The Stockport to Stalybridge Parliamentary Train 

"I don't get excited about rolling stock" [beat] "OH THERE'S A PACER"

“I don’t really get excited about rolling stock...oooh a Pacer!” 😂

I've heard that 142001 will be preserved at the National Railway Museum. And you have video proof of what day you rode on it!

5:06 Son as his Dad, thats me I got the train from Reddish South - Guide Bridge for a valid reason. This should be a proper service

Geoff I love your enthusiasm and how happy you are in your videos!

If there's anything positive to come from the timetable change from May 2018, it was the Stockport to Stalybridge getting a service increase, well, switched to Saturday morning and getting a return service anyway

The Pacer is an absolutely ingenious, if not slightly hideous; invention.

Lived in Edgeley circa 2005/06 during the major west coast mainline upgrades. Stockport to Piccadilly is about a ten minute journey. Diversion went through Reddish South, then peeled off at Ashton and went through Collyhurst into Victoria. Took about 45 minutes, but trundling along that route on a big Virgin train was an interesting journey...

Stockport - just down the road from me. Stockport Station rejoices in a very rare platform: Platform 0. And sometimes the sun does shine!

It's nice to see a video based up in the north. Some interesting places and routes

Love watching this one - the time you visited my local station

you could have saved yourself £4. The south Pennines DayRanger is valid on the Stockport - Stalybridge line

just thought id post an update on the stockport to Stalybridge service its changing to Saturdays from may ....In the 20 May 2018 timetable changes, Northern are introducing a second journey on the line, as well as shifting the day of operation. The first train will depart Stalybridge at 08:46 to arrive into Stockport at 09:09, this train will have the reporting number 2J44.[11] The train will then make a return journey leaving Stockport at 09:45 and arriving into Stalybridge at 10:06, with the original train reporting number, 2J45.[12] These services will operate every Saturday from 26 May 2018, instead of Fridays as in previous years, and will call at the intermediate stations on both journeys. This means that Reddish South and Denton will receive two passenger services per week in the timetable for the first time since 1992.

I remember doing this line in the early 2000's when the service still ran Stockport - Stalybridge and at that time used the old Class 101 units - made the line even more unique!

This used to be a very useful way to avoid Manchester, I used to travel from Newcastle upon Tyne to Stone, and you had to change stations in Manchester (Victoria to Piccadilly). The train from Stalybridge would let you catch the same train that you would have caught at Piccadilly, joining at Stockport. That was when Railways were a proper service!

Great video Geoff. Keep them coming, please!

One of the few times I go to London, typically just has to be the time when Geoff goes past my house! (The line runs less than 60 meters away from my bedroom window)

I remember traveling this line back in the early 80's. I live in the North east and I had a works permit for Crewe works. The route we took was Aycliffe to Darlington on a 101 DMU. Darlington to Stalybridge on one of the old transpennine services. Stalybridge to Stockport on a single car DMU then Stockport to Crewe on a 304 EMU. Happy days. :)

Travelling round on trains is the best thing in my opinion! Recently I did a round trip from Wrexham (near Chester) up to Edinburgh (via the West Coast Mainline). I then did the entire length of the 'new' Edinburgh tram line and then went to Tweedbank and back (on the new Waverley Line - but you'd know that ;) ). I then travelled back down south on the East Coast Main Line to Peterborough and then across the Fens home to Cambridge... and all in a single day! We had a few tight changes - but everything ran to time (surprisingly enough). Furthermore, we managed to get it to around £100 for the 3 of us - that's quite a deal! Keep making these videos - they are really enjoyable to watch!

ahhh the joys of a packed transpennie train ! in the summer with the air con broke ! sends shivers down my spine !

I hope you enjoyed your time in the most wonderful city in the UK Geoff! I would apologise for the weather, but I have to put up with it all year round!

Well, you did a thing and had a day round the north! Was fun following the tweets/periscopes as you went as well. Glossop.

