Brief report below - I went for the Manchester Wayfarer ticket in the end:
I started with a cab ride to MKC as i felt the connection from the Marston Vale was to tight to risk ( in the end i would have made it: just!). As the taxi was early (
) i had a fair bit if time to kill at Milton Keynes.
This was filled wandering about till the coffee shop opened, watching several freights thunder (1 x FL 66/1x FL 70 & a DBS 66) through the station, the class 90 powered highland sleeper and surprisingly a WCRC powered "Cairngorm Mountain Statesman" from Euston to Aviemore. Clearly the MKC information screens couldn't do Aviemore as the board said Edinburgh. Close enough! 57313/314 provided the motive power to Scotland.
Soon enough 390135 rolled in and sped me north arriving at Manchester at 0910 where I purchased a Greater Manchester Rail Ranger. The first trundle was 0924 to Manchester Airport with 185147 doing the honours. A slow departure gave way to a fast run through the suburbs to Ringways.
Here I had 2 minutes to cross platforms and board 156461 working the 0940 to Liverpool which I managed by using the guard’s door as the others were closed. The unit took me back to Piccadilly but sounded rough as a bag of spanners when under power.
At Picc I hoped to make a 323 to Stockport (to see the Pathfinder tour) but just missed it opting instead for an XC Voyager (shudder) in the shape of 220232. Here i took some pictures of the 37's before boarding the 10:46 northern service to Bolton which i took as far as Salford Crescent. This service was formed of 150140.At Salford i changed very quickly onto 11:13 service consisting of 156549 & 150110 which took me to Victoria
Once i had taken some more pictures of the 37's and a 60 working a stone train and found my to some coffee i made my way to platform 5 where 150142 was waiting ready to trundle up the Ribble Valley on the 12:03 Northern Rail service to Clitheroe.
After looking round the castle (very nice & a great view form the top!) a poor match (thanks Darlo -do we want to get promoted or not?), a pre match pint and a post match "why the hell did we play like the wucking fankers" pint i boarded 156424 working the 17:44 service to Victoria which i used to Blackburn. Here I changed onto the 18:31 service which would ultimately reach Balckpool South but which only carried me to Preston courtesy of 158754.
At Preston 390137, forming the 19:01 to Euston, transported me back to MKC, where 350250/264 and a friend were waiting to work the 20:50 London Midland service to Euston. Leaving 9 minutes late meant a missed connection at Bletchely and a walk home.
I think you'd enjoy the People's History Museum if you haven't been yet.
Good idea - I have been before but i will have to pay another visit. Perhaps on my next trip to Manchester
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Apologies for going off topic but I wonder what kind of gates Clitheroe get. It can't be easy to stay afloat with Blackburn and Burnley being so close.
about 600 there on Saturday, the majority from Darlo
