FQ's trips around the globe

[Cowley]

I sat on St David's watching 125s come and go today (well yesterday now actually, must go to sleep), I had my rather large wheelchair bound cousin with me and we were chatting about the old 125s and reminiscing about how modern they were once and that it was a shame they would be getting relegated from Paddington services soon.
Anyway then a Voyager came in and we crammed him on board to head off up to Birmingham. He didn't look too happy.

 

[Techniquest]

Funny how you can hate something with a passion when you have never been on board to see what it is like :roll:

Especially since you hate the seats on a GWR HST so much

I concur with your statement there Kite. I'm very much looking forward to the 800/801/802s arriving. I love the HSTs, as they are responsible for getting me into the railway way back in 2003, but progress happens and the new era is nearly here.

I spent a fair amount of time sat on a GWR HST recently and didn't have complaints about the seats. Of course, I was sensible and had regular walks (to the buffet amongst other things) so any numbness was destroyed before it had a chance to kick in.

FQ, your trip reports are getting arrogant and stuck up, and this opinion is formed after dealing with Londoners, people from the Home Counties and other areas who really were stuck up. Note I don't declare ALL people from these areas to be like that. However I am finding myself now prepared to unsubscribe from your thread, like I know others have done, which is an enormous shame.

 

[FQ]

Funny how you can hate something with a passion when you have never been on board to see what it is like :roll:

Especially since you hate the seats on a GWR HST so much

How do you feel about war? Have you ever been involved in one? How about torture? What about that? I'm well within my rights to not like something because they replace something I like - how would you feel if all the trains through the country were replaced by 170s or something like them?

Anyway, I know some people who have been on IEPs during the testing and apparently they are dire things with really bad seats, loud engine noise and just all round horrible to travel on so it's not just me.

I sat on St David's watching 125s come and go today (well yesterday now actually, must go to sleep), I had my rather large wheelchair bound cousin with me and we were chatting about the old 125s and reminiscing about how modern they were once and that it was a shame they would be getting relegated from Paddington services soon.
Anyway then a Voyager came in and we crammed him on board to head off up to Birmingham. He didn't look too happy.

It will be a shame to see them go, that's for sure. I hope your friend was alright with the length of the journey to Brum.

I concur with your statement there Kite. I'm very much looking forward to the 800/801/802s arriving. I love the HSTs, as they are responsible for getting me into the railway way back in 2003, but progress happens and the new era is nearly here.

I spent a fair amount of time sat on a GWR HST recently and didn't have complaints about the seats. Of course, I was sensible and had regular walks (to the buffet amongst other things) so any numbness was destroyed before it had a chance to kick in.

FQ, your trip reports are getting arrogant and stuck up, and this opinion is formed after dealing with Londoners, people from the Home Counties and other areas who really were stuck up. Note I don't declare ALL people from these areas to be like that. However I am finding myself now prepared to unsubscribe from your thread, like I know others have done, which is an enormous shame.

What do you like about the thought of the 800s/801s/802s?

I can't stay in the seats for long so have to go on walks. They're incredibly uncomfortable, high backed, cramped together and have no redeeming features.

What about your dislike of 170s? You don't like them and still mention your dislike in your reports so why aren't I allowed to do the same with a different class? I've been waiting next to an IEP on idle a few times and I can safely say the noise is awful and deafening so I have more experience than most with them.

The reason I do my reports is simply so I have something to read in future about my trips back then and I assume that many other people do them for the same reason so I don't comment on your dislike of 170s, which aren't such a bad class as said on this forum - sure, they aren't my favourite, but if you get a seat not above the engine (and it preferably isn't an XC one) then they're not so bad for short distances. If IEPs are so good why haven't every long distance TOC gone with them and why are Scotrail getting HSTs instead of some new, shiny unit that passengers seem to like so much? Passengers have stated that they much prefer a VTEC service north of the border than any Scotrail unit, including 170s which are less than 20 years old and 158s that are under 30 years old? It's because the 40-year-old HSTs are better comfort so why people think the IEPs will be better than them I don't know. What's better, ironing board seats or MK1 compartments? 88s or 37s?

I'm still going to write my reports and I'll post them but if you don't want to read then that's up to you. I'm not going any more into the subject.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Simple answer to the Scotrail thing, they are cheep. Ok they have to hire, opperate and look after them but ultimatly they are cheep. They will be an improvement for sure but the narrow minded thinking has continued and the 4 coach ones in particular will be to small for a start.

Not liking 170s? I dont even know many norms who particularly appreciate them, especially on a winters night at Newtonmore with the weather blowing through the cabins before another slow laboured under powered slog up some of the most challenging track on the system.

Narrow minded thinking again comes into play with the DFT specked IEP units where a lot of the same mistakes that were made with the voyager may well be made again. The later orders for GWR directly will be far better in terms of fitout and quality and will most likely work fine, likewise with the East Coast ones where Virgin have had enough input into them that they shouldnt be to bad really.

The major issues with the first batch of IEP that I can forsee are the DFT Poverty Spec and the potential for the same mistakes as the 220/221s to be made again. The same DFT meddling has resulted in the hopeless 700s also but it has since been realised that leaving the rail industry to spec its own stock is more likely to get a fit for purpose train in terms of performance and cumfort than the DFT

 

[FQ]

Simple answer to the Scotrail thing, they are cheep. Ok they have to hire, opperate and look after them but ultimatly they are cheep. They will be an improvement for sure but the narrow minded thinking has continued and the 4 coach ones in particular will be to small for a start.

Not liking 170s? I dont even know many norms who particularly appreciate them, especially on a winters night at Newtonmore with the weather blowing through the cabins before another slow laboured under powered slog up some of the most challenging track on the system.

Narrow minded thinking again comes into play with the DFT specked IEP units where a lot of the same mistakes that were made with the voyager may well be made again. The later orders for GWR directly will be far better in terms of fitout and quality and will most likely work fine, likewise with the East Coast ones where Virgin have had enough input into them that they shouldnt be to bad really.

The major issues with the first batch of IEP that I can forsee are the DFT Poverty Spec and the potential for the same mistakes as the 220/221s to be made again. The same DFT meddling has resulted in the hopeless 700s also but it has since been realised that leaving the rail industry to spec its own stock is more likely to get a fit for purpose train in terms of performance and cumfort than the DFT

I agree that they probably are cheap compared to a new build and it definitely is a step up from the 170s/158s.

The DfT really should just let the TOCs get their own rolling stock because they always seem to mess it up - TPE and GWR's add on order were got for so much cheaper than the DfT agreed. Hopefully they won't be too bad and I will try one on electric at some point but I don't hold out hope.

 

[Blindtraveler]

I have spent a good bit of time trying to find a youtube bit of the deezol engine racket and failing. If you know of one or have a recording please attach or link it as I very much doubt the noize can be as offensive as you claim. Worth pointing out maybe that the only thing I like about the Voyagers from an enthusiasts POv is the sound they make on idle at a platform when not aboard and the innitial startup. The QSK19 does sound like it means business on these units, the 180s too!

 

[FQ]

I have spent a good bit of time trying to find a youtube bit of the deezol engine racket and failing. If you know of one or have a recording please attach or link it as I very much doubt the noize can be as offensive as you claim. Worth pointing out maybe that the only thing I like about the Voyagers from an enthusiasts POv is the sound they make on idle at a platform when not aboard and the innitial startup. The QSK19 does sound like it means business on these units, the 180s too!

Unfortunately I've found that cameras (so obviously youtube) don't give the full sound effects of a deeper part of the engine - it's like that with 68s. Hopefully you'll be able to hear one for yourself at some point. I dislike the sound voyagers make altogether but that's probably because I have bad memories of that noise and just dislike the voyagers which clouds my judgement on it. 185s don't have the same bad effect so it probably is just my overall dislike of the units.

 

[cactustwirly]

A good few days there, but a bit of a waste of a FoSS just to bash HSTs between Swindon & Bristol.

Re the 800s, you need to accept that the HSTs have reached the end of their lifespan and need replacing!

 

[FQ]

A good few days there, but a bit of a waste of a FoSS just to bash HSTs between Swindon & Bristol.

Re the 800s, you need to accept that the HSTs have reached the end of their lifespan and need replacing!

There isn't a better ticket to use for tram bashing and I did make it into Devon twice

I still don't think the trams have reached the end of their life - a good interior refurb and maybe an engine swap (like VTEC have done with theirs) could extend the life of them very far - it's not like a unit from the '80s (like a 319 or, I hate to say it, 321) which are beginning to get too old.

 

[Blindtraveler]

GWR's HST interior is IMO the best of them all and they are well looked after too.

All power cars have now been re engined at some point in their life, mostly with MTU units but some of the MML fleat with the older VP185.

Refurbishment woant help a great deal other than 2020 mods and potentially power doors but many of the GWR vehicles have or have had corrosion issues and no matter how well built nothing lasts for ever.

Other fleats too doubtless have their own aging issues, East Coasts for example have terminally ill/malfunctioning internal doors.