Me and my dad did the CAMRA pennines train station pub crawl in 2001 York-Huddersfield- Dewsbury--Marsden - Stalybridge - Leeds--York. I was only 15 at the time so I was only drinking carling or budweiser while my dad was drinking all these real ales. I know what I prefer now! Happy days, we slept most of the way home!

I may have a go on this train one day. I really should as I live in Stalybridge. I know this is about trains, I like them and I like Geoff's channel and watch his from the South East area. It may be worth it, in time putting trams on this route (mixed rail) to link up to Stockport, if they ever expand the Greater Manchester tram network from Manchester to Stockport, sort of a circle line with Stalybridge at the end, running Stalybridge (mixed rail) to Stockport, Stockport to Manchester, Manchester via Ashton under Lyne (mixed rail) to Stalybridge and reverse.

5:13 Do you mean "there are about 19 people on this BUS?" :P

We have something similar to that where I live, the 2300 Birmingham New Street to Worcester Shrub Hill is extended to Gloucester on Fridays only and has no return passenger service. It is also good to see 142001 is still working, it has been a while since I last saw it, and that was in Devon!

that is 1 great video Geoff and 1 service that I have been on both ways

I like the Transpennine Express class 185's. Used one going to Scarborough, very smooth for a DMU and quick acceleration

Hello Geoff I just wanted to say I still remember how nice and friendly you were when I met you in the Upminster depot and I wanted to also say I still have your autograph and I look after it and it is cherished thank you Geoff

“Are you THE Londonist?!”

I we on this train because it was a parliamentary train. There were about 50 passengers, a band and a sing song. Great fun to meet those trying to reopen the line and all the supporters. I remember that it was raining.

I used to catch this train in both directions in the 60s to attend school in Stockport. Occasionally it was steam-hauled-I can remember Edgeley's Ivatt 2-6-2Ts on this duty.

You should do the Tyne and Wear Metro

Another suggestion Geoff. The Saturdays only service ( 3 trains each way) from Sheffield to Cleethorpes via Gainsborough. I would imagine the least used of the three stations of which these are the only trains per week would be Kirton Lindsey

God himself would stand on A Huddersfield-Manchester train

Love it, Geoff!

For those wondering why it exists like this - Before 1989, all TransPennine services coming in from Stalybridge/Huddersfield (and beyond) ran to Manchester Victoria - and as this was 28 years before the Ordsall Chord, and a good few years before any Metrolink lines, the only way of then continuing a journey south towards Stockport/Sheffield/Crewe and beyond would be to walk to Piccadilly - and it made Manchester simply an inconvenient place for onward travel between these two places. For this reason, before May 1989, hourly services from Stalybridge to Stockport ran (calling at the intermediate stations too), and this was the main official connection from Stockport (and beyond) to Yorkshire. In May 1989, for the first time, TransPennine services in from Stalybridge and Yorkshire began to terminate (or run through) Piccadilly and therefore the connection to the south here was simple and easy - and made the Stockport-Stalybridge link nigh on redundant. Initially, trains reduced to around 3-4 per day if that - but by 1991 it had become today's ghost service

Bet it's different riding those clanky old pacers compared to the trains here in London! I much prefer the Underground for efficiency, but that's my opinion. Loving these vlogs, please do keep them coming! Cheers, Matt

Loved Karl's comment about TransPennine being packed. They're often late too. 0812 to Scarborough from Leeds that I get to work is late 9 times out of ten and the 17:39 I often get back from Garforth to Leeds is just packed.

Love the new transpennine trains...expect when they're full of lads heading from Grimsby to Ibiza via Manchester Airport

I find myself watching 5yo Geoff content, still coming up on the RU-vid homepage suggestions!

I'm from Stalybridge so this is all too familiar to me! Not actually been on the parly yet, but I've often seen folks getting off of a Friday morning. The TransPennine in new grey livery was a good spot, it's only one out of two carrying it at the moment, they're waiting to refurb the trains before they do them all.

In October 1980 I travelled from Beverley in Yorkshire to Hereford which involved 6 changes of train. They all connected and one of the links in the chain was from Stalybridge to Stockport. It was a bleak line even then, but it helped me arrive in Hereford on time! So sad to see it downgraded thus.

