47712 at Arrochar and TarbetLocomotive Services Limited's Intercity Scotrail liveried 47712 with matching Mark3s and DBSO in tow arrive at Arrochar and Tarbet with 1Z62 8.23 Edinburgh Waverley - Oban with the 'West of Scotland Push-Pull railtour' 30.3.24 From Friday 29th March - Monday 1st April, I was on a family weekend away to Ardgarten, on the shore of Loch Long, 2 miles from Arrochar and around an hour from Glasgow by car via the A82 and 90 mins by train.  

Ardgartan is a lovely place to visit and I'd recommend it not just for the passing trains but also for the stunning views of Loch Long, looking down to Arrochar and of the wildlife including seals, dolphins, thrushes, ducks, geese and robins!

The location allowed for a view of the West Highland Line and the passing workings heading along the hillside.  Ardgartan is also handy for Arrochar and Tarbet station, allowing some shots of the Class 156 workings to Oban and Mallaig.  

Luckily when I was there the LSL Scotrail Push Pull set tour to Oban was due to pass through so managed to get a few photos of it!

156453 at Arrochar and TarbetScotrail Saltire liveried 156453 arrives at Arrochar and Tarbet with 1Y22 8.57 Oban - Glasgow Queen Street service 30.3.24	47712 at Arrochar and TarbetLocomotive Services Limited's Intercity Scotrail liveried 47712 with matching Mark3s and DBSO in tow arrive at Arrochar and Tarbet with 1Z62 8.23 Edinburgh Waverley - Oban with the 'West of Scotland Push-Pull railtour' 30.3.24
47712 at Arrochar and TarbetLocomotive Services Limited's Intercity Scotrail liveried 47712 with matching Mark3s and DBSO 607 in tow arrive at Arrochar and Tarbet with 1Z62 8.23 Edinburgh Waverley - Oban with the 'West of Scotland Push-Pull railtour' 30.3.24	47712 at ArdgartanLocomotive Services Limited's Intercity Scotrail liveried 47712 pushes from the rear as DBSO 607 leads along the hillside opposite Ardgartan on Loch Long with 1Z63 14.24 Oban - Edinburgh Waverley with the 'West of Scotland Push-Pull railtour' 30.3.24
156453+153373 at ArdgartanScotrail Saltire liveried 156453 + Scotrail Active Coach 153373 head along the hillside opposite Ardgartan on the shore of Loch Long with 1Y26 16.11 Oban - Glasgow Queen Street service 30.3.24	156492+156458+156500 at Arrochar and TarbetScotrail Saltire liveried 156492+156458+156500 arrive at Arrochar and Tarbet with 1Y24 12.11 Mallaig / Oban - Glasgow Queen Street 31.3.24

Here is what was running over the weekend.   I was there from 3pm on the Friday till 12pm on Easter Monday and managed to see the majority of the listed trains and photo a few of them

With the introduction to service of the Glasgow Subway Stadler Generation 3 stock gathering pace (5 of the 17 strong fleet of 4 car trains now in service), a start has been made on withdrawing some of the Generation 2 Met Cam and Barclay stock.   

Officially withdrawn in March 2024 were Met Cam power cars 115, 127 and 131, which were all long term out of service, however in recent weeks, these have been joined by Met Cam cars 102, 109, 114 and 123 as well as Barclay trailer 208.   These vehicles have been moved from the main Broomloan Depot complex up to the Stadler testing and storage facility up at the end of the test track, which is visible from the Bridge over Edmiston Drive near Ibrox stadium, offering a rare chance to see the 2nd Generation stock in daylight.

There are 7 vehicles visible, 6 of them identifiable with a zoom lens on a camera from the bridge with one partially visible but not identifiable from the rear of the Ibrox overflow car park, looking at the images, there is possibly one more vehicle behind the storage shed.  

From the bridge the order of the vehicles is as follows: Barclay Trailer 208, Met Cams 109, 102, 114, 131 & 123. The 7th vehicle isn't identifiable as the cab end is obscured by a shed.   it is possible to get a 2/3rds side on shot of Met Cam 102 from the car park. The remaining vehicles are obscured by Stadler G3 stock.   

There were four of the Stadler fleet visible when I visited: 311, 312, 315 and an unidentified unit.    

https://scottishtrains.zenfolio.com/p656518172

107+129+110 at GovanMetro Cammell power cars 107+129(acting as a trailer)+110 arrive at Govan with an inner service diagram 14 service 16.2.24 In the past couple of weeks, following the introduction to service of the first of the new Stadler units, the withdrawal of Glasgow Subway's 45 year old Met Cam Motor and 32 year old Barclay Trailer fleet has begun.   Three long term out of service Met Cam motors which haven't ran in months were officially withdrawn a couple of weeks back, however they have been joined by some more Met Cam motors and one Barclay trailer.  

