heart-of-wessex
Established Member
Hello all,
Here is the next report of 2012 as promised, and was better than last weekends bash for sure! The Epic Coaster bash is the choice of name as it was a bigger one than last, and mainly involved the whole ECML!
Expensive? Well I actually took advantage at the end of last year to snap two bargain tickets from ECs deal, £10 Kings Cross to Edinburgh and £10 back.
So, with the usual cheap advances bought to/from London beforehand, here's how it went:
6th January 2012
I booked myself on the 1943 from Bath on purpose, so I could do the 1902 Bristol service for a change, one I haven't done before! I got there in time to see a 150 on the Westbury service with the driver rolling through the blind to Bridgend....random! Not long after it moved to Cheltenham Spa, so probably happened to stop on Bridgend to remember what he was setting it to (one of those blank moments!) Looked odd seeing Bridgend at Trowbridge as if GW extended the Cardiff's
The 1902 was advertised as being 6 minutes late, but in actual fact 43140+43088 rolled in 2 minutes late, and we were off 2 minutes late. I bashed MK3 42273, which was also required for sight. Seemed odd not starting the day on the usual unit though!! (And before you say...NO this is not 1970s/80s, so it's NOT a unit
)
At Bradford-on-Avon, the screens there suggested we were much later than we actually were too. I wrote up my notes after leaving here, and I noticed in no time we were slowing down....Bathampton Jn already!?! No, of course we have to slow for the loco speed limit through Dundas Aqueduct, keep forgetting about that when I'm used to bombing through it on a 158!
Got to Bath at 1923 and then wondered if I'd have time for a Maccy D with my +20 here. After much debate (and narrowing the plus even lower) I charged over to Maccy D's to see a slow queue and getting served slowly, with only one on the till even though he tried to get help, no-one offered to. Got served with just 8 minutes to spare and asked if I could quickly get me a big mac meal with a coke. He heard the quick bit alright, bish bash bosh dosh, literally! That was the fastest part so at least I had time to motor back to the station.
The 1943 rolled in on time with 43069 on the front, and I retired to my seat as I'll get the rear PC at Paddington instead. As it was dark, I spent a lot of the journey updating my NREA book (I usually don't update it after a bash so I have something to do on trips like these) and also went through double checking I marked things off. So many units I have underlined too in the 378 department where I have apparently bashed it but not seen it!
Paddington was reached 2 early, and I went to the TVM to get my travelcard. At the machine I realised I didn't get the rear PC number, as I thought when I got off that I took it at Bath...DUH! Not worried either case as I have the front number and they are now all done anyway.
So, over to the Oven Line, I pass someone I'd never expect to walk by in the passage way....Jim! (TrowbridgeJim, i.e related to Dennis on here...) took me surprise as the most random place
The Oven Line trip itself was something else, very BORING! It felt like each station was 5 miles away! Also I notice they still play the 'please stand clear of the doors' after the doors have shut....
So the idea was to go over to the local side for a 455 and was thinking over my next plan as I was walking up the stairs to the concourse. As I got to the top I heard the 2150 Reading being announced.....STOP!!! I came to a stop on the concourse and peered round to P19 to see a 8-JOP in the platform. Change of plan!
I walks over to the set to see 8024 and 8016 on the service so I jump on the latter for the red pen! Something I keep forgetting about down here is the chance to improve the red pen in the JOP department.
I took this to Clapham where I re-traced what I was going for in the first place, however now I'm at Clapham, I can't decide weather to scoop a required Southern or SWT 455! I decided on the latter as I have the list of ones I need on my phone which makes it easier to hunt down which one to jump on when it rolls in.
So I go on my Spin and Win Box Machine game again, something I have done a few times before.
On platform 10, I spin the wheel (cue Wheel of Fortune 'clickclickclickclick...click....click.....click sound effects) and it points to 455867 winner 
On for the leap to Vauxhall then where I bail for another spin. Unfortunately that shows 455750 (done on my last spin and win game, I know that for a fact) and some other dud machine, so I await for the 2213 which has 455719 on, required!
So onto the leap to Clapham, I return to my Wheel of Box Machines and spin it to reveal 455864 on the 2224 Waterloo...how could I say no! (Well I could of, but I need it)
At Vauxhall, I await for the other Waterloo behind that has a dud 455/9 and 455/7 on, both dud, so I get on the 2231 southbound run with winner 455727.
I like these moves as you have time to fill in your moves book with ease, unlike doing Cardiff Central - Queen Street leaps where you generally whip out the book and speed write the moves in, then chuck it back in your bag and bail!
Crossing over to P10 again, I wondered if someone on CCTV was wondering what the hell I'm doing! Nothing illegal so I didn't care if they did or didn't wonder....they might wonder why I have a spinning wheel though! (Note - I didn't actually have one!)
So back to the game, big pointer 455909 rolls in on the 2239 to Waterloo, winner, and I bails at Vauxhall and awaits for the Waterloo which is 3 minutes behind, which was formed of an 8-BOX and had winner 455734 on it. I was now off my Clapham path, and still needed to get back to Clapham soon, and of course half the 455's going to London are now dud...however there was one set I forgot about that I had not long ago that had 455711 on that was with a required one that I did, so I jumped on 455711 since it was loading up for the 2257, and took it to CJ.
That bought and end to my spin and win game, so I went home with 7 winner 455s, not bad for short of an hours work. Gonna regret it for RailMiles though!
