heart-of-wessex
Established Member
Hello all,
A trip report in the backlog I've finally got time to actually post!
The Outline
If you know the date, it's a Monday, so I had to take time to go on this Pathfinder tour, The Scenic Snowdonian' booked by RUK resident member 'Dennis' so we could get a bay seat as there was a group of us Trowbridge Nutters going.
It was a simple out and back trip, had a very quick scan of the route and as expected I wouldn't scratch much mainline track, but a couple of crossovers maybe might be scored. Besides being a tour with people I know, it was bound to be a laugh and score a couple of duffs in too. So without further ado:
The Bash
The 1Z68 started at Salisbury, and was due at Trowbridge at 0459. Getting up early was no problem as I recently had been starting work at 4am, so pretty used to it now. Got to the station in time and met up with the gang. Already there was a train booked to pass, what could that be, certainly isn't a 66 rounding the corner.
No, it was a 60 on the 6A11 tanks to Theale! Forgot that is routed this way, and I've never came here early to see it pass Trowbridge either, so can actually say I have seen 6A11 without even trying!
Already the tour is late, expected to be 10 minutes late. I'm wondering what the sticky numbers are, and although advertised for 2 x 47, would it be double headed or Top n Tail?
I know it's dud, but I did kind of hope 47828 was at least on the front. Why the request of a dud loco? Well I did want to re-live the times when I did the NWC Virgin 47's with Techniquest and once on a RUK meet, had 47828 a couple of times and never failed to impress, so although not in VT livery, it would be nice to have it again!
The tour rolled in at 0508 and, well I never....47828 on the front!
Out of all the loco's it could have been, and I get what I hoped for! It's top and tail too so the music is soley provided by 82late (I've heard that was a knickname given when on XC work, it usually ended up late!) Well it's late at the moment, so I suppose the haunts of it's XC day's live on...
It was straight to the bay seat to tip out the junk, you know Quail map, notepad, NREA etc then RA to the front droplight. Departing at 0510 at a still very dark Trowbridge, we thrashed our way up the Avon Valley, sounding very hellfire!
Being dark you could see the sparks flying off the brake pads as we slowed for Dundas Viaduct and later Bathampton Junction.
Next pick up was Barth Spar (as everyone seems to pronounce it round here!) Already running late, the driver was out the cab and into the rear cab, who was later joined by a fitter...oh dear red line at Bath! Maybe our day explorer will now be at Bath
!
The banner repeater at the end of the platform returned to horizontal, so the signal ahead was pulled back, not looking good at all. A PA came on over the tannoy announcing that 828 was experiencing some problems with the brakes. I forget what exactly, but was being rectified.
After a 14 minute stop, we were finally ready to go, the tour now running 26 late. I was still out the window to hear the thrash down the GWML to Bristol. Just standing there, head in, ear by the droplight was music to my ears Can't wait for the Lickey! The advantage too was that we were in Coach A, so even sitting down later we are still close to the loco.
Nothing beats standing by a droplight and listening though, just like the day's of the NWC drags...
The thrash was soon over as we approached North Somerset Junction for Dr Days curve...well we should be going slow but we are racing down like the clappers! This was rather concerning as the curve is 10mph (or so) and we were doing about 40-50! We went charging over the junction but going straight on...hmmm...
We were now standing at Bristol Temple Meads with people piling off for photos. Turns out that there was a problem in the cab of 828, and was running around here so that the good cab would be leading. I went to view what the loco was on the rear, and it was dud 47818.
Oh well extra mileage!
Not much happening here of course, but Cardiff service already had a platform alteration. With 99% of the platforms free, we were probably taking up it's platform. Then again I've been to Bristol in the morning to see everything re-platformed, even trains for up to an hour away. Probably ECS trains already in the station being routed differently by the signalman, which can be due to the fact the station workbook and the signalman's copy can be different.
So run around complete, 47828 leaves at 0621, and by the time we get back on route and pass the timing point of Dr Day's Junction, we are now 53 minutes late! Interesting to see how this clocks up, as the 0630 XC Voyager is due off Temple Meads soon, and the favorite move is to shove us in P3 at Parkway and get the XC to pass via P4. Well we did reach Parkway P3 at 0638, but we left at 0640, the XC is booked in 2 minutes later.
