Sighting Merseyrail Units

[overtonchris]

Good Afternoon. A couple of us are taking a trip up to Merseyside Tues 24/02 to try and cop for sight some 507/8s. I know from experience that Sandhills gets most of the Northern Line stuff through within 70mins......where's best to spot for the Wirral / Chester line ones? Hamilton St.?....Can't remember why but got a recollection of not being easy to get everything off the platform there??

Also know the units stable at Kirkdale, and Birkenhead North, but do they try to hide anywhere else?? Any local knowledge would be very gratefully received please!!

 

[burns20]

Hamilton Square on the Wirral Line us difficult as the New Brighton/West Kirby line is on a platform behind a wall from others.

Would one of the loop line stations (James Street, Moorfields, Lime Street or Central) be easier?

Some stock is kept at Rock Ferry

 

[overtonchris]

Thanks burns20.....I don't get up to Merseyside much .....and I've not been to Rock Ferry since it was diesels to Chester!......Looking forward to trying your suggestions......thanks again!

 

[gnolife]

I think theres spare units at Southport as well

 

[overtonchris]

Oooh 'eck. Southport's a bit of a distance - and we've only got about 3hrs on Merseyside.....I need 3x 507s and my travelling campadre needs 12 x 507/8s......p'raps best see what we can cop central(isn). Thank You!

 

[prod_pep]

On the Northern Line, units are stabled at Kirkdale depot and Southport. There are usually five sets at Southport on weekdays which are used in peak times, and normally five or more at Kirkdale. On winter weekends, there are more units at both locations with fewer trains required in service.

On the Wirral Line, most units are kept at Birkenhead North depot, with one normally at Birkenhead Central after morning peak. It is rare to see anything stabled at Rock Ferry on Mondays - Saturdays, not sure about Sundays. You'll also usually find units at New Brighton and West Kirby out of use on weekends, but rarely weekdays.

In terms of sighting units, you could easily see all of the Northern Line units in service at Liverpool Central or Sandhills stations. If you're not hanging around for peak hour, you might as well hop on an Ormskirk or Kirkby train to Kirkdale and back to see what's in the depot there.

As for the Wirral Line, if you don't fancy the short staircase between platforms at Hamilton Square, you could always just hang around Liverpool Central and see them there.

There are 36 units used off-peak (18 on both lines) with 12 added for the evening peak period. The Southport route uses 10 units, Ormskirk 5, Kirkby 3, New Brighton 4, West Kirby 5, Chester 6 and Ellesmere Port 3.

I'd prioritise the Northern Line, where you should be able to catch a few stabled units at Kirkdale. It's a lot more difficult at Birkenhead North where sets are often kept within the shed until just before the evening rush.

Just out of interest, which units do you require? One or two are out of service just now for overhauls and re-livery work.

 

[overtonchris]

Thank you so much for the detailed info!!!!

We are going to be lurking around the Mersey between, say, 1300 and 1600 (got one of these LM Great Escapes from down south). The 507s that don't wan't to play have been 023/026/033. Please don't tell me that they're going shy 24/02!!!!!!

 

[8J]

507026 had a fairly recent overhaul and was in service on West Kirby line today so wont be in for overhaul on that date. Don't think 023/033 are going in anytime soon either.

 

[overtonchris]

That's good news! Thank You so much....I'll give the Units my best shot then!!! A small amount of patience required in what is sure to be a warm and balmy Mersey-trip!!

 

[Bevan Price]

Note that there are barriers at Merseyrail electric stations in Liverpool, and also at Birkenhead Hamilton Square, so you will need some kind of ticket to access the platforms.
At Liverpool Central or Lime Street (Wirral line platform), you will need about 90 minutes to see all the working units on the day of your visit. You will need about the same time to see all the Northern line units that are working at Liverpool Central or Sandhills.

(Liverpool to Chester, Ellesmere Port & Southport journeys all take about 40 mins. each way. Units on the other lines will be seen more than once in 90 minutes.)
Allow 10 to 20 minutes for doing Sandhills to Kirkdale & return, and binoculars would be useful for reading unit numbers on the depot from Kirkdale station platform.

 

[12CSVT]

Allow 10 to 20 minutes for doing Sandhills to Kirkdale & return, and binoculars would be useful for reading unit numbers on the depot from Kirkdale station platform.

With good binoculars you could also view Kirkdale depot from Stanley Road overbridge (2 to 3 minutes walk from Bankhall station), from where it is also possible to keep an eye on the Southport line

 

[overtonchris]

Thank You Bevan Price and 12CSVT. We're going to get Merseyrail all zone ticket hobbies - £4.80ish- so should be ok with the barriers. Looks like we may need a wee bit longer in Liverpool-Land to bash everything that's running....thanks for the head's up.

Google mapped the Stanley Road over bridge.....Not been there and will try it........providing the Rain Gods aren't having a downer on me that day!

 

[AntoniC]

If you want to get up close and personal to Kirkdale MPD, catch a Kirkby/Ormskirk Northern Line train from Central/Moorfields to Kirkdale station.

You can then reverse yourself one station to Sandhills and then catch a Southport train, if you have an urgent desire to visit Southport.

If you do visit Southport, head towards the Virginia Street Bridge (which straddles the Railway) and you can see whats there.

(To get to the bridge, come out of the side entrance of the station onto London Road, then walk down London Road towards the bridge and your there !).

Remember , if your using a Merseyrail Saveaway you cant use it before 9.30 am..

Good luck and I hope you have a great day on Merseyside.

 

[overtonchris]

Thanks AntoniC.....I've no particular burning urge to visit Southport - but it would be a bit of track that I can tick off!

Won't be into Liverpool Lime St. until 13.10.....we're coming up from Bletchley on a Great Escapes LM ticket....can't use that weekdays before 9.30am. May seem a strange start point for some as we've got to drive to Bletchley (or points near) from Overton in Hants.........but, on a weekday morning it's a darn site easier for two of us getting to and parking there than any of the options I've tried

All advice has been good advice, and I thank You!.....BTW Antoni.....I thought 3am had been abolished when I stopped shift work....haven't seen it for years!!!!!

 

[trainophile]

I'm loving the new livery, bright yellow and a huge improvement on the grey. On my first one today (out of Southport) but didn't have time to grab a photo before boarding.

As an aside, if a moderator reads this, could you check whether the 'search this forum' facility is working correctly, as it kept defaulting to the threads list after each letter I entered. Might be me as on phone.

 

[AntoniC]

Thanks AntoniC.....I've no particular burning urge to visit Southport - but it would be a bit of track that I can tick off!

Won't be into Liverpool Lime St. until 13.10.....we're coming up from Bletchley on a Great Escapes LM ticket....can't use that weekdays before 9.30am. May seem a strange start point for some as we've got to drive to Bletchley (or points near) from Overton in Hants.........but, on a weekday morning it's a darn site easier for two of us getting to and parking there than any of the options I've tried

All advice has been good advice, and I thank You!.....BTW Antoni.....I thought 3am had been abolished when I stopped shift work....haven't seen it for years!!!!!

Glad to have helped you Chris.

I wasnt at work at that time this morning, I was just up !.