Move the station, move the landmark, build relations, build a carpark...
Posted in Railways on Saturday 3rd March 2007 at 11:58pm
It's been a long day. For the first time in a long time I've been out on service trains rather than on organised railtours. I really enjoy the time I spend anonymously using the railway network - the opportunities to people-watch, the ever-changing scenery and most of all the chance to discover odd little corners of this country, which is in a sense what set me off on these journeys over a decade ago. Today I was accompanied by another local crank who had expressed an interest in a jaunt to the northwest. The events of last Friday didn't directly affect our plans, but there was a sense of quiet on the network - particularly in the Virgin services we used - presumably because people heading north of Lancaster were travelling by other means rather than mass desertion of the network due to safety concerns. My objective was Blackpool South. Not glamourous and not exciting - but it's needed doing for many years and today was to be the day.
Stumbled blearily onto the platform at Highbridge to catch the 06:33 as far as Weston. This meant an easy interchange with the 06:59 which today was going as far as Preston. Sought out a comfortable seat in the quiet coach and settled in for the journey northwards. Even having done the trip to Glasgow less than a month ago, I still enjoyed the ride. There is something special about the journey from here to the Midlands and the West Coast Mainline for me - perhaps it's to do with the transition from rural south west to industrial north west, and then into the strange and desolate Pennine landscape? Perhaps it's just because it was so inaccessible and distant when I first began tramping around the network? In either case, managed to snooze and chat through the journey to Birmingham, arriving via Camp Hill and passing 40145 on its' trip to mid-Wales as we crept into New Street. A photograph would have been impossible, but it was a pleasure to see the gleaming locomotive in the glorious sunshine which had developed as the morning wore on.
Running about 25 late now due to a driverless freight back at Bristol Parkway, we seemed to make better time north of Stafford and were soon passing Basford Hall Yard and the other remains of Crewe's railway history. The familiar run through Warrington, Wigan and to Preston has always enthralled me . Much of the line seems to march on high viaducts over the flood plain of the Mersey, with wide views of the industry which crowds around the estuary to the west. In particular, Fiddlers Ferry Power station dominates the scene. Arrived in Preston a little later than planned, where platform 5 seemed to be operating as the terminus for all Cross Country services.
Once my colleague had stopped salivating over seeing his first 185, immediately up to the ticket office and after a brief panic about change for the ticket machine, rebooked for Blackpool South. These services only run once each hour and I didn't intend to miss this opportunity to cover the track. Down to platform 1 in time to watch a Transpennine 185 depart for Blackpool North. Amazed to see how many people had flagged this for the much slower South service, but soon realised that this was the first train which arrives after opening time at the Pleasure Beach which also explained why we were some of the oldest people on the train. The rather tired looking Northern 156 coped admirably with the crowds though, and I didn't feel anywhere near as claustrophobic as I have on some of the local units in the south west at peak times. Most of the train bailed as predicted at Pleasure Beach, and things were much more comfortable for the last three quarters of a mile, except for those sitting near where an over-excited teenager had vomited profusely in the aisle. Welcome to Blackpool!
I've made no secret of my dislike for the north's premier family holiday spot. Despite needing this relatively simple-to-get piece of track, it's taken me ten years or so to come back and visit. My last visit, also in March as I recall, was damp and grey. I'd also managed to book myself into a Christian B&B - and when I went to the cinema to cheer myself up ended up watching the less than life-affirming Trainspotting! The place still looked and felt tired, tattered and vaguely menacing - even after the allowances I make having grown up partly in a seaside town. As we set out to walk to Blackpool North, things appeared to be pretty much unchanged here. After pausing for the 'Engineering Tram' to pass by, we set off on a half-remembered route northwards towards the Tower. Navigating around seaside towns is simplified greatly by their linear topography and the fact that many of them were built to late Victorian geometric patterns of town planning. Despite the angry motorists, got us to the town's busier station in time for a fast train to Preston. Here, my travelling companion discovered a 'feature' of the new style ticket machine popping up over the network: if the machine has no change available, it wisely won't accept notes, but should you tender coins in excess of the value it spits the whole lot back and forces you to start again! A few more hilarious moments as pockets were delved and coins shuffled to produce exactly the right fare back to Preston. We made the train with moments to spare, and were soon enjoying the comfort of a 185 on a fairly quick run back.
Spent a couple of hours trying to get some shots at a fairly quiet Preston station. The low but powerful sun made this fairly tricky, and the problems further up the line meant far fewer services were passing this way. Entertainment provided by a steady stream of units in a motley collection of liveries, then just time to grab a bite to eat before heading for our Voyager back to Birmingham. Everything ran smoothly until Wolverhampton, where we were unexpectedly diverted via Bescot, returning to the Stour Valley Line at Soho. No explanation was offered, but it made us just late enough to miss our booked connection. Made the trip upstairs to get our tickets endorsed by Virgin, then back for the 17:40 to Bristol. Predictably this arrived in Bristol just minutes after the train home, and we had an hour or so to wait. It was a pleasant enough evening for it, and I was happy enough watching goings on at Temple Meads. My colleague however became quite frustrated by the wait, and eventually wandered off leaving me to contentedly lounge with a coffee, before snagging a prime 'ex first class' seat on the unit when it arrived.
A strange day in the north, but track scratched and nice weather means I'm happy enough. Might think twice about travelling with certain others in future though, as I clearly cause them distress with my erratic ramblings and strange notions!
Lost::MikeGTN
I've had a home on the web for more years than I care to remember, and a few kind souls persuade me it's worth persisting with keeping it updated. This current incarnation of the site is centred around the blog posts which began back in 1999 as 'the daylog' and continued through my travels and tribulations during the following years.
I don't get out and about nearly as much these days, but I do try to record significant events and trips for posterity. You may also have arrived here by following the trail to my former music blog Songs Heard On Fast Trains. That content is preserved here too.
