Shred`s UK trips.

[shredder1]

East Lancs Railway. Saturday 14th August 2021.

Another trip to the East Lancs Railway. I was up early Saturday morning for the gym, no band practice this Saturday, so I drove up to Heywood to see what was running, as a life member of the East Lancs, I am allowed three free tickets a year, but hardly ever use them up, so I decided to get a rover ticket for the afternoon on one of my freebies.

After driving to Heywood, I was in time to see Standard 4 Groups magnificent 4MT, a locomotive I never thought I`d see running in my lifetime, BR Standard 80097, an ex Tilbury loco, and what a magnificent job the lads have done with her.

I had a run up to Rawtenstall behind her and returned as far as Ramsbottom to meet up with the only other train of the day operating, Peak class 45 108 recently repainted in BR Corporate blue livery with full yellow ends, she too looked magnificent and it was a pleasure to ride behind her. I travelled on the Peak back up to Rawtenstall and returned to Bury, where I had a quick look around the model and bookshops before returning on the Peak back up to Rawtenstall with a change for the Standard 4MT for the final run of the day back into Heywood and indeed pick my car up, so a great afternoon out on the East Lancs Railway again.

Home Page - The East Lancashire Railway

www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk

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[shredder1]

Manchester, Crewe, Nottingham, Worksop and Mansfield. Saturday 28th August 2021.

Back on track, and I was over to Nottingham and a ride on the Robin Hood line, this was only my second trip on the line since I originally traveled on it just after it was reinstated to a passenger service, after a period since the 1960`s when it first closed, it was use for freight only up to reopening.

The alarm set for 03.30 so that I could drive down to Manchester and catch the infamous 05.11 Cross Country Voyager down to Crewe, with a change for an East Midland Sprinter class 158 direct to Nottingham. The Midland Pullman HST was parked outside the diesel depot along with celebrity class 86 601 “Sir William A Stanier FRS” and two class 90`s, 90001 “Royal Scot” and 90002, “Wolf of Badenoch”. Being on the wrong platform at the time, story of my life, I missed a decent snap of the Tesco southbound, that briefly stopped on a signal, behind class 88003 “Genesis” on platform 1, I managed a classic going away shot.

On arrival at Manchester Piccadilly Transpennine Cat 68024 “Centaur” was on the platforms ready for its first run of the day to Scarborough. I was catching the 05.11 Bournemouth Cross Country Voyager as far as Crewe.

The ride to Nottingham was a smooth one and gave me chance to catch up on some sleep. The old Midland station at Nottingham still has plenty of character, such a shame Nottingham Victoria didn’t survive though, a station I only managed to visit once.

My main trip today was a run up the Robin Hood line to Worksop and I was treated to a class 158 still in the old East Midland livery, so nice to catch up with one of the old Sprinters before the Class 170`s take over completely.

Harry Needles yards were very busy at Worksop, with plenty of the former Virgin East Coast HST sets, some new Anglian units, a few classes 08 shunters and a dark blue painted class 25 visible from the train as we passed.

I returned down the line as far as Mansfield and spent a few hours in the town, this was my first visit to Mansfield and it was a pleasant enough town with the large railway viaduct hovering about the town square. I even treated myself to a few new T-shirts from Sports Direct at the side of the railway station. The station buildings at Mansfield are grade 2 listed, in fact a number of station buildings have survived along the line and it was nice to see Shirebrook West former TMD still in use, albeit for a builder’s company. I have such great memories of our regular shed bashes there and the shed regular was prototype HS 40000 “Kestrel” before she was kidnapped by the Russians. I also have a vivid memory of Langwith Sheds, which from memory was just around the corner from Shirebrook.

Travelling back into Nottingham on the new order class 170`s in the new East Midland Plumb livery, the two-car unit was extremely overcrowded with many passengers at intermediate stations simply being turned away from the train and it was an hourly service on the line too.

On arrival at Nottingham and I went to the over bridge east of the station to view the Light Maintenance Depot, (LMD), at Eastcroft, before catching a class 170 Cross Country service to Derby, with a change of train for an East Midland class 158 service back to Crewe. On leaving the train I found a mobile phone on the platform, so handed it into lost property, amazingly lost property charge customers for collecting lost items, so much for customer services.

On the platforms at Crewe, I just caught the back end of DC Rail Freight Class 60 046 “William Wilberforce”, as she tugged through the station, , noted on the Crewe-Chester service was a three-car formation of class 153`s in varying liveries. I returned to Manchester Piccadilly on a TfW 2-car class 175, and after collecting the car arrived home just after 6.pm, so a good day was had in some glorious weather.

