Tracked
Established Member
Well, with the Game of Pricks currently taking place at the Racecourse this weekend I thought I'd get the 2nd possible train out of town and go for a wander - getting a few new lines in the process.
5:40am and it's the 185 to Manchester, I think we went down the old line between Mexborough and the Steelworks but I kept nodding off during the journey. It was moderately busy but reached Manchester in time, unlike the train to Rose Hill Marple, which went from being 9 minutes late in on the board and then to on time ... til it turned up about 9 minutes late.
Formed of a 150 with faulty lights and a 142 with faulty suspension ... as per usual ... I went straight for the faulty lighted car, before getting turfed out to suffer in the 142, still, if I'd fallen asleep the curves before Rose Hill would've woken me. Then I ended up in the 150 on the way back to Guide Bridge, the difference in noise was obvious.
A 323 to Hadfield and a brief walk onto the old Woodhead route, before another 323 back, and it deposited me on the platform next to a pair of 170's that took me to Stalybridge.
Oooh, another 142 into Victoria, but a 70 turned up dragging a 66 on some petrol tankers ... looked & sounded well impressive, until I turned round to look at the consist. 3 petrol tankers ... 3!!!
A quick dash for the 158 to Brighouse, and then another 158 to Huddersfield, where a visit to the toilet meant that I was in the right place to see a loco movement through platform 8 in the Leeds direction - a 66 dragging an 86, another 66, and a 70.
Decided to catch a 144 into Sheffield down the Penistone line, quick visit to the Rutland Arms for a chip butty and back onto the 185 again to Manchester. Then I experienced the horrors of platform 13 ... the 158 to Norwich was only 2 cars, though according to the announcer the rear two carriages would separate and terminate in Nottingham. I've seen platform 13 worse, around rush hour during the week, but the chaos caused by the number of people moving round with suitcases & trying (and failing) to get on a packed train or waiting for the next trains is always shocking.
As a result it delayed my train, which was another 185 that was also packed. I decided to change at Stalybridge and pay a quick visit to the pub on the station (here's a quick edit: Did I mention the stink around Stalybridge station earlier? No, well ... there was a big garbage stink around Stalybridge earlier, and it was still there this afternoon ... this was why I finished my pint quickly and got the next train) , then went to Huddersfield and saw another 70 in the loop at Marsden.
Caught a 142 back to Meadowhell via the Penistone line again, actually the 2+2 seating is fairly comfy on these, especially the headrests. Finally, caught the last 185 of the day back home for about 19:50, it was running slightly late, don't know whether it was to do with the earlier delays in Manchester
5:40am and it's the 185 to Manchester, I think we went down the old line between Mexborough and the Steelworks but I kept nodding off during the journey. It was moderately busy but reached Manchester in time, unlike the train to Rose Hill Marple, which went from being 9 minutes late in on the board and then to on time ... til it turned up about 9 minutes late.
Formed of a 150 with faulty lights and a 142 with faulty suspension ... as per usual ... I went straight for the faulty lighted car, before getting turfed out to suffer in the 142, still, if I'd fallen asleep the curves before Rose Hill would've woken me. Then I ended up in the 150 on the way back to Guide Bridge, the difference in noise was obvious.
A 323 to Hadfield and a brief walk onto the old Woodhead route, before another 323 back, and it deposited me on the platform next to a pair of 170's that took me to Stalybridge.
Oooh, another 142 into Victoria, but a 70 turned up dragging a 66 on some petrol tankers ... looked & sounded well impressive, until I turned round to look at the consist. 3 petrol tankers ... 3!!!
A quick dash for the 158 to Brighouse, and then another 158 to Huddersfield, where a visit to the toilet meant that I was in the right place to see a loco movement through platform 8 in the Leeds direction - a 66 dragging an 86, another 66, and a 70.
Decided to catch a 144 into Sheffield down the Penistone line, quick visit to the Rutland Arms for a chip butty and back onto the 185 again to Manchester. Then I experienced the horrors of platform 13 ... the 158 to Norwich was only 2 cars, though according to the announcer the rear two carriages would separate and terminate in Nottingham. I've seen platform 13 worse, around rush hour during the week, but the chaos caused by the number of people moving round with suitcases & trying (and failing) to get on a packed train or waiting for the next trains is always shocking.
As a result it delayed my train, which was another 185 that was also packed. I decided to change at Stalybridge and pay a quick visit to the pub on the station (here's a quick edit: Did I mention the stink around Stalybridge station earlier? No, well ... there was a big garbage stink around Stalybridge earlier, and it was still there this afternoon ... this was why I finished my pint quickly and got the next train) , then went to Huddersfield and saw another 70 in the loop at Marsden.
Caught a 142 back to Meadowhell via the Penistone line again, actually the 2+2 seating is fairly comfy on these, especially the headrests. Finally, caught the last 185 of the day back home for about 19:50, it was running slightly late, don't know whether it was to do with the earlier delays in Manchester
Last edited:
