22nd May A Trip on the Great Northern Electrics
The aim of todays little Friday trip was to visit the many shacks on the Great Northern network which are within the London Zones, mainly on the Hertford loop plus the couple on the main-line. After a nice little walk to the station to jump onto the Waterloo bound service, today formed of 159002 for the gentle run into Waterloo, clearing this particular unit for 1000 miles (my 1st cleared for the magic 1000). I had noticed a few mini red devils (456s) floating around on the run into Waterloo so with catching the first thing back out to Vauxhall (duds 455728/455726) to see if I can get some additional 455/456s in the bag.
First back into Waterloo was dud 455848 leading winner
455901, with the next departure a 456-456-455 set, with winners
456020 & 456004 leading dud 455731, back to Vauxhall. Next up back to Waterloo was dud 455904 leading winner
455855, and a quick dash as the next departure was another trio, lead by dud 455701 with winner
456024 in the middle and dud 456019 at the back. Again to Vauxhall and a quick hop across to dud 455874 leading winner
455740 back to Waterloo. The next 4 main-line suburbans were all duds at this point so I went across to the Windsor lines, with a choice. The next departure was winner
455729 with dud 455737 behind it, which I took to Vauxhall. Quite a productive hour with 4 more 455s (11 left) and 3 more 456s (17 left) ticked off in my book.
A Victoria line service took me to Kings Cross St Pancras, where the next service towards Finsbury Park was in the hands of a trio of dud 365s, 365532/365539/365506; I could have waited around for the next service, but decided to just jump on board, shacks were waiting. At Finsbury Park, I couldnt help noticing the remains of a former platform to the side of P7/P8 island, the next 313s were heading up the main-line so I was going to give it a miss, until I saw what was on it, my last GN 313.
313030 with 313033 took me to Alexander Palace (running fast), where I couldnt get RTT to work to give me a plan. The Hertford loop has a mix of semi-fasts and stoppers in the peaks, so some of the stations are missed (i.e. Crews Hill, Palmers Green, Grange Park). Annoyingly the next couple departures to the loop ran fast from Finsbury, so it was back to Finsbury on 313043/313026, before jumping on 313041/313064 to
Winchmore Hill, my first new shack of the evening.
313048/313059 was running a bit late which was good as it allowed me to get an unexpected shack in the form of
Palmers Green, before the next service from Gordon Hill arrived in the shape of 313048/313059 (at least building up the miles which previously were at bus-stop levels) to take me to the island platform at
Bowes Park. 313134/313052 were next to take me back up the loop to
Gordon Hill, where a service was waiting in the bay (looking at the track, I doubt much has gone north from platform 1 in many years (if it is still even connected), and was there once another track to the side of P3?
313054/313032 was in the bay which took me to
Grange Park, which is one of the stations where to get to the other platform needs a walk via the moon, but I had a few minutes which was tight. Next up was 313063/313044 taking me to the boundary of zone 6 at
Crews Hill. What a strange station to finish the boundary at, seems to be in the middle of nowhere, but I had a little wait of 15 minutes before the next service back down south, with 313051 leading 313037 back down to the final station on the loop at
Enfield Chase.
I could either wait 20 minutes for the next service south, get on a bus or walk to Enfield Town, or get on a bus (thanks to Google Maps) to New Barnet. After a quick stop to grab some food from the little Tesco Express, a double decker bus on route 307 took me to
New Barnet, where sadly due to the bus running late and with me heading in the wrong direction meant I missed a service at New Barnet, and with the frequency dropping to half-hourly decided to give Hadley Wood a miss and 15 minutes (or so) later, with going deaf by announcements that the next train at the gated P2/P3 will not stop, 313040/313050 took me back to Finsbury Park. Next Kings Cross service was a pair of dud 317s, so I decided to give them a miss and head down to the Victoria line for a nice little run to Oxford Circus, and Bakerloo to Waterloo. Arriving 15 or so minutes before the 21:20 departure to Yeovil Junction, and there wasnt a lot happening departure wise. Decided foolishly to jump on duds 455740/455874 (yep same pair as earlier) to Clapham Junction, with 159107/159101 being the pair to take me back to Grateley.
Mission mostly complete, 313030 rolling up was a bonus to clear my GN 313s.
