heart-of-wessex
Established Member
Hello all,
Here is another trip report from me for someone who has time and wants something to read!
My day started on Saturday 27th August at 0500am when I woke up and left at 0600. It was very eerie at this time in the morning, no vehicles moving at all until I heard one when I got to the station.
The departure boards were working this time and showed the 0628 to Pompey as on time. Just as well it wasn't canned, the list went right through to the 0744 and not one of them was to Portsmouth! I dread to think what the wait is if you miss the 0628!
I heard the units power away from Bradford Junction (quite rare to hear, it was only because it was very quiet with no traffic) and soon enough 158955 with a 153+150 (locked out) in tow came around the corner.
At Westbury we had a 9 minute fester while the Weymouth units, the 153+150, were detached from 955. A voyager flew past on platform 2 which caught me by suprise but I realised it was the BTM - Plymouth Voyager, which I always forget about. If I remembered I would have got out as I haven't seen a voyager through here before!
Oh well not to worry. We still managed to leave 3 minutes late for some reason, but it still didn't stop the driver leaving in notch 2 until the train is clear of the platform. I have yet to see more drivers actually leave a station on somthing higher than notch 2!!
After Warminster I got out my NREA and notepad and updated the haulages/sightings from last week. I purposely left it out until now so I had something to do along the misery line. It actually took me all the way to Redbridge to update my book as I had a London bash in 2009 that wasn't updated, and I still hadn't updated the book from the trip to the Lickey Incline me and Jules did!
After I finished I noted required 66957 and dud 66516 in Millbrook TMD and the usual gronks there too. We then arrived into Southampton 8 minutes early (!) so with a wider plus for the southern service at hand, I went to get a large coffee from the Pumpkin.
I proceeded to platform 3A and was surprised the 377 wasn't here yet but I noticed they do actually have a short turnaround time.
The service showed up on time and I was rewarded with required 3771111111111111 (377111) ae BI. I got on the rear coach and walked past the FC portion on the right, which reminded me never to to FC around here or and FC ALR, no freebies and an open air section...no taa! (still find those crammed side-seats a bit odd too
)
I was already fed up of the Electrostar woman announcer, god help as I have all day to put up with this yet! I also noticed just how many stops we have to do before we even reach Barnham! We leave right time at 0813, and I wonder weather to do Bognor Regis or the Arun Valley first, as I need the latter in the up direction. I decide I am going to stay on until Horsham as I also need all the stations for passage, so I'll do it now in case I don't later on.
It was a pretty uneventful trip to Ford where we verged off onto the Arun Valley. Last time I did this was on an ALR years ago and cannot remember any of it. I was impressed with the line and I enjoyed it, especially the spectacular Arundel Castle that can be seen from a distance! Photo:
http://www.railforums.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=7443&stc=1&d=1314653320
I was also surprised at the amount of local boxes and semaphores that still exist along the line! At Horsham I bailed off before the unit joined and went in search of some timetables, but only the Arun valley ones were available. I went over to catch the 1004 Victoria service anyway as I need the line between Horsham and Dorking, but with no timetable I was unsure what the plus was to do the line in the opposite direction, so I just stayed on right through to Victoria to catch a 442, something I wanted to do at least once.
The 1004 was formed of required 377128. I was surprised that a couple of shacks stil have those 50,000 inch mega huge mirrors for DOO operation, the rest having the DOO monitors.
From Sutton the train started to fill up alot but at least we were RA to Clapham Junction.
At Streatham Junction I hoped that VC signalbox would route us onto the Fast Spur Reversible onto the fast line as I need it but we were routed onto the slows as booked. Shame really as we crashed into a series of reds from Balham to Clapham while we followed the boring 455 stopper. I watched in vein at the clear fast line that we could have been on as the next unit that used the fast passed us at the flyover before Battersea Pier.
The unit in question was 442420 which we had a little race with on the approaches to Victoria.
