2012 'Awards'

[telstarbox]

From 2012 on the railway, what would you nominate for:

-Rail Highlight of the Year (personal experience or general events)
-Rail Lowlight of the Year
-Best TOC
-Best rail journey
-Thread of the Year
-Best Twitter account

...Or any other categories?

 

[dvboy]

Personally or generally?

I guess my highlight would be the two trips to Germany and experiencing the railways in Frankfurt and Berlin.
My lowlight will be getting stuck at Par for 2 and a half hours as I was on that XC Voyager that failed to get to Newquay.
Best TOC - Virgin, just for being least crowded on my commute. Worst TOC LM for obvious reasons but I do have sympathy for them.
Best journey (for adventure), my RailSail on the last ever Belfast-Stranraer ferry, to be greeted by rail replacement buses to Glasgow where I missed my southbound connection and had to blag my way onto the sleeper at Edinburgh.
Thread of the year can go to the West Coast franchise debacle.

 

[LE Greys]

My Highlight of the Year:
Arriving at Stevenage to visit some friends in London, to be greeted by Union of South Aftica!

My Lowlight of the Year:
Not having a camera on me when it happened!

Best TOC:
Chiltern, they've continued to do their best to compete with Virgin and put a lot into that route

My Best Rail Journey of the Year:
TBH, I haven't done much in the way of rail journeys. But the cable car over the Thames was fun.

Thread of the Year:
Well, there was one last year, but nothing this year particularly stands out.

 

[Temple Meads]

My highlight of the year: getting 57604 on the Night Riviera sleeper with the stock in reverse formation so that the loco was exactly in front of a standard class droplight!

My lowlight of the year: getting stuck in Plymouth on a Friday night.

Best TOC: South West Trains struggle to disappoint, although they hardly excite either.

Best journey of the year: the aforementioned bash behind 57604, plus doing Swindon to Cardiff on an FGW HST via Gloucester due to engineering works in the Severn Tunnel.

Thread of the year: probably this: http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=61295

 

[MidnightFlyer]

Personal highlight - Too many, I really just enjoy my Saturdays out for what they are.
Personal lowlight - Probably a series of cancelled rare track tours, luckily most are rescheduled for the 2013.
Best TOC - Chiltern Railways, a joy to travel with.
Best rail journey(s) - A 5-day holiday in June based around Exeter / Cardiff / Crawley and the ensuing almost constant rail travelling was pretty cool, clearing all my required lines down there, from Falmouth and Milford Haven to Weymouth and Ashford. Doing the Uckfield line as the sun set over the expansive Sussex countryside was a special highlight though. Also, a series of Saturdays spent clearing the Tube and light rail networks of GB was great fun.
Railtour of the year - I was asked this by someone and I could only narrow it down to 4 - unfortunately I've forgotten what they were!
Favourite thread - the Football one's always a good read, failing that, the ones on the WCML debacle.

 

[TGVDUDE]

Off the top of my head:
Highlight: Class 56s through Bridgend again with regular freight, also a lot of heritage traction visiting Tondu. Swan age was also great fun!
Lowlight: missed a few test trains doing rounds on the vale line.
Favourite journey: Cardiff - Scarborough & return with Cheshire Cat and 37611/606.

 

[Techniquest]

From 2012 on the railway, what would you nominate for:

-Highlight of the Year
-Lowlight of the Year
-Best TOC
-Best rail journey
-Thread of the Year

...Or any other categories?

Ooh, sounds fun!

Rail highlight of 2012 - Easy this, finishing the regular UK and Irish rail networks (excluding freight/light/heritage rail), with just some PSUL moves to do

Rail lowlight of 2012 - Losing significantly the interest in the scene for the last 4 months of the year. Still managed a few trips of course, but nothing like the intensity it was before 26th August. Check out http://techniquest.railmiles.org and see what I mean! Interest is coming back mind, I wouldn't have planned a big day of red penning stuff whilst hungover tomorrow otherwise

Best TOC of 2012 - Piece of cake, Virgin West Coast. Many satisfying journeys tilting along the WCML with them. East Coast came a close second, having proved back in June that it was possible to have several good trips on the ECML

Best rail journey of 2012 - OK, this is a toughie. So many contenders at various times, and each one of them for various reasons. One being belting along through Harrow and Wealdstone behind 90044 (I think) and seeing my last 350 for sight back in June after many months/years of looking. Or another being the trip from Doncaster to Bradford on a GC 180, purely because it covered the last bit of the regular UK network I needed. Another being on 2611+2612 from Cork to Midleton and back, another contender as it finished the regular Irish Rail network for me.

