Good Friday - 67 n.o. West Yorkshire

[Sapphire Blue]

This is the first half of a tour I did on Good Friday 6/4/12.
I have always been a big fan of the West Yorkshire Day Rover, and inspired by the West Yorkshire challenge done through these forums, I have always wanted to visit every station possible in one day. It has to be a Saturday or a Bank Holiday for the early start and there are a few SX trains which make it very troublesome and these have led to a couple of failures previously, so the fact I am writing this up should take away any tension you may have as to whether I achieved my goal.
My Rules.
Every station possible (67) must be stepped onto.
Starting and finishing at any station
Only public transport within West Yorkshire can be used.
Real Ale must be drunk at every opportunity.

METRO DAY ROVER - 67 N.O.

So it's 5.50am on Good Friday as I arrive at Steeton & Silsden for the meticulously planned - "All West Yorkshire stations in a day" bash. Good job that BHX timetabled trains are a thing of the past round here.
Its cold, dark but dry as the SON 05.56 > 06.12 Shipley, 333008 arrives 2 down. 3 Hi-viz jackets and I are the only passengers. As I step down onto the platform for the 3rd time at Bingley, to take a photo of the station, the guard's curiosity gets the better of him, and quick discussion almost brings a shake of his head - its not what he calls a day out.

Into SHY still two down but with plenty of time for the walk from platform 1 to platform 3 for the SHY 06.22 > 06.46 Ilkley. Having ascertained it was the same train, 333001, back out, no 4 minute connection worries for the ILK 06.50 > 07.22 Bradford Forster Sq. Having stepped onto all the stations on the way up, it meant that I could just sit and enjoy the ride, Frizinghall excepted, and yet again favourably compare the 333s with the 185s I see too much of.

BDQ is reached 2 early, so the 7 minute walk across a near deserted City centre allows plenty of spare for the 158759 running the Bradford Interchange 07.34 > 08.17 Micklefield smack on time. Train is cold and scruffy compared to the Airedale/Wharfedale lines - the non closing internal doors did not help this. Off at every station bar Leeds, I'll be seeing plenty of there soon enough.

I am the only passenger off at MIK, and still solo a short while later as I board 158910 at the guard's door to save him a walk down the train. This 158 is luxurious compared to the previous one. Have the York > Blackpool 158s been refurbished, unlike the Man Victoria > Selby ones, I wonder? This warm comfortable service is the MIK 08.27 > 08.49 LDS.

Time to pick up a double espresso whilst going to Pl. 17 for the LDS 09.00 > 09.37 Knottingley and my 1st pacer of the day, the 3-car 144016. I settle into the centre car, (are they still owned by WYPTE?), near the door for my hopping off and on, and the sun comes out for the first time of the day. The guard checks tickets and passes after Woodlesford and we both realise we have met before - he was the guard on the previous journey. Again curiosity led us into conversation about my day out. Very pleasant young man, slightly accented - may be Polish- but he could not see the attraction of visiting Steethouse or Featherstone.

He told me (I already knew) that I would have to get off the train at KNO whilst they went into sidings for 15 minutes before returning as the KNO 09.53 > 10.20 Wakefield Kirkgate. I could have de-trained at Streethouse as WKK would be done later in the day, but there is nothing to do there at ten in the morning for 32 minutes. There is not much more to do at WKK except see how the works are progressing, and they seem to be coming on fine.

WKK 10.31 > 10.46 Pontefract Tanshelf was my final journey on 144016. A handshake goodbye to the guard and I'm walking through the market town of Pontefract. Almost an hour to kill whilst walking about a mile here so, although I'm not a great shopper, I was glad to see it was in fact a market day. Bought some Pomfret cakes and Haribo to take home for the kids and a superb butchers pork pie for me. This was suitably dispatched on the station platform at the bottom of the town.

142093 was running the Pontefract Baghill 11.43 > 11.59 Moorthorpe. It may be just me but the drivers/guards of this service seem quite surprised to see anyone waiting. Solo again, so I used the guards door. I hope most other cranks do this when they are the only boarder, it just seems the polite thing to do to me.

Being laden down with pie, I used the 223 bus to take me to the next leg, and when I got there I realised this was a mistake. Apologies if anyone reading this is from there but I would have preferred to spend my time walking rather than being in this next town. The only fun was two 91s flying through the place - they have the right idea. About half an hour to wait then electric hauled again, this time 321902 on the South Elmsall 12.39 > 13.13 LDS.

16 minutes to go all the way across LDS to pl. 1 for the LDS 13.29 > 13.41 Horsforth trip through student land on 150223. I'm not a fan of the class but this one seemed not too bad. It was my 11th train of the day, half way through, and with 41 out of 67 stations bagged I decided the sun was over the yard-arm and I would use the 24 minute connection time for a walk across the road for a well deserved pint of Leeds Pale in the Fox & Hounds.

(second half to follow - I hope someone out there is enjoying my musings so far)

 

[Tomonthetrain]

Good report so far.

