They don't come much better than this, awesome journey along probably the most famous stretch of railway in the world. I, as a retired civil engineer I am interested in the engineering and construction aspects of railways and their infrastructure, this video brings it all home....the amount of work and labor, particularly on the approaches to Lime St sums up what was achieved so many years ago and leaves me in awe. Liverpool is second to none in showing the achievments of our early engineering skills, Edge Hill tunnels, the docks etc not withstanding. Thanks again for a great piece of 'filming'
Great video along Chat moss Don. Brings back many fond memories. Leigh Golf Club on the left @ 12.14 with the line of tall Poplar trees running parallel to the 16th fairway. Many a wayward tee shot ended up on that line, including a few of my own..!! I served my GreenKeeper apprenticeship there back in the early 80's and great place to work for a rail enthusiast. A good variety of motive power past by back in the day. Good ol' BR... Thank again for the video.
I bet it was amazing. Those trees are fantastic aren’t they? I’m not just saying this but I’ve always found greenkeeping interesting. Some look like velvet.
Such a treat to go past the area of the Raintree locomotives trial, the the famous Edge Hill Station. Icing on the cake. This is my second or third viewing, so thank you, Don.
It was interesting as you went through the cuttings close to Liverpool, I was looking at the side walls for evidence of the Williamson Tunnels that the railway cut through 👍
Its amazing down there and there are other tunnels left and right of that cutting. They are called the Waterloo and Wapping Tunnels. One tunnel in that hillside was cut off and later rediscovered to be full of old cars dating from your youth back to mine. There is a video there if you can get into it! jalopnik.com/a-collapsed-old-railway-tunnel-hides-these-rare-cars-un-1495585003. I might be able to get you a cab ride down the main tunnel if you are interested.
Superb video. Those tunnels and bridges approaching Lime Street are amazing. I am doing Wigan to Lime Street next week and really looking forward to it.
Don Coffey I just wanted to thankyou. Your videos have helped me out so much over the months and weeks on memerising the different routes, signals and junctions
Great video. Best I’ve seen for ages. Nice and clear and what’s really nice is the information along the journey, and the fact that you show the type of loco that it’s taken from. Not many others do that. Hope there’s more to come.
Superb video. This is my local line as I live in Rainhill and am very proud of it's railway history. Looking forward to the 68's starting, hopefully in December. I can well remember when the Trans Pennine trains were always loco hauled. Mainly 47's, but 45/46's, 40's and very occasionally 31's would put in an appearance. Towards the end of their BR days 55's turned up too. Great days, No wires back then and Wavertree Tech Park and Lea Green stations probably hadn't even been thought of!
Again wonderful with all the information, especially the unique historic aspects. Wonderful to see it in real life like this. I feel a visit coming up...
Very good video. Thankyou. I really like your videos where the line is electrified. (Overhead). It gives that extra element of interest to the footage. Maybe sometime, they will electrify the Manchester / Leeds line soon. Keep up the good work. John
Thanks for the new video and the captions are great. As a student I used to travel from Victoria to Bangor along this line looking out the front of class 101s. There was a period when part of the line over Chat Moss was being replaced/repaired and there was a temporary diversion to the south. The descent into Lime Street has to be amongst the most awesome station approaches.
Yes, every time I go down that cutting it amazes me. When you think about just how much rock was removed in the days when there were no machines, just horses and carts, men with picks and barrows and so much human effort and determination.
We see a lot from the cab but they often go to ground before they can be seen from the side windows. I recently hit a deer coming back from Hull which is not a nice thing to experience. It ran off but whether it survived is another matter.
Seeing the approach to Liverpool part blocked by the motorway overbridge boils my blood. Could have been a 4 track formation all the way out of Liverpool but they blocked half the cutting! The cutting blasted and mined out for solid stone!
Great video. I used to live near Broad Green station as a child, and regularly came down to the station to watch the trains with my 'Nana'. The bridge to the East of the station crosses Thomas Lane and the former North Liverpool Extension line, and road underneath was prone to flooding in heavy rain. It was a great place to view Black 5s, class 40s, 45s, 47s, and the old Trans Pennine DMUs, the class 124 6 car units with the unique wrap-round windscreens. The small goods yard is long gone, The M62 motorway started close to here, and uses much of the original 4 line station grounds. Broad Green is now the oldest continually-used railway station in the world!
