The message 'Travel in front 2 coaches if travelling beyond Disley' has been appearing on the displays and announcements for even peak trains bound for Buxton. Apparently the other half of the train will be locked off on deparure from Disley. Why, we have no idea - and the displays at Davenport give no such information for people travelling towards Buxton ...

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Bullock Brothers, Photographers

A new article in our local history section tells the story of the Bullock Brothers, whose photographic and postcard business operated in Stockport from the early 1880s to 1907.

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Chettle on show

If you were interested in our research about Davenport-based painter James Patchell Chettle, you may be interested to know that one of his works, 'Above the Valley' is uncluded in the current landscape exhibition 'A Green and Pleasant Land' at Stockport War Memorial Art Gallery until June 2012. Visit the Gallery website for opening times and other details.

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Mixed-up train

The Class 150 trains recently transferred to Northern Rail were a mixture of two variations of the Central Trains / Network West Midlands colour scheme, and some of them were in 3-car formation. Re-arranging them into 2-car sets for use in our area has resulted in at least one pairing - 150 210, seen above at Manchester Piccadilly - with its two cars in different colours.

Some of the hand-me-down units have now received Northern Rail names and logos, but with the franchise due to end in September 2013, will they be repainted in Northern colours?

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Fare increases - and some tips

As has been reported in the media, train fares have been increased from 2 January. Below are some examples of the new fares, all valid on day of issue only:

Davenport to Manchester return (before 09:30 Mon-Fri) £5.40
Davenport to Manchester return (all other times) £3.10

Davenport to Stockport return (before 09:30 Mon-Fri) £2.20
Davenport to Stockport return (all other times) £1.40

Davenport to Buxton return (before 09:00 Mon-Fri) £13.50
Davenport to Buxton return (all other times) £8.80

The cheaper fares apply all day on Saturdays, Sundays and Bank Holidays. Note that southbound they can be used the 09:09 train from Davenport to Buxton on Mondays - Fridays. Note: the train is much cheaper than the bus for an off-peak journey to Stockport, where a free bus (every 12 minutes weekdays) will take you from the station to points in the town centre.

Regular commuters travelling before 09:30 should consider buying a weekly, monthly or annual Season Ticket, or a System One Travelcard if your journey also involves a bus.  These give a saving, and can be used for leisure journeys as well.

There are some ways in which you can travel even more cheaply at off-peak times. The Northern Duo scheme, for example, for two adults travelling together, gives two return tickets for the price of 1½ between selected stations, e.g. Davenport to Buxton return £13.20 for two. If you are travelling after 18:30 and outward before 21:30, Cheap Evening Returns are available to most local stations at half the normal price, valid for return until the last train of the day. So if you travel into Manchester on the 18:37 train, for example, and return on the 23:10 from Piccadilly, the return fare is only £1.55. If you are travelling beyond Manchester, the Greater Manchester Rail Day Ranger at £4.80 gives a day's unlimited rail travel after 09:30 anywhere in Greater Manchester after 09:30 (all day at Weekends and Holidays), and also has a half-price evening version for £2.40. This can sometimes usefully be combined with another ticket from the boundary station if travelling further afield, particularly towards Southport and Blackpool, provided your trains stop and the boundary station.

The Greater Manchester concession pass for the over 60s is the equivalent of having a free Greater Manchester Rail Day Ranger every day - and gives free travell on trams and buses as well!

Many other options are available - the Transport for Greater Manchester website is a good place to look, or just ask for advice at Davenport station booking office which is open Monday - Saturday mornings.

Tickets for any National Rail journey can be bought from Davenport station, 'on the morning' or in advance, but as there is only one person on duty it's a good idea to arrive at a quiet time if you have a complicated request. Quarter to, or quarter past the hour, is ideal.