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[Techniquest]

That sounds like a fun day, with a load of variety in there. Like yourself before this trip, I've only done the line once too. It's not one I have any real need to use, and there's not much of interest on it for me personally.

Actually, no, I speak a false truth, I have used part of the line on a charter a good few years back. I can't remember which year it was, but it was a tour from UK Railtours from London King's Cross, and it was the last visit to a colliery up that way.

Mansfield sounds like a decent little town though, I only ever used the station to change trains when I visited. When I eventually return to that part of the world, I'll have to pop in.

 

[shredder1]

Yes it was a good day Tech, that railtour of yours sounds good, so many colliery in that part of the world at one time, now you can hardly tell where they were .

 

[shredder1]

Middleton Railway Gala. Saturday 4th September 2021.
(Also, Midland Road Freightliner Depot).

I have an old Nissan Micra that I rarely use these days, mainly because I’m no longer a lover of driving, I get bored especially on motorways. Due however, to Mr Beechings hatchet jobs in the 1960`s, many locations are now difficult to get too by rail or indeed public transport and a car does come with certain advantages under such circumstances. My little car however is a little run down, and the clutch has been slowly disintegrating for the last 12 month, however, I’ve learned that if you accelerate very gently and take your time going up hills, you can get away without slipping the clutch too much, albeit you are slower than everyone else on the roads, and pavements sometimes, I guess really I should get a new clutch fitted.

The Middleton Railway gala in Leeds was looming and I decided to chance it with the old girl, so took a ride over the mighty Pennines via the M62 Motorway to visit the gala, and amazingly the car survived the journey. In truth, its an ideal car for my lifestyle at the moment, because I can drive down into Manchester to catch ridiculously early train, park the car for free in a dodgy location and no one in their right minds would want to pinch it and even if they did start it up, the slipping clutch would soon put a stop to anything about a 1 to 60 in one hour start.

My first port of call when visiting the Middleton Railway is Midland Road freightliner depot which is quite close by. For this the added weight of a pair of steps was added to the vehicle to enable me to obtain a few photographs from above the over bridge.

A great select of locos on shed, including a class 59 005, “Kenneth J Painter”, in aggregate liver, albeit minus its bogies, class 66, and 70`s, most of the 59/1 and 2 fleet has visited Midland Road depot for work recently according to the websites. Midland Road is a great location for a few photographs through the fencing and in places you can get quite close to the locos.

In the week I had experienced an attempted scam on my bank card while internet shopping, fortunately the bank was able to stop the attempt going through, but advised me to cancel my card, which I did, but I also asked them to cancel it in a half hour to give me chance to fill up the car and get some shopping in for the weekend. So, I drove down to the garage, which was ten minutes away and fuelled up the car ready for my drive over to Yorkshire the following morning, my bank however was a bit sharp off the mark at closing my card down, for when I went to pay for my petrol, my card had already been stopped and I couldn’t pay.

It was in a Tesco garage and the staff were very good, they simply took my details, and said it happens all the time, and gave me a week to pay up. I still however needed some cash for my trip the following day as this was late on Friday evening, so I drove home and phoned the bank again and told them what they had done, so they advised me of a bank near the Middleton Railway that would be open on Saturday morning at 09.00 in a shopping centre, (the White Rose Shopping Centre, which was only a 10-minute drive from the Middleton Railway. It all went to plan, I secured some cash for the day and thus avoided starving, and also allowing me to pay for my petrol once I returned home, and I was at the Middleton Railway just before the doors opened.

The Middleton Railway is always an enjoyable visit, what it for lacks in size, it certainly makes up for in many other ways. Most preserved railways are friendly, some preserved railways are friendlier than others, the Middleton Railway is very unique however and staff really do go up and beyond to accommodate visitors.

I was stood at the side of the tracks waiting for the first recreated freight train to come through the tunnel, before it set off however, I noticed around 6 staff members walking towards me and through the tunnel, I was expecting a telling off, once they reached my side of the tunnel however, they stopped to inspect the tunnel and discussed something about the overhanging vegetation. The freight train was due however and I though Ill lose the shot, but suddenly one of the staff members turned around and pointed at me and then amazingly asked all the members of the team to move away from the tunnel mouth so that I could get a good photograph, I didn’t prompt this in anyway, they are just extremely courteous people and aware of visitors needs, incredibly nice people. Even in the café the prices are very low and I’m always more than happen to pay that bit extra and leave a few donations.

