The Various Random Mutterings of Kite

[55013]

Some good trips there, with a nice bit of variety.
My list of moves I want to do in 2016 isn't getting any shorter

 

[Kristofferson]

Very productive there, congrats on the WMDR area, GWR shacks and 165/1s!

 

[Kite159]

26th November – Operation Pewsey – Attempt 2

After the false start due to a broken rail on the 25th I decided to try and land Pewsey again, but first a bit of history as its been one of the more annoying stations to try and get in the bag. The first way I was thinking was on a standard undiscounted GRT – Bedwyn ticket which allows me to do the circle assuming the HST calls at Bedwyn, and there are 2 services within 10 minutes of each other which calls at Bedwyn, Pewsey & Westbury which is great, however it gives a 55 minute fester at Westbury before the next southbound service which will give a 50 minute fester at Salisbury for a service towards Grateley, so all in all, a lot of festering. The second idea was to try and get it done on my Super FOSS, on a simple Westbury – Pewsey ticket, quick visit out and back into Westbury before heading south back to Romsey; however that fell apart as I ran out of spare days.

The 3rd plan involved my trusted bike to ride the 10 or so miles along the towpath of the Kennet & Avon canal from Bedwyn to Pewsey (which I had given myself around 100 minutes to do it in) however the days over the summer were a bit wet and horrible, so that idea went into the bin which came up with my next plan to try and get this slightly annoyingly limited-ish service shack in the bag, so with a nice drive to Andover station I picked up my tickets to Newbury from the TVM and headed to P1 for the 16:38 to Waterloo, formed of 9 cars (as I believe it will form the 18:20 service out of Waterloo), with 159004 leading, 159019 in the middle and 159107 at the rear. It arrived into Andover 4 minutes down which cut my connection at Basingstoke from an easy +7 to a +3, so I was a bit unnerved as 159019 was cleared for 1000 miles as we arrived into Basingstoke 2 and a bit minutes down.

A quick hop under the subway from P3 towards P5 bay, fighting pass crowds of commuters heading home, and jumping onto 150002 for the 15 and a bit miles to Reading, nothing usual apart from a busy service which emptied out at the intermediate stations, and a right time arrival into Reading gave me 2 and a half options, the half option was already on P7, a HST towards Penzance which called at Newbury, half an option because I could only made a call on the leading power-car, which was dud so I gave it a miss (and the rear power-car was also dud so I didn’t miss anything), so with 10 minutes to kill before the service to Bristol via Bradford (the Westbury North Curve special) I headed to Boots for a quick meal-deal.

Back to P7 and the service for Bristol rolled in, and it had dud power-cars on each end, so I gave that a miss to wait for the Paignton service, which is the service I was waiting for, leading was dud 43183 but with winner 43004 on the rear, a bit busy until Newbury where coach F emptied out a bit, allowing me time to spread and enjoy the trip to Pewsey, finally it was in the bag, time to celebrate with a 45 minute fester for the next London bound service so gave me time to have a look around. Nothing really of interest, a brand new footbridge in the process of being installed to replace an old looking footbridge which has a temporary stairway on P1, some freshly painted fences, and not really a lot of seating which wasn’t outside (and hence wet). No pavement in which to speak off, apart from a random path down some steep steps where it comes out into a narrow part of the main-road as it goes underneath the railway bridge (where there is no pavement as pedestrians are forced to use another bridge, which I found to be completely pointless).

Anyhow, back to the station, where I stood up, listening to music, as an announcement came over the PA that the next service through P2 wasn’t due to call, and it was the green HST set roaring through on route to Plymouth. My train was a bit late according to the PIS (had no mobile signal in which to check RTT), and rolled in around 7 minutes down, leading was winner 43069 and dud 43179 was at the rear end (but I couldn’t check that until I alighted at Reading due to short platforms). I had the option of bailing at Newbury for a stopper from Newbury to Reading West (as it was the time of night where the stopper would go under the viaduct and to the high numbered platforms to head to the depot, rather than into P1/P2), however that was dud 166202 so I stayed on board the HST to Reading. No point switching to a dud 166 where I was nice and comfy with a table seat (and non-working plug sockets).

150002 was running a couple minutes late from Basingstoke, so it was a very fast turnaround by the driver & guard (less than 3 minutes I made it) and away towards Basingstoke, lost a couple minutes at Reading West but regained a minute to roll into Basingstoke 1 down, so not the end of the world. Thankfully the 20:20 from Waterloo was running a few minutes down, so I didn’t have to rush to P2, as 159016 & 159021 rolled in to take me back to Andover, a smile on my face, the end is in sight for the GWR managed shacks with only 8 remaining down Devon & Cornwall, which should be easy to get on Saturday (hardest being Lost-with-it-all [Lostwithiel] as that is roughly 2 hourly).

