There's a reasonable chippie outside Dorridge station if you find yourself in that part of the world again and needing sustenance.
I saw that after departing towards Solihull, so it was a long walk to Soli town centre to grab something.
---
Enforced change at Banbury is due to my gold card, not valid on XC north of Banbury.
----
I need to get to Nottingham to finish doing the Nottingham tram network, plus the extensions when they open
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
4th May The Buxton & Cheshire Explorer Railtour
A little bank holiday Monday trip to Buxton, my first Pathfinders tour since the trip to Carlisle via the S&C behind 70002 last June, blimey has it really been that long. Anyhow, the timings got brought forward due to having to go a different route than planned, so alarm set for a 4:15 start, for a lovely early morning drive to Basingstoke, arriving around 5:00, taking the road nice and steady, and to P4. With the lift replacement works currently at Basingstoke, the side entrance on P4/5 is open for longer hours, so it was faster getting onto the platform, where the staff and a few other passengers were waiting.
Lights were spotted in the distance and to the staff surprise
66150 rolled in, with 8 coaches and
66165 behind, onto platform 3, so it was a shift down the stairs and up to the island to board. Setting off on time at 05:25, it was nice and warm inside, maybe too hot as soon the heating got turned off and windows opened. I was in coach B, next to the door sitting backwards on departure and another aisle seat. Busy service around the table, and the train set off towards Reading West, taking the curve underneath the viaduct and stopping at Tilehurst, Didcot, Swindon before going on the Golden Valley to Kemble, Stroud, Stonehouse. A brief wait at the junction to allow a XC service to storm pass and stopping at Cheltenham Spa and finally Worchester Shrub Hill, no more calling points and the service departed towards Droitwich, taking the Bromsgrove line, and following the route of Technis Hereford services (Kings Norton University), taking New Street non-stop (although we did stop in the station for a red signal).
Out of New Street, passing Aston, then around towards Walsall and onto the Chase Line up towards Rugeley Trent Valley, getting the curve linking the Chase line to the WCML, lesser used by passenger services since the services got cut back from Stafford. Up towards Stone via the Colwich line, with a brief wait in a goods loop outside Stoke (arrived 5 or so minutes early, so had to wait for an EMT service to clear the station). Pausing briefly at Stoke to change staff, and again at Macclesfield to change driver, and out towards Stockport, going through the station and onto the Denton line, where the service reversed and went back out via Stockport to the Buxton line for an enjoyable climb into the hills. Arrival into Buxton and with a brief break before the tour set off again on the optional trip on the former Ashbourne Line to Hindlow.
Quite a few passengers joined who were just doing the branch line (or wanted to get either 66 into the book), so it was out to the sidings for a lengthy break of 45 minutes so that water could be taken on, bit boring that bit, but soon it set off again down towards Briggs Sidings, passing over the viaduct which overlooks Buxton, and climbing towards the quarry, nice peaceful line with good views of the countryside, pausing briefly before carrying on into the quarry area itself, at 1267 ft above sea level, quite high up. Reversing back down towards Buxton with another reversal into the sidings for an 80 minute break at Buxton itself, just enough time to have a look around and get supplies from Co-Op for the trip home.
Back onto the train at Buxton and away again, back into the sidings and out for the final reversal (with 165 leading, and me going forward, glorious 66 noises), around the Peak Forest quarry area, which again the route is quite beautiful in parts, both with the rocks and the countryside. Into industrial area with several other 60s & 66s around, and out, taking the curve towards Chinley West (new track as I had previously covered the curve towards Chinley East a couple months ago on a UK railtour to Buxton), and out onto the Hope Valley line (after a brief wait for a TPE to pass). Storming along the Hope Valley line and through Disley Tunnel, the regular passenger line leading to go down to Hazel Grove, and onto the red track towards the mid-cheshire line, joining at Northanden Junction.
Down the Mid Cheshire line, passing Navigation Road, stopping briefly at Altrincham & Ashley, passing many expensive looking houses, before reaching industrial area at Northwich, taking the curve behind Northwich station and onto the Northwich to Sandbach Branch of the former London & North Western railways, closed to passengers around 1960, a single track with a passing loop around the site of Middlewich (lovely Wheres the station? sign on the fence), but slow, a passenger on the table opposite had a sat nav and the average speed was 18 mph. Brief wait under the wires before joining the Crewe Manchester line at Sandbach, and down to Crewe for a driver change, before setting off again down the main WCML to Stafford and taking the curve at Rugeley to rejoin the outward leg.
This time Birmingham New Street was passed without stopping (although not the first non-stop New Street run for me), darkness had fallen, the rain had started, so it was time for a rest. Arrival into Basingstoke was a few minutes down at 00:50, where it must have rained a lot during the day as the roads were very wet. Arrival home around 01:40 so an enjoyable but rather long day, which will probably be repeated next bank holiday Monday as Im on the Pathfinder from Salisbury to Liverpool
Anyway, pictures:
66165 at the rear of the train at Basingstoke
66150 at the front at Basingstoke
The mouth of Hell, otherwise known as Birmingham New Street
A random tree on the Hindlow branch
Countryside:
Hindlow quarry:
Buxton from the viaduct:
156482 & 66165 next to each other at Buxton
Joining the Mid Cheshire Line, after waiting for a 142 to clear the line
The end of a busy day
-------
6th May A quick mid-week trip to London
Due to being invited to a meeting in my companys HQ building in London, I had the chance of a quick evening peak bash. Quick hop on the 10:59 departure from Grateley towards Woking getting 159108 in the book for the first time of 2015, where I did some waiting, pair of 450s from Alton were dud, so was a service from Portsmouth, next pair of 450s from Basingstoke were dud and so was the 455s on a Woking stopper, so I decided to jump onto 444036 for a quick trip to Clapham.
