How difficult is it to arrive or leave at all timetabled platforms. 5 year project to achieve this.

Thanks. Happy travelling!

Andy Pacer said:

I only asked as I was scoping out how to do Ince & Elton which is one of mine I have remaining, and realised Stanlow & Thornton is no longer open!

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I did these 2 stations on the early morning services (2 different days of course) and then moved onto other things after, but then i do live relatively close by. They are both interesting stations with lots of abandoned stuff either side of the line to keep things interesting so i do recommend a daytime visit if possible. If you do the evening one, it currently starts from P4 at Helsby so an unusual crossover bonus! Good luck whenever you attempt this. These services are not as unreliable currently compared to a few years ago.

All platforms said:

Balmossie may be the trickiest of all as it has no shelter at all!! - unless there is one off platform i have forgotten about.

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Was there a few weeks ago and according to my photos there is a shelter on platform 1, although I can't quite tell if there's a bench inside or not.

Andy Pacer said:

I only asked as I was scoping out how to do Ince & Elton which is one of mine I have remaining, and realised Stanlow & Thornton is no longer open!

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As far as the poorly-served stations go, I don't think Ince & Elton is too difficult (not just because it's local to me!) - two trains 20 minutes apart which look to have been running much more consistently in the last 6 months or so. Connections to the train at Helsby aren't ideal if arriving from Chester, though. I'm headed there tomorrow to tick off ELP platform 2, actually.

All platforms said:

I did these 2 stations on the early morning services (2 different days of course) and then moved onto other things after, but then i do live relatively close by. They are both interesting stations with lots of abandoned stuff either side of the line to keep things interesting so i do recommend a daytime visit if possible. If you do the evening one, it currently starts from P4 at Helsby so an unusual crossover bonus! Good luck whenever you attempt this. These services are not as unreliable currently compared to a few years ago.

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777142 said:

Was there a few weeks ago and according to my photos there is a shelter on platform 1, although I can't quite tell if there's a bench inside or not.

As far as the poorly-served stations go, I don't think Ince & Elton is too difficult (not just because it's local to me!) - two trains 20 minutes apart which look to have been running much more consistently in the last 6 months or so. Connections to the train at Helsby aren't ideal if arriving from Chester, though. I'm headed there tomorrow to tick off ELP platform 2, actually.

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Thanks both, i'll be doing the evening one at some point.

All platforms said:

Balmossie may be the trickiest of all as it has no shelter at all!! - unless there is one off platform i have forgotten about.

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There’s a rudimentary shelter on the Up platform (or at least there was at the end of May).

I've still been reading your reports over the years. Always very enjoyable. Best of luck finishing the last few stations.

Day 590: Sunday 26/07/2026 - Warwick Parkway to Kenilworth - £4.25 - Off-peak Return. Warwick Parkway to Birmingham Moor Street - £7.15 - Off-peak Return. Car Park - Arras Boulevard Budbrooke - free.
Total time today 239 mins - time on trains 92 mins and time waiting 147 mins. More track in the West Midlands....

"4 hours South of Birmingham"

I was intrigued by a promised P2 starter or two this morning at Warwick Parkway into Marylebone. It is not explicitly seen as such in the schedules, as RTT etc do not report platform numbers in advance at this station, so it has to be implied by the arrivals from the South - one from the depot and one from an in service arrival. There is no facing crossover from the South so all arrivals from there must use P2, and with no means of an empty stock transfer to P1, departures to the South must also be from P2. There was congestion on the M6 south of Stafford, but i was conveniently able to circumvent this thankfully so was able to arrive on time and park up locally also circumventing the ridiculous car park charges at this Parkway station by doing so. Never a busy car park, but not a surprise given the charges.

The usual confusion of course with the platform change, but i think all were on board by the appointed time and we set off on the Up Line at an almost walking pace before crossing just before Warwick station itself. Timings were extremely generous as there was dwell time nonetheless. I alighted at Leamington Spa intending to get a Coventry/Nuneaton service from P4, but the incoming landed in P3 for some reason then ran empty to P2 via a crossover to the South. Not good as i needed a P3/P4 departure! Now, what do i do? Persist with the P3/4 option or take a trip to Moor Street for track still needed. In the end the decision was taken for me as i had now missed the hourly Birmingham service, so i waited to see if the next Nuneaton service would be more compliable with my wishes (and the scheduling!). It was, and i set off for Kenilworth via the crossover, and we waited at the next signal just shy of Milverton Jn for a XC service to pass us on its way to Bournemouth.

Kenilworth was just as i remember it from 2021, and also busier, though not by a great deal. Back to Leamington Spa, and a 10 minute hiatus before catching the hourly to Moor Street. When researching today i was more than surprised to find i had a section of track left to do at Dorridge, two in fact as i needed both sides of the track - basically the country end of P1 and P2. I had also intended to take another trip to Tyseley today, but the more i thought about this the more i convinced myself this was better done when i return at some future point as i still need the chord between the Dorridge tracks and Tyseley P3/4. I am being a bit completist by considering Tyseley again as i did this station by walking in and out from Bordesley almost at the beginning of this journey, and i want to do all platforms by arriving from and departing to by rail. My rules seem to be tightening of late. Either that or just enforcing my own ones a little more effectively. Probably the latter actually.

