Jord
Member
Well 10 days of Trains 
but lots of money spent 
But it was definatly worth it!
We'll begin with Friday 27th: I got the 06:20 260 bus to Aberdeen arriving at 07:40, went round to the station and got the 07:55 Aberdeen - London Kings Cross as far as Edinburgh with double MTU, so I took the opportunity to sit down on a unrefurb set for a change
hock: Arrival into Edinburgh was at 10:23 where I had a look round the station, photted some stuff that was there then having had no breakfast in the morning, went off to KFC for brekkie/dinner. After finished eating, went back to the station for about 11:40 to see what would work the XC HST 12:05 Edinburgh - Plymouth and it was 43184 what I had been hoping for paired with 43007. The driver returned to what would be the front end and I spoke to him, having been chatting for a good 20 minutes now, it was the first time he would be driving a HST for over a year and I said, as he leaves the station, could he fully open 43184 through the tunnel leaving Waverley 8) He said no trouble and all the way to Newcastle he would either have her fully open or he'd be coasting/slowing down. We arrived in Newcastle where it was announced that we'd be reverses due to 43184's wiper not working, so I got off for another little chat with the driver and to ask the guard if it would be ok for me to stand in FC, that was fine, so leaving Newcastle via High Level Bridge with 43007 at the helm, again the driver had her fully open unless he was slowing down. Arrival into Leeds was a minute or so early and I got off, thanked the driver and shook his hand for a wonderful performance. Now leaving Leeds the driver wern't so keen with the Throttle and now nothing spectacular happened all the way to Birmingham where I aligted, with 43184 + 007 being the best HST Valenta pairing i've ever had anyway.
Saturday 28th: I went for a WSMR 67 bash to London, so leaving New Street on 150007 and alighting at Tame Bridge about 09:50, between 09:50 and 10:35 I saw 66501, 66024, a few pendo's, 170, 323, 150007 again while waiting for my WSMR set to arrive but was running a few minutes down. Now leaving Tame Bridge behind 67014 with 67013 DoR we went via New St and Warwick, Banbury, Princes Risborough to Marylebone. Leaving New St. behind and now passing Tyseley where there were loads of people at the Tyseley 100 with some people photting our train too while we were speeding south. Arriving into Marylebone was 2 minutes late and the set was to go off to Wembley to be fuelled, I video it leaving then walked round to Paddington for a look and to get dinner, but just the usual stuff was there, so walked back to Marylebone to leave on the 15:17 back to Tame bridge, and again, passing Tyseley there were loads of people on the road(?) bridge, and station platform waiting to head home, passing through New St, I wasn't expecting to see Jordy either and didn't realise it was him until after! Anyway another day was over.
Sunday 29th: I wanted to make the most of my time down south and so instead of doing nothing, I went down to Bristol to pick up the XC HST so I culd have the Valenta's going up the lickey, first time for me and I stayed on the HST until Derby to see 66301/304/304 on a Light Engine move. As I got to Derby, it started chucking it with rain and you know it kept on raining until the 66s came, but was running an hour late, you guessed it, it brightened up 5 minutes after the 66s passed, after the did pass, I went to the loo, came out, to find 37605 + 611 waiting at a signal, so ran over to get a shot or two before they left, anyway, left then to go back to Brum with another day being over.
Monday 30th: I decided to just stay local meaning I didn't have to be up so early in the morning. So a day at Berkswell was in oder, as this is the place smack bang in the middle of Coventry and Birmingham International so seeing the WSMR 67s/Pendo's doing full linespeed through there was good. Also getting some decent horns without waving was fine to, due to there being the men in orange coats on the track Weather again, was bright and sunny all day and my neck got sunburnt. Another day is over.
Tuesday 1st: Now was for a day at Knabbs Bridge, Melton Ross. So leaving brum bright and early to make the most of the day, arrived in Barnetby at 09:21 but passing Scunthorpe there was Iron Ore waiting to leave so as I got off my train, crossed over to the westbound platforms and waited for the 60(068) to pass and get a picture. After that had past, a Freightliner came through heading west then I headed off to Melton Ross walking round the long road way and getting there for 10, also calling in at the shop on the way for supplies 8) Turning up at the bridge, there was 3 other photters with another turning up shortly after me, the weather could not have been better, there was not a cloud in the sky and so for a change, I decided on a Photting day instead of the usual videoing. about midday, my mate that lives in Arbroath was also in York visiting family and he came over to Barnetby for the afternoon. Even though everything wasn't running with most coal trains being cancelled, it was still a very good day and much better than Aberdeen or Arbroath, just couldn't fault the weather either, got very badly sunburnt too. leaving Barnetby at 16:54 and stopping off at Doncaster for an hour on the way back to Brum where I saw 4 Freights and a GC HST. Anyway, the day was over.
