H-O-W Great Yarmouth Bash 2011

[heart-of-wessex]

Hello all,

I thought I'd share my bash yesterday and the night before on the Great Yarmouth Bash 2011. I had purchased some AP tickets from Trowbridge - Great Yarmouth and back last month for around £10 each way and was carefully selected on the train from Liverpool St as I didn't want to book on the ones that terminate at Norwich! The idea of this trip was to finally do the 47 loco drags as I haven't done them before, ever!
After i booked the London to Great Yarmouth legs I booked the Trowbridge to London Paddington part after, and put myself on an overnighter to London for the 0900 to Great Yarmouth as I didn't want to risk the 20 minute run across London....then I realised it was 1000 not 0900! So I had a pointless overnighter but at least I will be there at 0033 with only a 4 and a half hour wait until my first bash to Cambridge starts.

On a seperate day, I also booked an Iver to Travelcard 1-6 (so I could book a travelcard online with a 16-25 discount, and was only a few pence more), a return to Cambridge and a return from Great Yarmouth - Norwich, all done in one transaction. I wanted to be at the Traveline office to see there faces saying 'what on earth is this person planning on :?' !

The overnight plan falls apart when I decide to do Three Bridges overnight 319s and realise that I have put myself on the last HST to Padd with no room for alllowing tube transfer to London Bridge! The plan instead was to do the north part on the MML from St Pancras instead as it would be easier.


So, on the Friday I set off from my flat for the walk to the station for the 2216 Cardiff service. The brand new flat screen LCD departures board and new scrolling PIS screens at the station were broke already as they were not showing any service!
The annoucement played and now I hear 'Anne' (Miss Marple as I call her, the one who does London terminals, Manchester Picc, Worcester etc) has invaded Trowbridge station!
My taxi up to Bath was 158950. I sat unintentionally by an open hopper window, so was able to hear the 158 engine! The gripper came along and ink stamped the ticket and then I looked at the headcode..he had set his clipper to 1M36 ! I wondered if we were supposed to be some XC service or something

At bath I had a good plus for the 2247 to Padd with 43023 with 181 shoving at the rear. On board I realised that we were booked to take a day and an age to get to Paddington and wondered if we would get there early or not. Most of the stations we sat at for ages, as I think this service has a lot of engineers slack. At reading we had 8-9 minute fester in the station, and I noticed the Sleeper to Penzance was on the PIS screen and was expected as 'delayed'...I wonder if OO was having trouble with a 57 again! So we left at 2355 and had 38 minutes to get to paddington, easy! We slowed down just before Twyford and used the crossovers to access the relief lines, which was good as I haven't scored these lines in the up direction!
At Slough we crossed back over to the up fast, but I couldn't see why the up main was shut between here and Slough, as it didn't stop the turbos using the down main but then I thought maybe they just route HSTs over some relief sections for a form of route knowledge on swapping lines, and it had all day to get to Padd anyway!

By Hayes we slammed to a stop at a red and got held there for a while and we got rolling again. Some slow running occured into Paddington and after all that, we arrived 3 minutes late! So I had a fast walk from Coach B to the exit (Why I didn't walk to Coach F beforehand I don't know!) and made it to bus stop H in time for the 205 Bow Church service. I was unfortunately rewarded with Stagey Scania 15117! The seats by the engine are so trash that it makes the Chapman seats on a 150 or ATW 158 feel like pullman luxury seats! It would have been more comfy to sit on the engine!

I arrived at St Pancras with a lot of time spare for the 0132 to Bedford so I went to Starbucks for a coffee move and went out for a smoke. The amount of times I got asked for a light, I should have bought a bag full of lightbulbs! though I have decided next time I will charge a pound each, I'd soon make a profit to buy an ALR!
Back to the station and up to platform 1, I was getting worried that Bedford might have chucked a 377 for the night but thankfully I was rewarded with 319441 ae BF (If you play Hellfire bashing sim, you'd know what the ae and BF bits are supposed to be )
I went straight for the MSO coach for the thrash from the GEC G315 traction motors and it was excellent! I forgot about the tunnels out of Kentish Town and the noise was immense. As it was busy in our coach it was VERY hard not to do an epic chopper flail!

