55013's Contemporary Trip Reports

[Kristofferson]

Loved the report from the SVR - having seen video of 20s recently, they sound epic!

Well done on the 350/4s


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Keith Jarrett]

Mrs 13 letting you out again - good on her! You certainly had a good time roaming around Manchester and picking up that that 350 - surely it will only be a matter of time before you've got the remaining TP 350 bits that you are chasing?

 

[55013]

Sounded like a good day in Manchester Mr 13

Thanks, it was

I'm certainly interested in finding out what you have planned!

As with most things I do, I've no hard and fast plans in place, but by this time next week I'm hoping to be closing in on 200 winners for the year.
It's probably going to be my only multi day adventure of the year and is down south, that much I know

A few great reports there, I really enjoyed reading those. Looking forward to reading more in the future.

I'm hoping to try and get down to London again to tick off more 319s, whilst trying to avoid the last three (434, 442 and 456) of the twelve units that are due to cascade up to Northern later in the year. At least then I can try and get those three units when they're a bit closer to home and I can focus on getting the other Thameslink 319 units I still need next time I'm in London.

Glad you enjoyed the reports. Good luck with the 319s.

Loved the report from the SVR - having seen video of 20s recently, they sound epic!

Well done on the 350/4s

Cheers.

Mrs 13 letting you out again - good on her! You certainly had a good time roaming around Manchester and picking up that that 350 - surely it will only be a matter of time before you've got the remaining TP 350 bits that you are chasing?

Thanks. I'm sure I'll be over that way before too long.
I'm hoping to get the Northern and TPE stuff sorted before an influx of new and second hand traction appears, then I can start on those

 

[Techniquest]

The multi day adventure sounds like it'll be a good one, certainly the read promises to be enjoyable!

 

[55013]

I hope so
I'm heading down to London on Wednesday and returning on Saturday.
I have a hotel booked in Maidstone, so a Kent Rover looks to be the order of the day, but who knows what I'll end up doing, I certainly don't.

 

[55013]

What will probably turn out to be my only multi-day move of the year has finished.
Did I achieve my aim of reaching 200 winners for the year?
Read on to find out.
As recently as last week, I wasn’t completely sure what I was going to do.
A few months ago, after my last Kent trip, Mr Backontrack had asked me if I’d done the South curve at Minster. I looked it up and found that I was supposed to have done it on a Pathfinder tour back in 1989 but multiple farces had seen it missed.
By sheer co-incidence at the time of that discussion I had recently purchased a new rail atlas and was in the process of colouring in all the lines I’d done.
I was filling in the page in question and my thoughts drifted to the missed opportunity when I came back to earth with a bump.
Whilst my mind had wandered I’d accidently filled in the curve in question!
Has a greater misfortune befallen a man?
Well, yeah. Probably.
Nevertheless, it irked me and it was then that I decided to do a Kent Rover in June.
I booked three nights at the Maidstone Central Travelodge and as soon as they became available I purchased some train tickets.
Then I noticed that the line between Folkstone and Dover had been washed away.
This caused me a problem.
With the resulting cancellations and the lack of a through route along the South Eastern part of the county my plans were in disarray.
Being a tight Yorkshireman I had gone for the cheapest hotel room, which was non-refundable, so cancelling that wasn’t an option.
I looked at the cost of traveling to London every day, I also thought about doing Southern Daysaves but hadn’t time to learn the latest set of secret codes.
These and other options were considered, but when I set off from home I still hadn’t fully decided.

I started on Wednesday in poor fashion. I had decided to go a bit later in the day due to the length of the trip and so had booked on the 08.30 off Wakefield.
This, it turns out, is the train from Harrogate – a HST rather than a 91.
To add to my woes it was wedged and I actually had to sit next to someone!
43296 & 43307 were the power cars in question, depriving me of valuable 91 mileage.