Across to P10 to see what 455s were around and the first service was winner
455734, and I was in luck, it was a triple set, with
456017 in the middle and
456019 behind, my first pair of red 456s (and 2nd trip on 456s overall after a trip from Guildford to Ascot last year), seemed nice inside, seats bit close together. Jumping off at Vauxhall and pretty much straight onto winner
455847 leading dud 455718 back out to Clapham. Across to P10 again and after a pair of duds, dud 455736 arrived with winner
455705 in tow, which I took for another trip to Vauxhall. Exiting the station to get lunch (with the gateline assistant allowing me back in), I jumped onto duds 458530/458531 into Waterloo, my brief time had ended.
Northern line (6 minute wait for a northbound service felt quite long) to Leicester Square, then Piccadilly to Holborn for my meeting, a couple hours later the central line took me to Liverpool Street, with an idea to clear the shacks between Cheshunt & Tottenham Hale, especially Angel Road. First service towards Tottenham Hale was in the hands of a Stansted Express branded service formed of winners
379026 &
379014, hopping off at Tottenham Hale after forming a brief plan using the free wifi on board.
Next service was from Stratford, winner
317672 taking me to
Enfield Lock, a couple fare dodgers got caught out, probably managed to get into Stratford from one of the stations on the Shenfield line which lack barriers. First plan was to catch a service to Cheshunt to make a 4 minute connection, it was a winner, but when it just sat at Enfield Lock for a few minutes, I ditched it, good job as it didnt depart for another couple minutes, by which time it was around 7 minutes down. Winners
317650 &
317515 took me the short 4 mile distance to the 2nd least used station in London (according to Wikipedia), with a limited peak-time only service,
Angel Road. North circular to the south (which at this time was pretty much at a standstill), scrap yard to the west, industrial area with a busy road to the east, the only way in and out the station is along a footpath and climb up to another road to the south. Add to this that it had started raining again, I got a bit wet waiting for
317669 to show up.
Taking me to
Waltham Cross, before anybody asks yes I did have a zone 1-9 card, with
317657 &
317664 running fast to
Northumberland Park, the Victoria line depot on one side, and yes there was hardly any 2009 stock in the depot. Another brief wait before fresh duds 317515/317650 returned from Stratford to take me to Cheshunt, running a bit late due to congestion. Across the bridge at Cheshunt with a wait before watching a triple 379 on a Cambridge service rush pass (something to note in mind for a 379 hunt as they stop at Tottenham Hale). Winner
317506 arrived with dud (my first dud 317 of the day, apart from the repeated pair) 317508 taking me down the line to
Ponders End
Brief connection here, made longer with the service being delayed, and it arrived, rather busy
317649 &
317886, with some school kids managing to get into the drivers cab of 886 and decided to play with the horn for the short trip to
Brimsdown, my final station along the route, the driver got out and I guess when down to the rear unit to secure it and to kick the remaining kids out. 20 minute gap before the next southbound, so I headed across to the McDonalds to redeem a free drink voucher, just to get rid of it, and back to the station. The next southbound service had been cancelled, the next northbound service was running a bit late, although the PIS kept on saying Please Stand Back from the Please Stand Back from the, even though no trains were due to rush through. Eventually winners
317503 &
317881 arrived to take me to Cheshunt, not as busy as the previous service as this was a Broxbourne terminator.
Bit of a wait at Cheshunt before the next service down the Seven Sisters line arrived, both duds in the shape of 315844 & 315805 taking me to
Theobalds Grove, mainly to get it out of the way as the other stations on that line (from Turkey Street) are within zones 1-6, where Theobalds Grove is in zone 7 (or 8?). Back to Cheshunt on dud 315825 leading winner
315849, and a dash across the platform with dud 317514 leading winner
317892, the set I jumped on at Enfield Lock and ditched earlier, back to Tottenham Hale. Quick dash to the Victoria line for a Victoria line service to Victoria, and jumping on the first Southern service out managed to score me
455819 to Clapham. Timetabled to give a 2 minute connection with the 20:20 from Waterloo to Exeter, arrived into Clapham a minute down, so it was a run, down to the subway, and to P9 jumping on the Exeter train (formed of 159007 & 159104) just as the doors started to close. Tight connection by far, but I made it without an hour to wait for the next Salisbury service.
One interesting thing is that the line from Tottenham Hale to Cheshunt is quite busy, no wonder why the stoppers have to alternate stops.
Anyhows:
317887 on the rear of another 317 rushing pass Angel Road
317657/317664 departing Northumberland Park
An unknown 317 set passing 379006 at Northumberland Park
Sunny at Theobalds Grove, storm clouds are building
). Winner 321901 rolled in to take me the short distance to my first new station of the day at Sandal & Agbrigg, the connection at Fitzwilliam is tight (1 minute), however I probably could have made it as an XC service was running late, and hence the Doncaster Leeds service was delayed by around 4 minutes. Anyhow Sandal & Agbrigg, couple platforms on top of a bridge, a station where you have to exit via a long ramp to a road, go underneath a bridge along a narrow platform and up another ramp to the Leeds bound platform, which has a ticket machine in a little bus shelter. Winner 322484 rolled in, still with First scot-rail safety information stickers on the windows (with First blacked out), taking me back to Wakefield Westgate.
hock:
