For one part of the Cheshire Ranger day out sixteen members took over a Cl.323 carriage between Manchester Airport and Crewe. This excellently led itinerary also gave time for Manchester’s Ian Allan bookshop to be visited and the main routes covered included Manchester Piccadilly-Crewe, Chester-Stockport and Stoke-Crewe. As ever train crews joined in the general good humour of the day out although a platform security officer at Manchester Airport station brusquely told a member to put his camera away. The Branch Treasurer was in hot water for not keeping up with the party at Stockport station when the group quickly boarded a Pendolino, but he quickly caught up with the rest of the group having travelled on a following Voyager. As for the Branch Chairman, he had his ranger ticket inscribed with his name and title, Sir Gordon Davies.

The success of the day is due to Geoff Morris’s superb organisation, to his patience and to the use of mobile telephones. We look forward to the next Cheshire Day Ranger outing as the ticket now covers more of the Greater Manchester area.

CHESHIRE DAY RANGER ITINERARY AND TRAIN HAULAGE

Chester Group
08.52 Dep 07.45 Llandudno-Manchester Piccadilly 175105
(some) 09.54 Dep 07.23 Middlesbrough-Manchester Airport 185107

Birkenhead Central Member
08.42 Dep 08.07 Chester-Liverpool Central 507023/12
Then 09.13 Dep Liverpool Lime Street-Manchester Airport 150136

Main group
10.46 Dep Manchester Piccadilly-Crewe via Manchester Airport 323223
(16 members in total from Manchester Airport)

323223 at Manchester Piccadilly. Richard Neale

On board 323223. Richard Neale

Group split on either/or
12.00 Dep Crewe-Chester 221110
12.21 Dep Crewe-Chester 158828

Group split on either/or
12.52 Dep 11.45 Llandudno-Manchester Piccadilly 175101

175101 at Chester. Geoff Morris

then 13.55 Dep Manchester Piccadilly-Euston (to Stockport) 390038
13.01 Dep. Chester-Manchester Piccadilly via Northwich (to Stockport) 142040

142040 at Chester. Geoff Morris

The Group reformed at Stockport and resplit (by default) on either/or
14.23 Dep 14.15 Manchester Piccadilly-Euston (to Stoke) 390032
14.35 Dep 14.27 Manchester Piccadilly-Bournemouth (to Stoke) 221121

Reunited Group at Stoke
14.35 Dep 12.46 Euston-Crewe 350112

Groups then completed their day from Crewe either by
15.43 Dep 14.07 Euston-Liverpool Lime Street 390024

16.34 Dep Liverpool Lime Street-Birmingham New Street (to Acton Bridge/Crewe) 350122

17.21 Dep Crewe-Chester 158828

Or by
16.00 Dep Crewe-Chester 221110

The main sightings during the day included

08:35 Chester 67022 + 508130 Arpley - Birkenhead.
09:00 Helsby 66605 4F02 Garston - Fiddlers Ferry (FHH hoppers)
09:20 Arpley 08737 56018 60094 66207 66201
09:20 Bank Quay 92017 in south bay.
09:55 Piccadilly 180108 (in Northern colours) on 09:33 Hazel Grove - Preston

180108 leaves Manchester Piccadilly. Geoff Morris

11:45 Sydney Bridge Junction (Crewe) 92033 down light engine (to Trafford Park?)
12:00 Crewe station 43013/14 on NMT (parked in platform 12)

The New Measurement Trains at Crewe. Geoff Morris

12:30 Crewe Electric Depot 66174 6Z61 Crewe IEMD - Peterborough West Yard-Monster box wagons (MBA) ex-repair at Crewe.
14:15 Edgeley Junction 66529 6M05 Roxby-Northenden
14:40 & 15:15 Longport Freight depot yard DRS 66421 which is now being used by EMD, it is believed in connection with a programme to modify the horns of these locos
15.35 Crewe Diesel yard 47769/47805/47815/47848
16:00 Runcorn 60094 6F61 Folly Lane-Arpley
16:02 Stobart Ports (O’Connor’s Ditton) 66592
16:10 Speke Junction 92022 + another (DIT?) 6L48 Garston-Dagenham. Also 66111
16:15 & 16:40 Edge Hill 66719 6M03 Liverpool Bulk Terminal-Chaddesden (Fastline hoppers). Also red 08611 seen at Edge Hill along with 57303 and private shunter

The information above was compiled in the best of faith by Geoff Morris, Richard Neale, Alan Rhind and Alan Turton

09/02/09