Techniquest's Mersey Madness, 28-29th March 2014

[Techniquest]

Hi all,

Until later, this is mostly to update you all with the hashtag for the trip, encompassing both Friday and Saturday, which is #merseymadness14 Live updates due from around 0615 on Friday, but if you join in the fun and games later on in the day just search for the above hashtag and see all the updates in one go. Of course, make sure you come back here for the full story on everything!

Now it's time to finalise the preparations and set the alarm for 0600!

 

[Clip]

Just been checking your twitter tag and looks like you have had a bit of a productive day so far.

 

[Techniquest]

Just been checking your twitter tag and looks like you have had a bit of a productive day so far.

Very much so aye Here's day 1, day 2 will be finished off later. Ran out of battery on the way home yesterday and just not been allowed the time to finish it yet!

28/03/2014 – Mersey Madness, Day 1

Having spent a significant amount of time on the forum until about 0230, sleep wasn’t achieved until about 0300 so imagine my surprise, after 3 days without any alarms at all, when the clock started making noise at 0600! Quite surprisingly I got up without any effort, and it was time for all the usual morning prep before leaving the house at 0635. It’s a bit nippy outside this morning, and when I board the bus I’m the only passenger for the first 7 miles! Other than that, it was a fairly standard trip to Hereford and we’re at the station at 0743. After an ATM visit, I pick up my tickets from the TVM, which I’d forgotten to do until yesterday so it was a good thing I had plenty of time to do so this morning. Coffee time while I wait for my booked train, and I now have a full Pumpkin loyalty card, which I suspect I’ll be redeeming later or tomorrow! It’s YouTube time and my history list is full of variety. This morning is no different, with My Chemical Romance’s Welcome to the Black Parade being followed by Scott Brown’s Fly with You. Contrast in music much! Coradia number 16 it is for me on the 0721 Cardiff Central to Holyhead this morning (175104 that is. Coradia is the type of train for this class, and the /0s and /1s combined come to 27. Coradia number 18 would be 175106 for example) and I find a table seat in the front coach. Time to whip out the notebook and laptop then and get some banging tunes on again. So what’s on the jukebox this morning? Quite a variety of classic dance tunes, as I type this Storm’s Time to Burn is on. Other classic include, but not limited to, Delerium’s Silence (Airscape Mix), Black Legend’s You See The Trouble With Me, Modjo’s Lady and Sonique’s It Feels So Good.

During the long trek to Shrewsbury, I figure I may as well copy stuff over from the MP3 player to the laptop, as I can’t seem to get the phone and laptop to work with each other at the moment. It sure takes a while to transfer 1.53GB of photos and videos that’s for sure. 1,133 items apparently, didn’t realise just how much I had on there! Arrival at Shrewsbury at 0921 marks the end of one long trek, coming up is the long boring ride up to Gobowen. Readers of my Northern Ireland trip report from way back in January 2011 may recall it was this sector of the long Newport to Holyhead journey, on day 1 of that trip, that made me fall asleep. Hopefully that won’t happen this time! Still a grim overcast day weather wise, but in terms of my mood I’m currently well happy. It’s been absolutely ages since my last proper Liverpool bash, February 2011 in fact. Yes I’ve popped into the area very briefly since on a Cheshire Day Ranger on New Year’s Day 2013 (oh gosh, the memories from that trip...) but not done much at all up there since 2011. Over 3 years, crikey that is a fair while! As we approach Chester it’s off with the MP3 player for the time being (the rest of the day as it turned out!) and we arrive at 1021.

It’s straight onto winner 507021 on the 1031 Chester to Liverpool Central, and by Bromborough I’m bored of this route. “Thank Goodness I don’t have to go this way all the time!” I think (ha, read on to see what happened with that thought...), and at 1113 we finally arrive at Lime Street. After getting my All Areas Saveaway for £4.90 – an incredible value ticket I must add! – I start the day’s properly with winner 156426 on the 1127 to Manchester Oxford Road. I’m glad I chose this move now, as it resulted in a first for me. What was this first? Well, 142003 had failed with brake problems on the 1027 Lime Street to Manchester Oxford Road at West Allerton, causing delays for some time as a result, and we came along to rescue it. First time I’ve been on a train which was used for Thunderbird duties! Not only that, but we had to roll over the detonators which had been laid out, definitely not something I’ve ever done before! I’m alighting here for the winner station, and after some time deciding which move to make next I get winner 156428 to Halewood, another winner station. Unfortunately, the move back to Edge Hill fell to dud 142033. At least the third time I’ve had this one! After scratching in another station, 156489 was on the next one heading east. Surprise surprise, it was a winner so I was straight on. Still in ex-ATN condition inside, which normally means it’s a thrashy little beast (why I don’t know), and I was proved right! Off to Lea Green I go for, surprise surprise, a winner station. Be warned, if visiting here and hoping for a tight connection onto a train heading the other way, don’t bother. Unless the other one’s several minutes late, it’s just not doable. The cross to the other platform requires leaving the station to use the main road over the railway and back down, taking at least 3 minutes if going like the clappers! So I was in for a bit of a wait for the next train west, however as I’ve often found out to my advantage these things happen for a reason. I grab a can of Monster Khaos from the nearby shop, as there were no coffee outlets nearby, and wait for the train to Liverpool. Eventually I’m rewarded with winner 150206 which was fantastic news for me as it brings my required 150s down. Off to Roby for the score, and I see here and at Huyton a lot of extensive work on platforms is going on.