The event was up to the Middleton Railways usual excellent standards, with plenty of action through the day and trains running the full length of the line and over the road crossing on the Balm Road Branch, an amazing day and for only a tenner all class. The event was called the First and Last Chance Weekend, a first chance to see the newly-overhauled "No. 6".and a last chance to see NER 1310 before it retires from service.

I left after the last freight train run and the car again survived the drive back over the hill, I also called in at the Tesco garage from the night before and paid my petrol bill before driving home, Id been up since 05.30 and arrived back at 18.30, so it had been a relatively long day. A big well done to the Middleton Railway for laying on another fantastic event, thank you.

Middleton Railway website, https://www.middletonrailway.org.uk/

Midland Road depot, Leeds, https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.4301440473236772&type=3

Middleton Railway gala. https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.4301535159893970&type=3

 

[shredder1]

The Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway Steam Gala. 11th September 2021.

It was another early start, with the alarm set for 03.30 and a drive down to Manchester Piccadilly for the 05.11 Cross Country Voyager changing at Crewe for a TfW class 175 to Cwmbran. I caught up with some sleep on the train and arrived into Cwmbran just after 08.00 and walked over to the bus station. It was a few years since I last visited the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway, so I was really looking forward to another visit. It was the usual cock up with the ticket, the booking office says it opens at 04.30 while in reality it opened at 05.30, so I attempted to use the ticket machine, I pressed at the right buttons, day return to Cwmbran on a senior railcard, £49 so not too bad and the machine issued me with a single ticket for £44, despite pressing the return on the screen more than once. I saw the guard on the Cross-Country service and asked him to upgrade my ticket for a return, but he didn’t have a machine, so I had to explain everything again at Crewe and eventually the guard upgraded me to a return ticket.

I should have caught the X24 really up to Blaenavon, but instead caught a local bus that went all around the hill top estates and took nearly an hour, (the X24 takes half an hour), and it cost me £8 for a day rover ticket for any bus, I can`t use my free bus pass in Wales, but I did try. The local bus dropped me in the same place as the X24 wouldn’t have which left me about a mile and a half to walk to get me up to Furness Sidings Station, which is the centre of operations for the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway.

I arrived at the station for 10.am, and the first job was to buy a coffee and have a look around the shop at the books. The first train left for Blaenavon High Level at 10.45, so I was well in time for the start of the steam gala. I took the first train south, which goes beyond Blaenavon High Level towards Varteg where the railway is hoping to extend south to. It then returns to Blaenavon High Level station to pick up passengers and give chance for the loco to run around the train.

The train then returned to Furness Sidings and next to the top of the line at Whistlestop in the north, the eventual plan is to extend to Waunavon. Returning to Furness Sidings again I left the train for a branch train over to Big Pit, where I left the train to take a look at the display locos at the pit and have a look around the gift shop. Pit tours were fully booked and took approximately 50 minutes, so I didn’t want to spend 50 minutes underground who the steam gala was on.

I returned to Furness Sidings to catch up with a recreated mineral train climbing up the valley. I took a few trips up and down the railway throughout the day and was also taken on a shed visit. The railway is very accommodating to visitors, pricings are extremely good, so I made a few donations while I was there. The senior day ticket costs only £12 and locos were constantly being changed throughout the day and in various combinations, including double-headed and top and tails working.

The weather was just right, with sunshine at times. A big well done and thank you to the all the staff involved at the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway for a fantastic day.

I caught one of the last trains of the day back down to Blaenavon High Level station and arrived just after 16.00, I then walked down the hill towards the town centre and as luck had it actually met the X24 bus returning to Cwmbran, some psycho young girl bus driver made the journey back down the valley in record time, on two wheels for most of the journey and I was nicely on time for the 17.18 train back to Manchester, a much earlier train than planned. It was however rammed full, but I was lucky in getting a seat, apparently some food event had been taking place along the line, so loads of fat people got on. We arrived back into Manchester just after 20.00 and after the drive home, I was back in the house for 20.30, thus another great day was had.

Operating locomotives on the day.
Andrew Barclay Works No.1219 "Caledonian Works" 0-4-0ST
Andrew Barclay Works No.1385 "Rosyth No.1" 0-4-0ST
Hunslet Works No.1873 "Jessie" 0-6-0ST
W.G. Bagnall Works No.3061 "Empress" 0-6-0ST

Blaenavon's Heritage Railway

Blaenavon's Heritage Railway runs for 3.5 miles through the stunning UNESCO-listed Blaenavon Industrial Landscape on the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park! Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway.

www.bhrailway.co.uk

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[Cowley]

The Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway Steam Gala. 11th September 2021.