Until Friday 12th April, at least 7 visible vehicles were stored out in the open at the Stadler compound at the end of the test track at Broomloan depot.   6 of the 7 were identifiable using a zoom lens on a camera from the Edminston Drive bridge.  

In order from the bridge were 208, 109, 102, 114, 131 and 123 the others were unidentifiable.  On 12th April, they were removed by low loader to S Norton and Co Scrapyard at King George V docks, Govan.   I will update the fleetlist as and when other withdrawals of Met Cam or Barclay cars take place or other Stadler sets enter service.

Scotrail Saltire liveried 320413+320414 pause at Motherwell with 2B04 6.59 service to Carstairs 15.2.23 https://scottishtrains.zenfolio.com/p334752891/edad3cc78

320413+320414 at MotherwellScotrail Saltire liveried 320413+320414 pause at Motherwell with 2B04 6.59 service to Carstairs 15.2.23

Caledonian Sleeper liveried 92023 and Mark 5 sleeper set pause at Motherwell with 1S26 23:50 London Euston - Glasgow Central Caledonian Sleeper service 15.2.23 https://scottishtrains.zenfolio.com/p334752891/edad3c2cb

92023 at MotherwellCaledonian Sleeper liveried 92023 and Mark 5 sleeper set pause at Motherwell with 1S26 23:50 London Euston - Glasgow Central Caledonian Sleeper service 15.2.23

As part of my week off, I decided to head back down to Merseyside for some more photos and rides of the remaining Merseyrail class 507s.   I drove to Ainsdale and parked up there.   As there are now 4 out of 10 Southport - Hunts Cross diagrams that are now operated by 777s, it was going to be an hour before a 507 diagram into Liverpool so I caught 777020 into Liverpool Central.   At Liverpool Central, I changed over onto the Wirral Line and caught 777005 to Hamilton Square, then changed there for 507020 out to New Brighton.  

There were 3 class 507s out on the New Brighton service, which is a 15 minute timetable, however only 3 of the 4 diagrams were running as one diagram an hour is not running due to training on class 777s giving 2 15 minutes service and a 30 minute gap.   As 507016 was one of 2 507s that I didnt have a photo of, I waited to catch it and ride it back into Liverpool Central.  

Passing Birkenhead North depot I saw 507017 shunting 507002 out of the shed and 507032+013 stored in the shed awaiting scrapping.   Due to a shortage of 777s, 507033 was seen operating on the West Kirby line.  

Back at Liverpool Central, I caught 507015+507011 back to Ainsdale, however due to heavy loading, the sets lost time reaching there almost 12 minutes late.   I got off at Ainsdale and a couple of minutes later, 507003+507018 appeared also heading to Southport (and were almost empty in comparison).   507003 has recently returned from overhaul and is fitted with a track camera on the second mans window of one of the cab ends (the window has been panelled over) and was the last 507003 that I had yet to see!  

I then spent about an hour at Ainsdale awaiting the return of 507018+003 and in the meantime photoed the passing workings, which were a mix of 3 and 6 car sets and included BR Blue / Grey liveried 507001 and another unit I haven't seen very often, 507010. After catching 018+003, it was time to head home. 

Units seen:

Southport - Hunts Cross

777022, 777030, 777013, 777021 (Sandhills - Hillside training run), 777020, 507015+507011, 507003+507018, 507031. 507001, 507029, 507010+507007

Chester line

777005

West Kirby line

507033

New Brighton line

777034 (stabled at New Brighton), 507016, 507020, 507030

Birkenhead North depot

230006, 230008, 230010, 507017, 507002, 507032, 507013

507020 at Liverpool CentralMerseyrail Good Communications liveried 507020 arrives at Liverpool Central with 2N24 12.08 New Brighton - New Brighton service 14.2.24	507020 at New BrightonMerseyrail Good Communications liveried 507020 departs New Brighton with 2N28 13.08 New Brighton - New Brighton service 14.2.24
507030 at New BrightonMerseyrail Good Communications liveried 507030 arrives at New Brighton with 2N26 12.38 New Brighton - New Brighton service 14.2.24	507003+507018 at AinsdaleMerseyrail Good Communications liveried 507003+507018 pauses at Ainsdale with 2S34 14.21 Hunts Cross - Southport service 14.2.24
507001 at AinsdaleMerseyrail BR Blue / Grey liveried 507001 pauses at Ainsdale with 2U38 15.12 Southport - Hunts Cross service 14.2.24	507010+507007 at AinsdaleMerseyrail Good Communications liveried 507010+507007 approach Ainsdale with 2U41 15.42 Southport - Hunts Cross service 14.2.24

