OK, here we go again.
I was on my own for this one, but my recording of units had improved considerably.
HSTs were still unrecorded, though.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My next all-liner came in June 2001 and was just me on my own.
I began on Saturday the 2nd of June by driving to Wakefield and leaving my car in the long stay car park next to Westgate station. Then it was 91107 to Kings Cross.
This was my only loco of the first day.
My tastes were widening and I had begun to seriously do units, especially older ones, as I realised that certain classes might soon disappear for ever without me having sampled them.
Locos would always be priority, of course, but nowadays there was room for both.
First Great Eastern occasional let a proper heritage EMU, in the shape of 306017, out to play and I had found out that it was booked to work three round trips between Liverpool St and Shenfield.
These were service trains and ordinary tickets were valid.
I was very keen to get this in and I decided to combine a bit of 306 thrash with some slightly younger, but still heritage, units by going for some 312 mileage.
From Kings Cross I headed over to Liverpool Street and did 315815 out to Ilford, with my fingers crossed that the 306 would produce.
It did
306017 was hugely enjoyable.
I enjoyed it so much that I stayed on board and did it back out to Romford.
From there it was 315840 to Upminster and my 312 bashing began.
312789 was done into Fenchurch Street, with sister 312783 out to Grays.
The third and final member of the class that I did was 312792 which I took to Upminster for another ride on 315840 over to Romford.
I hoped that I would make the 306 for another run but sadly I was too late, so it was 321352 into Liverpool Street and I was off to my place of residence for the night.
I had booked a room at the former GLC building on the banks of the Thames. This was now a Travel Inn (Now Premier Inn) and I had stayed in it before, so knew what to expect. A pretty flash building that felt like something much posher than what it was.
Not to mention an all you can eat full breakfast.
A mountain of sausages, bacon, eggs, black pudding, mushrooms, etc was not something to be sneezed at and played a big part in my choice of establishment. I haven’t stayed there for a few years now so don’t know if it’s changed, but back then it meant I didn’t need to buy anything else to eat all day.
Anyway, I’m getting ahead of myself. After checking in I decided to continue my recently adopted policy of scoring units and so it was a stroll over to Waterloo and a couple of 455s on a round trip to Clapham Junction in the shape of 5718 and 5731 before heading back to the hotel and settling down for the night.
The next day was Sunday and Waterloo station was very quite as I mooched around looking for something to do.
Sadly, there wasn’t a 50 waiting to head to Exeter. I was about 9 years too late for that.
I ended up doing VEP 3545 all the way from Waterloo East to London Bridge and then 465011 into Charing Cross.
I was feeling the need for loco haulage by this time and so it was over to Euston for a Birmingham service, hauled by 86254.
As ever, engineering work meant diesel drags were on, but I only did the one, staying on board the same train I had come from London on and getting my first diesel of the week as 47725 was added to the front at Rugby.
I bailed at Birmingham and did 47769 to Crewe for 86240 back.
Here is 47769 a few years later at the ELR:
47769_2004.07.10_02_Bury by philwood55013, on Flickr
Sadly, the 37/4 turns on the North Wales coast had come to an end in December 2000, so that was another decent overnight option gone.
I could have done it on a 158 but then I could also push pins into my eyes.
Neither appealed very much.
I was therefore heading home for the night.
I did 47853 from New Street to Stafford and 90001 from there to Euston.
It was then a walk over to Kings Cross, one which I still feel could have had a very unfortunate outcome.
As I walked along I noticed two blokes a few feet in front, they kept looking back at me and I became wary.
As we passed St Pancras, one of them peeled off to the right and stood as if he was going to cross Euston Road.
However, once I had passed him, he turned and began to walk behind me.
Now there was one in front and one behind.
The alarm bells in my head were ringing.
I’m a big bloke and can take care of myself but you never know in these sort of situations if someone’s going to pull a knife or something.
I veered left and rushed across the road that runs between St Pancras and Kings Cross, luckily there was no traffic to stop me as the second man was right behind me now. I spotted a police officer stood outside the main entrance and walked straight towards him.
As one, the two men swerved right and carried on down Euston Road, now walking together again.
I could have been mistaken, of course and it was no use speaking to the officer as they hadn’t actually done anything wrong.
Nevertheless, I remain convinced that they had their eye on my bag.
Still, if they had got it they would have gained nothing but my dirty clothing
After my disconcerting experience it was back to the safety of the North and 91019 to Doncaster.