It was another early start, with the alarm set for 03.30 and a drive down to Manchester Piccadilly for the 05.11 Cross Country Voyager changing at Crewe for a TfW class 175 to Cwmbran. I caught up with some sleep on the train and arrived into Cwmbran just after 08.00 and walked over to the bus station. It was a few years since I last visited the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway, so I was really looking forward to another visit. It was the usual cock up with the ticket, the booking office says it opens at 04.30 while in reality it opened at 05.30, so I attempted to use the ticket machine, I pressed at the right buttons, day return to Cwmbran on a senior railcard, £49 so not too bad and the machine issued me with a single ticket for £44, despite pressing the return on the screen more than once. I saw the guard on the Cross-Country service and asked him to upgrade my ticket for a return, but he didn’t have a machine, so I had to explain everything again at Crewe and eventually the guard upgraded me to a return ticket.

I should have caught the X24 really up to Blaenavon, but instead caught a local bus that went all around the hill top estates and took nearly an hour, (the X24 takes half an hour), and it cost me £8 for a day rover ticket for any bus, I can`t use my free bus pass in Wales, but I did try. The local bus dropped me in the same place as the X24 wouldn’t have which left me about a mile and a half to walk to get me up to Furness Sidings Station, which is the centre of operations for the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway.

I arrived at the station for 10.am, and the first job was to buy a coffee and have a look around the shop at the books. The first train left for Blaenavon High Level at 10.45, so I was well in time for the start of the steam gala. I took the first train south, which goes beyond Blaenavon High Level towards Varteg where the railway is hoping to extend south to. It then returns to Blaenavon High Level station to pick up passengers and give chance for the loco to run around the train.

The train then returned to Furness Sidings and next to the top of the line at Whistlestop in the north, the eventual plan is to extend to Waunavon. Returning to Furness Sidings again I left the train for a branch train over to Big Pit, where I left the train to take a look at the display locos at the pit and have a look around the gift shop. Pit tours were fully booked and took approximately 50 minutes, so I didn’t want to spend 50 minutes underground who the steam gala was on.

I returned to Furness Sidings to catch up with a recreated mineral train climbing up the valley. I took a few trips up and down the railway throughout the day and was also taken on a shed visit. The railway is very accommodating to visitors, pricings are extremely good, so I made a few donations while I was there. The senior day ticket costs only £12 and locos were constantly being changed throughout the day and in various combinations, including double-headed and top and tails working.

The weather was just right, with sunshine at times. A big well done and thank you to the all the staff involved at the Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway for a fantastic day.

I caught one of the last trains of the day back down to Blaenavon High Level station and arrived just after 16.00, I then walked down the hill towards the town centre and as luck had it actually met the X24 bus returning to Cwmbran, some psycho young girl bus driver made the journey back down the valley in record time, on two wheels for most of the journey and I was nicely on time for the 17.18 train back to Manchester, a much earlier train than planned. It was however rammed full, but I was lucky in getting a seat, apparently some food event had been taking place along the line, so loads of fat people got on. We arrived back into Manchester just after 20.00 and after the drive home, I was back in the house for 20.30, thus another great day was had.

Operating locomotives on the day.
Andrew Barclay Works No.1219 "Caledonian Works" 0-4-0ST
Andrew Barclay Works No.1385 "Rosyth No.1" 0-4-0ST
Hunslet Works No.1873 "Jessie" 0-6-0ST
W.G. Bagnall Works No.3061 "Empress" 0-6-0ST

Blaenavon's Heritage Railway

Blaenavon's Heritage Railway runs for 3.5 miles through the stunning UNESCO-listed Blaenavon Industrial Landscape on the edge of the Brecon Beacons National Park! Pontypool and Blaenavon Railway.

www.bhrailway.co.uk

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Looked like an interesting day out Nick. I’ve been meaning to go and have a trip on the line for a while now but it’s just a bit awkward to get to from where I am. Would you recommend it?
I’ve always imagined that there’s a bit of thrash to be had on some of the gradients?

 

[Techniquest]

I did the line years ago, some quality thrash up the hill that's for sure out of the 37s!

It sounds like they've expanded a bit since then too, and some good plans for the future.

