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Juliano's World Frenzy/Tech's Trip Reports
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AnthonyRail
Established Member
- Joined
- 11 Jan 2015
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Eurostar trip is on my list to do. Went to France once on channel tunnel but
I was young, with no camera and not at that age into trains so the whole journey went unrecorded.
I was young, with no camera and not at that age into trains so the whole journey went unrecorded.
Last edited:
Kite159
Veteran Member
So what was attached at New Street? 
Sounded like an excellent couple days
Sounded like an excellent couple days
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Sorry, I forgot to update my report with that, it was 153354
Brilliant read mate, was in Brussels just over two years ago. Loved it. Did you not fancy Chips and Mayonaise? Love it.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Also an idea for another time, I'm not sure exactly how the ticket works as my brother bought them but I think thee is a ticket on Eurostar which includes another Inter City journey within Belgium for free. What we did was fly Liverpool to Amsterdam, Thalys to Antwerp (Station is amazing if you haven't seen it already), played on the trams for a bit, then an Inter City service (Loco Hauled) to Brussels for for a look around. Finally the Eurostar back to the UK and a Pendo back to Liverpool. A proper mad day trip and didn't cost too much.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Also an idea for another time, I'm not sure exactly how the ticket works as my brother bought them but I think thee is a ticket on Eurostar which includes another Inter City journey within Belgium for free. What we did was fly Liverpool to Amsterdam, Thalys to Antwerp (Station is amazing if you haven't seen it already), played on the trams for a bit, then an Inter City service (Loco Hauled) to Brussels for for a look around. Finally the Eurostar back to the UK and a Pendo back to Liverpool. A proper mad day trip and didn't cost too much.
47403
Established Member
Cracking read there Tech, I had a check on youtube to see what you were getting for haulage, it was doing me head in reading but not knowing what 18's, 19's and 28's were. So excuse my ignorance of foreign locos. Sounded like good fun though.
A very productive few days there, a right old red pen fest, both at home and abroad. Bum deal on the dud Eurostar home too, as Noddy says, with so many to choose from, you've been desperately unlucky there. I've only had 1 of them myself and even that was the GNER one from Donny - Leeds.
Canny start to 2017 though, thanks for sharing.
A very productive few days there, a right old red pen fest, both at home and abroad. Bum deal on the dud Eurostar home too, as Noddy says, with so many to choose from, you've been desperately unlucky there. I've only had 1 of them myself and even that was the GNER one from Donny - Leeds.
Canny start to 2017 though, thanks for sharing.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Not a fan of mayo to be honest!
Your trip sounds awesome it must be said. Antwerp is required and I will definitely do it some time. I always forget that ticket to allow you a journey to Any Belgian Station exists, one day I'll take advantage.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Canny start indeed!
In 2013 I had a bit of bad luck with 373s, the same pair there and back despite travelling on different days! Never mind, it happens! I had a GNER one once too, only Leeds to Wakefield but it counted!
I have a video clip of a 28 which I intend to share later
18s and 19s sound a bit like 92s if that helps.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
You need to persuade your Dad to take advantage of the next Eurostar seat sale
Gets you a 373 bash too, 374s not cleared yet to Brussels I'm told. Plenty of loco haulage available, you could make it just a day trip if needs be!
Kristofferson
Member
- Joined
- 23 Nov 2012
- Messages
- 1,132
A properly busy few days there, and productive too! Excellent read
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
Keith Jarrett
Member
Tech
An excellent report as ever and good to see you getting out and about with that red pen of yours. I am not a huge fan of bashing outside these shores probably as I still need way too much here (if you throw in preserved) but well done on you for taking Brussells by the throat and telling it who's on charge! Moreover, I'll be eternally grateful to you for that chance sighting at Stratford - you saved me an evening's deckchair rental on the Central Line to get the wretched thing.