So off to East Croydon, I saw there was a 2308 Brighton service, one of the stopper types via Redhill, but it was a 4 car 377/1 rammed to the rafters service...great. However there was a 2312 Brighton behind that, and I had a feeling that maybe its the Brighton Express...and it was! Brighton Pigs 442403/405 on the express, and I stood in the vestibule of the MSO to my destination of Croydon. Shame the guard wasn't the one I had on the Gatwick Express run, who said that I could not have a non Gatwick Express ticket because of the branding on the unit....so my TC does not cover me on the Brighton Express now?
Anyway at Croydon, I made the +10 onto the FCC Bridge service which turned up with dud 319425...no surprise when I have minimal /4s left, might not get any today!
At Bridge, I made my way to the bus stop for the 2355 RRB to St Pancras. I saw a Trident parked up down the road with St Pancras on the front, good!
2355 came and went...and soon it was midnight...hurry up and get over here man! Connections to make at St Pancras! Eventually Trident 33036 showed up and we couldn't leave straight away as there was a Merc Citario in front that we couldn't get around, as there was a BMW parked on the other side blocking the gap :roll:
We left 10 minutes late and en-route we actually stopped at Blackfriars
hock: On all the RRBs I have done, we went RA between St Pancras and Bridge and vice versa.
We arrived a around 0020, 5 minutes early according to the timetable, so no wonder he was happy to leave late, must a tonne of slack in it!
7th January 2012
The 0032 to Bedford seems to be retimed to 0036 today too, but then on other overnighters I have noticed this is often re-timed, maybe they should do away with the overnighter TT and do an old GW style by releasing alteration books each week! (I'm sure someone on here remembers the style of the GTS books from FGW!)
I got my return from the TVM at £13...but hang on....argh!!
Guess which plank bought a Off-Peak Single to Bedford.....
should have double checked but I thought I pressed the right button! Never mind, I didn't have time to faff around trying to change it, so I went up to the High Level to see 319450 on the rear of the 8 car formation...450 actually being required!!
So I dived into the end cab coach and not the MSO...not like me I know but I wanted some sleep instead of trying to sleep in an electrical cupboard, and it worked as the next thing I knew we were at St Albans, to which I then passed out and was awake by Flitwick...well that sped up the time no end!
We arrived into Bedford at 0244, and then I sorted my next ticket for my next move (revealed in a bit) and got a Bedford to Z1-6 ticket, which was also £13 and something pence. I got this so I didn't have to faff around with getting a TC at London.
As I did that, some FHH freight went storming through the station, which could have been the Hope to Theale run.
319453 (winner!!) was on the 0202 St Pancras turn, and I sat in the MSO this time. As we left, I noticed we were going on the Up Fast this time, so no running on the slows at all this morning then.
After Flitwick it was evident why we were on the fast, as there was a rail grinder on the 22:27 Wellingborough - Wellingborough trip, looked funky seeing the sparks at night!
I leapt off 319453 at Leagrave for the station scratch, and the reason I did it via Bedford was the fact that it was only a +5 connection for the 319 back to Bedford, or a -5 if I did it the other way! Leagrave was also the last shack I need north of Luton so I just need Luton and Harpenden for stations out of zones 1-6 to Bedford
319372 was on offer to take me back to Bedford but that was dud, still I was hardly going to refuse it on those grounds!!
Back there I swapped over for the 0302 which came into the station from Bedford C.S at 0302, but a swift 3 minute turnaround saw us leave at 0305. I took the opportunity to sleep again and did so until Elstree, but I could not get to sleep after, which didn't help having to stagger through all those stations! (after a few overnight turns, it starts getting boring)
We arrived at 0414 and now I was stuck on what to do, however I did note before on planning journeys what Kings Cross might have to offer at that time, and there was a 0423 2R01 to Royston and later a 04xx or 0500 2W00 to Hornsey running RA to Hornsey! Looking at it I could have swapped over at Hornsey for 2V01 (0444 I believe) from Welwyn back to the cross, and I wanted to see how random calling at Hornsey only was, but the staff said that the station doesn't open until 5am....:? How does one get the 0423? Maybe it's a staff train calling at all shacks, but I thought they ran as a class 5?
Anyway I decided to get the RRB at 0430 to Bridge to decide on what to do there. I noticed SET started at 0500 on a service to Gravesend, but there was nothing at all coming back to Charing Cross, first one returning into Bridge got there at 0557, so without wanting to get Bowled I went to view what was on offer on the 0505 Brighton.
Just as well I did as 319442 was on it, another 319 down!! Having some luck with these, usually when I get very little left on numbers on other units, they are hard to find!!
Of course this was booked to do the stagger round Peckham and Dulwich, and sit at Selhurst for a decade, and then we got to Croydon. I really was gagging for a coffee now, I can't wait for Starbucks to re-open at St Pancras, it's the only place I know I can get one at any time!
The 0547 back to Bridge had 319004 on, not that I was too fussed as it was a right old beast thundering up the direct line back to Bridge!
I then proceeded onto the Northern Line for the leap to Kings Cross where I headed straight for Upper Crust for a large coffee and a hot ham and cheese baguette...hellfire!
I hung around for the 0700 to have a platform announced, and at 0640 it was put up as leaving from P2. Up the platform I see we have a full rake of silver MK4s, just hope it's a much needed 91, as on record I only have 101 as one I know I have bashed, others are lost records from GNER days. I get to the front to see....hang on Flying Scotsman livery....ARGH 91101 AGAIN! Out of all the ones I need, I get a sole dud one!
