Hello.
I thought that I would create a thread into which I will post all my modern era trip reports, just to avoid creating multiple ones.
First up is my wibblings from my combined Central Scotland/Daytripper move of last week.
I'm afraid it's proved to be quite lengthy, so I hope someone can stick with it until the end
Here goes:
Once or twice a year, Mrs 55013 likes to have a few days away at the seaside, either by herself or with friends, and this gives me the opportunity for a few days on the rails.
March tends to be a good time as it’s coming to the end of the financial year and we both usually have some annual leave days to get rid of before the new one starts in April.
This time she was going with mates for four days and so that’s how many days I had to fill.
I decided to head to Scotland and purchased a three days in seven Central Scotland Rover.
Obviously, that left me with a day to spare and so I also ordered a Strathclyde Daytripper.
My original idea was to do the Daytripper on the first day but that plan got changed the night before the move when I saw the gen that 67011 had worked the Fife commuter turn.
67011 was my last Skip and had to be my top priority.
The longer I left it, the more the likelihood of it coming off, so it had to be the first day.
The move started on Wednesday morning with me getting up at a quarter to four, my plan had been to rise at five, but I awoke early and saw no benefit in delaying and so off I went.
The drive up was complicated by a diversion through Preston as the M6 was shut for roadworks, this added some time onto the otherwise pleasurable journey and I arrived at Falkirk Grahamston station at around 9am, just at the right time for the rover to become valid.
My first move was the nice 156500, not a winner but it was one that I hadn’t got a detailed record of having, so it was one I could cross off my “second choice” list.
The 156 was on a Glasgow service but I was heading to Edinburgh, so once at Queen Street it was straight on board the first departure to there, which was in the hands of 170406.
I don’t need any Scotrail 170s, so there was no point in hanging around.
I bailed at Haymarket and fell immediately onto my first winner, 334011.
I did this to Waverley and came straight back on 156449, I needed one coach of this unit to clear it and so it was 52449 that I sat in as I began a series of Haymarket leaps.
I needed six Scottish 158s and so was pleased when one of them, 158735 appeared.
I took this for a round trip in order to get both coaches in, ‘cos I’m funny like that
Three more winners followed in quick succession, all EMUs, 334007 in multiple with 334006 then 334014 paired with sister 027 and finally 334028 which was partnered by 334037.
The chance to clear another 156 then presented itself when I spotted 156494 lurking in platform 12 waiting to head to Glasgow. I sat in 57494 and once again bailed at Haymarket.
Happily, another of my required 158s then appeared, 158708 heading North.
I leapt aboard and took this to Inverkeithing, happy not just with a winner but because it meant a break from the Haymarket leaps.
I don’t like to be away from the centre of the action for too long, so I took 158870, dud in every sense of the word, straight back to Haymarket.
I had booked a room for two nights at the Edinburgh Park Premier Inn (it would have been three, but the Friday night was very expensive, I couldn’t figure it out at the time, but now I know why – more of that later), so as check in time approached, I headed out to Falkirk to get my car.
I figured the roads would be much quieter mid afternoon than if I waited until the evening.
Also, if 67011 produced as I hoped, it would mean a late arrival back at base as I would naturally be obliged to take it all the way.
I took 170429 to Falkirk, drove to the hotel, left my stuff in the room and caught the first thing from Edinburgh Park to Haymarket. This was dud 334012, which was working with the equally dud 334023.
It was now a case of killing a bit of time before the 17.08, I cleared 158729 (in 57729) to Waverley, then did 170429/170457 back out before taking 170410 back in and taking up my position at the top of platform 20. I wasn’t going to take any risks!
Eventually I heard that distinctive GM sound reverberating around the trainshed and I cast my eyes down the platform.
The Skip slowly made its way towards me, I couldn’t make out the number but could see it was in EWS red, which was a good sign.
I nearly cheered out loud when I positively identified it.
At last, fourteen years since I first experienced a 67 and four a half years since I scored my penultimate one, I had completed the set.
As 67011 thrashed out of Waverley I was ecstatic and felt like punching the air and doing a jig.
Required:
67011_2015.03.18_1_Edinburgh by philwood55013, on Flickr
Unrequired:
67011_2015.03.18_5_Edinburgh by philwood55013, on Flickr
I couldn’t contain my excitement and had to spread my joy by sending 45135 a text to share my good fortune.
As I said earlier, I had decided that if 67011 worked I would do the full trip and true to my word that’s what I did.
I required Glenrothes With Thornton station and still do as I didn’t get off
Once back at Waverley I took 334012 out to Edinburgh Park and retired for the night, exhausted but very happy.
I’m an early to bed, early to rise sort of bloke and so I was up at 06.30 the next morning.
I ate breakfast at the Premier Inn (I like staying in hotels that offer an all you can eat breakfast because a) I can eat a lot and b) it means that I don’t need to eat again until I get back to base in the evening), then walked across to the station but it was still before 9 and so I decided to sample a couple of trams.
I purchased a £3.50 day ticket and boarded the first city bound service that arrived.
My first Edinburgh tram turned out to be the last of the class, number 277 and I did this to Haymarket.
I must admit I enjoyed the run, especially some of the inclines.
I bailed at Haymarket and headed straight back to Edinburgh Park.
After having the last of the class it was now the first, 251 that was added to the list of haulages.
Now it was time for some mainline action.
Today I was going over to Glasgow in order to get some EMUs ticked off.
It’s always good to get the first winner of the day in the book and I was lucky in that today’s opening score was on the first train that I did. 334009 and 334014 were taken from Edinburgh Park through to Partick, the limit of the rover, and I began my hunt for electric units.
My goal for today was principally 318s and 320s.
First up was 320304, which I took all the way to Exhibition Centre, a winning station (I will put all of those in italics from now on, to prevent repetition) .
334019 wasn’t a 318 or a 320, but was a winner and so had to be taken back to Partick.
