Lanky lines for a tenner
Another Northern Day
© Geoff’s Rail Diaries 2019
Geoff’s Rail Diaries
9 October 2019
Today we’re exploring lines to the north of
Manchester, using another of those £10 day
rover tickets. It’s only valid on Northern Rail
services, so a little ingenuity is required in
route-planning, but that’s part of the fun -
especially when one of us (I have to put my
hand up) contrived to lose an hour in the
process…
Nevertheless, we manage to arrive at Blackpool, after an
interesting journey where we abandoned one train at Alderley
Edge, only to have to get on it again at Piccadilly, to take us
the few yards to Oxford Road, where we boarded one of the
new 195 units (it had been “turned back” there) for a
comfortable ride to Preston.
The line to Blackpool North is now electrified: all the
trains visible at the seaside station were electric -
apart from our train, a class 158 diesel… There have
been electrically-powered rail vehicles in Blackpool for
many years, of course - and their tramway is being
extended, from a new junction by the North Pier to the
railway station. It appears to be complete - apart from
a “Wilko” store straddling the tracks. (Irresistable forces and
unmoveable objects come to mind)
It’s a blustery, showery day, but we miss most of the rain -
just a few spots in the wind. There’s plenty
of sunshine too, along the coastal tramway,
though the sun seems to go in every time a
tram comes along. We take a peek through
the wire fence at the “heritage” trams in
their shed at the end of Blundell St, before
arriving at Blackpool South, nicely in time for
the 13.13 departure. It’s a class 142 “Pacer”,
complete with original bus seats, and it’s
going to take us from this little single-track terminus to
another, nearly two hours away. Do we deserve medals?
Perhaps not - the ride isn’t bad on mostly long-welded rail,
and our view is not restricted by heavy pillars and high seat
backs. As we approach Colne, there are pleasantly
rural views to Pendle Hill - where the rain clouds seem
to be gathering.
Happily, we arrive during a dry spell, so we’ll take a
photo or two before rejoing the train back to Rose
Grove, where the scene has changed somewhat since
steam days. Here, we catch a Blackburn to Manchester
train - a relatively new service which takes us over
Copy Pit to Todmorden (we’re in Yorkshire briefly!),
and on down through Rochdale to Victoria, for a walk
(interrupted by a well-earned if expensive pint) to Piccadilly,
for the 18.01 to Crewe and homewards. It’s been an
interesting and varied day out - and excellent value too.
