I can't seem to sit still this month. Sandwiched between two potentially rather tricky days at work, this weekend was likely to be the one when I didn't have anywhere in particular to be. There were a couple of events around the country, but none of great interest or easy to reach - so, having spoken with Mr Spinks earlier in the week I hatched a plan to revisit some old ground and get out and about after all. Getting tickets proved challenging initially, but pretty soon - and after only one disasterous booking error which needed to be sorted with a phonecall or two - the trip was sorted. A visit to Liverpool, travelling via the Stockport to Stalybridge 'ghost train' once again. Or from my perspective, a bloody long way to go for a pint!

A nice easy start to the day - off Highbridge on time, and to Weston where the useful 07:00 would take us directly to Stockport. Breakfast after Weston, and a fairly lazy trip up via Camp Hill. Things got a little busier on the train at Birmingham, but progress was good and we made consistently early arrivals at our stopping points. I almost hate to jinx things here, but my recent experiences with Crosscountry have been very good in terms of timekeeping. I hate to say it because the lack of South West to North West services seems nuts, but perhaps the work to resolve conflicts at New Street is paying off? At a cold and windy, but most importantly dry Stockport there was time to get coffee and add some tickets to Mr Spinks collection - including a few fairly bizarre CDRs to stations on the 'ghost train' route which it was impossible to return to! A fair gathering seemed to be assembling for the trip which has over the years developed something of a cult status, and happily noted a few normals also using the service to avoid the change at Piccadilly. Chatted and snapped a few pictures while we waited for 150223 to depart for Stalybridge.

On arrival, the small horde disembarked and lingered around the unit, safely tucked into the bay platform awaiting it's departure back to Newton Heath having completed it's purpose of keeping a practically closed line legally open. Some local gricers lined up for a group shot and others took snaps of the unit on the buffers. Most had the same idea as we did, and despite my injured knee slowing me down a bit, made the dash under the subway and into the near-legendary Station Buffet to see no less than nine real ales on offer and an already busy bar. Settled on Howard Town's 'Hope' for starters, as I'd enjoyed a pint of their 'Wren's Nest' here on a previous visit. Badgered Mr Spinks into considering the addition of the famous black peas to his chosen lunch. Credit to him for trying them out, and I think quite enjoying them too. They certainly had an interesting effect on him, as moments later he was seen enjoying a half of my next choice, Phoenix Brewery's 'Darth Vader'!

Leaving reluctantly, caught the next Transpennine Express service to Liverpool. Despite being very busy, the spacious Class 185 didn't feel cramped and we had a reasonably comfortable journey via Manchester Piccadilly and the former CLC lines via Warrington Central. Passed a few notable locations, but struck by just how quiet the formerly hectic depot and sidings at Allerton and Edge Hill were. A lone shunter poised above the mainline and some dumped wagons were just about all that indicated the presence of a railway installation at all. Arrival at Lime Street was, as ever, a pleasure. I always feel like I'm at a real, old fashioned, busy station and today was no exception. Wandered a little way into the City, dodging the saturday shoppers. Mr Spinks headed down into Liverpool Central to score some more track, while mindful of my leg I stayed above and found some food having missed lunch in favour of sampling a second beer!

Back to the station in time for the 15:37, a reliveried London Midland Class 350 which looked smart and tidy. We were joined by a group of local girls heading for Birmingham, who despite being rumbled for an attempted ticket scam (and forced to pay up by the patient but firm guard) managed to be quite entertaining most of the way back. They also had a very strange idea of where Coventry was located in relation to our route - and seemed genuinely concerned when it wasn't the next station! A short wait at New Street for another timely and uneventful Crosscountry service back to Bristol. As we sped south, the weather turned first gloomy and then very wet indeed. As we waited for our final connection of the day into a Taunton train, a convoy of locomotives sped through Temple Meads causing Mr Spinks to break into a spirited platform-length sprint! I've always told him that real ale was good for you, and this demonstrates this admirably. All in all, a cracking day out covering lots of old ground and many miles with no problems or delays at all.

I probably shouldn't have ventured out today. With my injured knee still causing pain and feeling sick and dizzy with some sort of cold I must have presented a sorry sight on the platform at Highbridge this morning. Fate decided to play another cruel trick in the shape of 142029. These units rarely make it this far up the line, tending to remain in Exeter and on the surrounding branches, but perhaps they needed to get one to St Phillip's Marsh and decided a lightly-loaded early train on a Saturday would be the ideal way to do it? Despite the low-backed bus seats (adorned with velcroed on First Great Western covers) had a surprisingly comfortable ride to Weston. Suspect any further could have been less fun, and recalled three hours around the Cumbrian coast a few years back which reduced a fellow passenger to tears in fact!

As planned, an easy run up to Manchester and a chance to try out the new Dell notebook which I'd not ventured out of the house with yet. Fine weather all the way, and a nice quiet run. Never an eventful journey heading up this way, but given my sluggishness this morning that was no bad thing. Found myself arriving at Piccadilly a few minutes early, and eager to get started on the day's main goal - finishing off the Metrolink network. Straight off the train and down to the tram platforms. Had tried to come up with the best order for the two remaining branches, but once I'd bought a MetroMax ticket I decided to board the first suitable service that arrived - an Eccles tram. Once through the familiar environs of Piccadilly gardens, headed west soon reaching an area of new offices and media centres, with the line taking frequent sharp turns to negotiate the canalside blocks. Suddenly, the smart new blocks petered out as we entered suburban Salford. Noted the strangely named and potentially confusing "My Street" near Langworthy tram stop. Imagined how awkward that could prove in conversation. Eventually reached Eccles, but in order to get all of my planned moves done simply changed ends and headed back towards Manchester.

