Because both are absolutely awful. I wouldn't turn down a 57 if it were on the sleeper (and I obviously see why you take them), but I just hate 66s and 57s.
They are all hellfire classes there, that's for sure. I've only had the one deltic for haulage on the main too - 55022 - but it was a monstrous run, that's for sure.
The unwanted trip day 1: Back again
Back again, but my reasoning is completely different. The 16th to the 18th of January would be another trip to Glasgow, a city I very much like. Why is it an unwanted trip? Why was my reasoning completely different to dad going to work so I could have a bashing trip? This trip would include no bashing - it was just a return from Leam to Dalry (via London on the sleeper of course) for dad's uncle's funeral, as he had unfortunately died on new years day. He had been very unwell for 3 years though, so it is kind of a relief, to him as well. Anyway, that's the reason of the trip, so I'm just going to do a type up of the rail related bits, starting on Monday the 16th with a run to London for the sleeper to Glasgow.
I was glad that my brother, who had first choice on going (only one of us and dad were going), declined, but I was only allowed to go if I got some 'smart' clothes. Define smart. So far I think it means 'people like it because you're going through torture having spent loads of cash on clothes that you hate and they make you feel really uncomfortable, all for them'. I wonder why you need to wear smart clothing for a funeral though. Surely the deceased would prefer it if you wore comfortable clothes and didn't spend loads of money on them, not feeling like someone had put loads of itching powder down your clothes? I'm sure my great uncle would have, anyway. What's the point in smart clothing anyway? Is it that people think you've put in some effort (and cash, as I've found out) to get it, even though the majority of people will have a suit stuffed in their wardrobe? Anyway, rant over. I went to get some smart trousers in Leamington on the Saturday before departure (£5.49 for some in a charity shop - I wasn't paying £40 for the same ones in M&S) and mum had got me a nice shirt, by request, as part of my birthday pressie (which was a trip out with dad and Nat on Saturday the 21st). All the charity shops were checked for a waistcoat but one wasn't found, and I wasn't paying £250 (no kidding) in this posh place, so we just asked my uncle, who was also coming, to see if he had one that'd fit me. Even if he didn't, I'm sure I'd look smart enough without one. Anyway, fast forward a few days and I had a day of work before heading out. Dad, having worked nights on the Saturday and Sunday, had a rest day on the Monday, but I don't think that the following would be a good way to not feel tired:
Night shift on the Saturday, getting little sleep on the Saturday itself
Night shift on the Sunday
Sleeper on the Monday
Sleeper on the Tuesday
A full day at work from Wednesday-Friday
That wouldn't be fun.
I'd booked advances for the 16:22 to Marylebone on the Monday afternoon ('H62), just like last time, and dad had got the sleeper stuff. I'd also got the Glasgow-Dalry return and the advance on the 08:41 from Marylebone to Moor Street for the Wednesday morning, but my £16.60 didn't come anywhere near dad's £153 for the sleeper return. We'd both forgotten about the travelcards for the Monday eve', but we decided to book them on the day instead and pick up at Leam on the way through.
Finally Monday came and, after the day of work I expected, it was into the car for the ride to Leam. Mum was dropping us off at the station for 'H62, but my brother needed picking up from an activity he does near Leam every Monday for 15:30, so we decided to pick him up and head straight on to Leam, mum dropping us off about 10 minutes away from the station (walking) so she didn't need to battle the hellish traffic around the station. We got there at about 15:40, so dad and I had just over 40 minutes until 'H62 (it leaves Leam at 16:22). I knew that there would be a cart that could get us to Warwick Parkway for it, so I suggested this to dad and he said yes (I thought it'd be a no because of the cart, but it's only a couple of minutes I guess). We got to the station and picked up our travelcards before heading to the platform and waiting a few minutes for the 15:58 to Snow Hell. This was running on time and was formed of 168002 today. I prefer to get the middle coaches on short leaps (for example a Snow Hell leap or Leam to Warwick Parkway) and leave the outer ones for the longer runs, as I won't take a middle coach on one of them. 168002 needed one coach to superdud it (a middle one) so I asked dad if he'd mind if I headed into that coach until just after Warwick. He was fine with this, so I boarded at the same door as dad (who was up front) and had an argument with the gangway door before being let through into my required coach. Just after leaving Warwick I headed back to dad, 168002 now successfully superdudded.
