Greater Manchester Challenge

[Lampshade]

Surprised no one’s started one yet

To start with I boarded an absolutely rammed TPE to Manchester, arriving at Oxford Road at 1030. I went to the ticket office to buy the Ranger and was strangely, asked my name. I queried the purpose of this and was told they now print the name on the ticket to stop them being transferred. To avoid any problems with the name ‘Lampshade’, I had my proper name printed on the ticket.

Next, I boarded the 1039 EMT to Piccadilly, for no other reason than to add EMT to my signature. Upon arrival at Piccadilly, the delayed return working formed of 158773 rolled into platform 14, which Crossover has one or two mutterings about. I entered the station and proceeded straight to Burger King as I was hungry. Despite the queue not being very long, it took an eternity to be served, I swear they were on a Work To Rule. After a 20 minute wait, I met up with the rest of the attendees at the meeting point, including my other team members – Crossover and starmill.

After much discussion about starting the challenge early, 1130 came and we moved leisurely towards our first train, the 1135 to Rose Hill Marple. 142036 doing the honours, we head towards Guide Bridge, not accelerating very quickly despite the engines running full power, managing to be frantic yet ineffectual, like a hamster pushing a filing cabinet. We arrived at Guide Bridge on time (somehow) at 1146. From here it looked to be a fairly easy connection onto the Hadfield service… but wait, the route was set for Stalybridge for trains coming off the Denton line. A quick search by Crossover revealed a working from Crewe to Leeds was on the way through, and sure enough 70013 and 66563 sandwiching a UID 90 came through.

Our connection towards Hadfield turned up at 1158, we boarded it towards Broadbottom and lost my ticket for the second year in a row. Then I found it again. An uneventful trip through Hyde followed and arrived at Broadbottom on time. Crossover and starmill went to cross to the other platform and I went to attempt to buy a platform ticket. This being Northern, I succeeded, and took a photo of the (very nice) station building, which will be replacing the current Wikipedia picture in due course.

323231 turns up, a train I am already familiar with having almost nicked a seat handle the previous year, and we head back to Guide Bridge. A short wait and an ex-Merseytravel 142 turns up on the Rose Hill service, cueing discussion about the excuse for a PIS installed in these units. Romiley comes and goes, followed by some biblical screeching round the curve into Rose Hill. A walk across Marple follows, encountering gnolife making the reverse journey. We made our connection at Marple without issue, as did gnolife at Rose Hill, much to my annoyance.

So back into Piccadilly and easy connection onto the Airport stopper, we were coming up to our most crucial connection, a +3 at Heald Green. Unaware of the layout of Heald Green, I pulled out my tablet to do some searching, and found as we were passing 390128, it was connecting to the FC wifi. I managed to get a decent connection, then the Pendo accelerated, relegating me to standard wifi and dropping the connection

We arrived into Heald Green 1 down, with 185139 arriving in just as we got onto the opposite platform. Connection made. We now had a straight run through to Salford Crescent, where we had an optional dead connection, which would only yield one station. We roll in at 1455, due out at 1456. However, this train was not forthcoming; a quick look at OpenTrainTimes revealed why – the inbound service was stuck at Lostock Junction, which would form the service we needed on its return working. Another Victoria service was pulling in, so we headed to Victoria to consider our options.

Upon arrival at Victoria, they had found another unit to form the 1510 to Kirkby – though minus any crew. We’d lost the connection at Wigan Wallgate. Ten minutes later we hadn’t gone anywhere, we’d lost the connection at Hindley. There was nothing heading towards Wigan within half an hour that would enable us to get back into Manchester on time. My heart sank, we’d just lost the challenge.

Much deliberating ensued before we boarded the Metrolink, picking up three stops. Into Piccadilly and a quick dash to platform 4 for the Stoke service, down to Bramhall and back. The PIS at Bramhall being a particular source of amusement, as any time a fast train went through, it triggered the track circuits and announced the next train, despite it not being due for another 40-odd minutes

Back into Manchester, arriving at 1659. We had 37 stations with no penalty points, not the worst but a long way off the best. For the second year in a row we had the winning plan and for the second year in a row we had been the victims of circumstance. I’m not just disappointed, I’m genuinely gutted, I felt as if I’d been punched in the stomach

 

[185143]

1130 came and we moved leisurely towards our first train, the 1035 to Rose Hill Marple.

