14 Day 1st class ALR commencing 24th May

[Western Sunset]

Love reading all this.
My one (and so far only) ALR was a 14-dayer in August 1971 when I was 16 years old. Only went home once in the whole fortnight. We didn't even have a telephone at home then; sounds rather scary when I look back on it... Lots of overnight trains then, of course, though couldn't afford any sleepers. Showers and stuff like that, never really came into my equations...

 

[D6130]

Love reading all this.

Me too!

My one (and so far only) ALR was a 14-dayer in August 1971 when I was 16 years old. Only went home once in the whole fortnight. We didn't even have a telephone at home then; sounds rather scary when I look back on it... Lots of overnight trains then, of course, though couldn't afford any sleepers.

Sounds wonderful. Do you still have any record of some or all of your journeys and haulages?

 

[Western Sunset]

I've got my notebook somewhere. Must dig it out...

 

[Devonman2014]

Love reading all this.
My one (and so far only) ALR was a 14-dayer in August 1971 when I was 16 years old. Only went home once in the whole fortnight. We didn't even have a telephone at home then; sounds rather scary when I look back on it... Lots of overnight trains then, of course, though couldn't afford any sleepers. Showers and stuff like that, never really came into my equations...

Unfortunately in the 80’s and early 90’s I was still at school and had no knowledge of ALR’s let alone all the massive foreign traction working outside the SW of England…..

As for Scotland only got there once in my youth which by then the 26’s and 27’s were fading out and 37’s were on passenger services but being replaced with 158’s.

 

[Devonman2014]

Well here we are 11 days in and typing up day‘s 10 jaunts.

Following a nice Kip in the travel lodge we are up, had food and at the station for the 09:11 Crewe to Derby which today has 170534 at the helm, RTT shows 170417 which is my last 170 for sight should be in the platform between trips on the Matlock branch, Arrival into Derby and as expected there it is parked on platform 4A.

10 minutes later and 222015 arrives with the service to Sheffield which is taken all the way through to its terminating point noting and grabbing a couple 195’s as we approach Sheffield.

A plus 5 sees us join a X Country 221 for the short hop to Leeds which is jam packed and people being asked to move from 1st class into standard as they didn’t hold 1st class tickets.

Arrival into Leeds for a few hours sees me putting some 331’s, 195’s and various other bits in the book, With the plan being having to be at Edinburg for the down sleeper at 14:42 we board 802219 for the journey north to Newcastle.
At Newcastle we have the choice of the XCountry Aberdeen or the LNER kings cross to Edinburgh to choose from and pulling in we see the 1st class on the Aberdeen is virtually empty so aboard another un noted 220 for the journey north.

Edinburgh between 6 and 9 sees a raft of 385’s in the book (all I need up there now) bringing my total to just 8 shortly before 8.
A beer in the waiting room spoons pub at the top of the ramp and we catch wind of a ceremonial lighting of a beacon at Edinburgh castle at 9:45.
We decide we will go and see that being lit to waste an hour, A long uphill walk sees us at the entrance to Edinburgh castle to be met (along with hundreds more members of the public) with security saying there’s no access and there isn’t any public vantage point to see it being lit.

Back to the waiting room spoons for a few more beers and at 9:45 looking at the castle we see the lit beacon, however it only stayed lit for 30 mins (maybe they run out of gas???? Lol).

Anyway at 10:30 we grab our stuff together and head down the ramp towards the sleeper which had arrived ECS at 5 to 10 and had 92023 at the helm for the trip to Carstairs where we would join the Glasgow portion.
Registering with the host we are informed due to a suicide the night before the sleeper had been used as a static hotel at Edinburgh and not been replenished with food and drink so there be no food or more importantly breakfast in morning , but we will get a cup of tea and a oat bar ! Great start to the journey…

Shortly after 11 we are allowed access to the train and we get to our berth, being absolutely knackered we decide straight to bed for as much sleep as possible.

I don’t think we are far out of Edinburgh and I’m sound asleep totally missing everything between there and Euston with the exception of needing the loo I sleep all the way.

With the sleeper being early at 6:30 I’m awake at Euston ,The cup of Tea is served to us in the room.
We leave the train at 20 past 7 and find 92043 on the front and here we are now on day 11 !!

 

[Andy Pacer]

10 minutes later and 222015 arrives with the service to Sheffield which is taken all the way through to its terminating point noting and grabbing a couple 195’s as we approach Sheffield.