Wednesday 2nd: Was a day at Cholsey, I was there from 08:44 - 15:26, the Freight was pretty decent as well as a few surprises like the Colas 47s passing through, lots of horns from the Freight and a few from the Voyagers/HSTs too I was thinking about going upto the bridge on the straight but didn't know how to get there and don't know how tall the Bridge walls are. Another day gone.
Thursday 3rd: Another local day, I went to Water Orton between 07:20 - 18:30. Was a very good day with plenty of Freight and Orange men being on the track so plenty of horns again without waving copped a few Freightliners I needed too, but weather not being great and I had to very big downpours, but for people that like being on the Green footbridge, there is a very overgrown tree which you can hide under and stay pretty dry 
Friday 4th: Went to Church Fenton - bet you can't guess why
It was quite a good day for the horns but not much Freight at all, saw the 2 XC HSTs so 43007/166/178/184, on the way back to Brum, stopped at York for an hour or so as well and popped over to the NRM. Another day has gone.
Saturday 5th: Was a day for bashing and to rack up some miles, so did a Brum - Derby - Plymouth - Brum, having once again 43184 + 007 Derby - Plymouth and 43053 + 057 Plymouth - Brum, was brilliant for Valenta action, just a shame about the weather and rain being so bad I could hardly do heads out.
Sunday 6th: Today was the day to head home, I chose a Sunday so I could have a HST going Edinburgh - Aberdeen Via Stirling & Perth, something I never done before, plus it was for some bits of new track I needed. I got on the Brum - Edinburgh Voyager as far as York, not realising to get to Derby, we went via Leicester, getting some track in, not going through a platform at Leictester but round the back, then Derby - Sheffield was avoiding Chesterfield and going via Barrowhill to Beighton Junc - Woodhouse then reversing at Sheffield, so some curves and Freight Only track in there that I needed York - Aberdeen was a HST with again double MTU, but was complaining as I had 053 + 057 the day before Eventually arrived home at 20:30.
In total I think I spent about £220 on train tickets then £30 for food & drink so not as bad as I imagined.
Anyway, that was my 10 days of fun, tired but it was all worth it and I don't regret any of it
Cheers, Jord
but lots of money spent But it was definatly worth it!We'll begin with Friday 27th: I got the 06:20 260 bus to Aberdeen arriving at 07:40, went round to the station and got the 07:55 Aberdeen - London Kings Cross as far as Edinburgh with double MTU, so I took the opportunity to sit down on a unrefurb set for a change
hock: Arrival into Edinburgh was at 10:23 where I had a look round the station, photted some stuff that was there then having had no breakfast in the morning, went off to KFC for brekkie/dinner. After finished eating, went back to the station for about 11:40 to see what would work the XC HST 12:05 Edinburgh - Plymouth and it was 43184 what I had been hoping for paired with 43007. The driver returned to what would be the front end and I spoke to him, having been chatting for a good 20 minutes now, it was the first time he would be driving a HST for over a year and I said, as he leaves the station, could he fully open 43184 through the tunnel leaving Waverley 8) He said no trouble and all the way to Newcastle he would either have her fully open or he'd be coasting/slowing down. We arrived in Newcastle where it was announced that we'd be reverses due to 43184's wiper not working, so I got off for another little chat with the driver and to ask the guard if it would be ok for me to stand in FC, that was fine, so leaving Newcastle via High Level Bridge with 43007 at the helm, again the driver had her fully open unless he was slowing down. Arrival into Leeds was a minute or so early and I got off, thanked the driver and shook his hand for a wonderful performance. Now leaving Leeds the driver wern't so keen with the Throttle and now nothing spectacular happened all the way to Birmingham where I aligted, with 43184 + 007 being the best HST Valenta pairing i've ever had anyway.Saturday 28th: I went for a WSMR 67 bash to London, so leaving New Street on 150007 and alighting at Tame Bridge about 09:50, between 09:50 and 10:35 I saw 66501, 66024, a few pendo's, 170, 323, 150007 again while waiting for my WSMR set to arrive but was running a few minutes down. Now leaving Tame Bridge behind 67014 with 67013 DoR we went via New St and Warwick, Banbury, Princes Risborough to Marylebone. Leaving New St. behind and now passing Tyseley where there were loads of people at the Tyseley 100 with some people photting our train too while we were speeding south. Arriving into Marylebone was 2 minutes late and the set was to go off to Wembley to be fuelled, I video it leaving then walked round to Paddington for a look and to get dinner, but just the usual stuff was there, so walked back to Marylebone to leave on the 15:17 back to Tame bridge, and again, passing Tyseley there were loads of people on the road(?) bridge, and station platform waiting to head home, passing through New St, I wasn't expecting to see Jordy either and didn't realise it was him until after! Anyway another day was over.