I realised upon arrival at Victoria, its taken me 5 hours to get here from Trowbridge! It reminded me at least never to take this as an alternative route to the city for a London bash! I had a decent plus onto the 1130 to Gatwick which was formed of required 442411 and once on board I noted the number of the motor coach from the NREA book (listed as MSRMB...not quite anymore
)
I was the usual uneventful trip to the Airport and we arrived right time at 1200. Here I had a lengthy plus for the 1219 Ore/Bognor Regis service which was running 3 late. Required 377418 was on the Ore portion which I needed and we left at 1222. At Haywards Heath the join was taking place in Platform 1, required track at least so I got to 'scoop the loop'.
We now regained time as we left Haywards Heath, and just as we joined back on the down Brighton, someone just realised they were in the wrong portion as they wanted to go to Hove. Not the first time I've seen this incidence, these splitting services don't really go down well with normal pax...
We were now RA to Plumpton which is where I got off to scoop the shack in (I could have jumped the shack whilst I was here too! Only Julian will get the joke) It is a very nice station actually, and took the time to get some photos of the station since I had a +44 for the next service! It would have been easier if I did it from the Lewes direction as it would have been a lighter plus. Photos:
http://www.railforums.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=7446&stc=1&d=1314655355
Plumpton Racecourse Station is the overgrown platform
http://www.railforums.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=7447&stc=1&d=1314655499
Very nice station overall!
The 1344 service arrived right time and was formed of 377146, another required 377 for haulage! It was also booked to stop at Wivelsfield too but I was unsure of the next Southern service since I had no TT to hand and didn't want to get bolwed over by loads of FCC services. I bailed at Haywards Heath P4 instead and then got the next southbound service from P1, the 1405 service to Littlehampton (I think?) which was today formed of Brighton Beast 377439 ae BI...another required machine! (Don't ask about Brighton Beast...it just sounds funky!) I took this purely because it went round the curve between Preston Park and Hove and I needed it in this direction (done it too many times in the other direction) and scored the crossover to reach platform 3 too.
I decided that I will scratch off Worthing station so I bailed off there to see there was a 7 minute wait for a Brighton stopper, so I swapped platforms and then I noticed on the PIS screen on the Portsmouth side platform that there was a service due for West Worthing some time away, and I noticed my Brighton stopper was calling at East Worthing...I wonder if I could make it at East Worthing and scoop the shack too? Next required unit to show was veteran beast 313202 which was on the 1442 to Brighton, so I took it for an insect leap to East Worthing where I saw a 313 approaching in the distance, so I ran up to the bridge to see it's one of those annoying bridges that has a 2 mile ramp to reach the road, where you then have to cross the roadbridge and run down another long ramp! Reminded me of Harmans Cross on the Swanage Railway or Waterloo East!
I reached the platform to just notice the number at the front, 313215..another required unit. I took this through to West Worthing and stared out the window to check on and crossovers, but alas we stayed on the same track throughout. When I bailed at West Worthing I noticed a shunt signal set ahead and the 313 went ECS to the middle reverse spur, oh well now I know that it doesn't use a crossover and that there is a reverse siding, but on the plus side there was only a 7 minute wait for the next service towards Barnham and I had also finished all the Worthing shacks.
377432 (another required 377! When will I get bowled!?) showed up on the 1457 to Southampton. I had to double take on the onboard PIS screen as it was calling at Fareham, Easlteigh, Southampton Airport Parkway then Central! Never knew this was going on but the Electrostar woman said it was calling at Eastleigh and Southampton Central :?
Still I wasn't going throughout. I checked Journey Planner North East on my phone for the next service to Bognor Regis, and there was a decent plus for one at Ford, and also it was due into platform 3 at Bognor too. So I bailed at Ford, since it was a required shack, and waited for 4 minutes for the Bognor service, which was formed of 377463, required for haulage but shame it wasn't my last /4 for sight, 466. There was another reason for bailing at Ford, I wanted to scoop in the track through to Platform 1 at Barnham and onwards to Bognor Regis, all required track.
