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Northwest Rover's 2021 perambulations

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NorthWestRover

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When I came back to the hobby in 2018, I started a thread to query how much things would have changed and to feed back on my experiences. Time has moved on and I thought I'd start a new thread to record my toings and froings in 2021. My railway trips are a mix of days out, visits to family and some more "bashing" type days when I try tick off units for "carriage" as I prefer to call it. Italics if it was required, italics and bold for locos. Some of this may be of mild interest to someone or other at some point, but hey ho it's good for me to write it down too.

Well, the first three months of the year, we were in pretty much a lockdown and, perhaps appropriately, my first train trip was to St Helens for my first vaccination.

Friday 26th March 2021

319381 09.48 Wigan NW to St Helens Central (I've had all of Northern's 319s).

Walk to The Totally Wicked Stadium for a very well-run process and all done and dusted in less than half an hour. No side effects either (AZ)

331018 11.53 St Helens Central to Wigan NW

Saturday 17th April 2021

The first easing of lockdown had been on 12th April 2021, so I decided to venture out and take advantage of having recently turned 55, so I could use the Northern Explorer 55 ticket which allows a day's unlimited off peak travel anywhere on the Western part of Northern's network (their trains only) for the ridiculously good price of £15.90.

I decided to go to Ulverston which is easy to get to and would offer some healthy exercise as I intended to do a bit of gentle walking.

195131 08.18 Wigan NW to Ulverston

I'm slowly working my way through the 195s (which to me as a passenger rather than a basher are great trains for this sort of journey) and having Northern allocations on Real Time Trains does allow some planning, where convenient.

So, I got to Ulverston and wandered through the town, picking up a bottle of water, before taking on the walk up to the Hoad Monument which is quite a steep climb at some points, but offering great 360 degree views of the Southern Lake District and Morecambe Bay once you get up there. Lots of sheep up there and on this quite pleasant spring day a fair few fellow day trippers. I sat and had a snack before taking the more gentle descent and making my way to the Ulverston Canal which is only a mile long! I strolled along here which was very pleasant and was delighted to find an open pub - The Bay Horse - at the mouth of the canal where I sat in the beer garden with a pint of Jennings Cumberland Ale eating my packed lunch. Wonderful.

A meandering walk back through the industrial estates of Ulverston brought me to the station and my train home.

195108 14.10 Ulverston to Wigan NW

Saturday 24th April 2021

Visit to the folks for first time since Christmas...

221117 09.29 Wigan NW to Warrington BQ (paired with another 221 but by my rules, I only count the one I travel in)

Bit of pottering around Warrington Town centre..

195105 11.58 Warrington C to Padgate
195105 15.02 Padgate to Manchester Oxford Road
195130 15.51 Manchester Oxford Road to Wigan NW

That's your lot for now. More mindless ramblings when I get round to it, lol.
 
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xotGD

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paired with another 221 but by my rules, I only count the one I travel in)
I've always felt that this is the 'right' way to count units. Not that I bother with them myself mind, so my views can be ignored!
 

NorthWestRover

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Saturday 1st May 2021

My second use of the Northern Explorer 55 and a roundabout route to get from Wigan to Chester. I Iived in Chester for several years but it is always a good place for a visit. I walked round some of the Wall, went on a river cruise, had a wander around Grosvenor Park. Pubs and cafes were still outside eating at this point, so I'd taken a packed lunch and got an artisan coffee on my daughter's recommendation.

Of course, it was all units to get there, but the allocations on RTT enabled me to make them all winners

195111 Wigan NW to Manchester Picc
150125 Manchester Picc to Stockport
(with 156466)
150141 Stockport to Chester (via Knutsford) (with 150129)
195023 Chester to Man Vic (via Warrington) (with 195008)
153378 Man Vic to Salford Crescent (with 158903)
158782 Salford Crescent to Wigan Wallgate (via Atherton)
 

NorthWestRover

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Thursday 20th May 2021

Scrabble night with family. Wigan to Padgate ticket is valid via Bank Quay or Manchester, so a quick look at Real Time Trains can help determine the route to take if there is a required unit out.

390130 Wigan NW to Warrington BQ
150119 Warrington C to Padgate
150102 Padgate to Manchester OR
769434 Manchester OR to Wigan W

This was my first trip on a 769. They had trouble getting it going at Bolton where it swaps from electric. When I've had them since, they have been OK, but they are often replaced by Sprinters on the allocated diagrams.

Tuesday 25th May 2021

First cinema trip for several months, so I got a GM Wayfarer and ventured to Macclesfield first for a bit of a mooch.

769450 Wigan W to Man Picc
323237 Man Picc to Macclesfield
(just a couple of Northern 323s to go, but we're getting some more soon).
Had a good vegan lunch at Ethos. Lovely Bao bun burger.
220030 Macclesfield to Stockport
156429 Stockport to Man Picc
158862 Man Picc to Man OR

Off to HOME (replaced The Cornerhouse two or three years ago and is a fine place to view good films, including some more offbeat things. Good bar too). Today's was more mainstream - Oscar winning, even - with Nomadland starring Frances McDormand being the choice. Great film with a hard-hitting message.
195105 Manchester OR to Wigan NW
 

NorthWestRover

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Monday 7th June 2021

Off to see my daughter (and meet her girlfriend for the first time) in her new flat in Bradford.

150137 Wigan Wallgate to Man Vic (via Bolton)
195003 Man Vic to Bradford Interchange (paired with 195023 which doesn't count in my rules)

Went bowling, had a great meal at The International, stayed at Holiday Inn Express (close to Interchange).

Tuesday 8th June 2021

After hotel breakfast, purchased a West Yorkshire Daysaver and out for some redlining as well as a little loco haulage...

158910 Bradford Interchange to Huddersfield
802207 Huddersfield to Leeds
91101 Leeds to Wakefield Westgate - first 91 I'd ever recorded for haulage.
91130 Wakefield Westgate to Leeds - second one...both involved compulsory reservations which were very easy and done online a few minutes before departure
158859 Leeds to Wakefield Kirkgate
Walk across Wakefield stopping to eat lunch on the Cathedral steps
150201 Wakefield Westgate to Leeds
333009 Leeds to Shipley
333014 Shipley to Leeds - one of the classes I'm looking to clear; this took me to halfway (8 out of 16)
195019 Leeds to Rochdale (paired with 195008)
150133 Rochdale to Wigan Wallgate (paired with 150107)

Good redlining day. All but the final Sprinter were required.
 

NorthWestRover

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Wednesday 9th June 2021

Back to the cinema to see Rare Beasts, Billie Piper's directorial debut. Interesting film. Probably had a pint and a bite to eat in HOME's bar, although I think probably still outdoors then?

Two more 195s ticked off...

195126 Wigan NW to Manchester OR
195127 Manchester OR to Wigan NW


Friday 11th June 2021

Second AZ jab. No side effects again.

319369 Wigan NW to St Helens J
331003 St Helens J to Wigan NW (with 331004)

Saturday 12th June 2021

First of all a trip to halfway between Wigan and Bradford to hand over parcel to daughter I'd had delivered to me...

150142 Wigan Wallgate to Man Vic (another 150/1 chalked off, took me into single figures)
195001 Man Vic to Todmorden

Todmorden - a place I've only discovered in the last couple of years. Nice alternative to Hebden Bridge and I plan to do the canal walk from one to the other this spring/summer.

150128 Todmorden to Wigan Wallgate (with 150120)

Then afternoon with sister who drove us to Warrington before family birthday meal out and then...

390148 WBQ to Wigan NW
 
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