Blindtraveler
Established Member
- Joined
- 28 Feb 2011
- Messages
- 10,544
Enjoy your holidays, comiserations on a rather frustrating sounding day.
-
Our new ticketing site is now live! Using either this or the original site (both powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
185143-Trip Publishing Expected?
- Thread starter 185143
- Start date
- Status
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
alexf380
Established Member
Bullseye be the show you're after.
A disappointing day diesel-wise but good going with your last two Northern EMUs. Enjoy America too btw!
A disappointing day diesel-wise but good going with your last two Northern EMUs. Enjoy America too btw!
roversfan2001
Established Member
Well at least you got a few winners - a shame you missed out on so many others though.
I await this PM with baited breath as I'm confused what it could be about
I await this PM with baited breath as I'm confused what it could be about
Techniquest
Veteran Member
One hell of a farce with your requirements taunting you all over the place, so many bowl outs that would drive any of us crazy.
I've been there with the "What am I doing?!" moment a few times over the years, granted usually when other things are on the mind. The "I just want to go home" thing I know both me and Blindtraveller had when we did Addiewell...The fact we both survived and kept interested in the hobby, when anyone sane would have said "Stuff that for a game of soldiers, where's the pub?" is, quite simply, a miracle!
I've been there with the "What am I doing?!" moment a few times over the years, granted usually when other things are on the mind. The "I just want to go home" thing I know both me and Blindtraveller had when we did Addiewell...The fact we both survived and kept interested in the hobby, when anyone sane would have said "Stuff that for a game of soldiers, where's the pub?" is, quite simply, a miracle!
Blindtraveler
Established Member
- Joined
- 28 Feb 2011
- Messages
- 10,544
Too right Tech, that was a hard hard day, such a lot of work getting into position and rubbish weather and cold buses and everything. Not an experience I'll forget in a while but good for a laugh it must be said.
Kristofferson
Member
- Joined
- 23 Nov 2012
- Messages
- 1,132
Entertaining read, that! Keep em coming 
Those Northern trains sound like they're in a sorry state... makes ATW look like Crossrail!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Those Northern trains sound like they're in a sorry state... makes ATW look like Crossrail!
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
185143
Established Member
- Joined
- 3 Mar 2013
- Messages
- 5,337
I'm currently in San Francisco, having arrived at 14:47 this afternoon. Today's been one of thse days where time seems to stand still...
Possibly something to do with boarding a plane at 11:20, and getting off it 11 and a half hours later at 14:47!
Possibly something to do with boarding a plane at 11:20, and getting off it 11 and a half hours later at 14:47!
cactustwirly
Established Member
I went there last summer, I know the feeling.
The best thing for the jet lag is to drink plenty of coffee and stay awake as long as possible
185143
Established Member
- Joined
- 3 Mar 2013
- Messages
- 5,337
With apologies to Techniquest-coffee is rancid!
Techniquest
Veteran Member
No apology needed, it's not everyone's choice of brew.
Glad you arrived safely, over 11 hours on one plane must have been quite an endurance though! Have a fantastic time and I'm sure I'm not the only one looking forward to any form of trip report!
Glad you arrived safely, over 11 hours on one plane must have been quite an endurance though! Have a fantastic time and I'm sure I'm not the only one looking forward to any form of trip report!
185143
Established Member
- Joined
- 3 Mar 2013
- Messages
- 5,337
It was! You'll be waiting a while for a trip report as its a family holiday...
My next proper UK bash is the 9th August
EDIT:I'll probably do a summary (at least) of my travel in the US of A actually. Won't be that much though
Last edited:
185143
Established Member
- Joined
- 3 Mar 2013
- Messages
- 5,337
Back in Good ol' Blighty-landed at 10AM after a surprisingly enjoyable overnight flight from Las Vegas.
Going to bed when I got home may have been sensible-but for reasons knowns not even to myself, I'm bus bashing! And feeling fine Jet Lag wise, though I know the inevitable crash into a deep sleep will happen...
Tomorrow will be another bash of some sorts-not decided what exactly yet. As per usual, if it isn't Merseyrail mileage accumulation, there'll be a trip report on it.
Going to bed when I got home may have been sensible-but for reasons knowns not even to myself, I'm bus bashing! And feeling fine Jet Lag wise, though I know the inevitable crash into a deep sleep will happen...
Tomorrow will be another bash of some sorts-not decided what exactly yet. As per usual, if it isn't Merseyrail mileage accumulation, there'll be a trip report on it.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
The jet lag will catch up with you soon, of that I can assure you. After my overnight flight from New York I was falling into deep sleep (despite coffee!) on the train home in the afternoon!
I trust it was a beast of a holiday!
I trust it was a beast of a holiday!
185143
Established Member
- Joined
- 3 Mar 2013
- Messages
- 5,337
Oh I'm sure it will do... did you sleep on the flight?
The inevitable has now happened. Though I'm not sure if its the dullness of the Optare Solo I'm on... yawn...
It was a great holiday thanks!
Last edited:
Techniquest
Veteran Member
I don't get much Solo mileage these days, so when I do it's almost a treat these days. Especially our local 52 plate one! I did sleep on the way back but it took a lot of effort. I would rather do a daytime flight next time!
185143
Established Member
- Joined
- 3 Mar 2013
- Messages
- 5,337
A bit of everything today! 05/08/2017
Yawn. That's not really how I felt, but waking up at 04:40 wasn't much fun-simply as it was so early! Indeed-I wasn't intending to go out so early, it just happened as my body clock was (and still is!) On ‘BST-8'. Oh the joys of Trans-Atlantic travel... (I'd only landed at Manchester Airport around 18 hours previously!) Normally I wouldn't bother doing a report for a saveaway (as it'd mainly be ‘I boarded 50xxxx at terminus A. I took it to terminus B and, after a PNB, went back to terminus A, again, and again!) but this was a bit more than that...
I eventually reached the railway at around 09:50-at St. Helens Central. Muttering a few obscenities towards Northern for installing just THREE (open!) Ticket barriers, I headed to the ticket office with some ID (Any 16-18s going Merseyrail bashing, take note) to get my saveaway for the day.
319377 (thankfully not on fire!) Was my chariot on the 10:06 express to Liverpool, which was full of a few Geordie hen parties... (I'd forgotten there were no Trans-Pennine services). I sat in a bay of ‘6' with a middle aged couple and after passing a comment that the hen party's music and language would keep me awake, they too had fairly recently been to Las Vegas and San Francisco-so we spent the remainder of the journey talking about both of our holidays!
After making the seemingly compulsory stop in the cutting on Lime Street approach, an EMT service passed us heading to Lime Street also. I noticed a 156 on the rear and got a glance at the number.
156415. HELLFIRE! EMT 156s cleared! Of course I was now heading for South Parkway! I bailed out of 319377 and headed for Platform 6 to enjoy my 156 thrash for the 5 mile 55 chain trip. It ended too soon of course, and I was heading for the Merseyrail platforms of Liverpool South Parkway just 12 minutes after leaving Lime Street.
507018+508122 provided some very much needed PEP thrash to Liverpool Central, bringing the total mileage for 507018 up to 141.5. I couldn't decide where to go, but I noticed an Ellesmere Port running 10 late, so I decided to take that in the hope it would run semi fast. I had a Chester leave Liverpool Central once calling only at Hooton and Bache! Unfortunately it didn't go semi fast (which on CTR/ELPs means Birkenhead Central-Hooton non stop). The journey to Ellesmere Port and back to Birkenhead Central on 507032 was nothing special, In fact at a couple of points (particularly under the Mersey) it sounded like it was really struggling and was about to fail! The Ellesmere Port doesn't really get up to any speed at all, so it's not one of my favourite Merseyrail journeys.
