Chairmans Blog

Next year is MCRUA’s 25th Anniversary so we are looking to run our best Railtour ever – with something for everyone. Yes it is a time to celebrate ….

We hear that the fully-booked Mid-Cheshire Moorlander Hooton-Chester-Mid Cheshire Line-Settle-Carlisle-Workington-Mid Cheshire Line-Chester-Hooton special train organised by Compass Railtours for this Saturday, 20 August has had to be postponed to Wednesday 26 October because West Coast Railways of Carnforth don’t have enough serviceable coaches. There will however be another special train over the Mid Cheshire Line [...]

Our special train last Saturday to Darlington, Durham (for Beamish) and Newcastle ran a treat. Here it is departing Chester. The coach at the front is a generator car previously being “in service” on the Royal Train. This was “insurance” in case the Electric Train Supply (ETS) from the loco proved unable to power the [...]

Currently the diamond crossing at Heaton Norris Junction is “plain-lined” after being damaged, thus preventing access from Stockport to the Denton and Reddish South line. On Saturday Spitfire Railtours are running a special from Weston-super-Mare to Holyhead and return hauled by 2 West Coast class 37 diesels, with a class 47 on the rear. This [...]

We’ve just received the confirmed timings for our North Eastern Express Mid Cheshire Line railtour on Saturday 7 May 2011 to Darlington, Durham & Newcastle, including pick ups / set downs at Stockport, Reddish South & Stalybridge. We’ve provided the more detailed version for those who like to watch our progress as we travel along. [...]

We’re looking to update our railtour website with pictures from happy travellers all the way back to 1988. Both the Knutsford Guardian and the Northwich Guardian featured us in their issues this week. If you’ve pictures of great railtour memories, whether all the way back from 1988 or more recently, we’d be delighted to receive [...]

We’ve had lots of entries for our draw for a copy of Michael Portillo’s Great British Railway Journeys. And the winner is …. Peter from Knutsford. Congratulations, Peter! Peter says: “That’s great news – I can’t believe it. I’ve watched the series, it’s been excellent and thought I must get around to buying the book [...]

Wednesday saw the arrival of a Metrolink tram in Knutsford & Northwich stations (not really!) – here’s the Knutsford Guardian version. There’s a good discussion about tram/train for the Mid Cheshire Line going into Manchester via Sale and the Metrolink tracks complimenting the hourly train service to Piccadilly via Stockport, as outlined in Cheshire East’s [...]

Reddish South is going to have 3 trains in the 1st week in May. Normally, it only has 1 a week. And passengers are going to be able to go somewhere AND come back!! Reddish South is on the Stockport to Stalybridge line. It is served by one “Parliamentary Train” a week, which travels on [...]

MCRUA has launched a new Railtours website giving full details of its excursions. As well as booking online, the website give details of our Railtours’ destinations – complete with stunning photography. The next Railtour is the North Eastern Express on Saturday 7th May 2011 heading for Darlington, Durham (for Beamish) and Newcastle-upon-Tyne.  Click here to visit [...]