 

[cactustwirly]

There isn't a better ticket to use for tram bashing and I did make it into Devon twice

I still don't think the trams have reached the end of their life - a good interior refurb and maybe an engine swap (like VTEC have done with theirs) could extend the life of them very far - it's not like a unit from the '80s (like a 319 or, I hate to say it, 321) which are beginning to get too old.

A: they're from the 70's so they are neatly 40 years old that's pretty end of life to me.

B: The engines were replaced 10 years ago along with the interior, so that's not the problem. The main issue is corrosion & availability of spare parts, which is ok for the next 2-3 years but keeping them in service longer than that would be more expensive than a new build of trains.

 

[FQ]

GWR's HST interior is IMO the best of them all and they are well looked after too.

No interior of HST's can beat Grand Central's - the leg room is just amazing.

A: they're from the 70's so they are neatly 40 years old that's pretty end of life to me.

B: The engines were replaced 10 years ago along with the interior, so that's not the problem. The main issue is corrosion & availability of spare parts, which is ok for the next 2-3 years but keeping them in service longer than that would be more expensive than a new build of trains.

A: I've only got 25 years left to live?! . Why wasn't I told sooner?!

B: Surely corrosion won't be so expensive to fix (in the grand scheme of things)? As for spare parts, that is a good point.

 

[Segedunum]

The HSTs on VTEC are a mixed bunch, though I can tell you that travelling on a winter's night with the vestibule doors stuck open and the droplights refusing to stay up was a journey i'd rather forget.

I just can't believe that after nearly 4 decades of use on the ECML, people still don't bother to close the doors behind them. Cue passive aggressive slamming of doors at Darlington and Durham last week on the 2153 off York because I was tired and desperate to get home on time

 

[Blindtraveler]

It was most likely better prior to the introduction of MK4 and 158 stock to the IC and Tanspeinine services on the ECML within a year or so of each other as both replaced slam door stock.
I have never for years had an EC HST with more than half the power doors working on VTEC and its previous opperaters.

 

[37038]

No interior of HST's can beat Grand Central's - the leg room is just amazing.


A: I've only got 25 years left to live?! . Why wasn't I told sooner?!

B: Surely corrosion won't be so expensive to fix (in the grand scheme of things)? As for spare parts, that is a good point.

Just as a case in point (admittedly as bad as it gets) is that the welding and bodywork that went into 37407/424 at Derby ran well into the hundreds of thousands

Obviously the power cars in service aren't anywhere near as bad but replating and welding isn't a cheap enterprise

 

[FQ]

Fair enough guys - I stand corrected.



Prestatyn for Paddington

The other way round to our Holyhead brush spin now! As you may recall, when we did the spin with 47580 to Holyhead on the 29th of April we flagged a Thamesline for it. We'd promised Nat to do a Thamesline sometime in May instead though and May the 13th, a Saturday, was chosen. For this trip we had 3 main powercar aims, one for each of us. They were the following:

Dad - 43018 (needed for 100 and not had since 1984)
Nat - 43186 (just 69 miles from clearance for 1000)
Me - 43160 (my lowest mileage GWR powercar at 33.5 miles)

All the pre trip guff (such as getting moaner to come for a sleepover) was sorted the night before and I set my alarm for a soul destroying 04:30 before heading to sleep, getting only a few hours of it.

I got ready for the day after waking up, getting Nat up about 10 minutes before we had to leave, as requested. We were ready to head out the door for 05:00 and were soon in the car for the fast drive to Didcot, getting there just over an hour later. The car-parking machine was being a right pain in the backside so we had to use a different one, resulting in a much further walk. Still, what can you do (except kick the machine and scream at it for ages but it was six in the morning so I don't think any of us had the energy to do that )?

We headed to the station and got our return to Reading from the TVM. We couldn't get our rangers at this point because, as always, the ticket office was still closed so we'd need to get them on the train. The 06:29 Paddington was running on time and we could soon see it approaching with double winner for the year 43149 and 43031, the former also being needed for 100! Way to start the day!

149 was on 130 miles by Paddington and we were soon walking down from the back of the train with the aim to get the 07:30 PZ (it was now 07:10) after grabbing brekky. This all came apart rather quickly when we saw what was on the 07:45 Swansea. It included my powercar of choice for the day, 43160! This was also a powercar that Nat really wanted to get, being his lowest GWR one on a measly 17.25 miles. Not only that but dad also needed it for the centaury! A perfect one for all of us then.

We headed to Sainsbury's but were really annoyed to see that there was no hot breakfast rolls. Next! I decided that I'd go and use a very cheap ticket to get into the Paddington 1st class lounge to get something but, when I headed to the TVM to buy it, I found out that they've figured it out and that I can no longer get it from the TVM. Damn! Instead I just went back over to Nat and dad and got a couple of photos.
Paddington by fishquinn1, on Flickr
I then decided to attempt to get my weird ticket from the ticket office to see if they'd sell me such a stupidly priced one but decided against it after seeing the length of the queue. I instead headed back into Sainsbury's to see if they'd managed to find any rolls yet and was pleasantly surprised to see some in there this time round. I grabbed 3 sausage ones and tried to scan them at the self service machine but the barcodes wouldn't let me so I tried at the counter but it wouldn't let me do it there either! It was quite a faff and I managed to get out with 4 minutes until my train was due out. Luckily I managed to get on 43035 and 43160 and I wandered through the train to get to dad and Nathan before enjoying our brekky.

We were soon reaching Reading where we only had a few minutes to wait for an ex Weston-super-Mare back to Paddington. I got a photo of 160 as it left and I was very pleased to see the colour of the powercar that would take us back to Paddington. 43185's Intercity livery really is rather distinctive. Why was I glad to get this one? Winner for 100 yet again although it wouldn't be cleared on this run, unfortunately. Keeping it company was annoying powercar 43164.
Heading for Swansea by fishquinn1, on Flickr
Paddington bound by fishquinn1, on Flickr
We got seats on board, which was lucky because dad's foot had been very painful for the last week, and it was a nice enough 36-mile run back to Paddington, where I got another photo of 185.
At the blocks by fishquinn1, on Flickr

Next up was a war between Nat and I. There were two sets at Paddington ready to leave, one on the 09:00 Temple Meads and the other on the 09:06 Plymouth. We each wanted a different set. Nat wanted the 09:00 and I wanted to the 09:06. Nat's choice had 43142 and 43198 on - a pair of boring powercars that were duds for the year and 100. My choice, while still duds for the year and 100, included 43026, and it didn't seem right to do a Thamesline and not end up getting Michael Eavis. Dad went to get a coffee from Nero and ruled in Nat's favour so we ended up getting 43198 and 43142, neither of which meant anything to dad. He didn't think that the other set meant anything to him either but he was so wrong as we found out after leaving - he needed the front powercar of the other set, 43138, for 100 ! Next time listen to me then!
Heading away by fishquinn1, on Flickr

Back at Reading we had 3 options to go back to Paddington. On watching the first one arrive I called it and we were to get on board because it was winner for 100 43040 leading. What I really wasn't expecting was yet another winner for 100 to be on the back, 43036! A double score - excellent!
DSCF5999 by fishquinn1, on Flickr
43036 by fishquinn1, on Flickr
Although the run would only clear 040 for 100, at least it would push 036 slightly higher. Dad didn't like either powercar at all (dull numbers and nothing on his list) and was tempted to bail although he wouldn't be able to because of the railcard. That and the fact that he told me just before the doors locked. Oh well - I went on 142 and 198 so we all need to make sacrifices. The journey back to London was quick enough and I knew that there'd be a powercar that all 3 of us needed for 100 heading out on the 10:22 Hereford so the plan was to hang around for that...

...That was until we saw that 43017, a powercar that dad and Nat needed for 100 would be heading to Penzance on the 10:06. This would save waiting for the other set, which we'd be able to get later (unlike this one) so we got on board 43017 and 43071 for the ride back out to Reading, leaving Paddington 4-late (we'd have missed it if it didn't leave late).
Where am I? by fishquinn1, on Flickr

The run to Reading was and absolute storm, covering the 36-mile stretch of track in a mere 21 minutes - by far our quickest of the day. We'd only seen that 43017 was leading at Reading so I went to confirm that it was still 071 on the back (I'd had the pairing 3 days previously). It was indeed so I got a photo and headed back to the others, changing platforms to get back on the Paddington bound ones.
Heading for the West Country by fishquinn1, on Flickr
We had quite a few sets to view in fairly quick succession but this wasn't needed as 100-mile requirement for dad, 43189, was leading the first set. Nat needed this and the back one, 43023 for the year so we hopped on board for the ride back to Paddington. Neither powercar appeared on my needs list for the year or 100. At Westbourne Park on the way back in we saw the powercar that Nat really wanted to get for the day heading to Plymouth. Dad's one had been noted earlier in the day (and mine already had) so the chase was on for 43186 (Nat's) and 43018 (dad's).

