crehld's travels

[crehld]

crehld's short review of 2015
Well I've finally managed to catch up on last year's trip reports. So I thought it would be interesting to have a look at some basic stats for the year.

My total mileage 16,806. This was pretty impressive (I even beat Techniquest ) given I hadn't really been out on the rails properly until mid-March on account of the daughter being born last Christmas. A lot of this mileage was helped by a couple of long distance work trips (Strasbourg was over 1,500 on what was effectively mandatory moves) and a trip to Brussels which I haven't written detailed reports on. However my gratis first class trip on the Highland Chieftain in April also pushed the mileage up (as well as being an enjoyable trip in its own right).

Here are the mileages from the top 5 TOCs:

Northern: 4,130 (unsurprising it's top I guess given the frequent moves between Crewe and Hellifield and the copious Northern Day Rangers I've made use of)
Virgin West Coast: 3592
London Midland: 2121
Eurostar: 1075
Virgin East Coast: 767
Arriva Trains Wales: 713 (that's a little surprising if I'm honest - looks like I've been to Chester and back a fair few times this year!)

Much progress has also been made on the route coverage front. Remember I started 2015 with this sorry state of affairs. As of 31 December, things are looking much better I'm sure you'll agree! Still lots to do though!

By my reckoning I spent £1452 on rail travel for the year (I'm not including the few tickets work bought for me in that). That sounds a lot but it actually works out at 8 pence per mile which I think is fantastic value for money. I've also received £184 in delay repay which will be put to good use...

Speaking of which, here are my tentative plans for next year (well actually it kicked off to day with a bit of Metrolink action, but more on that later):

- Plenty of Northern Day Rangers over the next couple of months as their promotion has just started again.
- A London and Thames Valley bash next week.
- A Birmingham bash the week after.
- A trip on the new Scottish borders railway in March.
- Another London bash in April.
- A potential 4 in 8 Wales Flexi Pass thingy in either May or June.
- And would you believe it, I persuaded Mrs Crehld to join me on a trip on the sleeper to Inverness (although we'll have to travel a la Kristophersen style for that trip) in the summer.
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Sounds like a good mini-day trip, good to know about that cafe at Sainsburys as I need Neston to clear the top half of that line (Shotton to Bidston)

Neston is required for me too, the Sainsburys will be very useful indeed!

The Sainsburys is a 1 minute walk away, but is a little bit hidden, but you should find it OK. If you look on Google Maps it's due south of the station.

 

[Techniquest]

Cheers for the gen on Sainsburys, when I get there next I'll be in there.

You beat me by a large amount on the mileage front! This cannot happen this year!

 

[crehld]

You beat me by a large amount on the mileage front! This cannot happen this year!

You're on

6 January 2016: Metrolink madness!
This was a bit of a spur of the moment trip I had nothing much going on at work (a symptom of the time of year), so I booked the day off the day before I managed to nab a couple of Northern advances to Manchester for £2 each way (bargain!). There was no real plan of what to do in Manchester, so I would decide that on the way up.

The next morning it was onto the bus to Crewe station, where the tickets were i=picked up, followed by a coffee and then onto dud 323232 (my last Northern 323 (323229) continues to remain elusive) for the trip up to Manchester Piccadilly. It's foggy today and this makes for some fantastic scenes as we cross the Peover and Twemlow viaducts with the mist hovering below. On the way I decide it's about time I got to work on Manchester's Metrolink system. So upon arrival it's down to my first new shack, Picadilly Metrolink stop, where I purchase an off-peak day travelcard.

The first set of trams to arrive are 3045 and 3042, and I stay on all the way to Altrincham. I source a tram network map leaflet from the ticket office which proves to be most useful and then get on 3053 for the one stop ride to Navigation Road.

There's a short wait here before 3033 and 3060 show up to take me to Trafford Bar. I switch platforms here and board the next service heading the other way, which is 3096 all the way along the recent extension to Manchester Airport.