 

[shredder1]

Looked like an interesting day out Nick. I’ve been meaning to go and have a trip on the line for a while now but it’s just a bit awkward to get to from where I am. Would you recommend it?
I’ve always imagined that there’s a bit of thrash to be had on some of the gradients?

Yes definitely recommend it mate, its a bit awkward from you though, you can get a direct bus from Newport the X24 takes around an hour

 

[shredder1]

I did the line years ago, some quality thrash up the hill that's for sure out of the 37s!

It sounds like they've expanded a bit since then too, and some good plans for the future.

such an historic area railway wise, this was my second visit, ill definitely do it again.

 

[shredder1]

East Lancashire Railway, Autumn Diesel Gala. Saturday 18th September 2021.

A nice local event this Saturday with a 5 minute drive up to road to the good old East Lancs Railway. I started off at Ramsbottom Sidings and since the weather was glorious I spent most of the morning and early afternoon there, later moving onto Burrs Bank.

I caught up with quite a few friends and lads I had volunteered with in the past, including main man Phil, who I had spent a number of years working for on the Saturday PW gang, in the company of a fantastic bunch of lads, a laugh a minute at times, a great team to work with, sadly the Saturday gang no longer exists, but I still bump into a few of the lads when I visit the East Lancs, and very sadly a few of the guys are no longer with us. We even got a rock band going within the team, “Sleepers from Hell”. For our Christmas bash on the railway we were often loaned the Bubble car or tagged onto the back of the service train in the Observation car for the day with loads of beer and food, (usually in April), and we would party and play as the train traveled up and down the line, great days.

The Autumn diesel gala was the usually highly successful event you would expect from the East Lancs Railway, thanks to the tireless efforts of the organisers and volunteers, I really don’t know how these guys go on year after year, putting on well organised events, such great efforts from the incredible teams from a number of departments, a big well done guys and thank you very much, you guys rock.

Locos Operating

Class 24 D5054, Class 25 25279 (Recently outshopped in BR Blue),
Class 33 33109 ‘Captain Bill Smith RNR’, Class 37’s 37109 and 37688, Class 40 D345, Class 42 D832 masquerading as D818 (Recently outshopped in BR Blue),
Class 45 45108, Class 47’s D1501 and 47765, Class 50 50015 ‘Valiant’,
Pacer Class 144.

Home Page - The East Lancashire Railway

www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk

Facebook

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[Cowley]

East Lancashire Railway, Autumn Diesel Gala. Saturday 18th September 2021.

A nice local event this Saturday with a 5 minute drive up to road to the good old East Lancs Railway. I started off at Ramsbottom Sidings and since the weather was glorious I spent most of the morning and early afternoon there, later moving onto Burrs Bank.

I caught up with quite a few friends and lads I had volunteered with in the past, including main man Phil, who I had spent a number of years working for on the Saturday PW gang, in the company of a fantastic bunch of lads, a laugh a minute at times, a great team to work with, sadly the Saturday gang no longer exists, but I still bump into a few of the lads when I visit the East Lancs, and very sadly a few of the guys are no longer with us. We even got a rock band going within the team, “Sleepers from Hell”. For our Christmas bash on the railway we were often loaned the Bubble car or tagged onto the back of the service train in the Observation car for the day with loads of beer and food, (usually in April), and we would party and play as the train traveled up and down the line, great days.

The Autumn diesel gala was the usually highly successful event you would expect from the East Lancs Railway, thanks to the tireless efforts of the organisers and volunteers, I really don’t know how these guys go on year after year, putting on well organised events, such great efforts from the incredible teams from a number of departments, a big well done guys and thank you very much, you guys rock.

Locos Operating

Class 24 D5054, Class 25 25279 (Recently outshopped in BR Blue),
Class 33 33109 ‘Captain Bill Smith RNR’, Class 37’s 37109 and 37688, Class 40 D345, Class 42 D832 masquerading as D818 (Recently outshopped in BR Blue),
Class 45 45108, Class 47’s D1501 and 47765, Class 50 50015 ‘Valiant’,
Pacer Class 144.

Home Page - The East Lancashire Railway

www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk

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Nice. I don’t suppose you got a shot of D832 in blue did you Nick?
I know this is paint froth but we haven’t had a BR blue Warship for quite a while now.

 

[shredder1]

Nice. I don’t suppose you got a shot of D832 in blue did you Nick?
I know this is paint froth but we haven’t had a BR blue Warship for quite a while now.