23rd May A 458/0 to Poole
A slightly strange railtour today, taking a pair of 458 Juniper units down to Poole via Haslemere, to say farewell before they are converted to 458/5s. With free travel to London on SWT, I confused the guard on 159006 (5:59 departure), which I took all the way to Waterloo. I had an hour and a bit to spare before the tour departed at 9:00. First service I spotted which was heading out was a pair of 450s to Alton, which called at Clapham (technically only to pick-up) & Surbiton.
Winner
450027 was leading winner
450109, a double winning 450 set, quite rare with my numbers of required 450s decreasing. Took me to Clapham Junction, where I must say I had terrible luck with any required units, 377s were duds, 455s were duds, 378s were duds, although I kept moving which probably didnt help things. Next service which I caught was dud 450544 leading winner
450022 on another Alton service (shows how long I wasted) taking me to the edge of the zones at Surbiton.
I had a couple options, either a single dud 455 on a semi-fast, or waiting for a pair of units from Basingstoke which ran fast to Waterloo. Deciding to give the dud a miss, and was rewarded with duds 450563 & 450022 on the run to Waterloo. The tour train was on the platform, so after a quick visit to Tesco & Sainsburys on Waterloo Road to pick up some supplies & a newspaper, headed to P5 to board 458014/458006 which were the two 458/0s going on tour today.
I had treated myself to First Class, and was lucky to grab a table seat in the leading coach of 014, giving my phone a quick charge using the power socket. Nice enough trip from Waterloo, picking up at Clapham Junction before running out towards Surbiton. The bogie of 8014 was making a lot of noise, coming off the main-line after Surbiton and onto the Guildford new line and onto Guildford, pausing for a couple minutes for a driver change and down to Haslemere going into the middle platform for a brief pause of around 10 minutes for the first reversal of the day and for the first photo chance.
Departure was on time (after 450014/450041 arrived & departed, chance of a photo missed if 450014 was on the rear, 450014/458014 next to each other), next calling point was Aldershot, and with a nice non-stop run through Guildford and onto the North Downs line coming off at Aldershot junction, passing a lovely pair of green 456s and into Aldershot. Another brief wait (timetable to allow a service from Alton to Waterloo to go in front I would imagine), for another photo call (although are 458s rare in Aldershot, didnt they used to do the Ascot Guildford services?)
Rolling back towards London now, passing Ash Vale with the Ascot line going off to the left, and over the SWML and down into Woking for the final reversal of the outward leg. First time departing from P1 heading in the down direction for me (which just leaves P6 to try and get in the down direction, doable from the first service from Salisbury with a 2 minute connection), going onto the slows and getting up to speed for a nice run to Basingstoke for a brief pause (driver change?) before setting off towards Winchester. Non-stop through Winchester and slowed down as it was caught behind a delayed freight service. The service paused briefly at Southampton P2 before setting off towards Bournemouth, being delayed now so the wait at Brockenhurst would be reduced to 10 minutes, to allow a Weymouth train to go in front. Nice little run down towards Bournemouth, pausing outside the station to allow the Weymouth service to split and the rear unit going to the siding.
Very brief wait at Bournemouth where passengers had the option to alight and head into Bournemouth, or stay on until
Poole, which we arrived in on the up platform, 10 or so minutes later than expected, but still with enough time to visit some shops, and grab some supplies (and enjoy the sunshine).
Back to the station an hour or so later, and back on board with several announcements that this was a private charter train and the train to London would arrive afterwards, and departed to pick passengers up at Bournemouth (where a double 220 departed from the other platform heading to Manchester, although looked like the rear unit was out of use). Another brief pause at Brockenhurst to pick up the few passengers who alighted earlier, which was the final stop. Nice non-stop run via Southampton Central, getting up to the top speed of the 458s at 90mph a couple times along the line, flying through Winchester before slowing (caught up with the Manchester XC).
Back up to speed, crossing over into the Up Fast to the west of Basingstoke and going non-stop Basingstoke (happy days), crossing into the Up Slow line for another high speed run towards London. A passenger on the opposite table had a GPS speed app on his phone, and had it as going through Woking P1 at 85 mph, Ive done that sort of speed on the Up Fast (XX:35 from Basingstoke which calls only at Clapham & Waterloo), but not on the Up Slow. However we had caught up with a Woking Waterloo service, so we slowed down, (cant remember if we actually stopped) before setting off at Wimbledon, heading left onto the district line, passing the back of Wimbledon depot, and onto East Putney.