I do like Moor Street as a station, and it was whilst waiting on P1 for a delayed Stratford service that i made the decision to just return to Warwick Parkway rather than taking the diversion. This way i could make up for the delay earlier, and i wouldn't be losing anything difficult in the process. So, back to Parkway it was and a return home on a very busy M5 (M42 closures again). It was only when i was marking up etc that i realised i had also done another section of track not previously done, which was the London end of Hatton P1!! Just a short trip today by my standards, but i have taken the plunge next Sunday to drive to London albeit super early in the day, as i have spotted a myriad of opportunities there, with a late night bonus or two at Brighton. A very cheap overnight at Redhill then awaits before some very early Monday moves and home. I guess i will still travel in the school holidays after all - if enough targets appear.

Fascinating and another good read.

The exile said:

There’s a rudimentary shelter on the Up platform (or at least there was at the end of May).

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Yes, i see it now on Google - a wooden affair, and a bit longer than one might expect. Certainly better than the one provided at Havenhouse!!! Thanks.

Rover said:

Fascinating and another good read.

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Cheers

Turbo004 said:

I've still been reading your reports over the years. Always very enjoyable. Best of luck finishing the last few stations.

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Hope you are still on your once a month outings - lots of choices in the summer of course. I keep finding more platform variants. I only realised this time last week that the whole of the West side of Victoria have f or front platforms timetabled, which i will need to investigate. With Okehampton Interchange opening next week that will be 31 stations left to do, but purely by chance i do have a holiday in the area coming up in 6 weeks time that was booked months and months ago on a non rail related basis. Ironic how that turned out! All the best...

Day 591: Sunday 02/08/2026 - London Zone 1-6 Day Travelcard - £11.00 - Off-peak. Redhill to Edenbridge - £5.10 - Off-peak Return. Boundary Zone 6 to Woking - £5.05 - Sunday Out Return. Redhill to Reigate - £2.20 - Off-peak Return. Redhill to West Worthing - £14.10 - Off-peak Return. Worthing to West Worthing - £2.65 - Off-peak Return x3. Brighton to Lewes - £4.25 - Off-peak Return. Brighton to Hove - £2.65 - Off-peak Return. Car Park Fownes Street Battersea Park - free. Redhill Travelodge - free.
Total time today 1055 mins - time on trains 373 mins and time waiting 682 mins. Stations completed today 1. Total completed 2567. Platforms completed at completed stations 5962.

"Almost a blank in the morning" before "A strong finish in Surrey/Sussex"

Definitely a tale of two halves today. The premise today was in fact the proposed morning moves at Voltaire Road Jn and Crofton Road Jn and building some Victoria track bits on top of that before relocating to Redhill for the afternoon and evening. However, no such luck in the flesh, as all of the Overground Battersea Park movements in/out of P2 there were monopolising the Atlantic Lines with all else exclusively keeping to the Chatham lines. RTT did not show any of these in advance and was changing the routing after the event all day. No idea why, but its part and parcel of trying to catch unusual track. I decided to keep to my original schedule, even with the knowledge it was not going to work, so i shuttled back and forth between Victoria and Denmark Hill/Peckham Rye for the morning.

The only way to attempt the early ones was to get to Victoria before 7.30 and the only way i know how to achieve that is to park near to Clapham Junction which i did about 6.30am. The alarm to achieve this was 2.30am which i think very hard about before pulling the trigger on this.Local parking at CLJ is free on a Sunday. There was only one service into Victoria at this time and i was very glad it turned up on time! So, no joy with Voltaire/Crofton Road Junctions, but i did have a chance with the first Victoria outbound which was leaving from P7 and hopefully using one of my very few missing crossovers at the station. It was the second last crossover to gain the Down Chatham Fast assuming the most immediate routing. It chose the routing via the crossovers at Grosvenor Road Jn instead. However i was landing back in P7 on the return and this did use the crossovers at the last moment, and i had my first (and only) success of the morning with this. A pleasant enough morning nevertheless before the hourts run down to Redhill.

I was not in my jalopy today, but the one that has air-con and other mod cons, and this was the only reason i was attempting this at all. It wasn't today that was the problem but the daytime journey back tomorrow that daunted me - as we shall see. Anyway i made it to Redhill and had a word with the nice lady on reception at the travelodge next to the station and was allowed to park up early and get my key early even though i was way to early for a conventional check-in. I would not be returning till past midnight and thus no worries now about gaining entrance so late.

Next up was a trip up to Edenbridge where services were terminating all day in P2, and thus using the crossover on the return. Another one in the bag then, before continuing. I was most surprised to see (what i thought to be) my proposed service sitting in P2b, which is a required platform. Doh. However in my defence the timing was the same as mine, which was what i had based my decision to jump on board. An extra ticket was purchased on arrival at Reigate, and no issues with the gateline staff to do this. Phew.

Oh.... i forgot to talk about the Clapham Junction debacle. I had hoped to be on the 10.09 to Woking, but on arrival there was a bit of a Rugby scrum and two separate platform changes announced with many other services now being also quite late, and switched due to signalling problems. My proposed service would have been taking a specific routing through Wimbledon station but with everything out of synch i declined to participate and cut for Redhill earlier than originally planned.

There is still much to do on the Brighton Main Line, but for now i would be concentrating on one of the trickiest remaining platform targets which happens to be P1 at Worthing. Often timetabled, but only ever used to allow a late running service to overtake toward London/Brighton. Used maybe 5 or 6 timed a week on average and nearly always turns out to be something not timetabled. On this basis i didn't expect any results today, but you have to start somewhere, and you never know. Harder even than camping out at Worthing itself is to arrive in P1 from the West, and so i found myself shuttling back and forth between West Worthing and Worthing trying to catch the elusive stopping service that was being hunted down by a late running one. In truth there were some possibilities, as the services from Portsmouth all seemed to be late to some degree. I got lucky on the third of these attempts as the service behind was so late that it was now running fast - certainly fast through the Worthing stations, and we slowed right down and entered the station loop. That's a big internal high five for sure. I took the opportunity to alight to complete the station rather than continue and complete the loop. It will be easier to return to Worthing for the rest of the loop, albeit it may take a few days/attempts. However i have spotted a looped service that may actually work in October, so lets await that i think.

