Donny Dave
Established Member
As I commented on another thread, for once I was out and about on the National Rail network yesterday. The reason for this was that I was getting my sister and nieces down to, and across London, as my sister is not very confident about using the underground at the best of times, let alone when she has 2 yound children in tow!
The day started uneventfully enough, with us catching the 1208 TPE service from Scunthorpe. Having been reading the topic about the Hatfield landslip, I was keen to see what was going on for myself, as well as seeing how big the new bridge at Thorne South actually is. First up was the crawl through Crowle station. As the train slowed down, I initially thought that we had caught up with the preceeding coal train that went through Scunthorpe about 10-15 minutes before hand, but then I remembered about the 20 TSR. The reports I had read about the new footbridge at Thorne were not an exageration either, it's huuuuuge! The spoil moving operation at the colliery was still in full swing, and the ride was noticably smoother past there compared to pre-landslip trips I've made.
Anyway, arrival at Doncaster was a minute or so late, which isn't bad considering the TSR at the landslip site. As we was booked on the 1335 ex Doncaster, we had nearly an hour to spare, so a visit to the Coast Coffee concession near the main travel center was made, as well as getting a couple of books from WHSmiths. The journey south was uneventful, leaving Doncaster about 5 minutes late, a deficit the driver was unable to make up.
On arrival at Kings Cross, I told my sister we would be walking to Euston so we could get a Northern Line service to Waterloo from there, except I had forgotten to check the TfL website for any planned engineering works on the Underground. After a 15 minute stroll down Euston Road, we arrived at Euston to find the Northern line platforms closed, and with all the LUL staff at and near the gatelines occupied by lots of people asking for help, we traipsed back up to the main concourse to find help there. We was then advised to take the Victoria line Green Park and change there. But by this time it was 1555, and my sisters train from Waterloo was at 1635, so not a lot of time spare!
Back down the escalator we went, and through the barriers. As we was short of time, while we wasn't running, we certainly wasn't hanging about. At Green Park, a very quick check of a map revealed it was the Jubilee we required next, so a mad dash later, we was on the Waterloo bound platform. The PIS on the platforms seemed to be mocking us as well, as it revealed the time was after quarter past 4, but fortunately, then next service was due very shortly (1 had pulled out as we got to the platform).
At Waterloo, another mad dash ensued, this time from the Underground and upto the main trainshed, where we had to fine platform 8. Fortunately, we didn't have far to go, but we had to walk quickly along the platform as it was after half past when we got to the platform, and there was a 444 on the buffers, with another 444 beyond that which was forming the 1635. Finally we reached the second carriage where they dived onto the train. That's my sister, 2 children, 1 suitcase, and numerous bags safely onboard with about 2 minutes to spare. Talk about cutting it fine .....
After the train departed, it was time for me to get back to Kings Cross, as I was booked on the 1735 departure. After making a mistake earlier by not checking for work on the underground, I thought to myself, I haven't got a lot of spare time here! So it was back downstairs to the Underground, and this time onto a Bakerloo line service to Piccadilly Circus, and change there onto a Piccadilly service to Kings Cross. Despite our earlier rushing around, I was glad I didn't bring them via this route, as it was very hot and very crowded. It would have been very easy to have lost contact with them.
On reaching Kings Cross again, I found I had plenty of time, so off I went in search of somewhere to get a drink. 1 bottle of water later, and carrying a latte, it's back down to the main concourse to find which platform my train was on. This turned out to be platform 0, so I got on and found my reserved seat. Somewhere around Potters Bar, I fell alseep, waking up in a little bit of panic when the train stopped and I saw we was in a station. After a couple of seconds of wildly looking around, I realised it was Peterborough, so I could relax again.
The rest of the journey to Doncaster was uneventful, and arrival was about 1 minute late (after the chasing around London I had done, this was no great deal). I wander down the platform to look at the departure boards, and the first thing I see about the TPE service to Scunthorpe and beyond is that it is simply listed as delayed, with no platform allocated. Nothing to do then except to wait. It eventually pops up on the boards for platform 4 and an expected arrival time of 2010. The expect arrival time comes, then goes, with no sign of the service, but in fairness, there was a bit of a queue of trains due to arrive. First up was an EC service to Leeds into P8. That departed, with the platform quickly occupied by the Sheffield - Scunthorpe all shacks service. With the TPE due to arrive at any time, I guessed the signaller would hold this, and let the TPE go first. The 3rd train to arrive was another EC service to Newcastle, and this went into P4. Looking back down the platform towards South Yorkshire Jn, I see the 185 on the junction, then it's announced that it would be departing from P3b today. Scramble!
Myself and about 30 others started heading very quickly for the stairs and subway, but even so, the train was pulling into the platform as I got there. Fortunately, a passenger required assistance, so everyone who had been on P4 was able to get on (as far as I could see). Anyway, the rest of the journey was uneventful, but due to the traffic jam at South Yorkshire Jn, waiting for traincrew at Sheffield (the origianl cause of the delay) and the lengthy 40mph TSR at Hatfield, arrival at Scunthorpe was 33 minutes late.