When I bailed at Birkenhead Central I took the opportunity to take a PNB. I was going to wander into Birkenhead for a drink-but I spotted a Chester running 8 late. After a quick check of the NRE app I saw all the stops between Birkenhead and Hooton had been cancelled. Yes-I was definately taking that! 507027 arrived (unfortunately Kite159 has now had it...) to take me towards Chester. The train was rammed for some reason, lots bailed out but I still chose to stand by the door. At Rock Ferry, an elderly lady sat near the door stood up expecting to get off... She hadn't heard the announcement (and in fact didn't believe me initially when I said we weren't stopping!)
The guard pointed her in the right direction to the Liverpool platform at Hooton after the very nice thrashy non stop run from Birkenhead Central. The train was now back on time aftter making up it's 8 minute delay. And the thrash resumed with just the two stops (Capenhurst and Bache) in the 8 miles 9 chains between Hooton and Chester.
I alighted at Chester and, with nothing looking very appealing moves-wise, reboarded 507027 all the way round the loop and back to Chester! The trip into Liverpool wasn't much fun-we practically had a standing load out of Chester. I was sat with a group of drunk (and getting more drunk despite Merseyrail's byelaws) middle aged women celebrating a 40th Birthday. They weren't too bad actually...
Arriving back at Chester 90 minutes and 34.6 miles later, I did something I don't normally do at Chester: Passed through the barrier and headed to the travel centre. After handing over £7.40 for a return to Shrewsbury, and being shown appreciation for my ‘Keep the guard on the train' badge-I headed over to the new(ish) bar that's opened on Chester station as my train wasn't for just over half an hour. The bar is alright inside-fairly expensive, but most things in Chester always are. It could have done with a departure board though!
I headed back through the gateline and boarded required 221143+dud 221103 to Crewe. The reason for this was because the train was travelling via the Mid-Cheshire line and the Middlewich freight line. I've had Middlewich and the east side of the junction before, but not the west side. Kite159 kindly informed me that he needs the west side too and the train departed Chester on time at 15:38.
Going through Delamere Forest on a 221 was certainly different! The trip to Crewe was nice and very ecenic, but extremely slow-we didn't arrive at Crewe until 16:50! Bailing out-I had one other thing I was intending to do today (and why I bought a return to Shrewsbury)-bail out at Wem. 150240 was working the 17:20 Shrewsbury local (this train continues to Cardiff via Sugar Loaf in the week) which arrived at Wem 10 minutes late due to the Milford Haven infront being delayed. Be aware if doing Wem on a tight connection-the level crossing goes down EXTREMELY early-and if an express is due shortly before/after the stopper (in either direction) the barriers will not rise. I had to wait a few minutes for 150253 working a Milford Haven-Manchester (ouch!) To pass.
I went for a supply raid as there is a co-op a short walk away and returned to the shack to await the 18:38 back to Crewe. The barriers lowered at 18:33 for a Southbound express-my train arrived at 18:40. The barriers didn't rise inbetween. 150240, complete with the same guard, were again providing thrash back to Crewe. At Crewe, everything went Tango Uniform...
I had a 10 minute fester until the rail rep back to Chester. I had to catch it to make my connections later on. I took too long having a PNB and missed it...
Great. Plan B-have a word with the TM on the 19:43 pendo to Liverpool. Plan C was to do the same on the 19:57 LM service.
A Southbound LM Brum working was cancelled due to a fatality at Runcorn. Great...
Onto Plan D! SJ04 KAX of Pat's Coaches to Chester. The bus had about 20 passengers onboard-I enquired about buses to Liverpool, but was told VTWC don't know what's happening yet never mind Arriva's rail rep coordinator-which seemed fair enough! As I boarded the bus, I asked the driver how long it'd take to which he said ‘about 45 minutes mate'. This was good news-I should make my connection now!
Being on the roads around Crewe station was giving me flashbacks to the Heart of Wales line, as I have to go to and from Crewe by road to do that at 04:49-returning past midnight! Thankfully, the bus driver's estimate was spot on and we arrived at Chester exactly 45 minutes later at 20:50. I now knew why there were so few train diverts running!
I headed over to a rather roudy platform 7B for Merseyrail to Liverpool Lime Street. 507027 (hello you!) Arrived at 21:03, 3 minutes after departure time. Unfortunately, a group of drunk people on the platform decided that them messing about was far more important than their safety, the Guard's freedom and the plans of everyone onboard by being FAR too close to the train. The guard (and driver) therefore, reasonably enough, refused to move the train. At 21:07 (approx) me (with my 13 minute connection at Lime Street-now 4 minutes) approached a window intending to tell them where to go (very politely of course(!)) But fortunately a dispatcher beat us to it and told them to SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP! They seemed to comply with the first bit at least, and the traincrew were happy to move the train-so we seized the opportunity and departed!
We were now 10 late. On departure from Capenhurst-the guard made an announcement along the lines of ‘Due to the behaviour of some passengers back at Chester (which he'd already apologised for and explained he wasn't prepared to move the train while they were standing) we are now 10 minutes late. As a consequence, we will now not be stopping at any station between Hooton and Birkenhead Central' Hellfire!
As a consequence, my nearly empty 507 arrived into Birkenhead on time, and didn't lose any more time between there and Scouseland. Upon arrival at Lime Street I had a PNB and headed upstairs to board 156425+156489, noticing an entire portion of Sausage, chips and peas left on a table... most people walking into the next carriage were saying they were starving and wanted it! I don't know if anyone actually ate it...
Tne journey back to Birchwood was uneventful afterwards, and unusually punctual-arriving just 3 minutes late. Wem was my most local required shack-an honour which I think has now passed over to Cresswell on the Robin Hood line.
Winners:2 (EMT 156s Cleared)
Shacks:1
Yawn. That's not really how I felt, but waking up at 04:40 wasn't much fun-simply as it was so early! Indeed-I wasn't intending to go out so early, it just happened as my body clock was (and still is!) On ‘BST-8'. Oh the joys of Trans-Atlantic travel... (I'd only landed at Manchester Airport around 18 hours previously!) Normally I wouldn't bother doing a report for a saveaway (as it'd mainly be ‘I boarded 50xxxx at terminus A. I took it to terminus B and, after a PNB, went back to terminus A, again, and again!) but this was a bit more than that...
I eventually reached the railway at around 09:50-at St. Helens Central. Muttering a few obscenities towards Northern for installing just THREE (open!) Ticket barriers, I headed to the ticket office with some ID (Any 16-18s going Merseyrail bashing, take note) to get my saveaway for the day.
319377 (thankfully not on fire!) Was my chariot on the 10:06 express to Liverpool, which was full of a few Geordie hen parties... (I'd forgotten there were no Trans-Pennine services). I sat in a bay of ‘6' with a middle aged couple and after passing a comment that the hen party's music and language would keep me awake, they too had fairly recently been to Las Vegas and San Francisco-so we spent the remainder of the journey talking about both of our holidays!
After making the seemingly compulsory stop in the cutting on Lime Street approach, an EMT service passed us heading to Lime Street also. I noticed a 156 on the rear and got a glance at the number.
156415. HELLFIRE! EMT 156s cleared! Of course I was now heading for South Parkway! I bailed out of 319377 and headed for Platform 6 to enjoy my 156 thrash for the 5 mile 55 chain trip. It ended too soon of course, and I was heading for the Merseyrail platforms of Liverpool South Parkway just 12 minutes after leaving Lime Street.
507018+508122 provided some very much needed PEP thrash to Liverpool Central, bringing the total mileage for 507018 up to 141.5. I couldn't decide where to go, but I noticed an Ellesmere Port running 10 late, so I decided to take that in the hope it would run semi fast. I had a Chester leave Liverpool Central once calling only at Hooton and Bache! Unfortunately it didn't go semi fast (which on CTR/ELPs means Birkenhead Central-Hooton non stop). The journey to Ellesmere Port and back to Birkenhead Central on 507032 was nothing special, In fact at a couple of points (particularly under the Mersey) it sounded like it was really struggling and was about to fail! The Ellesmere Port doesn't really get up to any speed at all, so it's not one of my favourite Merseyrail journeys.
