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Shred`s UK trips.

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shredder1

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Manchester to Hull and Back. Saturday 30th May 2020.
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Another glorious day and I decided to venture out, under Boris Johnson`s new guidance and visit a friend over in Hull, public transport was my only real option as I wont drive that far these days and its too far to walk or cycle and having been stuck in the house more or less since March, and living alone, I needed to get out for my mental health wellbeing. I stuck to the guidance about carrying masks and hand sanitises and sanitised my hands every time I touched something.

I had kindly been a given family and friends day rover tickets by a friend who works for Northern and after driving into Manchester, I caught a class 158 into Leeds, via the Calder Valley line. The railway staff are doing an absolutely fantastic job keeping everyone safe and at this present time very few people are travelling in non-peak time periods anyway, which is what the Government suggests, so social distancing is far easier to achieve than doing the weekly shop in Tesco`s.

I made a change at Leeds because Northern don`t run into Hull from Manchester and the number of trains running were limited anyway. On arrival at Hull, I met up with my mate Steve and after a coffee in the station café, we had a walk out to Hull Botanic Garden`s depot to see what it was like these days. It’s a lot quieter now than when we used to visit the depot in the 1960`s and it used to service the original Transpennine class 124 units. On this visit only two ex-Scottish region class 170 units were on shed, one inside and one leaving, but at least the depot is still in use, albeit only two tracks actually go into the depot these days, with much of the track work having been lifted over the years.

After a few hours with Steve, we returned to Paragon station, and said our goodbyes at a safe distance. Nothing was due back to Leeds, but a Northern class 170 was heading for Doncaster so I boarded. On arrival at Doncaster the station was very quiet, however I was intime to see an EWS liveried class 66 passing through and the arrival of a Colas engineering train with two class 37`s top and tailing.

I caught the next Northern class 158 which started at Doncaster, going through to Sheffield with a change for a Manchester class 150 service into Manchester Piccadilly. An enjoyable and safe trip out following Government guidance and keeping my mental health intact for a little longer.

 

shredder1

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Manchester to Lincoln and Back. Saturday 6th June 2020.

A slight change in the weather this Saturday, with rain at times and also bright sunny spells in between, still quite warm though. I had the last of my Northern Privileged tickets to use up, so decided to visit a mate over in Lincoln and catch up.

I drove into Manchester and walked to Piccadilly Station to catch a Northern 150 Sprinter across the Hope Valley to Sheffield. There was only one ticket window open at Piccadilly, and the girl behind the counter couldn’t take cash, but my card wouldn’t work in her machine for some reason, as the train was about to leave, I was told I could buy the ticket on the train. On approaching the guard however, he told me they couldn’t sell me a ticket, but no problem, I could get one in Sheffield, which I did, and this time my card worked in the machine.

I practically had the train to myself, in fact it was like that all day really, with not many people about anyway. I stayed within the law and stuck to the guidance, wearing a face mask, which actually comes in as law from the 15th of this month on public transport, masks and hand sanitiser and sanitising my hands every time I touched something.

An ex Scottish Sprinter class 158 took me out to Lincoln, which had filthy seats, on passing Harry Needles yards at Worksop, I noted a class 25, and class 08 shunter, along with lots of new TfL and Crossrail units in the main yard and in the opposite yard were withdrawn LNER liveried HST`s.
I met up with my friend in Lincoln and after a coffee and a catch up we had a walk out to St Marks to see how the redeveloped station and signal box was getting along, a great job of preservation, but it would have been nicer with trains running through it of course.

We later visited the old Great Central warehouse which has been turned into a library, and also took a few photographs around East Holmes, seeing my first LNER Azuma in Lincoln on diesel power. We later made our way to the footbridge in front of Lincoln Central station, but the best shots from this location have now been lost to the new overhead signalling panels.

Quite a few of the new liveried East Midland Sprinters are now appearing on the network. We had another coffee on the station before I started my return journey to Sheffield, this time on a Class 195. I`d just missed the Hope Valley service back to Manchester on arrival into Sheffield, but was just in time for a Leeds bound Sprinter Class 158 routed via Wakefield Kirkgate and Castleford. Lots of Freightliner class 70 parked up in Midland Road yard still and Holbeck have class 158`s and 195`s in the depot yard.