The day finished with my have a few well earned (in my opinion) beers.
The day started uneventfully enough, with us catching the 1208 TPE service from Scunthorpe. Having been reading the topic about the Hatfield landslip, I was keen to see what was going on for myself, as well as seeing how big the new bridge at Thorne South actually is. First up was the crawl through Crowle station. As the train slowed down, I initially thought that we had caught up with the preceeding coal train that went through Scunthorpe about 10-15 minutes before hand, but then I remembered about the 20 TSR. The reports I had read about the new footbridge at Thorne were not an exageration either, it's huuuuuge! The spoil moving operation at the colliery was still in full swing, and the ride was noticably smoother past there compared to pre-landslip trips I've made.
Anyway, arrival at Doncaster was a minute or so late, which isn't bad considering the TSR at the landslip site. As we was booked on the 1335 ex Doncaster, we had nearly an hour to spare, so a visit to the Coast Coffee concession near the main travel center was made, as well as getting a couple of books from WHSmiths. The journey south was uneventful, leaving Doncaster about 5 minutes late, a deficit the driver was unable to make up.
On arrival at Kings Cross, I told my sister we would be walking to Euston so we could get a Northern Line service to Waterloo from there, except I had forgotten to check the TfL website for any planned engineering works on the Underground. After a 15 minute stroll down Euston Road, we arrived at Euston to find the Northern line platforms closed, and with all the LUL staff at and near the gatelines occupied by lots of people asking for help, we traipsed back up to the main concourse to find help there. We was then advised to take the Victoria line Green Park and change there. But by this time it was 1555, and my sisters train from Waterloo was at 1635, so not a lot of time spare!
Back down the escalator we went, and through the barriers. As we was short of time, while we wasn't running, we certainly wasn't hanging about. At Green Park, a very quick check of a map revealed it was the Jubilee we required next, so a mad dash later, we was on the Waterloo bound platform. The PIS on the platforms seemed to be mocking us as well, as it revealed the time was after quarter past 4, but fortunately, then next service was due very shortly (1 had pulled out as we got to the platform).
At Waterloo, another mad dash ensued, this time from the Underground and upto the main trainshed, where we had to fine platform 8. Fortunately, we didn't have far to go, but we had to walk quickly along the platform as it was after half past when we got to the platform, and there was a 444 on the buffers, with another 444 beyond that which was forming the 1635. Finally we reached the second carriage where they dived onto the train. That's my sister, 2 children, 1 suitcase, and numerous bags safely onboard with about 2 minutes to spare. Talk about cutting it fine .....
After the train departed, it was time for me to get back to Kings Cross, as I was booked on the 1735 departure. After making a mistake earlier by not checking for work on the underground, I thought to myself, I haven't got a lot of spare time here! So it was back downstairs to the Underground, and this time onto a Bakerloo line service to Piccadilly Circus, and change there onto a Piccadilly service to Kings Cross. Despite our earlier rushing around, I was glad I didn't bring them via this route, as it was very hot and very crowded. It would have been very easy to have lost contact with them.
On reaching Kings Cross again, I found I had plenty of time, so off I went in search of somewhere to get a drink. 1 bottle of water later, and carrying a latte, it's back down to the main concourse to find which platform my train was on. This turned out to be platform 0, so I got on and found my reserved seat. Somewhere around Potters Bar, I fell alseep, waking up in a little bit of panic when the train stopped and I saw we was in a station. After a couple of seconds of wildly looking around, I realised it was Peterborough, so I could relax again.
The rest of the journey to Doncaster was uneventful, and arrival was about 1 minute late (after the chasing around London I had done, this was no great deal). I wander down the platform to look at the departure boards, and the first thing I see about the TPE service to Scunthorpe and beyond is that it is simply listed as delayed, with no platform allocated. Nothing to do then except to wait. It eventually pops up on the boards for platform 4 and an expected arrival time of 2010. The expect arrival time comes, then goes, with no sign of the service, but in fairness, there was a bit of a queue of trains due to arrive. First up was an EC service to Leeds into P8. That departed, with the platform quickly occupied by the Sheffield - Scunthorpe all shacks service. With the TPE due to arrive at any time, I guessed the signaller would hold this, and let the TPE go first. The 3rd train to arrive was another EC service to Newcastle, and this went into P4. Looking back down the platform towards South Yorkshire Jn, I see the 185 on the junction, then it's announced that it would be departing from P3b today. Scramble!
Myself and about 30 others started heading very quickly for the stairs and subway, but even so, the train was pulling into the platform as I got there. Fortunately, a passenger required assistance, so everyone who had been on P4 was able to get on (as far as I could see). Anyway, the rest of the journey was uneventful, but due to the traffic jam at South Yorkshire Jn, waiting for traincrew at Sheffield (the origianl cause of the delay) and the lengthy 40mph TSR at Hatfield, arrival at Scunthorpe was 33 minutes late.
The day finished with my have a few well earned (in my opinion) beers.
), so it's no use staking out the trains I used yesterday :P (Oh, and I'll be taking a lawnmower to my hair in the next few days, so no use looking for the wild haired person leaving a train 
)