I take the opportunity here to get a caffeine fix, before heading out again on 3062 to St Werburgh's Road. Another Manchester Airport service pulls in, which I decide to leave, instead taking 3024 and 3039 to East Didsbury.

The sun has finally broken through the mist and cloud, and so I decide it's time to go for a short walk. I make use of the line side cycle path to walk to the next stop along, Didsbury Village, where I pick up 3020 and 3010 to Cornbrook.

A short hop to Deansgate-Castlefield is made on 3007, before joining 3071 and 3100 to MediaCity UK.

I have a little wander around here to see what's what and head into a Pret A Manger for some lunch. It's then back to the tram stop to get on 3077 and 3063 for one stop to Harbour City.

From here I make the very short walk to Broadway, where I pick up 3002 and 3041 to Eccles. On the way some random school kid engaged in a a rather random act of disobedience and throws his sandwich at the tram as it passes him - he'll be missing that when he gets hungry later on!

I take the opportunity here to go into a nearby Boots to get some short handled spoons for baby crehld (the joys of fatherhood! She's just starting to feed herself, but our existing spoons are a bit to long and most the food ends up on the forehead rather than in the mouth). Mission complete I head back to the tram stop to take 3067 and 3084 to Piccadilly Gardens (we go via Media City UK again so I need to try and work out which trams take the direct route for next time). From here I board the next tram formed of 3029 and 3012 to Etihad Campus.

It's then across to the other platform to take 3104 one stop along to Holt Town. Walking time again as I make the 10 minute (or about that) walk to New Islington.

Here it's onto 3108 to Market Street, back in the city centre.

I spend a bit of time window shopping (the bank account is still recovering from Christmas!) before heading back to Market Street for one last go on the trams in the form of 3038 to Piccadilly Gardens. I then walk back to Piccadilly station (yes, why didn't I just stay on the tram? That's a legitimate question for which I have no real answer to!), to board 323236 (that last 323 will never show up) back to Crewe.

Overall a great day out. I've made some good progress on covering the Metrolink network (over half of it I reckon) and for a total cost of £9 on tickets it was a bargain day out!

 

[Kite159]

Sounds like a good day on the Metrolink

323229 remains elusive to me (need that and 227 for the Northern 323s)

 

[FQ]

That sounds like a very productive and fun day tram bashing!

323229 is also required for me. Although all of them are except 225 and 232.

 

[Techniquest]

Quite the adventure had there, and what a responsible father, taking time out from bashing to get stuff for his daughter! Yes I did mean that sincerely too.

I really need to get back to Manchester for a serious shack attack session, I believe I need 47 shacks on the system still. With 77 trams to get too (that number includes up to 3120, which I believe is not yet delivered) I really should be planning a trip up north.

Bargain Advances you had there, worth investigating...

 

[crehld]

Sounds like a good day on the Metrolink

323229 remains elusive to me (need that and 227 for the Northern 323s)

That sounds like a very productive and fun day tram bashing!

323229 is also required for me. Although all of them are except 225 and 232.

I'll get it one day - I'm not too bothered about red penning units to be fair, but this one needs hunting down!

Quite the adventure had there, and what a responsible father, taking time out from bashing to get stuff for his daughter! Yes I did mean that sincerely too.

I really need to get back to Manchester for a serious shack attack session, I believe I need 47 shacks on the system still. With 77 trams to get too (that number includes up to 3120, which I believe is not yet delivered) I really should be planning a trip up north.

Bargain Advances you had there, worth investigating...

I always look out for baby crehld Mrs crehld has gone back to work now so I have two days a week with her to myself, so you may even see her join me on a couple of small-scale trips in the near future

Here's the fare I used: http://www.brfares.com/#faredetail?orig=CRE&dest=MAN&grpd=0438&rte=429&tkt=DG1

That said I was really surprised I managed to get those advances that cheap the day before. Northern have introduced loads of them on their routes recently. You're stuck to slower trains, but it's such good value it's a no brainer!

