It was that time of the year again, my yearly trip away with my dad! A long time in the planning, most of this was decided and some of it booked before Xmas! I ended up with the Friday off work through an unexpected super long shift that saw me finally get home at 0430 hours! That meant I didnt go in for my normal shift and forced myself up by 1100 after a few hours kip! I got a load of stuff done and got ready. That evening my parents came up and along with my wife we all went out for a dinner. After dinner it was back home to pick up the bags for the five days ahead.
We arrived at the station with 15 minutes before the sleeper would arrive. Tonight it was 57602 in charge, my lowest mileage GWR 57. By the end of the journey it would be 200 short of 1000 but a long way off 605 on 4667 miles! We checked into our cabin and decided that we would go to sleep asap. Normally wed go to the lounge car for a drink before but we decided against that. Fine by me, I was exahausted with the lack of sleep in the last 24 hours finally catching up with me!
We arrived into Paddington on time. We had been given our bacon bap and tea about 30 mins before arrival so we ready to be off once we pulled into the station. It was then over to Hammersmith station. We literally just missed a train (and thats because we were checking our oyster balances which was a waste of time as we both had enough!). Worked out well though. Before our next train a winner in the form of
21521 and
21522 came in heading to Hammersmith. We got on and bailed at Royal Oak for the next set 21505 and 21506 all the way through to Kings Cross. A reasonable start to the day. I had better get used to not much red pen action for the first part of this trip! It was a trip of two halves! A plan and then no plan! All will be revealed!
Once at the Cross we went up to get our FONE tickets. The ticket office wasnt open until 0600 so we had a few minutes to wait. Once we got them we headed to our train. 91109 was our train and nothing else I needed was about so wasnt that upset.
We were off on time and as we passed Bounds Green I spotted the BLS charter HST being dragged through the depot. A mate was on this but we flashed by so didnt see him, not that I expected too to be honest! A handful of 66s were spotted at Peterborough but none I needed. Our first stop was
Retford. A new shack for me we had about 50 mins for breakfast. This required a trip to do the spoons which was pleasant enough.
With that done it was back to Retford and then down to the lower level station. 144011 arrived soon enough and we were off on our way onto the Saturday only Brigg line. At
Gainsborough Central we got off and started to head to
Lea Road.
20170318-Gainsborough Central-144011 by
Steven Booth, on Flickr
From here 153376 took us on to Doncaster. There was plenty about as we approached the station. Mostly Sheds but there were four Grids by the station.
20170318-Doncaster-56105, 56113, 56078, 56087 by
Steven Booth, on Flickr
Our next move was onto 158901 for the 60 mile trip to
Driffield. I needed the spoons there so with that done I was happy the area was cleared! I then discovered a new one had opened down the road at Beverley! Thatll have to wait as I had to stick to the plan!
20170318-Driffield-158849 by
Steven Booth, on Flickr
158860 was our ride back to Hull before 158855 was caught to York. At York we saw 158752 in the new Northern livery. I got a picture as it was the first time Id seen the livery.
20170318-York-158752 by
Steven Booth, on Flickr
We now had some time to kill. We had just under an hour. With no move on for an out and back we decided to pop to the NRM for a look round. Top move this was! The NRM was running diesel rides and today was
D2860 doing the rides! It was required so we paid the £3 to take a ride down to the yard limit and back.
20170318-NRM-D2860 by
Steven Booth, on Flickr
Time was tight though and we had asked when it would be leaving. It was 5 minutes later than we were told and I was getting nervous! With the ride down we headed back to the station. We would have about 10 minutes to get there. In the end we had longer as the train we needed was running late. The next hour and twenty odd minutes were nerve racking!
Our train was 185106 and heading to Middlesborough but we were getting later and later. This maybe a problem! We were due into Middlesborough where we were to make a connecting train from Bishop Aukland. All being well it was a +10. However we got to Eaglescliffe Junction and the +10 was all but gone! We stopped at the junction and I feared the worst. Once we were off again I looked back and there was our next train! Waiting and now behind us! Thank goodness! We bailed at Thornaby to get onto 142078 a stop earlier. I felt it was safer incase there was some plan to chuck both trains heading east into separate platforms at Middlesborough. It was now onto Redcar Central.
We were a couple of minutes down but we had a +11. We werent that far so all should be ok, yes? No! I dont know how we did it but we lost time! It was getting desperate! We got to Redcar central and the station is a staggered! The other train was already in and stopped before we were and I thought it was game over! I pegged it up the stairs and saw the guard struggling with the wheelchair ramp! We left late but it didnt matter! Somehow despite everything we made it to the train we wanted!
142089 was the ride (a winner which was nice!) and after a brief chat with a Northern guard (who at the time I thought was working the train) and clarifying its next stop we stopped at
British Steel Redcar!
20170318-British Steel Redcar-142089 by
Steven Booth, on Flickr
After getting the photo we set about on our walk back to Redcar Central. We had an hour which was plenty of time, if we could get out! We left the station along a grassy path and then we met an obviously very empty road. We curved round to head towards the main road and to get there you pass under a bridge. Unfortunately all the way across the road was a massive gate that had been shut all the way across the road. OK. We carried on walking and got closer. We realised we could, by grabbing hold of the fence, haul ourselves up towards the roof of the bridge where the gate didnt actually go all the way to the top. We then dropped down the other side trying to avoid tripping over all the brambles! Dont forget, at this time, we still had all our stuff for the trip with us! All the while I was just hoping there would be no trouble! There was a (quite big) security building opposite this gated bridge and whilst the lights were on, I dont know if anyone was home. If they were, they either didnt see us or couldnt be bothered! We walked passed it and it was onto the the rather more simple 2 mile walk to Redcar Central!
With that mission completed (and by far the hardest shack Ive ever scored!) it was now time to get back to Middlesborough on 142090. The plan now was to shack score on the branch up to Nunthorpe. This went out the window though when a late running steam train was coming off the branch from Whitby! 76084 and 61264 passed through when it was too dark to get a photo without them stopping but at I needed them both for sight.
We decided to head to
Billingham on 156451 to get dinner in the spoons, which was required. Whilst here I looked at the feasibility of a bus to Norton where the other Stockton spoons was. Apple maps suggested a bus was in a few minutes and we would be there in 20. It would be rude to not do it whilst here! We had ages until the next train too.
So to the bus stop via ASDA to get some change. I was a donut here and when I purchased a chocolate bar paid with my watch instead of the £10 note I had! Doh! I needed the change for the bus! So back in again I went and this time a bottle of water was bought, this time with the note! We then got the bus to the spoons and got a drink! It was absolutely heaving in there and I was glad to get out! We then set about walking to Stockton station which was now the closest one. When we got near it started to rain and as we approached the station were greeted to the smell of a BBQ! On a cold and now getting wet March Saturday night? Yes! There was a group of people sat outside their house on the pavement having a BBQ! Mad! I like a BBQ but it tends to be warmer and drier!
The last train of the day was 156481 and this was had all the way into Newcastle. It had gone 2200 and was a good time to call it a day! We headed down to the riverside to check into the premier inn and that was day one! Not much red pen action but one very awkward shack done. The bonus was the 02 at the NRM got for haulage. It wasnt long until I was asleep but it would be a another early start tomorrow (well all days to be honest!)