Going Loco

[Foinavon]

Just plugging my GC24EMP new cache. I had no plans to set any new caches in the Bolton area but when I heard that the works are in danger of being demolished then it was time to dig out the cache placing equipment. Like the Cigarette Tunnel this is a cache I had thought about placing for several years but never actually got around to it. As Van Morrison says "Lets enjoy it while we can". If you are into this kind of thing there is a facebook group for it.

Also I am not really a train expert but I know two (Hello Pete,Kevin) who are. If I have got owt wrong please let me know.

[ferreter38]

My father served his apprenticeship at the Loco Works as a sheet metal worker. He was top apprentice of his group. Nearly all my uncles, and my mother's father were employed there. However, by the time the Loco Works closed all of them had either passed away or retired.

A bit more incentive for me to do The Horwich Jerk and Moss Garden now seeing as I can tag the Loco Works onto the set... see you do trails Well sort off!

[pete37038]

Looks great to me Paul, a top location, cannot believe that it's now threatened, it's a local landmark and massive peice of the area's history

[Foinavon]

My father served his apprenticeship at the Loco Works as a sheet metal worker. He was top apprentice of his group. Nearly all my uncles, and my mother's father were employed there. However, by the time the Loco Works closed all of them had either passed away or retired.

A bit more incentive for me to do The Horwich Jerk and Moss Garden now seeing as I can tag the Loco Works onto the set... see you do trails Well sort off!

One day I will have enough caches on red moss for it to be called a trail or a loop! The nearest cache is the infrequently visited GC1GV5M Red Moss Ramble however getting between the two is a right sod and it will be harder in summer. People might think I have done it like that deliberately but I haven't!
The best way is to take the route described by Pup in his log and jump across the tyres.

Certainly interesting to hear of your connections to the Loco Works though Sheila.

[bargee72]

My new trainspotting cache is now live GC23WNX Trainspotting 2 Kettles after some comments that real engines werent on my first trainspotting cache

Shameless Cache promotion

[pete37038]

Nice one I'll check that out later, still not got round to doing the first one yet

[ferreter38]

My new trainspotting cache is now live GC23WNX Trainspotting 2 Kettles after some comments that real engines werent on my first trainspotting cache

Shameless Cache promotion

Just going to have a proper look at it now, at quick glance got two of 'em sorted straight away, dead easy those two

[alicephilippa]

My new trainspotting cache is now live GC23WNX Trainspotting 2 Kettles after some comments that real engines werent on my first trainspotting cache

I must be quite sad... I didn't have to look at anything other than the thumbnails to identify the loco classes.
((Ok, so I've either fired, driven or been otherwise involved with most of the loco classes depicted))

[ferreter38]

My new trainspotting cache is now live GC23WNX Trainspotting 2 Kettles after some comments that real engines werent on my first trainspotting cache

I must be quite sad... I didn't have to look at anything other than the thumbnails to identify the loco classes.
((Ok, so I've either fired, driven or been otherwise involved with most of the loco classes depicted))

Done it I wish all puzzles were as easy as that one.

Click on the thumbnails to get a larger picture

[pete37038]

can someone post the thumbnails on here ? as can't get GC at work....

Soz for the thread hijack Paul, but hey it's train related

[Foinavon]

can someone post the thumbnails on here ? as can't get GC at work....

Soz for the thread hijack Paul, but hey it's train related

No worries. It looks a good cache.

[bargee72]

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[bargee72]

just to wet your appettite

bored now and the site keeps tyhroughing me oput when i try to upload 2 pictures at once.

Iain

[bargee72]

My new trainspotting cache is now live GC23WNX Trainspotting 2 Kettles after some comments that real engines werent on my first trainspotting cache

I must be quite sad... I didn't have to look at anything other than the thumbnails to identify the loco classes.
((Ok, so I've either fired, driven or been otherwise involved with most of the loco classes depicted))

Done it I wish all puzzles were as easy as that one.

Click on the thumbnails to get a larger picture

I try not to set difficult puzzles as I don't get any visitors that way, a nice easy puzzle = lots of logs= happy bargee

[alicephilippa]

I try not to set difficult puzzles as I don't get any visitors that way, a nice easy puzzle = lots of logs= happy bargee

There are some difficult ones though that the net effort on both puzzle and hide are more that worth it like for instance Whitespace.

