tamesidedepot
Member
- Joined
- 3 Jun 2012
- Messages
- 84
I had been thinking about this over the summer, and booked a couple of advances a few weeks back knowing I was free today. I had booked advances Stockport - Swansea via Sugar Loaf, then a Swansea - Stockport which automatically routed via Cardiff for £16 each, which was the same as a circular ranger saving the additional cost of a return SPT-SHR.
Leaving Stockport on the 0739 ATW service on board 170004 which was reasonably well loaded with many students heading to Crewe. He were held before Cheadle for an XC heading into Stockport, which cost around 10 mins. After Crewe it was then non-stop to Shrewsbury where I left that particular unit to continue its journey to Carmarthen.
Network Rails 97304 was present, along with the LM service to New Street which consisted of 170503 and 153356. My train, headcode 2V38 was the 0900 to Swansea and Cardiff, today staring 150254 as traction. The journey through mid wales was pleasant in the autumnal sunshine although the 150 seemed a bit of overkill for the number of passengers on board.
As most of the line is single track, we had to wait at Lanwrtyd Wells for the northbound journey to arrive. This was operated by 153367 in standard ATW colours. An opportunity was taken though to have a leg-stretch as the guard had said we may be some time!
Here we had a change of crew, with the trolley service being brought over from the 153.
rather uneventful journey through some very pleasant scenery down to Llanelli and onwards to Swansea for an on-time arrival.
I had nearly 2 hours to kill in Swansea, so headed down to 'spoons for a pint and something to eat and some refreshments for the homeward trek from Tesco near the bus station.
Returning to Swansea station for my return journey, the 1455 to Manchester, the PIS were showing a delayed departure of 1508 which seemed to be ok. Took a few photos of the FGW HST which was on platform 2, and settled on a seat to wait. The delay however began to creep up, first to 1540 then according to the NR web site even later still. At this point I though 'nothing ventured etc' and spoke to the guard on the 1510 Chester service which routes via Crewe. He was quite happy to let me travel on that service, which on return home I was very thankful for as my original train had been cancelled at Cardiff. This was another 150, in this case 150251.
Loading from Swansea was quite heavy, but as this part of the journey is a stopper to Cardiff it was to be expected. A nice suprise at Cardiff was 950001 which I had not seen before. Quite a few of Pacers noted as we waited to depart Cardiff, both 142s and 143s.
Continuing now along the Marches line to Shrewsbury, I was quite suprised by the turn of speed from the 150, being used to them pottering down to Buxton. At Shrewsbury we had a unit change, onto another Sprinter, this time 158841 which I stayed with until Crewe.
Not wanting to chance it too much, and not quite making it over to try and have a word with the guard on the Northern stopper to Stockport, I got myself a VT only single home. While waiting for my 390 three Royal Mail 325s passed through (325003, 011 and 005).
A pleasant but long day, and I think a further visit to south wales is needed.
Leaving Stockport on the 0739 ATW service on board 170004 which was reasonably well loaded with many students heading to Crewe. He were held before Cheadle for an XC heading into Stockport, which cost around 10 mins. After Crewe it was then non-stop to Shrewsbury where I left that particular unit to continue its journey to Carmarthen.
Network Rails 97304 was present, along with the LM service to New Street which consisted of 170503 and 153356. My train, headcode 2V38 was the 0900 to Swansea and Cardiff, today staring 150254 as traction. The journey through mid wales was pleasant in the autumnal sunshine although the 150 seemed a bit of overkill for the number of passengers on board.
As most of the line is single track, we had to wait at Lanwrtyd Wells for the northbound journey to arrive. This was operated by 153367 in standard ATW colours. An opportunity was taken though to have a leg-stretch as the guard had said we may be some time!
Here we had a change of crew, with the trolley service being brought over from the 153.
rather uneventful journey through some very pleasant scenery down to Llanelli and onwards to Swansea for an on-time arrival.
I had nearly 2 hours to kill in Swansea, so headed down to 'spoons for a pint and something to eat and some refreshments for the homeward trek from Tesco near the bus station.
Returning to Swansea station for my return journey, the 1455 to Manchester, the PIS were showing a delayed departure of 1508 which seemed to be ok. Took a few photos of the FGW HST which was on platform 2, and settled on a seat to wait. The delay however began to creep up, first to 1540 then according to the NR web site even later still. At this point I though 'nothing ventured etc' and spoke to the guard on the 1510 Chester service which routes via Crewe. He was quite happy to let me travel on that service, which on return home I was very thankful for as my original train had been cancelled at Cardiff. This was another 150, in this case 150251.
Loading from Swansea was quite heavy, but as this part of the journey is a stopper to Cardiff it was to be expected. A nice suprise at Cardiff was 950001 which I had not seen before. Quite a few of Pacers noted as we waited to depart Cardiff, both 142s and 143s.
Continuing now along the Marches line to Shrewsbury, I was quite suprised by the turn of speed from the 150, being used to them pottering down to Buxton. At Shrewsbury we had a unit change, onto another Sprinter, this time 158841 which I stayed with until Crewe.
Not wanting to chance it too much, and not quite making it over to try and have a word with the guard on the Northern stopper to Stockport, I got myself a VT only single home. While waiting for my 390 three Royal Mail 325s passed through (325003, 011 and 005).
A pleasant but long day, and I think a further visit to south wales is needed.