I didn’t have long to wait at Leeds before a class 195 took me back to Manchester Victoria via Bradford Interchange and the Calder Valley line, and on arrival back into Manchester I was treated to a Northern class 319 on a Stalybridge working against the blocks, I presume these are running on the wires now. A nice run out and social distancing wasn’t a problem, great to get out again though, if only for my sanity, Its all about common sense and staying within the law at the end of the day, do that and you shouldn’t go far wrong.

 

Andy Pacer

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Definitely great to see some new trip reports appearing again now some of the restrictions have been relaxed. I've not been anywhere on the rails myself since March but will hopefully do something soon.
 

Jamesrob637

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A Northern 319 would struggle to get to Stalyvegas unless you saw one of the 769s on test which are visually similar, at least at a glance? Glad you had a good day. I love it in Lincoln. If you're there at the right time you'll see the Red Arrows doing formation training.
 

shredder1

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A Northern 319 would struggle to get to Stalyvegas unless you saw one of the 769s on test which are visually similar, at least at a glance? Glad you had a good day. I love it in Lincoln. If you're there at the right time you'll see the Red Arrows doing formation training.

Yes I was a bit surprised, Ill look into it James.
 

shredder1

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Good to see you out and about after lockdown.

Well, tentatively at the moment, I don`t think we are out of the woods quite yet Anthony, I might go for a day lineside next weekend and maybe visit Midland Road, Leeds and poke a lens through the fencing ;) I wouldn't mind driving over to Gascoigne Wood to see if I can get anywhere near the lines of withdrawn stuff over there.
 

shredder1

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West Yorkshire, Midland Road, Pontefract, Knottingley. Saturday 13th June 2020.

After being stuck in again for another week, and working from home in the kitchen, I needed to get out again for the sake of my mental health and wellbeing, the last thing the NHS needs at this moment is people with mental health issues, so it’s pretty essential to get out if you are feeling like climbing the walls and on the edge. I decided on a drive around and a bit of exercise walking.

Saturday morning was dark and drizzly as I set off over the M62, with heavy mists and fog in places and rain at times, so I was down to 40 mph, fortunately by the time I arrived at my destination, Midland Road Leeds it had stopped raining and cleared a little. A good turn out of locos on shed, including the line of Freightliner class 70`s, one Colas class 70 70808, and a selection of Freightliner class 66`s. I took a number of photographs from Midland Road bridge and later through the fencing around the depot. Indeed, I was lucky in that two-class 66`s with a few trucks in-between them, moved off shed, crossed the main lines, and moved down the adjacent sidings opposite the depot which I was able to photograph from Pepper Road, which is the next bridge towards the Container Depot.

From Midland Road I drove over to Gascoigne Wood, to see if I could get near any of the stored Pacers ands HST`s in the sidings, but after driving along two public roads which took me to both ends of the yard, you could only make out any units from a distance. A bridge does pass over the centre of the yard, but this is on private property, so unaccusable to the general public.

I next drove over to Hambleton and spent half an hour lineside on the East Coast Main Line for a few Azuma`s in each direction, this has always been a good location from both directions for the ECML My next move was a drive down the road to Ferry Bridge to check for any locational photographic spots near the power station, but most of it appeared elevated in this area. I walked along a public footpath at the side of the railway line and came across an interesting forgotten graveyard of St Andrews, some source information here for anyone with an interest, I believe the church was removed to facilitate the power station and presumably the occupants removed, exhumed.


I next drove down the road to Pontefract Monkhill for a freight that was due, and I was rewarded with the celebrity liveried 66746 Belmond Royal Scotsman heading north. I then drove up to road to Knottingley, but noticed that a few freight movements had been cancelled and the first one had actually run early, I heard it rumble under one of the bridges as I drove around to the station. It had however turned into a glorious day and after having been stuck in the house for another week, it was good to get out again and help preserve what sanity I had left.

 
Last edited:

D841 Roebuck

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The railway passing St Andrews Old Churchyard crosses the River Aire and then passes the Churchyard of St Edward The Confessor, Brotherton. The railway here is in a cutting, but on Google maps there looks to be a footbridge for photography. The churchyard also probably contains James Eastwood (1782-1867), a great-great-great-great grandfather of mine.

Keep up the trip reports - always good reading.
 

shredder1

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The railway passing St Andrews Old Churchyard crosses the River Aire and then passes the Churchyard of St Edward The Confessor, Brotherton. The railway here is in a cutting, but on Google maps there looks to be a footbridge for photography. The churchyard also probably contains James Eastwood (1782-1867), a great-great-great-great grandfather of mine.