Oh well can't change plans, I'm booked on this, and besides I'd get more Electrical Component mileage off of her (I know it's an engine, but using Electrical Component miles sounds funny for ACs/DCs and different to just engine miles. Also sounds posh too )
I take a seat on the pair next to the front vestibule to see if you could actually hear a 91 from here, as from memory I used to just sit in the middle or, as before at the end of last year from Darlington to Kings Cross, I was in Coach M far away from the noise.
When we left, I stood in the front vestibule for a better perspective, and you can actually hear the traction blowers from there easily...sounded a right beast in Gasworks Tunnel though!
Not much to see now as it is still dark, but after Stevenage it started to brighten up. I wanted to have a short sleep session again but I wanted to be awake to see what was in Peterborough Yard. After Hitchin, we slowed down to a stop in a field by a OHLE post...not that it really helps to describe where we were, field number 3,0345,3343 probably!
An announcement came on to say that due to signalling problems, we will be held here for around 20 minutes....great!
After reading the digits on the OHLE post, counting how many bushes there were, inspecting how a OHLE post is connected to the wires, we were on our way!
Peterborough came and went and spotted in the yard was 66430, 66402 and the coloured livery, don't know the number yet but that was all, and the first two were dud anyway, so I went to sleep for a bit!
Next thing we were at York, our first calling point since Kings Cross. As we left I noticed you could hear the fans and blowers from the saloon whilst under the canopy, was a beast still nonetheless. I was expecting it to be busy by now too but there was only around 4 others in coach B.
We made our call at Darlington and then we left RA for Newcastle. I took a quick photo without setting up exposure and that because as we were late, I didn't want to get left behind since the whistles were blowing at this point!
I spotted 156438 and 469 as we left, and then heard our new TM waffle on about how to use WiFi, all the usual stuff you have to say about, and 3 minutes later she got to our booked times into Edinburgh, due there at 1155, subject to how much time we recover of course but I reckoned some point after 12 anyway.
I went to the buffet and noticed it was hardly heavy loaded at all, loads of seats free! I got a coffee at £1.95 and walked all the way back to the front. The milk cartons were hard to peel off. Note to self - grow nails for the next 5 years so I might actually be able to open them!!
By now the track was getting a bit rough, and in some places it was like trying to drink coffee whilst sitting on Buckaroo (I say that as the first thing that came to mind was that old advert for the game 'Buck-Buck-Buckaroo!!)
We then crossed the spectacular Royal Border Bridge for our last intermediate calling point of Berwick, the start of the better half of the ECML. I did notice after here that there are a lot of curves, and the tables don't have those dips in for cups, so my coffee was sliding around at a smooth pace from left to right, top right to back left...it was as if it was trying to do it's own version of jamiroquai's virtual insanity music video! (Cue the song being stuck in my head after too!)
Still, I finished off my cup and then I shut my eyes for a bit after Dunbar, and opened my eyes when we got to Musselburgh, nearly there now!
We got into the Capital of the North at 1132...early over the time of 1155 then but no..the TM announced that we were 5 minutes late...make up your mind!
Anyway it did mean I could still make the 1145....at a push so I stormed off to the TVM in the travel centre for an £8 return to Glasgow, to which I used my card and typed a wrong digit for the PIN number, so I thought Cancel was the one to backspace, but no it cancelled the transaction...argh I haven't got time for this! It wasn't quick to reset the screen back to the start so I dived onto the other machine, banged it through ok and ran off to P12, nd jumped on 170405 with 1 minute to spare!
The number rang a bell...yes...it's one I've done before the last time I was up here!
Still, we left at 1145 and I waited to see what would be at Haymarket TMD...nothing to see there at all whatsoever! (was like trying to find a needle in a Haystack.....hahahah...yeah)
So I took the time to read my Stephen King book (called Cell) all the way to Glasgow Queen Street. There, I hunted down the Bathgate timetable in the travelcentre but there was none. I did however see that the departures board does indeed show the departures for the Low Level. The reason for my jolly to Glasgow was to do a circular trip, out via Falkirk, back via the new required line I need between Bellsgrove and Bathgate.
334009 was on the 1254 back to Edinburgh, first 334 I have had for years so I forgot what they sounded like, so I made sure I was in the motor car at the front. Also I found the seats were pretty descent too.
The sounds were pretty cool actually, I quite like these units! I thought these were actually all stoppers, so I was surprised when I got to bag in all the stations to Coatbridge, and most of them including all new ones to Bathgate, for passing
Back at Edinburgh I went back to the TVM for a return to Edinburgh Park, where I got on the 1404 "The Dunblane Train" (Jules will know what I mean!) to Edinburgh Park with Perkins engine 158870, required for haulage. Don't think I've been on a Perkins engine 158 before, but sound different to the Cummin's ones down here!
I got off at a windy Edinburgh Park and saw a concrete flyover in place over the running lines dipping down to the station, I assume that's the Airport branch being built? (There's me thinking it wasn't going to happen, but I haven't kept up with news since..)
