-
Our new ticketing site is now live! Using either this or the original site (both powered by TrainSplit) helps support the running of the forum with every ticket purchase! Find out more and ask any questions/give us feedback in this thread!
crehld's travels
- Thread starter crehld
- Start date
- Status
Sponsor Post - registered members do not see these adverts; click here to register, or click here to log in
R
RailUK Forums
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Ah, Northwich, that brings up memories...
If you had asked me I could have told you Whitchurch (Shropshire) is boring!
Jealous of 175116 as I only need 20 miles off it to clear it for the magical thou! No doubt I need some of those Northern bits, 153381 is required at least.
Save for the trip at Delemere, a good trip and the usual excellent good read. Jealous like mad of your ALR, I'd love to do one again!
If you had asked me I could have told you Whitchurch (Shropshire) is boring!
Jealous of 175116 as I only need 20 miles off it to clear it for the magical thou! No doubt I need some of those Northern bits, 153381 is required at least.Save for the trip at Delemere, a good trip and the usual excellent good read. Jealous like mad of your ALR, I'd love to do one again!
18 February 2016: A morning in West Yorkshire
Having attended the forum meal at Batley (shack scratch by the way!) and stayed with family in Steeton, the plan was to spend a long weekend at the Yorkshire base with the family. However, work called and I needed to be back in on Friday which meant having to travel back to Crewe today.
I was due to go to the forum fares workshop in the afternoon, which gave me the morning free to grab a couple more stations in West Yorkshire. It's a beautiful, fresh morning (my favourite) as I make the walk to Steeton and Silsden station to pick up 333014 to Shipley. Access to the platform is prevented by the Northern florescent army. I explain the ticket machine won't sell today's required ticket, but I'll happily buy one from him directly on his Avantix... turns out he's never heard of a West Yorkshire Train Day Rover (which is quite worrying for a revenue inspector working at a West Yorkshire train station), let alone knows how to issue one, so he just tells me to buy it on board instead. The guard on the train tells me he's doing me a really big favour by selling it to me before 10am... it can't be that much of a hardship given it's valid from 09:30 and it's now 09:40. Oh well, the ticket is issued and the journey continues without fuss.
At Shipley there's just enough time to grab a reasonably priced coffee from the cafe before boarding 333015 to West Yorkshire's newest station, Apperley Bridge.
I'm the only one to get off, but a very sizeable crowd indeed get on here so it's good to see this station is well used so soon after opening. I make a note of the mileage post on the bridge between the two platforms (202m 72ch - that'll be useful for the mileage calculations later) before heading to the other platform to pick up James Bond unit 333007 to Frizinghall. The usual dash to the other platform is made here, allowing me to pick up 33002 all the way to Leeds.
Next up it's a run to Wakefield Westgate on 220029 (for some reason I had it in my mind this was going to be an HST service - oh well). There's just enough time to get the obligatory Belgian Bun from Greggs before returning to the platform to pick up 321903 (which happens to be my last required Northern 321 - don't ask about my 321 requirements elsewhere!!) to Sandal and Agbrigg. The platform switch is performed, allowing me to catch 321902 to Outwood.
From Outwood it's onto 144010 back to Leeds. It's time to head to Huddersfield now for the fares workshop, with dud 183103 doing the honours.
Fares workshop over, it's time to head back to Crewe. Getting to Manchester is easy enough on 185102. However, Network Rail have closed the line between Wilmslow and Crewe while they repair the Holmes Chapel viaduct. So my options are a replacement bus service or one of the few Arriva Trains Wales diverted services. I opt for the train, firstly because I'm not a fan of buses and secondly because it's a good opportunity to travel a slightly more 'unusual' route to Crewe. As 175102 pulls into Manchester Oxford Road it looks like everyone else has the same plan as I do as the service is absolutely packed, but I still manage to grab a seat as we set off for Crewe via Eccles, Earlstown and Warrington.
Arrival into Crewe is just in time for the bus. It doesn't show up for ages so I begin to think it might have run a little early. It eventually turns up 25 minutes late. The driver's very apologetic, explaining his bus broke down and he's having to play catch up.
Having attended the forum meal at Batley (shack scratch by the way!) and stayed with family in Steeton, the plan was to spend a long weekend at the Yorkshire base with the family. However, work called and I needed to be back in on Friday which meant having to travel back to Crewe today.
I was due to go to the forum fares workshop in the afternoon, which gave me the morning free to grab a couple more stations in West Yorkshire. It's a beautiful, fresh morning (my favourite) as I make the walk to Steeton and Silsden station to pick up 333014 to Shipley. Access to the platform is prevented by the Northern florescent army. I explain the ticket machine won't sell today's required ticket, but I'll happily buy one from him directly on his Avantix... turns out he's never heard of a West Yorkshire Train Day Rover (which is quite worrying for a revenue inspector working at a West Yorkshire train station), let alone knows how to issue one, so he just tells me to buy it on board instead. The guard on the train tells me he's doing me a really big favour by selling it to me before 10am... it can't be that much of a hardship given it's valid from 09:30 and it's now 09:40. Oh well, the ticket is issued and the journey continues without fuss.
At Shipley there's just enough time to grab a reasonably priced coffee from the cafe before boarding 333015 to West Yorkshire's newest station, Apperley Bridge.
