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Andy's Wanderings
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andyb2706
Member
The one thing I did notice about the 387/2's when I peered in the windows is the apparent lack of luggage space....hmmm, people going to and fro from Gatwick airport, I wonder what they will have with them?
Tuesday 12th January 2016
Well today’s log should be a rather short one because the trip was inspired by Techniquest and his visit to the NET last week. So this mornings start was a more leisurely one which meant I was able to have breakfast at home and to put some lunch up as well. At just turned 8.30 I leave home to head to the tram stop, after a 20 minute walk I arrive at Brooklands where I have just enough time to buy my ticket as 3007 arrives to take me as far as Deangate-Castlefield. Due to the single line working through St.Peters Square every other team on the Altrincham line is terminating at Deangate-Castlefield.
At Deangate-Castlefield I leave the tram and cross to the opposite side of the island platform for a few minutes wait for a dud 3009 to Manchester Piccadilly.
I don’t have long to wait at Piccadilly for my East Midlands Train to Nottingham in the guise of 158812 and 158889, not requiring 158812 for haulage I jump on 158889 for my first newbie of the day and settle into the seat for the journey to Nottingham. I may have said this in the past but BR built two outstanding trains that have stood the test of time, firstly the iconic HST and secondly the class 158 which has definitely still as modern today as when it was introduced in the early 150’s in my opinion. Actually I would prefer 150’s being on the Cross Country route rather than those dreadful Voyagers.
An uneventful journey brings me into Nottingham and a walk up to the NET. Now, I thought I had already had Nottingham train station tram stop in the bag but once getting upstairs I realised that they had moved it on the opening of the new section. So without getting on a tram I had scored my first of many NET shacks. Now I’m not going to bore you with a step by step of every tram I go t on or tram stop I stepped on but a full list will be at the end of this report. Nevertheless a few interesting events either occurred or not in the day, namely two. Firstly the now infamous 236 from Techniquest never showed it’s face and secondly I am sure I witnessed a drugs drop on one of the tram! I got on the tram and sat behind this guy and the wreak of weed was strong so we carried on on our journey but we both got off at the same stop but at different doors, the door he got off at he met some one he knew and gave him the fist pump thing and said something to him and his mate got on the tram and sat in exactly the same seat he had got out of from a near empty tram and leaned between the seats to retrieve something, can’t believe I witnessed that.
Anyhow fast forward to the end of the day and back at Nottingham station for my train home and it is delayed before reaching Grantham according to RTT and then it is cancelled, great another hour to wait, and then it is reinstated on a different platform and what a great result. A near empty 158 as the other passengers are stuck on the original train and a good unit for me in 158864.
Back at Piccadilly a dud 3033 (where is 3036!!) took me home.
Through the day I had 21 new units, 19 of them being NET trams and 31 new shacks with all tram stops south of the Royal Centre stop completed, just now need to go back to get the remaining 14 trams and the original stops to Hucknall and Phoenix Park.
NEW SHACKS
Beeston Centre, Bramcote Lane, Cater Lane, Clifton Central, Clifton South, Comptonacres, Eskdale Drive, Gregory Street, High Road, Holy Trinity, Inham Road, Lace Lane, Meadows Embankment, Meadows Way West, Middle Street, Nottingham Train Station, Nottingham Trent University, NG2, Queens Medical Centre, Old Market Square, Queens Walk, University Boulevard, Rivergreen, Royal Centre, Ruddington Lane, Southchurch Drive North, Summerwood Lane, Toton Lane, University of Nottingham, Wilfred Lane, Wilfred Village
NEW UNITS
158889, 158864, 202, 204, 211, 213, 215, 216, 221, 222, 224, 225, 226, 227, 228, 229, 230, 231, 232, 234, 237
Last edited:
Kite159
Veteran Member
Nice to see the SWT 'loaner' out and about 
Sounded like a good day on the trams in Nottingham
Sounded like a good day on the trams in Nottingham
andyb2706
Member
Nice to see the SWT 'loaner' out and about
Sounded like a good day on the trams in Nottingham
It was thanks Kite,
I need to do a day on the trains in Nottingham, plenty of slavering went on at times when I was stood on Nottingham station waiting for my train home. 156's, 158's and 153's galore that I need for haulage and don't even get me started on the 222's and 43's. I seem to neglect this part of the world.
Although I had had haulage on the unit when it was 158808, now it has been re-numbered it was another new one for me
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Glad I could make 236 infamous!
A rather decent day for you there, certainly your books will have been filled well. I still need 5 156s with EMT and too many 222s so we're in a similar boat there!
As always an excellent read
A rather decent day for you there, certainly your books will have been filled well. I still need 5 156s with EMT and too many 222s so we're in a similar boat there!
As always an excellent read
jayalongtheway
Member
- Joined
- 31 Oct 2015
- Messages
- 241
Good day in Nottingham Andy Yes the 158's of EMT are nice units, sample them regularly home from work as the 1754 Nottingham from Stockport has the decency to stop at Chinley. Very handy!
Yes the 158's of EMT are nice units, sample them regularly home from work as the 1754 Nottingham from Stockport has the decency to stop at Chinley. Very handy!
47403
Established Member
Two good reads there, shame about the lack of winners on the 1st trip but the trip to Nottingham certainly made up for it, the moves on the NET seemed more than fruitful on the winners list.
Kristofferson
Member
- Joined
- 23 Nov 2012
- Messages
- 1,132
Kids these days eh! Interesting read for sure...
Not sure I agree about the 158s... They're ok until you see the vestibule/toilet/luggage area, which is definitely not modern! I see them as the Voyager's dad..!
Not sure I agree about the 158s... They're ok until you see the vestibule/toilet/luggage area, which is definitely not modern! I see them as the Voyager's dad..!
Kite159
Veteran Member
Agreed with the toilets, those hand dryers are rubbish.
andyb2706
Member
Have you tried the hand driers on the Pendelinos recently!?
I tried one the other week and it nearly blew me across the cubicle. I think some one has tweaked the power settings on them.
I tried one the other week and it nearly blew me across the cubicle. I think some one has tweaked the power settings on them.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
About time too! Though the ones on 175s take some beating for drying...
andyb2706
Member
For about a week I have been planning to go out on a few trips today and tomorrow, as well as Monday were I already have tickets bought for London to do a The Tube and DLR day.....then you can guess my horror last night when I saw the weather forecast for Friday and Saturday of Gales across the whole of UK and then they said at the end of the forecast oh by the way Monday is the same.....really!!???? So what do I do, spend my 5 days off sat at home or do I take the chance? So with my bag packed with a couple of books, music loaded on my phone as well as a movie and a stock of provisions to be bought once I arrive at Piccadilly I am will be ready to be marooned in the middle of nowhere if there are any objects fallen on the line. As to where I am going I am not to sure as of yet, Ive got a few ideas in my mind but it all depends on the weather, today is really going to be a mystery tour.
So on my arrival at Brooklands I dont have long to wait for a pair of dud trams to take me through to Piccadilly on a journey that proceeds without any observations until we arrive at Deangate-Castlefield and an elderly gent moves from a single seat to a seat next to another gentleman were he tries and gets into a conservation with a lady who is stood and she totally blanks him, he then tries with the gent next to him, who was reluctant to begin with as he was reading the Metro and looked at him a bit suspiciously, however it wasnt long before they were having a good natter. As you can see I kind of like people watching, we are an amazing species, my God it is only 8am and Im getting deep!!
At Piccadilly my provisions are bought and my usual train Spotting day breakfast from Greggs I head off to the platforms and find a couple of required units for haulage, an Arriva Trains Wales and a Cross Country train, so what do I start with? I board 221127 Cross Country train for a short hop to Stockport where I only have a couple of minutes wait for the Arriva Trains Wales service for Milford Haven formed of the second good unit I saw at Manchester Piccadilly formed of 175114 to take me to Wilmslow.
On the journey to Wilmslow I have some time to think.....its Friday, 0845 and Im in the Stockport area, could I make it back from Wilmslow in time for the weekly parliamentary train to Stalybridge? After checking with RTT I find out that I can as there is Northern service from Wilmslow back to Stockport that will do me fine, it will be a dud as it will be a 323 unit but at least I would get to do a line I have never done before.
At Wilmslow I have a chance to get a photo of 175114 and while doing so find out that the ATWS train that should have been at 0845 to Stockport was running about 12 minutes late, so seeing I dont need any Northern 323 units I decide to let that one go and wait for the late running ATWS service and I would still be in time for the Parliamentary train. While waiting 150140 and 142053 come through platform 3 as empty stock and wondering what it was I checked RTT and to my surprise it turned out to be the empty stock move for the Parliamentary train from Stockport!! At least I know the service is running. The late running ATWS arrives and it is a dud 175107, it was worth the wait as I had more chance of needing this train to Stockport rather than the previous Northern service and you cant win them all and to say the first two were good ones I cant complain.