Keep up the trip reports - always good reading.


Thank you very much sir.
 

shredder1

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Winwick and Warrington Low Level line and Fidlers Ferry. Saturday 20th June 2020.

Another drive out in the car, re-visiting old stomping grounds and some lineside photography, I picked a good day too, hot and sunny. Some Iron Butterfly in the CD player and my first move was a drive over to Winwick Junction Warrington mainly to catch up with the Tesco which had 88001 Revolution at the head northbound and a Freightliner 66 light engine southbound, I later drove down to Warrington Bank Quay for the south bound Tesco working, could didn’t manage to get a decent photograph,

A drive down to Arpley shed with two class 66`s inside and then onto follow the Warrington Low Level line to see what had changed as I hadn’t been down there since 2006 photographing the class 60`s mainly on MGR workings to Fidlers Ferry power station, which has now sadly been decommissioned.

My first stop was the signal boxes at Litton’s Mill Crossing and Crosfields Crossing, still operating as the line still sees light engine movements between Arpley and Halewood, in fact I just missed one on my visit at Fidlers Ferry and only heard it through the trees.

I next drove to Monks Sidings crossing, the hill I use to take photographs has totally gone now and a housing estate built on the site, (See my previous albums). I then drove to Sankey Bridge and the site of the former railway station, one platform survives in the undergrowth, but the line has been upgraded and fenced off since my last visit. Next was the station house and railway cottages, site of Fidlers Ferry railway station. I got chance to have a chat with the owner who has pictures inside his house of what the station used to look like and he kindly explained where the platforms used to be.
I then drove up to Fidlers Ferry which is so overgrown since I last visited, and with the new fencings, that’s it’s nearly impossible to view the signal box from the opposite side of the line any more, although I did manage a few zoomed in images which have come out well. I later drove round to the side of the power station to obtain a few photographs of the power station proper across the fields, before moving on to Carterhouse Crossing and the new Sankey Canal swing bridge. Sadly, the old signal box has long gone now and a new crossing and fencing now stand in the location. I next went in search of Widnes South station site, but all signs of it have now gone, even the platform I photographed back in 2006, in fact the whole area has changed so much I found it difficult to recognised anything, so I headed back and started following the signs back to the M56 Motorway.

Just after I started following the Motorways signs, I went up a slip road and notice a Red C in the lane I was in, I couldn't turn back at this stage and suspected it was some sort of charge for something. The lane I was in took me over the new Widnes to Runcorn bridge over the Mersey, I don`t drive much these days and wasn't familiar with the red C markings in the lane. Out of curiosity I went on line when I got home and identified the bridge and the Red C marking as being a charge for crossing the bridge, no warning before you take the slip road was evident anywhere, and no barriers, nothing only a camera that records your registration. You can apparently only pay on line I think, which is not very helpful for older drivers who may not be able use computers, so they wouldn't know about it until they received a penalty notice for £60 a few months down the line, and reading posts on the internet it seems to be riddled with people who have had issues like this, mainly caused through poor signage and lots of them have claimed money back or had fines overturned. I managed to work out what had happened and what to do and paid the £2.00 required, but it was only by luck I found out what it was. Had I been flying out from Liverpool Airport to somewhere for a month or so, I would have come back to a fine, I knew nothing about, I wonder how many people have been stung in this way, especially those who are foreign residents, can`t speak English and have no IT skills, or simply are not aware of it like I was. Surely this isn't right, how are they getting away with it? Motorists cough up £3.4m in Mersey Gateway fines over first three months of 2019.


Moving on, I returned via the M6 and A57 towards Manchester as I wanted to photograph the old CLC railway bridge at Cadishead over the Manchester Ship Canal and in the same location is a fireless steam locomotive plinthed, which use to operate in the local industry. Another lovely day out of the house, many thanks for reading.

 

shredder1

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Widnes and Acton Bridge. Saturday 27th June 2020.

Another drive out for a bit of trackside, my first port of call was to revisit Widnes and the Alston factory, I had seen some excellent images on Facebook from a Neil Ebsworth who very kindly explained how I could get close to the site. A freshly painted DVT and rake of Grand Central coaches could be seen outside the depot with 2 class 08 shunters in rail blue, 08454 and 08721 respectively. The depot is just off a spare alongside the old Ditton Junction railway station.