So on this category, I have no clear winner. Quite, if I went through all my notes and trip reports, I'd no doubt find plenty more examples of significant journeys!

Worst rail journey of 2012 - Two contenders for this one that immediately come to mind. The first being Birmingham New Street to Hereford on the very last journey of my 14 day ALR. I'd had such a good time that fortnight, and upon hearing "This train is for Hereford, the next stop is Hereford" on the 172 (it was a Sunday) I was so gutted. Spent something like £1,200 that fortnight all in, but as a mate of mine put it to me at the time, that amount of money for 2 weeks of heaven was a bargain!

Contender 2 though has to have been worse. It had started off fine, despite the fact I'd not slept much before getting the taxi to Cork airport and having to fester there for ages. The flight went fine too, as did getting down to London. Even the fester at Paddington was fine. But then the 1242 to Hereford (another Sunday by the way) had a lengthy fester at Slough which annoyed me as I just wanted to hurry up and get home (having been on the move for well over 6 hours by now I was wanting to get home to a roast dinner!). We lost more time at Reading as usual and Oxford, then eventually we had a toilet failure cause delays at Moreton-in-Marsh. Worcester Shrub Hill and eventually, after 45 minutes there, it had also affected coach A so eventually FGW Control cancelled the train. Festering at Shrub Hill actually flew by to my surprise and onto a busy 166216 home, getting there to Hereford around 105 minutes later than booked!

Thread of 2012 - I'm going with the "Female Railfans (and why dating is difficult" one personally

Can't be bothered to think of any other categories right now though!

 

[CC 72100]

Highlight of the year

Although it doesn't affect me personally, the continued success of Chiltern mainline. Although their mark 3 refurb could still do with some vestibule sliding doors, they've done a really good job and it's great to see the mark 3s given a new lease of life. I envy people living in Birmingham who have 3 TOCs vying for their custom Birmingham -> London!

Lowlight of the year

The past couple of months' flooding in Devon. Nothing can be done, nobody's fault, but it is a bad situation when Cowley bridge floods leaving things reliant on the SWT line which has suffered from landslips on a couple of occasions this year, as has the line to Newton Abbot. As I've said, not much can be done, but bad weather doesn't half mess up rail travel in Devon!

Best TOC

I know I've been 'singing their praises' often, and even though they have annoyed me on a couple of occasions, FGW. I've only had one delay over about 45 minutes when travelling with them this year, which is probably over 7000 miles worth. They performed admirably during the flooding - replacement buses were well organised, quickly lifted ticket restrictions etc. Also found them to have the friendliest staff, and they keep their stock in good nick (well, minus the 150/1s, but I've said enough about them!)

Best Journey of the year

For me it's down to 2 on this one. Either the June night when I did the Night Riviera all the way from Penzance to Exeter, leaving Penzance in a beautiful sunset after a lovely sunny evening, or either of the two days I did the Newquay branch - the rural line gave me a chance to get on with some revision in good surroundings, and both TMs were very chatty. All were good journeys.

Worst Journey of the year

On the grand scale of things, not that bad at all, but I didn't enjoy an hour of a wedged voyager Bristol - Exeter, with my bag jammed in between my knees and the seat in front, in one of the rows that provides a great view of the plastic paneling, followed by a draughty 150/1 to Gloucester. Not really a bad journey, but my worst!

Thread of 2012

Not a nice topic, but the thread on the Merseyrail guard, for the most part, was full of informative, mature responses, providing a wealth of information and opinions alike, as well as being well-managed by forum staff.

On a general note, I've really enjoyed being part of RUK in 2012, and as a moderator on a smaller forum, know all too well the hard work put in by the forum staff to make it this way, so cheers guys!