At Stockport I dont have long to wait or have to change platforms for the aforementioned 142053 and 150140 to arrive to form the weekly service to Stalybridge, the guard locks out the 150 so we all have to board the 142, which for me isnt an issue as both units are duds. We leave a few minutes late and for once I just stare outside taking in a bit of track around Manchester I have never done before. I also realise I am going to have to do this line at least once more to get both Denton and Reddish South as shacks, although these can wait until the summer when it is not windy and wet hopefully. As we progress and call at Guide Bridge station it dawns on me that I think this is the only service in the week to call at Guide Bridge and Stalybridge , which is a poor show if you want to get to Yorkshire from Guide Bridge.
At Stalybridge we are put into platform 2 and with no trains for another 9 minutes as the 0946 to Wigan is running late I have time to nip to the facilities before I have to make a decision of my next move. Already in the station in platform 5 is dud 150205 for the 1008 to Manchester Victoria so that one is out, while I am waiting I decide on head to Yorkshire on the 0954 to Hull, what a good choice! Both the late running Wigan service formed of a dud 142 and the Hull service arrive at the same time and the Hull service is formed of a dud 185125 and required 185119 Im now down to needing only four Class 185 units.
This is how much of a mystery tour it is, Im poised at Huddersfield to bail out of the train if there is a required unit in the station however all there is is a dud 144 and dud 156 unit and it is absolutely pouring it down......onto Leeds it is then.
At Leeds I dont have long to wait for my next train because as we are arriving I note 144002 and 158850 both in and needed for haulage no both are operating to Sheffield, think I will go for the 158 as it is a quicker service, or so I thought....we arrived at Barnsley early and were supposed to depart at 1114 but we dont move until 1120 and the guard comes over to explain....the winds have struck, we are proceeding at caution to locate and remove a trampoline having been blown onto the railway!! That is a new one to me.
At Sheffield I start hunting for my next ride, Im tempted by a couple of late running Cross Country train ( a HST and a Voyager) but I have an urge to deal with the last legs or 4 knocks(sorry a Doctor Who reference there, bit of a fan) units of Northern and 144002 arrives which is one that is needed and is working the 1214 to Leeds, however they stick 153351 which is also a good one so a run out to my first new shack of the day in the form of Swinton and then transfer to 144002 for a run to Fitzwilliam which will have me the least amount of time stood on a platform and is another new shack. This run has also resulted in a new section of track which is the section between Swinton Junction and South Kirkby Junction.
At Fitzwilliam I have a 15 minute wait for the next train which was a nice amount of time to try and plan my next few moves, although they are always subject to change, oh and by the way I now have sunshine . The 1314 to Sheffield arrives and is formed of a pair of 144s a dud 144001 but a required 144005. Im now down to needing 5 144s to clear the fleet and the clock is ticking. I think with Northern having placed their order for new trains has focused my mind on getting these units now.
At Swinton I bail and wait for the next train to Sheffield, hoping that it is another newbie and with the chance of maybe picking something up going in the other direction. Unfortunately out of the other two trains going in the opposite direction and the Sheffield train I was waiting for they were all duds.
Back at Sheffield I find a 142 that I require, 142070 but it is working the slow service to Manchester Piccadilly, there is no way I am heading back yet so reluctantly let it go but as it is departing a needed 158904 pulls in working the fast service to Leeds so I jump aboard but I cant decide where to bail, Meadowhall or Barnsley. I was thinking of Barnsley for the mileage but there was a 20 minute wait for the next train or Meadowhall which is low mileage but only a few minutes wait.Meadowhall won out and I crossed to platform 3 and had a short wait for newbie 158793 to arrive to take me back to Sheffield.
Its now getting tricky, the units turning up are either duds before today or are now repeating themselves I think it is time to come up with a new strategy. So I head off to the destination boards and spend about 5 minutes trying to figure out what to do next and I notice the 1505 to Nottingham was due shortly so I head to the platform and newbie 158851 arrives....victory!!!! Once aboard I decide I dont want to go all the way to Nottingham as my plan for tomorrow now is an East Midlands Train day so I will only travel as far as Alfreton to score a new shack and will try to get a few more along this section of track.
At Alfreton it is now starting to get cold with menacing clouds forming but Im a long way from being done as Ive now got a good idea what I want to do. I only have to wait for 10 minutes for my train and unfortunately it was dud 158850 that I had copped this morning to head back up north.
I leave the train at Dronfield for another new shack of the day and have just over 10 minutes to wait for my train which will take me to Chesterfield. While waiting for the train I have a look around and have to say Dronfield comes across a quite a nice place. With most of the buildings around made of stone, plenty of greenery and a Friends of station group.....not to mention the real nice looking chippy that is just across the road. After a slight delay in the arrival of the train due to a late running Cross Country a dud 158845 arrives to take me through to Chesterfield.
Another new shack knocked off as I leave the train at Chesterfield still about 5 minutes late but luckily my train to Sheffield is also running about 5 late so I have a leisurely stroll across to the other platform and wait for a good 222012 to take me onwards, why is it there is so much difference of comfort between the horrible Cross Country/Virgin Voyagers and the not so bad, quite comfortable Meridians of East Midlands Trains?
Back at Sheffield I have about an hour to kill before my next planned move, I grab some food and head off to the platform to wait for the 1741 to Scarborough for a trip to Goole and another good unit arrives in the form of 158794 to take me forward. To say it is supposedly the rush hour the train is quite quiet for the journey. Still seats left on our departure.
Travelling in the dark can be very frustrating at times, on leaving Doncaster I noticed two Colas Class 56 outlines but couldnt get their numbers. But anyhow I have now had another but of new track from Marshgate Junc. To Goole.
At Goole I dont have long to wait for my next train as I plan to head off to Leeds on one of the few trains a day that go to Knottingley from Goole via Hensall. I think I might have to re-run this section of the trip from Goole to Leeds during the summer months sue to the power stations along this section and the possibility of seeing some locomotives. The train is already waiting and unfortunately is formed by duds 153304 and 155341.
Not much to report on the journey to Leeds as there wasnt much to see, back at Leeds I just miss a TPE train back to Manchester but am quiet glad because it was standing room only and was running a few minutes late so I only had about 10 minutes to wait for the 2009 to Liverpool and when that rolled in it was a dud 185131 which also was standing room only. TPE really need to get their train order in soon.
Back at Piccadilly I head from platform 14 to the lounge and then straight down on the lift to the Metrolink station instead of going the long way round through the station and thank goodness I did because just as I was entering the station the tram for Altrincham was just arriving with a pair of duds 3054 and 3005 with me getting on the latter.
NEW TRACK SECTIONS
Heaton Norris Junc. To Guide Bridge Station Junc.
Goole to Castleford West Junc.
Marshgate Junc. To Goole
Swinton Junc. To South Kirkby Junc.
NEW SHACKS
Alfreton, Chesterfield, Dronfield, Fitzwilliam, Goole, Swinton
NEW UNITS
144002, 144005, 153351, 158793, 158794, 158904, 158850, 158851, 175114, 185119, 221127, 222012
So on my arrival at Brooklands I dont have long to wait for a pair of dud trams to take me through to Piccadilly on a journey that proceeds without any observations until we arrive at Deangate-Castlefield and an elderly gent moves from a single seat to a seat next to another gentleman were he tries and gets into a conservation with a lady who is stood and she totally blanks him, he then tries with the gent next to him, who was reluctant to begin with as he was reading the Metro and looked at him a bit suspiciously, however it wasnt long before they were having a good natter. As you can see I kind of like people watching, we are an amazing species, my God it is only 8am and Im getting deep!!
At Piccadilly my provisions are bought and my usual train Spotting day breakfast from Greggs I head off to the platforms and find a couple of required units for haulage, an Arriva Trains Wales and a Cross Country train, so what do I start with? I board 221127 Cross Country train for a short hop to Stockport where I only have a couple of minutes wait for the Arriva Trains Wales service for Milford Haven formed of the second good unit I saw at Manchester Piccadilly formed of 175114 to take me to Wilmslow.
On the journey to Wilmslow I have some time to think.....its Friday, 0845 and Im in the Stockport area, could I make it back from Wilmslow in time for the weekly parliamentary train to Stalybridge? After checking with RTT I find out that I can as there is Northern service from Wilmslow back to Stockport that will do me fine, it will be a dud as it will be a 323 unit but at least I would get to do a line I have never done before.