It was nice doing Point Pleasant in the day-light, to see the old flyover, and track the other side of the Windsor line, and East Putney in the daylight. A brief pause to allow a 455 to pass before heading towards Clapham, where passengers alighted, and finally towards Waterloo, heading in the reversal line (P1 at Queenstown Road/Vauxhall), and rolling into the former Waterloo International side at P20.
Arrival was pretty much on time which gave me a couple options, so I decided to aim towards the Upminster/Romford line and also the Greenford line, to clear those shacks which cant be done on Sundays. Down to the Jubilee line and onto a service towards West Ham, the district line was closed so the C2C platform was quite busy, and in rolled
357034 &
357226 to take me towards Upminster. Making use of the toilets, I couldnt help noticing the ancient London Connections map on 226. Not as old as the maps on the London Midland 321s, but still the date was December 2008. It still had the old Thameslink service to Moorgate on.
Anyhow into Upminster, where I crossed to P6 to board the One operated service to Romford, today formed of dud 317515, which I took to the only intermediate station on the line at
Emerson Park. I had a couple options, either wait 10 or so minutes for 317515 to roll back in to take me back to Upminster to C2C it back towards Central London, wait a bit longer to Romford to AGA it into London, or catch a bus to Romford station.
A Single decker Stagecoach bus on route 165 took me to Romford station, where again I had a couple choices, either a stopper to Liverpool Street or a delayed fast service, RTT was suggesting both would arrive around the same time. My mind was made up to see what was on the stopper, and if duds wait for the delayed service from Colchester and catch that towards Liverpool Street. When winner
315841 rolled in, with new super-dud 315821, I decided to take that towards Liverpool Street. Deciding not to alight at Stratford and straight into the station and down to the SSL to jump on a Circle line service towards Paddington, which due to engineering works, the circle line was being a circle and after Edgeware road, carried on towards Paddington, not the usual P15, but instead the Praed Street platforms.
I had a quick look to see what unit was on an Oxford stopper (dud 165), before my eyes was caught on a certain 360 on Heathrow Connect duties, 15 minutes to spare before the next Greenford which gave me an idea as I boarded 360205 (the one with the nice 2+2 seating which is normally found running backwards and forward between T123 & T4, and strangely no bins) out to West Ealing. Google Maps suggested it would take around 14 minutes to walk to
Drayton Green, along a road and across a path. I did it in about 10 minutes, enough time to see what the other unit was on Greenford duties (another dud 165).
A few minutes later dud 165124 rolled into Drayton Green to take me up the line to
South Greenford, and in the time it took to come back, I had a plan, walk from Castle Bar Park to West Ealing to try and catch the Heathrow Connect back to Paddington to give me 25 minutes to get back to Waterloo. So I alighted from 165124 at
Castle Bar Park and walked the mile back towards West Ealing. I was happy the Greenford branch is covered, and when I arrived back at West Ealing with a good 5 minutes to spare before the return of 360205, I was extra happy.
Rolling into P12 (and remembering the best door is the 3rd car as it lines up with the gateline), I rushed to the Bakerloo platforms to board a Bakerloo service to Waterloo. Arrival at Waterloo was at 21:10, which gave me time to get some food from WH Smiths, and to board 159016 for the trip back to Grateley. A nice day, interesting rail-tour down to Poole and some shack attacking in the evening.
Anyhow some pretty pictures:
Getting ready to depart:
Haslemere
Aldershot:
Somewhere
Broceknhurst
450071 on branch line duties:
Bournemouth:
Poole:
444039 approaching Poole station
Poole (again)
Waterloo international:
How long will this sign last under LOROL?
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24th May A completely random day in London
Random as in I had no real plans of any sort, couple ideas to shack attack the Thameslink stations within the zones and also Hadley Wood, plus get up towards Watford to do Coxley & Chorleywood when on a 1-9 Travel-card, but apart from that no real ideas.
Nice little drive to Andover, and to the platform to board a busy 159013 for a straight run into Waterloo, pausing briefly as the slow lines were closed, so arrival was around 5 minutes down. To the underground and I got lucky with a Bakerloo which ran to Harrow & Wealdstone, the next 2 services were listed as Queens Park terminators, and after 30 minutes of bouncing around, the service arrived into Willesden Junction around 8:55.