An excellent report as ever and good to see you getting out and about with that red pen of yours. I am not a huge fan of bashing outside these shores probably as I still need way too much here (if you throw in preserved) but well done on you for taking Brussells by the throat and telling it who's on charge! Moreover, I'll be eternally grateful to you for that chance sighting at Stratford - you saved me an evening's deckchair rental on the Central Line to get the wretched thing.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Glad you enjoyed the read Keith, and you're welcome on the gen. You'd have done the same for me if it had been the other way round I'm sure
Techniquest
Veteran Member
30/01/2017 - Fishguard and Goodwick
No hashtag or Live Trip Report this time, and this report won't be a long one. No clever title this time I'm afraid! This trip was simply an out-and-back to score a shack, Fishguard & Goodwick. As I had booked Advances, there was no opportunity to do leaps or do the 67 to Cardiff, not an issue as I get to increase my 175 mileage which I haven't done for a while. On 26th January this trip became a celebratory one, as I had now changed roles at work after nearly four years of waiting for it to happen. A drop in hours was a compromise I'm more than happy with to get the change I've been craving for so long! OK, so it means the end of my two days off together, therefore the end of my Sunday and Monday bashing days, but I can work around that with some creativity. This Monday bash was specially granted off, as I had already organised and booked tickets before the change.
After getting the bus into town, and with plenty of time to spare before the 0933 out of Hereford, I took my sweet time in Morrisons on a supply raid, as I had picked up my tickets before Tech's Red Parade. Eventually the time comes to board, and I get 175010 to Newport. A minor delay of 5 minutes was caused by a passenger's bag getting stuck in the vestibule door, with the driver being required to provide assistance! I spend a fair chunk of the journey working on my A-Z of Required Shacks memo files, once I finished my traditional Pumpkin coffee. Super Dud 150281, which I had many years ago all the way to Fishguard Harbour on the overnight turn from Swansea, was very lightly loaded all the way, and after Alexandra Dock Junction Yard I get on with the moves book update. Much to my surprise that's all done just after Port Talbot Parkway, although the RailMiles update (due now to be done on Tuesday afternoon) will take much longer.
I was glad to see Margam steelworks was still operational, although there wasn't much obvious activity these days. A very different scene from my time of having the South Wales Main Line as my stomping ground, oh the nostalgia factor was high! We branch left as booked at Briton Ferry to use the Swansea District Line, which hasn't improved in terms of excitement as expected. The A-Z can wait for now, as I enjoyed the views of an area I've not been in for more years than I care to remember. I think it's been 3 years since I last saw Swansea en-route to Kent on Tech's Gardening, said trip is close to nostalgia as it is! After a sandwich for lunch, I start the celebratory beers. Fishguard & Goodwick leaves me with something like 73 shacks on the ATW network to get, and I was surprised just how close the harbour is. More so to see a cafe was available!
150281 was soon back to take me to Cardiff Central, with all shacks from both Fishguard Harbour and Milford Haven to London Paddington now cleared. I was quite shocked to see that Fishguard & Goodwick has been open for years, how did it take me so long to get it done?! 6 shacks on the Pembroke Dock line remain to clear all shacks south of Shrewsbury on the ATW network, hopefully these WILL fall in 2017! A count on the way to Cardiff Central revealed only 70 ATW shacks remain to be scored, which leads to the decision to aim for that number to come under 50 before the end of 2017.
Arrival back in Cardiff is 1 up at 1557, and when did the bus station close? BK is also gone from near the station, as does nostalgia for that time in my life. I grab a coffee from WHSmith before heading upstairs and noted one of Kite's last GWR 150s before 175001 turns up to take me home. It was a bit of an endurance day, with the bulk of it spent on 150281, but worth it overall. Stay tuned for my next trip report, due on Friday 3rd February, which will be the conclusion of the celebration of my move at work. What will I get up to? You'll have to wait and see, because not even I know what I'm doing yet! The hashtag will be announced in due course, again once I know what it will be.
