Search results

Not strictly "rail delghts" but delights in general:- I remember a good few years ago going from Crewe to Carlisle on a Voyager, which was diverted from Preston via the Settle & Carlisle line. I had no business in Carlisle - I went purely for the magnificent views afforded by the S&C...

I just managed one journey on the 6.30pm from Liverpool Exchange, which, when the 110s were introduced in 1961, ran non-stop to Manchester Victoria via the Pemberton loop you mention. IIRC, it reached platform 13 at Manchester Victoria about 7.15pm - a very creditable performance in those...

Walkergate?

The 124s (Trans-Pennine units) used the ex LNWR route from Leeds City to Manchester Exchange via Dewsbury, Huddersfield and Standedge. The Calder Valley line was dieselised a year later in 1961, using the new 110 dmus, which were an updated version of the older 104s. These ran from Leeds...

Conway, closed 14th February 1966, re-opened as Conwy 29th June 1987. And how about? Foryd [at Kinmel Bay - replacing that on the Vale of Clwyd line], opened 2nd April 1885, closed for WW1 2nd July 1917. Re-opened 1st July 1919, closed 5th January 1931; Re-opened as Kinmel Bay Halt for...

M, S & L - Money, sunk and lost. M. & G.N - Muddle and Get Nowhere. L.N.E.R - Late nearly every run.

As far as I can remember, the "Trans-Pennine" units originally stopped only at Earlestown when they were introduced in 1961. They left Manchester Exchange at xx00, stopped at Earlestown at xx19, and arrived at Lime St at xx38. Presumably the times in the opposite direction were similar.

Shouldn't someone have told the young Virgin Lady on his left that she's way over the yellow line on Grantham's platform 1? It wouldn't have been the best publicity for her company if one of its trains had swept through at 100mph, dragging her into the slip-stream. :roll: --- old post above...

Were drivers issued with watches in the past? I was always under the impression that in the days of yore [when not everyone could afford the luxury of a watch]the guard was in charge of the train, and that included its timekeeping. Therefore an "official" watch was issued to the guard. The...

I stand corrected re the arrival of the stock. So there is more leeway, but I suppose drivers'/conductors' hours means it can't depart from the Junction any earlier, call at the required stations and make the return journey slot. Fair enough. But it still seems wasteful to run an empty...

It also happens occasionally at Chester if the 1710 or 1810 VT Euston-Holyheads are late. The 1932 or 2034 ATW stopping services are allowed down the coast in their proper slots, with the Eustons behind. As the ATWs stop at more stations on the coast, and there is no chance for the faster...

The funniest announcement I heard was on a XC service from Sheffield to Newcastle. After welcoming us on board, the conductor announced the next stop would be Leeds. Whilst he was later passing through the train, several passengers asked what had happened to Wakefield Westgate. He rushed back...

I suspect the first is to retain route knowledge. There is one EC service which approaches Leeds through Normanton and the ex Midland Main line [2330 off the Cross], but, as far as I know, no service booked out of Leeds this way, therefore this covers the route in the opposite direction in case...

The 1040 Holyhead-Llanelli and 1232 to Maesteg also deserve a mention. Purely for operational convenience, of course [there's hardly a market for regular services from North Wales to Cardiff let alone Llanelli and Maesteg!]. But they give scope for confused second-glances at the departure...

Rhyl station also has some particularly long platforms. Going back to the time it used to handle 14 & 15-coach holidaymakers' trains. A 2-car 158 or 175/0 seems quite lost in them now, but they still come in handy for the double voyager on the 1143 to Holyhead and the 1500 return to Euston.

Yes, indeed. At the risk of veering off the subject even further, I knew Bishop Eric well when he was at Wakefield. It was often said he was more at home on the footplate than in the pulpit!

Yes - I noticed that and initially thought how odd it was to run that service as ECS and provide a parallel r.r.bus for passengers. But then I suppose there's not enough time with the extended journey time to stop at Tal-y-cafn, Llanrwst and Betwys-y-coed and get to Blaenau Ffestiniog in time...

Were there such a demand, I would have thought an enterprising coach operator would have stepped-in, considering how direct and easy such a journey would be via the A55 and M56.

But it would be quite a change for one to be involved with Stations of the Aire Valley rather than Stations of the Cross. :D

Not the book mentioned by Bevan Price above, but similar:- "More Recollections of a Bolton Engineman" [Scenes from the Past: 38], by Jim Markland, has some photos of Trinity Street and environs. Published by Foxline. ISBN 1-870119-63-0. I bought my copy from the Ian Allan Bookshop at...