Back at Cornbrook, disembarked and dodged under the canopy for cover. The tram stop was high in the air, between the canal and the heavy rail lines, in the middle of a somewhat desolate landscape and very exposed to the elements. Shivered and cursed a bit until an Altrincham tram arrived. Found a seat and settled in for the ride, part of which would be beside Network Rail track I'd covered previously. This formerly electrified heavy rail line betrayed it's origins in long platforms and familiar looking station structures. Passed under the Partington Branch near Timperley, at almost exactly the point the BLS's "Ribble Restitutor" railtour reached last March. The heavy rail line curving in from Skelton Junction shares space at Navigation Road, making for a strange alignment of two single lines through the platforms and over the crossing, before fanning out into the surprisingly extensive station at Altrincham. Much faded grandeur here, and not nearly enough time to wander around the station before turning around on a much busier service back into Manchester.

Time to find coffee and test the laptop's wireless functions out. The virus and the knee injury were really beginning to take their toll now, and I was glad of the prospect of a nice simple trip back to Bristol. Settled in for the ride which was blessed with sunshine almost all of the way. Good to finally cover this light rail network, and now thinking about plans for the other networks which I've sampled but not completed...Keeps me off the streets, as they say!

It's a long time since I've found myself heading south on a Saturday morning. Prepared a flask of coffee knowing that catering wasn't something First Great Western believed in on 'local' services and headed for the station. There were always a good selection of destinations on a Saturday before the regularised timetable appeared, and I recall direct trains to Penzance being fairly common. This however is now the only one, but with an 0557 start, arriving at Bodmin Parkway a few minutes before 0900 it was idea l for todays festivities. A nice, easy run down watching cloudy slate-coloured skies turning brighter. Once past Newton Abbot I was in territory I hadn't seen for nearly four years, and beyond Plymouth for a good deal longer! Recalled a pleasant week spent down here on a Freedom of the South West Rover about twleve years back as we ambled further into Cornwall.

On arrival at Bodmin, immediately made for the Signal Box. A small cafe which left a big impression when I last visited. Good to note it was still serving excellent breakfasts. Passed some time eating, drinking and chatting before heading for the Bodmin & Wenford Railway platform for the first locomotive hauled train of the day for us. Met a few familiar faces waiting, and soon heard the sound of 37142 rounding the curve with a short four-coach train. Attempted to collect tickets as planned from the Ticket Inspector, but was referred to Bodmin General station. Settled in for the brief ride up the hill to the town, with 37142 making a good racket up front. As we made our ascent, the sunshine appeared - and stayed around for much of the day in bursts here and there.

Once at Bodmin, a mad run for the queue. Collected tickets and made it back onto the train for the return run to Parkway. The pattern became clear - a couple of locos would queue up ready to take the next train. We'd arrive, drop our loco in the platform and be hauled out by one or two of the waiting locos. Once we'd left there would be some shunting around to get things in order for the next train. By my calculations we could cover all of the locos working - but the surprise addition of Colas Rail's 47727 to the roster in addition to 47749 had made this more complicated. Decided to stick to plan, have a break and a wander into Bodmin after the 12:10 arrival at General, and not worry too much about the consequences.

So, as planned had a couple of spins up to Parkway, then took the other branch to Boscarne Junction where the line formerly continued to Wadebridge and Padstow - an aspiration for the current operators too. The diesel locos based at the railway performed excellently throughout, and were in fine form. Despite being a small railway in terms of track length, the Bodmin ∧ Wenford could show bigger cousins a thing or two! Particularly good to see 47306 The Sapper working trains after spending a long, long time apparently abandoned at St. Blazey until moving here last year. On arriving back at General, took some shots of the shunting manoeuvres then headed down the hill into town. A pleasant, rather small town centre dominated by the Shire Hall and courts. Found a betting shop to ensure the Grand National was covered, and then grabbed a bite to eat before struggling up the hill on a painful knee for the 13:05 departure to Boscarne Junction.

It soon became clear that 47727 would indeed be the loco which we missed by taking lunch at the time we chose. Disappointing, but it seems from future planned galas that Colas are interested to allow their machines to be seen and used for such trips - so perhaps it won't be long before this one is on a train again. Instead, had some solo runs out to Boscarne with the railway's own 50042 and 37142 both of which provided a great deal of entertainment. Finished the day with a run back down to Parkway with 47306 and 47749. A few more pictures before it departed, then a surprisingly warm and sunny wait for the service train to Plymouth. On arrival, had to wait only a few moments for D1015 to appear working the return leg of its 'Royal Duchy' tour. A good day for heritage traction in the south west!

Changed onto a busy but swift Voyager up to Taunton, and a very brief wait before getting the local unit home, arriving a couple of minutes early after a very good day out with no problems at all. The good old-fashioned preserved railway diesel gala appears to have gone out of fashion these past few years. So its good to see a few such events cropping up around the country this spring, and I can only hope our more local railways take note!

Things don't often turn out how you'd expect, but today - the first of British Summer Time - started in a blaze of warm sunshine and stayed bright and clement throughout. Having missed yesterday's steamer due to pretty filthy conditions, it was pleasant to be able to wander out to the station in the early evening sunshine to catch one of the final First Great Western HST stock moves - in this case Midland Main Line coaching stock set LA79 finally returning northwards after sterling service covering for FGW stock under refurbishment. Interesting to see 47828 remaining, for now, in the surely soon to disappear Cotswold Rail livery.

There is of course every possibility that LA79 will return to the area, as Crosscountry's summer additional services commence in May, and eventually when their refurbished HST sets begin working the South West to North East corridor. For now though, content to get my first hazy shot of the year at my local station - which must mean summer isn't far away.