7th
– 11th April, A long weekend in Cheshire (Part 1)
The
idea of this trip was to have a long weekend, based in the accommodation in
Crewe from the Thursday to Sunday, with Sunday night in Birmingham. It had been a long time since my last day of
annual leave from work (back at Christmas time) so I was looking forward to
getting away for a few days as the last 3 months had dragged at times.
7th April
I finished work on the Thursday evening and it was a speedy drive home, picking up my bag to drive (in mum’s car as she was with me to take the car home after doing some shopping) to Andover station for the 17:38 service to London (I know in theory I should be able to make the 19:46 Crewe train from Euston with an arrival at Waterloo for 19:20, but it will be a bit tight in case of any random delays). I made it to Andover station with around 8 minutes to spare so I had a nice slow walk over to the London bound platform to await the train.
An 8 coach Sprinter lash-up, as usual the front coaches were busy, but the rearmost coach was quiet. At Basingstoke Stu boarded on his way back from the Isle of Wight allowing us time for a good catch-up for the run to London. We went via Tesco outside Waterloo before a Northern Line service to Euston, where we said farewell as he went to try to get onto a Manchester train as his booked train towards Preston had been cancelled.
For me, it was a spin of Desiro Roulette, this time it landed on a pair of 350/1s for the Crewe train. Delayed by around 20 minutes due to issues elsewhere (think this was the day a track broke near Birmingham causing countless chaos), but eventually the train departed. It didn’t make back much time along the way so arrival into Crewe was around 15 minutes late. At Crewe I made my way towards the accommodation (best way to describe would be an Air B&B style shared house), picking up my room key from the keypress outside the room, and made myself at home for the next 3 nights.
350106 at London Euston
Friday 8th
The rough idea was for the Friday to head towards Liverpool to hunt down my last trio of Merseyrail units needed for 10 miles, plus to see if anything else on my wanted list was around. I was either mad or being cheap when I booked up on the direct Crewe – Liverpool service which goes via Manchester calling at every station along the way (paid just over £4 for the 07:13-odd departure, which got me into Liverpool for around 09:25, an ideal time for the start of off-peak).
I had followed this service on RTT over the last couple weeks and it seemed to be a solid 319 turn, so I wasn’t surprised when 319367 rolled in. I managed to get a seat in the motor coach (where else would I be?) for the run towards Manchester Airport, reversing to carry on towards Piccadilly, The train did get busy along this section, and remained busy pretty much throughout the remainder of the journey. Sadly, a group of loud passengers heading for the horse racing at Aintree meant I put in my earphones to listen to music rather than the motor noise. Yep I picked a good day to head to Liverpool with the racing on, doh!
Heading to Liverpool the slow way round!
Along the way I had a rough plan formed with the knowledge of where 2 out of my last trio of Merseyrail units were (the 3rd would come out later as a late allocation), with the bonus of both my remaining pair of TPE 802s out in Liverpool. After buying my Saveaway from the Northern ticket office (issued on glorious paper, not the smartcard you get if you buy from Merseyrail), I headed to take a seat on winner 802208 on the next Newcastle train. I took this to Newton Le Willows, changing platforms to board a novelty of a 5 coach 175 lash-up (although the rear 2 coach unit was locked out of use) for the short run to Earlestown, deciding to walk back towards Newton Le Willows rather than gambling on being able to board the next Manchester train (a single 158).
Back at Newton Le Willows, the next TPE rolled in, and it was very busy. I was lucky to get a seat for the run back to Lime Street, where after a short walk took me to Liverpool Central to take the next Southport service. I will admit doing one of those Aintree fasts was tempting (nonstop Moorfields – Aintree) but decided against it. A pair of 508s arrived from Hunts Cross to take me towards Ainsdale, where I changed platforms as low mileage 507008 rolled in along with another 508.
507008 arriving into Ainsdale, 1 down...
I took this set towards a very busy Sandhills, in order to take the next Kirkby shuttle (due to the Aintree extras, Kirkby had been reduced to a shuttle service), which was low mileage 507016 to clear the 507s. A run to Kirkby & back pushed this unit over ten miles (was previously on only a mile). Next up was a pair of 508s to Moorfields where after a long walk landed me on the Wirral line platform with a 507 taken for the spin out to Hooton. By doing this move meant I missed out on the 323 towards Warrington Bank Quay, but that train ended up getting cancelled, so nothing was lost there.
A short wait before the sound of victory as 508125 rolled in from Chester, to clear Merseyrail. This busy service took me to James Street, where I exited the suburban station to go for a gentle walk. This walk took me towards the waterfront, passing all those lovely old buildings, towards the former docks area (mix bag of old warehousing in use and in disrepair) and to the Leeds & Liverpool Canal. I followed the canal towpath going underneath the railway line in the Vauxhall area, turning left to follow the path towards Sandhills.
Royal Liver Building
At Sandhills I had a short wait for another 508+507 combo which took me to Liverpool Central, where I had a gentle walk back to Lime Street, buying a GM Wayfarer from the ticket office, before taking a seat on winner 802205, my last 802, for the run to Manchester Victoria. At Manchester Victoria I took a seat on a pair of 185s for the run round the chord to Piccadilly, returning to Oxford Road on a busy single 185. I changed over to a pair of 156s on the Liverpool stopper for the run out to Humphrey Park (needed a better photo, although the angle of the sun wasn’t the best for the departure photo).
802205 at Manchester Victoria. 802s Tick
Time for a little walk for me, as I followed the streets towards Trafford Park station, before heading towards the Bridgewater Canal, following the Manchester branch as it went via Trafford Park industrial estate, then passing the Old Trafford Kickball Ground (I will admit to be surprised at there not being any sort of links from the Canalside to at least one of the car parks to allow visitors to walk along the canal from Manchester when visiting, unless I missed one somewhere.
My walk continued along the canal towpath, swapping over sides near Pomona Metrolink station. The path continued with the Metrolink tracks on my far left, the canal to my left and railway line to the right. Although looked like some local people had been out with spray cans of paint trying to do “art” on the walls (looked disgusting if you asked me). I passed a fenced off access point (near Cornbrook station), continuing along the path (which was reasonably busy with other walkers, cyclists & the odd dog walker).
I reached the Castlefield area of Manchester, where the Rochdale canal branches off which heads to Rochdale (and beyond!). I carried on via the Castlefield basin where the canal comes to an end, and just with good timing as it started to rain again as I headed towards Deansgate Castlefield Metrolink stop to have a break after an enjoyable walk. I decided to jump on the first tram towards Cornbrook to take a break for a tram hunt.
A pair of Trams on a viaduct in Castlefield area of Manchester
A short wait with winner 3121 followed by a sub-mile 3082 back to Cornbrook. I decided to call it a day and head slowly back towards Piccadilly (and to get away from some undesirable youths hanging around Cornbrook). Although when I got to Piccadilly Gardens the tram behind me was winner 3125 which I took to Holt Town to push it over a mile. Back to Piccadilly where I left the tram network, and towards a 323 on a Crewe stopper to take me to Wilmslow for wanting to do the novelty of an Avanti Pendo on the airport avoiding line (in the pre Covid timetable, the only service which did this from memory was the extra Manchester service which was set-down only at Crewe).
However due to issues, this train was around 30 minutes late, so without wanting to risk a connection to the 22:30 TfW Rail service back to Crewe (the next train wasn’t until the 23:45-odd stopper), I decided to cut my losses and give that Pendo a miss, taking a 3 coach 175 to Crewe. In hindsight, a good thing I did cut my losses as it appears that Pendo got routed via Stockport instead of Heald Green. At Crewe I had a short walk back to the accommodation to relax for the remainder of the evening. I was happy with the results of the day, my main aim of getting my last 3 Merseyrail units was done, with the bonus of my last duo of 802s. Shame none of my required 769s or 397s were out and about but that couldn’t be helped.
Where a Pendo was meant to have been...
Saturday 9th
I was on a Cheshire Day Ranger today, with the main idea to walk the Middlewood Way. A mixed used path mostly on the trackbed of the old Macclesfield, Bollington and Marple Railway line.
As I finished earlier on the Friday than I was originally expecting, I decided to head out earlier to do a bit of a novelty, of boarding a Northern service at Longport. First train was 350124 going from platform 2 at Crewe (also known as the pier for it’s a long walk!) to Alsager for a short wait for a 156 to Longport (probably the last time I will be alighting from an EMR service here, as from May I believe EMR goes down to limited service with the Birminghan – Crewe LNR services calling regularly). With some time to waste I did a little loop towards the Trent & Mersey Canal, before following a footpath leading to a footbridge over the railway line before returning to the station.
A Pendo passing Longport
A pair of Northern 323s were up next to take me towards Macclesfield where my walk began. The route has good signposting from the station as I went via Tesco to get bits for lunch & some more drink. The first mile or so the path goes via some green spaces close to a dual carriageway, before the path goes over the A523 which is where the main path began (in terms of being on the old railway route). The route is quite scenic in terms of trees lining the path (which is mostly in a cutting), the first detour was in the Bollington area due to the original alignment being lost to an industrial estate.
I carried on, going past the site of the old Bollington station (no real remains), and over the Bollington viaduct, before carrying on heading towards Marple. The path around this point splits into 2 rough parallel paths (one is a footpath, the other a bridleway) which was slightly unusual as at times the paths were separate by a low fence. The next area of old railway infrastructure was the remains of Higher Poynton station, before crossing the Buxton line at Middlewood (no real remains of the former Middlewood Higher station).
Remains of the former Higher Poynton Station
The path quality was quite reasonable, I was expecting it to be a bit muddier in places, but other than a handful of short parts (mostly where the path narrows, or when it runs alongside a stream) it was solid, the northern section was more popular with walkers/dogs/bikes. My walk continued passing the former platforms at High Lane station, carrying on along the former railway line, still with some nice views. I reached the outskirts of Marple, and the Middlewood Way came to an end as I headed towards Rose Hill Marple station.
My timing was near enough spot on, as a 195 was just arriving as I crossed the car park, seeing a 195 seems odd considering the last time I was here it was on a pacer. I took a seat on the 195, plugged my phone on charge and randomly checked RTT for options, noticing a required 397 had swapped from heading to Liverpool to heading towards Manchester. I stayed on the 195 all the way to Piccadilly and headed over to platform 13 for a short wait for winner 397001 to arrive. Onwards to Manchester Airport once it emptied out, time I spent looking up a rough idea for the rest of the day. Sadly, none of my last 3 Northern 769s were out, but another 397 was due to arrive in around 4 hours.
Last time I was here, it was on a Pacer.
A pair of 331s took me back towards Piccadilly where I headed over to board a 156 on a Buxton service to take me towards Chapel-en-le-Frith. A station I had only ever visited late night in 2015 as a time-wasting move, and it’s a very scenic area (and peaceful). 20-odd minutes later a pair of 150s arrived to take me towards Woodsmoor for a gentle walk towards Davenport, where it seems I had missed the rain judging by puddles on the platforms.
View from near Chapel En Le Frith Station
Next up was another pair of 331s to take me towards Deansgate, where with time to kill I headed out of the station, towards the disused part of the Castlefield viaduct (the work to turn it into an urban linear park is slowly coming along), then did a loop via Potato Wharf (and the reconstructed walls of a roman fort). I went towards the entrance of the Rochdale canal to walk along the Rochdale canal towpath, going past Deansgate stations, coming away from the canal near Chorlton Street to reach Manchester Piccadilly, arriving with time to spare before winner 397007 arrived from Preston to take me towards Manchester Airport for a second time of the day (only one more 397 left to get).
158813 passes Davenport station
Once more I headed towards the Blackpool train for a pair of 331s, this time alighting at Oxford Road to head over to the bay platform for a pair of 156s to take me to Irlam, but before-hand I watched as a 5 coach 222 slowly passed Oxford Road, working empty to Liverpool to form a Grand National Extra Nottingham train. I will admit being a bit tempted to head towards Liverpool for the novelty factor of a 222 via Warrington Central, but decided against it due to the potential of it being overcrowded. Anyhow the 156s took me to Irlam, for a short wait before the novelty of an EMR service calling there. These 158s took me to Warrington Central where I had a short walk to Warrington Bank Quay to await the next Chester train.
A 222 on a little holiday towards Liverpool
This was a busy 2 coach 175, thankfully I was only on it to Runcorn East, having a short wait before a pair of 195s rolled in from Leeds to carry on towards Chester. Runcorn East being one of those stations where I had a photo but wanted more photos (if that makes sense). At Chester I had a short wait before the next Crewe train, watching as a single 507 rolled in from Liverpool and the crowds emptying out (mostly heading towards a single 158 heading towards North Wales!)
508108 at Chester
A
reasonably loaded 158 took me to Crewe (although one where the windows were quite
dirty), and I headed over to board a 350 to Kidsgrove to take a look at the new
footbridge. Next up was 170531 which I
took to Stoke, for a connection onto 170273 back to Crewe to end the day. Unusually this 170 went into the pier
platform, and I had a gentle walk back to the accommodation swinging via a
pizza place. I noticed that a little Sainsburys
Local had closed down (although I’m not surprised as it was located down a side
street, but a bit of a shame as I was going to visit it on the Sunday).
An enjoyable day, I would recommend the 10 mile walk from Rose Hill Marple to Macclesfield to anybody who enjoys an old railway line walk.
Sunday & Monday to come later
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