My next move was to visit the site of Widnes South Railway station, the area has changed so much though since my last visit, and has been completely remodelled apart from the railway bridge carrying the low-level line over the main road.

I then drove down to Acton Bridge as a number of movements were timed through the station, which included a pair of Freightliner class 86`s, 86008 and 86009, DRS class 88`s in both directions, 88005 and 88009 and a good selection of class 66`s including the Orange liveried 66413, GBRf double-headed 66761 and 66771, also 66765, and 66769, Freightliners 66526/55/955 and EWS liveried 66014 and 66194. Plenty of class 350 emu`s through the station in three different liveries, a number of Pendolinos are now carrying the Avanta livery in various stages, and a few are also carrying the yellow facemasks. Northern EMU class 323231 worked through from Allerton to Wolverton Works. The weather produced some strange lightings throughout from cloudy and heavy rain to clear blue skies and sunshine.

 

shredder1

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Metrolink, Trafford Extension, Manchester Saturday 18th July 2020.

I finally got around to trying out the new Metrolink line to the Trafford Centre, now that we are allowed non-essential travel in the UK.
Parking the car at Crumpsall, I caught a tram to Piccadilly Gardens for a change to Cornbrook were trams are presently terminating from the Trafford Centre, the longer term plan is to run them directly from Crumpsall where a new platform has been purposely built, but apparently they are waiting for the new trams to be built.

I Boarding at Cornbrook, three trams were covering the new Trafford Centre extension with new tram stops at Wharfside, Imperial War Museum, Village, Parkway, Barton Road, and Intu Trafford Centre, with plans to extend the line further to the sports complex.
After alighting at Wharfside, I walked the rest of the line taking photographs at the various new stops and treated myself to a Wetherspoons big breakfast in the Trafford Centre, before return to Crumpsall. Not a bad job well done Metrolink.

 

Techniquest

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That shows how out of touch I am, I didn't realise it was open yet! Definitely will fix that when I eventually return to Manchester, which will hopefully be soon!
 

shredder1

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Manchester Metrolink, Trafford Line, (Part 2). Sunday 2nd August 2020.

After and hard morning in the gym and treating myself to a Sunday roast in a village pub, the sun was shining and I thought I`d revisit the Trafford Line again, mainly because I`d mistakenly delete some photographs of the middle section of the line on my last visit, of the tram stops at Village and Parkway, plus the bridges section to Barton Dock Road, while I also wanted to visit the guitar shop in the Trafford Centre.

I drove up to Cheetham Hill tram stop and caught a tram out to Manchester Victoria with a change for Cornbrook and then the Trafford Line. The plan eventually is to run the tram direct from Crumpsall to the Trafford Centre on the new platform at the former, but I`m not sure why they are only running from Cornbrook at the moment, especially as the trams run back to Deansgate and Castlefield each trip.

I first alighted at Imperial War Museum and then caught the next tram to Village and later onto Parkway, before catching a tram to Barton Dock Road for the Trafford Centre to try a few guitars out. I was looking for a Martin, but they didn’t have any in stock, so I walked back to Parkway via the bridged section and caught a tram from there back as far as Wharfside.

I next walked from Wharfside to Cornbrook to enable me to take a few photographs of trams using the new elevated section and also crossing the Manchester Ship Canal at Pomona for the Eccles line. From Pomona I boarded a tram back to Piccadilly Gardens and then a direct Bury service back to Crumpsall. It was good to get out again, albeit only for a few short hours, because I`ve been stuck in with the builders fitting a new wet room.

 

shredder1

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South Yorkshire Rail Exploration. Saturday 8th August 2020.

A bit of a mixed day today, I was given a friends and family Northern Rover ticket by a friend who`s son is on a Northern Internment, so travelled with my mate Allan. The main purpose of the trip was to try and follow some old lines around south Yorkshire.

I met up with Allan at Mills Hill Railway station on the Calder Valley line for the 07.50 to Manchester Victoria and we were treated to one of the reinstated class 142 Pacers. Engineering work on Metrolink meant that we had to walk across the City to Manchester Piccadilly railway station for a train to Sheffield, and we were again treated to another reinstated Pacer across the Hope Valley line to Sheffield Midland.

Our next move was a class 158 up to Meadowhall, and we then walked back to the former Brightside railway station, which still has its platforms in situ. Our aim was to followed the line that left the main line just before Brightside signal box, has we were trying to follow the former Brightside to Catcliffe via the West Tinsley alignment on the old Sheffield District Railway as far as Tinsley.

