Recent content by Plethora

I came across a comment on Reddit by someone who said the 158s really only have about 5 years of use left in them due to their age. That felt wrong to me, so I thought I'd ask a more expert audience. My thoughts had been that they could probably be kept running for as long as operators wanted...

Someone else will know the right answer, but my theory is those would go back to the days of barrow crossings and warn of an imminent train.

About 50% running in the Calder Valley. That is a manageable service, but the trains are packed.

York to Blackpool sounds like a good shout. Northern reliability has been poor West of the Pennines as well these past weeks. Usually staff shortages.

I'm sat on a 150 running Victoria to Stalybridge, so you decide where the silliness begins or ends.

Yes, this is completely separate to Castleton. Not the correct signal block for the level crossing either. It is the block starting beyond Smithy Bridge station westbound, and eastbound commencing shortly after the metrolink bridge.

I have observed today that trains are being held at danger bi-directionally before entering the signal blocks between Rochdale and Smithy Bridge. Having followed the signalling on traksy, this appears to be to perhaps avoid having two services on the particular track section at the same time. I...

Late to this party, but I really miss the announcements when the Kirkby branch was extended to HBL. (Standard female announcer) This is the Northern service to... (Male announcer who sounds like he's recorded via a tin can) ... 'EDBOL' LAIN Always made me and my wife chuckle. I had it as...

Admittedly it has been a while since I was on the platform at Tod - it was probably around two weeks ago I spotted it. Perhaps the TSR has been removed. I suppose the broader point is that the viaduct is looking a bit lumpy. I had assumed the two were related.

There is a relatively new (to me) speed restriction in the eastbound direction, which is presumably mirrored in the westbound as well. The viaduct has a quite noticeable dip on the far side from the station, and it appears to have worsened in the last year. That seems to explain the speed...

Electric traction would make a lot of sense. But who wants to pay the lease for an expensive EMU if there are cheap DMUs available. Northern will have to bite the bullet on some EMUs eventually, once Stalybridge to Wigan via Westhoughton is electrified.

There is time built in at Victoria to make up time, but as you say no such luck in the Yorkshire direction.

There's a mad Northern service running directly between Manchester Vic and Wigan NW once-hourly via Lowton Junction. It doesn't stop at intermediate stops, and it's always empty when I see it. Today it consisted of a 4 carriage 156. Meanwhile Blackburn to Rochdale is formed of a single 150...

Thank you for the information.

I was on the M62 the other day driving under it and I thought it seemed to have cracks in it. I have now noticed there is a 20mph speed restriction over it. Is there a noted issue and any plan for remediation? The route is important during the TPE upgrade process, so I'd have hoped it will get...