Anyhow a couple pictures (got a new phone, so still playing with the camera settings):
43004 departs Pewsey:


The Green HST rushing pass:

 

[Kristofferson]

Nicely done! I remember passing through Pewsey on a GWR diversion last summer. Took forever to get to Cardiff!

And who can forget the great FGW debacle a couple of years ago, when that HST decided to sit down outside Pewsey for 5 hours?

 

[Techniquest]

Another excellent adventure there good sir, well done on clearing Pewsey at long last! I spent hours there on the longest day of 2010, maximising the daylight hours for photos!

Slowly but surely your GWR power cars are coming down!

 

[Keith Jarrett]

At last, the great siege of Pewsey is a success! Well done and now on to those last few in Devon and Cornwall - sure it cannot be long before they succumb and you are "GWR free".

 

[FQ]

Well done at finally getting Pewsey! And 2 winner power cars as well!

 

[Kite159]

27th November – A quick spin in South Eastern land

I had some time to kill before a forum meal, so I decided to visit a few of my outstanding South Eastern shacks, mainly the ones which involve a fester if I do them on Sundays, so first up was the last two intermediate ones on the Hayes line before deciding what else to do afterwards based on times. A nice drive to Andover where I parked in my usual place (getting some slightly dirty looks from the locals for parking there, but I’m within the restrictions posted on the signs), and went to the station, purchasing my usual ticket before heading to P1.

As usual the train was running a couple minutes late, but unlike the day before that didn’t bother me as much, and as usual it was formed of 8 carriages, leading was Techni’s favourite 158, followed by 159007 & 159108 for the nice speedy run into Waterloo, taking a seat in 158884 and relaxing, reading a newspaper as the view never seems to change. Arrival into Waterloo was pretty much on time, which gave me 15 minutes to get to London Bridge for the next Hayes bound service, so it was down to the Jubilee line for some 96 stock based action. Jumping on the first service which had rolled in for the mile and 4 chain leap to London Bridge, sadly I couldn’t grab the number of the front unit as I misjudged the position and couldn’t grab it in time at London Bridge, but dud 115 was at the rear. A bit of a fast walk to platform 1, and I leapt onto a service bound for New Cross, in the hope it might produce a winning 465.

Nope, dud 465196 was leading dud 465029 to New Cross, where I jumped off to await the next Hayes train, which was formed of 10 coaches, so preparing myself for the heat of a pair of 376s I was surprised when winner 465006 rolled in, with dud 466034 sandwiched in the middle and dud 465043 at the rear, so taking a seat in the 466 as I didn’t know what the station layout was for a potential +2, it was down onto the leafy branch line to West Wickham, where the footbridge is nearer the front of the train (for unknown stations, I tend to stick in the middle of the service as it gives equal odds if the footbridge/subway is at the front or at the rear. Anyhow I made the +2 with ease before duds 465170 & 465037 rolled in to take me the 65 chains to Eden Park

15 minutes later, the trio of 465043, 466034 & 465006 reappeared (as if by magic!) to take me to Lewisham, Ladywell could wait for another day as the next service behind this one (annoyingly a pair of required 376s) would run fast from Ladywell to Waterloo East. Anyhow a brief wait outside the station at Lewisham for the platform to become available, and it was a fast walk to P4, on the way back to Lewisham I was on RTT and decided Bexley & Crayford would have to wait as it was a 20 minute fester before the next service for those stations, so a nice linear bash along the Bexley line towards Dartford would see a few shacks cleared in little time (due to trains being every 5-10 minutes in the evening peak). First up was a pair of warm duds, 376022 & 376035 (the windows are hopeless as they don’t open wide enough) to take me to Kidbrooke. 4 minutes (or so) later winner 466005 rolled up with dud 465243 behind for the next leap to Eltham, and shortly afterwards 465242 & 465159 rolled in to take me to Falconwood, where things went wrong.

The pair of 465s were sat at Falconwood, the driver informed he was finding out why the signals were red, but after 10 minutes of no movement (and an announcement that someone had been taken ill on a service in front nothing was moving east), so I bailed and headed over to the other platform, Welling & Bexley will have to wait for another day as I jumped onto duds 465163 & 465042, and decided to ditch at Blackheath, with a 10 minute wait before duds 465048 & 465040 rolled in from Charlton direction to take me back to Charing Cross. To the northern line, as units 596 & 597 took me onto Warren Street where the meal was being held.