Back at Paddington we really didn't have many options so just decided to go for the 11:30 Temple Meads no matter what it was. It was, unfortunately, 43194 and, even more unforunately, 43041. Both powercars are dull ones (particularly the latter) but they got us back to Reading with rater decent speed ready for something else that would hopefully be better. We had a few options again this time, the first two being boring.
Reading a book by fishquinn1, on Flickr
There was only one more option or a long fester but we had no objections to the powercars taking us back, 43070 and 43012. Dad needed the leading powercar for 100 and had cleared it by the time we got back to London's best terminus and, let's face it, 43070 is one monster of a powercar.
43070 by fishquinn1, on Flickr

Options were, once again rather limited because we basically had to choose between the sets that we'd flagged at Reading. The first one to leave was chosen so we were soon heading back out of London with 43196 and 43130, both powercars that I'd got on my FOSS (and they were also duds for the year for Nat). We really annoyingly just missed a set where both dad and I needed a powercar for 100 so instead had to wait for another 20 minutes to get a different set in. Had we not tried to get the other set I probably would've had time to get pies, something we'd also need to factor into the day. We could soon see the 13:45 Paddington arriving with a pair of dull powercars for all of us, 43022 and 43177.

After getting to Paddington there was only really one move that made sense - get the set that we'd just missed going from Reading back to Reading. Nat didn't have any problem with getting this set (which he had no interest in) and we were soon leaving the capital once more with 43009 and 43182, the latter being cleared for 100 for dad and I before Reading.

We now had a plan. Dad's most wanted powercar for the trip was returning from Hereford and would be leaving Reading two minutes before we arrived (yep, it really couldn't be much worse could it). It was running bang on time so there was very little chance of us making the connection but we were in the vestibule ready as we arrived and saw something very good (for our perspective) happening on platforms 10 and 11. A late running tram from the West Country was being let out in front of 018 and it was leaving as we arrived. Dad's one couldn't leave until that had cleared the next signal so we did something that probably shouldn't be done with dad's foot - we ran for it. I got there first and waited at the door, the dispatchers happy to wait that couple of moments so dad and Nat could get on board. Once we were on it it was simply a case of finding seats for the journey through to Paddington with 43018 and 43140, the rear powercar also being needed for 100 for me (yay)!

It was a speedy ride to Slough, where we had a station stop, and it was another quick run after that through to Paddington. We didn't have long to make a decision at Paddington for the next diagram and I got overruled on what we should do, our options being the 15:30 Temple Meads or the 15:45 Swansea. I hated the look of the leading powercar on the 15:30 but it was on Nat's needs list for 100 (as are a billion others) and, since we didn't know what was on the Swansea, we went over to 43004's set, a powercar a thoroughly dislike. When we departed I found out what would've been on the Swansea and got rather ticked off when I found I would've got one of my few powercars needed for 100.

I flicked through my notes to see what was with 004 when I had it on my FOSS and found out that it was 128, another powercar I don't like. It better not be, I thought. I told Nat that if it was 128 he'd get a punch and, after getting to Reading, I ran down to find out what it was and then ran back to Nat and dad with a smile on my face. Why? So Nat didn't expect it when I punched him of course . Why did it have to be 43128?

Next up was another pair of powercars that I'd had on my FOSS (but not together), 43056 and 43005. We got seats on board and were soon getting back to London, where we'd already decided on our set back. A plan had been formed that would actually allow us to get pies (even though 17:45 is a rather late lunch) and Nat's powercar. Well, kind of. Nat's powercar would be returning from Plymouth 5 minutes before a powercar that was on the hit list for both me and dad would return from Hereford so it was decided that Nat would get his one and we'd follow him in.

Our plan had been to get the 16:45 out to Reading, giving us ages to get pies, but we had slow running after Hanwell and we were soon arriving alongside our connection. It'll make, won't it, because we've got to clear the points and they have to be changed before it can leave? Wrong! As our doors unlocked it's doors locked. 15-minute-fester!

We actually ended up splitting up sooner than expected. There were two sets that would be leaving fairly soon - the 17:00 Temple Meads and the 17:06 Plymouth. We'd decided to get the 17:00 so we'd have more time to grab pies but Nat had no interest in that but did in one of the powercars on the 17:06. I didn't care which we went for so Nat headed for the Plymouth while dad and I headed for the Temple Meads and we were soon being transported back to Reading on 43029 and 43188.

Apart from slowing at Maidenhead due to the Oxford cart being ahead of us (not the first time in the day either) it was a good run and arrival at Reading was on time. We immediately left the station so not to be tempted by any inbound trams and headed to Sweeney and Todd, hoping there'd still be some good pies on offer. We got there and saw that there were loads of pies and a quick scan put a large grin on my face. Probably my favourite pie there to date, pork and apple, was there. I hadn't seen this since my first ever visit so I was certainly getting it. We also got the second one there (there was only two) and I got a chicken and ham as my second. We had soon got all our wanted very late lunch/dinner and headed back to the station. It was then a case of meeting back up with Nat briefly as his tram could soon be seen arriving.

It was the one he'd hoped, 43186, and our tram had arrived before his left. Ours was, as expected, 43131 and 43091 (the former being only on 41 miles for me and similar for dad) and we got on board waving bye to Nat.

On the journey back to the capital it was decided that, instead of coming back on Nat's one, dad and I would get the same set back out to clear 131 for 100. We ran the plan (no running in a major London terminus was performed in this instance - that would be naughty (despite us having done so earlier in the day )) past Nat after arrival and he was happy enough with it. We left the station to see if there was anywhere for a coffee in the local area but there wasn't so we just waited on the platform for our train, which was due out 15 minutes before Nat's. 43091 and 43131 got us back out to Reading with no problems and 131 joined the 'cleared for 100 miles' club on the way. We got to Reading a good quarter of an hour before Nat so we had ample time to get to Costa before our train back to London. Our train back to Paddington wasn't until 19:45 so we would only have time to get that to Paddington for the next one (the 20:30 Exeter) back to Didcot. Creamy coolers (for Nat and I) and coffee (for dad) were sourced without any problems and we had soon seen a very happy Nat arrive. Very happy for a good reason. With that second run on 43186 he'd cleared it for 1000, his first powercar to reach that status. Score!

We were soon watching the 19:45 Paddington arrive and it was a case of laughing, crying and, of course, spitting curse words at it because the set was...

drum roll please...

Nat I'm going to kill you...

The return of 43128 and 43004, the set I most certainly hadn't wanted to get earlier in the day! There was a bright side to it though (if you can call it that) - Nat needed 128 for 100 still and cleared it on the ride. Meanwhile, I hunted for some cyanide (just kidding - It's a tram!). All mileage I suppose.

We saw a set leaving Old Oak as we passed and, knowing that our tram to Didcot left Old Oak, we were naturally interested to see what it was. I was OK with the set we'd be getting back even though it was a dud one for the day. We were right about it being that set and we were soon sat aboard 43164 and Intercity liveried 43185, the latter still being needed for 100 despite having had it earlier! Silver linings and all that guff.

We got decent seats because we were on board before it was even announced (RTT platforms and the fact that the coach sticker label things said the 20:30 Exeter) and the train gradually got busier and busier until it was rather full with a couple of people standing. We moved off on time but didn't even get to the end of the platform before the brakes came on rather harshly and we ground to a stop. We were moving again a few minutes later and our short stop was apparently due to a safety device on the train not being activated.

The tram got us back to Didcot bang on time, having made it all up by departure from Reading, and we were eventually back on the platform 15 hours after getting there this morning. That plus an hours drive each way equals a long day! We headed back over to the car and I don't remember the journey back due to being asleep for the vast majority after an excellent day, leaving me with 10 GWR powercars needed for 100.

 

[Cowley]

Without going back through it fq, how many power cars did you have that Saturday? It seemed like loads.
That was a good read. I forgot if I asked already but have you had all the 43s (apart from written off ones) in the country?

 

[Cowley]

Deleted

 

[185143]

Was this when I did my Cherwell?

 

[FQ]

Without going back through it fq, how many power cars did you have that Saturday? It seemed like loads.
That was a good read. I forgot if I asked already but have you had all the 43s (apart from written off ones) in the country?

40 of them including repeats. Excluding repeats I think it was 34. I've had all powercars other than the written off ones (I'd need a TARDIS for those) and the NMT ones (013, 014, 062).

Was this when I did my Cherwell?

Shoot, yes it was! I always forget something when I do a trip report a month later! If I remember I'll add that in later.

 

[Kite159]

Have Heathrow Express finally cottoned onto that loophole with free kids tickets giving access to the FC lounge, or did GWR moan about some passengers loading their bags up with goodies leaving nothing for the genuine 1st class passengers?

At least you got value for money from that Thames Branches Day Rover

 

[Keith Jarrett]

Nice bit of HST action there but you seem to have encountered the perils of group bashing - not being able to please everyone.