Sunday 29th: I wanted to make the most of my time down south and so instead of doing nothing, I went down to Bristol to pick up the XC HST so I culd have the Valenta's going up the lickey, first time for me and I stayed on the HST until Derby to see 66301/304/304 on a Light Engine move. As I got to Derby, it started chucking it with rain and you know it kept on raining until the 66s came, but was running an hour late, you guessed it, it brightened up 5 minutes after the 66s passed, after the did pass, I went to the loo, came out, to find 37605 + 611 waiting at a signal, so ran over to get a shot or two before they left, anyway, left then to go back to Brum with another day being over.
Monday 30th: I decided to just stay local meaning I didn't have to be up so early in the morning. So a day at Berkswell was in oder, as this is the place smack bang in the middle of Coventry and Birmingham International so seeing the WSMR 67s/Pendo's doing full linespeed through there was good. Also getting some decent horns without waving was fine to, due to there being the men in orange coats on the track
Weather again, was bright and sunny all day and my neck got sunburnt. Another day is over.Tuesday 1st: Now was for a day at Knabbs Bridge, Melton Ross. So leaving brum bright and early to make the most of the day, arrived in Barnetby at 09:21 but passing Scunthorpe there was Iron Ore waiting to leave so as I got off my train, crossed over to the westbound platforms and waited for the 60(068) to pass and get a picture. After that had past, a Freightliner came through heading west then I headed off to Melton Ross walking round the long road way and getting there for 10, also calling in at the shop on the way for supplies 8) Turning up at the bridge, there was 3 other photters with another turning up shortly after me, the weather could not have been better, there was not a cloud in the sky and so for a change, I decided on a Photting day instead of the usual videoing. about midday, my mate that lives in Arbroath was also in York visiting family and he came over to Barnetby for the afternoon. Even though everything wasn't running with most coal trains being cancelled, it was still a very good day and much better than Aberdeen or Arbroath, just couldn't fault the weather either, got very badly sunburnt too. leaving Barnetby at 16:54 and stopping off at Doncaster for an hour on the way back to Brum where I saw 4 Freights and a GC HST. Anyway, the day was over.
Wednesday 2nd: Was a day at Cholsey, I was there from 08:44 - 15:26, the Freight was pretty decent as well as a few surprises like the Colas 47s passing through, lots of horns from the Freight and a few from the Voyagers/HSTs too
I was thinking about going upto the bridge on the straight but didn't know how to get there and don't know how tall the Bridge walls are. Another day gone.Thursday 3rd: Another local day, I went to Water Orton between 07:20 - 18:30. Was a very good day with plenty of Freight and Orange men being on the track so plenty of horns again without waving
copped a few Freightliners I needed too, but weather not being great and I had to very big downpours, but for people that like being on the Green footbridge, there is a very overgrown tree which you can hide under and stay pretty dry Friday 4th: Went to Church Fenton - bet you can't guess why
It was quite a good day for the horns but not much Freight at all, saw the 2 XC HSTs so 43007/166/178/184, on the way back to Brum, stopped at York for an hour or so as well and popped over to the NRM. Another day has gone.Saturday 5th: Was a day for bashing and to rack up some miles, so did a Brum - Derby - Plymouth - Brum, having once again 43184 + 007 Derby - Plymouth and 43053 + 057 Plymouth - Brum, was brilliant for Valenta action, just a shame about the weather and rain being so bad I could hardly do heads out.
Sunday 6th: Today was the day to head home, I chose a Sunday so I could have a HST going Edinburgh - Aberdeen Via Stirling & Perth, something I never done before, plus it was for some bits of new track I needed. I got on the Brum - Edinburgh Voyager as far as York, not realising to get to Derby, we went via Leicester, getting some track in, not going through a platform at Leictester but round the back, then Derby - Sheffield was avoiding Chesterfield and going via Barrowhill to Beighton Junc - Woodhouse then reversing at Sheffield, so some curves and Freight Only track in there that I needed
York - Aberdeen was a HST with again double MTU, but was complaining as I had 053 + 057 the day before Eventually arrived home at 20:30.In total I think I spent about £220 on train tickets then £30 for food & drink so not as bad as I imagined.
Anyway, that was my 10 days of fun, tired but it was all worth it and I don't regret any of it
Cheers, Jord