Afterwards, units 672 & 726 took me back to Waterloo, and I jumped onto 159006 & 159020 for the trip back to Andover, nothing much happening apart from some large delays on the XC services towards Southampton.

Only 2 new networkers today, but 6 new shacks, not that bad for a quick evening spin. I’m currently in two minds when to do my remaining 5 (Ladywell, Welling, Bexley, Bexleyheath & Crayford), as it would be easier during an evening peak time than on a Sunday as it would involve a lot less festering.

------------------------

28th November – From Combe to Coombe, Pilning to Reading, a day on the Great Western

It was a nice trip to Cornwall today, the aim being to finish the area for shacks (and hence all GWR managed shacks) although I still need plenty of shacks in South Wales served by HSTs on the Pembroke Dock summer services, but they are managed by Arriva Trains Wales, so I’m not counting them as GWR shacks. It was to Salisbury in order to catch the 06:15 to Exeter St David’s the one which takes 2 hours to cover the near 88 mile trip to Exeter Central due to festers at Gillingham; Chard Loop & Honiton to wait to pass London bound services.

Plan A involved being able to make a +1 at Exeter Central for an Exmouth bound service to clear Topsham, plan B had Topsham being done in the evening after Cornwall was done, so preferably I would like to get it done in the morning to save some time, we were a couple minutes late departing Honiton and those couple minutes stayed until Exeter Central, where I bailed from 159017 & 159108, over the footbridge and to the other platform as a pair of Quinn’s favourite units rolled in, 143603 & 143620, to take me on the bouncing ride to Topsham, the passing point on the single line with a level crossing, so pretty much a 30 minute fester (although I did notice after the next service towards Exmouth [a 150] the barriers rose up after it cleared into the station, so potential of a fast walk could in theory make the connection), I used the time to visit a local shop to buy a newspaper and to read said newspaper on the platform to await the return of 143620 & 143603.

I had a tight (but doable with a cross-platform change) +3 at St David’s, so taking a sideways seat in 603 (as all the bays were taken, and I wanted to finish my paper and away we went, bit nervous at Central when we rolled in 2 down, but thankfully we had some timetable padding (5 minutes to cover the downhill mile to St David’s) so it was a right time arrival into St David’s so a quick cross over for the next Penzance bound service, formed this morning of dud 150127. The Cornwall main-line is slightly odd in not having a clockface timetable, and alternating between a 2-car 150 (maybe 3-cars when a 153 comes out to play) and a 8-coach HST, and as normal this 150 got very cosy after Totnes, but it didn’t sound right, sounded like one of the engines wasn’t at full strength, but it kept pretty much to time, losing a minute into Plymouth. Changeover of passengers and the service got rather full (some sort of drinking event down St Austell), but I was ok as I had a seat, all be it slightly broken.

My 2nd new shack of the day was scored as I alighted at Lostwithiel, where I was lost with it all, nice enough station, bit basic, level crossing to get across the road, some sidings to the south used to store some rail machinery and what looked to be a former bay platform, an old dark waiting room on the Plymouth bound platform which I assume used to be a ticket office in days gone by, but it was dry in there and wet outdoors. Nothing much to report about the town, nice river bridge and looked to be a pub nearby, but soon I was back onto the platform, where I noticed the level crossing went down a good 5 minutes before dud 150128 rolled in (although the little road wasn’t busy at all). I only stayed on 150128 for 3 and a bit miles and I alighted at Bodmin Parkway for a +10 for a HST from London.

A +10 which somehow had changed to a +40 due to the HST running 30 minutes down due to signalling problems, so I had a look around, I can’t see many long trains heading to the heritage line as the reversing siding didn’t look that large, but the café did a lovely baguette (as there was nothing else around). 40 minutes later (not like I was bothered, as it reduced the fester at the next station from a +45 to a +10), duds 43156 & 43170 rolled in, taking a nice seat in the dry (and warmth) for the peaceful trip to Redruth, my final main-line shack, although could probably do with a new station sign as it still referenced “Wales & West”, with a Wessex Trains sticker on top. Due to the reduced time, I didn’t explore the area, but the next service was formed of 4 coaches, and looking at RTT earlier suggested it would be 150127 returning from Penzance with a friend. RTT was correct as it was indeed 150127 wanting another 9 miles to add its distance and dud 150122 to Truro.