When I bailed at Birkenhead Central I took the opportunity to take a PNB. I was going to wander into Birkenhead for a drink-but I spotted a Chester running 8 late. After a quick check of the NRE app I saw all the stops between Birkenhead and Hooton had been cancelled. Yes-I was definately taking that! 507027 arrived (unfortunately Kite159 has now had it...) to take me towards Chester. The train was rammed for some reason, lots bailed out but I still chose to stand by the door. At Rock Ferry, an elderly lady sat near the door stood up expecting to get off... She hadn't heard the announcement (and in fact didn't believe me initially when I said we weren't stopping!)
The guard pointed her in the right direction to the Liverpool platform at Hooton after the very nice thrashy non stop run from Birkenhead Central. The train was now back on time aftter making up it's 8 minute delay. And the thrash resumed with just the two stops (Capenhurst and Bache) in the 8 miles 9 chains between Hooton and Chester.
I alighted at Chester and, with nothing looking very appealing moves-wise, reboarded 507027 all the way round the loop and back to Chester! The trip into Liverpool wasn't much fun-we practically had a standing load out of Chester. I was sat with a group of drunk (and getting more drunk despite Merseyrail's byelaws) middle aged women celebrating a 40th Birthday. They weren't too bad actually...
Arriving back at Chester 90 minutes and 34.6 miles later, I did something I don't normally do at Chester: Passed through the barrier and headed to the travel centre. After handing over £7.40 for a return to Shrewsbury, and being shown appreciation for my ‘Keep the guard on the train' badge-I headed over to the new(ish) bar that's opened on Chester station as my train wasn't for just over half an hour. The bar is alright inside-fairly expensive, but most things in Chester always are. It could have done with a departure board though!
I headed back through the gateline and boarded required 221143+dud 221103 to Crewe. The reason for this was because the train was travelling via the Mid-Cheshire line and the Middlewich freight line. I've had Middlewich and the east side of the junction before, but not the west side. Kite159 kindly informed me that he needs the west side too and the train departed Chester on time at 15:38.
Going through Delamere Forest on a 221 was certainly different! The trip to Crewe was nice and very ecenic, but extremely slow-we didn't arrive at Crewe until 16:50! Bailing out-I had one other thing I was intending to do today (and why I bought a return to Shrewsbury)-bail out at Wem. 150240 was working the 17:20 Shrewsbury local (this train continues to Cardiff via Sugar Loaf in the week) which arrived at Wem 10 minutes late due to the Milford Haven infront being delayed. Be aware if doing Wem on a tight connection-the level crossing goes down EXTREMELY early-and if an express is due shortly before/after the stopper (in either direction) the barriers will not rise. I had to wait a few minutes for 150253 working a Milford Haven-Manchester (ouch!) To pass.
I went for a supply raid as there is a co-op a short walk away and returned to the shack to await the 18:38 back to Crewe. The barriers lowered at 18:33 for a Southbound express-my train arrived at 18:40. The barriers didn't rise inbetween. 150240, complete with the same guard, were again providing thrash back to Crewe. At Crewe, everything went Tango Uniform...
I had a 10 minute fester until the rail rep back to Chester. I had to catch it to make my connections later on. I took too long having a PNB and missed it...
Great. Plan B-have a word with the TM on the 19:43 pendo to Liverpool. Plan C was to do the same on the 19:57 LM service.
A Southbound LM Brum working was cancelled due to a fatality at Runcorn. Great...
Onto Plan D! SJ04 KAX of Pat's Coaches to Chester. The bus had about 20 passengers onboard-I enquired about buses to Liverpool, but was told VTWC don't know what's happening yet never mind Arriva's rail rep coordinator-which seemed fair enough! As I boarded the bus, I asked the driver how long it'd take to which he said ‘about 45 minutes mate'. This was good news-I should make my connection now!
Being on the roads around Crewe station was giving me flashbacks to the Heart of Wales line, as I have to go to and from Crewe by road to do that at 04:49-returning past midnight! Thankfully, the bus driver's estimate was spot on and we arrived at Chester exactly 45 minutes later at 20:50. I now knew why there were so few train diverts running!
I headed over to a rather roudy platform 7B for Merseyrail to Liverpool Lime Street. 507027 (hello you!) Arrived at 21:03, 3 minutes after departure time. Unfortunately, a group of drunk people on the platform decided that them messing about was far more important than their safety, the Guard's freedom and the plans of everyone onboard by being FAR too close to the train. The guard (and driver) therefore, reasonably enough, refused to move the train. At 21:07 (approx) me (with my 13 minute connection at Lime Street-now 4 minutes) approached a window intending to tell them where to go (very politely of course(!)) But fortunately a dispatcher beat us to it and told them to SIT DOWN AND SHUT UP! They seemed to comply with the first bit at least, and the traincrew were happy to move the train-so we seized the opportunity and departed!
We were now 10 late. On departure from Capenhurst-the guard made an announcement along the lines of ‘Due to the behaviour of some passengers back at Chester (which he'd already apologised for and explained he wasn't prepared to move the train while they were standing) we are now 10 minutes late. As a consequence, we will now not be stopping at any station between Hooton and Birkenhead Central' Hellfire!
As a consequence, my nearly empty 507 arrived into Birkenhead on time, and didn't lose any more time between there and Scouseland. Upon arrival at Lime Street I had a PNB and headed upstairs to board 156425+156489, noticing an entire portion of Sausage, chips and peas left on a table... most people walking into the next carriage were saying they were starving and wanted it! I don't know if anyone actually ate it...
Tne journey back to Birchwood was uneventful afterwards, and unusually punctual-arriving just 3 minutes late. Wem was my most local required shack-an honour which I think has now passed over to Cresswell on the Robin Hood line.
Winners:2 (EMT 156s Cleared)
Shacks:1
Techniquest
Veteran Member
A very long day but well worth it by the looks of it! Well done on clearing the EMT 156s, and nicely done on the track score. I got that many years ago... 
Sounds like it's a right mission to do mileage on MerseyRail, I honestly would have expected higher numbers than that by now!
Sounds like it's a right mission to do mileage on MerseyRail, I honestly would have expected higher numbers than that by now!
Kite159
Veteran Member
Mereseyrail up to their usual tricks of cancelling stops due to having a tight timetable. If they had Delay Repay 15 up there you can bet they won't cancel stops as often
185143
Established Member
- Joined
- 3 Mar 2013
- Messages
- 5,337
A very long day but well worth it by the looks of it! Well done on clearing the EMT 156s, and nicely done on the track score. I got that many years ago...
Sounds like it's a right mission to do mileage on MerseyRail, I honestly would have expected higher numbers than that by now!
I've had 9000 50X miles this year...
roversfan2001
Established Member
Sounds like you enjoyed it, though I can't see why (VT diversion aside)! 507/508s are awful IMO.
Blindtraveler
Established Member
- Joined
- 28 Feb 2011
- Messages
- 10,544
I couldnt do all that Mersyrail milage in the regular way you do, respect.
Liked the on fire joke.
I need that track too, any chance of a headsup next time its in use?
Well done on the 156.
Oh and 1 final thing, where did you get your keep the guard on the train badge and are they still available? I want!
Liked the on fire joke.
I need that track too, any chance of a headsup next time its in use?
Well done on the 156.
Oh and 1 final thing, where did you get your keep the guard on the train badge and are they still available? I want!
Dhassell
Member
- Joined
- 22 Mar 2015
- Messages
- 1,011
I've had 9000 50X miles this year...
Bloody hell... I have only had 8000 all years for everything!
alexf380
Established Member
A very varied day, and I can understand the draw to Merseyrail. Once you start, you just can't stop...'til you need a pee!