No hashtag or Live Trip Report this time, and this report won't be a long one. No clever title this time I'm afraid! This trip was simply an out-and-back to score a shack, Fishguard & Goodwick. As I had booked Advances, there was no opportunity to do leaps or do the 67 to Cardiff, not an issue as I get to increase my 175 mileage which I haven't done for a while. On 26th January this trip became a celebratory one, as I had now changed roles at work after nearly four years of waiting for it to happen. A drop in hours was a compromise I'm more than happy with to get the change I've been craving for so long! OK, so it means the end of my two days off together, therefore the end of my Sunday and Monday bashing days, but I can work around that with some creativity. This Monday bash was specially granted off, as I had already organised and booked tickets before the change.
After getting the bus into town, and with plenty of time to spare before the 0933 out of Hereford, I took my sweet time in Morrisons on a supply raid, as I had picked up my tickets before Tech's Red Parade. Eventually the time comes to board, and I get 175010 to Newport. A minor delay of 5 minutes was caused by a passenger's bag getting stuck in the vestibule door, with the driver being required to provide assistance! I spend a fair chunk of the journey working on my A-Z of Required Shacks memo files, once I finished my traditional Pumpkin coffee. Super Dud 150281, which I had many years ago all the way to Fishguard Harbour on the overnight turn from Swansea, was very lightly loaded all the way, and after Alexandra Dock Junction Yard I get on with the moves book update. Much to my surprise that's all done just after Port Talbot Parkway, although the RailMiles update (due now to be done on Tuesday afternoon) will take much longer.
I was glad to see Margam steelworks was still operational, although there wasn't much obvious activity these days. A very different scene from my time of having the South Wales Main Line as my stomping ground, oh the nostalgia factor was high! We branch left as booked at Briton Ferry to use the Swansea District Line, which hasn't improved in terms of excitement as expected. The A-Z can wait for now, as I enjoyed the views of an area I've not been in for more years than I care to remember. I think it's been 3 years since I last saw Swansea en-route to Kent on Tech's Gardening, said trip is close to nostalgia as it is! After a sandwich for lunch, I start the celebratory beers. Fishguard & Goodwick leaves me with something like 73 shacks on the ATW network to get, and I was surprised just how close the harbour is. More so to see a cafe was available!
150281 was soon back to take me to Cardiff Central, with all shacks from both Fishguard Harbour and Milford Haven to London Paddington now cleared. I was quite shocked to see that Fishguard & Goodwick has been open for years, how did it take me so long to get it done?! 6 shacks on the Pembroke Dock line remain to clear all shacks south of Shrewsbury on the ATW network, hopefully these WILL fall in 2017! A count on the way to Cardiff Central revealed only 70 ATW shacks remain to be scored, which leads to the decision to aim for that number to come under 50 before the end of 2017.
Arrival back in Cardiff is 1 up at 1557, and when did the bus station close? BK is also gone from near the station, as does nostalgia for that time in my life. I grab a coffee from WHSmith before heading upstairs and noted one of Kite's last GWR 150s before 175001 turns up to take me home. It was a bit of an endurance day, with the bulk of it spent on 150281, but worth it overall. Stay tuned for my next trip report, due on Friday 3rd February, which will be the conclusion of the celebration of my move at work. What will I get up to? You'll have to wait and see, because not even I know what I'm doing yet! The hashtag will be announced in due course, again once I know what it will be.
Kite159
Veteran Member
Bus Station closed last year, I noticed it on Saturday that the area outside Cardiff Central had been flatten with new buildings being built.
ATW is slowly coming down for you, you could easily get below 50 with a weekday trip to the Borderland line, maybe another weekday trip to the North Wales coast etc.
ATW is slowly coming down for you, you could easily get below 50 with a weekday trip to the Borderland line, maybe another weekday trip to the North Wales coast etc.
Sounds like a good little trip out there, i'll have similar ones in line for my odd bits of the Northern network to hoover up in future.