 

[Qwerty133]

Highlight- whenever a 158 turns up on a 153 diagram
Lowlight- whenever 153308 turns up
Best TOC- only travelled with 4/5 and had problems with them all so no one
Best journey- nothing sticks out
Worst journey- anything on 153308
Thread of the year - no idea
Best twitter account @londonmidland easily the best for information and have even stayed on overnight on more than 1 occasion during serious disruption and have always dealt with any issues raised quickly.

 

[trentside]

Well, I can safely say that 2012 has been a great year for me rail wise.

Rail Highlight of the Year
Quite simply, achieving my goal of getting employed by a TOC

Rail Lowlight of the Year
This is a difficult one, but it has to be the withdrawal of the A Stock from the Metropolitan Line - yes, they were well beyond their time but I'd had so many memorable journeys over the years, watching the last one pull out of Wembley Park was very emotional. It also includes probably my second 'Highlight' of the spirited last run from Baker Street to Wembley Park - topping out at 74mph.

Best TOC
Quite possibly a controversial choice, but Southern are my nomination. I make this from purely an enthusiasts point of view - but of my three days out on this TOC this year, I've thoroughly enjoyed all of them and avoided delays, cancellations and had (mostly) pleasant staff. I should probably have nominated EMT in this category, but I figured that would make me look biased!

Best rail journey
There's too many to choose from, as I've made strides clearing the network. The stand out journeys are my first trip over HS1, the Marshlink and the Arun Valley Line - the Settle & Carlisle was also great, but I'd like to revisit it on a day with better visibility.

I've also really enjoyed the forum meets I've attended this year, and hopefully I'll be able to attend some more in the new year (work permitting).

 

[Peter Mugridge]

-Rail Highlight of the Year (personal experience or general events)

The annoucement of a vastly expanded and rolling electrification scheme.


-Rail Lowlight of the Year

The meltdown at the DfT.


-Best TOC

Southern impressed me with their swift resolution of an incident in which I was overcharged when a clerk was not aware of the route High Wycombe through fares to Birmingham; the refund vouchers were put in the post the same day I contacted them and the clerks reminded of the fare availabilities with no fuss whatsoever..


-Best rail journey

A particularly thrilling Eurostar ride from Paris to St Pancras on 10th December; a slightly slow start and a prolonged slack near Haute Picardie resulted in the bulk of the journey powering along at full speed all the way with none of the usual contant speed variations between 155mph and 186mph.


-Thread of the Year

The stupid questions thread.

-Best Twitter account

Unable to judge as I don't have time to watch the TOC feeds, but for non-TOC feeds I have to nominate the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight's feed @RAFBBMF with @theQE2story an equal first place; for personal feeds, @belfastchild has some memorable moments and a beautifully Blackadderish taste in sarcasm when needs be...


-Railtour of the year

The A Stock farewell tour. Pity it had to be a farewell tour, but it was very well planned and executed, particularly that final few minutes...

 

[jnjkerbin]

The higlight for me has to be the Gunnislake branch. Definately my favorite line to date, and well worth a ride if you can.

The lowlight would probably be waiting for half an hour on York station for my train home, only to have to wait for another 25 minutes for the train to turn up with the departure boards doing the old trick of adding 1 minute, every minute. There were (as far as I could hear) no announcements from staff but at least the train manager was making frequent, helpful announcements once we were underway.

Best TOC would be SWT. The staff have alway been helpful and happy.

 

[Ivo]

Highlight: Travelling to Inverness in First Class (*cough*)
Lowlight: This
Best TOC: Merseyrail (for not screwing up on Challenge Day!)
Best Journey: Returning from Inverness (a beautiful route combined with a rather exciting turn of events)
Best Thread: What Techniquest said (the spiritual successor to what should have won last year!)

 

[VTPreston_Tez]

-Rail Highlight of the Year (personal experience or general events)
Travelling first class with Virgin for the first time, a great experience and I'd recommend it to a friend.

-Rail Lowlight of the Year
When one of the new 11 car Pendolinos broke down in Stafford so all the passengers were put on an already full train ex-Liverpool! Also discovering London Overground

-Best TOC
I don't even know. SWT have got to come close though.

-Best rail journey
The Bakerloo line from Kenton down the Watford DC. Feet up, hot weather, phone signal. Bliss.

-Thread of the Year
I enjoyed joking about the TVM revelations thread.

