2017-18 : A 314 Odyssey

[433N]

Contribution removed

 

[Kite159]

Can't beat some 314 thrash on a fast service towards Gourock

 

[Tim R-T-C]

I totally get you. I love the mundane services, those everyday units that people often only notice when they are gone. I look forward to seeing updates.

 

[433N]

Can't beat some 314 thrash on a fast service towards Gourock

I will, in due course, certainly try to fit that in, but it seems a bit hit and miss whether you get a 380 or a 314 ... and even then I'm not sure that at the moment the 314s aren't just filling in for absent 380s which are being used for driver training. I hope to get some experience on this issue.

Methinks I'll have to just go to GLC and wait until a 314 is running it when I do it.

 

[433N]

I totally get you. I love the mundane services, those everyday units that people often only notice when they are gone. I look forward to seeing updates.

I sort of noticed how perverse I was this summer when on the North Norfolk Railway, I was more interested in the DMU services that they were running than the steam !

I think it's because since I am not old enough to remember steam, I have more of an emotional connection with the mundane DMUs (and EMUs) that were ubiquitous when I were a younger spotter and, as you say, I now miss those 1st generation units.

Looking through old photos of Clapham Junction from the 70s, I've got a few pics of 33s and 73s but they are still not hard to track down but almost none of the 100s of EMUs have survived and I hardly have a single pic.

 

[433N]

Contribution removed

 

[433N]

Contribution removed

 

[Cowley]

What an excellent read 433N .
Lovely photos and some of the stations up there are stunning.
Keep it coming (but stay warm).

 

[Kite159]

Congrats on getting all 16 for pictures before they depart to the scrapyard

 

[433N]

Contribution removed

 

[Kite159]

A productive and varied day in London

 

[433N]

A productive and varied day in London

Yes, indeedy - it still exhausts me to think about it ... I can't cope with all that action at my age.

I still find it incredible that I only didn't see 3 of the (I think) 45 Great Northern 313s actually running - the yellow one, one stabled in Hornsey depot and the one I didn't see. Not bad for 40 year old units.

Question is whether I can manage another trip to sort out 'unfinished business' of 313046 and get my 315 count up ... and then there's those 313s in the Deep South.

 

[Kite159]

The 313/2s, easiest way is probably a couple hours at Barnham to capture those on Portsmouth - Littlehamptons, then a couple hours at Brighton to capture those on the Lewes route and the Worthing route.

Maybe also a trip to Preston Park to capture any on the depot

 

[gazthomas]

Incidentally, why is GLC a rubbish station? I thought it was quite photographic?

 

[433N]

Incidentally, why is GLC a rubbish station? I thought it was quite photographic?

Don't get me wrong, it's a nice station, architectually and what not but I did qualify this controversial thesis by saying :

"The one, long, non-barriered platform for the Pendos is too far away to record local train action and each pair of platforms have their own barrier."

... compounded by the fact that 314s (to Wemyss Bay and, sometimes, Paisley Canal) are often on the platforms furthest from the only platform with free access.

 

[gazthomas]

Don't get me wrong, it's a nice station, architectually and what not but I did qualify this controversial thesis by saying :

"The one, long, non-barriered platform for the Pendos is too far away to record local train action and each pair of platforms have their own barrier."

... compounded by the fact that 314s (to Wemyss Bay and, sometimes, Paisley Canal) are often on the platforms furthest from the only platform with free access.

You did indeed, sorry!

 

[sgraIRL]

Its a very interesting idea, and some nice photos. Like you I have a strange fascination for old and mundane trains - and also for actually trying to travel on ever single train. Coming over from Ireland makes for long, but very interesting days out. It also proves to be an interesting challenge to get the most in! Like you I actually want to travel on each train - although with the huge retirements on the way and approximately 5000 new rail vehicles being introduced in the next 18 months, some things are just mathematically impossible!

My most recent day out in Manchester got me the following - all travelled on.

Class 350 350403 60673
Class 185 185127 51127
Class 142 142054 55750
Class 150 150138 57138
Class 156 156454 52454
Class 185 185113 51113
Class 319 319374 77484
Class 150 150203 57203
Class 323 323228 64028
Class 323 323239 64039
Class 142 142026 55567
Class 142 142003 55544
Class 175 175005 50705
Class 319 319363 77462
Class 390 390103 69603
Class 390 390151 69651
Class 175 175006 50706
Class 221 221139 60489
Class 390 390122 69622
Class 158 158774 57774
Class 319 319369 77474
Class 185 185120 51120
Class 319 319377 77491
Class 185 185120 54120
Metrolink 3027 b
Metrolink 3117 a
Metrolink 3088 b
Class 185 185151 54151
Class 185 185112 54112
Class 390 390131 69631
Class 150 150115 57115
Class 390 390039 69539
Class 221 221136 60886
Class 185 185110 51110
Class 185 185147 51147
Class 350 350404 60904

Lovely 314 chasing - Thanks for sharing!

 

[Kite159]

A productive day in Manchester

 

[433N]

Contribution removed

 

[Kite159]

Farewell 314s, out of the other PEPs I would put the Merseyrail ones higher up your list as they are due to be replaced, unlike the Southern 313/2s

 

[433N]

Farewell 314s, out of the other PEPs I would put the Merseyrail ones higher up your list as they are due to be replaced, unlike the Southern 313/2s

I had to abort a trip to Merseyrail earlier this year but have another one planned for the second week in January when I hope to get a few hours amongst those pesky Merseyside units which I'm about a third of the way through. But it's January and there is a big risk of the elements working against me . Fingers crossed.

I should say that one of the things that enthuses me for clearing and recording these EMUs is the fact that they will never be seen working again after withdrawal. I fondly remember, in a former spotting existence, a day chasing 503s on Merseyside (in the 70s unfortunately) and I find it quite sad that they are now, to all intents and purposes, gone. Think I'm getting sentimental in my old age.

 

[Kite159]

Hopefully you haven't booked on a weekend when the Northern line route is pretty much closed for engineering works

 

[433N]

Hopefully you haven't booked on a weekend when the Northern line route is pretty much closed for engineering works

Thanks for the heads up, Mr Kite. Luckily, I've pencilled it in for midweek.