Every Station in Bolton!

Natt and I visited all eleven stations in the borough of Bolton, Greater Manchester!
Follow on Twitter: @NickBadley
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[@AFCManUk]

6:39 Natt making random faces at the camera is just too cute 😄😄😄

[@metro_ken]

as someone who goes to bolton a lot (for some strange reason) i enjoyed watching this video, im pretty sure trains ran through from hindley to liverpool before the line to kirkby was electrified and split but that sign might be newer also during peak hours blackrod and adlington get 2tph both ways so that might come in handy if you ever do a similar challenge on this line

[@ReecesTrains]

Great video! I'm glad everything went smoothly for you both! Yes, it must take some getting used to seeing the 4 car 331's! I'm still not used to some of the 3 car 331's over here! 😂

[@michaeljohndennis2231]

Hi Nick, being Irish in Manchester 21 years myself, I love your English accent, so classy - just like the classy lady Natalie, who is as classy as you are handsome 🇮🇪☘️🇬🇧❤️

[@michaelocyoung]

That sign at Hindley which mentions Crewe is ancient, dating back to BR days at the very least; perhaps once upon a time services did used to run that far which, considering you can get to Alderley Edge today, is not entirely implausible. Probably either Northern consider it pointless to replace as it still mostly does the job, or they don't know or don't care that it exists.

[@NickBadley]

I think there's a similar case at Ince & Elton station too. Sign says "Change at Hooton for Liverpool" even though that hasn't been correct since 1994!

[@Nick-ux7zt]

⁠Well the Liverpool bit at Hindley dates back before conversion of Liverpool - Headbolt Ln to Merseyrail so it could be. Although my guess is that any services that did go to Crewe from Hindley before Beaching would have gone from the disused down platform

[@SiVlog1989]

Farnworth Tunnel has a fascinating story behind it. Prior to electrification, it had two bores, one much bigger than the other. However, when electrification works began, it required an expansion of the larger of the two bores to accommodate the overhead electric equipment. To do this, they used Europe's largest tunnel boring machine. However, during reconstruction of the larger bore, the roof caved in, due to the sandy soil in the area. This set electrification works back considerably, meaning trains ran at a much reduced frequency, using just the single line in the smaller bore. Eventually, when it was completed in 2017, not only did it clear the way for electrification works to be completed, but both tracks were routed through the newly expanded tunnel, with the small tunnel being abandoned. As for my favourite station in the Bolton area (having lived there for 4 years) is Hall i' th' Wood, as far as I know, the only station name with two apostrophes

[@NickBadley]

Oh that's interesting!

[@srfurley]

Besses O’ Th’ Barn also has two. It’s a Metrolink stop now, but it used to be a BR station. When it had BR totem signs I think it was the only one to have the station in lower case.

[@Patrick-sg4gl]

The sign with the confusing trip to crewe underneath that my grandad created! With br 7:21

[@zawtowers]

Probably a good job that Clifton doesn't come under Bolton, or else that would have had some very careful planning to include it. Worth noting if you and Natt plan to do a sequel to do all Salford stations. Enjoyed this one, and glad to see that the trains were relatively on time with no missed connections. And as someone who loathed those 319s when on Thameslink, I dislike those 769s also. And congratulations to Natt on her recent job news! :)

[@Eric_Hunt194]

769s are better than 150s for one important reason- not so many airline seats with no legroom! I’ve only ever done two stations in Bolton- Bolton itself as a friend used to live there, and Westhoughton to pick up my new car. That journey also needed the "Hindley shuffle".

[@raybrown2197]

There used to be a Sunday service from Wigan to Crewe via Manchester which called at Hindley

[@Thornaby37]

Excellent video Nick and Natt For once Northern didn't pull a Northern 😅

[@nicholaswastakenwastaken]

Day 2 I got a Pointless Journey idea: St Pancras to Kings Cross via National Rail

[@Eric_Hunt194]

The Lostock platform situation also exists at Ravensthorpe in West Yorkshire, as the lines to Wakefield don't have platforms (also very few trains at the moment but that's another story), just the lines to Leeds. Though as part of the Trans-Pennine Route Upgrade the platforms are being moved to the other side of the junction, so in the future trains towards Wakefield (once they return full-time) will be able to call at Ravensthorpe.

