Having done a few Northern Explorer Rovers before, I thought was about time did another one, So decided Weds 7th Oct be good day to do it, so about 12.45am on Weds 7th Oct left home near Tiverton for the long drive to Sandbach, which with motorway closures was a slowish run, so stopped off on the way at Hilton Park services for a short break, and unusually for services overnight, found a Costa Coffee open, so grabbed a Hazel Hot chocolate for £5.99, which went down nicely, then headed to Sandbach for the 05.52 to Manchester Piccadilly, which produced 331109, and while waiting saw a couple of freights with pass through, though not get the 66’s numbers.
Fortunately the train arrived minute or so early at 06.39, so made a 0 minute connection for 195107 on the 06.40 to Sheffield, which made with ease as was across platform, and the following service, 07.48 to Sheffield was cancelled, so if had missed would have meant complete change to days plan. Arrived Sheffield on time, so had about 50 minute wait, for 08.56 to Scarborough, so while waited grabbed a Costa Hazel hot Chocolate, and Uppercrust Ham and Cheese Baguette. Then 170478 took me to Scarborough, then down to Bridlington for 158853 on the 12.56 Bridlington-York service, which took to York.
With 30 mins at York, I grabbed another Costa, this time a Hazel Latte, which wasn’t as nice as the Hot chocolate one, so wont do again, then headed for the 15.14 York-Leeds via Harrogate, which produced 170460 For the run To Leeds, where had a 70 mins wait for the 17.42 to Chester, so grabbed another Costa and a Greggs Steak and Stilton bake and a Sausage and Bean melt bake, before having 195012 to Chester, which does Warrington-Chester non stop, so was nice to pass through Frodsham and helsby non stop, then same unit back to Man Vic on 20.26 service, Which was non stop to Warrington, then 331101 on the 22.06 Man Pic-Sandbach service, then a 3 hour drive back home.
I am really enjoying the Northern Explorer tickets, as a great value way to explore Northern England, and to cover lines not done before or rarely done, and to ride units not seen down in Devon etc. Have other people used this ticket too? And was it used for exploring the North or scratching various units or both etc?.
Fortunately the train arrived minute or so early at 06.39, so made a 0 minute connection for 195107 on the 06.40 to Sheffield, which made with ease as was across platform, and the following service, 07.48 to Sheffield was cancelled, so if had missed would have meant complete change to days plan. Arrived Sheffield on time, so had about 50 minute wait, for 08.56 to Scarborough, so while waited grabbed a Costa Hazel hot Chocolate, and Uppercrust Ham and Cheese Baguette. Then 170478 took me to Scarborough, then down to Bridlington for 158853 on the 12.56 Bridlington-York service, which took to York.
With 30 mins at York, I grabbed another Costa, this time a Hazel Latte, which wasn’t as nice as the Hot chocolate one, so wont do again, then headed for the 15.14 York-Leeds via Harrogate, which produced 170460 For the run To Leeds, where had a 70 mins wait for the 17.42 to Chester, so grabbed another Costa and a Greggs Steak and Stilton bake and a Sausage and Bean melt bake, before having 195012 to Chester, which does Warrington-Chester non stop, so was nice to pass through Frodsham and helsby non stop, then same unit back to Man Vic on 20.26 service, Which was non stop to Warrington, then 331101 on the 22.06 Man Pic-Sandbach service, then a 3 hour drive back home.
I am really enjoying the Northern Explorer tickets, as a great value way to explore Northern England, and to cover lines not done before or rarely done, and to ride units not seen down in Devon etc. Have other people used this ticket too? And was it used for exploring the North or scratching various units or both etc?.