2. Trip to Preston-09.04.18

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2018 > 22. Trip to Liverpool-08-11.04.18 > 2. Trip to Preston-09.04.18
Whilst my wife and son undertook some 'extensive' shopping in Liverpool I escaped and took a trip to Preston travelling via the Ormskirk route. However, once again, it was spoilt by Merseyrail who I am fast coming to the conclusion are a very poor operator. They seem to have adopted the idea that they are in some way special and that the rules do not apply to them as to other rail operators. Details of my experience are with the photographs.
Click here to search The Archive Files


Images 1-26 of 26 displayed.

390118, VT 11.47 Liverpool Lime Street-London Euston (1A30, RT), Liverpool Lime Street station With further evidence of the rebuilding of Lime Street station in the background, 390118 'Virgin Princess' leaves Lime Street working the 11.47 to London Euston. I have always found Lime Street a light and airy station in which to take photographs with a large range of train types to keep a spotter interested. Keywords: 390118 1A30 Liverpool Lime Street station
Re-building work, platform 10, Liverpool Lime Street station Part of the ever-present 'orange army' involved in the rebuilding of platform 10 of Liverpool Lime Street. Just an observation.....has anybody ever studied track gangs in action? More of them seem to be on their mobile 'phones discussing something or other of great importance no doubt rather than actually doing something! Next time that you are in a position to watch a group.....look to see if you can see what I am talking about! I can note two people in this image on their 'phones. Keywords: Re-building work, platform 10, Liverpool Lime Street station
507025, ME 11.13 Southport-Hunts Cross (2U23, 1L), Liverpool Central station Vetren class 507 number 507025 pauses at Liverpool Central station with the 11.13 Southport to Hunts Cross working. This picture (and the next one) caused great excitement almost Merseyrail staff here at Liverpool Central. I was approached quickly and told that photography was not permitted on the Merseyrail network and I was asked to delete the pictures. I can be a member of the awkward squad and when challenged I bit back. I refused to delate any pictures and stated my rights as outlined by ATOC, Network Rail and the BTP. This did not go down well and the Merseyrail employee then radioed for support. Another member of staff arrived then swiftly another. The request was repeated and again I refused. I reminded them that nobody can delete anybody's digital images, not even the police without a court order; they seemed a little taken aback at this. The 'no photography policy' then changed a little, they said that no pictures could be taken on the underground section of their network. This could be plausible so, without the necessary knowledge to hand I agreed to this and put my camera away. By this stage the station supervisor had been called for and possibly the BTP. My train had arrived so I walked away from the group that had corralled me and got on it knowing that they had no rights to detain me. Keywords: 507025 2U23 Liverpool Central station
508123, ME 12.05 Liverpool Central-Hunts Cross (2K22, RT), Liverpool Central station 507123 is working the 12.05 to Hunts Cross from Liverpool Central, it's about to leave central station. This was the second picture that I took that attracted the unwanted attention of over-zealous Merseyrail staff who did not know their facts and rights with regard to what they can ask people to do. It only reinforced my view that Merseyrail think that they are somehow separate from the rest of the network and that their rules are different to other operators; they are not! Keywords: 508123 2K22 Liverpool Central station
508103, ME 12.10 Liverpool Central-Orsmkirk (2O24, RT), Ormskirk station 508103 stands at Ormskirk having just arrived with the 12.10 from Liverpool Central. I travelled on this train and experienced, yet again, an example of Merseyrail's heavy handed customer relations. Some years ago I remember reading an article in Rail where they followed one of Merseyrail's travelling enforcement 'teams' - how I hate the overuse of that term! It read as if they were doing a great job and was very positive and supportive of passengers. However, I witnessed three of them in actin on this service and it was far from what I read in Rail. Indeed, it was more akin to some Cold War Eastern European Special police unit! They walked along the train in a group all kitted and 'cameraed' up demanding to see tickets with no more of a grunted request. They then stood in the vestibule area close to me watching the goings on in the carriages. They also watched passenger at stations and went so far as audibly commenting on one individual crossing the footbridge at Town Green station. It was all very unpleasant and intimidating. Perhaps Merseyrail should invest in station barriers and staff at all staions if they are so concerned about fare dodgers rather than 'heavies' patrolling their trains. Keywords: 508103 2O24 Ormskirk station