Across to P1, where the next Stratford bound service was starting from, 378216 rolled into the P2 bay which the member of staff through was going to be the Stratford bound service, but was incorrect when 378220 rolled into P1. Jumping on board, and with RTT open to see where to alight (and seeing nothing heading back towards Willesden for a good 30 minutes, so decided to alight at West Hampstead. The service departed from P1, went around the curve linking the low-level platforms to the North London Line, a PSUL movement, which is new track, pausing briefly to change from DC to AC, and carrying on along the NLL (which just leaves the curve from the NLL towards the WCML heading north, plus the peak 172 special which avoids Gospel Oak and heads onto the NLL).
Alighting at West Hampstead and walking to West Hampstead Thameslink, my eye was drawn to the next Bedford bound service which was forming a stopper. Winner
387125 was leading dud 387126, which took me to my 1st new station of the day at
Elstree & Borehamwood, the fast line platforms were being used this morning. A brief 15 minute wait before the next southbound service rolled in formed of 319439 taking me back south towards
Mill Hill Broadway. Crossing over to the northbound platform for the next service, found me on dud 377508 leading winner (at last a winning 377/5!)
377522 back to Elstree & Borehamwood, the edge of the zones. 15 minutes later a busy dud 319453 rolled in, standing room only after Mill Hill Broadway, but took me to the final required station in the North Thameslink route within the zones,
Hendon. Just leaves a few on the south Thameslink route to cover another day.
After a walk to
Hendon Central on the Northern line, via Sainsburys (and passing a Tesco Express), it was onto a northern line service bound south via Bank, where I alighted at Kings Cross St Pancras, to head to Kings Cross to get Hadley Wood covered. Good timing with a mere 5 minute wait before the half hourly stopper up the ECML. 313036 was leading 313122 for the nice run to
Hadley Wood, another strange station to end the zones at, but covered. The entrance to the fast platforms had a massive gate, but still it was announcement overkill, with the next train at P2/P3 is not due to call at this station. Overkill for stations with no access to platforms with fast services, but for others with access to platforms with fast services, nothing at all.
Anyhow, 313025/313041 rolled in to take me back down to Kings Cross, and I was down to the SSL platform. Next up was a Circle line train, which I decided to jump on to
Great Portland Street to await the Watford bound metropolitan service behind. Gave me a chance to cross of another station, as I boarded the Metropolitan service, finding a transverse seat for the long distance run (underground wise) to
Coxley.
Fast over the platform to board another metro line service back to Moor Park, and having just missed an Amersham bound service (was pulling out as the service from Watford arrived), so I had a 15 minute wait, which I should have probably made use of, and do a quick shack attack heading south. Ah well, as I had a PNB and headed back to the platform to jump on another metropolitan service towards Chesham, which I took to
Chorleywood, my final Chiltern station in the zones and on the Aylesbury line. Anyhow, I had a couple options, so decided to jump on dud 165006 to Chalfont & Latimer, with another metropolitan service back to Rickmansworth, with dud 165024 providing a fast to Harrow on the Hill.
I couldnt help noticing that the frequency of Chiltern services doubles in the late afternoons on the Aylesbury line, which could be useful for 165 hunting on another day. Next Chiltern northbound service was dud, so I gave that a miss to board a metro line to
Preston Road before a Moorgate bound metropolitan service. A strange sight for me as it would be the first I have seen trains in the bays at Moorgate, and also micro-grinded that track. The driver announced at Barbican, that any passengers wanting Liverpool Street to change at Barbican and await the next train as it would be easier than changing at Moorgate (which is true, as Moorgate has many steps from the westbound bays and the eastbound platform), but still some passengers with large bags ignored the driver.
Next up was another metropolitan service this time to its usual terminus at
Aldgate with a circle line back to Liverpool Street. Heading to the mainline station itself, which was rather quiet due to the GEML being closed, first departure was winners
317665 &
317511 on a Cambridge service, which I stayed on until Tottenham Hale, a dud 317/8 was on a Stratford bound service, so I gave that a miss when winner
379007 rolled in with 379003 behind on a service from the Airport.