So it was round Yate then up through Cam, another route I've done a trillion times on tours and more times than actual passenger trains! Of course we can't hear 828 and 818 thrashing, as we are now right at the back..and I've only just realised we won't hear the thrash up the Lickey!
We didn't get looped in Charfield, which was interesting as we are booked to pick up at Cam and Dursley too. Leaving Cam, I was certain that Voyager is right on our tailamp, but just past Gloucester Yard Junction, we pulled into the goods loop to allow the Voyager to pass. Not a required bit of track as I last did this on the Alloa Alloer tour.
Once we left Cheltenham, we were running a whopping 1 hour and 7 minutes late! We were sure to loose all our paths now, and I did have a plan at Holyhead that involved something like a +20 onto a train out of Holyhead, well that was certainly out the window!
The Cheltenham to Bromsgrove bit was a right old drag. On tours or normal service trains, this section just seems to go on forever! It's always a delight to see the big Ariel in the field as you know your torture is at an end and are coming up to Bromsgrove.
The climb up the lickey was a slow one, I clocked something like 20mph near the top. Shame no one was at Vigo Bridge, I'd like to have seen a video of the thrash (no doubt people would be there if it was a 66!)
Our last pick up was Barnt Green, a popular Chingfinder stop, they may as well just operate the station!
Our route was now through Landor and Wolves, well unsure of that but that was an estimate as I was sure it should be routed this way as there's no pick up at New Street.
Passing the suburbs of the West Mids at 7am, with 323's scooting around to whisk passengers to work in the second Capital, we snuck through, commuters unaware how rateable our front locos were, or no idea where we were going. Not that they need to know, Holyhead isn't exactly an exotic destination.
We swung off to take the ex-freight only Camp Hill line to St Andrews Jn and Landor Jn. A couple of sheds were noted in Landor F.L.T none were required for si....hang on...Landor Street? Where the hell are we going?
I resorted to the info booklet and...good golly gosh, we are booked to go round the Sutton Park line! Brilliant as I actually need that line! I've wanted to do it on the other Pathfinder Tours but never managed to do them. Even missed out on a tour that called at Trowbridge some years ago when a 59/2 went round this line.
Castle Bromwich - Park Lane section scored, we were now on the Sutton Park line which, in the Baker Atlas looks about 30 miles long, it's not as long as I thought taking under 20 minutes to reach Ryecroft Jn.
It was now back to dud track, though Walsall was required for passing and duly scored. It was the second time I did Pleck to Darlaston Junctions, the first time I did this was yonks ago on a Central Trains service (yes, Centro!) in a 150!
I was now direct to Crewe avoiding Wolverhampton. I even remember always wanting to do the avoider and took some time to do before managing to do it on a railtour, and since then I've done it loads of times on tours!
Nothing interesting on the way to Crewe, I'm not keeping tabs of timings (using Six Bells for times in this report) but on all other tours, I've never noted the time at Madeley Junction, as I can never figure out where it is and when we've passed it.
A couple of numbers were scored, though can't find my spotting notes to tell what we saw, it is somewhere in my collection of 5,000 A5 notepads!
We were held outside of Crewe for sometime to let some 350 past, then we proceeded into Crewe P12 arriving there at 0956, 44 minutes late.
We had clawed back some time but would we get a good path on the coast? For now though, I was more interested in Crewe AC depot. Notepad ready, we stormed past the works and was not expecting the sheer amount of 90's that were in the yard!! I only managed to scribble down two numbers!
We tipped out some passengers at Chester for those who chose the off-train option here, and left at 10.26, 47 down. We were due at Holyhead at 11.13, my planned connection was definitely out the window. The Linkin Park 'In The End' song lyric comes to mind 'watch the time go right out the window' which should be 'watch the connection go right out the window'.
Not far out of Chester, it is becoming apparent that perhaps our coach battery is running out...this is the Riviera Mk1 set mind..but the coach lights are slowly dimming out which then eventually just died. Not a problem as it's daylight, hopefully they can be charged at Holyhead.