The 1417 was late but only by two minutes. At 1419, we left for Edinburgh on required 334035. That was my moves finished off in Scotland, so I went outside freezing my rear off for a ciggie move, went to Whistlestop for a sarnie and crisps, and Upper Class for a Coffee, my last stamp was cleared on my loyalty card thing (or whatever they call it) so a free one next time
I then proceeded to P19 to get on the 1530 back home, which I was booked on obviously and saw it was another full EC silver set. May as well do Coach B again next to the 91, quite like that seat! I get to the end to see....oh your are joking....91101 YET AGAIN!?!?! bloody hell!!!hock:
I know now that the 0700 from London does 5S05 to Craigentinny then 5E21 to form 1E21 1530 to the Cross. I will have 101 as my pet as I've always had a cracking run on her and has some loud blowers on too, but I would have like to red pen at least one other 91, never mind I have now cleared the machine for over 1,000 miles, that was quick!
I retire to the seat behind the vestibule again, A.K.A the 91101 appreciation society seat...oh just me in it? Oh well more room to myself
We left at 1530 on time and as we picked up speed later on, I realised what a bad time it was to have the coffee from Upper Class...of course the cup would be moving around! I didn't make any notes or do anything as all my time was confined to babysitting the bloody cup from toppling over at the edge of the table until I got fed up of pushing it around, so I held it in my hand and downed it quicker than normal just to finish it! In the meantime I was thinking of turning back the clock and imagining having Deltic 2, Deltic 10, Deltic 22 or something up front...or maybe as it's dark, a Class 40 storming down the north part in the night....droooooool....anyway...
After Berwick it was dark now, so I tried to get some sleep, which I did until Darlington, then slept again until York and once more until just before Doncaster.
I stayed awake now to see what was in Donny Decoy, but couldn't really see in the dark.
After, I read a bit more of Railways Magazine, then went on to colour in my Eastern Quail with my new blue quick dry pen. It took me until north of Peterborough to highlight the two pages that cover Lincoln and part of the Cleethorpes line, not much but it took so long as it was hard to find a spot where I could highlight a line without the nib going everywhere.
South of Peterborough, I tried filling in the Skegness line but the track got worst there and the pen was bouncing off the black line making a mess of things...it was like trying to play the old game Operation on a Pacer!
Instead I just counted down the level crossings we had left between each station to Hitchin and then we were on the last stretch to the Cross, where we arrived 13 minutes early.
So I headed off to the Tube to end the long run off the Coast. To my surprise, the Met, H&C and Circle was open through this sectionhock:, wow! Is it really a Saturday!?
I took the Circle to Paddington High Level tube, and since I had time, I went off for a spin to Ealing Broadway (nearly typed East Croydon then) as required 166210 was on the 2012 to Reading. If I could get one very soon from Ealing, I might just make the 2033 HC service back to Ealing.
We got to Ealing and there was another turbo coming in for London, but had stopped before us...there was more chance of the Thameslink Tunnel being open tomorrow, or the Oven Line being frozen in the summer than me making the connection, so I had a +10 wait for the 2029 ex-Greenford...no chance of the 2033 now that's for sure.
165124, also required, took me back to Paddington but wasn't a great run like some other turbo's I've done, as we did no more than notch 2/3 back to Acton and Paddington.
At the terminal I went to KFC again since it's cheaper than Burger Froth, and got some poppets and fries, then did my usual by hunt the train before it shows. I saw one HST in P2, and that was it, so that must be mine, but it was coming close at 2105 to advertising time, so I tried to race the boards going via the stairs and as I got down the steps to P2, I see the boards won by advertising it before I reached the platform, damn first time I've lost against them!
Still, I took my single seat at the front of Coach A, had my KFC, watched the incomings and outgoings of Paddington until we left ontime at 2130, then filled in my Eastern Quail again, as the ride was a lot smoother so I could actually highlight the lines properly rather than it looking like I kept derailing en-route!!
I did note that the journey felt a lot longer between stations, but I don't know if we were late or not, though we had a good 4 minute hang around at Swindon. So as we left, I put my GPS on, and between there and Chippenham, we only maxed 110mph. I wondered if it was because of slack but looking on the board when we came into Chippenham, we were 5 minutes late. Not the first time I've had slower trips on the 2130, you are either early or late on that turn...maybe it's booked for broken Marsh depot sets?!
Either case we reached Bath only 2 minutes late, so I went out for a ciggie and awaited for the 2329 Frome service which, surprisingly, wasn't rammed to the rafters today! 150232 took me back to Trowbridge where I then walked home to end the epic bash!!!
Super pleased with what I did, cleared more Box Machines out needing just 50 SWT (that's /7s, /8s and /9s) of them now, and for 319s, just 9 more /4s to get, or just 27 319s in total
to clear the class!
Stats as always:
Mileage altogether - 1342m
Highest Mileage on one train - 393m 13ch on 91101, or 786m 26ch round trip!
Lowest Mileage on one train - 2m 45ch on millions of 455s between Vauxhall and Clapham
Best part of trip - The run with 91101, good for the bargain run too!!
Worst part of trip - The stagger round the houses on the 0505 from Bridge to Croydon. When your tired and had no coffee that is!
Random Quote no.1 - "What would happen if you fell off the platform?" (I wonder...)
Random Quote no.2 - "I need to know where you're going to give you a ticket"
Random Quote no.3 - "Do you do non fried chicken here?" (Man wanting plain chicken in KFC...)
Hope you enjoyed!
James.
Here is the next report of 2012 as promised, and was better than last weekends bash for sure! The Epic Coaster bash is the choice of name as it was a bigger one than last, and mainly involved the whole ECML!