At West Hampstead Thameslink I noticed we were on the down fast! Seems odd to be on a all station stopper on the fast, but at that time in the morning it was very unlikely a HST would be stuck behind us! I then saw the departures screen as we left and all the Bedfords were flashing the number '4' so they were all replatformed through the night, whilst up services were from platform 1, so it seemed to be outer lines only for passenger use!

Halfway up to Bedford I heard this almighty turbo scream by with 3 deep-ish drones and another turbo scream at the rear! I wondered what the heck this was, as it had a bright light in the middle at the bottom and the coaches were yellow, so must have been something from Derby RTC but what could it have been? The front and rear seemed to provide only a scream and didn't really hear an engine thump or drone, so I did wonder if maybe it was a couple of EDs en-route to Selhurst...

I then nodded off now and again as sleep was needed but I was mostly awake for the noise off the 319. I scooped in the crossover to the slow lines just before Bedford and we arrived in platform 2. I wondered if the same 319 would go back but the St Pancras was due on Platform 1. 319441 went ECS to Bedford Carriage Sidings so I wondered if maybe I'd be rewarded with an original 319/0 but 319421 came in at the north end, so again I headed for the MSO. I looked in my book and thankfully it was required so that was a good move!

I checked out the window as we left just incase any crossovers were done to the fast line but we were routed onto the slow lines as booked. More nodding off was done here and there but again for most of it I was awake.


I need a break from this typing so to be continued from St Pancras on the GY bash 2011 report

 

[Techniquest]

Quite the funky little bash there so far, hope to read the rest soon. Loved the 'ae BF' thing, awesome stuff. Good to see you enjoyed some rather decent mileage on your 319 bash, shame you didn't get a /0 on the way back though. Nowt wrong with the /4s of course!

I didn't know you lot had new screens down there, and I bet that new announcer sounds mighty odd compared to the Wessex Woman!

 

[heart-of-wessex]

I know I was hoping for a /0 but at least wasn't bowled by a 377 (wouldn't mind if it was required but I wanted a GEC G315 motor thrash fix!)

I guessed ae would used for 319s...wasn't too sure actually!
Will have to upload the sounds of the new announcer too onto YouTube. So continuing from arriving at STP off the 319...


I head out the station and back to the bus stops out of Kings Cross for a long-ish wait for the 205. Saw a Trident on the RRB to bridge (would have been good on the 205!) and that was the most decent thing I saw. Even the Moorgate route had darts on but were the LX55 reg Euro 3 (sounded like) spec...shame as if it was original it would sound so much better (and would sound like First's 40835 round here)!
The 205 eventually shows up and I get on 15108, yet another MTU'd Scania trash, and took it to Liverpool Street bus stop. I nearly got lost as first it did say Liverpool Street - this bus is now on diversion, and I wondered if we were here or it meant we are on diversion avoiding Liverpool Street or something!

Some others got off the bus and I assumed it to be the former and I was right..though the actual entrance to Liverpool Street was hard to find since you can't see it from the street, just as well there was a sign pointing to where it is!
I had 20 odd mins until the 0523 to Stansted so I went out for a quick smoke and went to the french thing coffee shop (I forget what it's called but is found at stations) but they didn't have much food, so looked in AMT (or is it ATM? I forget that too!) and they had small pannanis at about half the size of a Upper Crust full size baguette and was tempted by the breakfast pannani until I saw the price....£3.89...HOW MUCH!?!?!?!
My eyes popped out until they reached Kings Lynn and nearly bellowed AAAAAAAAAA!!!!! but instead I went to the french-thing-shop-whatsit-place and got a coffee instead.

The 0523 to Stansted was announced (now used to miss marple having it played at our station as I said) and was greeted with all over white 317657. I sat in the MSO as I don't recall sitting in that coach on any 317, so I never really knew what they would sound like but expected some boring drone sound.
Well, as we left Liv St through the tunnel section with the arches, I was starting to like it, especially as the sound bounced off the arch supports!
By Bethnal Green we were motoring through like a bat out of hell and wondered if he knew how tight the junction towards Hackney is! My eyes popped out and I grabbed my coffee to save it flying off the table and I gripped onto the seat...and we went flying straight on instead....oh. I would have looked such a plank if anyone was sitting near me!!