At Wilmslow I have a chance to get a photo of 175114 and while doing so find out that the ATWS train that should have been at 0845 to Stockport was running about 12 minutes late, so seeing I dont need any Northern 323 units I decide to let that one go and wait for the late running ATWS service and I would still be in time for the Parliamentary train. While waiting 150140 and 142053 come through platform 3 as empty stock and wondering what it was I checked RTT and to my surprise it turned out to be the empty stock move for the Parliamentary train from Stockport!! At least I know the service is running. The late running ATWS arrives and it is a dud 175107, it was worth the wait as I had more chance of needing this train to Stockport rather than the previous Northern service and you cant win them all and to say the first two were good ones I cant complain.
At Stockport I dont have long to wait or have to change platforms for the aforementioned 142053 and 150140 to arrive to form the weekly service to Stalybridge, the guard locks out the 150 so we all have to board the 142, which for me isnt an issue as both units are duds. We leave a few minutes late and for once I just stare outside taking in a bit of track around Manchester I have never done before. I also realise I am going to have to do this line at least once more to get both Denton and Reddish South as shacks, although these can wait until the summer when it is not windy and wet hopefully. As we progress and call at Guide Bridge station it dawns on me that I think this is the only service in the week to call at Guide Bridge and Stalybridge , which is a poor show if you want to get to Yorkshire from Guide Bridge.
At Stalybridge we are put into platform 2 and with no trains for another 9 minutes as the 0946 to Wigan is running late I have time to nip to the facilities before I have to make a decision of my next move. Already in the station in platform 5 is dud 150205 for the 1008 to Manchester Victoria so that one is out, while I am waiting I decide on head to Yorkshire on the 0954 to Hull, what a good choice! Both the late running Wigan service formed of a dud 142 and the Hull service arrive at the same time and the Hull service is formed of a dud 185125 and required 185119 Im now down to needing only four Class 185 units.
This is how much of a mystery tour it is, Im poised at Huddersfield to bail out of the train if there is a required unit in the station however all there is is a dud 144 and dud 156 unit and it is absolutely pouring it down......onto Leeds it is then.
At Leeds I dont have long to wait for my next train because as we are arriving I note 144002 and 158850 both in and needed for haulage no both are operating to Sheffield, think I will go for the 158 as it is a quicker service, or so I thought....we arrived at Barnsley early and were supposed to depart at 1114 but we dont move until 1120 and the guard comes over to explain....the winds have struck, we are proceeding at caution to locate and remove a trampoline having been blown onto the railway!! That is a new one to me.
At Sheffield I start hunting for my next ride, Im tempted by a couple of late running Cross Country train ( a HST and a Voyager) but I have an urge to deal with the last legs or 4 knocks(sorry a Doctor Who reference there, bit of a fan) units of Northern and 144002 arrives which is one that is needed and is working the 1214 to Leeds, however they stick 153351 which is also a good one so a run out to my first new shack of the day in the form of Swinton and then transfer to 144002 for a run to Fitzwilliam which will have me the least amount of time stood on a platform and is another new shack. This run has also resulted in a new section of track which is the section between Swinton Junction and South Kirkby Junction.
At Fitzwilliam I have a 15 minute wait for the next train which was a nice amount of time to try and plan my next few moves, although they are always subject to change, oh and by the way I now have sunshine . The 1314 to Sheffield arrives and is formed of a pair of 144s a dud 144001 but a required 144005. Im now down to needing 5 144s to clear the fleet and the clock is ticking. I think with Northern having placed their order for new trains has focused my mind on getting these units now.
At Swinton I bail and wait for the next train to Sheffield, hoping that it is another newbie and with the chance of maybe picking something up going in the other direction. Unfortunately out of the other two trains going in the opposite direction and the Sheffield train I was waiting for they were all duds.
Back at Sheffield I find a 142 that I require, 142070 but it is working the slow service to Manchester Piccadilly, there is no way I am heading back yet so reluctantly let it go but as it is departing a needed 158904 pulls in working the fast service to Leeds so I jump aboard but I cant decide where to bail, Meadowhall or Barnsley. I was thinking of Barnsley for the mileage but there was a 20 minute wait for the next train or Meadowhall which is low mileage but only a few minutes wait.Meadowhall won out and I crossed to platform 3 and had a short wait for newbie 158793 to arrive to take me back to Sheffield.
Its now getting tricky, the units turning up are either duds before today or are now repeating themselves I think it is time to come up with a new strategy. So I head off to the destination boards and spend about 5 minutes trying to figure out what to do next and I notice the 1505 to Nottingham was due shortly so I head to the platform and newbie 158851 arrives....victory!!!! Once aboard I decide I dont want to go all the way to Nottingham as my plan for tomorrow now is an East Midlands Train day so I will only travel as far as Alfreton to score a new shack and will try to get a few more along this section of track.
At Alfreton it is now starting to get cold with menacing clouds forming but Im a long way from being done as Ive now got a good idea what I want to do. I only have to wait for 10 minutes for my train and unfortunately it was dud 158850 that I had copped this morning to head back up north.
I leave the train at Dronfield for another new shack of the day and have just over 10 minutes to wait for my train which will take me to Chesterfield. While waiting for the train I have a look around and have to say Dronfield comes across a quite a nice place. With most of the buildings around made of stone, plenty of greenery and a Friends of station group.....not to mention the real nice looking chippy that is just across the road. After a slight delay in the arrival of the train due to a late running Cross Country a dud 158845 arrives to take me through to Chesterfield.
Another new shack knocked off as I leave the train at Chesterfield still about 5 minutes late but luckily my train to Sheffield is also running about 5 late so I have a leisurely stroll across to the other platform and wait for a good 222012 to take me onwards, why is it there is so much difference of comfort between the horrible Cross Country/Virgin Voyagers and the not so bad, quite comfortable Meridians of East Midlands Trains?
Back at Sheffield I have about an hour to kill before my next planned move, I grab some food and head off to the platform to wait for the 1741 to Scarborough for a trip to Goole and another good unit arrives in the form of 158794 to take me forward. To say it is supposedly the rush hour the train is quite quiet for the journey. Still seats left on our departure.
Travelling in the dark can be very frustrating at times, on leaving Doncaster I noticed two Colas Class 56 outlines but couldnt get their numbers. But anyhow I have now had another but of new track from Marshgate Junc. To Goole.
At Goole I dont have long to wait for my next train as I plan to head off to Leeds on one of the few trains a day that go to Knottingley from Goole via Hensall. I think I might have to re-run this section of the trip from Goole to Leeds during the summer months sue to the power stations along this section and the possibility of seeing some locomotives. The train is already waiting and unfortunately is formed by duds 153304 and 155341.
Not much to report on the journey to Leeds as there wasnt much to see, back at Leeds I just miss a TPE train back to Manchester but am quiet glad because it was standing room only and was running a few minutes late so I only had about 10 minutes to wait for the 2009 to Liverpool and when that rolled in it was a dud 185131 which also was standing room only. TPE really need to get their train order in soon.
Back at Piccadilly I head from platform 14 to the lounge and then straight down on the lift to the Metrolink station instead of going the long way round through the station and thank goodness I did because just as I was entering the station the tram for Altrincham was just arriving with a pair of duds 3054 and 3005 with me getting on the latter.
NEW TRACK SECTIONS
Heaton Norris Junc. To Guide Bridge Station Junc.
Goole to Castleford West Junc.
Marshgate Junc. To Goole
Swinton Junc. To South Kirkby Junc.
NEW SHACKS
Alfreton, Chesterfield, Dronfield, Fitzwilliam, Goole, Swinton
NEW UNITS
144002, 144005, 153351, 158793, 158794, 158904, 158850, 158851, 175114, 185119, 221127, 222012
Kristofferson
Member
- Joined
- 23 Nov 2012
- Messages
- 1,132
Talk about making it up as you go along! Not sure I'd feel comfortable doing that, but fair play go get those 144s!
go get those 144s!
Techniquest
Veteran Member
An excellent read, you had a better day than I did! I see you were less than an hour after me into Leeds, I left on the 1905 Leeds to Nottingham! Shame you'll be in Nottingham after I leave, I'm out of there 1110!
jayalongtheway
Member
- Joined
- 31 Oct 2015
- Messages
- 241
Great read Andy
Enjoy the rest of your time off and look forward to reading about your exploits.
Enjoy the rest of your time off and look forward to reading about your exploits.
Talk about making it up as you go along! Not sure I'd feel comfortable doing that, but fair play
But sometimes making it up as you go can be more rewarding. I keep meaning to do it more but my planning takes over!