I see you also had 150281 which does like to chase me around, i've had it from Chester to Crewe then the blighter turned up a little while later on a Caerphilly to Cardiff service
I see you also had 150281 which does like to chase me around, i've had it from Chester to Crewe then the blighter turned up a little while later on a Caerphilly to Cardiff service
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Glad everyone found the read enjoyable so far!
I was on Advances which had me change at Newport on the way there and at Cardiff on the way back. Why I'm not sure as it's the same platform at Bridgend and a good plus on the way back at least.
My days off are now Fridays and Sundays. It does mean more restrictions on bashing but I'm working on that!
Keith Jarrett
Member
Tech, Fishguard & Goodwick is a long way to go for just one shack but that simply exposes your dedication. your horse for most of the day, 150281, is if I remember correctly, one of the few original 150s allocated to South Wales which have basically worked there from new.
As for your changed role with new, fixed days off, it's going to be interesting to see how you overcome the issue of split days unless there's opportunity for things like shift swaps or the opportunity for taking the odd day's leave.
As for your changed role with new, fixed days off, it's going to be interesting to see how you overcome the issue of split days unless there's opportunity for things like shift swaps or the opportunity for taking the odd day's leave.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Oh don't worry, I'll still get regular bashing done, just with some creativity in places! As is evidenced from today:
31/01/2017 - Tech's Done Chirk
Well this was a very much last minute thing! I hadn't planned to actually go bashing after work, but the possibility came up. I went back and forth on the decision for a while, then decided just to get home so I could get my big RailMiles update done. Then the possibility of seeing a Fiddlers Ferry-bound coal train was an option if I got the later bus, but I turned that down too. About 10 minutes before my bus was due to leave, I hear a 175 arrive and the need for a PNB was too great to sit on a bus for an hour and a bit. The sensible thing to do would have been to deal with that then head home, but umm, no. I had enough time to quickly buy a ticket and that's exactly what I did, I bought a day return to Shrewsbury! I was surprised to find my other option fares wise appeared to no longer exist, a day return to Chester doesn't come up on the TVM now, perhaps it's been eliminated?
Either way, I now had my tickets to Shrewsbury for £21.40 and jumped on 175103, which would still not be cleared for 500 miles yet. Desperate PNB dealt with (what an expensive one that was!) and I was on the move. I did say I would find a way to fit bashing in with my new rota at work! I was looking to clear both Goostrey and Chelford, but due to the calling patterns this was not an option. Chirk has been a thorn in my side for more years than I care to count, so getting it highlighted and ticked in the atlas will be quite satisfying! 56105 was a score for sight as we approached Shrewsbury, and I went off in search for lunch during the fester. A Tesco meal deal came to the rescue as I hadn't eaten since around 0620, and after buying a day return to Chirk for £9.70 I made my way to platform 3. 175110 got a much needed mileage boost for the run into Wales, it previously having only been on 330 miles.
I got a reminder of just how boring the section between Shrewsbury and Gobowen is, it's fast of course but isn't it just so dull! After crawling through a 20mph TSR south of Chirk, we arrive 2 minutes late and there's a bridge at each end of the station so my +11 was very safe as it turned out. Much to my surprise, the 1324 Holyhead to Birmingham International had 150257 on it! A very vocal 150, much more so than 150281 had been. I dreaded to think how rammed this will be coming back from Birmingham, and I still need Shrewsbury to Birmingham International for 150 coverage. I still need it on a 175 too, one day I will get that done! All shacks Chester to Fishguard Harbour, Milford Haven (via both routes) and London Euston are now cleared, and I was already re-planning Friday as I travelled back to Shrewsbury. There's a high chance I'll be back on ATW, as I still need 69 shacks served by them. Which area will I focus on? Will I instead hunt some winners? Only one way to find out...
An announcement was made to alert passengers to the fact this 150 was being taken out of service at Shrewsbury, to be replaced by a 4 coach train from platform 5. That turned out to be 158835+158834, with the 150 disappearing quickly on the 1624 to Crewe. DMU shortages one assumes. Now I know Blindtraveller won't approve of what I did next, and it goes against my beliefs...Yeah, I knew I should have gone without...I got a Starbucks Americano, and I had to settle for brown sugar before I found white sugar in shaker pots, bit late now! If I hadn't been desperate for coffee I'd have not bothered, £2.65 not well spent!
175104 produces to take me home, running late as this service normally does. Also, I didn't know GBRf had a freight working out of Shrewsbury, noted 66735 on what appeared to be coal wagons (heavily graffitied at that) a little north of the station on the line towards Wrexham. I need to check 56096 and 56113 as well in case I need them for sight. 175104 should be clear of 740 miles by the time I get back, although I had hoped to get 175116 today to finally clear a DMU for 1,000 miles. It's less than 20 off it and has been for ages!
Now bring on Friday!
31/01/2017 - Tech's Done Chirk
Well this was a very much last minute thing! I hadn't planned to actually go bashing after work, but the possibility came up. I went back and forth on the decision for a while, then decided just to get home so I could get my big RailMiles update done. Then the possibility of seeing a Fiddlers Ferry-bound coal train was an option if I got the later bus, but I turned that down too. About 10 minutes before my bus was due to leave, I hear a 175 arrive and the need for a PNB was too great to sit on a bus for an hour and a bit. The sensible thing to do would have been to deal with that then head home, but umm, no. I had enough time to quickly buy a ticket and that's exactly what I did, I bought a day return to Shrewsbury! I was surprised to find my other option fares wise appeared to no longer exist, a day return to Chester doesn't come up on the TVM now, perhaps it's been eliminated?
Either way, I now had my tickets to Shrewsbury for £21.40 and jumped on 175103, which would still not be cleared for 500 miles yet. Desperate PNB dealt with (what an expensive one that was!) and I was on the move. I did say I would find a way to fit bashing in with my new rota at work! I was looking to clear both Goostrey and Chelford, but due to the calling patterns this was not an option. Chirk has been a thorn in my side for more years than I care to count, so getting it highlighted and ticked in the atlas will be quite satisfying! 56105 was a score for sight as we approached Shrewsbury, and I went off in search for lunch during the fester. A Tesco meal deal came to the rescue as I hadn't eaten since around 0620, and after buying a day return to Chirk for £9.70 I made my way to platform 3. 175110 got a much needed mileage boost for the run into Wales, it previously having only been on 330 miles.
I got a reminder of just how boring the section between Shrewsbury and Gobowen is, it's fast of course but isn't it just so dull! After crawling through a 20mph TSR south of Chirk, we arrive 2 minutes late and there's a bridge at each end of the station so my +11 was very safe as it turned out. Much to my surprise, the 1324 Holyhead to Birmingham International had 150257 on it! A very vocal 150, much more so than 150281 had been. I dreaded to think how rammed this will be coming back from Birmingham, and I still need Shrewsbury to Birmingham International for 150 coverage. I still need it on a 175 too, one day I will get that done! All shacks Chester to Fishguard Harbour, Milford Haven (via both routes) and London Euston are now cleared, and I was already re-planning Friday as I travelled back to Shrewsbury. There's a high chance I'll be back on ATW, as I still need 69 shacks served by them. Which area will I focus on? Will I instead hunt some winners? Only one way to find out...
An announcement was made to alert passengers to the fact this 150 was being taken out of service at Shrewsbury, to be replaced by a 4 coach train from platform 5. That turned out to be 158835+158834, with the 150 disappearing quickly on the 1624 to Crewe. DMU shortages one assumes. Now I know Blindtraveller won't approve of what I did next, and it goes against my beliefs...Yeah, I knew I should have gone without...I got a Starbucks Americano, and I had to settle for brown sugar before I found white sugar in shaker pots, bit late now! If I hadn't been desperate for coffee I'd have not bothered, £2.65 not well spent!
