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

On 27th January, I decided to drive down to the Merseyrail area and it was quite an eventful trip!

I reached New Brighton around 12 o clock and the Wirral lines were all massively disrupted following the failure of a 777 on a Chester service on the Mersey loop.   There was a 40 minute gap between trains on the New Brighton line so I headed to a spot that I'd seen in Martyn Hilbert's Merseyrail book just outside Wallasey Grove Road Station and got a couple of pics there of late running 507011 with 777016 practically right up its tail.

Time was getting on as I was well over an hour out there waiting for those shots and wanted to try a few other spots so had to miss out Birkenhead North and Bidston and head over the river to Leeds Street to catch some of units going up and down the incline to /from Moorfields as I've been wanting to do there for ages! Luckily 507001 was running 10 + late so I managed to get it there!

Then I drove up to Formby to photo there and caught 001 up to Southport. Got a few pics up there then got 014 down to Ainsdale and got some pics there, then 018 back to Formby. Got a couple of pics there including 001 in the dark as it returned back to Southport. I had been going to stop off at Headbolt lane for a couple of pics there but had run out of time and had to head home!

Units spotted:

New Brighton (stabled): 507028, 777034

New Brighton service: 507011, 777016

Southport - Hunts Cross service: 507014, 017, 033, 018, 023, 015, 007, 029, 030, 001

Stabled at Southport: 507021, 777027, 777004, 777036

Ormskirk: 777022

Headbolt Lane: 777140, 777148

507028 at New BrightonMerseyrail 'Good Communications' liveried 507028 is seen stabled at New Brighton awaiting it's next duty 27.1.24	507011 at Wallasey Grove RoadMerseyrail 'Good Communications' liveried 507011 passes Harrison Park near Wallasey Grove Road station with 2N24 12.08 New Brighton - New Brighton service 27.1.24
507011 at Wallasey Grove RoadMerseyrail 'Good Communications' liveried 507011 passes Harrison Park on the approach to Wallasey Grove Road station with 2N28 13.08 New Brighton - New Brighton service 27.1.24	507001 at Leeds StreetMerseyrail BR Blue & Grey liveried 507001 descends the incline at Leeds Street towards Moorfields with 2S30 13.21 Southport - Liverpool South Parkway service 27.1.24
507017 at FormbyMerseyrail 'Good Communications' liveried 507015 approaches Formby with 2U35 14.12 Southport - Hunts Cross service 27.1.24	507001, 033 & 014 at SouthportOldest and newest side by side Merseyrail BR Blue and Grey liveried 507001 and Good Communications liveried 507033 are seen at Southport along with 507014 27.1.23
507001 at SouthportMerseyrail BR Blue & Grey liveried 507001 departs from Southport with 2U40 15.27 service to Hunts Cross 28.1.24	507017 at AinsdaleMerseyrail 'Good Communications' liveried 507017 pauses at Ainsdale with 2U42 15.57 service from Southport - Hunts Cross 27.1.24
507018 at FormbyMerseyrail 'Good Communications' liveried 507018 pauses at Formby with 2U44 16.27 service from Southport - Hunts Cross 27.1.24	507001 at FormbyMerseyrail BR Blue and Grey liveried 507001 pauses at Formby with 2S43 16.36 service from Hunts Cross - Southport 27.1.24

Scotrail Saltire liveried 318259+320401 arrive into Newton with 2F37 14.17 Cumbernauld - Dalmuir service 26.1.24

318259+320401 at NewtonScotrail Saltire liveried 318259+320401 arrive into Newton with 2F37 14.17 Cumbernauld - Dalmuir service 26.1.24