Up next, winner 142047, which is absolutely heaving with passengers, for the hop over to Whiston, as I still have plenty of time before going for a particular winner. Lots of bits and bobs for the electrification of this line has been noted today, coming on slowly but surely. Winner 156486 takes me back to Huyton, and this is currently another station where short connections are not recommended, as to get to the other platform it’s necessary to leave the station to go under the railway and back around the other side. When the subway’s back in use it won’t be so bad at least, not that it’ll affect me! Dud 142036+142040 are on the next Warrington train, much to my surprise. Nevertheless, it’s on board I get for the leap to Rainhill to get winner 156452 on the 1322 from Warrington to Lime Street. Knew it was coming as I’d observed it at Lea Green going east, most handy. Off to Broad Green and by gum, what a noisy animal this thing was! All stations Lime Street to Earlestown done now, I was going to start on those stations on the Wigan line, however I got fed up of waiting for the delayed train so decided to get going on Merseyrail stuff instead. Just as well, as I score 142054 going to Lime Street, whereas the Wigan train was dud!

Back on the electrics, 507032 is scored for both sight and buzz-age around the corner to Central, from where I pick up winner 508110 for the trip to Leasowe. I really want to see whether 150235 is on the Borderlands line or not today, plus I need Upton and Heswall so I’ll get one of them in too. 508120 is scored coming back on the leap to Bidston from Leasowe, and it’s an absolute age to wait for the 1635 to Wrexham General. It turned out it was much longer than expected, as it was heavily delayed coming in from Wrexham for an unknown reason, but eventually, after the platform was heaving with passengers for it and having froze waiting (if we’d been informed better we’d have all retreated to the waiting room!), dud 150250 turns up and carts us all off towards Wales 19 minutes late. The connection at Heswall was looking dubious, but eventually after crawling along all the way (both engines were working so I’m at a loss as to why it was so slow) we arrive at 1710. The 1716 back is late too, giving me only just enough time to pop to the One Stop shop for a big bottle of Dr Pepper and an Easter egg. Thanks to the BTP officers for the gen on the shop, otherwise I doubt I’d have bothered looking! So, did 150235 (my last ATW 150 to get, indeed my last ATW train at all, hence the flapping about it!) show up? Much to my dismay, no it didn’t, it was 150240. The journey back is only 10 minutes, compared to the 16 it took to go the other way, and it’s straight onto winner 508122 for a leap to Birkenhead North. Scored a 508 and meant I had less festering time as the delayed West Kirby train rolled in only a couple of minutes later. Lots of delays, minor though they may be, were encountered on Merseyrail. 2 or 3 minutes is only minor, but they can mean missed connections!

Winner 507011 is what took me over for the score at Moreton (Merseyside), and it’s 508120 taking me forward to Manor Road for another score. 507011 returns to drag me back over to Meols, for 508122 over to Hoylake. That clears the West Kirby line stations, and 508120 is had for the third time today back to Birkenhead North. Next up is clearing the New Brighton line stations, which in this case the only one I need is Wallasey Village (having got Grove Road on 2013’s New Year’s Day bash), and glad I came up here now as it got me winner 508140 to Moorfields. Time to get off the Wirral lines for a while, and onto the Northern line. Another case of good timing, as I score 508124 for sight and buzz-age down to St Michaels for yet another winner station score. 508141 is scored for the leap back to Brunswick, thankfully the verbally abusive kids didn’t get on in my coach. Can’t have been any older than 11 and they’re there in the shelter smoking away! I may have got wet by the rain, but it was worth it to get away from them and I also saw the epic sheet lightning too. 508124 is back from Hunts Cross already to cart me forward to Central, and instead of going back to the Wirral line I score 507002 on a trip to Kirkdale. So many 507s and 508s in the depot and sadly I can’t see if any of my last 5 EMUs are in there or not. Still raining heavily, I join dud 507004 next for the trip to Fazakerley (that took a while to spell right the first couple of times!) for another station score, it returning in no time to get me back to Central. I’m shattered now, so I really want to get to New Brighton for my stay at the Travelodge there. Winner 507003 is scored to Hamilton Square first, and 507006 is also a winner shortly after for the 16 minute journey to New Brighton.