I did camp out for a few hours at Worthing to see if anything else would land there. A couple of near misses with trains very close together, but in the end i had been lucky with only that one service at around 18.36 actually using this hard to predict in advance platform. The light was fading before i moved on, this time to Brighton for the last few moves of the day where Brighton Pride had caused train services to be strengthened today. London Road and Preston park stations were closed all day and quite a few platforming oddities were showing in RTT. Firstly i headed off to Lewes to await a specific incoming service from there. It was getting on for 10pm before i arrived there, and another half hour before i boarded the return, which was scheduled to cross over all the main tracks to land in P3. Not a given these type of moves i hear, but thankfully for me, it worked and some fairly rare bit of track was in the bag as we made our way across into P3. At this point i nearly headed for home as my promised starter north from P8 was no longer doing so, having been moved to P6. Fair enough, that was a stretch, with nothing normally timetabled to use P8 in that way, so another crossover for another day. In the end i elected to stay with my P3 arrival and continue as a P3 starter and so using the West Loop and attendant crossover before heading west for a few minutes to terminate in Hove P1. P3 starters West are are also rare as hens teeth, so i would take that in a heartbeat as a more than solid alternative to my P8 disappointment. Another ticket purchase once at Hove to keep me legal, but i don't think i saw any on board ticket checks at all today, which is quite unusual. I can sometimes go all day with just a single check, but a day without any at all is very rare in my experience.

I was back in Brighton shortly afterwards, and a glance at the boards showed just a few departures before the all night hourly services kicked in, so i boarded the first thing i saw that was stopping at Redhill, and boarded into a world of what can only be described as "a carriage full of excitables". It wasn't too bad i guess, but i did have a surreal moment about 15 mins into the journey when (and i swear this true) a lady in front of me peered back between the seats and said in perfect unaccented English " excuse me sir would you object if i got out my maracas?" At this point perhaps some context might be appropriate. The lady in question had just been regaling the carriage with a couple of songs in Spanish. She had quite a powerful voice, which was certainly capable of showcasing the songs potential. She was joined by two other random people nearby, and between them worked up quite the lather. It was at this stage i was asked the question, and i said with a straight face something to the effect that i had no objection to her maracas. I am sure Morecambe and Wise would have made more of the moment, but i was just keen to finish a day that at this stage had almost crossed the 22 hour mark. She did indeed fished out a maraca (not a pair!) from somewhere, and was eagerly showing her new found friends how to play it. From a non Maraca palying perspective myself, there is certainly more to it than meets the eye. The mood changed palpably when we reached Gatwick as the world and his dog flooded the train, and just like that it was a "normal" train once more, though it did take a hot minute to extricate myself at Redhill. Boy that was a full train for the last 10 mins or so! Off to bed for a sub 5 hour slumber before up with the lark again tomorrow and some early moves before returning up North. Given what i had ticked off in the latter part of the day, i have to admit that it was worth missing my morning targets for.

Day 592: Monday 03/08/2026 - Redhill to Godstone - £9.40 - Anytime Return. Redhill to London Victoria - £25.80 - Anytime Return. Car Park - still at the Travelodge Redhill, and free.
Total time today 264 mins - time on trains 94 mins and time waiting 170 mins. No stations finished today but i did pick up a bonus platform at a station i had previously counted as finished.

"The Victoria quest continues"

I confess i did not leap out of bed this morning fresh as a daisy, and as a consequence a lot of dozing took place on trains, though i have an inbuilt ability now to be awake for the key bits of any journey (mostly). I was missing my last bit of track at Redhill, which involved a departure from P3 and onto the Tonbridge line, and you can normally only achieve this with one specific early morning Tonbridge service. Another one of those bits of track that can only be obtained by staying nearby the night before. The service comes from the depot and sits on P3 whilst they split the units in two - the front bit then goes empty to Reigate and the rear half toddles off to Tonbridge from what can only be described as P3b - which is not ever described in the schedules as such. Always exciting to discover a hitherto unnoticed platform variant. This got me to wondering if a P3a also exists - and it does, so i will certainly have to come back for this. It turns out other trains get split here at certain times of the day - all Southern services, front half to Gatwick and back half to Reigate. Both always show as just P3 in the schedules. I also found a service that splits in P0, so i will definitely be including these targets when i am next in the area. Strangely i am also convinced that finding a P2a service in the flesh will be harder than the new variants just talked about, as this Sunday only service doesn't always use said P2a. So a new platform in the bag i guess - well actually no not yet as i can't count my starting platforms as a valid one under my rather arcane rules. I have my other newly found split services later in the day to look forward to instead for this.

Turning at Godstone, i made my way back to Redhill and got myself up to Clapham Junction to await a specific service that would terminate in P8 at Victoria and so use a hitherto not used by me crossover from the Up Brighton Slow to the Fast before immediately moving over to the East side of the station and landing in P8 there. There is another crossover that in theory would allow a service to traverse into P3/P4, but i guess this is never used as no one wants to see Southern units in the middle of a bunch of Southeastern units. Will GBR ever change this mindset i wonder. Anyway, apart from this very unlikely to be used crossover i only have two (possibly three) other pieces of track to target here, one of which may get used later in the year, and the other in an hours time! So, after garnering a few supplies for the long journey home i boarded the 9.12 service from p15f which gained me a bonus platform as well as the last "normal" crossover at Victoria i need, as this service went straight onto the Down Brighton Slow causing another smile on my face as we traversed it. Very satisfying.

