The title is not quite accurate as there were actually 11 507s left on Merseyside at the time of this visit. However 011 had been dumped at Southport for several weeks and the word was it would not carry passengers again, which proved to be correct, so of the 10 available for haulage i was happy with my scoring. Certainly a better result than from any exams taken thus far in life!
This was the last time 011 would be seen though. Along with 015 they were officially withdrawn in the following week (one reason for me including quite so much footage of 015!) 011 was in such bad condition that it had to be run on the wheel lathe at Kirkdale before it could depart the network!!
This video is from the same trip of my video of 507 023 working on the West Kirby line. I went rather camera happy with footage of the 11.19 run so didn't include it here, although some footage of it from later in the day is included. As expected, most usage is now on the Southport line with no scheduled Wirral Line workings (hence me being camera happy that 023 was out!) which accounted for the other 6 units I rode on. My number 8 came in the very unexpected form of number 7 - literally my last train of the day to Lime Street when it had replaced 023 for some reason on the West Kirby circuit. Result!
The only runners that evaded me for haulage were 001 (seen at Kirkdale) and 003 (on Birkenhead North next to 023, i thought they may be coming out as a 6 car at first!!) but as they are the 2 expected to last longest (and also, lets be honest the tamest sounding two from a thrash aspect as well, sorry chaps) i wasn't too concerned by them staying out of arms reach. They are also the 2 slated for the farewell tour which has been delayed yet again due to the new crowd still being rowdy in class. Looking like at least September now, but I ain't complaining! I don't think we'll get to 47 years in use but they're not going anywhere yet!
UNITS SEEN ON 2ND MAY 2024:
CHESTER SERVICES:- 777 002, 008, 030
ELLESMERE PORT SERVICES:- 777 013, 027, 039
NEW BRIGHTON SERVICES:- 777 005, 011, 024
WEST KIRBY SERVICES 507 007, 023 / 777 016, 017, 019, 032, 034
SOUTHPORT/HUNTS X SERVICES 507 010+029, 015+018, 016+017 / 777 001, 006, 015, 023, 015, 026
KIRKBY SERVICES:- 777 142, 146, 150
ORMSKIRK SERVICES:- 777 003, 018, 022, 041, 049
MISCELLANEOUS SIGHTINGS;
EDGE HILL:- 60021, 60047, 69003
BIRKENHEAD NORTH DEPOT:- 507 003, 023, 033 (already withdrawn with 028 the previous week)
KIRKDALE DEPOT:- 507 001 / 777 004, 007, 012, 029, 037
SOUTHPORT SIDINGS 507 011 / 777 038
OK, timestamps, do your funky stuff!
0:00:01 - The TPx Pride unit greets us at Newton-Le-Willows and we also see 69 003 and 60 021 hanging out at Edge Hill before popping up at Birkenhead North to see 507 003 and 023 in the outer siding. The subsequent 023 video fest journey is taken care of elsewhere ( • A rather gratuitous am... , so it's another cut to Kirkdale with 507 001 in the running sidings, plenty shunting (including 777 units newly arrived that morning) and 2 guys having a right ding dong on the adjacent platform!
0:05:25 - 507 017/016 combo turns up at Sandhills so we head for Southport. 011 still is lying bedraggled in the sidings sadly destined to never carry another passenger.
0:16:30 - Some Southport activity then happily it's 507 015 (withdrawn with 011 merely days later) coupled to 018 that come off the sidings for the next southbound so we hop on board to Hightown. Jointed track loveliness also ticked off on the way!
0:33:17 - A short Hightown hangout then its 029/010 next in so join 029 and head right down to Aigburth
0:45:04 - the 015/018 combo are back so head to the middle of the set back to Sandhills
0:50:33 - We've evidently dropped back to Moorfields and join the 010 end of its 6 car with 029 for a pointless hop back to Sandhills other than to catch it for haulage!
0:52:39 - Under water again for a Hamilton Square interlude. 507 023 is stil making lovely noises on the West Kirby circuit so we have another run round the loop and end up at Bidston
1:02:21 - Defo making the most of 015, here we head back to Aigburth. A quick hop over the bridge as 017/016 arrive so dive into the 016 end to head back north to Central
1:16:31 - And still trailing them on the next service is 015 and 018. We pick 018 this time just so that we can say we've been on all 7 units out and it's motors are sounding awesome as always! Hightown is the destination again
1:28:18 - As luck would have it, my 1 stop connector to Lime Street ending the day is shown as a 3 car. Well its obviously 023 still on West Kirby trains isn't it? WRONG!!!! We get a real brucie bonus as 507 007 rocks up having replaced the other unit at some point in the late afternoon. What a cop to end the day with!
Final score 8/10 (well 11 i suppose if you include er.. 11) Best test result ever!
8 май 2024