Another winning 320 was next on the list, 320321 and this time I went to Charing Cross Glasgow.
Never again will I do this move as it requires the mountaineering skills of Edmund Hilary to get from one platform to the other!
When I set off in the morning I needed three 320s for sight and as I left Partick on 320321 I spotted 320322 going the other way.
This was one of the three I required and so was pleased and hoped to add it to the list of haulages before the day was out.
Following the tortuous change from one platform to another at Charing Cross I was rewarded with another winning 334, 334017, which arrived paired with 334038.
I took these to, surprise, surprise, Partick.
After scoring 320322 earlier, I now needed two of the class for sight, consecutively numbered 320315 and 320316.
I was delighted, therefore when a six car set pulled in, with 320315 on the front. I went to check the back unit and it was 320316.
Excellent!
That’s the 320s cleared for sight, following achieving the same feat with the 507s a few days previously
I did the winning pair to Central Low Level and immediately headed back on 320312
The other winner for sight, 320322 was the next to be got for haulage and I did this to Glasgow Queen Street Low Level.
320322 at, well, Partick:
EMU 320322_2015.03.19_Partick by philwood55013, on Flickr
Another winning pair followed, this time it was 334020 and 334033 that whisked me back to Partick.
There’s a very frequent service at Partick and so it’s just a case of waiting around until a winner arrives.
Having let a few units go I got another 320 in the book when I took 320303 to Queen Street.
I was very pleased with my 320 scores but was a bit concerned as I hadn’t yet seen a 318.
I didn’t wait around and headed straight back to Partick on newly dud 320321.
Whenever I have a winning pair of units I try and get a ride on both sets.
Although I do count the one I’m not on, I must admit to not feeling totally satisfied until I’ve properly been on it.
I had looked on Real Time trains and worked out what service 320315 & 320316 would be coming back on.
I had to take the next train East and I was pleased when it was a 318 that rolled in.
I was less pleased when I saw that it was dud!
Nevertheless, if I wanted a ride on 320315 I would need to do it, so I took 318252 to Anderston anyway.
This service was late and I had originally planned on doing it to Central but decided to get off a bit earlier to make sure.
It’s a good job I did as no sooner had 318252 disappeared from sight than 320316 and 320315 appeared.
I duly took up my position in the rear unit and headed back to my home for the day at Partick
I was now getting fed up of the place but was determined to stay until I had got a winning 318 in the book.
The next arrival was another 320, 320318 and so, following my mantra of “Always take your winners” I boarded that and went back to Anderston.
The first train back arrived and it was a 318.
Surely a winner.
Nope.
It was 318253, but I took it anyway.
All the way to Exhibition Centre.
Dud, but I like the shot:
EMU 318253_2015.03.19_3_Exhibition Centre by philwood55013, on Flickr
I had disembarked at Exhibition Centre in order to get the following train to Partick.
This proved to be a good move as it was another score, 320320.
I must admit that despite the large number of winning 320s I was getting a bit frustrated at the lack of winning 318s.
My mood brightened considerably when 318263 appeared.
Hurrah!
I got off, once again, at Anderston and got straight on another required 318, 318255.
Things were now looking rosy and they got rosier when 318262 arrived at Partick.
This was taken to Queen Street and yet another member of the class, the sadly dud 318259 was taken for my last visit to Partick.
I had seen a required pair of 334s heading West and worked out, with the aid of RTT, that they would be due through soon on their way to Edinburgh.
This seemed an ideal way for me to get back to my hotel
I stood waiting for them when the preceding train arrived, worked by 334031.
As both services stopped at Charing Cross it would have been silly not to do it, especially as no orienteering expedition would be required.
334039 and 334036 arrived and I took them to Edinburgh, thus neatly avoiding the worst of the rush hour.
As I mentioned earlier, I like to travel on both units of a winning pair and so I changed from one set to the other at Waverly and did them back to Edinburgh Park.
By now it was getting late but I had a valid all day tram ticket and a desire to do the flyover just West of Edinburgh Park station and so I nipped to Edinburgh Park Central and back on trams 273 and 261.
I wasn’t quite ready to call it a day yet and so I did the same trip again, this time doing 263 out.
The first tram to arrive heading back was dud and so I waited for the next one, which was winner 259.
That’s when I ended my second day.
I walked to the conveniently located Tesco, bought supplies and made my way to the hotel.
An excellent day over, with twenty winning EMUs and six Edinburgh trams (my first).
Now, Friday was the day that I had settled on for my Daytripper.
When planning the move I had looked (as I always do) at football fixtures for the Saturday.
Not because I think football fans are a bunch of psychopathic thugs, but because I don’t like crowds and always try, when possible, to avoid situations where overcrowding is inevitable.
Celtic were playing at home on Saturday but neither Hearts nor Hibs had a home game, so I decided Edinburgh was the place to be.
This meant doing the Daytripper on one of the weekdays.
As I mentioned earlier, I had originally planned to do it on the Wednesday, but 67011 (Yay!) had put paid to that.
I had only booked two nights at the Premier Inn because the Friday night was way out of my price range, so I had booked a night in the Falkirk Travelodge, a place I had used before.
After consuming vast quantities of sausage, bacon, eggs, etc at the all you can eat breakfast I left the Premier Inn and drove to Falkirk Grahamston.
I like parking there as the station has a huge car park that’s always empty and only costs £1.50 to park all day.
Of course, a Daytripper isn’t valid at Falkirk, so I purchased a return to Cumbernauld and was soon on my way aboard 156453, sat in coach 52453 to clear the unit.
I bailed at Cumbernauld and got a perfect view of the partial solar eclipse.
It was perfect because there was just enough cloud cover to make it possible to see what was going on without causing any eye damage.
After that little interlude I took dud for the week 334006 over to Partick (again!), followed by also dud, but not for this move, 320310 Which I did to Central Low Level.
