where the line ex-St Helens Central joins, then through Edge Hill and into Lime St. There's also a couple of peak trains per day booked that way off Wigan NW IIRC.
 

142094

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Indeed, south along the WCML, then you curve away to Lowton, over the WCML to Earlestown, then down through Rainhill to Huyton, where the line ex-St Helens Central joins, then through Edge Hill and into Lime St. There's also a couple of peak trains per day booked that way off Wigan NW IIRC.

Got about 20% of Northern's route network to complete, and that is on the hit list, along with some of the other summer only routes to Runcorn and Clitheroe - Hellifield, and some of the less well-used lines like Nottingham - Derby, Man Vic to Wigan North Western and Stockport - Stalybridge.
 

142094

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All 3 chains of rare track there! ;)

Lol, if I don't do that bit I know I'll get someone saying "I bet you haven't done this line". At least that section can be done during normal hours - Nottingham - Derby - Sheffield is quite late at night and Hazel Grove - Chinley is even worse.
 

MidnightFlyer

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Lol, if I don't do that bit I know I'll get someone saying "I bet you haven't done this line".

'That crossover you mean'! ;) As a crossover basher myself I can fully sympathise with your wish to complete said crossover and mark it off in your Quail Map :P
 

142094

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'That crossover you mean'! ;) As a crossover basher myself I can fully sympathise with your wish to complete said crossover and mark it off in your Quail Map :P

I'm only doing it for the Northern network at the minute, don't think I can be arsed doing it for the whole of the UK!

Lampshade said:
I've done that on a non-stop TPE diversion from Preston via Wigan into Man Vic, does that count?

Normally I'd say yes, but I want to do every line that Northern run on, even if I've already done it on another TOC (which means a lot of duplicate routes).
 
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