A brilliant read! A novel way for a train to be delayed - A trampoline on the line. Lots of winners there too and I'm hoping to get the line from Stockport to Guide Bridge sometime in the future but probably with a railtour because I won't travel on a train with 142s in the formation.
andyb2706
Member
Well day two dawns for me when my alarm goes off at 6am and like any morning my alarm goes off I ask why!? At least this morning is for pleasure and not work, although I’m not sure when that is a good thing or not. That is my thought process for the first 5 minutes after my alarm goes off and then it’s get your backside into gear and into the shower. The lunch I had prepared for today remained in the fridge, didn’t fancy it, will do for tomorrow when I veg out at home and not move off the sofa. Within 40 minutes I was out of the front door and today I drove into Manchester as I wanted a quick getaway tonight and the roads will be quiet and it’s cheaper to park than pay for the tram.
At Piccadilly my usual routine – Greggs then train in that order. Breakfast got I’m heading off to the Nottingham area today to do EMT as I still need a load of units, track haulage and stations around that area. I have two choices here either wait for the 0742 EMT to Nottingham or the 0720 TPE to Cleethorpes and pick up the EMT from Sheffield, depends what is on the TPE service and as I only now need 4 Class 185’s to fleet the entire TPE stock what is the chance of that on a pure fluke........make it 3!!! Can’t believe my luck when 185115 rolls in and on my first train of the day it is one that I need, I just hope this is the sign of things to come.
On arrival at Sheffield I went crazy with the camera taking pictures of near enough everything on rails and as usual it wasn’t long until my plans changed and the EMT service to Nottingham I had planned to pick up (the service from Liverpool I could have picked up from Manchester) went out of the window when I heard an announcement that the 0834 to St. Pancras calls at Nottingham, now at worse it is going to be a Meridian but at the best it could be a HST over a 158 that I could pick up around Manchester....wonder which service won out? As I waited on the platform for the 0834 to St. Pancras to arrive (it shouldn’t have taken a rocket scientist to figure that one out!) I was more pleased when the service arrived to find it to be a HST with a dud 43048 but a required 43060.
Back at Nottingham after only a few weeks although last time was to do the NET but they are out of bounds today as today is EMT day only. On the way here I checked what would be knocking around on my arrival a no there were two that stood out a Skegness and a Worksop services so the Skegness turned out to be a dud 156 while the Worksop service was a required 158785 with added unwanted “artwork” so I boarded the Worksop service but only to new shack of Newstead where I had a ten minute wait for a service Formed of a dud 158889 to my second new shack of the day of Hucknall for a good 156404 to Mansfield, my third shack of the day. Here I grab some early lunch and spend 40 minutes here waiting for the dud 158785 to take me back to Nottingham.
At Nottingham I have a few choices either 1145 to Skegness, which was a dud 156. 1205 to St. Pancras which was a needed Meridian in the form of 220021. 1227 to Lincoln which would be another new route and I wouldn’t have long to wait at Lincoln for onward services and was a good 156413 and finally the 1236 to Matlock which has a pair of good 153 units. I want to stick with the sprinters for now so rule out the 222 and seeing the Skegness was a dud that went by the wayside and with the connections from Lincoln seen to be good I opt for the train to Lincoln Central.
On arriving at Lincoln Central I locate the platform for my onward journey and join the big group of passengers (quite a few with large suitcases) awaiting the 1330 to Peterborough and within a short time it arrived and to the horror of everyone it was a single car 153 (153374 a dud) so with all the suitcases stored it was standing room only on a Saturday early afternoon! You only saw the guard of the train while he carried out station duties while the rest of the time he stayed in the rear cab and to be honest I can’t blame him because a single car 153 is ridiculous. Typically, 156401 and 153308 were both sat at Lincoln Central doing nothing and they were required units.
At Sleaford I’m now beginning to lose the will to live. At the start of the day I needed 75 EMT for haulage and today I have been on 8 different EMT and I am down to 71...4 new units that includes the train I got on at Sleaford to Nottingham a dud 156405. When I get back to Nottingham I will have to re-assess the remaining time I have today. Because today does not seem to be working.
Back at Nottingham I just miss a needed 153 (153383) that pulls out of the station as I am setting foot onto the platform, definitely not my day at the moment. So a look at the destination boards and there are a view trains heading towards Leicester, maybe a change of area might help? I head over to platforms 5 and 6 were two St. Pancras trains are standing with a dud 222012 on the 1605 to St. Pancras and 43050 and 43052 on the 1532 to St. Pancras, which were both required and while waiting to depart 156403, another required unit arrives to form the 1536 stopping service to Sheffield so a quick check of the RTT before I depart on the HST’s I find that both services stop at East Midlands Parkway so a short hop to East Midlands Parkway where I depart the HST and have under 10 minute wait for the 156 to arrive results in 3 new things. 1 – and most importantly a new shack. 2 – okay, just important the impending journey on a new unit for me and 3 – I have never been this close to a power station, never realised there was a big pond under those massive cooling towers. By this time after a crazy long week I am now feeling tired and with a headache I am beginning to think about heading home and do not have the will to work on this report and will complete at a later time. So of course 156403 arrives to take me forward to Leicester.
On arriving at Leicester I only have a 7 minutes to wait for my train to Sheffield and a dud 222008 (still need 20 of these units) but the way I am feeling now I can’t be bothered so I jump on board and settle down but it isn’t long before I want to have another go at a couple of new units so after checking RTT I realise I can get off at Long Eaton (which will be a new shack) and the chance of a new Cross Country train to Derby where I can pick up another, and hopefully new East Midlands Train to Sheffield, so I take a chance.
At Long Eaton I leave the dud 220008 and only have 5 minutes to wait for the Cross Country train from the same platform and luckily a good 170522 arrives to take me forward to Derby, arriving at Derby I realise that next time I do an East Midlands Day I might position myself here with the close proximity of Derby Etches Park.
As I leave the train there is a Cross Country Voyager going to Newcastle that could take me forward to Sheffield but luckily it was a dud, yes I said luckily because it gave me time to nip across to the far platforms to get some pictures of 37608, 73138 and 73136 stood on a Network Rail train. These will appear on my Flickr account shortly (I hope). While waiting at Derby 153383 arrived on a service for Nottingham, this unit is a required unit and has been following me around all day and I am going to have to leave it for another time, there is always one! I then went back to the platform and only had a few minutes to wait for my train to Sheffield and it was a success as a needed 222006 arrives to take me forward and while on the journey I started thinking about the long day ahead of myself on Monday when I do the Oyster Day in London and am even considering to cancel the day and do something quieter and shorter because of how I was feeling…. shattered and banging headache.
At Sheffield I leave the train and have just over 10 minutes until my train back to Manchester so have time to visit the Superdrug to pick up some Anadin and head over to platform 6 for the Cleethorpes to Manchester Airport service and at 1806 (which is early for me on these trips) I am boarding a pair of dud 170’s with me getting on 170308 and by this stage of the day I can’t be bothered to check to rear unit. So I get into my seat take a couple of Anadin and snooze throughout the 55-minute journey.
At Manchester I leave the train and WOW!! I now feel so much better it was amazing what the tablets and snooze has done, I am now starting to feel more upbeat about Monday and am starting to think about looking forward to my trip again.
My overall view of riding on East Midlands Trains is that you have to be patient, you have to look at the bigger picture of new routes and new shacks. If you purely go for unit bashing it is going to be a slow going day because they are not as frequent as other parts of the country and journeys are going to be longer, well that is your opinion on the TOC.
I’ve completed this log at home on Sunday morning and am totally looking forward to tomorrow morning and my tube/DLR and whatever else I can do, I do arrive in London at 0949 and do not depart for home until 2100!!! I am thinking of being more active on Twitter on my trips starting tomorrow, and if you have any suggestions as to what or where to go during my mega trip tomorrow you can follow me during the day on Twitter @Andyb2706.
NEW TRACK
Radford Junc. to Mansfield
Netherfield Junc. to Lincoln Central
Lincoln Central to Sleaford
Sleaford to Allington East Junction
NEW SHACKS
Hucknall, East Midlands Parkway, Lincoln Central, Long Eaton, Mansfield, Newstead, Sleaford
NEW UNITS
43050, 43052, 43060, 156403, 156404, 156413, 158785, 170522, 185115, 222006
At Piccadilly my usual routine – Greggs then train in that order. Breakfast got I’m heading off to the Nottingham area today to do EMT as I still need a load of units, track haulage and stations around that area. I have two choices here either wait for the 0742 EMT to Nottingham or the 0720 TPE to Cleethorpes and pick up the EMT from Sheffield, depends what is on the TPE service and as I only now need 4 Class 185’s to fleet the entire TPE stock what is the chance of that on a pure fluke........make it 3!!! Can’t believe my luck when 185115 rolls in and on my first train of the day it is one that I need, I just hope this is the sign of things to come.