 

[crehld]

11 January 2016: a day in London
That's right, it's another trip to London today. London Midland had a sale on which meant I got a first class ticket (although that doesn't really mean much with LM) to London for a tenner - a definite bargain and cheaper than any of the standard class tickets on offer! I pick the tickets up at the station and it's straight on to dud 350109 for the long trip to Euston.

In London the first job is to get to a printer and binders in Acton to drop off some papers for them to bind (which is the main purpose for being here today). So it's straight onto 378230 towards Willesden Junction. A quick look at realtimetrains along the way highlights a good shack scratch opportunity in place, so I end up staying on for one extra stop to Harlesden.

It's over the tracks and onto the other platform to pick up 378220 back to Willesden Junction. A walk up to the high level platforms allows me to pick up today's first winner, 378205 to South Acton.

After getting lost in a building site I eventually find the required industrial estate the and the binding company. I drop off the heavy paperwork (1,200 sheets of A4 paper weights a lot by the way!) and make my way to Acton Town underground station. I have a sit down with a coffee in the little cafe in the station, pondering what to do next, and decide to have a crack at the Piccadilly Line.

So coffee complete it's onto LU215 and LU220 to Leicester Square. From here the usual station hopping routine follows: LU249 and LU202 Caledonian Road, then LU200 and LU870 to Aresnal, LU247 and LU142 to Manor House, LU242 and LU163 to Turnpike Lane, LU148 and LU141 to Wood Green, LU108 and LU227 to Arnos Grove, LU117 and LU238 to Southgate, LU146 and LU223 to Oakwood, and finally LU189 and LU174 to the end of the line at Cockfosters.

The more observant among you will have noticed I missed a couple of stations out, which was entirely deliberate! I had a little bit of a break at Cockfosters (I needed the fresh air after spending a fair bit of time underground!) and then boarded LU177 and LU186 to Bounds Green. I made the short walk here to Bowes Park mainline station, where the plan was to add a couple more 313s to the book.

The plan paid off as first to arrive were double winners 313039 and 313018 for the one stop trip to Palmers Green. A dash to the other platform saw me pick up 313048 to Hornsey, and a short wait here produced dud 313042 coupled to 313056 to Drayton Park. I had a little fester here to see what would turn up. First up was 313027 (which at the time I thought was required, but I later found out that it wasn't) to Finsbury Park, before getting 313134 and 313058 back to Drayton Park.

That's enough 313 action for now, as I need to check into the Heathrow Travelodge and drop off the bags before catching up with Kite159 later on. So I make the short walk to Holloway Road, where LU133 and LU140 take me for the long journey to Hounslow West. From here it's a short bus journey to the hotel.

All checked in and bags dropped off I make my way back to the bus stop and back to Hounslow West station to pick up LU231 and LU180 to Acton Town. Here a short walk is taken back to South Acton. I arrive to find the station shrouded in darkness as all the station lights are off. After a short while 378255 appears out of the gloom to take me all the way to Richmond. Here I board the next available train to Waterloo, which is formed of 455848 and 455851.

Upon arrival I make my way along the station concourse to the clock where I finally meet up with Kite159. He's determined to chase down his last required London Overground unit, so it's down into the underground, taking LU65505 anf LU65506 to Bank, and then onto a very packed central line serviced formed of 91003, 92066, 92408 and 91195 for one stop to Liverpool Street.

Kite is immediately on the off to try and track down is last LO unit, and it's not long before he's successful, finding 317889 and 317887 about to depart. Kite squeezes himself onto the rear carriage, while I make a dash further down the train to find a carriage with much more space. We stay on for one stop to Bethnal Green.

Satisfied with clearing his last LO unit, Kite is happy to indulge me in a couple of shack attacks (he has them all of course). So it' 317710 and 317723 to Rectory Road, followed by 315807 and 315808 to London Fields.

It's then onto 315802 to Hackney Downs, followed by 317665 and 317662 back to Liverpool Street. A bit of time is spent here planning the next move. Kite inspects his requirements and I don't really mind what we go for as anything on a Greater Anglia service is likely to be a winner for me. We settle on a run Stratford on 321432 and 321314, returning back on 321429 and 321310.

