Time to report my latest travel jaunts.
KEIGHLEY & WORTH VALLEY 29th July
I decided on a mission to Keighley as reliable gen had 20031 working and it would be a red pen for me. 91120 took me to Leeds and EMU 333002 to Keighley in West Yorkshire arriving just before 10am.
I had an hours wait until the 20 pulled in from Oxenhope and although quiet at first the platforms soon filled up with enthusiasts for the 11 of the clock departure. Most enjoyable racket had going up and down on the grey chopper for a few hours. Stopped off at Haworth depot for some photos and embarrassingly enough it was my first sight of D0226 VULCAN. The kettle (90733) on the other diagram had failed at Oxenhope so diesel stalwart 25059 rescued it, dropped it onto the depot and then attached itself to the locoless stock and finished off the disgraced steamer's turns. I had plenty of time to enjoy a round trip with it.
Top day with a Rat bonus. Transportation back home was: 333016 to Shipley, 158787 to Leeds, 91109 to Peterborough.
20031 arriving into Keighley
25059 running round the train at Keighley
NORWICH 31st July
Nice sunny morning ride on 158866 to Norwich to jump onto the short set to Lowestoft with 68005 & 68028. 028 being the required horses. With an Anglian Plus Day ticket it was then onto 90012 to Ipswich to see what was on the depot for photos before back to Norwich on 90002. Always nice to see some 86s there.
The 37s working the other short set diagram were 405 & 419 and took them to Lowestoft and back and then it was back home with 158780.
68028 68005 in Norwich sidings
SPA VALLEY GALA 5th August
Cheap mainline advances were obtained to get to the Gala on the 06:39 which was in the hands of 91125 to Kings Cross and then 375607 375715 London Bridge to Tunbridge Wells. Another glorious day of sunshine. 31289 PHOENIX was my main draw for the pen with its unusual blue livery. Enjoyed the double headed 31 turn with 101/289.
50026 31289 73140 stabled at Tunbridge Wells West
Other locos sampled during the day were
20059
31101
33063
33201
50026
73136
I unashamedly spent a lot of time in KATE, the Mark 1 with the beer kegs. Some very tasty brews on. Journey home behind 465924 465928 to London Bridge, a spin on the Northern line picking up some stock for haulage, and then for a change it was an HST to Peterborough with 43239 43309.
Inside KATE
SWANAGE CLASS 33 "GALA" 8th & 9th August
Not a Gala as such but it felt like it when 3 x Class 33s worked all day. 33012, 33025, 33111 all winners for me. This was to experience the shuttles from the mainline at Wareham through to Swanage preserved line on the 60 day Summer trial. The weeks leading up to this i used the Railcams at Corfe Castle and Swanage to see what was working. I didn't need the 37 (518) so when both Cromptons were attached i made plans and booked a hotel in the Bournemouth area and used the car for my journey down.
Left at 5am in miserable, wet conditions and navigated the A1, A421, M1, M25, M3. Not surprisingly i passed a few accidents, one of which was probably fatal, and arrived at Wareham station in time for the 11:15 departure with 33025 leading (33012 on rear). £20 rover ticket purchased. 33111 was on the preserved diagram so the red pen went into overdrive in my Crompton pages.
33012 & 33025 arrived at Wareham
Come teatime i was back in my car and drove to the hotel. I knew it would be a nightmare driving the 14 miles in the peak. An hour of sheer boredom at snails place. A bargain at £35 for my late booking of the room which was at Waves In guesthouse.
Next morning i tried to avoid the traffic returning to Wareham for another day of 33s. On purpose i had booked the hotel not far from the Bournemouth depot. My intention was to try and finally get a picture of 73235 which is used as the pilot there. Belting down with rain again i got a wee bit wet as i successfully got the shot. 73133 was behind it. Onward then for more of the same as the previous day but i did also have a run behind the steamer 31806 as i wanted a ride in the Observation Car, the same one as used with Flying Scotsman on its USA escapade many decades ago.
Another enjoyable day. Car journey up next was to South Wales (via the Red Lion pub at Avebury) to visit friends for a few days and to join a Railtour.
SETTLE AND CARLISLE EXPLORER RAILTOUR 12th August
Still in Wales, this Railtour was boarded at Cwmbran for the trip to Appleby utilising my first Class 88 for haulage. 68004, dud for me, did the Cwmbran to Crewe leg. 88004 double headed with dud 68016 did the Crewe to Appleby portion.
Proper good relaxing day out with a few Stouts supped at the Midland Hotel's mini beer fest right next door to Appleby station. 88004/68016 returned me back to Crewe where 68016 took solo control back to Cwmbran.
88004 & 68016 at Appleby
OLD OAK COMMON DEPOT OPEN DAY 2nd September
Train Peterborough to Kings Cross was in the hands of 387126. Tried to find my last couple of Bakerloo stock when going to Willesden Jn but only succeeded with one (3252).
I don't need to report much on the Open Day as it has been well covered in the latest railway magazines. Surprise last minute addition was the Class 14. 14901. I think it needs a bit of TLC to get it working again (at Colne Valley now i believe) so i'm keeping an eye on that as it is required for a ride.
As everyone has the same photos, or so it seems with no one in the way of the exhibits, i have included my snaps with people in them. I find them just as enjoyable and add to a photos interest................................some times. It's all subjective right?
Back to Paddington and HST 43034 43168 whisked me to Newport, Wales.
DUBLIN 6th - 11th September
Dublin bound via Bristol Airport and RyanAir. Luckily these flights weren't affected by the shenanigans of the Airline that have happened recently.