Don, superb. Your videos have a mathematical as well as an engineering beauty. Your runs to Leeds and latterly the Hope Valley run to Sheffield have maintained the standard. As an ex spotter and steam buff, this trip to Lime Street shows how much better things are today - especially the maintained speed. The Newcastle - Liverpool expresses hauled by Class 40 or 46 rarely reached 60mph and going the other way, the grind up to Standedge was grim. In steam days, even with a 7P Patriot it was hard graft. The steam wallahs will shoot me, but the new lines, layouts, are far better and the approach to Lime Street isn't bettered anywhere.
What a nice trip! Your commentary is awesome and adds a lot to the virtual trip. You can follow along the video with Google Maps, and see where you are in relation to the big picture. The tunnels in Liverpool are really clever, and make for some interesting architecture around the railway. Thank you!
Great video Don. Thanks for the captions as it makes it easier to follow on a rail map. I live in Australia so I'm not all that familiar with UK locations.
Nice one - Don't think I'll go over the first bit of the route as my nearest station is on the WCML. Have done Huyton Junction to Lime Street though as that is where the line goes from LEyland where I would get on. I do remember going over the junction now I have seen it on your video!
Don Coffey Great videos Don, very impressed with them. So impressed that I am wanting to do a drivers eye view documentary between York and Liverpool, personally narrating on the history and present facts of the railway. As your videos already show the majority of the route between the two cities, I wanted to ask if it was possible to use your videos to make the drivers eye view documentary? The video will also include shots by the side of the railway, on the train and at stations. Your name will be featured within the credits if you allow me to use your videos and also put a link in to your channel should you wish. It is of course your choice but it would be a great opportunity to do. I am an amateur film maker who does this as my hobby and would use this video for personal use. I look forward to hearing from you ☺
Great Videos, thanks for all the info you provide. Just wondering, I see some rear view mirrors at the end of a station platforms, but most of the time there are none. Who has the mirrors and who doesn't.
Good question. Those mirrors are there when DOO (Driver Only Operation) is in operation. In this case the driver not only opens the doors but closes them too and needs to view the platform in order to do it safely. I take it you are in the south of England somewhere as it is popular down there.
Excellent quality footage. Funny/sad to see even 5 years after electrification pacers are still running on this line (and of course many others)....I recall reading they were all supposed to be withdrawn by 2017 due to disabled access legislation......clearly not. Looks like they will still be in service into the 2020s!
Ever since passing Astley I've been humming "Never gonna give you up" .... That was an Arriva Trains Wales DVT in the platform on the curve at Earlestown, wasn't it?
Remember in the 60s just passed Broadgreen station/footbridge we had heavy rain and the wall/cutting collapsed bringing half a garden onto the track, think it happened twice (R/H side)
Anolther great video Don, thats a great line full of history, quick question, do the track maintenance crews ever pick up the spare short lengths of track left by the wayside ??
Good question James. If you see lots of short lengths they have been cut up into wagon size lengths ready for collection. If you see very ling length like liquorice then they are either waiting to be fitted or waiting to be cut up. There are many odd lengths of rail that were dropped for a job or never collected and until they are in the location of an additional collection, they never will. It costs far more to go and collect them than just leave them there.
That's an awesome vid. Thanks for posting it. Can someone tell me how the pantograph contacts the catenary? Is there sometime on the pantograph that spins or does it just scrape along the wire? Either way seems there'd be friction and heat build-up.
The pantograph has a full width carbon pad which rubs along the appropriately named “contact wire”. The wire is not hung straight, if you watch, it actually zig zags from side to side to prevent it wearing a groove in the carbon. The pantograph is held up by compressed air and if something strikes the carbon with enough force to break it, the pantograph will instantly drop in order to protect the high voltage wire.
Don Coffey: For much of this video I thought I might have to reinforce the seatbelt on my computer chair! LOL 90 MPH? WOW!!! A bit of math puts that up around 145-to-150 Km/h... Geez, if the Newcastle(er... actually Wickham)-to-Sydney trains did that sort of speed it would do the distance in just over an hour as against the bit-over-2-and-a-half hours it take to do the trip now.
The XPT can do 160 (100 mph) but it doesn't because the NSW government doesn't care about maintaining the tracks. That is the same reason why suburban trains in Sydney only do 115 (70 mph) and some interurban trains can do 130 (80 mph). 90 mph is is 145 kmh, which is about the top speed of the explorer trains. 3801 (a steam locomotive) holds the record for the fastest time from Sydney to Newcastle in 2 hours and 2 minutes. It could go 70 mph. But it is worth knowing that the track from Sydney to Newcastle isn't exactly straight, and trains don't run express the whole way anymore.
14:22 Do you mean "The Huskisson Memorial"? William Huskisson was the man famously killed by Stephenson's Rocket at that spot when they opened the line in 1830. Great video BTW.
These are tpws grids.These are very effective.Lots of incidents have been prevented by this equipment.Ones placed just by signals stop the train when signal is at danger.The ones on approach to signals(and at permanent speed restrictions) measure the time between sensors that a train passes over them .The are placed at certain distances between them,depend on the track speed .Have proved a good safety feature and prevented collisions and dare I say a drivers long term employment!
You inspired me to create a William Huskisson Memorial Page on Facebook - do you ever do the Lime St to Wigan NW run ? Or the Victoria to Southport run ? Ormskirk to Preston ?
Our North West guys go round Parkside Junction to Wigan but I’m in an Eastern link so I don’t. I believe one of the NW guys will be doing some filming soon so we may be getting some footage. I’m not sure if I will be posting it or he will.
They’re actually regular performers on that route now. The 323s have been partially displaced from Longsight in readiness for the new traction types they will look after for TPE so the 323s will shift primarily to Allerton. The 195 was there for a special media event and a visit from Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling.
Yes of course Andy. The train passes through several sections of line on its way in either from Newcastle, Middlesborough or Scarborough that are not electrified. We will be getting some Class 802 hybrid units later this year that can run on electric or diesel to cope with such conditions.
As with all your videos, fantastic and informative - thank you. A silly and probably naïve question. Much of the journey was in good conditions and clear signals. Do trains have a cruise control facility or does a driver have to juggle the power for gradients etc to maintain a constant speed?
I had all sorts of problems at one time Neil. It was hard to work out what was happening between cameras (GoPro replaced one), software and me - getting to grips with things. Since then I’ve moved up to the top of the range GoPro and a faster computer and images and sound are spot on.
@@doncoffey5820 With me it had been the camera. I had been using a Canon "Legria" HF-R506 to shoot the video and, listening closely on headphones, noticed there was stereo spread, but not too well defined. One week ago yesterday(Monday, 10th September), bought a newer camera, a Sony "Handicam" HDR-CX405, got the chance to give it a work-out with a friend's birthday gathering, listened closely on headphones, very well defined stereo spread. The Sony will take over as my main camera while the canon will fill a secondary role(insert shots perhaps).
@@doncoffey5820 Ah, you got your posts sorted out! The Panasonics should be able to be set to record continuously. I had a Panasonic SDR-S71 which shot continuously as a matter of course. It wasn't a high-end model and recorded MPEG2. The only reason I stopped using it is that the monitor screen went on the fritz, it just whited out and I couldn't see what I was shooting. My current cameras are a Canon Legria HF-R506 and a recently-purchased Sony Handicam HDR-CX405, the latter having excellent stereo audio pickup. Can't wait to use it at next year's Steamfest at Maitland!
Blimey are many services non stop like that? Thats one sure fast way to travel between Vic and Lime. You could go back to Vic in the time it would take you just one way by car! A sterling upgrade of stock and infrastructure and no doubt great relief to commuters up there too......
Yes we make good time on those journeys as long as we don’t get behind another train. The services from Lime ~St to Scarborough stop at Lea Green and the Lime St to Newcastle’s stop at Newton le Willows.
I suspect it's because Lea Green is easily accessed from the fast dual carriageway from the M62 to St. Helens town centre, the A570 St.Helens Linkway. It makes Lea Green, with its new car park, a better 'parkway' station then St.Helens Junction, where limited stop/expresses used to stop, giving a St.Helens town a stop on the east-west services.
They get up to speed quite quick on 3 engines but I quite like 175s. The tunnel isn’t listed on any of the route maps but I once found an old document saying how much it cost to construct. That listed it as Kenyon Tunnel and although I can’t find it, Google came up with this that lists it as 34 yds; www.railwaycodes.org.uk/tunnels/tunnels2.shtm
I’ve just been looking at my route maps and can’t find any mention of it either. I don’t know where I’ve got the name from now. Maybe during training. It’s a good marker when it’s foggy, I know that! Haha. I don’t get to 75 until the 602 disappears on the right. Even with 3 engines. Each one is 300bhp down on the 185s though with another 70bhp down again for HVAC etc.
I’m obliged to maintain copyright laws as a condition of TPE allowing me to do it. You can do what you like for your own use but you must not put it back on TH-cam.
Nr Olive mount tunnel...beats me how litter bugs and vandals,(graffitti) get there ...risking life for some motif that most if all of us have no idea what it means...pointless unless you know the sprayer...brain cell count...1 or 2 ?...lol why they got to spoil stuff...Lime street tunnels are so impressive...looks like built with lego...its cut so perfect...even today we cant do stuff as aesthetically pleasing.