Warwick Parkway was a winner shack for dad (something that I was surprised at) so, although he doesn't really do shacks, at least something else was got as we changed platforms via the hundreds of stairs. We were soon on the Leam bound platform, where it was to the Brum end of the platform to wait for 1H62, which was running on time. We were very glad to see a DVT winding its way into the curved platform, and soon identified our cat to Marylebone as Bagpuss. Surprisingly 68010 was the one that dad wanted the most out of the ones currently on silver sets, as it was his lowest mileage one out of the 4. We boarded at the rear coach and took a priority seat bay of 2 (good legroom and no chance of being wedged out at Banbury). I got my book out, dad having a read of private eye, and we were soon leaving Leam, where darkness soon crept down.
The journey felt a lot longer than it usually does for some reason (maybe a lack of view out of the window had something to do with that), but we were soon getting to Marylebone on time. After bailing it was a walk down the platform and through the barriers before heading down to the Bakerloo line.
We got onto the city centre bound platform as a service was approaching, and I was pleased to see that it was double winner 3251 and 3550 that would take us to Baker Street. I lost dad for a minute or two here but we were soon back together again so could head over to the Circle/Hammersmith and City line platforms and wait for one heading towards Kings Cross to start our evening plan. The first one was flagged due to it being wedged, but the second one wasn't so bad so we got onto winner 21414+21413 for the ride. We had some standing room for the journey but, after Kings Cross, there were loads of seats free so we got two for ourselves and were soon getting to Liverpool Street, where we bailed. It was then up to the heavy rail, looking at a departure board to see when the next one to Stratford was. It was the 18:25 to Southend, which would obviously give a dusty, so we decided to go for that. Liverpool Street had quite a few delays (signaling problems up the Stansted/Cambridge route and a problem with the track at Romford). Because of this the 18:25 hadn't had its platform announced until its departure time.
We got to the platform just as a treble dusty was arriving, and we headed straight to the front coach of the front unit. I was a bit peeved to see that the middle dusty, 321352, was a dud as I've only had 10 of the GA ones, but it was the filling of the sandwich with winners 321422 and 321328 being the bread. We took a bay of 6 in 422 and we were out of Liverpool Street 6 late at 18:31. It was a spirited run towards Stratford, with some good motor noise and we were soon getting there where it was over to Cafe Nero for a hot choc each. Once we'd got them we headed down to the Stratford International bound DLR platform as dad needed the track. We were faced with a 7-minute wait (typical), and we'd finished our hot chocolates before our service had arrived. 53 and 94 were to take us to Stratford International and, when I went into my 2017 DMU platform 5 book to see if they were winners or not, I remembered that the darn things no longer had light rail in, and that I had to use my 2016 DMU book for it! It seems to just be laziness or money grabbing that they decided not to put the light rail in the new ones - I now have to take my 2016 DMU books with me for light rail, which I forgot to do this time, so who says that I won't remember on a trip to Mancc and have to guess at my small number of Metrolink requirements? Anyway, rant over. When I got home I found out that 53 had been a dud, but 94 a winner. We were in the latter, having a view out of the back as we headed to International, but we stayed on here, so had a view out of the front for the journey back along the line.
We were soon on the move again and stayed on at Stratford, for our evening plans were a DLR track fest! We got off this pair at Canning Town and then headed up a few levels to the high level, where we saw a Beckton arriving. We wanted to get the Beckton branch done next, but immediately flagged this one after seeing how busy it was and instead changed direction and got onto treble winner 60, 82 and 77 for the ride out one stop to East India, a shack score. We then changed platforms and got onto the other one in time for the next Beckton. We marveled the funky night time view here while waiting for our next one to arrive, and I got a photo of it too.