[@harrierjames7727]

out of interest, what is the reason for no services via Wakey here? And how long have they been gone for? Used to be northern stoppers from Leeds to Huddersfield via Wakefield (calling at Mirfield, Deighton, Brighouse etc)? until fairly recently did there not?

[@Eric_Hunt194]

@@harrierjames7727 post-pandemic cost savings mostly. As of the last timetable change TPE are extending a few Manchester to Huddersfield stoppers per day to York via Wakefield and Castleford, which also call at Deighton, Mirfield and Normanton. I think the service you're thinking of is the old "Grand Tour" which was the Hudds-Leeds via Bradford & Brighouse joined onto the Huddersfield to Wakefield Westgate service, under Serco+Abellio. That hasn't operated as a through service for years though. Even further back to First North Western days, the Wakefield Westgate service was operated through from Manchester Victoria.

[@andyt2510]

Next the ultimate challenge - visiting every station in Rutland.

[@michaelocyoung]

Rutland's a conspiracy

[@SiRhodesDriverTraining]

Hall I’th wood as in Hall in the wood. There’s a museum in a 13th century house. Westhoughton is minimal, we keep things simple here Nick. That sign for Crewe at Hindley has been there donkeys years. I’m guessing it’s from a really old timetable.

[@Sim0nTrains]

Great video Nick, Lostock did uses to have platforms on the Westhoughton side

[@TransportVloggerIan]

Didnt think there were that many in the Bolton area because you dont think there are that many

[@pottah2]

Had a stroke trying to read this

[@Nooticus]

fr

[@josephwright433]

I can smell burned toast.

[@oohkumar]

Infinite loop alert

[@ReubenAshwell]

Brilliant video Nick, wow! There's so many stations in the Bolton borough aint there? I found it quite funny to see a Northern CCTV notice in some trees well away from a railway station. And don't even get me started on some of the 319's (trains I've loved for as long as I can remember) converted to 769's.

[@UnbelievableEricthegiraffe]

Moses Gate Station certainly was due a rebuild in 2015, It's been in use for over three and a half thousand years 😊.

[@pottah2]

Trains haven’t existed for three and a half thousand years mate

[@rubikstop5s884]

​@GamingKangaroo73 it's a joke about the biblical Moses from like 1300BC

[@jacobporrett]

Looks like you guys had fun.

[@SamsVlogstrainsmore]

Great vlog Nick. I didn’t realise there was so many stations in Bolton.

[@Frauditorexposure]

Aye doing my town! Moses gate is a great little station, luckily the machine on platform one, has live information for trains!

[@AutoUnder]

Nice one Nick and Natt!! For once Northern did a good job getting you round

[@MichaelSebastianTodd]

brilliant vlog ive visited Farnworth Moses Gate Westhorton & Bolton i wouldnt mind doing Kerseley next time im up North & i totally agree about the 331s the accelaration the main reason i love the 331s its speed

[@danieltoth-nagy5097]

You came to my hometown and we didn’t met! I’m sad 😢

[@bb-3653]

Class 331s are built extremely light weight for a 100mph train. So the motors carry them like they are made of feathers. The bogies are inner framed and just lighter weight. So is the body shell

[@TB76Returns]

Funny thing is that I was in Bolton today, having travelled from Clitheroe on the Ribble Valley line

[@peterworsley]

I used to live in Bolton and probably never visited all😊

[@hamishhortic9739]

another great vid, i am doing the caledonian sleeper train this yr

[@jameswells3508]

Enjoyed your video. What ticket(s) did you use for these journeys?

[@stephenmcculley7]

There did used to be a few journeys in the early 2000's where some Liverpool - Wigan North Western services extended to Manchester Victoria/Rochdale stopping at Hindley, hence the mention of Liverpool on the platform direction signs. These journeys generally only ran in the peak hours. All swept away since the electrification of the Liverpool - Wigan line.

[@michaeljohndennis2231]

These railways compare well with those in my native Ireland - I know that the Irish government are making plans for improvements to the rail network and being from Rural Ireland myself, I’m interested to see that they will protect smaller rural lines that are a lifeline to the local people - Iarnod Éireann’s current product offerings are something that I have been most impressed with on visits home from Manchester, including but not limited to improvements to Dublin’s DART network and the improvements at Pearse Station

[@nathh4500]

you walked right past my house as well😭and im at each station 3 times a week for work small world.

[@davidfoley5128]

Excellent stuff, I didnt realise the area of Bolton (a northern extension of greater Manchester/south Lancashire) ? Could have so many railway stations 😮 . Anyway, you very much remind me of that other you tuber, Tom Scott , with your predominant English accent and style 😊 All best mate .

[@telemachus53]

Hate to say but I love the 319s, if only for the wonderful retro look of the driver's windows!

[@ElijahsTransport]

Great video

[@thomarmstrong3538]

So at Hindley there used to be services from Wigan to Crewe I believe

[@ronniebiggs4026]

Young nerds train spotting epic!

[@tommarshall1660]

another interesting video Nick, glad to see you had some company today, must get funny looks talking to yourself sometimes. Keep up the good work and high standards.

[@NickBadley]

Thanks!

[@lawrencehaguehague8356]

Is she your girlfriend

[@JBFlytography]

You need to do this but in Glasgow. 😬😂

[@ModernHistory4U]

When you said about the noticeable acceleration of the electric train it reminded me of that video where a 125 and a new GWR train are leaving padding at the same time and how fast the electric train is compared to it. I love a 125 but it has to be said that the speed of an electric train is impressive

[@michaelocyoung]

I could be wrong, but i think it takes an IET 4 mins to get up to 125, whereas it took an HST 7 mins (out of Padd anyway)

[@tylore69]

When you visit down south east next i have a video idea, a pretty challenging one (it involves 465s) all stations in the borough of bexley, quite a few stops in your least favorite trains

[@torspedia]

For some reason Blackrod makes me think of the King's speech to Parliament. 🤔😂

[@paultidd9332]

Too many stations I know too well there from a near 30 years travelling between Leeds and Southport. And you got to savour the delights of all the rolling stock Northern have to offer, I think!

[@reptongeek]

It's interesting your definition of 'visit' for your challenge is different to Tube Challenge When doing London Underground - or the Vienna U Bahn (I did an FNC on it last year), you only need to arrive or depart but not alight Although having said that if you have to board and/or alight at every station you could just get off the train and reboard it

[@reptongeek]

Also what ticket did you buy for your challenge

[@BWFCfan2024]

Two of the stations are near me 😂😂

[@thomas-xj1hs]

Good for Bolton!

[@rixlperson]

i can see this was an early release to members!

[@Northerner_Transport_Hub]

Will you do Stockport next? There's quite a few there. Cheadle Hulme, Davenport, Woodsmoor, Stockport, Heaton Chapel, Hazel Grove, Reddish South and North, Marple, Rose Hill Marple, Woodley, Romiley, Bredbury, Brinnington. Denton and Guide Bridge are in Tameside, and Altrincham and Hale are in the area of Wythenshawe.

[@Nick-ux7zt]

You forgot Bramhall, Middlewood and Strines.

[@Nick-ux7zt]

Oh, and Gatley and Heald Green. There's 19 stations in Stockport

[@Northerner_Transport_Hub]

@Nick-ux7zt Strines technically is in New Mills which is Derbyshire actually, but you're right about Middlewood and Poynton.

[@Northerner_Transport_Hub]

@Nick-ux7zt oh yeah of course I can't believe I don't know my own home town that well lol There's so many Again also Gatley I think is Wythenshawe, but Heald Green yes that's Stockport

[@kriss_b]

As a wiganer the fact I've sat through a near 20 min video about Bolton pains me Edit I used to run that pub at blackrod station was called the Ridgeway but believe it's changed its name since

[@billmilligan1705]

So when are you riding on the new Glasgow subway trains?

[@NorthernSystems]

I used to go to high school round the corner from Hall-'ith-Wood, always pronounced it H-a-ll, not H-or-ll, but might be mistaken

[@ADAMEDWARDS17]

Occurs to me there is a video doing Horwich Parkway to Harwich Parkeston Quay. You could call it "only one letter different"!

[@BehringerX18R]

Sadly we lost that opportunity after 1995 when the station was renamed Harwich International Port.

[@htsgamingadventures6293]

Do Salford next

[@Nooticus]

Really creative video idea as always. The question I'm wondering though, is what ticket/s you used for this whole trip?

[@danieltoth-nagy5097]

I guess a Greater Manchester Rail ranger?

[@InkItOut]

Yes that is correct, we used a Greater Manchester Rail Ranger which is £8.20 for a day in the entire Greater Manchester region! Very well priced in my opinion :) @@danieltoth-nagy5097

[@danieltoth-nagy5097]

​@@InkItOut Thank you for your reply, Natt!!!!! :)

[@ethmister]

Should come do all stations in Exeter. Not many just on a huge variety of lines.

[@michaelocyoung]

Or all three in Newport, to do so involves changing at...er...Cardiff.

[@danieltoth-nagy5097]

I probably feel it because I know all of these station and called many as my home station or are currently my home station, but I think you've missed a few nice things in this video. There is a stunning canal / motorway viaduct between Bolton and Hall-i-th-Wood built in 1847. Hall-i-th-Wood station is named after a medieval Hall nearby called the same name. You mentioned some train frequencies, but they could have been more integral part of the station infos. I thought you'd miss the abandoned platform at Lostock first, but then you corrected it. The old Lostock station building on the side of the abandonded platforms is also standing, but boarded up. Also, there are some disused stations here too which could've deserved a honorary mention like the original Horwich branch station inside the village, not at the shopping centre or Bolton Moor Ln station (now another shopping centre). Westhoughton station is also well-decorated, not just Hindley, and it has remains of a demolished station building on the platform.

[@InkItOut]

Oh that's what that building was at Lostock, I thought it might have been but I just assume everything is rail related so I am often wrong 🤣

[@HornbySaturday]

That 156 at the start of the video i seen!

[@DylanPurser]

I'm fairly sure its pronounced how you say 'hall' for Hall'i'th'wood, but I have always called it hal-ith-wood so I'm not sure! I'm from Darwen too so who knows lol Also that line hasn't always been half-hourly! For most of my life that line has been an hourly service, which was a right pain if you missed the train home from Manchester 🤣 it also went back to hourly after covid hit, but I think it was May last year it came back to half hourly!

[@shaunhouse8469]

I think everyone but me hates 319/769s. I have a soft spot because 319s on Thameslink from west Croydon to Ewell was the first service I rode on daily

[@petermurray9196]

Just realised there's 17 in Stockport.

[@AdamTaylor-RDL]

Can we have the 4 carriage 331's back? Dang Doncaster-Leeds route is a nightmare at peak now!

[@andyburbidge4938]

Believe the plan is that once enough 3 car 331s have moved over, the Aire Valley diagrams will go to 6 car formations, releasing 333s for the Doncaster services.

[@Eric_Hunt194]

@@andyburbidge4938 the thing holding the 333s back is Doncaster crews don't sign them yet.

[@KittyLovesFerries]

Thats a very random sign!

[@Niallgr]

I'm Boltonian

[@mathboy1066]

Hall as in a hall btw. 😂

[@ianroantree8823]

Can I ask wat ticket you did this trip on.ty😊😊

[@robinhayhurst5943]

Did you see the two smoking barrels at Lostock station?

[@michaelocyoung]

Nick (Badley) The Greek

[@nightie69]

Hall in the Wood, hallithwood

[@kingjet4456]

0:56 is a class 156, then at 1:38 it magically becomes a 150?!

[@Nick-ux7zt]

Hall i'th' Wood is pronounced wrong by the announcement. It is Hall like the room with the front door in. Then again Boltonians pronounce things weirdly, particularly vowels, so 'a' is pronounced more like an 'o'

[@michaelhealey9538]

Fun fact, Robert Shaw who played captain Quint in Jaws was born in Westhoughton 🙂

[@InkItOut]

I see! Hence the name of the Spoons there! 😂

[@michaelocyoung]

He was also in Battle of Britain as the unnamed "Skipper". Rather ironic he has a pub named after Hil considering his proclivity for the grain and the grape.

[@mathboy1066]

Ah yes, BMC. my station

[@accconsoles]

Point to Point idea. Hexham - Wrexham

[@danielclarke4059]

Bolton, Lancashire

[@VexSG]

Nick why would you ever willingly go to bolton

[@Northerner_Transport_Hub]

God its not that bad I've been there

[@JackJackProductionsShorts]

Could be worse. Could be Slough or Scunthorpe

[@AndrewG1989]

The Class 331 Civity does go really fast. Northern should order more of them as well Class 195 to replace the existing trains. Plus South Western Railway have now started using the new Class 701 Arterio trains in service.

[@robinhayhurst5943]

'Cool' count =5.. and 'So Yeah' count =4. (I'm not counting Natt's 'cool's.)

[@Jaythechatter1993]

YOU MISSED BLACKROD. Blackrod is in Bolton area.

[@cantliff9]

They did not miss blackrod, was the last station of the video

[@NickBadley]

We did go! Was the last station shown in the video ;)

[@topmandog1]

kearsley is barely in bolton, i lived in bolton 16 years dont think i ever visted kearsley, although id did grow up in Astley bridge so hali-i-th wood would be my local but we just took the bus into town for bolton

[@andybray9791]

The 319s rebadged as 769s are atrocious

[@mroscar323_6]

Bromley Cross-Bromley North/South-pointless journey?

[@mroscar323_6]

correction point to point

[@iclark1318]

Hall i’ th’ Wood

[@marisaeggs]

is crewe real

[@paulharvey9149]

Just as well they chose Blackrod to name the King's Messenger in the House of Lords after, isn't it? I mean, it might have beeh Hall 'i ' th'wood - and can just you imagine what all those BBC commentators would have come up with...?!!

[@michaelocyoung]

Not to mention Dennis Skinner

[@robinhayhurst5943]

1986 isn't really new... it's actually.... 38 years ago!

[@NameReveal-yy7qb]

Pointless journey Pollockshields east to pollockshields west

[@michaelocyoung]

Via Fishguard

[@NameReveal-yy7qb]

@@michaelocyoung pollockshields is near Glasgow Fishguard is near swansea

[@michaelocyoung]

Indeed. But look at the words / names.@@NameReveal-yy7qb

[@marisaeggs]

meow

[@foxi4647]

wow 1 second ago

[@Northerner_Transport_Hub]

Stop the 769 hate *yes tho 3+2 sucks but traction motors*

[@TrainsTubesNTones]

769/319 is amazing

[@Nick-ux7zt]

Also, on the subject of pronunciation, you're pronouncing Bolton wrong. All the Boltonians pronounce it as Bolt-un

[@davidcurtis6698]

they are worse than 150's lol

[@Brandontrainspotting]

You are pointless journey from Nottingham train station to Nottingham tram stop

[@caramelldansen2204]

10:10 You calling the 80's "The late nineteen-hundreds" is a _little_ haunting. 🥲

[@accconsoles]

Point to Point idea. Hexham - Wrexham