I wondered where the hell we were going and then I remembered...Stratford and the Temple Mills line...of course! I assumed Stratford is pick up only as we stopped but wasn't in the calling list at Liv Street. Then it was up the temple mills line where a 373 caught me by suprise then I remembered of course this is where the Eurostar depot is! Never thought to actually catch a 317 up this line to cop some 373s! Because of the suprise I didn't cop the number and I couldn't cop the next set I saw either as I didn't expect to see another full size eurostar further on (that depot is bloody long!!) and the number at the other end was conveniently blocked by several CWM's!

Orient Sidings then came to view with 90001 + 82143 on its LCHS set and 2 321s were in the far distance. Soon enough we were at Tottenham Hale and then thats when the proper power of a 317 kicked in. All the way through Northumberland Park (where I also saw a 2009TS shunt through the Victoria Line depot) I had a big grin on my face and a few mini flails were in order!
Soon enough we were at Cheshunt where I bailed to scratch the shack. I was very suprised to how dead straight it is and just how far you could see in both directions! The level crossing at the north end closed and wondered what was coming...nothing in sight yet but soon enough in the distance an array of lights were heading in my direction. I wondered what the hell it was, and it was 379001+020 on the StanEx, 3 now copped after seeing 379012 at Liv Steet. But really...how many lights do you need!!!!

I was also suprised how early the gates throw down. Considering the Hertford East service wasn't due for 3 minutes, the gates starting shutting!! It stayed down until the 317 came down the line and stopped and departed. Just as well the road isn't busy but only 30 seconds or so after the gates shut, the milkman came along! He obviously knew it takes along time so imediatley shut his engine off, bailed out to do a sort out of his van and do an inspection and then lean on the gates to wait for 317668 to show.
In the meantime I looked at the engineering poster and was glad I wasn't doing Yarmouth next Saturday as both Liverpool Street - Ingatestone and Ipswich - Stowmarket are closed for part of the day!

My Cambridge train soon arrived with 317672 (hellfire!) and we went on to Cambridge calling at all shacks. I did fall asleep for most of it but the screech of the motors kept me awake. By Shelford I was curious as to what traction packaged they had so I looked on TheRailwayCentre and saw that they had the exact same motors as a 319!! I wondered why it sounded familiar and was hellfire!

At Cambridge, I saw we had a 12 min turnaround so I went to Upper Class for a cheese and tomato baguette and headed back to 317672 to sit in the same seat in the MSO again! On the way to the 317 I saw 365525 in thebay..sounded familiar..so I looked in my NREA and 525 is my last 365 for sight! FINALLY! I remember countless times going to Kings Cross for it and Techniquest helping me try and find it at Hornsey (or was it Harringey?)

317672 left on time on the semi fast back to Liv St and I took the opportunity to get a sound recording which I'll post on YouTube soon.
I was having so much fun I couldn't stop bellowing in my head or flailing!

Back at Liv Street I had over an hour until the 1000 so I took the opportunity to take a leap to Stratford on a required EMU. The first one out was 321309 ae IL on the 08:55 to Southend.......................................Victoria.
I looked up TheRailwayCentre again to see what motors these have, and was suprised that they are from Brush! I then pictured a 321 clagging and thrashing up Bethal Green bank sounding like a 47! :lol

I didn't rate the 321 as I didn't find it loud..probably has I just had my ears bashed for 2 hours on GEC 317 machines! At Stratford there was ample time to get 360109 back to Liverpool Street. I was suprised that being only 4 cars it still stopped at the far end of the platform! Back at Liv St...yet again...it was a +4 onto another set to Stratford, this time in the hands of 2 360s from IL (my god its a pair!) and hopped in required 360119 to Stratford. There I had a +0 onto required 360117 on platform 9 (which was actually a -4 as it was late!) back to Liv Street. That bought the end of the round trip and was time for a smoke before getting to 1000 intercity service.


to be continued..
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Continuing from Liv Street...


