Noddy's Trip Reports

[noddy1878]

3 fab reads! Shame 010 didn't produce on your WMDR but there's always next time. Just a quick thing to point out with the WMDR report.

You say that you had 158837 and 841 from New Street to Wellington and back (duds both times) and then back from the airport you had 841 and 821, with 841 being down as a winner. Just pointing it out to make sure that your notes are ok!

Well spotted! That was actually a double typing error there! I have corrected it. It was 158831 and 837 out. 158831 and 838 back and the two we had later were correct with 841 being the winning one!

 

[PHILIPE]

Well spotted! That was actually a double typing error there! I have corrected it. It was 158831 and 837 out. 158831 and 838 back and the two we had later were correct with 841 being the winning one!

Re 158 back at Welington, the Birmingham Intl. to Holyheads detach a unit at Shrewsbury which attaches to a Holyhead to Birmingham approx 10 mins later thus the reason for being back so quickly.

 

[jayalongtheway]

Good stuff Noddy, interesting read.

 

[Techniquest]

3 excellent reads! I can't believe I almost bumped into you at Worcester on 21st November!

68010 is my most regular one to date, I've had 187 miles off it. I need 012 and 014 to clear the Chiltern batch, one day!

You sure did well on your London trips, jealous especially of the 317/8s. Congratulations due on clearing the Victoria line sets, I'm nowhere near done. A massive fester is due one day to get on with them, that's for sure.

2,316 for my requirements, so you're a long way ahead of me. If I took Eurostar sets out, that number comes down to 2,214 (68 373s and 34 374s), far too high a number for me to be happy with!

Fair to say I'm re-visiting the idea of a full week in London. If it wasn't for the hotel ching I'd have done it by now, a long time goal to do that. I think I first proposed the idea at least 8 years ago! I've got Moves Envy from you, certainly I reckon Red Pen Fever will kick in majorly next time I'm down there!

I look forward to the next trip reports, shame I can't join you on the 27th!

EDIT: Sorry about the double post there, fixed. The perils of rubbish data signal and then using WiFi, then not noticing it posted twice!

 

[Kite159]

Sounded like a productive couple days

 

[47403]

3 great reads Noddy, very productive on all fronts.

Reading all these trip reports is killing me, roll on Feb 1st.

 

[Keith Jarrett]

3rd December

... the Cap in Hand (which in my eyes isn’t actually in Surbiton).

It was now a bus ride to the spoons near Cheam. With that done it was then the bus once more to Morden. I now wanted to head towards East London.

The Cap in Hand is in Hook and was rumoured for closure but still seems to be going. The most direct walk to Tolworth station is alongside the A3; I can think of more pleasant walks.

I presume that you caught either a 151 or 213 bus from Worcester Park up to North Cheam, walked around the corner to The Nonsuch Inn before bagging a 93 bus up to Morden - unless you went the scenic route on a 293. In times gone by, there was a spoons in Morden but it did not last long. In the reverse of what normally happens, the spoons in Morden became Iceland. The other three nearest spoons (Wimbledon, Raynes Park and North Cheam) were all shops in previous lives.

Far more importantly, sounds like you had three fab days out - plenty of winners all round.

 

[noddy1878]

Thanks for the replies guys!

The Cap in Hand is in Hook and was rumoured for closure but still seems to be going. The most direct walk to Tolworth station is alongside the A3; I can think of more pleasant walks.

I presume that you caught either a 151 or 213 bus from Worcester Park up to North Cheam, walked around the corner to The Nonsuch Inn before bagging a 93 bus up to Morden - unless you went the scenic route on a 293. In times gone by, there was a spoons in Morden but it did not last long. In the reverse of what normally happens, the spoons in Morden became Iceland. The other three nearest spoons (Wimbledon, Raynes Park and North Cheam) were all shops in previous lives.

Far more importantly, sounds like you had three fab days out - plenty of winners all round.

