Category: Birmingham

Wrong carriage and packed trains

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My train to Birmingham from Preston.

I was booked on the above train. It is a Voyager and consisted of two five car trains joined together. It only has 2 first class carriages one for each set, however I managed to into the wrong carriage, which I didn’t realise at first. So I had a rather embarrassing conversation with someone who I thought was sat in my seat! However, there were plenty of empty seats in the carriage.

As we approached Crewe, we were informed that there was a fault in one of the train sets, and that it would be detached at Wolverhampton. When we got their it turned out it was the set I was in. So off I got. As may be imagined, the five car set was packed out. Thankfully I was only going as far as Birmingham. However, my short journey from Birmingham to Rugby on a pendolino was also very full.

Pentecost break day 3 around Birmingham and Chester.

Today I planned to journey down some new routes. I began by going from Crewe to Stafford, changed trains and on to Rugeley. There I had to cross a footbridge for a train into Birmingham.

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My train into Birmingham from Rugeley Trent Valley. It ran via Cannock and Walsall.
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One of  the many station on the way into Birmingham

On arrival at Birmingham New Street, I had time to get a coffee before changing platforms for the journey to Lichfield Trent Valley. this was via Sutton Coldfield. It was was an electric train and was almost empty. At Lichfield Town station there was a good view of the Cathedral.

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My train from Birmingham at Lichfield. 

I then returned from Lichfield to Crewe and then onto Chester. From there I went to Manchester Picadilly via Frodsham and Warrington – another new route. The was a loco powered train. It was also a very pleasant run, the countryside being lovely.  However, the journey from Manchester back to Crewe was on a train that full to overflowing.

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My train from Chester to Manchester.