At the seaside terminus, I noticed Bognor Regis box which still retained a faded NSE sign and also retained NSE stop boards too! We arrived into platform 2 instead but I noticed there was a 377 in service boarding on P1. This was the 1530 to Victoria, and I had a decent +2 onto this service so I stepped off 377463 and was immediately on an un-ID 377. A least I got to scoop in the station albeit for no more than 10 seconds! I did try to get the number of the 377 from the coach I was in but the number just said '788 '...helpful! Wasn't fussed about finding it elsewhere, I'd get the number when I got off anyway.
We were soon on our way up towards Barnham and I decided where I was going to go next.
I thought I'd try my hand at some Arun Valley shacks since I had the relevant timetable, so I went onwards and upwards to Billingshurst. En-route Martin called me for directions to the Stagecoach route 49 stop at Tescos from Trowbridge Station so I did this and as I got off at Billingshurst still chatting away, I forgot to note the number of the 377 as it left!
Does anyone know what the 1530 Bognor to Victoria was please? What's the odd no-one knows and it was probably 377466!
There was time here to admire the signalbox and then head over to the Tesco Express covenientely located a good 10-20 seconds walk away. Back at the station I got the 16:14 Bognor service and a look in the TT suggests I can bail at Pulborough for a decent plus for another 377 north. 3774444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444 (377444, yet ANOTHER requirement for haulage!!!) turned up right time for the 1614 and bailed at Pulborough as planned.
A very nice shack indeed, semaphores included. Photo:
http://www.railforums.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=7449&stc=1&d=1314657970
It was only a +3 for the next northbound but this turned into a +6 as it was 3 late, and was annouced 'due to an earlier train fault at Littlehampton'. I was surprised that this only added 3 minutes to the delay and the fact a reason was given. Round here, 3 minutes late really isn't a big deal and is hardly announced why it was delayed by a bit.
I noticed on the other platform that the 1644 to Bognor was just 'Delayed' so this put out bailing at any other local shack for now incase I got stuck!
377472 appeared on the Victoria service, and I was surprised that this was another requirement! Doing good here! I looked in the TT and saw I would have a +3 if we were on time for the Bognor service at Christs Hospital, but I'd have to see what was going on with the Bognor.
At Billingshurst, I looked out at the PIS screen on the other side as we arrived, and this was now restored to right time. This meant it was now a +0 at Christs Hospital...not a good idea when I don't even know where the footbridge or underpass was. The Electrostar announced us as running RA from Billingshurst to Horsham to confuse matters but we called at Christs Hospital anyway. Just as we arrived, the Bognor rolled in right at the same time but I didn't risk it as I knew it would only be there for a good 30 seconds if that.
I continued to Horsham and bailed off to see the join taking place from the ex-Southampton service, I like watching units join, I don't know why I just get fascinated over the process involved :?. This portion was around 3 late too so and on time departure was out the window. Unfortunately it wasn't 377466 but was required for haulage (don't know the number though, I just know it was required when I checked the NREA), however the headcode did not change so I had to retire to 377472 instead. Still I can leave the other required one behind as I might be able to fall onto it on the next DaySave bash.
I bailed off at Crawley to scoop in the shack and saw that I had a good +3 onto the Horsham stopper formed of required (seriously!? I started to wonder if I had done any 377s before) 377450 ae BI. I took this on an insect leap to Ifield to scoop the shack and had a tight +2 here. Sounds good until you realise theres one of those annoying footbridges that is out the station, down a footpath to reach the bridge, then the same in reverse when you reach the other side! It didn't help that a few got off here and slowly walked down the narrow platform and by the time I reached the footbridge, the other 377 was rolling in. A dash over the footbridge and down the other side was done and I just made it onto 377454...a look in the NREA (after catching my breath) tells me that this is required too! wooohooo!