Once in London, still with no plan, I headed to St Pancras to see what was occurring.
My first winner of the move was 377207 which was trailing dud sister 377523.
Between St Pancras and East Croydon and I scored a new class for sight when 700109 was spotted at Elephant & Castle, heading North.
As usual when I visit Croydon, I decided a spin on the trams was in order and so mooched outside to see what requirements were in evidence.
First up was 2563 and this was taken to my first new shack, Blackhorse Lane.
I decided to hang around the tram network for a while and bump up my scores both of units and shacks.
2561 was next, to George Street, followed by 2531 round to Wellesley Road.
After that a few more runs in a similar vein were done, viz:

2532 Wellesley Road – Harrington Road

Croydon Tram 2532_2016.06.08_Harrington Road_& 2542 by Phil Wood, on Flickr

2531 Harrington Road – Church Street
2554 Church Street – Morden Road
2558 Morden Road – Reeves Corner
2546 Reeves Corner - East Croydon
2556 East Croydon - West Croydon
2537 West Croydon - East Croydon
2540 East Croydon – Belgrave Walk
I then bade farewell to the Tramlink with dud 2535 from Belgrave Walk to East Croydon.

As usual, there was no plan, it was just a case of jumping on the first winner to arrive.
This turned out to be 377474, which was with 377428 and taken to Victoria.
I was heading to Maidstone East and had an advanced purchase ticket for the 19.22 off Victoria, so decided to go to that area of London so as to avoid a mad dash later on.
There was still a bit of time, however, so I did a round trip to East Croydon, doing winning pair 377103 and 377118 out for dud 377130, with winning sisters 377142 and 377419, back.
I decided then to have a run out to a new shack, Bromley South, because time was running out and I figured if the return was late I could just wait for the Maidstone unit there.
This contingency didn’t prove necessary and 465901, leading 465912, took me there before dud 375609 brought me back.
This was the first time I had 375609 on this move, but it wasn’t the last.

Already unrequired, this was to be the first of three runs I had with 375609:
EMU 375609_2016.06.08_1_Bromley South by Phil Wood, on Flickr

The 19.22 service to Canterbury West was formed of a single unit, 465932.
I took this for a smidgen over an hour before bailing at Maidstone East.
After that it was find somewhere to purchase supplies, locate my hotel, phone Mrs 13 and then have my tea before an early night.
I had made the decision en-route that I would, after all, do a Kent Rover as I had found a Dover to Ramsgate service in the afternoon that did that damn curve and so I could make my atlas correct once more
So, the first day was over, with 17 new haulages and 9 shacks in the bag.
What would day two bring?

 

[Kite159]

Sounded like a good first day

 

[55013]

It was most enjoyable, thanks.
The only downside was getting caught in the worst thunderstorm I have ever experienced, whilst I was at Belgrave Walk.
It absolutely chucked it down, it was like somebody tipping a bottomless bucket of water over my head!

 

[FQ]

Shame that you didn't know about the sea wall. Very jammy with 43296 - it's one of my last 2 VTEC ones to get. I'm certainly looking forward to the rest!

 

[55013]

Thanks.
Of course, I would have preferred a 91, but that's what you get when you don't do the proper research.
Part 2 is coming along nicely

 

[ash39]

Enjoyable reading as always!

I can relate to your Class 91 annoyance. I got done in a similar fashion last Tuesday. Booked on 2 91's and ended up with 2x HST's (technically 1x as it was the same set both ways!)

Looking forward to following the rest, I'm not very familiar with the south east area.

 

[55013]

Cheers, I had more 91 misfortune on the way back, but I'll get to that in due course.
In the meantime, here's day 2:

My second day was Thursday and, unusually, I had something approaching a plan – to be on the 15.55 Dover Priory to Ramsgate via Minster.
After devouring an all you can eat breakfast at the hotel I made my way up to my second new station in the town, Maidstone West, where I purchased my rover and boarded the first possible service, the 09.33 to Strood.

I took 466036 throughout, with Strood, like Maidstone West, being new.
From there I took my first Javelin of the week, 395004 to Sittingbourne as I had decided to get one of my two required stations on the Sheerness branch.
466005 was done to the salubrious surrounds of Queenborough.