On arrival at Sheffield I went crazy with the camera taking pictures of near enough everything on rails and as usual it wasn’t long until my plans changed and the EMT service to Nottingham I had planned to pick up (the service from Liverpool I could have picked up from Manchester) went out of the window when I heard an announcement that the 0834 to St. Pancras calls at Nottingham, now at worse it is going to be a Meridian but at the best it could be a HST over a 158 that I could pick up around Manchester....wonder which service won out? As I waited on the platform for the 0834 to St. Pancras to arrive (it shouldn’t have taken a rocket scientist to figure that one out!) I was more pleased when the service arrived to find it to be a HST with a dud 43048 but a required 43060.
Back at Nottingham after only a few weeks although last time was to do the NET but they are out of bounds today as today is EMT day only. On the way here I checked what would be knocking around on my arrival a no there were two that stood out a Skegness and a Worksop services so the Skegness turned out to be a dud 156 while the Worksop service was a required 158785 with added unwanted “artwork” so I boarded the Worksop service but only to new shack of Newstead where I had a ten minute wait for a service Formed of a dud 158889 to my second new shack of the day of Hucknall for a good 156404 to Mansfield, my third shack of the day. Here I grab some early lunch and spend 40 minutes here waiting for the dud 158785 to take me back to Nottingham.
At Nottingham I have a few choices either 1145 to Skegness, which was a dud 156. 1205 to St. Pancras which was a needed Meridian in the form of 220021. 1227 to Lincoln which would be another new route and I wouldn’t have long to wait at Lincoln for onward services and was a good 156413 and finally the 1236 to Matlock which has a pair of good 153 units. I want to stick with the sprinters for now so rule out the 222 and seeing the Skegness was a dud that went by the wayside and with the connections from Lincoln seen to be good I opt for the train to Lincoln Central.
On arriving at Lincoln Central I locate the platform for my onward journey and join the big group of passengers (quite a few with large suitcases) awaiting the 1330 to Peterborough and within a short time it arrived and to the horror of everyone it was a single car 153 (153374 a dud) so with all the suitcases stored it was standing room only on a Saturday early afternoon! You only saw the guard of the train while he carried out station duties while the rest of the time he stayed in the rear cab and to be honest I can’t blame him because a single car 153 is ridiculous. Typically, 156401 and 153308 were both sat at Lincoln Central doing nothing and they were required units.
At Sleaford I’m now beginning to lose the will to live. At the start of the day I needed 75 EMT for haulage and today I have been on 8 different EMT and I am down to 71...4 new units that includes the train I got on at Sleaford to Nottingham a dud 156405. When I get back to Nottingham I will have to re-assess the remaining time I have today. Because today does not seem to be working.
Back at Nottingham I just miss a needed 153 (153383) that pulls out of the station as I am setting foot onto the platform, definitely not my day at the moment. So a look at the destination boards and there are a view trains heading towards Leicester, maybe a change of area might help? I head over to platforms 5 and 6 were two St. Pancras trains are standing with a dud 222012 on the 1605 to St. Pancras and 43050 and 43052 on the 1532 to St. Pancras, which were both required and while waiting to depart 156403, another required unit arrives to form the 1536 stopping service to Sheffield so a quick check of the RTT before I depart on the HST’s I find that both services stop at East Midlands Parkway so a short hop to East Midlands Parkway where I depart the HST and have under 10 minute wait for the 156 to arrive results in 3 new things. 1 – and most importantly a new shack. 2 – okay, just important the impending journey on a new unit for me and 3 – I have never been this close to a power station, never realised there was a big pond under those massive cooling towers. By this time after a crazy long week I am now feeling tired and with a headache I am beginning to think about heading home and do not have the will to work on this report and will complete at a later time. So of course 156403 arrives to take me forward to Leicester.
On arriving at Leicester I only have a 7 minutes to wait for my train to Sheffield and a dud 222008 (still need 20 of these units) but the way I am feeling now I can’t be bothered so I jump on board and settle down but it isn’t long before I want to have another go at a couple of new units so after checking RTT I realise I can get off at Long Eaton (which will be a new shack) and the chance of a new Cross Country train to Derby where I can pick up another, and hopefully new East Midlands Train to Sheffield, so I take a chance.
At Long Eaton I leave the dud 220008 and only have 5 minutes to wait for the Cross Country train from the same platform and luckily a good 170522 arrives to take me forward to Derby, arriving at Derby I realise that next time I do an East Midlands Day I might position myself here with the close proximity of Derby Etches Park.
As I leave the train there is a Cross Country Voyager going to Newcastle that could take me forward to Sheffield but luckily it was a dud, yes I said luckily because it gave me time to nip across to the far platforms to get some pictures of 37608, 73138 and 73136 stood on a Network Rail train. These will appear on my Flickr account shortly (I hope). While waiting at Derby 153383 arrived on a service for Nottingham, this unit is a required unit and has been following me around all day and I am going to have to leave it for another time, there is always one! I then went back to the platform and only had a few minutes to wait for my train to Sheffield and it was a success as a needed 222006 arrives to take me forward and while on the journey I started thinking about the long day ahead of myself on Monday when I do the Oyster Day in London and am even considering to cancel the day and do something quieter and shorter because of how I was feeling…. shattered and banging headache.
At Sheffield I leave the train and have just over 10 minutes until my train back to Manchester so have time to visit the Superdrug to pick up some Anadin and head over to platform 6 for the Cleethorpes to Manchester Airport service and at 1806 (which is early for me on these trips) I am boarding a pair of dud 170’s with me getting on 170308 and by this stage of the day I can’t be bothered to check to rear unit. So I get into my seat take a couple of Anadin and snooze throughout the 55-minute journey.
At Manchester I leave the train and WOW!! I now feel so much better it was amazing what the tablets and snooze has done, I am now starting to feel more upbeat about Monday and am starting to think about looking forward to my trip again.
My overall view of riding on East Midlands Trains is that you have to be patient, you have to look at the bigger picture of new routes and new shacks. If you purely go for unit bashing it is going to be a slow going day because they are not as frequent as other parts of the country and journeys are going to be longer, well that is your opinion on the TOC.
I’ve completed this log at home on Sunday morning and am totally looking forward to tomorrow morning and my tube/DLR and whatever else I can do, I do arrive in London at 0949 and do not depart for home until 2100!!! I am thinking of being more active on Twitter on my trips starting tomorrow, and if you have any suggestions as to what or where to go during my mega trip tomorrow you can follow me during the day on Twitter @Andyb2706.
NEW TRACK
Radford Junc. to Mansfield
Netherfield Junc. to Lincoln Central
Lincoln Central to Sleaford
Sleaford to Allington East Junction
NEW SHACKS
Hucknall, East Midlands Parkway, Lincoln Central, Long Eaton, Mansfield, Newstead, Sleaford
NEW UNITS
43050, 43052, 43060, 156403, 156404, 156413, 158785, 170522, 185115, 222006
Last edited:
andyb2706
Member
Think it was down to 7 hectic days and a lack of sleep night before. It happens.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
I know the lack of sleep thing, I didn't sleep well on Friday night into Saturday, so it was a tough day but I made it. Bashing with a thumping head however is proper nasty, been there and done that, very much not fun so I know exactly how you felt charging out of Leicester.
You passed within a few feet of me on Saturday, as I was in the waiting room at Alfreton while you were on the HST!
You passed within a few feet of me on Saturday, as I was in the waiting room at Alfreton while you were on the HST!
Kite159
Veteran Member
Sounded like a couple good days.
Have a good day in London tomorrow
Have a good day in London tomorrow
andyb2706
Member
Well the alarm went off at 6am and I was wondering what the heck I was doing with only just over 4 hours sleep I stagger into the bathroom bleary eyed and freshen up with a shower before picking up my lunch from the fridge and straight out without breakfast for the drive into Manchester. I’m driving in because it is way cheaper than the tram and with not getting back until turned 11pm tonight I just want to jump in the car and get home.
Arriving at Piccadilly with half an hour to spare I head to Sainsbury’s for water and fruit, my attempt at healthy eating, then round to Greggs for the usual bacon roll and coffee (healthy eating didn’t last long.) Before heading to the platform to get on a dud 390151, so with a ticket specifically for this train I don’t have much of an option. The train doesn’t depart for 20 minutes and it is already quite busy as I forgot it was a Monday and business people are heading to London to spend the week there. Also I am expecting a delay when we get down to Watford as there is a reported landslip in the area that won’t be repaired until Monday 8th February causing up to 15 minute delay. By the time the train got to London it was only about 8 minutes late and a lot of the reserved seating hadn’t been taken up.