Back at Redhill not long after 10am, but it would take me 2 hours longer than normal before i would reach home due to the usual Motorway shenanigans. It would have been hell in my jalopy, and having creature comforts was the only reason i contemplated this venture at this time of year. It was worth it in the end, and i have been ticking things off at a decent rate of late despite the inevitable disappointments that also occur. A tiring day nontheless and i would be up early again in the morning for another jaunt, but not so far this time.

Day 593: Tuesday 04/08/2026 - Manchester Piccadilly to Stoke-on-Trent - £6.95 - Advance Single. Stoke-on-Trent to Manchester Piccadilly - £7.95 - Advance Single. West Midlands Network Daytripper - £8.90 - Off-peak. Car Park Baird Street Manchester - free before 8am and Sandwell & Dudley - also free.
Total time today 472 mins - time on trains 229 mins and time waiting 243 mins. No new platforms etc - track only day.

"A very early start in Manchester before heading off to Birmingham in the afternoon"

I have had my eye on the first XC out of Manchester for some time now and today was as good as any to scratch that itch. Bags of parking near to the station before 8am if going for the earlies here, and i may be back for more of these in the future. A pity they didn't open the doors until the very last minute on this 5 car service to Bournemouth. Starting from P2 there were 2 possible routings depending whether or not it was using the Up Fast or Up Slow to Slade Lane Jn. It was scheduled to use the Slow, but certainly recently it has been actually using the Fast. Either way i was on a winner but it used the fast and so i had the more common crossover at Slade Lane Jn under my belt. Using the less common route via the Airport line, and Styal we stopped at Crewe P5. We were also going via Stoke-on-Trent so we therefore had no option but to use the Up Down Potteries Loop to gain the line to Stoke and took the first crossover and not use the whole loop. Another win, and the main reason i was here at this time of the day. I decided to return with XC as advances were available at the time of booking. A slightly longer wait for this but i was back in Manchester by 7.30pm and 10 minutes to gain the car. It could have been less than 5 as i was parked close to the official car park and i only noticed a walkway to/from the station as i passed under it in full daylight. I will have a closer look next time i am in Manchester....

Back home for a few hours before setting off for Sandwell & Dudley which is 90 mins away for me. I would be catching a Transport for Wales service to Birmingham International circa 15.22. In retrospect i caught a break as we landed in P5 some 9 mins late after gradually losing time upon leaving new Street. No obvious reason why but we were travelling slower than expected. I wanted the scheduled P1 arrival but P5 also got me a missing crossover, and probably the trickier of the two. There was a good deal of dwell time for me personally on the schedule today, so i had time to return to New Street and hop on the next AW service into International. This one did land in P1 as expected and just like that i had both country end crossovers ticked off in good order. (Upon leaving BHI that is). It also saved my a bit of time later on when i did plan to go for P5, and i could therefore finish a tad earlier.

Next i headed over to P6 pretty smartish as there was a XC there leaving for Manch Picc, and according to Opentimetrains and the like the routing these services take covers off one of my mystery pieces of track that i could never work out if it was ever used. This is because there are multiple ways to represent track at this curved station, and curved stations are notoriously difficult to map digitally. I myself have spent over a day trying to improve the map on UT, and yes i could clean up one part of the station, only to then box myself into a corner in another part. All digital maps i have seen treat the problem differently, and they are all different to each other in output. So what looks a bit of a headscratcher can make sense - but only in parts of the station. Ok enough rambling on the subject but when you see the problem on trackatlas the routings now all make sense as everything is curved again..... I think New Street is the hardest station to map digitally, with Victoria coming a close second. Which all contributes to finally matching track on ground to online map and a happy punter finally ticks off that elusive small bit of track.

Turning at Wolverhampton i was back in New Street quick enough for a near 90 minute wait for my final out and back of the day. I would be leaving from P11b to travel to University, and the first time i have been there since it was upgraded considerably. I think it looks really good and a big improvement on the old. Another chunky wait for my final trip of the day which was a late running XC service terminating at New Street. The interesting thing for me was it would be terminating in P7b and so using another two sections of track new to me at the very last. Not that much left at New Street now, and i would be adding to my tally in the morning. A check-in near Moor St just after 9pm was fine by me and with a Tesco underneath i could purchase a nightcap too. Yet another early start in the morning meant i was in the land of nod before long however.

Day 594: Wednesday 05/08/2026 - Birmingham New Street to Cheltenham Spa - £8.05 - Advance Single. Cheltenham Spa to Birmingham New Street - £6.95 - Advance Single. Birmingham New Street to Sandwell & Dudley - £2.90 - Anytime Single. Car Park - still at Sandwell & Dudley for free.
Total time today 206 mins - time on trains 108 mins and time waiting 98 mins. Track day.

"A deluge at Cheltenham Spa"

This morning was another case of having to stay overnight in Birmingham to have a chance of making the 5am start of the XC service to Newport (normally Cardiff). Todays service was even more unusual in that it would be starting from P6b, and so utilising another one of my dwindling crossover opportunities at New Street. Excelent news then as we immediately traversed this upon setting off. Perhaps less so that the first stop was Cheltenham Spa and another hours wait before i could return - all for just the one crossover right at the start! This just leaves me thw one crossover at the West of the station. A few more on the east side mainly close in to the station remain and involving a switch between the Stour and Derby lines.