Network Rail came and removed every bit of it not long ago Russ and it's piling up again. Anything goes over - beds, fridges, TVs, tyres - the lot. Such vile people.
350/4's work this route to Parkside Junction then turn off to join the WCML. They work Manchester Airport - Glasgow Central and Edinburgh. The 185 this is filmed from would have come from Scarborough.
Crisp, clear video, great sound, informative, interesting, relevant captions. What's not to like? 5 stars all round!
They don't come much better than this, awesome journey along probably the most famous stretch of railway in the world. I, as a retired civil engineer I am interested in the engineering and construction aspects of railways and their infrastructure, this video brings it all home....the amount of work and labor, particularly on the approaches to Lime St sums up what was achieved so many years ago and leaves me in awe.
Liverpool is second to none in showing the achievments of our early engineering skills, Edge Hill tunnels, the docks etc not withstanding.
Thanks again for a great piece of 'filming'
Thanks Richard. It never fails to amaze me what those people achieved. I love it too.
Great video along Chat moss Don. Brings back many fond memories. Leigh Golf Club on the left @ 12.14 with the line of tall Poplar trees running parallel to the 16th fairway. Many a wayward tee shot ended up on that line, including a few of my own..!! I served my GreenKeeper apprenticeship there back in the early 80's and great place to work for a rail enthusiast. A good variety of motive power past by back in the day. Good ol' BR... Thank again for the video.
I bet it was amazing. Those trees are fantastic aren’t they? I’m not just saying this but I’ve always found greenkeeping interesting. Some look like velvet.
Another excellent video . Thoroughly enjoyed . Particularly enjoy your captions & history .
Thanks Graham, much appreciated.
Great video, Studied this line and its many innovative features about 50 years ago! This brought it all back to me.
I’ll be showing an updated version of the return journey soon.
Such a treat to go past the area of the Raintree locomotives trial, the the famous Edge Hill Station. Icing on the cake. This is my second or third viewing, so thank you, Don.
I’m amazed that video hasn’t done better as it’s steeped in history. Thanks for appreciating it Barry 👍
Fine video, as always. Your captions add so much to my enlightenment and enjoyment. Many thanks from Pennsylvania.
Hello Charles from the Peak District of England. Thanks for the kind words, glad you enjoy the videos.
It was interesting as you went through the cuttings close to Liverpool, I was looking at the side walls for evidence of the Williamson Tunnels that the railway cut through 👍
Its amazing down there and there are other tunnels left and right of that cutting. They are called the Waterloo and Wapping Tunnels. One tunnel in that hillside was cut off and later rediscovered to be full of old cars dating from your youth back to mine. There is a video there if you can get into it! jalopnik.com/a-collapsed-old-railway-tunnel-hides-these-rare-cars-un-1495585003. I might be able to get you a cab ride down the main tunnel if you are interested.
@@doncoffey5820 That would be amazing Don thank you 👍
That was wonderfully hypnotic. Thanks, Don, you're a gentleman :)
You too Mark, much appreciated.
Superb video. Those tunnels and bridges approaching Lime Street are amazing. I am doing Wigan to Lime Street next week and really looking forward to it.
The cutting before Lime St with its walls is really fascinating!
And Olive Mount. I wonder at those cuttings every single time I pass through.
Don Coffey I just wanted to thankyou. Your videos have helped me out so much over the months and weeks on memerising the different routes, signals and junctions
Glad you find them useful. Hopefully all the little blanks will get filled in soon.
Excellent Don, and so much better with captions. The history lesson was fascinating too. Well done!
Great video. Best I’ve seen for ages. Nice and clear and what’s really nice is the information along the journey, and the fact that you show the type of loco that it’s taken from. Not many others do that. Hope there’s more to come.
Superb video. This is my local line as I live in Rainhill and am very proud of it's railway history. Looking forward to the 68's starting, hopefully in December. I can well remember when the Trans Pennine trains were always loco hauled. Mainly 47's, but 45/46's, 40's and very occasionally 31's would put in an appearance. Towards the end of their BR days 55's turned up too. Great days, No wires back then and Wavertree Tech Park and Lea Green stations probably hadn't even been thought of!
Again wonderful with all the information, especially the unique historic aspects. Wonderful to see it in real life like this. I feel a visit coming up...
Very good video. Thankyou. I really like your videos where the line is electrified. (Overhead). It gives that extra element of interest to the footage. Maybe sometime, they will electrify the Manchester / Leeds line soon.
Keep up the good work. John
We are waiting to hear about that but they have other priorities just now.
Great video Don, and love the info. It is what all cab rides need is information ie stations etc
Thanks for the new video and the captions are great. As a student I used to travel from Victoria to Bangor along this line looking out the front of class 101s. There was a period when part of the line over Chat Moss was being replaced/repaired and there was a temporary diversion to the south. The descent into Lime Street has to be amongst the most awesome station approaches.
Yes, every time I go down that cutting it amazes me. When you think about just how much rock was removed in the days when there were no machines, just horses and carts, men with picks and barrows and so much human effort and determination.
I have taken this train so many times. Once coming back from Liverpool I saw a stag with full antlers just standing and watching the train.
We see a lot from the cab but they often go to ground before they can be seen from the side windows. I recently hit a deer coming back from Hull which is not a nice thing to experience. It ran off but whether it survived is another matter.
Seeing the approach to Liverpool part blocked by the motorway overbridge boils my blood. Could have been a 4 track formation all the way out of Liverpool but they blocked half the cutting! The cutting blasted and mined out for solid stone!
Motorways, aka highways over here ruin everything! I noticed that too.
Great video. I used to live near Broad Green station as a child, and regularly came down to the station to watch the trains with my 'Nana'. The bridge to the East of the station crosses Thomas Lane and the former North Liverpool Extension line, and road underneath was prone to flooding in heavy rain. It was a great place to view Black 5s, class 40s, 45s, 47s, and the old Trans Pennine DMUs, the class 124 6 car units with the unique wrap-round windscreens. The small goods yard is long gone, The M62 motorway started close to here, and uses much of the original 4 line station grounds. Broad Green is now the oldest continually-used railway station in the world!
Fantastic video and love the information on screen especially what speed your doing. thanks keep em coming
Don, superb. Your videos have a mathematical as well as an engineering beauty. Your runs to Leeds and latterly the Hope Valley run to Sheffield have maintained the standard. As an ex spotter and steam buff, this trip to Lime Street shows how much better things are today - especially the maintained speed. The Newcastle - Liverpool expresses hauled by Class 40 or 46 rarely reached 60mph and going the other way, the grind up to Standedge was grim.
In steam days, even with a 7P Patriot it was hard graft.
The steam wallahs will shoot me, but the new lines, layouts, are far better and the approach to Lime Street isn't bettered anywhere.
Hi, loved the video, found it very interesting with the little bits of information on the way... Keep up the good work.
A great journey today. Thank you Don.
Thanks Martin 👍
Excellent, informative trip as ever!
Thank you as ever too GBE.
Great video of this train journey, thanks for posting.
Great video Don. Really enjoyed. Information excellent as well.
Enjoyable ride, enhanced by the captions and interesting information. Thank you!
What a nice trip! Your commentary is awesome and adds a lot to the virtual trip. You can follow along the video with Google Maps, and see where you are in relation to the big picture. The tunnels in Liverpool are really clever, and make for some interesting architecture around the railway. Thank you!
Glad you enjoyed it! Of course all the later videos have maps added for convenience.
Enjoyed the brief trip, especially the brief history of the carved stone engravings.
Thanks for a very pleasant ride Don.
Rainhill and Whiston Stations. Used to frequent them daily when I was in school. Rainhill has always been one of my favourite stations
Thanks for the refresher, the construction of this line was part of my year 9 history syllabus.
Fantastic, so informative and great quality video, thank you :-)
13:47 that is my most favourite place to train spot I go there every time I see my grandad nice to see my train spotting start
Makes it all the more enjoyable with all the useful and interesting information. Excellent!
BRINGS BACK FOND MEMORIES FROM THE 1960'S, SIGH.
Great video Don. Thanks for the captions as it makes it easier to follow on a rail map. I live in Australia so I'm not all that familiar with UK locations.
Thanks Richard. I’ll be including captions for any future videos.
I'm still amazed that this service departed Manchester Victoria and its first stop was Lea Green and not Newton-le-Willows and/or St Helens Junction.
They alternated the stops on a half hourly service but at the moment they pick up both stops.
Another excellent video, particularly with your captions. I hope TPE allow you to keep up the good work.
You're a credit to the grade, Don. Many thanks
That’s very nice Keith.
Nice clear vid thanks. Sad to see Edge Hill and the Lime St tunnel still looking shabby and derelict. NR really need to tidy up the cuttings/tunnels.
thank you for a very nice vedio
A lot better with the captions being added fantastic video
Nice one - Don't think I'll go over the first bit of the route as my nearest station is on the WCML. Have done Huyton Junction to Lime Street though as that is where the line goes from LEyland where I would get on. I do remember going over the junction now I have seen it on your video!
Superb quality footage. Like being in the cab with you.
Liked and already subbed!
Glad you enjoyed it.
I learned a lot on this trip!
More soon Hugh.
Another good one Don.I do like cab rides
More soon.
Wonderful vid Don. (would have liked the M57 captioned between Whiston and Huyton for orientation purposes). Many thanks.
At 22.22
Yes, point taken. I only included the other two motorways because they were clearly visible in the video.
Another great video!
Thanks Henry.
brilliant video thank you sir
Thanks Lennie.
AQmazing cab ride and very informative.
Glad you enjoyed it.
Don Coffey Great videos Don, very impressed with them. So impressed that I am wanting to do a drivers eye view documentary between York and Liverpool, personally narrating on the history and present facts of the railway. As your videos already show the majority of the route between the two cities, I wanted to ask if it was possible to use your videos to make the drivers eye view documentary? The video will also include shots by the side of the railway, on the train and at stations. Your name will be featured within the credits if you allow me to use your videos and also put a link in to your channel should you wish. It is of course your choice but it would be a great opportunity to do. I am an amateur film maker who does this as my hobby and would use this video for personal use.
I look forward to hearing from you ☺
Enjoyed that run Don, remember learning about the Manchester to Liverpool route in history at school quite a few years ago,
Damn, I wish I could work with a train like a Class 185. They're a fantastic unit!
I’ll be doing a 185 review one day.
Brilliant video, thank you
Glad you enjoyed it!
Excellent video.
Grand, thank you.
Nice clear steady video with informative captions as always. Pity that all cab ride videos are not this good. Thank you.
That was an enjoyable journey.
A very nice run.
Great vid, I would do one of my Class 66 journeys but it would just be 30 minutes of 'yinging'.
Great Videos, thanks for all the info you provide. Just wondering, I see some rear view mirrors at the end of a station platforms, but most of the time there are none. Who has the mirrors and who doesn't.
Good question. Those mirrors are there when DOO (Driver Only Operation) is in operation. In this case the driver not only opens the doors but closes them too and needs to view the platform in order to do it safely. I take it you are in the south of England somewhere as it is popular down there.
Excellent quality footage. Funny/sad to see even 5 years after electrification pacers are still running on this line (and of course many others)....I recall reading they were all supposed to be withdrawn by 2017 due to disabled access legislation......clearly not. Looks like they will still be in service into the 2020s!
Ever since passing Astley I've been humming "Never gonna give you up" ....
That was an Arriva Trains Wales DVT in the platform on the curve at Earlestown, wasn't it?
Yes, I believe it was. I only noticed that when editing the video. We often get in each others way in the Newton-le-Willows area.
It 100% was yes. But you’ve made this comment in December by the looks of it and at the time it would be a TfW DVT! ;0)
Remember in the 60s just passed Broadgreen station/footbridge we had heavy rain and the wall/cutting collapsed bringing half a garden onto the track, think it happened twice (R/H side)
A wall collapsed into the cutting dropping into Lime St. It has recently been repaired.
Don Coffey I remember that as well, last year or the year before I think
Thank you
Thank you too Jonathan.
Can’t wait for this stuff to be streamed live ..
Hmm, I’m not up to broadcast standard yet!
excellent, nothing more needs to be said. just waiting for the cl 68's and Mk 5 stock now
Imagine being one of the first people to travel on this line in to Lime Street Station while all that stone was freshly-cut and clean...
I just wish we could go back in time and have some really good footage.
Great ride
Interesting An excellent video, Keep up the good work :)
Anolther great video Don, thats a great line full of history, quick question, do the track maintenance crews ever pick up the spare short lengths of track left by the wayside ??
Good question James. If you see lots of short lengths they have been cut up into wagon size lengths ready for collection. If you see very ling length like liquorice then they are either waiting to be fitted or waiting to be cut up. There are many odd lengths of rail that were dropped for a job or never collected and until they are in the location of an additional collection, they never will. It costs far more to go and collect them than just leave them there.
That's an awesome vid. Thanks for posting it. Can someone tell me how the pantograph contacts the catenary? Is there sometime on the pantograph that spins or does it just scrape along the wire? Either way seems there'd be friction and heat build-up.
The pantograph has a full width carbon pad which rubs along the appropriately named “contact wire”. The wire is not hung straight, if you watch, it actually zig zags from side to side to prevent it wearing a groove in the carbon. The pantograph is held up by compressed air and if something strikes the carbon with enough force to break it, the pantograph will instantly drop in order to protect the high voltage wire.
Thanks for the detailed explanation. I had no idea it was designed to zig-zag but makes sense.
Fifteen bridges and six tunnels in that stretch (throat) from Edge Hill to Liverpool Lime Street
Thats it Tim, and mainly all works of art. Did you notice Stephenson’s “sunray” stonework on the stone bridges?
Don Coffey , Yes I did and I could see that popular image of the Rainhill Trials in the Mount of Olives Ravine near Liverpool.
Don Coffey: For much of this video I thought I might have to reinforce the seatbelt on my computer chair! LOL 90 MPH? WOW!!! A bit of math puts that up around 145-to-150 Km/h... Geez, if the Newcastle(er... actually Wickham)-to-Sydney trains did that sort of speed it would do the distance in just over an hour as against the bit-over-2-and-a-half hours it take to do the trip now.
The XPT can do 160 (100 mph) but it doesn't because the NSW government doesn't care about maintaining the tracks. That is the same reason why suburban trains in Sydney only do 115 (70 mph) and some interurban trains can do 130 (80 mph).
90 mph is is 145 kmh, which is about the top speed of the explorer trains.
3801 (a steam locomotive) holds the record for the fastest time from Sydney to Newcastle in 2 hours and 2 minutes. It could go 70 mph. But it is worth knowing that the track from Sydney to Newcastle isn't exactly straight, and trains don't run express the whole way anymore.
14:22 Do you mean "The Huskisson Memorial"? William Huskisson was the man famously killed by Stephenson's Rocket at that spot when they opened the line in 1830. Great video BTW.
I do mean that yes! It was late and I should have checked. Thanks.
Don What are the Grills you see between the track like Toast racks sometimes you see a lot of them other times not so many.
In the track John? They are overspeed and train stop sensors that will apply the brakes if the train isn’t under control.
Now this is something I did no know thanks Don
These are tpws grids.These are very effective.Lots of incidents have been prevented by this equipment.Ones placed just by signals stop the train when signal is at danger.The ones on approach to signals(and at permanent speed restrictions) measure the time between sensors that a train passes over them .The are placed at certain distances between them,depend on the track speed .Have proved a good safety feature and prevented collisions and dare I say a drivers long term employment!
You inspired me to create a William Huskisson Memorial Page on Facebook - do you ever do the Lime St to Wigan NW run ? Or the Victoria to Southport run ? Ormskirk to Preston ?
Our North West guys go round Parkside Junction to Wigan but I’m in an Eastern link so I don’t. I believe one of the NW guys will be doing some filming soon so we may be getting some footage. I’m not sure if I will be posting it or he will.
Class 323's must be rare into Lime Street as well as the 195's! What working would that be on?
They’re actually regular performers on that route now. The 323s have been partially displaced from Longsight in readiness for the new traction types they will look after for TPE so the 323s will shift primarily to Allerton. The 195 was there for a special media event and a visit from Transport Secretary, Chris Grayling.
I wonder whether Mr Grayling ever uses his position to cadge cab rides? If I was in his shoes I think I would!
The 195 is based at Edge Hill TMD while it undergoes testing.
Brilliant as ever. Could I just ask why a DMU is used on this line rather than an EMU.
Yes of course Andy. The train passes through several sections of line on its way in either from Newcastle, Middlesborough or Scarborough that are not electrified. We will be getting some Class 802 hybrid units later this year that can run on electric or diesel to cope with such conditions.
As with all your videos, fantastic and informative - thank you. A silly and probably naïve question. Much of the journey was in good conditions and clear signals. Do trains have a cruise control facility or does a driver have to juggle the power for gradients etc to maintain a constant speed?
The Class 185 has a “speed set” facility which is the same as cruise control.
What percentage of line speed while under double yellow
It varies Richard. If we get a good run, hardly any yellows at all.
Amazing!
Is it your camera or is it your editing software? The audio on your videos swings from stereo to mono then back to stereo!
I had all sorts of problems at one time Neil. It was hard to work out what was happening between cameras (GoPro replaced one), software and me - getting to grips with things. Since then I’ve moved up to the top of the range GoPro and a faster computer and images and sound are spot on.
@@doncoffey5820 With me it had been the camera. I had been using a Canon "Legria" HF-R506 to shoot the video and, listening closely on headphones, noticed there was stereo spread, but not too well defined. One week ago yesterday(Monday, 10th September), bought a newer camera, a Sony "Handicam" HDR-CX405, got the chance to give it a work-out with a friend's birthday gathering, listened closely on headphones, very well defined stereo spread. The Sony will take over as my main camera while the canon will fill a secondary role(insert shots perhaps).
I tried a high end Panasonic compact but it only records for 30 minutes continuous but it can’t handle the motion. The new GoPro has good stern sound.
@@doncoffey5820 Ah, you got your posts sorted out! The Panasonics should be able to be set to record continuously. I had a Panasonic SDR-S71 which shot continuously as a matter of course. It wasn't a high-end model and recorded MPEG2. The only reason I stopped using it is that the monitor screen went on the fritz, it just whited out and I couldn't see what I was shooting. My current cameras are a Canon Legria HF-R506 and a recently-purchased Sony Handicam HDR-CX405, the latter having excellent stereo audio pickup. Can't wait to use it at next year's Steamfest at Maitland!
MC541BR 02:35 & MC541 02:48
Blimey are many services non stop like that? Thats one sure fast way to travel between Vic and Lime. You could go back to Vic in the time it would take you just one way by car!
A sterling upgrade of stock and infrastructure and no doubt great relief to commuters up there too......
Yes we make good time on those journeys as long as we don’t get behind another train. The services from Lime ~St to Scarborough stop at Lea Green and the Lime St to Newcastle’s stop at Newton le Willows.
So long as you avoid Northern services 30+ year old trains and constant weekend strikes that have been going on all year.....
Why the stop at the smaller Lea Green station?
Network Rail and the passenger transport authorities decide where we stop. The Newcastle services stop at Newton le Willows.
I suspect it's because Lea Green is easily accessed from the fast dual carriageway from the M62 to St. Helens town centre, the A570 St.Helens Linkway. It makes Lea Green, with its new car park, a better 'parkway' station then St.Helens Junction, where limited stop/expresses used to stop, giving a St.Helens town a stop on the east-west services.
Can’t believe how quickly you get up to line speed compared to my piddly 175!! Also, I thought it was lowton tunnel near parkside junction?
They get up to speed quite quick on 3 engines but I quite like 175s. The tunnel isn’t listed on any of the route maps but I once found an old document saying how much it cost to construct. That listed it as Kenyon Tunnel and although I can’t find it, Google came up with this that lists it as 34 yds;
www.railwaycodes.org.uk/tunnels/tunnels2.shtm
I’ve just been looking at my route maps and can’t find any mention of it either. I don’t know where I’ve got the name from now. Maybe during training. It’s a good marker when it’s foggy, I know that! Haha. I don’t get to 75 until the 602 disappears on the right. Even with 3 engines. Each one is 300bhp down on the 185s though with another 70bhp down again for HVAC etc.
I wish there was sound.
There is sound. Check your settings.
Yes there is! An excellent video. Thank you.
What software did you use to edit and add the cations? GREAT Video.
Just the installed iMovie on the Mac.
@@doncoffey5820 Okay
cool, can you do a manchester to liverpool in 5 mins type ? or mind if I do?
I’m obliged to maintain copyright laws as a condition of TPE allowing me to do it. You can do what you like for your own use but you must not put it back on TH-cam.
May I ask why it's called a chord? (Ordsall Chord)
Well in mathematics, its a line between two points on an arc and in this case, it joins up two points to form a triangle. Its basically a “short cut”.
Also, and I’m not completely sure, but “chord” is a northern saying and “spur” is used down south. Same thing.
DMU or EMU? Regards from Holland, Onno.
Clas 185 DMU.
Ok. Thanks!!
Next video pls can you make a journey from gospel oak to barking
I’m afraid it isn’t as easy as that. Those areas are well off my patch and I have to get special permission to film. Maybe one day.
Nr Olive mount tunnel...beats me how litter bugs and vandals,(graffitti) get there ...risking life for some motif that most if all of us have no idea what it means...pointless unless you know the sprayer...brain cell count...1 or 2 ?...lol why they got to spoil stuff...Lime street tunnels are so impressive...looks like built with lego...its cut so perfect...even today we cant do stuff as aesthetically pleasing.
Network Rail came and removed every bit of it not long ago Russ and it's piling up again. Anything goes over - beds, fridges, TVs, tyres - the lot. Such vile people.
35:00 And so we arrive at the citrus-flavoured throroughfare.
Another gem Neil!!! ;-)
@@doncoffey5820 Thought you'd like that one, Don! LOL
Class 185 or 350/4?
You missed the title? All the videos so far are from a Class 185. I will post up if they come from something else.
350/4's work this route to Parkside Junction then turn off to join the WCML. They work Manchester Airport - Glasgow Central and Edinburgh. The 185 this is filmed from would have come from Scarborough.
i missed it as it started got a cuppa! Sorry!
Does this stop at leeds
Yes. Most of our services stop at Leeds.
Ok thanks for letting me know