Slow progress started somewhere past Flint, where soon a PA came on to say that we lost our path to Holyhead and are now following a stopper all the way to the end. This would somewhat delay the train some more, as the semaphore blocks are quite long, especially after Bangor.
Still it was nice to see the Coast route again, from the comfort of a Mk1 with some ex VT 47/4's on the front, what an experience it would be if the 47's were in VT livery and the coaching stock was ex-MK2/3 VT stock! Standard class would be leading back, so I'll be recreating the experience of the front window behind a 47 over the coast again on the way back.
So, down the line at Bangor, the coach was pitch black as we went through the long tunnel on the approach to Bangor. It appears the ATW unit I was going to get at Holyhead has been and gone from Bangor too...oh well! My plan now though was to actually bail at Holyhead, didn't want to find out I had a long wait for a train back out, and I certainly wasn't spending the day there!
I saw the train off for Holyhead, went out for a smoke and then got a timetable and purchased a North Wales Coast 3 zone ranger covering Zone A, G and C. For those confused, the rover map is here:
http://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/explorewales/northwalesrover/
£15 for 3 zones, and the combination I had covered from Abergele to Holyhead, and part of the Llandudno to Blaneau line, so good value.
My first bash on this rover was on required 221104 working the 12:24 Bangor to Euston. This was a good opportunity to charge my phone from the mains too. As there was time, I hopped off to visit the small station shop to buy a drink. Back on board, we set off down the coast. Having seen/been on truck loads of XC Voyagers in Bristol and the Midlands, I often forget that a handful of 221's are still with Virgin!
I took the time to delve into the timetable and see if covering the line to Blaneau is possible. I'd probably do it to Roman Bridge for a station scratch, and cover the last bit to Blaneau when going to the narrow gauge line, as I need that too. However the connections are crap and of course it's not that frequent either. Hmm maybe not.
I bail off the Voyager at Llandudno Junction for a +11 onto the Holyhead, which turned up with 175111. A required 175 so that's two new units scored. Being on time gives me a chance to go back to the timetable and plan the next move. Doing too many moves on this line is probably like doing Reading to Paddington on a Thames Valley ranger; fun for the first couple of times and then just repetitively boring..
My plan was set and I bailed at Bangor for another VT service, this time the Holyhead to Euston double Voyager. The problem was I had over an hour to wait! I walked off to Bangor town and tried to locate the Spoons, where Dennis and the gang were, but I couldn't find it. Looks like quite a vast amount of shops here, bigger than expected. Didn't scratch the Asda off though.
Back to the station I was still too early with 25 minutes to spare, what a drag that was! I did see that the signal for the through line was set, in the Holyhead direction. Are the Flasks running today? Not long after, 47501 and 47810 passed through light engine...minus flasks....strange where the hell are they off to?
Later, the ex-Holyhead rolled in. This was a chance to score two unit's but it wasn't to be. 221103 was a new red line in the book, but 221112 was dud, last doing it in March 2010 from Lancaster to Birmingham New Street.
The plan now was to get off at Colwn Bay to scratch the Llandudno unit to Ludo Junction, then get the Holyhead service behind that. Looking at our time at Llandudno Junction, something didn't seem right. The connection looked impossible yet we were on time...
Back to the timetable and I've read the times wrong, facepalm! Only way of scratching the Ludo service is to bail here, if it's required. But then if it is required, I can't even do Deganwy and back as I'd miss the Holyhead connection by just a few minutes. There is one to Holyhead after that gives a tight-ish connection onto the tour, but didn't want to chance it in case it would end up running late.
Off for the station scratch at Colwyn Bay, I go out for another smoke then return to await for the Holyhead. I can't help but thinking what if this was the 1990's? Arriving earlier on some InterCity 47/4, say 47828 on Mk3 drag, and then ending up here doing some NWC 37/4's. Back in Hellfire, I could be here waiting to the rat's to Llandudno!
Oh if only a 37/4 appeared round the corner...but any hopes of that were shattered as 175109 rolled in...and that was hopeless as it was dud!
Part 2 to follow tomorrow...
A trip report in the backlog I've finally got time to actually post!