I met up with Josh Graves and we hopped on the 1V18 Great Yarmouth service. We walked past 90002 which was providing the power up the rear, and joined the FC coach at the bay seat closest to the 90.
I went to the droplight before we left to hear the 90 out the station and got a strange look from the TM as he opened his door control panel on the other side! We got the tip and had the usual crowd of late runners throwing themselves on at the rear door, and then the TM got caught up by asking if he could get on even though he was late and didn't pick up his advance ticket from the TVM. The TM rightly said he couldn't do that through his machine so this got the other guy lost and asking what he could do. It was eventually sorted but it put us down by two minutes.

90002 slowly pushed out the station as requested by the DVT (82132 ao NC, what a monster! :P) but I got more thrash from the coupler and bogies than the 90, rather quiet those 90s! I stood by the window until Stratford but heard nothing, probably as by now we were gathering speed and the sound would be going the other way.
At Stratford I couldn't note the 378s due to a 'liner in the way but was rather pleased to see required 90047 at the top end!!
I retired to my seat and sat down ready for Ilford Depot, but I was so stuck in to nattering away to Josh we were suddenly at Brentwood, then the next thing I knew we were passing Chelmsford! It was just as well I noticed as I need Chelmsford for passage. Then what felt like 5 minutes later we were approaching Ipswich, god I really did get stuck in to being a chatterbox!!

I went to the drop light to see what was in the loco point, and there was various sheds plus 70008 in clear view. Back to chattering away and I did not notice the long drag to Diss, in fact I didn't see the route at all from Ipswich north to just before Diss!
I went to the drop light at Diss to try and hear the 90 shove the set out and got to hear it better here with the traction motors winding up

Soon enough we were over the swing bridge and passing NC where I saw an ex-Silverlink 08, 2 ex-VT MK3s and an ex-VT DVT to match. Into Norwich P1 it was time to bail and see what duff we were greeted with. 47802 xe KM was allocated to the drags today and the NREA book tells me there's no red line under it so get the hell back on!
With the 47/4 attached to the front it was time to leave. Not much thrash from the front but it was heard clearer later on with the turbo screaming away, but was just audible. It didn't help that 90002 was in the way up front and there was a lot of wind too.

We went round via Reedham as booked but didn't see much of the scenery as I was chatting to some other 47 bashers at the front talking about...47s...
Soon enough we were passing the double track bi-di section on land that was seemingly created with a spirit level and we came into Great Yarmouth. I was surprised at the awkward shunt required to run around and the need to shunt the stock back that overhangs the platform, but I was more surprised and the rather tight space there is for the 47 between the blocks and the points on platform 2!!

I got some phots and a video of the 47 shunting the stock then boarded the front coach behind the 47+DVT and sat in the high densitity seating at the end of the coach. The twin tank 47 left right time at 13:10 and we were on our way back to Norwich via Reedham again, this time chatting to Josh again about his job at London Bridge and the Thameslink project, so this passed the time a lot and before I knew it, we were on the approach to Norwich.
Here 47802 was detached from the rest of the set as 90002 prepared to head back to Liv St, in the meantime the duff was switched off...so that got me thinking...time to sit at the platform and film her firing back up!

First a food move was in order though, so we went to the WhistleStop for supplies and on the way out, Josh noticed a EWS livery 90 in the back sidings through the short fence, so we went out the exit, turned left to the car park and went to the fence to see what it was.
It was 90035, one I have got 800 engine miles done for on the FSR sleeper, but we was wondering what it was doing here. Then I wish Josh hadn't noticed it as behind the wall on platform 1 was 47802 firing up! bah!