142062, NT 13.24 Ormskirk-Preston (2N01, RT), Ormskirk station Northern 142062 sits at Ormskirk station waiting to work the 13.24 to Preston. I took this train to Preston and what a lovely journey it was. The trip was dominated by long sections of bullhead rail that really exploited the Pacer's poor riding characteristics with it behaving like a nodding donkey! There was also some ancient signalling to observe and it is a line that I have never travelled on before....cop! Keywords: 142062 2N01 Ormskirk station
Interior, 14062, NT 13.24 Ormskirk-Preston, (2N01, RT), Ormskirk station No doubting here where this picture was taken! The side facing seat of 142062 feature in this interior view of the 2N01 13.24 to Preston. It was bouncy journey over the ancient rails that cross the flatlands of west Lancashire! Keywords: Interior 14062 2N01 Ormskirk station
158901, NT 12.36 Hazel Grove-Preston (2N26, 3L), Preston station By the time I had got to Preston the lovely weather of earlier had all but gone. It had clouded up and the light became very 'flat'. 158901 arrives into Preston working the 12.36 from Hazel Grove. Keywords: 158901 2N26 Preston station
142041 & 142027, stabled, Preston station Double Pacer trouble at Preston! 142041 and 142027 sit in the south-facing bay platforms waiting their next duty. These ageing second generation DMUs have very little time left (at the time of writing) being due for withdrawal. Whilst vilified by many, they have done good service over the thirty years or so that they have been in use, this is actually a fair bit longer than the first generation units that they replaced. Keywords: 142041 142027 Preston station
390001, VT 11.40 Glasgow Central-London Euston (1M12, 8L), Preston station 390001 'Virgin Pioneer' rolls into Preston station forming the 11.40 Glasgow to London Euston 1M12 working. These Pendolinos have been in service, at the time of writing, for 16 years and are still going strong being the backbone of the WCML services. This example is still in its original livery as applied back in 2002. Keywords: 3900011M12 Preston station
350401, TP 13.00 Manchester Piccadilly-Glasgow Central (1S61, RT), Preston station Trans Pennine Express operated 350401 pauses at Preston whilst working the 13.00 Manchester to Glasgow. As well as passengers changing here there is also a crew change taking place. I presume that a Scottish driver is working this service forward. These class 350/4s have an 'Inter city' style layout making them more suited to the longer journeys that they undertake compared to their 350 cousins operated by London Northwestern. They are planned to come off this route in spring 2019 being replaced by TPE's new class 397s. Keywords: 350401 1S61 Preston station
150121, 142004, NT 14.24 Preston-Hazel Grove (2H04, 2L), Preston station Carefull observation of 150121 reveals that it has no branding. It has just been cascaded from the south west to become a Northern unit. Indeed, the last time I saw this particular unit it was running last summer on the St. Ives branch in Cornwall, see..... https://www.ontheupfast.com/v/photos/21936chg/24717820404/x150121-150106-2a07-carbis-bay. Here it is attached to 142004 forming the 14.24 Preston to Hazel Grove. Keywords: 150121 142004 2H04 Preston station
Frontage, Preston Station Without the name above the doors and the UK registered cars, this station frontage could be somewhere in Europe! The North Union Railway opened a station at Preston historically very early in 1838. This building was opened in 1890 taking its style from some sort of French Chateaux by the look of it! Keywords: Frontage, Preston Station
156423 & 156426, NT 11.38 Preston-Preston ECS (5U69), Preston station A short ECS move at Preston station. 156423 and 156426 have made the out and back journey as 5U69. They are seen returning to the station ready to work their next train to Manchester Airport. Keywords: 156423 156426 ECS 5U69 Preston station
142027 & 142012, stabled, Preston station Living on borrowed time, 142027 and 142012 sit side by side in Preston's bay platforms waiting to perform their next duty. Much maligned and disliked by many, they have forged their own place in the history of railways in the UK. None have been preserved yet, but I expect a number will end up on on the many heritage lines around the country. Keywords: 142027 142012 stabled Preston station