The line was Initially run by the LD&ECR, it was taken over by the GCR seven years after opening. This line was closed to passengers in 1939, the line however continued to be busy, especially with the building of Tinsley Yard in the 1960`s. it was however lifted in 1997.

We followed the a track from the station site of Brightside down Colliery Road and onto Brightside Lane under the railway bridge and into the retail park the first bridge over the river Don and then picked up a few very overgrown sectors, which certainly took their toll, especially having a t-shirt on, my arms were cut and bleeding in places from the scratches of Hawthorns and stinging nettles. We eventually traced the track bed to a landscaped and tarmacked section, On the southeast side of Meadowhall shopping centre, part of which was over the site of West Tinsley railway station. We continued on to Sheffield Road, where a bridge abutment still stands, crossing the road there you can access the alignment again through an industrial area, and then continue to a bridge over the Supertram line and then fight you way over the canal bridge, where the track is still in situ under the undergrowth, before coming to steel palisade fencing where the other two freight lines go into the top of Tinsley yard, these are still in use, so that was as far as we could go.

We returned to Sheffield Road and walked around the industrial estate until we arrived at Wood Lane and the site of Tinsley Diesel depot, A building now stands on the site, which is of a similar size to what the diesel depot was, I expect they have used the same foundation. Looking over the bridge at Wood Lane, only a few lines survive on what was a vast marshalling yard, with industrial buildings now occupying the bottom yard location. Looking south over the bridge parapets a few rail waggons still occupy a siding, and the line ends at a buffer stop at the end of the yard. So many memories of Tinsley TMD and its unique yards, it was heart breaking to see what has become of it and I`ll never return.

We walked back down New Brinsworth Road to the Three Magpies, a familiar pub for those following the British Railway Shed Directories from the 1960`s, We then caught a bus back to Meadowhall and South Tinsley, diverted Class 185`s were using the freight line because of engineering works on the main line to Doncaster, so I wanted to take a photograph of these workings.

We returned to Meadow Hall by Supertram and just as the tram was arriving at Meadowhall terminus, 7 class 66`s and a class 60 Cavalcade passed us working from Doncaster Decoy yard to Toton, typically we missed a great shot. We next boarded a class 158 back into Sheffield Midland and was amazed to find a cavalcade had been stopped on a red signal and in the sun too, which enabled us to photograph them all, these consisted of 66131, 60020 “The Willows”, 66158, 66155, 66117, 66044, 66086 and 66194,

We then went out to check the site of Sheffield Victoria railway station, the hotel still survives and the viaducts in and out to the station, along with one subway leading up to platform level is still there, but the latter is now a car park. We next walked out to see the tunnel portal leading from the Woodhead line to join the Midland line via Wicker Goods. It does however lie in an area used by druggies, so be very carful of the syringes lying around if you choose to visit,

We returned to Sheffield Midland railway station and then took a class 158 to Leeds via Castleford, our next train was a class 195 via Bradford along the Calder Valley line to Rochdale, with a change of train back to Mills Hill, our starting point that morning, alighting at 21.25. Of interest there was a class 150 sprinter parked in the bay platform at Rochdale, first time I`ve seen anything there since the Oldham Loop days? It had been a long day and Id walked about 15 miles in total, the exercise probably did me some good though.

 

Iskra

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That sounds quite the adventure around my local patch. I agree about the sad demise of Tinsley Yard, I've visited on a couple of railtours and it's in a bad way ...although at least it is still in use.
 

shredder1

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Yes thank you an enjoyable day, I`ve always had a softspot for South Yorkshire, Sadly I missed Grimesthorpe but caught the back end of Darnall, Mexborough, Millhouses and Canklow, Tinsley was the new diesel depot of course, so sad to see whats left of it, the same with Sheffield Victoria, we did the Woodhead regularly as kids behind Tommy`s from Manchester
 

shredder1

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Manchester to the East Midlands. Saturday 15th August 2020.

The aim of this trip to visit Derby, Toton bank and Nottingham, via Sheffield using a Derbyshire Wayfarer ticket and paying the extra for the bits in-between.

My mate Allan picked me up at the house and drove into Manchester, where we were treated to one of the reinstated Pacers across the Hope Valley line into Sheffield, the same timed train as last Saturday. From Sheffield though, we boarded an EMT Meridian down the Midland main line to Derby.