Just Kemsley left to get now:
EMU 466005_2016.06.09_2_Queenborough by Phil Wood, on Flickr

A short time later the same unit was taken back to Sittingbourne and I observed that the other unit on the shuttles was also required.
Rather than have a third run on 466005 in order to meet it coming back, I came up with a cunning plan and took 395025 to Margate for 375829 back.
This deposited me a few minutes before 466022 was due to leave and this was done for a round trip.
Leaving Sittingbourne behind I headed East on double winners 375626 and 375603.
It was still a bit early for my intended train off Priory so I came up with a move to rope in the only station that I still required between Margate and Dover.
Three car unit 375301, only my second of that batch, was done from Ramsgate to Dover and then back as far as Deal where I picked up 375310, which I took to Martin Mill.

Deal or no Deal? Er, yeah, it's Deal:
EMU 375310_2016.06.09_2_Deal by Phil Wood, on Flickr

Here I met the 15.55 from Dover, which was in the capable hands of 375612.
I was very pleased when we hung a left at Minster South Junction.
At last my angst was over
The short curve in the book, I could now give some thought to the rest of the move.
I thought about bailing at Minster but decided to leave that for another day as it would involve a fairly lengthy fester, so I stayed on to Ramsgate.
I decided to head back to my hotel as I was a bit cream crackered in the heat and it’s a fair way from Ramsgate.
375815 was my chariot as far as Whitstable where I bailed as I was in need of some supplies and knew there was a mini-mart just outside the station.
Unfortunately, they didn’t really have anything I fancied so I continued on my way aboard dud 395008.
I left this at Strood and boarded my last winner of the day, 466017 for the eleven and a bit mile run to Maidstone West.

465024 on the rear of an ECS at Strood, included because I like the picture
EMU 465024_2016.06.09_2_Strood by Phil Wood, on Flickr

Then it was repeat of the previous evening, with a visit to Maidstone’s Tesco Express to get my evening grub, followed by the phone call to the wife and a bit of reading before turning in.
Day 2 had given me thirteen new units and five new stations, not to mention that pesky bit of line between Minster South Junction and Minster West Junction.
It was easier than messing up my atlas

 

[FQ]

I would have personally preferred an HST (by far).

Well done on getting that curve! I've also done a few errors in my track atlas the main one being from Gunnislake to the mainline when I only wanted to take my highlighter to Calstock (yep, Calstock is a dud shack).

I also like the 465024 piccy.

 

[55013]

I would have personally preferred an HST (by far).

I know. Unfortunately, for me old habits die hard and I still can't bring myself to like HSTs, although my view of them has mellowed quite considerably since the early 80s

Well done on getting that curve! I've also done a few errors in my track atlas the main one being from Gunnislake to the mainline when I only wanted to take my highlighter to Calstock (yep, Calstock is a dud shack).

I also like the 465024 piccy.

Cheers.

I hate having errors in my records.
It was either a Kent Rover or buy a new atlas

 

[noddy1878]

Good couple of days there. I would have preferred 91 haulage as well. It's not that I dislike HSTs but its pretty much all I get when I do long trips to and away from home.

 

[Kite159]

Sounded like a nice day, and sounded like you've already visited Swale international

 

[55013]

Sounded like a nice day, and sounded like you've already visited Swale international

Oh yeah, last October.
I liked it, nice and quiet, there was only me there

 

[Keith Jarrett]

Mr 13, good to see you sampling Tramplink even if all the locals decided that you deserved a wash (there again, the average Tramplink passenger has probably had the word wash surgically removed from their vocabulary).

And day one of the Kent Rover sounds like you got off to a good start - but desperate measures just to avoid buying a new track atlas. Now looking forward to reading about your antics on subsequent days

 

[55013]

Thanks.
I really like Tramlink, just 12 trams and 16 stops to get now.
I've a feeling I'll be back before the year's out.
Desperate measures indeed, but I was always going to be doing a four day move the second week in June and that was as good a reason as any to select the area to attack

 

[Techniquest]

Another excellent read there good sir, whoops for you booking onto an HST when you wanted a 91. I share your pain, getting landed with a 180 on a timetable change day when the week before it had still been HST. Especially back in the day when HSTs were really all I seemed to chase, and I had well over 3 hours on a 180 much to my disgust. Doing all-nighter moves to get to London for a Grand Central HST and being bowled by a 180 was not fun either!