This is 91119 as it later became:
91119_2006.12.09_Leeds by philwood55013, on Flickr
Then it was a HST to Wakefield and my car.
The next day also had an uncomfortable experience, but of a different nature.
I started by driving to Wakefield and catching a HST to Leeds, then it was 158772 over to Manchester.
I left Piccadilly on 86253, which I did to Birmingham International.
Next up was 86229 to Euston.
I was booked on the Aberdeen sleeper because this was now booked to be worked by a 67.
I had only had one at this stage and that had been in a pair with a 66 on a railtour.
So my first solo skip was an important feature of my plan.
I had plenty of time to kill when I arrived in London and so headed North on 87029. Do this to Birmingham and back and I should have time to get some grub and check in to my berth, I thought.
The railway had other ideas.
Between Rugby and Coventry the train came to a stop.
It stayed stopped.
After a while, there was an announcement.
It was a major signal failure and there was nothing moving between here and Birmingham. Oh dear.
I grabbed the timetable out of my bag and began to look for a back-up plan.
The time that I should be leaving New Street came and went. Still we didn’t move.
Unlike the old days, the sleepers didn’t stop at many stations and the only option if I couldn’t make it to London was Crewe.
Suddenly, there was a jerk and the train was on its way.
Backwards.
We trundled South and into the platform at Rugby.
An announcement was made that the train would be going forward via Nuneaton.
Ordinarily this would have been exciting news as I would have visions of a massive freight engine being bolted on the front.
Not today, though.
I needed to make that sleeper.
I could see from the timetable that a Southbound service was due and if it was on time would make it to Euston a good few minutes before the sleeper left. As this had not travelled via Birmingham I figured it should by more or less on time and decided to risk it.
I bailed from 87029 and straight on to 87008, which arrived on time and I slowly relaxed as the miles were eaten up.
This is my saviour :
87008_2004.08.14_1_Crewe by philwood55013, on Flickr
I fully relaxed when I arrived in London and found I had time to stroll to the front of the sleeper and view the loco.
It was 90040.
90040 gave way to 67024 at the Scottish capital and my first solo skip was in the bag.
Here she is some nine years later:
67024_2010.07.31_1_Carlisle by philwood55013, on Flickr
Upon arrival at Aberdeen it was off the train and straight on to the Kings Cross bound HST that was already well filled.
I did this to Edinburgh and then it was 170417 over to Glasgow.
The walk across Glasgow city centre that I had done so often in the past was repeated and I settled down for a good run behind 87010 to Crewe.
47840 “North Star” was next up, hauling me to New Street.
Now, at this point something new came into the equation.
The first of Virgin Cross Country’s new trains had arrived and a daily diagram was running between Reading and Birmingham.
These new trains were called Voyagers and I felt I had to sample one, just to see what the future of rail travel was like.
I did a HST to Leamington Spa and then boarded 220004, which I did to Birmingham.
Now I had seen the future of rail travel and I didn’t much care for it.
Here is an excellent view of 220004. It's excellent because I'm not on board:
DMU 220004_2005.10.04_1_Stafford by philwood55013, on Flickr
The thing about the future is that it isn’t here yet and that meant there were still some locos to be enjoyed and I promised myself that I would make sure I did as many moves as I could before I was put out to pasture on the preserved line circuit.
The pain of Voyager haulage was removed by 87023, which I took from Brum to Milton Keynes.
Then it was 86259 to Euston and the walk to Kings Cross.
This time I had no trouble with possible ne’er do wells and I took 91013 to Wakefield and home.
I was back at Westgate the next morning in order to catch 1V39, the 06.40 York to Bristol. This was powered by 47741 and I took it as far as Birmingham. I then took 87004 to Euston, followed by 87007 to Stafford. 90011 was next, to Nuneaton, 87027 to Milton Keynes and 86254 to Euston.
I had a berth booked on the Night Riviera but had time to do a couple of round trips to Milton Keynes, first with 86229 and 87030, then 87015 and 87018.
As on the previous rover that I’d done with a mate, I wanted to get the Laira 08 in.
This meant booking for the Plymouth portion and so that was where I was headed.
47815 was the overnight power, with winner 08641 doing the shunt.
After doing this move the last time, my mate and I had calculated that the distance involved was approximately 11 chains!
First Great Western actually had a few loco hauled turns around this time; one of these was 1A28 06.30 Plymouth – Paddington and that was my way out of Plymouth today. 47846 “THOR” was enjoyed throughout to London, via Bristol & Swindon, and then it was time to get provisions before heading back, this time via the Berks & Hants route on 1C33 12.33 Paddington – Exeter which had 47832 at the helm.
This was again done throughout and was followed by an XC service worked by 47840 to Penzance.
My previous night’s chariot, 47815 was waiting to take me back up to London on 1A99.
The next day, the 8th of June, was the last day of the rover.
After leaving 47815 and the former Western Region behind I headed to Euston and took 90005 North to Milton Keynes.
I fired straight back to London behind 86229 and then enjoyed EWS liveried 86426 to Birmingham International.
It was then back to Western Region territory with former Scottish region machine 47712 as I went to Oxford.
47747 was then taken to Leamington Spa where, for some reason, I bailed. I can’t remember why, but the next thing I did was a HST to New Street.
The best thing about the HST, I now realised, was that it wasn’t a Voyager.
From Birmingham I did 87023 to Milton Keynes, then 90005 to Rugby. RES liveried 86416 arrived on a Northbound service and I jumped aboard.
I looked at the timetable and worked out that I could do this to Warrington then get something back to Euston in order to make the last Leeds service out of Kings Cross.
Well, I’d had one near disaster on the WCML this week, now it was time for number two.
After leaving Bank Quay on 87018 things went pretty pear shaped.
In a case of déjà vu the train came to a halt and sat and sat.
Apparently, some buffoons had thrown a shopping trolley on to the overhead wires somewhere South us.
Slowly the time required to make the Leeds service disappeared.
I needed an alternative plan.
Time was getting on and we weren’t moving, so I could only plan on the basis of “if we get moving by this time I can bail here for this and if it’s this time I can get off there for that”.
Not a comfortable position to be in.
Eventually the train began to move and I could pin down a solid plan.
Luckily, this service stopped at Tamworth and unless more time was lost I should be able to make the last XC service to Wakefield and Leeds.
I made it, but it was a bit of a nail biting end to my week.
A HST was done from Tamworth to Wakefield and that was that.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
so there you go, sixteen down, eight to go.
I was on my own for this one, but my recording of units had improved considerably.
HSTs were still unrecorded, though.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
My next all-liner came in June 2001 and was just me on my own.
I began on Saturday the 2nd of June by driving to Wakefield and leaving my car in the long stay car park next to Westgate station. Then it was 91107 to Kings Cross.
This was my only loco of the first day.
My tastes were widening and I had begun to seriously do units, especially older ones, as I realised that certain classes might soon disappear for ever without me having sampled them.
Locos would always be priority, of course, but nowadays there was room for both.
First Great Eastern occasional let a proper heritage EMU, in the shape of 306017, out to play and I had found out that it was booked to work three round trips between Liverpool St and Shenfield.
These were service trains and ordinary tickets were valid.
I was very keen to get this in and I decided to combine a bit of 306 thrash with some slightly younger, but still heritage, units by going for some 312 mileage.
From Kings Cross I headed over to Liverpool Street and did 315815 out to Ilford, with my fingers crossed that the 306 would produce.
It did
306017 was hugely enjoyable.
I enjoyed it so much that I stayed on board and did it back out to Romford.
From there it was 315840 to Upminster and my 312 bashing began.
312789 was done into Fenchurch Street, with sister 312783 out to Grays.
The third and final member of the class that I did was 312792 which I took to Upminster for another ride on 315840 over to Romford.
I hoped that I would make the 306 for another run but sadly I was too late, so it was 321352 into Liverpool Street and I was off to my place of residence for the night.
I had booked a room at the former GLC building on the banks of the Thames. This was now a Travel Inn (Now Premier Inn) and I had stayed in it before, so knew what to expect. A pretty flash building that felt like something much posher than what it was.
Not to mention an all you can eat full breakfast.
A mountain of sausages, bacon, eggs, black pudding, mushrooms, etc was not something to be sneezed at and played a big part in my choice of establishment. I haven’t stayed there for a few years now so don’t know if it’s changed, but back then it meant I didn’t need to buy anything else to eat all day.
Anyway, I’m getting ahead of myself. After checking in I decided to continue my recently adopted policy of scoring units and so it was a stroll over to Waterloo and a couple of 455s on a round trip to Clapham Junction in the shape of 5718 and 5731 before heading back to the hotel and settling down for the night.
The next day was Sunday and Waterloo station was very quite as I mooched around looking for something to do.
Sadly, there wasn’t a 50 waiting to head to Exeter. I was about 9 years too late for that.
I ended up doing VEP 3545 all the way from Waterloo East to London Bridge and then 465011 into Charing Cross.
I was feeling the need for loco haulage by this time and so it was over to Euston for a Birmingham service, hauled by 86254.
As ever, engineering work meant diesel drags were on, but I only did the one, staying on board the same train I had come from London on and getting my first diesel of the week as 47725 was added to the front at Rugby.
I bailed at Birmingham and did 47769 to Crewe for 86240 back.
Here is 47769 a few years later at the ELR:
47769_2004.07.10_02_Bury by philwood55013, on FlickrSadly, the 37/4 turns on the North Wales coast had come to an end in December 2000, so that was another decent overnight option gone.
I could have done it on a 158 but then I could also push pins into my eyes.
Neither appealed very much.
I was therefore heading home for the night.
I did 47853 from New Street to Stafford and 90001 from there to Euston.
It was then a walk over to Kings Cross, one which I still feel could have had a very unfortunate outcome.
As I walked along I noticed two blokes a few feet in front, they kept looking back at me and I became wary.
As we passed St Pancras, one of them peeled off to the right and stood as if he was going to cross Euston Road.
However, once I had passed him, he turned and began to walk behind me.
Now there was one in front and one behind.
The alarm bells in my head were ringing.
I’m a big bloke and can take care of myself but you never know in these sort of situations if someone’s going to pull a knife or something.
I veered left and rushed across the road that runs between St Pancras and Kings Cross, luckily there was no traffic to stop me as the second man was right behind me now. I spotted a police officer stood outside the main entrance and walked straight towards him.
As one, the two men swerved right and carried on down Euston Road, now walking together again.
I could have been mistaken, of course and it was no use speaking to the officer as they hadn’t actually done anything wrong.
Nevertheless, I remain convinced that they had their eye on my bag.
Still, if they had got it they would have gained nothing but my dirty clothing
After my disconcerting experience it was back to the safety of the North and 91019 to Doncaster.
This is 91119 as it later became:
91119_2006.12.09_Leeds by philwood55013, on FlickrThen it was a HST to Wakefield and my car.
The next day also had an uncomfortable experience, but of a different nature.
I started by driving to Wakefield and catching a HST to Leeds, then it was 158772 over to Manchester.
I left Piccadilly on 86253, which I did to Birmingham International.
Next up was 86229 to Euston.
I was booked on the Aberdeen sleeper because this was now booked to be worked by a 67.
I had only had one at this stage and that had been in a pair with a 66 on a railtour.
So my first solo skip was an important feature of my plan.
I had plenty of time to kill when I arrived in London and so headed North on 87029. Do this to Birmingham and back and I should have time to get some grub and check in to my berth, I thought.
The railway had other ideas.
Between Rugby and Coventry the train came to a stop.
It stayed stopped.
After a while, there was an announcement.
It was a major signal failure and there was nothing moving between here and Birmingham. Oh dear.
I grabbed the timetable out of my bag and began to look for a back-up plan.
The time that I should be leaving New Street came and went. Still we didn’t move.
Unlike the old days, the sleepers didn’t stop at many stations and the only option if I couldn’t make it to London was Crewe.
Suddenly, there was a jerk and the train was on its way.
Backwards.
We trundled South and into the platform at Rugby.
An announcement was made that the train would be going forward via Nuneaton.
Ordinarily this would have been exciting news as I would have visions of a massive freight engine being bolted on the front.
Not today, though.
I needed to make that sleeper.
I could see from the timetable that a Southbound service was due and if it was on time would make it to Euston a good few minutes before the sleeper left. As this had not travelled via Birmingham I figured it should by more or less on time and decided to risk it.
I bailed from 87029 and straight on to 87008, which arrived on time and I slowly relaxed as the miles were eaten up.
This is my saviour
:
87008_2004.08.14_1_Crewe by philwood55013, on FlickrI fully relaxed when I arrived in London and found I had time to stroll to the front of the sleeper and view the loco.
It was 90040.
90040 gave way to 67024 at the Scottish capital and my first solo skip was in the bag.
