Huddersfield to Manchester Victoria - First TransPennine Express Class 185 20-01-13

With a statue of the late Prime Minister Harold Wilson positioned in the square outside, we find ourselves at the magnificent station of Huddersfield in West Yorkshire. Built in 1847 as a joint venture between the Lancashire and Yorkshire Railway and the Huddersfield and Manchester Railway and Canal Company, the station was designed in a classical Corinthian standard by James Pigott Pritchett and became one of the most architecturally renowned stations in the United Kingdom. In 1968 it was bought by the Huddersfield council to protect it from possible demolition which had been proposed by the British Railways board, similar to situations that happened at Birmingham New Street and London Euston.

Inside the station, a majority of the track-work has been stripped down to modern demand and services being made up predominately of passenger workings, whereas the station was formerly a major hub for goods traffic crossing the Pennines, a majority of which was lost during the construction of the Motorway systems in the 1970s. Underneath the mighty train-shed, what was formerly Platform 1 has now become the Platform 2 bay platform for trains from Sheffield via Penistone and the latter part of the Woodhead, whilst what was formerly the westbound through road has now become Platform 1.

1. Starting off is First TransPennine Express owned 185141 and 185153, seen departing with a service to Manchester Airport. Today, units dominate Huddersfield, the last locomotive hauled express services being in 1991 when the use of Class 47's and MkII coaches was replaced by the Class 158 Regional Express units. But even before 1991 units held sway on all of the commuter services, since Class 101 DMU's replaced the Fairburn Tank engines on the Leeds Outer Suburban services, they by extension have now been replaced by the Class 144 and 142 Pacer Units.

2. To the north of the station is what was formerly known as St George's Warehouse, fitted with a water powered hoist that would lift trucks to the 3rd floor to allow for easier loading for road vehicles. Since the late 1980s the warehouse has been proposed for redevelopment into flats, but much like Manchester Mayfield station, a decision has yet to be reached.

3. Once the duty of Farnley Junction LMS Jubilee's, the Class 185's are now the latest in a long line of traction that has hauled the Liverpool, Manchester and Newcastle TransPennine service, here represented by a First TransPennine Express owned Class 185. The final steam working being hauled by rebuilt Jubilee 45735 'Comet' and Stanier Royal Scot Class 46126 'Royal Army Service Corps' in September 1963.

4. Another commoner in the TransPennine realm of units are the Class 170 Turbostars that were traded for Class 158s in 2006 by Southwest Trains. Here, 170305 and 170308 are seen departing with a Hull to Manchester Piccadilly working.

5. Our final shot at Huddersfield shows the arrival of TransPennine Express owned 185127, working a Scarborough to Liverpool Lime Street service, diverted via Manchester Victoria due to electrification work at Deansgate, a promising sign of future sustainable rail travel.

6. After a 684 Yard journey under Huddersfield, we emerge west of the town and begin to make our way up what was once 'The Long Drag', truly an ordeal for steam engine drivers who had to battle this treacherous incline. Shortly afterwards we emerge on Longwood Viaduct, just west of the site of the former station at Longwood and Milnsbridge, one of three stations axed by Beeching in the mid-1960s, the other two being Golcar and Slaithwaite although the latter reopened in 1982.

7. After passing through Standedge Tunnel, we emerge on the opposite side of the Pennines and begin the long descent towards Stalybridge.

8. As darkness falls, we arrive at Stalybridge, located 8.5 miles east of Manchester Victoria. Following a £1.5m overhaul, the station platforms were refurbished and the shelters on the westbound platform were improved, followed by the finishing touch of a new entrance in 2008.

9. After diverging beyond Ashton-Under-Lyne, we join the Calverdale line just east of Manchester Victoria as we make the final approach into the station. Built by the Manchester and Leeds Railway in 1844, the station was in fact one of two Manchester stations, the other being Manchester Exchange which was opened in 1884 by the London and North Western Railway.

Both stations, located less than a mile from each other, were physically connected by some of their platforms until Exchange station closed in 1969, the site of which is now used to stable Northern Rail DMU's. Between 1992 and 1996, the station was rebuilt by Regional Railways to incorporate the Manchester Arena, which has made the station into the almost subsurface station it is today.

10. And finally, 185127 makes a brisk departure into the Manchester night-time with the short journey to Liverpool Lime Street ahead.

Enjoy!!