‘Scene’ around Manchester Piccadilly Railway Station

One of the busiest stations in the Northwest with a wide range of operators and rolling stock on display

 

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The much derided diesel engined ‘Pacer’. Seen in the livery of ‘Northern Rail’ (NR) and dating from the mid nineteen eighties, the 4 wheeled ‘Pacer’s rough riding has become legendary. However as I have said before. On welded track they are OK. On old track they are poor riders. Maybe they will be gone before long.

 

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Electric inner suburban units operated by ‘NR’. Built by Hunslet Barclay (HB) in the early 1990’s for use around both Manchester and Birmingham. They were the last vehicles built by ‘HB’ before the company went out of business.

 

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Once more a ‘NR’ unit this time a diesel engined Class 150/1dating from the mid eighties. Built by British Rail Engineering Ltd. (BREL) at York. The first of the so called ‘modern’ DMU’s, production ran to 137 units.

 

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When production of the Class 150/1’s at York ceased, production of the Class 150/2 started. 85 of these units were built. The main improvement being the provision of corridor connections.

 

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A Siemens of Germany product known as the ‘Desiro’. similar to other Class 350‘s operated by ‘London Midland’ 

 

These electric units have just entered service with ‘First TransPennine Express’. The 10 units delivered are used primarily on services from Manchester to Edinburgh and Glasgow.

 

This image was taken at Manchester Airport by friend Jim Riley and is used with his permission.

 

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The ‘Pendolino’ or tilting train. These high speed electric trains were built by Alstom using FIAT’s tilting train technology between 2003 and 2004 for use on the West Coast Main Line. 

 

53 units were built in the original tranche with a further 4 trains and an additional 62 coaches following between 2009 and 2012.

 

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Branded as ‘Voyagers’ when first introduced by ‘Virgin Trains‘ (VT) in 2000/2001. These 4 coach diesel powered units were built in Belgium by Bombardier Transportation. 

 

34 sets were completed for use by ‘VT’ which were transferred to ‘CrossCountry’ when ‘VT’ lost the franchise in 2007.

 

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These dual voltage electric loco’s were built in the late 1980’s by ‘BREL’ at York  for what was then the new North/South line from Bedford to Brighton.

 

At privatisation they were operated as part of the ‘Thameslink’ franchise and there they stayed until March 2015 when the first of a batch of 20 units that were surplus to requirements with the introduction of newer units transferred to ‘Northern Rail’ for use around Manchester and Liverpool.

 

Seen at Manchester Airport.

 

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A diesel engined unit operated by ‘Arriva Trains Wales’. Built in 1999 to 2000 by Alstom in Birmingham and known as ‘Coradia’s. There were 27 sets built and all are owned by Angel Trains, a rolling stock leasing company.

 

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Diesel engined units built by Siemens of Germany. 51 3 car sets were delivered in 2006-7 for the exclusive use by ‘First TransPennine Express’. Known as ‘Coradia’s.