 

[Sapphire Blue]

67 N.O. Part Two

150205 got to Horsforth at about the same time as I did for the return. As luck would have it it was the first busy train of the day and for this journey I could do with a double seat for the very good reason that my daughter was joining me at Burley Park as she set off to work. Dads can't keep student offspring in beer and skittles you know! Found a suitable double right at the front and Lucy travelled with me on the HRS 14.05 > 14.22 LDS, which being allowed 17mins for a journey that only takes 12 the other way duly arrived 5 early. 20mins gave ample time to see her off into the city before crossing the bridge to 12c and get the Caldervale line done.

Another, to the second perfect, departure from LDS (the previous one was the 09.00) aboard a 3 car 158, this time 158756 on the LDS 14.37 > 15.39 Walsden. Now I love the Caldervale line but it always seems to rain on me in Walsden. No exception today. A direct pipe down south could help them water their gold paved streets. Just 9 minutes to cram into a bus-stop type waiting shelter with about a dozen other folks before 158759, the same train I picked up at BDI very early this morning, appeared out of the short tunnel to serve me well again for the WDN 15.48 > 16.17 Halifax. This time the internal doors were closing and therefore the train was warm.

Over three quarters of an hour at HFX. Rumours of the Bowling Green, 200m from the station, re-opening as the Old Post Office proved to be well founded, it had indeed had its opening night the previous day with eight handpumps working. A pint of the house ale, brewed by Milltown brewery followed by an Brill Gravitas, complimented my sandwiches beutifully. back to the station for the HFX 17.06 > 17.29 Huddersfield on 150273. Mustn't forget to step off at Brighouse!

Station Tavern (can't bring myself to call it the King's Head) was packed full with Giant Rugby fans celebrating their win over Salford. Knowing the bar staff helped me to get served a little quicker than I should, with a pint of Abbeydale Deception, then away to Pl.2 for the HUD 17.56 > 18.19 Denby Dale on 142021. Good job they are fitted with loos. Jumped off at alternate stations for a change and would get the others on way back in.

Bit of a panic. Did I miss one out either going out or when coming back on the DBD 18.33 > 18.57 HUD on 144017. Photographic proof needed to be checked! Back to the Station Tavern for a Captain Oates Mild and a sense of relief seeing the photo of the station sign on my phone. Berry Brow was indeed there.

56 done now and 57 and 58 were Deighton and Mirfield on the 150150 doing the grand tour with my section being HUD 19.35 > 20.02 WKK as day light faded now. The tightest connection of the whole day was coming next. A plus 5 connection at WKK was looking very tight when I was 3 late leaving MIR. No problem though. As I left my 18th move of the day I could see the headlights of what I learned to be 144007 approaching, the Mr Bond of the pacer world, in the distance. A swift shuffle under the tracks for the Hallam jaunt to Darton and back.

WKK 20.07 > 20.19 Darton saw a return to the solitude of earlier in the day. I was the only person off at DRT. Didn't see a soul as I walked under the railway bridge to the northbound platform and was the only person waiting when my next lift appeared from Barnsley.

142088 was that lift to bag the elusive Normanton as No. 60. I missed this station on a previous try. Other failures have been due to not realising that Calder Valley services through Dewsbury miss out Ravensthope and one tour was bowled due to a pacer not having a horn and having to proceed at a very slow speed to Pontefract. Anyhow, DTN 20.38 > 21.26 LDS saw NOR safely touched. Also plenty of sections of jointed track on this route for the pacer to show its true colours. Get it while you can.

52 minutes in LDS now and time for a couple. Many choices here. Could have done the 'Spoons for cheapness or the White Rose if I was feeling flush. The Leeds Tap is a fairly recent addition, but I settled on the Hop, under the Arches. A Silver King and an Excelsior (both Ossett) were made to disappear in good order. After all I only had the Huddersfield Line to do now and my clever little phone told me everything was running to time. Job nearly done. LDS 22.18 > 22.54 HUD stopping at all shacks took me to 65 at Ravensthorpe, then one last change at HUD.

Eleven minutes was just not quite enough time to risk missing the very last leg of the day to get to a gallon. The HUD 23.05 > 23.18 Marsden aboard the atrocious 150206 in its awful unliveried lime-green was the finishing touch.


And so it is complete. A little worse for wear and very tired after a very long day. 22 journeys on all af West Yorkshires lines. I did not do all the track, the section from Leeds to Shipley for example was not travelled.