The Outline
If you know the date, it's a Monday, so I had to take time to go on this Pathfinder tour, The Scenic Snowdonian' booked by RUK resident member 'Dennis' so we could get a bay seat as there was a group of us Trowbridge Nutters going.
It was a simple out and back trip, had a very quick scan of the route and as expected I wouldn't scratch much mainline track, but a couple of crossovers maybe might be scored. Besides being a tour with people I know, it was bound to be a laugh and score a couple of duffs in too. So without further ado:
The Bash
The 1Z68 started at Salisbury, and was due at Trowbridge at 0459. Getting up early was no problem as I recently had been starting work at 4am, so pretty used to it now. Got to the station in time and met up with the gang. Already there was a train booked to pass, what could that be, certainly isn't a 66 rounding the corner.
No, it was a 60 on the 6A11 tanks to Theale! Forgot that is routed this way, and I've never came here early to see it pass Trowbridge either, so can actually say I have seen 6A11 without even trying!
Already the tour is late, expected to be 10 minutes late. I'm wondering what the sticky numbers are, and although advertised for 2 x 47, would it be double headed or Top n Tail?
I know it's dud, but I did kind of hope 47828 was at least on the front. Why the request of a dud loco? Well I did want to re-live the times when I did the NWC Virgin 47's with Techniquest and once on a RUK meet, had 47828 a couple of times and never failed to impress, so although not in VT livery, it would be nice to have it again!
The tour rolled in at 0508 and, well I never....47828 on the front!
Out of all the loco's it could have been, and I get what I hoped for! It's top and tail too so the music is soley provided by 82late (I've heard that was a knickname given when on XC work, it usually ended up late!) Well it's late at the moment, so I suppose the haunts of it's XC day's live on...It was straight to the bay seat to tip out the junk, you know Quail map, notepad, NREA etc then RA to the front droplight. Departing at 0510 at a still very dark Trowbridge, we thrashed our way up the Avon Valley, sounding very hellfire!
Being dark you could see the sparks flying off the brake pads as we slowed for Dundas Viaduct and later Bathampton Junction.
Next pick up was Barth Spar (as everyone seems to pronounce it round here!) Already running late, the driver was out the cab and into the rear cab, who was later joined by a fitter...oh dear red line at Bath! Maybe our day explorer will now be at Bath
!The banner repeater at the end of the platform returned to horizontal, so the signal ahead was pulled back, not looking good at all. A PA came on over the tannoy announcing that 828 was experiencing some problems with the brakes. I forget what exactly, but was being rectified.
After a 14 minute stop, we were finally ready to go, the tour now running 26 late. I was still out the window to hear the thrash down the GWML to Bristol. Just standing there, head in, ear by the droplight was music to my ears
Can't wait for the Lickey! The advantage too was that we were in Coach A, so even sitting down later we are still close to the loco. Nothing beats standing by a droplight and listening though, just like the day's of the NWC drags...
The thrash was soon over as we approached North Somerset Junction for Dr Days curve...well we should be going slow but we are racing down like the clappers! This was rather concerning as the curve is 10mph (or so) and we were doing about 40-50! We went charging over the junction but going straight on...hmmm...
We were now standing at Bristol Temple Meads with people piling off for photos. Turns out that there was a problem in the cab of 828, and was running around here so that the good cab would be leading. I went to view what the loco was on the rear, and it was dud 47818.
Oh well extra mileage!
Not much happening here of course, but Cardiff service already had a platform alteration. With 99% of the platforms free, we were probably taking up it's platform. Then again I've been to Bristol in the morning to see everything re-platformed, even trains for up to an hour away. Probably ECS trains already in the station being routed differently by the signalman, which can be due to the fact the station workbook and the signalman's copy can be different.
So run around complete, 47828 leaves at 0621, and by the time we get back on route and pass the timing point of Dr Day's Junction, we are now 53 minutes late! Interesting to see how this clocks up, as the 0630 XC Voyager is due off Temple Meads soon, and the favorite move is to shove us in P3 at Parkway and get the XC to pass via P4. Well we did reach Parkway P3 at 0638, but we left at 0640, the XC is booked in 2 minutes later.