Expensive? Well I actually took advantage at the end of last year to snap two bargain tickets from ECs deal, £10 Kings Cross to Edinburgh and £10 back.
So, with the usual cheap advances bought to/from London beforehand, here's how it went:
6th January 2012
I booked myself on the 1943 from Bath on purpose, so I could do the 1902 Bristol service for a change, one I haven't done before! I got there in time to see a 150 on the Westbury service with the driver rolling through the blind to Bridgend....random! Not long after it moved to Cheltenham Spa, so probably happened to stop on Bridgend to remember what he was setting it to (one of those blank moments!) Looked odd seeing Bridgend at Trowbridge as if GW extended the Cardiff's
The 1902 was advertised as being 6 minutes late, but in actual fact 43140+43088 rolled in 2 minutes late, and we were off 2 minutes late. I bashed MK3 42273, which was also required for sight. Seemed odd not starting the day on the usual unit though!! (And before you say...NO this is not 1970s/80s, so it's NOT a unit
)At Bradford-on-Avon, the screens there suggested we were much later than we actually were too. I wrote up my notes after leaving here, and I noticed in no time we were slowing down....Bathampton Jn already!?! No, of course we have to slow for the loco speed limit through Dundas Aqueduct, keep forgetting about that when I'm used to bombing through it on a 158!
Got to Bath at 1923 and then wondered if I'd have time for a Maccy D with my +20 here. After much debate (and narrowing the plus even lower) I charged over to Maccy D's to see a slow queue and getting served slowly, with only one on the till even though he tried to get help, no-one offered to. Got served with just 8 minutes to spare and asked if I could quickly get me a big mac meal with a coke. He heard the quick bit alright, bish bash bosh dosh, literally! That was the fastest part so at least I had time to motor back to the station.
The 1943 rolled in on time with 43069 on the front, and I retired to my seat as I'll get the rear PC at Paddington instead. As it was dark, I spent a lot of the journey updating my NREA book (I usually don't update it after a bash so I have something to do on trips like these) and also went through double checking I marked things off. So many units I have underlined too in the 378 department where I have apparently bashed it but not seen it!
Paddington was reached 2 early, and I went to the TVM to get my travelcard. At the machine I realised I didn't get the rear PC number, as I thought when I got off that I took it at Bath...DUH! Not worried either case as I have the front number and they are now all done anyway.
So, over to the Oven Line, I pass someone I'd never expect to walk by in the passage way....Jim! (TrowbridgeJim, i.e related to Dennis on here...) took me surprise as the most random place
The Oven Line trip itself was something else, very BORING! It felt like each station was 5 miles away! Also I notice they still play the 'please stand clear of the doors' after the doors have shut....
So the idea was to go over to the local side for a 455 and was thinking over my next plan as I was walking up the stairs to the concourse. As I got to the top I heard the 2150 Reading being announced.....STOP!!! I came to a stop on the concourse and peered round to P19 to see a 8-JOP in the platform. Change of plan!
I walks over to the set to see 8024 and 8016 on the service so I jump on the latter for the red pen! Something I keep forgetting about down here is the chance to improve the red pen in the JOP department.
I took this to Clapham where I re-traced what I was going for in the first place, however now I'm at Clapham, I can't decide weather to scoop a required Southern or SWT 455! I decided on the latter as I have the list of ones I need on my phone which makes it easier to hunt down which one to jump on when it rolls in.
So I go on my Spin and Win Box Machine game again, something I have done a few times before.
On platform 10, I spin the wheel (cue Wheel of Fortune 'clickclickclickclick...click....click.....click sound effects
) and it points to 455867 winner On for the leap to Vauxhall then where I bail for another spin. Unfortunately that shows 455750 (done on my last spin and win game, I know that for a fact) and some other dud machine, so I await for the 2213 which has 455719 on, required!
So onto the leap to Clapham, I return to my Wheel of Box Machines and spin it to reveal 455864 on the 2224 Waterloo...how could I say no! (Well I could of, but I need it
) At Vauxhall, I await for the other Waterloo behind that has a dud 455/9 and 455/7 on, both dud, so I get on the 2231 southbound run with winner 455727.
I like these moves as you have time to fill in your moves book with ease, unlike doing Cardiff Central - Queen Street leaps where you generally whip out the book and speed write the moves in, then chuck it back in your bag and bail!
Crossing over to P10 again, I wondered if someone on CCTV was wondering what the hell I'm doing! Nothing illegal so I didn't care if they did or didn't wonder....they might wonder why I have a spinning wheel though!
(Note - I didn't actually have one!)So back to the game, big pointer 455909 rolls in on the 2239 to Waterloo, winner, and I bails at Vauxhall and awaits for the Waterloo which is 3 minutes behind, which was formed of an 8-BOX and had winner 455734 on it. I was now off my Clapham path, and still needed to get back to Clapham soon, and of course half the 455's going to London are now dud...however there was one set I forgot about that I had not long ago that had 455711 on that was with a required one that I did, so I jumped on 455711 since it was loading up for the 2257, and took it to CJ.
That bought and end to my spin and win game, so I went home with 7 winner 455s, not bad for short of an hours work. Gonna regret it for RailMiles though!