This was my first visit to Derby since they had added the new platform and layout and I must say I`m very impressed with the work they have done here, the whole ambience is one of light and openness. In fact, we were even treated to a Cross Country HST heading south. We had a walk over to the works complex and roundhouse which has been preserved as part of Derby College, from the outside they have made an excellent job of it, although I preferred it with locomotives in of course. My last Debry works visit was at the 1972 Open Day 26th August, when they had the first examples of HSDT experimental 41.001 and trailer car E12000, the experimental HST`s, also on show was APT-E PC 1, TC 1 TC 2 and PC 2, and former LMS steam locomotive 0-6-0T 2022; but enough reminiscing.

Returning to Derby Midland railway station and our next train was a Cross Country class 170 Turbostar to Long Eaton, which was called Sawley Junction prior to 1968. A micro pub sits across the road called Sawley Junction to commemorate the stations previous guise. So, we just had to call in for a drink. Inside it was full of old pictures, books and railway memorabilia and the beer was good too.

After tearing ourselves away from Sawley Junction we caught a bus out to the ASDA store at Long Eaton, a path at the side of the store leads over the railway and through the old hump yards, which are now heavily overgrown, and eventually to the top of Toton bank, which lends itself to some excellent viewing of what is Britain`s largest motive power traction depot. The lines of class 60`s are still present, and some don’t appear to be in too bad a condition. I know they did have apprentices working on some of them not too long ago, I`m not sure what’s happening to them now though, but its such a shame just seeing them stood there.

After spending a few hours on the bank, we followed the path through the fields to Toton Lane tramstop and took one of the new Alstom Citadis 302 trams, they were just coming into service the last time I was in the city, so this was my first ride on one. We alighted at Nottingham Midland Railway Station and I was saddened to see what was left standing of the former Great Central elevated section at Weekday Cross, just about all gone now and difficult to see where it actually was. Nice to see the first NET generation trams are still operating though, Bombardier Incentro AT 6/5 trams were still operating.

After a spell tram photting, we made our way down to the platforms of Notting Midland, (I still like to refer to the old names). Much of the original character has been kept at Nottingham Midland and we were in time to see an EMT HST arriving, before catching the Matlock service back as far as Derby. Lots of interesting locos parked up in the old research centre, including a good head of class 37`s. After a brief stop art Derby, we boarded an EMT Meridian back up to Sheffield and then a slow train across the Hope Valley line and another Pacer returned from the dead, Another great day out albeit on familiar ground.

 

shredder1

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Manchester to Scarborough via Doncaster and Hull. Saturday 5th September 2020.

First trip out for 2 weeks as I’ve been busy on the house. My mate Allan gave me to a ring as he had a couple of Friends and Family Northern Rovers, and fancied a trip out over the weekend.

Saturday morning saw me driving up to Mills Hill Railway station, where I met Allan on the platforms and in time for the 07.50 to Manchester Victoria, and we were treated yet again to a reinstated Pacer class 142. At Victoria we changed for Metrolink into Manchester Piccadilly for a Hope Valley service to Sheffield and again we had another of the reinstated Pacers for the journey. After a few photographs at Sheffield we were off over to Doncaster on a Sprinter 158.

We had an hour at Doncaster, a few class 91`s in the works and we decided to have a walk around the back of the works to see how things had changed. Going around to the rear gates were the withdrawn Deltic’s where once stored, only the gates survive now, but all the land has been flattened and looks ready for some sort of development.

On the way back to the station we stopped to look through the present gates towards the back of the works, we stopped at the gates which were open and all of a sudden this security monkey jumps out from his kennel and starts reading us the riot act, we were stood on a public side road and sadly did lose it a bit with him before he scuttled away, such is the state of paranoid Britain these days I guess.

Returning to the railway station we got a little excited to be in time to phot a class 91 running North, I guess these are rare beasties these days and soon to vanish from the ECML altogether. We next boarded an ex Scotrail class 170 Turbostar to Hull Paragon, it was however running late, and we a very tight connection for the Scarborough train via Bridlington. As we pulled into Hull however, we had another Northern Turbostar waiting for us on the Scarborough service and we crossed the platforms, managing to leap into the doors as they were closing, Corona Virus or not the mask had to come off for a few minutes while I got my breath back.