I’ve used Truro station before, but only as a mad dash between delayed HST to held Falmouth service and delayed Falmouth service to held HST, so didn’t have time to explore it, must be the only station in Cornwall to have ticket barriers (although the reason became clear as none of the intermediate stations on the Falmouth branch had TVMs), but I didn’t have long to wait before dud 150130 rolled in, one of the units on branch line duties (and I was hoping it would be either 120 or 129), taking a window seat and the unit set off down the mainly single track where I jumped off at Falmouth Town. 10 or so minutes later 150130 rolled back in from the docks to take me to the crossing station at Penryn

Penryn must be unique (heavy-rail) in having two platforms but side by side where Falmouth bound trains go into a loop to pass Truro bound services before coming into one end of the platform where a Truro service is waiting for the unit to clear the loop before carrying on, pretty impossible to make a connection from a Falmouth bound service to a Truro bound service, but easy enough the other way round, anyhow the other units on the branch line duties this wet and windy Saturday was a pair of dog-boxes, 153373 & 153382, so taking a seat in 153373 for the short run back down to Penmere, a nice station, painted well with some good seating.

15 or so minutes later, the pair of units arrived back to take me back to Truro, where I remained on board as I still had one more shack to go, a request stop which only gets an hourly service, so requesting for the train to stop and I alighted with a massive step down to my final GWR shack, Perranwell, and as expected there wasn’t much around the station, and 10 minutes later I put my hand out and 150130 came to a stop to take me back to Truro, with a smile on my face, a mission completed. I had 45 minutes to kill at Truro before the next London Paddington bound service, so I made use of the time and exited the station (good news, the barriers accept Ride Cornwall tickets) and headed for a walk up a hill to a Sainsburys to pick up some food & drink. Back to the station (bad news, the barriers don’t accept Ride Cornwall tickets 30 minutes after exiting the station) and across to P1 to wait for the slightly delayed HST, formed of dud 43004 leading 43183, the same pair I had a couple days ago to Pewsey, where I found a table in coach E to relax, charge my phone up and read my book (as darkness had fallen). A few minutes late into Plymouth as I looked over to see which Voyager was on the final Plymouth – Birmingham New Street service of the evening and saw that it was required (and I was semi-hoping it would be a dud so I could stay on the HST and have a half hour fester at St David’s for the last Waterloo direct SWT service).

Winner 220017 was sat with engines switched off on P4, so I took a table seat in coach F, the train manager came through as the reservation system wasn’t working to mention that pretty much the entire train was reserved after Exeter due to a football match (Exeter vs. Bristol), but it was alright as I was alighting at Exeter St David’s, nice enough run along the darken coast and pretty much a right time arrival into St David’s, and a fast walk over the footbridge to P1 where the 19:25 to Waterloo was waiting (the 20:25 only goes to Basingstoke, and the 21:25 & 22:4X only goes to Salisbury), strange finishing early [as this service would form the 23:40 from Waterloo] as I took a seat on 159005 for the 88 mile and 49 chain journey back to Salisbury, arriving back around 21:15, quick drive to the local Tesco to pick up some supplies and a nice drive home.

Only one new winner, but 8 shacks cleared, meaning I don’t have to worry about Cornish branches again, although I will probably be back down Devon in the New Year to go unit hunting (apart from an evening spin in a couple weeks’ time to clear a certain yet-to-be-opened station)

Anyhow some pretty pictures of trees and stuff:
150128 approaching Lostwithiel


And here it is again at Bodmin Le Parkway


The track curves heads down and curves away:


43165 & 43035 Cornish warhorses:

43156 & 43170 departing Redruth, a mere 30 minutes late:


Wessex Trains lives again!


Falmouth Town, mind the gap


150130 at Penryn:


Dog-boxes overtaking:


153382 & friend departs Penmere:


And running away from Perranwell!

 

[Techniquest]

Ahhh so that's what you were up to this weekend! Mission accomplished, well done on clearing Devon and Cornwall shacks, something a lot of us can only dream of for now!

 

[FQ]

I loved the read! Congratulations on the GWR shacks!

the other platform as a pair of Quinn’s favourite units rolled in, 143603 & 143620, to take me on the bouncing ride to Topsham.

Never! Get them away from me!!!

 

[Kite159]

I loved the read! Congratulations on the GWR shacks!



Never! Get them away from me!!!

I know, you prefer 142s with the original 3+2 bus benches

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

I know, you prefer 142s with the original 3+2 bus benches

I do.

 

[FQ]

[terrified mode]Please, please no! [/terrified mode]!

 

[Kristofferson]

Good stuff as always Mr Kite train envy is growing...