I actually used this line in the mid 70s: it was a good short cut from the WCML to Huddersfield.

Geoff. A suggestion for a 'Limited Service' video. Polesworth in Staffordshire gets just 1 train a day that gets there at 07:23 (07:26 Saturday's). It is served by a Northampton - Crewe service, and to continue your journey from here you have to get a bus to Tamworth. Happy Travels!

They have a return service now! As of 2020 the service now runs on a Saturday, the outbound leaves Stalybridge at 8:46 and the return leaves Stockport at 9:45.

How exciting!

This train runs on a Saturday now and surprisingly enough it works both ways!

Wow 2005 pictures so high quality!

I've done that line on a steam hauled railtour and we stopped at Denton for water!

Stockport Grand Central probably uses the roundel as that whole development including McD's used to be the coal yard up until the mid 80's. So they were probably trying to keep the links to the railway heritage.

Gotta love Stalyvegas and the pub on the platform

The middle finger at the end 😂

Stalybridge station has a song written about it by a group called The five song piece.

Nice to see you in the north (well, northish) Geoff

There's nothing better than a London sunny day

Oh god the 185's look terrible in that livery now! Great video Geoff.

I'm from Denton and its once a week train is famous nearby. Is really bizarre when the next town of a similar size, Hyde (where I've also lived) has 5 fully operational stations! (6 if you count Hattersley)

last time I did this route, the train left from a bay platform at Stockport .... apparently now there is a return trip.

I've been on 142001 before from Squires Gate in Blackpool to Preston

Interesting to see that you went on 153322 - that unit must have gone to East Anglia not long after you went on it. I've travelled on it several times on Felixstowe Branch services. It is named 'Benjamin Britten'.

Local lad from Reddish South here. There are folks around here who believe that the line would be a heck of a lot more well-used if there was a regular, daily service on it. So much so that there's even friends groups for; - Reddish South Station-> reddish.dsracing.me.uk/ - Denton Station-> dentonstation.co.uk/ At the moment, the line is kept open mostly because goods trains often use it to bypass Manchester entirely so they don't conjest the already busy Manchester Piccadilly any more than it already is. Pat of the argument for the Stockport to Stalybridge line is that it could take a few services from the south of Stockport away from Piccadilly and send them to the vastly underused Manchester Victoria instead, as well as have services bypassing Manchester altogether if you want that. It's also a popular with some of the country's steam specials. Every so often, we're treated to one of the Princess classes or the A4 Pacific "Union Of South Africa" doing the Scarborough flyer or the Cumbrian Mountain Express or something. We even had the Flying Scotsman go through at one point on it's way from York to Crewe -> ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-lq9WJJ5HLus.html The line has quite a bit of potential...one of the problems it faces it that bit at Reddish South where it's a single track line...while the REST of the stations have a track down either side of the station. There is ABSOLUTELY NO REASON WHATSOEVER for the Reddish South stretch to be single track. the only reason I've been given is because of the motorway. I THOUGHT this meant it went into a tunnel under the motorway and it would be too expensive and too much hassle to dig it wider or whatever. NOPE. It's on a BRIDGE, OVER the motorway which is only wide enough for a single track. That is MUCH EASIER and CHEAPER to replace with a bridge wide enough for two tracks without causing too much disruption for too long. You pretty much only need to close ONE lane in the middle of the motorway, park a crane there, have it carry down sections of the old bridge to send of the melt down for raw materials for other stuff, and feed it new bridge sections to lift up for the workmen on the bridge to fit together. Job done. It's just not especially high on the list of the council's priorities at the moment, because they think there's next to no demand for the service, which is based on stats OBVIOUSLY skewed by the VERY FACT there's only one train a week. But it doesn't stop there...because after the bridge, it pretty much IMMEDIATELY goes back to a double track in time for Denton Station. WHAT? So yeah...it's awesome that you did a video on this, Geoff. Gives the line some much-needed publicity. Internet...this line needs you! Go give it some support! Much thanks in advance.

