12 line up for the Merseyrail stakes - April 11th 2024 on Merseyside

12 507s were fielded for service on all three days of the 2024 Grand National meeting, the last time so many will be out at once. From next week only 6 units will be needed to cover 3 southport line six-car diagrams Mon-Sat, so expect withdrawals to kick back in with a vengeance very soon.
The Ormskirk services returned to 100% old guard haulage for the three days. Thursday 11th April dawned with 001, 003, 010, 014, 015, 017, 021, 023, 028 and 033 all in use forming 5 six-car sets. Over on the Wirral 007 and 029 also found use on West Kirby and New Brighton diagrams respectively.
This lengthy(!) video features rides on all of the units in operation during that first day with some time spent at Kirkdale also featuring the Aintree shuttles (in the hands of paired up 777s this year) and some depot movements too. Other stations on the Ormskirk line were also visited during the day.
Also captured was the unexpected sight of battery fitted 777 142 on Southport trains and the forlorn looking 507 011 in Southport sidings sitting out the weekend. 016 was also seen in Birkenhead North Depot away from the action but 018 was nowhere to be found - I suspect indoors at Kirkdale - but can't be certain.
014 made the best noises of the day for me, 007 sounding sweet with its dynamic brake plugged in too. 021 was a point of interest too, still sporting its "Red Rum" nameplates and bypassing its namesakes stomping ground many times over the event days - an especially fitting touch being that it actually formed part of the last arrival at Ormskirk on the Saturday night - possibly the last time a unit visits in regular use?? We shall have to wait and see.
6 are due to be withdrawn imminently - 14 and 21, 28 and 33 and 11 and 15 (possibly in that order but not sure) will all be off lease by early May so it's really time to get out and catch these iconic machines before it gets to late.
Meanwhile, enjoy this last hurrah for these wonderful units, once again stepping up to the plate and seamlessly shifting thousands of racegoers to and from Aintree with minimal fuss and maximum reliability. They've really served us well over the years and will be missed immensely by many.
Kudos again to Merseyrail and partners for the hugely efficient execution of Liverpools highest profile sporting event of the year. There were undoubtedly a few headaches and grey hairs over the weekend but your staff coped admirably and professionally with the masses, a real credit to the companies involved and the region as a whole.
Thanks also for the fitting final fling for your elder statesman of the rails, though I appreciate this was dictated by operational necessity rather than satisfying enthusiasts. I am hugely grateful for the chance to have seen them end their careers on a high - right at the forefront of operations at such a big ticket event, faithfully and unassumingly doing what they do best. Well done to all!
And we really have broken the word limit this time so timestamps are located in the comments section! Apologies!!
UNITS SEEN 11TH APRIL 2024
Chester Services :- 777 005, 022, 041
Ellesmere Port Services :- 777 001, 039
New Brighton Services :- 507 029 / 777 008, 024, 025
West Kirby Services :- 507 007 / 777 012, 014, 021, 030
Southport/Hunts X services :- 777 002, 005, 006, 013, 016, 019, 034, 142
Ormskirk Services (all 507s) :- 001+014 / 003 + 033 / 010 + 015 / 017 + 028 / 021 + 023
Kirkby Services :- 777 140, 146, 152
Aintree shuttles :- 777 010 + 031 / 777 003 + 007 / 777 017 + 028
Edge Hill sidings :- 60 021, 60 087, 66 743, 69 002
Southport Sidings :- 507 011
Southport Station :- 777 026
Kirkdale carriage wash :- 777 002
West Kirby Station :- 777 014
Birkenhead North Depot :- 507 016

[@tarquinmerryweather4929]

Merseyrail is the best Metro Rail company in UK! Fact! The new 777 class trains are owned by the Metro Region and the whole we be brought back into public ownership ship when the Stadler/Abeilio contract expires. The old 507/508 class are used only in emergency now. The 777d are great for wheelchair users - level ride on and dedicated spaces. Many Merseyrail stations are fully accessible using ramps or lifts. I can even fit in the small platform lift at Liverpool James St! I get on/off at Birkenhead North which has 630 car park spaces and 35 Blue Badge bays! Some of the 777s have battery power and allow them to travel to Headbolt Lane on the unelectrified section. I look forward to further extensions in the future such as Widnes or Helsby or Woodchuch, Wirral. I've been on the Southport and Ormskirk lines in my powered wheelchair! Great! Highly recommended!

