Right, let's get this show back on the road and rail but
note that there are some large images in this report.....
Toton & Water Orton - Wednesday 25th August 2021
Part 1 - Has anybody seen 60093?
It's early August, we have gone a matter of weeks since 'Freedom Day', I step outside of my apartment with the sole aim of heading to Stafford station for a good 69 - 69001 in this case.....and then it happens........
.......my phone rings, interrupting my joy of some Northern Soul, and I curse "which bloody scammer is it this time?!?". But it's not the voice of a scammer at the other end, it is the dulcet tones of a North Eastern man - yes ladies and gentlemen, I had a Geordie on the other end of the phone. Not just any Geordie though, this was a Rail Forums Geordie in the form of
@47403. After a brief but very pleasant catch up, and with my 69 action just around the corner, that call was ended but things had happened, balls were suddenly in motion (nothing to do with my 69 action that day) and less than a week later the same number rung me again - this time whilst I was out during winds better suited to Hurricane Valley, and plans were finalised - I was off to Toton and Water Orton and not by myself for a change
I eventually got round to sorting my tickets out - the usual split ticketing required to obtain the best price between Stafford and Nottingham - and before I knew it, the day was upon us. Michael had done me (and him) a favour by allowing me to catch the later trains in the morning, meaning there was no silly 5am alarm call but it was still far too early when the alarm eventually went off. And so it was off to the station where I collected my tickets and boarded
350112 for the first time, completing the set of sighted, photted and hauled in as well - basically means it goes green on my spreadsheet
My choice of which unit to settle in when it comes to 350s basically now revolves around whether the unit is likely to have plug sockets and so on this occasion
350252 played second fiddle but still one into the haulage book - yes, yes I know I wasn't in it but it had it's pantograph up and I felt it really pushing hard just outside Rugeley so it was definitely working
The busy 350s, which got even busier as we called at the Trent Valley stations, took me to Tamworth where the platforms were chaotic with people trying to board this service and others waiting for the Avanti stopper not far behind. I basically took the windmill approach to fight my way through the crowd, bashing people out of the way as I made it to the P2 steps (this probably didn't happen) and was soon in the relative quiet of P3 on the upper level. Not long to wait so I made a quick call to the mother so she could tell me to give her 3 rings later on to let her know I have made it back home safely but 170621 was not far off and although it was not a winner for anything, it was at least pretty quiet as I settled in for the journey to Nottingham
Derby RTC was packed out as we passed by having reversed at Derby with a collection of 37s, 57s, HST power cars and the depot shunter moving some coaching stock around. The only need was ex GA Mk3 coach
11093 which became my 1st winner for sight of the day! I was soon arriving into Nottingham, a place I'd spent lots of time whilst doing my East Mids rover back in April, but there were no HSTs around this time so I had to settle for Michael who was waiting for me as I hit the platform. He was quick to point out
195008 sat in the opposite platform and that was another into the book and after a quick PNB, he lead me off to the station exit in the direction of an unknown car, driven by someone I had never met before - what could go wrong? Well actually nothing, because the person in question was not a crazed serial killer but instead Mickey's lovely other half. A swift lung sapping suck on a nicotine stick for Mickey and I was bundled into the back of the car - ok, I got into the back of the car but this doesn't sound half as interesting! It was quickly apparent what sort of day we were in for as the duo up front bounced jokes off one another - a well matched pair to say the least. Sat Nav set and we pulled away from Nottingham station and I was soon starting to learn what made Mickey's other half tick - and that thing is lifts.....yes, LIFTS!!!! So keep your eyes peeled for the upcoming "LIFT REVIEW 2021" book which should be hitting shelves in time for Xmas
Apparently roundabouts are a step too far though but none the less the journey towards Toton pretty much flew by, even with the brown pants moment of the back end of the car in front getting closer and closer to us - some impressive, if not slightly late, braking ensured that I wasn't left writing this report from a hospital bed
My nosiness ensured that I learnt a lot about Mickey's partner, including that she is looking forward to "flailing from behind a puppy dog at the KWVR" (
@47403 can enlighten you all on that one
). Oh and we both sighted tram
230 which I think is the first NET tram I have logged
Anyway, having arrived at the main gates to Toton and getting some "get back train spotter" looks from the security guy, we were soon in the right area and parking up. Mickey being the excited child raced ahead, up a steep embankment and through brambles as the other 2 of us looked on at the bottom. I did question whether the gravel pathway would be the better option but he was adamant I should follow, and not fancying navigating through a thorny hedge, his other half decided to head back to the car and go on her own explore around an area she has previously lived. I managed to join Mickey at the top of the embankment and we were rewarded with the fantastic view of Toton depot in all it's glory. This was my first ever visit and it was just a wow moment to see the vast swathes of land this place covers! It was also perhaps unsurprising that one of the first locos we get to see is 66725 with it's Sunderland AFC livery considering who I was with - here it is having joined up with 66765 and heading through the depot with many other loco's stabled
Mickey had purchased some very good bino's (not sure if it was specifically for this outing but it was a very necessary addition to our kit) and had made me chief bino operator. It was only after about 15 mins of using them that a thought came to my mind - "Mickey, have you put black marker pen around the eye holes and that is why you gave me these?" He was adamant this was not the case but his laughter did little to stem my concern - I wouldn't be able to confirm it until very much later in the day but I'm sure I saw him noting it down as a 'thing to do next time'
One of the key reasons for the visit to this amazing place was to try and nab Mickey's final Class 60 for sight - 60093, a loco that had managed to avoid him for 30 years (missing it by a matter of minutes back in the day when he was late arriving to one of the many locations around Newcastle). I'd scanned the first batch of 60s we'd seen but there was nothing there, well not for him anyway but I was giving him plenty of numbers to note down! We moved further along the bankside and met a chap who visits regularly and told us many a tale of his trips into Europe which he was hoping to resume in the near future. We were still plucking numbers from anything visible through the bino's as we happily chatted away, but I could see impatience seeping into Mickey - he had one thing on his mind and he knew where it was probably based. We departed from the chap, and moved further along the bank to be met by this sight
I was working along the row of sorry looking 60s, hoping that each time I moved my head to the right that the next number would set off the biggest class clearing klaxon we have ever witnessed. But each one came and went with the odd one offering a bit of hope by finishing in a 3 but still no sign of 093. We got as close as we could to the long row....
But those pesky wagons dumped in front of the locos actually meant that being at track level was the worse view we'd had so far. We got chatting to a workman who was there to erect some security fencing around this part of the compound - remarkably, they weren't allowed to bring their van down here and he was waiting for his mates to return carrying their equipment from roughly half a mile away. Mickey explained what he was doing and that he'd travelled all the way from Newcastle to track this one loco down - I knew that this would result in the complete extraction or urine, or complete pity. This chap went for the latter though as he ventured off down the line of loco's to see if he could see 093 - an amazing gesture from him but one that ultimately ended in further disappointment. There's a 2nd row of locos behind the row we could see and unfortunately the chap wasn't authorised to start wandering over tracks and so we were left to assume that 093 was sat in that row - had Mickey got as close as seeing the roof of the one that is slowly getting away? As much as I am sure Mickey would have preferred to stay and just gaze at the row of abandoned loco's we decided that it just wasn't going to happen today and so began to head back up the bankside again - only to be greeted by the sight of an artic lorry heading towards us along what can only be described as a footpath. I imagine those workman were seething to see such a vehicle down there considering they had to leave their van at the entrance. We did a final scout of what was on depot and I tried my best to pluck numbers off some other 60s that were hidden away but the hope for 093 had seeped away and we headed back to the car - via the gravel footpath I had mentioned earlier as an alternative to the bramble ridden embankment.
Mickey's other half had literally just arrived back from her tour of her past and was keen to know how successful the bankside expedition had been. Mickey was undoubtedly disappointed to have missed out on 60093 once again but it was countered with other winners he had not expected to see. As we departed for the next part of our adventure, I started to log the sightings and I was amazed that I had hit the following cops
59202
60007 - 60008 - 60009 - 60029 - 60032 - 60047 - 60051 - 60058 - 60064 - 60069 - 60073 - 60074 - 60090 - 60500
66043 - 66073
66114 - 66138 - 66152 - 66182
66205 - 66230
67019 - 67025
25 winners to go with the ones from earlier made this to be a very worthwhile outing and there was still half the day left to go at.
I was going to do this report in one go but I have rambled enough in this already and so I shall break it down into 2 parts and try and get the 2nd part up tomorrow evening. For now I shall leave you with this shot of those unloved 60s - is 60093 in there?
My stats at the halfway point you ask?
For Sight
Winners:
26
Coaching Stock Winners:
1
Tram Winners:
1
Classes completed:
N/A
Sub classes completed:
N/A
TOCs completed:
N/A
For Haulage
Winners:
2
Total Mileage:
62 miles 15 chains
Classes completed:
N/A
Sub classes completed:
N/A
A great morning well spent, time to head to the next destination so make sure you return for part 2
I think that this may be the rover of choice for me to enjoy the 91s at some point as well - the area it covers is vast and it is reasonably priced as well. I hadn't planned to report on these outings as I knew that to keep on top of it, I'd need to be writing things up as I was on the move but to be honest I just wanted to sit back and enjoy the comfort of the Mk3 stock and the noise of the power car up front! I may revisit these and see if I can produce some sort of write up on what was achieved as amongst the HST fun, there was a bit of new haulage chalked off as well. But the main reason for getting this reopened was to write up on a more recent outing and I hope to have this done over the next couple of days.