How did you get on with EMR 1st class complientaries? I've not been on one since pre covid in 1st

 

[cls]

Very inspiring , please keep the reports coming.
Mark

 

[Devonman2014]

Just realised at nearly 5pm I havent done yesterday’s update - whoops!!!

The original plan for today was to do 91’s between Leeds and London but checking RTT it appears all the 91’s out today were due for sight and halage so today was gonna be decided as we go except for the bed n breakfast was booked in Doncaster so we ultimately had to end up there….

Following departure for the sleeper we make our way to Euston Square underground station and onto the circle line for a underground to Liverpool St, Exiting the underground station at Liverpool St I grab a couple of 745’s and the new order of the day a couple of 720’s.
Having never travelled on either we decide a trip to Ipswich is in order so aboard 745004 we settle in for a 09:00 departure.
Leaving the city behind us we pass Stratford with West Ham’s ground standing prominently behind some of the new tower blocks of flats being built.
Flying through the suburbs we pass Ilford which had a few 345’s and 720’s parked up as obviously not required for todays service.
Through Shenfield and another 345 is stabled between duties and we have now truely left London behind us, In no time at all we seem to arrive into Ipswich and the stabling point is full of 90’s and 66’s with a lot of shunting of the 66’s taking place.
There is also a nice line up of 6 class 90’s the first three of which are in the new orange livery of the freight liner group.

A couple of hours here and various new 755 units are in the book and by about 12 we are aboard 745109 for a trip to Norwich.
Passing the depot it seems to have changed a lot with more new sidings having been laid which had various 379 units laid up and a 08 moving around the depot, Entering the station 37401 parked up in the station sidings is a nice little bonus having not seen it in a few years.

A whole raft of 755 units are parked up in the station awaiting their next duties and some more in the sidings adjacent the station meaning a load more for the book.

We board 755335 for the round trip to Ipswich via Lowestfoft which was all required track for me and with a 30 min break between arrival and. Departure allows a quick walk to Greggs for food to be gained which is duly scoffed and very welcome it was too.

Back at Ipswich we decide to Start making our way to Doncaster where we have a hotel booked but being on a ALR we don’t go the straight forward east way !

755413 takes us from Ipswich to Cambridge for a bit of track required which was an uneventful trip although I think the 755’s and 745’s are a nice replacement for the previous DMU’s they used to have. A plus 30 in Cambridge sees us aboard a pair of 387‘s bound for Kings Cross.

Arrival at Kings Cross just after 7pm the aim is to get 91130 (dud as previously stated) on the 19:33 Leeds service to Doncaster, Departing on time we are then served drinks and food at our seats and a while listening to the news passes the time.
Then we get to Huntingdon And a very sharp application of the brakes sees us stopped on the up fast in Huntingdon station, A few minutes later the guard announces we are stopped due to trespassers on the line in front.
Over the next 90 minutes and with the police on site we are held just inching forward for a couple hundred metres occasionally and the light fading.
I also had to make contact with the B & B to update them on the progress as I had informed them be there at 10 and AF half 9 we were still in Huntingdo.

After a massive 98 minutes held we are given the green and proceed at a snails pace but then gain speed and soon are up to line speed.
The guard makes a few announcements regarding missed late night last trains and telling passengers to see staff on the stationsmakes me feel sorry for the poor staff who are going to get inundated late at night with passengers for connections and taxis etc.
He was also informing passengers to claim delay repay for the late running.

Arrival at Doncaster was 22:50 and we exited the station to find no taxi’s on the rank which I find unusual for a sat night at a major statio, until we find out was Doncaster races day and a concert following the races by Kaiser Chiefs meant every taxi was busy ferrying people from there, Could this evening get any worse !

Phoned the B&B owner and he very kindly came and picked us up meaning by 11:15 we were in the room and ready for a well deserved sleep…..which of course is exactly what happened.

 

[Techniquest]

An absolutely fantastic read so far, really enjoying it! It's 10 years almost to the day since my 14 day ALR, although I was in Standard Class, so I'm enjoying the waves of nostalgia your trip report is providing!

Good call made on the bailing from the sleeper at Crewe, I'd have done similar in such a situation. I'd have not picked Travelodge personally, but a desperate situation would have made even them tempting!

Hopefully the last part of your adventure is amazing!

