Kite159
Veteran Member
Enjoy the Cat action 
(although I haven't yet had a 68)
(although I haven't yet had a 68)
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Juliano's World Frenzy/Tech's Trip Reports
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Techniquest
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Thank you gentlemen, I sure did have fun! As you'll discover in this trip report, things didn't entirely go to the plan I had originally set out. However it turned out to be amazing, best day in the Midlands for ages!
29/06/2015 - Tech's Purring
Finally I'm back on the bash! It feels like it was a century ago since my last proper trip [I had a couple of bits during a small family break recently but not a proper bash - Ed] and after a less than good Sunday, for reasons I don't want to go into, I really couldn't wait for this one! So what's the trip title about? Well I'm finally going for some Class 68 haulage on Chiltern's Silver sets, and with the 68s nicknamed Cats it seemed logical to make reference to this in the trip title and hashtag. Hope that makes sense!
With the alarm going off at 0600, it didn't take much persuading to get me up and out of bed! All the usual pre-trip prep having been done the night before means I can leave the house on time for the first bus to town. I also have a powerbank with me now, not a hugely powerful one at 2600mAh, but it will do the job of saving the day on long trips with no power sockets available! Breakfast muffins get devoured this morning, hardly enough for a full day's bashing so more food to be sourced later. I didn't get to sleep until gone 0100, due to being excited about the bash ahead, so I'm in need of waking up. Sadly there's not enough milk to make a coffee so it'll have to wait until I get to town! I'm well excited this morning, as I can't wait to see what the 68s are like. You'd think I was going after some NB 37 haulage, I'm that excited!
Today is also exactly a month to go until the 10thbasherversary trip, an epic 6 day adventure to celebrate 10 years of having graduated from spotter to basher! Hard to believe it's been that long, the trips I've made in that time, the places I've been to...But I'm getting ahead of myself, all of that will be discussed in the trip report. Safe to say I'm really looking forward to it, as it'll be the biggest trip of the year and promises to be outrageously fun! The usual MCV is had on the first bus to town, which I've had more than 12,300 miles off of now. I also celebrated last week clearing the 58-plate Optate Tempo for the magical thou. It took about 4 years to do that, and I now have 4 buses left to clear for 1,000 [the "magical thou" - Ed] miles. A couple of which are getting close-ish to that now, but two of them rarely produce on my commutes. Anyway, I've bored most of you a fair bit now, back to the trains! It's Costa time when I arrive in Hereford, as is quite the tradition these days. Feeling somewhat refreshed now, I head to Morrisons and get a large bottle of Pepsi Max for 99p, ready for refreshment later. I bought my day return to Birmingham online yesterday, for the Nectar points ready for Frothmas, and I see there's a new design of ticket in use now. I assume these will be commomplace from now on, but it looks mighty odd and confusing. One day I'll be used to it no doubt, but farewell to the now-old design!
I also do something I've not done in a long time, a move that was traditional for a long time. I'm sure the long-term readers of these trip report writers will know what I'm on about, it is of course a coffee from Pumpkin. Having not had one on the way to town, as is traditional on trips and commutes, I was lacking in caffeine badly. I do regret it already mind, as this coffee is rather rancid compared to Costa's coffee! £2.60 before Bite Card discount, £2.34 with it. That's a 50p increase compared to what I was paying before the Bite Card discount dropped to 10%, and for a lousy product too. Very, VERY, disappointed as even Morrisons could have done better, heck even Nescafe would have been better! It's time to board the 0849 to the Bat Cave [Birmingham New Street - Ed], and for those of you who haven't been keeping up with my nostalgic trip reports thread [I'll try and add a link to this thread when I'm not on my phone, but I do highly recommend reading it - Ed], I'm bringing back an experimental style to this trip report. You'll see what I mean below, feel free to comment on it:
153356+170502 Hereford > Birmingham New Street (via Worcester Shrub Hill) (0849,arr 1019)
Top Tip for readers using the app, italicised text doesn't show properly unless you tap on the post, where it changes from blue to black text and gives you the option to quote etc. Hope that makes sense and shows properly! When I score a winner I'll embolden the number too, as you'll hopefully see OK on some later moves!
Hopefully the above move reads OK, if not do let me know and I'll try to fix it. It should be easier to keep track of winners and moves this way, as I mention above please feel free to comment. Should it come across OK I expect to be adopting it as standard in my trip reports. The moves book is finally brought up to date, and I'm rather enjoying the DBT today! It occurs to me I still haven't got a memo file on my phone to keep track of my LM 153 mileages [some of you may recall I was going to set one up months ago! - Ed], so I start work on that after Worcester Shrub Hill, the intention being to fill in the mileage figures when I have a reliable data connection later. That's now done, and I see 153334 doesn't turn up for me too often, as I've not even had 100 miles off it yet! 153356, however, is a different matter as I'll have a little over 400 miles with it once I get to the Bat Cave, nice! The 3 minutes of slack this train used to have for the last bit into Birmingham has been removed I see, so no longer are we due into New Street at 1022. The customary hold outside New Street is still here though, and somehow we're nearly 6 minutes late from University. It's pretty much mandatory it seems to run late on this service! Arrival is at 1022 and I march off to Moor Street.
Hunger strikes badly here so I swing by Subway for a bacon sub and coffee for £2. A rant follows: No points issued again, service was less than helpful, everything I wanted was unavailable and, worst of all, I was given ham and cheese, not bacon and cheese in my sub! No receipt issued so can't claim my points either! Rant over, and I get my Daytripper for £6.40 and position myself for some photos. Breakfast is devoured but not very enjoyable. If it had been my first Subway I'd never bother again! 68010 rolls in from London Marylebone, and I take several photos before finding a seat and putting my phone on charge [it was already down to 64% charge! - Ed]. Departure is on time, although a bit rough, and before I know it we're in Solihull.
68010, in 12605, Birmingham Moor Street > Solihull (1055,arr 1103)
I video the departure and wow! I am in love with these things! No wonder everyone on the forum who's already had 68s loves them, the noise is awesome! As a fellow basher said, the best new locos in years, which I am in 100% agreement with! It's time for a Thriller Filler move in the 40 minutes I have before a 68 to Moor Street.
172341 Solihull > Dorridge (1113,arr 1119)
Super Dud 172341 is had to Dorridge and I have a lucky quick connection into a slightly late 168112 back to Solihull.
168112, in 58162, Dorridge > Solihull (1119,2d,arr 1126)
That one's now 1 step away from becoming a Super Dud.
Crikey it takes a while to put the bold and italics codes in when typing these trip reports up on my phone! I have a feeling I might do those bits via edits after posting on a laptop on a big trip! Super Dud 165012 is on the Moor Street to Leamington Spa stoppers, that saves me going for those then. The sun is shining which is making for a lovely bash so far. Next up, winner for everything 68013 to take me to Moor Street for a supply raid at Tesco then another 68 to Snow Hill.
68013, in 12608, Solihull > Birmingham Moor Street (1145,5d,arr 12)
So glad I didn't go to Ebbw Vale Town for the extension from Parkway now, loving today! Well apart from the screeching kid behind me that is. Time to go for a tram bash before the Tesco move, not been on the trams for nearly 6 months!