I know too the irritance an error in the Baker can be, I still have some from going into Auto Pilot and not realising what I was highlighting. Meldon Quarry to Okehampton is still showing as done despite it not being covered!

 

[55013]

Thanks, it's little things like that that bug me the most.

Anyway, here's day three:

Like most such tickets, the downside of the Kent Rover is that you can’t use it before 09.30 on a weekday.
I like to be up and out early and on Friday was down for breakfast when the restaurant opened at 07.00, this left me with a quandary.
What do I do to kill the time?
I know, I’ll have a train trip
I made my way to Maidstone East and purchased a single that would take me on a journey that would end just before the rover’s validity kicked in.
Surely this would get me a bonus couple of winners.
Nope.
It was 375609, not for the last time, that arrived and having no choice I boarded and took it all the way to Ashford International
The next leg of my trip turned up with 395008, I groaned but then perked up when I realised it was a pair and 395011 was on the rear.
I got on this and stayed aboard to Canterbury West.
Interestingly, I scored this station fifteen years to the week after getting Canterbury East.
Also of note is the signal box, which spans the line to the East of the platforms.
Shortly after I reached there my rover became valid and I was off to another interesting shack, Wye

Why Wye?
Wye knot

It was winner from yesterday 375603 that did the deed.

About to leave one photogenic station and head to another:
EMU 375603_2016.06.10_1_Canterbury West_& 375825 by Phil Wood, on Flickr

I found Wye to be a good place for some photography, with a somewhat shabby signal box and a level crossing still controlled by a bloke who comes out and pulls the gates backwards and forwards every time a train is on its way.
This is slightly incongruous when you see a Javelin hurtling past!
I got shots of another pair, 395005 and 395028 as well one of a single 395 that was moving so fast I was unable to identify it.

I don't know the number, but, again, I like the shot:
EMU 3950xx_2016.06.10_Wye by Phil Wood, on Flickr

Happily, it was a winner, 375804, on a Canterbury West terminator, that took me away from Wye.
I did this through to its destination and then finally got Minster in the book, courtesy of 375822 and 375811.
On my way to Minster I had spotted a shop just outside another station on the line and, needing to top up my fluid supplies, I headed to Sturry on 375611, popped across a ludicrously busy road, helped increase Pepsi’s profits, dodged the traffic again and was on the Eastbound platform in plenty of time for 375907 which I took to Ramsgate.

375611 leaves Sturry:
EMU 375611_2016.06.10_Sturry by Phil Wood, on Flickr

I fancied a bit more three coach 375 action and was pleased to see both of yesterday’s winners, 375301 and 375310 safely ensconced in the depot, meaning, that as I’d only had 375305 previously, I should definitely get one winner.
This proved to be the case as it was 375302 that was on the Dover service.
I took this down and then back as far as Deal.
I had a plan and for once it didn’t involve trains.
I was fed up of searching the empty shelves of the Tesco in Maidstone of an evening and so decided to hit Deal Sainsbury’s, just outside the station.
I had twenty minutes before the next 375 was due.
I went in, made my choices, paid and was back on the platform seven minutes after getting off 375302.
I’m proud of that
I was rewarded with another new unit, 375309, which I took to Dover and then back to Ramsgate.

Above all others, there was a station that I wanted to visit and that was where I headed now.
I caught 395012 to Canterbury West and then boarded the following service, worked by double duds 375826 and 375701, with nice winner 375307 tagged on the rear, which was obviously were I sat.
I stayed on these until Paddock Wood.

Now, anybody who was a young lad/teenager in the 1970s/early 80s my well remember smutty reggae artist Judge Dread.
His music was jokey and slightly rude, meaning much of it was banned from the radio, although to modern ears many of the songs sound no more offensive than much of what gets played these days, they were pretty much the aural equivalent of the Carry On films.

