Kite159
Veteran Member
Sorry for the title, I couldn't think what to call this lovely report written up coming home tonight.
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Following on from doing my great escapes with London Midland at the start of the month, I had some unfinished business with the West Midlands 'region', mainly the very beautiful Stratford Upon Avon.
It was a nice early start as I walked to the station instead of driving as it was light at 5:35 (although come tomorrow it won't be). Heard a couple freight trains pulling through Grateley, lovely sound of them working hard to get up the incline, standard Class 66s). 2 eastbound and 1 westbound. At 5:57 the service made up of the very comfortable 159022 pulled in under the cover of quietness. Nothing worth to note along the trip to Woking apart from some new cows.
At Woking I changed to the Woking to Waterloo stopping service leaving from platform 3, made up of 455909. Nice trip into Surbiton where I changed trains and across the platform of the zone 6 station to wait for the Hampton Court train to pull in, made up of 455908. Nice short trip towards the palace of Henry. At the station I made use of the toilet for a quick flush, and got back on the train, which headed back towards Waterloo where from Wimbledon it got quite busy. At platform 1 it pulled into.
Quick trip up the Bakerloo on classic 70s stock, bouncy seats, and into Marylebone I arrived, up a rather long escuator to the concourse, finally I've made an advance train with a good 15 minutes to spare, found 168215 waiting on the platform which made up the 9:09 service to Stratford upon Avon. First time I think on a 168, the forerunner of the 170/171/172 designs. Very comfy extendable table seat at the rear of the set. Nice little run up along the Chiltern main line, watching out for traffic heading the other way. 165s/168s, plus a chiltern 172 (I think), add in the 'silver' loco trains. Other trains spotted were a couple XC voyagers (I'm guessing the line to Coventry was out of action seeing one at Warwick, so making use of part of the camp hills line between Moor and New? I'm pretty sure I spotted a charter train with old carriages heading south.
Between Banbury and Lemington Spa a double line branched off, is that still used for anything? (Had a quick look at Google maps but doesn't look like it's goes anywhere). Also at the sidings around Wembley I spotted a Chilterrn branded coaches but painted a light blue with an engine branded 'arriva'.
Anyways the run to Stratford was nice, very beautiful countryside, running a bit late into Stratford upon Avon. Lots of works happening at that station (plus what looks like a 3/4 storey car park at Banbury). Had a quick look around but noticing the station was busy I didn't want to go too far to be late for the train to Birmingham via The Lakes.
A lot of the stations in that area are rather basic looking, but as I travelled up towards Stourbridge Junction on 172334, picking up a DayTripper ticket on the way saving me around 10 minutes. Funny thing witnessed is a couple football fans failed to get off at the Hawthorns as they didn't realise they needed to press the open door button for the doors to open. At Stourbridge the little 139001 railcar was waiting for the trip down one of the shortest branch lines. 3 minutes later I was at the Town station where I had a quick look around, however I didn't want to spend long and 10 minutes later I was back at the station as 139001 pulled in again.
At the junction I couldn't help smile at the Chiltern loco set in the sidings, and what services use the lines which continue after the services towards Snow Hill go off to the right. 172220 was the train which took me back towards Snow Hill, looks like a bomb hit parts of the area and hasn't been cleaned up.
At Snow Hill, after eventually finding the entrance to the tram platform going down and down the steps to find Midlands Metro tram 16 waiting to take me to Wolverhampton along an old railway line I believe. It seemed every tram heading the other way had a West Brom fan in the back. At Wolverhampton I set off heading in the wrong way and eventually after ignoring the signposts and using my phone savnav I found the station (via a branch of the co-op for a £2,70 meal deal (normally £3 but I get 10% discount for being a 'student'.
Wolverhampton is a rather hateful station, I could see one screen listing departures which rotated between 3 pages, page of arrivals and a couple other pages of stuff about not running or smoking, eventually found my way to platform 3 (or 4) for an Arriva Trains Wales service made up of 158826 at the front, I'm guessing there was another 2 car 158 set at the rear. Time was slowly ticking down, made worst by a slight delay getting into New Street.
Once at New Street it was a fast walk towards Moor Street, foolishly following the signs instead of my phone, ended up doing a slight jog towards the station where the 15:55 service back to London was waiting. I was worried with Chiltern having their 25p each way deal on, it was going to be busy. It was busy but I managed to find a forward facing seat on the right hand side of 168111. Nice run back towards Marylebone, some beautiful countryside. I saw what looked liked a 170 on the tracks the Chiltern line crosses before Wembley Stadium station. Would have been around 17:30, might have been my eyes playing games with me.
Into Marylebone onto platform 3 (less of a walk, my feet are killing me), down to the Bakerloo south platform, walked to the front car which was empty compared to the slighty full middle and rear cars. Once at Waterloo I had 45 minutes to spare so I made use of a free milkshake prize down McDonalds, and waited for the 18:50 service to Salisbury to arrive at around 18:20.
First on the train I was, had a code 135 error at the Waterloo gate line, guard let me through. So currently I'm typing this going at 90mph (ish) on 159008. Gone dark outside so can't look out of the window. Quite a busy train with a rather fit young lady (on a 16-25 railcard) sat opposite in a low cut top. I must stop looking and return to my report.
Next week is the Valleys Challenge so I might work out a plan tomorrow. I've now covered most of the West Midlands area, apart from Worcester-super-mere Scrub Hill and the lines the XC services use from Gloucester to New Street, Camp Hill, New Street to Tamworth and Nuneaton. XC country.
Early night for me, plus a shower as soon as I get in, will dig out the high viz jacket when closer to Grateley. Started to slow down for Basingstoke now it feels like.