Yes its here mate if the link works, https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=4341871162527036&set=a.4341897189191100

and here

Log in to Facebook

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[Cowley]

Yes its here mate if the link works, https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=4341871162527036&set=a.4341897189191100

and here

Log in to Facebook

Log in to Facebook to start sharing and connecting with your friends, family and people you know.

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My word that looks good!

 

[shredder1]

My word that looks good!

Yes fond memories, they`ve also painted the Peak and a class 25 in blue, they must have found a tin of blue paint somewhere . I first hit your area Nick in 1971, back then all you hydraulic were in a multiple of colours, Red, Blue, green, Westerns in Desert Sand and Golden Orche, red, blue and green also, even the little North Brits appeared in green and blue, a transition period I guess. My favourite were the red warships, we got a cab ride in one once from Meldon Quarry right back to Exeter in around 1971. Newton Abbot seemed to be the Warship shed, although they appeared all over of course, great days though and sadly they`ll never be repeated.

 

[Cowley]

Yes fond memories, they`ve also painted the Peak and a class 25 in blue, they must have found a tin of blue paint somewhere . I first hit your area Nick in 1971, back then all you hydraulic were in a multiple of colours, Red, Blue, green, Westerns in Desert Sand and Golden Orche, red, blue and green also, even the little North Brits appeared in green and blue, a transition period I guess. My favourite were the red warships, we got a cab ride in one once from Meldon Quarry right back to Exeter in around 1971. Newton Abbot seemed to be the Warship shed, although they appeared all over of course, great days though and sadly they`ll never be repeated.

I’m just lost in imagination reading that mate. Must have been amazing, I wish I’d been around then because I love the Hydraulics, having to make do with the odd diesel gala and model though unfortunately.

 

[shredder1]

I’m just lost in imagination reading that mate. Must have been amazing, I wish I’d been around then because I love the Hydraulics, having to make do with the odd diesel gala and model though unfortunately.

Yes it was a great period, I missed Great Western steam totally, they were the first region to change over, but our first Western Region Rover was in 1971 and we did a few throughout the 1970`s, Intermixed with Freedom of Scotlands and All Line Rovers, I still have all my spotting notes. I can clearly remember doing an all nighter from Paddington to Milford Haven behind a Hymek. Regularly did the sheds at St Blazey, Bristol Bath Road, Phillips Marsh, Exeter, Penzance, Newton Abbott, Laira, Swindon North Yard, Gloucester, Worcester, Severn Tunnel Junction, Cardiff Canton, Catheys, Aberdare, Ebbw Junction, Margam, Radyr, Swansea landore, East Docks, Old Oak, Reading, Southall, lots to go at. Most things went in the 70`s and early 80`s, Warships, Westerns, 27`s, BTH, Baby Deltics, North Brits, Claytons, CoBo`s, 24`s, Deltics, Teddy Bears, the HST`s displaced a lot of loco hauled stock in that period, we saw the HSDT HST prototypes on a works visit in 1972 to Derby, and shortly after that they were all over the network.

 

[shredder1]

Chasewater Railway, Brownhills West. Saturday 25th September 2021.

Well, I messed up big time this Saturday, I’ve taken a week’s annual leave to fit a new floor in the living room, part of my continuing house renovation forays. So thought I’d check the diary for Saturday and see if any events were running, two were showing, Preston Dock and Chasewater. Id pencilled in the Coal Train event at the Chasewater Railway, a lovely little railway who run these events annually, although I missed the last one, so do remember making a note of the next one.

For some reason I thought it was this Saturday, but it would seem I’ve missed it again. I drove down to Brownhills early Saturday morning and sat patiently at the gates until someone arrived to open up, but the railway didn’t open until 10.00 and no trains were running anyway, just the café was open, I really can’t believe I`d got my dates wrong, and foolishly didn’t check before leaving home, but I did have a look around the yard and get a brew in the station café before driving back to Manchester to start on the painting before I put the floor boards down, so the day wasn’t entirely wasted and the old car with the dodgy clutch did cope quite well with the longer than usual journey.

Chasewater Light Railway and Museum Company

The home of the colliery line

www.chasewaterrailway.co.uk

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[shredder1]

Cheshire Day Rover. Saturday 2nd October 2021.



After a week off work, but fitting a new floor in my living room, I thought I needed a day out, my original plan was the Apedale Valley steam gala, as my mate Nathan was volunteering on the staturday, but I couldn’t get any petrol around here and the weather didn’t look too good anyway, so instead I decided to have a run about on a Cheshire Day Rover and just see what was around.