After moseying upstairs I began the great 314 chase that I planned for today.
Earlier in the week there had been a discussion on the forum about the fate of 507022.
It emerged that one driving motor coach of the 507, 64426, had been converted to a 314 vehicle, 64588, and put in 314203 to replace the original 64588 that was scrapped following an accident.
When I saw that my first winning unit of the day was the aforementioned 314203 I just had to go and sit in the coach in question
I wasn’t only scoring units, I was now scoring track as well, I leapt at Mount Florida and immediately headed back the way I came on 314208, I got off at Queen’s Park and went straight back to Mount Florida on 314214.
I had looked at the 314 diagrams (available by becoming a member of the excellent Modern EMUs gen group) and knew that there are two turns from Glasgow to Gourock.
Bizarrely, they both leave within half an hour of each other, then there’s a gap of two hours before the pattern is repeated.
With this in mind I headed back to Central on 314212
The first Gourock unit was 314216 and I did this to its first stop at Paisley Gilmour Street.
I now had twenty minutes to get back to Central for the next one.
It was 380018 that appeared first, running a bit late, and that whisked me back.
Because it was late I was a bit worried I might miss the next Gourock, but luckily I made it with a couple of minutes to spare.
I repeated the last round trip, doing 314206 out and 380005 back.
Next up was the Paisley Canal branch.
I had done this line once before, on a class 101 unit many years ago, so didn’t need Paisley Canal station, therefore I decided to bail off 314209 at the previous stop, the excellently named Hawkhead.
314209. Sadly, no Hawks visible:
EMU 314209_2015.03.20_2_Hawkhead by philwood55013, on Flickr
After a wait of about ten minutes 314209 arrived on its way back and I jumped aboard and took it to Corkerhill.
A short time after arriving here 314204 pulled in and this time I stayed on all the way to the end of the line.
The same unit was then enjoyed back to Glasgow and it was back to the Cathcart Circle.
Earlier in the day I had seen 314201 and had worked out that it should be working the next departure after my arrival.
I was spot on and another one was in the bag.
As I boarded 314201 I spotted sister 314215 on another platform, then as the train was leaving I saw another requirement, 314210 arriving.
RTT was rapidly consulted and a plan was formulated.
I did 314201 to Langside and met 314215 going clockwise, I did this to Pollockshields West and connected nicely onto 314210, which I took all the way round to Glasgow, via Cathcart, thus clearing the whole circle.
For all those who haven’t been keeping score (as if!), I was now down to three required 314s (205/207 & 211).
Two units, 314202 and 314213, were unrequired at the start of the move and I hadn’t seen either .
What I had seen, though, were 314205 and 314207 coupled up on Shields Road depot.
Now I knew that there were two diagrams that spent most of the day on the depot and then worked the 17.17 Central – Neilston together.
I put two and two together and decided that this service was likely to be the required pair.
There was still a bit of time before that working was due to leave and so I nipped out to Pollokshaws East, just to score it.
314201 and 314215 were the units involved.
When I arrived back at Central I saw the pair sat in but couldn’t ID them.
I walked round and was pleased to see that the rear unit was, indeed, 314205.
Nice.
I walked to the front unit and leapt aboard, the front of the set was right up at the end of the platform and so making a positive identification was impossible.
Nevertheless I got on board.
As I sat waiting I looked across and saw required 314211 depart to Newton.
Hmm, I looked on RTT and worked out what it would be doing later.
I might be able to get them all!
As I sat on board I looked up the number of the coach I was in.
71462.
That didn’t seem right and so I looked on ABrail and sure enough, 71462 isn’t in 314207, it is, to my disgust, in 314213.
Bah.
Anyway, shortly after this 314213 and 314205 departed and I stayed on board all the way to Neilston
I had a short wait there before the same pair took me back towards Glasgow.
Obviously, I sat in 314205 this time.
I hadn’t forgotten 314211 and had calculated that a bail at Pollokshields East would do the trick.
I was right
314211 pulled in and I did it for massive mileage to Crosshill
I had planned on staying on board the pair all the way and strolling across to Queen Street for the 19.22 service to Grahamston.
Naturally, the adding of 314211 to the mix had made this a bit tight.
I took 314201 (and thus clearing every coach in the set) back to Central and walked, somewhat faster than I had planned, over to Queen Street.
My unit was still in when I arrived but departed almost immediately after I boarded.
It was 156494 and I took this all the way before doing the short drive to my accommodation.
The next day was Saturday and after leaving the Travelodge I once again drove to Falkirk Grahamston and resumed my Central Scotland Rover.
I was there bright and early and the place was very quiet, as was my first train, 158731, which I took to Haymarket.
Quiet trains were something I could only dream of a few hours later.
It was lucky that I did set out early as no sooner had I reached Haymarket than required 156513 pulled in going to Waverley.
156513 was one of those units that taunt you, well it had taunted me anyway.
On two previous visits to Scotland I had boarded my last train before heading home when 156513 had sauntered past going in the other direction, as if it didn’t have a care in the world.
I was overjoyed to finally nail it.
I did coach 57513 in and 52513 back out again, so now it’s cleared and it can go and taunt somebody else.
The inward working also had 156449 attached, but that was cleared a long time ago so didn’t matter.
Next up was one of my “second choice” units, in other words dud but with no record of when I had it, 158741, which I did, with 158868 on the back into Edinburgh.
More 158s followed as I cleared 158720 (in 57720) out to Haymarket, with 158869 keeping it company and then a nice winner, 158703, with 158730, back in.
It was around this time that I started to see people draped in Scottish flags, wearing kilts, etc and I began to think something was happening.
Much more interesting to me was 380104, stood in one of the South facing bays and waiting to head off to North Berwick.
I did this to Pots and Pans, sorry Prestonpans and had a look at my phone as a thought had occurred to me.
