55013's Contemporary Trip Reports

[Techniquest]

Very good time indeed there, very jealous!

 

[55013]

It was most enjoyable.
I enjoyed not leaping from one train to another, even though there was a three car DMU that was being dragged by various machines.
I flagged the other rake as that tended to have the air braked locos with a vacuum translator and you never know if the second loco is powering and if so, for how far.
Other than the machines I had, 46045, 47401, 56006 and 56098 worked (all dud so no real need to get them in) with 08590 doing driver for a fiver (also dud, for both haulage and driveage )

 

[D841 Roebuck]

Had this event been better publicised, I might well have gone.

As it.was, I.had already booked tickets for the unfrozen north...

C'est la.vie - just about to have a curry in Dingwall!

 

[Kite159]

Had this event been better publicised, I might well have gone.

As it.was, I.had already booked tickets for the unfrozen north...

C'est la.vie - just about to have a curry in Dingwall!

Have you had the chance to sample the pub on the platform yet?

 

[D841 Roebuck]

Have you had the chance to sample the pub on the platform yet?

I plead.the.fifth...

 

[47403]

I plead.the.fifth...

Thats a yes then.

Another great read. I have 31233 fully underlined in my NREA but i can only assume it was one of the numerous pairs, I had, that worked the summer timetable, Paignton-Newcastle turns in the mid 80's. Plenty other winners to be had.

The only comment I have on 46045, in fairness, those owners should be proud, it looks like its been turned out well. No doubt its more reliable than 45112 was.

 

[55013]

Had this event been better publicised, I might well have gone.

As it.was, I.had already booked tickets for the unfrozen north...

C'est la.vie - just about to have a curry in Dingwall!

I believe they couldn't announce 31233 until a few days before the event due to ongoing "sensitive" negotiations around its attendance.
Hope you enjoyed the curry

Thats a yes then.

Another great read. I have 31233 fully underlined in my NREA but i can only assume it was one of the numerous pairs, I had, that worked the summer timetable, Paignton-Newcastle turns in the mid 80's. Plenty other winners to be had.

The only comment I have on 46045, in fairness, those owners should be proud, it looks like its been turned out well. No doubt its more reliable than 45112 was.

Thanks.
Presumably 31233 was no different to any other 31/1 until sectorisation.
I've scouted Flickr and there are a few shots of it on passenger services in BR days, although there are a couple of it at Carlisle having worked up from Leeds with 31302 in November 1989, sadly a day I wasn't out.
A word of warning folks, if you do a Flickr search for 31233 among the many shots of the locomotive there's one of a gay orgy, so don't do it without safe search (unless that's your thing, in which case fair enough - I make no judgement).

As for Peaks, I had a great day out on 45112 in 2007, going from Doncaster to Holyhead and back. I'm sure 45135 enjoyed it as well

 

[Keith Jarrett]

Alas 31233 is dud for me. In fact every 31 that still exists is dud apart from 31283 & the NRM's 31018. Roll on the Spa Valley gala next month and I will hopefully halve my required Brian's.

Nevertheless, a good call Mr 13 in bagging 31233.

 

[DarloRich]

No new shacks today of any description, but 45135 and I did have an enjoyable few hours out.
It was an event that's rarely missed - the Wensleydale Railway Diesel Gala.

just catching up but sounds like a i missed a decent event on my (former) local line. Shame i couldn't make it

Indeed it is - and soon to be binned if the rumours are correct.

Is it still yellow? Is it preserved now?

 

[55013]

Alas 31233 is dud for me. In fact every 31 that still exists is dud apart from 31283 & the NRM's 31018. Roll on the Spa Valley gala next month and I will hopefully halve my required Brian's.

Nevertheless, a good call Mr 13 in bagging 31233.

Thanks.
I've had 31018 but need 31210 (undergoing restoration at the Dean Forest Railway), 31327 (in full working order at the Strathspey Railway) and 31530 (Which I believe is currently at Mangapps Railway Museum - no idea if it's in working order or not).

just catching up but sounds like a i missed a decent event on my (former) local line. Shame i couldn't make it

It was the most enjoyable gala I've ever done there, I must admit.

