Back on the platform

[87electric]

Getting addicted to Cat haulage is a good thing. Pushage or haulage they make a fun racket.
It is the DfT that are responsible for the IET seat fiasco, not GWR.

 

[The_Train]

Not a bad day out at all there Mr Train, though I'm not sure if the 33 you saw at the SVR was 33106, I could be wrong but it would've been 33108.
Still you roped in a few for the book of sights. Nice to get some cat action in too.

I will have to do some digging on that then. Very easy to read a 6 as an 8 especially as my eyes get older haha

 

[The_Train]

I will have to do some digging on that then. Very easy to read a 6 as an 8 especially as my eyes get older haha

Digging complete. It definitely wasn't 33106 as according to records online this was scrapped many years ago whereas 33108 is said to be at the SVR amazingly.

Thanks for the info @47403

 

[47403]

Digging complete. It definitely wasn't 33106 as according to records online this was scrapped many years ago whereas 33108 is said to be at the SVR amazingly.

Thanks for the info @47403

Your welcome squire, glad to help, seems like excitement struck again with a Crompton I thought it might be. I amongst many others had it on one of the SVR Diesel Galas. A thrashy little minx it is too. There's a pic on this thread, if your interested in an ole posting of mine.
https://www.railforums.co.uk/threads/lsgsluckysevern.146777/page-2

If your gonna have a look on the SVR, I'd definitely recommend doing the SVR's Spring Diesel Gala on May 16th-18th if you can. One of the best Galas on the circuit. Usually some very good guest locos too, rumour has it GBRf are sending a 60 and 66, plus DRS are to send a clockwork cat too.
https://www.svr.co.uk/SEItem.aspx?a=122

 

[Kite159]

Sounded like a good little trip in the West Midlands, shame that last XC 43 didn't pop up for you mind.

 

[xotGD]

Digging complete. It definitely wasn't 33106 as according to records online this was scrapped many years ago whereas 33108 is said to be at the SVR amazingly.

Thanks for the info @47403

At least you got the right class this time!

 

[The_Train]

At least you got the right class this time!

Progress! Haha

 

[The_Train]

If your gonna have a look on the SVR, I'd definitely recommend doing the SVR's Spring Diesel Gala on May 16th-18th if you can. One of the best Galas on the circuit. Usually some very good guest locos too, rumour has it GBRf are sending a 60 and 66, plus DRS are to send a clockwork cat too.
https://www.svr.co.uk/SEItem.aspx?a=122

Thanks for the info mate, will definitely look into this as a Diesel Gala is definitely on my hit list for this year so this would be ideal

 

[The_Train]

Sounded like a good little trip in the West Midlands, shame that last XC 43 didn't pop up for you mind.

Yeah I enjoyed the day as it was a bit different to my normal day of sitting at a station all day. The West Midlands Day Ranger is certainly good value for money considering where you can get to.

As for that last HST, I'm sure I'll get it eventually. Think it's one of those that I've seen but only whilst moving at speed through Tamworth when my eyes and brain can't work quick enough to ID it

 

[The_Train]

Right guys, I'm now considering my next move and wanted a bit of help as I'm trying to think about things strategically considering the changes with rolling stock that are well under way.

Areas that I've prioritised are:

Anglia - new area and wanting to grab the 90s before they disappear
Northern / GWR / TfW - Pacers before they disappear
LNER - wanting to nab the last few 91s/DVTs I need along with the HSTs

Are there other areas I should consider where there is a feasible amount of time for me to get out and try and clear any classes that are likely to disappear during this year?

 

[47403]

If you wanna do Anglia. Kill two birds with one stone, go to via London and up to Anglia via Liverpool St and maybe come back via Peterborough. Alternatively you could get to Manchester and get the EMT 158s direct to Norwich. An advance from Liverpool St to Ipswich were relatively cheap last time and if you get an Anglia Plus Day Ranger it kicks in at Ipswich.
http://www.railrover.org/pages/anglia-plus.html
If you go from Manchester you'd need an advance to Ely as the Ranger also kicks in at Ely. I'd hazard a guess that going via London would probably be cheaper.
Ipswich is quite good for freight too, not forgetting the freightliner stabling point at Ipswich Station too.

