telstarbox
Established Member
This is my first attempt at a trip report, inspired by Techniquests ongoing and very entertaining account of his ALR. Sorry if Ive got some of the units wrong!
I had been looking forward to the Challenge for some time, having not been to Glasgow before and not north of the border for several years. Four teams took part in the Challenge - I joined Ascot and MattE2010 to form a team of three.
The first move of the day at 0701 was a Northern stopper from Manchester Victoria to Wigan Wallgate as Id decided to treat myself to a VT first class breakfast on the run up to Glasgow! I made it in good time to cross the road to Wigan North Western where I boarded the 08.00 VT service to Glasgow Central. On the way to Glasgow I realised that 323235 was sitting in the same coach, just a couple of seats away from me and we realised we were heading to the same place! MattE2010 was also travelling up on the same train.
Despite rainy weather on the run up, the sun came out as we crossed into Scotland and passed through the spectacular Borders countryside and we reached Glasgow Central on time, meeting the other teams for the start of the Challenge (bb21 and gnolife; Max, Philip Brown and Yorkie; 323235 and Oscar). Matt and I purchased our Roundabout tickets and then the Challenge began!
Our first challenge move was the 11.05 to Williamwood on a near-empty Class 314 unit. From there a brisk walk took us to Clarkston where we just made it onto the much busier 11.38 back to GLC (on a Class 156). This meant wed bagged 13 stations in the first hour so the day was going well. Descending via a long underground passage to the Low Level, we boarded the 12.07 eastbound service (Class 320). We debated whether to go all the way to Lanark, but decided it wasnt worth it as we could gain more stations by stopping at Motherwell and picking up the 12.48 service (Class 318) back through the city to Dalmuir.
At DMR we made our 4-minute connection onto the 13.46 service (Class 334) to Anniesland which had some very sweary kids on board! There was a 24-minute gap before the next train so we grabbed some food and drink from the nearby Co-op before returning to ANL for the 14.22 train (another Class 156) to Glasgow Queen Street.
Here we picked up some timetables for backup information and as we had a long wait, did two one-station hops to High Street and Bellgrove with time to take a few photos. From BLG a Class 318 took us on the 15.06 to Springburn, where we had a short wait in the sun before the unexpected bonus of declassified air-conditioned First Class (Class 170) on the 15.29 to Cumbernauld!
There isnt much around Cumbernauld station except a shop where I picked up some souvenir local biscuits for the missus and got a few more photos. Two more short Class 158 hops took us back to Greenfaulds (where we bumped into bb21 and gnolife boarding the train as we alighted) then Coatbridge Central, at which point we broke into a jog towards Coatbridge Sunnyside. Our final Challenge move was the 16.31 to Partick (Class 318), taking our total to 65 stations as we bagged Charing Cross. We couldnt fit in any more NR stations and reach GLC before the 17.30 end point, so took the Subway (Outer Circle) back to St Enoch before arriving back at the start point before the other teams. Although we were the only team back on time we didnt win but congratulations go to 323235 and Oscar!
The other teams turned up within 10 minutes of the end point. MattE2010 left to head back south and most of the remaining members enjoyed an inexpensive but delicious curry at Charcoals on Maxs recommendation. Ascot left to catch his flight back to Birmingham and we headed back to GLC, where we saw USA football fans returning from the womens football at Hampden Park.
Max, Philip Brown and I (and their bikes) were due to catch the 20.10 to Preston but it was delayed and we eventually left Glasgow at 20.49 on a double Super Voyager. We travelled in the semi-FC carriage and found the Shop staff member highly amusing due to his regular customised announcements and theme music played over the PA! The delays meant that Max and Philip were taken from Preston to Sheffield by taxi and I arrived back in Manchester just before 1am. However the Challenge was a great day out, it was good as ever to meet everyone and for me the Subway move was a surprise bonus trip.
I had been looking forward to the Challenge for some time, having not been to Glasgow before and not north of the border for several years. Four teams took part in the Challenge - I joined Ascot and MattE2010 to form a team of three.
The first move of the day at 0701 was a Northern stopper from Manchester Victoria to Wigan Wallgate as Id decided to treat myself to a VT first class breakfast on the run up to Glasgow! I made it in good time to cross the road to Wigan North Western where I boarded the 08.00 VT service to Glasgow Central. On the way to Glasgow I realised that 323235 was sitting in the same coach, just a couple of seats away from me and we realised we were heading to the same place! MattE2010 was also travelling up on the same train.
Despite rainy weather on the run up, the sun came out as we crossed into Scotland and passed through the spectacular Borders countryside and we reached Glasgow Central on time, meeting the other teams for the start of the Challenge (bb21 and gnolife; Max, Philip Brown and Yorkie; 323235 and Oscar). Matt and I purchased our Roundabout tickets and then the Challenge began!
Our first challenge move was the 11.05 to Williamwood on a near-empty Class 314 unit. From there a brisk walk took us to Clarkston where we just made it onto the much busier 11.38 back to GLC (on a Class 156). This meant wed bagged 13 stations in the first hour so the day was going well. Descending via a long underground passage to the Low Level, we boarded the 12.07 eastbound service (Class 320). We debated whether to go all the way to Lanark, but decided it wasnt worth it as we could gain more stations by stopping at Motherwell and picking up the 12.48 service (Class 318) back through the city to Dalmuir.
At DMR we made our 4-minute connection onto the 13.46 service (Class 334) to Anniesland which had some very sweary kids on board! There was a 24-minute gap before the next train so we grabbed some food and drink from the nearby Co-op before returning to ANL for the 14.22 train (another Class 156) to Glasgow Queen Street.
Here we picked up some timetables for backup information and as we had a long wait, did two one-station hops to High Street and Bellgrove with time to take a few photos. From BLG a Class 318 took us on the 15.06 to Springburn, where we had a short wait in the sun before the unexpected bonus of declassified air-conditioned First Class (Class 170) on the 15.29 to Cumbernauld!
There isnt much around Cumbernauld station except a shop where I picked up some souvenir local biscuits for the missus and got a few more photos. Two more short Class 158 hops took us back to Greenfaulds (where we bumped into bb21 and gnolife boarding the train as we alighted) then Coatbridge Central, at which point we broke into a jog towards Coatbridge Sunnyside. Our final Challenge move was the 16.31 to Partick (Class 318), taking our total to 65 stations as we bagged Charing Cross. We couldnt fit in any more NR stations and reach GLC before the 17.30 end point, so took the Subway (Outer Circle) back to St Enoch before arriving back at the start point before the other teams. Although we were the only team back on time we didnt win but congratulations go to 323235 and Oscar!
The other teams turned up within 10 minutes of the end point. MattE2010 left to head back south and most of the remaining members enjoyed an inexpensive but delicious curry at Charcoals on Maxs recommendation. Ascot left to catch his flight back to Birmingham and we headed back to GLC, where we saw USA football fans returning from the womens football at Hampden Park.
Max, Philip Brown and I (and their bikes) were due to catch the 20.10 to Preston but it was delayed and we eventually left Glasgow at 20.49 on a double Super Voyager. We travelled in the semi-FC carriage and found the Shop staff member highly amusing due to his regular customised announcements and theme music played over the PA! The delays meant that Max and Philip were taken from Preston to Sheffield by taxi and I arrived back in Manchester just before 1am. However the Challenge was a great day out, it was good as ever to meet everyone and for me the Subway move was a surprise bonus trip.
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What time did you get back to Sheffield Max? Must have been a cool but slightly eerie run over Woodhead or Snake Pass at that hour!!