I believe the Cap in Hand will be gone by the end of Jan. It was a walk alongside the A3 (although there is a quieter road that runs alongside). I couldn't tell you about the bus numbers but I did get a bus to the Nonsuch Inn before another to Morden.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
6th January - Devon Day Ranger

My first day out for 2016 was a local one. The ranger that I used to do almost every single week more or less (until I cleared everything down here) when I got back into this game back in May 2010 is a bargain at £6.60 with my Devon & Cornwall Railcard!

One thing I said to myself that I would complete last year were the shacks in Cornwall and Devon. I failed miserably so this year will be the one starting with a few today! I wasn’t able to get out at the start of day and in the end decided on the XC HST (43303 and 43304) off of Plymouth at 1224.

20160106-Plymouth-43303 by Steven Booth, on Flickr

I took this to Exeter St Davids and then jumped onto the waiting 143621 which was off to Barnstaple. I bailed at Copplestone though as this was a required shack. I had a 28 minute wait now for a train in the opposite direction. I took a wander to kill some time before heading back to the station. To be fair it didn’t feel like 28 minutes by the time 150265 and 143617 turned up and I headed back towards Exeter. Next up was my attempt to get Lympstone Commando. I’ve read a lot about this station off limits but i believe this is not the case anymore. There is a cycle path between the station and the base there now so i thought it would be feasible to do without hassle.

I bailed at Lympstone Village and then walked back towards Lympstone Commando. This meant there would be no fester. As I approached the station I could see someone leave the base camp and go onto the platform. As I got closer I saw a gate with a padlock. My heart sank until I realised it was not locked. I opened the gate and went onto the platform. As I shut the gate behind me I could see someone at the now new gate to the base looking at me suspiciously. I just turned and walked down to the other end of the platform. I could see 143617 and 150265 returning.

20160106-Lympstone Commando-143617 by Steven Booth, on Flickr

I had to walk back to the other end as the guard only opened the front doors (short platform apparently!!) and I got on. I was only on for a few minutes and bailed at my next new shack, Newcourt. Again, to avoid a fester I took a walk and ended up at Digby & Sowton. 150102 was my next unit and I took this down to Exeter St Davids. I decided now that it was best to head home. Next train homeward bound was 220026.

A good and cheap day. Three new shacks and 147 miles travelled.

 

[FQ]

The DDR is an absolute bargain for you!

Congrats on Lympstone Commando and of course all of the other shacks!

 

[Techniquest]

Very nicely done there! A good start to the year, even if it was short. Not a patch on my start mind

 

[Keith Jarrett]

Well done - particularly on L.ympstone Commando

 

[Kristofferson]

Great reads all round - congrats on your cleared 2009 stock most of all!

 

[jayalongtheway]

I've only used Plymouth station in the dark and about 25 years ago at that, I can't believe how rural it looks behind that HST!

 

[noddy1878]

I've only used Plymouth station in the dark and about 25 years ago at that, I can't believe how rural it looks behind that HST!

That's Central Park. Quite a big park really and also contains Home Park, Plymouth Argyle's stadium.

My next proper trip out was to London. Courtesy of a gWr advance ticket sale I got some reasonably priced London Paddington ones. The only problem was they are tickets via everywhere i.e. It’s the Taunton Bristol stopper before a speedy run to London!

43092 and 43017 were in charge of 0509 from Plymouth. I had received the latest copy of RAIL the day before so started to read that. As I was reading it I discovered that one of my final 319s had been transferred to London Midland. That would make it easier to track down and also determined one of my aims for the day. Several 66s were spotted en route at Parson Street, Didcot and obviously Acton. A wining one for sight (66773) was at Royal Oak. I also saw 37884 at Ealing.

So what were my aims for the day? I wanted to visit three new spoons which in turn would allow me to clear the Northern Line for route and all shacks and Bakerloo/LO section of the Euston DC line for all shacks.