9000 miles this year?? Jeez!
9000 miles this year?? Jeez!
185143
Established Member
- Joined
- 3 Mar 2013
- Messages
- 5,337
Next Saturday/Sunday at least-not sure about any other days. I asked the RMT for my badge (mentioning my excessive (there, said it!) Merseyrail useage and they posted one out to me.
185143
Established Member
- Joined
- 3 Mar 2013
- Messages
- 5,337
a very varied day, and i can understand the draw to merseyrail. Once you start, you just can't stop...'til you need a pee!
9000 miles this year?? Jeez!
tell me about it!:d:d:d
Techniquest
Veteran Member
9,000 miles on MerseyRail is dedication to the cause, fair play. Of course, I can't help but remember the old Dragonball Z reference of "It's over 9,000!" https://goo.gl/images/Ddi69S
https://goo.gl/images/Ddi69S
185143
Established Member
- Joined
- 3 Mar 2013
- Messages
- 5,337
A day of surprises-10/08/2017
Yawn. I've adjusted to BST time now-so that was how I really felt at 05:00 today...
Once I was ready, we headed out at around 05:50 and I arrived at Warrington Bank Quay just before 06:10. After Saturday's Middlewich tour, I only need 3 VT 221s. Oh it'd be nice if one dropped onto my mandatory move to Glasgow wouldn't it...
But no. 221110 pulled in to take me up to Glasgow. My booked seat, unusually, had an amazing view... of plastic. So I wandered through the train and made myself at home in a pair of airline seats in Coach C for the next 3 hours. The journey was lovely, as usual, in fact dare I say these vomiters are starting to grow on me...
I very rarely use XC these days, and my normal 221 move is this one to Glasgow, which is never particularly full. The weather didn't look too great as the train stormed over Shap, but once we’d crossed the border-and passed a LOT of SparkyCats on Kingmoor-the weather became, and stayed, lovely!
Arrival into Glasgow was on time, as usual, and I headed to the ticket office to get a roundabout-one of the best tickets out there covering ‘over 110 stations', all the 314s, 318s, 320s, 334s, most 156s, some 158s and 170s and 380s! And the Glasgow Subway too-not bad for £6.80. After getting directions to St. Enoch subway station (it's been that long since I've been here I'd forgotten!) I left Glasgow Central station, stopping at Subway on the way to the Subway! After picking up a Mega Melt, I carried on to St. Enoch and collected my Subway ticket. Noticing an Outer Circle train due in 3 minutes I went for that. Triple winners 112+203+131 rolled in to take me one stop to Bridge Street.
Alighting onto the very narrow platform, I saw a train approaching. Centre car 206 was required, 114+116 were both dud and I took them both back to St. Enoch. Triple duds 125+204+another car I forgot to note down took me back to West Street, merely as a fill in move. That fill in move was a good decision as triple winners 127+129+132 pulled in practically straight away to take me to Buchanan Street.
I was at Queen Street to take the 09:56 to the Maryhill line, bailing out at Maryhill. Dud 156511 provided the thrash for the 15 minute journey. The last time I left Glasgow Queen Street, the OHLE pretty much just left the tunnel mouth. I think some supports were in place, but very few. Well... WOW! The line seemed to be fully electrified up to the point where the Maryhill line divides. The Maryhill line is quite slow and, at least on my trains seemed very poorly used indeed! I noticed winner 158789 was the other diagram on the line-which was good to see. After a 15 minute or so fester at Maryhill, 156511 returned from Anniesland for a short run back to Gilshochill. I'd realised on the way to Maryhill that I'd done a poor job of my plan-I could get the same number of shacks and get back to Queen Street 30 minutes earlier... so I did!
As such I bailed at Gilshochill vice Ashfield to await my winner 158. 5 minutes later, it appeared-but now said 158733 on the front, a dud from bashing the Borders Railway last year on the cheap tickets! I took it anyway obviously, and alighted at the next stop Summerston. I had a 20 minute fester so took the opportunity for a PNB in the Asda. I returned to the shack to decide whether to go Subway bashing again, or to score a bonus shack-which one I hadn't yet decided.
I made my decision and re-boarded 158733 for the journey back to Queen Street. 158733 is of course a Haymarket unit, and I'd forgotten they were in such an apalling state inside! It was a pleasure to bail at Queen Street and I passed through the barriers heading for the wee shoogly trains.
Winner 120+duds 118+108 took me round to West Street-again as a fill in move, where I bailed and picked up winner 120 towing duds 205+113 back to St. Enoch. The walk back to Central was an experience-several chuggers seemed determined to stop me making my train (seriously-when did this become acceptable? I know it's for a good cause but what's wrong with putting spare change into a bucket occasionally? I'm happy to do that-but chuggers get nothing!)
Arriving into Central, I still had a few possible trains I could take-but I settled on required 380009 to Cardonald for some phone charge. I alighted a few minutes later and crossed over the footbridge to board the 11:51 back to Central, which was formed of dud 380101. I had a PNB before I alighted and noticed the unit only had 3 coaches, which was odd! I’d actually misread the number-it was winner 380001! Score! I headed across to platform 12 to board the Paisley Canal service, formed of winner 314216. Even 200 miles from home I can't resist a PEP! After enjoying some AC PEP thrash, but missing having a second member of staff being solely responsible for my safety, I bailed at Hawkhead for the 314 to turn round at the end of the line. 314216 returned to take me to Dumbreck for an unavoidable 30 minute fester. The trains cross there and it is a very long ramp from the platform to the roadbridge-so don't even try to make it.
I had a decision to make here. I could either get Uddingston or Mosspark. But as Alexf380 rightfully said a few posts back something along the lines of ‘I can understand the attraction to Merseyrail-until you need a pee!’ Well, lets say external factors decided which shack I was scoring next... dud 314202 arrived for the 5 minute journey back to Central. The Lanark wasn't due to leave for 25 minutes but dud 320317 was sat in Platform 3, so I boarded it for a PNB then took a seat in the motor coach. About 10 minutes before departure, the doors were locked and we felt a jolt. I stepped off and winner refurbished 318262 had coupled onto us. This unit has plug sockets too, so I sat in my favourite seat of any suburban unit (the pair of seats under the pantograph with a reasonably large table +plug socket!). The 12 minute jourrney to Uddingston was very thrashy and I soon bailed out at my last required National Rail shack on the main WCML. (Long Buckby is required, as is one of the Bakerloo line ones)
I had a 25 minute fester, which went quite quickly before boarding winner 156439 onto the Shotts line, as far as Carfin. I had a 50 minute fester which went very quickly. I spent it sat in the sun starting to type this-and on the phone to a friend wanting some gen. Winner 156485 was heading back to Glasgow-taking me as far as Holytown. I had a PNB onboard and quickly crossed over the footbridge at Holytown and boarded dud 158710 towards the Capital. The guard appeared just after Carfin (I was intending to go to Hartwood-which is outside of the boundary). I showed my roundabout and asked where I needed a ticket from, but he told me not to worry about it when I said I was bailing at Hartwood. Score!
A same direction 60 minute fester was planned here, but I decided to take the Glasgow bound service back to winner shack Cleland. Winner 158871 was duly boarded, with no ticket check (well, sale) taking place. None of these stations even had TVMs, which surprised me somewhat! I alighted at a very warm Cleland for a 15 minute fester before a very important positioning move.
Winner 156508 (I've had great luck today!) Arrived a couple of minutes late to take me down the line to Fauldhouse. I purchased a ticket to Fauldhouse for £2.70. Upon arriving at Fauldhouse, I had two options for my next move-walk or bus. I wss going to walk (I had plenty of time) but I decided I couldn't be bothered and got the bus.
