Last bounce on the Oldham loop

[LilLoaf]

Hi all,

Just wondering if anyone knows what time the last train will be on the Oldham loop line and the date of the line closure. On that day are there any special events planned like charters, stalls? Are they running the normal timetable for that day in the Northern timetable leaflets?

What direction is the last train going to go in for example Man Vicc - Oldham - Rochdale. Man Vicc - Castleton - Rochdale - Oldham - Man Vicc.

I was planning to drive down from Newcastle park the car at Rochdale and then drive back, will that be possiable maybe not if the last train ends at Victoria and i'll probably missed last train back to Rochdale.

Anyone any idea's.

LilLoaf

 

[tbtc]

No idea. Presumably the current Manchester Victoria - Castleton - Rochdale stopping service will remain (never seen this confirmed though)

 

[flymo]

According to http://www.gmpte.com/upload/library/Oldham_Loop_Fares.pdf last train is on October 3, 2009

 

[Mojo]

Do they seriously expect people who used to travel by train (even if it may have been a Pacer) to consider using a public bus service?

 

[The Snap]

Do they seriously expect people who used to travel by train (even if it may have been a Pacer) to consider using a public bus service?

What is the alternative...?

 

[theblackwatch]

What is the alternative...?

In my mate's case, motorbike!

 

[Lampshade]

Funnily enough, I was looking at the exact same thing last night

You can go round on a Pacer, or there's a few tours on the 3rd October. There's a steam tour as part of The Witch Way (16:15 - 17:30), then a 37 takes over from the steam loco and it goes round again (17:45 - 18:45).

The one I'm more interested in is this one:, I'm yet to see 40145 or go round the Oldham Loop

 

[Mojo]

The alternative is for them to have arranged some special replacement services, or to have not done the closure all at once and taking a number of years.

I can't imagine many people would be too happy about being shafted onto a slow, expensive, dirty, uncomfortable, unreliable, crime-ridden public bus service and that many will opt for their car.

 

[gordonthemoron]

when they built the tyneside metro, they replaced the train service with busses for quite some time

 

[37401]

maybe Northern or whoever runs that line will run a few specials on it using something thats not a pacer

 

[MCR247]

I was todl they ran a 180 round the loop, so some are thinking the last train might be a 180.

 

[theblackwatch]

I was todl they ran a 180 round the loop, so some are thinking the last train might be a 180.

Personally I hope it isn't. I'd like to see the last train being the usual power for the line, perhaps strengthened to 2 sets to cater for the extra punters.

 

[tbtc]

I can't imagine many people would be too happy about being shafted onto a slow, expensive, dirty, uncomfortable, unreliable, crime-ridden public bus service and that many will opt for their car.

Slow? Expensive? Dirty? Uncomfortable? Unreliable?

Compared to a Pacer, anything has to be better

 

[323235]

The last train round the loop is the 2324 off Victoria which gets into Rochdale at 0004

There are no services back to Victoria after this time

Next one back is the 0941 on Sunday

 

[LilLoaf]

Thanks for that information guys. Hope i'm able to be able to do this like. Will be good to get a couple of runs around the loop on the last day. Be interested to see a 180 going up that way. I have my doubts on that like.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
So are Northern running the normal timetable for that day then. Normal service train with a few specials up and down.

 

[rick9525]

The last day of the 101s was great on Dec 24th 2003. Although I was at work for some of it I did ride "Daisy" up and down a couple of times and a couple of others.

On the last service which was to Rose Hill and back from Piccadilly they hooked 2 units together including "Daisy" and set detonators off when we arrived back in Piccadilly platform 1.

I am off on the 3rd so no doubt take a last few rides round.

 

[driver9000]

a 180 wont be going round the loop as they arent cleared for that line.

The last day will see the normal timetable in operation for the day right up until abandonment.

 

[MCR247]

Apparantly it'll be triple 156 with a fast service back to victoria arr 00:26 i think

 

[driver9000]

Apparantly it'll be triple 156 with a fast service back to victoria arr 00:26 i think

platform lengths would be a problem at some stations for 6 cars, most likely a pair of 142s or 150s as its a normal passenger service to Rochdale. But anything can happen on this great railway of ours....

 

[sheff'd victoria]

I hope someone is going to take some pictures of this event

 

[Lampshade]

From LDB: Details for the requested train are no longer available.

