A date with Northern Rail

[Merseysider]

Northern Rail recently bequeathed me with a(nother) free day's travel on their services.

Rather than use it in place of an expensive return journey, I'd like to spend a whole day travelling, preferably on scenic routes. I'd also like to visit the East Coast, spend time in Yorkshire, and stop off somewhere nice for a half hour lunch.

Are there any sections of track that are particularly worth travelling on? I'll be including the Manchester - Sheffield route via Edale. Also, any ideas for putting together an itinerary are more than welcome

I'll be beginning the day on the 0553 Salford Crescent FTPE service to Piccadilly, and returning to Manchester in time for the 2323 from Victoria back to Salford.

Any suggestions?

 

[TUC]

A date with Northern Rail. Well ... They scrub up well if they try but they'll definitely be looking for the other person to pay for the meal!

 

[Merseysider]

A date with Northern Rail. Well ... They scrub up well if they try but they'll definitely be looking for the other person to pay for the meal!

I also expect them to be fashionably late! Perhaps I should allow generous connection times

 

[scarby]

As no-one has suggested anything, if you want to go to the east coast, I would suggest the Hull-Scarborough line.

Rather underrated in my view, and nicely scenic on the Bridlington-Seamer stretch. There are lots of stops worth exploring, notably the seaside resort of Bridlington and the small market town of Driffield, which is certainly worth a lunch stop.

Several of the stations are interesting and old-fashioned, notably Bridlington, Filey, Beverley and Driffield - and of course Hull and/or Scarborough.

I did a Yorkshire Coast Day Ranger on the line during the winter and to be honest there's more than enough to justify a whole day.

 

[Crossover]

I've done S&C and Cumbrian Coast in a day before, though latter is a long run!

 

[ATW Alex 101]

Same, my plan at the time was something like:

CHESTER-MANCHESTER PICC
MANCHESTER VIC-LEEDS
LEEDS-CARLISLE
CARLISLE-PRESTON (via cumbrian coast)
PRESTON-ORMSKIRK
ORMSKIRK-MOORFIELDS
MOORFIELDS-CHESTER

It was a very good day out, but the Cumbrian coast journey would have been better if done in daylight. I did it in December 2012 and of course it got dark early.

 

[Merseysider]

As no-one has suggested anything, if you want to go to the east coast, I would suggest the Hull-Scarborough line.
Rather underrated in my view, and nicely scenic on the Bridlington-Seamer stretch...
I did a Yorkshire Coast Day Ranger on the line during the winter and to be honest there's more than enough to justify a whole day.

Unless I'm mistaken, NRE is showing Northern run a train every 90 minutes on the Hull - Scarborough line. That would give a fair bit of time to have lunch and have a bit of a walk (if the weather's nice!).

I've done S&C and Cumbrian Coast in a day before, though latter is a long run!

It was recommended by someone at Monday's forum meet to take a trip on the S&C line, and looking at pictures online I can definitely see it being worth it. How busy were the trains you took, if you can remember?

Same, my plan at the time was something like:

CHESTER-MANCHESTER PICC
MANCHESTER VIC-LEEDS
LEEDS-CARLISLE
CARLISLE-PRESTON (via cumbrian coast)
PRESTON-ORMSKIRK
ORMSKIRK-MOORFIELDS
MOORFIELDS-CHESTER

It was a very good day out, but the Cumbrian coast journey would have been better if done in daylight. I did it in December 2012 and of course it got dark early.

Being summer I'd hopefully have 16 hours of daylight which would be perfect. In particular, how did you find the Carlisle-Preston journey?

Not going to be easy fitting everything I want to do into one day!

 

[185143]

Unless I'm mistaken, NRE is showing Northern run a train every 90 minutes on the Hull - Scarborough line. That would give a fair bit of time to have lunch and have a bit of a walk (if the weather's nice!).
It was recommended by someone at Monday's forum meet to take a trip on the S&C line, and looking at pictures online I can definitely see it being worth it. How busy were the trains you took, if you can remember?
Being summer I'd hopefully have 16 hours of daylight which would be perfect. In particular, how did you find the Carlisle-Preston journey?

Not going to be easy fitting everything I want to do into one day!

Ive done the Cumbrian Coast a few times. Don't do it when Carlisle United are playing at home! If you get a newly refurbed 156 you are in for a surprisingly comfortable journey. An ex-Arriva one, not so much!! If you get a single 153...

 

[Merseysider]

Ive done the Cumbrian Coast a few times. Don't do it when Carlisle United are playing at home! If you get a newly refurbed 156 you are in for a surprisingly comfortable journey. An ex-Arriva one, not so much!! If you get a single 153...

Thanks for the heads up! I'm planning on doing it next Thursday, hopefully going contra-flow for the majority of my journey. I do hate those 153s! Quite excited to get the S&C line done tbh

 

[Starmill]

The Durham Coast is worthwhile in my opinion too. Middlesbrough to Newcaslte and beyond. Twice now I've done Middlesbrough to Carlisle and then back down the S+C to Leeds, as some parts of the Hadrian's Wall line are very pretty, and you don't need me to tell you about the S+C

Perhaps next time you get one

 

[Merseysider]

The Durham Coast is worthwhile in my opinion too. Middlesbrough to Newcaslte and beyond. Twice now I've done Middlesbrough to Carlisle and then back down the S+C to Leeds, as some parts of the Hadrian's Wall line are very pretty, and you don't need me to tell you about the S+C

Perhaps next time you get one

There might actually be time for that I'm working on timings as I speak, and it may be possible to take the Cumbrian Coast up to Carlisle, S&C down to Leeds, on to Hull/Scarborough and then returning to Manchester via Sheffield, or the whole thing vice versa. If only Northern operated York - Middlesbrough, that'd give me a few more options!

Still time to play around with things though

 

[Starmill]

There might actually be time for that I'm working on timings as I speak, and it may be possible to take the Cumbrian Coast up to Carlisle, S&C down to Leeds, on to Hull/Scarborough and then returning to Manchester via Sheffield, or the whole thing vice versa. If only Northern operated York - Middlesbrough, that'd give me a few more options!

Still time to play around with things though

It would indeed. A good hint is that you can get a great TPE advance on York - Darlington/Middlesbrough up until they go off sale the night before (which I think is 1800 for them).

 

[Merseysider]

It would indeed. A good hint is that you can get a great TPE advance on York - Darlington/Middlesbrough up until they go off sale the night before (which I think is 1800 for them).

Thankfully the voucher Northern gave me has two empty boxes on it so I can spend a full day on Sunday doing the North East & Yorkshire and a separate day tomorrow (hopefully!) for the S&C & CC.

Updated:

0614 MAU - MAN 0626
0712 MCV - BDI 0820
0841 BDQ - SHY 0848
0902 SHY - CAR 1134
1150 CAR - BIF 1420
[S](lunch)[/S] pint in the Blue Lamp
1518 BIF - LAN 1622
1657 LAN - PRE 1715

And then on to either LDS or CLH if I'm not too tired.
Building an itinerary up for Sunday's Durham Coast & Hull, Scarborough, York trip. Thanks for the tip about the advances
BIF - Barrow-In-Furness, SHY - Shipley, CLH - Clitheroe

 

[Bevan Price]

Thankfully the voucher Northern gave me has two empty boxes on it so I can spend a full day on Sunday doing the North East & Yorkshire and a separate day tomorrow (hopefully!) for the S&C & CC.

Probably going to be

0644 SLD - MCV 0652
0712 MCV - LDS 0844
0849 LDS - CAR 1134
1150 CAR - BIF 1420
1440 BIF - PRE 1552 (TPE)
1600 PRE - BBN 1625
1659 BBN - CLH 1724
1744 CLH - MCV 1858

To be continued
If I miss the (unofficial) connection at Leeds it's no bother as everything after that is an hourly service or better. Building an itinerary up for Sunday's Durham Coast & Hull, Scarborough, York trip. Thanks for the tip about the advances
BIF - Barrow-In-Furness, BBN - Blackburn, CLH - Clitheroe

If the 0712 Manchester - Leeds is a bit risky, you could alight at Bradford Interchange (08:20) and walk to Forster Square for the 08:41 to Skipton, or 08:46 to Shipley, both of which should connect into the Leeds - Carlisle service.

 

[1D53]

You are definitely pushing it with a five minute connection at Leeds at that time of day!

I'd personally recommend getting the 0949 Leeds to Carlisle express connecting with the 1247 direct to Carnforth via Barrow connecting nicely for a train to Leeds via Clapham.

 

[Merseysider]

You are definitely pushing it with a five minute connection at Leeds at that time of day!

I'd personally recommend getting the 0949 Leeds to Carlisle express connecting with the 1247 direct to Carnforth via Barrow connecting nicely for a train to Leeds via Clapham.

If the 0712 Manchester - Leeds is a bit risky, you could alight at Bradford Interchange (08:20) and walk to Forster Square for the 08:41 to Skipton, or 08:46 to Shipley, both of which should connect into the Leeds - Carlisle service.

Thanks for the pointers I'll keep an eye on realtimetrains (not 100% accurate I know!) and depending on how smoothly things run I may need to change plans mid-journey. If everything goes well I will refrain from bashing Northern for a week

Hopefully the shoddy weather won't cause too many issues tomorrow.

 

[185143]

You are definitely pushing it with a five minute connection at Leeds at that time of day!

I'd personally recommend getting the 0949 Leeds to Carlisle express connecting with the 1247 direct to Carnforth via Barrow connecting nicely for a train to Leeds via Clapham.

I did exactly that!