It's getting on a bit now and Kite wants to , so we head back to Waterloo, taking a much quieter central line formed of LU91247, LU92462, LU92204 andLU91215 to Bank, followed by LU65509 and LU65510 to Waterloo. We both grab a McDonalds and sit down for a chat before Kite heads back to the wilds of Hampshire.

It's time to head back myself, so I board 450084 and 450550 to Hounslow, going via Richmond. On the way fire up realtimetrains again and plan one last shack attack at Feltham, but a delay outside Hounslow consigns that plan to the bin, so I simply make the walk into Hounslow centre and catch a bus back to the Travelodge.

Quite a busy day I'm sure you'll agree. Another good crack at the Piccadilly line means I only have a handful of stations on the way to Uxbridge left to get (a quick scan of the spreadsheet tells me I've also cleared over half the Piccadilly line fleet).

 

[FQ]

That sounds like a really good time! A long time on the Underground too - I don't think I'd be able to manage that just yet. You're doing very well on the Piccadilly line knowing the size of the fleet too!

 

[crehld]

That sounds like a really good time! A long time on the Underground too - I don't think I'd be able to manage that just yet. You're doing very well on the Piccadilly line knowing the size of the fleet too!

I think it worked out as 1.5 hours from Acton Town to Cockfosters, but I was rather fortunate that there were only a couple of minutes gaps between each train! But yes - that's a long time to spend underground!

 

[FQ]

That's pretty good considering how many shacks you got but I don't think I'd be able to manage it, just because I'd prefer getting thousands of units in the central bit at the moment.

 

[crehld]

12 January 2016: Taming the Thames Valley
The plan was to get up super early today and make my way to Heathrow for a cup of coffee and a chance to grab a couple more 332s. However when the alarm sounded I opted for the 'snooze' button and went back to bed. By the time I woke up again it was too late. The other part of today's plan was still on, however: tacking the Thames branches.

The first order of today, however, was to pick up the binding I dropped off yesterday. I performed the usual check out procedure before getting the bus to Hounslow West station and boarding LU872 and LU241 to Acton Town. It was back to the industrial estate to pickl up the finished product - a little lighter on the cash side, but much heavier on the paper front! Back to Acton Town to pick up District line trains LU21471 and LU21472 to Ealing Broadway.

I already had the necessary Thames Branches Day Ranger (bought online via the GWR website - I wish more TOCs did that) but still needed to grab a ticket from Reading to Emsworth for later on so had a quick visit to the ticket office. There was still a ten minute wait so I went to a nearby shop for some provisions for the day.

Back at the station it was onto 165114 and 165125 heading towards Oxford. I nabbed a seat in the declassified first class compartment and was immediately RPIed. Turns out he was on his coffee break, so we had a nice chat until he got off at Slough (I think). I stayed on as far as today's first new station and at the furthest reaches of the ranger area, Tilehurst. It wasn't long before 165101 arrived from the opposite direction to take me to Reading.

Next up was a short hop to Reading West on 165131.

There was a comfortable +2 to make here for the journey back to Reading, but it never came. Initially I thought it was cancelled, but several grumpy people on the platform were complaining that it left five minutes early (realtimetrains said 4). Anyway, after a 20 minute wait, it was onto 166206 sporting new GWR livery to take it back to Reading.

The plan now was to get all the main Thames branches added to the coverage map. So first up it was 165117 to Maidenhead, where I was able to pick up 165124 on the shuttle service to Marlow.

It was then back on to 165124 to Maidenhead, where a tight three minute connection (that I needn't have worried about) was made onto 165134 to Slough. It was time now to get the Windsor branch added to the map, and 165130 was doing to honours to Windsor and Eton Central.

