Shred`s UK trips.

[shredder1]

Greater Manchester Day Rover. Saturday 31st October 2020.

Well last trip out for a while now full lockdown is coming in. I was supposed to be flying out to Romania on Friday, but that had to be cancelled also of course. So, I was restricted to travelling around Manchester on my senior pass, just to see what was around, especially Class 142`s, class 319s and any class 350`s.

After a drive down to Manchester for Piccadilly, it was a train down to the airport, luckily on a class 319 which was on a Crewe working. Returning from Manchester Airport to Manchester Victoria on the Middlesbrough service a Transpennine Class 185 for a Class 142 to Ince, on a Kirby working, the 142 was doubled up with a Sprinter class 150, but the doors were locked and everyone had to sit cramped up inside the Sprinter for whatever reason.

We had planned to catch another class 142 back to Hindley, but it was over an hour down, and despite being listed on the boards to stop, it went right through, so we lost an hour at Ince altogether, instead of what should have been a ten-minute change. We caught the next train to Wigan Wallgate and stopped for lunch in the Subway, which I guess is sort of healthy(ish). Returning to Wallgate station we were treated to Pacers in both directions on Kirkby workings, whilst also being lucky to snap the Knowsley working behind DB class 66164.

We next boarded a pair of Sprinter 150/1`s to Bolton and later returned to Manchester Piccadilly, in time to see GBRf class 66739 ex Trafford Park on containers passing through the station. Our next move was a Transpennine class 185 out to Stalybridge and returning to Manchester Victoria on a pair of Sprinter 150/1`s. At Manchester Victoria we took the lift up to the top of the car park to get a few photographs looking down over the bank, but two security bods had followed us up, I think they must have seen us on camera, and told us, apologetically, we were not allowed up there as it was a private car park, maybe it was closed to cars on that day?

Returning over the walkway and looking down on Metrolink we stopped at the top of the stairs and took a few shots on the platforms, when strangely a Northern security bod of types approached us and asked what we were doing, he was pleasant enough and said he was just curious, I guess after the bombing, Manchester Victoria has become a sensitive location now, which is only a good thing I suppose. Big Cat Transpennine class 68031 Felix brought here rake into Victoria from Longsight for a run up to York, so we jumped on it back to Stalybridge before returning to Manchester Piccadilly on a Transpennine class 185 via Guide Bridge and then to the car for the drive home. The weather was up and down, generally dull but with sunny spells, we also took a soaking at Ince when a storm went over. Hope you enjoyed reading this, with full lockdown now inevitable that will be the last of my trips for a while.

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[shredder1]

Greater Manchester various locations. Saturday 3rd April 2021.

The first day out now lockdown is easing, to drive to a few local locations and get some fresh air. Hope everyone is well, its been a terrible period and I lost a life long friend last year in May, heart attack not Covid, but the latter has taken many, a terrible period to have lived through and condolences to the friends and families of those who are no longer with us.

First was a trip down to Ardwick for the West Coast diversions and then onto Levenshulme station, a lovely sunny day, but a number of freight workings had been cancelled. Next was a drive over to Heaton Norris Junction and then onto Hyde Central for the convoy, which was a bit bigger again this weekend, with Freightliner 70014, 66620, 66543, 66607, 70016 and 70010. I next called at a footbridge in Ashton Moss on the Standedge line for the Northbound Cemex working behind GBRf 66708. To access this area of Ashton Moss Id driven down a dirt track off the main road, it was a walking route and did have cars going along it at times, on leaving however a barrier I didnt notice on the way in, had been closed and was padlocked, yet there were no signs of it being a private road, fortunately I did manage to take the car off the track and just drive around the barrier. If it was a private road it should at least be marked up as such and I had no idea who would have locked the barrier anyway.

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[shredder1]

Manchester and Merseyside. Saturday 10th April 2021.

First train ride for 2021 now lockdown is easing and it was great to get out again. I’ve basically taken up were I left off in early 2020, by revisiting Merseyrail for the last of the PEP derivatives, the classes 507 and 508`s which are due to be replaced by the new class 777`s.

My journey started off with a drive up to my local Metrolink station, Crumpsall and then a tram to Manchester Piccadilly, an early train through to Liverpool Lime Street and I was treated to an old Bedpan unit, a Class 319, which still appear to be working the route from Manchester Airport to Liverpool Lime Street in-between the new class 331 EMU`s. Three class 60`s noticed park up at Edge Hill on the way past.