East India by fishquinn1, on FlickrWe didn't need to wait long, as treble winner 76, 83 and 90 were soon arriving to take us all the way to Beckton. We enjoyed the journey to Beckton, enjoying the multitude of planes going to and from London City Airport. Much more goes there than we thought would, and it was quite fun seeing it, and the docklands by night. For a couple of stops on the Beckton branch you take a rather steep hill down and then, at the very bottom of that hill you stop at the station before going back up another. I guess that's a way to make building the station cheaper? Anyway, it was a fun ride and we were soon getting to Beckton, where I hopped off and then got straight back on again to claim the shack. We had been looking out of the back on the way down, so we got a front view on the way back. Because we were a treble set and the entrance to Beckton was at the far end of the platform, dad and I were the only people in this unit departing Beckton, but another person came in at the next stop. It was another fun journey, seeing more planes, and we were soon getting to Canning Town. The plan was now to head down to Woolwich, but we saw that the next one from the high level wasn't for another 7 minutes, so we decided to stay on 90, 83 and 76 forward another couple of stops to intercept it at a different stop. We decided to continue past East India to the one after, winner shack Blackwall, where we had to quickly change platforms in order to make it onto treble winner 25, 97 and 85, the last of which was identified when we bailed. This trio was taken all the way to Woolwich, which was winner track after Canning Town, and we got to see the other side of the airport here, with many more planes. It was quite busy and dad didn't get a seat until London City Airport (he insisted that I take it) but it emptied out quite a bit before going under the Thames, which is quite a funky view from up front, and getting to shack score 4, Woolwich Arsenal. After getting the rear DLR unit it was over to the heavy rail London bound platform. There was a service approaching when we got down onto the platform, but it was unfortunately going to Charing Cross, not Cannon Street. We wanted to get one to Cannon Street as it was dad's last required London terminus, but after I saw that there was a 466 leading the Charing Cross I knew I wanted to be on it. Dad, having looked at the PIS, told me that it was formed of 10 coaches, which meant that it was likely a triple winner with a 466 and two 465s, so we decided to take this to Lewisham to get onto a Cannon Street there instead. Winner 466043 was leading winner 465170 and, as I found out when we bailed, dud 465153! Doh!
This service was due to stop at Charlton on the way to Lewisham, which is before the junction, so we decided to check the PIS as we arrived to see if the Cannon Street 10 minutes behind stopped. I got ready to do so and, once we found out that it did, we got off. With this, Charlton became shack score 5. We kicked our heels while waiting for our next service and, 10 minutes later my suspicions were confirmed about the class as it was the front end of a 376 that was approaching. At least I got winner 376024, which was the leading unit in a pair with consecutively numbered winner 376023. The rear was got when we arrived at Cannon Street.
This service was very lightly loaded and, when we got to Cannon Street after some winner track from Charlton to wherever the junction from Lewisham is (after Deptford). We did a passenger count when getting off and found out that, including us, there was only 8 people on the train! A 10 coach train seems rather overkill to be honest, not that I mind as I scored another two units out of it!
It was now time to head over to Euston for dinner at the double six as it was about 20:45 and we were starting to get hungry. We weren't just going to tube it straight over though, which dad suggested after looking at a tube map earlier on (circle line all the way to Euston Square). After he'd suggested that I'd suggested the Circle or District to Blackfriars for a 700 to St Pancras and then walk from there. He preferred this option too, so we decided to do that and headed down to the platform for the next available tube to Blackfriars. It was approaching when we got there, and I was thrilled to see what was arriving. It was a D stock! Out of the very, very few operating, we'd scored one on the first try, without even thinking about it! I was glad to get on board double winner 7046 and 7502 for the ride, listening to the great sound the doors make on what will probably be my last ever D stock journey, and we were soon getting to Blackfriars where it was time to say bye to the D stock and head up to the heavy rail once again.