Back at the platform we waited for next Great Yarmouth set to arrive from Liv St in platform 1. This set was now formed of a un-ID'd DVT, NX stripe livery MK3s and NX liveried 90003 (or was it 008?).
47802 was attached to the front and we were soon on our way on the 1450 to Great Yarmouth via Acle. This route was a bit more scenic and a more preferable route than Reedham that's for sure! More of the Sulzer 12DA and turbo could be heard more clearly than before and got a few shots on the camcorder to pick up the sound.
This was the last trip on the 47 and it was over in a flash when we got to Yarmouth. I filmed the run around for the last time before it left ECS for Crown Point but I was unsure the 1617 to Norwich would be routed out first, and it was . I needed to be on the 1617 to make the 1700 out of Norwich.
I packed my camcorder into my bag and Josh noticed the route proved for the 47! I spun around and saw the semaphore up and wondered how the 1617 could have a route too, but then I noticed the signal for the 47 showed the letter 'R' by it for Reedham...of course it is routed this way as the 1617 is via Acle! I ripped my camcorder out and just got a bit of the 47 leaving!!

I packed my camcorder away again when it disappeared and we walked back to the blocks to join the 1617, formed of a 153 ae NC. It looked rather odd being at a huge empty station with a sole 153 at the far end!
We boarded wedged 153309 but it didn't matter that it was rammed, I was happy scooping in the required track in Platform 1!
The journey back via Acle was less fun in a brick stopping at every lampost but I was surprised when we left Great Yarmouth to see a First Gemini double decker on an Xsomething route to Peterborough!! Stuff doing that throughout!

Back at Norwich we had a +8 onto the 1700 Liv St service so there was no time to go and see what 90 it was, we boarded to find a seat instead. We did have a right time departure but we shuddered forward and came to a stop. It was unknown what the problem was but we left 3 minutes late in the end. Passing NC on the way back the Silverlink gronk and Virgin stock was still there but I was surprised to see a 170 there STILL in the Anglia spearmint livery!! How old is that!!!!

The journey back was uneventful and thankfully there wasn't a huge crowd at Chelmsford for V-fest (though was unsure when it started/ended) but there was a girl who sat near us talking on her phone all the way to Stratford talking to her ex or something, saying that police told her to get on the train and he was threatening to stab her. It was confusing really, that was all the topic was about but I wouldn't talk to someone who was threatening to stab me :?

Back at Liverpool street I noted down 90011 (lets go!) which was the one that hauled us back to London. Now I am happy with a total of 2,474 engine miles off Class 90s . I noted 4 379s that were required for sight and then we decided to take a sort of insect leap up to South Tottenham, so we got the 18:58 Cambridge service which was formed of required 317501 and at South Tottenham we had a good plus for what we was waiting for, a Class 379! 379014 and 379006 rolled in and we jumped in the latter for the leap back to Liv St. I took the opportunity to charge my phone at the powerpoint and look around the coach which was rather bright...and very white! As we rounded the curve at Bethnal Green it looked odd out the window at the front set and see, what looked like at first, a white 375 on the front as if we were on some random SET 375 on a rather large diversion!

Back at Liverpool St Josh went off home and I headed away from the GEML (I am surprised my L.I.V.E.R.P.O.L.S.T keys on the keyboard still work!)
I still had bags of time until I needed to be at Paddington so I took the opportunity to go and get St Johns station out the way as I have been wanting to do it before many of times but never actually did it! So I took a proper insect leap on the Central Line to Bank (0m 36ch, yet it still felt like a mile or 2!) and got a 95TS Northern Line train to London Bridge. Thankfully there was one due very soon calling at St Johns and the set rolled in with 466003 and a 465. I leapt to the front for the 466 as I know it was required and took it to the next station. St Johns was successfully scored and I got 465174 to take me back past London Bridge to Waterloo East.

I took the stupidly long walk to the Stifling Hot Line, sorry I mean the Baking Oven Line, no sorry I mean the Bakerloo Line and took it to Paddington. I was feeling tired and the heat didn't help but my body wouldn't fall asleep...maybe because it was beyond ridiculously hot!?
At Paddington there was a good half hour before the 2130 was due to leave, but a leap to Ealing Broadway was out the question as sometimes the plus there to get back is stupidly long. I was shocked that the 2130 was ready to board at 2110 and at that time the 2045 to Swansea was still boarding on platform 4! There was a constant flow of passengers going for this service, probably as they were going to Swindon or Reading...either that or there was a flow of epically late passengers going to South Wales!
I headed to the front of my train at Platform 3 to see what powercar I had, and 43171 was at the sharp end and 151 was at the rear. Oh well no chance of getting my last GW powercar today then. I then saw that the set was in reverse formation, so I trundled all the way back to near the blocks to Coach B.