 

[Devonman2014]

Good evening and I have severely slacked today forgetting to do day 12’s update and I just finished day 13’s day !

so 2 days updates in 2 posts now follow……

Day 12 starts with us awaking at Doncaster and a stroll into town finds a Mc Donald’s 2 mins around the corner from the station so a bacon roll and hot chocolate later were off To the station….

Track and a few cops are the order of the day today so for track we take 802301 on the trip to Hull which is somewhere I have never found myself, The station is quite impressive although you Can see where old platforms used to be but are now car parking areas.

A short and quick change onto 158758 sees it jam packed with groups and couples (a lot of whom are in fancy dress) heading into Leeds (some small bits of new tra month is route) for a boozy Jubilee weekend Saturday unless this is a standard thing for Leeds ???

35 minutes in Leeds sees us aboard 158789 heading for Knottingley (more new track) to go past Leeds Midland Rd in the hope of seeing my last 2 stored 70’s which were duly noted So clearing a class….

The same unit upon arrival at Knottingley turned into the service back to Leeds so we didn’t even leave the train at Knottingley for more track into Leeds.

RTT and Railcam state 66563 (last FL 66/5) was at Doncaster up Decoy yard and 66797 was at Wellingborough so I planned on 800208ready to depart for the Cross to take Leeds to Grantham for a EMR service to Nottingham and a further EMR service to StPancras to pass Wellingborough.

We pass Doncaster and I don’t see 66563 but did pass one on a Freightliner parked adjacent the main line but as I didn’t get the number I cant count it, Anyway we get to Grantham and 170511 arrives for the journey to Nottingham.

A post online indicates 66797 Was at Wellingborough in the morning so I’m happy to get one of my last 3 class 66/7’s…. We fly past Wellingborough and the only 66 there was 66782 so profanity ensues and I’m now annoyed….
RTT shows a GBRF departure for Peterborough 2 hours earlier of L/E‘s and Railcam confirms my suspicion…..

Arrival at St Pancras is relatively early for finishing a day so we take the South Eastern HS service to Ashford to waste some time, 395002 takes us out to Ashford and 395029 returns us.

The hotel for tonight is the Premier Inn at Banbury so the underground takes us across to Marylebone for 168113 on the 21:00 departure to Banbury.
All was going well until we had issues en route and an announcement fronthe guard states the service was being terminated at Banbury where luckily we were leaving he service so it had no impact on us.

11pm sees us checking in and bed by 11:30 with no a,arm for tomorrow and a “invent it’s we go day” on the cards which should be interesting.

 

[Devonman2014]

Now onto day 13 and we wake up at 8:30 and drag ourselves out of bed and into the shower.

10:15 and we are at the station eating a sausage, bacon and hash brown roll with a very vague couple of moves ….. No clues yet so you need to read on….

221134 and 220023 arrive at 10:57 and take us to Birmingham for 220007 and 220128 for the trip to Sheffield.
My aim is to see if that pesky 66 yesterday at Doncaster was 563 and on passing Peterborough if 66797 can be viewed.

From Sheffield we have 170472 to Doncaster where due to less breakfast hunger has got the best of us so into the shopping centre we go and grab a KFC which went down a storm…..

Back at Doncaster station we board 801112 and 800202 which even in 1st class was busy meaning we had to move seats twice due to pre reserved seats.

On this journey the hosts passed through several times serving food and drinks so over this journey I had a couple of cans of Diet Coke (oe dunk and one into the bag) and a couple of bottles of water (into the bag), oh and a can lager and a warmed up toasted tea cake !

Anyway I digressed and on passing Doncaster yard that pesky 66 was indeed 563 so that’s now my 66/5’s cleared …. Heading into Peterborough and 66797 was on the GBRF depot parked up so 2 out of 2 today….

Now for 2 more needed loco‘s to be grabbed - Across to London Bridge and aboard 375819 and 375702 for the trip to Tonbridge arriving just after half 5.
A short walk to the bridge over the yard and 69005 and 66795 are in the book although some pics of 66793 and 69094 which are also there are taken along wi5 a few of the GBRF 73’s.
The walk back to the station and aboard 375701 and 375628 for the trip into Charing Cross passing the depots and yards at Grove Park and Slade Green way too fast to get anything although I only need 6 South Eastern units so likelihood of getting any is remote on a Sunday…

At Charing Cross we drop down onto the Bakerloo line for the trip to Marylebone and up to Banbury for night 2 at the Premier Inn, Marylebone is busy.
It appears Avanti at Euston have had issues and ticket acceptance with Chiltern is in placefor trains to Birmingham.
68011 is at Platform 3 with the 19:37 Kidderminster working but it is wedged and the doors were shut not allowing further passengers on - not that in honesty I think any more passengers could of got on.