We got up just as a Bedford bound 377 pair were leaving, so we'd have a while to wait. The next non-319 was due in 15 minutes so we took a seat and waited for it. I knew that dad wouldn't take a 319 to even City Thameslink when there was better traction not too far behind, so I decided to wait with him and flagged a winner 319 before our service arrived. The boards said that it was formed of 12 coaches so I was expecting a 700, and got one in the form of dud 700103. We got on board and were soon on the move, getting to St Pancras not too long after. It was then up to street level and along Euston Road to get to the double six for dinner.
To get to the double six you need to walk on the road that parralels Euston's platform 1, with a lorry sized gate thing at the end of the platform. After the gate there is a brick wall so you can't see the platform. The moment after we walked past the gate and couldn't see the platform, we heard an unmistakable, brilliant sound, that had us quickly turning around and crossing the road to get the gate, where we could see the platforms up to 3 (a pendo was blocking the view after that). We already knew what the amazing sound was, and we were soon watching and hearing the hellfire beast that is 87002 arriving on the ECS from Wembley. What a monster! Once we'd watched it arrive we stood there for another couple of moments before heading to the double six. While it was incredibly brilliant to hear it arrive (and see it), it was a shame that it wasn't on the other end. Still, hellfire!
I went for gammon, egg and chips, dad going for an omelette and chips and they had son arrived and were very tasty. We waited in the cafe for a while before paying and heading out (cash only by the way), deciding to see if the M&S right next to Euston was still open for pudding. It was so we went inside and headed out with a pack of tiffin, two sultana danish and a couple of beers for dad. It was then to the concourse, finding out that the lowland was already boarding (on, as we knew, platform 1). We wandered over and took in the excellent view of 87002 before getting the camera out to get some photos. We played around with it for a while to see how we could get decent photos with the poor light, but ended up getting ones that we were both rather pleased with.
Royal Sovereign back on the blocks by fishquinn1, on FlickrAfter getting the photos we wanted it was through the manual ticket check and down the platform, to see what was up front.
We were expecting a skoda, as that was what had worked the Lowland south the night before. If it was, I was to go and get the number for myself and not tell dad, who had no interest in knowing it if it was one. As we got closer to the loco, it looked more and more blue - not green. I ran the last bit to confirm, and was overjoyed to see 92010 up front, my very first dyson for haulage. Dad was equally pleased, as he'd never seen one either, so we got the closest to one I think I've ever been and then headed to coach M to get signed in, about an hour and 20 minutes before booked departure.
We chilled out in our berth while waiting for departure, having pudding (we decided to leave the danish for the Tuesday but the tiffin was really good) and I got some good comedy while watching dad try to get the lid, cap thing off his beer (he'd forgotten his keys so couldn't open it that way, so he had to find a surface just right to get the cap off). We saw many more pendos than I expected to arriving and leaving and about 5 minutes before departure at 23:50 we headed out of our berth and through coaches M and N to get to the very front ready for the dyson. 23:50 was soon here and, bang on time, we were being pulled out of Euston by 92010, which was making lots of noise. Dysons are much more hellfire than I thought!
We got up to speed rather quickly and were soon racing through the suburbs behind a loco with a continuous horsepower of 6760. No wonder it got up to speed rather quickly! It was good fun to have a little window hanging session until Wembley, where we headed back to our berth for some sleep. Just after we got back to our berth the clock struck midnight and Tuesday had begun.
Smart clothes, well it's tradition I suppose. Some people will tell others their wishes for that kind of thing, a couple of years ago we were all invited (those of us who couldn't go to the funeral and had to work) to wear bright clothes in honour of a colleague who passed away.
. None come to mind but there are some 