I'm the only one to get off, but a very sizeable crowd indeed get on here so it's good to see this station is well used so soon after opening. I make a note of the mileage post on the bridge between the two platforms (202m 72ch - that'll be useful for the mileage calculations later) before heading to the other platform to pick up James Bond unit 333007 to Frizinghall. The usual dash to the other platform is made here, allowing me to pick up 33002 all the way to Leeds.
Next up it's a run to Wakefield Westgate on 220029 (for some reason I had it in my mind this was going to be an HST service - oh well). There's just enough time to get the obligatory Belgian Bun from Greggs before returning to the platform to pick up 321903 (which happens to be my last required Northern 321 - don't ask about my 321 requirements elsewhere!!) to Sandal and Agbrigg. The platform switch is performed, allowing me to catch 321902 to Outwood.
From Outwood it's onto 144010 back to Leeds. It's time to head to Huddersfield now for the fares workshop, with dud 183103 doing the honours.
Fares workshop over, it's time to head back to Crewe. Getting to Manchester is easy enough on 185102. However, Network Rail have closed the line between Wilmslow and Crewe while they repair the Holmes Chapel viaduct. So my options are a replacement bus service or one of the few Arriva Trains Wales diverted services. I opt for the train, firstly because I'm not a fan of buses and secondly because it's a good opportunity to travel a slightly more 'unusual' route to Crewe. As 175102 pulls into Manchester Oxford Road it looks like everyone else has the same plan as I do as the service is absolutely packed, but I still manage to grab a seat as we set off for Crewe via Eccles, Earlstown and Warrington.
Arrival into Crewe is just in time for the bus. It doesn't show up for ages so I begin to think it might have run a little early. It eventually turns up 25 minutes late. The driver's very apologetic, explaining his bus broke down and he's having to play catch up.
Yeah I'm looking forward too it. I'm going to have to spend a fair amount of time planning though - I might have to return home a few nights as I don't think I can justify leaving Mrs crehd and baby crehld on their own for a whole week!
Techniquest
Veteran Member
A nice little adventure around West Yorkshire, jealous of the 321/9 as it's my last one of that batch to get. Apperley Bridge is obviously required, but the other two thankfully are dud shacks for me fortunately!
I remember doing that diversionary route several years ago on former ScotRail 150/2s, certainly good for getting some racket out of the 3+2 low back seated 150s!
I remember doing that diversionary route several years ago on former ScotRail 150/2s, certainly good for getting some racket out of the 3+2 low back seated 150s!
A nice little move in my local area there.
Oh, and this
made me chuckle.
I know what you meant, but the thought of a Crompton working round Leeds made my day
Oh, and this
made me chuckle.
I know what you meant, but the thought of a Crompton working round Leeds made my day
Kite159
Veteran Member
Is 183103 a cross between a 180 & a 185, a 5 car 125 mph diesel desiro
Sounded like a good morning spin to grab a couple shacks, I'm guessing you had a 30 minute fester at Outwood?
Sounded like a good morning spin to grab a couple shacks, I'm guessing you had a 30 minute fester at Outwood?
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Better than I had then! Aye the idea of having 33002 thrashing its guts out on an EMU timetable certainly got a grin on my face!
I obviously knew what you meant, and 333002 is a winner for me, much grr!
I obviously knew what you meant, and 333002 is a winner for me, much grr!
andyb2706
Member
Great read, I take it the remainder of your 321 fleet is like mine were it would be easier to tell people what you have been on than what you need?
As to staff knowing about tickets it can be a joke, think ourselves have a better angle on them than some of the staff do, for instance I had an incident a while ago. I had a Manchester tram/train rover (printed on a yellow Metrolink ticket) and on the same day I had two incidents. The first when I nearly got gripped by the yellow ticket army until I told them to read the ticket again and had to point out it said tram/train and the second was on board a TPE service heading towards Leeds and the conversation went like this:
TPE Guy: That ticket is not valid on this train!
Me: ......err, you stop at Stalybridge.
TPE Guy: Do we?.....oh, err I forgot. It's okay then.
As to staff knowing about tickets it can be a joke, think ourselves have a better angle on them than some of the staff do, for instance I had an incident a while ago. I had a Manchester tram/train rover (printed on a yellow Metrolink ticket) and on the same day I had two incidents. The first when I nearly got gripped by the yellow ticket army until I told them to read the ticket again and had to point out it said tram/train and the second was on board a TPE service heading towards Leeds and the conversation went like this:
TPE Guy: That ticket is not valid on this train!
Me: ......err, you stop at Stalybridge.
TPE Guy: Do we?.....oh, err I forgot. It's okay then.
87electric
Established Member
- Joined
- 27 Jan 2010
- Messages
- 1,243
I had that exact same scenario with the yellow stock ticket on TPE to Stalybridge a year ago. Even questioned the validity to Stalybridge itself until i pulled up the rover map on my tablet.
It always pays to arm yourself with knowledge.
Yes, it certainly would
2 March 2016
No bus today as the car in at the garage for an oil change. Helpfully the garage is next door to the station, and with nothing better to do for several hours I decide to make use of another Northern Rail Day Ranger. My ticket is purchased and it's onto 323223 for the run to Manchester Piccadilly.