So off to East Croydon, I saw there was a 2308 Brighton service, one of the stopper types via Redhill, but it was a 4 car 377/1 rammed to the rafters service...great. However there was a 2312 Brighton behind that, and I had a feeling that maybe its the Brighton Express...and it was! Brighton Pigs 442403/405 on the express, and I stood in the vestibule of the MSO to my destination of Croydon. Shame the guard wasn't the one I had on the Gatwick Express run, who said that I could not have a non Gatwick Express ticket because of the branding on the unit....so my TC does not cover me on the Brighton Express now?
Anyway at Croydon, I made the +10 onto the FCC Bridge service which turned up with dud 319425...no surprise when I have minimal /4s left, might not get any today!
At Bridge, I made my way to the bus stop for the 2355 RRB to St Pancras. I saw a Trident parked up down the road with St Pancras on the front, good!
2355 came and went...and soon it was midnight...hurry up and get over here man! Connections to make at St Pancras! Eventually Trident 33036 showed up and we couldn't leave straight away as there was a Merc Citario in front that we couldn't get around, as there was a BMW parked on the other side blocking the gap :roll:
We left 10 minutes late and en-route we actually stopped at Blackfriars
hock: On all the RRBs I have done, we went RA between St Pancras and Bridge and vice versa. We arrived a around 0020, 5 minutes early according to the timetable, so no wonder he was happy to leave late, must a tonne of slack in it!
7th January 2012
The 0032 to Bedford seems to be retimed to 0036 today too, but then on other overnighters I have noticed this is often re-timed, maybe they should do away with the overnighter TT and do an old GW style by releasing alteration books each week
! (I'm sure someone on here remembers the style of the GTS books from FGW!)I got my return from the TVM at £13...but hang on....argh!!
Guess which plank bought a Off-Peak Single to Bedford.....
should have double checked but I thought I pressed the right button! Never mind, I didn't have time to faff around trying to change it, so I went up to the High Level to see 319450 on the rear of the 8 car formation...450 actually being required!!So I dived into the end cab coach and not the MSO...not like me I know but I wanted some sleep instead of trying to sleep in an electrical cupboard, and it worked as the next thing I knew we were at St Albans, to which I then passed out and was awake by Flitwick...well that sped up the time no end!
We arrived into Bedford at 0244, and then I sorted my next ticket for my next move (revealed in a bit) and got a Bedford to Z1-6 ticket, which was also £13 and something pence. I got this so I didn't have to faff around with getting a TC at London.
As I did that, some FHH freight went storming through the station, which could have been the Hope to Theale run.
319453 (winner!!) was on the 0202 St Pancras turn, and I sat in the MSO this time. As we left, I noticed we were going on the Up Fast this time, so no running on the slows at all this morning then.
After Flitwick it was evident why we were on the fast, as there was a rail grinder on the 22:27 Wellingborough - Wellingborough trip, looked funky seeing the sparks at night!
I leapt off 319453 at Leagrave for the station scratch, and the reason I did it via Bedford was the fact that it was only a +5 connection for the 319 back to Bedford, or a -5 if I did it the other way! Leagrave was also the last shack I need north of Luton so I just need Luton and Harpenden for stations out of zones 1-6 to Bedford
319372 was on offer to take me back to Bedford but that was dud, still I was hardly going to refuse it on those grounds!!
Back there I swapped over for the 0302 which came into the station from Bedford C.S at 0302, but a swift 3 minute turnaround saw us leave at 0305. I took the opportunity to sleep again and did so until Elstree, but I could not get to sleep after, which didn't help having to stagger through all those stations! (after a few overnight turns, it starts getting boring
)We arrived at 0414 and now I was stuck on what to do, however I did note before on planning journeys what Kings Cross might have to offer at that time, and there was a 0423 2R01 to Royston and later a 04xx or 0500 2W00 to Hornsey running RA to Hornsey! Looking at it I could have swapped over at Hornsey for 2V01 (0444 I believe) from Welwyn back to the cross, and I wanted to see how random calling at Hornsey only was, but the staff said that the station doesn't open until 5am....:? How does one get the 0423? Maybe it's a staff train calling at all shacks, but I thought they ran as a class 5?
Anyway I decided to get the RRB at 0430 to Bridge to decide on what to do there. I noticed SET started at 0500 on a service to Gravesend, but there was nothing at all coming back to Charing Cross, first one returning into Bridge got there at 0557, so without wanting to get Bowled I went to view what was on offer on the 0505 Brighton.
Just as well I did as 319442 was on it, another 319 down!! Having some luck with these, usually when I get very little left on numbers on other units, they are hard to find!!
Of course this was booked to do the stagger round Peckham and Dulwich, and sit at Selhurst for a decade, and then we got to Croydon. I really was gagging for a coffee now, I can't wait for Starbucks to re-open at St Pancras, it's the only place I know I can get one at any time!
The 0547 back to Bridge had 319004 on, not that I was too fussed as it was a right old beast thundering up the direct line back to Bridge!
I then proceeded onto the Northern Line for the leap to Kings Cross where I headed straight for Upper Crust for a large coffee and a hot ham and cheese baguette...hellfire!
I hung around for the 0700 to have a platform announced, and at 0640 it was put up as leaving from P2. Up the platform I see we have a full rake of silver MK4s, just hope it's a much needed 91, as on record I only have 101 as one I know I have bashed, others are lost records from GNER days. I get to the front to see....hang on Flying Scotsman livery....ARGH 91101 AGAIN! Out of all the ones I need, I get a sole dud one!