Now I am at Euston it time for the games to begin and it is off to Euston underground with a loaded Oyster and head off north on the Northern Line, a direction I have never been before so every station is a required shack so for the next 1hr 10min I score train after train and all the shacks up the High Barnet branch all for the costly price of £3.10, where else can you enjoy yourself for that length of time for that cost? Below is a list of the moves I did, you would all soon get bored if I did my usual report with the normal running commentary of the moves so I am just going to list the moves below:
51619 Euston-Mornington Crescent
53590 Mornington Crescent-Camden Town
52665 Camden Town-Kentish Town
53715 Kentish Town-Archway
53679 Archway-Highgate
52563 Highgate-East Finchley
51710 East Finchley-Finchley Central
52707 Finchley Central-Mill Hill East
53539 Mill Hill East-Finchley Central
53506 Finchley Central-West Finchley
53533 West Finchley-Woodside Park
53537 Woodside Park-Totteridge & Whetstone
51625 Totteridge & Whetstone-High Barnet
I have realised I have lied, I’ve not done all the stations because Tufnell Park is shut until March, will need to do that one at some point. So 12 shacks down and 13 newbies I go to do something I have never done before.....go on a London bus!! Okay it is not a Routemaster or even a normal double decker bus but it is a London single decker bus and I am building up to one day going on a Routemaster, with this being my first London bus I have been on I try to record it for prosperity and get a photograph of it arriving, but as I am about to take a picture some guy decides to walk through the bus lay by ruining my shot and causing the bus to slow down quicker than he would have liked. Anyhow the bus journey is from High Barnet to Cockfosters taking about 25 minutes and going all round the houses, and what houses!! There were 3 houses next to each other with 3 brand new Mercedes parked on their drives. Now if this had been in the North I suspect they would be parked on some drive of detached houses with walled gardens, however with this being London they had to deal with semi-detached housing.
On arriving outside of Cockfosters station I try and get a picture of the bus yet again, the driver was about to move off and noticed me with the camera and kindly stopped and I took the picture, I thanked him for his kindness and he moved off. But upon reviewing the photo it was nowhere to be found….failed!! For those interested my ride was on LK62 DHU of Metroline, Fleet No: dem1358 and it was a Enviro 200 E20D.
I head across the road to the station and it finally hits me that once you get outside of the centre of London the investment on the tube stations is nothing like what it is in the centre. There were 2 trains stood in the platforms and I was kindly directed to the first one to depart and boarded it, again seeing as there will only be 2-3 minutes at each stop as I intend to do the same as on the Northern line it would get a bit monotonous to do my usual report on this bit so I will do like before list the moves:
181 Cockfosters-Oakwood
559 Oakwood-Southgate
362 Southgate-Arnos Grove
332 Arnos Grove-Bounds Green
388 Bounds Green-Wood Green
443 Wood Green-Turnpike Lane
437 Turnpike Lane-Manor House
422 Manor House-Finsbury Park
696 Finsbury Park-Arsenal
156 Arsenal-Holloway Road
878 Holloway Road-Caledonian Road
318 Caledonian Road-Russell Square
433 Russell Square-Holborn
380 Holborn-Covent Gardens
431 Covent Gardens-Leicester Square
302 Leicester Square-Piccadilly Circus
349 Piccadilly Circus-Green Park
96663 Green Park-London Waterloo
The plan had been to carry on, have lunch on the go and not stop, however seeing I had been on the go since 10am and it was now 1.30pm my bladder had different ideas so I left the tube and headed onto London Waterloo station for a PNB, I tend to try and avoid the main line termini when in London as it can get a bit confusing and spread out when looking for units so this is the first time I have been at Waterloo for ages and am surprised at the work that has gone on. It looks a lot brighter than I remember, anyhow PNB taken I head back downstairs to continue on with my wanderings and it is back down to The Tube and the following bashing:
96484 London Waterloo-Southwark
96436 Southwark-London Bridge
96262 London Bridge-Bermondsey
96719 Bermondsey-Canada Water
96621 Canada Water-Canary Wharf
At Canary Wharf I leave The Tube and head up above ground as here I intend to clear some of the large number of DLR’s that I need so I head for Canary Wharf DLR station, or so I thought, it turned up I ended up at Herons Quay and went upstairs to the platform and hunted for the Oyster card reader but could not find it while all the time I could hear the recognisable beeping of people using the reader. Beep, beep, beep, beep… where was it coming from! It then dawned on me and I trekked back down the stairs to the lobby area and there they were, so after my beep as I tapped in back up the stairs I went and waited for my train, I have been on a couple of these trains before but still have not sat at the front of one in what would be the driver’s seat. I’ll have to try and rectify that today. I decided to leave Canary Wharf DLR station for another time as it would have been quicker walking it rather than waiting for a train to take me the really short distance to reach it. As before:
109 Herons Quay-West India Quay
136 West India Quay-Limehouse
031 Limehouse-Westferry
027 Westferry-Blackwall
048 Blackwall-Canning Town
137 Canning Town-West Ham
I have to say I love Canning Town station with its multi-level double decked platforms with The Tube station at ground level with two DLR platforms to one side and another two DLR platforms running above it in the same alignment and a bus station next door, a true interchange. At West Ham my original plan was to do some much needed c2c trains but I had a 8 minute wait for the next train while The Tube was every few minutes, c2c lost out and over to The Tube I went and what a good choice, with the impending doom of the D78 stock (can’t see much happening with Vivarail!!) I was able to get some haulage on some of them, I will never complete them but at least I now have a record of being on a few of them.
17026 West Ham-Plaistow
7527 Plaistow-Upton Park
24423 Upton Park-East Ham
24334 East Ham-Barking
At Barking I have an issue with my Oyster Card, after tapping out on the platform I was going to head out of the station for a PNB break but find out there is a set of barriers and I must have tapped out at the wrong place so I head back down to the platform and tap myself back in to head back in towards London and receive an error code and to contact a member of staff. I spoke to a member of staff and they were as useful as a chocolate fire guard, anyhow after a 20-minute conversation with a TfL representative on the phone it became clear that there has to be a set minimum of time between tapping out and back in, although I am still not clear what that time is, so the lesson is when I tap out in the future…. make sure there is a pub nearby and I leave the station…. happy days!! I was now back on track, pardon the pun.
7535 Barking-Bromley By Bow
23418 Bromley By Bow-Bow Road
24401 Bow Road-Mile End
8107 Mile End-Stepney Green
8093 Stepney Green-Whitechapel
8071 Whitechapel-Aldgate East
24458 Aldgate East-Tower Hill
At Tower Hill I need the PNB that I needed back at Barking but I wasn’t missing the chance of doing the stations between the two, so it was on my phone as I exited The Tube and realising I have to be away from The Tube for a set undefined time I Googled the nearest Spoons and found that The Liberty Bounds was about a 5 minute walk, so I used their conveniences and I never like to use a bathroom that should be for patrons only… so I had to force myself to sit down with a pint of Doombar after using the facilities, it is a hard life. After reluctantly drinking the pint I head off for my second stint on the DLR and make my way over to Tower Gateway and start my bash again:
058 Tower Gateway-Shadwell
057 Shadwell-Poplar
084 Poplar-East India
028 East India-Canning Town
052 Canning Town-Royal Victoria
050 Royal Victoria-Royal Albert
043 Royal Albert-Beckton Park
006 Beckton Park-Gallions Reach
030 Gallions Reach-Beckton
At Beckton I leave the station as my time limit for completing my journey was approaching, so I tap out and remember I have to be away for an unsure length of time I have a mooch around and find an ASDA supermarket along with a Brewyer’s Fare and a Premier Inn, which got me thinking so after a quick post on Twitter about wondering on how much it would be to stay a night there with a pub and supermarket within a few minutes’ walk a response came from both Techniquest and Phil White Stalkers of between £35-48, which for London is not bad at all. I will have to remember this for future trips. So after purchasing chocolate for the movie on the train home from ASDA I head back to the DLR to continue my moves:
048 Beckton-Cyprus
044 Cyprus-Prince Regent
056 Prince Regent-Custom House
038 Custom House-Canning Town
Back at Canning Town the day is drawing to a close as it approaches 7-m and with just over 2 hours until my train I say good bye to the DLR and return to The Tube as there is still a few stations I want on the way back to London Euston:
96295 Canning Town-North Greenwich
96283 North Greenwich-London Bridge
52656 London Bridge-Borough
53598 Borough-Elephant & Castle
53547 Elephant & Castle-Kennington
53554 Kennington-Goodge Street
53620 Goodge Street-Warren Street
53619 Warren Street-London Euston
53641 London Euston-Angel
53666 Angel-London Euston
That is now the end of my day on The Tube and DLR and what a great day it has been, this trip has been planned for 3 months to pick up cheap train tickets and it has been worth the wait and I would not mind doing it again at some point. During today I have now completed all the stations on the Northern line between Kennington and High Barnet via both Bank and Charing Cross branches excluding Tufnell park and the Edgware Branch, also the Piccadilly line from Cockfosters to Green Park and finally on the Jubille line from Green Park to Canning Town. As to the DLR all stations between Bank/Tower Gateway and Beckton, Westferry and Herons Quay.