I had time at Cheltenham Spa to nip across the road to Tesco, and i was glad i did so early as about 25 mins or so later the heavens opened and it became almost monsoon like very quickly. Surreal for 5 mins or so and then it faded. Thankfully no rain once back at New Street and later at Sandown & Dudley on my way home. Oh i forgot to mention Bromsgrove. For 3 days only this week these services were supposed to traverse the P3 line there, which is a super difficult bit of track to get in the book right now. It does get timetabled, but like today and the other 2 days this week it just did the regular P4 pass. This is proving to be a tough one to get.

A few things to do at home right now and then i am off to Cornwall with the Cornish Riviera, and filling in lots of little things along the way. A time for loops, through lines and new platforms together with the usual crossover stuff. A little bit of everything basically. There is some stuff that only the overnight services do, so the time has come...... Back this time week.

Some productive days there. I would imagine that new loop and platform at Newquay will be on your list to do within Cornwall

Kite159 said:

Some productive days there. I would imagine that new loop and platform at Newquay will be on your list to do within Cornwall

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Absolutely.... also a P3 start at Par back to Penzance at 12.25 after Newquay P2 on the Monday, and thus the crossover needed to gain the down also.... a total of 17 targets over 3 days.

Not sure if you ever had a go at James Street P2 in Liverpool but it has just appeared on my radar this week. All day on 11 + 18 October (Attendant crossover too of course). First time i have seen this in the 6 years i have been doing this now.

That be interesting, I presume due to the city centre loop being closed. I see there is also trans turning back on platform 1 at James Street for another crossover (signal 535). I shall have to look at my work schedule, but I think I'm off on the 11th October (all be with a potentially late finish on the Saturday, although I see Salisbury is all buses that weekend so who knows!).

All platforms said:

James Street P2 in Liverpool...has just appeared on my radar this week. All day on 11 + 18 October (Attendant crossover too of course). First time i have seen this in the 6 years i have been doing this now.

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It nearly happened a few weeks ago when there was a strike threat during the Open. Would've been a bit of a field day for the rarer Merseyrail platforms, with NBN P1, WKI P2, RFY P3 and LVJ P2 all timetabled at much better times of day than normal in the strike timetable, as well as limited-stop services on all lines for those who are interested in that. But I'd missed this one completely, so thanks a lot!

I've been really enjoying reading through all your reports recently, best of luck of the rest of the journey!

Kite159 said:

That be interesting, I presume due to the city centre loop being closed. I see there is also trans turning back on platform 1 at James Street for another crossover (signal 535). I shall have to look at my work schedule, but I think I'm off on the 11th October (all be with a potentially late finish on the Saturday, although I see Salisbury is all buses that weekend so who knows!).

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I am already committed to doing the Isle of Wight on the 11/12 October so it will be the 18th for me. Not too far to go for once, and services close together... This has also led me to look at whats left to do in Merseyside after that. I thought it was nearly all done but i was wrong... Hope you will be able to make the 11th with schedule/transport.

777142 said:

It nearly happened a few weeks ago when there was a strike threat during the Open. Would've been a bit of a field day for the rarer Merseyrail platforms, with NBN P1, WKI P2, RFY P3 and LVJ P2 all timetabled at much better times of day than normal in the strike timetable, as well as limited-stop services on all lines for those who are interested in that. But I'd missed this one completely, so thanks a lot!

I've been really enjoying reading through all your reports recently, best of luck of the rest of the journey!

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That is a whole lot of lesser used platforms in Merseyside right there. I have persevered there albeit quite a few years ago now, so James Street is the last part of the puzzle for me platform wise. I did see it scheduled for weeks when i was first looking at what might be awkward to do before even making a decision to do this whole thing. Never seen it scheduled in passenger service since... until now. Oh... and cheers..... Hope you make a go of this yourself.

It's likely too short notice for you, but looks like Hayes + Harlington P5 in use for much of today as one of the Heathrow tunnels is closed.

sh24 said:

It's likely too short notice for you, but looks like Hayes + Harlington P5 in use for much of today as one of the Heathrow tunnels is closed.

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It kinda was a bit short notice as i was already committed on manoevres elsewhere, but i was lucky enough to do this on a very cold January morning earlier this year - together with West Drayton P5 as it happens. I don't recall exactly why they were both available now, but thanks for the heads up.

I would have been interested in the routing for that one tunnel still in use but i suspect it would have conflicted with my pre-bought expensive early morning tickets (£23 anyone for a Maidenhead return from Paddington). I am now kinda more available to look at very short term notice stuff than previously so the wackier the routing the better at this stage. The more i do the more i find to do....

Day 595: Sunday 09/08/2026 - Cam & Dursley to Cheltenham Spa - £6.05 - Off-peak Return. Sandwell & Dudley to Birmingham New Street - £2.90 - Anytime Single. Birmingham New Street to Bristol Temple Meads - £23.55 - Advance Single. Bristol Temple Meads to London Paddington - £29.30 - Advance Single. London BZ6 - Dartford - £3.95 - Off-peak Return x2. London Zones 1-6 Day Travelcard - £11.00 - Off-peak. London Paddington to Penzance - £45.95 - Advance Single. Car Park Cam & Dursley, Sandwell & Dudley both free.
Total time today 1063 mins - time on trains 804 mins and time waiting 259 mins. Purely a day for track so no platforms/stations etc.

