Tick into Christmas (with bonus 319) - Merseyside Meanders, 21st December 2023

This would be my last trip into Liverpool of 2023 so I was all set up for it being a tear-jerking final time I would see my beloved 508s. Three were left by this point - 104, 108 and 114 and as it happened they actually all survived into 2024 in traffic so not quite "the end" that I thought it was at the time.

I didn't see 114 on this occasion - apparently it was in North Depot, but I caught 104 with its descant fan noise several times and saw 108 in Southport ready to come out for the evening peak coupled to 507 002. It was my last sighting of 108, but I did encounter the other two again on 4th January 2024 as you can see in the subsequent video.

This video also starts off a little differently as the service I was using to get into town was one of the last to use Northerns fleet of 319s. They only appeared in service on two more occasions after this date - two units on 22nd December and one sneaking out on 2nd January 2024. There was then a notice put out by Northern Control not to use them again and their death-drags started in earnest too. I was never the biggest fan, but the motors did sound awesome and after having a fairly solid diet of 142s for the previous 20 odd years it was certainly an upgrade for our line in the comfort stakes. 372 was a particular favourite as it didn't get internally refurbished for ages, never got repainted and even retained a roller blind too. 368 was the unit I encountered today and I believe it was the same one that brought the final curtain down on operations early in the New Year.

UNITS SEEN ON 21ST DECEMBER 2023 :-

CHESTER SERVICES - 777 001, 005, 010
ELLESMERE PORT SERVICES - 777 028
NEW BRIGHTON SERVICES - 507 004, 016, 017
WEST KIRBY SERVICES - 507 018, 030, 031, 032 / 777 012

SOUTHPORT/HUNTS X SERVICES - 507 001, 002, 010, 011, 021, 023, 033 / 508 104, 108 / 777 020
ORMSKIRK SERVICES - 777 014, 015, 018, 026
KIRKBY SERVICES - 777 140, 152

MISCELLANEOUS -

SOUTHPORT SIDINGS - 507 020
KIRKDALE DEPOT 777 021, 022, 036, 144
EDGE HILL SIDINGS - 69 007

Righto - timestamps ahoy!

0:00:01 - A final farewell to Northerns 319s as 319 368 takes us from Newton-Le-Willows into Liverpool on one of the last appearances of the class in service

0:10:52 - Into more familiar surroundings now. 507 004 leaves for the Wirral from Liverpool Central then we check out the retro Port Sunlight poster on the escalators up to the Northern line. 508 104, one of the final trio of the class still in use spirits us away to Aigburth

0:21:28 - From about to retire to brand new. 777 020 is our first experience of the new guard on the Southport line

0:23:58 - A Sandhills interlude including 507 001 in THAT awesome retro livery heading to Hunts X. 508 104 reappears so we head up to Southport with plenty compressors and lovely fan noises!

0:45:31 - Into Southport and happily one of the other survivors - 508 108 is in the wall sidings coupled to 507 002 ready to come out for the evening peak. We then head to the extra windy footbridge to see 104 depart and 507 001 reappears (no it isn't ticking, thats 508 108 behind it!)

0:49:15 - Some platform level wackery then jointed track loveliness (retro edition) down to Hall Road courtesy of 001

0:55:22 - Northern line scenes then down to the Wirral for the seriously MEGA 507 016 out to Hamilton Square. Listen to it leave! 030 then appears with the old blue "Northern line" symbol peaking through (upside down!!!) on the secondmans side blind. 031 is then seen heading away from Bidston before a TFW 197 arrives from Wrexham and we take 018 back to town

1:03:16 - Random scenes and sky at Kirkdale then onto Sandhills for the wonder of 508 104 (convinced at this point it was my last ride) back underground. It was sounding as beautiful as ever

1:11:36 - A rushed shot of 69 007 parked at Edge Hill as we head back to Newton