We had a nice run up to Scarborough in the sunshine, and nice to see plenty of semaphores and roofed stations still standing, Beverly is a lovely station and so is Filey, both with well preserved overall roofing and internal footbridges of the North-eastern design. Bridlington station is probably the most magnificent on the line, still retaining its original canopies and buildings and also has its bay platform still in use.

We had a 20 minutes turn around at Scarborough and were just in time to see Transpennine class 68 024 “Centaur” arriving from Liverpool Lime Street. After a few quick phots around the station we returned on the Northern 170 Turbostar back to Hull and this time had a little more time to take a few photographs and I also catch up with two of the new Hull Trains, Hitachi class 802`s parked up at the side of the station with one carrying the name “Paragon” in memory Hull stations former name. One of the Sprinter, a class 155`s was also in the station on a York working, nice to still see a few 155`s still around and not converted into 153 of course.

We had another Northern 170 Turbostar to Leeds, as we had decided to travel the more direct route home. Changing at Leeds for a Northern Class 195 service to Rochdale via Bradford Interchange, and from Rochdale we caught a two-car sprinter class 158 with a class 153 Dogbox leading, back to Mills Hill and my car for the short drive home. It had been a great day and we`d also covered quite a few rail miles, my last UK trip for now as I fly into Madrid next weekend, Roving the Spanish Railways, so hasta luego guys.

 
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shredder1

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Roaming Northern Rail, (Part 1). Saturday 3rd October 2020.

My first trip out back in the UK after roaming the Spanish railways and self-isolating for two weeks. My mate Allan had another family and friends Rover ticket for Northern and had been planning to have a run up the Settle and Carlisle line and coming back to Manchester via the Cumbrian Coast line. It was a dark wet miserable day so we thought we`d be better on the trains all day. We caught the 08.23 from Mills Hill railway station Greater Manchester on the Calder Valley line, for a Leeds working, but it was running 15 minutes down and we had a tight connection at Leeds, so by the time we arrived at Bradford Interchange we realised we wouldn’t make the connection if we had travelled through to Leeds, so we decided to alight at Bradford Interchange and walk across the city to Bradford Forster Square Station.

We caught the first train out, class 333 007 which was Leeds bound, our plan being to change at Shipley and catch another service up to Keighley as we wanted to catch up with the stored Class 144 Pacers. As we waited for the Keighley train to arrive, Allan realised he had left his video camera on the train from Bradford to Leeds. We thus caught the next train to Leeds and fortunately Allan`s camera had been handed into the lost luggage office, by one very honest passenger who unfortunately didn’t leave his name. However, the day had been saved. We caught the next service back up to Shipley and then changed for Keighley. Interestingly some of the new CAF, Class 331`s were running from Leeds to Bradford between the class 333 workings.

At Keighley we caught up with only two of the class 144 units parked across the turntable, not sure what’s happened to the other stored units. From Keighley we caught the next train up to Skipton, but we had to change plans there and abandon the Settle and Carlisle line, instead we opted for a Morecambe Sprinter class 158 across the Little North Western Line and alighted at Lancaster for a change to Preston, from where we caught a service to Blackpool South and back to Preston.

Parked to the north of Preston station we saw three of the class 319`s, converted to dual mode Class 769s. At Preston we caught up with the Pride liveried Avanti Pendolino 390 119, quite an impressive livery and nice to finally see her. Our next move was to catch the Blackpool North to York service, a Class 195 from Preston to Hebden Bridge with a change for Rochdale for Mills Hill where Id parked the car. We arrived back at 20.30 so a good 12-hour day out, and despite the weather an enjoyable day all the same.

 
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shredder1

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Roaming Northern Rail, (Part 2). Saturday 10th October 2020.

I was out again with my mate Allan on another Northern friends and family rover ticket, and we again caught the 08.23 from Mills Hill railway station Greater Manchester on the Calder Valley line, for a Leeds working, but this week it was on time. At Leeds, we made our connection to Keighley on a class 333 EMU, and followed our steps like last Saturday, but we had better weather. The class 144`s that were parked across Keighley turntable the previous week had been moved but we were on time to see ex Midland/LMS in BR livery, 4F 0-6-0 43924 arriving and running around her stock. Another class 333 took us up to Skipton to connect with a class 158 up the settle and Carlisle line to Carlisle. On arrival at Carlisle we were in time to see Railway Company steam charter ex LMS Jubilee class 45699 “Galatea” in its guise as 45562 “Alberta” carrying Green livery, backing onto her stock.