A very uneventful journey to Bath was made as I kept falling asleep. At bath there was time for a smoke and then I waited for the last train home. Usually this is a 158 but today I was unfortunate to be greeted with 150243. It's unfortunate because there was the usual crowd of clubbers and party-goers on the train and it made us leave late to to the large numbers getting on. It was just as crowded as the peak hour train does out of Trowbridge!
I also noticed Avoncliff is no longer a request stop too and is mandatory probably as it does get used alot nowadays.
At Trowbridge I took the walk home and bagged 682 miles overall, not bad since I estimated 500 on the way back!

Journey can be seen here if interested http://james143611.railmiles.org/


It was worth being knackered after and was a very good bash indeed! Shame I can't find my camcorder but I may have taken it out my bag at work to lighten the load but I don't know. t could have been taken out my bag on the HST but why other valuables on top of the camera wasn't taken I don't know...so I ruled that out. We will see if I find it or not!


Hope you enjoyed reading it. I have spent hours doing this but I did it for you lot so I hope you like some of the humour included too!


Cheers,

James.

 

[NXEA!]

Sounds like a very good trip there, thanks for sharing! Ah, the 317/319's. Couple of suggestions if you haven't already done them: Go to St Pancras in the evening peak and get a fast Bedford, first stop St Albans, these belt along the fasts, and my oh my it is a lively screamy ride! Last time I did this I had 319013, and I genuinely think I have hearing loss from that beast. Also, get a FCC 317 in the evening peak that has limited stops and uses the fasts, another opportunity to get deafened! I do think you criticised the 321's unfairly, they are very loud too, you only sampled Liverpool Street to Stratford. Next time you're in the area, get a service that doesn't call at Hatfield Peverel and Kelvedon, such as the 15.18 or 16.50 to Clacton (not sure if these are booked 321's), as the linespeed through Hatfield Peverel is 100mph AFAIK and through Kelvedon you go pretty darn fast, and the traction motors well and truly scream. Enjoy.

 

[Techniquest]

Hey James,

Just read the rest of your report, it must have taken quite a while to type! Comments and so forth follow:

so looked in AMT (or is it ATM? I forget that too!)

AMT is correct, I recall their hot chocolate is rateable. At least the one Sam and I had many moons ago from their branch in the subway at Temple Meads was. I know the place you mean with the French food place, I'll be damned if I can remember the name now though! They're all well expensive, I hope you took your Bite card with you!

[quote[a few mini flails were in order![/quote]

Too right, well worth doing! I've had to resist bellowing and flailing stuff around normals far too often to count, especially at work. Although I do keep doing that announcer sound we heard many years back at Barking if you remember it!My Cambridge train soon arrived with 317672 (hellfire!) and we went on to Cambridge calling at all shacks. I did fall asleep for most of it but the screech of the motors kept me awake. By Shelford I was curious as to what traction packaged they had so I looked on TheRailwayCentre and saw that they had the exact same motors as a 319!! I wondered why it sounded familiar and was hellfire!

I remember countless times going to Kings Cross for it and Techniquest helping me try and find it at Hornsey (or was it Harringey?)

Finally you've got it! And it was Harringay, I recall spending a fair bit of time there and our mocking someone doing the vaccum arm movement.

321309 ae IL on the 08:55 to Southend.......................................Victoria.
I looked up TheRailwayCentre again to see what motors these have, and was suprised that they are from Brush! I then pictured a 321 clagging and thrashing up Bethal Green bank sounding like a 47! :lol

It seems too weird being at Liv St, Stratford and so forth without hearing that now. Without my NREA to hand, I'm not sure but I swear 309 is one of my last two NXEA 321s for sight!

[quoteI didn't rate the 321 as I didn't find it loud..probably has I just had my ears bashed for 2 hours on GEC 317 machines![/quote]

I don't think that's a fair assessment, 321s aren't too bad at all in the motor coach, same for 320s actually, based on my experience of both classes during my ALR. When you're on a fast stretch on a 321 (or multiple thereof), say Shenfield to Stratford, they're pretty good fun. 317s and 319s are, of course, pretty damn decent too, but 320s and 321s also deserve attention.