After arriving at 2141, it’s roughly 7 minutes walking time to the Travelodge on Marine Point, and after checking in it’s time for a decaff coffee and all the usual evening procedures. Well, some of them anyway. I didn’t really feel up to the task of writing this up at the time as I found out the bad news one of my favourite colleagues at work had passed away in the morning. One heck of a shock to the system, wasn’t really in the mood to do much afterwards, especially when I was absolutely shattered. A bit of TV is watched to unwind and sleep comes around 0015. Alarm set for 0700 as I’m wanting to maximise the short time I’ve got up here before returning home! 20 winners and 20 winner stations today, I think I made the most of my Saveaway and the £4.90 investment in one!

 

[Kite159]

Next time London Midland are doing a £10 great escape, I might travel upto Liverpool to make use of the £4.90 Saveaway

Although picking a random Saturday (the 26th) seems it's £23.50 each way from GRT, getting me into Lime at 10:21 (leaving at the rather early 5:27), and leaving on the 19:48 Virgin service. *ponders for a future adventure as no hotel stay will be required and going via Virgin will be a lot faster than with London Midland*

Sounds like you had a busy day with a lot of winners, RIP to your work colleague

 

[Techniquest]

Next time London Midland are doing a £10 great escape, I might travel upto Liverpool to make use of the £4.90 Saveaway

Although picking a random Saturday (the 26th) seems it's £23.50 each way from GRT, getting me into Lime at 10:21 (leaving at the rather early 5:27), and leaving on the 19:48 Virgin service. *ponders for a future adventure as no hotel stay will be required and going via Virgin will be a lot faster than with London Midland*

Sounds like you had a busy day with a lot of winners, RIP to your work colleague

It's £15 in Standard, £25 in First these days I'm afraid. Don't know for sure if Network Railcard gets a discount or not.

Those are very good price Advances fair dos, I paid £20 each way from/to Hereford! Not got the option of going via Virgin and London I suppose!

Aye 20 winners for day 1 which was very good going for me Going to carry on typing up day 2 shortly, just wish I had some earphones so I didn't have to suffer the torture of Monarch of the Glen blaring out in the same room!

 

[TEW]

I may have got wet by the rain, but it was worth it to get away from them and I also saw the epic sheet lightning too.

Sounds like you had the same storm as I had in Birmingham. Absolutely torrential rain and a fair bit of thunder and lightning. I was waiting on Platform 4B at New Street too as an ex-Liverpool had just arrived in 4C and everybody was getting soaked.

 

[Techniquest]

Sounds like you had the same storm as I had in Birmingham. Absolutely torrential rain and a fair bit of thunder and lightning. I was waiting on Platform 4B at New Street too as an ex-Liverpool had just arrived in 4C and everybody was getting soaked.

Sounds like it, I heard there was an epic storm in Birmingham on Twitter. Apparently it was happening in quite a few places, I don't remember hearing about it on the weather forecast though! Just finished day 2 of the trip report, here it is:

29/03/2014 – Mersey Madness, Day 2

Wow I didn’t want to get up at 0700 this morning, however it had to be done. Having de-rancified last night and got almost everything prepared too, it was mostly a case of getting dressed and filling my travel mug with coffee for a busy day. Glad I had that coffee too, didn’t get a chance to have one for ages afterwards! Dud 508110 starts the day off at 0738, after getting my All Areas Saveaway, and I micro-grice the other platform to the one I’ve always used here. 507012 is still parked up on the siding I see, although it came out later so I don’t know what ECS move it did. Off at Hamilton Square with the intention to clear the Chester and Ellesmere Port lines stations. “How long can it possibly take?” I ask myself, and give myself the target of doing so by 12 noon. Surely I should be able to get the 13 stations I need in 4 hours? Read on and find out if I did...

508108 is scored on the 0805 to Ellesmere Port, and I’ve lined up a list of moves to make to maximise the time most efficiently. Off to Overpool it is first, and 508108 is soon back to take me over to Hooton. No choice but to bail here as a certain task was urgently required, and 507s and 508s have no way of achieving said task. Unfortunately it meant missing the next Ellesmere Port train, so now I’m behind the plan. I also really want a coffee, but still no chance of that as the M to Go shop doesn’t open until 0930! Still, there is a bright side as I score 508137 for sight on the next train to Central, which I naturally get to Eastham Rake. Main reason for this is that while there’s a footbridge, the ramps are quite long and a tight connection here is not recommended. As I had several minutes before returning south, it seemed appropriate to get it out of the way now. 507013 is also scored for sight (you may be able to tell I needed quite a few of both 507s and 508s for sight before this trip!) on the next leap, this time it’s off to Capenhurst.

Super dud 507012 is had next (012 I’ve had 3 times before this trip), and I must point out that the weather’s lovely this morning. Blue skles, plenty of sunshine and rather warm, epic weather for late March! Off to Bromborough this time, and winner 507005 takes me back to Bache (pronounced something like Bay-ch, not Baaa-tch as I had thought) where I consider taking a break for a bit and going to the adjacent Morrisons for breakfast. However I flag this idea and get 507005 again, this time going non-stop to Hooton (I thought it was Bache that had some trains skip it out, not Capenhurst, has it changed?) which while already dud I knew a train to Ellesmere Port would be due soon, so as I have time before it’s due I go and finally get my coffee. A large Americano with milk is sourced from the Costa Express machine (good call Merseyrail, Costa coffee rules supreme in my eyes!) for £2.40 and goes down well after almost 2 hours since my previous and only coffee of the day. Off I go on dud 508114 for the short leap to Little Sutton in order to clear the Ellesmere Port line stations (on Merseyrail at least), with a couple of passengers in my coach getting on the train expecting it to be a Chester service. I advise them to alight at Little Sutton and get the next one back. Could have told them to stay with it to Ellesmere Port, but didn’t think it wise to suggest that in case an RPI turned up. 508114’s back soon enough after I plan moves, and it’s off to score Bromborough Rake as the next northbound train’s not far behind me there. Super dud 507012 is back again for the leap to Port Sunlight, and as the next southbound train is 3 minutes late I get 508108 in all its dudness for the insect leap back to Spital.

3 stations left on the Wirral lines now finally, and there’s 3 trains all 7 minutes apart now, so easy to do! 507013 is back for the trip to Bebington, by now I had to practically run down the ramp and deal with something! Dud 508117 is just made for the next northbound leap to Green Lane, and here I grab a video clip of 507012 leaving on a Chester service. 507007 is next for the leap around the corner to the last stations on this side of the Mersey that I need, Birkenhead Central, managing to achieve my target of clearing the Wirral line stations by 12 noon by a mere 12 minutes! Now I’ve got a 15 minute wait so go in search of an ATM. No sign of one anywhere nearby, with the only thing I saw of any interest was a shopping centre! 507005 once again for the trip to Moorfields as I want to get onto the Northern line for some action there, in case there’s some winners around. Surely I should be able to get plenty of them? As I arrive at the northbound platform, I see a train waiting to head out so just make it on as the bleeping finishes. When I check the NREA, it’s winner 508128 which is excellent news. I’m on a train to Southport, which is heaving like all the other trains on the Southport line today. Seriously, 6 car trains were really needed today! Eventually I decide to bail at Seaforth & Litherland as it has an island platform and I have a hunch it’ll only be a couple of minutes for the next Hunts Cross train. Importantly, I believe this was my 1,500th station to visit in the UK and Ireland! Sure enough, it is only a short wait and dud 508103 turns up to take me to Bootle New Strand. I had a reason for getting off here, that being that I was running out of drinks now and I had seen an Asda almost right next to the station, so I get over there sharpish.

Absolutely heaaaaaaaving it was in there, however I manage to get my stuff without any difficulty and quite quickly. 507003 turns up next to take me south and I jump off at Bank Hall as it’s another station with an island platform, however the wait is lengthy here. Still, as trains in both directions passed each other here, it made it easier to find winners. The next two trains in both directions were dud, so I decided it was time to have my chicken and bacon sandwich during the wait. I gave up after nearly half an hour here and jump on 507014 and just about squeeze into the middle car for a short leap to Sandhills. Been here a few times already, however I’m going to try my luck with the other Northern line branches, Ormskirk and Kirkby. Winner 507015 is up next for the short trip to Rice Lane which now clears the Kirkby line stations, and as it’s only a few minutes until the next train back my visit to the McDonalds next door is passed on, as is the walk to score Walton. Just as well, as winner for sight and buzz-age 507026 is taking me back to Sandfields!