And if you like HSTs, please, please do not refer to them as trams. Why? Simple really as "Tram" was the derogatory term for HSTs coined by enthusiasts in the late 1970s as HSTs seemed to spend all day going up and down the same piece of track just like those mass urban transit machines. And remember that it was the HSTs that displaced the 47s and 50s from the Great Western Main Line

 

[FQ]

Have Heathrow Express finally cottoned onto that loophole with free kids tickets giving access to the FC lounge, or did GWR moan about some passengers loading their bags up with goodies leaving nothing for the genuine 1st class passengers?

At least you got value for money from that Thames Branches Day Rover

Heathrow have found out. Shame really... I haven't actually done a bag fill in the Padd lounge - I've picked up a few bits and bobs before to share out on a Thamesline but not a stupid amount.

Nice bit of HST action there but you seem to have encountered the perils of group bashing - not being able to please everyone.

And if you like HSTs, please, please do not refer to them as trams. Why? Simple really as "Tram" was the derogatory term for HSTs coined by enthusiasts in the late 1970s as HSTs seemed to spend all day going up and down the same piece of track just like those mass urban transit machines. And remember that it was the HSTs that displaced the 47s and 50s from the Great Western Main Line

Agreed - that certainly is one of the problems with group bashing but it still is more fun than solo bashing when you have someone to talk to.

Fair enough regarding the HSTs - I'll continue to call them trams though because it's what I've grown up calling them and I don't mean it in a derogatory way; similar to the 31s, which I call the derogatory term 'peds' (because they were very pedestrian back in the day apparently ) despite liking the class. The same goes for 50s, which I call logs despite liking them. Shame about the HSTs replacing the loco hauled stuff though but they did revolutionise train travel on the East Coast and Great Western (as much as I'd love to still be able to get a 47 to Penzance, even if it was on the sleeper).

 

[Keith Jarrett]

Fair enough regarding the HSTs - I'll continue to call them trams though because it's what I've grown up calling them and I don't mean it in a derogatory way; similar to the 31s, which I call the derogatory term 'peds' (because they were very pedestrian back in the day apparently ) despite liking the class. The same goes for 50s, which I call logs despite liking them. Shame about the HSTs replacing the loco hauled stuff though but they did revolutionise train travel on the East Coast and Great Western (as much as I'd love to still be able to get a 47 to Penzance, even if it was on the sleeper).

31s never have had anything but derogatory nicknames - Peds (short for pedal car) and Brians (from Brian the snail of Magic Roundabout fame) seem to refer to their lack of speed while Goyles (short for gargoyles) seems to reference their apparant ugliness.

Logs for 50s was not originally derogatory simply being short for Large LOGo

But 47s were either known as Strummers or Duffs. The Duff originating from followers of other classes of loco - "There's no need to worry about the up midnight tonight as it's Duff", i.e. no good because it had a 47 up front. Not sure of the origin of strummer but remember 47828 was named Joe Strummer at one point in its career.

The longevity of the HST has been proven - some of the power cars are now over 40 years old and still operating on the original routes that they were delivered for. How many other long distance routes in the UK have had the same traction for 40 years? One day we will all have to succumb to progress as our favourite traction is displaced by something far more modern.

 

[FQ]

31s never have had anything but derogatory nicknames - Peds (short for pedal car) and Brians (from Brian the snail of Magic Roundabout fame) seem to refer to their lack of speed while Goyles (short for gargoyles) seems to reference their apparant ugliness.

Logs for 50s was not originally derogatory simply being short for Large LOGo

But 47s were either known as Strummers or Duffs. The Duff originating from followers of other classes of loco - "There's no need to worry about the up midnight tonight as it's Duff", i.e. no good because it had a 47 up front. Not sure of the origin of strummer but remember 47828 was named Joe Strummer at one point in its career.

The longevity of the HST has been proven - some of the power cars are now over 40 years old and still operating on the original routes that they were delivered for. How many other long distance routes in the UK have had the same traction for 40 years? One day we will all have to succumb to progress as our favourite traction is displaced by something far more modern.

Wow - I always thought Pets were for being pedestrian! I've only ever heard logs for 50s as a derogatory name though so I guess they were only referred to that by people who hated them (basically most 47 enthusiasts).

It's a shame the trams have to go but everything gets replaced in the end - the end of steam was horrid for some people, as was the end of much loco hauled stuff. This is just another phase

 

[FQ]

Things to do on a rainy day

I don't really think going out for a shack scoring session, probably including a long walk, comes in the top 100 for this topic . Still, that's just the way my trip on Wednesday the 17th of May turned out to be. I'd received a message from forum member 47403 telling me that he was in the area for the Severn Valley diesel gala and wondered if I wanted to meet up on the Wednesday. I was all for that so we arranged to do so, me going in with dad on the 06:24 as it'd give me time to get a couple of shacks that have been annoying me for a while: Water Orton and Coleshill Parkway with a walk between them (unless I made a+0 at Coleshill by some miracle).

I was up at the usual time, 05:20, on the Wednesday morning and did the usual prep, getting a few minutes on the forum before heading out. After an uneventful drive and walk we were at the tickets, me having grabbed my several required tickets for the day there. I was soon in position for the 165, which was 165012 this morning. Instead of getting our usual bay of 2 we sat with another of the regulars on the train today who dad chats to on the morning commute so I got to meet him and have some soche on the ride to Birmingham.

We'd soon got to Snow Hell where it was over to Wetherspoon. I was buying today but I wasn't getting my own brekky because, after Water Orton I'd have a trip to a few 1st class lounges where I knew there'd be croissants and muffins. I got dad his usual pancakes with bacon but a piece of bacon apparently tasted weird (the word he used to describe it was 'minty'). He was feeling awful for the next 5 days. We're not sure if it was the bacon but it may well have been.

I bailed at about 07:30 and ran down to New Street, heading straight into the 1st class lounge for a bit before having to catch my train. I got a good sized brekky and then headed downstairs for the 07:52 Leicester with dud 170106 - I was hardly expecting a winner only needing 1 XC 170. I got on board and we left New Street one late, making my connection at Coleshill Parkway a -1. I wasn't expecting to make in anyway so I'd factored in the 3-mile walk to Water Orton but it'd obviously be good if I could make it so there'd be no need to walk between the two.

I continually checked RTT and found that my connection was 2-late. Would it make? I'd asked the guard which end was best to change platforms and he said to be at the very back of the train, which I did. We arrived before my connection, which had lost another couple of minutes so I had ample time to change platforms and see that ym service to Water Orton was formed of 5 coaches. It'd been known for a 221 to occasionally replace a 170 on the Leicester services if no 170 was available so I had my fingers crossed that that wouldn't happen. It didn't and I found out that it was a pair - a two-car one and a three-car one. The leading two car one was 170521, a dud (because all the 2-car XC ones are). I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw what was on the back. It was winner 170639, my last of the Cross Country 170s. Score!

I stood on the busy train for the mile or two to Water Orton, shack score 2. I had half an hour to wait here due to our delay and it struck me how there was quite a lot of water falling (in the form of rain - there was no youths hiding on the shelter throwing buckets of water at unsuspecting victims beneath ). Why would quite a lot of water falling be something noteworthy at Water Orton (it is in Britain after all). Simple. Water was falling at Water Orton!
Wet Water Orton by fishquinn1, on Flickr

I went for a walk in the rain, having to go up a very eerie staircase to get to the road, and I eventually ended up on a footbridge over the railway, snapping a photo of a 170 as it headed towards Nottingham.
Wet Water Orton by fishquinn1, on Flickr

I then went back to the station and waited in the shelter for the 08:42 New Street. It was rather weird to see that I'd be getting 170397 back to Brum as that was my penultimate XC 170 when I needed them and I went out of my way to get it when in Cardiff. Imagine if I hadn't got it then - I would've thought it a great score to get 639 to Water Orton and would've been over the moon to see 397 (I still can be though - someone find me a rocket please ).

It was full and standing into the isles but the guard still managed to get through the train to do a tickets from Water Orton before Brum, where arrival was on time. My plan was now to head back up to the 1st class lounge and get the 09:30 pendo to Cov, it currently being 08:52. I then noticed a 170 and 153 pairing on the platform for the Hereford. 'That one leaves at 08:59' I thought so, on the highly unlikely chance that it was my last LM 153, I wandered down to look. When I saw the last two digits of the number were 65 I got really excited and ran over to the other platform, ready for a leap to Uni. When I got onto the platform I was greeted by the boards saying that it was the 49 minutes past service (of course it is - how could I forget that) and that it was simply 'delayed'. Brilliant. I asked a member of staff when they thought it'd be leaving but they had no idea and, when they asked where I was going and I said Uni, they said it won't stop at University and would instead be diverted to Droitwich. Double brilliant. 153365 escapes me again.

I headed to the first class lounge but wasn't let in this time because I'd already used my ticket to go in there despite having not travelled. That isn't written rule anywhere but I went with it. She asked me to get my ticket out and then scribbled on it, much like a guard would do. I questioned this because I hadn't travelled and, despite having already said it, she said 'you should have told me'. I asked what would happen on the train if there was a check now and was simply told 'you'll be fine'. Excellent customer service :roll:.