Just one thing...was it late??

 

[Crossover]

Just one thing...was it late??

That would be Lampshade having finger trouble I think, it was the 1135 of course
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Next, I boarded the 1039 EMT to Piccadilly, for no other reason than to add EMT to my signature. Upon arrival at Piccadilly, the delayed return working formed of 158773 rolled into platform 14, which Crossover has one or two mutterings about.

Meanwhile starmill probably has about a dozen!

I will do a little write up of events before and after the challenge in a little while

 

[Searle]

Ahh I'm disappointed I missed this one after Birmingham. Sounded pretty good, apart from the losing bit! Nice to hear what happened though

 

[Crossover]

The Prequel:

My arrival was fairly early - coming in on the 0919 TPE arrival ex Scarborough (formed of 185 145), a fairly uneventful journey, but as scenic as ever . The only bit of drama was slowing as we approached Marsden, I wondered if it meant we were going to get routed through the slow and platform 3...we did (not done that line beyond the platform before), though I'm not sure it was booked to do that. Also of note (and I thought I was seeing things until another passenger remarked similar), sat in the large "6 foot" between the Platform 2 and 3's running lines was a sheep!

I went and got my ticket for the day on arrival and soon met ATWalex101, starmill and AntoniC, from where we headed to Stockport (there turned out not to be enough time (with the connections) to do anything like a round trip to Stalybridge), and we hopped on the 1007 XC service formed of 220023, a well-loaded service. Crossing under the subway at Stockport and via the G4S revenue block, to the other island platform, we unexpectedly met gnolife, who, I think, was waiting for a train to meet us. We let a Pacer and Pendolino go, instead opting for the EMT service running behind. This was a possibly a mistake given that 158773 turned up alone and the ends of the carriages were wedged. This remained the case and no-one could get on, despite the MASSIVE void in the middle of each coach where the was tonnes of space, including empty seats! Alas, the guard did the best part of bugger all to help (actually, just make that bugger all, opting to just stand there, arms folded!) and we, along with a number of other passengers, remained on the platform as it departed. Not EMT's finest hour, that one!

Instead, we would get another Voyager, 220006 (again well loaded) back to Manchester (the 10:28 from Stockport) where we would then remain to meet the others before the start of the challenge

 

[Starmill]

I'll have to set this out clearly before my own piece, in relation to Crossover's comments above.

I first counseled at Stockport that we should just board the pacer, given that it would probably arrive at Piccadilly first given the delay on the Pendolino just coming in. Nobody wanted to, so when the Pendo did arrive I said let's get on that. The others were insistent on waiting, for which I mainly blame gnolife, whose bright idea the EMT was, and we had to let the bloody 158 go too because of the useless drip of a guard. We are always hearing how managers and other TOC officials might be reading... well in this case I hope that's true: 1T62 10:26 Stockport to Liverpool Lime Street. Needs a lesson in customer service and how to use the magical thing in the cab called the PA. I might have had an Advance ticket on that train! And Crossover was not joking about the void - there were between 8 and 10 free seats in one of the coaches alone.

For our efforts we then enjoyed a ride in the luggage rack/stinky vestibule of a voyager back to Piccadilly - the same, but slightly more cramped luxury that we'd enjoyed for the ride out there.

As I'm sure you can tell, the day started well...

 

[Crossover]

Meanwhile starmill probably has about a dozen!

Point proven, I think!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

For our efforts we then enjoyed a ride in the luggage rack/stinky vestibule of a voyager back to Piccadilly - the same, but slightly more cramped luxury that we'd enjoyed for the ride out there.

Well, after having the luxury of the bike racks on the way there, I guess anything would seem cramped :P
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

From here it looked to be a fairly easy connection onto the Hadfield service… but wait, the route was set for Stalybridge for trains coming off the Denton line. A quick search by Crossover revealed a working from Crewe to Leeds was on the way through, and sure enough 70013 and 66563 sandwiching a UID 90 came through.(

Thanks to Freightmaster for the gen, the UID 90 was 90043 going for tyre turning. It was a Crewe Basford Hall to Leeds Midland Road TMD working.

 

[Starmill]

managing to be frantic yet ineffectual, like a hamster pushing a filing cabinet.

Hold on a sec! I believe this particular quote is already reserved for 170s!