I got more thrash from the coupler and bogies than the 90, rather quiet those 90s! I stood by the window until Stratford but heard nothing, probably as by now we were gathering speed and the sound would be going the other way.

Aye, I noticed the same thing with 90007 when I had it pushing from Ipswich to Norwich. Seemed so quiet, especially compared to being the same distance from 90043 pulling on the Pretendo. That was truely awesome!

ex-Silverlink 08

08874 if I recall correctly, I know I've got it noted down in my report. When I eventually reach day 7, you'll know which one it was. That may not be for quite a few days though

It was 90035, one I have got 800 engine miles done for on the FSR sleeper, but we was wondering what it was doing here

90035 would have been on the, AFAIK, daily hire from DBS contract I believe. If memory serves correctly, there's 11 diagrams for most of the week and NXEA otherwise don't have enough 90s for the work. Also, the Thunderbird loco, which I believe is normally stabled at Colchester, is normally a 47 but obviously on Saturdays that's in use on the Yarmouth drags, so a 90 does the Thunderbird turn.

In case you're wondering, it's dud for me. Ipswich to Norwich and Diss to Stowmarket I seem to recall having it on a little over 3 years ago.

I was surprised when we left Great Yarmouth to see a First Gemini double decker on an Xsomething route to Peterborough!! Stuff doing that throughout!

That used to be coaches, I recall it being at least at one point the X1, although I could be mistaken. Long way that though, it must take ages!

I was surprised to see a 170 there STILL in the Anglia spearmint livery!! How old is that!!!!

Aye, 170271 was still in that livery as of 7th August at 1438, I was amazed it's still going. I swear there was at least one other 170/2 in those colours still, but as it raced past us too much for me to see the ID I couldn't say for sure.

I took the stupidly long walk to the Stifling Hot Line, sorry I mean the Baking Oven Line, no sorry I mean the Bakerloo Line and took it to Paddington.

Loved that bit, big grin on my face when I read that!

I also noticed Avoncliff is no longer a request stop too and is mandatory probably as it does get used alot nowadays.
At Trowbridge I took the walk home and bagged 682 miles overall, not bad since I estimated 500 on the way back!

Not overly surprised, it is heavily used on the P!ss-Ex, especially on Friday and Saturday nights. Not a bad mileage total there either! Hope you manage to find the camcorder! I did enjoy the humour contained throughout, although as you'll notice I've not commented on a lot of it. A good read for sure, thanks for sharing!

 

[transportphoto]

The french food place, another SSP outlet of 'Delice-de-France'?

Yes the X1 is a horrible run, I will never do the whole run unless they get some luxury coaches on with free refreshments (& still accept my bus pass throughout!)

Good write up there heart-of-wessex, well done. Doesyourspacebarstillwork?

TP

 

[Techniquest]

The french food place, another SSP outlet of 'Delice-de-France'

That's the badger! Thank Goodness someone knew what it was, it was annoying me!

Also:

Doesyourspacebarstillwork?

TP

I really did laugh a lot at that, funniest thing I've read all day thus far!

 

[Galvanize]

Great trip report James, I quite enjoyed the trip. Thought the driver of 802 was being a bit light-footed in places, but the run via Acle was definately more interesting than via Berney Arms...but saying that, I've done the Berney Arms route to death!

Other highlights/interesting points:
*The huge crowd of people on the dogbox back to Norwich, who weren't sure what tickets to buy from the conductor...plus learning that the conductor was actually studying Physics part time!

*The 379s actually seem like good trains, aside from the scream of the traction motors, they have a better ride quality than 317s!

*The conductor's machine packing in when trying to buy a return ticket from Yarmouth to Norwich!

I also made good use of the East London Line, to get to/from Liverpool Street, being able to get a direct train from Brockley station. Shoreditch High Street is still quite far from Liverpool Street though...but I saw the building which had 1983TS cars on the roof hock: