There's had been something of an ad-hoc feel to this whole weekend - planned late, and booked on a whim to use a discounted ticket. As the whole thing sort of crept up on me during the week, found myself dashing about to prepare for the trip up to Birmingham after work yesterday. Despite some last minute work-related calls on the train, things had calmed down and I'd had a pretty good night's sleep before a thankfully not too early start. Over to New Street, just minutes away from my hotel, for breakfast and a wander out to the end of the platforms where the daylight promised a pretty good morning. Watched the trains arriving for a while until the tell-tale high intensity lights in the tunnel signalled the arrival of our train with 66414 'James the Engine' at the front. Time for a quick photograph before a quick walk along the train to find my seat - thankfully this time around in a decent FO, rather than the odd vehicle WCRC supplied on my last Spitfire excursion. Indeed, enduring that vehicle on an extended trip had earned today's discount! Settled in for the first leg of the journey north - with our destination once again Carlisle. People have actually begun to ask me what the attraction of this border city is - have I some illicit assignation or secret? I'm not sure quite why so many tours have headed this way lately, but on each occasion the weather has been good, and it's been an enjoyable trip. There may even be one last jaunt before the year is out if things go to plan too!
Our route curved west, through Telford and the connection to the newly opened Donnington Freight branch, before turning north again at Shrewsbury. After picking up at a variety of smaller stations which rarely see a tour, we covered the now rather popular Gresty Road curve into Basford Hall Yard at Crewe. Here, after a quick rehersal, we set off via the Liverpool Independent lines to rejoin the WCML, now with 37229 and 37510 leading. 37510 in particular was a winner for me, having reportedly not worked a passenger train for a good few years. We made excellent progress with this pair of locos, until a little north of Preston where we came to a shuddering halt. Soon heard that 37229 had shut down with no coolant and fire bells sounding. 37510 pulled us forward into the Up and Down Goods Loop at Carnforth, where after a brief delay, it was decided to put 66414 back on the front. Run around effected, we set off 59 minutes behind schedule. This meant a much shorter stop in Carlisle, but given recent visits I wasn't too concerned. The sun was shining, 37510 was still assisting the 66, and we had the delights of Shap ahead of us. The train made the climb with no problems, apparently at a little over 50mph. Having said that, tackling this climb with one 37 and a pair of dead locos could have been problematic! A good, fast run into Carlisle for a break of an hour.
However, an hour was barely long enough for all the activity going on almost as soon as we arrived. Firstly, 70013 'Oliver Cromwell' was steaming gently away with a good number of enthusiasts watching as the stock was propelled south out of the station. Almost immediately on our arrival, 66412 arrived with 37682 in tow. These two locos were due to be attached - and with 66414 hauling the ailing 37229 off to Kingmoor, there were plenty of movements to photograph. With most of the manoeuvres done, headed over to grab a drink and enjoy the sunshine which was now very strong. Back over to the platform to prepare for the arrival of our train for the return. 66412 did the honours, and would be at the rear, letting 37682 - another winner for me - lead 37510 on the first leg of the return. On boarding, found the stock very hot and stuffy, with cable-ties restricting the small windows in the Mk 1 stock. The tight clearances via Maryport have usually meant the use of Mk 2 air-conditioned stock, so not surprised by the warnings. Brief concern there may be trouble from a small group in the carriage who broke off the tie and argued medical grounds for keeping cool, but all quietened down eventually. The long, rather dull section to Maryport soon passed, and windows were very gratefully opened as we curved alongside the Irish Sea in truly fantastic conditions. Spent a good bit of the coastal journey at a droplight enjoying the sound of the locos and the fresh sea air.
This time, we took the line through Barrow-in-Furness rather than the much shorter avoiding line, passing the seemingly deserted but huge Light Maintenance Depot here. Soon curving back into the loop at Carnforth to let a couple of fast trains pass before setting off south at speed. We stayed on the WCML until Warrington, where we took the Chester line, gaining time as we went. Finally arrived at Chester around 10 minutes before due time. The station was busy with natives in their finery seemingly preparing for a night out in Crewe, surprisingly enough! Watched the fun for a while before a 10 minute early departure with 66412 again at the helm. After passing Crewe electric and marvelling at the locos abandoned to the elements outside, we slewed across the lines and crossed onto what is a fairly rare bit of track, linking the former Depot departure line to the Chester Independent lines. All seemed to be going well until we came to a halt well short of Salop Goods Junction, which we needed to clear to get back round onto the Salop line. After a brief wait, we were informed that Basford Hall was full of ballast trains and that the signaller wasn't expecting us. All the signs of another Gresty Road farce were assembling, when after a delay of around ten minutes, and actually at our booked time, we began to move off north with the 37s leading again. It was hard to appreciate what was happening in the growing gloom, but we soon found the train curving to the east, and passing the back of the coal sidings, with the Salop lines and Diesel depot at our left. It soon dawned that we'd done a fairly innocuous and nameless link back into Platform 12 of the station which the assembled BLS contingent couldn't recall being done in at least the past 30 years of railtours. Somewhat elated, so didn't even notice the brief delay while the driver again changed ends to take us south, the 66 in charge once again.
Once on the Salop lines again, things ran fairly smoothly and we made our booked set-down stops only a few minutes late, thanks to the early running accumulated on the run into Chester. Reflecting on the tour as we approached the Midlands once again, noted that the mishaps with locos and track had actually only improved the day - and brought back a bit of that feeling of 'the old days' when you never knew quite what would turn up or where it might take you. Of course, I don't remember anything but the tail end of those days - and for me today was just a good old-fashioned railtour with interesting traction and even more interesting track! What's more, it was a relaxing and enjoyable day which had taken the pressure off just for a little while. Another good 'un from Spitfire - long may they continue.
A Day of Endings - The Last Mainline Revisited
Posted in Railways on Saturday 5th September 2009 at 10:30pm
Some readers may recall my attempt to cover the last stretch of the West Coast Mainline towards the end of 2008. Since then people have often asked me if that's all I have left to cover of the UK network. Well, absolutely not - because I do try to cover freight lines, and there are still the odd corners of the country I've never quite managed to get to - not least Pwlhelli - but that's mostly because I'm a bit embarrassed to say it wrong when I buy the ticket. However, the ten or so miles of line between Colwich Junction and Stone is somewhat symbolic, as it's the last bit of proper mainline railway I haven't covered. It's also an absurdly easy bit to cover - served regularly by London-Manchester expresses and a vital link in Virgin's Very High Frequency timetable. So, having figured out the service pattern, with the WCML upgrade reportedly complete and with a spare weekend - I decided it was time to try again.
Things started well, but with pangs of uncertainty. This weekend marked another "last ever" (so they say) in that the summer-only locomotive hauled Weymouth train was to run for the last time. Since Weymouth is one of my least favourite journeys, and because most right-thinking people didn't really expect DB Schenker to produce two working class 37s in time, I'd stuck to my original plan. So, there was a little regret as my London-bound train passed Barton Hill depot and the sight of 37670 and 37401 burbling away merrily at the head of the stock. Then I thought of the interminable journey between Castle Cary and Dorchester and didn't feel quite so bad. Instead, settled in for a snooze, waking up in time for the interesting bits of the journey to London. Couldn't shift a nagging headache, which a dash around the Circle line to Euston Square just seemed to exacerbate - so grabbed Ibuprofen and coffee and soon felt better. Watched the crowds at Euston, and assisted a gaggle of older women from Birmingham who couldn't find the Underground despite the very large sign explaining it was a few feet away. Cue much screeching and cackling laughter which actually made me feel worryingly at home! Soon onto a Pendolino (fittingly 053 - the last one at present) and gathering speed out into the suburbs.
With three trains an hour and being one of the quieter weekends of the year, the train was almost deserted. Virgin's Saturday service in First Class isn't quite what it manages in the week - but still provides a much better environment than the horrible standard class in these trains. Sipped my complimentary drinks, and began reading Stuart Maconie's "Pies and Prejudice". A friend lent this to me as I complained I'd run out of things to read at present. It seemed fitting to read a book about 'the north' as I headed that way. Hard not to compare it (as indeed Maconie does) to Charles Jennings' rather sarcastic effort "Up North" which I'd read a good few years back and seemed to be the work of someone gripping Bill Bryson's coattails rather tightly. Maconie had the disadvantage of finding me a much more seasoned traveller - with a southerner's eye view of many of the places he mentions - Crewe, Warrington, Bury etc. However, soon found myself zipping speedily through Lichfield Trent Valley and turned my attention back to the rails. I actually began to get rather nervous at this point - a lot of things seem to be spinning out of control just now, but surely I of all people can figure out the right train to get on?
I needn't have worried. We began to slow, then lurched to the right over pointwork - beside me was Colwich Memorial Garden - planted and cared for until his death by a local man, Alf Taylor in honour of Driver Eric Goode, the victim of a terrible crash here in 1986. As we began to speed away from the junction I felt rather pleased things had worked out at last. The line itself wasn't inspiring - there are no stations on this stretch anymore, and indeed never were more than a couple. The scenery is rather dull too. But the important point is that this was mission accomplished at last. As we curved gracefully through Stone station, now reopened after years of being abandoned during the WCML upgrade, I felt pretty content. I was relaxing, reading and out on the rails - can there be many better pursuits? Enjoyed the rest of my journey to Manchester and soon arrived in Piccadilly under brooding stormy skies. Decided to take a walk into the city centre - not something I do often. After a browse around a couple of shops, came across the Metrolink works - still no trams and huge sections of the busy pedestrianised centre fenced off and churned up. This squeezes the crowds into two channels at each side of the street, so I plodded along with them, and found myself outside the Arndale Centre. Since I needed to purchase stationery, I wandered in. Needless to say, I didn't like it. Cavernous and mostly full of sportswear, this echoing retail horror is everything I dislike about modern city centres. The weird ambience of the places alone makes me feel prone to panic attacks. Dived into WH Smiths, complained about them having no A5 casebound 'Black and Red' notebooks and dashed out as quickly as possible into Exchange Square. Watched the obligatory 'Manchester Wheel' which it seems all cities must have now, before plunging back into the crowds and making my way back to the station via a circuitous route taking in some of the lesser visited bits of the city centre.
After a break and a chance to answer some email which had piled up during the past couple of busy weeks, boarded the 16:07 back to Bristol. A quiet journey, with noticably fewer passengers around than have been evident in recent weeks. Read, listened to a couple of podcasts and generally enjoyed the chance for a quiet trip back. As we approached Bristol, I was pleased to note we were pretty much on time, because my plan was to intercept the Weymouth train as it arrived back into Temple Meads. As soon as we stopped, headed back up platform 7 to get the usual shot of the train arriving. Then, a quick dash back under the subway onto platform three where a huge crowd had developed around the locos. A real sense of occasion, as a number of familiar faces arrived including the Spitfire team and some 37 bashers I haven't seen out in a good while. The staff at Temple Meads seemed just a little concerned at the developing crowd - but mostly it was a good natured gathering. This might be the last scheduled service train to be 37 worked, which made things somewhat bittersweet but didn't detract from the atmosphere as the trainshed filled with diesel fumes!
So a strange day, with lots of endings in some ways. However, more reminders of why I find myself returning to the rails while things seem to get ever more confusing and complicated around me.
The Retro Oldham Looper and Cumbrian Coaster
Posted in Railways on Saturday 29th August 2009 at 10:55pm
The last week or so has been busy and trying at work, and the very hobby which is supposed to relieve this stress has caused it's own frustrations - not least in the arrangements for this tour which have caused a few headaches for me. I can only imagine, knowing a little more now following some very open and honest communication from the tour promoter, how much bigger and more painful the headaches were behind the scenes! However, the news by the end of the week was positive - if daunting. The train would run as planned with some minor re-routing in Manchester, but the 05:15 kick-off from Huddersfield was non-negotiable. It's hard enough to explain to people why I get up to some of the rail-related oddness I record here, so I didn't much expect people to appreciate getting up at 2am for the 03:15 from Leeds to Huddersfield. I think I told most of them I was having "a quiet bank holiday weekend up north". Nevertheless, I found myself in the eerie artificial light of Leeds station with a mixed group of returning revellers and Ringway Airport bound tourists boarding the 03:15. Tempted to doze off, but then noticed we were passing through Wakefield Kirkgate and thus had taken an unusual route for a Class 185. Watched the rather forlorn shapes of stored Class 56s at Healey Mills slip by in the darkness before arriving in a cold and windy Huddersfield. The predicted staff response soon followed, with suspicion and concern where waiting in the station was concerned. Contented myself in finding a spot between the great pillars of the listed station entrance where the wind couldn't find me, and watching the last few straggling drunks drifting home. Eventually a few more passengers for the next airport train began arriving, along with people who planned to travel on the tour. So, less conspicuous now I went back into the station to find that the owners of The Station Buffet had taken pity on the crowds and were open for the sale of bacon rolls and coffee. I don't think I've ever been so pleased to hand over money - and it was hard to hide my pathetic gratitude from the bluff northern folk serving me, who'd surely have thought me a 'southern jessie'.
After a contented munch and a brief wait, a distant headlamp signalled the arrival of 47832 hauling a rake of pristine blue and grey stock courtesy of Cargo-D. The assembled crowd seemed very grateful to be on board, and we were soon away. Inside, the stock was even more impressive. Clean, comfortable and refurbished to a very high standard. Everything seemed to work - lights, PA system - all the things which seem to let down some of the older stock used on tours which could use similar care and attention to that which has been lavished on these coaches. Since we had a Mk3 kitchen car in our set, Network Rail had decided that the Brewery Curve just outside Manchester was out of bounds - a bit of a blow for me, as it effectively reduced the new track covered by the tour by 50%. Instead we climbed Miles Platting bank and reversed at Victoria station, with DRS owned 20306 and shiny, ex-works 20301 leading the train noisily onto the Oldham Loop. This rather unloved and previously ignored bit of track will soon be closed for conversion to Metrolink Tram operation, thus a number of tours are covering the line. Since there are no substantiated reports of Class 20 hauled passenger trains before, this was an equally historic event. After picking up at stations around the loop, we again briefly visited Manchester Victoria before setting off westwards to the coast.
The train made steady progress via Bolton and into Preston where a brief break allowed for a quick photograph. The weather was improving, and everyone seemed to be enjoying the sense of occasion which our unusual train seemed to be providing. While railtours are always in my experience, very pleasant and sociable occasions, there was a particular good atmosphere on board this trip. This was due in no small part to the excellent stewarding and catering which worked well. The presence of additional staff due to Network Rail's stipulations around parts of the Cumbrian Coast line could have made for a heavy and draconian feel, but the Retro Railtours team seemed to pitch it just right. Had a chance to chat with James, the organiser too, and to apologise for my email rants over the past week or so!
At Carnforth we curved away from the mainline, passing through the remaining platforms, and pausing at a signal directly outside the West Coast Railway Company depot. Lots of locomotives on display, bringing back memories of last year's excellent open day. Soon underway again, and approaching the track highlight for me - the short stretch of double track which cuts out the long curved section of line serving Barrow. A very brief section indeed, but one I've managed to miss on previous trips! At Park South Junction we were back on the single line north along the coast, hugging the edge of the Irish Sea, and passing the huge complex at Sellafield where a good number of DRS' other locomotives were in evidence.
After passing through Workington, we turned inland again, and traversed the always rather long and dull section through Maryport. However, for the organisers this was perhaps the biggest headache - with clearances between the train and lineside structures, a steward is required in every coach vestibule to ensure the droplight windows are not opened. We passed the section without event, and were soon crawling into Carlisle station, passing the rather forlorn abandoned depot and the tangle of freight lines which avoid the southern approach to the station. A much briefer wait here than on my last visit - but quite a lot happening, with a brace of stabled Class 57s attracting attention and the arrival and subsequent shunting of a steam charter operated by 6201 'Princess Elizabeth'. Time also to venture out into town briefly, finding the square which had been host to a pipe band a few weeks back now hosting an international produce market. Had a relaxing wander, enjoying the decent if rather windy, weather. After some lunch, back to the station to watch the further shunting of the steam excursion alongside a passing freight, and then for our own train to head back in. As a nice touch, the locos had been reversed with 20301 now leading the pair back to Manchester. Having a chance for a good look at the loco, realised just what an amazing job had been done on it's repainting and overhaul. Despite being (as one dining car passenger reportedly told the organiser) "awkward looking engines" both were also performing extremely well scotching concerns about managing to produce a working pair earlier in the week. Soon back on board and heading back onto the coast. With a hazy autumn sun shining, the views out to sea were truly fantastic and the journey seemed to pass very quickly. Soon we were traversing the Barrow avoiding line in the opposite direction and curving back onto the West Coast Main Line. As ever, the setting sun over Hest Bank produced memorable views.
After arrival back at Manchester Victoria we once again headed onto the Oldham Loop. It was dark and wet, but the sheer racket our locos made in the quiet and rather deserted stations was worth the trip alone! There were a couple of frustrating delays awaiting other services here, and it's easy sometimes to get frustrated on the homeward leg of a railtour, but we managed to maintain our schedule falling only a few minutes behind. After arriving at Victoria for our reverse, we experienced a further hold up as the train hadn't cleared the signal and needed to pull forward. Cue lots of walking back and forth for the driver! After an impressive run with 47832 back in charge and despite a long fester at Stalybridge awaiting the platform, we made Huddersfield practially on time. As I watched the stock thunder out of the station into the darkness, and contemplated the journey back to Leeds on a busy 185 full of people doing 'The Ale Train' I realised that a day which I'd assumed would be just a pleasant jaunt with unusual engines to fill a free weekend had actually been a rather memorable railtour. In no small part this is due to the fantastic organisation and stewarding on board. As I waited to squeeze onto the train back to my hotel nearly 20 hours after leaving, I also remembered that my next railtour will also be heading this way with rather different traction and route. Lets hope that is as successful a day as this one.
Since it's appearance at the December 2008 timetable change, the First Great Western loco hauled diagram has been a regular performer. With only a few exceptions which can indeed be counted on one hand, this diagram has provided me with both reliable haulage and a much more comfortable journey to work. What it perhaps hasn't provided is any great variation - with a small pool of locos assigned to the work and few substitutions. However, last night gen began circulating that 66153 was on its way over from Westbury to form one end of the train. So, despite really needing to be in work a little earlier today, I waited in the rain for my usual train. The ECS working had headed down to Taunton very late - apparently due to a last ditch attempt to get an ailing 67 working - so 2D04 was correspondingly nearly 50 minutes late by the time it arrived with 66153 at the wrong end. Resolved to get out of work early and have a little trip this afternoon instead.
So, in surprisingly improved weather I headed for the station for the 15:25 to Taunton. The set had turned during the day, so this was again led by 67005. On this basis, decided to head all the way back to Cardiff with the train. Had an unexpected but very pleasant wait in the Welsh capital, enjoying late evening sunshine and quite a bit of activity at the station. The loco hauled set returned to work the 19:00, which I boarded and did all the way back to Highbridge.
An unexpected, but very enjoyable afternoon's travelling!
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.