First West Lothian’s 37270 took me the 3 miles or so to Breich for the sum of £2.90. Except thanks to First West Lothian's exact change policy, it was £3... This made me glad I hadn't boarded with a £10 note as I nearly did! That'd have had me walking! The 801 bus took around 10 minutes to reach Breich village, with it being just a short walk back to the station. As I arrived on the station, there was an announcement warning of short notice delays and cancellations due to a signal failure at Slateford! I look on the National Rail site-the 18:38 was showing as cancelled!
Wondering how I was going to get home, as a Special Stop Order on the next service wouldn't get me to Glasgow in time for my booked (and the last) pendo, I pressed the help point. Unfortunately, the help point was so helpful it didn't work. At a loss, I phoned ScotRail and pressed the option for journey planning which put me through to NRE. I was assured that there'd be a train at ‘Breech' at about 18:50. Which did eventually arrived... at 19:02. The service was very full, standing right down the aisles. To my amazement, 3 people alighted at Breich! I was welcomed aboard dud 156495 by the same guard I'd had on 158710 too-it felt wierd getting recognised so far from my normal bashing territory!
I got a seat at a table after Shotts and after Uddingston I was able to get to the other end of the unit for a badly needed PNB. I just sat down up there and the guard came through the train asking if people needed tickets for the barriers. I heard a couple of people sat behind me ask how to make a complaint-turned out they'd got on a train at Waverley, which was cancelled at West Calder and it had taken them the best part of 3 hours to get from Edinburgh to Glasgow. Ouch!
The train arrived at Glasgow Central at 19:55, half an hour late.
No delay repay though as I was, very unusually, on a through ticket as it was cheaper. I headed to the new, well-it wasn't open in March!, Sainsbury's Local outside the station for a sensibly priced supply raid. Returning back to the station, I headed to platform 1 and found, to my delight, winner 390121 working my booked train home! My seat was Kite159s favourite- C 03, so I parked myself at an empty table for the three hour ride down South. And the journey didn't half drag... we seemed to get to Carlisle quickly, which I spent some of the journey catching up with Geoff and Vicki’s All The Stations as I have a load of data to use in two days due to being in the USA for most of the month.
After Wigan North Western, and this gets a Special mention for an ‘I've seen everything now' moment. I could see a bloke coming down the aisle and was hearing a strange beeping noise-almost something you'd get in a cartoon when a UFO takes off. As he passes my table, I see he is on a hoverboard! (The type that have caught fire a couple of times) I alighted at Warrington Bank Quay a few minutes later and got a lift home after a very long, but great day!
Shacks:11+alighting at Fauldhouse+boarding at Breich
Heavy Rail Winners:9
Subway Winners:9
Yawn. I've adjusted to BST time now-so that was how I really felt at 05:00 today...
Once I was ready, we headed out at around 05:50 and I arrived at Warrington Bank Quay just before 06:10. After Saturday's Middlewich tour, I only need 3 VT 221s. Oh it'd be nice if one dropped onto my mandatory move to Glasgow wouldn't it...
But no. 221110 pulled in to take me up to Glasgow. My booked seat, unusually, had an amazing view... of plastic. So I wandered through the train and made myself at home in a pair of airline seats in Coach C for the next 3 hours. The journey was lovely, as usual, in fact dare I say these vomiters are starting to grow on me...
I very rarely use XC these days, and my normal 221 move is this one to Glasgow, which is never particularly full. The weather didn't look too great as the train stormed over Shap, but once we’d crossed the border-and passed a LOT of SparkyCats on Kingmoor-the weather became, and stayed, lovely!
Arrival into Glasgow was on time, as usual, and I headed to the ticket office to get a roundabout-one of the best tickets out there covering ‘over 110 stations', all the 314s, 318s, 320s, 334s, most 156s, some 158s and 170s and 380s! And the Glasgow Subway too-not bad for £6.80. After getting directions to St. Enoch subway station (it's been that long since I've been here I'd forgotten!) I left Glasgow Central station, stopping at Subway on the way to the Subway! After picking up a Mega Melt, I carried on to St. Enoch and collected my Subway ticket. Noticing an Outer Circle train due in 3 minutes I went for that. Triple winners 112+203+131 rolled in to take me one stop to Bridge Street.
Alighting onto the very narrow platform, I saw a train approaching. Centre car 206 was required, 114+116 were both dud and I took them both back to St. Enoch. Triple duds 125+204+another car I forgot to note down took me back to West Street, merely as a fill in move. That fill in move was a good decision as triple winners 127+129+132 pulled in practically straight away to take me to Buchanan Street.
I was at Queen Street to take the 09:56 to the Maryhill line, bailing out at Maryhill. Dud 156511 provided the thrash for the 15 minute journey. The last time I left Glasgow Queen Street, the OHLE pretty much just left the tunnel mouth. I think some supports were in place, but very few. Well... WOW! The line seemed to be fully electrified up to the point where the Maryhill line divides. The Maryhill line is quite slow and, at least on my trains seemed very poorly used indeed! I noticed winner 158789 was the other diagram on the line-which was good to see. After a 15 minute or so fester at Maryhill, 156511 returned from Anniesland for a short run back to Gilshochill. I'd realised on the way to Maryhill that I'd done a poor job of my plan-I could get the same number of shacks and get back to Queen Street 30 minutes earlier... so I did!
As such I bailed at Gilshochill vice Ashfield to await my winner 158. 5 minutes later, it appeared-but now said 158733 on the front, a dud from bashing the Borders Railway last year on the cheap tickets! I took it anyway obviously, and alighted at the next stop Summerston. I had a 20 minute fester so took the opportunity for a PNB in the Asda. I returned to the shack to decide whether to go Subway bashing again, or to score a bonus shack-which one I hadn't yet decided.
I made my decision and re-boarded 158733 for the journey back to Queen Street. 158733 is of course a Haymarket unit, and I'd forgotten they were in such an apalling state inside! It was a pleasure to bail at Queen Street and I passed through the barriers heading for the wee shoogly trains.
Winner 120+duds 118+108 took me round to West Street-again as a fill in move, where I bailed and picked up winner 120 towing duds 205+113 back to St. Enoch. The walk back to Central was an experience-several chuggers seemed determined to stop me making my train (seriously-when did this become acceptable? I know it's for a good cause but what's wrong with putting spare change into a bucket occasionally? I'm happy to do that-but chuggers get nothing!)
Arriving into Central, I still had a few possible trains I could take-but I settled on required 380009 to Cardonald for some phone charge. I alighted a few minutes later and crossed over the footbridge to board the 11:51 back to Central, which was formed of dud 380101. I had a PNB before I alighted and noticed the unit only had 3 coaches, which was odd! I’d actually misread the number-it was winner 380001! Score! I headed across to platform 12 to board the Paisley Canal service, formed of winner 314216. Even 200 miles from home I can't resist a PEP! After enjoying some AC PEP thrash, but missing having a second member of staff being solely responsible for my safety, I bailed at Hawkhead for the 314 to turn round at the end of the line. 314216 returned to take me to Dumbreck for an unavoidable 30 minute fester. The trains cross there and it is a very long ramp from the platform to the roadbridge-so don't even try to make it.