It was still dark as I drove up to Crumpsall Metrolink station and a tram into Piccadilly for an early Avanti Pendolino down to Stoke on Trent. I was lucky in that the rail treatment train with EWS liveried class 66015 and 66194 passing through the station at Stoke shortly after I had arrived. My next move was a London Midland class 350 into Crewe, with a quick look around the station and then a Avanti Pendolino to Liverpool Lime Street where I just missed an East bound Transpennine CAT departing as we arrived.



At Liverpool Lime Street I confess to spoiling my healthy eating routine and opted for a full English breakfast in Wetherspoon`s, North Western and it didn’t touch the sides. This was followed by a trip down the tunnels and a train out to Bidston. It had been a few years since Id travelled the line and fancied a run down to Wrexham Central to take a few photographs of the Sprinter services before they change over to the former underground stock, the new class 230`s of which two sets where present on Birkenhead North electric depot. They are however apparently behind schedule and struggle with one of the inclines on the line, and another uinit, I was told, has caught fire, so they have issues presently.



Two class 150 Sprinters were operating the line down to Wrexham, but only working as far as the General station, although some early morning and late evening train’s do go to the Central station, but the platform need extending for the new class 230`s, once they are operable. I was also lucky in that one Sprinter operative on the line was in Arriva Wales blue livery and the other in the newer red and white TfW livery.



Wrexham is outside the scope of the Cheshire rover ticket, so I paid the extra fiver, although the ticket collector was a little confused with the Cheshire rover and then only sold me a single which I had to sort out with the ticket office at Wrexham General station, but no problem and it was a nice run with some great views across the Dee Estuary in the bits were vegetation hadn’t become out of control.



On arrival into Wrexham, I had a walk down to the Central station for a quick reccy, sadly a far cry from the GWR days, but better than my visit in the early 1970`s, at least the station was modernised and built into a shopping estate towards the end of the last Century.



Returning from Wrexham General to Bidston for a class 507 into Birkenhead Hamilton Square and then a class 507 down to Chester. At Chester I awaited the Crewe service and was treat to two dog boxes, one still in East Midland livery and the other class 153 in TfW livery, with a class 150/2 also attached in TfW livery, so a 4-car set up which was nearly empty on the journey back into Crewe. Another quick look around the station at Crewe and I was soon on another Avanti Pendolino back up to Liverpool Lime Street again, (Déjà vu).



On passing the sidings at Edge Hill Drax biomass was GB Railfrieight class 60002 “Graham Farish” which I remember as “Capability Brown”, I do wish they`d stop renaming locos.



Arriving back into Liverpool Lime Street for the second time in the day I next boarded the Crewe bound class 319 back into Manchester Piccadilly for the tram back to the car and the short drive home, it had been a busy day and I’d certainly got my money’s worth out of the Cheshire day rover ticket.

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[Techniquest]

A nice bit of variety there in an area I'm hoping to have a short visit in later this month. So much to see and do in Cheshire!

It's a shame you couldn't do the heritage railway you originally wanted to do though. As for the breakfast ruining your healthy eating, it sounds like it was a rare treat and as I'm sure you're more than aware already, a treat does help keep the brain and body focused on the overall goal of being healthy I have too many treats, certainly recently anyway but my reasoning is that I've been drastically changing my caffeine intake, so something had to happen as my level of activity has not really dropped. Getting back on track though

Rather you than me on putting a new floor down though, but I'm not good with DIY anyway

 

[shredder1]

Thanks very much Tech, no Im not a great DIYer, but my mate helped me, just need to finish the kitchen off today. Yes a big breakfast I guess is fine in moderation, Im back on the healthy eating again now and back at the gym after a week off.

 

[Techniquest]

I need to join a gym for the winter months I reckon, good way to keep up my cycling when the weather isn't good.

 

[xotGD]

I need to join a gym for the winter months I reckon, good way to keep up my cycling when the weather isn't good.

Or get one of those rolling road devices that turns your bike into an indoor training cycle.

 

[Techniquest]

Or get one of those rolling road devices that turns your bike into an indoor training cycle.