 

[Lampshade]

Hold on a sec! I believe this particular quote is already reserved for 170s!

I use it to describe anything that can be out-accelerated by a not too dramatic animal

 

[gnolife]

So back into Piccadilly and easy connection onto the Airport stopper, we were coming up to our most crucial connection, a +3 at Heald Green. Unaware of the layout of Heald Green, I pulled out my tablet to do some searching, and found as we were passing 390128, it was connecting to the FC wifi. I managed to get a decent connection, then the Pendo accelerated, relegating me to standard wifi and dropping the connection

We arrived into Heald Green 1 down, with 185139 arriving in just as we got onto the opposite platform.

To be honest, I'm pretty surprised that you pulled it off - Heald Green is quite the walk for a between platforms change, I certainly wouldn't ever consider a 3 minute connection as being doable, especially when changing from the all-shacks.



My day started with a nice leisurely stroll to Manchester Airport for the 09:45 High Peak Skyline 199 to Buxton (I'd wanted to start my day with a bus move, because bus drivers don't tend to like the way that System 1 daysavers print on rail tickets - Daysaver TB is quite generic sounding), which got in at 09:35, but the driver went over to the National Express stand there to buy coach tickets, so we actually left 10 minutes late, which,with the amount of slack in that turnaround, is quite bad really. I took this bus to Stockport bus station, from which, I had plenty of time to get up the steps to the rail station before my planned train, that 10:28 EMT to Liverpool. About 5 minutes after I got to Stockport, AntoniC, ATWalex101, Crossover and starmill turned up on the platform, much to my surprise, looking to get back to Manchester. When the EMT rolled in, we saw that it was following the standard principle of 'if there's no pairs of seats, we should stand in the vestibule and not let anyone on'

The others were insistent on waiting, for which I mainly blame gnolife, whose bright idea the EMT was

I blame EMT for sending such nice trains on the Norwich - Liverpool services. Anyway, because of the hordes of people blocking the front three sets of doors, and the guard doing a pretty good job of blocking the rear set, we had no chance of making it onto that, so we opted for the next train on platform 3, an XC service, which we took all the way on the long haul to Manchester (but then, any journey's a long haul on an XC voyager...). When we got to Manchester, we made our way very slowly towards the the meeting point, and when we got there, I did my very best to try and persuade people that the 11:42 Hull service would be an ideal first train for a good score. I didn't manage to sell that to anyone, which was disappointing . Anyway, eventually the start of the challenge rolled around, and I followed Lampshade, Crossover and starmill to the platform that their train would be going from, to see if I felt that they were starting with anything that would surprise me - as it turned out, they weren't - and then made my way to the 11:38 service to Alderley Edge, which I was worried about being a pacer, knowing that the Alderley Edge 323 diagrams are usually the first to go for the football specials. As it turned out, this one had managed to retain its 323, so it was a comfortable trip out to Cheadle Hulme, where it arrived one minute late. This left plenty of time to make my connection to the 12:02 Stagecoach route 369 bound for the Airport (the reason I stumped up an extra 1.60 and the loss of half an hours sleep for a bus and train saver), which I was taking for the 10 minute trip to Heald Green station. As I was walking down from the bus stop, a 66 (at least I think it was a 66) came flying through the station, although I'm not sure where it was going. Not long after this, my 12:20 service back to Manchester Piccadilly arrived 3 late, and the ticket office guy came out to warn the guard about a group of kids without tickets or ID, which was just the sort of delay I was hoping to not have. We made our way through Burnage and Mauldeth Road, picking up a fair amount of people, but also getting gradually later. We eventually made it to Piccadilly two minutes late through, after getting a clear run through to Piccadilly (it usually gets held at the last signal before Picc to let the XX38 Liverpool past, but that had already gone by the time we got there). This minor delay meant that I had to break my neck to make my onward train, the 12:45 Northern service to Sheffield (local stopping service). The guard remarked on my ticket being odd, and asked where I was going (presumably to make sure I wasn't planning on using it to somewhere like Hope), but accepted it without argument. This 150/1 took me to Marple (Bridge), arriving one minute late. I had a 17 minute connection, which I knew from past experience (having gone to college there), to be a sufficient amount of time, but not exactly generous, to Rose Hill, which I made with 4 minutes to spare - with connections between the Marple stations, its quite steeply uphill to start with, but once you get about halfway, it switches to being downhill. When I was a bit past that halfway point, I walked into Crossover, starmill and some fool who tried to delay me (not that it would have made much difference ). My service back to Manchester was formed of the same unit that those three had just come off (incidentally guys, I would have appreciated some warning that I'd be on a Miserytravel Pacer), and we made pretty good time back to Manchester, where we arrive on time, after having plenty of time to look at the impressive scenery of Hyde and Ashburys. I had four minutes to make my train out, the 14:01 to Liverpool via Newton, but I ran into an unexpected delay, namely the G4S barrier on the footbridge, one of which took my ticket, had a good look at it, then showed it to his colleague, who also had a good look at it, came back over to me and asked where I was going. I said Wigan, to which he tried claiming that I wouldn't be going there on that ticket. At that point, I had 50 seconds before the train was due to leave, and I'd decided that I'd had enough of that load of complete and utter bulls**t, snatched my ticket back from him and walked off briskly to the platform, while the idiot tried shouting me back, and then running after me. I just dived onto the first set of doors and watched as the guy looked up and down the platform for me, then asked the platform staff if he'd seen me - said member of platform staff had just started the dispatch of the train, so the doors had just shut when he noticed me stood there, and when I saw that he had noticed me (not that I was making any effort to hide), I grinned at him and waved. He did not look impressed. I was only on this 150 for the short haul to Oxford Road, from where I was walking to St Peters Square so that I could pick up the points for St Peters and Deansgate-Castlefield. I made it to Deansgate with about 10 minutes before my planned train out, the 14:28 service to Southport via Bolton, which I took one stop to Salford Crescent, which actually feels like a half decent place to change trains now. I was taking the 14:40 service to Wigan via Bolton from there, although, when the destination boards are broken, there's no one doing a PA announcement, and the train comes in saying that it's going to Hull (which I found quite funny given that I'd started off trying to ship people off on a Hull train), there was a few confused looking people asking if this train was going to Moses Gate and Bolton. After half an hour of uncomfortable (it was another Merseytravel Pacer), we got to Wigan Wallgate three early, where I had time to go up and get myself a meat and potato pie and a bottle of water, before making my way back down to the platform for the 15:24 service to Southport, which I took to Appley Bridge, arriving on time, and giving me 12 minutes to make to hike over to the other platform. After a conversation with a local about how horrible Wigan is, the train came in, a somewhat rammed Merseytravel Pacer going to Manchester Airport, which I was taking back to Wigan Wallgate, where we arrived 3 minutes late. This wasn't much of a problem for me, as my connection was the next train on that platform, the 15:28 service to Manchester Victoria via Walkden, a 156, that ended up with a load of boozers piling on a Daisy Hill and Atherton, but thanks to the padding at the end of the journey, made it into Vic on time. This train did surprise me by going into platform 2 (the Northbound one) and Salford Crescent though, where there was another forum member (I didn't pick up your name I'm afraid ). I then made my way over to the Met platforms, although the G4S barrier there decided to stop me when I was ticket checked, but to have a laugh about my hat rather than about my ticket. I hopped onto a Droylsden service, which I took all the way into Piccadilly station (I decided to be lazy and not walk from Piccadilly Gardens, which I think is somewhat faster), although we did have to sit around on the chord between Market Street and Piccadilly Gardens for a while, because a group of people watching one of the street performers was stood in the track and not budging for a while. We eventually got into Piccadilly at 17:02, so I made my way up to the meeting point as quickly as I could, where I was the last person to arrive (although if Yorkie had been doing the challenge, I am almost certain that he would have been the last in ). I ended up with a total of 45 points for this (I called at 46 stations, but arrived 4 minutes late for 1 penalty point). After the challenge, I made my way with the rest of the group to Deansgate-Castlefield, where they were going for a couple of drinks, and I made my way to Deansgate NR, where I caught a late running 17:29 service back to Manchester Oxford Road, and then the 17:46 service to Liverpool Lime Street, not long after boarding this service though, I got a phonecall from starmill saying that he was planning on getting a bit more use out of his ticket, if I wanted to try and find him. By this time, I was just passing MUF, so I said that I was going to bail at Urmston, and make my way straight back into Manchester. I couldn't hear what he was saying that well, but I made my way back to Oxford Road, where I changed for the Scarborough service that was stuck behind the stopper I was on to get back to Piccadilly, where I waited for him to phone. Eventually I lost patience, and made my way back to the bar where most of the rest of the challengers were.
I don't know if someone is going to do a report for the after challenge wandering around, but I'm just going to note one incident on it. I got stopped by the guard on the 19:43 service from Oxford Road, who interrogated me about my hat.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Ahh I'm disappointed I missed this one after Birmingham. Sounded pretty good, apart from the losing bit! Nice to hear what happened though