Anyway, as someone from that era I spent many an hour listening to some of his stuff (with the volume turned down so my parents couldn’t hear the filth I was into), much of it sounds very dull to me now, but my favourite track then still raises a smile and that song is “The Belle of Snodland Town”.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u52tdYmjHjo

I asked her where she came from:
EMU 466032_2016.06.10_Snodland by Phil Wood, on Flickr

For all those people who are now itching to know what Judge Dread is doing these days, he sadly died in 1998, on stage in Canterbury.
Interestingly, he was one of the biggest selling reggae artists in Britain in the 70s, second only to Bob Marley.

Anyway, I just had to get Snodland in the book and this was done from Paddock Wood on 466032.

I had chosen this service in particular as I’d spotted that a fifteen minute was all that was required for a 395 back to Maidstone.

This turned out to be dud 395023.
Once back at Maidstone West I decided to call it a day and returned to the hotel.

Today’s winners: eleven units and seven stations.

 

[Cletus]

Good to see one of the trip reporting fraternity in my area!

It's certainly a pain without trains between Dover Priory and Folkestone, having to drive to Folkestone to avoid the RRB. Still, getting cheaper tickets as a result.

 

[47403]

Cracking read Mr 13 that 465 looks broken, you did it didn't you

As one of the 80's folk who hated zings, after all their inception, killed almost all loco hauled moves, now everything has a shark nose, with a cab at each end. Voyagers, Meridians, Javelins, Eurostars. So the HST was just a very succesful model to replace everything we liked. Even so, like yourself I too, have mellowed and I now have a grudging but respectul attitude towards them. You asked me in the late 8o's, I wouldn't have dared to breath such words but seriously I'd rather have an HST than a blunt. Each to their own though.

 

[jayalongtheway]

Nice one Phil, I always enjoy reading your reports. Don't think you are extreme in the slightest going to Kent because you messed up your Baker. I have nothing at all recorded since I started spotting in 1983 because my OCPD means I find fault in every set of records I've ever created so they all end up in the bin! So you've got off lightly Look forward to the rest.

 

[Techniquest]

Another excellent day there, it must be said. Judge Dredd doesn't sound like my cup of tea to be honest, but your Javelin bashing has stirred up the need to get my fix of 395s in again. It's been too long since I last went on one. Maybe next year when I inevitably do a Kent Rover for peak-time 375 bashing out of Sevenoaks again...

 

[FQ]

Sounds like another great day! You certainly did well in the Sainsbury's! It usually takes me ages just to get a meal deal!

 

[55013]

Thanks chaps, glad you're enjoying it.
Here's the fourth and final part.

Saturday was a bit of a double edged sword.
On the one hand my ticket had no time restrictions, but on the other the hotel restaurant doesn’t open until 08.00.
I toyed with the idea of going out, doing a round trip somewhere and then returning for breakfast, but in the end I couldn’t be bothered with the faff.
So after my morning shower and the packing of my bag I just read for a bit instead.
Keen readers will have noticed that there was one local station that I required and that was the first thing on the agenda for today.
Following my breakfast, I checked out and walked to Maidstone West where I boarded 466033 for the 36 chain run to Maidstone Barracks.
My idea now was to wait fifteen minutes, then do a Tonbridge service throughout before coming back to pick up 466033 again – 36 chains was not a satisfactory distance and I wanted more.
That idea was binned when the train turned up worked by dud for the week 466036.
I needed one coach of this, 78347, so that’s where I sat, but only as far as Paddock Wood.
I still wanted some miles off 466033, but that was on the Maidstone West to Strood hourly service and I guessed it would stick to that all day, so I figured there was no rush.
I decided to head to another new shack and took 375904 and 375908 to Headcorn.
These units became my 199th and 200th winners for the year

Winner 200:
EMU 375908_2016.06.11_1_Headcorn_& 375904 by Phil Wood, on Flickr

I had a five minute wait before 375711, trailing dud 375619, arrived to take me back to Paddock Wood.
I planned now to view the second unit on the Tonbridge to Strood services and do that for my sub half mile 466.
I was bowled as it was already cleared 466022 and so I decided to do more 375s.
375927 and 375828 were seven minutes late, making the plus five at Headcorn a bit unlikely, so I bailed at Staplehurst instead.
The next train had required 375819 as the front unit and, oh no, not again, 375609 on the rear.

