Yep, it's "doing descriptions way after the event" time again so hopefully my memory doesn't play too many tricks!
This is from Thursday 8th November 2023, less than a fortnight after the 5.08 sunset railtour and I was in Liverpool to track down it's stars - 508 139 and 141. They were supposed to be stood down right after the tour, but a track problem in the Shrewsbury area meant that the previous two withdrawees (508s 112 and 137) were still taking up room in Birkenhead North Depot awaiting their escort to doom. This, coupled with various teething problems besetting the 777s resulted in 139 and 141 being pressed into service for some time after the tour date. So this was supposedly my "farewell" to them both (though as you'll see they survived to feature in another video after this one as well - only being stood down well into November).
There was also a weedkiller MPV machine moseying around on the Wirral lines to add some traction variety to proceedings.
UNITS SEEN ON 8TH NOVEMBER: -
CHESTER SERVICES:- 507 013, 033 / 777 001, 005, 019
ELLESMERE PORT SERVICES:- 507 002 / 777 011, 016
NEW BRIGHTON SERVICES:- 507 021 / 508 103, 108
WEST KIRBY SERVICES:- 507 004 / 508 120, 131, 139
SOUTHPORT/HUNTS X SERVICES:- 507 001, 007, 015, 023, 028, 030, 032 / 508 114, 136, 141
KIRKBY SERVICES:- 777 152
ORMSKIRK SERVICES:- 777 007, 009, 012, 031
MISCELLANEOUS:-
BIRKENHEAD NORTH DEPOT - 507 018 / 777 013, 014
KIRKDALE DEPOT:- 777 002, 140, 150
SOUTHPORT SIDINGS/WALL SIDINGS:- 507 017 / 777 017, 020, 024
ROCK FERRY:- 777 036
EDGE HILL 60 056
MPV - DR 98903 (seen at Bidston and Rock Ferry)
Lets go for those trusty timestamps, shall we?
0:00:01 - Well, the "have they survived" question is quickly put to bed as literally my first train of the day is 508 139 working on the West Kirby line! We have a trip to Hamilton Square
0:07:19 - Some activity from the old and new at Hamilton Square before we head to Rock Ferry on 507 033
0:11:50 - 033 leaves as 507 002 heads away in the other direction. We have a short break here before boarding 777 019 back to Hamilton Square, passing 507 002 again at Birkenhead Central
0:17:29 - The official Hamilton Square dodgy camera angle/zooming segment featuring amongst others several of the masked up 508s. We board 508 131 out to Bidston
0:26:14 - The MPV weedkiller heads through Bidston towards town as 131 heads off to West Kirby. The next train through is 508 139 again so we have another bash to Leasowe.
0:29:50 - The Leasowe crossing gates in action then onto 507 004 back to Hamilton Square
0:32:20 - Onwards to Rock Ferry part two. 507 032 drops us off, 777 036 is in the bays and the MPV turns up again heading towards Hooton. Big Deja vu moment as 777 019 takes us back into town crossing with 507 002 at Birkenhead Central AGAIN!!! (This is separate footage, I've not just reused the first lot honest!)
0:35:20 - Onto the Northern Line at Liverpool Central now. 507 001 heads to Hunts X, new entrant 777 152 arrives on a Kirkby train so we head to Kirkdale. Some general scenes here, including a police helicopter hovering around nearby. New trains are definitely in charge here, we eventually take 777 009 back to Moorfields.
0:42:29 - 507 001 arrives so we head up to Southport. Terrible wheel flats in the coach I'm in, you can barely hear the motors - this unit "disappeared" for some time after this video and as you'll know already and see in subsequent videos it's been fixed and refreshed rather magnificently!
0:51:10 - On the very windy overbridge near the sidings at Southport, some more general stuff then guess what arrives from Liverpool for the next departure? - 508 141! Cue a mad dash back to the station!
0:53:38 - My last ride on 508 141 (I did see it subsequently but didn't get haulage) my "partner in crime" from the railtour only a couple of weekends prior to this as I spent nigh on 10 hours in its company that day! So that's the excuse for a ludicrously long segment filmed between Southport and Moorfields!
1:21:09 - Head to the northbound platform just in time for 508 136 "Wilfred Owen" to arrive heading for Southport with its really wacky fan noise - This is probably my favourite unit of the ones remaining. Some 777 newness closes proceedings after a very fruitful day.