jnjkerbin
Member
So, after much procrastinating, I finally got round to booking my first proper day out of the year. After a bit of consideration, I opted for a Southern Daysave, with the hope of maybe clearing the bits of Southerns network that you cant reach by a travelcard. This meant doing Uckfield, Seaford, Littlehampton and Bognor Regis and a number of other bits here and there. Despite having some sort of plan about a week ahead, I did my usual thing of completely changing it the night before, which meant a longer day, but getting everything I wanted to do done.
My alarm went off at 0700 and so I was out of the house at about 0750 for the 25 minute walk to Sevenoaks station. On my way, I was surprised how quiet the roads were and I reached the station with ten minutes to spare. A return to London purchased, it was time to see what was on the 0823 to Victoria. 375815 and 375811 (both dud) roll in a minute late, and I get a seat near the front as I know Ive got a tight connection at the other end. The train is also fairly quiet and at Petts Wood, we take the fast loop to join the Victoria Line. According to my spreadsheet, I havent used that bit of track since October 2013, hardly surprising since it only really gets used during engineering works. After a call at Bromley South, we take the Catford Loop and at Catford we hit the double yellows we appear to be following a Thameslink service, and sure enough, when we eventually stop outside Denmark Hill, I see a 319 in the platform ahead. As we pass Cambria Junction, a trio of Networkers overtake us on the Atlantic Lines and we race them all the way to Victoria.
Im expecting a +9 at Victoria and a RT arrival means a leisurely walk over to platform 16 to join the 0916 to Littlehampton. Unsurprisingly, the Daysave ticket doesnt work the barriers. Formed of 3 377s, I join the front one, 377132, with 377160 and 377152 forming the Eastbourne Portion. We leave Victoria on time and at Clapham Junction, Im surprised to hear a diesel engine somewhere. Sure enough, a FGW HST rumbles through Id completely forgotten about those diversions, somewhat worryingly since Im booked to travel on one on Monday! Leaving Clapham, a trolley comes through yes, a trolley! Id forgotten they existed since they disappeared from Southeastern services. Passing Purley and its concrete tower designed to look like a signal box, I turn my mind to where weve got to stop and cripes! It feels like the journey through to Littlehampton is going to go very slowly. The journey onwards towards the coast is fairly fast and unremarkable and at Preston Park, I scratch the first new track of the day the curve round to Hove.
The train gets busier from Hove onwards with lots of people coming and going. After seeing a family who look like theyve stepped out of the 80s, we pass through Goring and Durrington on Sea, which both appear as attractive as their names suggest and reach Littlehampton at 1057, scratching the branch off my to-do list. The next train to Bognor isnt until 1111, so I opt for a quick look round and it appears from first impressions that Littlehampton is one of those places that a tourist office would describe as an areas best kept secret or as being unconventionally attractive. Oh, and my ticket doesnt work the barriers here either! Back to the station, still fitted out with semaphore signals and onto 377148 (required) which is forming the train to Bognor. The train is fairly quiet until Barnham where it really fills up. Leaving Barnham, I site the white peaks of a Butlins and soon we arrive in Bognor Regis. The plan now is to head to Seaford via Haywards Heath, so the next train is the 1139 and so after briefly surmising that Bognor gives a good impression of being slightly less unpleasant than Littlehampton, its back onto 377148 to head for Barnham. As I get on, I notice the board mentioning delays around Haywards Heath, so I check on my phone to see if my planned connection at Gatwick is running. It appears to still be stuck at Haywards Heath on its way up, although they havent cancelled its return trip yet so I carry on. Arrival at Barnham is at 1146, giving me 3 minutes to cross to the Up platform to grab 377449 arriving from Portsmouth.
As we run along the Arun Valley, I think back to the last time I travelled this way, more than a year ago now. I seem to remember it was the last weekend before the resignalling. Today however, were signalled with LED signals although I dont see a lot of these as Im too busy trying to plan connections using Thameslink services. At Horsham we join 377138, yet another winner, and I see on RTT that my expected connection is running after all it appears theyve nicked a set from the Bognor and Portsmouth runs. Arrival at Gatwick is 1 minute late and so its over to platform 7 to wait for the 1249 to Lewes. After managing to get lost between platform 1 and an especially windy platform 7 I eventually get there and see the train is 4 minutes down. Whilst Im waiting a group of men in denim and flares come onto the platform. So weve had 80s, 70s I wonder whatll come next. Whilst I wait, I hear an announcement that FGW services to Reading are starting from Redhill, due to being low on fuel as a result of the Reading works. Eventually 377131 and 377127 arrive (again both winners) and I board a busy rear unit to head for Lewes
Well thats all Ive got time for at the moment. Ill try and do the rest tomorrow morning before I head to Somerset for the week, but otherwise Ill get it done next weekend.
My alarm went off at 0700 and so I was out of the house at about 0750 for the 25 minute walk to Sevenoaks station. On my way, I was surprised how quiet the roads were and I reached the station with ten minutes to spare. A return to London purchased, it was time to see what was on the 0823 to Victoria. 375815 and 375811 (both dud) roll in a minute late, and I get a seat near the front as I know Ive got a tight connection at the other end. The train is also fairly quiet and at Petts Wood, we take the fast loop to join the Victoria Line. According to my spreadsheet, I havent used that bit of track since October 2013, hardly surprising since it only really gets used during engineering works. After a call at Bromley South, we take the Catford Loop and at Catford we hit the double yellows we appear to be following a Thameslink service, and sure enough, when we eventually stop outside Denmark Hill, I see a 319 in the platform ahead. As we pass Cambria Junction, a trio of Networkers overtake us on the Atlantic Lines and we race them all the way to Victoria.
Im expecting a +9 at Victoria and a RT arrival means a leisurely walk over to platform 16 to join the 0916 to Littlehampton. Unsurprisingly, the Daysave ticket doesnt work the barriers. Formed of 3 377s, I join the front one, 377132, with 377160 and 377152 forming the Eastbourne Portion. We leave Victoria on time and at Clapham Junction, Im surprised to hear a diesel engine somewhere. Sure enough, a FGW HST rumbles through Id completely forgotten about those diversions, somewhat worryingly since Im booked to travel on one on Monday! Leaving Clapham, a trolley comes through yes, a trolley! Id forgotten they existed since they disappeared from Southeastern services. Passing Purley and its concrete tower designed to look like a signal box, I turn my mind to where weve got to stop and cripes! It feels like the journey through to Littlehampton is going to go very slowly. The journey onwards towards the coast is fairly fast and unremarkable and at Preston Park, I scratch the first new track of the day the curve round to Hove.
The train gets busier from Hove onwards with lots of people coming and going. After seeing a family who look like theyve stepped out of the 80s, we pass through Goring and Durrington on Sea, which both appear as attractive as their names suggest and reach Littlehampton at 1057, scratching the branch off my to-do list. The next train to Bognor isnt until 1111, so I opt for a quick look round and it appears from first impressions that Littlehampton is one of those places that a tourist office would describe as an areas best kept secret or as being unconventionally attractive. Oh, and my ticket doesnt work the barriers here either! Back to the station, still fitted out with semaphore signals and onto 377148 (required) which is forming the train to Bognor. The train is fairly quiet until Barnham where it really fills up. Leaving Barnham, I site the white peaks of a Butlins and soon we arrive in Bognor Regis. The plan now is to head to Seaford via Haywards Heath, so the next train is the 1139 and so after briefly surmising that Bognor gives a good impression of being slightly less unpleasant than Littlehampton, its back onto 377148 to head for Barnham. As I get on, I notice the board mentioning delays around Haywards Heath, so I check on my phone to see if my planned connection at Gatwick is running. It appears to still be stuck at Haywards Heath on its way up, although they havent cancelled its return trip yet so I carry on. Arrival at Barnham is at 1146, giving me 3 minutes to cross to the Up platform to grab 377449 arriving from Portsmouth.
As we run along the Arun Valley, I think back to the last time I travelled this way, more than a year ago now. I seem to remember it was the last weekend before the resignalling. Today however, were signalled with LED signals although I dont see a lot of these as Im too busy trying to plan connections using Thameslink services. At Horsham we join 377138, yet another winner, and I see on RTT that my expected connection is running after all it appears theyve nicked a set from the Bognor and Portsmouth runs. Arrival at Gatwick is 1 minute late and so its over to platform 7 to wait for the 1249 to Lewes. After managing to get lost between platform 1 and an especially windy platform 7 I eventually get there and see the train is 4 minutes down. Whilst Im waiting a group of men in denim and flares come onto the platform. So weve had 80s, 70s I wonder whatll come next. Whilst I wait, I hear an announcement that FGW services to Reading are starting from Redhill, due to being low on fuel as a result of the Reading works. Eventually 377131 and 377127 arrive (again both winners) and I board a busy rear unit to head for Lewes
Well thats all Ive got time for at the moment. Ill try and do the rest tomorrow morning before I head to Somerset for the week, but otherwise Ill get it done next weekend.