I was back at Crawley and the return trip was so quick it hardly felt like I left the station at all! The only bit of track I need now is Crawley - Three Bridges in the up direction but I left this out as I will no doubt be using that bit in the future since I need to come back for Faygate and the other shack (forget what it is, the one before Horsham).
A +7 saw me onto 377460...yes thats right...R.E.Q.U.I.R.E.D on the 1718 Southampton/Bognor service. I joined 460 as it was on the Soton portion and wanted to head RA to the West Coastway line. I wondered which shack to get off at after Barnham so I settled for Southbourne.
It was a very uneventful trip to Southbourne but I still enjoyed the trip down the Arun Valley. Here I had a good plus 12 for the next Electrostar so I had a quick smoke then just has I was done, the gates were thrown down and my service arrived on the Victoria service. This was formed of 377463...and if that rings bells it was the 377 I had earlier from Ford to Bognor Regis...the FIRST dud unit of the day since 158955 this morning! Holy jesus! That is a good record!
Still there was not much engine miles acheived as I was more interested in bailing off at Chichester to scratch it off. Now it was a station grice leap for the last few moves to Southampton. I went over the footbridge to get the 1850 Pompey service. I notice the PIS screens were saying alterations and temporary changes are in force due to an earlier train fault at Littlehampton. Surprising this was still causing apparent delays, as there wasn't really any evident. 377123 ae SU turned up right time on the Pompey service and this was another required haulage.
I leapt off at Emsworth for another station scoop, and waited on the same platform for the Soton service. This showed up with 377429 at the helm....dud! Blimey! I took this down to Havant and bailed again for the last station scratch.
A wait on the platform for the other Soton service was a bit boring, but the 1937 to Southampton via Eastleigh showed up right time. This was in the shape of 377432, another dud unit as I already had this earlier on! Still it was an experience doing a 377 via Botley. I was surprised that the line is partially jointed track, something the 377 didn't appreciate as we rocked back and forth over the track!
On the approach to Eastleigh, I saw 73119 in the yard with un-ID GatEx livery 73, Colas 66 and 313. Any help as to what the 66 or 73 was would be appreciated
We arrived into Eastleigh where it became apparent that Airport Parkway wasn't in the system (yet Eastleigh is :?) Sounded odd when she said 'Welcome to this Southern service to Southampton Central...Calling at And Southampton Central.'
We arrived right time at 2028 so I went out for a smoke and returned to Platform 4 to await the 2110 home. The 2045 to Bomo was running late and was due at 2109. I heard a diesel engine coming from somewhere and wondered if my head was missing the sound of a diesel!?!
I followed the source of the sound which was coming from the bay platform next to P4, and it was FGW 158767 idling away, what a welcoming sound!
Soon enough our 2110 was re-allocated to P3 so I went over to 3 and saw both routes had a double yellow, one for the 'F' and ours onto the 'S'. Without those codes it would have looked like a new quadruple aspect in use or something
The 4 car 221 arrived into P4 and I wondered if our 158 would follow right after and have a head to head race out the station. The route for the 221 was set onwards and changed to green. It left at 2109 and gosh, how loud it was when it left! I almost flailed at it! It was loud to me as after hearing Bombardier Traction package motors all day, a Cummins engine was music to my ears!
Our 158 arrived at 2110 and we left 1 late on real 3 car 158798. I stared out the window for Millbrook TMD in case anything new was there, but the only different locos were required for sight 70001 and 70007. It was an uneventful trip in the dark so I played Angry Birds on my phone. Very addictive but I am stuck at a level now and can't seem to get to the pigs. I got rather irritated in the end and stopped playing before I went in the game myself and strangled those anoying pigs to death..argh!
We arrived into Trowbridge 2 late and took the walk back home. Halfway back I got saturated as the heavens opened!!
Overall it was a cracking day out. Was surprised by how many haulages I scored, the last time I did a DaySave it was half and half. Got 15 stations in the bag and 433 miles done.
Log can be seen at the bottom on here:
http://james143611.railmiles.org/
Hope you liked it!