" A very disappointing start to the day" before "Penzance the long way round"

The Sunday version of the Riviera sleeper service often goes via the Bristol Down Through lines and with tomorrows visit to Par and Newquay in mind it kinda had to be this weekend if i wanted to fit everything in. I was more than pleased that today would (should have more like) include both versions of the Haresfield Loops which is a rare treat in passenger service. I arrived in good time pleased to see that Cam & Dursley remains a free car park and duly had a re-explore of the station. I was very surprised to find there were no display boards for services which is a bit head scratching for a station that gets decent usage. I was idly waiting on a quietish platform before all of a sudden the masses artived, and one of them piped up and said services in both directions had been cancelled/delayed as his mate was on a train somewhere near Yate and had hit a tree, with all services suspended till fixed (of course). No way was the loop going to be used now as these things are sensitively timed so i just decided to abandon, and move on to Sandwell & Dudley (yet again). I did look on RTT yesterday, and whilst services did run nothing used the loop and were delayed significantly. I was on a tightish schedule with Advance Singles to bear in mind so i had no choice but to bail i guess.

I thought i might gain some time with this early relocate move but the quiet early morning M5 had now turned into an almost gridlocked affair, and i just went with the flow, and stopping off a couple of times. I arrived at S&D with just over an hour for my service into New St. I would have caught an earlier service but i had just missed one and the Avanti that was next up had been cancelled. In the end i ended up on the service originally planned but it was a bit of a squeeze timewise and i had to be on my best foot forward via the B stairs to ensure i was on P7b. This was my second shot of the week for the track/crossover to gain the Down Gloucester. I have had these tickets for a few weeks now but if i had foresight/prescience about the repeat move i might have taken the XC to Reading instead, which would have been a good £40+ cheaper.

However, its been a while since i took a turn down to Bristol from Birmingham and for once the service wasn't too packed and the sun was shining so what's not to like. It was a different story on the next service into Paddington from there, and when we left Bath Spa, it was full and standing. I had a seat but it looked uncomfortable for many.

With hours to kill before the sleeper was due off, i had decided to look at another of those engineering only crossovers that crop up quite frequently - at least this one does. There were two possible routings and for the outward leg i chose the slower of the two which was a purple train to Farringdon and then a Thameslink to Dartford. A routing i have not done as a one off journey and also stopping at stations i have rarely seen since they were ticked off years ago. Once at Dartford it was a wait for the Sidcup train where trains would be terminating, and had so all day today. Virtually no one on borad for this with the same once at Sidcup for the reverse leg. The departure was the reason i had made the journey out as we leaving from P1 and so using the crossover to gain the line back to Dartford. Another case of the few that did return with me doing the hokey cokey on a on the train, then off the train move that was repeated quite the few times before someone came to ask me where the train was going to. Fairplay as the P1 board was blank and it was the P2 board that was showing the service going from there!! Not helped by any onboard announcements until actual departure time. Very happy to have this crossover in the "done" catgeory.

I decided to get back to Paddington the quick way by alighting at Abbey Wood and onto a Crossral service, and much quicker it was too. I now had over 2 hours to kill at Paddington so i decided food was in order and then a couple of cold ones before returning to P1. I was back with over an hour to go and people had started to board. I was on the povvie seats and one of the first on, so i had my choice of carriage and seat pretty much. You get 2 seated coaches on the Riviera which are at the front of the train on the leg to Penzance, and very few tables, though i was not after those as it happens. Spoiler alert i found them way harder to get off to sleep in than most conventional seats and i ended up with a very sore leg indeed which left me limping somewhat the next day. No idea what happened as the reverse journey the following night was much better. Go figure, but i wasn't a fan. If i do this again it will be in a cabin for sure - but then again i would not easily see the 6 moves i was counting on if i did get a cabin. Today was about the moves so i was prepared to rough it so to speak. Oh, and just how many ways can folk find to sleep on the blessed seats. I think just about everyone was in a different configuration to everyone else when i nipped to the buffet car for some water in the middle of the night.

Routings out of Paddington can vary - which is odd considering the P1 start, but tonight was conventional, and we smoothly made our way to Reading for a pick up there, before heading off to Bristol via Bath. I had come for the Down Through Line here, and i was awake to see our approach, and it quickly became clear that this was not tonights actual routing. Drat and double drat. But wait, what's this - we actually did the Up Through Line instead!! Now i haven't actually trawled through a years worth of previous sleeper services, but i have never seen this used when i went looking at past routings - and i have looked at a fair few over the years. I have to take this as a big win i think......

We did stop at Exeter for about an hour where you could both alight or board it seemed, and gradually the station came to life with ecs movements and the like and early commuters arriving as we departed. The two other targets on this service were at Newton Abbot where we crossed over to P3 so as to be nearer the station entrance i think, before also traversing the Down through line at Totnes. A bit of an odd one this as we did stop at Totnes on the return leg! The rest of the journey seemed to take ages though i did get some more sleep on and off as it became light. We eventually arrived in Penzance about 11 minutes down and it was a very creaky me that stepped onto the platform. Some important targets today but first i need some breakfast.

Day 596: Monday 10/08/2026 - Penzance to Newquay - £9.70 - Off-peak Return. St Erth to St Ives - £2.75 - Anytime Return. Penzance to London Paddington - £34.95 - Advance Single. Car park - still at Sandwell & Dudley for free.
Total time today 1216 mins - time on trains 685 mins and time waiting 531 mins. Hurrah - 1 new platfom today.

"A busy morning then unusual free time in the afternoon"

I had time to walk up the hill towards the town centre and was glad to find both a Warrens bakery and Tesco's open before running out of puff. Supplies suitably obtained i reversed down the hill and onto a waiting service to Paddington, I would be alighting at Par where i would find out just why so many extra services appear to be running today. The service was almost full by the time i alighted onto a busy Par station and the 4 car to Newquay was already in situ, and the driver turned up in good order. Alas no guard, and the driver had to make two trips over the bridge before one could be sourced.