 

[87electric]

Those Anglia Plus Day Rangers have skyrocketed to £24 now. It was quite a hike in the fares change this year.

 

[xotGD]

I would suggest South Wales. Especially now that it looks like 37s will be returning to the Rhymney commuter turns.

 

[Techniquest]

Well I wasn't expecting to read about you visiting my local station!

As already mentioned, DfT specified the seats not GWR. A shame as otherwise the IETs are a good replacement for the HST.

The coach at Great Malvern, that was bought by a private owner a few years back and refurbishment began, ready for use as a holiday let I believe. The money ran out and it's kinda just been left there. Which is an incredible shame.

Regarding short platforms on my local line, did the Passenger Information System not work? That makes announcements about such stations and tells you which carriage to be in. Manual announcements are usually also made, and the guards normally tell you which part of the train to be in if you're alighting at a short platform.

Worcester Shrub Hill is pretty much the only station big enough (Hereford's p3 kinda sorta just about fits one in, the layout on p1 means it has to shunt out quick to avoid blocking p2) to hold a 9-car IET up here, so for you to need to move to another coach confuses me.

I'm not sure outside of a gala how many of the locos you can see on the SVR's Town station, used to be more but the larger diesel loco depot building might have changed that.

As for the 68, yes I have to say you should have held back for it. 68005, though, I was of the impression only 68008-68015 were fitted with the relevant fire-fighting equipment to work on Chiltern. That could certainly have changed though. If so 68005 would not be a terribly regular loco on Chiltern!

Overall, it looks like a really good day was had!

 

[The_Train]

Well I wasn't expecting to read about you visiting my local station!

Unfortunately I wasn't in the area for long but just from seeing the scenery through the train window, I'd love to visit properly some time and see more than the train station.

The coach at Great Malvern, that was bought by a private owner a few years back and refurbishment began, ready for use as a holiday let I believe. The money ran out and it's kinda just been left there. Which is an incredible shame.

I had a feeling that something like that had happened. It is indeed a shame. Is it on a piece of track that is still attached to the mainline?

Regarding short platforms on my local line, did the Passenger Information System not work? That makes announcements about such stations and tells you which carriage to be in. Manual announcements are usually also made, and the guards normally tell you which part of the train to be in if you're alighting at a short platform.

The information system definitely did work on board and gave me plentiful time to make my move forward (even considering I didn't move until we left Foregate Street). I'd have liked an announcement at Hereford though to advise of short platforms so that those people alighting at these stations could find a suitable coach at the start of their journey. As much as I get that these services are busy leaving Paddington surely they could utilise the 5 car sets (maybe with a split at Reading) as the 9 car unit was certainly very sparse in terms of passengers when I boarded at Foregate Street and indeed on the return out of Hereford.

Worcester Shrub Hill is pretty much the only station big enough (Hereford's p3 kinda sorta just about fits one in, the layout on p1 means it has to shunt out quick to avoid blocking p2) to hold a 9-car IET up here, so for you to need to move to another coach confuses me.

Well it's funny you should say that as I was surprised when I alighted to see that the entire train was seemingly in the platform. I could understand maybe keeping the rear coach locked (coach A in this case) but I was in C and had to move to G

I'm not sure outside of a gala how many of the locos you can see on the SVR's Town station, used to be more but the larger diesel loco depot building might have changed that.

I only tried to view from the overbridge at Kidderminster mainline station and could only see the roofs of coaching stock. The locos I saw were all parked at the depot further down the line.

As for the 68, yes I have to say you should have held back for it.

All part of the fun isn't it? In hindsight a fester at Leamington awaiting the later 68 would have reduced the necessary fester at New Street for the HST (which I eventually turned down because I didn't want to linger at New Street). Ah well you live and learn haha

 

[The_Train]

If you wanna do Anglia. Kill two birds with one stone, go to via London and up to Anglia via Liverpool St and maybe come back via Peterborough. Alternatively you could get to Manchester and get the EMT 158s direct to Norwich. An advance from Liverpool St to Ipswich were relatively cheap last time and if you get an Anglia Plus Day Ranger it kicks in at Ipswich.
http://www.railrover.org/pages/anglia-plus.html
If you go from Manchester you'd need an advance to Ely as the Ranger also kicks in at Ely. I'd hazard a guess that going via London would probably be cheaper.
Ipswich is quite good for freight too, not forgetting the freightliner stabling point at Ipswich Station too.

I'd been looking into getting into the Anglia Ranger area and was struggling to find any reasonably priced tickets. Maybe I wasn't giving myself enough time to get the best advances so I'll stretch my dates a bit and see what that throws up.

Maybe your idea of going via London would offer better prices as Virgin seem to offer decent advances. I guess the only way of doing that from Stafford would be to use that horrid underground system?

 

[The_Train]

Those Anglia Plus Day Rangers have skyrocketed to £24 now. It was quite a hike in the fares change this year.

I noticed that the price of the West Midlands Day Ranger was a few quid more than is showing on the RailRover website. Might have to keep an eye on that when budgeting my trips

 

[The_Train]

I would suggest South Wales. Especially now that it looks like 37s will be returning to the Rhymney commuter turns.

37 haulage is something that is sadly lacking from my life at the moment so that would be nice if it does happen

 

[DavidGrain]

Maybe your idea of going via London would offer better prices as Virgin seem to offer decent advances. I guess the only way of doing that from Stafford would be to use that horrid underground system?

The Underground are still trains. If you don't like the Tube lines you can use the sub-surface line by walking to Euston Square station Much bigger trains and you are not so deep below the surface.

Alternatively you can do what I do which is to use the 205 bus along Marylebone Road/Euston Road. I do this regularly between Marylebone, Euston, St Pancras and Kings Cross. It also serves Paddington and Liverpool Street although I have never done those stations on the bus.

 

[DavidGrain]

Unfortunately I wasn't in the area for long but just from seeing the scenery through the train window, I'd love to visit properly some time and see more than the train station.

The town of Great Malvern is certainly worth a visit but the station is a little way out of the town centre and unfortunately everywhere in Malvern requires walking up steep hills.

Several interesting things at the station itself.
At one end of the down platform is a gate which leads to a tunnel which used to go under the road to a large hotel. That hotel is now a girls school.
Crossing to the up platform there is at one end an old weighbridge set into the platform. I don't know if it is in working order.
At the other end of the platform, if you look under the bridge to the other side of the track you will see the remains of a loading deck where salt from Droitwich and other provisions were off-loaded for the hotel.

 

[Techniquest]

Regarding the lack of the announcement at Hereford, it usually gets made so perhaps an oversight by the train manager?

As for a 9-coach train being overkill, it looks like you did the 1209 out of Hereford, the inward working for that is the 0822 from Paddington. It's more than likely that's formed from a morning train from South Wales or Bristol to London, so a 9 coach would be necessary. Either that or the next workings out of London require a long train after it returns from Hereford? I don't know. Certainly a shorter IET would be fine west of Oxford on that working.

That coach at Malvern, no it's not on track connected to the mainline.

Certainly if you come down my way again, give me the heads-up and if I'm not at work I could always be a tour guide around Hereford.

As for Stafford to Anglia via the WCML, yes it would normally involve the Underground. When I've done Birmingham to Stansted via London, it routed me onto the Victoria line from Euston to Tottenham Hale (not a long journey) and onto Greater Anglia from there. More than likely it would do the same for you? The Victoria line is deep underground, yes, but the trains on it are quite decent and the run to Tottenham Hale after Kings Cross is nice and fast. No hanging around on that section of line! Indeed, depending on the journey being made it might even be possible to get a routing via Finsbury Park for a train to Cambridge. Less Underground mileage, but I think on an Advance you'd be more likely to be routed via Kings Cross for a fast train to Cambridge.

If so, Euston to Kings Cross is only a 10 minute walk. Certainly might be worth looking into booking from Birmingham New Street as Advances start around £16 to Stansted. Cambridge wouldn't be too much different.

 

[The_Train]

The Underground are still trains. If you don't like the Tube lines you can use the sub-surface line by walking to Euston Square station Much bigger trains and you are not so deep below the surface.

Alternatively you can do what I do which is to use the 205 bus along Marylebone Road/Euston Road. I do this regularly between Marylebone, Euston, St Pancras and Kings Cross. It also serves Paddington and Liverpool Street although I have never done those stations on the bus.

Yeah it's not an issue with the trains, it's more that I don't like the environment. I've used it a few times before and found it particularly uncomfortable each time, especially my last visit which was for a game at Wembley

The town of Great Malvern is certainly worth a visit but the station is a little way out of the town centre and unfortunately everywhere in Malvern requires walking up steep hills.

Several interesting things at the station itself.
At one end of the down platform is a gate which leads to a tunnel which used to go under the road to a large hotel. That hotel is now a girls school.
Crossing to the up platform there is at one end an old weighbridge set into the platform. I don't know if it is in working order.
At the other end of the platform, if you look under the bridge to the other side of the track you will see the remains of a loading deck where salt from Droitwich and other provisions were off-loaded for the hotel.

I love old relics from the past so that sort of stuff is right up my street. I will have to try and remember to check them out when I visit again

 

[The_Train]

Couple of quick updates having visited the local a couple of times this week, both occasions being because of light loco workings that I'd hoped would be something to excite me.

Things seemed to bode well for the week when I drove past the station last Sunday and spied 67028 which had stabled there overnight, waiting to work an ECS movement to Eastleigh later that day.

I ventured across the following day just in time to see dud 37884 pass by on route to the South Yard at Crewe
ROG 37884 at Stafford by The_Train

Today was a day when a TPE mileage accumulation run made it beyond Crewe so I also got to see winning DBSO 12806 being powered by dud 68020 as they headed to Bletchley Relief
TPE DBSO 12806 passing Stafford by The_Train
TPE 68020 heads out of Stafford by The_Train

The final run I had my eye on was a light engine working from Leicester L.I.P to Kilmarnock and I expected another Europhoenix Tractor so I was surprised to see Northern Belle liveried bodysnatcher 57312 pass by
57312 at Stafford by The_Train

That was pretty much it for this mini outing but as I was heading towards the exit my sight was caught by a gleaming, but dud, 390128 which I guessed is one of the more recent to exit the Widnes depot with a new livery
VTWC 390128 at Stafford by The_Train

Full list of sightings for 15/04/19:
37: 37884
57: 57312
68: 68020
220: 220014
221: 221103, 221104, 221107, 221117, 221137, 221143
350: 350110, 350114, 350237, 350373
390: 390046, 390128, 390134
TPE Mk5a DTSO: 12806

Yesterday was another that attracted my attention when I made the mistake of checking RTT. Unfortunately I wasn't quite quick enough to see the first 2 that had taken my fancy (both arriving and departing early....nothing to do with me slowing down as I get older) but I did get to see the standard pair of dud 90s heading to Daventry before dud 66760 passed by on route to Bescot having come out of Garston before another light engine working threw up another dud in the shape of 66432 heading towards Daventry DRS. I was left disappointed with the next loco working as well as 57312 made another appearance, heading back home to Leicester, but with 57303 in tow
57312 and 57303 pass Stafford by The_Train

I also got to see the TPE run again with 68020 and 12806 out once again before my only winner of this short stint came in the form of 66427 working an engineers train to Bescot. 2 pairs of dud 90s completed this outing as unfortunately I had other things to do so I was left celebrating just the 1 winner.

Full list of sightings for 19/04/19:
57: 57303, 57312
66: 66427, 66432, 66760
68: 68020
90: 90016, 90018, 90040, 90042, 90047, 90048
220: 220010, 220029
221: 221102, 221107, 221118
350: 350104, 350105, 350231, 350239, 350241, 350244, 350252, 350256, 350373, 350377
390: 390002, 390005, 390045, 390117, 390121, 390125, 390128, 390129, 390136, 390148, 390154
TPE Mk5a DTSO: 12806

 

[Techniquest]

Any score is a bonus by now I'd imagine! I saw 68020 yesterday too when I got to Rugby. Also got a glimpse of a MK5 set at Bletchley as I stormed through on Wednesday, they look rather nice and I'm hoping it won't be too long before I get to sample them!

 

[Kite159]

Probably in an ideal world the middle of the day Worcester & beyond services would be formed of 2x 5 coach units which would split & join at Oxford. However that probably needs platform 5 building first.

(Like in the olden days when you had the odd turbo working towards Worcester, rear unit removed at Oxford)

Anyhow another shed bites the dust

 

[The_Train]

Regarding the lack of the announcement at Hereford, it usually gets made so perhaps an oversight by the train manager?

I'm pretty sure the only announcement we had from the train manager was about the lack of reservations. It should be an announcement done on the platform at Hereford just to see that if you are alighting at stations A, B and C you need to be in the front 4 carriages. Just allows everyone to position themselves accordingly when boarding.

That coach at Malvern, no it's not on track connected to the mainline.

Guess that will just rot then

Certainly if you come down my way again, give me the heads-up and if I'm not at work I could always be a tour guide around

I will take you up on that. The only time I've been to Hereford previously was for a football match and to be honest the football ground is probably not a fair reflection on the area as a whole

 

[The_Train]

Any score is a bonus by now I'd imagine! I saw 68020 yesterday too when I got to Rugby. Also got a glimpse of a MK5 set at Bletchley as I stormed through on Wednesday, they look rather nice and I'm hoping it won't be too long before I get to sample them!

68020 and set TP06 have been working Manchester-Carlisle-Bletchley-Mamchester all week so its likely to have been that set that you saw at Bletchley. One set is now in the hands of TPE so full service is getting a bit closer

 

[The_Train]

Probably in an ideal world the middle of the day Worcester & beyond services would be formed of 2x 5 coach units which would split & join at Oxford. However that probably needs platform 5 building first.

(Like in the olden days when you had the odd turbo working towards Worcester, rear unit removed at Oxford)

Anyhow another shed bites the dust

One thing I think I've learnt during my first 12 months back in the game is that the railway and an ideal world don't very often go hand in hand. I don't know the insand outs of balancing margins on the railways but I'd hazard a guess that a 9 car unit probably pays for itself with the numbers that travel out of London so GWR probably don't mind it emptying as it closes in on Hereford?

And yeah winning sheds keep popping up, albeit less frequently haha. Based on trainlogger data, I am at 281 seen from the 387 on the network

 

[Far north 37]

Well I wasn't expecting to read about you visiting my local station!

As already mentioned, DfT specified the seats not GWR. A shame as otherwise the IETs are a good replacement for the HST.

The coach at Great Malvern, that was bought by a private owner a few years back and refurbishment began, ready for use as a holiday let I believe. The money ran out and it's kinda just been left there. Which is an incredible shame.

Regarding short platforms on my local line, did the Passenger Information System not work? That makes announcements about such stations and tells you which carriage to be in. Manual announcements are usually also made, and the guards normally tell you which part of the train to be in if you're alighting at a short platform.

Worcester Shrub Hill is pretty much the only station big enough (Hereford's p3 kinda sorta just about fits one in, the layout on p1 means it has to shunt out quick to avoid blocking p2) to hold a 9-car IET up here, so for you to need to move to another coach confuses me.

I'm not sure outside of a gala how many of the locos you can see on the SVR's Town station, used to be more but the larger diesel loco depot building might have changed that.

As for the 68, yes I have to say you should have held back for it. 68005, though, I was of the impression only 68008-68015 were fitted with the relevant fire-fighting equipment to work on Chiltern. That could certainly have changed though. If so 68005 would not be a terribly regular loco on Chiltern!

Overall, it looks like a really good day was had!

I imagine it must of been 68009 you seen as 68005 was at sellafield most of that day and the other chiltern drs liveried 68 68008 was at gresty bridge can be pretty easy to confuse a 5 for a 9 if not up close.

 

[The_Train]

I imagine it must of been 68009 you seen as 68005 was at sellafield most of that day and the other chiltern drs liveried 68 68008 was at gresty bridge can be pretty easy to confuse a 5 for a 9 if not up close.

Wouldn't surprise me if I was wrong as I was travelling in the opposite direction and had to wedge my face against the window to try and ID the loco.......either way it was definitely DRS liveried. Thanks for the info mate.