So it was round Yate then up through Cam, another route I've done a trillion times on tours and more times than actual passenger trains! Of course we can't hear 828 and 818 thrashing, as we are now right at the back..and I've only just realised we won't hear the thrash up the Lickey!
We didn't get looped in Charfield, which was interesting as we are booked to pick up at Cam and Dursley too. Leaving Cam, I was certain that Voyager is right on our tailamp, but just past Gloucester Yard Junction, we pulled into the goods loop to allow the Voyager to pass. Not a required bit of track as I last did this on the Alloa Alloer tour.
Once we left Cheltenham, we were running a whopping 1 hour and 7 minutes late! We were sure to loose all our paths now, and I did have a plan at Holyhead that involved something like a +20 onto a train out of Holyhead, well that was certainly out the window!
The Cheltenham to Bromsgrove bit was a right old drag. On tours or normal service trains, this section just seems to go on forever! It's always a delight to see the big Ariel in the field as you know your torture is at an end and are coming up to Bromsgrove.
The climb up the lickey was a slow one, I clocked something like 20mph near the top. Shame no one was at Vigo Bridge, I'd like to have seen a video of the thrash (no doubt people would be there if it was a 66!)
Our last pick up was Barnt Green, a popular Chingfinder stop, they may as well just operate the station!
Our route was now through Landor and Wolves, well unsure of that but that was an estimate as I was sure it should be routed this way as there's no pick up at New Street.
Passing the suburbs of the West Mids at 7am, with 323's scooting around to whisk passengers to work in the second Capital, we snuck through, commuters unaware how rateable our front locos were, or no idea where we were going. Not that they need to know, Holyhead isn't exactly an exotic destination.
We swung off to take the ex-freight only Camp Hill line to St Andrews Jn and Landor Jn. A couple of sheds were noted in Landor F.L.T none were required for si....hang on...Landor Street? Where the hell are we going?
I resorted to the info booklet and...good golly gosh, we are booked to go round the Sutton Park line! Brilliant as I actually need that line! I've wanted to do it on the other Pathfinder Tours but never managed to do them. Even missed out on a tour that called at Trowbridge some years ago when a 59/2 went round this line.
Castle Bromwich - Park Lane section scored, we were now on the Sutton Park line which, in the Baker Atlas looks about 30 miles long, it's not as long as I thought taking under 20 minutes to reach Ryecroft Jn.
It was now back to dud track, though Walsall was required for passing and duly scored. It was the second time I did Pleck to Darlaston Junctions, the first time I did this was yonks ago on a Central Trains service (yes, Centro!) in a 150!
I was now direct to Crewe avoiding Wolverhampton. I even remember always wanting to do the avoider and took some time to do before managing to do it on a railtour, and since then I've done it loads of times on tours!
Nothing interesting on the way to Crewe, I'm not keeping tabs of timings (using Six Bells for times in this report) but on all other tours, I've never noted the time at Madeley Junction, as I can never figure out where it is and when we've passed it.
A couple of numbers were scored, though can't find my spotting notes to tell what we saw, it is somewhere in my collection of 5,000 A5 notepads!
We were held outside of Crewe for sometime to let some 350 past, then we proceeded into Crewe P12 arriving there at 0956, 44 minutes late.
We had clawed back some time but would we get a good path on the coast? For now though, I was more interested in Crewe AC depot. Notepad ready, we stormed past the works and was not expecting the sheer amount of 90's that were in the yard!! I only managed to scribble down two numbers!
We tipped out some passengers at Chester for those who chose the off-train option here, and left at 10.26, 47 down. We were due at Holyhead at 11.13, my planned connection was definitely out the window. The Linkin Park 'In The End' song lyric comes to mind 'watch the time go right out the window' which should be 'watch the connection go right out the window'.
Not far out of Chester, it is becoming apparent that perhaps our coach battery is running out...this is the Riviera Mk1 set mind..but the coach lights are slowly dimming out which then eventually just died. Not a problem as it's daylight, hopefully they can be charged at Holyhead.