I tried one of those, they're a great idea until you try to use one. It worked fine, but the noise the darn thing made was incredible. Hardly welcome for the neighbours, or indeed the others in the house

 

[shredder1]

Im pretty consistent at the gym, Ive weight trained since I was around 25 and at 70 Im still doing six days a week, essentially Im on the weights, but also finish my sessions with some high cardio work on the cross trainers and treadmill, sometimes on the bikes too. I do feel good for it especially since Ive lost 2 and a half stone in the last 6 months, most of it has been through diet. Im down from 18 and a half stone to 16, and seem to be maintaining that on a high protein diet, lots of whey shakes, tuna, cottage cheese, chicken and steaks, supplemented with plenty of veg and non-citrus fruits, I also drink a lot of water, but probably too much coffee, I like my flavored lattes. I take regular vitamins and minerals, including extra Zinc, Cod livery oil and Omega 3, Vitamin D2, a multi vitamin and mineral supplement and extra vitamin C, for my gym sessions I take creatine monohydrate and BCAA`s while training. Im a firm believer that you are what you eat and so far in life Ive kept a reasonable level of fitness and been lucky in that Ive enjoyed good health.

 

[Techniquest]

Jeepers that's some commitment to good health! I need to take a leaf out of your book with the food intake, there's not much unhealthy going in your system at least. Granted, I would change a lot of it given I don't consume anything meat, fish or dairy, but the general idea is good. The vast majority of my output is cardio, so I go through tons of carbs every day. You have reminded me I need to get a new bag of protein powder ordered, too much of my food with healthy protein in it has a level of fat in it that I'm not happy with so that needs changing.

Your vitamin and mineral intake is quite significant fair play, I dread to think how much that costs you every month! I'm trying to get my vitamins and minerals from food rather than supplements, in my mind it's healthier to get it from a natural source than artificially in tablet form. I do use tablets as well, and you've also reminded me about my lack of Vitamin C recently. That's on my list to deal with too!

 

[shredder1]

Yes minerals and vitamins are best from natural food sources, the trouble is with supermarkets and processed foods you cant always rely on them to contain what you need, so supplements just keep you topped up. I think its a lifestyle really, high cardio is the best form of exercise both for general fitness and burning carbs and fats, on prices I just top up regularly with vits and mins and use Holland and Barrets mainly and Phd products for whey and powders. I think its all about being consistent with both training and diet an adapting your lifestyle to suit.

 

[Techniquest]

I think you're right with adapting the lifestyle. I really need to focus on toning the body up, as well as eat less sugary food. Soon enough, once I finish the conversion from a high caffeine intake to a lower one, I'm sure that will fall into place. As I said to a friend today, a year ago I had no intention of going full vegan, and now I'm almost 3 months into that lifestyle. I'm not an adventurous vegan though, I tend to stick to the same food.

Agreed with the supplements thing there, it's tough to make sure you get the right amounts. I looked at a multivitamin supplement on Bulk.com where I get my protein mix from. It sounded awesome on paper, even if it did have to be taken 3 times a day. When I looked closer, some of the amounts did not match to being enough for my liking so I didn't bother. I did order some Vitamin C tablets while there though, much more expensive than those from Savers but it made sense to give them a go.

Hoping to get out for a good quality ride tomorrow, and maybe even Thursday. Next week is a week off and I'm away in Cambridgeshire for part of it Combination of trains, walks and rides

 

[shredder1]

Good luck with that Tech, what I spend on supplements I just treat as part of my food shopping bill, Ive always taken something ove the last 40 years or so, started weight training about 45 years ago and more of less been consistent. Im on 1000 with rosehip mg of Vit C at the moment, its water soluble so you cant overdoes on it and you know if you are taking excess because your urine will appear bright yellow, with the fat soluble vitamins, like iron for instance, if you take excess to what you need, you will usually get small pimply skin on your deltoids, just drop the intake and they`ll go away, D3 is a good one for winter, its the sunshine pill, lol.

Ill be riding early hours of saturday morning, I have an unnatural attraction to night trains, (not that we have many in this country these days), and wondering around railway stations in the dead of the night. So I might go for the 02.45 York service from Manchester Piccadilly saturday morning and maybe take a ride upto Scarborough chasing the big Cats.

 

[Techniquest]

Ah yes Vitamin D is going to be a big friend of mine this year, I have a hunch I won't be able to go outside as much as last winter. I'm almost out of my calcium and Vitamin D tablets, which is a good thing as the tub doesn't say if they're vegan friendly or not. So I'm using them up and shall be hunting a suitable alternative this weekend.

Good call on treating the supplements as part of a normal food shop, that's a very good idea. I'm not doing that yet, but may do next month. Already set up my spending log for this month so that's set in stone now

Ooh, night trains, it's been an absolute age since I last did an overnight TPX. I used to do them whenever I need to be up north on the cheap. Good idea on taking the chance to do a 68 to Scarborough, I need to do that one day!