Oh well can't change plans, I'm booked on this, and besides I'd get more Electrical Component mileage off of her (I know it's an engine, but using Electrical Component miles sounds funny for ACs/DCs and different to just engine miles. Also sounds posh too
)I take a seat on the pair next to the front vestibule to see if you could actually hear a 91 from here, as from memory I used to just sit in the middle or, as before at the end of last year from Darlington to Kings Cross, I was in Coach M far away from the noise.
When we left, I stood in the front vestibule for a better perspective, and you can actually hear the traction blowers from there easily...sounded a right beast in Gasworks Tunnel though!
Not much to see now as it is still dark, but after Stevenage it started to brighten up. I wanted to have a short sleep session again but I wanted to be awake to see what was in Peterborough Yard. After Hitchin, we slowed down to a stop in a field by a OHLE post...not that it really helps to describe where we were, field number 3,0345,3343 probably!
An announcement came on to say that due to signalling problems, we will be held here for around 20 minutes....great!
After reading the digits on the OHLE post, counting how many bushes there were, inspecting how a OHLE post is connected to the wires, we were on our way!
Peterborough came and went and spotted in the yard was 66430, 66402 and the coloured livery, don't know the number yet but that was all, and the first two were dud anyway, so I went to sleep for a bit!
Next thing we were at York, our first calling point since Kings Cross. As we left I noticed you could hear the fans and blowers from the saloon whilst under the canopy, was a beast still nonetheless. I was expecting it to be busy by now too but there was only around 4 others in coach B.
We made our call at Darlington and then we left RA for Newcastle. I took a quick photo without setting up exposure and that because as we were late, I didn't want to get left behind since the whistles were blowing at this point!
I spotted 156438 and 469 as we left, and then heard our new TM waffle on about how to use WiFi, all the usual stuff you have to say about, and 3 minutes later she got to our booked times into Edinburgh, due there at 1155, subject to how much time we recover of course but I reckoned some point after 12 anyway.
I went to the buffet and noticed it was hardly heavy loaded at all, loads of seats free! I got a coffee at £1.95 and walked all the way back to the front. The milk cartons were hard to peel off. Note to self - grow nails for the next 5 years so I might actually be able to open them!!
By now the track was getting a bit rough, and in some places it was like trying to drink coffee whilst sitting on Buckaroo (I say that as the first thing that came to mind was that old advert for the game 'Buck-Buck-Buckaroo!
!)We then crossed the spectacular Royal Border Bridge for our last intermediate calling point of Berwick, the start of the better half of the ECML. I did notice after here that there are a lot of curves, and the tables don't have those dips in for cups, so my coffee was sliding around at a smooth pace from left to right, top right to back left...it was as if it was trying to do it's own version of jamiroquai's virtual insanity music video! (Cue the song being stuck in my head after too!)
Still, I finished off my cup and then I shut my eyes for a bit after Dunbar, and opened my eyes when we got to Musselburgh, nearly there now!
We got into the Capital of the North at 1132...early over the time of 1155 then but no..the TM announced that we were 5 minutes late...make up your mind!
Anyway it did mean I could still make the 1145....at a push so I stormed off to the TVM in the travel centre for an £8 return to Glasgow, to which I used my card and typed a wrong digit for the PIN number, so I thought Cancel was the one to backspace, but no it cancelled the transaction...argh I haven't got time for this! It wasn't quick to reset the screen back to the start so I dived onto the other machine, banged it through ok and ran off to P12, nd jumped on 170405 with 1 minute to spare!
The number rang a bell...yes...it's one I've done before the last time I was up here!
Still, we left at 1145 and I waited to see what would be at Haymarket TMD...nothing to see there at all whatsoever! (was like trying to find a needle in a Haystack.....hahahah...yeah)
So I took the time to read my Stephen King book (called Cell) all the way to Glasgow Queen Street. There, I hunted down the Bathgate timetable in the travelcentre but there was none. I did however see that the departures board does indeed show the departures for the Low Level. The reason for my jolly to Glasgow was to do a circular trip, out via Falkirk, back via the new required line I need between Bellsgrove and Bathgate.
334009 was on the 1254 back to Edinburgh, first 334 I have had for years so I forgot what they sounded like, so I made sure I was in the motor car at the front. Also I found the seats were pretty descent too.
The sounds were pretty cool actually, I quite like these units! I thought these were actually all stoppers, so I was surprised when I got to bag in all the stations to Coatbridge, and most of them including all new ones to Bathgate, for passing
Back at Edinburgh I went back to the TVM for a return to Edinburgh Park, where I got on the 1404 "The Dunblane Train" (Jules will know what I mean!) to Edinburgh Park with Perkins engine 158870, required for haulage. Don't think I've been on a Perkins engine 158 before, but sound different to the Cummin's ones down here!
I got off at a windy Edinburgh Park and saw a concrete flyover in place over the running lines dipping down to the station, I assume that's the Airport branch being built? (There's me thinking it wasn't going to happen, but I haven't kept up with news since..)
