Greater Manchester Challenge Saturday 6th January

[Statto]

Started early caught the 06.15am 208 bus to Hamilton Square, as the bus arrived 5 minutes early enabled me to get the 06.36 to Liverpool Lime Street, which in turn got me on the 06.49 to MAN.

Arrived in MAN 07.43 so made my way to Piccadilly Gardens & the TfGM Travelshop there where i brought a Wayfarer ticket, then caught the 08.12 X50 to Trafford Centre then 18 to Altrincham before the Metrolink to Bowker Vale then back to MCV where i met everyone taking part in the challenge

I teamed up with Ash39 & Mike395, 11am came & we headed for the 11.02 stopper to NLW;
then caught the 11.30 express to MAN where we caught the 11.56 to MCO then.

Caught 12.15 stopper to BWD bonus as this stopped at GLZ which has a 2 hourly service, then at BWD caught the delayed 12.38 to MCV then to MAN.

Just missed the 13.14 to RSH, we were on the overbridge as that train was pulling out, so ended up catching the 13.17 to CTR to HAL, then back to MAN on the 13.54.

At MAN caught the 14.34 RSH to RML via HYC[ a lot easier going from P12 to P1 rather than P13 to P1 as we made the 4 minute connection] before getting the 15.13 back to MAN via BDY.

Then 15.41 to SYB ideal as this was on the next platform with P2 & P3 being an island platform, then 1608 to MCV, where we finished then caught Metrolink to St Peters Square round the back from the finishing point at Albert Square.

We did 28 stations in total, although think the winner got around 37, i ended up leaving before everyone met up & results officially announced, as i went back to MCV for the 17.35 to LIV, ended up being a 6 car set which was a bonus.

In all had a great day, nice early bus & Metrolink bash before i met met with everyone at MCV, i suggested next time there's a GM challenge we should do the GM Wayfarer challenge.

 

[Kite159]

A productive day, although I would probably disagree with you with Piccadilly, platform 13 to platform 1 is probably easier than platform 12 to 1. Only because you don't normally have to pass through two sets of revenue staff which can slow you down if it is busy

 

[Crossover]

Mine was a bit more brief than that really

Spent most of the day sat in an office trying to progress on an assignment that was imminently due (work related course) before heading for Manchester at around 15:00 from West Yorkshire. Arrived at Piccadilly courtesy of 185116 and headed for the tram towards Shudehill. From there, I needed to go get something from the Arndale, which I promptly got lost in, doing a full circuit of the upstairs to find the shop I was looking for was just near the escalators I had originally gone up!
Eventually got what I wanted and found my way back out again at what happened to be Exchange Square, to try and find the meeting point, which I managed to do, arriving on the third strike of 5 and thus, late! Total score, 0

 

[greatkingrat]

My route was

1117 Deansgate - Birchwood 1138 (DGT, TRA, HUP, URM, FLI, IRL - 6)
1150 Birchwood - Manchester Piccadilly 1209 (MCO, MAN - 8)
1222 Manchester Piccadilly - Hazel Grove 1246 (LVM, HTC, SPT, DVN, WSR, HAZ - 14)
1303 Hazel Grove - Manchester Piccadilly 1326
1334 Manchester Piccadilly - Guide Bridge 1345 (GTO, FRF, GUI - 17)
1355 Guide Bridge - Hadfield 1426 (FLF, NWN, GDL, HTY, BDB, DTG, GLO, HDF - 25)
1429 Hadfield - Guide Bridge 1457
1514 Guide Bridge - Marple 1530 (HYT, HYC, WLY, RML, MPL - 30)
1538 Marple - Manchester Piccadilly 1602 (BDY, BNT, RDN, RRB, BLV, ABY - 36)
1614 Manchester Piccadilly - Manchester Airport 1636 (MAU, BNA, EDY, GTY, HDG, MIA - 42)
1640 Manchester Airport - Manchester Piccadilly 1655

Stations visited 42, less 2 point penalty for being late back, total 40 points.

Original plan was to double back at Heald Green, which would have got me back to the finish in time, but the train out to the airport was running slightly late and I decided it would be safer to continue to the airport with more options for getting back. Had I tried for the Heald Green double back and missed it, I would have ended up 25 minutes late back.