172343 Birmingham Moor Street > Birmingham Snow Hill (1159,3d,arr 1204)
Harsh, I miss one by less than 30 seconds, it really didn't take long to turn that one around! Still, tram 29 is scored for sight before dud tram 16 is had on an insect leap to St. Pauls [the one in Birmingham that is! - Ed], but it may be my last chance to have one of the Ansaldo trams so I still go for it!
16 Snow Hill > St. Pauls (Birmingham) (1216,arr 1217)
There's a lot of construction work next to the tram line at the west of Snow Hill, although I have no idea what it relates to. I happen to bump into a fellow enthusiast from Manchester at St. Pauls.
We have a good natter and get the next tram back to Snow Hill, which is a winner for everything CAF tram!
25 St. Pauls > Snow Hill (1228,arr 1229)
Here we discover the 1312 to The Bone is cancelled, which was most gutting as it means no more winner 68s for me! I leave my company here to go and get lunch, while he goes to Moor Street for 68013. If he's reading this, I hope you had a good trip! Meal deal sourced at Tesco Metro, and I'm now on the hunt for winner 390s. I start with dud 390126, and get the phone back on charge, updating the trip report as I await departure time.
390126, in 68826, Birmingham New Street > Birmingham International (1250,2d,arr 1301)
Mein Gott, that was a surprise...
390154, in 68954, Birmingham International > Birmingham New Street (1313,2d,arr 13)
Yep, you read that right, a winner 390! And I didn't have to fester for long at all! FIVE more to go, getting so close to clearing the class! I get a reply to a gen request from London Midland, as well as seeing an accident has stopped trams running between Prestfield and Wolverhampton St. Georges. A mate replies to tell me the same as LM did only a few minutes before, good to have confirmation though! I have severe doubts as to my luck continuing further with 390s, so go off to Snow Hill to try my luck on the trams again. This turned out to be an excellent idea!
08 Snow Hill > Soho Benson Road (1342,arr 1347)
There was now a run of required trams, and I was well pleased with how the tram vegging turned out. Not much mileage off any of them of course, but that wasn't the point!
33 Soho Benson Road > Jewellery Quarter (1350,arr 1352
26 Jewellery Quarter > St. Pauls (1359,arr 1401)
28 St. Pauls > Snow Hill (1409,arr 1410)
I try my luck next with the 1430 to London Euston, but annoyingly it's a pair of Voyagers. Umm, no thank you, I'll see what's going to work the 1450 instead. That was dud 390135, so I pass on that too. I don't know why the screens can't tell you what's Voyager and what's Pendolino, it can be done at Birmingham International and Wolverhampton! So I give up for now and do a further supply raid at Tesco Metro, before deciding to visit the nearby Spoons. Epic fail here, as I end up in The Sun of the Hill instead, which was next door to Spoons! Whoops, felt like a right idiot when the barmaid told me that! Still, they had Red Stripe on tap which I've never had before. Not cheap at £4 but equally very nice and helped refresh me and cool me down nicely! I also had a sample of St Austell's Tribute, which didn't taste nice at all, good thing I only had a sample after all! Back on New Street station, I jump on 350251 which is now only 1 step away from being a Super Dud, as Virgin replied to my tweet to tell me their 1515 from here is a pair of Voyagers. No thanks!
350251, in 61551, Birmingham New Street > Wolverhampton (1501,arr 1519)
Unusual to leave from platform 7, in my experience, on a Liverpool service! Might be a required micro-grice there, worth checking tonight. It's time for a late lunch, formed of the meal deal I got earlier, while I fester in the sun for something in particular. I come across a dilemma, but as the 1545 to Euston is dud 390153 I have no need to change plans fortunately. And YEEHAA!FINALLY! 350369, my last LM 350 and indeed the last member of the LM fleet altogether, is on the 1434 Lime Street to Bat Cave as per gen received earlier! Many thanks go to the LM Twitter team for the gen, I'm now a very, VERY, happy basher!
350369, in 60142, Wolverhampton > Birmingham New Street (1600, arr 1618)
As the evening peak restrictions are about to begin, I leave New Street and head back to Snow Hill for yet more tram action!
25 Snow Hill > Handsworth Booth Street (1637,arr 1637)
A 23 minute fester in the sun here gets me winner for everything tram 27. 12 more to go!
27 Handsworth Booth Street > Snow Hill (1700,arr 1708)
Hmm, yes, yes I do! Into The Briar Rose (Spoons) for a pint of Tuborg to celebrate what has been an excellent day in the Midlands! I see that Wetherspoon have also opened a hotel here, with rooms starting at £49. Well worth bearing in mind for sure, especially considering how close to New Street it is.
At New Street I find the signalling problems in Worcester have caused severe delay to the inbound working for the 1719 to Hereford, it being due to arrive after the 1749 was due to leave. In the end, thanks to CrossCountry's inability to ever get the 1739 to Derby away on time [when I'm in the area at least! - Ed], the ECS for the 1749 arrives just after the 1719 leaves about 33 minutes late. If my ticket was valid on the 1719 I'd have got it. My train home is formed of 153334 and 170512 today, and you may remember from earlier that I've not a lot of mileage off 153334 so that's good news. I force my way on for a seat, and while there's a number of seats free around me, people still insist on standing in the vestibules! We eventually leave 6 minutes late, thanks XC!
153334+170512 Birmingham New Street > Hereford (via Worcester Shrub Hill (1749,6d,arr 1939,16d)
Time to crack on with the moves book then, as there's been a lot of moves today! Once that's done, I copy and paste the trip report into a new post, ready to send as soon as I'm ready to do so. This is done before Worcester, but I have a paranoid feeling something's going to go belly up so until I reach Hereford I'm not willing to post it, in case I have more to discuss! Oh and I should imagine you already know I went for the DBT! Arrival into Shrub Hill has an enormous crowd, as the 1804 to Hereford was cancelled (the stock was tucked away behind platform 2 as we left), and as we leave there's still a quite sizeable crowd. We leave 15 minutes late, but at least we shouldn't have the problems on the single line sections that I was worried about. We're held up even more as we have to wait at Malvern Wells for the 1850 Hereford to Bat Cave to get out of the way before we can head west. Some of the journeys from today have now been added to RM as a result, the tram moves won't work in the app so they will have to wait, plus I need mileage data anyway. Rather glad I didn't chance it after all earlier with the later option, plenty of time to get to Hereford to make the last bus worked out well this time. Typical that we're late when I'm wanting to hurry up to the chippy mind!
I've managed to destroy the zip on my bag this evening, so after several months of heavy use [and I mean heavy, good grief I'm amazed it lasted this long with the amount of times it's been rammed jam-packed full and gone all over the place with it! - Ed]
Time for a late tea now, and I can't get my planned chicken curry and chips from Mr Chips as it has now closed down! Whether just for a refurb or permanently, no-one knows. Perhaps it's just as well, it had gone very much downhill in recent years! No idea what I'll have now but I know it's got to be filling as I'm starving now!
I'm sure you'll agree I did well today, better than I normally do these days in the Midlands. Getting the last member of the LM fleet done finally was beyond welcome, as was making a good start on the 68s! There really isn't much left to get now in the West Midlands at all! Some stats as we crawl into Worcester, although as I haven't processed my journeys yet [this may have to wait until after I renew my RailMiles subscription, which expires tomorrow - Ed] I have no mileage figures for you all:
Winners count for the day: 10 (6 trams, 2 68s, 1 350 and 1 390)
Fares cost for the day: £22.20
Bus fares cost for the day: £6.20
Other costs for the day: £30.22
Total cost of the trip: £58.34
Crikey I spent more than I expected on this day trip! Granted some of that could realistically have been avoided by not going to a pub at all, but equally that wouldn't have been as much fun! I'm also happy that I'm looking at clearing 840 miles for June, so not a long way off what I wanted really. Bring on July and the second half of 2015 I say!
Oh aye, that reminds me, there's due to be a BIG post on my Rolling Review of 2015 thread, now we're at half time in 2015. I expect to be posting that by the weekend!
EDIT: After arriving at 1939, 16 minutes late, the trip report is posted. I then end up in Munchies and select large doner meat and chips for £4.95. When I receive it I discover it 's plastered in mayonaise and two tons of salad. Most places, any decent place, ask if you want salad and what if any sauce. He didn't do any of that. If I had wanted infernal rabbit food and sauce which made my stomach turn, I'd have asked for it! He begrudingly gets what salad he can off, after telling me off for not asking for no salad and sauce when I ordered. So I had a far less than pleasing meal, with overcooked and reheated meat, but it had to do. Another big bottle of Pepsi Max is then sourced from Morrisons to wash it all down.
Shame the meal wasn't nice, I was willing to make it a regular call on a bash but not now! A bad end to an otherwise excellent day! Spending data now altered too before I get the bus home.
29/06/2015 - Tech's Purring
Finally I'm back on the bash! It feels like it was a century ago since my last proper trip [I had a couple of bits during a small family break recently but not a proper bash - Ed] and after a less than good Sunday, for reasons I don't want to go into, I really couldn't wait for this one! So what's the trip title about? Well I'm finally going for some Class 68 haulage on Chiltern's Silver sets, and with the 68s nicknamed Cats it seemed logical to make reference to this in the trip title and hashtag. Hope that makes sense!
With the alarm going off at 0600, it didn't take much persuading to get me up and out of bed! All the usual pre-trip prep having been done the night before means I can leave the house on time for the first bus to town. I also have a powerbank with me now, not a hugely powerful one at 2600mAh, but it will do the job of saving the day on long trips with no power sockets available! Breakfast muffins get devoured this morning, hardly enough for a full day's bashing so more food to be sourced later. I didn't get to sleep until gone 0100, due to being excited about the bash ahead, so I'm in need of waking up. Sadly there's not enough milk to make a coffee so it'll have to wait until I get to town! I'm well excited this morning, as I can't wait to see what the 68s are like. You'd think I was going after some NB 37 haulage, I'm that excited!
Today is also exactly a month to go until the 10thbasherversary trip, an epic 6 day adventure to celebrate 10 years of having graduated from spotter to basher! Hard to believe it's been that long, the trips I've made in that time, the places I've been to...But I'm getting ahead of myself, all of that will be discussed in the trip report. Safe to say I'm really looking forward to it, as it'll be the biggest trip of the year and promises to be outrageously fun! The usual MCV is had on the first bus to town, which I've had more than 12,300 miles off of now. I also celebrated last week clearing the 58-plate Optate Tempo for the magical thou. It took about 4 years to do that, and I now have 4 buses left to clear for 1,000 [the "magical thou" - Ed] miles. A couple of which are getting close-ish to that now, but two of them rarely produce on my commutes. Anyway, I've bored most of you a fair bit now, back to the trains! It's Costa time when I arrive in Hereford, as is quite the tradition these days. Feeling somewhat refreshed now, I head to Morrisons and get a large bottle of Pepsi Max for 99p, ready for refreshment later. I bought my day return to Birmingham online yesterday, for the Nectar points ready for Frothmas, and I see there's a new design of ticket in use now. I assume these will be commomplace from now on, but it looks mighty odd and confusing. One day I'll be used to it no doubt, but farewell to the now-old design!
I also do something I've not done in a long time, a move that was traditional for a long time. I'm sure the long-term readers of these trip report writers will know what I'm on about, it is of course a coffee from Pumpkin. Having not had one on the way to town, as is traditional on trips and commutes, I was lacking in caffeine badly. I do regret it already mind, as this coffee is rather rancid compared to Costa's coffee! £2.60 before Bite Card discount, £2.34 with it. That's a 50p increase compared to what I was paying before the Bite Card discount dropped to 10%, and for a lousy product too. Very, VERY, disappointed as even Morrisons could have done better, heck even Nescafe would have been better! It's time to board the 0849 to the Bat Cave [Birmingham New Street - Ed], and for those of you who haven't been keeping up with my nostalgic trip reports thread [I'll try and add a link to this thread when I'm not on my phone, but I do highly recommend reading it - Ed], I'm bringing back an experimental style to this trip report. You'll see what I mean below, feel free to comment on it:
153356+170502 Hereford > Birmingham New Street (via Worcester Shrub Hill) (0849,arr 1019)
Top Tip for readers using the app, italicised text doesn't show properly unless you tap on the post, where it changes from blue to black text and gives you the option to quote etc. Hope that makes sense and shows properly! When I score a winner I'll embolden the number too, as you'll hopefully see OK on some later moves!
Hopefully the above move reads OK, if not do let me know and I'll try to fix it. It should be easier to keep track of winners and moves this way, as I mention above please feel free to comment. Should it come across OK I expect to be adopting it as standard in my trip reports. The moves book is finally brought up to date, and I'm rather enjoying the DBT today! It occurs to me I still haven't got a memo file on my phone to keep track of my LM 153 mileages [some of you may recall I was going to set one up months ago! - Ed], so I start work on that after Worcester Shrub Hill, the intention being to fill in the mileage figures when I have a reliable data connection later. That's now done, and I see 153334 doesn't turn up for me too often, as I've not even had 100 miles off it yet! 153356, however, is a different matter as I'll have a little over 400 miles with it once I get to the Bat Cave, nice! The 3 minutes of slack this train used to have for the last bit into Birmingham has been removed I see, so no longer are we due into New Street at 1022. The customary hold outside New Street is still here though, and somehow we're nearly 6 minutes late from University. It's pretty much mandatory it seems to run late on this service! Arrival is at 1022 and I march off to Moor Street.
Hunger strikes badly here so I swing by Subway for a bacon sub and coffee for £2. A rant follows: No points issued again, service was less than helpful, everything I wanted was unavailable and, worst of all, I was given ham and cheese, not bacon and cheese in my sub! No receipt issued so can't claim my points either! Rant over, and I get my Daytripper for £6.40 and position myself for some photos. Breakfast is devoured but not very enjoyable. If it had been my first Subway I'd never bother again! 68010 rolls in from London Marylebone, and I take several photos before finding a seat and putting my phone on charge [it was already down to 64% charge! - Ed]. Departure is on time, although a bit rough, and before I know it we're in Solihull.
68010, in 12605, Birmingham Moor Street > Solihull (1055,arr 1103)
I video the departure and wow! I am in love with these things! No wonder everyone on the forum who's already had 68s loves them, the noise is awesome! As a fellow basher said, the best new locos in years, which I am in 100% agreement with! It's time for a Thriller Filler move in the 40 minutes I have before a 68 to Moor Street.
172341 Solihull > Dorridge (1113,arr 1119)
Super Dud 172341 is had to Dorridge and I have a lucky quick connection into a slightly late 168112 back to Solihull.
168112, in 58162, Dorridge > Solihull (1119,2d,arr 1126)
That one's now 1 step away from becoming a Super Dud.
Crikey it takes a while to put the bold and italics codes in when typing these trip reports up on my phone! I have a feeling I might do those bits via edits after posting on a laptop on a big trip! Super Dud 165012 is on the Moor Street to Leamington Spa stoppers, that saves me going for those then. The sun is shining which is making for a lovely bash so far. Next up, winner for everything 68013 to take me to Moor Street for a supply raid at Tesco then another 68 to Snow Hill.
68013, in 12608, Solihull > Birmingham Moor Street (1145,5d,arr 12)
So glad I didn't go to Ebbw Vale Town for the extension from Parkway now, loving today! Well apart from the screeching kid behind me that is. Time to go for a tram bash before the Tesco move, not been on the trams for nearly 6 months!
172343 Birmingham Moor Street > Birmingham Snow Hill (1159,3d,arr 1204)
Harsh, I miss one by less than 30 seconds, it really didn't take long to turn that one around! Still, tram 29 is scored for sight before dud tram 16 is had on an insect leap to St. Pauls [the one in Birmingham that is! - Ed], but it may be my last chance to have one of the Ansaldo trams so I still go for it!
16 Snow Hill > St. Pauls (Birmingham) (1216,arr 1217)
There's a lot of construction work next to the tram line at the west of Snow Hill, although I have no idea what it relates to. I happen to bump into a fellow enthusiast from Manchester at St. Pauls.
We have a good natter and get the next tram back to Snow Hill, which is a winner for everything CAF tram!
25 St. Pauls > Snow Hill (1228,arr 1229)
Here we discover the 1312 to The Bone is cancelled, which was most gutting as it means no more winner 68s for me! I leave my company here to go and get lunch, while he goes to Moor Street for 68013. If he's reading this, I hope you had a good trip! Meal deal sourced at Tesco Metro, and I'm now on the hunt for winner 390s. I start with dud 390126, and get the phone back on charge, updating the trip report as I await departure time.
390126, in 68826, Birmingham New Street > Birmingham International (1250,2d,arr 1301)
Mein Gott, that was a surprise...
390154, in 68954, Birmingham International > Birmingham New Street (1313,2d,arr 13)
Yep, you read that right, a winner 390! And I didn't have to fester for long at all! FIVE more to go, getting so close to clearing the class! I get a reply to a gen request from London Midland, as well as seeing an accident has stopped trams running between Prestfield and Wolverhampton St. Georges. A mate replies to tell me the same as LM did only a few minutes before, good to have confirmation though! I have severe doubts as to my luck continuing further with 390s, so go off to Snow Hill to try my luck on the trams again. This turned out to be an excellent idea!
08 Snow Hill > Soho Benson Road (1342,arr 1347)
There was now a run of required trams, and I was well pleased with how the tram vegging turned out. Not much mileage off any of them of course, but that wasn't the point!
33 Soho Benson Road > Jewellery Quarter (1350,arr 1352
26 Jewellery Quarter > St. Pauls (1359,arr 1401)
28 St. Pauls > Snow Hill (1409,arr 1410)
I try my luck next with the 1430 to London Euston, but annoyingly it's a pair of Voyagers. Umm, no thank you, I'll see what's going to work the 1450 instead. That was dud 390135, so I pass on that too. I don't know why the screens can't tell you what's Voyager and what's Pendolino, it can be done at Birmingham International and Wolverhampton! So I give up for now and do a further supply raid at Tesco Metro, before deciding to visit the nearby Spoons. Epic fail here, as I end up in The Sun of the Hill instead, which was next door to Spoons! Whoops, felt like a right idiot when the barmaid told me that! Still, they had Red Stripe on tap which I've never had before. Not cheap at £4 but equally very nice and helped refresh me and cool me down nicely! I also had a sample of St Austell's Tribute, which didn't taste nice at all, good thing I only had a sample after all! Back on New Street station, I jump on 350251 which is now only 1 step away from being a Super Dud, as Virgin replied to my tweet to tell me their 1515 from here is a pair of Voyagers. No thanks!
350251, in 61551, Birmingham New Street > Wolverhampton (1501,arr 1519)
Unusual to leave from platform 7, in my experience, on a Liverpool service! Might be a required micro-grice there, worth checking tonight. It's time for a late lunch, formed of the meal deal I got earlier, while I fester in the sun for something in particular. I come across a dilemma, but as the 1545 to Euston is dud 390153 I have no need to change plans fortunately. And YEEHAA!FINALLY! 350369, my last LM 350 and indeed the last member of the LM fleet altogether, is on the 1434 Lime Street to Bat Cave as per gen received earlier! Many thanks go to the LM Twitter team for the gen, I'm now a very, VERY, happy basher!
350369, in 60142, Wolverhampton > Birmingham New Street (1600, arr 1618)
As the evening peak restrictions are about to begin, I leave New Street and head back to Snow Hill for yet more tram action!
25 Snow Hill > Handsworth Booth Street (1637,arr 1637)
A 23 minute fester in the sun here gets me winner for everything tram 27. 12 more to go!
27 Handsworth Booth Street > Snow Hill (1700,arr 1708)
Hmm, yes, yes I do! Into The Briar Rose (Spoons) for a pint of Tuborg to celebrate what has been an excellent day in the Midlands! I see that Wetherspoon have also opened a hotel here, with rooms starting at £49. Well worth bearing in mind for sure, especially considering how close to New Street it is.
At New Street I find the signalling problems in Worcester have caused severe delay to the inbound working for the 1719 to Hereford, it being due to arrive after the 1749 was due to leave. In the end, thanks to CrossCountry's inability to ever get the 1739 to Derby away on time [when I'm in the area at least! - Ed], the ECS for the 1749 arrives just after the 1719 leaves about 33 minutes late. If my ticket was valid on the 1719 I'd have got it. My train home is formed of 153334 and 170512 today, and you may remember from earlier that I've not a lot of mileage off 153334 so that's good news. I force my way on for a seat, and while there's a number of seats free around me, people still insist on standing in the vestibules! We eventually leave 6 minutes late, thanks XC!
153334+170512 Birmingham New Street > Hereford (via Worcester Shrub Hill (1749,6d,arr 1939,16d)
Time to crack on with the moves book then, as there's been a lot of moves today! Once that's done, I copy and paste the trip report into a new post, ready to send as soon as I'm ready to do so. This is done before Worcester, but I have a paranoid feeling something's going to go belly up so until I reach Hereford I'm not willing to post it, in case I have more to discuss! Oh and I should imagine you already know I went for the DBT! Arrival into Shrub Hill has an enormous crowd, as the 1804 to Hereford was cancelled (the stock was tucked away behind platform 2 as we left), and as we leave there's still a quite sizeable crowd. We leave 15 minutes late, but at least we shouldn't have the problems on the single line sections that I was worried about. We're held up even more as we have to wait at Malvern Wells for the 1850 Hereford to Bat Cave to get out of the way before we can head west. Some of the journeys from today have now been added to RM as a result, the tram moves won't work in the app so they will have to wait, plus I need mileage data anyway. Rather glad I didn't chance it after all earlier with the later option, plenty of time to get to Hereford to make the last bus worked out well this time. Typical that we're late when I'm wanting to hurry up to the chippy mind!
I've managed to destroy the zip on my bag this evening, so after several months of heavy use [and I mean heavy, good grief I'm amazed it lasted this long with the amount of times it's been rammed jam-packed full and gone all over the place with it! - Ed]
Time for a late tea now, and I can't get my planned chicken curry and chips from Mr Chips as it has now closed down! Whether just for a refurb or permanently, no-one knows. Perhaps it's just as well, it had gone very much downhill in recent years! No idea what I'll have now but I know it's got to be filling as I'm starving now!
I'm sure you'll agree I did well today, better than I normally do these days in the Midlands. Getting the last member of the LM fleet done finally was beyond welcome, as was making a good start on the 68s! There really isn't much left to get now in the West Midlands at all! Some stats as we crawl into Worcester, although as I haven't processed my journeys yet [this may have to wait until after I renew my RailMiles subscription, which expires tomorrow - Ed] I have no mileage figures for you all:
Winners count for the day: 10 (6 trams, 2 68s, 1 350 and 1 390)
Fares cost for the day: £22.20
Bus fares cost for the day: £6.20
Other costs for the day: £30.22
Total cost of the trip: £58.34
Crikey I spent more than I expected on this day trip! Granted some of that could realistically have been avoided by not going to a pub at all, but equally that wouldn't have been as much fun! I'm also happy that I'm looking at clearing 840 miles for June, so not a long way off what I wanted really. Bring on July and the second half of 2015 I say!
Oh aye, that reminds me, there's due to be a BIG post on my Rolling Review of 2015 thread, now we're at half time in 2015. I expect to be posting that by the weekend!
EDIT: After arriving at 1939, 16 minutes late, the trip report is posted. I then end up in Munchies and select large doner meat and chips for £4.95. When I receive it I discover it 's plastered in mayonaise and two tons of salad. Most places, any decent place, ask if you want salad and what if any sauce. He didn't do any of that. If I had wanted infernal rabbit food and sauce which made my stomach turn, I'd have asked for it! He begrudingly gets what salad he can off, after telling me off for not asking for no salad and sauce when I ordered. So I had a far less than pleasing meal, with overcooked and reheated meat, but it had to do. Another big bottle of Pepsi Max is then sourced from Morrisons to wash it all down.
Shame the meal wasn't nice, I was willing to make it a regular call on a bash but not now! A bad end to an otherwise excellent day! Spending data now altered too before I get the bus home.
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Kite159
Veteran Member
Well done for clearing London Midland's fleet, plus with some winning 390
Until December when they will get some lovely 319s
Until December when they will get some lovely 319s
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Kite159:2218283 said:Well done for clearing London Midland's fleet, plus with some winning 390
Until December when they will get some lovely 319s
Oh aye I'd forgotten 319s were coming to LM! Hopefully they'll all be duds
I have cleared the LM fleet either twice or three times now!
Blindtraveler
Established Member
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I prefer your other style of reporting personally but up to you I guess. I have never rated Subway and this does nothing to change that! Some people dont eat Mayo so thats bad! Nice work with your LM fleat completed, amazing. Cant wate now for a 68!
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Blindtraveler:2218346 said:
I normally rely on Subway for reasonably priced filling food, but this time I was let down badly.
I don't eat mayo normally, except for the tiny bit of it in some supermarket sandwiches. I refused to waste the entire meal though and salvaged what I could!
Hopefully you didn't suffer too badly reading this one!
Kristofferson
Member
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- Messages
- 1,132
You finally caught up with me on the 350/3s so many congratulations knew it wouldn't be long!
Would love to get some 68s in... Maybe that "first big bash" plan needs dusting off, revising and finally doing now I have some time. Need to replace all the SWT and 378/Bakerloo stuff anyway as I ended up covering those off as part of commutes home!
I like the new trip report style as I said on the nostalgia thread, but see what the feedback is like in general before deciding on one or the other
knew it wouldn't be long!Would love to get some 68s in... Maybe that "first big bash" plan needs dusting off, revising and finally doing now I have some time. Need to replace all the SWT and 378/Bakerloo stuff anyway as I ended up covering those off as part of commutes home!
I like the new trip report style as I said on the nostalgia thread, but see what the feedback is like in general before deciding on one or the other
crispy1978
Member
I'm on the mobile web version so I see the italics, not sure what the app would give me unless it's a link to RTT or something?
I do like the 170xxx Birmingham New Street to Coventry (16:23 - 17:11) idea, I like to be able to follow the services through myself to see where you've been!
Good write-up, and sounds like a good day (catering establishments excluded!)
I do like the 170xxx Birmingham New Street to Coventry (16:23 - 17:11) idea, I like to be able to follow the services through myself to see where you've been!
Good write-up, and sounds like a good day (catering establishments excluded!)
Congratulations at getting 350369! Glad you like the cats but I have noticed with them that unless the driver is good, it jerk just after moving. And the acceleration is quite poor if the driver isn't good. May I just ask why you didn't take Cat 10 to Leamington or Warwick Parkway to connect with Cat 13 there? I know you would need the add on but in my opinion it would be worth it!
Techniquest
Veteran Member
noddy1878:2218452 said:
Thanks, except I still need 9 350/4s yet. Obviously those are getting targeted next month!
Might be getting a bottle of Tribute at the weekend, depends how hot it is. Not a big beer man in the hot weather, that's lager/cider weather!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Kristofferson:2218472 said:You finally caught up with me on the 350/3s so many congratulations
Would love to get some 68s in... Maybe that "first big bash" plan needs dusting off, revising and finally doing now I have some time. Need to replace all the SWT and 378/Bakerloo stuff anyway as I ended up covering those off as part of commutes home!
I like the new trip report style as I said on the nostalgia thread, but see what the feedback is like in general before deciding on one or the other
It still took much longer than I wanted it to mind! High time you got on a proper bash now, especially if you have time now. I assume the workload has eased for a while
You'll love the 68s I reckon, they've got that way of instantly appealing to cranks. I'm confused as to why you want to start again with the stuff you've already done though!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
crispy1978:2218648 said:
Difficult to describe what I mean, easier to show you if that makes sense. So long as it all shows OK then good news
Aye minus the bad food experiences it was an excellent day indeed! 30 days to go!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
fishquinn:2218659 said:
I diidn't remember the add-on if I'm honest!
Yeah the jerking was quite shocking out of Moor Street, but then it could have been the case when 67s first worked them, drivers will get better with them as time goes on I reckon. I didn't notice it so much with the 68 on the front though.
Another 68 fan, eh?
Good stuff, they're the future
Regarding your new style, I'm of two minds, really.
On the one hand, they do make it easy to see what you had but on the other I think it breaks up the flow of the narrative.
Not very helpful, I'm afraid.
Still, it's enjoyable all the same, so new or old it's all the same to me.
One more thing.
You mention evening peak restrictions at New Street, what restrictions are these?
Are they new, a la West Yorkshire?
Good stuff, they're the future
Regarding your new style, I'm of two minds, really.
On the one hand, they do make it easy to see what you had but on the other I think it breaks up the flow of the narrative.
Not very helpful, I'm afraid.
Still, it's enjoyable all the same, so new or old it's all the same to me.
One more thing.
You mention evening peak restrictions at New Street, what restrictions are these?
Are they new, a la West Yorkshire?
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Kristofferson
Member
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- 23 Nov 2012
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- 1,132
By replace I mean take something else in their place - so switch out the planned SWT stuff which I've now done with 68s for example
Blindtraveler
Established Member
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- 28 Feb 2011
- Messages
- 10,543
Im with 55013 on breaking up the narative but couldnt quite think how to say it last night due to being tired
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Kristofferson:2218871 said:By replace I mean take something else in their place - so switch out the planned SWT stuff which I've now done with 68s for example
Ahh fair enough, makes sense now!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
55013:2218743 said:Another 68 fan, eh?
Good stuff, they're the future
Regarding your new style, I'm of two minds, really.
On the one hand, they do make it easy to see what you had but on the other I think it breaks up the flow of the narrative.
Not very helpful, I'm afraid.
Still, it's enjoyable all the same, so new or old it's all the same to me.
One more thing.
You mention evening peak restrictions at New Street, what restrictions are these?
Are they new, a la West Yorkshire?
If only ATW had 68s on the WAG-Ex I'd use it so much more often!
Fair comment on the style used on yesterday's trip report. It does mean a lot more effort is required to type the trip reports up, so I may well end up reverting back to the normal write-up anyway yet. I'll make a decision come the next trip.
As for the evening restrictions, I'm fairly certain Daytrippers have had evening restrictions (roughly 1630-1800) for years. I could be wrong, but it certainly applied to some off-peak tickets a few years ago. I had no problem using one on trams mind, so I really should look up any restrictions before my next one!
Looks like it is valid in the evening peak.
http://www.railrover.org/pages/west-midlands-day-tripper.html
http://www.railrover.org/pages/west-midlands-day-tripper.html
Techniquest
Veteran Member
fishquinn:2219395 said:
Interesting. I was going to check that page myself eventually, I'm sure back in 2011 (when I used to do WMDRs a lot, and wrongly assumed they were also subject to peak time restrictions as they're technically an off-peak ticket) that from several stations in Birmingham you needed an Anytime ticket, and that Daytrippers were also subject to that restriction!
Looks like a good day out there (food issues aside). Haven't had a 68 yet so will have to add that to the ever growing to do list! As for the writing style, I prefer more of the narrative like others have said. I think it allows your humour to come out more. But hey, each to their own. They're your reports after all
Techniquest
Veteran Member
crehld:2219514 said:Looks like a good day out there (food issues aside). Haven't had a 68 yet so will have to add that to the ever growing to do list! As for the writing style, I prefer more of the narrative like others have said. I think it allows your humour to come out more. But hey, each to their own. They're your reports after all
T'is a fair point, yesterday's trip report was far more factual and barely any humour came through. Not that it's easy to generate the right humour for a trip report sometimes!
Sounds like you need to do another WMDR, get going on the 68s too!
In other trip news, I'm working on a huge trip for 2016. No, not Australia before you ask, that ship sailed months ago! This one is with a norm friend of mine, the same one I went to Stockholm with in November 2014. The long and short of it at the moment is to visit 10 capital cities in Europe in 6 days or less! There will be a seperate thread to discuss all this properly soon, as you can never start planning too soon!
September should also see me go on an Ireland trip again with another norm, the same one I went with last time. Hopefully this time there will be no dramas! That's still to be confirmed yet when I get holiday dates booked off (every day I intend to do it, I get busy and forget!), but late September's the first slot I can squeeze it into!
Much nearer the present time, I'm anticipating another West Midlands Daytripper on 13th July, or I might get on with going to Ebbw Vale to do the new extension from Parkway to Ebbw Vale Town.
47403
Established Member
Good read mate.
Keith Jarrett
Member
Well done on clearing London Midland - but that'll be short lived as your bound to need a 319 or two - rumour mill is saying it's going to be 10 of them for you to chase.
I'm a long way behind you with LM (67 needed for 10 miles with 26 of them outright winners) - there's just more important stuff to get at the moment
I'm a long way behind you with LM (67 needed for 10 miles with 26 of them outright winners) - there's just more important stuff to get at the moment
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Keith Jarrett:2221643 said:
Oh I agree there's more important stuff to go for, 350s being part of my 'local' fleet made it key to get them all in. The gap in my book was more than irritating! I have no such irritances at the moment, well apart from 158960 actually...
Regarding the 319s coming to LM, it does depend totally on which ones come over. I do have a fairly short of 319s that I need (only 22 to get, which includes quite a few with Northern) after all! 10 319s could be interesting, I look forward to finding out what happens!
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Trip with a difference today! Find out why below:
13/07/2015 - Ebbw Vale Town trip
Yes, no fancy/clever title this time, and boy what a long 2 weeks that was! I couldn't see myself making it until 29th July for a bash, not with all that's been going on, this trip was more than required! It's a budget day out for sure too, I have to save as much as I can for #10thbasherversary !
Bag prep took about 5 minutes for a change, and after a de-rance it was to bed rather early for a change! 0600 is still here before I know it, woken up from a slightly strange dream involving the space shuttle and finding flat ground to land on. Don't ask, I don't know either! Off I go for the usual chariot to town after a light breakfast, and it's time for some My Chemical Romance this morning. So what's the plan, after all I did mention it's a budget day. Well a day return to Ebbw Vale on the train was just short of 23 quid, but after researching it I found I can get there and back on the bus for less than 8 quid. At almost a third of the price, with money being tight, there was only one option to go for! I had also looked at doing another West Midlands Daytripper, however I had to cut that and a potential trip to Bristol [for 150/9s - Ed] to save money. The new track at Ebbw Vale was also irritating me, so all in there was no competition. Yes it won't be as fun this way, but I will be making up for this month's lost mileage on the next trip [I can promise you now it's going to be an enormous trip report for that one! - Ed]!
This trip is also going to be different, in that recent decisions have me starting on eating less and, when possible, more wisely. Partly to help the bank balance [Burger King meals aren't cheap! -Ed] but mainly because some of my clothes no longer fit properly. It's going to be a long, long road to success on this one, but in the long term it'll be worth it. That means my fizzy drink intake has to drop significantly, and my intake of water has to dramatically increase, on top of making wiser decisions on eating. Wish me luck all!
Woop, I've still got a tenner in my wallet, that saves a trip to the ATM! It's Costa time when I get to town, then a slow stroll to the bus station for the 0830 X4 to Cardiff via Abergavenny, Ebbw Vale, Merthyr Tydfil and Pontypridd. Stagecoach's 28721 (YN15 KFO) is on it today, and 7.50 lighter I have my Explorer. No plug sockets on these buses, which I was disappointed about. Off we go right time for the 2 hour journey to Ebbw Vale. It's a boring 59 minute ride to Abergavenny,where thankfully there's a few minutes before departure again so I run across to the gents! I move seats now and find this new one is much more comfy,and has a better view.Only another 52 minutes to go...The massive works on the A465 are still going on,10 years after I was last in the area! To be fair the works were big at the time, and show no sign of being finished for a long time.
The works continue all the way to Brynmawr, if not further along. We have a driver change here and leave almost 7 minutes late, eventually arriving at Ebbw Vale Learning Zone at 1034, 7 minutes late. Thankfully Ebbw Vale Town station isn't too hard to find, and the arrival from Cardiff is a little late otherwise I'd have not made it. 3.70 lighter I have my day return to Pye Corner, departing with 150217 on the 1037 to Cardiff Central at 1040. A couple of minutes later we're at Ebbw Vale Parkway, which means I've now completed the line again. I had considered going just the one way to Pye Corner, bussing it into Newport then up to Cwmbran and Pontypool to Abergavenny for another change to Hereford. I soon dismissed that idea! A 36 minute trip drops me off in Pye Corner, and there's nothing in the local area. Not grand as I'm rather hungry, 5 hours after my light breakfast. Worse is that I don't have long [8 minutes I believe - Ed] between getting back to Ebbw Vale Town and the next X4 north. Otherwise it's find the town centre in Ebbw Vale, find food and wait for nearly 2 hours for the next bus north. Despite it being named Ebbw Vale Town, I didn't see much evidence of a town centre anywhere near the station. I have a packet of black cherries to keep me going, and I suppose I could always bail off the bus in Brynmawr and go to the Asda there for supplies before the next bus from there. Hmm, choices to make!
Google Maps assures me the town centre is not that far from Ebbw Vale Town station, so I'm going to trust it and decide what to do when I get back there. At 1141 the 1153 to Ebbw Vale Town is expected at 1158. The X4 timetable shows buses to Brynmawr and Abergavenny in addition to the Hereford ones, so I might use one of those to source food instead yet. At least I still have options! 150267 is on the 1135 Cardiff Central to Ebbw Vale Town,another one that's already Super Dud. I discover an issue with all this squash drinking [gone through 1.5L of it in just 5 hours - Ed] though, and that's my bladder isn't used to it! Just before the 150 arrives, I plug in the powerbank I bought from Aldi a few weeks ago, and thankfully it works! So far so good, how long the charge it holds will last is another thing mind, but I'll report on that later. I'm just glad to have left Pye Corner and all it's boringness! Still, the whole line is done again [until the doubling works are finished! - Ed] and all shacks are now done for the second time. Watch now, another one will be built to annoy me! New track for the doubling is quite extensive between Newbridge and Llanhilleth, will mean a new platform is required at the latter. 30 seconds. That's all the time I needed to make the Hereford bus. If I had been that bit earlier into Ebbw Vale off 150267 [if only it had run to time! - Ed] I could have got out of this dump!
I now of course hope I can get off in Hereford and still make the 1600 bus home, but we'll see. If not then the 1700 will have to do, it now all rests on the traffic and pax numbers! Delays in Abergavenny mean that is unlikely as it is, and when I realise we're going to land in Hereford right in peak time, the 1600 is no longer an option! Fortunately we don't pick up many school kids, this working being routed via King Henry VIII school in Abergavenny for that purpose, so that was a welcome relief. It's more than time for some tunes, Weird Al Yankovic is on YouTube with a few different tunes [Polka Face is one of many favourites - Ed] as well as a few other bits. 1558 and we're nearly in Hereford, sure felt like a long time coming! I meet up with my best mate in the world, and we enjoy a nice catch up and natter over a Costa, which was a nice break from buses to be fair, then ended up in Spoons for a drink. BF62 UYM takes me home after I see her off, and I finish the trip report off.
I have no idea what the mileage on trains was, certainly I've had plenty of bus mileage! A few stats:
Cost of bus fares: 13.70 (Stagecoach South Wales Day Explorer and day return on my route)
Cost of rail fares: 3.70 (Ebbw Vale Town to Pye Corner Anytime Day Return)
Other costs: 23.72 (including the new trainers, socks and the drinks in Spoons)
Total cost of the trip: 41.12
Not a cheap trip, but then 12.48 was for new trainers and socks. As they were vital I included them in the cost for the trip, which if they had been bought before/after they wouldn't have been.
Certainly a different trip!
13/07/2015 - Ebbw Vale Town trip
Yes, no fancy/clever title this time, and boy what a long 2 weeks that was! I couldn't see myself making it until 29th July for a bash, not with all that's been going on, this trip was more than required! It's a budget day out for sure too, I have to save as much as I can for #10thbasherversary !
Bag prep took about 5 minutes for a change, and after a de-rance it was to bed rather early for a change! 0600 is still here before I know it, woken up from a slightly strange dream involving the space shuttle and finding flat ground to land on. Don't ask, I don't know either! Off I go for the usual chariot to town after a light breakfast, and it's time for some My Chemical Romance this morning. So what's the plan, after all I did mention it's a budget day. Well a day return to Ebbw Vale on the train was just short of 23 quid, but after researching it I found I can get there and back on the bus for less than 8 quid. At almost a third of the price, with money being tight, there was only one option to go for! I had also looked at doing another West Midlands Daytripper, however I had to cut that and a potential trip to Bristol [for 150/9s - Ed] to save money. The new track at Ebbw Vale was also irritating me, so all in there was no competition. Yes it won't be as fun this way, but I will be making up for this month's lost mileage on the next trip [I can promise you now it's going to be an enormous trip report for that one! - Ed]!
This trip is also going to be different, in that recent decisions have me starting on eating less and, when possible, more wisely. Partly to help the bank balance [Burger King meals aren't cheap! -Ed] but mainly because some of my clothes no longer fit properly. It's going to be a long, long road to success on this one, but in the long term it'll be worth it. That means my fizzy drink intake has to drop significantly, and my intake of water has to dramatically increase, on top of making wiser decisions on eating. Wish me luck all!
Woop, I've still got a tenner in my wallet, that saves a trip to the ATM! It's Costa time when I get to town, then a slow stroll to the bus station for the 0830 X4 to Cardiff via Abergavenny, Ebbw Vale, Merthyr Tydfil and Pontypridd. Stagecoach's 28721 (YN15 KFO) is on it today, and 7.50 lighter I have my Explorer. No plug sockets on these buses, which I was disappointed about. Off we go right time for the 2 hour journey to Ebbw Vale. It's a boring 59 minute ride to Abergavenny,where thankfully there's a few minutes before departure again so I run across to the gents! I move seats now and find this new one is much more comfy,and has a better view.Only another 52 minutes to go...The massive works on the A465 are still going on,10 years after I was last in the area! To be fair the works were big at the time, and show no sign of being finished for a long time.
The works continue all the way to Brynmawr, if not further along. We have a driver change here and leave almost 7 minutes late, eventually arriving at Ebbw Vale Learning Zone at 1034, 7 minutes late. Thankfully Ebbw Vale Town station isn't too hard to find, and the arrival from Cardiff is a little late otherwise I'd have not made it. 3.70 lighter I have my day return to Pye Corner, departing with 150217 on the 1037 to Cardiff Central at 1040. A couple of minutes later we're at Ebbw Vale Parkway, which means I've now completed the line again. I had considered going just the one way to Pye Corner, bussing it into Newport then up to Cwmbran and Pontypool to Abergavenny for another change to Hereford. I soon dismissed that idea! A 36 minute trip drops me off in Pye Corner, and there's nothing in the local area. Not grand as I'm rather hungry, 5 hours after my light breakfast. Worse is that I don't have long [8 minutes I believe - Ed] between getting back to Ebbw Vale Town and the next X4 north. Otherwise it's find the town centre in Ebbw Vale, find food and wait for nearly 2 hours for the next bus north. Despite it being named Ebbw Vale Town, I didn't see much evidence of a town centre anywhere near the station. I have a packet of black cherries to keep me going, and I suppose I could always bail off the bus in Brynmawr and go to the Asda there for supplies before the next bus from there. Hmm, choices to make!
Google Maps assures me the town centre is not that far from Ebbw Vale Town station, so I'm going to trust it and decide what to do when I get back there. At 1141 the 1153 to Ebbw Vale Town is expected at 1158. The X4 timetable shows buses to Brynmawr and Abergavenny in addition to the Hereford ones, so I might use one of those to source food instead yet. At least I still have options! 150267 is on the 1135 Cardiff Central to Ebbw Vale Town,another one that's already Super Dud. I discover an issue with all this squash drinking [gone through 1.5L of it in just 5 hours - Ed] though, and that's my bladder isn't used to it! Just before the 150 arrives, I plug in the powerbank I bought from Aldi a few weeks ago, and thankfully it works! So far so good, how long the charge it holds will last is another thing mind, but I'll report on that later. I'm just glad to have left Pye Corner and all it's boringness! Still, the whole line is done again [until the doubling works are finished! - Ed] and all shacks are now done for the second time. Watch now, another one will be built to annoy me! New track for the doubling is quite extensive between Newbridge and Llanhilleth, will mean a new platform is required at the latter. 30 seconds. That's all the time I needed to make the Hereford bus. If I had been that bit earlier into Ebbw Vale off 150267 [if only it had run to time! - Ed] I could have got out of this dump!
I now of course hope I can get off in Hereford and still make the 1600 bus home, but we'll see. If not then the 1700 will have to do, it now all rests on the traffic and pax numbers! Delays in Abergavenny mean that is unlikely as it is, and when I realise we're going to land in Hereford right in peak time, the 1600 is no longer an option! Fortunately we don't pick up many school kids, this working being routed via King Henry VIII school in Abergavenny for that purpose, so that was a welcome relief. It's more than time for some tunes, Weird Al Yankovic is on YouTube with a few different tunes [Polka Face is one of many favourites - Ed] as well as a few other bits. 1558 and we're nearly in Hereford, sure felt like a long time coming! I meet up with my best mate in the world, and we enjoy a nice catch up and natter over a Costa, which was a nice break from buses to be fair, then ended up in Spoons for a drink. BF62 UYM takes me home after I see her off, and I finish the trip report off.
I have no idea what the mileage on trains was, certainly I've had plenty of bus mileage! A few stats:
Cost of bus fares: 13.70 (Stagecoach South Wales Day Explorer and day return on my route)
Cost of rail fares: 3.70 (Ebbw Vale Town to Pye Corner Anytime Day Return)
Other costs: 23.72 (including the new trainers, socks and the drinks in Spoons)
Total cost of the trip: 41.12
Not a cheap trip, but then 12.48 was for new trainers and socks. As they were vital I included them in the cost for the trip, which if they had been bought before/after they wouldn't have been.
Certainly a different trip!
Blindtraveler
Established Member
- Joined
- 28 Feb 2011
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Its anoying when they go build a few fiddly bits like that! Sounds like a fun day though! Thanks for sharing
Keith Jarrett
Member
Well done on getting another couple of shacks in the book as well as being able to scratch some more track in your Baker's Atlas. Certainly a novel way to keep your costs down by using the bus for the trunk haul.
You've reminded me that in addition to several of the shacks up the Ebbw Vale line, I also need some track as last time I was up there, it was on a railtour. And in those days, the line only went as far as the old steelworks.
Certainly looking forward to the write up of the epic bash. Not long now.......
You've reminded me that in addition to several of the shacks up the Ebbw Vale line, I also need some track as last time I was up there, it was on a railtour. And in those days, the line only went as far as the old steelworks.
Certainly looking forward to the write up of the epic bash. Not long now.......
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Keith Jarrett:2232529 said:
Certainly a different way of doing it, although I'm no stranger to using a Stagecoach Day Explorer to cover much terrain for small ching. Back in the day, I would do Hereford to Gloucester via Ross on Wye, then to Cheltenham via the back roads, over to Swindon via Cirencester, then to either Chippenham or Trowbridge. I did do it in the other direction a few times too. It's a long day, with mostly decent connections (Gloucester was always a little tight, to ensure there was time in Cheltenham to go to the other stops) but it was cheap at 6 quid or so. I was also a bit of a bus basher back at the time too so that helped!
You wouldn't think there was ever a steelworks there now, no evidence at all or at least that I saw.
Yep, 2 weeks at 1700 tonight I'll be bouncing off the walls, as I'll then officially be off for 6 days. More than excited about it, been counting down for weeks!
D841 Roebuck
Established Member
That looks to be a different sort of day out - and a sensible saving of funds.
I quite like long distance bus trips - and the various day rover tickets can be excellent value.
I'm semi-seriously contemplating a return trip from Rochdale to Seahouses (Northumberland) via the following routes:
Out - Rochdale - Halifax - Leeds - Whitby - Guisborough - Middlesbrough - Newcastle - Seahouses
Return - Seahouses - Newcastle - Carlisle - Keswick - Lancaster - Preston - Bolton - Rochdale
Both come to about £23/24 for the day - walk up. Return train tickets to Berwick are about £90 (so might as well get a 4-in-8 NE rover...
I quite like long distance bus trips - and the various day rover tickets can be excellent value.
I'm semi-seriously contemplating a return trip from Rochdale to Seahouses (Northumberland) via the following routes:
Out - Rochdale - Halifax - Leeds - Whitby - Guisborough - Middlesbrough - Newcastle - Seahouses
Return - Seahouses - Newcastle - Carlisle - Keswick - Lancaster - Preston - Bolton - Rochdale
Both come to about £23/24 for the day - walk up. Return train tickets to Berwick are about £90 (so might as well get a 4-in-8 NE rover...
crispy1978
Member
Good write-up once again. These little extensions must be a little annoyance to the serious basher though I imagine, but they keep it fresh and on your toes I suppose!
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