I don't know about the losing bit not sounding good. It sounded absolutely fine to me

 

[Crossover]

Thanks for the paragraphs there gnolife

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

I don't think this tends to happen usually, but here is (should be!) the "league table" of the teams who partook on Saturday

gnolife						 - 45 (46 with one penalty)
Mojo, district and maniacmartin			 - 43 (44 with one penalty)
Ascot and telstarbox				 - 42
Crossover, starmill and Lampshade		 - 37
AntoniC, ATWalex101, Smelly_Diesel and Muzer	 - 36
trickyvegas					 - 35

 

[Mojo]

Quite impressive for us to come 2nd given our first move was to catch the Tram to Piccadilly Gardens to visit the PTE shop to get a local rail map. Our 2nd move was to go to Victoria by Tram, stop off at McDonalds and check out the doors where Northern Rail prosecute people. We then boarded the first train that looked good.

 

[TOCDriver]

Quite impressive for us to come 2nd given our first move was to catch the Tram to Piccadilly Gardens to visit the PTE shop to get a local rail map. Our 2nd move was to go to Victoria by Tram, stop off at McDonalds and check out the doors where Northern Rail prosecute people. We then boarded the first train that looked good.

The battered old doors from the Arena leading down to the platforms??

 

[Crossover]

The Sequel:

After grabbing some refreshment at The Knott, near Deansgate, a few of us decided to continue, at least for a little while, travelling around Manchester.

Heading to Deansgate, we caught the late running 19:31 service to Oxford Road, formed of 150133, though not before gnolife's bus issued train and bus ranger came under scrutiny once more (thankfully, the inspector saw it said train and swiftly OK'd it )

Arriving into the bay, we made our way across the station to join the 19:43 service, where I arrived to find gnolife been scrutinised once more...but this time for his hat . We only had the short hop to Piccadilly on this one, 323228, where we waited in the "departure lounge" to wait for starmill and debate our next move, whilst gnolife was trying to avoid the G4S folk (reading the above, this now makes sense!)

starmill soon joined us and we went down to the platform to join the 20:05 Arriva Trains Wales service to Manchester Airport, one of only a few services run by ATW down there each day. 175107 would be our traction on this, as bb21, having recently arrived, headed for the train home. Arrival at the Airport was prompt, but it was decided not to hang around and to head straight over to the other side of the station to take 185131 on the 20:29 TPE service towards Preston and beyond. Pretty much completely dark outside by now, we decided to go all the way to Horwich Parkway, allowing various members time to recharge their, by now, ailing smartphone batteries

We were booked to arrive at Horwich Parkway, a station I have visited once before on the same challenge last year, albeit this time, not when there was a match having just finished, at 21:13, and with a little shift we reckoned we could make the 21:16 Northern service back to Victoria. Arriving early, we had no issues making a rather busy 150215 to head back to the centre.

A quick jaunt across to Piccadilly on trams 3007 and 3032 followed, changing at Market Street, where a number of the remaining members departed to head to their hotel in Altrincham. I had intended leaving at this point too, but as it earlier transpired I would need to make my own way home on arrival back at my home station, I decided to remain with starmill and gnolife and take the last train of the night back across the Pennines.

The 22:40 TPE service beckoned, operated by 185121, and being notable for being what is often common 185, and having no work working toilets (well, the one in Coach B was unlocked but resembled a paddling pool...). Arrival at the Airport confirmed my recently thought-out suspicion that this unit would probably also work my train home, the 23:18 to York...wonderful. With a little time to kill, we wandered into the bus station, an area I hadn't realised existed in spite of having been here a few times, both to catch flights and not, past a closed 24 hour ticket office...hmmmmm. I must say I was surprised to find the levels of bus services being so great and 24 hour - don't recall seeing anything really like that outside of London...half hourly services on some routes throughout the night!