James.
Here is another trip report from me for someone who has time and wants something to read!
My day started on Saturday 27th August at 0500am when I woke up and left at 0600. It was very eerie at this time in the morning, no vehicles moving at all until I heard one when I got to the station.
The departure boards were working this time and showed the 0628 to Pompey as on time. Just as well it wasn't canned, the list went right through to the 0744 and not one of them was to Portsmouth! I dread to think what the wait is if you miss the 0628!
I heard the units power away from Bradford Junction (quite rare to hear, it was only because it was very quiet with no traffic) and soon enough 158955 with a 153+150 (locked out) in tow came around the corner.
At Westbury we had a 9 minute fester while the Weymouth units, the 153+150, were detached from 955. A voyager flew past on platform 2 which caught me by suprise but I realised it was the BTM - Plymouth Voyager, which I always forget about. If I remembered I would have got out as I haven't seen a voyager through here before!
Oh well not to worry. We still managed to leave 3 minutes late for some reason, but it still didn't stop the driver leaving in notch 2 until the train is clear of the platform. I have yet to see more drivers actually leave a station on somthing higher than notch 2!!
After Warminster I got out my NREA and notepad and updated the haulages/sightings from last week. I purposely left it out until now so I had something to do along the misery line. It actually took me all the way to Redbridge to update my book as I had a London bash in 2009 that wasn't updated, and I still hadn't updated the book from the trip to the Lickey Incline me and Jules did!
After I finished I noted required 66957 and dud 66516 in Millbrook TMD and the usual gronks there too. We then arrived into Southampton 8 minutes early (!) so with a wider plus for the southern service at hand, I went to get a large coffee from the Pumpkin.
I proceeded to platform 3A and was surprised the 377 wasn't here yet but I noticed they do actually have a short turnaround time.
The service showed up on time and I was rewarded with required 3771111111111111 (377111) ae BI. I got on the rear coach and walked past the FC portion on the right, which reminded me never to to FC around here or and FC ALR, no freebies and an open air section...no taa! (still find those crammed side-seats a bit odd too
) I was already fed up of the Electrostar woman announcer, god help as I have all day to put up with this yet! I also noticed just how many stops we have to do before we even reach Barnham! We leave right time at 0813, and I wonder weather to do Bognor Regis or the Arun Valley first, as I need the latter in the up direction. I decide I am going to stay on until Horsham as I also need all the stations for passage, so I'll do it now in case I don't later on.
It was a pretty uneventful trip to Ford where we verged off onto the Arun Valley. Last time I did this was on an ALR years ago and cannot remember any of it. I was impressed with the line and I enjoyed it, especially the spectacular Arundel Castle that can be seen from a distance! Photo:
http://www.railforums.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=7443&stc=1&d=1314653320
I was also surprised at the amount of local boxes and semaphores that still exist along the line! At Horsham I bailed off before the unit joined and went in search of some timetables, but only the Arun valley ones were available. I went over to catch the 1004 Victoria service anyway as I need the line between Horsham and Dorking, but with no timetable I was unsure what the plus was to do the line in the opposite direction, so I just stayed on right through to Victoria to catch a 442, something I wanted to do at least once.
The 1004 was formed of required 377128. I was surprised that a couple of shacks stil have those 50,000 inch mega huge mirrors for DOO operation, the rest having the DOO monitors.
From Sutton the train started to fill up alot but at least we were RA to Clapham Junction.
At Streatham Junction I hoped that VC signalbox would route us onto the Fast Spur Reversible onto the fast line as I need it but we were routed onto the slows as booked. Shame really as we crashed into a series of reds from Balham to Clapham while we followed the boring 455 stopper. I watched in vein at the clear fast line that we could have been on as the next unit that used the fast passed us at the flyover before Battersea Pier.
The unit in question was 442420 which we had a little race with on the approaches to Victoria.