I’m back at London Euston just before 8pm and have an hour to wait for my train so time for some tea and head up to the Prime Burger food place on the new mezzanine level at Euston and have their Stilton Burger and chips in skins…. hmmmmm!! After devouring my tea, I still have half an hour to wait so I check RTT to which platform my train is on (don’t know why I am bothered as I have a reserved seat) and find it is on platform 3, so with a mooch about I log quite a few 350’s, a solitary 378 and 57304 and 90046. Once announced I head to platform 3 to find that Virgin have now brought in use the ticket barriers at the station and to round off a superb day even Virgin have done me the honour of supplying a required 390 for my journey home in the form of 390152, what a great day!! Also the train journey home was an unusual one, no new route for me but it was up to Stoke-on-Trent then routed to Crewe and up through Wilmslow due to Engineering work on the Macclesfield section, only know this because as we turned left at Kidsgrove I saw the back end of an engineering train stood on the line to Macclesfield.
Transport costs have been good too:
Return to London: £42 (2 singles at £21 each way)
25 min bus journey: £1.50
Tube/DLR: £11.00 (Oyster capped for zones 1-5, if I had paid by cash: £40!!)
Total Cost: £52.50
NEW SHACKS
All stations below are Tube stations unless otherwise stated.
Angel, Archway, Arnos Grove, Arsenal, Barking, Beckton (DLR), Beckton Park (DLR), Bermondsey, Blackwall (DLR), Bounds Green, Borough, Caledonian Road, Camden Town, Canada Water, Canary Wharf, Canning Town (DLR), Canning Town, Cockfosters, Covent Garden, Custom House (DLR), Cyprus (DLR), East Finchley, East Ham, East India (DLR), Elephant & Castle, Finchley Central, Finsbury Park, Gallions Reach (DLR), Goodge Street, Green Park, Herons Quay (DLR), Highgate, High Barnet, Holborn, Holloway Road, Kennington, Kentish Town, Limehouse (DLR), London Bridge, Manor House, Mill Hill East, Mornington Crescent, North Greenwich, Piccadilly Circus, Plaistow, Prince regent (DLR), Royal Albert (DLR), Royal Victoria (DLR), Russell Square, Shadwell (DLR), Southgate, Southwark, Totteridge & Whetstone, Tower Gateway (DLR), Turnpike Lane, Upton Park, Warren Street, West Finchley, West Ham (DLR), West Ham, West India Quay (DLR), Westferry (DLR), Wood Green, Woodside Park,
NEW UNITS
DLR: 06, 27, 28, 30, 31, 38, 43, 44, 48, 50, 52, 56, 57, 58, 84, 109, 136, 137.
LU: 156, 181, 302, 318, 332, 349, 362, 380, 388, 422, 431, 433, 437, 443, 559, 696, 878, 5727, 7535, 8701, 8093, 8107, 17026, 23418, 24334, 24401, 24423, 24458, 51619, 51625, 51707, 51710, 52656, 52665, 53506, 53533, 53537, 53539, 53547, 53554, 53563, 53590, 53598, 53619, 53620, 53641, 53666, 53679, 53715, 96262, 96283, 96436, 96484, 96663, 96621, 96719.
MAINLINE: 390152
Arriving at Piccadilly with half an hour to spare I head to Sainsbury’s for water and fruit, my attempt at healthy eating, then round to Greggs for the usual bacon roll and coffee (healthy eating didn’t last long.) Before heading to the platform to get on a dud 390151, so with a ticket specifically for this train I don’t have much of an option. The train doesn’t depart for 20 minutes and it is already quite busy as I forgot it was a Monday and business people are heading to London to spend the week there. Also I am expecting a delay when we get down to Watford as there is a reported landslip in the area that won’t be repaired until Monday 8th February causing up to 15 minute delay. By the time the train got to London it was only about 8 minutes late and a lot of the reserved seating hadn’t been taken up.
Now I am at Euston it time for the games to begin and it is off to Euston underground with a loaded Oyster and head off north on the Northern Line, a direction I have never been before so every station is a required shack so for the next 1hr 10min I score train after train and all the shacks up the High Barnet branch all for the costly price of £3.10, where else can you enjoy yourself for that length of time for that cost? Below is a list of the moves I did, you would all soon get bored if I did my usual report with the normal running commentary of the moves so I am just going to list the moves below:
51619 Euston-Mornington Crescent
53590 Mornington Crescent-Camden Town
52665 Camden Town-Kentish Town
53715 Kentish Town-Archway
53679 Archway-Highgate
52563 Highgate-East Finchley
51710 East Finchley-Finchley Central
52707 Finchley Central-Mill Hill East
53539 Mill Hill East-Finchley Central
53506 Finchley Central-West Finchley
53533 West Finchley-Woodside Park
53537 Woodside Park-Totteridge & Whetstone
51625 Totteridge & Whetstone-High Barnet
I have realised I have lied, I’ve not done all the stations because Tufnell Park is shut until March, will need to do that one at some point. So 12 shacks down and 13 newbies I go to do something I have never done before.....go on a London bus!! Okay it is not a Routemaster or even a normal double decker bus but it is a London single decker bus and I am building up to one day going on a Routemaster, with this being my first London bus I have been on I try to record it for prosperity and get a photograph of it arriving, but as I am about to take a picture some guy decides to walk through the bus lay by ruining my shot and causing the bus to slow down quicker than he would have liked. Anyhow the bus journey is from High Barnet to Cockfosters taking about 25 minutes and going all round the houses, and what houses!! There were 3 houses next to each other with 3 brand new Mercedes parked on their drives. Now if this had been in the North I suspect they would be parked on some drive of detached houses with walled gardens, however with this being London they had to deal with semi-detached housing.
On arriving outside of Cockfosters station I try and get a picture of the bus yet again, the driver was about to move off and noticed me with the camera and kindly stopped and I took the picture, I thanked him for his kindness and he moved off. But upon reviewing the photo it was nowhere to be found….failed!! For those interested my ride was on LK62 DHU of Metroline, Fleet No: dem1358 and it was a Enviro 200 E20D.
I head across the road to the station and it finally hits me that once you get outside of the centre of London the investment on the tube stations is nothing like what it is in the centre. There were 2 trains stood in the platforms and I was kindly directed to the first one to depart and boarded it, again seeing as there will only be 2-3 minutes at each stop as I intend to do the same as on the Northern line it would get a bit monotonous to do my usual report on this bit so I will do like before list the moves:
181 Cockfosters-Oakwood
559 Oakwood-Southgate
362 Southgate-Arnos Grove
332 Arnos Grove-Bounds Green
388 Bounds Green-Wood Green
443 Wood Green-Turnpike Lane
437 Turnpike Lane-Manor House
422 Manor House-Finsbury Park
696 Finsbury Park-Arsenal
156 Arsenal-Holloway Road
878 Holloway Road-Caledonian Road
318 Caledonian Road-Russell Square
433 Russell Square-Holborn
380 Holborn-Covent Gardens
431 Covent Gardens-Leicester Square
302 Leicester Square-Piccadilly Circus
349 Piccadilly Circus-Green Park
96663 Green Park-London Waterloo
The plan had been to carry on, have lunch on the go and not stop, however seeing I had been on the go since 10am and it was now 1.30pm my bladder had different ideas so I left the tube and headed onto London Waterloo station for a PNB, I tend to try and avoid the main line termini when in London as it can get a bit confusing and spread out when looking for units so this is the first time I have been at Waterloo for ages and am surprised at the work that has gone on. It looks a lot brighter than I remember, anyhow PNB taken I head back downstairs to continue on with my wanderings and it is back down to The Tube and the following bashing:
96484 London Waterloo-Southwark
96436 Southwark-London Bridge
96262 London Bridge-Bermondsey
96719 Bermondsey-Canada Water
96621 Canada Water-Canary Wharf
At Canary Wharf I leave The Tube and head up above ground as here I intend to clear some of the large number of DLR’s that I need so I head for Canary Wharf DLR station, or so I thought, it turned up I ended up at Herons Quay and went upstairs to the platform and hunted for the Oyster card reader but could not find it while all the time I could hear the recognisable beeping of people using the reader. Beep, beep, beep, beep… where was it coming from! It then dawned on me and I trekked back down the stairs to the lobby area and there they were, so after my beep as I tapped in back up the stairs I went and waited for my train, I have been on a couple of these trains before but still have not sat at the front of one in what would be the driver’s seat. I’ll have to try and rectify that today. I decided to leave Canary Wharf DLR station for another time as it would have been quicker walking it rather than waiting for a train to take me the really short distance to reach it. As before:
109 Herons Quay-West India Quay
136 West India Quay-Limehouse
031 Limehouse-Westferry
027 Westferry-Blackwall
048 Blackwall-Canning Town
137 Canning Town-West Ham
I have to say I love Canning Town station with its multi-level double decked platforms with The Tube station at ground level with two DLR platforms to one side and another two DLR platforms running above it in the same alignment and a bus station next door, a true interchange. At West Ham my original plan was to do some much needed c2c trains but I had a 8 minute wait for the next train while The Tube was every few minutes, c2c lost out and over to The Tube I went and what a good choice, with the impending doom of the D78 stock (can’t see much happening with Vivarail!!) I was able to get some haulage on some of them, I will never complete them but at least I now have a record of being on a few of them.