The time soon came, and I headed for the 23:18, whilst gnolife and starmill headed for the bus/train respectively. All was fairly quiet until just after departure from Piccadilly when quite a bit of noise came from down the carriage as a load of drunks wandered through, including one girl who walked into a seat and was something of a drama queen about it! Unfortunately, they picked the tables near me and continued in similarly loud fashion. One of them had an First Class antimacassar, so I wondered if they'd been kicked out of 1st and may explain why they've suddenly materialised half way down Coach B. Occupied by various things on my phone, I managed to largely zone out of the ensuing chaos, so much so, I didn't realise the guard was next to me until he asked for my ticket

At this point, the amount of "verbal" the guard got went someway to confirming my thoughts that they had been ejected from 1st. The guard came in for similar on his way back through to do the doors at Huddersfield, at which point one of the groups left, but the group of rowdy lads didn't. Another group of girls joined and the lads soon went on the charm offensive once more . Much to my surprise, the guard came through checking tickets once more, and again to a load of mouth from the lads...again though, it went completely ignored...all credit to the poor guard! This part of the journey was short lived thankfully, as we approached the set-down only stop of Dewsbury, where I quietly sloped away from this crazy lot and towards home, via a quick chat and "good luck" to the guard!

 

[Mojo]

The battered old doors from the Arena leading down to the platforms??

http://www.nationalrail.co.uk/SME/html/NRE_MCV/objectvalues/2475-0000155.html

These red doors.

 

[Starmill]

Right then!

I'll have to do my best here to fill in the bits that might be of interest which haven't already been mentioned.

My day began approximately 30 minutes late, which, all things considered, is basically the way my life runs, between 30 and 120 minutes behind where it should be

I realised that while I had been getting ready and before I'd checked my phone, I'd had 13 missed calls from ATWalex, who I'd arranged to meet a few hours before the start of the challenge with one of his teammates, AntoniC. So I threw myself out the door, answered another call from ATWalex and immediately had to begin wrestling with a Northern Parkeon machine Why do they have to be so slow? And in any case, the thing I wanted it for wasn't even on it. I got on my train to Manchester Piccadilly and as its the last stop the guard normally comes out to do tickets - and had to a bit of a double take when he saw mine!

Unfortunately, considering my own delay and then the need to wait for everyone to get the correct tickets for the day, it was around 10 before we got going. I had wanted to go out to Eccles and return on the tram; plan B was to go to Stalybridge and return to Victoria, but it seemed all we were worthy of was a return to Stockport, and we all know how THAT went, thanks to EMT's chocolate-teapot-traincrew.

Anyway, once back at Piccadilly I tried to get some advice from a member of very harassed looking Metrolink staff about how I might be able to use the Crystal Palace Wonder on the tram.

As much help as EMT. Didn't even know its free in the City Zone.

About 5 minutes before the actual challenge began I realised that I had entirely missed most of the introductions - and I reeeeealy am crap at remembering people's names (let alone TWO names) at the best of times. So... I'm sorry if I didn't get to say hi to you. Most of what Lampshade has posted covers our challenge. I will add that some crazy weirdo followed US specifically to our first train - you may notice his gloss of it in the massive paragraph above

We had a brief discussion on the 'new' services on the Mancunian "Pacer Triangle" - which none of us really seemed to get. I think gnolife said as much as well, so if anyone who does fully understand the before and after (like, I think its Gorton and Fairfield that you never used to be able to take a direct train between but now you can...) we would be very grateful if you could do a very brief summary sometime - perhaps 156441?

When we arrived at Guide Bridge there was a 66 that just kept shunting back and forth just outside the station, making a slightly unnerving noise every couple of minutes.

Here it is, poking through:

And the aforementioned working off the Stockport - Stalybridge line:

A 90 sandwich!

And leaving:

A bit of artful cropping by moi there

Broadbottom I sort of think is like the first point on the Hadfield/Glossop line where you start to relax a little after the lovely heights of 'Flowery Field' and Hattersley! Doesn't it, as Lampshade says, look lovely?

I'm gonna try to get a platform ticket next time!

Another ticket check took place on the 323 back and I got a my second slightly odd look of the day due to the roundel The 'discussion' about the Mersytravel PIS basically consisted of me nearly falling off my chair in shock that the thing scrolls stations and has announcements. I've never heard them, but I've never actually been on one while its still in Merseyside.