The initial plan had been to spend 20 minutes here to have an explore about, but the unintended wait at Reading West, and the fact it had decided to start raining caused that plan to change. So after a little look round the station building, it was back onto 165130 to Slough. For a bit of variety, I planned in a speed run into my itinerary, but first I needed to get to Paddington, so it was onto 180104 which took me there, and then onto 43022 and 43193 for the non-stop run back to Reading.

Next up it was onto 166210 and 165129 for the short trip to Twyford. There's some festering time here so I grab a coffee and have a little look around the place, but don't find very much. At least the sun has come out! Eventually 165121 shows up for the service to Henley-on-Thames.

There's 20 minutes here before the next train back so I take the opportunity for more exploring. It's a weekday but the town is dead - a classic symptom of commuter-ville I guess. So it's back onto 165121 for the ride to Twyford, and then onto 165107 back to Reading.

I now need to start heading down to the south coast, so, armed with the ticket I bought earlier on, it's onto 166218. A quick scan of realtimetrains throws up a good shack attack opportunity so I bail at Wokingham, with only a 13 minute wait for 166215 to arrive to take me to Guildford.

No time to muck about here as it's a +3 onto 450039 and 450085. Again realtimetrains throws up another good shack attack opportunity, so it's off at Godalming.

There's a short wait here before 450556, 450091 and 450107 arrive to take me to Havant. Today's last train is 377421 for the one-stop trip to the usual lodgings at Emsworth.

 

[FQ]

Lots and lots of new shacks and units there! I can't believe that you needed Reading though! How many HST power cars do you need in GWR?

 

[crehld]

Lots and lots of new shacks and units there! I can't believe that you needed Reading though!

Passed through many times... Never stopped off or changed there!

How many HST power cars do you need in GWR?

All of them but six!

 

[Kite159]

Sounded like a good day in GWR land, a shame you didn't get one of the delightful 150/0s

 

[Kristofferson]

Just read your previous tale - 1.5 hours underground? That's an endurance for sure... Enough to drive anyone mad

 

[FQ]

Passed through many times... Never stopped off or changed there!



All of them but six!

You'll need to do a Thamesline but just bash between Reading and Padd on trams all day! That'd get loads and loads for you!

 

[Keith Jarrett]

Just read your previous tale - 1.5 hours underground? That's an endurance for sure... Enough to drive anyone mad

In that case I must be totally mad - a couple of years back I spent about four hours on the Central Line bagging required 1992ts, all of it done underground.

crehld's trip report is a timely reminder that it's been an absolute age since I've ridden The Drain - it does not crop up too often in reports on London travels. Has everyone got the stock or is it simply not on people's radar?

 

[Techniquest]

Regarding the Drain, both of my last visits to London have had the intention of using the Drain but it never works out somehow. Much like how I always plan to clear out my Jubilee shack requirements but never seem to manage it, same for having a clearout on SWT and countless other objectives!

 

[crehld]

Sounded like a good day in GWR land, a shame you didn't get one of the delightful 150/0s

Nope. But I did see one of them stabled up in the sidings at Reading!
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You'll need to do a Thamesline but just bash between Reading and Padd on trams all day! That'd get loads and loads for you!

I still don't understand all the nicknames you give trains Why are HSTs trams? They don't look anything like trams (to me anyway)! Anyway my main objectives for now are route coverage and shack scratches.
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crehld's trip report is a timely reminder that it's been an absolute age since I've ridden The Drain

Regarding the Drain, both of my last visits to London have had the intention of using the Drain but it never works out somehow.

Silly question time: why's it called 'the drain'?

 

[FQ]

HSTs are trams because they come from the '70s and '80s when there were locos on all of the trains so they had to run round when they get to the end (most of them). The HSTs are different and they just get to the terminus stop and then immediately head back out like trams.

 

[Keith Jarrett]

Silly question time: why's it called 'the drain'?

Apparently it's all to do with the tunnels being a bit on the leaky side and in need of constant drainage.