67 stations (Steeton & Silsden, Keighley, Crossflatts, Bingley, Saltaire, Shipley, Baildon, Guisley, Menston, Burley-in-Wharfedale, Ben Rhydding, Ilkley, Frizinghall, Bradford Foster Square, Bradford Interchange, New Pudsey, Bramley, Cross Gates, Garforth, East Garforth, Micklefield, Leeds, Woodlesford, Castleford, Glasshoughton, Pontefract Mokhill, Knottingley, Featherstone, Streethouse, Wakefield Kirkgate, Pontefract Tanshelf, Pontefract Baghill, Moorthorpe, South Elmsall, Fitzwilliam, Sandal & Agbrigg, Wakefield Westgate, Outwood, Burley Park, Headingley, Horsforth, Halifax, Sowerby Bridge, Mythomroyd, Hebden Bridge, Todmorden, Walsden, Brighouse, Huddersfield, Berry Brow, Brockholes, Shepley, Denby Dale, Stocksmoor, Honley, Lockwood, Deighton, Mirfield, Darton, Normanton, Cottingley, Morley, Batley, Dewsbury, Ravensthorpe, Slaithwaite and Marsden for the princely sum of £7.30.

(There was even the extra MSN 23.32 > 23.44 HUD on 142004 to get me back)

Think I will do South Yorkshire next time. That should be a piece of cake

 

[142094]

Did a similar thing a while back with 4SRKT, travelling around WY on Pacers only, with a few beer stops in between. Good day out as well.

 

[Crossover]

Very interesting report

Value wise, I really do think the WY services are difficult to beat really!

I have to say, I hadn't realised until the other week when travelling on the line that the Leeds - Manchester Victoria via Dewsbury services don't call at Ravensthorpe (although I know they missed out Cottingley)

 

[Stephen55a1960]

Very interesting report

Value wise, I really do think the WY services are difficult to beat really!

I have to say, I hadn't realised until the other week when travelling on the line that the Leeds - Manchester Victoria via Dewsbury services don't call at Ravensthorpe (although I know they missed out Cottingley)

I didn't know that either.

 

[Sapphire Blue]

Looked into it since (there was someone on a different thread bemoaning the fact the MCV > LDS (via Dewsbury does not stop at Cottingley) and there doesn't seem to be enough time for 1 (let alone 2) more stops between Heaton Junction and Leeds

For example:-

1P36 MAI > NCL clears Heaton Lodge jnc. at 14.01.30
then
2U13 MCV > LDS clears Heaton Lodge jnc. at 14.04.30
stops at Mirfield, Dewsbury, Batley and Morley
this clears Leeds West jnc at 14.30
closely followed by the
1K16 MAN > HUL at 14.34

 

[1D53]

It works the other side of the hour with the Manchester - Middlesborough and the Huddersfield - Leeds stopper.

 

[Sapphire Blue]

It works the other side of the hour with the Manchester - Middlesborough and the Huddersfield - Leeds stopper.

But that calls at Dewsbury. Adding 5 minutes to the HUD > LDS journey time. Plenty of extra for the stopper to do the two extra calls.

 

[1D53]

So do the Newcastle services...

 

[4SRKT]

This is a good basis on which to do the whole West Yorkshire thing, although will need to be tweaked to start/end somewhere else. There are some good blocks of moves here, and these can be lifted wholesale to cover other variants of the day. One way of making it easier will be to assert that your third rule is more important than your first, meaning that Darton doesn't have to be done (and Amen to that!).

One useful move that you have missed is that the 17:13 Leeds > Manchester via Brighouse does stop at Cottingley and Ravensthorpe, so taking this to Todmorden, walking/bussing to Walsden, then back via Bradford gets the whole Calder Valley section efficiently ticked off in under 2 hours.

 

[YorkshireBear]

Good report and well done!
To your two questions. I dont think the york blackpool 158s have been referbed in preference to other 158s they all seem to come out of the same pool. With the 3 car 158s on the blackpool york (not exclusively though)
And the centre cars on the 144s along with the 155s are now owned by porterbrook, having been sold by WYPTE during the bigs cuts.

 

[150222]

This is a good basis on which to do the whole West Yorkshire thing, although will need to be tweaked to start/end somewhere else. There are some good blocks of moves here, and these can be lifted wholesale to cover other variants of the day. One way of making it easier will be to assert that your third rule is more important than your first, meaning that Darton doesn't have to be done (and Amen to that!).

One useful move that you have missed is that the 17:13 Leeds > Manchester via Brighouse does stop at Cottingley and Ravensthorpe, so taking this to Todmorden, walking/bussing to Walsden, then back via Bradford gets the whole Calder Valley section efficiently ticked off in under 2 hours.

It takes 40 mins to walk Todmorden to Walsden! It would be quicker to get off that at 1815 and wait for the 1836 Man Vic all shacks. Then get the 1848 back to Leeds.

 

[4SRKT]

It takes 40 mins to walk Todmorden to Walsden! It would be quicker to get off that at 1815 and wait for the 1836 Man Vic all shacks. Then get the 1848 back to Leeds.

It doesn't. I've done this move myself and it takes 25 mins even at a leisurely stroll. The bus takes 5. It's only a mile and a half for goodness' sake! In 40 minutes I can walk nearly 3 miles.

 

[Stewart]

67 N.O. Part Two


Station Tavern (can't bring myself to call it the King's Head) was packed full with Giant Rugby fans celebrating their win over Salford.

I think I was one of the only two Salford fans in there at the time..