175104 produces to take me home, running late as this service normally does. Also, I didn't know GBRf had a freight working out of Shrewsbury, noted 66735 on what appeared to be coal wagons (heavily graffitied at that) a little north of the station on the line towards Wrexham. I need to check 56096 and 56113 as well in case I need them for sight. 175104 should be clear of 740 miles by the time I get back, although I had hoped to get 175116 today to finally clear a DMU for 1,000 miles. It's less than 20 off it and has been for ages!
Now bring on Friday!
Blindtraveler
Established Member
- Joined
- 28 Feb 2011
- Messages
- 10,543
A fitting punishment for that frothbucks is in order lol.
Naughty boy.
Nicely done on the moves though!
Naughty boy.
Nicely done on the moves though!
AnthonyRail
Established Member
- Joined
- 11 Jan 2015
- Messages
- 1,223
http://www.hotukdeals.com/deals/burger-king-new-cheat-codes-give-them-every-time-order-2606726
For the burger king fans....
For the burger king fans....
Kite159
Veteran Member
Another shack bites the dust
Techniquest
Veteran Member
If by that you mean enduring a 1 hour journey on a 142, BT, then that would do. I can think of worse though!
Blindtraveler
Established Member
- Joined
- 28 Feb 2011
- Messages
- 10,543
I prescribe a Euston to Fortbill sleaper journey via wembly yard and the ecml in the seats without any earplugs for the break sound effects!
Kristofferson
Member
- Joined
- 23 Nov 2012
- Messages
- 1,132
Excellent stuff! Nothing like a post work mini bash to relax - should get the opportunity for those myself again fairly soon!
djpontrack
Member
It's good to have a little trip out after work mate. Even better if you get an new shack or get something to get your red pen out for??????. I often have a trip out on a Thursday after my early turn and as I don't work on a Friday, I can have a couple of pints too.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Glad you all enjoyed the read gang, here's more for you:
03/02/2017 - Tech's Bound For Glory
Missed any of the Live Trip Report? Catch up on Twitter using hashtag #TechsBoundForGlory
Here we go then, the concluding part of my celebration of the move at work! It took me forever to make a decision, indeed it still wasn't known when I left the house! It was left for fate to decide, if I got up in time for the 0645 bus and made it in time for the 0753 then north, if not then I'd head east. The weather warning for my local area, I couldn't turn down an opportunity to go bashing, and besides 50mph winds is nothing, I was out in that in Scotland last month! The trip title and hashtag came from a Virgin Trains ticket wallet and one of their slogans on it "Be Bound For Glory". This was certainly the aim today, the need for the red pen to come out was incredible and I wanted to aim for shacks too. My A-Z of Required Shacks was about two-thirds complete by now, and the lists are still incredibly long even without including Irish, preserved and light rail shacks! Quite the large chunk of them are in areas I need no winners (Devon, Cornwall and Wales, as well as selected parts of the XC network mostly) so those are mostly being kept by for different trips.
Much to my surprise, after 6 hours of heavy sleep I was up just before 0600 so after getting everything sorted and breakfast devoured, it was off to the bus. Leaving 4 minutes late was not a good sign, nevertheless I got to the station in plenty of time. An issue with systems in Hereford meant buying on board, and I have one of those new paper tickets. They annoy the heck out of me, as an out and return print in one go but ridiculously difficult to seperate. They only just fit in my wallet too, a regular ticket wallet would be no good! 175007 was in charge of taking me north, the 170 avoidance move worked! Planning my onward move was far trickier than I thought, simply because I couldn't decide what took the fancy the most! I settled for a Cheshire Day Ranger after all, and after waiting ages in Pumpkin I got my large and much needed coffee. Super Dud Starship 29 kicks off the main event on the leap to winner shack Chelford.