The 1417 was late but only by two minutes. At 1419, we left for Edinburgh on required 334035. That was my moves finished off in Scotland, so I went outside freezing my rear off for a ciggie move, went to Whistlestop for a sarnie and crisps, and Upper Class for a Coffee, my last stamp was cleared on my loyalty card thing (or whatever they call it) so a free one next time
I then proceeded to P19 to get on the 1530 back home, which I was booked on obviously and saw it was another full EC silver set. May as well do Coach B again next to the 91, quite like that seat! I get to the end to see....oh your are joking....91101 YET AGAIN!?!?! bloody hell!!!
hock:I know now that the 0700 from London does 5S05 to Craigentinny then 5E21 to form 1E21 1530 to the Cross. I will have 101 as my pet as I've always had a cracking run on her and has some loud blowers on too, but I would have like to red pen at least one other 91, never mind I have now cleared the machine for over 1,000 miles, that was quick!
I retire to the seat behind the vestibule again, A.K.A the 91101 appreciation society seat...oh just me in it? Oh well more room to myself
We left at 1530 on time and as we picked up speed later on, I realised what a bad time it was to have the coffee from Upper Class...of course the cup would be moving around! I didn't make any notes or do anything as all my time was confined to babysitting the bloody cup from toppling over at the edge of the table until I got fed up of pushing it around, so I held it in my hand and downed it quicker than normal just to finish it! In the meantime I was thinking of turning back the clock and imagining having Deltic 2, Deltic 10, Deltic 22 or something up front...or maybe as it's dark, a Class 40 storming down the north part in the night....droooooool....anyway...
After Berwick it was dark now, so I tried to get some sleep, which I did until Darlington, then slept again until York and once more until just before Doncaster.
I stayed awake now to see what was in Donny Decoy, but couldn't really see in the dark.
After, I read a bit more of Railways Magazine, then went on to colour in my Eastern Quail with my new blue quick dry pen. It took me until north of Peterborough to highlight the two pages that cover Lincoln and part of the Cleethorpes line, not much but it took so long as it was hard to find a spot where I could highlight a line without the nib going everywhere.
South of Peterborough, I tried filling in the Skegness line but the track got worst there and the pen was bouncing off the black line making a mess of things...it was like trying to play the old game Operation on a Pacer!
Instead I just counted down the level crossings we had left between each station to Hitchin and then we were on the last stretch to the Cross, where we arrived 13 minutes early.
So I headed off to the Tube to end the long run off the Coast. To my surprise, the Met, H&C and Circle was open through this section
hock:, wow! Is it really a Saturday!?I took the Circle to Paddington High Level tube, and since I had time, I went off for a spin to Ealing Broadway (nearly typed East Croydon then) as required 166210 was on the 2012 to Reading. If I could get one very soon from Ealing, I might just make the 2033 HC service back to Ealing.
We got to Ealing and there was another turbo coming in for London, but had stopped before us...there was more chance of the Thameslink Tunnel being open tomorrow, or the Oven Line being frozen in the summer than me making the connection, so I had a +10 wait for the 2029 ex-Greenford...no chance of the 2033 now that's for sure.
165124, also required, took me back to Paddington but wasn't a great run like some other turbo's I've done, as we did no more than notch 2/3 back to Acton and Paddington.
At the terminal I went to KFC again since it's cheaper than Burger Froth, and got some poppets and fries, then did my usual by hunt the train before it shows. I saw one HST in P2, and that was it, so that must be mine, but it was coming close at 2105 to advertising time, so I tried to race the boards going via the stairs and as I got down the steps to P2, I see the boards won by advertising it before I reached the platform, damn first time I've lost against them!
Still, I took my single seat at the front of Coach A, had my KFC, watched the incomings and outgoings of Paddington until we left ontime at 2130, then filled in my Eastern Quail again, as the ride was a lot smoother so I could actually highlight the lines properly rather than it looking like I kept derailing en-route!
!I did note that the journey felt a lot longer between stations, but I don't know if we were late or not, though we had a good 4 minute hang around at Swindon. So as we left, I put my GPS on, and between there and Chippenham, we only maxed 110mph. I wondered if it was because of slack but looking on the board when we came into Chippenham, we were 5 minutes late. Not the first time I've had slower trips on the 2130, you are either early or late on that turn...maybe it's booked for broken Marsh depot sets?
!Either case we reached Bath only 2 minutes late, so I went out for a ciggie and awaited for the 2329 Frome service which, surprisingly, wasn't rammed to the rafters today! 150232 took me back to Trowbridge where I then walked home to end the epic bash!!!
Super pleased with what I did, cleared more Box Machines out needing just 50 SWT (that's /7s, /8s and /9s) of them now, and for 319s, just 9 more /4s to get, or just 27 319s in total
to clear the class!
Stats as always:
Mileage altogether - 1342m
Highest Mileage on one train - 393m 13ch on 91101, or 786m 26ch round trip!
Lowest Mileage on one train - 2m 45ch on millions of 455s between Vauxhall and Clapham
Best part of trip - The run with 91101, good for the bargain run too!!
Worst part of trip - The stagger round the houses on the 0505 from Bridge to Croydon. When your tired and had no coffee that is!
Random Quote no.1 - "What would happen if you fell off the platform?" (I wonder...)
Random Quote no.2 - "I need to know where you're going to give you a ticket"
Random Quote no.3 - "Do you do non fried chicken here?" (Man wanting plain chicken in KFC...)
Hope you enjoyed!
James.
I sure do remember the Guide to Services booklets and the weekly weekend alterations, the only way to know what was running at the weekend. "Oh look, Swansea to Cardiff is buses again this week!" I remember saying on multiple occasions, doesn't it seem like a long time since the South Wales re-signalling was done!