It’s now Tuesday and for the second time this week 700023 is my chariot out of St Helier. 1V83 is dud so no need to worry about that but still I bail at Herne Hill in case the 465 Gods offer up something to me. My spirits are lifted when I see required 465001 heading out of town – perhaps I can intercept that later in the day? But a swift check of the diagrams reveals that it retreats to the warmth of some sidings between the peaks so there’s not too much hope for me tracking that one down. The first two Victoria trains are composed of Mett-Camm builds and the third yields 465020+466039 – at least 465020 is a low mileage jobbie. 21347+21348 complete the trek to the factory.
The day passes quickly and before I know it, it’s going home time! There was a need to get home fairly swiftly as there was lots to do so I went directly to Waterloo with the option of about three or four trains to connect with something up the bank to St Helier. The first of the available trains was formed of a pair of Vossloh-tractioned 455. While one was familiar to me as having been retractioned, I was uncertain about the second. I boarded 5705+5727 for the run out to Wimbledon and followed up with 319008+319446 to St Helier. It was only when I got home, was I able to check and without really trying I now have winner number 24 in the bag so 5727, step forward and take a congratulatory bow!
Leaving home on Wednesday, it was a trifle damp on the walk to St Helier and a new 700 for me on 1O10 appears, 700015, but it’s not a winner as the eagle-eyed amongst you will recall that it was 700015 which took me by surprise on Friday 16th at Herne Hill. At least, I’d clear it for 10 miles now. I went again for the Herne Hill move and all I could get out of that was low mileage 465170+465192 with 465170 staggering over the 10 mile “bar”. “Ah well, another fully paid up member of the Ten Mile Club”. 21551+21552 completed an otherwise uneventful trip into work from Victoria.
After work, I had about an hour and a half to kill before meeting my wife and some of our friends for an evening out so how did I occupy that void? 21525+21526 took me east from work to Tower Hill for a short walk to Fenchurch Street. I had been given to understand that all six of c2c’s 387s had now arrived and were in traffic so I was pleasantly surprised when the stock for the 17:16 departure rolled in with 387302+387304+387306. Two winners in one train can’t be bad and with 387302 clearing 10 miles, I was certainly not in complaining mode. Taking the trio to West Ham, I saw the other trio of 387s whizz through running ECS to Fenchurch Street. A few minutes later, 357012+357031+357035 followed up and I boarded as the chase was now on! The 357s were all dud but that was secondary.
Back at Fenchurch Street, I had four minutes to switch over platforms and onto 387301+387303+387305 on the 17:43 departure. Another winner in the bag (387305) and that took me up to 27 winners for December and also the 387/3 sub-class cleared. I wanted to go to Barking to get some mileage on 305 and clear the other two for 10 miles but time was not on my side so I had to make do with a Bus Stop Bash to Limehouse. I missed the +0 connection back to Fenchurch Street so I switched to the DLR and arrived on the platform to be greeted by 04+11+13 arriving bound for Bank. That’ll do fine I thought. A swift walk through the tunnels etc. at Bank saw me interchange to Monument station and onto 21489+21490 to South Kensington for 21353+21354 round to High Street Kensington and an on time arrival to meet my wife and our friends. An enjoyable evening followed, made all the better with three more December winners in the bag (now on 27 for the month). At this rate of scoring, I'm seriously hoping that Santa has been able to action my request for a new red pen!
hock: I'm honoured that I got a mention in your trip report, sure made me smile and the highlight of my day!