The coffee was finished during the fester and I felt so much better for it! Starship 25 gets turned into a Super Dud on the leap to winner shack Goostrey which at long last cleared all shacks from Manchester Piccadilly (via Stockport!) to Fishguard Harbour, Milford Haven and Plymouth! Super Dud Starship 39 takes me to Wilmslow where I bailed for some extra charge, having not charged my phone much lately due to not expecting to go out, and 390001 does the honours. My stomach was also after feeding, 5 and a bit hours after breakfast, so I visit Burger King at Manchester Piccadilly. Oh that meal went down beautifully! The 1214 to New Mills Central turned out to be well worth investigating, as it produced winner 142001 to winner shack New Mills Central! I noted it wouldn't be a long wait until a service from Sheffield, that would be worth waiting for I'm convinced.
It's during the wait I discover Marple is actually required, despite being highlighted in the atlas. I join 150270 and turn it into a Super Dud for the leap to winner shack Marple. I got rewarded with winner 142043 back to New Mills Central, where I was going to go back to Marple for a train to Strines. That plan changed and I walked to New Mills Newtown. That took some doing with the steep uphill walk into town and the signage isn't brilliant. After 12 or 13 minutes I finally arrived, and had a fair wait still yet. 150218 turns up and gets turned into a Super Dud for the trip to winner shack Middlewood. Super Dud 156487 takes me next to winner shack Whaley Bridge and I'm unamused at my luck with Northern DMUs today! Mind you, that was nothing compared to triple duds (really?!) 150207+150271+150222 for the trip to Manchester.
I bailed at Stockport originally for coffee, but Pumpkin on platforms 3/4 was already closed so stuff that, back on I got! I popped into Sainsburys for a couple of bits and bobs, including a bottle of beer for later in the day. I lost patience afterwards with norms ordering everything and taking all day at Upper Crust, so bail from that and jumped onto Super Dud Starship 35 to winner shack Adlington (Cheshire). I devoured the beer there, which went down well! Eventually Starship 37 rolled in 7 down to take me back to Manchester. My last move of the day before heading home, but I've done well for shacks. Disappointed how few winners I got, but that's just the way the game goes!
After arriving back into Manchester, I sourced a sandwich and a couple of Moorhouse beers from Waitrose. Not much of a selection so these had to do! I went for a prospective leap on the 1718 to Cleethorpes, but that was a seriously rammed platform and there was no sign of a train coming in at 1716 so flagged that idea! A table seat is found on the train home and it was 175113 doing the honours. The atlas was updated before departure at 1731 and the list of moves didn't take long to add to the moves book either. The first beer wasn't great but the second was awful, it says a lot when even after 40 minutes the bottle was still about half full! Confirmation of the lift home was made and I got the great news we were going to the chippy. I might well have had a sandwich and some doughnuts but I knew I'd be ready for my chippy tea around 2010!
In advance of posting on my TPP Discussion thread, don't expect another trip report for a couple of weeks. Might well do a mini spin here or there but we'll see!
03/02/2017 - Tech's Bound For Glory
Missed any of the Live Trip Report? Catch up on Twitter using hashtag #TechsBoundForGlory
Here we go then, the concluding part of my celebration of the move at work! It took me forever to make a decision, indeed it still wasn't known when I left the house! It was left for fate to decide, if I got up in time for the 0645 bus and made it in time for the 0753 then north, if not then I'd head east. The weather warning for my local area, I couldn't turn down an opportunity to go bashing, and besides 50mph winds is nothing, I was out in that in Scotland last month! The trip title and hashtag came from a Virgin Trains ticket wallet and one of their slogans on it "Be Bound For Glory". This was certainly the aim today, the need for the red pen to come out was incredible and I wanted to aim for shacks too. My A-Z of Required Shacks was about two-thirds complete by now, and the lists are still incredibly long even without including Irish, preserved and light rail shacks! Quite the large chunk of them are in areas I need no winners (Devon, Cornwall and Wales, as well as selected parts of the XC network mostly) so those are mostly being kept by for different trips.
Much to my surprise, after 6 hours of heavy sleep I was up just before 0600 so after getting everything sorted and breakfast devoured, it was off to the bus. Leaving 4 minutes late was not a good sign, nevertheless I got to the station in plenty of time. An issue with systems in Hereford meant buying on board, and I have one of those new paper tickets. They annoy the heck out of me, as an out and return print in one go but ridiculously difficult to seperate. They only just fit in my wallet too, a regular ticket wallet would be no good! 175007 was in charge of taking me north, the 170 avoidance move worked! Planning my onward move was far trickier than I thought, simply because I couldn't decide what took the fancy the most! I settled for a Cheshire Day Ranger after all, and after waiting ages in Pumpkin I got my large and much needed coffee. Super Dud Starship 29 kicks off the main event on the leap to winner shack Chelford.
The coffee was finished during the fester and I felt so much better for it! Starship 25 gets turned into a Super Dud on the leap to winner shack Goostrey which at long last cleared all shacks from Manchester Piccadilly (via Stockport!) to Fishguard Harbour, Milford Haven and Plymouth! Super Dud Starship 39 takes me to Wilmslow where I bailed for some extra charge, having not charged my phone much lately due to not expecting to go out, and 390001 does the honours. My stomach was also after feeding, 5 and a bit hours after breakfast, so I visit Burger King at Manchester Piccadilly. Oh that meal went down beautifully! The 1214 to New Mills Central turned out to be well worth investigating, as it produced winner 142001 to winner shack New Mills Central! I noted it wouldn't be a long wait until a service from Sheffield, that would be worth waiting for I'm convinced.
It's during the wait I discover Marple is actually required, despite being highlighted in the atlas. I join 150270 and turn it into a Super Dud for the leap to winner shack Marple. I got rewarded with winner 142043 back to New Mills Central, where I was going to go back to Marple for a train to Strines. That plan changed and I walked to New Mills Newtown. That took some doing with the steep uphill walk into town and the signage isn't brilliant. After 12 or 13 minutes I finally arrived, and had a fair wait still yet. 150218 turns up and gets turned into a Super Dud for the trip to winner shack Middlewood. Super Dud 156487 takes me next to winner shack Whaley Bridge and I'm unamused at my luck with Northern DMUs today! Mind you, that was nothing compared to triple duds (really?!) 150207+150271+150222 for the trip to Manchester.
I bailed at Stockport originally for coffee, but Pumpkin on platforms 3/4 was already closed so stuff that, back on I got! I popped into Sainsburys for a couple of bits and bobs, including a bottle of beer for later in the day. I lost patience afterwards with norms ordering everything and taking all day at Upper Crust, so bail from that and jumped onto Super Dud Starship 35 to winner shack Adlington (Cheshire). I devoured the beer there, which went down well! Eventually Starship 37 rolled in 7 down to take me back to Manchester. My last move of the day before heading home, but I've done well for shacks. Disappointed how few winners I got, but that's just the way the game goes!
After arriving back into Manchester, I sourced a sandwich and a couple of Moorhouse beers from Waitrose. Not much of a selection so these had to do! I went for a prospective leap on the 1718 to Cleethorpes, but that was a seriously rammed platform and there was no sign of a train coming in at 1716 so flagged that idea! A table seat is found on the train home and it was 175113 doing the honours. The atlas was updated before departure at 1731 and the list of moves didn't take long to add to the moves book either. The first beer wasn't great but the second was awful, it says a lot when even after 40 minutes the bottle was still about half full! Confirmation of the lift home was made and I got the great news we were going to the chippy. I might well have had a sandwich and some doughnuts but I knew I'd be ready for my chippy tea around 2010!
In advance of posting on my TPP Discussion thread, don't expect another trip report for a couple of weeks. Might well do a mini spin here or there but we'll see!
Sounds like a productive day hoovering up those shacks. I still need everything from New Mills to Buxton but i'll end up with a similar fate to you and score nothing on the line unless I run into 150276, 156461 or 156471!
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