Sure enough, the reason that the Premier Inn was so expensive on the Friday night and probably the reason no Edinburgh football team had a home game today was that there was a Six Nations rugby match on between Scotland and Ireland.
I had researched the wrong sport!
Whilst waiting at Prestonpans pondering my plan I saw a 67 in the distance (“It must be a dud one”,I thought. Hah!) It looked blue-ish and I surmised it was 67003 which I know has been an ECML thunderbird recently.
I was quite surprised, then, when it proved to be 67004, newly painted in what I assume is the livery for the new sleeper franchise.
I did manage to get a shot of it, which was nice.
New look 67004:
67004_2015.03.21_Prestonpans by philwood55013, on Flickr
My train was the next arrival and I was happy to see it was another winner, 380111.
380111 approaching Prestonpans:
EMU 380111_2015.03.21_2_Prestonpans by philwood55013, on Flickr
I did this to Musselburgh to see what the third set was.
This was another winner, in the shape of 380109 and I used this to return to Prestonpans.
Not surprisingly it was 380104 that arrived to take me back to Edinburgh.
Me and a load of rugby fans.
The trains were now starting to really get busy and I wanted to get out of Edinburgh.
I wasn’t really sure what I should do but jumped on the first unit North, 334007, and took this to Haymarket.
I might have stayed on further but on leaving Waverley it passed required 334018 going in.
Haymarket, of course, is the nearest station to Murrayfield and so this was just as busy as Waverley.
Kick off was still about three hours away!
334018 was taken out to Edinburgh Park.
I was a bit torn as I knew the best chance of winners was in the Edinburgh area and, once the game got underway, things should quieten down a lot.
I hung around Edinburgh Park, but only for a short while as required 334005 arrived and, wedged or not, I couldn’t reject it.
I literally couldn’t get off at Haymarket due to the number of people blocking the doorway and so I stayed on to Edinburgh.
Once again, I took the first thing out, 170411, to Haymarket and then decided enough was enough.
I needed a breather.
Luckily, 158718 came in going North and, needing 52718 to clear the unit I jumped aboard and did it out to Inverkeithing.
I stayed at Inverkeithing, watching people cram onto various dud units for quite a while but eventually the wanderlust started to kick in and I knew I had to make a move.
Apart from anything else, I was on 48 winning units for the move and dearly wanted to make it fifty.
It was now nearly two o’clock and kick off was at two thirty so I thought I’d chance it.
The next arrival was formed of 158719 leading 170413 and so I boarded the latter in required coach 56413.
This train was full and I had to stand, but it wasn’t anything like as packed as the ones I’d rejected, so I was happy with that.
I bailed, along with almost everyone else, at Haymarket and hung around for my next winner.
I was going home tonight so figured I couldn’t afford to move around too much if I wanted to make the magical fifty winners.
At last, a pair of 334s arrived, 334017 on the front and required 334032 on the rear.
This was done out to Edinburgh Park and then it was straight back to Haymarket on 170476.
Next up was one of those “taunting units”, 334025, not dud but I had done it several times as part of a pair with a winning 334 and so it had never actually been ridden on.
This was a cause of some angst to me and so when it rolled in on its own I just had to do it into Waverley.
I hadn’t lost sight of my real goal, though.
I figured that 334s presented the best chance of getting the fiftieth red line in the (virtual) book and so it was straight back out on dud for the day 170476.
Now, disaster struck.
There was an announcement that there was an equipment failure (later this changed to lineside fire) near Bathgate and as a result there were no trains running on that line.
This, of course, is the line that the 334s use and so the service was reduced to 334025 shuttling backwards and forwards.
This was going to cause massive problems for the railway when the hoards of rugby fans descended for their trains home.
Things were going to be bad enough without that added into the mix.
I was now thinking of how I was going to get back.
One thing for sure was that I wanted to leave before the match finished, which I reckon would be about four-ish.
I had just about given up on my goal of fifty winners when low and behold 380101 rolled in on a service that had come from the West coast via Carstairs.
I did this into Edinburgh and then back out again as my work here was done.
I got off at Haymarket as I had no desire to visit Carstars, which was the next stop.
My plan now was to get the next Dunblaine service and do a few things around Falkirk until it got dark (driving West at that time of day, into the setting sun, would be no fun).
Like many of my plans this went out of the window when “second choice” unit 156450 arrived on a Glasgow Central service.
I jumped aboard and once again turned to RTT to find my next move.
I had no real choice but to stay on it all the way, then I had thirteen minutes to get across to Queen Street for the 17.22 to Grahamston.
It actually arrived a few minutes late and I had less than ten minutes.
Luckily I did it without running (I have a fairly strict “no running” rule).
Dud for the week 156453 was the unit on the service and, looking at the timetable I realised that I could still gain something before heading home.
I fancied getting the station at Camelon for reasons I can’t explain and so that’s where I bailed, knowing that it was only a short wait for an Edinburgh service.
When this came in it was a pair of 158s, 158782 leading 158732 and, as 52782 was the only coach I required, that’s where I headed.
A couple of minutes later I got off at Falkirk.
I had done plenty, but still wanted more, the sun hadn’t yet gone completely down and the departure board showed a West bound service was due in soon.
So, it was back to Camelon I went, once again I cleared a unit as I stood (well, there was no point in sitting) in 57716 of 158716, which had 158734 on the rear.
My last unit of the move was yet another “second choice” one, 156495, which was a nice way to finish.
By the time I got into Falkirk it was dark and so it was into the car for a pleasurably drive home, getting back to Bradford at just after eleven o’clock.
So, despite my misgivings before I went, it proved to be a very enjoyable and profitable move, with one winning loco, four new DMUs, an incredible forty six EMUs, six Edinburgh trams, eight new stations and some new track all roped in, not to mention several “second choice” DMUs.
Oh, and I don’t know if I mentioned it, but I cleared my 67s
I thought that I would create a thread into which I will post all my modern era trip reports, just to avoid creating multiple ones.