I realised upon arrival at Victoria, its taken me 5 hours to get here from Trowbridge! It reminded me at least never to take this as an alternative route to the city for a London bash! I had a decent plus onto the 1130 to Gatwick which was formed of required 442411 and once on board I noted the number of the motor coach from the NREA book (listed as MSRMB...not quite anymore
)I was the usual uneventful trip to the Airport and we arrived right time at 1200. Here I had a lengthy plus for the 1219 Ore/Bognor Regis service which was running 3 late. Required 377418 was on the Ore portion which I needed and we left at 1222. At Haywards Heath the join was taking place in Platform 1, required track at least so I got to 'scoop the loop'.
We now regained time as we left Haywards Heath, and just as we joined back on the down Brighton, someone just realised they were in the wrong portion as they wanted to go to Hove. Not the first time I've seen this incidence, these splitting services don't really go down well with normal pax...
We were now RA to Plumpton which is where I got off to scoop the shack in (I could have jumped the shack whilst I was here too! Only Julian will get the joke
) It is a very nice station actually, and took the time to get some photos of the station since I had a +44 for the next service! It would have been easier if I did it from the Lewes direction as it would have been a lighter plus. Photos:http://www.railforums.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=7446&stc=1&d=1314655355
Plumpton Racecourse Station is the overgrown platform
http://www.railforums.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=7447&stc=1&d=1314655499
Very nice station overall!
The 1344 service arrived right time and was formed of 377146, another required 377 for haulage! It was also booked to stop at Wivelsfield too but I was unsure of the next Southern service since I had no TT to hand and didn't want to get bolwed over by loads of FCC services. I bailed at Haywards Heath P4 instead and then got the next southbound service from P1, the 1405 service to Littlehampton (I think?) which was today formed of Brighton Beast 377439 ae BI...another required machine! (Don't ask about Brighton Beast...it just sounds funky!) I took this purely because it went round the curve between Preston Park and Hove and I needed it in this direction (done it too many times in the other direction) and scored the crossover to reach platform 3 too.
I decided that I will scratch off Worthing station so I bailed off there to see there was a 7 minute wait for a Brighton stopper, so I swapped platforms and then I noticed on the PIS screen on the Portsmouth side platform that there was a service due for West Worthing some time away, and I noticed my Brighton stopper was calling at East Worthing...I wonder if I could make it at East Worthing and scoop the shack too? Next required unit to show was veteran beast 313202 which was on the 1442 to Brighton, so I took it for an insect leap to East Worthing where I saw a 313 approaching in the distance, so I ran up to the bridge to see it's one of those annoying bridges that has a 2 mile ramp to reach the road, where you then have to cross the roadbridge and run down another long ramp! Reminded me of Harmans Cross on the Swanage Railway or Waterloo East!
I reached the platform to just notice the number at the front, 313215..another required unit. I took this through to West Worthing and stared out the window to check on and crossovers, but alas we stayed on the same track throughout. When I bailed at West Worthing I noticed a shunt signal set ahead and the 313 went ECS to the middle reverse spur, oh well now I know that it doesn't use a crossover and that there is a reverse siding, but on the plus side there was only a 7 minute wait for the next service towards Barnham and I had also finished all the Worthing shacks.
377432 (another required 377! When will I get bowled!?) showed up on the 1457 to Southampton. I had to double take on the onboard PIS screen as it was calling at Fareham, Easlteigh, Southampton Airport Parkway then Central! Never knew this was going on but the Electrostar woman said it was calling at Eastleigh and Southampton Central :?
Still I wasn't going throughout. I checked Journey Planner North East on my phone for the next service to Bognor Regis, and there was a decent plus for one at Ford, and also it was due into platform 3 at Bognor too. So I bailed at Ford, since it was a required shack, and waited for 4 minutes for the Bognor service, which was formed of 377463, required for haulage but shame it wasn't my last /4 for sight, 466. There was another reason for bailing at Ford, I wanted to scoop in the track through to Platform 1 at Barnham and onwards to Bognor Regis, all required track.