-Best Twitter account
London Midland by a country mile. All the others have been generally hopeless bar TPE who actually took action on one of my incidents in 185113!

 

[Robinson]

Rail Highlight of the Year: What Peter Mugridge said.

Rail Lowlight of the Year: The weather-related disruptions. Let's hope 2013 brings a bit less rain than 2012 did...

Best TOC: Some may disagree - but Virgin Trains are still at the top for me. Excellent staff, great journeys; long may it continue. Although I've had some great journeys with many others as well...

Best Journey: Filey to Southampton Central on the way back from the Cleveland Way. Choosing to go via Hull, I got a 158 from Filey to Hull, then got a bit of spotting time before the next First Hull Trains departure - which was absolutely splendid and also very quiet.

Worst Journey: Any that involve XC are usually less than pleasant. Fortunately I only had to travel with them once this year, from Southampton to Nottingham en route to Loughborough, returning from Leicester.

 

[gnolife]

Highlight: Travelling to Inverness in First Class (*cough*)
Best Journey: Returning from Inverness (a beautiful route combined with a rather exciting turn of events)

I'd put that trip right at the top of my pile of the worst rail-related days I've ever had. Something about having a conductor and a copper threatening you with a $172 UPFN, and being abandoned somewhere in Scotland does not make for a good day.
(for $ read the pound sign. My computer defaults to the dollar sign for some reason)

Highlight of the Year.
I've got two things to mention here.
First of all, 11/02 Greater Manchester Challenge, probably the most fun I've had on a challenge apart from West Yorkshire, but that doesn't qualify for this thread
Second, is 28/12 South Pennines Day Ranger. I got the last three stations that I hadn't called at in Greater Manchester, that is, Reddish South, Denton and Greenfield, and it was generally one of the best non-challenge meets that I've been on.

Lowlight of the year is mentioned above.

Best TOC.
For me, there's only really going to be one contender for this, and that would be CrossCountry. This is because their staff have been the best for going beyond what's required of them. Two instances of this stand out particularly well for me.
The first, in May, I was travelling from Wolverhampton to Manchester Piccadilly, and I had found while travelling that my nan had died, so I was in a pretty bad state. The conductor, on coming round for a ticket inspection, just stopped what he was doing, and sat with me for the rest of the journey, except to do the doors at Stockport.
The second, at the start of this month, had me travelling from Birmingham to Heald Green, changing at Manchester, on a The Lakes (Warwickshire) - Holmes Chapel ticket, and the return portion of a Heald Green - Manchester Evening Return ticket, which is a valid route that doesn't particularly look valid. The conductor had questioned the validity of the former, but decided to accept it. However, delays to the service meant that I missed the last train back to Heald Green. The staff who were left at Manchester at this point refused to accept the validity of my ticket, and thus refused to provide alternative travel to get me home. The conductor, on hearing this argument, came over, and tried helping me argue my case. The staff at Piccadilly were still being stubborn. The conductor then decided that he'd had enough, and gave me enough money to cover my bus fare back to Wythenshawe

Best Journey.
I've had so many good journeys that it wouldn't really be fair for me to single one out

Best Thread.
I think the Stupid questions is pretty good, and Ivo baiting on the Name the Station game used to be quite fun

 

[Phil6219]

For my my railway nominations are,

Rail Highlight of the Year

Actually there would be a few here, getting an amazing shot of Oliver Cromwell departing York (and being truly intimidated by it's magnificent departure), waiting at Wigan for Princess Elizabeth to go flying through only for her to pull up and stop perfectly in frame, to finally get in the cab of a Deltic or to get cab rides in numerous locos (14, 20, 35, 37 & 47). Another highlight would be getting to see a steam locomotive from the very bridge I used to stand with my Grandad spotting back when I was a young'un.

All of which though are upsurped by me finally getting to drive a Class 47, my favorite class.