At Paddington I got my travel card and then headed over to Kings Cross St Pancras on 21430+21429. I then headed down to the Northern Line. I didn’t have my Northern line lists with me so I was going a little blind but 51650+649 was had to Euston. 51648+647 were then had to Camden Town. From here to East Finchley I had 51524+51525. Time for the first Spoons. A bus took me to Muswell Hill. Here I had a late breakfast but whilst in the Spoons I spotted a bus route that would get me to another one i needed in North Finchley. With that done it was back to the tube. Now I was nearer to Woodside Park and 51526+527 were had to Finchley Central. Now the aim was simply finish the Northern Line shacks as quickly as possible.

51587+51586 took me to West Finchley before I went to the end of the line at High Barnet on 51662+661.

20160119-High Barnet-51661 by Steven Booth, on Flickr

From here I jumped on to 51586+587 once more to Totteridge & Whetstone. It was now back to Finchley Central (51661+662 had returned) and now the final branch to Mill Hill East. Out and back on 51623+719 I was now ready for the final shack. First it was 51709+553 to West Finchley for the right train behind. 51507+506 to had to Mornington Crescent. That was the Northern shacks cleared!

So next up was to head to Euston. A couple things from here and hopefully my last 319 later! First up to head up the DC lines for some shacks. At this point I need to explain how I clear a shared shack. My lists of national rail stations was taken from the National Rail Website. I then created my underground stations list by listing every station on each line. Now I know underground stock is classed as heavy rail but if an underground station is shared with a national rail station I have decided that to class a shack as visited I need to either arrive or leave by both types of train. So in the case of the shacks on the DC lines out of euston that are shared with the Bakerloo line I need to do this for example! If I arrive at Queens Park on a 378 this is visited for National Rail Stations. For it to count towards underground I need leave on a Bakerloo line train! Or the reverse of what I just said! Hope that makes sense!

I jumped onto 350106 and headed up to Harrow & Wealdstone. I then headed over to the DC lines and 378229 took me to North Wembley. 3540+3343 were then had to South Kenton.

20160119-South Kenton-3243 by Steven Booth, on Flickr

At this point I would have waited for a 378 to move on (so I could claim the shack for national rail) but a required Bakerloo line train rolled in so I jumped on 3547+3245 back to Harrow & Wealdstone. Next up was 378256 up to Headstone lane for the short wait back south on 378217. Because I still needed South Kenton as a national rail station I headed there.

20160119-South Kenton-378217 by Steven Booth, on Flickr

A few minutes behind was the a Bakerloo line unit (3242+3466) which I jumped on down to Kensel Green. The plan was to wait for a 378 backup to Harlesden. The next train was a Bakerloo unit but I misread my notes. I thought I needed one of them but didn’t. So 3560+3231 I left at Willesden Junction before heading back to Kensel Green on 378229. This time the Bakerloo line unit that was heading back north was required and having now cleared Kensel Green I got onto 3562+3338 and went up to Harlesden. It was then back down to Stonebridge Park on 378217. That was the Euston DC lines cleared. 3565+3333 was then had to Kenton. This leaves me only with three more shacks on the Bakerloo line but they would have to wait till later.

Whilst at Kenton I had an hour before the ECS move that puts the 319s in place for the evening LM service from Euston. More than enough time to walk to the Spoons a mile or so from Kenton. With that done it was back to the station and up to Harrow & Wealdstone. During this time I saw the ECS 319 move and 319013 was on it! Excellent!

It sits at Euston for a while so I had time for a move to Watford on the DC lines (amazingly I needed the bit between Watford High Street and Junction! 378220 did the honours before I headed south on 350235+350117+350109 to Euston. Twelve minutes was more than enough time to head round to where 319013+319419 were waiting.

20160119-London Euston-390013 by Steven Booth, on Flickr

We left bang on time and that was the 319s cleared! I was tempted to take it to Watford before heading back but decided to bail at Harrow & Wealdstone to head back south. As it turns out I am so glad I did!

First thing was get my last three shacks on the Bakerloo. So 3345+3547 were had to Kilburn Park, 3252+3431 on to Maida Vale and finally 3237+3448 to Warwick Avenue. With that done I decided (I had a bit of time but not enough to venture too far from Paddington) now was the time to fester! Why? I now only needed five 72 Stock (Bakerloo Line) units! So I sat and waited. It wasn’t long before 3355+3450 came in and I took this to Paddington. A short while later (and a few trains let go) 3258+4558 were had to Edgware Road.

A double winner 3260+4533 to Marylebone meant I only now needed one more unit! A few trains later and it arrived! Yes! 3241+3553 meant the 72 Stock was cleared! I now had about an hour until the train home. I was hungry and really needed the toilet!

So I headed up to the Circle/Hammersmith line. 21390+389 came in for the short hop to Edgware Road where I bailed for another unit to head round the Circle (meant I was the right end of Paddington). It was winning 21485+486 and I spotted another winner that would be behind. So I waited for 21470+469 to Bayswater. I then waited for 21480+479 (I’d seen that earlier so knew I needed it) to Notting Hill Gate. I had to flag the one behind (again I knew it was a winner) as I needed to now get to Paddington (on 21315+316). I had just over half an hour.

I popped to Mad Bishop to use the loo and then headed to the concourse to get baguette before finding my train (43164 and 43042). The seat that had been reserved for me was an aisle seat so I moved onto another free seat. The train was busy but not rammed so I had no issue. After eating my baguette I popped to the buffet and got a Tribute (gWr appear to have stopped doing Proper Job - my second favourite beer behind Big Job!) that went down very nicely! A great day with all objectives completed and more! I travelled 577 miles got 21 winners and 22 shacks. Incidentally I scored my 1000th National Rail shack when I did Stonebridge Park.

I’m looking forward to my next London trip now (will be Feb). I have so many different things I want to do but everyone will have to wait until that report before I disclose what I do!

 

[jayalongtheway]

Wow, what a productive day! Great quality pictures too.

 

[FQ]

Congrats on clearing the 319s, '72 stock and everything else! It sounds like a great time in and around the capital.

 

[Kite159]

Congrats on clearing the 319s, '72 stock and everything else! It sounds like a great time in and around the capital.

Agreed

 

[47403]

Great read Noddy, a very productive trip to the smoke, congrats on clearing the 319's and the 72 stock/.

 

[Kristofferson]

Some proper big scores there had to check my notes for that 319, wasn't sure if more had turned up in LM land since the last time I cleared the LM ones for sight...

 

[noddy1878]

I didn’t have to wait that long for next trip out. I had a call early in Jan from a mate asking if I was free on this Saturday. I was free and after discovering why he was asking I made sure I was able to go to the Dartmoor Railway. Basically all the locos that were at the Railway for the Polar Express over Christmas were being put to use for one final weekend before they returned home. As I needed 33103 (for sight as well as haulage!) it was worth the trek. As it turned out my mate needed the 47701 but not the 33. We had both had the 45 (060) last year.

I picked up my mate from Newton Abbot at 0900. It was then up the A38 and onto the A30 across to Okehampton. Not the easiest of places to get to without a car i must admit. We arrived and got our tickets. The plan for the day was simple. Two round trips which would see us get all three locos as the 45 and 47 were top and tailed and the 33 was to be added for the second trip to double head with the 45 (I think that was right!). But as it turned out there was an issue with the 47 and it needed to be assisted by the 33 all day. So all three locos were had on two round trips.

20160123-Okehampton-33103 by Steven Booth, on Flickr

20160123-Meldon-45060 by Steven Booth, on Flickr

20160123-Meldon-D4167 by Steven Booth, on Flickr

20160123-Okehampton-47701, 33103 by Steven Booth, on Flickr

It was a slow paced day but enjoyable. Was good to have a catch up. The last trip out together was on his stag do when we did a FONW last September.

So the day gave me 1 wining loco and 61 miles!

 

[FQ]

Vote Brush, Crompton and Peak!

 

[55013]

By, that takes me back.
I've done the Dartmoor Railway once, a good few years ago and it was excellent.

It was a real mammoth move, I got up at 4am, drove to the railway, did the diesel gala, drove half way back towards Yorkshire, stopped at a service station for a kip then drove on to Whitby on the Sunday morning because 37248 was working Whitby - Glaisdale shuttles in connection with the NYMR's 1940s gala.
Happy days

Thanks for rekindling an old memory.

 

[noddy1878]

I wish I had the opportunity to do something like that! What with work (and the timing of the shifts I do) and pleasing the missus those opportunities are few and far between!

 

[Techniquest]

The 45 and 47 are both required for me, the 33 I can't recall where I've had it but it's done.

Nice little outing there fair dos, I still need the Dartmoor Railway. One day I might get it in!

 

[AJM580]

Takes me back as well. I last did that in 2004 off a NENTA charter with 47703 & 47355 Norwich - Okehampton, then 47716 & 73134 Okehampton - Meldon and back a couple of times. A real good trip - glad you enjoyed it

 

[noddy1878]

27th January 2016

When I can I grab every opportunity to get out and about. There is very little on my home turf to go after (just shacks) so i need to go further afield to get the red pen out! If I can get advance GWR tickets to London, great it gives me plenty options. Anything that involves XC is a no go as their prices are just absolutely ridiculous!

I had nothing planned for this day but when my missus said she had to go to London for work my mind went into overdrive. She would be back after 2230 so it meant I had longer. With that in mind a drive up to the West Midlands would hopefully get the red pen out!

In the West Midlands there is quite a bit that I still need. Of LM stuff I need one 170, two 323s, two 350s. Chiltern 68010, sixteen 165s and nine 168s (after the addition of the 168/3s). ATW my needs are two 158s and Virgin thirteen 390s. Oh and I need all the trams now the new fleet are up and running!

So plenty of options for things to do. I came up with a plan that would see me drive to Hartlebury and then see me knock off some required shacks and hopefully pick up 68010 and at least one 168/3. Then I would have time to drop into New Street and knock some stuff off there.

I left my house just before 0600 and started the drive north. I had plenty of time and took it fairly easy. There were a lot of people out though who clearly can not drive properly and are clearly unaware of other people on the road!

As we got closer i started thinking about the day. Most of my plan involved things within what would be the Day-tripper area. Should I just drive further in and get the cheaper ticket? And the fact that I was (despite eating before I left home) getting rather hungry! Sod it. I would drive a little further and get some (more) breakfast before starting the day! I drove up to Brierley Hill and to the shopping centre. Easy to park and breakfast in the required Spoons, Abraham Darby. After breakfast it was time to head to Cradley Heath, the nearest station. This is when it all started to fall apart. I got stuck in a horrendous traffic jam wasting time. When I finally got to Cradley Heath I discovered a completely rammed carpark with no spaces. I pondered parking on the road nearby but where there were no restrictions I didn’t like the idea of leaving my car there. Great!!! So I thought I would head back to Stourbridge. Good idea I thought! The signs indicated spaces in the car park! However upon driving round for several minutes and covering all parts of the car park I came to the conclusion that the car park indicator must have meant that the 11 spaces were the disabled ones as there were 10! I was now getting more and more irritated. My plan was now falling apart in front of me. I then drove to Lye.

I had no idea that this station only had space for about 10 cars! Amazingly there was one space left and I took it! Thank goodness! I was all wound up and fed up already! I grabbed my stuff and went to the platform. I missed a train in the direction I was going by a few minutes. The next train was going the other way. I went to get a permit to travel but that machine wasn’t working so I just waited for the train. It arrived on time and as I was near the back I told the guard the machine wasn’t working and I needed to get my day-tripper from him. Once we were on our way he came and found me and I had my ticket.

So going the wrong way once more on 172333 we soon arrived at Stourbridge Junction. It was the same unit back the other way. This time I took it all the way to Moor Street. Upon arrival I saw a required unit due to depart. 165004 was boarded and off we went. I would bail at Solihull and this would meet the 1R21 from Marylebone. Would it be one I need? No. 68013 was leading the set. I boarded and we were off. After a chat with some other enthusiasts I discovered that 68010 was indeed out today! The only problem was it was working the Banbury set!