At the seaside terminus, I noticed Bognor Regis box which still retained a faded NSE sign and also retained NSE stop boards too! We arrived into platform 2 instead but I noticed there was a 377 in service boarding on P1. This was the 1530 to Victoria, and I had a decent +2 onto this service so I stepped off 377463 and was immediately on an un-ID 377. A least I got to scoop in the station albeit for no more than 10 seconds! I did try to get the number of the 377 from the coach I was in but the number just said '788 '...helpful! Wasn't fussed about finding it elsewhere, I'd get the number when I got off anyway.
We were soon on our way up towards Barnham and I decided where I was going to go next.
I thought I'd try my hand at some Arun Valley shacks since I had the relevant timetable, so I went onwards and upwards to Billingshurst. En-route Martin called me for directions to the Stagecoach route 49 stop at Tescos from Trowbridge Station so I did this and as I got off at Billingshurst still chatting away, I forgot to note the number of the 377 as it left!
Does anyone know what the 1530 Bognor to Victoria was please? What's the odd no-one knows and it was probably 377466
!There was time here to admire the signalbox and then head over to the Tesco Express covenientely located a good 10-20 seconds walk away. Back at the station I got the 16:14 Bognor service and a look in the TT suggests I can bail at Pulborough for a decent plus for another 377 north. 3774444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444444 (377444, yet ANOTHER requirement for haulage!!!) turned up right time for the 1614 and bailed at Pulborough as planned.
A very nice shack indeed, semaphores included. Photo:
http://www.railforums.co.uk/attachment.php?attachmentid=7449&stc=1&d=1314657970
It was only a +3 for the next northbound but this turned into a +6 as it was 3 late, and was annouced 'due to an earlier train fault at Littlehampton'. I was surprised that this only added 3 minutes to the delay and the fact a reason was given. Round here, 3 minutes late really isn't a big deal and is hardly announced why it was delayed by a bit.
I noticed on the other platform that the 1644 to Bognor was just 'Delayed' so this put out bailing at any other local shack for now incase I got stuck!
377472 appeared on the Victoria service, and I was surprised that this was another requirement! Doing good here! I looked in the TT and saw I would have a +3 if we were on time for the Bognor service at Christs Hospital, but I'd have to see what was going on with the Bognor.
At Billingshurst, I looked out at the PIS screen on the other side as we arrived, and this was now restored to right time. This meant it was now a +0 at Christs Hospital...not a good idea when I don't even know where the footbridge or underpass was. The Electrostar announced us as running RA from Billingshurst to Horsham to confuse matters but we called at Christs Hospital anyway. Just as we arrived, the Bognor rolled in right at the same time but I didn't risk it as I knew it would only be there for a good 30 seconds if that.
I continued to Horsham and bailed off to see the join taking place from the ex-Southampton service, I like watching units join, I don't know why I just get fascinated over the process involved :?. This portion was around 3 late too so and on time departure was out the window. Unfortunately it wasn't 377466 but was required for haulage (don't know the number though, I just know it was required when I checked the NREA), however the headcode did not change so I had to retire to 377472 instead. Still I can leave the other required one behind as I might be able to fall onto it on the next DaySave bash.
I bailed off at Crawley to scoop in the shack and saw that I had a good +3 onto the Horsham stopper formed of required (seriously!? I started to wonder if I had done any 377s before
) 377450 ae BI. I took this on an insect leap to Ifield to scoop the shack and had a tight +2 here. Sounds good until you realise theres one of those annoying footbridges that is out the station, down a footpath to reach the bridge, then the same in reverse when you reach the other side! It didn't help that a few got off here and slowly walked down the narrow platform and by the time I reached the footbridge, the other 377 was rolling in. A dash over the footbridge and down the other side was done and I just made it onto 377454...a look in the NREA (after catching my breath) tells me that this is required too! wooohooo!I was back at Crawley and the return trip was so quick it hardly felt like I left the station at all! The only bit of track I need now is Crawley - Three Bridges in the up direction but I left this out as I will no doubt be using that bit in the future since I need to come back for Faygate and the other shack (forget what it is, the one before Horsham).