 

[Keith Jarrett]

Many congratulations on clearing all of the GWR shacks. It's been interesting following your quest to clear up the more awkward ones. So which TOC is next in line for your attention?

 

[Kite159]

Most likely Chiltern will fall first followed a day later by GTR - Southern, both with 3 easy (ish) ones remaining

 

[Techniquest]

You're going to have to attack Kent eventually you know

Certainly I agree with Lord Kris, as I have train envy too and it gets worse every week! I'll be fixing mine in 11 days though at least!

 

[Kite159]

How is this for thinking on my feet, currently staying overnight in Stockport (so 10p if anyone can guess which way I'm heading tomorrow), was booked on a Euston - Liverpool service to change at Stafford for a XC 6 minutes later. However when I got to Euston it was in a state of delays, the Liverpool bound service was due in around 20 down, so thinking to avoid an hours wait at Stafford I asked nicely if I could be given permission to travel on a direct VT.

Ticket office said yes, so no hour wait (would have been 50 odd minutes) at Stafford. Although I did lose seat C1 and the chance of a nuneaton call on a Virgin.

 

[Keith Jarrett]

How is this for thinking on my feet, currently staying overnight in Stockport (so 10p if anyone can guess which way I'm heading tomorrow), was booked on a Euston - Liverpool service to change at Stafford for a XC 6 minutes later. However when I got to Euston it was in a state of delays, the Liverpool bound service was due in around 20 down, so thinking to avoid an hours wait at Stafford I asked nicely if I could be given permission to travel on a direct VT.

Ticket office said yes, so no hour wait (would have been 50 odd minutes) at Stafford. Although I did lose seat C1 and the chance of a nuneaton call on a Virgin.

Can't think for the life of me which Parliamentary shacks you might be attacking! My money's on some dodgy move to get about two miles north east of Stockport for about 09:27. Hope you succeed.

 

[Kristofferson]

Lord Kris, eh? I can go with that

 

[Techniquest]

I still can't remember where this Lord thing came from, but Lord Kris just sounds right somehow

Rather looking forward to Lord Kite's trip report from this weekend

 

[Kite159]

Can't think for the life of me which Parliamentary shacks you might be attacking! My money's on some dodgy move to get about two miles north east of Stockport for about 09:27. Hope you succeed.

Dodgy move involving a 37

(Ok the 37 was a bus, but it got Techni confused when I sent him a PM saying I've scored a 37! )

 

[noddy1878]

Well done clearing the GWR shacks. Perranwell was my local station for 18 odd years!

 

[Techniquest]

Yes it did confuse me when I read "I've just scored a 37!" in the middle of a conversation at work!

 

[Kite159]

And what a lovely 37 it is to

Just making use of the GM Wayfarer validity on many buses in that area

---

Decision time, I'm looking at a trip to Manchester using the reduced advance availability for SWT means going via London means an earliest arrival into the GM area for 11:00, however going via XC both ways gives me more time in the area during the day-time (a bit with an earlier train back), but means having a Voyager for 3 hours each way *ponders*

 

[Techniquest]

I doubt I need to voice my opinion on going by Voyager vice London and Pendolino! I'm sure Lord BT will agree with me that you don't want to voluntarily torture yourself with that much Voyager mileage!

*Rings Stonebow to see if they have room for Lord Kite*

 

[Kite159]

3rd December – A prelude to the Manchester Weekender

Thursday night and it felt strange hitting the rails after a busy week, but I was booked on the 17:59 to Waterloo, and 20:07 to Liverpool, stopping off at Stafford with a 6 minute connection to a XC service (the one which picks up at Basingstoke at 18:47 so I wasn’t really saving any time), no idea why national rail enquires decided to route me in this manner (other than it probably was the quickest way allowing for connection times between Waterloo & Euston), but would be the first time having a Nuneaton call on a Virgin service.

My bag was packed and I was getting ready relaxing for a walk to the station and saw the heavens absolutely open (around 17:15) very heavy rain for around 15 minutes, which got me worried that I would start the weekend rather wet, but thankfully the storm died down and I got out of the house and walked up the river, sorry road, to the station to await the service to Waterloo, which was running a couple minutes late caused by very poor rail conditions. Anyhow 159019 was the unit in charge, for a nice run to Waterloo, arriving 6 down in the end (although 5 minutes of that was waiting outside for the platform to become available!)