Slow progress started somewhere past Flint, where soon a PA came on to say that we lost our path to Holyhead and are now following a stopper all the way to the end. This would somewhat delay the train some more, as the semaphore blocks are quite long, especially after Bangor.
Still it was nice to see the Coast route again, from the comfort of a Mk1 with some ex VT 47/4's on the front, what an experience it would be if the 47's were in VT livery and the coaching stock was ex-MK2/3 VT stock! Standard class would be leading back, so I'll be recreating the experience of the front window behind a 47 over the coast again on the way back.
So, down the line at Bangor, the coach was pitch black as we went through the long tunnel on the approach to Bangor. It appears the ATW unit I was going to get at Holyhead has been and gone from Bangor too...oh well! My plan now though was to actually bail at Holyhead, didn't want to find out I had a long wait for a train back out, and I certainly wasn't spending the day there!
I saw the train off for Holyhead, went out for a smoke and then got a timetable and purchased a North Wales Coast 3 zone ranger covering Zone A, G and C. For those confused, the rover map is here:
http://www.arrivatrainswales.co.uk/explorewales/northwalesrover/
£15 for 3 zones, and the combination I had covered from Abergele to Holyhead, and part of the Llandudno to Blaneau line, so good value.
My first bash on this rover was on required 221104 working the 12:24 Bangor to Euston. This was a good opportunity to charge my phone from the mains too. As there was time, I hopped off to visit the small station shop to buy a drink. Back on board, we set off down the coast. Having seen/been on truck loads of XC Voyagers in Bristol and the Midlands, I often forget that a handful of 221's are still with Virgin!
I took the time to delve into the timetable and see if covering the line to Blaneau is possible. I'd probably do it to Roman Bridge for a station scratch, and cover the last bit to Blaneau when going to the narrow gauge line, as I need that too. However the connections are crap and of course it's not that frequent either. Hmm maybe not.
I bail off the Voyager at Llandudno Junction for a +11 onto the Holyhead, which turned up with 175111. A required 175 so that's two new units scored. Being on time gives me a chance to go back to the timetable and plan the next move. Doing too many moves on this line is probably like doing Reading to Paddington on a Thames Valley ranger; fun for the first couple of times and then just repetitively boring..
My plan was set and I bailed at Bangor for another VT service, this time the Holyhead to Euston double Voyager. The problem was I had over an hour to wait! I walked off to Bangor town and tried to locate the Spoons, where Dennis and the gang were, but I couldn't find it. Looks like quite a vast amount of shops here, bigger than expected. Didn't scratch the Asda off though.
Back to the station I was still too early with 25 minutes to spare, what a drag that was! I did see that the signal for the through line was set, in the Holyhead direction. Are the Flasks running today? Not long after, 47501 and 47810 passed through light engine...minus flasks....strange where the hell are they off to?
Later, the ex-Holyhead rolled in. This was a chance to score two unit's but it wasn't to be. 221103 was a new red line in the book, but 221112 was dud, last doing it in March 2010 from Lancaster to Birmingham New Street.
The plan now was to get off at Colwn Bay to scratch the Llandudno unit to Ludo Junction, then get the Holyhead service behind that. Looking at our time at Llandudno Junction, something didn't seem right. The connection looked impossible yet we were on time...
Back to the timetable and I've read the times wrong, facepalm! Only way of scratching the Ludo service is to bail here, if it's required. But then if it is required, I can't even do Deganwy and back as I'd miss the Holyhead connection by just a few minutes. There is one to Holyhead after that gives a tight-ish connection onto the tour, but didn't want to chance it in case it would end up running late.
Off for the station scratch at Colwyn Bay, I go out for another smoke then return to await for the Holyhead. I can't help but thinking what if this was the 1990's? Arriving earlier on some InterCity 47/4, say 47828 on Mk3 drag, and then ending up here doing some NWC 37/4's. Back in Hellfire, I could be here waiting to the rat's to Llandudno!
Oh if only a 37/4 appeared round the corner...but any hopes of that were shattered as 175109 rolled in...and that was hopeless as it was dud!
Part 2 to follow tomorrow...
Haven't got the energy to re-type all of it, my keyboard needs a rest!
hock:!