I had a decision to make here. I could either get Uddingston or Mosspark. But as Alexf380 rightfully said a few posts back something along the lines of ‘I can understand the attraction to Merseyrail-until you need a pee!’ Well, lets say external factors decided which shack I was scoring next... dud 314202 arrived for the 5 minute journey back to Central. The Lanark wasn't due to leave for 25 minutes but dud 320317 was sat in Platform 3, so I boarded it for a PNB then took a seat in the motor coach. About 10 minutes before departure, the doors were locked and we felt a jolt. I stepped off and winner refurbished 318262 had coupled onto us. This unit has plug sockets too, so I sat in my favourite seat of any suburban unit (the pair of seats under the pantograph with a reasonably large table +plug socket!). The 12 minute jourrney to Uddingston was very thrashy and I soon bailed out at my last required National Rail shack on the main WCML. (Long Buckby is required, as is one of the Bakerloo line ones)
I had a 25 minute fester, which went quite quickly before boarding winner 156439 onto the Shotts line, as far as Carfin. I had a 50 minute fester which went very quickly. I spent it sat in the sun starting to type this-and on the phone to a friend wanting some gen. Winner 156485 was heading back to Glasgow-taking me as far as Holytown. I had a PNB onboard and quickly crossed over the footbridge at Holytown and boarded dud 158710 towards the Capital. The guard appeared just after Carfin (I was intending to go to Hartwood-which is outside of the boundary). I showed my roundabout and asked where I needed a ticket from, but he told me not to worry about it when I said I was bailing at Hartwood. Score!
A same direction 60 minute fester was planned here, but I decided to take the Glasgow bound service back to winner shack Cleland. Winner 158871 was duly boarded, with no ticket check (well, sale) taking place. None of these stations even had TVMs, which surprised me somewhat! I alighted at a very warm Cleland for a 15 minute fester before a very important positioning move.
Winner 156508 (I've had great luck today!) Arrived a couple of minutes late to take me down the line to Fauldhouse. I purchased a ticket to Fauldhouse for £2.70. Upon arriving at Fauldhouse, I had two options for my next move-walk or bus. I wss going to walk (I had plenty of time) but I decided I couldn't be bothered and got the bus.
First West Lothian’s 37270 took me the 3 miles or so to Breich for the sum of £2.90. Except thanks to First West Lothian's exact change policy, it was £3... This made me glad I hadn't boarded with a £10 note as I nearly did! That'd have had me walking! The 801 bus took around 10 minutes to reach Breich village, with it being just a short walk back to the station. As I arrived on the station, there was an announcement warning of short notice delays and cancellations due to a signal failure at Slateford! I look on the National Rail site-the 18:38 was showing as cancelled!
Wondering how I was going to get home, as a Special Stop Order on the next service wouldn't get me to Glasgow in time for my booked (and the last) pendo, I pressed the help point. Unfortunately, the help point was so helpful it didn't work. At a loss, I phoned ScotRail and pressed the option for journey planning which put me through to NRE. I was assured that there'd be a train at ‘Breech' at about 18:50. Which did eventually arrived... at 19:02. The service was very full, standing right down the aisles. To my amazement, 3 people alighted at Breich! I was welcomed aboard dud 156495 by the same guard I'd had on 158710 too-it felt wierd getting recognised so far from my normal bashing territory!
I got a seat at a table after Shotts and after Uddingston I was able to get to the other end of the unit for a badly needed PNB. I just sat down up there and the guard came through the train asking if people needed tickets for the barriers. I heard a couple of people sat behind me ask how to make a complaint-turned out they'd got on a train at Waverley, which was cancelled at West Calder and it had taken them the best part of 3 hours to get from Edinburgh to Glasgow. Ouch!
The train arrived at Glasgow Central at 19:55, half an hour late.
No delay repay though as I was, very unusually, on a through ticket as it was cheaper. I headed to the new, well-it wasn't open in March!, Sainsbury's Local outside the station for a sensibly priced supply raid. Returning back to the station, I headed to platform 1 and found, to my delight, winner 390121 working my booked train home! My seat was Kite159s favourite- C 03, so I parked myself at an empty table for the three hour ride down South. And the journey didn't half drag... we seemed to get to Carlisle quickly, which I spent some of the journey catching up with Geoff and Vicki’s All The Stations as I have a load of data to use in two days due to being in the USA for most of the month.
After Wigan North Western, and this gets a Special mention for an ‘I've seen everything now' moment. I could see a bloke coming down the aisle and was hearing a strange beeping noise-almost something you'd get in a cartoon when a UFO takes off. As he passes my table, I see he is on a hoverboard! (The type that have caught fire a couple of times) I alighted at Warrington Bank Quay a few minutes later and got a lift home after a very long, but great day!
Shacks:11+alighting at Fauldhouse+boarding at Breich
Heavy Rail Winners:9
Subway Winners:9
185143
Established Member
- Joined
- 3 Mar 2013
- Messages
- 5,337
A day of surprises-10/08/2017
Yawn. I've adjusted to BST time now-so that was how I really felt at 05:00 today...
Once I was ready, we headed out at around 05:50 and I arrived at Warrington Bank Quay just before 06:10. After Saturday's Middlewich tour, I only need 3 VT 221s. Oh it'd be nice if one dropped onto my mandatory move to Glasgow wouldn't it...
But no. 221110 pulled in to take me up to Glasgow. My booked seat, unusually, had an amazing view... of plastic. So I wandered through the train and made myself at home in a pair of airline seats in Coach C for the next 3 hours. The journey was lovely, as usual, in fact dare I say these vomiters are starting to grow on me... I very rarely use XC these days, and my normal 221 move is this one to Glasgow, which is never particularly full. The weather didn't look too great as the train stormed over Shap, but once we’d crossed the border-and passed a LOT of SparkyCats on Kingmoor-the weather became, and stayed, lovely!
Arrival into Glasgow was on time, as usual, and I headed to the ticket office to get a roundabout-one of the best tickets out there covering ‘over 110 stations', all the 314s, 318s, 320s, 334s, most 156s, some 158s and 170s and 380s! And the Glasgow Subway too-not bad for £6.80. After getting directions to St. Enoch subway station (it's been that long since I've been here I'd forgotten!) I left Glasgow Central station, stopping at Subway on the way to the Subway! After picking up a Mega Melt, I carried on to St. Enoch and collected my Subway ticket. Noticing an Outer Circle train due in 3 minutes I went for that. Triple winners 112+203+131 rolled in to take me one stop to Bridge Street.
Alighting onto the very narrow platform, I saw a train approaching. Centre car 206 was required, 114+116 were both dud and I took them both back to St. Enoch. Triple duds 125+204+another car I forgot to note down took me back to West Street, merely as a fill in move. That fill in move was a good decision as triple winners 127+129+132 pulled in practically straight away to take me to Buchanan Street.
I was at Queen Street to take the 09:56 to the Maryhill line, bailing out at Maryhill. Dud 156511 provided the thrash for the 15 minute journey. The last time I left Glasgow Queen Street, the OHLE pretty much just left the tunnel mouth. I think some supports were in place, but very few. Well... WOW! The line seemed to be fully electrified up to the point where the Maryhill line divides. The Maryhill line is quite slow and, at least on my trains seemed very poorly used indeed! I noticed winner 158789 was the other diagram on the line-which was good to see. After a 15 minute or so fester at Maryhill, 156511 returned from Anniesland for a short run back to Gilshochill. I'd realised on the way to Maryhill that I'd done a poor job of my plan-I could get the same number of shacks and get back to Queen Street 30 minutes earlier... so I did!
As such I bailed at Gilshochill vice Ashfield to await my winner 158. 5 minutes later, it appeared-but now said 158733 on the front, a dud from bashing the Borders Railway last year on the cheap tickets! I took it anyway obviously, and alighted at the next stop Summerston. I had a 20 minute fester so took the opportunity for a PNB in the Asda. I returned to the shack to decide whether to go Subway bashing again, or to score a bonus shack-which one I hadn't yet decided. I made my decision and re-boarded 158733 for the journey back to Queen Street. 158733 is of course a Haymarket unit, and I'd forgotten they were in such an apalling state inside! It was a pleasure to bail at Queen Street and I passed through the barriers heading for the wee shoogly trains.
Winner 120+duds 118+108 took me round to West Street-again as a fill in move, where I bailed and picked up winner 120 towing duds 205+113 back to St. Enoch. The walk back to Central was an experience-several chuggers seemed determined to stop me making my train (seriously-when did this become acceptable? I know it's for a good cause but what's wrong with putting spare change into a bucket occasionally? I'm happy to do that-but chuggers get nothing!)
