Cab ride: Crewe to Leeds via Stockport, Manchester, Stalybridge and Huddersfield.
As well as providing locomotives to haul units around the country, the Rail Operations Group also have the job of moving DMUs and EMUs between train companies. These are usually going to or from overhaul, starting a new life at a new depot.
This cab ride is filmed on board a three-car Class 170 DMU (170 477), starting a new life in northern England. Transferred from Scotland, the set underwent an overhaul and repaint and Crewe, and on this journey, it heads to Leeds for a new life with Northern.
Starting from the carriage sidings at Crewe, we pass Crewe station and take the line to Manchester, passing Sandbach and Wilmslow. At Stockport we are routed onto the down goods loop, avoiding the station. From here, the normal route east would be via Denton, but with Class 170s not permitted over this line, we head for the heart of Manchester and Mayfield goods loop, just outside of Piccadilly station.
Reversing here we cross six tracks and head off via Ardwick and Guide Bridge to Stalybridge. Running into Diggle Junction down passenger loop for a pathing stop, then through Standedge Tunnel, onto Huddersfield and Mirfield, next is Healey Mills, then Wakefield Kirkgate, passing Leeds Freightliner terminal and Midland Road depot, then Leeds station and finally onto Neville Hill depot - an interesting and varied route!
Filmed on a fine late-winter day in March 2019, there isn't much thrash out of a Class 170, but the engines and ambient sounds are recorded from the back cab!
Includes maps, part-narration and on-screen captions.
Produced by - Train Crazy
Running time - 150 minutes (2½ hours)
Format - 16:9 widescreen
Blu-Ray and DVD
Released - May 2019