2026 New Track Coverage

[lipson89]

9th August:
Dore South to Dore West on the curve, avoiding Sheffield, en route to Manchester.
Huddersfield: Manchester Victoria service departed from platform 2, then crossed over from the Up Huddersfield to the Down Huddersfield.
10th August:
Rochdale: Arrived from Blackburn into the little used Platform 2 and departed from the same platform on a Leeds service.

 

[Sunil_P]

19th August:

Bessacarr Jn to Black Carr Jn "northbound" - this is the former rare curve, now "normal" use, connecting the Doncaster-Lincoln line to the ECML on the "up" side, done on the 1434 from Lincoln.
("Southbound" direction done back in 2019)

 

[Sunil_P]

20th August:

Edgware Road "terminating platforms" - both definitively done in both directions (even though I might have used either or both decades ago without noting which!):

Platform 2 District departure/arrival
Platform 3 Circle departure/arrival

The platforms seem to be strictly used as above, at least in the off-peak.

#ForTheRecord

 

[Sunil_P]

30th August:

Kingsbury Jn to Whitacre Jn in that direction. Sunday engineering work - XC services from/to Nottingham diverted to/from Coleshill Parkway.
(Whitacre Jn to Kingsbury Jn direction done back in 2018.)

 

[lipson89]

30th August : LNER Doncaster to Bedford and return
Outward - via Treeton, Erewash Valley line, Toton, High Level line around the back of the old Trent PSB.
Return - Differences from the outward leg - Wymington Deviation, between Bedford and Wellingborough, taking in the tunnel. Accessed Toton from Trent East junction, passing the two CCTV crossings in Long Eaton, then more or less the same as the outward journey.

31st August : Lumo Kings Cross to Newcastle
Avoided York station by travelling through the Yard on the Down Slow, rejoining the Down Fast at Skelton Bridge junction.

Grand Central Sunderland to York
Took in Hartburn to Stockton Cut junction, between Stockton and Eaglescliffe stations. At Northallerton station took the Up Slow to stop at Thirsk, joined the Up Fast immediately after that station call.

York to Grantham
One unexpected bonus was taking in the Flyover south of Doncaster to rejoin the ECML at Loversall Carr junction. This diversion was because of a tree on the line.

My connection to Sleaford was cancelled at Grantham. All was not lost though, as enjoyed a couple of pints at the Whistle Stop on the station platform, one worth checking out.

 

[Tester]

30th August : LNER Doncaster to Bedford and return
Outward - via Treeton, Erewash Valley line, Toton, High Level line around the back of the old Trent PSB.
Return - Differences from the outward leg - Wymington Deviation, between Bedford and Wellingborough, taking in the tunnel.

Well that's annoying!

Wymington is on my to do list and I was on the first northbound LNER diversion, which went over the top as expected.

Did you know it was going to do that, or was it an unexpected bonus?

 

[lipson89]

Well that's annoying!

Wymington is on my to do list and I was on the first northbound LNER diversion, which went over the top as expected.

Did you know it was going to do that, or was it an unexpected bonus?

I had a bit of luck there as it was very much an unexpected bonus, Tester.

 

[Sunil_P]

Managed to do Wymington northbound-only last summer due to the Corby EMUs being cut short at Wellingborough.

In today's news:

6th September

Laindon P2 eastbound only plus connections FROM down through track and TO up through track, terminating in Basildon up platform P1 (Sunday engineering works on c2c.)

 

[lipson89]

11 September:

Doncaster to Sheffield via Thrybergh.

Sheffield to Manchester Piccadilly, via New Mills Central and Belle Vue. I think this was the first time since the mid '80s that I had been on a service that veered off towards New Mills Central rather than Hazel Grove after Chinley.

 

[Sunil_P]

11 September:

Doncaster to Sheffield via Thrybergh.

Snap - but in the opposite direction!

17th September:

Aldwarke North Jn - Thrybergh - Mexborough East Jn in that direction only, on the 1428 XC service from Birmingham NS.