First up is my wibblings from my combined Central Scotland/Daytripper move of last week.
I'm afraid it's proved to be quite lengthy, so I hope someone can stick with it until the end
Here goes:
Once or twice a year, Mrs 55013 likes to have a few days away at the seaside, either by herself or with friends, and this gives me the opportunity for a few days on the rails.
March tends to be a good time as it’s coming to the end of the financial year and we both usually have some annual leave days to get rid of before the new one starts in April.
This time she was going with mates for four days and so that’s how many days I had to fill.
I decided to head to Scotland and purchased a three days in seven Central Scotland Rover.
Obviously, that left me with a day to spare and so I also ordered a Strathclyde Daytripper.
My original idea was to do the Daytripper on the first day but that plan got changed the night before the move when I saw the gen that 67011 had worked the Fife commuter turn.
67011 was my last Skip and had to be my top priority.
The longer I left it, the more the likelihood of it coming off, so it had to be the first day.
The move started on Wednesday morning with me getting up at a quarter to four, my plan had been to rise at five, but I awoke early and saw no benefit in delaying and so off I went.
The drive up was complicated by a diversion through Preston as the M6 was shut for roadworks, this added some time onto the otherwise pleasurable journey and I arrived at Falkirk Grahamston station at around 9am, just at the right time for the rover to become valid.
My first move was the nice 156500, not a winner but it was one that I hadn’t got a detailed record of having, so it was one I could cross off my “second choice” list.
The 156 was on a Glasgow service but I was heading to Edinburgh, so once at Queen Street it was straight on board the first departure to there, which was in the hands of 170406.
I don’t need any Scotrail 170s, so there was no point in hanging around.
I bailed at Haymarket and fell immediately onto my first winner, 334011.
I did this to Waverley and came straight back on 156449, I needed one coach of this unit to clear it and so it was 52449 that I sat in as I began a series of Haymarket leaps.
I needed six Scottish 158s and so was pleased when one of them, 158735 appeared.
I took this for a round trip in order to get both coaches in, ‘cos I’m funny like that
Three more winners followed in quick succession, all EMUs, 334007 in multiple with 334006 then 334014 paired with sister 027 and finally 334028 which was partnered by 334037.
The chance to clear another 156 then presented itself when I spotted 156494 lurking in platform 12 waiting to head to Glasgow. I sat in 57494 and once again bailed at Haymarket.
Happily, another of my required 158s then appeared, 158708 heading North.
I leapt aboard and took this to Inverkeithing, happy not just with a winner but because it meant a break from the Haymarket leaps.
I don’t like to be away from the centre of the action for too long, so I took 158870, dud in every sense of the word, straight back to Haymarket.
I had booked a room for two nights at the Edinburgh Park Premier Inn (it would have been three, but the Friday night was very expensive, I couldn’t figure it out at the time, but now I know why – more of that later), so as check in time approached, I headed out to Falkirk to get my car.
I figured the roads would be much quieter mid afternoon than if I waited until the evening.
Also, if 67011 produced as I hoped, it would mean a late arrival back at base as I would naturally be obliged to take it all the way.
I took 170429 to Falkirk, drove to the hotel, left my stuff in the room and caught the first thing from Edinburgh Park to Haymarket. This was dud 334012, which was working with the equally dud 334023.
It was now a case of killing a bit of time before the 17.08, I cleared 158729 (in 57729) to Waverley, then did 170429/170457 back out before taking 170410 back in and taking up my position at the top of platform 20. I wasn’t going to take any risks!
Eventually I heard that distinctive GM sound reverberating around the trainshed and I cast my eyes down the platform.
The Skip slowly made its way towards me, I couldn’t make out the number but could see it was in EWS red, which was a good sign.
I nearly cheered out loud when I positively identified it.
At last, fourteen years since I first experienced a 67 and four a half years since I scored my penultimate one, I had completed the set.
As 67011 thrashed out of Waverley I was ecstatic and felt like punching the air and doing a jig.
Required:
67011_2015.03.18_1_Edinburgh by philwood55013, on FlickrUnrequired:
67011_2015.03.18_5_Edinburgh by philwood55013, on FlickrI couldn’t contain my excitement and had to spread my joy by sending 45135 a text to share my good fortune.
As I said earlier, I had decided that if 67011 worked I would do the full trip and true to my word that’s what I did.
I required Glenrothes With Thornton station and still do as I didn’t get off
Once back at Waverley I took 334012 out to Edinburgh Park and retired for the night, exhausted but very happy.
I’m an early to bed, early to rise sort of bloke and so I was up at 06.30 the next morning.
I ate breakfast at the Premier Inn (I like staying in hotels that offer an all you can eat breakfast because a) I can eat a lot and b) it means that I don’t need to eat again until I get back to base in the evening), then walked across to the station but it was still before 9 and so I decided to sample a couple of trams.
I purchased a £3.50 day ticket and boarded the first city bound service that arrived.
My first Edinburgh tram turned out to be the last of the class, number 277 and I did this to Haymarket.
I must admit I enjoyed the run, especially some of the inclines.
I bailed at Haymarket and headed straight back to Edinburgh Park.
After having the last of the class it was now the first, 251 that was added to the list of haulages.
Now it was time for some mainline action.
Today I was going over to Glasgow in order to get some EMUs ticked off.
It’s always good to get the first winner of the day in the book and I was lucky in that today’s opening score was on the first train that I did. 334009 and 334014 were taken from Edinburgh Park through to Partick, the limit of the rover, and I began my hunt for electric units.
My goal for today was principally 318s and 320s.
First up was 320304, which I took all the way to Exhibition Centre, a winning station (I will put all of those in italics from now on, to prevent repetition) .
334019 wasn’t a 318 or a 320, but was a winner and so had to be taken back to Partick.
Another winning 320 was next on the list, 320321 and this time I went to Charing Cross Glasgow.
Never again will I do this move as it requires the mountaineering skills of Edmund Hilary to get from one platform to the other!
When I set off in the morning I needed three 320s for sight and as I left Partick on 320321 I spotted 320322 going the other way.
This was one of the three I required and so was pleased and hoped to add it to the list of haulages before the day was out.
Following the tortuous change from one platform to another at Charing Cross I was rewarded with another winning 334, 334017, which arrived paired with 334038.
I took these to, surprise, surprise, Partick.
After scoring 320322 earlier, I now needed two of the class for sight, consecutively numbered 320315 and 320316.
I was delighted, therefore when a six car set pulled in, with 320315 on the front. I went to check the back unit and it was 320316.
Excellent!
That’s the 320s cleared for sight, following achieving the same feat with the 507s a few days previously
I did the winning pair to Central Low Level and immediately headed back on 320312
The other winner for sight, 320322 was the next to be got for haulage and I did this to Glasgow Queen Street Low Level.
320322 at, well, Partick:
EMU 320322_2015.03.19_Partick by philwood55013, on FlickrAnother winning pair followed, this time it was 334020 and 334033 that whisked me back to Partick.
There’s a very frequent service at Partick and so it’s just a case of waiting around until a winner arrives.
Having let a few units go I got another 320 in the book when I took 320303 to Queen Street.
I was very pleased with my 320 scores but was a bit concerned as I hadn’t yet seen a 318.
I didn’t wait around and headed straight back to Partick on newly dud 320321.
Whenever I have a winning pair of units I try and get a ride on both sets.
Although I do count the one I’m not on, I must admit to not feeling totally satisfied until I’ve properly been on it.
I had looked on Real Time trains and worked out what service 320315 & 320316 would be coming back on.
I had to take the next train East and I was pleased when it was a 318 that rolled in.
I was less pleased when I saw that it was dud!
Nevertheless, if I wanted a ride on 320315 I would need to do it, so I took 318252 to Anderston anyway.
This service was late and I had originally planned on doing it to Central but decided to get off a bit earlier to make sure.
It’s a good job I did as no sooner had 318252 disappeared from sight than 320316 and 320315 appeared.
I duly took up my position in the rear unit and headed back to my home for the day at Partick
I was now getting fed up of the place but was determined to stay until I had got a winning 318 in the book.
The next arrival was another 320, 320318 and so, following my mantra of “Always take your winners” I boarded that and went back to Anderston.
The first train back arrived and it was a 318.
Surely a winner.
Nope.
It was 318253, but I took it anyway.
All the way to Exhibition Centre.
Dud, but I like the shot:
EMU 318253_2015.03.19_3_Exhibition Centre by philwood55013, on FlickrI had disembarked at Exhibition Centre in order to get the following train to Partick.
This proved to be a good move as it was another score, 320320.
I must admit that despite the large number of winning 320s I was getting a bit frustrated at the lack of winning 318s.
My mood brightened considerably when 318263 appeared.
Hurrah!
I got off, once again, at Anderston and got straight on another required 318, 318255.
Things were now looking rosy and they got rosier when 318262 arrived at Partick.
This was taken to Queen Street and yet another member of the class, the sadly dud 318259 was taken for my last visit to Partick.
I had seen a required pair of 334s heading West and worked out, with the aid of RTT, that they would be due through soon on their way to Edinburgh.
This seemed an ideal way for me to get back to my hotel
I stood waiting for them when the preceding train arrived, worked by 334031.
As both services stopped at Charing Cross it would have been silly not to do it, especially as no orienteering expedition would be required.
334039 and 334036 arrived and I took them to Edinburgh, thus neatly avoiding the worst of the rush hour.
As I mentioned earlier, I like to travel on both units of a winning pair and so I changed from one set to the other at Waverly and did them back to Edinburgh Park.
By now it was getting late but I had a valid all day tram ticket and a desire to do the flyover just West of Edinburgh Park station and so I nipped to Edinburgh Park Central and back on trams 273 and 261.
I wasn’t quite ready to call it a day yet and so I did the same trip again, this time doing 263 out.
The first tram to arrive heading back was dud and so I waited for the next one, which was winner 259.
That’s when I ended my second day.
I walked to the conveniently located Tesco, bought supplies and made my way to the hotel.
An excellent day over, with twenty winning EMUs and six Edinburgh trams (my first).
Now, Friday was the day that I had settled on for my Daytripper.
When planning the move I had looked (as I always do) at football fixtures for the Saturday.
Not because I think football fans are a bunch of psychopathic thugs, but because I don’t like crowds and always try, when possible, to avoid situations where overcrowding is inevitable.
Celtic were playing at home on Saturday but neither Hearts nor Hibs had a home game, so I decided Edinburgh was the place to be.
This meant doing the Daytripper on one of the weekdays.
As I mentioned earlier, I had originally planned to do it on the Wednesday, but 67011 (Yay!) had put paid to that.
I had only booked two nights at the Premier Inn because the Friday night was way out of my price range, so I had booked a night in the Falkirk Travelodge, a place I had used before.
After consuming vast quantities of sausage, bacon, eggs, etc at the all you can eat breakfast I left the Premier Inn and drove to Falkirk Grahamston.
I like parking there as the station has a huge car park that’s always empty and only costs £1.50 to park all day.
Of course, a Daytripper isn’t valid at Falkirk, so I purchased a return to Cumbernauld and was soon on my way aboard 156453, sat in coach 52453 to clear the unit.
I bailed at Cumbernauld and got a perfect view of the partial solar eclipse.
It was perfect because there was just enough cloud cover to make it possible to see what was going on without causing any eye damage.
After that little interlude I took dud for the week 334006 over to Partick (again!), followed by also dud, but not for this move, 320310 Which I did to Central Low Level.
After moseying upstairs I began the great 314 chase that I planned for today.
Earlier in the week there had been a discussion on the forum about the fate of 507022.
It emerged that one driving motor coach of the 507, 64426, had been converted to a 314 vehicle, 64588, and put in 314203 to replace the original 64588 that was scrapped following an accident.
When I saw that my first winning unit of the day was the aforementioned 314203 I just had to go and sit in the coach in question
I wasn’t only scoring units, I was now scoring track as well, I leapt at Mount Florida and immediately headed back the way I came on 314208, I got off at Queen’s Park and went straight back to Mount Florida on 314214.
I had looked at the 314 diagrams (available by becoming a member of the excellent Modern EMUs gen group) and knew that there are two turns from Glasgow to Gourock.
Bizarrely, they both leave within half an hour of each other, then there’s a gap of two hours before the pattern is repeated.
With this in mind I headed back to Central on 314212
The first Gourock unit was 314216 and I did this to its first stop at Paisley Gilmour Street.
I now had twenty minutes to get back to Central for the next one.
It was 380018 that appeared first, running a bit late, and that whisked me back.
Because it was late I was a bit worried I might miss the next Gourock, but luckily I made it with a couple of minutes to spare.
I repeated the last round trip, doing 314206 out and 380005 back.
Next up was the Paisley Canal branch.
I had done this line once before, on a class 101 unit many years ago, so didn’t need Paisley Canal station, therefore I decided to bail off 314209 at the previous stop, the excellently named Hawkhead.
314209. Sadly, no Hawks visible:
EMU 314209_2015.03.20_2_Hawkhead by philwood55013, on FlickrAfter a wait of about ten minutes 314209 arrived on its way back and I jumped aboard and took it to Corkerhill.
A short time after arriving here 314204 pulled in and this time I stayed on all the way to the end of the line.
The same unit was then enjoyed back to Glasgow and it was back to the Cathcart Circle.
Earlier in the day I had seen 314201 and had worked out that it should be working the next departure after my arrival.
I was spot on and another one was in the bag.
As I boarded 314201 I spotted sister 314215 on another platform, then as the train was leaving I saw another requirement, 314210 arriving.
RTT was rapidly consulted and a plan was formulated.
I did 314201 to Langside and met 314215 going clockwise, I did this to Pollockshields West and connected nicely onto 314210, which I took all the way round to Glasgow, via Cathcart, thus clearing the whole circle.
For all those who haven’t been keeping score (as if!), I was now down to three required 314s (205/207 & 211).
Two units, 314202 and 314213, were unrequired at the start of the move and I hadn’t seen either .
What I had seen, though, were 314205 and 314207 coupled up on Shields Road depot.
Now I knew that there were two diagrams that spent most of the day on the depot and then worked the 17.17 Central – Neilston together.
I put two and two together and decided that this service was likely to be the required pair.
There was still a bit of time before that working was due to leave and so I nipped out to Pollokshaws East, just to score it.
314201 and 314215 were the units involved.
When I arrived back at Central I saw the pair sat in but couldn’t ID them.
I walked round and was pleased to see that the rear unit was, indeed, 314205.
Nice.
I walked to the front unit and leapt aboard, the front of the set was right up at the end of the platform and so making a positive identification was impossible.
Nevertheless I got on board.
As I sat waiting I looked across and saw required 314211 depart to Newton.
Hmm, I looked on RTT and worked out what it would be doing later.
I might be able to get them all!
As I sat on board I looked up the number of the coach I was in.
71462.
That didn’t seem right and so I looked on ABrail and sure enough, 71462 isn’t in 314207, it is, to my disgust, in 314213.
Bah.
Anyway, shortly after this 314213 and 314205 departed and I stayed on board all the way to Neilston
I had a short wait there before the same pair took me back towards Glasgow.
Obviously, I sat in 314205 this time.
I hadn’t forgotten 314211 and had calculated that a bail at Pollokshields East would do the trick.
I was right
314211 pulled in and I did it for massive mileage to Crosshill
I had planned on staying on board the pair all the way and strolling across to Queen Street for the 19.22 service to Grahamston.
Naturally, the adding of 314211 to the mix had made this a bit tight.
I took 314201 (and thus clearing every coach in the set) back to Central and walked, somewhat faster than I had planned, over to Queen Street.
My unit was still in when I arrived but departed almost immediately after I boarded.
It was 156494 and I took this all the way before doing the short drive to my accommodation.
The next day was Saturday and after leaving the Travelodge I once again drove to Falkirk Grahamston and resumed my Central Scotland Rover.
I was there bright and early and the place was very quiet, as was my first train, 158731, which I took to Haymarket.
Quiet trains were something I could only dream of a few hours later.
It was lucky that I did set out early as no sooner had I reached Haymarket than required 156513 pulled in going to Waverley.
156513 was one of those units that taunt you, well it had taunted me anyway.
On two previous visits to Scotland I had boarded my last train before heading home when 156513 had sauntered past going in the other direction, as if it didn’t have a care in the world.
I was overjoyed to finally nail it.
I did coach 57513 in and 52513 back out again, so now it’s cleared and it can go and taunt somebody else.
The inward working also had 156449 attached, but that was cleared a long time ago so didn’t matter.
Next up was one of my “second choice” units, in other words dud but with no record of when I had it, 158741, which I did, with 158868 on the back into Edinburgh.
More 158s followed as I cleared 158720 (in 57720) out to Haymarket, with 158869 keeping it company and then a nice winner, 158703, with 158730, back in.
It was around this time that I started to see people draped in Scottish flags, wearing kilts, etc and I began to think something was happening.
Much more interesting to me was 380104, stood in one of the South facing bays and waiting to head off to North Berwick.
I did this to Pots and Pans, sorry Prestonpans and had a look at my phone as a thought had occurred to me.
Sure enough, the reason that the Premier Inn was so expensive on the Friday night and probably the reason no Edinburgh football team had a home game today was that there was a Six Nations rugby match on between Scotland and Ireland.