RTT was suggesting the next departure from Liverpool Street would be another airport run, with had winner
379018 on the front with dud 379019 behind, so back out to Tottenham Hale, with the next Liverpool Street bound service being from Cambridge, and had dud 379023 leading winner
379012. Back to Liverpool Street, where I decided to start heading back, early start on the Monday for the tour, so down to the SSL with a Hammersmith & City line service to Moorgate, a Northern line service to London Bridge and Jubilee line service back to Waterloo. 10 minutes to spare before the 17:15 departure, formed of 159001 & 159010, which took me back out to Andover.
A busy varied day in the capital
Moorgate Bays:
25th May Celebration Express
A nice little charter trip to Liverpool to celebrate the arrival of the 3 Cunard Queens. Sort of leading up in the last week of waiting to see if would go ahead with the strike, with pathfinders waiting for when the strike was thankfully called off. The departure time had been changed, brought forward from 6:40-odd to 5:20, so it was going to be another early morning drive for me, as I arrived into Salisbury station around 5:05, paying for parking (quite reasonable £2) and grabbing the number of the 67 in charge.
67026 was in charge, dud from the Shropshire Union tour back in January, the route was up from Salisbury, to Warminster, Westbury, Bath Spa, taking the Dr Days curve to avoid Bristol Temple Meads, pausing for 20 minutes at Bristol Parkway for a XC service to get in front, heading up towards Cheltenham where the train came off the train and diverted non-stop via Worcester Shrub Hill & Droitwich Spa, to join the main line again to go up the hill towards Birmingham.
Taking the Camp Hills line and carrying straight on for the first new track for me, that little freight only part underneath the WCML, and onto the Birmingham Peterborough line for a short distance before the 2nd new track at the western curve leading onto the rather boring Sutton Park line (the eastern curve being covered in December last year), out towards Walsall and onto the direct line to Wolverhampton, taking a left at the junction to go via Wolverhampton to gain access to the Shrewsbury line. Up the Shrewsbury line, pausing briefly before the station, and onto the station itself at P3 for a crew change, 5 minutes later, where I noticed the former bays at P1 & P2, missing track, along with the avoider line between P3 & P4 having a large section removed, and out towards the Wrexham line. Pausing briefly at Gobowen to allow the barriers to be lowered at the level crossing before continuing up the line, passing many closed stations, as well as Chirk, Ruabon & Wrexham General before arriving into Chester.
Required
66109 joined the train at Chester, where it was strange as the whistle blew and the train started moving, probably catching some passengers out as it stopped and 10 minutes later started moving again. Departed Chester and out towards Helsby, and Frodsham before taking the one-way curve down the WCML joining at Halton junction. It is quite a peaceful journey around the Halton curve, the old signalling from the days when it used to be signalled for 2-way operation rusting away, and onto the WCML. Afterwards the 67 picked up some speed to fly through Runcorn and towards Lime Street, which we arrived around 15 minutes late.
I had a few options (having no interest in 3 ships which Ive seen down Southampton along with many other various cruise ships), firstly was to get a rover ticket from the ticket office, and back to RTT to see what was floating around. I mistakenly took down the number of the 350 as not being required (where in fact it was required), so I ended up on dud 319371, to
Edgehill
My first Northern Electrics 319, interior wise is pretty much the same as a Thameslink version, very purple inside, and what appears to be a regular key to open up the new door opening panels. Crossing the island platform, I couldnt help noticing how strange Edgehill is, appears to be a lot grander than it once was. Winner
319380 took me back to Lime Street, where the next departure from P1-P6 was a Blackpool bound required
156462 &
156488, first stop
Huyton.
Huyton currently has 4 platforms (with 2 additional tracks put in during the electrisation works), however P4 isnt in use as the track comes to a sudden end, which I can only imagine Network Rail are waiting to take over the line to install some points to allow the inner lines to be used by fasts with the outer lines for stoppers. Anyhow dud 319368 rolled in to take me to
Roby, seems to be a short distance as it was announcing We are now approaching Roby rather soon after departure, and please remember to take your hand luggage with you.
Winner
319369 was next which took me back to Edgehill, where a quick interchange to the other platform island saw me onto Manchester Oxford Road (or Oxford Road as it is called by the platform announcements)
142014 &
156486, riding to
West Allerton, with a short wait before a returning service formed of
142053 &
142066 back to Lime Street, where I managed to get the crowd control person to allow me to go against the flow to board the Blackpool bound service (rather than exiting the platform area to come back into it via the main entrance).