Arriving into Central, I still had a few possible trains I could take-but I settled on required 380009 to Cardonald for some phone charge. I alighted a few minutes later and crossed over the footbridge to board the 11:51 back to Central, which was formed of dud 380101. I had a PNB before I alighted and noticed the unit only had 3 coaches, which was odd! I’d actually misread the number-it was winner 380001! Score! I headed across to platform 12 to board the Paisley Canal service, formed of winner 314216. Even 200 miles from home I can't resist a PEP! After enjoying some AC PEP thrash, but missing having a second member of staff being solely responsible for my safety, I bailed at Hawkhead for the 314 to turn round at the end of the line. 314216 returned to take me to Dumbreck for an unavoidable 30 minute fester. The trains cross there and it is a very long ramp from the platform to the roadbridge-so don't even try to make it.
I had a decision to make here. I could either get Uddingston or Mosspark. But as Alexf380 rightfully said a few posts back something along the lines of ‘I can understand the attraction to Merseyrail-until you need a pee!’ Well, lets say external factors decided which shack I was scoring next... dud 314202 arrived for the 5 minute journey back to Central. The Lanark wasn't due to leave for 25 minutes but dud 320317 was sat in Platform 3, so I boarded it for a PNB then took a seat in the motor coach. About 10 minutes before departure, the doors were locked and we felt a jolt. I stepped off and winner refurbished 318262 had coupled onto us. This unit has plug sockets too, so I sat in my favourite seat of any suburban unit (the pair of seats under the pantograph with a reasonably large table +plug socket!). The 12 minute jourrney to Uddingston was very thrashy and I soon bailed out at my last required National Rail shack on the main WCML. (Long Buckby is required, as is one of the Bakerloo line ones)
I had a 25 minute fester, which went quite quickly before boarding winner 156439 onto the Shotts line, as far as Carfin. I had a 50 minute fester which went very quickly. I spent it sat in the sun starting to type this-and on the phone to a friend wanting some gen. Winner 156485 was heading back to Glasgow-taking me as far as Holytown. I had a PNB onboard and quickly crossed over the footbridge at Holytown and boarded dud 158710 towards the Capital. The guard appeared just after Carfin (I was intending to go to Hartwood-which is outside of the boundary). I showed my roundabout and asked where I needed a ticket from, but he told me not to worry about it when I said I was bailing at Hartwood. Score! A same direction 60 minute fester was planned here, but I decided to take the Glasgow bound service back to winner shack Cleland. Winner 158871 was duly boarded, with no ticket check (well, sale) taking place. None of these stations even had TVMs, which surprised me somewhat! I alighted at a very warm Cleland for a 15 minute fester before a very important positioning move.
Winner 156508 (I've had great luck today!) Arrived a couple of minutes late to take me down the line to Fauldhouse. I purchased a ticket to Fauldhouse for £2.70. Upon arriving at Fauldhouse, I had two options for my next move-walk or bus. I wss going to walk (I had plenty of time) but I decided I couldn't be bothered and got the bus.
First West Lothian’s 37270 took me the 3 miles or so to Breich for the sum of £2.90. Except thanks to First West Lothian's exact change policy, it was £3... This made me glad I hadn't boarded with a £10 note as I nearly did! That'd have had me walking! The 801 bus took around 10 minutes to reach Breich village, with it being just a short walk back to the station. As I arrived on the station, there was an announcement warning of short notice delays and cancellations due to a signal failure at Slateford! I look on the National Rail site-the 18:38 was showing as cancelled!
Wondering how I was going to get home, as a Special Stop Order on the next service wouldn't get me to Glasgow in time for my booked (and the last) pendo, I pressed the help point. Unfortunately, the help point was so helpful it didn't work. At a loss, I phoned ScotRail and pressed the option for journey planning which put me through to NRE. I was assured that there'd be a train at ‘Breech' at about 18:50. Which did eventually arrived... at 19:02. The service was very full, standing right down the aisles. To my amazement, 3 people alighted at Breich! I was welcomed aboard dud 156495 by the same guard I'd had on 158710 too-it felt wierd getting recognised so far from my normal bashing territory!
I got a seat at a table after Shotts and after Uddingston I was able to get to the other end of the unit for a badly needed PNB. I just sat down up there and the guard came through the train asking if people needed tickets for the barriers. I heard a couple of people sat behind me ask how to make a complaint-turned out they'd got on a train at Waverley, which was cancelled at West Calder and it had taken them the best part of 3 hours to get from Edinburgh to Glasgow. Ouch!
The train arrived at Glasgow Central at 19:55, half an hour late. No delay repay though as I was, very unusually, on a through ticket as it was cheaper. I headed to the new, well-it wasn't open in March!, Sainsbury's Local outside the station for a sensibly priced supply raid. Returning back to the station, I headed to platform 1 and found, to my delight, winner 390121 working my booked train home! My seat was Kite159s favourite- C 03, so I parked myself at an empty table for the three hour ride down South. And the journey didn't half drag... we seemed to get to Carlisle quickly, which I spent some of the journey catching up with Geoff and Vicki’s All The Stations as I have a load of data to use in two days due to being in the USA for most of the month.
After Wigan North Western, and this gets a Special mention for an ‘I've seen everything now' moment. I could see a bloke coming down the aisle and was hearing a strange beeping noise-almost something you'd get in a cartoon when a UFO takes off. As he passes my table, I see he is on a hoverboard! (The type that have caught fire a couple of times) I alighted at Warrington Bank Quay a few minutes later and got a lift home after a very long, but great day!
Shacks:11+alighting at Fauldhouse+boarding at Breich
Heavy Rail Winners:9
Subway Winners:9
Yawn. I've adjusted to BST time now-so that was how I really felt at 05:00 today...
Once I was ready, we headed out at around 05:50 and I arrived at Warrington Bank Quay just before 06:10. After Saturday's Middlewich tour, I only need 3 VT 221s. Oh it'd be nice if one dropped onto my mandatory move to Glasgow wouldn't it...
But no. 221110 pulled in to take me up to Glasgow. My booked seat, unusually, had an amazing view... of plastic. So I wandered through the train and made myself at home in a pair of airline seats in Coach C for the next 3 hours. The journey was lovely, as usual, in fact dare I say these vomiters are starting to grow on me... I very rarely use XC these days, and my normal 221 move is this one to Glasgow, which is never particularly full. The weather didn't look too great as the train stormed over Shap, but once we’d crossed the border-and passed a LOT of SparkyCats on Kingmoor-the weather became, and stayed, lovely!
Arrival into Glasgow was on time, as usual, and I headed to the ticket office to get a roundabout-one of the best tickets out there covering ‘over 110 stations', all the 314s, 318s, 320s, 334s, most 156s, some 158s and 170s and 380s! And the Glasgow Subway too-not bad for £6.80. After getting directions to St. Enoch subway station (it's been that long since I've been here I'd forgotten!) I left Glasgow Central station, stopping at Subway on the way to the Subway! After picking up a Mega Melt, I carried on to St. Enoch and collected my Subway ticket. Noticing an Outer Circle train due in 3 minutes I went for that. Triple winners 112+203+131 rolled in to take me one stop to Bridge Street.
Alighting onto the very narrow platform, I saw a train approaching. Centre car 206 was required, 114+116 were both dud and I took them both back to St. Enoch. Triple duds 125+204+another car I forgot to note down took me back to West Street, merely as a fill in move. That fill in move was a good decision as triple winners 127+129+132 pulled in practically straight away to take me to Buchanan Street.
