Techniquest
Veteran Member
Hi all,
A bit later than previously intended, but here's the lowdown on my final bash of 2011. To say it didn't go to plan is an understatement, but I managed to achieve things I had wanted to do for ages. Anyway, without further delay, let's crack on:
19th December 2011
Well this was a very last minute decision, it must have been around 0200 by the time things were confirmed! With 12 days left in 2011, it seemed strange to think this would be the last trip of the year, but I'm working almost all of those days so these two days off next to each other were to be used! After finding a suitable Travelodge that I could use my £15 off discount code from Travelodge, it was confirmed to be a two-day deal and I managed just a couple of hours of doss before getting up excited for a breakfast of beans on toast and a coffee. VA51 SAR takes me as expected on the 0720 to Hereford, and traffic seems unbelievably quiet. The journey went by pretty quick as I spent most of it ensuring all was with me for the trip, and we arrived at journeys end 2 minutes early at 0820. An ATM move follows before getting some toothpaste, mouthwash and a big bottle of Pepsi Diet from Morrisons, although I forgot to get some credit for my mobile. Oops!
An Off Peak Day Single is obtained for £14.10 and I get a large coffee from Pumpkin for £1.83. Yep, no bacon roll today! 170630 is joined on the 0849 to Birmingham New Street and I read the Metro. It keeps me busy for quite some time, after which I get started with the write-up for the trip and start the entries in the moves book (well, diary). 66051 is noted in Worcester Yard on a northbound covered steel train, doubtlessly for Round Oak. Unfortunately, my notebook doesn't have my Midland Metro moves in it so I'll never know my full total for 2011 (as I lost my original moves book with them in it months ago), so my RailMiles account will show I passed 16,000 on 170630 shortly before Birmingham New Street. Not a bad amount at all, although nothing much compared to some people on RailUK, one on there had recently passed 50,000! I ponder the first trip of 2012 as we ascend the Lickey, hopefully it'll be before the trip to London for The Concrete Cow in January. I had at one point planned to do a trip on New Year's Day, alas that's gone out of the window as I'm working. At £13 an hour, I'm not complaining mind, although I've now no chance of topping the mileage competition table in 2012!
Just after Northfield, I see a southbound 150 which I deduce must be on one of those Birmingham to Hereford workings that started recently, at the time I reckon it to be on the 0949 Birmingham New Street to Hereford. The two journeys this morning have flown by, it must be said, and we arrive 8 minutes early at p9b, no stopping outside New Street either! Straight off to Moor Street to buy my ticket to London, a Super Off Peak Return at £25, and I note the loco-hauled set has produced. At well over 200 miles for a round trip, £25 is pretty good value. Alas, 67014 is still escaping me and I take 67012 on the 1055 to London Marylebone. Power points up here in 12169 are not working annoyingly, and shortly before departure I see my last 172/3, 172336, for sight. Job done, and we leave promptly at 1055. I see there's supposed to be at-seat catering on this service, let's see if it produces [it didn't, nor did it on the way home either - Ed]. 66598 is noted on a train of concrete sleepers as we charge our way through Small Heath, as was a 31 on a NR test train a little further on.
I realise the through road at Princes Risborough will finally be done, can't wait for that. 73936 is noted north of Banbury, and the rain puts me off going to the droplights. I'm bored now, I must admit. Pelting it through Bicester North is nice, much better than the slow crawl it used to be. A pair of Freightliner 66s, or at least what looked like it, had passed by earlier but no IDs were got. The tampers I've noted in the trip reports in my A4 book are finally checked off, as I've got the book with me today, and the last part of the journey flies by. No sign of 172103 today on Wembley, boo! We finally arrive 2 minutes late at 1234 into p6 at Marylebone, and I join 4355 on the Oven line (sorry, Bakerloo line) to Oxford Circus. A simple change gets me onto 13009 to Victoria on, surprise surprise, the Victoria line. My first known new haulage [I can't find my Tube stock book at the moment, so no idea about those yet - Ed] turns up with 455812 on the 1301 to Dorking. We leave p10 on time for a dull as dishwater journey to Sutton, to my surprise we were non-stop from Clapham Junction to Sutton via Mitcham Junction.
Another ATM move is deemed required and I get some food from across the road at munch. The coffee was less than brilliant and the chicken, turkey and stuffing pasty hurt my teeth! :-x For £3.65, I was less than amused, and there I was going to write a positive review on the place! 319216+319450 were noted on a non-stop run to Blackfriars, which I nearly joined to get my first 319/2 in the book and to go non-stop through places I hadn't yet done so. It turned out when I got the atlas out that it would have been a pointless affair, especially after the moves I made later. Dud 455830 is taken on the 1352 from platform 4 to Waddon for a required station grice. It would have been before then, but the next Epsom Downs train was late so managed to go further than planned. Another dull journey then followed on 455841+455801, both dud, on the 1356 from Waddon to Epsom Downs which left 9 minutes late. We finally arrive at 1425 and another part of the Southern network was cleared. I decide to try and find Tattenham Corner, which in the rain was a bad idea and I got lost 3 times. After 3 lots of seeking directions, I find the station at 1457. With plenty of time until the next train at 1521, I head to the Co-op and pay a couple of bills.
Back at the station, I join 455821 for some required haulage and another branch bash. We leave on time and I bail after a dull journey, finally clearing another annoying gap on the Southern Region, at East Croydon at 1549. Finally, I get to the FCC part of the day, which I had originally been going to do a good 3 hours earlier! The next Brighton is only a few moments away, as the 1525 from East Croydon is rather late due to an earlier signalling issue at Brighton and broken down trains. Annoyingly, it's 377s but that'll do for now. 377520 and 377507 are on it and I jump on, as it may be a long time until the next 319s. Both required haulage, unsurprisingly since I'd not been on a 377/5 yet, and we bomb it along the Brighton Main Line. Due to the 28 minute delay, we call only at Gatwick Airport and Three Bridges. Seems strange being on a 377 with Southern's interior but FCC's livery. We arrive at Brighton's p7 at 1634, and to avoid possible cancellations and no 319s, I re-join the 377s after they're attached to 377513. We leave on the 1630 to Bedford at 1643, obviously 377513 being required haulage too. All stations to Three Bridges, ugh!
After East Croydon, we're non-stop to Blackfriars which I find intriguing. I didn't see a southbound 319 until Haywards, so I suspect it would have been a long wait for a 319 out of Brighton! Could have used the time to get some food mind, but time is of the essence. It's a long way to Bedford and I intend to get there, back to London then finally to Elstree for a night's stay. Been a good day for mileage, for sure. We're routed via Crystal Palace after East Croydon, and 12-car 377 formations still seem overkill at the moment. That said, I'm right at the back. If I'd gone for required track from Crystal Palace to Beckenham Junction today, I'd have been bowled out by cancellations I see. West Norwood Junction, and we branch right, to my surprise this is required track! Going north, I needed the bit after Tulse Hill too. A shockingly slow journey this, and I realise this will be my first trip through Blackfriars for quite a while, no doubt plenty of changes due for the Quail! Plenty of 319s rolling around since our return to London I see, I must have had some bad luck on the Brighton runs! Feels strange being on the fasts with FCC after St Pancras, but funky at the same time. By St Albans, I'm getting tired as a result of being really hungry and not having slept much last night. Even on a 319, I'd be struggling by now I reckon. In all fairness, it's been just over 2 hours since we left Brighton as I write this into my book, so not overly surprising, and as I write we head to the slows just before Harpenden, to allow a pair of 222s to race by.
We stay on the slows all the way to Bedford, where we got held outside of for what felt like an eternity before arriivng into p1 at 1923. 2 hours and 40 minutes on 377s in one go, not including the East Croydon to Brighton bit beforehand, good grief I don't know if I'll ever manage that again! A quarter pounder and cheese is got from the Trax Snax place right outside the station, well worth the £2.49 and I return to the platforms to find 319455+319457 on the 1952 to Brighton, the former being required for sight. I'll have that! Two bits of red pen action, a shame I don't have the time to go all the way to Brighton on this. After St Albans we call at all stations as the previous all-stations stopper was cancelled. I had looked forward to going on the fasts, never mind. It's getting a bit late now, so I alight at Elstree and Borehamwood to get to the Travelodge, since I was tired anyway and it's already 2045. The pair get filmed leaving and I get to the Travelodge after a 23 minute walk. I check in with home and, as I wait for The Big Bang Theory on E4, I write the day's summary: Overall, excellent for mileage and a bit less than desired with required haulages. A shame about not getting 319s on the epic mileage journey with FCC, but that remains on my list of things to do during my ALR in 2012. I'd wanted to do Brighton to Bedford in one go for years, so that's that achieved. A day's rating of 8/10.
20th December 2011
Having not got the A4 book out all morning, this report won't be as detailed as it could have been, but hey. Quite, the writing of this didn't get done until just before Bicester North on the journey home!
After a thoroughly comfortable and relaxing night's sleep, my phone awakens me at 0742, not welcome since I didn't fall asleep until gone 0100! De-rancification occurs and I leave around 0848, stopping off for breakfast at the local Wetherspoon, The Hart and Spool, for a bacon roll and coffee, a bargain at £1.89. I was shocked just how many people came in for alcoholic drinks at this time of day (a little after 0900), and I feel a lot better for it and get to the station after some banking at 0928. With a Travelcard bought, I join 319444+319217 on the 0938 to Sutton. Both required haulage, and my first 319/2 in the book. Sadly, all I hear is humming in the pantograph car of 319217. I bail at Hendon for a station grice and film 222102+222010 passing. 319425 is also recorded through the lens before I join 319214+319004 (only 214 required) on the 0958 to Luton, this time alighting at Mill Hill Broadway. As I film the pair leave, 222005 passes and 319443 joins the party on the tape. 319424 gets red-penned on the 1013 to Sutton, this time it's Cricklewood which gets griced which now clears Elstree to Elephant and Castle. Plenty of work to do just in the Travelcard zones I see though! I film 319361+319377 leaving Cricklewood, 361 required for sight. 319375 is filmed passing and also required for sight. 319366+319006 produce a pair of winners on the 1035 to Sutton for the last 319 bash of the trip, alighting at St Pancras at 1047.
It takes 7 minutes to get from the FCC platforms to departure on 23011 on a Metropolitan all-stations Amersham service. I nearly forget I needed to change for Paddington, so bail for a simple change at Great Portland Street. 5568 takes me forward soon after and I'm happy to see Paddington for the first time in a while and note that the hoardings have finally gone from platforms 9 and 10. The whole place looks so different now! Pairs of 332s are noted, which reminds me it's a weekday and I look to see how much a return to Heathrow is these days. £32! Stuff that for a game of soliders! I see the train I came over here for still runs, and I get a coffee from McDonalds in the meantime. After which, I've noticed it's now non-stop to Gerrards Cross, so I'll need a new ticket for this, great. My eyes nearly reach for the moon as I see how much a day return was, £12! I'd have got a Travelcard extension ticket, but the queues were massive in the ticket office and I couldn't be sure it would be valid somehow. Begrudgingly, I get the ticket and head to p14. 165008 is on the 1136 to Gerrards Cross today, required haulage! I had considered leaving this trip for another time, and regretted not getting the timetable yesterday to check it, but decided it was best to get this done whilst I was here. I meet Asif (Head of Fraud) as the guard on this working and we spend a while chatting away on the slow crawl to Ruislip and beyond. 08836 was scored for sight on Old Oak, another tick in the book.
As I alight at Gerrards Cross at 1209, the Chiltern network is finally complete for the Baker and becomes the 11th TOC to be done. We were going to return on the 1223 to Marylebone, but as it was running late we opt for the 1235 fast instead. I should have joined the 1223 as it was 165034, required haulage, but never mind. 165019, dud, takes us to London and we do indeed get stuck behind the slow service. 67014 is still on the mixed set on Wembley, so probably on the Banbury turn again. All it ever seems to do! We arrive into p2 at 1301 and I get a coffee from etsu, which was offering free mince pies with hot drinks. This had persuaded me, although I was shocked how little it was! 67013 is on the 1337 to Birmingham Moor Street, 67012 having been on the 1055 from Moor Street. Both the same as yesterday then. 172s are parked up next to p1, I wonder if that's where 172103 is. It sure is, so that's the Chiltern fleet finally finished for sight! Departure is on time and I note some A-stock and Jubilee line stock as we rush north. Paperwork is done on the way north, and this write-up is finally started just before Bicester North. So much to write it took until near Hatton to do! Time then to read the Metro, having picked it up and carted it around with me since 0945. I see a photo of the incident with 175002 in West Wales yesterday, looks pretty nasty!
Having been held at Aynho Junction for a northbound Voyager, we're now 7 minutes late by Solihull. The noise really kicks in as we leave, no doubt due to the canopy, and even the Cranks Coach (non-refurbished 12059) at the back gets pretty busy. We finally arrive at 1521, 2 minutes late and the journey went by a lot faster than the southbound journey had. Hunger finally takes over and I get a late lunch from Burger King, the usual meal of course. A surprise lay in store for me downstairs at p6b as I struggled to get through the barriers with so much stuff in my hands, as 170513 had 153375 attached to it on the 1549 to Hereford. A check in my NREA confirmed that the 153 was required haulage, what a way to end the year! We leave 7 minutes late due to a fault on the 153, not sure what. Quote of the trip came from the girls at tables behind me "There's a Pizza Hut too in Birmingham!". No! Really? I'd have been shocked if there wasn't! As we head home through the dark, I have little else to do, bar updating the diary with recent spendage, been loads! £67.10 on fares, £88.67 including food/drink, £117.62 including the Travelodge, bus journeys coming out of my multi-journey ticket I use for commuting. Not a cheap two days but could have been much more! 150109 was noted at Droitwich Spa on the 1633 to Birmingham New Street, again assumed to be on the diagram for a 150. Time after re-visiting the Metro to get ready to alight, after waiting at Malvern Wells for a train from Hereford to clear the line, crossing it here vice Ledbury due to the delay to our service. We arrive 15 minutes late at 1734 and I proceed to the bus stop to get VA51 SAR on the 1805 home. As I write this last bit on 27th December 2011, I can't wait to find out my final 2011 bus mileage, which will be known on 31st December 2011 after more commuting. It'll be a lot for sure, and 2011's been pretty good for the most part, if 2012 is even half as good I can't wait!
Anyway, the day's review: Quite good, certainly it started well with the FCC action. The epic ching to Gerrards Cross put a dampner on the day, but it was worth it to finish the Chiltern network at long last. The afternoon flew by, no time to be bored on the long drag to Leamington! The required 153 was quite the bonus, and over the two days I reckon I must have had between 400 and 500 miles, and value for money on the fares bought, although I wish I'd got more value out of today's Travelcard. Rating for the day being 8/10. Finally, the stats:
Total mileage for the trip: 607 miles and 17 chains
hock:
Highest mileage during the trip: 111 miles and 56 chains on both 67012 and 67013.
Lowest mileage during the trip: 0 miles and 73 chains on 23011 from Kings Cross St Pancras to Great Portland Street.
Best bit: Finally getting on a 319 leaving Bedford!
Worst bit: The annoying wait outside Bedford for several minutes, tied with the walk in the rain from Epsom Downs to Tattenham Corner.
Random quote: "There's a Pizza Hut too in Birmingham!"
And that's that, the last trip report of the year and I end on 16,553 miles. Not bad going at all, considering I didn't think I'd get to 10,000 at one point! See you all in 2012!
A bit later than previously intended, but here's the lowdown on my final bash of 2011. To say it didn't go to plan is an understatement, but I managed to achieve things I had wanted to do for ages. Anyway, without further delay, let's crack on:
19th December 2011
Well this was a very last minute decision, it must have been around 0200 by the time things were confirmed! With 12 days left in 2011, it seemed strange to think this would be the last trip of the year, but I'm working almost all of those days so these two days off next to each other were to be used! After finding a suitable Travelodge that I could use my £15 off discount code from Travelodge, it was confirmed to be a two-day deal and I managed just a couple of hours of doss before getting up excited for a breakfast of beans on toast and a coffee. VA51 SAR takes me as expected on the 0720 to Hereford, and traffic seems unbelievably quiet. The journey went by pretty quick as I spent most of it ensuring all was with me for the trip, and we arrived at journeys end 2 minutes early at 0820. An ATM move follows before getting some toothpaste, mouthwash and a big bottle of Pepsi Diet from Morrisons, although I forgot to get some credit for my mobile. Oops!
An Off Peak Day Single is obtained for £14.10 and I get a large coffee from Pumpkin for £1.83. Yep, no bacon roll today! 170630 is joined on the 0849 to Birmingham New Street and I read the Metro. It keeps me busy for quite some time, after which I get started with the write-up for the trip and start the entries in the moves book (well, diary). 66051 is noted in Worcester Yard on a northbound covered steel train, doubtlessly for Round Oak. Unfortunately, my notebook doesn't have my Midland Metro moves in it so I'll never know my full total for 2011 (as I lost my original moves book with them in it months ago), so my RailMiles account will show I passed 16,000 on 170630 shortly before Birmingham New Street. Not a bad amount at all, although nothing much compared to some people on RailUK, one on there had recently passed 50,000! I ponder the first trip of 2012 as we ascend the Lickey, hopefully it'll be before the trip to London for The Concrete Cow in January. I had at one point planned to do a trip on New Year's Day, alas that's gone out of the window as I'm working. At £13 an hour, I'm not complaining mind, although I've now no chance of topping the mileage competition table in 2012!
Just after Northfield, I see a southbound 150 which I deduce must be on one of those Birmingham to Hereford workings that started recently, at the time I reckon it to be on the 0949 Birmingham New Street to Hereford. The two journeys this morning have flown by, it must be said, and we arrive 8 minutes early at p9b, no stopping outside New Street either! Straight off to Moor Street to buy my ticket to London, a Super Off Peak Return at £25, and I note the loco-hauled set has produced. At well over 200 miles for a round trip, £25 is pretty good value. Alas, 67014 is still escaping me and I take 67012 on the 1055 to London Marylebone. Power points up here in 12169 are not working annoyingly, and shortly before departure I see my last 172/3, 172336, for sight. Job done, and we leave promptly at 1055. I see there's supposed to be at-seat catering on this service, let's see if it produces [it didn't, nor did it on the way home either - Ed]. 66598 is noted on a train of concrete sleepers as we charge our way through Small Heath, as was a 31 on a NR test train a little further on.
I realise the through road at Princes Risborough will finally be done, can't wait for that. 73936 is noted north of Banbury, and the rain puts me off going to the droplights. I'm bored now, I must admit. Pelting it through Bicester North is nice, much better than the slow crawl it used to be. A pair of Freightliner 66s, or at least what looked like it, had passed by earlier but no IDs were got. The tampers I've noted in the trip reports in my A4 book are finally checked off, as I've got the book with me today, and the last part of the journey flies by. No sign of 172103 today on Wembley, boo! We finally arrive 2 minutes late at 1234 into p6 at Marylebone, and I join 4355 on the Oven line (sorry, Bakerloo line) to Oxford Circus. A simple change gets me onto 13009 to Victoria on, surprise surprise, the Victoria line. My first known new haulage [I can't find my Tube stock book at the moment, so no idea about those yet - Ed] turns up with 455812 on the 1301 to Dorking. We leave p10 on time for a dull as dishwater journey to Sutton, to my surprise we were non-stop from Clapham Junction to Sutton via Mitcham Junction.
Another ATM move is deemed required and I get some food from across the road at munch. The coffee was less than brilliant and the chicken, turkey and stuffing pasty hurt my teeth! :-x For £3.65, I was less than amused, and there I was going to write a positive review on the place! 319216+319450 were noted on a non-stop run to Blackfriars, which I nearly joined to get my first 319/2 in the book and to go non-stop through places I hadn't yet done so. It turned out when I got the atlas out that it would have been a pointless affair, especially after the moves I made later. Dud 455830 is taken on the 1352 from platform 4 to Waddon for a required station grice. It would have been before then, but the next Epsom Downs train was late so managed to go further than planned. Another dull journey then followed on 455841+455801, both dud, on the 1356 from Waddon to Epsom Downs which left 9 minutes late. We finally arrive at 1425 and another part of the Southern network was cleared. I decide to try and find Tattenham Corner, which in the rain was a bad idea and I got lost 3 times. After 3 lots of seeking directions, I find the station at 1457. With plenty of time until the next train at 1521, I head to the Co-op and pay a couple of bills.
Back at the station, I join 455821 for some required haulage and another branch bash. We leave on time and I bail after a dull journey, finally clearing another annoying gap on the Southern Region, at East Croydon at 1549. Finally, I get to the FCC part of the day, which I had originally been going to do a good 3 hours earlier! The next Brighton is only a few moments away, as the 1525 from East Croydon is rather late due to an earlier signalling issue at Brighton and broken down trains. Annoyingly, it's 377s but that'll do for now. 377520 and 377507 are on it and I jump on, as it may be a long time until the next 319s. Both required haulage, unsurprisingly since I'd not been on a 377/5 yet, and we bomb it along the Brighton Main Line. Due to the 28 minute delay, we call only at Gatwick Airport and Three Bridges. Seems strange being on a 377 with Southern's interior but FCC's livery. We arrive at Brighton's p7 at 1634, and to avoid possible cancellations and no 319s, I re-join the 377s after they're attached to 377513. We leave on the 1630 to Bedford at 1643, obviously 377513 being required haulage too. All stations to Three Bridges, ugh!
After East Croydon, we're non-stop to Blackfriars which I find intriguing. I didn't see a southbound 319 until Haywards, so I suspect it would have been a long wait for a 319 out of Brighton! Could have used the time to get some food mind, but time is of the essence. It's a long way to Bedford and I intend to get there, back to London then finally to Elstree for a night's stay. Been a good day for mileage, for sure. We're routed via Crystal Palace after East Croydon, and 12-car 377 formations still seem overkill at the moment. That said, I'm right at the back. If I'd gone for required track from Crystal Palace to Beckenham Junction today, I'd have been bowled out by cancellations I see. West Norwood Junction, and we branch right, to my surprise this is required track! Going north, I needed the bit after Tulse Hill too. A shockingly slow journey this, and I realise this will be my first trip through Blackfriars for quite a while, no doubt plenty of changes due for the Quail! Plenty of 319s rolling around since our return to London I see, I must have had some bad luck on the Brighton runs! Feels strange being on the fasts with FCC after St Pancras, but funky at the same time. By St Albans, I'm getting tired as a result of being really hungry and not having slept much last night. Even on a 319, I'd be struggling by now I reckon. In all fairness, it's been just over 2 hours since we left Brighton as I write this into my book, so not overly surprising, and as I write we head to the slows just before Harpenden, to allow a pair of 222s to race by.
We stay on the slows all the way to Bedford, where we got held outside of for what felt like an eternity before arriivng into p1 at 1923. 2 hours and 40 minutes on 377s in one go, not including the East Croydon to Brighton bit beforehand, good grief I don't know if I'll ever manage that again! A quarter pounder and cheese is got from the Trax Snax place right outside the station, well worth the £2.49 and I return to the platforms to find 319455+319457 on the 1952 to Brighton, the former being required for sight. I'll have that! Two bits of red pen action, a shame I don't have the time to go all the way to Brighton on this. After St Albans we call at all stations as the previous all-stations stopper was cancelled. I had looked forward to going on the fasts, never mind. It's getting a bit late now, so I alight at Elstree and Borehamwood to get to the Travelodge, since I was tired anyway and it's already 2045. The pair get filmed leaving and I get to the Travelodge after a 23 minute walk. I check in with home and, as I wait for The Big Bang Theory on E4, I write the day's summary: Overall, excellent for mileage and a bit less than desired with required haulages. A shame about not getting 319s on the epic mileage journey with FCC, but that remains on my list of things to do during my ALR in 2012. I'd wanted to do Brighton to Bedford in one go for years, so that's that achieved. A day's rating of 8/10.
20th December 2011
Having not got the A4 book out all morning, this report won't be as detailed as it could have been, but hey. Quite, the writing of this didn't get done until just before Bicester North on the journey home!
After a thoroughly comfortable and relaxing night's sleep, my phone awakens me at 0742, not welcome since I didn't fall asleep until gone 0100! De-rancification occurs and I leave around 0848, stopping off for breakfast at the local Wetherspoon, The Hart and Spool, for a bacon roll and coffee, a bargain at £1.89. I was shocked just how many people came in for alcoholic drinks at this time of day (a little after 0900), and I feel a lot better for it and get to the station after some banking at 0928. With a Travelcard bought, I join 319444+319217 on the 0938 to Sutton. Both required haulage, and my first 319/2 in the book. Sadly, all I hear is humming in the pantograph car of 319217. I bail at Hendon for a station grice and film 222102+222010 passing. 319425 is also recorded through the lens before I join 319214+319004 (only 214 required) on the 0958 to Luton, this time alighting at Mill Hill Broadway. As I film the pair leave, 222005 passes and 319443 joins the party on the tape. 319424 gets red-penned on the 1013 to Sutton, this time it's Cricklewood which gets griced which now clears Elstree to Elephant and Castle. Plenty of work to do just in the Travelcard zones I see though! I film 319361+319377 leaving Cricklewood, 361 required for sight. 319375 is filmed passing and also required for sight. 319366+319006 produce a pair of winners on the 1035 to Sutton for the last 319 bash of the trip, alighting at St Pancras at 1047.
It takes 7 minutes to get from the FCC platforms to departure on 23011 on a Metropolitan all-stations Amersham service. I nearly forget I needed to change for Paddington, so bail for a simple change at Great Portland Street. 5568 takes me forward soon after and I'm happy to see Paddington for the first time in a while and note that the hoardings have finally gone from platforms 9 and 10. The whole place looks so different now! Pairs of 332s are noted, which reminds me it's a weekday and I look to see how much a return to Heathrow is these days. £32! Stuff that for a game of soliders! I see the train I came over here for still runs, and I get a coffee from McDonalds in the meantime. After which, I've noticed it's now non-stop to Gerrards Cross, so I'll need a new ticket for this, great. My eyes nearly reach for the moon as I see how much a day return was, £12! I'd have got a Travelcard extension ticket, but the queues were massive in the ticket office and I couldn't be sure it would be valid somehow. Begrudgingly, I get the ticket and head to p14. 165008 is on the 1136 to Gerrards Cross today, required haulage! I had considered leaving this trip for another time, and regretted not getting the timetable yesterday to check it, but decided it was best to get this done whilst I was here. I meet Asif (Head of Fraud) as the guard on this working and we spend a while chatting away on the slow crawl to Ruislip and beyond. 08836 was scored for sight on Old Oak, another tick in the book.
As I alight at Gerrards Cross at 1209, the Chiltern network is finally complete for the Baker and becomes the 11th TOC to be done. We were going to return on the 1223 to Marylebone, but as it was running late we opt for the 1235 fast instead. I should have joined the 1223 as it was 165034, required haulage, but never mind. 165019, dud, takes us to London and we do indeed get stuck behind the slow service. 67014 is still on the mixed set on Wembley, so probably on the Banbury turn again. All it ever seems to do! We arrive into p2 at 1301 and I get a coffee from etsu, which was offering free mince pies with hot drinks. This had persuaded me, although I was shocked how little it was! 67013 is on the 1337 to Birmingham Moor Street, 67012 having been on the 1055 from Moor Street. Both the same as yesterday then. 172s are parked up next to p1, I wonder if that's where 172103 is. It sure is, so that's the Chiltern fleet finally finished for sight! Departure is on time and I note some A-stock and Jubilee line stock as we rush north. Paperwork is done on the way north, and this write-up is finally started just before Bicester North. So much to write it took until near Hatton to do! Time then to read the Metro, having picked it up and carted it around with me since 0945. I see a photo of the incident with 175002 in West Wales yesterday, looks pretty nasty!
Having been held at Aynho Junction for a northbound Voyager, we're now 7 minutes late by Solihull. The noise really kicks in as we leave, no doubt due to the canopy, and even the Cranks Coach (non-refurbished 12059) at the back gets pretty busy. We finally arrive at 1521, 2 minutes late and the journey went by a lot faster than the southbound journey had. Hunger finally takes over and I get a late lunch from Burger King, the usual meal of course. A surprise lay in store for me downstairs at p6b as I struggled to get through the barriers with so much stuff in my hands, as 170513 had 153375 attached to it on the 1549 to Hereford. A check in my NREA confirmed that the 153 was required haulage, what a way to end the year! We leave 7 minutes late due to a fault on the 153, not sure what. Quote of the trip came from the girls at tables behind me "There's a Pizza Hut too in Birmingham!". No! Really? I'd have been shocked if there wasn't! As we head home through the dark, I have little else to do, bar updating the diary with recent spendage, been loads! £67.10 on fares, £88.67 including food/drink, £117.62 including the Travelodge, bus journeys coming out of my multi-journey ticket I use for commuting. Not a cheap two days but could have been much more! 150109 was noted at Droitwich Spa on the 1633 to Birmingham New Street, again assumed to be on the diagram for a 150. Time after re-visiting the Metro to get ready to alight, after waiting at Malvern Wells for a train from Hereford to clear the line, crossing it here vice Ledbury due to the delay to our service. We arrive 15 minutes late at 1734 and I proceed to the bus stop to get VA51 SAR on the 1805 home. As I write this last bit on 27th December 2011, I can't wait to find out my final 2011 bus mileage, which will be known on 31st December 2011 after more commuting. It'll be a lot for sure, and 2011's been pretty good for the most part, if 2012 is even half as good I can't wait!
Anyway, the day's review: Quite good, certainly it started well with the FCC action. The epic ching to Gerrards Cross put a dampner on the day, but it was worth it to finish the Chiltern network at long last. The afternoon flew by, no time to be bored on the long drag to Leamington! The required 153 was quite the bonus, and over the two days I reckon I must have had between 400 and 500 miles, and value for money on the fares bought, although I wish I'd got more value out of today's Travelcard. Rating for the day being 8/10. Finally, the stats:
Total mileage for the trip: 607 miles and 17 chains
hock:Highest mileage during the trip: 111 miles and 56 chains on both 67012 and 67013.
Lowest mileage during the trip: 0 miles and 73 chains on 23011 from Kings Cross St Pancras to Great Portland Street.
Best bit: Finally getting on a 319 leaving Bedford!
Worst bit: The annoying wait outside Bedford for several minutes, tied with the walk in the rain from Epsom Downs to Tattenham Corner.
Random quote: "There's a Pizza Hut too in Birmingham!"
And that's that, the last trip report of the year and I end on 16,553 miles. Not bad going at all, considering I didn't think I'd get to 10,000 at one point! See you all in 2012!
but it means I have enough money for my 2012 ALR