Goodbye Diesel

A few farewell pictures on the last day of diesel services at Huyton.

Unfortunately, no 142s turned up (I never thought I'd write that!) so I didn't get a complete set.

156456 on 2N88 12:05 Liverpool South Parkway to Blackpool North.







 

150220 on 2F51 12:31 Wigan North Western to Liverpool Lime Street High Level.

 





 

150146 on 2F69 12:03 Blackpool North to Liverpool South Parkway.




 





While I was waiting in vain for a 142, I snapped a few newer trains:

319362 on
1F97 12:40 Manchester International Airport to Liverpool Lime Street.

185141 on 1F67 11:10 Newcastle to Liverpool Lime Street.













Yes, I know this isn't really the end of diesel workings at Huyton.  The Blackpool services will be diesel at least until September, and the Newcastle workings until who knows when.  Nevertheless, it feels a bit like the end of an era.  As a relative newcomer to the area, I never used first generation DMUs here, and my first train trip from Huyton was on the 16.45 to Lime Street on Friday 24 October 1997, which was worked by 150224 - I think that one's still about.

Pendolino

Engineering diversions have routed Liverpool to Euston services via the L & M today, so we have an hourly service of Pendolinos using our new electrification.  Here's 1A20 10:43 Liverpool Lime Street High Level to Euston cruising through a rather grey Huyton.

Early Electric Two

This morning, as last Saturday, a 319 worked the 06.00 Liverpool to Wigan and 07.00 return.  This week 319362 "Northern Powerhouse" did the honours, here's a shot of it at St Helens Central on the return run, kindly supplied by Paul Gaskell.

So for phase 2 that's only Manchester Victoria still waiting for a passenger working.  Any day now?

Apparently ten 319s should be diagrammed from the start of the new timetable so we can expect to see a lot more use on stopping trains soon.

Late Electric

And this evening, an eight car train with 319364 leading 319367 whizzed through Huyton on 5Z19 20:22 Allerton Diesel Multiple Unit Depot to Manchester Victoria, marking, as far as I know, the first electric working from Ordsall Lane Junction to Victoria.  So, with the possible exception of paperwork signoff for this last section, that's the whole of phase two up and running.  (Assuming this test is successful.)

Oh, and some autotransformer work remains to be completed as well.

Early Electric

I understand that 319363 worked 2F52 06.00 Liverpool Lime Street to Wigan North Western and the 2F57 07.03 return this morning, before moving onto Airport runs.

This marks the first electric passenger working on the Wigan line, and another important step in the progress of phase two.

Only Victoria remains to be completed, and there appears to be an intriguing test train of some sort booked for this Sunday evening.  See RTT for details.

Hopefully, with the new crew and stock rosters for the new timetable which starts on 17 May, we will see a substantial increase in the numbers of EMUs out and about on all parts of phase two, albeit on unaltered diesel schedules.