I was always under the impression that smoking on the platforms was illegal on Merseyrail, as it is everywhere else in the UK, however the amount of people here quite happily puffing away on pipes and packet smokes was unreal. Happened in a lot of places too! Maybe it’s not illegal up here, since there’s not a ton of announcements to say about not doing so on stations as the rest of the country have. Anyway, dud 507018 takes me to Orrell Park next for the winner station score. 507009 takes me back down to Walton, as I have just enough time to wait for the next train from Ormskirk (I thought it was every 30 minutes not every 15 minutes, not that I’m complaining) to also make it around to Lime Street for my booked trains home. Thankfully this was a good move, as winner for sight 507024 is scored for the trip to Moorfields! After the lengthy walk to the Wirral line, I get there and find it’s a very short wait for a West Kirby train. Well, until a few seconds before it was due then it was cancelled without warning or explanation. Fortunately for me it’s not long until a Chester train turns up and 507013 takes me around the corner to Lime Street.

It’s coffee time after observing 350102 is taking me home on the 1504 to Birmingham New Street, and Caffe Nero it is. A table seat is not easily findable, so I take an airline seat with extra legroom instead. 1504 soon comes around and we leave on time. I start on the moves book (still got a fair bit of it to do, as well as sorting out my Platform 5 EMU book and the observations yet!) and it feels like only 5 minutes on board this journey, although it was 38 minutes. I don’t recall a 350 bash ever feeling so quick! I still have time at Crewe after some observations, so redeem my Pumpkin loyalty card for another coffee, I think I’m addicted to the stuff! I also see if I’d booked the 1704 from Liverpool as originally I had been going to, I’d have scored 350266. Never mind, it’ll wait for another WMDR or Great Escape bash.

Coradia 37 (175116) is on the 1530 Manchester Piccadilly to Pembroke Dock this afternoon which is good and bad news for me. Good because this one is nearly cleared for the magical thou (1,000 miles that is for you non-basher speak people!), bad news as I’m only approximately 20 miles off clearing it by the time I get to Hereford! We finally leave Crewe 3 minutes late at 1611, and I noted several 60s parked up in the sidings just south of the station. Out with the laptop to get some of the trip report going on, however it runs out of battery before I finish it. The Baker is done and looks a lot better, and soon enough it’s back at Hereford at 1742. I head over to the bus stop to wait for the 1805 bus home, but my mum and sister are in town so I get a lift home instead. A stop at the chip shop gets tea done and which was most needed, and once home I can’t stop and have a drink until I do 45 minutes of housework! Not what I wanted as I was shattered, but the rest of the evening was finally spent chilling out and a bit of bookwork done. Sleep is here a little after midnight, much to my relief!

So in summary, 8 winners and 19 required stations today, a total of 28 winners and 39 required stations for the trip. A very productive time then, with still plenty more to do on a future trip. Been a brilliant time, and I’m gutted the end of the fun on my 10 days off from work is now over. As I finish typing this now, just 1 more day of rest before going back, really not looking forward to that at all!

 

[Kite159]

It's £15 in Standard, £25 in First these days I'm afraid. Don't know for sure if Network Railcard gets a discount or not.

Those are very good price Advances fair dos, I paid £20 each way from/to Hereford! Not got the option of going via Virgin and London I suppose!

Aye 20 winners for day 1 which was very good going for me Going to carry on typing up day 2 shortly, just wish I had some earphones so I didn't have to suffer the torture of Monarch of the Glen blaring out in the same room!

Sorry, I forgot, yes the Network Railcard discount is extended for the Great Escape fares, £9.90 I believe.

I think if I book further in advance I can get it down to £15 each way, may be a plan to do the Mersey, one Saturday in June time.

Sounds like you had a good time coming back on the Saturday

 

[fowler9]

Well you were around the corner from me at West Allerton station. I was catching the train from there to South Parkway then one up to Seaforth.

 

[Green Lane]

Interesting trip report, thanks for posting!

The Borderlands service can quite often build up a cumulative delay by mid-afternoon. Whilst punctuality is typically better in the early morning, after lunchtime it's fair to say that it is often running around 5 minutes late and 17 minutes late is not unknown for me either, so your report of 19 minutes late at that time of day certainly had a ring of familiarity! Also there's the timetable "differentials" on many of the stations on the line. Upton southbound is a good one where an "on time" train is actually scheduled in the working timetable to arrive about three minutes later than the passenger timetable states IIRC.