20160127-Birmingham Moor Street-68013 by Steven Booth, on Flickr

That would change what I would do for the rest of the day! I now decided that I would head to the trams. The Red Pen would definitely be out for this. So 172334 was boarded until Jewellery Quarter.

It was now time for a go at the Midland Metro Network and clear as many shacks and trams as possible. With that I set my iPhone to play the most recent Fall Out Boy album and I was off. The moves I did are listed here.

30 Jewellery Quarter - Wednesbury Great Western Street
29 Wednesbury Great Western Street - Black Lake
24 Black Lake - Loxdale
34 Loxdale - Bradley Lane
33 Bradley Lane - Priestfield
24 Preistfield - The Crescent
36 The Crescent - The Royal
33 The Royal - Bilston Central

At this point I popped into the town for a quick drink in the spoons before heading back to the network. It was also time for some Chemical Bros. The new album is pretty good but I can't help feeling their earlier stuff will never be beaten!

28 Bilston Central - Dartmouth Street
24 Dartmouth Street - Dudley Street
29 Dudley Street - Lodge Road

I walked between the two West Brom stops via another quick drink at the West Brom spoons.

22 West Bromwich Central - Kenrick Park
28 Kendrick Park - Trinity Way
34 Trinity Way - Handsworth Booth Street
23 Handsworth Booth Street - The Hawthorns

20161027-Great Wednesbury Street-30 by Steven Booth, on Flickr

20161027-Loxdale-24 by Steven Booth, on Flickr

20161027-Dartmouth Street-28 by Steven Booth, on Flickr

20161027-Kenrick Park-22 by Steven Booth, on Flickr

A pretty successful 2 and half hours. I picked up nine new trams and have now cleared all the tram stops between Wolverhampton and Wandsworth. It was now onto 172212 back to Moor Street. Here I should be able to get my first 168/3 if the diagram produced. It did and 168324 was had to Solihull.

20161027-Birmingham New Street-168324 by Steven Booth, on Flickr

172335 took me back to Moor Street and I made my way over to New Street. I headed down to the platforms to see what was about. It wasn’t long before I found something. 323214 was waiting with an International service. I jumped on and a quick check of RTT saw that despite it leaving late I maybe able to bail at Lea Hall for a train back to New Street. It worked as the northbound service with 350368 was running 4 late itself!

Not a lot was about when I returned so decided to scratch off some shacks and spoons. I jumped onto 153334 and 170515. I took this to Bloxwich North which was the limit of the Day-tripper. I had plenty of time to walk back to Bloxwich and meet the return service (170509) where I would bail at Walsall. Here I popped to the two Spoons. It was then back to the station for 323202 to Perry Barr. The last spoons for the day (and at a risk of being all pepsi’d out! I was driving home after all!!). It was then 323221 to New Street. After that I took a leisurely walk back to Moor Street. I had plenty of time before the next train to Lye. 172221 and 172218 would be the last trains of the day for me and then the drive home. The drive home was ok in the most part. I was listening to the football on radio five but the ref was having a bad day and helped Man City beat Everton. I wasn’t happy with that to say the least.

In the end the day was a good one. As I’ve already said, I got 9 new trams and 14 new tram stops. I also picked up three new units and six new shacks. For the £6.50 ticket I claimed 122 miles (and now also have a rail miles account so I could update that as I went!). I’m certainly looking forward to my next West Midland excursion but I think I’ll stick to the original plan of an actual ranger!!!

 

[FQ]

Sounds like one heck of a good day in the midlands! I'm jealous about 168324, one of my two last ones (325 being the other).

 

[Kristofferson]

Great day out - driving is rubbish isn't it!

 

[Kite159]

The seats on the new Midland Metro trams are rubbish ain't they

Apart from the long drive (I would imagine) sounded like a decent day

 

[47403]

Two great reads there, congrats on getting 33103 and 47701, as usual heres no show without punch, hence 45060 but at least you got that in too.

Completely agree with Cross Country's prices too, the words, Stand and Deliver spring to mind.