The frontage of Marple is looking rather tatty in comparison to the new lifts and footbridge actually, which you can just see poking up at the back.

We walked through a number of ticket offices that day, including Guide Bridge, Marple and Heald Green - and I felt eyes on me from the window every time. Lots of people don't seem to though because after the pacer squealed up, reversed and came back (after being announced as the service to 'Piccadilly' *shudder*) we were the only people in the coach with tickets already! AGH!

Nothing much of interest happened after the run like crazy at Heald Green - which I thought would be doable, its not THAT long a way, you just have to be prepared to run.

We did get the chance to appreciate the new Salford Crescent station which was looking vastly improved now the ramp and platform buildings are gone. We also had a look from the train (I REALLY want to see the rest of this station) at Salford Central - I can't believe I've lived here so long and never seen this station! Though I'd be a bit scared of that gap

It's actually a bit difficult to tell the difference between the service and out of commission platforms at Salford Crescent because they are so tatty - and the shelters look the same on both of them!

There were these which I thought might have given district something to say:

More on that later.

Everyone else has already gone over how we buggered up our Atherton line working and lost the challenge as a result, blah blah, so I'll skip to this, which I thought was significant because it shows a double T68 working the Eccles line - Double T68s (the old turquoise trams) are rare enough nowadays that the new yellow ones (M5000s, as seeing crossing in the background) are allowed to run. Doubles on the Eccles line are also rare and usually Football only. Both at the same time has, I think, only ever happened for Olympic Football before!

The journey out to Bramhall saw a lightning fast guard going through between Piccadilly and Stockport, achieved mainly by not really checking, just making sure everyone has one. When so many people think its OK to just pay when challenged if boarding at Pic, I can see why this is a good approach. No comment on the roundel though 323 on the Fasts though, can't argue with the fun of that!

This station, like a number of other Northern ones in the area seems to have received those end barriers and rubber boards recently. It was rather enjoyable to see what was coming through here - even if it did make me giggle far too much because of the demented PIS, which isn't one I've heard anywhere else I don't think. "This service is OPeraaated by.... Nooorthern RAIL." at the end of each one.

The train back to Piccadilly was really rather lucky for us, in that it was calling at Heaton Chapel and Levenshulme (pronounced HILARIOUSLY by the auto-announcer at Bramhall). It was also full of somewhat-drunk-but-originally-well-dressed people. The facilities on this train were getting rather a lot of use, and I was pleasantly surprised by the hot water and cleanliness, but they must be the pokiest toilets out there (I mean, I know, pacers... hmm).

After Crossover going on and on about how sporadic and useless Deansgate services are (I cleared it up nicely to he and Mojo by shouting "OOH, its 3 trains per hour and one more that starts at Oxford Road, SIMPLE.") the rest of the group got the tram over to Deansgate.

It is true that I didn't call gnolife back at this point. There were many reasons for this, including but not limited to:

• I forgot
• I was miles away and had no idea where I was going
• There is very poor phone signal in Rochdale
• When he answered I said 'Hi, it's starmill' and he responded "Yes, I HAD worked that out."

On my way to Victoria to get a train (to, on arrival I decided, Smithy Bridge) I decided I might as well pop my McDonald's cherry and buy something from there, since district is always going on at me about it. The only thing I thought I could get was what he had assured me was safe: fries. They were OK. As it happened, I even kept the bag, but he didn't say anything about my first ever McDonalds purchase. Consider me offended.

Back on topic, Smithy Bridge looks, in full evening sun, in the words of Crossover "slightly less crap"

After this lovely comfy pair of Northern 158s - or the first one would have been if I hadn't been in the vestibule (girl at Rochdale on the phone: "We're ALLL the way at the front, yeah, I'm so far forward, one more centimetre and I'd be driving the train!" - bet the driver loved that) a run to Piccadilly on a whim that the 19:22 to Hazel Grove might still be a 323 at the weekend. It wasn't, which was to be expected, but the pair of 142s, one of which was one of the ones which still had that (original?) brown floor covering (eugh!). Why I still got on the thing I had no idea!