I was also surprised to see Azuma`s working into Carlisle from Newcastle, across the Tyne Valley line, a bit more variety. Thunderbird Class 57 308 “Jamie Ferguson” was parked alongside the wall. We didn’t have time to see the charter depart as we needed to board a class 156 down the Cumbrian Coast line bound for Barrow in Furness. Its amazing all the branches that once led off from this line, like Silloth, and the main cross-country route through Cockermouth to Penrith, and the Workington Central loop, some remnants that can still be seen in the Town Centre.

It was nice to see Working Main station has not changed much over the years, although the locomotive depot is now in kit form down at the Great Central Railway, it was a great depot back in the steam days and a regular bash for us when doing Kingmoor and Upperby back in the 60`s. Still lots of semaphores around though. We continued down the line to Sellafield which had 2 class 68`s parked at the side of the railway station and at least 3 parked inside the plant, along with lines of nuclear flask waggons. On passing through Ravenglass we saw one of the miniature steam locos returning around the curve from Dalegarth.

We finally pulled into Barrow, with a quick change to a class 195 to Preston. On arrival into Preston 3 of the class 369`s were still parked north of the station, but we also caught up with the Jubilee charter, ex LMS 45699 “Galatea” in its guise as 45562 “Alberta” in BR livery which had finished its run down the Settle and Carlisle line to Hellifield and then on to Clitheroe and Blackburn, with class 86259 ‘Les Ross’ pulling the train back to London. Sadly I didn’t get chance to photograph both locos again as we jumped a late running class 319 to Manchester Victoria, we sat on that one for about 15 minutes while they decided when it was going to depart and when it did it missed out all the intermediate stations out between Preston and Bolton that it was booked to stop at. We eventually arrived back at Manchester Victoria and only had about 25 minutes to wait for the Mills Hill Train, despite a lot more mileage this Saturday, we still arrived home for 20.30. It was an enjoyable trip.

 
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D841 Roebuck

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Nice report Nick. Sounds like a good day out with plenty of variety. One minor correction - the small tea-making device at Ravenglass would be coming from Dalegarth, the line on to Boot having been closed for many years.
 

shredder1

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Nice report Nick. Sounds like a good day out with plenty of variety. One minor correction - the small tea-making device at Ravenglass would be coming from Dalegarth, the line on to Boot having been closed for many years.


Thanks very much, yes of course, I was up there a few years ago to, I should have remembered. I wouldnt mind walking the old track bed to Boot actually if any of its left?
 

shredder1

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Cheshire Day Rover. Saturday 17th October 2020.

I decided to have a run around on the lines between Manchester, Liverpool, Chester and Crewe, just to see what was around and also to get a glimpse of my first class 777.

Driving down to Crumpsall Metrolink station for 06.30 for Manchester Victoria and I was on an early train to Kirby via Wigan Wallgate on a Pacer class 142 paired up with a class 150 Sprinter. Once on the Merseyrail network at Kirkby, I boarded the next service down to Kirkdale to view the depot and was pleased to see no less than 4 of the new class 777`s outside the depot. Talking to some of the drivers however they told me the inspectors had been shunting them around the yard, but no route training yet.

I next caught a train into Liverpool Central low-level station, with a change for the loop line to Lime Street via James Street, to photograph the class 319`s before they go. I then caught a class 350/1 stopper to Crewe. A Colas class 60 was noted at Edge Hill as we passed.

A class 66 and 57 light engines through Crewe with the 57 Thunderbird parked up behind the wall, with a pair of Class 153 TfW working the Crewe Chester service. I returned to Liverpool Lime Street on another class 350/1 and took lunch in the Northwestern Wetherspoons in the station and ordered a pepperoni pizza, definitely not the best I`d ever had, in fact I left a lot of it.

My next move was a Chester service on a TfW class 175, at Chester I caught up with the Class 153 Dogboxes and had a run back down to Crewe on them. I returned on the same train to Chester and this time returned to Liverpool via Merseyrail`s electric lines on a class 507 along the Wirral and under the Mersey to Liverpool Lime Street low level and up to the mainline station.

To return to Manchester, I caught an East Midland Sprinter class 158 back into Manchester Piccadilly, with a change for a Metrolink tram back to the car at Crumpsall arriving home for around 19.00, so a full day and no rain either.

 

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