It was a glorious day with bright sunshine just about all day, but with still a chill in the air and some people actually getting snow at times, but not there.

Making my way down to the underground, I initially headed off under the Mersey to Birkenhead North and was surprised to find two of the class 230`s for TFW stored on the depot, presumably these will be used for the Bidston to Wrexham Central line. The class 230 is a D train, converted from old London Underground D78 Stock, I’ve travelled on these from Bedford to Bletchley, the Marston Vale line, not too bad a ride considering, but the seating is still of the London Underground model facing across the gangway, not ideal for more scenic overground routes and I suspect a downward step from the Sprinters that presently operate the line.

From Birkenhead North I travelled up the Brighton line as far as Wallasey Grove Road, which was I believe, the original Wallasey station. I next return to Birkenhead Hamilton Square for a service to Birkenhead Central and later to Green Lane, two stations I find of particular interest.

Returning to Liverpool I headed out to Kirkdale, which for us older ones, sits on the site of Bank Hall motive power depot, a shed I bunked a few times in my youth and equally got thrown out of also. I noted 5 of the new class 777`s on the depot, which is pretty much the same as I saw on my last visit in early 2020, so little seems to have changed, the damaged emu 507 019 was parked up next to the station after its accident with the buffers at Kirkby earlier this year.

I returned to Liverpool and headed on the West Kirby line across the Wirral, station hopping, essentially taking photographs of PEP`s at all stations along the line, it was a beautiful day for photography and I wanted to take full advantage of the weather and indeed my new found freedom.

When I eventually made it to the end of the line at West Kirby, it was time for tea, so my usually stop in this coastal town is “Marigolds”, which had a very large queue inside, a large fish, chips and peas was ordered and I made my way back to the train to eat it. I had a good run back directly into Liverpool Lime Street low level, up to the main station and I just managed to get to the ticket barrier as a York Nova 1 class 802 service via Manchester Victoria was pulling out of the platforms, (story of my life).

After a 20-minute wait however it was a new class 331 that took me into Deansgate, Manchester and then a tram back to Crumpsall for the car, arriving home just after 20.00, so it had been a great first day back on the metals. Exciting times, and tomorrow the gym and guitar shops reopen, so a busy day.

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[shredder1]

South Pennines Day Rover. Saturday 17th April 2021.

My original plan was to travel around the East Midlands, I set my alarm for 03.30 as I need to really be on the 05.11 Cross Country Bournemouth service to give me a full day in that region, but the alarm didn’t go off and instead I woke up at 04.45, too late to drive into Manchester and catch that train, so instead I rolled over for another hour and caught a later train over the Pennines to Leeds on a South Pennines Day Rover ticket.

Largely playing it by ear, Transpennine Cat 68019 “Brutus” was arriving from Liverpool with a Scarborough service as I arrived into Leeds. I bought a salad and fruit breakfast in the City, I really need to lose some weight, and then jumped on the 09.15 Azuma to Doncaster, paying the difference from Wakefield Westgate. I opted for a few hours on Doncaster station, but didn’t really see much freight though, a few passed south on the avoiding line, with Freightliner 66558 being the only one which was going north. Two light engines going towards the depot were 66182 “Maritime Intermodal Five” and 66051 “Maritime Intermodal Four”. Three class 91 locomotives were looking a bit shabby in the yard and 67007 in EWS livery was parked up on Thunderbird duties with a class 56 to the south on the holding sidings. Azuma`s have largely taken over the mainline services on the ECML now, although I was treated to a Hull Trains IET and a few Great Central class 180`s.

From Doncaster I returned to Leeds on another Azuma and then took a Sprinter to Sheffield via Castleford, to admire the new station building, although 2.8 million seems a tad expensive. I travelled as far as Meadow Hall as Engineers works were taking place and after a sandwich in the Subway, caught the Super tram, which was one of the Train-Tram variants, as far as Cathedral with a change to the railway station. I arrived on the platforms at Sheffield in time to see Freightliner class 66514 with a ballast train stopped in one of the main platforms and I was lucky in getting a few quick photographs before she got moving again. I was equally surprised to see a Transpennine class 185 arriving into the bay platforms at the north end of the station and found out services were also diverted there, as this one was booked to go to Manchester Piccadilly via Rotherham, Swinton, Wakefield Kirkgate and Huddersfield, I caught it, as it was traversing a rare bit of track, for me at least, from the East Coast main line to Wakefield Kirkgate, so a nice roundabout route back to Manchester. It was another glorious day with lots of bright sunshine and after taking to Metrolink from Manchester Piccadilly to Crumpsall to collect the car, I was back in the house for 20.00, so not a bad day.

