Freight routes and other semi interesting things.

[66736WW]

Firstly forgive me if this is in the wrong place. Secondly Im a past spotter (Do you still call it train spotting) and havent done it in 25 years since I was a kid. I have however recently seen the passion come back with a visit to a few heritage railways over the years and would love to get back into the game so to speak.

Since the days of yesteryear I use to sit at the end of Wolverhampton and Birmingham New Street stations as well as visiting Bescot and Saltley. However those days have come and gone and the old friends I used to wave on are either on show at various heritage sites or in locomotive heaven. Anyway to cut a long story short where would you guys send a semi new spotter to, does Bescot still cater for lots of freight. I know Saltley has bitten the bullet. The old days of Wolves and Birmingham have gone or have they, do you lot still do passenger services.

Im sorry for requesting so much info but I do need a bit of help. I can travel as well, so please over to you to help me out I hope.

Jase

 

[NSE]

I believe that all stock that goes through Birmingham can also be seen at Wolverhampton (the only exceptions being the XC Intercity 125's), Birmingham is much more busy though. I guess these are a good place to start if you wanna stay local to begin with, see if anything grabs you. I'm not too sure about freight as it's not my area, but I'm sure you'll see some. I know there is a massive freight container area on the Camp Hill line/Birmingham to Peterborough line. Going past it always see some locos and freight.

I'd recommend you try this ticket. Gives you unlimited travel around Birmingham/Wolverhampton/Stafford/Northampton/Crewe/Leamington Spa etc. So if you wanna travel around I'd recommend giving that a whirl. Can try a few stations

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/times_fares/promotions/pr9cb0cc0a040004006ad8690e40c16f/details.html

Hope this helps

 

[eastdyke]

Firstly forgive me if this is in the wrong place. Secondly Im a past spotter (Do you still call it train spotting) and havent done it in 25 years since I was a kid. I have however recently seen the passion come back with a visit to a few heritage railways over the years and would love to get back into the game so to speak.

Since the days of yesteryear I use to sit at the end of Wolverhampton and Birmingham New Street stations as well as visiting Bescot and Saltley. However those days have come and gone and the old friends I used to wave on are either on show at various heritage sites or in locomotive heaven. Anyway to cut a long story short where would you guys send a semi new spotter to, does Bescot still cater for lots of freight. I know Saltley has bitten the bullet. The old days of Wolves and Birmingham have gone or have they, do you lot still do passenger services.

Im sorry for requesting so much info but I do need a bit of help. I can travel as well, so please over to you to help me out I hope.

Jase

Welcome!

For variety within your locale, you could try Stafford and/or Nuneaton.

You will get to see a range of passenger and freight services.

 

[66736WW]

Thank you guys. I will certain take a look at that ticket NSE. Looking forward to travelling as well which I couldnt really do as a 13 year old kid....

 

[Condor7]

In answer to a couple of minor points raised (semi interesting things)
I still call it train spotting, and you should see from the threads that there is plenty on passenger workings on this forum.

Welcome back to train spotting by the way:grin:

 

[Freightmaster]

where would you guys send a semi new spotter to,

Coventry?

Seriously, I agree that Nuneaton is an excellent place to visit,
especially late afternoon (2pm to 5pm), which is the busiest
time of day freight traffic.

MARK

 

[66736WW]

Hello Freightmaster. I'm interested in knowing if you have route maps as well as timetables.

 

[YorkshireBear]

Have you tried tamworth? two level station with two track XC route (with a fair amount of a freight) and 4 track WCML again with a fair amount of freight.

 

[66736WW]

I will definately try out all recommendations YB. Thank you.

 

[Robert Taggart]

Firstly forgive me if this is in the wrong place. Secondly Im a past spotter (Do you still call it train spotting) and havent done it in 25 years since I was a kid.

Methinks, nay, fears, you will feel much like Moi - disillusioned - with the contemporary main line railway scene.
Unless that is you have a penchant for Units and 'Sheds' !
Still, you could always reminisce with the 'old order' - 'kettlers' - about the good old days ! We can at least now understand how they felt when steam 'went up in steam' !
Going from your piece - can we assume you too were once a 'true blue' ? (BR - '70's / '80's) !

 

[66736WW]

1980's man. I can still remember the days when there was a Class 50 every day off platform 1 at New Street heading towards Paddington. We used to stay on till Coventry and get off there as our daytrippers ran out and try and get the Class 50 back into New Street. Bescot and Saltley used to be chocka with all manner and our friends the old Class 25s lined up one after another as you hit Bescot from Birmingham.

I dont think Im gonna be interested as much with most of the passenger services as there all Virgin units etc etc, so Im gonna hit the freight lines. Got a few more quid to play with now Im all grown up, still gonna don the notepad however this time around Im armed with a camera which from 1980 till 1989 I never had the luxury of affording. Im excited to know theres a lot of old friends still knocking about from the diesel era at places like National railway museuem and places like that. As a Wolverhampton lad I also grew up with the Class 85, 86 and 87's as they came in and out of Wolves station and seeing a few of them still around would be nice as well..

 

[Freightmaster]

Hello Freightmaster. I'm interested in knowing if you have route maps as well as timetables.

There are some (rudimentary) maps in the printed version of Freightmaster,
but if you are after a 'proper' rail map, I would recommend the "Rail Atlas
of Great Britain and Ireland" by S.K. Baker.


MARK

 

[66736WW]

You do come highly recommended on here regarding your service. Any information you can give me on it please as Im interested in knowing what times what for freight trains. Saves me hanging around a place that doesnt have any services hahaha.

Thanks for all the welcomes btw guys.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Can I ask one more question please. Are all passenger services in and out of Birmingham all units now. Ie (Virgin Pedalo etc etc)

 

[Freightmaster]

You do come highly recommended on here regarding your service. Any information you can give me on it please as Im interested in knowing what times what for freight trains. Saves me hanging around a place that doesnt have any services hahaha.

Check your PMs!

Can I ask one more question please. Are all passenger services in and out of Birmingham all units now. Ie (Virgin Pedalo etc etc)

Well, that depends on whether you class HST as 'units' (jumbo sized
can of worms, that one!!); if not, the only regular working is the Friday
evening 18:43 Euston to Crewe (New Street 20:06 to 20:20).


MARK

 

[IanXC]

Can I ask one more question please. Are all passenger services in and out of Birmingham all units now. Ie (Virgin Pedalo etc etc)

In addition to the ones Mark mentioned there are Chiltern Class 67 loco hauled workings from Moor Street. Diagrams can be found here: http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?p=1158695

 

[telstarbox]

And if you can get to Hereford/Shrewsbury (both within the area of the West Midlands ticket recommended above), there's one Class 67-hauled passenger service in each direction Mon-Fri:

http://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/Templates/Content.aspx?pageid=402

 

[Robert Taggart]

Well, that depends on whether you class HST as 'units'...MARK

Indeed, methought such things were units - and despised them for ousting 'proper' trains ! But, in desperate times such as these - they make a welcome change from the montonousity of units - proper !
For 125's now - read 47's / Duffs - twenty years ago !