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Following on from doing my great escapes with London Midland at the start of the month, I had some unfinished business with the West Midlands 'region', mainly the very beautiful Stratford Upon Avon.
It was a nice early start as I walked to the station instead of driving as it was light at 5:35 (although come tomorrow it won't be). Heard a couple freight trains pulling through Grateley, lovely sound of them working hard to get up the incline, standard Class 66s). 2 eastbound and 1 westbound. At 5:57 the service made up of the very comfortable 159022 pulled in under the cover of quietness. Nothing worth to note along the trip to Woking apart from some new cows.
At Woking I changed to the Woking to Waterloo stopping service leaving from platform 3, made up of 455909. Nice trip into Surbiton where I changed trains and across the platform of the zone 6 station to wait for the Hampton Court train to pull in, made up of 455908. Nice short trip towards the palace of Henry. At the station I made use of the toilet for a quick flush, and got back on the train, which headed back towards Waterloo where from Wimbledon it got quite busy. At platform 1 it pulled into.
Quick trip up the Bakerloo on classic 70s stock, bouncy seats, and into Marylebone I arrived, up a rather long escuator to the concourse, finally I've made an advance train with a good 15 minutes to spare, found 168215 waiting on the platform which made up the 9:09 service to Stratford upon Avon. First time I think on a 168, the forerunner of the 170/171/172 designs. Very comfy extendable table seat at the rear of the set. Nice little run up along the Chiltern main line, watching out for traffic heading the other way. 165s/168s, plus a chiltern 172 (I think), add in the 'silver' loco trains. Other trains spotted were a couple XC voyagers (I'm guessing the line to Coventry was out of action seeing one at Warwick, so making use of part of the camp hills line between Moor and New? I'm pretty sure I spotted a charter train with old carriages heading south.
Between Banbury and Lemington Spa a double line branched off, is that still used for anything? (Had a quick look at Google maps but doesn't look like it's goes anywhere). Also at the sidings around Wembley I spotted a Chilterrn branded coaches but painted a light blue with an engine branded 'arriva'.
Anyways the run to Stratford was nice, very beautiful countryside, running a bit late into Stratford upon Avon. Lots of works happening at that station (plus what looks like a 3/4 storey car park at Banbury). Had a quick look around but noticing the station was busy I didn't want to go too far to be late for the train to Birmingham via The Lakes.
A lot of the stations in that area are rather basic looking, but as I travelled up towards Stourbridge Junction on 172334, picking up a DayTripper ticket on the way saving me around 10 minutes. Funny thing witnessed is a couple football fans failed to get off at the Hawthorns as they didn't realise they needed to press the open door button for the doors to open. At Stourbridge the little 139001 railcar was waiting for the trip down one of the shortest branch lines. 3 minutes later I was at the Town station where I had a quick look around, however I didn't want to spend long and 10 minutes later I was back at the station as 139001 pulled in again.
At the junction I couldn't help smile at the Chiltern loco set in the sidings, and what services use the lines which continue after the services towards Snow Hill go off to the right. 172220 was the train which took me back towards Snow Hill, looks like a bomb hit parts of the area and hasn't been cleaned up.
At Snow Hill, after eventually finding the entrance to the tram platform going down and down the steps to find Midlands Metro tram 16 waiting to take me to Wolverhampton along an old railway line I believe. It seemed every tram heading the other way had a West Brom fan in the back. At Wolverhampton I set off heading in the wrong way and eventually after ignoring the signposts and using my phone savnav I found the station (via a branch of the co-op for a £2,70 meal deal (normally £3 but I get 10% discount for being a 'student'.
Wolverhampton is a rather hateful station, I could see one screen listing departures which rotated between 3 pages, page of arrivals and a couple other pages of stuff about not running or smoking, eventually found my way to platform 3 (or 4) for an Arriva Trains Wales service made up of 158826 at the front, I'm guessing there was another 2 car 158 set at the rear. Time was slowly ticking down, made worst by a slight delay getting into New Street.
Once at New Street it was a fast walk towards Moor Street, foolishly following the signs instead of my phone, ended up doing a slight jog towards the station where the 15:55 service back to London was waiting. I was worried with Chiltern having their 25p each way deal on, it was going to be busy. It was busy but I managed to find a forward facing seat on the right hand side of 168111. Nice run back towards Marylebone, some beautiful countryside. I saw what looked liked a 170 on the tracks the Chiltern line crosses before Wembley Stadium station. Would have been around 17:30, might have been my eyes playing games with me.
Into Marylebone onto platform 3 (less of a walk, my feet are killing me), down to the Bakerloo south platform, walked to the front car which was empty compared to the slighty full middle and rear cars. Once at Waterloo I had 45 minutes to spare so I made use of a free milkshake prize down McDonalds, and waited for the 18:50 service to Salisbury to arrive at around 18:20.
First on the train I was, had a code 135 error at the Waterloo gate line, guard let me through. So currently I'm typing this going at 90mph (ish) on 159008. Gone dark outside so can't look out of the window. Quite a busy train with a rather fit young lady (on a 16-25 railcard) sat opposite in a low cut top. I must stop looking and return to my report.
Next week is the Valleys Challenge so I might work out a plan tomorrow. I've now covered most of the West Midlands area, apart from Worcester-super-mere Scrub Hill and the lines the XC services use from Gloucester to New Street, Camp Hill, New Street to Tamworth and Nuneaton. XC country.
Early night for me, plus a shower as soon as I get in, will dig out the high viz jacket when closer to Grateley. Started to slow down for Basingstoke now it feels like.