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[Techniquest]

Sounds like a fun couple of trips there all in. I hear you on the need to shred some excess mass, I burn thousands of calories a day but I've had an enormous appetite lately and mostly for unhealthy stuff. Still, I was in the tradition of a 30+ mile bike ride always being followed by a pizza, an unhealthy habit to be in. Especially when it would be a Chicago Town tomato stuffed crust 12" cheese feast pizza In combination with an unhealthy amount of chocolate too...The pizza is being left alone at the moment, just one of many bad habits I've got into lately.

So I know how you feel with it, takes some doing to avoid unhealthy food! Best of luck with your own mission!

 

[shredder1]

Thanks very much Tech, hope you are well mate. Im back at the gym now and watching my diet at the moment so hopefully I should started losing a bit, my pants are becoming too tight and Im determined not to go up another size, lol

 

[Techniquest]

Thanks very much Tech, hope you are well mate. Im back at the gym now and watching my diet at the moment so hopefully I should started losing a bit, my pants are becoming too tight and Im determined not to go up another size, lol

Ah good stuff! I had that problem of buying new clothes in a bigger size last year, oh I hated myself for having to do that! Recently had to buy some new work trousers (I could have waited for uniform supplies, but they're not that good anyway, plus waiting for weeks for it...) and I went back down a waist size. Very pleased with that, back to a 32" waist thankfully.

Just need to sort out my gut now, I've gone back to buying small size t-shirts (I do like the workout shirts from Primark, proper bargain at £4) but the belly does stick out a bit

Yeah all's good here, will be off out in a bit to do some hill climbing training on the bike. Got strong gusty winds due back tomorrow for a few days, so going to make the most of cycling today while I can. My mission to cover all of Herefordshire is going well, I'd say I'm halfway to completion now Aiming for a minimum of 35 miles today, preferably more!

 

[shredder1]

Well Im not back in the office yet but have 3 suits I wear for work and Im dreading tring to get back into them, I think Ive lost a little weight now though as Im back at the gym, but I really need to stop eating

 

[shredder1]

Lancashire Day Rover. Saturday 24th April 2021.

Another great sunny day and my intention was to track down the last of the Class 319`s more affectionately known as Bedpans. I saw these being commissioned when they originally electrified the line from St Pancras to Bedford, back in the late 1980`s, and later on the Thameslink operations and working up to Peterborough, as Id regularly used them to visit my son, who now resides in Sandy. So, it was nice to welcome the 319`s, a few years later, to the Northwest, but their days appears to be coming to an end, although some units are being converted into dual voltage use as the class 769`s, 11 have so far been converted with another 27 to follow. One unit has been converted into a tri-modal designated a class 799. The Class 319`s however are supposed to be being replaced by the West Midland class 323`s and I expect in time these will be replaced with the new Class 331`s.

This year 2021 appears to be the last year of the class 319`s, so I decided to have a Saturday chasing them. They are presently operating on the Liverpool to Blackpool North services, with a shuttle service operating between Liverpool to Wigan North-western, I also noted class 319`s working on the Liverpool to Manchester Airport services intermingled with class 331`s and class 323`s. The alarm was set for 05.30 and I drove to my local Metrolink station to catch the first tram into Manchester Piccadilly and went over to Liverpool on an East Midlands Sprinter service. I caught the first class 319 out to St Helens Central and had a 15 minutes break before returning as far as Huyton on a Liverpool bound Class 319. From Huyton I caught a class 323 to the next station west, Roby, as this was working a Manchester Airport to Liverpool Lime Street service, From Roby I caught another Class 319 back to Huyton, as this was working the Wigan service and after another short wait, I caught the Blackpool North service behind a class 319. From Blackpool I caught a class 331 back as far as Preston and then changed for another class 319 to Kirkham and Westham, returning to Liverpool Lime Street on my final Class 319 of the day.

As I left the train at Liverpool Lime Street and took my final photograph, I was stopped by a young train dispatcher who told me photography was not allowed on the station, where do they find these people, I pulled up a copy of the guidance on my phone and make him read it while I stood there, to which he replied “Oh I See” and wondered off down the platform head down. At Blackpool North I blatantly wondered around with my camera snapping away and had absolutely no issues. My last train of the day was a Nova 1 from Liverpool Lime Street to Manchester Victoria, although another class 319 was waiting in the blocks for a later service back to Manchester Airport. The Lancashire Day Rover was the ideal ticket for this, at £17 with a railcard, another enjoyable day out.

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[NorthWestRover]

Great stuff. I always enjoy reading your reports.

 

[shredder1]

Great stuff. I always enjoy reading your reports.

Thank you very much sir.

 

[shredder1]

East Lancashire Railway, First Day Running after Covid. Saturday 1st May 2021.

This Saturday was a drive up to my local East Lancs Railway to help support the first day back running after Covid. I first drove up to Heywood for the first arrival which came behind BR Class 24 D5054 in original BR green livery, BR Standard 5MT tank locomotive 80097 was working another train, which Bubble-car L101 Gloucester RC&W, class 122 (class 117), 55001 also operating.

I only spend the morning at the East Lancs, moving on to Bury Bolton Street Station to visit the model shops and then driving up to Ramsbottom. The staff were working so hard to keep everyone safe, and like many preserved railways Covid has caused major economic effects and I expect it will take quite a number of years before they fully recover.

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[Cowley]

East Lancashire Railway, First Day Running after Covid. Saturday 1st May 2021.

This Saturday was a drive up to my local East Lancs Railway to help support the first day back running after Covid. I first drove up to Heywood for the first arrival which came behind BR Class 24 D5054 in original BR green livery, BR Standard 5MT tank locomotive 80097 was working another train, which Bubble-car L101 Gloucester RC&W, class 122 (class 117), 55001 also operating.

I only spend the morning at the East Lancs, moving on to Bury Bolton Street Station to visit the model shops and then driving up to Ramsbottom. The staff were working so hard to keep everyone safe, and like many preserved railways Covid has caused major economic effects and I expect it will take quite a number of years before they fully recover.

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Always a great day out on the ELR. Let’s hope it all starts getting better from here on.

 

[shredder1]

Always a great day out on the ELR. Let’s hope it all starts getting better from here on.

Yes hopefully mate, the tide is turning now thank goodness, are you keeping well mate..

 

[Cowley]

Yes hopefully mate, the tide is turning now thank goodness, are you keeping well mate..

Yeah good thanks Nick. Barely been on any trains over the last year but it’s not been too bad for us down here really.

 

[shredder1]

Yeah good thanks Nick. Barely been on any trains over the last year but it’s not been too bad for us down here really.

Yes same here really mate, I did a bit of trackside locally for the freights, but I`m just starting to move around a little now.

 

[shredder1]

East Midland Day Rover. Saturday 8th May 2021.

The purpose of the trip was to try and catch up with the recently repainted East Midlands HST, as they are presently on their 11th hour, so it was a bit of a swansong trip. The alarm was set for 03.30 for the infamous 05.11 Cross Country Bournemouth bound, Voyager, so I drove down to Manchester parked, the car near the main postal buildings and walked through the underground car park to access the Metrolink platforms and then take the lift up to the main Manchester Piccadilly platforms. I always walk this route to the station, but this time noticed someone had put signs all over the underground car park saying that this is not (now), a public right of access and trespassers will be prosecuted? I`ve been using this route for over 20 years now and it’s all open access, so possibly it’s a staff car park and it’s been decided that customers will have to walk around from now on.

I arrived at the main platforms, and made my way to the ticket office, but despite it always being open by 04.30 and indeed having notices to that affect, it was closed. I saw a chap behind the glass and tried to signal to him to ascertain what time the office actually opened and he told me 05.15, I told him my train was at 05.11, do I just get on the train and buy a ticket from the guard or at the other end, he said something back, but to be honest it was just like looking at a goldfish through a goldfish bowl, so I just presumed that’s what he`d said. I jumped on the train and found the guard and explained that I wanted to buy two tickets, a return from Manchester Piccadilly to Crewe and an East Midlands day ranger ticket, he said he couldn’t do that, but told me to stay on the train and buy one at Crewe, I explained I wanted to stay on this train until Stoke, because the East Midland ticket started at Crewe, so he said that’s OK just buy one at Stoke and he said the barriers will be open at that time.

I left the train at Stoke where I was due to change trains for the Derby train, went to the booking office for my tickets, but it too was closed, and again opened after my next train had left, so I went to the customer service office and he told me just to get on the Derby train and buy one from the guard. I waited for the guard to come down the train and told her I had no ticket and I’d been trying to buy one since Manchester. I explained the tickets I wanted and she said I’m not sure I can sell those, but to her credit though she did manage to sell me the tickets I needed, so by the time I arrived into Derby I had the right tickets, but what a lot of messing around, I expect it’s something to do with Covid why they are now opening later.

As my train arrived into Crewe, we were just intime to see the Glasgow sleeper behind a Caledonian class 92 heading south, always a lovely sight. On arrival into Stoke I noted the engineering train top and tailed with two class 37`s waiting for the road into Stoke, it was too far out for photographing though and the weather was horrendous with hard driving rain. The 37`s followed me to Derby and I missed them again as they passed through the far platform at Derby before I could get over the platform bridges. I also saw a new EMD liveried class 180, but not sure what services those are working on, or where they have come from? I was also lucky to see a Cross Country HST on a south bound service, (43285 and 43366).

My next move was a Cross Country class 170 to Nottingham. On passing the old Research Centre at Derby, I noted no less than 5 class 73`s, a number of class 37`s a 47 and 2 class 67`s plus 3 class 08 shunters, so a very busy yard these days. After a quick photographing session around Nottingham station, I only just missed photographing a new EMD liveried class 170 dmu working the Robin Hood line to Worksop. I checked the boards for the next London bound train and patiently waited on the main platforms hoping it was the new liveried EMT HST number 43274, unbelievably it was and with a bonus Intercity Swallow liveried power car at the front number 43102, so two for the price of one. I boarded the HST as far as Leicester and managed a few more photographs of the Swallow only power car at Leicester, the rain was really battering it down by this time, but I walked to the end of the platforms to view the depot and could see two class 58`s a line of class 47`s, a few class 56`s, some class 37`s and a line-up of class 91`s, but for better shots you need a set of ladders for the bridge, or try to make yourself 6ft 6 tall.

After around an hour at Leicester, my original plan was to take a train down to Nuneaton, travel up the West Coast Main Line to Tamworth and then return to Derby on the Birmingham and Derby Junction Railway, instead however I took a new liveried Meridian back to Derby, where I saw another Cross Country HST heading south, (43304 and 43378), and then I boarded another Cross-Country class 170 back into Nottingham where I caught up with the new liveried EMT Class 170 on its return from Worksop. I waited in hope for another HST set to arrive into Nottingham, as Id been told that two sets might be out, but it was only Meridians that I saw, so I decided to take the Next Birmingham Cross Country class 170 down as far as Tamworth so that I could see what was on Burton and Rivers depot on the way past. Lots of locos parked up off the main line at Burton and a few units on the main holding sidings at Rivers, including a silver Avanti Voyager, which may have been between liveries.

After an hour at Tamworth and getting a few snaps of freights behind class 66 locos, I returned to Derby on a Cross Country class 170 and then caught the next East Midland class 156 to Crewe. At Crewe I was surprised to see Intercity Swallow liveried 90002 “Wolf of Badenock”, with a rake of Mark 3 coaches and a DVT parked up outside Crewe diesel depot and relatively easy to photograph and just inside the depot was the Midland Pullman liveried HST. I also saw a new liveried Avanti Voyager on its way to the depot.

I returned to Manchester Piccadilly on a TfW class 175 DMU in the new red livery, collected the car and drove home for 19.00, so not a bad day considering the atrocious weather.

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[Techniquest]

Nice bit of variety there, that's for sure! I've got no hope of making it to the East Midlands for a final HST farewell, just not practical sadly. I do have vague plans to get over to the MML later this year on a combined cycle tour/360 bash, but that's still ages off. No point trying to do such a thing in dire weather!

 

[Kite159]

Doing that early morning XC service is on my wishlist, only for the novelty of going Crewe - Stoke [and in a normal timetable gives a decent connection into the Stoke - Blackpool service for the novelty of 331s from Stoke, although those can be done by staying in Macclesfield on a Friday night as they used to form a Macclesfield - Stoke early morning service.

 

[shredder1]

Nice bit of variety there, that's for sure! I've got no hope of making it to the East Midlands for a final HST farewell, just not practical sadly. I do have vague plans to get over to the MML later this year on a combined cycle tour/360 bash, but that's still ages off. No point trying to do such a thing in dire weather!

Im sorry to hear that, to me the HST`s seem to have only been here a short time in some ways, but in other ways a long time too, I saw the prototypes in 1972 at a Derby Open day HSDT they called it, I still have my original spotting notes, a few years later they had polluted BR and displaced so many loco hauled stock I hated them and considered the railways had finished for me, by the end of the 70`s most of the interesting classes had gone, it just couldnt get any worst, lol it did of course and now I shed a tear for the HST, I felt the same about the Deltics when they were replacing my beloved A4`s. The famous quote, "nothing lasts forever" .

 

[shredder1]

Doing that early morning XC service is on my wishlist, only for the novelty of going Crewe - Stoke [and in a normal timetable gives a decent connection into the Stoke - Blackpool service for the novelty of 331s from Stoke, although those can be done by staying in Macclesfield on a Friday night as they used to form a Macclesfield - Stoke early morning service.

Yes its the early train to get me south on a day trip at a decent time, its mainly full of drunks, the clueless and you ladies who have been out clubbing it all night, It arrives into Crewe roughly the same time as the Caledonian southbound sleeper.

 

[shredder1]

South Pennine Day Rover. Saturday 15th May 2021.

Another Saturday out on the rails, essentially this was just a run around to see what was about, plus I was also meeting up with a Facebook friend from Leicester, who was travelling up with his son for the day. Id been busy working on my house all week doing an attic conversion and also opening up my fire palace, so I needed to get away from the dust and the soot for a while.

A bit of a lay in by my standards and I didn’t get up until around 06.30 and drove down to Crumpsall Metrolink station to catch the tram onto Manchester Victoria. I was just in time to catch up with Transpennine Cat, 68030 “Black Douglas” the only one working this side of the Pennines on the day.
From Victoria I caught a Trans Pennine class 185 to the Airport, 3 more Transpennine Cats were noted on Longsight sheds while passing. Later returning to Manchester Piccadilly as a class 319 had passed me on its way down to the Airport, so I waited for it returning. Wolfie gave me a ring to say he was coming in on the next East Midland 158 from Norwich to Liverpool. We shortly all met up.

We headed for a Transpennine class 185 to Huddersfield, a station which is due to be modernised, although I’m not sure to what extent, I only hope the overall roof stays on and it doesn’t finish up like Blackburn.

Our next move was another Transpenning class 185 to Leeds, we were hoping to catch up with one of the class 91`s that has been taken out of retirement to replace the problem hit Azuma`s, apparently two class 91 rakes were out and we just missed one by “20 minutes. The highlight of the day however was GBRf class 66711 “Sence” in Aggregate Industries livery on freight, a rare sight through Leeds these days.

From Leeds we took an Azuma down to Doncaster, and for once the Thunderbird, class 67007 in EWS livery was parked in a decent place for a photograph, instead of being backed under the footbridge as it usually is. Doncaster was very slow, a Colas class 56 was parked by the bridge to the south of the station and two class 91`s without front light panels sat in front of the works. The only freight we saw was an EWS liveried class 66 going northbound as we jumped on the next train,

We next traveled to Sheffield and this too was quiet. Wolfie and his son were heading back to Leicester via Nottingham, while I caught the next Transpenning class 185 back into Manchester via the Hope Valley line and then home. It was a good trip out, slightly better weather this Saturday and nice to eventually catch up with Wolfie and his son, cheers guys, until next time.

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[Andy Pacer]

South Pennine Day Rover. Saturday 15th May 2021.

Another Saturday out on the rails, essentially this was just a run around to see what was about, plus I was also meeting up with a Facebook friend from Leicester, who was travelling up with his son for the day. Id been busy working on my house all week doing an attic conversion and also opening up my fire palace, so I needed to get away from the dust and the soot for a while.

A bit of a lay in by my standards and I didn’t get up until around 06.30 and drove down to Crumpsall Metrolink station to catch the tram onto Manchester Victoria. I was just in time to catch up with Transpennine Cat, 68030 “Black Douglas” the only one working this side of the Pennines on the day.
From Victoria I caught a Trans Pennine class 185 to the Airport, 3 more Transpennine Cats were noted on Longsight sheds while passing. Later returning to Manchester Piccadilly as a class 319 had passed me on its way down to the Airport, so I waited for it returning. Wolfie gave me a ring to say he was coming in on the next East Midland 158 from Norwich to Liverpool. We shortly all met up.

We headed for a Transpennine class 185 to Huddersfield, a station which is due to be modernised, although I’m not sure to what extent, I only hope the overall roof stays on and it doesn’t finish up like Blackburn.

Our next move was another Transpenning class 185 to Leeds, we were hoping to catch up with one of the class 91`s that has been taken out of retirement to replace the problem hit Azuma`s, apparently two class 91 rakes were out and we just missed one by “20 minutes. The highlight of the day however was GBRf class 66711 “Sence” in Aggregate Industries livery on freight, a rare sight through Leeds these days.

From Leeds we took an Azuma down to Doncaster, and for once the Thunderbird, class 67007 in EWS livery was parked in a decent place for a photograph, instead of being backed under the footbridge as it usually is. Doncaster was very slow, a Colas class 56 was parked by the bridge to the south of the station and two class 91`s without front light panels sat in front of the works. The only freight we saw was an EWS liveried class 66 going northbound as we jumped on the next train,

We next traveled to Sheffield and this too was quiet. Wolfie and his son were heading back to Leicester via Nottingham, while I caught the next Transpenning class 185 back into Manchester via the Hope Valley line and then home. It was a good trip out, slightly better weather this Saturday and nice to eventually catch up with Wolfie and his son, cheers guys, until next time.

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Interesting to hear what you got up to there, I did South Pennines over the previous Saturday.

 

[Kite159]

Is the South Pennine ticket valid at Doncaster these days?

 

[Andy Pacer]

Is the South Pennine ticket valid at Doncaster these days?

No, presumably they must have bought an additional ticket.

 

[shredder1]

Is the South Pennine ticket valid at Doncaster these days?

No Kite, I buy add-on with many of my rovers, in this case I bought a single from Wakefield to Meadow Hall via Doncaster for £7 plus

 

[shredder1]

Lancashire Day Rover. Saturday 22nd May 2021.

Another Lancashire runabout, this time I was essentially chasing the new 319 converted bimodal class 769, they had been operating between Southport and Stalybridge and Southport and Alderley Edge, although the latter was the only service operating on this Saturday.
My day started on the first Metrolink tram from Crumpsall into Manchester Victoria catching a Wigan Sprinter to Salford Crescent and changing for a class 319 to Manchester Airport before returning to Salford Crescent on the same class 319. Four Transpennine Cats were noted on Longsight depot while passing.

Returning to Salford Crescent I caught my first class 769 431 down to Stockport, returning to Manchester Piccadilly I boarded a Pendolino back into Manchester Piccadilly and waited for the Class 769 431 to return from Alderley Edge. I then boarded it to Southport.
The change over onto diesel mode went smoothly from Bolton, the engine being relatively quiet and on arrival into Southport sister unit 769 450 ready to take a return service back to Alderley Edge.

From Salford I decided to have a run down to Bank Hall and Kirk dale on a Merseyrail class 508 114. I walked around to Kirkdale station and saw the 5 new class 777`s on shed, one set was in front of the depot, apparently, they have been trailing these at night.

My next move was a 508 137 into Liverpool Moorfields and then the Wirral line around to Lime Street. I waited for the next service train to Wigan North-western presuming it would be a Class 319, but a class 331 028 turned up. On passing Wigan Springs Branch depot I noted some new fueling points on the lines leading towards the road bridge, an area used for withdrawn Black 5`s in the 1960`s. I presume these are for the class 769`s.

On arrival into Wigan North-western, I walked over to Wigan Wallgate to wait for the next class 769 to arrive, and I wasn’t really bothered what direction it was going in, I’d be on it. As it happened class 769 448 arrived from Southport, and I boarded it to Alderley Edge.

At Alderley Edge the unit retired to one of the sidings south of the station, before taking up its next duty to return to Southport. I caught class 769 448 back as far as Manchester Piccadilly, before returning to the Metrolink and back to pick the car up at Crumpsall, an enjoyable day though, I still have a soft spot for the old Bedpans and remember seeing them brand new all lined up on Cricklewood Depot, nice to see they are still around and being given new leases of life, for now at least.

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[Jamesrob637]

Lancashire Day Rover. Saturday 22nd May 2021.

Another Lancashire runabout, this time I was essentially chasing the new 319 converted bimodal class 769, they had been operating between Southport and Stalybridge and Southport and Alderley Edge, although the latter was the only service operating on this Saturday.
My day started on the first Metrolink tram from Crumpsall into Manchester Victoria catching a Wigan Sprinter to Salford Crescent and changing for a class 319 to Manchester Airport before returning to Salford Crescent on the same class 319. Four Trans Pennine Cats were noted on Longsight deport while passing.