Today's aim is to complete all the stations on the line to Buxton, but before I get started with that there's a more immediate objective in the form of Strines (which has been a real pain in the backside to get as every time I've gone for it I've missed out because of delays and cancellations). So at Piccadilly it's straight onto 142005 and 142055, alighting at Strines.
Walking time now. I need to get to Disley which should only be a short 25 minute walk away but in true crehld fashion I forget to bring the OS map with me and my sense of direction lets me down. To make matters worse there is no mobile signal at all around here and I end up walking the wrong way for 10 minutes. I eventually realise and double back but I've now put my next planned move at risk. Things are made worse when I get to the canal and find the footbridge is raised to let a load of narrow boats through. If it were a warm summer's day it would be quite a pleasant experience, but it's freezing cold and damp.
I eventually make it to Disley, but as feared I've missed the planned train. It's an hourly schedule on this line, so after I bit of timetable consultation I figure out a new plan for the day. There's time to quick pop into a nearby bakery for a cup of warming coffee and a sandwich for later, before hopping onto 150207 and 150270 to Middlewood.
This station seems to be in the middle of nowhere (which probably explains the 2 hourly service). There's disused railway line above the station which has been converted to a footpath / cycle path - another day trip for baby and Mrs crehld perhaps. After a bit of pottering about it's onto 150147. The plan is to go all the way to Buxton, grab a coffee and get the train to Dove Holes (another 2 hourly served station). However, the train I'm on stops at Dove Holes and the doors open. It's not scheduled to do this in the timetable, but I took the opportunity and bailed.
Walking time again! This time to Chapel-en-le-Frith. The railway line follows the contours here... the walking route does not and it's hard going. My efforts should have been rewarded with magnificent views over the Peak District national park - instead all I get is cloud. I am rewarded however by Chapel-en-le-Frith station which is a real delight of a station and is clearly very well looked after. There's a poster with some old photographs of the place and some history of the railways in the local area which fills the time before 150147 shows up to take me to Furness Vale - thus achieving today's objective of clearing all stations between Manchester and Buxton.
Thanks to the unscheduled call at Dove Holes and taking the opportunity to walk directly to Chapel I have managed to get back to my original plan. There's now a bit of a fester at Furness Vale. I venture out a little to see what there is, but don't find that much. Eventually 150276 shows up to take me to Whaley Bridge, followed by 150270 and 150207 to Stockport. I have to pick up the car by 5pm so I decide to call it a day and head back to Crewe on 323223 (meaning today's last unit is the same as the first one - what I like to call a symmetry move!).
Kite159
Veteran Member
Congrats on clearing the Buxton line for shacks and also getting Strines in the bag. At least the weather was ok for walking
Techniquest
Veteran Member
I too offer my congratulations on clearing the Buxton line shacks, and Strines is certainly quite worthy of note too because of the limited calls.
This remote shack bashing has reminded me of my mission to clear the Heart of Wales line shacks. Hmm, perhaps I will head out somewhere tomorrow then...
This remote shack bashing has reminded me of my mission to clear the Heart of Wales line shacks. Hmm, perhaps I will head out somewhere tomorrow then...
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Ooh, isn't that tempting...
More importantly though for me is finding the $200 I've misplaced! Did I leave it on 166214, maybe it fell out on 166201, maybe it's just hiding upstairs, I don't know. I'm hoping I find it sharpish, but I have logged it with GWR in case it's been found. One heck of a long shot...
More importantly though for me is finding the $200 I've misplaced! Did I leave it on 166214, maybe it fell out on 166201, maybe it's just hiding upstairs, I don't know. I'm hoping I find it sharpish, but I have logged it with GWR in case it's been found. One heck of a long shot...
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Now you are tempting me...
Dad had 008 home this eve' so it'll be one of the three at Kiddy. I've no idea what 009 did today so it'll either end up at Wembley (and form D1) or be at Kiddy do it'll either be 008, 009 or another on the 2nd diagram.
Both 168321 and 325 are out at the moment too!
Both 168321 and 325 are out at the moment too!
I'll add my congratulations on clearing the Buxton line.
I have a cunning, but long term, plan for doing the same which involves Mrs 13 and some country walks
Getting the Mrs on board is always a good plan - I've managed to convince Mrs crehld that a trip on the sleeper followed by a journey to Kyle and back (including some walking) would be fun!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
17 March 2016: a few more Merseyrail stations
This was a bit of an unplanned and impromptu bash.
I was due in Chester for a meeting in the afternoon. Getting to Chester was it's usually uneventful self - dud 150236 was on the Crewe-Chester shuttle today.
As usual I bought a ticket through to Bache (which is the same price) figuring I could probably grab another winning 507/508 at no extra cost, save for a slightly longer walk into Chester city centre. The plan paid off with 507006 to take me the short distance. I stepped off the train and looked at the watch and realised I still had two hours to go to the meeting, so made the spur of the moment decision to grab a few of the stations on the line to Liverpool.
I bought a ticket from the machine and waited for the next train to arrive. It was 508130, and I stayed on board as far as Eastham Rake. On the way I realised I messed up with the ticket machine and bought a single, rather than a return. Silly crehld! Oh well, it's a pleasant enough wait in the sunshine at Eastham Rake before 508120 shows up to take me the one stop to Bromborough.
There's another short wait here before it's onto 507010 to Bromborough Rake.
I need to start making tracks back now, but there's just enough time to see if the ticket office lady here can sort my single ticket predicament out. She's very sympathetic with my predicament and agrees with my assessment of Merseyrail's machines being "completely rubbish", but as I feared it's my fault for hastily buying the wrong ticket, so I have to fork out for a single back to Bache (£2.90 so hardly breaking the bank, but still an avoidable expense). Back on the platform and it's 507006 again back to Bache.
I make myself feel better about the £2.90 hole in my finances by buying a ginger bread man from a nearby bakery (which I immediately realise only worsens the financial situation by another 85p!) before heading into Chester. Once the meeting is over I head directly for Chester station and board 221106 for the journey back to Crewe.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Oops with the ticket issue! Nicely productive little pre-meeting shack attack though
24 March 2016: to the borders
Thanks to a Scotrail sale earlier in the year I managed to pick up some extremely good value fares for the new borders line. The availability of cheap Virgin advances to Scotland and a free day in the calendar sealed the deal.
The first task was to get up to Scotland. At Crewe I board 390136 for the long haul to Glasgow Central. We pulled into Glasgow a little late, but I still had enough time to make the walk to Glasgow Queen Street station. It’s currently undergoing some major refurbishment and track works which mean the high level station is closed. It’s still possible to walk the concourse however, and it’s very strange indeed seeing a major terminus station so empty! There’s a bit of faff with the lifts to get down to the lower level platform, before boarding 170429 and 170401 to Edinburgh. The line closures at Queen Street mean some otherwise rare track is added to the coverage map, which is always a nice bonus.
At Edinburgh there’s just enough time to grab a caffeine fix before boarding 158727 to Tweedbank. I enjoy the journey and the line is quite picturesque in places. It’s clear that the new line has sufficient demand as the train is packed!
Rather than simply board the same train back I decide to make the walk to Galashiels. The footpath begins by following the line of the railway, across the same bridge, and then along the river. It’s pleasant enough and I arrive at Galashiels about 30 minutes later, just in time to catch 158705 towards Edinburgh. There’s plenty of time before my booked train from Edinburgh so I decide to break my journey at Gorebridge to grab another station.
There’s an OS map on the platform, and the walk to the next station along looks just about doable, but I decide to give it a miss and instead wait for 158713 back to Edinburgh. There’s enough time to grab some provisions for the journey back south before boarding 390157. I'm heading back to the Yorkshire base so it’s off at Lancaster and onto 150115 for the trip back to Hellifield.
2 April 2016: forum monopoly challenge
Today was the forum’s monopoly challenge in London. Having messaged Kite159 a few days before we agreed to team up. My first task, however, was to get to London. 390127 was doing the honours today. Thanks to the quirkiness of rail fares, the cheapest fares for the journey down were to be found in first class. Suffice to say I tried my best to squeeze out as much value as possible with the free food and drink and free wifi
We get into London almost eight minutes early giving me plenty of time to nip to Euston ticket office and get a travel card. There’s an hour and a half to go before meeting up with the others for the challenge, so I decide to get a cheeky shack scratch in. I make by way by foot to the Thameslink platforms at St Pancras, picking up 319448 to Elstree and Borehamwood. It’s then onto 319455 back to St Pancras.
The walk over to Kings Cross is made and I meet up with the others. Kite’s and my plan is to basically wing it - this is partly because we are expecting three unknown ’chance’ cards with stations on we must visit. All the teams receive a monopoly board with the various objective on and their chance cards - we get Holloway Road (as it turns out so did every other team!), Emerson Park and Haydons Road.
We set off at 11:15 exactly. Everyone runs off by Kite and I (and another forum member) start off by existing the station to take a photo of Camden Town Hall for the bonus Community Chest points. We’re then back into the station to pick up 365515 and 365531 for the short leap to Finsbury Park. It’s then onto the Piccadilly Line on trains LU231 and LU180 to Holloway Road to get the first of the ‘chance’ stations out of the way.
With that objective complete it’s now time to tackle our second ‘chance’ station - Emerson Park. So it’s Piccadilly Line trains LU100 and LU211 back to Finsbury Park and then onto the Victoria Line on trains LU11073 and LU11074 to Tottenham Hale. We just miss the next available train to Liverpool Street, but it’s not long before 379014 and 379016 show up to take us there instead.
At Liverpool Street (which attracts points itself for being one of the monopoly stations) we have a hunt for a BTP office of photograph (which will secure the ‘Go To Jail’ bonus), but it’s stuck behind a load of hoarding so we’ll have to try and get that somewhere else (Kite wonders if taking a photo of a group of officers will suffice instead, but one of them is armed so it’s probably best we didn’t!). It’s then onto TfL Rail trains 315849 and 815852 to Romford, were we make the connection onto the Upminster shuttle, today formed of 317890. We sit the journey out in the declassified first section (‘Super Tax Bonus’) and alight at Emerson Park to score the second chance station.
Rather than waste time festering for the next train we decide to bus it to the District Line. There’s enough time while waiting for the bus to grab a pasty and Belgian bun from the bakery across the road (Kite came pre-prepared with food - something I should have done) and then it’s onto a very busy and very slow bus to Hornchurch underground station where we transfer onto LU21359 and LU21360. We bail at East Ham to switch to a Hammersmith and City line train (the pink squares on the monopoly board).
We end up waiting for ages before LU21447 and LU21448 show up to take us to West Ham. It’s a switch here to the mainline platforms to get 357007 and 357001 to Fenchurch Street (another of the monopoly stations). We make the walk to Tower Hill. A view of City Hall across the river nets us another community chest bonus, and Kite rightly points out that the Tower of London used to be a prison, so that’s the in jail bonus sorted too. It’s into the underground station and onto LU21439 and LU21440 to Embankment, followed by Bakerloo line trains LU3236 and LU3565 to Waterloo.
There’s another hunt for the elusive BTP office to no avail before boarding 455858 to Wimbledon. We pick up 319451 to take us to our final chance station Haydon’s Road. We get RPIed on the way and there's a bit of confusion going on while my paper travel card is scanned with an oyster reader.
It’s a pretty unloved place on the whole! Anyway it’s over to the other platform for a 15 minute fester until 319448 shows up (for the second time today) to take us back to Wimbledon, followed by 455740 and 455862 back to Waterloo. Back to the Bakerloo line to get on LU3533 and LU3267 heading north. Time is running out now and we need to get back to Kings Cross by 1700. There’s much deliberation about what our next move should be. We settle on heading to Wembley Central (already had for national rail, but it scores for LU). As we switch platforms we grab a cheeky picture of the LU ticket office (a rarity these days) for more bonus points before boarding 378218 all the way to Euston. There’s just ten minutes remaining so it’s a dash underground (and I make myself look like a fool by taking a wrong turn) onto LU11065 and LU11066 to Kings Cross. Back above ground and with about a minute spare we find a BTP office to photograph before heading up to the finish point in the Parcel Yard pub.
An initial tot up of the scores looks very promising indeed, despite not quite being able to manage everything, But it turns out we are pipped to the post - still second place isn’t too bad and it was quite overall. The challenge is immediately followed by a forum meal so it’s nice to catch up with everyone.
Afterwards I need to make my way to my Travelodge - this time at London City Airport. I take Northern line trains LU51616 and LU51717 to Angel for a cheeky shack score, and then onto LU51533 and LU51534 to Bank. I decide to head overground to Cannon Street to purchase a zones 1-9 travel card for tomorrow, but find the station closed. So it’s on to 465174 and 466040 to London Bridge. I make my way to the ticket office - I am given all sorts of reasons why I can’t be given one (ranging from there’s no such thing to I’m simply not allowed one) but I get hold of it eventually. It’s then down to the Jubilee line and onto trains LU96036 and LU96121 to Canning Town, switching onto the DLR on DLR115 and DLR116 to London City Airport. A short walk is then had to the nearby Travelodge.
Thanks to a Scotrail sale earlier in the year I managed to pick up some extremely good value fares for the new borders line. The availability of cheap Virgin advances to Scotland and a free day in the calendar sealed the deal.
The first task was to get up to Scotland. At Crewe I board 390136 for the long haul to Glasgow Central. We pulled into Glasgow a little late, but I still had enough time to make the walk to Glasgow Queen Street station. It’s currently undergoing some major refurbishment and track works which mean the high level station is closed. It’s still possible to walk the concourse however, and it’s very strange indeed seeing a major terminus station so empty! There’s a bit of faff with the lifts to get down to the lower level platform, before boarding 170429 and 170401 to Edinburgh. The line closures at Queen Street mean some otherwise rare track is added to the coverage map, which is always a nice bonus.
At Edinburgh there’s just enough time to grab a caffeine fix before boarding 158727 to Tweedbank. I enjoy the journey and the line is quite picturesque in places. It’s clear that the new line has sufficient demand as the train is packed!
Rather than simply board the same train back I decide to make the walk to Galashiels. The footpath begins by following the line of the railway, across the same bridge, and then along the river. It’s pleasant enough and I arrive at Galashiels about 30 minutes later, just in time to catch 158705 towards Edinburgh. There’s plenty of time before my booked train from Edinburgh so I decide to break my journey at Gorebridge to grab another station.
There’s an OS map on the platform, and the walk to the next station along looks just about doable, but I decide to give it a miss and instead wait for 158713 back to Edinburgh. There’s enough time to grab some provisions for the journey back south before boarding 390157. I'm heading back to the Yorkshire base so it’s off at Lancaster and onto 150115 for the trip back to Hellifield.
2 April 2016: forum monopoly challenge
Today was the forum’s monopoly challenge in London. Having messaged Kite159 a few days before we agreed to team up. My first task, however, was to get to London. 390127 was doing the honours today. Thanks to the quirkiness of rail fares, the cheapest fares for the journey down were to be found in first class. Suffice to say I tried my best to squeeze out as much value as possible with the free food and drink and free wifi
We get into London almost eight minutes early giving me plenty of time to nip to Euston ticket office and get a travel card. There’s an hour and a half to go before meeting up with the others for the challenge, so I decide to get a cheeky shack scratch in. I make by way by foot to the Thameslink platforms at St Pancras, picking up 319448 to Elstree and Borehamwood. It’s then onto 319455 back to St Pancras.
The walk over to Kings Cross is made and I meet up with the others. Kite’s and my plan is to basically wing it - this is partly because we are expecting three unknown ’chance’ cards with stations on we must visit. All the teams receive a monopoly board with the various objective on and their chance cards - we get Holloway Road (as it turns out so did every other team!), Emerson Park and Haydons Road.
We set off at 11:15 exactly. Everyone runs off by Kite and I (and another forum member) start off by existing the station to take a photo of Camden Town Hall for the bonus Community Chest points. We’re then back into the station to pick up 365515 and 365531 for the short leap to Finsbury Park. It’s then onto the Piccadilly Line on trains LU231 and LU180 to Holloway Road to get the first of the ‘chance’ stations out of the way.
With that objective complete it’s now time to tackle our second ‘chance’ station - Emerson Park. So it’s Piccadilly Line trains LU100 and LU211 back to Finsbury Park and then onto the Victoria Line on trains LU11073 and LU11074 to Tottenham Hale. We just miss the next available train to Liverpool Street, but it’s not long before 379014 and 379016 show up to take us there instead.
At Liverpool Street (which attracts points itself for being one of the monopoly stations) we have a hunt for a BTP office of photograph (which will secure the ‘Go To Jail’ bonus), but it’s stuck behind a load of hoarding so we’ll have to try and get that somewhere else (Kite wonders if taking a photo of a group of officers will suffice instead, but one of them is armed so it’s probably best we didn’t!). It’s then onto TfL Rail trains 315849 and 815852 to Romford, were we make the connection onto the Upminster shuttle, today formed of 317890. We sit the journey out in the declassified first section (‘Super Tax Bonus’) and alight at Emerson Park to score the second chance station.
Rather than waste time festering for the next train we decide to bus it to the District Line. There’s enough time while waiting for the bus to grab a pasty and Belgian bun from the bakery across the road (Kite came pre-prepared with food - something I should have done) and then it’s onto a very busy and very slow bus to Hornchurch underground station where we transfer onto LU21359 and LU21360. We bail at East Ham to switch to a Hammersmith and City line train (the pink squares on the monopoly board).
We end up waiting for ages before LU21447 and LU21448 show up to take us to West Ham. It’s a switch here to the mainline platforms to get 357007 and 357001 to Fenchurch Street (another of the monopoly stations). We make the walk to Tower Hill. A view of City Hall across the river nets us another community chest bonus, and Kite rightly points out that the Tower of London used to be a prison, so that’s the in jail bonus sorted too. It’s into the underground station and onto LU21439 and LU21440 to Embankment, followed by Bakerloo line trains LU3236 and LU3565 to Waterloo.
There’s another hunt for the elusive BTP office to no avail before boarding 455858 to Wimbledon. We pick up 319451 to take us to our final chance station Haydon’s Road. We get RPIed on the way and there's a bit of confusion going on while my paper travel card is scanned with an oyster reader.
It’s a pretty unloved place on the whole! Anyway it’s over to the other platform for a 15 minute fester until 319448 shows up (for the second time today) to take us back to Wimbledon, followed by 455740 and 455862 back to Waterloo. Back to the Bakerloo line to get on LU3533 and LU3267 heading north. Time is running out now and we need to get back to Kings Cross by 1700. There’s much deliberation about what our next move should be. We settle on heading to Wembley Central (already had for national rail, but it scores for LU). As we switch platforms we grab a cheeky picture of the LU ticket office (a rarity these days) for more bonus points before boarding 378218 all the way to Euston. There’s just ten minutes remaining so it’s a dash underground (and I make myself look like a fool by taking a wrong turn) onto LU11065 and LU11066 to Kings Cross. Back above ground and with about a minute spare we find a BTP office to photograph before heading up to the finish point in the Parcel Yard pub.
An initial tot up of the scores looks very promising indeed, despite not quite being able to manage everything, But it turns out we are pipped to the post - still second place isn’t too bad and it was quite overall. The challenge is immediately followed by a forum meal so it’s nice to catch up with everyone.
Afterwards I need to make my way to my Travelodge - this time at London City Airport. I take Northern line trains LU51616 and LU51717 to Angel for a cheeky shack score, and then onto LU51533 and LU51534 to Bank. I decide to head overground to Cannon Street to purchase a zones 1-9 travel card for tomorrow, but find the station closed. So it’s on to 465174 and 466040 to London Bridge. I make my way to the ticket office - I am given all sorts of reasons why I can’t be given one (ranging from there’s no such thing to I’m simply not allowed one) but I get hold of it eventually. It’s then down to the Jubilee line and onto trains LU96036 and LU96121 to Canning Town, switching onto the DLR on DLR115 and DLR116 to London City Airport. A short walk is then had to the nearby Travelodge.
Last edited:
andyb2706
Member
Great report! Glad to see you were able to knock of a couple of the Merseyrail stations on a work day, it is great when you can do that.
Thanks for your Scotland report, I was trying to figure out a way of maximising a visit to the Borders line and I think you have just given me an answer with the walking, also it looks like the London Monopoly trip was a good day, sad I missed it. Although it does give me an idea for my next London trip which I will reveal when I think it through a bit more.
Thanks for your Scotland report, I was trying to figure out a way of maximising a visit to the Borders line and I think you have just given me an answer with the walking, also it looks like the London Monopoly trip was a good day, sad I missed it. Although it does give me an idea for my next London trip which I will reveal when I think it through a bit more.
alexf380
Established Member
I do like the sound of the Monopoly challenge. If it comes around again I'll be sure to make an attempt to be there!
Your Scotland trip sounds like a nice little break away as well, and another couple of shacks knocked off can only be a good thing.
Your Scotland trip sounds like a nice little break away as well, and another couple of shacks knocked off can only be a good thing.
3 April 2016: zones 7 to 9
I set myself the objective today of grabbing every station in London’s outer zones (zones 7 to 9). This required a very early start (well far too early for a Sunday morning at least!), but anyway armed with a Zone 1-9 travel card I made my way to London City Airport station to take DLR trains 101 and 108 under the Thames to Woolwich Arsenal DLR. There’s enough time at Woolwich Arsenal mainline station to grab a coffee from the platform cafe (which is open surprisingly early for a Sunday) before the first train arrives.
465031 and 465020 roll in to take me to today’s first new station, Charlton. There’s a short wait here before it’s onto 465176 and 465040 to Maze Hill.
It’s over the footbridge here to board 465157 and 465155 to Dartford. There’s a 20 minute wait here for my next planned move so I visit the little coffee shop for yet another caffeine hit and a croissant for breakfast, before heading back to the platforms to board double winners 465044 and 465177 to Hither Green.
It’s then onto 465931 and 465009 to Orpington. There’s a nice easy cross-platform transfer here onto 465019 and 465170 for Bromley South.
Here it’s onto 319385 (nice to finally have something a bit different! I was getting bored of 465s!) to St Mary Cray, and after a short wait it’s onto 465907 to Swanley, which was only added to zone 8 a couple of weeks ago.
With Dartford and Swanley out of the way it’s time to head back into London, with 319218 doing the honours to London Blackfriars. It’s straight down into the underground to pick up LU21399 and LU21400 for the one stop to Mansion House, followed by LU21493 and LU21494 to Liverpool Street.
At the mainline station it’s straight onto 317655, heading North to Cheshunt. One last caffeine fix is purchased on the platform before crossing over the footbridge to catch 317513 to Waltham Cross.
Walking time now (and lovely weather it is for it!) as I make my way though the town centre, stopping off at Greggs on the way for a few lunch provisions. I eventually end up at Theobalds Grove just in time to board 315802 back to Cheshunt. Not much to do here as it’s straight back on to Seven Sisters. I make my way to Seven Sisters underground station to catch LU11037 and LU11038 for a fast run down to Euston.
Back above ground it’s onto 350103 for Bushey, where there’s a little bit of a fester before 378215 arrives to take me the one stop to Carpenders Park. The island platform here makes changing onto 378217 a doddle and I get off at Watford High Street.
It’s walking time again! I make my way through Watford town centre and past some very nice houses before arriving at Watford underground station - if it weren’t for the signs you’d think it was someone’s house! Here it’s onto LU21091 and LU21092 for one stop to Croxley underground station. It’s supposed to be a 15 minute fester here, but the next train, formed of LU21045 and LU21046, doesn’t show up for 35 minutes! I’m only going one stop to Moor Park and fortunately the island platform here allows me to jump into LU21072 and LU21071 as it’s doors are closing. I get off a Rickmansworth.
There’s a short wait here before 165022 shows up to take me to Chalfont and Latimer. Here there’s a change onto LU21031 and LU21032, allowing me to get to Chesham (which by my reckoning is the furthest outside of London you can get on an underground train).
I have a little look around the station before hopping back on to the same train, this time to Chorleywood. Here things start to go a bit awry. I’m keen to get these stations both for national rail and London Underground services, and this means I need a Chiltern service to take me to Amersham. A study of the timetable shows a train departing in ten minutes - perfect I think. However it never shows up and I’m left waiting for 40 minutes for 165014. The previous service was obviously cancelled (although realtimetrains claims it never existed, so it’s either lying or the timetable is wrong) and this is clear as the two car 165 is absolutely packed full of people. Luckily I’m only on for two stops to Amersham.
There’s just enough time here to nip out of the station and across the road to the Tesco for a packet of wine gums, before returning and hopping on to LU21079 and LU21080. There’s just one more station left and it requires me to get back to Liverpool Street so I’m on for the long haul. It’s about an hour before I emerge at Liverpool Street and, thanks to a load of rowdy and drunk football hooligans getting on at Wembley, it’s not the most pleasant journey I’ve ever undertaken. I make my way up to the mainline platforms for the second time today and board 321314 and 321362 for a quick leap to Stratford, and then boarding 321348 and 321359 to get today’s last outer zones shack, Brentwood.
Mission complete! I decide it’s time to reward myself with dinner. So it’s onto 321443 and 321430 back to Stratford. I head into the nearby Westfield centre and find a restaurant serving Mexican fare. With dinner and beer consumed it’s time to head back to the Travelodge. At Stratford DLR station it’s onto DLR113 and DLR119. It’s not overly late so I decide to bail at Abbey Road for the shack scratch, waiting ten minutes for DLR128 and DLR151 to take me to the next required station, Star Lane.
The island platform here makes easy work of a quick double back to West Ham on DLR86 and DLR87 (isn’t it nice when they couple consecutive units together?), and then it’s finally onto DLR27 and DLR90 back to London City Airport.
Overall one busy day indeed, but I managed to achieve my objective of clearing all the outer zone stations - at least until they start to add more. My London coverage maps are starting to look a lot healthier too, although there is still a lot to do, particularly in South Eastern and Southern land!
I set myself the objective today of grabbing every station in London’s outer zones (zones 7 to 9). This required a very early start (well far too early for a Sunday morning at least!), but anyway armed with a Zone 1-9 travel card I made my way to London City Airport station to take DLR trains 101 and 108 under the Thames to Woolwich Arsenal DLR. There’s enough time at Woolwich Arsenal mainline station to grab a coffee from the platform cafe (which is open surprisingly early for a Sunday) before the first train arrives.
465031 and 465020 roll in to take me to today’s first new station, Charlton. There’s a short wait here before it’s onto 465176 and 465040 to Maze Hill.
It’s over the footbridge here to board 465157 and 465155 to Dartford. There’s a 20 minute wait here for my next planned move so I visit the little coffee shop for yet another caffeine hit and a croissant for breakfast, before heading back to the platforms to board double winners 465044 and 465177 to Hither Green.
It’s then onto 465931 and 465009 to Orpington. There’s a nice easy cross-platform transfer here onto 465019 and 465170 for Bromley South.
Here it’s onto 319385 (nice to finally have something a bit different! I was getting bored of 465s!) to St Mary Cray, and after a short wait it’s onto 465907 to Swanley, which was only added to zone 8 a couple of weeks ago.
With Dartford and Swanley out of the way it’s time to head back into London, with 319218 doing the honours to London Blackfriars. It’s straight down into the underground to pick up LU21399 and LU21400 for the one stop to Mansion House, followed by LU21493 and LU21494 to Liverpool Street.
At the mainline station it’s straight onto 317655, heading North to Cheshunt. One last caffeine fix is purchased on the platform before crossing over the footbridge to catch 317513 to Waltham Cross.
Walking time now (and lovely weather it is for it!) as I make my way though the town centre, stopping off at Greggs on the way for a few lunch provisions. I eventually end up at Theobalds Grove just in time to board 315802 back to Cheshunt. Not much to do here as it’s straight back on to Seven Sisters. I make my way to Seven Sisters underground station to catch LU11037 and LU11038 for a fast run down to Euston.
Back above ground it’s onto 350103 for Bushey, where there’s a little bit of a fester before 378215 arrives to take me the one stop to Carpenders Park. The island platform here makes changing onto 378217 a doddle and I get off at Watford High Street.
It’s walking time again! I make my way through Watford town centre and past some very nice houses before arriving at Watford underground station - if it weren’t for the signs you’d think it was someone’s house! Here it’s onto LU21091 and LU21092 for one stop to Croxley underground station. It’s supposed to be a 15 minute fester here, but the next train, formed of LU21045 and LU21046, doesn’t show up for 35 minutes! I’m only going one stop to Moor Park and fortunately the island platform here allows me to jump into LU21072 and LU21071 as it’s doors are closing. I get off a Rickmansworth.
There’s a short wait here before 165022 shows up to take me to Chalfont and Latimer. Here there’s a change onto LU21031 and LU21032, allowing me to get to Chesham (which by my reckoning is the furthest outside of London you can get on an underground train).
I have a little look around the station before hopping back on to the same train, this time to Chorleywood. Here things start to go a bit awry. I’m keen to get these stations both for national rail and London Underground services, and this means I need a Chiltern service to take me to Amersham. A study of the timetable shows a train departing in ten minutes - perfect I think. However it never shows up and I’m left waiting for 40 minutes for 165014. The previous service was obviously cancelled (although realtimetrains claims it never existed, so it’s either lying or the timetable is wrong) and this is clear as the two car 165 is absolutely packed full of people. Luckily I’m only on for two stops to Amersham.
There’s just enough time here to nip out of the station and across the road to the Tesco for a packet of wine gums, before returning and hopping on to LU21079 and LU21080. There’s just one more station left and it requires me to get back to Liverpool Street so I’m on for the long haul. It’s about an hour before I emerge at Liverpool Street and, thanks to a load of rowdy and drunk football hooligans getting on at Wembley, it’s not the most pleasant journey I’ve ever undertaken. I make my way up to the mainline platforms for the second time today and board 321314 and 321362 for a quick leap to Stratford, and then boarding 321348 and 321359 to get today’s last outer zones shack, Brentwood.
Mission complete! I decide it’s time to reward myself with dinner. So it’s onto 321443 and 321430 back to Stratford. I head into the nearby Westfield centre and find a restaurant serving Mexican fare. With dinner and beer consumed it’s time to head back to the Travelodge. At Stratford DLR station it’s onto DLR113 and DLR119. It’s not overly late so I decide to bail at Abbey Road for the shack scratch, waiting ten minutes for DLR128 and DLR151 to take me to the next required station, Star Lane.
The island platform here makes easy work of a quick double back to West Ham on DLR86 and DLR87 (isn’t it nice when they couple consecutive units together?), and then it’s finally onto DLR27 and DLR90 back to London City Airport.
Overall one busy day indeed, but I managed to achieve my objective of clearing all the outer zone stations - at least until they start to add more. My London coverage maps are starting to look a lot healthier too, although there is still a lot to do, particularly in South Eastern and Southern land!
Last edited:
- Status