 

[Sunil_P]

18th September:

Allington West Jn to Allington North Jn direct, avoiding Grantham. Done on 1003 ex-Nottingham (EMR).
(opposite direction done way back in 2016!)

 

[lipson89]

18th September:

Allington West Jn to Allington North Jn direct, avoiding Grantham. Done on 1003 ex-Nottingham (EMR).
(opposite direction done way back in 2016!)

Ah, the 1003 from Nottingham. That's one on my radar, but it's not looking too good in the opposite direction with the current timetable, unless travelling in the dark after 2200 appeals, which to me it doesn't.
I've seen freight going from North to West many a time, and the odd passenger, when I used to visit the box for work purposes. But despite that, North to West might be the one that gets away.

Of all the places, it had to be Allington!

 

[lipson89]

19th September:

Did the diversionary route from Syston North jn to Syston East jn whilst en route to Corby. Then did East to North when travelling back from there to Nottingham.

From Nottingham, caught the Hastings Railtour to High Marnham, en route took in the Pinxton Branch and then the Robin Hood line before going right hand down just after Shirebrook station and onwards to the end of the line at High Marnham.
After the Pinxton Branch, on the way back, had a lengthy wait at Toton Centre, on the Up Erewash Slow, next to the demics in the Old Bank sidings. Once on the move again, headed towards Nottingham via the High Level and then Meadow Lane junction to Attenborough junction.

 

[Kite159]

19th September:
High Marnham branch from the former Thoresby Colliery Junction area to the end of the line (towards Lincoln). I did the section from Shirebrook towards the Thoresby Colliery Junction area back in 2015 on the Yorkshire Byways tour (which also did the north side of the triangle which I believe is now out of use).

----

(That 10:03 Nottingham to Skegness which avoids Grantham is a pain in the rear end as it creates a 2-hour gap for Grantham towards Skegness, especially as that would have been the connection if someone was using a super off-peak ticket from London Monday–Thursday)

 

[Sunil_P]

Ah, the 1003 from Nottingham. That's one on my radar, but it's not looking too good in the opposite direction with the current timetable, unless travelling in the dark after 2200 appeals, which to me it doesn't.
I've seen freight going from North to West many a time, and the odd passenger, when I used to visit the box for work purposes. But despite that, North to West might be the one that gets away.

Of all the places, it had to be Allington!

Back in 2016, there was a 1730 service Mon-Sat (I think I did it on a Friday), as well as a 1227 and a 1622 on Sundays.

https://www.branchline.uk/psul/PSUL%202016.pdf

 

[lipson89]

Back in 2016, there was a 1730 service Mon-Sat (I think I did it on a Friday), as well as a 1227 and a 1622 on Sundays.

https://www.branchline.uk/psul/PSUL%202016.pdf

Interesting. Thanks for sharing, Sunil_P.

 

[Cambus731]

Did the Ecclesbourne railway on Friday to Wirksworth. I had to organise a trip to it as when I was penning in my new Rail Atlas I accidentally started highlighting that line. That was a result of the pages being different in the latest edition
if course it continues to Ravenstor but I think that rarely sees a passenger train?

 

[Turbo004]

Had a great trip to Northern Ireland this week.

September 28th
Lagan Junction - Bangor
Bleach Green Junction - Larne Harbour

Highlight of the two days after watching a drab 0-0 draw between Northern Ireland and Hungary-
Central Junction - City Junction

September 29th
Antrim - Derry / Londonderry
Coleraine - Portrush

 

[Purple Train]

Saturday 3rd October

Lancaster-Windermere, and a very pleasant section it is too!

 

[lipson89]

Had a good couple of days of rail travel using 18 services, plus a Manchester Tram ride (Victoria to Market Street). Highlights were...

2nd October:
Lancaster to Heysham Port and return
Wigan North Western to Manchester Victoria via Golborne Jn and Parkside Jn

3rd October:
Hellifield to Ribblehead
Ribblehead to Blackburn via Clitheroe
Hebden Bridge to Leeds via Brighouse and Dewsbury

 

[Purple Train]

Saturday 10 October

Morecambe-Heysham Port, which was surprisingly well-patronised on the return leg, given it's a single train per day.