Returning to Salford Crescent I caught my first class 769 431 down to Stockport, returning to Manchester Piccadilly I boarded a Pendolino back into Manchester Piccadilly and waited for the Class 769 431 to return from Alderley Edge. I then boarded it to Southport.
The change over onto diesel mode went smoothly from Bolton, the engine being relatively quiet and on arrival into Southport sister unit 769 450 ready to take a return service back to Alderley Edge.

From Salford I decided to have a run down to Bank Hall and Kirk dale on a Mersey rail class 508 114. I walked around to Kirkdale station and saw the 5 new class 777`s on shed, one set was in front of the depot, apparently, they have been trailing these at night.

My next move was a 508 137 into Liverpool Moorfields and then the Wirral line around to Lime Street. I waited for the next service train to Wigan North-western presuming it would be a Class 319, but a class 331 028 turned up. On passing Wigan Springs Branch depot I noted some new fueling points on the lines leading towards the road bridge, an area used for withdrawn Black 5`s in the 1960`s. I presume these are for the class 769`s.

On arrival into Wigan North-western, I walked over to Wigan Wallgate to wait for the next class 769 to arrive, and I wasn’t really bothered what direction it was going in, I’d be on it. As it happened class 769 448 arrived from Southport, and I boarded it to Alderley Edge.

At Alderley Edge the unit retired to one of the sidings south of the station, before taking up its next duty to return to Southport. I caught class 769 448 back as far as Manchester Piccadilly, before returning to the Metrolink and back to pick the car up at Crumpsall, an enjoyable day though, I still have a soft spot for the old Bedpans and remember seeing them brand new all lined up on Cricklewood Depot, nice to see they are still around and being given new leases of life, for now at least.

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Didn't know Merseyrail served Salford! I'm finding these rangers still relatively cheap but you do have to put in a considerable mileage. Saturdays are good as there is no early morning restriction unlike weekdays. Don't think that there are any evening restrictions on most rangers though.

 

[shredder1]

Didn't know Merseyrail served Salford! I'm finding these rangers still relatively cheap but you do have to put in a considerable mileage. Saturdays are good as there is no early morning restriction unlike weekdays. Don't think that there are any evening restrictions on most rangers though.

Salford oh no, but yes the rovers are a good option for us cranks and cover most parts of the UK, but yes the weekday restrictions are very limiting.

 

[shredder1]

Manchester Victoria. Greater Manchester.

Manchester Victoria. Greater Manchester. Monday 24th May 2021.

Monday is my day off and when I’m not travelling, I’m usually doing other things I haven’t had time to do in the week, in recent months, I’ve been working on a few projects on the house, including an attic conversion for my model railway extension. My trip on Saturday chasing bimodal class 769 failed to get me up to Stalybridge as none were rostered, so I tried my luck on a Monday, but only one was rostered today, class 769 442, but at least I got a ride up to Stalybridge on it.

The morning started off quite bright and I was up at 06.00 and down in the gym, a good session on the weights and a 10 k walk on the treadmill, a few shops to visit and then the drive down to the Metrolink station to Manchester Victoria. No signs of any class 769`s so I caught a class 158 to Wigan Northwestern where I caught up with class 319 366 on a Liverpool service.

I walked over the road to Wigan Wallgate and was in time to catch up with an Alderley Edge-Southport working with class 769 456. I checked the board for the next Stalybridge service and eagerly awaited another class 769 to appear, but Instead I was treated to two Sprinters, so caught these as far as Bolton, on speaking with the guard though he told me one 789 set was rostered on the Stalybridge working and that it was an hour behind us.

I took a walk into Bolton Town Centre, well someone has to, and took lunch in the nearest Subway. Fairly healthy eating Subway, in fact the very first one I visited was in Montreal in the early 1990`s, I was in Canada and the USA at the time, having a run around and chasing SD`s, as you do, but I think I got addicted to Jalapeños, it was many years later that the first Subway appeared on this side of the Pond, and in Manchester of all places, and now of course they are all over Europe.

Sorry, back to my day. I returned to Bolton railway station and suddenly class 769 431 appeared from around the curve, so I boarded her all the way into Stalybridge, where she took a twenty-minute break before her return journey to Southport. I managed to leap out for a quick snap at Manchester Victoria and then continued on her until Salford Central and just missed a Freightliner class 66 northbound as I ducked under the subway to the Manchester platform. I was in time for a Dogbox class 153, attached to a class 158 Wigan bound though.

Returning back into Manchester Victoria luck was on my side again and I perfectly timed a Drax Westbound Colas class 60 056, so a nice way to end the afternoons outing.

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