I had researched the wrong sport!
Whilst waiting at Prestonpans pondering my plan I saw a 67 in the distance (“It must be a dud one”,I thought. Hah!) It looked blue-ish and I surmised it was 67003 which I know has been an ECML thunderbird recently.
I was quite surprised, then, when it proved to be 67004, newly painted in what I assume is the livery for the new sleeper franchise.
I did manage to get a shot of it, which was nice.
New look 67004:
67004_2015.03.21_Prestonpans by philwood55013, on FlickrMy train was the next arrival and I was happy to see it was another winner, 380111.
380111 approaching Prestonpans:
EMU 380111_2015.03.21_2_Prestonpans by philwood55013, on FlickrI did this to Musselburgh to see what the third set was.
This was another winner, in the shape of 380109 and I used this to return to Prestonpans.
Not surprisingly it was 380104 that arrived to take me back to Edinburgh.
Me and a load of rugby fans.
The trains were now starting to really get busy and I wanted to get out of Edinburgh.
I wasn’t really sure what I should do but jumped on the first unit North, 334007, and took this to Haymarket.
I might have stayed on further but on leaving Waverley it passed required 334018 going in.
Haymarket, of course, is the nearest station to Murrayfield and so this was just as busy as Waverley.
Kick off was still about three hours away!
334018 was taken out to Edinburgh Park.
I was a bit torn as I knew the best chance of winners was in the Edinburgh area and, once the game got underway, things should quieten down a lot.
I hung around Edinburgh Park, but only for a short while as required 334005 arrived and, wedged or not, I couldn’t reject it.
I literally couldn’t get off at Haymarket due to the number of people blocking the doorway and so I stayed on to Edinburgh.
Once again, I took the first thing out, 170411, to Haymarket and then decided enough was enough.
I needed a breather.
Luckily, 158718 came in going North and, needing 52718 to clear the unit I jumped aboard and did it out to Inverkeithing.
I stayed at Inverkeithing, watching people cram onto various dud units for quite a while but eventually the wanderlust started to kick in and I knew I had to make a move.
Apart from anything else, I was on 48 winning units for the move and dearly wanted to make it fifty.
It was now nearly two o’clock and kick off was at two thirty so I thought I’d chance it.
The next arrival was formed of 158719 leading 170413 and so I boarded the latter in required coach 56413.
This train was full and I had to stand, but it wasn’t anything like as packed as the ones I’d rejected, so I was happy with that.
I bailed, along with almost everyone else, at Haymarket and hung around for my next winner.
I was going home tonight so figured I couldn’t afford to move around too much if I wanted to make the magical fifty winners.
At last, a pair of 334s arrived, 334017 on the front and required 334032 on the rear.
This was done out to Edinburgh Park and then it was straight back to Haymarket on 170476.
Next up was one of those “taunting units”, 334025, not dud but I had done it several times as part of a pair with a winning 334 and so it had never actually been ridden on.
This was a cause of some angst to me and so when it rolled in on its own I just had to do it into Waverley.
I hadn’t lost sight of my real goal, though.
I figured that 334s presented the best chance of getting the fiftieth red line in the (virtual) book and so it was straight back out on dud for the day 170476.
Now, disaster struck.
There was an announcement that there was an equipment failure (later this changed to lineside fire) near Bathgate and as a result there were no trains running on that line.
This, of course, is the line that the 334s use and so the service was reduced to 334025 shuttling backwards and forwards.
This was going to cause massive problems for the railway when the hoards of rugby fans descended for their trains home.
Things were going to be bad enough without that added into the mix.
I was now thinking of how I was going to get back.
One thing for sure was that I wanted to leave before the match finished, which I reckon would be about four-ish.
I had just about given up on my goal of fifty winners when low and behold 380101 rolled in on a service that had come from the West coast via Carstairs.
I did this into Edinburgh and then back out again as my work here was done.
I got off at Haymarket as I had no desire to visit Carstars, which was the next stop.
My plan now was to get the next Dunblaine service and do a few things around Falkirk until it got dark (driving West at that time of day, into the setting sun, would be no fun).
Like many of my plans this went out of the window when “second choice” unit 156450 arrived on a Glasgow Central service.
I jumped aboard and once again turned to RTT to find my next move.
I had no real choice but to stay on it all the way, then I had thirteen minutes to get across to Queen Street for the 17.22 to Grahamston.
It actually arrived a few minutes late and I had less than ten minutes.
Luckily I did it without running (I have a fairly strict “no running” rule).
Dud for the week 156453 was the unit on the service and, looking at the timetable I realised that I could still gain something before heading home.
I fancied getting the station at Camelon for reasons I can’t explain and so that’s where I bailed, knowing that it was only a short wait for an Edinburgh service.
When this came in it was a pair of 158s, 158782 leading 158732 and, as 52782 was the only coach I required, that’s where I headed.
A couple of minutes later I got off at Falkirk.
I had done plenty, but still wanted more, the sun hadn’t yet gone completely down and the departure board showed a West bound service was due in soon.
So, it was back to Camelon I went, once again I cleared a unit as I stood (well, there was no point in sitting) in 57716 of 158716, which had 158734 on the rear.
My last unit of the move was yet another “second choice” one, 156495, which was a nice way to finish.
By the time I got into Falkirk it was dark and so it was into the car for a pleasurably drive home, getting back to Bradford at just after eleven o’clock.
So, despite my misgivings before I went, it proved to be a very enjoyable and profitable move, with one winning loco, four new DMUs, an incredible forty six EMUs, six Edinburgh trams, eight new stations and some new track all roped in, not to mention several “second choice” DMUs.
Oh, and I don’t know if I mentioned it, but I cleared my 67s
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(sorry folks - in joke!)
And no day out to South Shields was ever fully complete without a trip on the Shields ferry!