First visit to Macclesfield

I didn't expect to be visiting Macclesfield or Wilmslow on my way to Rochdale today. Everything went smoothly until beyond Macclesfield when we came to a sudden stop to be informed that the line ahead was blocked owing to a fatality on the track involving the train ahead.

Virgin dealt with our situation very well, reversing train back to Macclesfield and quickly arranging coaches to Wilmslow where we could continue on to our destination. Not often you see wrong line working on the West Coast Mainline - something which was of interest to me, being a railwayman (of sorts)

Very sad about the fatality, I don't know the details but it makes you think and makes you consider the impact on the drivers who experience these incidents.

We eventually arrived in Manchester two hours late, I then had a trip across the city to Victoria to catch the Leeds train to Rochdale then the tram to the hotel getting there at 7.45pm rather than 5.30.

I'm off to Wetherby tomorrow to a meeting in the Young Offenders Institute there which is why I'm up Manchester way. Being picked up at the hotel by a colleague at 7.45 in the morning.

Had time for a run up on the moors before dark. Rather more taxing slopes than the gentle gradients in the soft south east. Good weather and good views in the pleasant late evening sunshine.