Next service is the 20:00 to Birmingham and luckily we get seats before the train is standing room only, Arrival at Banbury at 10 past 9 sees us in the hotel by 20 past thanks to a taxi (it was pi####g down on arrival) and a beer in the hotel pub now sees me in bed typing this and watching a film !

Final day tomorow is looking like another invent as we go job but Wales being the final area before we head home to Exeter and completion of the Rover.

It really is incomprehensible how quickly this 2 weeks has gone …..

 

[Western Sunset]

You must have a very understanding wife.

 

[Andy Pacer]

A short and quick change onto 158758 sees it jam packed with groups and couples (a lot of whom are in fancy dress) heading into Leeds (some small bits of new tra month is route) for a boozy Jubilee weekend Saturday unless this is a standard thing for Leeds ???

Sounds like a typical Saturday on the Northern network!

 

[Iskra]

Great reports, it really is a great idea from WCRC to swap sides for passengers on The Jacobite. Can you share some of your pictures- particularly any of the West Highland Lines/The Jacobite?

 

[Techniquest]

Nice work on the 66s, and you've clearly had a decent couple of days there! Hopefully wherever you went in Wales it was good!

 

[Devonman2014]

Good morning and I now have a few minutes to type up day 14’s final movements and being to a closure this epic adventure.

Day 14 started at 08:00 waking up in Premier Inn at Banbury where a shower and breakfast see us leaving at 09:30 for the 10:00 train to Reading.
Living in Exeter we decided to stay local rather than a massive day going up and down the country and more importantly get home at a reasonable time.
This will mean the cop total will be low (5 or less as I have covered a lot of the southern and SW areas wig the North still being a big target.

At 09:55 XCountry 220005 and 220022 arrive on the Bournemouth train for the short journey to Reading, Passing Oxford and Reading three converted 769/9’s were copped so was a good start to the final day, Reading sees a plus 6 made for 800312 to Cardiff.
Railcam and gen sites had my last 66/7 (734) on the Dee Marsh to Mariam service so the plan was to see this and clear another 66 sub class leaving one 66/6 and the two ex European ones in Toton that have not yet been released to traffic.

Arrival into Cardiff was bang on time and a hour on the platform sees 2 clas 769’s in the book (just one more TFW one to go th@t hasn’t been in traffic for what seems like months).
I then notice two diagrams beteeen Gloucester and Cardiff which I know previously were 231 test diagrams and 231001 and 231004 duly arrived on the diagrams.

At this point we decided to do a trip to Maestaeg to make a bit of use of the rover which 170202 took us main line for Cardiff to Maestag and return to Bridgend.
Passing Canton on the way out 2 more 231’s were in the book and the cop tally is an impressive 9 which was a total shock to me!
At this point 66734 working was at Llanwern for the next few hours, so we took 150229 back via Barry and into Cardiff.

It is now mid afternoon and 66734 is still shown as sat at Llanwern so we go for a stroll to get some food at the spoons outside the station keeping an eye on RTT as the return is late and getting later…..

The decision is taken at 6 that we will be on the 7pm Plymouth castle HST rather than the later unit and if 734 appears be good but if not it will wait.

At shortly before 7 we board 43153 leading 43189 for the trip to Exeter which departed on time, a few 66’s are seen en route including 66847 and 849 Top n Tailing a ballast working just after leaving Newport.

The final loco spot was 66139 which was sat in Riverside yard pointing South for St Blazey With disembarkation from the train at 9:15 a taxi gets me home by 9:30 and bed by 10 feeling happy but tired.

Well it was an amazing 14 days and the trip went without incident (excluding lateness) with only one train cancell that didn’t really affect the day. Even the NYMR move on the Monday and Tuesday of week 2 worked out so all in all I don’t think we could have asked for more.
The weather held up most of the time seeing only sporadic showers on a few of the 14 days and planning for the next one will start once I have caught up with everything over the next few days.

I hope you have all enjoyed this trip with us, comments indicate you have… and it has been a pleasure reporting the days to you all.
I will now go over the previous comments and reply accordingly.

 

[Devonman2014]

You must have a very understanding wife.

Understanding partner (not married) who has been on the journey with me…..

She has enjoyed it with me but she states next time I do planning , she does hotel booking so I can see 5* hotels with gyms and saunas on the books with roof top swimming pools etc !

 

[Devonman2014]

Sounds like a typical Saturday on the Northern network!

We did wonder if was the norm for Leeds on a Saturday - unless there was a fancy dress convention going on in the area !

 

[Devonman2014]

Great reports, it really is a great idea from WCRC to swap sides for passengers on The Jacobite. Can you share some of your pictures- particularly any of the West Highland Lines/The Jacobite?

As I now have acc3ss to PC to download photo‘s I will go back and edit the 14 days adding photos etc - Is there a limit on photos , size etc as never added photos onto a message.

I have over 600 photos over the 2 weeks I can choose from !

 

[Devonman2014]

Nice work on the 66s, and you've clearly had a decent couple of days there! Hopefully wherever you went in Wales it was good!

still a few DBS ex european ones to get that been at Toton undergoing mods etc for last few months to get, Also one FL 66/6 to get currently working from Whately so May end up in Exeter at some time….

We went to Cardiff as per above and stayed local As needed to back in Exeter at end of day 14….

 

[Andy Pacer]

We did wonder if was the norm for Leeds on a Saturday - unless there was a fancy dress convention going on in the area !

Tend to be plenty of hen and stag crowds on Saturdays, men dressed as brides seems to be a new regular feature, tiaras and hairy legs aplenty.

 

[Iskra]

As I now have acc3ss to PC to download photo‘s I will go back and edit the 14 days adding photos etc - Is there a limit on photos , size etc as never added photos onto a message.

I have over 600 photos over the 2 weeks I can choose from !

It’s 10 per post and there is a size limit so it’s best to set them to Large rather than actual size when uploading multiple photo’s. I look forward to seeing the pick of the bunch

 

[Iskra]

Tend to be plenty of hen and stag crowds on Saturdays, men dressed as brides seems to be a new regular feature, tiaras and hairy legs aplenty.

Leeds is heaving with drinkers on a weekend currently, but has been ever since the restrictions were lifted. A lot of people are making up for missed time.

 

[Woolos 22]

Rhank you for a excellent report for the 14 day

 

[Techniquest]

A brilliant way to end the adventure, a shame that GBRf 66 didn't get noted but at least you made up for it with the TfW stuff.

As for your partner doing the hotel bookings next time, I can't say I blame her if she does go for luxury hotels. After staying at the Sheraton in Zagreb in March, I've been spoilt and it's really hard to accept anything less than that now! It's a great way to end a day or begin a new one, waking up/falling asleep in a luxury hotel! All of a sudden I want to go exploring with such a hotel again!

 

[ChrisC]

Thanks for these reports, I’ve really enjoyed reading them. I’ve never done an ALR but have done numerous regional rovers including the 8 days in 15 Spirit of Scotland Rover. Certainly as I get older I’m not sure that I would now want so much packed into 14 days. However, these reports actually made me feel that I might just still consider it. The itinerary didn’t seem too hectic with some more leisurely days and the break from racing around during the stay at Scarborough. Perhaps, even with a 14 day 1st Class ALR it isn’t necessary to be out from very early till very late every day travelling from one end of the country to the other.

On the subject of booking hotels I’m also going for slightly more luxury. These days I like a nice leisurely breakfast without rushing out too early and somewhere comfortable to return to and relax in the evenings after I’ve been out travelling and walking all day. Gone are the days when I just want a Travelodge for a few hours sleep between long days out. I don’t go for absolute expensive luxury but something like a 3 star hotel rather than a budget hotel and I will often book an executive or superior room rather than a standard room. I also prefer to stay in a hotel for a few nights rather than moving every day and transporting luggage between hotels.

 

[50002Superb]

A really enjoyable read, thank you

 

[boyaloud]

A great read, thanks!

 

[thejuggler]

Fancy dress is huge with students on a Saturday during term time, doing the infamous 'Otley Run' which is a crawl of about 4 miles from Far Headingley into the city centre, 15-20 pubs.

I doubt anyone would travel from Hull to join in!

 

[Trackman]

Thank you for a excellent report for the 14 day

I concur, many thanks @Devonman2014.