Here she is some nine years later:
67024_2010.07.31_1_Carlisle by philwood55013, on FlickrUpon arrival at Aberdeen it was off the train and straight on to the Kings Cross bound HST that was already well filled.
I did this to Edinburgh and then it was 170417 over to Glasgow.
The walk across Glasgow city centre that I had done so often in the past was repeated and I settled down for a good run behind 87010 to Crewe.
47840 “North Star” was next up, hauling me to New Street.
Now, at this point something new came into the equation.
The first of Virgin Cross Country’s new trains had arrived and a daily diagram was running between Reading and Birmingham.
These new trains were called Voyagers and I felt I had to sample one, just to see what the future of rail travel was like.
I did a HST to Leamington Spa and then boarded 220004, which I did to Birmingham.
Now I had seen the future of rail travel and I didn’t much care for it.
Here is an excellent view of 220004. It's excellent because I'm not on board:
DMU 220004_2005.10.04_1_Stafford by philwood55013, on FlickrThe thing about the future is that it isn’t here yet and that meant there were still some locos to be enjoyed and I promised myself that I would make sure I did as many moves as I could before I was put out to pasture on the preserved line circuit.
The pain of Voyager haulage was removed by 87023, which I took from Brum to Milton Keynes.
Then it was 86259 to Euston and the walk to Kings Cross.
This time I had no trouble with possible ne’er do wells and I took 91013 to Wakefield and home.
I was back at Westgate the next morning in order to catch 1V39, the 06.40 York to Bristol. This was powered by 47741 and I took it as far as Birmingham. I then took 87004 to Euston, followed by 87007 to Stafford. 90011 was next, to Nuneaton, 87027 to Milton Keynes and 86254 to Euston.
I had a berth booked on the Night Riviera but had time to do a couple of round trips to Milton Keynes, first with 86229 and 87030, then 87015 and 87018.
As on the previous rover that I’d done with a mate, I wanted to get the Laira 08 in.
This meant booking for the Plymouth portion and so that was where I was headed.
47815 was the overnight power, with winner 08641 doing the shunt.
After doing this move the last time, my mate and I had calculated that the distance involved was approximately 11 chains!
First Great Western actually had a few loco hauled turns around this time; one of these was 1A28 06.30 Plymouth – Paddington and that was my way out of Plymouth today. 47846 “THOR” was enjoyed throughout to London, via Bristol & Swindon, and then it was time to get provisions before heading back, this time via the Berks & Hants route on 1C33 12.33 Paddington – Exeter which had 47832 at the helm.
This was again done throughout and was followed by an XC service worked by 47840 to Penzance.
My previous night’s chariot, 47815 was waiting to take me back up to London on 1A99.
The next day, the 8th of June, was the last day of the rover.
After leaving 47815 and the former Western Region behind I headed to Euston and took 90005 North to Milton Keynes.
I fired straight back to London behind 86229 and then enjoyed EWS liveried 86426 to Birmingham International.
It was then back to Western Region territory with former Scottish region machine 47712 as I went to Oxford.
47747 was then taken to Leamington Spa where, for some reason, I bailed. I can’t remember why, but the next thing I did was a HST to New Street.
The best thing about the HST, I now realised, was that it wasn’t a Voyager.
From Birmingham I did 87023 to Milton Keynes, then 90005 to Rugby. RES liveried 86416 arrived on a Northbound service and I jumped aboard.
I looked at the timetable and worked out that I could do this to Warrington then get something back to Euston in order to make the last Leeds service out of Kings Cross.
Well, I’d had one near disaster on the WCML this week, now it was time for number two.
After leaving Bank Quay on 87018 things went pretty pear shaped.
In a case of déjà vu the train came to a halt and sat and sat.
Apparently, some buffoons had thrown a shopping trolley on to the overhead wires somewhere South us.
Slowly the time required to make the Leeds service disappeared.
I needed an alternative plan.
Time was getting on and we weren’t moving, so I could only plan on the basis of “if we get moving by this time I can bail here for this and if it’s this time I can get off there for that”.
Not a comfortable position to be in.
Eventually the train began to move and I could pin down a solid plan.
Luckily, this service stopped at Tamworth and unless more time was lost I should be able to make the last XC service to Wakefield and Leeds.
I made it, but it was a bit of a nail biting end to my week.
A HST was done from Tamworth to Wakefield and that was that.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
so there you go, sixteen down, eight to go.
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