150141 & 150271, NT 13.36 Hazel Grove-Preston (2N27, 1L), Preston station Northern 150141 and 150271 wind their way into Preston station completing their journey from Hazel Grove just 1 minute late. Despite being a bit agricultural, these class 150s have been good performers. These two examples are part of the earlier batch built without cab connecting doors that were constructed in in 1985 and 1986. Keywords: 150141 150271 2N27 Preston station
90049 & 90016, 12.13 DIRFT-Coatbridge FLT (4S44), Preston station Despite being at Preston for three hours, this was the only freight observed. 90049 and 90016 bring the 12.13 Daventry to Coatbridge Freightliner through the station at some speed. This was a heavily loaded train and I suspect it was doubled headed to ensure a rapid and reliable climb over Shap and Beatock. Keywords: 90049 90016 12.13 DIRFT-Coatbridge FLT 4S44 Preston station
142062, NT 15.16 Preston-Ormskirk (2F04, cancelled), Preston station One of the most frequently heard complaints about rail travel is a lack of communication. In our modern day world of electronic communication it should not be rocket science to get information to passengers. However, this is exactly what did not happen here. This was supposed to be the train that I would catch back to Ormskirk. Along with about 30 passengers I sat on the train waiting for its 15.15 departure from Preston. After about 5 minutes of waiting our conductor apologised and said that we would be leaving soon but no reason given. After a further wait the conductor took her bag and disappeared. She reappeared a little later talking on the platform with a colleague again with no communication to us passenger as to why we had not yet left. After about 20 minutes she announced over the tannoy that it had been cancelled. I had to ask her why in person, she shrugged her shoulders muttering something about a lack of a train crew? Northern has come in for much criticism recently, this is exactly why. Customers will be annoyed if their train is cancelled or late but will have a greater degree of understanding if they are to know why with the reasons being thoughtfully explained. Keywords: 142062 2F04 cancelled Preston station
319376, NT 14.03 Liverpool South Parkway-Preston (1N87, 3L), Preston station Former Thameslink 319376 arrives into Preston with the 14.03 from Liverpool South Parkway. I can't get used to seeing these units so far north. For me, they have forever been associated with the Bedford to Brighton route since Network South East introduced them in 1987. Keywords: 319376 1N87 Preston station
158910, NT 15.37 Preston-York (1B27, 4L), Preston Station 158910 leaves Preston station with the 1B27 15.37 to York. The class 158s were built by BREL Derby in the early 1990s. However, despite their lightweight aluminium construction they were fraught with early problems. It took some years of operation for their problems to be ironed-out and they have now settled down and have become pretty dependable and found all over the network. Keywords: 158910 1B27 Preston Station
221143, VT 12.43 London Euston-Edinburgh W (9S70, 1E), Preston station Virgin Trains 221143 'Auguste Picard' pauses at Preston station working the 9S70 12.43 London Euston to Edinburgh. Can somebody explain the economics of running a thirsty and noisy DMU on this journey of just under 500 miles completely under fully electrified 25kv wires? Keywords: 221143 9S70 Preston station
150119, NT 16.23 Preston-Buxton (2B92, 9L), Preston station Northern 150119 waits to depart from Preston station working the 16.23 to Buxton. This is an interesting journey starting on the plains of Lancashire, through the heart of the UK's twelfth largest city and then winding up high into the Peak District. Keywords: 150119 2B92 Preston station
319378, NT 16.30 Preston-Liverpool Lime Street (1F09, RT), Preston station Instead of travelling back to Ormskirk and back to Liverpool I was forced to take this service direct to Lime Street because of an earlier train cancellation. However, it did give me the opportunity to sample one of Northern's refurbished class 319s. Also, I have never travelled on the Springs Branch Junction to Huyton Junction section of line. 319378 waits to depart from Preston with the 1F09 16.30 to Liverpool Lime Street. Keywords: 319378 1F09 Preston station
Edge Hill Signal Box (BR, 1961) Two remarkable survivors at Edge Hill just outside Liverpool. Firstly, the BR built 1961 signal box and secondly, the huge BR (LM) enamel sign that has been a notable feature here for many years. Keywords: Edge Hill Signal Box
319376, NT 17.31 Liverpool LS-Preston (1N81, 1L), Liverpool Lime Street station Northern 319376 sits under the grand and imposing train shed at Liverpool Lime Street. It was waiting to work the 1N81 17.31 to Preston via St. Helens. Keywords: 319376 1N81 Liverpool Lime Street station
Tickets, Liverpool-Preston-Liverpool The return tickets from Liverpool to Preston. Outward via Ormskirk and return (due to a train cancellation) via St. Helens.

Images 1-26 of 26 displayed.