142001 use to have a Devon flag from when it was least to First Great Western, Although returning from Exeter in 2011 I think still there in one of centre cab windows.

They have been running this service like this since 1992, once a week.

This service should be extended at both ends and run hourly Huddersfield - Hazel Grove, or even on to Buxton! A second hourly service should also run to provide Reddish South and Denton with a direct service to Manchester Victoria. Make the up slow line on the viaduct north of Stockport bi-directional so trains can use platforms zero and one either way. That would be a real win win situation!

Geoff mate, you should've done a meet up, next time you're in Liverpool/Manchester let us know

Greater Manchester should've been called Salford Hundred. Greater Manchester sounds like they only thought of that because there was no alternative, but there used to be an area called Salford Hundred occupying the same area. 6:17 | I don't like bay platforms in the middle of an island platform with no Spanish solution. What's even worse is at Greenford, where the trains from Paddington only open their doors on one side despite having a Spanish solution.

Seems like a pretty good community on that train

What I never realised, until I was on the train to Mcr, how close Stockport by train was to Mcr.

Legend

I may ride that one day! You seem to find 142s exciting. When you've lived up here all your life you get (literally) sick at 142s. DID YOU KNOW: There are people who get on every Friday as a hobby.

142 001 is now in the National Collection at NRM Shildon but moving to York "soon"

I live a few miles from this line, Denton is nearby but there are more people who don't know it exists...

there's a shop in my home town (Sheffield) that also uses the Roundel as it's logo!

The sad thing is upto the late 80's this was a very important train as it was the connection between the Trans-Pennine line and the line down to Euston.

The Greater Manchester Day Ranger is actually valid until Greenfield, two stops on from Stalybridge.

I think there might be another reason for not wanting this service to be brought back: It would take many passengers away from Manchester! Personally, I’m more than happy with that. Reducing congestion at Manchester Piccadilly has to be a good thing.

Been meaning to ride a parliamentary train.

Do the secrets of the Metrolink trams Manchester

I did not know this one stopped at denton, thats my hometown, and i thought it was a ghost station

you did this on the same day I went to london

Being from up north, I agree with the beginning

Great vid Geoff, I did this a while back and made a vid, did you see the friends of Denton and Reddish South? When will you come to GM again?

Wish I'd known you were up here... I'd have come to say hello!

With the summer 2018 timetable the service is on Saturday in BOTH directions - 08:46 to Stockport and returns from there at 09:45.

Shoutouts to the klf love it

One of the top

I’m very upset about how excited I was you went to Stockport because that’s where I’m from. It does always rain, Woodley station is mine and it’s slightly more used

142 are all over Darlington to saltburn very rare not to get a 142 and run frequently bonus also they are getting rid soon cos of disability access

Why can't this line be used for trams ? I live in Stalybridge and to get to Stockport, it usually (Mon-Fri) involves 2 buses either way, either 348 into Ashton-under-Lyne and then a 330 to Stockport or a 343/389 into Hyde and then again the 330 at Hyde to Stockport (just over an hour each way)depending on the buses. If they were to put trams on the line at regular intervals, then that would be the first part of the route from Stalybridge to Manchester (via Stockport) on the tram, when they finally build the Stockport-Manchester part of the system. That train line needs using and great as a train line, but if not get people off the buses, to cut down the congestion and use it as a tram line and putting life back in to the underused stations en-route.

I got off a pendolino at Stockport four months ago

Wikipedia article says that 142001 is destined for the National Railway Museum when the 142s are removed from service (late 2019?).

You should revisit the line in the future

I loved this

Dat pacer action

Ok... Which twelve year old painted the 'jaws' on those doors at the end of the video...? gotta love the transpennine express!

+Geofftech how typical, I moved from Stockport back to SouthEast London and you visit Stockport the very day I move back!!! :-/ :-P

it's not rain Geoff, it's liquid sunshine

In Rotherham, there's a computer service thingy which has also stolen the London Underground Randol! I can take a picture of it tommorow! When I get the bus past it!

There's a regular train service with those weird trains in and around Exeter