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With the new Class 777s being introduced and the classic 507/508s going to scrapyard, I needed to at least try and get a couple of the MerseyRail legends before they disappeared for good. THe wife was heading to Nottingham for a girlie day with some friends to this was the oppotunity to go and do some. Last time I ws in Liverpool I only mangaed two or three PEPs as I was with my lad many moons ago.
Bold = Haulage, Red = Winner, all others are sightings.
When my alarm went off at some ungodly hour I did question if this was a wise idea. We'd got to bed about midnight the night before having returned from our three day trip to Scotland, now I was heading out of the house before 06:00 to do a day trip to Merseyside.
2B03 Selhurst to Victoria (Selhurst to Victoria) 377115, 377140 (non winners) [9m 31ch] was the first train of the day. Once at Victoria I went directly on to the tube and over to Euston.
My train was to be 1F12 Euston to Liverpool Lime Street (Euston to Liverpool Lime Street) 390138 (non winner) [193m 52ch]. Using Traksy I noted the platform and headed there to get a photo of the unit. On the gateline the chaps asked for ticket and I showed them and asked could I go take a photo and board the train. To which they replied yes. Along the platform I located a coach with no reservations and got myself in a seat. The onboard guard/OBS/Train manager appraoched me and with a rather surly American sounding growl said "You're not suposed to be on here." I asked why not and again she said the train had not been advertised. Strange how they were announcing it on the plafrom as I was walking up it. I said it had been annouced and I boarded. She still had a bit of a go at me but I realiased it wasn't worth wasting my time on explaining customer service to her. Just before the train left the station three younf ladies asked if the seats were free and sat down with me. What a collection we made; me a Londoner, One was from Bulgaria, one from Italy and one from Russia. We all had a good chat on the train it was really nice to get their opinions on the railways. We arrived in to Lime street 27 minutes late. The train in front of us at Liverpool South Parkway had to have medical assistance attend. The OBS/Train manager waffled on without giving any useful information. Earlier she had announced we would be diverted as an incident had happened at Runcorn earlier in the day. In fact it had been the night before and trains were now running through. She could do with retraining in customer service to be honest.
Once I alighted I headed straight to the MerseyRail gatelines. A cheerful good morning from the chap standing there as I approached, I then asked which platform for the train to Liverpool Central. In his local ccent and smile he told me and said "It's won't take you long to get there mate." What a difference.
I'll just list the haulage from here for a bit.
2C16 Chester to Chester (Liverpool Lime Street to Liverpool Central) 508125 ✅ [0m 42ch]
2K17 Liverpool Central to Kirby (Liverpool Central to Sandhills) 777009 ✅ [2m 8ch]
2G36 Ormskirk to Liverpool Central (Sandhills to Liverpool Central) 507017 ✅ [2m 8ch]
1S20 Hunts Cross to Southport (Liverpool Central to Sandhills) 508136 ✅ [2m 8ch]
2G37 Ormskirk to Liverpool Central (Sandhills to Liverpool Central) 507024 ✅ [2m 8ch]
1S21 Hunts Cross to Southport (Liverpool Central to Sandhills) 507031 ✅ [2m 8ch]
2G38 Ormskirk to Liverpool Central (Sandhills to Liverpool Central) 507010 ✅ [2m 8ch]
1S22 Hunts Cross to Southport (Liverpool Central to Sandhills) 508114 ✅ [2m 8ch]
2G38 Ormskirk to Liverpool Central (Sandhills to Liverpool Central) 507010 ✅ [2m 8ch]
1S23 Hunts Cross to Southport (Liverpool Central to Sandhills) 508120 ✅ [2m 8ch]
2U24 Southport to Hunts Cross (Sandhills to Liverpool Central) 508124 ✅ [2m 8ch]
1S25 Hunts Cross to Southport (Liverpool Central to Sandhills) 507013 ✅ [2m 8ch]
2U26 Southport to Hunts Cross (Sandhills to Liverpool Central) 508137 ✅ [2m 8ch]
2O27 Liverpool Central to Kirby (Liverpool Central to Kirkdale) 507017 ❌ [2m 77ch]
2G58 Kirby to Liverpool Central (Kirkdake to Moorfields) 77713 ✅ [2m 31ch]
2C26 Chester to Chester (Moorfields to Liverpool Lime Street) 507032 ✅ [0m 47ch]
Normally I could carry on do these shuttle trips for some time but I'll admit I was getting to the point of having had enough. A number of young ladies were rather heavily purfumed, slightly intoxicated (as were the young guys too) and far too loud. Maybe I'm getting old as it grated on me a fair bit, hence heading to Lime Street.
I decided to clear out of Dodge early. The indicator boards seemed to be glitching so I took to my phone and worked out that there would be a train to Sheffield in the next 30 minutes.
1L13 Liverpool Lime Street to Norwich (Liverpool Lime Street to Sheffield) 158783, 158864 ✅ [77m 32ch]
How the train scene has changed at Sheffield since I was last there. Last time there were the brilliant Pacers. Now all sorts of things.What I had not known until a message on Twitter was that the train I intended to catch back to St Pancrs was to be diverted via Corby. A line I've been trying to work out how to get for a while.
1C77 Sheffield to St Pancras International (Sheffield to St Pancras International) 222005 ✅ [185m 68ch].
The train went in to Leicester then reversed back and went via Melton Mobray and Corby before heading in to St Pancras and we arrived bang on time too.
then a swift trip downstairs to the Thameslink and on to 9S55 Cambridge to Brighton (St Pancras International to East Croydon) 700105 ❌ [13m 40ch]
That gave me just enough time to jump on 2M67 East Croydon to Watford Junction (East Croydon to Selhurst) 377209 ❌ [0m 77ch]