The West Coast Rail depot at Carnforth is visible from the platform at Carnforth station.   Since my last visit there a few years ago, many of the stored and spares donor locomotives owned by West Coast have been moved over towards the station end of the site and are visible from the station.

47355 at CarnforthFragonset liveried 47355 is seen stabled at Carnforth 14.2.24	57005 and 47555 at CarnforthAdvenza Freight liveried 57005 and base coat liveried 47555 are seen stabled at Carnforth 14.2.24
37 at CarnforthAn unidentified West Coast Class 37 is seen stabled at Carnforth 14.2.24	08418 at CarnforthEWS liveried class 08 no 08418 is seen stabled at Carnforth 14.2.24

45 at LibraryCAF Urbos 100 no 45 in CBSO all over advert livery approaches Library with a service to Edgbaston Village 11.2.24 The West Midlands Metro opened in 1999 and originally ran from Wolverhampton St Georges to Birmingham Snow Hill and was operated by 16 AnsaldoBreda built T69 trams, which were similar to the T68 trams which originally operated on the Manchester Metrolink.   The T69 fleet were withdrawn by 2015 and replaced by a fleet of 21 CAF Urbos 3 trams, more of these trams were ordered with future expansion planned.   In 2015, the line was extended from Snow Hill to Grand Central (New Street).   The next extension from Grand Central to Library opened in 2019, however this section did now have OHLE and required the trams to be retrofitted with batteries to operate on this section.   

A fleet of 21 CAF Urbos 100 trams were ordered for future extensions and entered service from 2021, however at this point there were a number of CAF Urbos 3 trams withdrawn for repair after cracks were discovered in the frames and later with panel issues.   The line was further extended from Library to Edgbaston Village in 2022.   At the Wolverhampton end of the line, an extension to Wolverhampton station opened in 2023 allowed for a second branch in the city. 

Future extensions are in progress with a line from Wednesbury to Waterfront Merry Hill (and eventually on to Brierley Hill) and in the city centre a branch from Bull Street to High Street Deritend (eventually to Sollihull)

I was on a family holiday down to Birmingham and spent some time riding on and photographing the trams on the West Midlands Metro.   Having 4 days in the area, I managed to photograph a number of trams in the City Centre as well as riding them between Library and Wednesbury.   I found that it was mostly CAF Urbos 100 trams that were out (numbered 40 and above) and only 1 CAF urbos 3 (28) seen over the few days.  There are a number of decent photography spots within the city centre, especially in the area around the Library and City Hall.   I would recommend a visit!

47 at LibraryWest Midlands Metro Blue liveried CAF Urbos 100 no 47 is seen at Library working on battery power, with a service to Wolverhampton station 10.2.24	45 at LibraryCAF Urbos 100 no 45 in CBSO all over advert livery pauses at Library with a service to Edgbaston Village 11.2.24
45 at Bull StreetCAF Urbos 100 no 45 in CBSO all over advert livery departs Bull Street with a service to Wolverhampton Station 11.2.24	49 at LibraryWest Midlands Metro liveried CAF Urbos 100 no 49 pauses at Library with a service to Edgbaston Village 11.2.24
52 at LibraryWest Midlands Metro liveried CAF Urbos 100 no 52 arrives at Library with a service to Edgbaston Village 11.2.24	52 at LibraryWest Midlands Metro liveried CAF Urbos 100 no 52 arrives at Library with a service to Edgbaston Village 12.2.24
28 at Bull StreetWest Midlands Metro liveried CAF Urbos 3 no 28 is seen at Bull Street with a service to Edgbaston Village 12.2.24	47 at Bull StreetWest Midlands Metro liveried CAF Urbos 100 no 47 departs Bull Street with a service to Edgbaston Village 12.2.24
41 at LibraryWest Midlands Metro liveried CAF Urbos 100 no 41 departs Library with a service to Wolverhampton Station 11.2.24	56 at LibraryWest Midlands Metro liveried CAF Urbos 100 no 56 departs Library with a service to Edgbaston Village 12.2.24