I was at Queen Street to take the 09:56 to the Maryhill line, bailing out at Maryhill. Dud 156511 provided the thrash for the 15 minute journey. The last time I left Glasgow Queen Street, the OHLE pretty much just left the tunnel mouth. I think some supports were in place, but very few. Well... WOW! The line seemed to be fully electrified up to the point where the Maryhill line divides. The Maryhill line is quite slow and, at least on my trains seemed very poorly used indeed! I noticed winner 158789 was the other diagram on the line-which was good to see. After a 15 minute or so fester at Maryhill, 156511 returned from Anniesland for a short run back to Gilshochill. I'd realised on the way to Maryhill that I'd done a poor job of my plan-I could get the same number of shacks and get back to Queen Street 30 minutes earlier... so I did!
As such I bailed at Gilshochill vice Ashfield to await my winner 158. 5 minutes later, it appeared-but now said 158733 on the front, a dud from bashing the Borders Railway last year on the cheap tickets! I took it anyway obviously, and alighted at the next stop Summerston. I had a 20 minute fester so took the opportunity for a PNB in the Asda. I returned to the shack to decide whether to go Subway bashing again, or to score a bonus shack-which one I hadn't yet decided. I made my decision and re-boarded 158733 for the journey back to Queen Street. 158733 is of course a Haymarket unit, and I'd forgotten they were in such an apalling state inside! It was a pleasure to bail at Queen Street and I passed through the barriers heading for the wee shoogly trains.
Winner 120+duds 118+108 took me round to West Street-again as a fill in move, where I bailed and picked up winner 120 towing duds 205+113 back to St. Enoch. The walk back to Central was an experience-several chuggers seemed determined to stop me making my train (seriously-when did this become acceptable? I know it's for a good cause but what's wrong with putting spare change into a bucket occasionally? I'm happy to do that-but chuggers get nothing!)
Arriving into Central, I still had a few possible trains I could take-but I settled on required 380009 to Cardonald for some phone charge. I alighted a few minutes later and crossed over the footbridge to board the 11:51 back to Central, which was formed of dud 380101. I had a PNB before I alighted and noticed the unit only had 3 coaches, which was odd! I’d actually misread the number-it was winner 380001! Score! I headed across to platform 12 to board the Paisley Canal service, formed of winner 314216. Even 200 miles from home I can't resist a PEP! After enjoying some AC PEP thrash, but missing having a second member of staff being solely responsible for my safety, I bailed at Hawkhead for the 314 to turn round at the end of the line. 314216 returned to take me to Dumbreck for an unavoidable 30 minute fester. The trains cross there and it is a very long ramp from the platform to the roadbridge-so don't even try to make it.
I had a decision to make here. I could either get Uddingston or Mosspark. But as Alexf380 rightfully said a few posts back something along the lines of ‘I can understand the attraction to Merseyrail-until you need a pee!’ Well, lets say external factors decided which shack I was scoring next... dud 314202 arrived for the 5 minute journey back to Central. The Lanark wasn't due to leave for 25 minutes but dud 320317 was sat in Platform 3, so I boarded it for a PNB then took a seat in the motor coach. About 10 minutes before departure, the doors were locked and we felt a jolt. I stepped off and winner refurbished 318262 had coupled onto us. This unit has plug sockets too, so I sat in my favourite seat of any suburban unit (the pair of seats under the pantograph with a reasonably large table +plug socket!). The 12 minute jourrney to Uddingston was very thrashy and I soon bailed out at my last required National Rail shack on the main WCML. (Long Buckby is required, as is one of the Bakerloo line ones)
I had a 25 minute fester, which went quite quickly before boarding winner 156439 onto the Shotts line, as far as Carfin. I had a 50 minute fester which went very quickly. I spent it sat in the sun starting to type this-and on the phone to a friend wanting some gen. Winner 156485 was heading back to Glasgow-taking me as far as Holytown. I had a PNB onboard and quickly crossed over the footbridge at Holytown and boarded dud 158710 towards the Capital. The guard appeared just after Carfin (I was intending to go to Hartwood-which is outside of the boundary). I showed my roundabout and asked where I needed a ticket from, but he told me not to worry about it when I said I was bailing at Hartwood. Score! A same direction 60 minute fester was planned here, but I decided to take the Glasgow bound service back to winner shack Cleland. Winner 158871 was duly boarded, with no ticket check (well, sale) taking place. None of these stations even had TVMs, which surprised me somewhat! I alighted at a very warm Cleland for a 15 minute fester before a very important positioning move.
Winner 156508 (I've had great luck today!) Arrived a couple of minutes late to take me down the line to Fauldhouse. I purchased a ticket to Fauldhouse for £2.70. Upon arriving at Fauldhouse, I had two options for my next move-walk or bus. I wss going to walk (I had plenty of time) but I decided I couldn't be bothered and got the bus.
First West Lothian’s 37270 took me the 3 miles or so to Breich for the sum of £2.90. Except thanks to First West Lothian's exact change policy, it was £3... This made me glad I hadn't boarded with a £10 note as I nearly did! That'd have had me walking! The 801 bus took around 10 minutes to reach Breich village, with it being just a short walk back to the station. As I arrived on the station, there was an announcement warning of short notice delays and cancellations due to a signal failure at Slateford! I look on the National Rail site-the 18:38 was showing as cancelled!
Wondering how I was going to get home, as a Special Stop Order on the next service wouldn't get me to Glasgow in time for my booked (and the last) pendo, I pressed the help point. Unfortunately, the help point was so helpful it didn't work. At a loss, I phoned ScotRail and pressed the option for journey planning which put me through to NRE. I was assured that there'd be a train at ‘Breech' at about 18:50. Which did eventually arrived... at 19:02. The service was very full, standing right down the aisles. To my amazement, 3 people alighted at Breich! I was welcomed aboard dud 156495 by the same guard I'd had on 158710 too-it felt wierd getting recognised so far from my normal bashing territory!
I got a seat at a table after Shotts and after Uddingston I was able to get to the other end of the unit for a badly needed PNB. I just sat down up there and the guard came through the train asking if people needed tickets for the barriers. I heard a couple of people sat behind me ask how to make a complaint-turned out they'd got on a train at Waverley, which was cancelled at West Calder and it had taken them the best part of 3 hours to get from Edinburgh to Glasgow. Ouch!
The train arrived at Glasgow Central at 19:55, half an hour late. No delay repay though as I was, very unusually, on a through ticket as it was cheaper. I headed to the new, well-it wasn't open in March!, Sainsbury's Local outside the station for a sensibly priced supply raid. Returning back to the station, I headed to platform 1 and found, to my delight, winner 390121 working my booked train home! My seat was Kite159s favourite- C 03, so I parked myself at an empty table for the three hour ride down South. And the journey didn't half drag... we seemed to get to Carlisle quickly, which I spent some of the journey catching up with Geoff and Vicki’s All The Stations as I have a load of data to use in two days due to being in the USA for most of the month.
After Wigan North Western, and this gets a Special mention for an ‘I've seen everything now' moment. I could see a bloke coming down the aisle and was hearing a strange beeping noise-almost something you'd get in a cartoon when a UFO takes off. As he passes my table, I see he is on a hoverboard! (The type that have caught fire a couple of times) I alighted at Warrington Bank Quay a few minutes later and got a lift home after a very long, but great day!
Shacks:11+alighting at Fauldhouse+boarding at Breich
Heavy Rail Winners:9
Subway Winners:9
Blindtraveler
Established Member
- Joined
- 28 Feb 2011
- Messages
- 10,544
I hope youve reported that help point?
Nice day out there, good to hear of a pleasantly empty voyager. So many people going to Breich just now, perhaps they should keep it open?
The Haymarket 158s are shocking and have been for ages but the first refurbished one, 731, is now in traffic and I assume another now in works.
Nice day out there, good to hear of a pleasantly empty voyager. So many people going to Breich just now, perhaps they should keep it open?
The Haymarket 158s are shocking and have been for ages but the first refurbished one, 731, is now in traffic and I assume another now in works.
- Status