I also had a bonus a few weeks ago, having thought I had recovered as many numbers as possible from my pages torn from a notebook lost long ago (I used the notebook for work and for a reason I still don't know tore the pages of numbers out and kept them safe - handy since the book got left in a galley on a plane long since departed). When I was in the loft getting the Christmas stuff out I opened my old crew back and found a compartment stuffed full of air sickness bags with numbers drawn all over them, even though I had lost interest in trains back then I kept myself occupied on the frequent journeys to & from Bristol by writing numbers down - one number was 47709 which I had been sulking about never getting to see as it's been cut up. Still the driving of the duff ranks higher

Rail Lowlight of the Year

Going to an interview in Crewe, taking my camera with me (just in case), getting to film the Wag-Ex (and giving the driver a laugh as I'm running around in a suit waving a camcorder) then post interview going home to find out that two DRS 37s are on their last ride down the WCML for scrapping. Getting bowled at Wigan for 86259 because of an elderly couple walking the lentgh of a Pendolino and holding it up and some general buggering up of some of my shots due to my own doing.

The winner for me though would be standing at Salford Crescent for two hours waiting in the rain for the double headed boat train to run (southbound), a fitting little tribute on the anniverary of my Grandad's passing. the rain stopped and the sun shone perfectly on the locos as they slowly crept through and then opened up with clag everywhere only for me to be paying more attention to a Freightliner shed going the other way to notice most of this.

Best rail journey

Nothing specifically great about the journeys but my trip to Doncaster then the trip to Derby, Toton & Burton were really fun thanks to the chaps I was with. Was nice to get a bit of HST haulage too on the Donny trip and was good to get a full distance trip on a 155 too (couldn't say the same about a Derby-Crewe on a dogbox though.


Without sounding melodramatic I've had a rough year, arguably the worst year I've ever had and can safely say the Railway has helped me. I've done 16 hour sessions on stations (keeping my mind off other matters), started volunteering, met new people and made new friends, generally trying to start everything from scratch.

With numerous trips already planned & work progressing nicely on the co-bo & 15 it looks like 2013 will be a good year

Phil

 

[Harbon 1]

-Rail Highlight of the Year (personal experience or general events)
Leamington Spa - Coventry, at night, Pair of 20's, front window, bliss

-Rail Lowlight of the Year
The delay that stopped me going on The Last Pretendolino, suspiciously similar to the one that stopped me going on it the first time :roll:

-Rail Lowlight of the Year (Funny)*
My Dad, laughing down the phone at me when I told him I'd got on the wrong train. Bad karma for laughing at him when he had got on the wrong train the day before?

-Best TOC
No-one's really stood out to be honest

-Best rail journey
Getting invited along with some of the forum, to go from Kings Cross - Leeds - Carlisle - Euston, first class, for the grand old total of £6.45.

-Thread of the Year
Not a nice subject, but the Mersyrail Guard thread was an interesting one to keep up with

-Best Twitter account
NRE's, for this reason:

Thought that was very nice

I too have thoroughly enjoyed being part of the forum, and wish everyone a happy and healthy 2013!

*New category?

 

[musicking1306]

From 2012 on the railway, what would you nominate for:

-Rail Highlight of the Year (personal experience or general events)
-Rail Lowlight of the Year
-Best TOC
-Best rail journey
-Thread of the Year
-Best Twitter account

...Or any other categories?

Rail Highlight of the Year

Travelling on the FGW Railfest special in June from Bristol Temple Meads to York with 43002 and 43003

Rail lowlight of the year
Missing the 31s at Bristol on the 9th December because my train was delayed from Yatton

Best TOC

First Great Western as they have been very punctual and nice to me when getting photographs at their stations.

Best rail Journey

London st Pancreas to pairs gar de Nord on the Eurostar (First time)

Best Thread of the Year
Has to be the FGW first Class thread

Best twitter account

East coast for the reply to the customer that was angry about his train being cancelled due to the weather

Happy new Year

 

[12CSVT]

Highlight : doing 74mph on the Metropolitan Line 'A' stock farewell tour
Lowlight : withdrawal of the last 'A' stock
Best TOC : Chiltern for introducing more loco-hauled services (albeit 67s)
Best Journey : too many to single one of them out
Worst Journey : being on a completely wedged 4 car 222 unit out of St Pancras, a service which is booked 2 x 5 car 222s. (A 'How many englishmen can you get into a phonebox ?' scenario)

 

[ATW Alex 101]

