4. Journey home-15.07.21

THE ARCHIVE FILES > Archive-2021 > 41. Trip to Liverpool-11-15.07.21 > 4. Journey home-15.07.21

Our journey home was nearly as eventful as our outward journey with every train working like clockwork! In fact, we got back a little before our scheduled time as on arrival at New Street early a Northampton train was waiting on an adjacent platform that departed within a minute of us boarding!

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Images 1-11 of 11 displayed.

175011, AW 11.36 Liverpool Lime Street-Chester (1B09, 2L) & 156461 NT 11.17 Liverpool Lime Street-Manchester Oxford Road (2O99, RT), Liverpool Lime Street station
The arrival of the Class 175s on TFW's Liverpool services represents a step-change for passengers on this route that was launched on 19.05.19. Initially, Class 150s were employed on the trains to Chester and Wrexham offering an alternative to Merseyrail's Wirral route. TFW services are much quicker, in most cases cheaper, their services have toilets as well as offering a direct link to Liverpool's John Lennon airport. They travel via Runcorn, the reinstated Halton Curve towards Frodsham and then Helsby. 175011 waits at Lime Street to work the 1B09 service to Chester. Meanwhile, Northern's 156641 will work the 11.17 to Manchester Oxford Road.
Keywords: 175011 11.36 Liverpool Lime Street-Chester 1B09 156461 11.17 Liverpool Lime Street-Manchester Oxford Road 2O99 Liverpool Lime Street station TFW Transport for Wales Northern

156411, EM 11.50 Liverpool Lime Street-Norwich (1L11, 3L), Liverpool Lime Street station
Whilst the Class 156 Super Sprinter that dates from 1988 has proved an enduring design I am not at all sure that I would want to travel in one across virtually the entire width of the country? 156411 sits at the back of another unit at Liverpool Lime Street waiting to work the 1L11 11.50 service to Norwich with a journey time of almost exactly six hours!
Keywords: 156411 11.50 Liverpool Lime Street-Norwich 1L11 Liverpool Lime Street station EMR East Midlands Railway

350234, LN 12.05 Liverpool Lime Street-Birmingham New Street (1G13, RT) & 156464, NT 10.46 Manchester Oxford Road-Liverpool Lime Street (2O77, RT), Liverpool Lime Street station
The first train of our journey home waits at Liverpool Lime Street's platform ten. My wife and travelled aboard the 12.05 to Birmingham New Street composed of 350234 and a Class 350/4. As the train waits, 156464 arrives having worked the 10.46 from Manchester Oxford Road.
Keywords: 350234 12.05 Liverpool Lime Street-Birmingham New Street 1G13 156464 10.46 Manchester Oxford Road-Liverpool Lime Street 2O77 Liverpool Lime Street station London Northwestern Northern Desiro

60056, stabled, Edge Hill
Edge Hill has become an important stabling point for GBRf locomotives that are involved in the movement of biomass from Liverpool docks (Seaforth Container Terminal) to Drax power station. 60056 awaits its next turn of duty wearing its rather work-weary Colas paint scheme as it perhaps awaits repainting into GBRf's house colour scheme?
Keywords: 60056 stabled Edge Hill

60096, stabled, Edge Hill
60096 'Impetus' is one of ten former Colas Class 60 (Tugs) that were acquired by GBRf back in June 2018 for use on newly acquired bulk train contracts. It is seen standing at their Edge Hill stabling facilty still wearing its Colas livery three years after it left the care of the compnay.
Keywords: 60096 stabled Edge Hill Impetus

Class 43, stabled, Crewe LSL
Just poking its nose out of one of LSL's maintenance sheds at Crewe one of their very smart retro Pullman HST power cars is seen. I am not sure as to which power car this is but one was not used on the Heart of Wales Pullman charter two days later as it was deemed a failure with LSL having to hire one in from GWR. Unfortunately, this was not the end of LSL's woes as another failure occured on the return leg of the charter occupying a section of the Central Wales Line for several hours.
Keywords: Class 43 stabled Crewe LSL Pullman HST

66591, unidentified working, Crewe south
Despite all the technology available and even a fellow enthusiast having access to Freightmaster, I could not identify this working being led by 66591! The Freightliner Class 66 is leading a motley rake of HHA wagons seen at Crewe south. I believe it was leading the set of wagons either to or from repair/storage at the former MoD Central Ordnance Depot at Warrington that is also the site of the failed rail freight terminal.
Keywords: 66591 unidentified working Crewe south

350371, LN 13.53 Birmingham New Street-Northampton (2Y12, 1L), Northampton station
Our second train as part of our journey back from Liverpool to Northampton rests at our destination. 350371 and a 350/4 unit stands at Northampton station having worked the 13.53 from Birmingham New Street that we took in its entirety.
Keywords: 350371 13.53 Birmingham New Street-Northampton 2Y12 Northampton station London Midland Desiro

66771, 10.15 Kidderminster-Tonbridge West Yard (6Z66, 20L), Northampton station
We had overtaken this mysterious train as we approached Rugby on our return journey from Liverpool. Thinking that I would not see it after arrival at Northampton the failure to get a taxi home from the station enabled me to get a photograph of it through the railings! 66771 'Amanda' leads the 10.15 Kidderminster to Tonbridge West infrastructure train at this point running nearly two hours late. I have since discovered that this train was Network Rail/GBRf's new 'smart' weedkilling train returning from trials on the Severn Valley Railway to its base in Kent.
Keywords: 66771 10.15 Kidderminster-Tonbridge West Yard 6Z66 Northampton station Amanda

Tickets, Liverpool Lime Street-Northampton
Our return tickets for our journey from Liverpool to Northampton. We were pleased that our return journey was straightforward with no delays or issues unlike our outward one four days earlier!
Keywords: Tickets Liverpool Lime Street-Northampton

Images 1-11 of 11 displayed.