First stop to the little Sainsburys outside the station for a meal deal for dinner, and back onto the station concourse before walking down to the Underground. Northern line units 634 & 633 took me forward to Euston, where I walked up to a busy concourse, noting that the 20:07 to Liverpool was down as being “delayed” with a note at the bottom saying something along the lines of “the train for this service is expected to arrive at 20:21”, so bang went my +6 at Stafford (and for an hour wait for the next XC to Manchester), so thinking on my feet I went to the customer help point, explained my situation and they said go to the ticket office, repeated my situation and asked nicely if they would allow me to travel on the 20:00 to Manchester and after checking said yes, stamping my ticket.

The 20:00 to Manchester was a late boarder, didn’t start boarding until 19:55, but using RTT suggested it would be P12, so I took a gamble the 390 sitting in P12 would be the 20:00 and it paid off and I walked fast down the ramp and grabbed a nice table seat in coach U, on dud 390135. Quite a busy run, ticket check soon after departure and a nice non-stop run to Stoke, and before I knew it myself and a lot of others alighted at Stockport, arriving a good 20 minutes ahead of schedule (and looking at RTT suggested the Liverpool service departed 29 minutes late).

The route I used last time is a building site, so it was a slightly longer walk passing the McDonalds and following my footsteps of last year and found myself in the Stockport Central Travelodge, checked in and picked up my room key and headed to the annex, my room for 2 nights. It is in a good location (apart from a hill) 10 to 15 minute walk from the station (depending on traffic and traffic lights), and not that noisy apart from the odd airplane, anyhow prelude over now onto the Friday...

4th December – A Manchester Weekender Day 1


Stockport on a Friday morning, doesn’t take Sherlock Holmes to work out which shacks I was aiming for first of all Anyhow I did some playing with Google Maps and suggested Reddish South was walkable from Heaton Chapel with a potential of a bus move to reduce the walk, and I had a couple potential movements to Heaton Chapel, either the 08:30 from Crewe or the 08:45 from Hazel Grove (to Blackpool). Looking at the departure screens it seems if you want to go from Heaton Chapel to Levenshulme there wasn’t that many options, anyhow the 08:30 was a dud 323, so I waited around for the 08:45, and my first spin of the NRDMUG of the day and was surprised when dud 150226 rolled in on its own, as I was expecting a service such as Hazel Grove to Blackpool to be a double set, ah well, as I stood in the vestibule area for the 1 mile 46 chain leap to Heaton Chapel, where I alighted from the service and exited the station.

Google Maps suggested a 8 minute walk before a bus, so after getting moaned at by a grumpy old man for pressing the button on a pedestrian crossing before crossing the road as it was quiet (as I find some pedestrian crossings take the biscuit in having a long time waiting for the green man to appear), I got to a bus stop opposite a pub. A few minutes later bus 37163 rolled in on a route 329, so showing my wayfarer I took a seat for a little spin around the houses before alighting around Reddish, after a visit to a local Co-Op for something to eat and a newspaper, I followed my phone and found the stairs leading down to my first shack of the day, Reddish South.

The platform at Reddish South is completely barren (although for a station which sees one train a week, I wasn’t expecting a lot), although evidence of a former platform suggested that it was previously a double line (although the other side of the platform also suggested it was another platform edge at some point in the far and distant pass, anyhow I had 15 or so minutes to kill before the arrival of the token service, and 09:27 came and went, a quick look at RTT suggested that the service was sitting on P3 at Stockport causing some chaos with everything else routed via P4, and eventually departed 15 minutes down (awaiting the guard?), anyhow it eventually rolled up, and it was a trio of 142s, leading was winner 142055 with dud 142029 sandwiched in the middle and winner 142032 at the back, locked out of use, but 2 winning pacers was a good start for the near 2 mile trip to Denton.

I was the only person leaving the train at Denton, but it looked like a couple passengers boarded (I was the only person at Reddish South), but with the delay meant a fast walk up the stairs out of the station, across the slip-road and underneath the motorway and across the other slip-road to the bus stop to await the 10 minute frequency bus route into Manchester city centre. At 09:50 bus 19265 rolled up on a route 201 working, and I managed to secure the best seats in the house, the front seats on a double decker, for the 20 minute trip east. I alighted just short of the railway bridge where the line via Reddish North goes underneath, and there is a 2-hourly served shack, also known as Belle Vue. A basic pair of platforms with the only access between them being the road bridge but I had time to kill before needing to be back at Piccadilly for around 16:00.