Winners
156464 &
142003 was the next Blackpool train which took me to Huyton, with a brief wait before winner
319365 took me back to
Broad Green. Next up was a service bound for Warrington Bank Quay, and when winner
142045 arrived with dud 150144 [last seen on a Lincoln - Saxilby service] I could only assume they had run out of 319s. Jumping on the luxury of a 142 to
Whiston, a station with a long path to the bridge, took me a few minutes to get to the other platform, where I was rewarded with winners
150112 &
150139 back to Huyton, where I had a rough idea to head back out towards Whiston to get the next station along that route covered, however the 319 which arrived was 5 minutes down (and the connection being 4 minutes) and was dud, so I gave it a miss.
Good call, as winner
319361 took me to
Wavertree Technology Park with its 86 steps from the platform to the bridge, so I waited a few minutes before winner
319386 took me to Edgehill, another quick platform change saw me onto Oxford Road bound
142009 &
142034 to
Mossley Hill, with 156486/142014 making its way back to Lime Street. I had a rough idea of heading over to do the London Midland 350 to South Parkway to get that station crossed off, but I saw required
319364 on a cancelled (to RTT) Wigan service, which I took for the first stop at Wavertree Technology Park. Next Lime Street service was delayed and was dud 319371 (again), where I alighted at Edgehill. Sadly the Oxford Road Lime Street which called at Edgehill (and was a pair of unknown DMUs) got in front of 371, so my final Northern service of the day was 319369 again, back to Lime Street.
Exiting P1-P6 via the crowd control system to see the station was quite busy, crowds heading back from the boats, so after visiting Boots for a meal-deal for later in the evening & Burger King for now, I drifted out towards the platform the charter train was waiting, showing my ticket to gain access to the service, to take me seat back. 66109 was leading now (so I can tick that off in the book, 66s are bonuses for me). Departure was on time and via Warrington (as it was the only way to get back to Chester), so out via Huyton with the final bit of new track for me with the western curve at Earlestown station, back onto the WCML via Warrington Bank Quay (which passed me by), and onto the Runcorn East line back towards Chester. Arrival into Chester was 15 minutes early so a good chance to get some fresh air. A pair of merseyrail units arrived and departed (a 507/508) rather quickly, as well as another pair of 508s, before we were called all abroad, the 66 still attached, but with the 67 now in control.
Out towards Crewe, into Crewe P12 where the 66 was detached and we set of racing a XC to Bristol Temple Meads, which we overtook at Stafford, heading towards Wolverhampton, taking the avoider towards Walsall, through Walsall onto the Sutton Park line, and back towards Kings Norton, pausing for 15 minutes at Longbridge station for a XC 221 to Bristol Temple Meads to overtake (which could have been the same XC we overtook at Stafford), and darkness came down as the train settled back into path, down the route taken this morning, apart from using the direct line (not via Worcester), and arriving back into Salisbury a few minutes early at 00:25. I and another passenger (who I was sat with on the Buxton trip a few weeks ago) decided to move forward in the train after Warminster, it was pretty much empty and so for the last 5 minutes we were sat in the First Class area.
Useful as the train arrived into Salisbury at P4 and it was a shorter walk back to the exit and with a nice little drive home, an end of a busy day in Liverpool, with 18 winning Northern units, and 8 new shacks on the City Line, saves a job when Im up there in June
Anyhow, some pictures:
67026 at Salisbury
It be a rather long platform:
Disused P1 & P2 at Shrewsbury
Go on, jump the gap:
Somewhere along the line south of Wrexham
66109 at Chester:
The line towards Runcorn East:
Frodsham Juntion & Box:
Halton Junction & Box:
The River Mersey
67026 at Liverpool Lime Street:
319371 at Edge Hill
Points to follow?
A 319 departing Wavertree Technology Park
508127 departing Chester:
508114 arriving into Chester
Chester:
Making me outrageously jealous, but in the same breath nostalgic for the days when I would just pop down to London when I fancied it on a day off. Popping down, in this case, consisted of a 20 minutes or so bus ride into town, followed by around 3 hours of HST haulage from Swansea to London Paddington. Memories...
hock: