Trainspotting: Chester interlude…

The weekend before last, when I travelled to Bexhill I had half an hour between trains at Chester. Childhood muse still fascinates with a variety of trains not seen regularly elsewhere, bringing Northern, Transport for Wales, Merseyrail and Avanti passenger turns…

197019 on a the service from Holyhead to Manchester, IIRC. Taken 11:46, 5/5/23. Photo James Hilton. 

What I find makes Chester special though is it’s overall roof which allow some striking photography when used as a balance or focal point in our images.

 

I strolled over the bridge to the island platform and noticed a blue 37 weaving it’s way into the yard from the Warrington direction, 37612 arrived with an Ultrasonic test train. This seemed to be attracting plenty of attention from the gathered paparazzi. I managed to grab a few photos as it crawled along the bullhead rail in the sidings alongside Platform 7…  this always brings back memories, summer weekends watching trains in the 1990s especially.

37612 and 197009 at Chester, 11:23 5/5/23. Photo James Hilton.

Network Rail Ultrasonic railhead testing carriage. 5/5/23. Photo James Hilton. 

Chester station, I mention childhood, it’s deeper than just casual encounters. As a child I’d accompany Dad to buy tickets on a Sunday for his his Monday morning trains to London, precious time spent 1:1 with a man who heavily shaped and influenced my life. Beyond, the station became a gateway in my teens and twenties for friends and university visits across the country. Freedom on rails. Today a blend of nostalgia and continued appreciation of the network and service it provides. Comforting in familiarity, recognising the arrangement of track and platforms has not changed despite several face lifts, the same platform surface, the same smells of diesel exhaust, creosote and oil. Stations are wonderful places.

It’s funny, whilst I’m yet to travel on one of these CAF units, built in South Wales and distinctive without yellow warning panels, I’m beginning to appreciate their unusual form, especially when compared to what else is running about on the national network these days. Mind, you’ll struggle to move me from my affection for the 150 and 158 of my youth.

197009, Chester, stabled beyond Platform 7. 5/5/23. Photo James Hilton.

Regular service will be resumed soon, this is the penultimate ‘real railway’ post I’ve had in the bag for a while. Back to models again for the rest of the week, and in the meantime, hope you’ve had a good weekend and until next time more soon…