 

[adamp]

What a send off!
Calling at all stations to Rochdale then fast back to Victoria, the last train was bloody brilliant!
Had 5 detonators go off on the approach to Oldham Mumps as a mark of respect and probably woke the whole of Rochdale up as we approached with horns going from both ends of the train!
Tell us about your experience on the last day/train on the Oldham Loop and im sure we want to see your pictures too!
Its still not sunk in though that this is it, no more bouncy rides on a pacer
-Adam

 

[Lampshade]

I wish I was on that last train :cry:

Ahh well, I was at Victoria earlier and saw The Sherwood Forester as well as 156466 "Gracie Fields", completely oblivious as to why a common or garden 156 was attracting nearly as much attention as the kettle on the opposite platform - turns out it was named there this afternoon hock:

I went for a 'lap' and while waiting, I found it quite weird that this will never again be shown on a departure board:

Or this on a destination blind:

Anyway and as for the no more bouncy rides on a Pacer, it was a 144 that took me back to Manchester from Rochdale, they're really not the same as 142s

 

[rick9525]

Very good afternoon and evening. Took the former Mersey pacer 142055 to start with to Rochdale via the loop and the rest were either a single or the double 156. Liked the brass band at Victoria to see us off and the free mince pie's and souvenir ticket and print out, it was freezing though at Oldham though well worth it to see the Class 37 go passed during the evening.

A great time was had by all it seemed, everyone waved the train off after they had alighted. They placed 5 deternators infront of the train at Oldham Mumps to give the line a send off which caused a delay but no one cared. Glad they ran the train back into Victoria.
As good as the send off for the last 101s back on dec 24th 2003, doesn’t time fly.

 

[adamp]

Another thing, I saw a row of enthusiasts taking pictures of a 142 at Mumps, the fact that it was not a tour or steam engine just a common diesel unit made it a sight i will never forget!

 

[LilLoaf]

Another thing, I saw a row of enthusiasts taking pictures of a 142 at Mumps, the fact that it was not a tour or steam engine just a common diesel unit made it a sight i will never forget!

Well its something you'll never see again. I waited at Mumps for a special diesel thinking it was gonna be a 37 or something, a 156 with a headboard turns up. Not amused. Glad i got some pics of mumps before they knock it down like. Still waiting like half an hour or more. 156 indeed. Its a pitty the day wasn't farse free. A lot of trains were delayed or cancelled. So if you had a tight timetable to stick to it went out the window. I seen the steam at Shaw.

**91107 the pic you took at Victoria of the desination blind on the 156. Was it the last ever train? **

 

[rick9525]

Well its something you'll never see again. I waited at Mumps for a special diesel thinking it was gonna be a 37 or something, a 156 with a headboard turns up. Not amused. Glad i got some pics of mumps before they knock it down like. Still waiting like half an hour or more. 156 indeed. Its a pitty the day wasn't farse free. A lot of trains were delayed or cancelled. So if you had a tight timetable to stick to it went out the window. I seen the steam at Shaw.

**91107 the pic you took at Victoria of the desination blind on the 156. Was it the last ever train? **

The class 37 went through Oldham at around 20:00 or so. Loads of people waving out of the Windows. I thought about going on it but wanted a more of a regular feel for the last day and I went on a class 37 trip a few months ago from Preston to Paignton.
I am glad I did not wait around to see the class 40 as by all acounts it did not run.

 

[Lampshade]

Well its something you'll never see again. I waited at Mumps for a special diesel thinking it was gonna be a 37 or something, a 156 with a headboard turns up. Not amused. Glad i got some pics of mumps before they knock it down like. Still waiting like half an hour or more. 156 indeed. Its a pitty the day wasn't farse free. A lot of trains were delayed or cancelled. So if you had a tight timetable to stick to it went out the window. I seen the steam at Shaw.

**91107 the pic you took at Victoria of the desination blind on the 156. Was it the last ever train? **

Unfortunately no, I took that picture just after 20:00. I caught the 18:35 to Rochdale and then returned via Castleton to see the same train I caught forming another Oldham Loop working. It was on 156428, I'm not sure which units formed the final working but it could be that it was the last ever train, just not the last ever service.

 

[LilLoaf]

Oh i see 91107, just there was a lad took the same shot around the same time as i did. There was a quick "areet" between us, thought it might have been you. I took the same pic on my camera.

Was anyone else playing the jump off and then back on at every station game. There were a few of us doing it in the front coach. Was well fun. Think i was the last Geordie around the Oldham loop.

I really don't see why the BTP had to be hovering around at nearly every station. What do they think is going to happen exactly.

 

[yorkie]

I really don't see why the BTP had to be hovering around at nearly every station. What do they think is going to happen exactly.

The 'powers that be' want a harmless person with Aspergers to spend up to 70 years in jail (link) but if someone tries to murder 3 people and is described as "highly dangerous" then they only get 5 years (link). It's a general problem in society where people in high-up positions go for easy targets. The police will be waiting to pounce on anyone who goes down a platform ramp or something, as that's much easier than ensuring that crimes don't take place in dodgy areas of Manchester and Oldham on a Saturday night. Would the officers be better deployed elsewhere? yes but unless this country stops accepting violence as acceptable then such things will continue to happen. The police will just be following orders, and the people who give the orders get their priorities given to them by people who are obsessed with statistics rather than people who actually care about preventing crime.