I have made the trip up to Newquay quite a few times now but i don't think i have ever gone past all the request stops without stopping at least once, and this was how we made up time by being over 10 mins late on setting off. Also my first official use of Goss Moor Loop which is bi-directional, so right hand running on the trip to the seaside.

I alighted at Nequay to find bedlam awaiting me. I now know that 150,000 or so had been at the Boardmasters Festival over the previous 5 days, and a fair few of them were queueing for the London trains which were in abundance today. There was one already in P1 and full to bursting and with many high viz jackets ushering people away from this i had a problem as one of my main targets of the whole weekend meant i had to be on that train. Accordingly pics at P2 were very few, and i had to time my exit from the platform so as to gain the other one when less vigilance was in evidence. I did board without being interrogated, but it was a seat on the floor, for me which was interesting to get back up from later due to my gammy leg from the night before. I got most of the way back to Par before the struggle to gain two feet again, as the last door wouldn't be opening at Par (2 foot short it turned out) and so the struggle through the masses to get to the next door up was eventually successful and i was on firm ground once more. Shade was at a premium by this time but only a 20 minute wait as first a 9 car to Newquay paused and then our own 2 coach 150 rocked up from the sidings and i was able to celebrate a P3 departure to Penzance and the use of the crossover to gain the Down. Quite a difficult one to get that, and has eluded me on more than one occasion.

A change at St Erth where another queueing system was in force as the St Ives shuttle couldn't cope with the numbers despite being a 4 car, though the stampede had abated somewhat by the time i arrived. Nevertheless, an almost full service as we went semi-fast, only stopping at Carbis Bay where more hordes there made it full and standing for the remaining few minutes to St Ives.

I have to say that St Ives has been good to me on many visits going back 40 years or more but today didn't feel right. First off was the sheer amount of gulls who seemed to have no problem with sauntering a few feet from folk or flying at almost head level in a "I'm the boss here" kind of way. Turns out they are protected. I made a number of purchases over the next few hours, and each and every shop told me to mind the gulls, especially the food ones. I was also surprised to learn that you couldn't do anything as they are protected but 3 shops opined there should be a culling nevertheless. I have encountered fearless pigeons before but these gulls are a size or three larger. I don't think i will be returning anytime soon - Sorry St Ives. The spoiled dress/T-shirt count was 3 courtesy of said birds - just glad it wasn't me. The sheer numbers in the town made getting past everyone a bit of a chore also. Yes i should have come at a less busy time but in this i had little choice if i was to come at all.

I did find solace in a cafe/bar for a while but even here the gulls were trying to enter via the picture window, and i eventually decided to wait it out in Penzance instead. A very odd experience. Anyway after a further visit to Tesco i had some items for tea/supper and was just winding down the clock till i could board the sleeper. It leaves Penzance 2 hours earlier than at Paddington, and no boarding took place till about 20 mins before departure. It got gradually busier as we went North and East, and indeed far busier than the outward leg despite it being £10 cheaper. I found sleep easier to come by then previously and i had a few hours under my belt before calling at Totnes, Newton Abbot and Exeter. I was dozing as we reached Taunton and crossed over for a stop in P2 (again nearest the main entrance) at 1.40am or so. Time for some proper sleep as we rode through the night and ticking off the Westbury avoider (up version) whilst doing so. Nothing to see at this time of night in any event. So, going via Newbury rather than Bristol this time, and hopefully some new track at Reading. We were routed onto P15 there for an hours dwell before continuing. As such we did not use the crossover to gain P11 (i think) as intended, and so the rest of the trip was very much a mixed bag. I should just mention that the previous day i did get 2 bonus crossovers here and related track (not at all as planned) when we were routed onto line 4 then 5 into Paddington from Bristol before crossing over twice to line 3. This was a big bonus in retrospect as not many use this in a planned way it turns out. I did consider bailing at Reading and getting an early commute service but with the track this was due to use being ticked the previous day i elected to remain on board the sleeper. A few morning out and backs do remain.....

Day 597: Tuesday 11/08/2026 - London paddington to Ealing Broadway - £9.80 - Anytime Return. London Paddington to Maidenhead x2 - £45.60 - Anytime Return. London Paddington to Reading - £23.35 - Anytime Single. Reading to Birmingham New Steet - £11.55 - Advance Single. Birmingham New Street to Sandwell & Dudley - £2.90 - Anytime Single. Car Park - still at S&D
Total time today 424 mins - time on trains 279 mins and time waiting 145 mins. Just another track day...

"HOW much for a Maidenhead Return?? Oh i will have two then!"

It has got to the stage now that if i see something that needs doing i will just do it, almost regardless of cost, and so it was this morning with a £90+ cost for very few miles. I swear that Oxford/Reading/Paddington is the dearest per mile cost of anywhere at peak times. A paucity of advance singles, an absence of rail card use before 9.30 and just high fares in general here mean that i was well and truly boxed into a corner if i wanted to do something useful early doors. With it being so difficult to get here for said early start i took the plunge and i did get my first two moves in the bag which was a random crossover from a P12 start, and then after returning from Ealing Broadway i needed to get to Maidenhead for 2 specific incoming services which were then going fast from there, the first of which was using the crossovers just after the station onto the Fasts. So far so good, but my next Maidenhead move was a nemesis one. We were 90 secs late setting off and so i think missed our slot at Slough West. We stopped there for a few minuites before continuing on the slows until Dolphin Jn where most services cross to the Fasts. late in meant i missed my next service out to Reading (20 secs too late just doesn't count does it), and i therefore ended up at Reading late for my XC service up to New Street. Being a starter from Reading it would not have been overcrowded, but the next one was (of course) and a pretty ropy journey ensued. I did check my Reading platforms with us leaving by P13b but its not on my list to do. The air-con was also very ropy, and i was glad to emerge at New St only a few sweat pounds lighter, and straight on to a Wolverhampton service before slogging through the M5/6 Junction in an even bigger puddle. Mighty glad to get home and straight into the shower. I have to say that most of what i wanted was achieved these last 3 days, so successful, even if this was my most expensive trip of the year if not this whole thing. It just had to be done sometime and i had been putting it off for this reason.

I will be back out on Sunday again, this time staying clear of any potential traffic jams and indeed heat in general to get to/from my starting point of Harpenden. A few more disparate targets are my aim this time including a very tricky piece of track to predict usage of.

A productive few days even with overcrowding in Cornwall and delays elsewhere.

All platforms said:

This has also led me to look at whats left to do in Merseyside after that. I thought it was nearly all done but i was wrong... Hope you will be able to make the 11th with schedule/transport.

That is a whole lot of lesser used platforms in Merseyside right there. I have persevered there albeit quite a few years ago now, so James Street is the last part of the puzzle for me platform wise.

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Well I guess congratulations are soon to be in order for completing all Merseyrail platforms! Would that be your first complete operator, for platforms at least?
I think there are a dozen or so crossovers on the network that only get used during disruption. One of the level crossings on the West Kirby line broke for a bit today so there was a train which turned at Hoylake and I think it used the crossover just up from the station, although I wasn't there for it. I've just found out that both crossovers north of Hooton are in use a couple of times on 6/9 (2H39 and 2H43 are ex-Moorfields terminating in Hooton P3, and 2R21 and 2R25 are starting in Hooton P2 towards Liverpool) so if you're still missing them that might be something to consider.

777142 said:

Well I guess congratulations are soon to be in order for completing all Merseyrail platforms! Would that be your first complete operator, for platforms at least?
I think there are a dozen or so crossovers on the network that only get used during disruption. One of the level crossings on the West Kirby line broke for a bit today so there was a train which turned at Hoylake and I think it used the crossover just up from the station, although I wasn't there for it. I've just found out that both crossovers north of Hooton are in use a couple of times on 6/9 (2H39 and 2H43 are ex-Moorfields terminating in Hooton P3, and 2R21 and 2R25 are starting in Hooton P2 towards Liverpool) so if you're still missing them that might be something to consider.

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Hmm... well i guess i have never counted completions in terms of operator - not sure why. Actually it is probably because stations can have multiple operators, but i know i have completed 15 or so Counties in England and i think Wales is done already too. Not much left in Scotland either - just 4 or 5 stations.

I did the 2 Liverpool end crossovers at Hooton earlier this year and the crossover into P1 from the South a few years ago too. The trailing crossover at the Chester end of Rock Ferry too, but not the facing crossover there. Not sure if the crossovers at Birkenhead Central or Port Sunlight ever get used. Ditto Hoylake and both East and West Jns at Bidston. There are also quite a few crossovers on the Northern section that still elude and the one at Hunts Cross to/from p2, though this one is due to laziness as it does get used.

Hopefully i will complete James Street P2 in November and associated track, and i will be keeping an eye out for planned changes on any other bits of track still needed. Thanks again for the info.

I'm sure I've seen trains turned back at Birkenhead Central when they have been running late. But you can't really plan on those sort of things

All platforms said:

Day 598: Tuesday 11/08/2026 - London paddington to Ealing Broadway - £9.80 - Anytime Return. London Paddington to Maidenhead x2 - £45.60 - Anytime Return.

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Contactless would have capped at £39.50 for these and you could also just have paid 2x the contactless fare for Paddington-Sidcup if you didn't want to exit at Dartford. But appreciate doing sums is not the easiest at 5am after 2 nights of not really sleeping...

Day 599:

zero said:

Contactless would have capped at £39.50 for these and you could also just have paid 2x the contactless fare for Paddington-Sidcup if you didn't want to exit at Dartford. But appreciate doing sums is not the easiest at 5am after 2 nights of not really sleeping...

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I suppose i have to say at this stage that i can be a bit of a Luddite at times, and i have discounted the use of contactless (on this, and only this "journey" as i do use contactless for pretty much everything else). I started with paper tickets and i kinda want to continue with this as i want to have a permanent paper record, so i just continue with paper tickets, even if its an extra cost sometimes. I didn't do the sums on this jaunt but guessed i could have saved a few quid. This gap has become more noticeable of late with the expansion of contactless in the Outer London area and whilst i have a good old moan about the very high prices that cluster here and there, i reckon a fiver here and there isn't going to change my luddite sensibilities. Good job in spotting this by the way.

The tickets are always pre-bought unless i have to change things up on the fly, so i can't really blame my lack of sleep on this. Or, as you will see in my next report, lack of sleep can cause a determination not to change, and stick with it despite the challenges

Kite159 said:

I'm sure I've seen trains turned back at Birkenhead Central when they have been running late. But you can't really plan on those sort of things

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I did kinda wonder about that, so its good to know that it can happen.

I only know that from experience when I was hunting units, as a required 777 was out on Chester services and I had positioned myself at one of the city centre stations ready to ride it to Chester, only for it to end up getting spun at Birkenhead Central with the following Chester service extra rammed.