17026 West Ham-Plaistow
7527 Plaistow-Upton Park
24423 Upton Park-East Ham
24334 East Ham-Barking
At Barking I have an issue with my Oyster Card, after tapping out on the platform I was going to head out of the station for a PNB break but find out there is a set of barriers and I must have tapped out at the wrong place so I head back down to the platform and tap myself back in to head back in towards London and receive an error code and to contact a member of staff. I spoke to a member of staff and they were as useful as a chocolate fire guard, anyhow after a 20-minute conversation with a TfL representative on the phone it became clear that there has to be a set minimum of time between tapping out and back in, although I am still not clear what that time is, so the lesson is when I tap out in the future…. make sure there is a pub nearby and I leave the station…. happy days!! I was now back on track, pardon the pun.
7535 Barking-Bromley By Bow
23418 Bromley By Bow-Bow Road
24401 Bow Road-Mile End
8107 Mile End-Stepney Green
8093 Stepney Green-Whitechapel
8071 Whitechapel-Aldgate East
24458 Aldgate East-Tower Hill
At Tower Hill I need the PNB that I needed back at Barking but I wasn’t missing the chance of doing the stations between the two, so it was on my phone as I exited The Tube and realising I have to be away from The Tube for a set undefined time I Googled the nearest Spoons and found that The Liberty Bounds was about a 5 minute walk, so I used their conveniences and I never like to use a bathroom that should be for patrons only… so I had to force myself to sit down with a pint of Doombar after using the facilities, it is a hard life. After reluctantly drinking the pint I head off for my second stint on the DLR and make my way over to Tower Gateway and start my bash again:
058 Tower Gateway-Shadwell
057 Shadwell-Poplar
084 Poplar-East India
028 East India-Canning Town
052 Canning Town-Royal Victoria
050 Royal Victoria-Royal Albert
043 Royal Albert-Beckton Park
006 Beckton Park-Gallions Reach
030 Gallions Reach-Beckton
At Beckton I leave the station as my time limit for completing my journey was approaching, so I tap out and remember I have to be away for an unsure length of time I have a mooch around and find an ASDA supermarket along with a Brewyer’s Fare and a Premier Inn, which got me thinking so after a quick post on Twitter about wondering on how much it would be to stay a night there with a pub and supermarket within a few minutes’ walk a response came from both Techniquest and Phil White Stalkers of between £35-48, which for London is not bad at all. I will have to remember this for future trips. So after purchasing chocolate for the movie on the train home from ASDA I head back to the DLR to continue my moves:
048 Beckton-Cyprus
044 Cyprus-Prince Regent
056 Prince Regent-Custom House
038 Custom House-Canning Town
Back at Canning Town the day is drawing to a close as it approaches 7-m and with just over 2 hours until my train I say good bye to the DLR and return to The Tube as there is still a few stations I want on the way back to London Euston:
96295 Canning Town-North Greenwich
96283 North Greenwich-London Bridge
52656 London Bridge-Borough
53598 Borough-Elephant & Castle
53547 Elephant & Castle-Kennington
53554 Kennington-Goodge Street
53620 Goodge Street-Warren Street
53619 Warren Street-London Euston
53641 London Euston-Angel
53666 Angel-London Euston
That is now the end of my day on The Tube and DLR and what a great day it has been, this trip has been planned for 3 months to pick up cheap train tickets and it has been worth the wait and I would not mind doing it again at some point. During today I have now completed all the stations on the Northern line between Kennington and High Barnet via both Bank and Charing Cross branches excluding Tufnell park and the Edgware Branch, also the Piccadilly line from Cockfosters to Green Park and finally on the Jubille line from Green Park to Canning Town. As to the DLR all stations between Bank/Tower Gateway and Beckton, Westferry and Herons Quay.
I’m back at London Euston just before 8pm and have an hour to wait for my train so time for some tea and head up to the Prime Burger food place on the new mezzanine level at Euston and have their Stilton Burger and chips in skins…. hmmmmm!! After devouring my tea, I still have half an hour to wait so I check RTT to which platform my train is on (don’t know why I am bothered as I have a reserved seat) and find it is on platform 3, so with a mooch about I log quite a few 350’s, a solitary 378 and 57304 and 90046. Once announced I head to platform 3 to find that Virgin have now brought in use the ticket barriers at the station and to round off a superb day even Virgin have done me the honour of supplying a required 390 for my journey home in the form of 390152, what a great day!! Also the train journey home was an unusual one, no new route for me but it was up to Stoke-on-Trent then routed to Crewe and up through Wilmslow due to Engineering work on the Macclesfield section, only know this because as we turned left at Kidsgrove I saw the back end of an engineering train stood on the line to Macclesfield.
Transport costs have been good too:
Return to London: £42 (2 singles at £21 each way)
25 min bus journey: £1.50
Tube/DLR: £11.00 (Oyster capped for zones 1-5, if I had paid by cash: £40!!)
Total Cost: £52.50
NEW SHACKS
All stations below are Tube stations unless otherwise stated.
Angel, Archway, Arnos Grove, Arsenal, Barking, Beckton (DLR), Beckton Park (DLR), Bermondsey, Blackwall (DLR), Bounds Green, Borough, Caledonian Road, Camden Town, Canada Water, Canary Wharf, Canning Town (DLR), Canning Town, Cockfosters, Covent Garden, Custom House (DLR), Cyprus (DLR), East Finchley, East Ham, East India (DLR), Elephant & Castle, Finchley Central, Finsbury Park, Gallions Reach (DLR), Goodge Street, Green Park, Herons Quay (DLR), Highgate, High Barnet, Holborn, Holloway Road, Kennington, Kentish Town, Limehouse (DLR), London Bridge, Manor House, Mill Hill East, Mornington Crescent, North Greenwich, Piccadilly Circus, Plaistow, Prince regent (DLR), Royal Albert (DLR), Royal Victoria (DLR), Russell Square, Shadwell (DLR), Southgate, Southwark, Totteridge & Whetstone, Tower Gateway (DLR), Turnpike Lane, Upton Park, Warren Street, West Finchley, West Ham (DLR), West Ham, West India Quay (DLR), Westferry (DLR), Wood Green, Woodside Park,
NEW UNITS
DLR: 06, 27, 28, 30, 31, 38, 43, 44, 48, 50, 52, 56, 57, 58, 84, 109, 136, 137.
LU: 156, 181, 302, 318, 332, 349, 362, 380, 388, 422, 431, 433, 437, 443, 559, 696, 878, 5727, 7535, 8701, 8093, 8107, 17026, 23418, 24334, 24401, 24423, 24458, 51619, 51625, 51707, 51710, 52656, 52665, 53506, 53533, 53537, 53539, 53547, 53554, 53563, 53590, 53598, 53619, 53620, 53641, 53666, 53679, 53715, 96262, 96283, 96436, 96484, 96663, 96621, 96719.
MAINLINE: 390152
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Wow what a trip! I was jealous reading the action on Twitter as it was, let alone reading this!
My quote for Premier Inn came from their advert banners on here, which advertises rooms from £35. Book at the right time and you probably could get Beckon for £35 without any effort. Obviously they won't last long at that price.
Not only do I want to do London again, I want to go now!
My quote for Premier Inn came from their advert banners on here, which advertises rooms from £35. Book at the right time and you probably could get Beckon for £35 without any effort. Obviously they won't last long at that price.
Not only do I want to do London again, I want to go now!
jayalongtheway
Member
- Joined
- 31 Oct 2015
- Messages
- 241
Epic bash Andy
I've been on days Mon-Wed this week and notice that 1R10 and 1R18 haven't ran at all, presumably thinning the service out?
I have no idea how these work. How often do you tap in and out whilst bashing and not necessarily leaving stations? Where do you obtain the cards from?
Yes, personally I am absolutely interested!
You went directly to Mornington Crescent, that would be frowned upon in the 'game'!
Last edited:
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Meant to mention the minimum time is at least 3 minutes, maybe 4 as that's what I did a lot on my recent-ish London bash, and it seemed to work just fine.
Doom bar for the win too!
Doom bar for the win too!
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