Is it still yellow? Is it preserved now?

Yes and no.
It still makes occasional forays out for NR but its working life is definitely coming to end.
I've no idea if anyone's interested in buying it when the time comes.

 

[DarloRich]

thanks - didn't think 31233 was "of lease" just yet

 

[Kristofferson]

That photo you posted of the 47 at Norwich... That's desktop wallpaper worthy, so thanks!

What does driver for a fiver involve? Five yards at 5mph?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[55013]

Driver for a fiver is a nice little earner for a preserved line.
When I drove 08590 it was for about a quarter of a mile down the "Colliery Branch" at the Midland Railway Centre (45135 drove it up the branch and we split the cost, making it driver for two pounds fifty ).
It was good, albeit short lived, fun.

Anyway, today I have been mostly early morning shack scoring.

Today was a day with no railway moves lined up, however I was up and about before 0600 and Mrs 13 was having her usual Saturday morning lie-in, meaning she probably wouldn’t surface before 1000.
This presented me with an opportunity to get a crafty little shack scratch in.
I started by driving over to Normanton in time for the 0703 Sheffield service.
I was quite surprised by the number of folk waiting for the 0654 to Leeds
There were at least twenty passengers who boarded 144017.

Only a couple of people got on the Sheffield service with me.
This was worked by 142089.
Normanton was shack 182 of the year, so with my target being 183 all I had to do was disembark onto a winner and my goal was attained.
My aim was reached, with five months remaining this year, when 142089 arrived at Darton
After that it was just a case of 144007 back to Normanton and the drive back home.
I was in the house before 0830.
Nice

That leaves me with Moorthorpe and the not-yet-open Low Moor to clear the West Yorkshire Metrocard area.

 

[FQ]

A huge congratulations on completing your challenge for shacks!

 

[55013]

Thanks.
I've still got 2519 shacks listed in my database as required, so plenty more challenges to set yet

 

[Techniquest]

Congratulations on clearing the first of two challenges this year good sir

2,519 shacks to go? Does that include light rail, LU and preserved lines? I believe my UK total (including Northern Ireland) stands at 1,355 when including the above sectors. Take them all out and the number is nearer 1,000. Still a long way to go but every trip gets me that tiny bit closer. Indeed, I shall be a little closer again tomorrow...

Mind you, you should see how many Kite's got left to go...

 

[55013]

Thanks.

Yes, the number of requirements includes light rail, LU and preservation as well as a number of stations that are due to open in the next few years such as LU's Battersea Power Station.
I only started shack scratching last year, so my numbers are bound to be high.
One of my goals for 2017 is probably to get my needs list down below 2000, so I'll be starting on that now

 

[Techniquest]

Fair enough, I had forgot you were a rather new member of the Shack Bashers' Association. I've not included the likes of Low Moor, Warrington West or the new LU bits. Once they open, I will add them all (and any others) to my requirements. It'll be nice to score some new LU track, it's been more than a few years since I finished the lot in Zones 1-6, and quite some time since I finished the Metropolitan lot in Zones 7-9 for that matter. That trip is still rather fresh in my mind, as it was when I finally gave up on Travelodge and, like the rubbish that morning, I binned my loyalty to them!

My goal is to get below 1,000 shacks in the UK before the end of 2017. 355 or so to go, plus any new ones that open in the meantime, should be relatively easy that. 32 or so of them are on LU alone, and something like 24 of them are on Sheffield Supertram. No surprise for where I'm going in due course...

 

[Kite159]

Fair enough, I had forgot you were a rather new member of the Shack Bashers' Association. I've not included the likes of Low Moor, Warrington West or the new LU bits. Once they open, I will add them all (and any others) to my requirements. It'll be nice to score some new LU track, it's been more than a few years since I finished the lot in Zones 1-6, and quite some time since I finished the Metropolitan lot in Zones 7-9 for that matter. That trip is still rather fresh in my mind, as it was when I finally gave up on Travelodge and, like the rubbish that morning, I binned my loyalty to them!

My goal is to get below 1,000 shacks in the UK before the end of 2017. 355 or so to go, plus any new ones that open in the meantime, should be relatively easy that. 32 or so of them are on LU alone, and something like 24 of them are on Sheffield Supertram. No surprise for where I'm going in due course...

Maybe look into doing a Sunday/Monday overnight trip to Sheffield, that will probably clear your remaining stops and hopefully put a dent into your remaining trams

Sheffield is on my list to do, but another autumn/winter trip when it's not so warm

 

[Techniquest]

Certainly the same sort of view I'm taking to Sheffield. It's bound to have been noticed I've surrendured the King of Trams throne lately...

 

[55013]

Warrington West!?!
That's 2520 then.
I'd missed that one.

 

[Kite159]

Warrington West!?!
That's 2520 then.
I'd missed that one.

Not open yet, although has construction even started?

 

[55013]

Probably not, but I've added it to my list anyway.
I like to be ahead of the game

 

[Techniquest]

Warrington West!?!
That's 2520 then.
I'd missed that one.

It's on Northern's map, between Sankey for Penketh and Warrington Central, marked for opening in 2017 although which part of 2017 I don't remember it mentioning.

I had not heard of it until I was bored at Greenbank the other month and was looking at the map on a poster, so it's unsurprisingly not on enthusiasts' radars yet. Once construction starts, that might be a little different!

 

[55013]

I’ve had a really stressful week and so my wife gave me the opportunity to go out on the trains for a few hours.
As can sometimes be the case when I’m really stressed I couldn’t be bothered going out and told her so.
Her offer then became an order and so off I went

As the football season is starting up again my Saturday moves become restricted as I try to avoid places that are going to have thousands of people wedging them out.
Manchester is a difficult place to get during the season, with them having two Premiership teams there’s rarely a Saturday when one of them isn’t at home, so that’s where I decided to go.
I drove to Brighouse, parked up and boarded 142089 for the five mile run to Huddersfield.
With just two 185s remaining on my needs list I knew that it was unlikely I would get a winner and so it proved.
I let a couple go before finally settling on 185133 for no other reason than I was fed up of waiting.

On arrival at Piccadilly I went down to the Metrolink machine to purchase my Tram & Train rover and then headed over to the through platforms to see what was heading to the Airport.
First up was a pair of 156s. One of Heaton’s finest, 156443 was leading and, although I had a recorded run on it, I needed both coaches.
This was because I had done it from Huddersfield to Leeds way back in November 2000 and didn’t record the coaches I rode in back then.
Cleared sister 156441 was on the rear.
I did 52443 down and after a quick look around the Airport platforms revealed nothing of interest, sat in 57443 back to Piccadilly.
Another one cleared.
I was sat on the correct side to view the Piccadilly to Airport shuttle and was delighted, at Heald Green, to see this service was worked by 319382 – my last 319 for sight
The benefit of me not seeking gen was confirmed to me – in my opinion the taste of success is all the sweeter when it’s unexpected.
I now worked out a plan to get it in.
I knew it would follow me up to Piccadilly and should work the 11.14 from there.
Nevertheless, I mooched over to platform 13 to view the 11.04 from Liverpool.
This provided me with my first winner of the day 319374, which was obviously taken to the Airport.
I then hung around and waited for my next new haulage.
319382 was duly roped in.

Yee-hah:
EMU 319382_2016.08.06_1_Manchester Airport by Phil Wood, on Flickr

Once back at Piccadilly and with no further prospect of winning 319s (I’d already viewed the other two on the Liverpool’s and both were dud.) I wandered up and down the concourse looking for something to do.
I spotted 142061 and this just had to be done.
Why?
Because 142061 contained one of just two Northern 142 coaches that I required a ride in.
So it was to 55757 that I headed and where I plonked myself for a run to Romiley.
Just 55756 from 142060 to get now.
The return service could be seen in the distance when I alighted and so it was a rapid transfer to the other platform and 142001 back to Piccadilly.
With a couple of winners, a 142 cleared and a 156 similarly dealt with I now thought about new shacks.
Dud 323228 was thus taken to Burnage and another fairly brisk walk to the other platform.
It’s about 35 miles from one platform to the other and 319382 (dud - yeah!) was pulling in when I got to the other side.
I took this all the way to Mauldeth Road.

Mauldeth Road turns out to be quite a good spot for photgraphs:
DMU 185111_2016.08.06_1_Mauldeth Road by Phil Wood, on Flickr

Happily, I wasn’t mauled to death whilst waiting for my third run of the day on 319382.
With new NR shacks in the book it was now onto the tram network.
I left 319382 for the final time at Manchester Airport and headed round for 3103 which I took to Baguley

A few more trams and tram shacks followed, 3107 to Benchill, then 3065 to Moor Road.
3108 followed to Wythenshawe Park before I started working my way back.

3107 on the short stretch between Benchill and Crossacres:
Manchester Tram 3107_2016.08.06_2_Benchill by Phil Wood, on Flickr

Dud 3103 took me for the short hop back to Moor Road but this was running late and was wedged, so with another two minutes behind I bailed and finished on 3078.
Back at the Airport it was time to head home.

Dud for the day 185133 was on the 1633 Middlesbrough service and I took this through to Huddersfield, adding it to my list of cleared units by riding in 54133.

Although the Premiership hasn’t started yet the lower leagues have and Huddersfield Town had evidently been playing at home as the station was heaving.
I had about half an hour to enjoy their company before 155342 arrived to work the 1750 service back to Brighouse and my car.

So, two new EMUs and five trams to take me nearer to my 2016 goal, plus six winning shacks, although irritatingly Moor Road and Wythenshaw Park had somehow escaped my list.
I had to go all the way through my list of Metrolink stops when I got home but thankfully they were the only two not there, I’ve no idea how I missed them.
Anyway, given that my requirement list actually ran to 2522 it now stands at 2516 .

And, as Mrs 13 predicted, I returned home much more relaxed than when I left

 

[Techniquest]

A good bash is surprisingly good at relieving stress, as I'm sure many of us can testify to, including myself.

Well done on getting your last 319 for sight, that is indeed a wonderful feeling, as you say, without gen and I had that with 319372 a few years ago.

All good progress on these little trips, and I had forgot unti you mentioned it that it is frothball season again. I'm making a mental note to check for rugby and frothball fixtures before booking tickets to any destination if it involves a weekend!

 

[FQ]

A huge congrats on finally getting that 319! Sounds like a good day was had there too.

 

[45135]

After a busy few weeks I'm having a catch up of trip reports, so it's nice to read about a couple of West Yorkshire stations scratched in and that pesky 319382 snapped up as well.

 

[55013]

I’ve been really busy just recently, leading to my absence from the forum and evidenced by the fact that this report is several days late!
Hopefully things have settled down a bit and I can get back to the important task of train related nonsense, including the many trip reports I need to catch up on.

A few weeks ago my wife was on the phone to her mate in Nottingham when she said “Hang on, I’ll ask”
“Phil, is it OK with you if I go down to Jo’s for a couple of nights?”
“What dates?”
“Friday the 12th of August until the Sunday”
Naturally my reply was in the affirmative and by the time her phone call was finished I’d booked a couple of trains and a hotel

So anyway, Friday dawned and I made my way in time honoured tradition to Wakefield Westgate for I was London bound once more.

No cheap tickets had been available for the 07.13 and so I had booked on the 07.28 departure.
Horror of horrors, it was yet another HST, 43300 leading 43317.
It dawned on me that this service must now be booked a tram.
Bah.

After enduring more unwanted HST mileage I arrived on time at Kings Cross.

At least it looks a bit different from other VTEC ones:
HST 43300_2016.08.12_2_Kings Cross by Phil Wood, on Flickr

As is often the case I had spent the journey down pondering what I wanted to achieve from my trip.
I decided I wanted to sample a 700, get some decent mileage on 458s, rope in a few 378s and 456s, get the last few shacks I needed on Tramlink between East Croydon and Wimbledon and just generally enjoy myself with a few winners.

My first new haulages were 387113 and 387124 which I took for the stagger from St Pancras to East Croydon.

I’d had a look online and found a suitable 700 diagram but I figured I had time for a bit of tram bashing first and so took 2534 to Mitcham for 2539 back.
A couple of winning trams and a new shack on a fill in turn, nice.

My first experience of the new order was 700107 which was done to London Bridge.
I found it OK, nothing special although I did like the fact that the PIS shows the loadings in each coach.
Apparently the front eight vehicles were full but the rear four were pretty empty.
Naturally I was in one of the quieter coaches, which concurred with the display as it was one of the rear ones.

New class:
EMU 700107_2016.08.12_1_London Bridge by Phil Wood, on Flickr

Once at London Bridge an opportunity to get a new sub class was spotted and duly taken.
377703 was the rear unit, with further winner 377618 on the front.
These were taken for the full duration of their working, to Victoria.

I now planned on getting a bit of 378 bashing in but first another required 377, 377615 was taken for the short run to Clapham Junction where I hung around for a few minutes before meeting up with 377618 and 377703 once again.
This time I went into 618.
I had decided to forego the 378s leaving Clapham as they are invariably wedged and so I took the 377s round to Sydenham for my Overground fix.

378140 scratched that particular itch and it was taken through to Crystal Palace and then back as far as Honor Oak Park for sister 378154.

Crystal Palace in the sun:
EMU 378140_2016.08.12_2_Crystal Palace by Phil Wood, on Flickr

I took this back round to Crystal Palace for 377108 into London Bridge.
I was now intending on heading out to Croydon and the trams, so when I spotted a 455 about to leave I jumped aboard as I was bound to need it, having only had a handful of Southern ones before.
Alas as it departed I checked the carriage number and found I was on dud 455811.
Oh well.
At West Croydon I mooched outside and spotted a required tram pulling away.
As engineering work meant there were no trams between East Croydon and Sandilands I knew that it would be heading back pretty soon and so the chase was on.
I made a fast walk through the shopping precinct, emerged by the tram lines, hung a right and arrived at the Church Street tram stop thirty seconds before 2541 came around the corner.
Naturally I was out to get another new stop in and so took it to Beddington Lane.
As rush hour was approaching fast I decided to miss the worst of it by checking into my hotel, the Croydon Central Travelodge.
Unlike on my previous visit I obviously knew exactly where it was and so bailed off 2557 at Wellesley Road and went and checked in.
After that I went and purchased supplies from the nearby Sainsbury’s and headed up to my room and had some tea.
After updating my databases and being fully replenished I headed out to the chaos of East Croydon.
I could have walked but my Oyster had already reached its cap so no expense in getting a bit more tramage in, therefore 2532 was taken for the 21 chains from Wellesley Road to East Croydon.
I headed down the ramp to cancellations and delays.
Units were arriving as four car sets and people were unable to get on – the station announcements were saying “Commuters only on this train”, although how they hoped to police that I’ve no idea.
It goes without saying that I flagged all these and eventually settled on a pair of 377s, new 377127 and dud 377204, which I took to Victoria.
A not too wedged required 455 was waiting to head back and so I took it.
It was 455818 and I’d had enough of the mainline for one day.
I still had some tram objectives though.
With only nine requirements I was unlikely to get a winning tram and so it proved as it was 2549 that took me to Ampere Way for another dud, 2532 back to Wellesley Road.
It was now approaching 9pm and I decided to call it a day, the three remaining shacks on my target list would have to wait until tomorrow.

 

[Techniquest]

Bet you won't be booking the 0728 off Wakefield again, if it is indeed booked HST!

A very good first day around London, aside from the farce in Croydon of course. You have reminded me that I need a lot of 378s, a good bash on the LO Core would be wise to add to the list of things to do. Quite, the GA peak is on that list too, I'm starting to think that a week in London on my January week off is a good idea!

You'll have to persuade the Mrs to go visiting friends more often