#LSGsCoveringOldGround
22/9/2021
This trip was part planned and part impromptu. With a free day between, I fancied going to Leeds in search of 195s and 331s for the book of sights and possibly a ride on the Cats. Mr Xot had been kind enough to pass on a bit gen. So we decided to do another North East Round Robin, with a bit of an add on. Our two together Railcard has already paid for itself twice now.
The morning didnt exactly start too grand, I made the fatal mistake of pressing snooze at 06.45 or 15mins more in bed, an hour later i wake up, among the expletives, i practically levitate out of bed in sheer panic. The other half is coming around at 20 past 8. I normally can't function without 2 ciggies and a coffee, todays no different but it's the coffee that bit the dust. Thankfully the night befores preparation pays off but by the time we jump in the car, I'm feel as bright Joey Essex in a blackout and gasping for a coffee.
Fast forward, the cars parked, ridden the metro and I'm holding a Costa Coffee, by 09.15 were stood on the North End of Platform 3 awaiting the 09.30. Winner
801214 set the ball rolling and off to Darlington we went.
At Darlington we climbed off and I went into WH Smiths, I mustve been in there all of a minute, when the other half rang, I asked, what's up? She says, Come out of Smith's, you might wanna see this. Intrigued I spun on my heels, walked out of said shop and back onto the platform, where I'm met by this....
In what I can only assume will be the Lumo livery, well, the dead giveaway is that Lumo is written on the side. If we'd stayed on 801214, we may have missed it. It wasn't until 801214 pulled away, thar we saw it. According to RTT it had just left Merchant Park sidings half an hour ago. Obviously
803003 is one for the book of sights, the loco that dragged it there was too
66797 Talk about a double whammy. Being ex works botth
were absolutely gleaming. Not a bad start though. 1 winner for haulage and 2 for sight. Let's hope this goes on.
As expected our ride to Leeds was duds 43239 and 43285. Still we settled back and enjoyed the ride. Imagine If I 'd wrote that back in the 80s (us 70s kids)and early 90s, i'd have been sniggered at, a Deltic bashers probably would've throttled me. Trust me kids, the HST was not liked, most cranks at the time, only ever used zings or trams, as a necessary for positioning moves, some wouldn't even write their numbers down, when they got them for haulage, such was the disdain they were held in. I'm still not overly keen but the angst has been replaced by grudging respect. At York theres nothing in the parcels bay. However 37219 on a test train is parked on Holgate sidings. Oh a puppy dog look, I'm told. Not too sure of its colours mind. I like the one with the dog on the side or the grey one we saw at Keighley. I told her not to be picky. Be grateful we can still see them. Yeah I suppose so, was her answer.
At Leeds it's about roping in as many 195s or 331s, as humanly possible and hoping one of the famous five(my name for the errant NH based 150s required for the book of sights) might show up.
195018 had already done that as we pulled into Leeds and after a good half hour, more than a few more were entered into the good book. It was now time for a quick ciggy and talk about this evenings entertainment. The other half was sat on platform 8, she sits and watches for stuff as I'm given licence to roam. As we meet up, I'm.asked if I saw 91110, it's the first time she's seen it. Shes mightily impressed with the livery but still prefers The Fallen one. As we make our way off the platform, Shock horror !! A rover opens the Barrier at Leeds and at the first time of asking.
We have a discussion on the tickets needed, we need to be here for such n such a time. Wheres it coming I'm asked and when I answer, where it's coming from, the reply is, ahhh right. The other half loves being out on the rails but I still have to do a lot of explaining. After a cold drink, she says, you got the Rovers so I will get these. We walk to the ticket office where she promptly buys 2 day returns to Manchester. I said, we only need them to Huddersfield and I'm told to be quiet.
The Evening plan was to go out to Huddersfield to meet the TPE loco hauled turn (1E41), take it to Garforth, cross platforms, wait 10mins and go back to Huddersfield with the other loco hauled turn back over the Pennines (1F72).
However the other had heard me talking to this with Mr xot on ride back to Keighley, whilst at the KWVR. When I was told this, it got the cogs turning. I must've been explaining what Mr xot and I were talking about, I used the recent enough journey to Scarborough on the 68s, as reference and explained to her, that the 68s were originally meant to be doing this already but delays of various types, then lockdown had really put them back. Now however things are going forward with them and they're starting to be used what they were meant for. I must went all nostalgic on her and said locos over the Pennines was the norm in Mr Xot's and mines younger days and how good it would be, to ride over the Pennines loco hauled again. She also knew I wanted to get to Manchester again but that was planned for sometime in 2022. That was more to do with the ELR, a North West Ranger and scratching a few irritating itches. However in her words. We can sit here for a couple of hours or we can move to somewhere else, where you can tick a few more boxes. I was gobsmacked, even more so that she listened to me
. Oh well, the famous 5 and a major irritation, better beware now.
Over the platforms and into place for the next TPE move over the Pennines. All the time, the odd 195 was being added to the list before double winners
185123 and
185111 arrived to take us to Man Picc. We got a table seat in 111 and I used the chance to give the phone a top up on charge. Noting 66536 at Marsden. That very loco was at the rear of a ballast train, when we passed Tyne Yard on 801214 earlier in the day. At Stalybridge, the famous five became The (Less than) Fantastic Four when
150140 was copped in the platform with 150132. On the outskirts of Manchester, I'm also greeted by another cop in the form of Biffa's (the waste company not the Viz charachter)resident gronk
09009, 2 total bonuses, which were very much appreciated and as Elvis might've said, Thank you very much. At Occy Road,
195001 was noted too. Talk about making hay. Wow.
After a quick scan round the platforms at Man Picc, I wanted a ciggy, my partner in crime wanted food. Neither of us had breakfast, so we were both a tad parky to say the least. As I went for a ciggy the other half assumed the hunter gatherer. 2 Burger King meals sought, it was off up to the top of the long platform, yo see what I could rope in.
And rope in I did. Sadly I was having Water Orton connotation's again with that irritation that needed scratching. 323224, then 323226 before
323225 at long long last ended the never ending hunt for my last Northern Starship needed for sight. At least here I might have went round the houses but at least I got to see what I needed. Needless to say, hunting this out has been a bit of a pig,.4 visits here, 2 visits to Crewe and not even a peeka boo. Needless to say, I was delighted to say goodbye to it.
Strangest working of the day saw two dogboxes approaching one in EMT livery and one just plain white.
153968 and 153325, I assume were filling in for a 175. 153968 was obviously a cop, I needed it when it was 153368 nevermind in it's new guise.
66709 lifted the unit blindness I was getting and the first freight of the afternoon. After roping in a few more 195s it was time to move. The 2 or so hours flew by but it was time to get a ciggy and then move onto platform 3.
We were on platform 3 for about 5mins when todays fun rolled on. 68025 maybe a dud but it became the first loco hauled passenger train I've had over the Pennines since about a week before the 47s were replaced by 158s, that's almost 30yrs ago folks, 1992 if memory serves me right. It's a move I've always wanted to do, ever since this news hit the press. If only they had drop down windows. Imagine that fun. We sat in the 2nd coach nearest 68025. First class is directly behind the loco. Are TPE trying to cash in on us cranks wanting to ride in the coach behind the loco. TPE do the decent thing and put first class behind the DVT let us cranks enjoy the Cats rumble man. Mind you, you could still hear the Cat thrash from where we were sitting. We briefly raced 70020 on a Modal out of Piccalilly before we turned off and headed towards the Pennines. The last time I had 68025, it was on the Fife Circle and I had the droplight window. That was much more fun indeed but I was still very content being on this today. At Staly Vegas and Huddesfield more cranks joined the cat thrash party, no doubt all bailing at either Leeds or Garforth like the rest of us onboard already.
As we left Leeds I'm on the hunt for a Neville Hill shunter 08846, on approach I see one by a shunters cabin, sadly the angle it's on and being partially blocked said cabin, I can't make out the number properly. It didnt look like it's in the full EMT livery but the light wasn't the best either. It looked like 08846 but I wrote it down with a big question Mark beside it. If anyone the wiser, if 08846 isnt in EMT livery like the other 2 of their gronks are please feel free to confirm or deny its ID, until then that question mark remains on its sighting.
Sadly it's off at Garforth for the one back, the suns reappeared too.Sadly this ones only back as far as Leeds. So a quick nip over the rickety footbridge(her words not mine) to get a pic of 68025. It would've been a decent shot and I admit he was there first videoing 68025 leave but I moved into position to get out of his way, so I could get a decent shot, just as clicked for a pic, this guy jumped smack bang into mine. Cheers mate, I'd love to have heard, what you had said, had it been the other way round. However it's not the end of the world. I was pretty marked at the time mind but hey ho.
10 mins later in rolls winner 68024, the other half says, shame it wasnt the other way round and 024 had led from Manchester. I said there'll be other opportunities man. Passing Neville Hill the shunter has disappeared without a trace. Was it 08846 who knows?
We bail 68024 and I walk to the end of the Platform to get a pic of it., hopefully without being photo bombed.
I now have a bit time to try and rope a few more in and
800220 and
800206 kindly do just that as does a couple of 195s. I decide it's time for a ciggy, again I'm on and off the platform without problem with the Rover. Madam takes her seat on platform 8 as I go searching again. I see the 1S51 Plymouth to Edinburgh is due. So I quickly look on RTT. I walk up Platform 8 and tell the other half were on this next train train to York. The units were starting to repeat, you know it's time to move then.
Bang on time dud 43207 leads the way back to York. However the rear zing is a winner, not just any winner either, a small milestone,
43366 is the last of my XC Zings required for haulage.
As we come towards York, I notice 37219 us still in Holgate sidings. The other half gets misty eyed again as she see her beloved puppy dog. At York even more so, when the resident 37 is in the parcel bay.
After that it's over the platforms to see what 68s are parked over the far side. I'm not disappointed either. Especially as one of the two there, is needed for sight.
68026 is another big bonus for today. 68027 is it partner in crime.
After a quick nip to loo, it was a trip with Madmoiselle in her favourite past time, lift vegging, I'd never been trough the underpass at York, so took the opportunity to do so. Hilariously the queen of lifts gave me a quick introduction of one of Stannah's finest, this is Stannahs number 352, theres the buttons for up, theres the buttons for down and if you neither go up or down, you press that button there and the Grand Ole Duke of York and his 10,000 men come and rescue you. I think it was what you call one of them, you had to be there moments.
Anyhow it was off to Platform 6 for winner
195020 on a stopper back to Leeds, where if we ran to time, we'd bail off this and onto a train back home. Fortunately the plan worked a treat and with a minute to spare, we climbed aboard winner
802211 for the ride back home. The ride back home was passed with a bit humour from a group of 50 something guys who'd been on the drink in York for one of the guys birthday. They were funny drunk not being arseholes. One particular joke had us in kinks and when a group of retired ladies walked up the coach to depart at Durham with those very gentlemen, he said to his mates, I know it's my birthday but you didnt have to order the strippers lads. The ladies took it in good fun as it was meant and laughed before adding, you wish sunshine. You could hear them all laughing together as they all left the train. That wasnt the end of the laughter though. As we're coming over the King Eddie bridge a group of lasses were getting their cases off the rack above, something fell off the rack, her friend went to pick whatever it was that fell to the floor, only another did at the same time, we were only a few seats away and heard the clonk as their heads both came together at the same time. We stifled our laughs until they started to laugh and then nearly everyone around them laughed too, None asked how they were mind.
So endeth a very productive day. I only expected about 10 cops on the day. I got 39. 40, if 08846 can be confirmed. 7 new winners for haulage and 43366 completing the XC zings for haulage. Not a bad day all. Lastly a massive thanks for the gen on the 68s Mr Xot. Much appreciated mate. It worked a treat. Thank you.
My only wish is that I wish that we in Newcastle were afforded such a luxury. Imagine a 68 running from Edinburgh to Liverpool or vice versa. Even 2 Loco hauled turns a day between the Toon and Liverpool would be great, I mean its alleged Middlesbrough gonna get them for christ sake, mind you, it'll certainly perk up Tyne and Tees Day Ranger sales when they do start.
That 56 will no doubt have been good too!