[@cjbirkett]

...and the timestamps are off!!!... 0:00:01 - Inbound to Liverpool the Edge Hill 60 posse are 021 and 087 today 0:00:24 - 507 029 departs for New Brighton then 007 turns up on a West Kirby train! We nip to Central and see some 777 departures, with one terminating at Rock Ferry 0:06:27 - Obeying the sign we first see 507 033/003 leave for Ormskirk then 507 023/021 arrive. A surprise is 777 142 departing for Southport! We join 507 021 up to Kirkdale 0:11:23 - 507 city at Kirkdale. 021/023 depart north and 015/010 arrive south. The last chance to capture scenes like this unfortunately so make the most. Next in northbound is 507 028/017 so join 017 up to Orrell Park 0:17:35 - The next southbound, and 5th set out is "big blue" 507 001 with 014. We pick 014 to journey down to Sandhills. The train reverses here due to running late so I now join the 001 end (check out the full empty coach at this point!) alighting at Old Roan 0:27:04 - 014/001 head to Ormskirk with 017/028 returning to Liverpool. Next southbound is 015/010 with 033/003 crossing us here, again a scene soon to disappear 😞. We elect for 010 and hop to Aintree to see ppl preps well in hand with some groovy Merseyrail ads on show too 0:32:56 - Fittingly its "Red Rum" 021wih 023 in next so head to Maghull at the 023 end before swapping for 033 (trailing 003 - loving all these 6-cars!) back to Kirkdale 0:45:38 - Some Kirkdale happenings now with an 8 car 777 heading out to form an Aintree shuttle whilst 777 002 has a spruce up in the carriage wash. 014/001 head back north, 023/021 south and a Headbolt guest stars too. Another 777 twin takes race goers to Aintree 0:52:31 - 033/003 are Ormskirk bound, we join 017/028 back to Sandhills. 021/023 are seen then it's 777 142 that arrives so take advantage of the rarity and charging facilites onboard! 507 011 looks very forlorn in the carriage sidings (will it carry passengers again?) 0:58:13 - Back underground and after a 6 car vacates Central we cut to Hamilton Square for the dodgy camera angle segment. We then partake in 507 029 to Wallasey Village with 016 just visible in Birkenhead North shed. Some 777 rooftops depart North then 507 007 appears so we head to West Kirby. Don't blink or you'll miss the 230 leaving Bidston on the return 1:15:24 - More departing rooftops then extra dodgy camera angles at Moorfields. We now join 507 028 out to Kirkdale 1:21:34 - A shuttle set heads out from Kirkdale to pick up the crowds at Aintree with a flyby for good measure. Some other general scenes (note some shuttles displaying "Grand National") then onto 015 up to Maghull North complete with irritating passengers. A quick hop back to Maghull with 017 follows 1:31:45 - Onto 014 again to eventually make Ormskirk! Town Green/Aughton Park were being served by alternate trains so we miss one out. We see a Northern 150 connecting for Preston then we're back onto 014 for the next southbound, and what an experience that will be! 1:45:38 - Old Roan looks peaceful enough but then its Aintree. At 6pm. WEDGE EXPRESS! We get them all on then head to the city (including someones head apparently). 1:51:17 - time to join 003 (all 12 out had for haulage now!) to eventually arrive at Kirkdale with some more general views including a circling sightseeing plane 1:59:15 - Red Rum 021, attending it's last National chase with 023 perform a lovely sparky Ormskirk bound departure before 015/010 arrive to end our day (always did get a number 10 home!). A slightly different Edge Hill posse of 66 743 (in Royal Scotsman livery) and 69 002 close the video at dusk!

[@calvinliu6304]

Great video

[@cjbirkett]

Many thanks, was a very enjoyable day, albeit tinged with sadness knowing you wouldn't see scenes like it again.