Steam Train photo opportunity advice

[viscount]

This is a similar request to one around a year ago, only for a different location.

A family member is on a week-long tour of Britain by stream pulled train. London-Wick-Penzance-London, with a number of stops en route.

On Friday 22nd April they are pulled by 5029 Nunney Castle, and leave Preston (platform 5) 0843, routing via Warrington, Chester, Crewe Platform 12 (water stop 1010-1037) and Shrewsbury, eventually ending up overnight at Bristol.

Provided I have interpreted the route correctly (the original was via Wrexham & Chirk), any advice as to a good site to snap a shot of the passing train?

For information, on the Thursday 21st they are pulled by 46115 Scots Guardsman from Glasgow Central 0953 to Preston 1632, via Kingmoor Up Loop waterstop 1336-1418, and Carnforth waterstop 1531-1559.

[owensy]

Would this route be via Warrington Bank Quay and then on to Runcorn East, Frodsham, Helsby?

[viscount]

No idea.

Original route was to have been Preston, Warrington, Chester, Chirk, Wrexham, Shrewsbury, Ludlow, Hereford. Passengers were advised that due to gauging they would be travelling via Crewe and Shrewsbury, not Chirk and Wrexham. This could mean Preston, Warrington, Chester, Crewe or Preston direct Crewe as the route change is a little ambiguous, although the routings tend to be scenic rather than direct. Chester is not listed as a stop. The organising company's website www.railwaytouring.co.uk is of no help, the information I have is that on the passenger itinerary.

Sorry, thats all the passengers are told, so thats all I know.

[speedbird1960]

Here are the official times from there website:
www.uksteam.info/tours/t11/t0422a.htm

Owensy it should come through Runcorn about 09:35 but it looks like it won't be Runcorn East, the next stop after Bank Quay is Winsford via Weaver Junction which will route the train trough Acton Bridge near Weaverham.
To make sure you are in view of both tracks it would probably be better to go Delph Lane near the Daresbury Science Park, at that point both tracks from Bank Quay cross each other.
Or if you don't fancy that location then you could somewhere near the Preston Brook Marina as the track to Winsford runs past it.
Get there early so you get a good spec.

Here is main website: www.uksteam.info/tours/trs11.htm

Mike / Speedbird

[viscount]

Thanks Speedbird 1960, an interesting and remarkably detailed website. Thanks for the links.

Have you any experience of the Delph Lane/Preston Brook stretches for steam train photography. Are they popular? My only previous experience was a real scrum-down on a bridge near Delamere Forest a number of years ago.

[speedbird1960]

Hi Viscount, i used to do train spotting all over that area, but my favorite spot was Norton level crossing in Red Brow Lane, i know access to it is restricted but you should be able to get most of the way down there by going down Norton Station Road (Don't try A56 end as they have removed the bridge over the canal). The signalman in the signal box let me go in when the weather turned nasty, it was fantastic being in there and seeing how it all worked and great for seeing the trains, all of which where diesel back in the early 70's.

Photo of Norton Level Crossing, how i remember it.
www.flickr.com/photos/ingythewingy/4150973410/

This site has good spotting information for Daresbury. ( Keckwick lane looks like a good spot as goes right over the track)
www.trainspots.co.uk/locpage.php?ts_number=317

There is humped back bridge about halfway down Delph Lane which should give an unobstructed view of the train from about 1000ft away.

Here's some nice steam train photo's to wet your appetite.
www.railwayherald.org/imaging.centre/stock/viewloco.php?sid=46233

Mike / Speedbird

[jbmack]

Ah Norton Crossing, I worked there a number of times 1974 till it closed.
tillyweb.biz/jmack/nortonxing1.jpg
see if this link will work.
jbmack

[mikerock35]

Looking at the diagram for this train, It is going direct from Warrington Bank Quay to Crewe not via Chester, Click this link for the booked times..

www.uksteam.info/tours/t11/t0422a.htm

[viscount]

My many thanks for the help, advice and links.

Successfully watched the train from a footbridge just north of the A558 and Keckwick. Only 5 of us at the vantage point, including a friend of Wizzair's, who had been alerted to the steam-pulled train going through by my initial post and was there with his son, who was watching a steam train in action for the first time!

I notice in Merseymart this week an advert for steam pulled excursions every Monday in August (1st, 8th, 15th, 22nd & BH 29th). Departures from: Crewe, Hartford, Runcorn, Liverpool South Parkway, Mossley Hill, Liverpool Lime St, Prescot, St Helens Central, Garswood and Wigan, then journey via Pendle Hills, Yorkshire Dales, the Settle to Carlisle Railway over the Ribblehead Viaduct. After a few hours at Carlisle, return is a more direct route over Shap with return to the boarding stations. Return fares: £69 through to £179pp. www.compasstoursbyrail.co.uk

Having got quite excited over the prospect of a steamer over the Bridge then through LSP weekly at 0725 & 2015 for five weeks, closer inspection of the web-brochure reveals that the initial Crewe - Lime St and the corresponding return are diesel pulled. Gutted!

The are more summer 2011, Liverpool steam pulled rail excursions detailed on post #15 on page 2 of this thread.

[wizzair]

Video grab from Friday's steam train taken by Steve Price - Many thanks to viscount for the information ;D

[viscount]

Nice shot. Shows the picture quality of the current generation mobile phone video cameras.

[speedbird1960]

Nice photo. I managed to get a few photo's on my mobile, done in a bit of a rush as the train was early and as i was driving down Delph Lane it was stopping just before Norton Level Crossing so had to do a quick U-turn and head back to Preston Brook, the kids loved it as they had never seen one.

This website lists dozens of places you can view or travel on Steam Trains.

www.heritagerailways.com/events.php

I think this is the nearest one to the Northwest, and Bury Transport Museum looks interesting.
www.eastlancsrailway.org.uk/

Mike / Speedbird

[rock37]

Another good place is the Romney Hythe and Dimchurch light railway in Kent , a 15" gauge 1/3 scale railway with 11 steam locos and 2 diesel and 22 km of track , a long trek from Merseyside but well worth a visit if you are in the area .

[John Jones]

Castle class No.5043 "Earl of Mount Edgcumbe and Hall class No.4965 "Rood Ashton Hall" are seen East of Chester with a railtour from LLanduno. This ran steam hauled from Tysely and back for the LLanduno Victorian Festival.



photo taken by my son Phil Jones

[Beemer]

Excellent steam loco photo as usual by your Phil. Regards Beemer.