With an extra 20 minutes because of the New Street lounge it was decided that I'd get the 09:10 to International for 20 minutes in the lounge there before going forward to Cov. 390132 was to take me to International and there was no 1st class service at all on the sub-10-minute journey. Atrocious! I was expecting at least a full brekky, toast, croissants, drinks and a refill on drinks .

I bailed at the airport station as planned and was soon in the 1st class lounge. I put some bits and bobs in my bag as usual for me, dad and 47403 (who I'd be meeting later). It was soon time to head for the train and it was 390131 taking me forward. Strange - I get 132 to International for 131 away. Will it be 130 next?

Before I forget to say, no, it wasn't 130 next. Anyway, I'd soon got to Coventry, having had a glass of apple juice on the way (but still no full English brekky. Honestly, you can't get the staff these days ). I headed over to the 1st class lounge, one I've never been in before, and I was the only person in there. There was a wide array of snacks in this funky lounge and it immediately became one of my favourites. Certainly the best thing Coventry can offer .

I stayed in there for about half an hour before leaving to get the 10:22 New Street. This was a fairly busy service but I managed to get a 1st class bay of 2 to myself with no problems. There was no 1st class service on this journey and no ticket check occurred on either leg so the person at the 1st class lounge didn't make too much difference to my ticket, except putting the chance of hassle in my mind.

On the way back to the bat cave I'd done a bit of RTT searching and found out that, if I was quick, I'd be able to run over to Moor Street for the 10:55 to Leam. This would give me a bit of extra cat mileage so I went for it and, despite not having long at all to get there, I made the connection onto required for 1000 68012. It was busy today so I walked through the train and got a bay of 4 further down. 'A Shropshire Mog' was pushed higher up the mileage table by the time I got to Leam and I had ample time to change platforms for the 11:25 back down. 47403 and I would be getting 012 again later in the day, as well as whatever cat was on the 11:25 so I was very glad to see my favourite cat, 68014 arrive. The thrash back to Birmingham was excellent and I was doing another RTT check while on board to see how 153365 was doing on its way back from Hereford. I found that I'd be able to get across to New Street for a 323 out to Uni if I was quick, giving me a +1 onto the 153 back in. Let's try it!

I ran back over to new Street and headed straight for platform 12, seeing that there was a late running starship before the one I was planning to get, which would give me more time at Uni. Or would it? Apparently not because that 323 just got later and later and later until the connection at University was a -3. At that point I gave up and just headed back to the 1st class lounge to eat my troubles away (not something I do very often but when you have amazing choccy bites, why the hell not?). I got a bit more for everyone else at the same time and I got a text from 47403 saying that he'd arrived and was on the tram platform. I had a minute or two longer in the lounge before heading out to meet him and we both headed over to Moor Street again for the 12:55.

68014 was waiting patiently and we got on board for the ride back, having got a few numbers of stuff at Moor Street for LSG. I called dad to ask him to check what the colas 70 that comes through Leamington at about 13:40 was today and was pleased to hear that it was a winner for sight as I should see it later, as should 47403. That happiness disappeared when I checked RTT and found that it had ran a couple of hours early and had already gone through. I'll get it another time though - it's not like I don't see them fairly regally!

LSG was staying in Leamington overnight so he bailed there to get checked in. I continued to Banbury with GT and had soon arrived. I changed platforms and put some music on to kill the 25-minute fester for the 14:10 to Moor Street with 68012 again. LSG got back on board this one at Leam and was pleased at the loco of choice because it was a winner for him. Unfortunately all of his other AAR fitted ones weren't working at the time.

When we got back to Moor Street a ride through the tunnel to Snow Hell was taken on 172220 and 172337. We then left the station and headed down the hill to New Street, stopping off at Poundland on the way so LSG could get some batteries for his Dictaphone. Once at the bat cave we did a platform scan to try and get some winners for him and I did another very quick trip into the 1st class lounge to get more goodies for us on the journey back, knowing that dad would be there too. It was then back over to Moor Street where I wasn't waiting too long for dad to arrive. We then all headed onto 68012 again for the journey home.

It was only on board the cat I found out how much I'd taken from the lounges. Still, I paid for it (a 1st class return to Cov for £4.55) and I didn't take any more than I needed (I also wanted stuff for afternoon tea, my brother, my mum, and snacks for myself the next day ). I gave some stuff to LSG en route and we were soon bailing. We spent ages chatting at the station entrance before having to head home and it was the usual walk to the car for the drive back, getting home about 25 minutes later than usual after a brilliant, cheap day out. Thanks so much to LSG got a great time, and thanks so much to VT for not charging me a £200 1st class ticket to take stuff from your lounges .

 

[185143]

Things to do on a rainy day

I don't really think going out for a shack scoring session, probably including a long walk, comes in the top 100 for this topic . Still, that's just the way my trip on Wednesday the 17th of May turned out to be. I'd received a message from forum member 47403 telling me that he was in the area for the Severn Valley diesel gala and wondered if I wanted to meet up on the Wednesday. I was all for that so we arranged to do so, me going in with dad on the 06:24 as it'd give me time to get a couple of shacks that have been annoying me for a while: Water Orton and Coleshill Parkway with a walk between them (unless I made a+0 at Coleshill by some miracle).

I was up at the usual time, 05:20, on the Wednesday morning and did the usual prep, getting a few minutes on the forum before heading out. After an uneventful drive and walk we were at the tickets, me having grabbed my several required tickets for the day there. I was soon in position for the 165, which was 165012 this morning. Instead of getting our usual bay of 2 we sat with another of the regulars on the train today who dad chats to on the morning commute so I got to meet him and have some soche on the ride to Birmingham.

We'd soon got to Snow Hell where it was over to Wetherspoon. I was buying today but I wasn't getting my own brekky because, after Water Orton I'd have a trip to a few 1st class lounges where I knew there'd be croissants and muffins. I got dad his usual pancakes with bacon but a piece of bacon apparently tasted weird (the word he used to describe it was 'minty'). He was feeling awful for the next 5 days. We're not sure if it was the bacon but it may well have been.

I bailed at about 07:30 and ran down to New Street, heading straight into the 1st class lounge for a bit before having to catch my train. I got a good sized brekky and then headed downstairs for the 07:52 Leicester with dud 170106 - I was hardly expecting a winner only needing 1 XC 170. I got on board and we left New Street one late, making my connection at Coleshill Parkway a -1. I wasn't expecting to make in anyway so I'd factored in the 3-mile walk to Water Orton but it'd obviously be good if I could make it so there'd be no need to walk between the two.

I continually checked RTT and found that my connection was 2-late. Would it make? I'd asked the guard which end was best to change platforms and he said to be at the very back of the train, which I did. We arrived before my connection, which had lost another couple of minutes so I had ample time to change platforms and see that ym service to Water Orton was formed of 5 coaches. It'd been known for a 221 to occasionally replace a 170 on the Leicester services if no 170 was available so I had my fingers crossed that that wouldn't happen. It didn't and I found out that it was a pair - a two-car one and a three-car one. The leading two car one was 170521, a dud (because all the 2-car XC ones are). I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw what was on the back. It was winner 170639, my last of the Cross Country 170s. Score!

I stood on the busy train for the mile or two to Water Orton, shack score 2. I had half an hour to wait here due to our delay and it struck me how there was quite a lot of water falling (in the form of rain - there was no youths hiding on the shelter throwing buckets of water at unsuspecting victims beneath ). Why would quite a lot of water falling be something noteworthy at Water Orton (it is in Britain after all). Simple. Water was falling at Water Orton!
Wet Water Orton by fishquinn1, on Flickr

I went for a walk in the rain, having to go up a very eerie staircase to get to the road, and I eventually ended up on a footbridge over the railway, snapping a photo of a 170 as it headed towards Nottingham.
Wet Water Orton by fishquinn1, on Flickr

I then went back to the station and waited in the shelter for the 08:42 New Street. It was rather weird to see that I'd be getting 170397 back to Brum as that was my penultimate XC 170 when I needed them and I went out of my way to get it when in Cardiff. Imagine if I hadn't got it then - I would've thought it a great score to get 639 to Water Orton and would've been over the moon to see 397 (I still can be though - someone find me a rocket please ).

It was full and standing into the isles but the guard still managed to get through the train to do a tickets from Water Orton before Brum, where arrival was on time. My plan was now to head back up to the 1st class lounge and get the 09:30 pendo to Cov, it currently being 08:52. I then noticed a 170 and 153 pairing on the platform for the Hereford. 'That one leaves at 08:59' I thought so, on the highly unlikely chance that it was my last LM 153, I wandered down to look. When I saw the last two digits of the number were 65 I got really excited and ran over to the other platform, ready for a leap to Uni. When I got onto the platform I was greeted by the boards saying that it was the 49 minutes past service (of course it is - how could I forget that) and that it was simply 'delayed'. Brilliant. I asked a member of staff when they thought it'd be leaving but they had no idea and, when they asked where I was going and I said Uni, they said it won't stop at University and would instead be diverted to Droitwich. Double brilliant. 153365 escapes me again.