I did these to Tonbridge, which was a hive of activity with, amonst other things, 73962 & 73965 top and tailing a test train.

73962_2016.06.11_1_Tonbridge by Phil Wood, on Flickr

Knowing that the two Strood units were dud meant I had to think about how to get 466033 without missing possible winners.
I decided on going a bit of a long way round and did double winners 375823 and 375604 to Ashford International.
Another winner, 375712, working with score from earlier in the move 375310, took me to Maidstone East.
This service arrived there four minutes after the hourly Strood shuttle left the West station, so I had just under an hour to get across town.
I paid one last visit to the Tesco for some pop as it was very hot and my supplies were dwindling, then I spent an enjoyable half an hour sat on the banks of the river, soaking up the sun, before I walked on to Maidstone West and my appointment with 466033.
Happily, it produced as hoped and I sat in coach 78344 through to Strood.

Yippee, 466033 arrives at Maidstone West:
EMU 466033_2016.06.11_3_Maidstone West by Phil Wood, on Flickr

I was booked on the 19.04 from Kings Cross and had decided the best way to get maximum use from the rover was to utilise HS1, so I decided to stay in the Strood area until my planned 395 to St Pancras.
My next haulage was 395029 and I took this to Sittingbourne.
Having just had the last of the Javelins it was now the first as 395001 took me back to Strood.
Whilst passing Gillingham I noticed a pair of required 465s, with a 466 on the back, waiting to follow us and so I decided to do these from Strood to Gravesend.
The train was formed of winners 465015 and 465242 with dud 466025 being the other unit.
The line to Gravesend passes Hoo Junction and I was so astonished to see 08888 there that I had to text 45135.
08888 was the gronk that we had gone to Bescot to see back in February.
It certainly gets around.
My trip was now coming to end but I had one last thing to do.
I knew that some work had been done on Rochester station, which was dud, but was surprised to see that the whole thing had moved location.
It’s literally a new station.
I figured that I couldn’t legitimately say I’d done Rochester when the station I had visited was now a derelict mess well to the East of the current one and so it was 465151 and 465173 from Gravesend to the station that I have listed as Rochester (New), so as not to confuse it with Rochester (Old)

EMU 465151_2016.06.11_1_Gravesend by Phil Wood, on Flickr

I hung around there for a bit before picking up the same pair of 465s and taking them back to Gravesend.
My rover was now over with.
Sadly it was a dud Javelin, 395016 that whisked me back to the smoke and I had three quarters of an hour before my 91 home.
Oh no.
It was another HST!
43313 and 43311 were the offending power cars.

Bah:
HST 43313_2016.06.11_Kings Cross by Phil Wood, on Flickr

As my journey home coincided with England’s first match of some football tournament I hoped, as has been the case in the past, that the train would be empty, but it wasn’t.
A trouble free journey followed, the highlight of which was seeing 60017 on a railtour at Peterborough and the lowlight being spotting a GBRF 66 that was either 66759 or 66753 also at Peterborough.
I saw it, looked it up, saw I needed it, went to write it down and then questioned which of the two it had been.
I need them both, I think it was 66759 but can’t put it down as I’m not sure.
Bugger.
Anyway, that was my four day adventure over with.
Next up, hopefully, is something more local and a lot more sedate than HS1.

 

[Kite159]

Sounded like a good end to your Kent adventure

 

[55013]

It was indeed.
Fifty-seven winning haulages and twenty-seven new shacks.
Not too shabby

 

[FQ]

Sounds like a great day! I personally wouldn't have chased 465033 but well done on tracking it down again!

As for the 66 at the end, neither 66753 or 759 were in the area (753 at Eastleigh, 759 at Hexthorpe) but 751 was at Peterborough so maybe it was that.