-Rail Highlight of the Year (personal experience or general events)
The S&C line or catching a HST from Alfreton
-Rail Lowlight of the Year
The delays caused by flooding
-Best TOC
Grand central
-Best rail journey
Settle to carlsile line
-Thread of the Year
For quantity, the East coast first class one

 

[Blindtraveler]

Digging this up again as missed it first time!
Best Journey I have to agree with
Harbon 1
A monster Bash indeed.
ATWalex 101 has hit the mail on the head there with the East Coast First Class thread, its rapidly making its way up there to one of the longest surviving ones.
I dont use twitter however best facebook account anywhere has to go to the NRE one which I believe uses feeds anyhow for Scotrail, very good during disruption.
Lowlight of the year, must get it out of the way is too many slow, wedged0journeys0on the HML on a 170, the 158 worked runs are far supirior.
Highlight has to be on another HML Trip where the Far North unit was so late into Invfrness that we were given the choice of a hotel or having just missed the last regular service a ride on the seated sleaper and a taxi home from EDB. I picked the latter and the onboard team took pitty on0the 3 pax for Edin and gave us a free hot meal and a beer in the loungecar. Then it was a few pricy but superb whiskys and lots of headsout!
Other highlight would be doing the Strauhspey railway twice in a weekend, once for free, and best TOC without a doubt for me would be Northern with VT0a near 2nd.
Worst for me would be TPE for making0a short hop up the WCML From Carlisle feel like torcher with there overcrouded trains but, just for once, XC Doesnt count as I did the grand total of 70 miles with them last year!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
meant Strathspey
by the way.

Would also like to add best and worst bus opperater - worst, MacEwans of dumfries who have thankfully now lost the contract for the run which gave them this award in my opinion.
2nd would for many many reasons be First.
Best to Stagecoach who do a dam good job, with joint first being Prentis of Haddington who gained 2 failing routes as council tenders when FSE Shrank and have built them up to an extent where the 2 ADL Inviro 200 29 sfaters bought for the services had to suplimented by a Volvo and a 3rd inviro has just been delivered as spare.

 

[ATW Alex 101]

ATWalex 101 has hit the mail on the head there with the East Coast First Class thread, its rapidly making its way up there to one of the longest surviving ones.

Upon reading the other transport section, the Stagecoach NW fleet changes thread seems to outrun the East Coast thread by miles with a staggering 17453 posts! And over a million views!

 

[telstarbox]

And it's not even about trains. Bus veg eh

 

[ATW Alex 101]

Yeh I know, imagine it (well see it because its there), it's a rail forum, but a non-rail related thread that has the most posts and views!

it turns out that it probably is the oldest active thread having started in October 2007! 5 years and 2 months and a bit. Also turns out that Dallamlad who has made 3005 posts altogether, has made all 3005 in that one thread! Other people have made over 1000 posts in that one thread aswell.

 

[Manchester77]

- Seeing MPs and journalists get all flustered over the ICWC cock up, t'was such fun!
- Weather disruption crippling services in Wales & South West England
- London Overground probably but there hasn't been a stand out for me
- my trip to Llandudno and seeing the beautiful North Wales coast from a train
- The ICWC one
- idk I don't follow rail twitter accounts so probably frankie boyle's

 

[Butts]

Highlight of the Year - A journey back from the North of England to Edinburgh on an East Coast Service. They had run out of the hot dish but delivered to my Table in "L" a veritable feast of a picnic including :

Sandwiches

Crisps

Biscuits and Cheese Board

Dessert of the Day

Fruit

Copious quantities of Cider and Whisky - with Coffee

I was the only passenger in that Coach and was treated like Royalty even though I had only paid about £12.55 for my Ticket

Low Point of the Year - Also an East Coast Service from Inverness that suffered from the old "HST Fridge" affliction resulting in no cooked breakfast but a packet of biscuits

TOC of the Year-Easy one to choose , with their brilliant Advanced 1st Class Fares from Falkirk to various destinations in England as far South as Lincoln - yes East Coast.

I have travelled to Newcastle, York, Darlington, Durham, Hull, Alnmouth, Morpeth,Hartlepool,Middlesborough, Scarborough, Whitby, Lincoln and countless other places visiting great Museums and Attractions all 1st Class with complimentary dining all at rock bottom prices.

Most of the time they get it right !!!