Holiday and downtime for a few days in good old Dublin. I've mentioned before i am a lover of Stout beer. What's the difference between a connoisseur and a snob? hahaha.
I've got my favourite watering holes in the City and indeed i found a few more but what impressed me most was that Guinness was not on sale in any of them. Wonderful.
I'll only drink that beer as a last resort under duress or dying of thirst. Galway Brewery's "Buried At Sea" is such an easy going Milk Stout and very popular. Just perfect.
Anyway back to train related stuff. I was trying to finish off my last 2 trams (5014 & 5016) and fill in a few more DART red lines in my book. I managed tram 5016 but 5014 never came out to play in my time there. I did the Green Line morning peaks where i think 21 out of the 26 work and i never even saw it. Not even on Sandyford depot.
Luck would have it that a Railtour was operating from Belfast to Sligo (initially was Rosslare but changed due to various excuses). So i had booked return tickets from Connolly Dublin for the East Coaster (Goes West Railtour). Northern Ireland Railways Class 111 diesel loco 112 was operating throughout. What a cracking sound as well. Stopped off at Cavan & Leitrim Railway in Dromod for a quick 20 minutes of photos of narrow gauge locos, buses, planes, cabs........... a couple of the lads had a go on a velocipede which looked great fun. Not much to rave about in Sligo i must admit. Got back into Connolly at a reasonable time to enjoy a few beers at the Brew Dock establishment which is but a step away.
112 running round its stock at Connolly, Dublin
On the Sunday i took the DART to Howth to find the Transport Museum. Find being the operative word. Even locals knew not of its location. Walking up and down on the windswept coast was a little tedious but found it eventually tucked away near Howth Castle. I wanted the 3 trams for pics. It was full of buses and various bits of military vehicles all tightly parked up to each other so not ideal for photos. A grand "rusty" collection alongside some fantastic restored items. Great stuff.
Plenty of museums and art galleries visited. The Chester Beatty Library houses an amazing collection of manuscripts and books from 2700 BC onward. The Egyptian stone hieroglyphics, mummies and decorated temple wall fragments in the Archeological Museum were fascinating.
But i need to go back for tram 5014.
FAREWELL TO ANGLIAN 68s 16th September
Early start at 06:27 with 158813 to get to Norwich in time for the Charity Charter involving Class 68s. Top and tailed by 68001 & 68034. Only 034 required for the red pen for me. This one marked up my 27th of the Class for haulage. Only ones that remain are from the newest batch delivered.
Norwich DRS fest
68001 at Ely
68034 at London Liverpool St
The moves were:
68001/034 Norwich - Ely
68034/001 Ely - Norwich
68001/034 Norwich - London Liverpool St
68034/001 London Liverpool St - Norwich
Unit home was 158864
Jolly good jaunt this one and involved plenty of cider. Looking forward to the Trans Pennine loco hauleds with the Class in the future.
ACTON TRANSPORT MUSEUM OPEN DAY 23rd September
My first time at the Museum strangely enough. It only happens twice a year and i guess other stuff clashed with those dates.
HST 43305 43319 took me to Kings Cross. Played around on the Piccadilly line at Acton Town bagging some winners before the Open Day opened up.
Pre booked ticket got me in and was then faced with having to check my backpack in. No mention of that was on the website! I questioned how i was meant to carry my 3 lenses and 2 camera bodies around to photograph all the stock. They relented and let me through as long as i did not carry it over my shoulder but in one hand. I see that the space between the rows of stock was limited but pushchairs being allowed? Grumble, grumble.
Top display of all the old tube stock and London Buses. All the signs, ticket machines, etc.................... very informative stuff kept me occupied for 3 hours.
On leaving i saw the row of probably a 100 bags in a neat line.
Nipped to Ealing Broadway and bagged 387146 & 387149 on the mainline. Then headed back to Central London and stumbled over my last Bakerloo stock for haulage, 3265. Job done. Hunted a few Northern Line stocks down before taking 91109 SIR BOBBY ROBSON back home on the 18:03. An early end to my day but the VTEC ticket was a £5.80 cheap advance. Gotta love those VTEC sales on my line.
16 Central Line Prototype at Acton Transport Museum Open Day
MANCHESTER METROLINK 25th September
This was all about finding my last Metrolink tram for haulage. Number 3115. Last time i was up in Manchester the said tram teased me by ambling by me on driver training runs
so not actually in service. I hung around Piccadilly Gardens for a while to note the comings and goings of trams then decided to head to Cornbrook and fester there. No sign of 3115. Then an incident had happened around Media City and it was obvious some trams were trapped between there and Eccles. My instinct told me that my tram was out that way. It would be a while before that incident was cleared up so out of curiosity i headed out to Queens Road to see if the tram was on the depot. Nope. So went back to Cornbrook and after 10 minutes 3115 came in behind me. The line was back open so i took my last Metrolink to Eccles and back for a good run. That completes the T68, T68a and M5000 types for the line.
Last tram down at Eccles
Mainline moves of the day were:
91113 Peterborough - Leeds
158758 Leeds - Manchester Victoria
158901 Manchester Victoria - Leeds
91119 Leeds - Peterborough
Another day on cheap VTEC advances.
LAST BUT NOT LEAST..................................UNDERGROUND NEWS
Last S8 stock for haulage happened on 20th September (21017/21018)
Last Bakerloo stock for haulage was 23rd September (3265)
Last S7 stock for haulage on 5th October (21385/21386) thanks to forum member "bluegoblin7" for the gen.
Only a handful are left to complete my books involving Jubilee, Piccadilly, Northern and Central lines.