[jhewitt15]

Looks ace Paul. Might pop up to Red Moss one afternoon and do the whole lot. Reet close to Horwhich Parkway as well

[Foinavon]

Don't all rush at once! This is the first time a cache that I have set has gone through its "new" period (i.e. the time it gets the new label next to it's title) unfound.
Its interesting (and this is an observation not a moan), how the impact of a new cache has diminished with time. When I first started a new cache was still a talking point. Now I must confess I don't even check for new caches myself any more (I used to everyday).

[Dan1980]

If it had been set down here I reckon you would have had at least two finds, probably more in the first 24 hours!

[The Bolas Heathens]

I was just thinking much the same. If it was set round here, I'd usually be out of the door immediately, unless it was the middle of the night, then some local cachers called the Shropshire Seekers would have been out at the crack of dawn.

If it had been set down here I reckon you would have had at least two finds, probably more in the first 24 hours!

[pete37038]

In happier days, this was one of the last train to run, it was a trip train that ran around the NW area, occasionally Horwich works was included on the itenary as required, this pic was taken by Tommy Such, a driver who I used to work with at Springs Branch in Wigan, he's retired now, the loco is sadly scrapped, the wagons are no more, and now the works......?



Happy days, look at the view ! I'll go and do the cache on one of my days Paul, saving any local stuff so I don't run out

Picture is circa 1985, for the benefit of Bargee it's 40060 aka 97405 one of the few reinstated for the Crewe remodelling work. A real travesty this engine wasn't saved

[jhewitt15]

I would have done it by now but I've been really busy recently. I won't be FTF thats for sure. I'm off to Wales this weekend

[Dan1980]

I can't believe it's lasted the weekend without being found to be honest It was cracking weather too!

[pete37038]

To be honest if it wasn't for this 'days' thing I'd have done it certainly within 48 hours of publishing, the things you start eh I don't see the point in FTF's anymore tbh but this cache has a lot of appeal to me for many reasons.

[bargee72]

In happier days, this was one of the last train to run, it was a trip train that ran around the NW area, occasionally Horwich works was included on the itenary as required, this pic was taken by Tommy Such, a driver who I used to work with at Springs Branch in Wigan, he's retired now, the loco is sadly scrapped, the wagons are no more, and now the works......?



Happy days, look at the view ! I'll go and do the cache on one of my days Paul, saving any local stuff so I don't run out

Picture is circa 1985, for the benefit of Bargee it's 40060 aka 97405 one of the few reinstated for the Crewe remodelling work. A real travesty this engine wasn't saved

I can remember watching that 40 whisteling around Warrington Bank Quay and Arpley in 85 when i was spending my time watching trains as a 12 -13 year old,

[alicephilippa]

Picture is circa 1985, for the benefit of Bargee it's 40060 aka 97405 one of the few reinstated for the Crewe remodelling work. A real travesty this engine wasn't saved

In other days, at least I got to drive a '40' D335/40 135/97 406 it was in its latter guise at the time, and pre-preservation.

[wiggineer]

Is that winter hill in the background? And if it is who's nicked the mast or is it more to the right? Call me slow but I've only just recognised it.

[Dan1980]

Is that winter hill in the background? And if it is who's nicked the mast or is it more to the right? Call me slow but I've only just recognised it.

Yes it is, and the mast is right there - above the middle of the engine!

[wiggineer]

Yes it is, and the mast is right there - above the middle of the engine!

Blimey Dan You've got good eyes Just changed the angle on my screen! I did I was a bit slow tho

[Foinavon]

Its been found!

[ferreter38]

Its been found!

Nice walk this afternoon, you lot had your chance to bag it and you blew it Steam rules, these diesel types just don't have the stamina

Started off with The Horwich Jerk, next Moss Garden and onward to Going Loco? Nice easy finds, all of 'em. Co-rds spot on for Going Loco, you can tell Paul's got a new GPSr

[Team SLuG]

Nice one Sheila!

[ferreter38]

Nice one Sheila!

It was pretty easy going, mostly on the level, and I could take my time Just amble along, admire the scenery, stop and have a cup of coffee or a quick snack without trying to keep up with someone else who was tearing on ahead to get to the next cache. Result, I didn't get out of breath, my hip, back and legs didn't ache... OK I was tired by the time I got to Chorley New Road to wait for a bus but I didn't ache

[ferreter38]

One day I will have enough caches on red moss for it to be called a trail or a loop! The nearest cache is the infrequently visited GC1GV5M Red Moss Ramble however getting between the two is a right sod and it will be harder in summer. People might think I have done it like that deliberately but I haven't!
The best way is to take the route described by Pup in his log and jump across the tyres.

I certainly wouldn't like to attempt to take in Red Moss Ramble after the Going Loco... or t'other way round. The ground in a direct line between the two looked extremely uninviting and rather wet. In my opinion you would need to go back towards Middlebrook and take it from there. However, the route between Going Loco and The Horwich Jerk is easy.

[jhewitt15]

I certainly wouldn't like to attempt to take in Red Moss Ramble after the Going Loco... or t'other way round. The ground in a direct line between the two looked extremely uninviting and rather wet. In my opinion you would need to go back towards Middlebrook and take it from there. However, the route between Going Loco and The Horwich Jerk is easy.

I'll second that Sheila I did them all today. I went and did the Reebok Stadium then went up the track near Rupert, then up to the top path to get Going Loco then had to backtrack through woods and came onto the side of the moss which was quite dry luckily. Got to Red Moss Ramble ok but the approach to Moss Garden was horrible from there. I ended up in the quagmire but I found all the caches I attempted even if it cost me wet feet. Very very good day

[ferreter38]

I certainly wouldn't like to attempt to take in Red Moss Ramble after the Going Loco... or t'other way round. The ground in a direct line between the two looked extremely uninviting and rather wet. In my opinion you would need to go back towards Middlebrook and take it from there. However, the route between Going Loco and The Horwich Jerk is easy.

I'll second that Sheila I did them all today. I went and did the Reebok Stadium then went up the track near Rupert, then up to the top path to get Going Loco then had to backtrack through woods and came onto the side of the moss which was quite dry luckily. Got to Red Moss Ramble ok but the approach to Moss Garden was horrible from there. I ended up in the quagmire but I found all the caches I attempted even if it cost me wet feet. Very very good day

You were warned... I'd done Rupert and and Red Moss Ramble previously. I reckon you should have done Ramble and then backtracked to get up to Going Loco - at least you'd have kept your feet dry and not had to plough through a quagmire, no sympathy

[Foinavon]

Well I saw that GC1GV5M Red Moss Ramble had been found and I was pleased because its one my favourites that I have set and it hardly ever gets found. Anyway I saw that it was Jack and clicked to read the log. It says "4/5 TFTC". I thought "The cheeky little Bugg*r", wait till I see him". Then I was thinking "Well I suppose he's busy with his exams". So it was very nice today to see hat you had altered it Jack! Made me laugh. I sure fell for that one. A lot of my caches got found this weekend many with crap logs* so it was nice to get yours.

Out of interest I had a look at placing a Going Loco II around the front of the Loco Works. I know a street in Horwich where you can get a good look at the works front and I had a good historical angle because I know this was once the site of the loco works pub nicknamed The Cafe. Well I had a look last week and this area can only be described as a sh*thole. A terrible eyesore of rubbish and industrial decay. Should you place a cache somewhere like this, you got history but a real eyesore? On my River Croal caches I put a few in dodgy places and put a warning on the cache page but this was far worse than those. It certainly puts the campaign to save the loco works into perspective. I only hope they can clean up the area and keep the buildings intact.



* Some of these crap logs where "TFTC" and then followed by a "needs maintenance". In the NM logs the person suddenly realised that they can write sentences after all and made a point of saying what was wrong with the cache . Before this kicks off a heated debate about NM logs which (or the lack of) have caused a lot of heated debate, I welcome NM logs as they are a vital part of caching, what I think is taking the p*ss is when you get a one word found log and the NM log meticulously describes what is wrong with the cache.