A +7 saw me onto 377460...yes thats right...R.E.Q.U.I.R.E.D on the 1718 Southampton/Bognor service. I joined 460 as it was on the Soton portion and wanted to head RA to the West Coastway line. I wondered which shack to get off at after Barnham so I settled for Southbourne.
It was a very uneventful trip to Southbourne but I still enjoyed the trip down the Arun Valley. Here I had a good plus 12 for the next Electrostar so I had a quick smoke then just has I was done, the gates were thrown down and my service arrived on the Victoria service. This was formed of 377463...and if that rings bells it was the 377 I had earlier from Ford to Bognor Regis...the FIRST dud unit of the day since 158955 this morning! Holy jesus! That is a good record!
Still there was not much engine miles acheived as I was more interested in bailing off at Chichester to scratch it off. Now it was a station grice leap for the last few moves to Southampton. I went over the footbridge to get the 1850 Pompey service. I notice the PIS screens were saying alterations and temporary changes are in force due to an earlier train fault at Littlehampton. Surprising this was still causing apparent delays, as there wasn't really any evident. 377123 ae SU turned up right time on the Pompey service and this was another required haulage.
I leapt off at Emsworth for another station scoop, and waited on the same platform for the Soton service. This showed up with 377429 at the helm....dud! Blimey! I took this down to Havant and bailed again for the last station scratch.
A wait on the platform for the other Soton service was a bit boring, but the 1937 to Southampton via Eastleigh showed up right time. This was in the shape of 377432, another dud unit as I already had this earlier on! Still it was an experience doing a 377 via Botley. I was surprised that the line is partially jointed track, something the 377 didn't appreciate as we rocked back and forth over the track!
On the approach to Eastleigh, I saw 73119 in the yard with un-ID GatEx livery 73, Colas 66 and 313. Any help as to what the 66 or 73 was would be appreciated
We arrived into Eastleigh where it became apparent that Airport Parkway wasn't in the system (yet Eastleigh is :?) Sounded odd when she said 'Welcome to this Southern service to Southampton Central...Calling at And Southampton Central.'
We arrived right time at 2028 so I went out for a smoke and returned to Platform 4 to await the 2110 home. The 2045 to Bomo was running late and was due at 2109. I heard a diesel engine coming from somewhere and wondered if my head was missing the sound of a diesel!?!
I followed the source of the sound which was coming from the bay platform next to P4, and it was FGW 158767 idling away, what a welcoming sound!
Soon enough our 2110 was re-allocated to P3 so I went over to 3 and saw both routes had a double yellow, one for the 'F' and ours onto the 'S'. Without those codes it would have looked like a new quadruple aspect in use or something
The 4 car 221 arrived into P4 and I wondered if our 158 would follow right after and have a head to head race out the station. The route for the 221 was set onwards and changed to green. It left at 2109 and gosh, how loud it was when it left! I almost flailed at it! It was loud to me as after hearing Bombardier Traction package motors all day, a Cummins engine was music to my ears!
Our 158 arrived at 2110 and we left 1 late on real 3 car 158798. I stared out the window for Millbrook TMD in case anything new was there, but the only different locos were required for sight 70001 and 70007. It was an uneventful trip in the dark so I played Angry Birds on my phone. Very addictive but I am stuck at a level now and can't seem to get to the pigs. I got rather irritated in the end and stopped playing before I went in the game myself and strangled those anoying pigs to death..argh!
We arrived into Trowbridge 2 late and took the walk back home. Halfway back I got saturated as the heavens opened!!
Overall it was a cracking day out. Was surprised by how many haulages I scored, the last time I did a DaySave it was half and half. Got 15 stations in the bag and 433 miles done.
Log can be seen at the bottom on here:
http://james143611.railmiles.org/
Hope you liked it!
James.