A return to Heaton Chapel later I was back at Pic and soon on a train (a 175 in which I found a ticket from Swansea to Haverfordwest... from June 2012! and a Chester Races ticket) with some very rowdy people writing things about me in The Times.

The return train to Horwich Parkway was interesting too, empty from the Airport, then FULL at Piccadilly, and empty again after Bolton! My overriding memory of the return journey on the rather busy 150 was of most people getting tired and ready for bed, except for, apparently, Mojo, who was so amused by the workings of the toilet door that he almost fell off his chair, and very readily into me. It was perhaps the most oversized 'accessible' (by which we mean there is actually a gap in the door) toilet I have ever seen. In fact it just goes to show how large the variation in these sprinters there is across the different operators and indeed within them. All this excitement put me in mind of my favourite thing yorkie has ever said to me, which was, on the top of a London bus: "If the bus tips over, can you please hold on really tight to that pole so you don't fall straight on top of me before we have a chance to crawl out of that hatch."



I'm not sure how to follow that up really, and its late, so I might just leave it there :P thanks for reading!

PS - gonlife, there's a place called Ashburys?

 

[gnolife]

About 5 minutes before the actual challenge began I realised that I had entirely missed most of the introductions - and I reeeeealy am crap at remembering people's names (let alone TWO names) at the best of times. So... I'm sorry if I didn't get to say hi to you. Most of what Lampshade has posted covers our challenge. I will add that some crazy weirdo followed US specifically to our first train - you may notice his gloss of it in the massive paragraph above

PS - gonlife, there's a place called Ashburys?

Crazy I can accept. Weirdo - thats just taking things too far...

To the PS: Who's gonlife?

 

[telstarbox]

In brief:

Breakfast at Ascot's hotel. He's hungover from the night before, I'm not. Down to Victoria, Rangers purchased and a Metrolink move to Piccadilly to meet everyone. Crystal Palace fans making themselves known. 1130 on the big clock and we're back down to the tram stop with half the challengers. Bury tram quiet because it's not heading Old Trafford way. Off at Victoria onto a 155 non-stop to Rochdale, then a quick cross-platform move to pick up the 142 stopper through Victoria and Bolton to Wigan Wallgate. Rugby lads try and fail to impress girls on platform. 23 minutes to kill so we execute a Greggs move and see Hovis workers on strike/sitting outside a pub. Plenty of police and pubs here but no time for pints, not that Ascot's in the mood anyway. From Wallgate it's another 142 to Salford Crescent, this time via the Atherton line. Crescent station unrecognisable with the platforms cleared of buildings and the new ticket office and footbridge. Packed 150 rolls in which takes us to Stockport, where we manage to get from Platform 0 to Platform 3 in rapid time, picking up a Pendolino back to Piccadilly. Padding in the VT timetable allows a -1 onto one of three 323s in the bays and we're off to Hadfield with some really loud women on board. I've not done this line before and the scenery improves east of Hattersley. Bus connections from Hadfield don't help us so we stay on the unit for the return trip to Piccadilly, then over the footbridge to pick up another 323 on the Airport stopper. Ascot discovers the 'secret' plug socket to charge his phone. It's late but at MIA we make it onto the final Challenge train, a Northern 150 fast which makes good time up into town. Back to the meeting point with seconds to spare and another Challenge is over!

 

[Lampshade]

The return train to Horwich Parkway was interesting too, empty from the Airport, then FULL at Piccadilly, and empty again after Bolton! My overriding memory of the return journey on the rather busy 150 was of most people getting tired and ready for bed, except for, apparently, Mojo, who was so amused by the workings of the toilet door that he almost fell off his chair, and very readily into me. It was perhaps the most oversized 'accessible' (by which we mean there is actually a gap in the door) toilet I have ever seen. In fact it just goes to show how large the variation in these sprinters there is across the different operators and indeed within them. All this excitement put me in mind of my favourite thing yorkie has ever said to me, which was, on the top of a London bus: "If the bus tips over, can you please hold on really tight to that pole so you don't fall straight on top of me before we have a chance to crawl out of that hatch."

I must add that due to Mojo's 'amusement' (fiddling with the door control), I failed to go to the toilet with any dignity

The train back to Piccadilly was really rather lucky for us, in that it was calling at Heaton Chapel and Levenshulme (pronounced HILARIOUSLY by the auto-announcer at Bramhall).

Yes... Levens Hyoom.