 

[crehld]

19 January 2016: Daytripping with a Daytripper
I had a free day before the onslaught at work began so decided to hit the rails while I could. There were several options to go with, including Northern Rail's latest £10 day ranger offer, but instead I decided to head to Birmingham. London Midland had a sale on advance tickets making it £3.60 each way. This combined with a Daytipper tickets made it cheaper than the prevailing West Midlands Day Ranger rate, and I desperately needed to have a crack at the Birmingham stations.

It starts with the usual routine. On bus, bus delayed due to Crewe traffic, off bus, print off tickets, buy a coffee, and board the train heading for Birmingham. It's a great start as winner 350232 is on duty for the mandatory move to New Street station.

Upon arrival it's straight up to the ticket office to purchase a Daytripper ticket and then back to the platforms to catch 350243 to today's first new station, Smethwick Rolfe Street.

It's walking time now and I am spurred on by beautiful clear skies and sunshine. But boy is it cold, a fact reinforced when I note the canal I cross has frozen up! In less than 15 minutes I make it to The Hawthorns, boarding 172340 to Birmingham Moor Street. Most of today will be spent on 172s, so I decide to get a bit of variety in early on courtesy of a push from 68012 to Solihull - I do love the feeling of spaciousness Mark III carriages have! A short wait on the platform here produces 172337to Dorridge.

The 172s start producing now as it's on to 172343 to Olton, followed by 172332 to Widney Manor.

I go for a little wander around, finding not a lot to do, so head back to the station for 172332 to return and take me all the way back to Jewellery Quarter. A platform transfer here puts me onto 172222 and 172218 to Spring Road.

It's walking time again as I make my way to Hall Green station, getting slightly lost along the way and stopping off at a nearby Greggs for provisions. Here I pick up 172222 and 172218 again for a journey to Small Heath.

An island platform facilitates a tight connection onto 172333 to Acocks Green, another station with an island platform making the transfer onto 172335 to Tyseley nice and easy.

There's a bit of a fester here but I listen with interest as a group of engineers standing in the sidings opposite are given a lesson in what datum plates are, how they work and what all the numbers mean. Most interesting stuff given I've always wondered! Free lesson over it's onto 172331 and 172217 to (don't call me) Shirley. It's walking time again as I make my way to Whitlocks End, taking a little under 20 minutes.

It's so peaceful here, so I make the most of the fester before the next train shows up by sitting down and reading a book on the platform. Eventually 172215 shows up and takes me to Yardley Wood.

There's another wait here (although the surroundings aren't as nice and peaceful as Whitlocks End) before 172342 arrives to take me back to Birmingham Moor Street. There's half an hour before my booked train back to Crewe leaves so decide to call it a day and make the walk back to New Street station. Given the bat cave has now been converted into a shopping centre I spend a little time browsing around a bookshop before it make my way into 350250 back to Crewe. So not a long day but I've managed to make a good start on my massive West Midlands station requirements

 

[FQ]

You got quite a few of my winner stations there! Sounds like a good day in the Brum area though. The cut was frozen where we are too.

 

[Keith Jarrett]

Sounds like another fab day out. Looking at your piccies, the weather was kind to you, even if on the cold side!

 

[Techniquest]

A very productive and cheap little day out on my local patch! Too much walking for my liking though

Much grr at 68012 as it's the last one I need out of the Chiltern batch!

 

[Kristofferson]

Super productive and a good read sir

 

[jayalongtheway]

Good bash round the West Midlands, and yes I've always wondered about datum plates too!

 

[FQ]

Much grr at 68012 as it's the last one I need out of the Chiltern batch!

Keep calm and keep on purring by fishquinn1, on Flickr
Waiting... Waiting... Waiting... And pounce on the mouse! by fishquinn1, on Flickr

 

[crehld]

A very productive and cheap little day out on my local patch! Too much walking for my liking though

Much grr at 68012 as it's the last one I need out of the Chiltern batch!

Keep calm and keep on purring by fishquinn1, on Flickr
Waiting... Waiting... Waiting... And pounce on the mouse! by fishquinn1, on Flickr

Yes it's always nice to enjoy the rarity of having something Techniquest doesn't ... a bit like 390114