I headed to the first class lounge but wasn't let in this time because I'd already used my ticket to go in there despite having not travelled. That isn't written rule anywhere but I went with it. She asked me to get my ticket out and then scribbled on it, much like a guard would do. I questioned this because I hadn't travelled and, despite having already said it, she said 'you should have told me'. I asked what would happen on the train if there was a check now and was simply told 'you'll be fine'. Excellent customer service :roll:.

With an extra 20 minutes because of the New Street lounge it was decided that I'd get the 09:10 to International for 20 minutes in the lounge there before going forward to Cov. 390132 was to take me to International and there was no 1st class service at all on the sub-10-minute journey. Atrocious! I was expecting at least a full brekky, toast, croissants, drinks and a refill on drinks .

I bailed at the airport station as planned and was soon in the 1st class lounge. I put some bits and bobs in my bag as usual for me, dad and 47403 (who I'd be meeting later). It was soon time to head for the train and it was 390131 taking me forward. Strange - I get 132 to International for 131 away. Will it be 130 next?

Before I forget to say, no, it wasn't 130 next. Anyway, I'd soon got to Coventry, having had a glass of apple juice on the way (but still no full English brekky. Honestly, you can't get the staff these days ). I headed over to the 1st class lounge, one I've never been in before, and I was the only person in there. There was a wide array of snacks in this funky lounge and it immediately became one of my favourites. Certainly the best thing Coventry can offer .

I stayed in there for about half an hour before leaving to get the 10:22 New Street. This was a fairly busy service but I managed to get a 1st class bay of 2 to myself with no problems. There was no 1st class service on this journey and no ticket check occurred on either leg so the person at the 1st class lounge didn't make too much difference to my ticket, except putting the chance of hassle in my mind.

On the way back to the bat cave I'd done a bit of RTT searching and found out that, if I was quick, I'd be able to run over to Moor Street for the 10:55 to Leam. This would give me a bit of extra cat mileage so I went for it and, despite not having long at all to get there, I made the connection onto required for 1000 68012. It was busy today so I walked through the train and got a bay of 4 further down. 'A Shropshire Mog' was pushed higher up the mileage table by the time I got to Leam and I had ample time to change platforms for the 11:25 back down. 47403 and I would be getting 012 again later in the day, as well as whatever cat was on the 11:25 so I was very glad to see my favourite cat, 68014 arrive. The thrash back to Birmingham was excellent and I was doing another RTT check while on board to see how 153365 was doing on its way back from Hereford. I found that I'd be able to get across to New Street for a 323 out to Uni if I was quick, giving me a +1 onto the 153 back in. Let's try it!

I ran back over to new Street and headed straight for platform 12, seeing that there was a late running starship before the one I was planning to get, which would give me more time at Uni. Or would it? Apparently not because that 323 just got later and later and later until the connection at University was a -3. At that point I gave up and just headed back to the 1st class lounge to eat my troubles away (not something I do very often but when you have amazing choccy bites, why the hell not?). I got a bit more for everyone else at the same time and I got a text from 47403 saying that he'd arrived and was on the tram platform. I had a minute or two longer in the lounge before heading out to meet him and we both headed over to Moor Street again for the 12:55.

68014 was waiting patiently and we got on board for the ride back, having got a few numbers of stuff at Moor Street for LSG. I called dad to ask him to check what the colas 70 that comes through Leamington at about 13:40 was today and was pleased to hear that it was a winner for sight as I should see it later, as should 47403. That happiness disappeared when I checked RTT and found that it had ran a couple of hours early and had already gone through. I'll get it another time though - it's not like I don't see them fairly regally!

LSG was staying in Leamington overnight so he bailed there to get checked in. I continued to Banbury with GT and had soon arrived. I changed platforms and put some music on to kill the 25-minute fester for the 14:10 to Moor Street with 68012 again. LSG got back on board this one at Leam and was pleased at the loco of choice because it was a winner for him. Unfortunately all of his other AAR fitted ones weren't working at the time.

When we got back to Moor Street a ride through the tunnel to Snow Hell was taken on 172220 and 172337. We then left the station and headed down the hill to New Street, stopping off at Poundland on the way so LSG could get some batteries for his Dictaphone. Once at the bat cave we did a platform scan to try and get some winners for him and I did another very quick trip into the 1st class lounge to get more goodies for us on the journey back, knowing that dad would be there too. It was then back over to Moor Street where I wasn't waiting too long for dad to arrive. We then all headed onto 68012 again for the journey home.

It was only on board the cat I found out how much I'd taken from the lounges. Still, I paid for it (a 1st class return to Cov for £4.55) and I didn't take any more than I needed (I also wanted stuff for afternoon tea, my brother, my mum, and snacks for myself the next day ). I gave some stuff to LSG en route and we were soon bailing. We spent ages chatting at the station entrance before having to head home and it was the usual walk to the car for the drive back, getting home about 25 minutes later than usual after a brilliant, cheap day out. Thanks so much to LSG got a great time, and thanks so much to VT for not charging me a £200 1st class ticket to take stuff from your lounges .

The lounge at Cov is a lot better than you'd expect isn't it!

I had the Never Ending Ticket (which, by the way, did end about 10 days later!) The last time I was in there...

 

[FQ]

The lounge at Cov certainly is great. So much so that I went there on my next bash too .


Back to Brum

Saturday the 27th of May 2017 was the date chosen for a Birmingham fares workshop that I was going to attend. That worked perfectly for me as it was one of the few dates suggested that I could do. It wouldn't start until the afternoon but I decided to head in on the 08:23 to have a bit of time in Brum first. Mum was happy to take me to the station in the morning and I set my alarm for 06:50 and headed to bed.

I slept incredibly poorly and woke at about 04:20. I lay in bed for about 40 minutes before giving up trying to get back to sleep and getting up. I went on the computer for a couple of hours and mum took me to the station at 07:50, getting there at about 08:10. I grabbed a return to Solihull from the ticket office and headed to the platform, not having to wait long for 168218 and 168216 on the 08:23 to Snow Hell. I went to the guard before boarding and asked if he could sell me my daytripper on board but his machine wasn't working so that wasn't an option. He let me travel through to Birmingham anyway to get it there though, so all was good.

I took a bay of 4 on board and made use of the free wifi for the journey through to Snow Hell, where I left the dank hole of a station via the ticket office. I asked for a child West Mids Daytripper and the guy tried to sell me an adult ticket. When I questioned the price he got into a right grump, saying that I didn't ask for a child ticket and that I shouldn't tell lies (when I said that I had already told him). What a delightful member of staff! He issued my child daytripper in the end and I soon left the station, seeing armed police stood outside.

I wanted something for brekky now but I didn't really want to choose Wetherspoon. I contemplated paying £8.25 for an all you can eat premier inn buffet but decided not to do that either and instead get on with the first part of my plan. I needed to head to the bat cave now so went to Bull Street tram stop and got tram 19 down the hill. My first Midland Metro tram of the year! Anyway, my plan involved heading to New Street ticket office and then over to the 1st class lounge where the person there said that I wasn't allowed in because my ticket wasn't from or to New Street. It's clearly stated by VT that this particular ticket is fine in the lounge but she was having none of it so I just left and decided to head to International. That's two members of staff that haven't been very soche at all, and two that have been (the guard on the 08:23 said that he liked my top and the barrier staff at Snow Hell greeted me with a hello and happily let me through).

The next one to International was a VT 221 - yuck, no thanks. I instead headed over to the 09:33 Euston which was double dud 350105 and 350115. I took a seat in the latter for the quick ride out to Birmingham International where it was upstairs and into the 1st class lounge for half an hour. I had two hot chocolates, a few orange juices and several snacks while in the lounge, giving me a bargain brekky, and it was a shame to leave for the 10:20 Euston pendo. This was ultra low mileage (8.25) 390107 and I got a seat in 1st class, hoping that the catering trolly would come through before Cov. It soon became apparent that there wasn't any catering staff on the train, as evidenced by a few other passengers too, and I headed to the buffet to collect anything as told to on the menus. There was another 1st class passenger there trying to get stuff but neither the guard nor the buffet person knew there wasn't any catering staff on the train . It was quite a shock when they found out! It was unfortunately too late for me to get anything as I was off at Coventry but I headed straight to the 1st class lounge here too, getting a couple of croissants. I decided to quickly leave the 1st class lounge when the Nuneaton shuttle arrived with a pair of 153s just to confirm that neither was 153365. If neither were I'd go back in. If one of them was, I'll let you work out what I'd do. 153371 was closest so I ran down to see what the other one was and, when I saw the number, I headed straight for the footbridge and over onto winner, and last LM 153 (and diesel LM unit), 153365 which was leading dud 153371. Excellent!

We were away bang on time and I decided to head to Bedworth, shack score 1. The guard was a really soche guy and I had a quick chat with him on the platform at Bedworth after getting a photo of 365.
153365 by fishquinn1, on Flickr
153371 by fishquinn1, on Flickr
After watching them leave it was simply over the road bridge and down onto the Coventry bound platform to wait for the return working. It was less than half an hour to wait and I could soon see the dogbox arriving. I wasn't the only one waiting for it either. Someone had arrived about 20 minutes before it was due to leave and they recognized someone getting there as the carts were approaching again. They mentioned how close it had been to missing the train and that was the point they suddenly noticed that they'd left one of the bags in the car! Cue major annoyance and leaving the station to get the one in an hour . Not good!

I sat in 153371 instead of 153365 this time and I was soon bailing at Coventry, where I didn't have long until the pendo. As I'd only get a single ticket in 1st class I had to stand in standard on the busy 390045 but I was soon alighting at Birmingham International, where I had 10 minutes to enjoy the ambiance of the 1st class lounge again. This extra, unexpected time made up for me only being in the Coventry lounge for 5 minutes but I soon had to head over to the 12:09 158s. This was in the hands of 158818 and 158836 and I had timed my arrival at New Street to be just a few minutes before Yorkie's train, and a few minutes after Class172's train. After arrival at New Street I headed out to the tram platform to meet Class172 and we weren't waiting there too long before meeting Yorkie. It was then to Bull Street for a bus to our venue (*groans*). Easy, right? Well, usually yes but not today. Birmingham pride was on this afternoon so Corporation Street was completely shut off with no trams or even a way for pedestrians to cross it that we could see. We instead had to battle our way through the crowds, which took absolutely ages, but we were soon back out into the open where it was an easy walk to Bull Street. The walk must have taken at least 20 minutes!

We got there just before a bus heading where we needed to go left. We made it because the driver noticed us coming and we were soon on some double decker in the front seats. We'd soon reached our required bus stop and then walked over to the venue, The Bartons Arms in Aston. We then met up with the other people attending the workshop in a private upstairs room.

The workshop was highly informative and fun and we eventually left at about 16:45. We wandered back over to the bus stop and weren't waiting there too long before the bus towards Perry Barr arrived. There were now 5 of them and the double decker had soon deposited us at a bus stop next to Perry Barr station where we had to be pretty quick because the half hourly train was due out in a few minutes. We made it and 323221 was soon taking us back to the bat cave. This was fitted with new screens inside showing weather, where we are in the journey, the news and many other things, exactly like the screens I'd noted in a MK4 set the year before.

We had no idea what the plan was until New Street, where we bailed for the ATW 158s to Smethwick. Duds (obviously - I've cleared ATW's 158s) 158819 and 158840 took us out to Smethwick where it was up to the high level for a fairly short fester for a 172 heading in the Brum direction. 172345 had soon dropped us off 0.75 miles down the line at The Hawthorns where we decided to wait for a tram through to Birmingham. It was 5 minutes until tram 32 arrived and we were soon getting to New Street, where we had no idea of what to do in the 35 minutes until my cart home. Class172 left us here to head home and we decided to wander over to Moor Street. There was no way this would kill 35 minutes so I suggested getting the tram up to Bull Street and walking to New Street from there to get some more tram chainage and to kill a bit of time. This was OK with the others so we got back on tram 32 up to Bull Street and then wandered over to Moor Street where I said bye and headed over to the waiting unit, which I was glad to see was a 4-coach 168/1. I got a seat up front on 168106 and was only waiting for about 15 minutes for departure, which was bang on time.

I don't like saying this about units but it felt like a rather quick run until Hatton where we came to a stop for about 5 minutes for a red signal. Why I have no idea but we were soon on the move again and I got to Leam at the same time as 68015 on the 19:25 Snow Hell. My brother, mum and dad had only just got to the station so we timed it perfectly and we headed home via our local Chinese restaurant as it was the last day of it being open due to more stupid houses being built that would only be able to house millionaires at the price of them. Some others have been built all around Long Itch and the people living in them are constantly complaining about the noise of some of the kids playing in the old houses, bearing in mind that they'd been there for so much longer. Anyway, rant over. The Chinese was closing so we got there one last time for a free buffet to say bye. It was very busy but we sat outside and Nat actually joined us at one point before we headed home after a great dinner and a great day.

 

[FQ]

Soche in the smoke

Saturday the 3rd of June was the chosen date for the forum's annual London challenge. Nat and I both planned to go on this one and we arranged to be in a team with a few people, two of which were a maybe and couldn't make it in the end. This left our team of 4 as me, Nat, Brad465 and Dom395. The style for this challenge was to visit as many stations as possible outside zone 1 with zones 1-4 getting 1 point and zones 5 and 6 2 pointes. I'd been looking forward to this for a while and I deserved it after a full week of work (yep, no kidding. I did a full week of work ). Dad was planning to come down to London and back using his season ticket as usual so I wouldn't have to listen to Mr. Moaner all the way there, moaning about how I'm always on the trains and he never is (this is the guy who has Wednesdays as well as weekends off but claims he never can go out). I set my alarm before heading to bed but still didn't sleep excellently, getting up a bit before it went off.

Dad and I set off for Leam at about 07:50 and we picked Nat up on the way. Leamington was soon reached and we were soon on the platform. I knew that 68s 012, 014 and 015 were at Stourbridge the night before so I was hoping for 012 down (needed for 1000 and it's dad's favourite so it'd be good for him to get it back) and then 014 back (need I explain why I wanted to get the best 68?). Unfortunately it wasn't to be as the first cat we got was the one out of the three that I didn't want, 68015. It's all mileage though and it pushed Nat's highest cat even higher for him (which is good because he still hasn't cleared one for 1000). We got a decent bay of 4 on board and it was the usual fairly slow run after Bishops Itchington to Banbury (I don't know why but there's certainly room for line speed improvement on this section). We'd soon got to Banbury where we were off like a shot, seeing quite a few units in the new stabling point, part of the depot that's already complete. I got my I-pod out to check something (using Chiltern's free wifi) and I honestly can't remember how right now but it ended up with dad and I playing a game where I had to try and get my I-pod case-sock thing back. It was chucked at me a couple of times but on the second time his aim was rather bad and it landed in the bay of 4 behind us, where 4 normals were sat. Still, it was a really fun game and we managed to get it back at Marylebone (as the people there couldn't find it and we didn't want to disturb them). It was hard trying not to laugh at dad at that point so I thought, 'why the hell make it harder than it needs to be', as dad enjoys saying to me when I try and overcomplicate something. I just laughed at him

The usual 4 class 20s were at West Ruislip for the silver worm movements and we had soon got to Marylebone, seeing another couple of cats at Marylebone. I went to get some cash out by running ahead so not to delay us and we then headed across the road for a Marylebone brekky. Nat didn't want one but I got dad's and mine and they were both excellent as usual. We headed out just after 10:05 and we left dad to kill time before the 11:10 back to Leam and headed for the underground, the route we were taking to Kings Cross (the starting location) already known.

Dud 3261 and winner 3556 took us one stop to Baker Street where it was over to the Jubilee line. No, not the simple cross platform change - we wanted the Jubilee line northbound. We got to the platform just before winner 96002 and dud (seriously?) 96091 arrived to take us back towards the Chiltern mainline. We had time so we bailed at winner shack Swiss Cottage for the set behind but the set behind had me rolling my eyes - double dud 96004 and 96033. I haven't even had many Jubilee line ones!

This set was taken to winner shack West Hampstead where it was an easy interchange to another winner shack, West Hampstead Thameslink (the one for Thameslink, strangely enough). We saw that our intended train to St Pancras was formed of 8 coaches so hoped for a 700/0 (it was a Brighton bound one) but it wasn't to be as we could soon see a pair of 377s approaching. I thought both were dud before checking but I found out that the leading one, 377513 was a winner. The back one, 377511, was as dud as I thought.
Heading for Brighton by fishquinn1, on Flickr
It was a busy service and Nat decided to stand instead of wedging someone out, which I did. Lots of people were standing on the ride to St Pancras low level, me actually scoring the track between wherever this bit dives down to go under the rest of St Pancras to the low level. We bailed there and immediately wandered over to Kings Cross, meeting up with the others then.

It now wasn't too far off 11:00, the start time for the challenge. We only had 9 minutes until we needed to be leaving Highbury and Islington on a 378 so all 4 of us (Dom395, Brad465, Nat and I) ran what felt like several miles to the Victoria line platforms. Luckily a tube set was arriving as we got there and we all made it (including Nat - he actually ran). Winner 11066+11065 took us the short distance to Highbury and Islington and we got onto the London Overground platform in time for our Richmond bound 378. We were soon on board winner 378224 and we were to be on it for a long time - all the way to Richmond. I got a photo of the interior towards the end of the long journey.
Class 378 interior by fishquinn1, on Flickr
It was nice to get off at Richmond where I decided to get my bottle of water refilled, as I was thirsty. I tried one cafe first but was told no because the tap water wasn't drinking water. I then tried another and was told no because they only had boiling water. I was about to give up when I noticed a third and they were happy to do it for me. The first two times I've ever been refused too!

I was expecting a 455 for our next run so I was very glad to see a 458 instead. I did get the number as it arrived so needed to use the coach number when we got on board It was winner 458522 that we got a bay of 4 on and, as per the plan, we bailed at winner shack Wandsworth Town ready for a service back in the other direction but via the Hounslow loop. We changed platforms and when we got onto the other one we saw that the PIS simply said 'delayed'. This would completely ruin connections later on so our plan had already fallen apart and we'd only been on the move for an hour and a quarter! We waited on the platform for a few minutes in the hope that it would get on the move but there was nothing so I went downstairs to check a departure board and see when the next one towards London was. It was due any minute so I ran back up to the platform and we all ran through the subway, seeing winner 458503 arriving on the opposite platform before we started running.

We bailed at Clapham Junction and headed to the departure board. Getting a stopper would get many more points so, even though I much prefer getting a fast service to Croydon, I went with the groups decision and we headed for the 12:30 service to Sutton, which was all shacks to West Croydon. This was winner 377618 and it was time to come up with another plan, including where to take this 377. A bit of research told us that a good option would be to get off at West Croydon and get the tram to East Croydon so we could get another stopper from there. We did this and it was winner track to West Croydon after we left the Brighton Mainline. West Croydon was also a needed shack.

We headed out to the tram platform and weren't waiting long for winner 2533, my second Croydon tram and first of the old ones. We knew it would be tight to make our wanted train at East Croydon so we didn't have time to bail at the one intermediate station for the tram less than a minute behind. No big loss though. We got to East Croydon with a couple of minutes to spare so rushed down to the platform and got there just before winner, and first of GTR's 455s, 455830 arrived. I dislike the 455s as a rule and this journey didn't change it - a service with no AC on a rather hot day. It wasn't really a nice journey and it was nice to get off this London Bridge stopper at winner shack, Peckham Rye. We now wanted to get the Overground to Surry Quays to kind of get back on plan but there was another 455 due before the next Overground so, for a unit and shack score (for me, that is) we got on winner 455842 one stop to Queen's Road Peckham.
Peckham Rye by fishquinn1, on Flickr
Leaving Peckham by fishquinn1, on Flickr
We were only waiting at the island platform for a couple of minutes before a 378 arrived and it was winner 378141 that would take us to Surrey Quays, spending ages waiting at a red signal on the way before arriving at the winner shack.

We had time to get onto the other platform here before my first dud of the challenge (excluding the moves before it started) appeared. It was 378232 that would take us through to New Cross which was winner track. New Cross was also a needed station and we got off the 378 a couple of minutes after boarding. We now had a 15-minute or so fester for our next train, a move I was dreading. It would take a very long time to complete the journey as we were doing a long loop on what we hoped would be a 465 - out to Greenwich via Sidcup, Crayford and Erith. When I saw that the PIS said 'formed of 5 coaches' I was dreading the worst and it was indeed a 376 - winner 376031. At least I'm going to score loads of winner track on this run.

We got off the 376 about an hour and 5 minutes later, having seen probably half of Southeastern's fleet in Slade Green depot (I'm exaggerating - It was no more than a third of the fleet ). We didn't have long to get over to the Lewisham DLR platform here but we managed to make it onto the slightly late running Lewisham bound one. Yep, shock horror - the DLR has a timetable. Whether or not it runs to the timetable is yet to be seen . Anyway, it was dud 137 and winners 101 and 124 that took us to Lewisham.

We knew we'd miss our plus 2 at Lewisham onto the Southeastern service back to New Cross so we came up with a different plan. This one would give us 5 minutes at Lewisham and involved heading back to Peckham, this time on Southeastern. The connection at Lewisham was easily made and we were soon heading back towards Peckham on double winner 465235 and 465026 - the Eavis of the 465s (it better not follow me around like 43026 does though ).

We worked out that we could take this to Denmark Hill for a 378 back up towards Highbury and Islington. This would get another station off the list for the challenge and it was a winner shack for me so I wasn't complaining. We got off there as planned and I noticed that there was a 319 due 5 minutes before the 378, both heading towards Peckham Rye. I decided to take this if it was a winner and, upon seeing that it was winner 319001, I got on board for the one stop hop to Peckham Rye.

I had a platform change and mini wait here for winner 378153 through to Haggerston. Why Haggerston? Simple. This service was only going to Dalson Junction and we needed to end up at Canonbury so we could choose any of the intermediate stations to bail at (except Whitechapel, which was closed for engineering work so we went through non stop). Haggerston was a winner shack so it made sense to bail there. Nat randomly decided to start saying every single light he saw while we were waiting on the platform (for example he looked in one direction and said 'I can see a red light' for a signal and then a couple of seconds later 'I can see a green light' for another signal). I helpfully pointed out to him that he'd see a white light if he didn't shut up .

Winner 378143 took us forward to Canonbury where the plan was to get a service to Hackney and then change onto a service to Seven Sisters. Unfortunately the plan failed yet again when we found out that there were problems on this line now and that the next one towards Hackney was in over 15 minutes. It was decided that we'd wait for it but I saw a potential move to Highbury for it first that would potentially get me another winner so I went for that and got winner 378206 one stop to Highbury and Islington.

The crowd waiting for the next North London Line service towards Hackney here was incredible but I knew that there'd be an ELL service heading towards Canonbury first. Sure it was dud 378233 but it'd get me back to the others quicker and would give me time to warn them that there was no chance we'd be able to get on the NLL service. I met up with the other three at Canonbury and told them. I was correct that there was no chance of us getting on the unit and the sheer number of people on it meant that the doors couldn't close for a bit. A backup plan had to be made quickly and we decided to head back to Highbury for the Victoria line to Seven Sisters.

Dud 378225 took us back to Highbury and Islington where it was down to the Victoria line and onto the first one to arrive, winner 11011+11012. This was taken to Seven Sisters and we decided on the way that we'd get the Victoria line straight back to Finsbury Park for the Piccadilly line forward to Kings Cross, where we had to meet up for 17:30. We had soon alighted at Seven Sisters and saw that it was an island platform change onto the Victoria line back so walked over and weren't very happy to see the PIS saying that the next one was in 25 minutes, followed by one randomly terminating in 45 minutes. Hell - why has the Victoria line also failed?

We knew we couldn't wait so headed upstairs and checked when the next 315 to Liverpool Street was. It was in 5 minutes but we knew that it'd get to Liverpool Street after the challenge had finished and we'd still need to get to Kings Cross. I headed back down and asked one of the TFL employees what was going on with the Victoria line and apparently what happened was that there are 3 platforms at Seven Sisters for the Victoria line - one for Walthamstow, one for Brixton and the city centre, and a third for terminating trains and making people think the Victoria line was in chaos. Not an island platform change after all!

We were glad that we could get to Finsbury Park easily once we located the correct platform. Winner 11009+11010 took us there and it was an easy change onto the Kings Cross bound Piccadilly line. Double winner 855 and 381 took us there and we headed straight to the meeting point after arrival, the Parcel Yard (a pub on the station), getting there 10 minutes before the end time of the challenge. We didn't win, getting about 90 points in total, but we'd had a really fun day anyway. Nat and I had time for a drink before needing to head off so it was good to catch up with some other forum members (albeit briefly).

Nat and I headed off just before 17:45 as we needed to be on the 18:10 from Marylebone. It was down to the sub-surface lines and winner 21344+21343 was the S7 that took us through to Baker Street. It was then over to the Bakerloo line where we were only waiting for a couple of minutes for dud 3550 and winner 3253 for the short hop to Marylebone. It was then up the one escalator to the concourse and onto the platforms, knowing that I'd be getting 68012 or 68014 for the journey back. Come on 14!

The DVT gave me a hunch but, having not seen them for a while, I wasn't certain. I ran down the platform to check and leapt in the air when I saw 68014 up front waiting to take us home. Not only would this get my the best cat again, but 014 would pass a milestone on this journey that had only been passed by one loco before it - 2000. The one loco that had been cleared for 2000 before 68014 was, strangely, 67014. It's not like I went after either of them really, is it .

I took a bay of 4 and Nat decided to be an antisocial git and sat in a different bay of 4! I wasn't letting him get away with that so I sat opposite him and he moaned at me for a moment before shutting up and putting some music on. I couldn't put my own music on until a while after departure so I could hear GT give thrash through the tunnels and suburbs - it wasn't until Gerrards Cross that I got my headphones out. The ride was hellfire as always and it felt excellent to clear another loco for 2000. Having a 4-digit number that doesn't start with a 1 in the mileage is always rather special.

We were soon alighting at Leamington where we headed up to the loco and got a few photos of it.
68014 by fishquinn1, on Flickr
We watched it leave and then wandered down the platform, still being able to hear it in the car park (At which point it would've been at Warwick, if not further). Nat's mum was picking us up this eve and I was soon being dropped off at home. Thanks to Dom395, Brad465 and (yes I'll stretch this far) Nat for a great day out. Also thanks to everyone who organized the challenge.

 

[Kite159]

Sounded like a good London Challenge