Winner 142056 rolled up to take me to Brinnington before crossing over the platform to wait for dud 142063 with winner 142017 to roll back in from New Mills to take me to the hourly served Ryder Brow. Reddish North was only a mile (or so) away by foot, so with time to kill I decided to go for a little walk, via a housing estate before crossing over an old railway bridge (remains of the Stockport and Woodley Junction Railway?) and via an industrial estate before reaching Reddish North Dud 142039 was up next to take me to my next shack in the shape of Bredbury which is on a bridge overlooking a main road, so it was down to the main-road where a handy bus stop was located, and bus 19191 rolled in working a route 330 to take me a mile (or so) up the road and I walked to Woodley, bit of a wait before duds 142063 & 142017 rolled back in to take me to Hyde North, just short of the junction with the Glossop line, a basic station with a man from the ORR taking measurements of various signs & lamp-posts (no idea). 142020 came rolling in from the wired section to take me to Romiley, with a same platform interchange for a New Mills bound service (as 142020 was bound for Rose Hill).

142056 was back and it was a bit more busier than it was in the morning to take me to Marple where a short walk to a bus stop saw me giving up on a late running bus which would connect up with the bus I was going to take, and I walked up the hill to another bus stop as bus 22094 rolled in on a route 358 for a blast and I alighted at Strines village. 15 minutes later walking down a little lane which turned into a partial unmade road up a steep hill and eventually reached Strines, another 2 hourly served shack, but did give me a nice rest of 30 minutes to watch as 142056 rushed back towards Piccadilly followed by 66006 on a freight service, before my first non-Quinn since early morning rolled up, in the shape of dud 150203 to take me to New Mills Central. I decided to change my plans at this point and walked the short distance to New Mills Newtown, sadly not via the millennium walkway, and waited at the other station in New Mills. Time to reset the NRDMUG as only 150s & 156s normally appear down on the Buxton line, and it was a bit longer to wait before dud 150277 rolled in with winner 156440 on the rear to take me a couple stations up the line to Whaley Bridge

10 minutes (or so) later a trio of 150s rolled in, leading was winner 150271 with dud 150222 in the middle and winner 150132 at the rear locked out of service, with a nice spin to Stockport for a spot of linear bashing with two other options to get me back to Piccadilly in time for my next move, either a service from Chester or a 390. The service from Chester arrived first and was a dud Quinn, but the 390 was required 390138 to take me to Manchester Piccadilly. Crossing over to P1, where right at the end of the platform the next service towards Rose Hill was loading up (3 trains on the same platform!), and it was fresh super-dud 142056, as I saw a potential of a +0 at Fairfield increased to a +2 with a delay, so I bailed at Fairfield, which isn’t the easiest to get across platforms (hint be at the back of a service from Piccadilly) but I made it and jumped on dud 142003 as it rolled in, a slightly annoying shack cleared (annoying due to it being mainly hourly and being the passing point), back to Piccadilly. 45-odd minutes to get to my next new shack of the day, so I decided to head down stairs and to the bus stop to await the next bus, which Google suggested was every 3 minutes, a busy road which stopped every couple minutes to allow trams in and out of Piccadilly (in the 10 minutes standing there I saw at least 6 movements) before busy bus 19329 rolled in on a route 201 to take me to some stop opposite a collage.

Walking up the road, I missed the turning I was meant to take, and doubled back to find Blind Land and head up, finding the entrance to a certain station, going up some steep stairs, along a path and up and over the footbridge to reach Ardwick which has a nice island platform. 25 minutes to kill before the 16:47 departure, so taking a seat I relaxed and watched the world go by, mainly many trains (including slightly odd spotting of a pair of ATW 150s heading out of Piccadilly and another pair heading into Piccadilly, a EMT 156 attached to a 158 on route to Liverpool (saw that twice), various 390s and voyagers, a good spot to grab units for slight. But my god it was getting cold, that wind was a bit evil, eventually dud 142020 rolled in and stopped (always a good sign), and I alighted, getting told by the guard as I was the “first person he has picked up from Ardwick”. I didn’t stay on the Quinn (my nickname for the lovely 142s) for long as I jumped off at the next stop at Ashburys. My original plan at this point would have been to jump on the next Piccadilly bound 323 and grabbed a tram to Victoria with maybe a trip out to Ashton to kill time before getting on the service which calls at Clifton, but due to the tunnel works overrun, those shacks up towards Bolton were still closed, a job provisionally pencilled in as a day trip on my East Midlands Rover trip next June.

Anyhow, time to say goodbye to the DMUs for the time being as dud 323226 rolled in to take me to Hattersley which is a nice island platform for a short connection with dud 323230 to take me back the 66 chains to Godley which is a hard platform to platform change, but easy to do in the time I had before 323235 rolled in to take me to Dinting which is a lot easier to do in the peak when the services are using the other side of the station, as I jumped back on 323226 to Newton for Hyde a strange service this one as it appears to be the only one which skips Hattersley & Godley in the evening, anyhow the next service was running late so I was able to get in front of myself and catch dud 323236 to Broadbottom which has a nice pub on the platform, before 323235 returned to take me to Flowery Field A nice productive hour clearing the intermediate shacks on the Glossop line, leaving just Glossop to do (which I was leaving until after peak-time when trains go back to half hourly), so a walk was in order to Hyde Central, which appeared to be an awkward station to get between platforms, but as I was going to head south for a miles grab, I jumped onto 142003 to Woodley and across the footbridge to get onto winner 142037 with dud 142055 on the rear to take me to Guide Bridge.

For a station where it is reasonable to expect passengers to want to be able to cross platforms to make an interchange, Guide Bridge takes my current most evil station award, steep stairs to a road, and if the ticket office is closed on the eastbound platform (P2?) it is a lengthy walk to access the road access road and down an unmade path, unlit and no pavement to reach the other platform. Anyhow I had a nice wait as dud 323230 was running late (seemed the usual TPE delay had a knock-on effect) and arrived into Glossop 10 minutes late. It departed to head to Hadfield and I went to the Co-Op to grab some food, before heading back to the station and the return of 323230, the next service was displayed as “cancelled” from Glossop so looked liked the next one ran direct from Hadfield to Dinting, anyhow with arriving into Piccadilly 10 late threw my plans out of the window of either a trip down towards Macclesfield to grab the two required shacks between Macclesfield & Poynton, and also a potential trip towards Buxton. So plan CC time, VT to Macclesfield to clear that shack and back to Stockport for one of the last Buxton trains to clear the Chapel. Before the next (and last Euston I think) service, there was a Crewe bound 323, which looked required, and was indeed 323224 (leaving just 227 & 229 of the Northern 323s) to take me to Stockport and dud 390050 down to Macclesfield.

Across the footbridge and to the other platform, confusing the BTP on the station as I was staying on the station rather than exiting with the others, and winner 390148 rolled in to take me back to Stockport, which was in a state of confusion as everything was down as “delayed”, the Buxton service had disappeared completely from the PIS at platform 0 and the station staff had no clue what was happening, eventually 5 minutes late duds 150114 & 150150 (ah 150150 we meet again) to take me to Chapel-en-le-Frith which is normally an hour wait for a return service (they pass just south and it is a level crossing shack), and with the station being nowhere much in particular (nearest bus stop being a 20 minute walk away from an information poster), I decided to get it done. Felt strange being there all alone at half ten at night, and I was expecting to see 150150 & 150114 coming back (RTT suggested it was a straight in and straight back out), but was surprised when fresh dud 156440 rolled in with 150277 at the rear, so taking a seat in the mostly empty 156 for the last train towards Stockport, and headed back to the hotel.

The end of a rather successful day with all shacks on the “Ardwick” lines out of Piccadilly cleared, apart from the 4 on the Hope Valley between Chinley & Dore [apart from Bamford] anyhow some pictures:
The steps leading down to the 3rd least used station in the UK:


Better not miss the train:


Where is it?


Julie Denton!


Belle Vue:


Brinnington


The less famous Reddish North:


Woodley (with the freight only branch to a rubbish dump? On the right)


A pair of Quinn’s departing Hyde North:


The long road to Strines:


Strines:



Very low platforms:


150203 at New Mills Central waiting to form the next service to Manchester:


New Mills Newtown:


Whaley Bridge:


I have no idea where this station is


Starships on the Derbyshire bound!


I am God(ley)


Dinting triangle:


Newton-for-Hyde... nothing to say


Broadbottom (say it in a Rowan Atkinson accent with a gap between Broad and Bottom ):


Chapel-En-Le-Frith... 22:45 at night!

 

[Techniquest]

Some really good productive days there so far, certainly it's fair to say I'd have done well out of that lot too!

Jealous...

 

[47403]

I still can't remember where this Lord thing came from, but Lord Kris just sounds right somehow

Rather looking forward to Lord Kite's trip report from this weekend

me calling you Lord Tech of Hereford perhaps? Now just Lord Tram man, due to your love of HST's.

 

[Techniquest]

I know I was using it with certain people at work years ago, mostly those who were too snobby for the rest of us, but aye you could have begun it on here Lord Spoon Goon!

Lord Tram, I'll accept that!