Re: The Chester line, it was indeed speculated on these forums before the increase to 4 trains per hour that the additional services would miss out Capenhurst and/or Bache. However, I have only known them to skip Capenhurst since the extra services were introduced, never Bache, but I'm sure someone correct me if I am wrong! And yes that stretch, Hooton, Eastham Rake, Bromborough, Bromborough Rake, Spital, Port Sunlight, Bebington etc.. can get quite mundane to say the least, particularly when travelled many times. So many similar stations all close together!

As for cashpoints in the vicinity of Birkenhead Central (not that you have any present plans to alight here again ), there is the Lloyds TSB bank across the main A552 Borough Road (under the flyover). Other major banks' cashpoints are a further five minute walk away and not honestly all that convenient from the station.

New Brighton, I have had the same observation over the last few weeks, i.e. the train has not been departing from the "usual" platform as there has been a unit stabled on that platform.

Glad you enjoyed the nice weather on Saturday. I did too as I was on a trip to Preston, also taking a casual look at Roby & Huyton progress whilst on the way there. I took the stopper from Lime Street to Wigan North Western then a Pendo to Preston. The Glasgow Central service I was on was suddenly terminated at Preston. Not that it affected me, but the entire train was emptied there, which was a lot of people plus suitcases! Apparently this was due to a failed southbound unit.

I returned in the late afternoon on a rather uneventful trip via Ormskirk (although I always enjoy the exchange of the tokens on the Ormskirk Branch) and then to Birkenhead Central, have to say the weather in the afternoon got quite a bit hazier and then it started to dull over a bit, but it seems you were out of the area by then.

Glad you enjoyed your trip anyway. Cheers!

 

[Kite159]

Silly question but is there a map for the Saveaway (at what stations are covered, similar to this (http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/static/documents/promotions/Oxfordshire_Day_Ranger.pdf)

So Techiquest, what is your next planned trip?

 

[Green Lane]

Silly question but is there a map for the Saveaway (at what stations are covered, similar to this (http://www.nationalrail.co.ukhttp:/...ns/Saveaway Merseytravel.pdf"]the NRE website shows towns and districts, but does not appear to show the actual stations.

This geographically accurate map on the Merseytravel site does show all stations which are in the Saveaway area of validity, although I had to zoom to about 150% to read the station names clearly. (probably my eyesight )

EDIT: This "schematic" map is my preferred one though.

 

[Kite159]

Thanks

 

[Techniquest]

Well you were around the corner from me at West Allerton station. I was catching the train from there to South Parkway then one up to Seaforth.

Were you getting the 1206 from West Allerton? If so that's the one I was on. Seaforth's dud for me now, although I'm curious as to what's worth going there for!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Interesting trip report, thanks for posting!

The Borderlands service can quite often build up a cumulative delay by mid-afternoon. Whilst punctuality is typically better in the early morning, after lunchtime it's fair to say that it is often running around 5 minutes late and 17 minutes late is not unknown for me either, so your report of 19 minutes late at that time of day certainly had a ring of familiarity! Also there's the timetable "differentials" on many of the stations on the line. Upton southbound is a good one where an "on time" train is actually scheduled in the working timetable to arrive about three minutes later than the passenger timetable states IIRC.

Glad you enjoyed the read, always makes it worthwhile posting these when you read positive comments and/or discussion as you have, so thanks

Aye I've heard it can be outrageously unreliable, it's about time that line got sorted out. Some years back when I was using the Marches much more regularly, the 2000 from Hereford to Cardiff Central as it was then was almost guaranteed to be delayed. Roll in from the Birmingham direction, check the TV screen and "What a surprise!" was the usual reaction upon seeing it being late. Thankfully delays are less common on the Marches these days, unless something has gone massively to the dogs! A sort-out of the timetable really did make things better there, so perhaps it's time those in charge got onto the case to deal with the Borderlands line.

Re: The Chester line, it was indeed speculated on these forums before the increase to 4 trains per hour that the additional services would miss out Capenhurst and/or Bache. However, I have only known them to skip Capenhurst since the extra services were introduced, never Bache, but I'm sure someone correct me if I am wrong! And yes that stretch, Hooton, Eastham Rake, Bromborough, Bromborough Rake, Spital, Port Sunlight, Bebington etc.. can get quite mundane to say the least, particularly when travelled many times. So many similar stations all close together!

Aye I seriously doubt you could make it 4 trains an hour from Chester without skipping Capenhurst, it's much quicker doing Chester to Hooton without stopping there.

Mundane was the word for that line, hopefully I'll be using it less in the future now! Close together is right, Bromborough-Bromborough Rake is so short a distance both stations can be viewed from each other! Same for Spital to Port Sunlight, Little Sutton to Overpool and Overpool to Ellesmere Port (only just on the last two examples though).

I swear once it was skipping Bache, but I could easily have been mistaken with that. Either way it makes no difference to me!

As for cashpoints in the vicinity of Birkenhead Central (not that you have any present plans to alight here again ), there is the Lloyds TSB bank across the main A552 Borough Road (under the flyover). Other major banks' cashpoints are a further five minute walk away and not honestly all that convenient from the station.

Thanks for the gen there, I'll probably end up back there next time I'm on Merseyrail for scooping the remaining 507s and 508s, same with a few stations but I suspect Moorfields to Sandhills or Central will be a regular move. Much like Leeds to Shipley will be when I'm next up there for my 333s, and let's even go there with how many times I did Cardiff to Newport and back in my South Wales days to score things off...

New Brighton, I have had the same observation over the last few weeks, i.e. the train has not been departing from the "usual" platform as there has been a unit stabled on that platform.

Worth adding at this time that the 'usual' platform in my experience is the northside one, can't remember the numbers now.

Glad you enjoyed the nice weather on Saturday. I did too as I was on a trip to Preston, also taking a casual look at Roby & Huyton progress whilst on the way there. I took the stopper from Lime Street to Wigan North Western then a Pendo to Preston. The Glasgow Central service I was on was suddenly terminated at Preston. Not that it affected me, but the entire train was emptied there, which was a lot of people plus suitcases! Apparently this was due to a failed southbound unit.

Aye it's all coming on well there isn't it. Still not 100% sure if they're going over to 4 platforms, or if they'll stick to 2 and the other ones are temporary when finished to allow a complete rebuild of the others, or what's going on.

Yeah I think I heard later that day that something had gone tits up up there, the joys of reading Twitter when bored!

I returned in the late afternoon on a rather uneventful trip via Ormskirk (although I always enjoy the exchange of the tokens on the Ormskirk Branch) and then to Birkenhead Central, have to say the weather in the afternoon got quite a bit hazier and then it started to dull over a bit, but it seems you were out of the area by then.

Glad you enjoyed your trip anyway. Cheers!

Still 153s on the Preston to Ormskirk services isn't it? Yeah by the time I got to Shrewsbury it had changed weather-wise significantly. Glad I was up there when it was sunny and warm then!

Hope you'll be sampling some of the other trip reports in the future, and I suspect I'll be back on Merseyside in the autumn. Got so many other places to go and conquer this year I'm struggling to find time to do everything!
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Silly question but is there a map for the Saveaway (at what stations are covered, similar to this (http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/static/documents/promotions/Oxfordshire_Day_Ranger.pdf)

So Techiquest, what is your next planned trip?

If you go for the schematic map Green Lane linked to you can't go wrong, it's the one I always use for Merseyrail and the Saveaway area.

Next trip, well that's tomorrow and it involves no travel on an EMU at all for a change hock: Keep an eye on the Trip Planning and Reports section for the details...

 

[fowler9]

I wasn't on that one mate, was on one a bit later. On the plus side you can sleep safe knowing that every time you get a train through West Allerton it passes the bottom of my garden. As for Seaforth and Litherland, I don't much see the point of the place but the lad I was best man for lives backing on to the railway there. If he could pick up his house and drop it in the Mossley Hill area it would be worth £200,000 more. He has a lovely house, not a great area.

 

[Techniquest]

Fair play, gotta admit West Allerton looks the nicer area out of the two, based solely on observations made from the station entrances/platforms.

 

[fowler9]

Fair play, gotta admit West Allerton looks the nicer area out of the two, based solely on observations made from the station entrances/platforms.

Ha ha, its hard to tell from stations alone sometimes but West Allerton is in the Mossley Hill area which is generally judged to be quite posh. I'm not posh like and couldn't afford to live here were it not for my dad. It is a dead nice area though. No offence to Seaforth but it is rough as arses round there. Not somewhere you want to hang around too long. The lad I was best man for lives backing on to the railway there. He wants to escape, sadly he can't sell his house and will struggle ever to do so.

 

[Techniquest]

Harsh times for your mate Best of luck to him getting it sold and moving on!

Don't know why, but Mossley Hill sounded rough so was dubious about getting on a train calling there!

 

[Tim R-T-C]

Thanks for the report, I should head over to the 3rd rail network for some photography some day. Is there anywhere above ground that gets a good amount of through MR traffic?

 

[Green Lane]

Thanks for the report, I should head over to the 3rd rail network for some photography some day. Is there anywhere above ground that gets a good amount of through MR traffic?

In terms of stations at least:-
Sandhills is the only above ground station which gets all Northern Line services.

The only stations which get all Wirral Line services are all underground. As for overground stations, you could visit one on the "northern branch" of the Wirral Line (for all New Brighton/West Kirby Services), and one on the "southern branch" (for all Chester/Ellesmere Port services).
e.g. Birkenhead Central (southern branch) and Birkenhead Park (northern branch) are the least far away from the core of the network, although there are other options.

I'm sure there are plenty of locations other than stations to photograph from (if that's what you meant), although it's not something I've done much of myself.

EDIT:- also to answer some of Techniquest's replies:-

I've only been to Hereford once on a bit of a hike and I stopped of at Ludlow on the way back. This was a couple of years back. Went via Crewe, came back via Chester. On that particular occasion everything ran like clockwork I am happy to say.

Aye the Northern platform at New Brighton (I believe it is Platform 1) is what I would describe as the usual platform. Apart from my last couple of visits there as mentioned, because of a unit stabled at platform 1, trains had recently been departing from the southern platform 2. Although I haven't been back in the last couple of weeks, so not sure if the "normal" arrangements are now back in operation again.

Yes it's good to see the work at Roby and Huyton coming along well, and also the electrification project in general.

Yes, it's still 153s on Preston to Ormskirk, here is the unit which brought me back on that occasion, photographed at Preston platform 3C:-

EDIT:- having said that, I've just discovered another of my photographs from 26th October 2013 when 150142 was on the Preston-Ormskirk run.

Hope you are enjoying the Derbyshire trip!

 

[fowler9]

Harsh times for your mate Best of luck to him getting it sold and moving on!

Don't know why, but Mossley Hill sounded rough so was dubious about getting on a train calling there!

Cheers mate, I'm sure he'll be fine eventually. He is a good man. I'm always intrigued by what people from outside of the area make of where I live. Mossley Hill is certainly referred to as posh by a lot of people in Liverpool. Don't get me wrong, a good deal of it is just post war Semis and it isn't quite where the Footballers etc. live, there are some very big old houses in the area at the same time. It is a lovely area though. A short walk to some of the cities nicest parks, its safe (Not to say that the rest of the city isn't safe, but there hasn't been a burglary in my road in the 30 odd years I've lived there) and it has really good transport links.

 

[142094]

Last time I was on Preston - Ormskirk it was 142s - must have been lucky on that day. Then again, if there is a route which should have 153s on it then that is it. Must have been only around 8 people on the train.

Good to see that you're back on the scene Techniquest, enjoyed reading some of the other reports. However after you mentioned listening to Delerium - Silence, I've had that in my head for a good two weeks now!

 

[Techniquest]

Good to see that you're back on the scene Techniquest, enjoyed reading some of the other reports. However after you mentioned listening to Delerium - Silence, I've had that in my head for a good two weeks now!

I've got it on my MP3 player

Glad you've enjoyed the reads, I've been back on the scene for almost 2 months now and still playing catch up after all the lost opportunities from my experiment!

 

[fowler9]

I've got it on my MP3 player

Glad you've enjoyed the reads, I've been back on the scene for almost 2 months now and still playing catch up after all the lost opportunities from my experiment!

As long as it makes you happy. There is that that song "There's only one way of life, and that's your own".

 

[Techniquest]

As long as it makes you happy. There is that that song "There's only one way of life, and that's your own".

Oh I've got tons of songs that make me happy. Or at least make me smile, should that mean they're different!

Now I've re-read the quoted post, I see I've not got your point properly but yes, what I do makes me happy and I'm not changing it for the world. Definitely not spending 3.5 months being 'normal' again, at least since I've gone back to the railway no-one hassles me to do a night out anymore which is handy! Love not having all the social obligations of a 'norm'

 

[fowler9]

Oh I've got tons of songs that make me happy. Or at least make me smile, should that mean they're different!

Now I've re-read the quoted post, I see I've not got your point properly but yes, what I do makes me happy and I'm not changing it for the world. Definitely not spending 3.5 months being 'normal' again, at least since I've gone back to the railway no-one hassles me to do a night out anymore which is handy! Love not having all the social obligations of a 'norm'

Ha ha, good stuff mate. When I was younger and suffering with depression I used to tell my mum I just wanted to be normal. My mum always said right back at me "What is normal?". Ha ha. Good question and she was spot on. No one is normal. As long as you are happy and not harming anyone you are doing alright.