- Joined
- 21 Jan 2010
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- 5,567
Well, Saturday 25th May saw me bump up my very low mileage log for this year.
It started off at Norwich station at about 0540 ready to board the double 158 formation ready to pull away with the 0552 East Midlands Trains service to Liverpool Lime Street which I would be taking to Peterborough. The journey was uneventful and I recognised the conductor from my previous EMT stint.
Arriving at Peterborough, I headed over the bridge and out through the open barriers straight into the SSP outlet, a Bacon roll was had for £1.59 (with Bite) and very nice it was too! Back over to platform four to await the 0753 service to Leeds which was hauled by 91106. The trolley service passed through and I was only slightly worried by the fact that the attendant had a pair of handcuffs seemingly attached to his belt! I left the service at Doncaster and headed over to the travel centre to purchase the £1.25 anytime day single I would require later in the day; connecting the two advance purchase tickets I already held.
So it was back over to the platforms and I found that the 0901 Northern service to Sheffield had been delayed by 10 minutes, fine, no problem as my connection at Meadowhall to the Penistone line would still be possible. I also note on the departure boards a 0903 Northern service that will now be leaving infront of my booked train, it's a all shacks service to Lincoln via Meadowhall... it'll do nicely. A seat is had on this pacer and I check on my phone the status of 2B40, my connection at Meadowhall. Just my luck that it's showing as Cancelled so I immediately jump off again realising that this would mess up the rest of my plans for the day. I now need to get to Huddersfield, via another direction, before 1126. The 0926 to Leeds and then the 1025 TPE will do just that my phone calculates. A word is had with the conductor on the 322 before travel and she passes me up to Leeds, I was surprised how busy the service got calling at all the little shacks on the way.
On arrival at Leeds I head straight over to platform 16a to await the now late running 0925 service, when it arrived it was in the form of 185108 which, in keeping with most other TPEs through the platforms, was full and standing already! I made a quick check with the conductor to ensure he'd pass me onwards; I manage to bag a seat at a table and plug my phone into charge and we make our way towards Huddersfield 8 minutes down.
I used my time hear to buy some more tickets for future travel, don't know why I did though because the queue was massive and then headed into the newsagent on the station for some supplies. Realising how expensive things were in there, I didn't buy much!!
185128 was soon in the platform, again full and standing, and we left at 1126 bound for Liverpool. I sat at a table next to a 17 year old female who was travelling to Manchester with someone I only presume to be her Dad, they seemed to have a fantastic relationship with one another and I couldn't help but laugh at times! They left at Piccadilly (along with most of the train's occupants) and I swapped seats into the forward facing window seat for the onward journey. I was expecting to have to share the table but the gentleman who boarded seemed to enjoy playing footsies sitting directly opposite rather than in the aisle seat!
Before long we were approaching Liverpool South Parkway where I was to be leaving the service, out onto the platform and up the stairs to be faced with the very conveniently placed conveniences! It was a very interesting little booth that welcomed me in and appeared to be self cleaning, very posh for what and where it was!
Through the barriers (twice) and over to platform six to await a MerseyRail service to Liverpool Central, only the third ever MR service I'd been on, the constant screeching of the wheels/rails as we travelled was an annoyance but there was nothing I could do! I changed at Central for a service to Chester.
507016 took me over the new track southbound to Chester where we terminated 3 down at 1400. Through the barriers here and I had a wonder round, there was a high police presence here, not too sure why but I realised exactly how close I was to Wales when I saw "Heddlu Trafnidiaeth Prydeinig" on the officer's back rather than the "British Transport Police" one would usually witness. I found a Ham sandwich in what seemed like an unusual set up of a bar also serving the passing travelling trade, I also got a very nice chocolate milkshake from here before heading back and onto the 1435 Virgin Trains service to London Euston.
Aboard 221143 I took a seat at a table and plugged in my phone once again and waited out the remaining ten minutes until departure. I was soon joined by a Grandad and his two grandchildren who were journeying home to Crewe, I was soon involved in playing a game they had brought along with them, it was nice to be able to get along with other passengers and talk to them, something perhaps frowned upon in London town! Of course, it wasn't long until they got up ready to alight and I was left alone, having been wished farewell from the kind gentleman, just before witnessing 60163 Tornado operating brake van rides at Crewe Heritage Centre. It was only last year I was working behind it at the North Norfolk Railway and indeed it will be revisiting us again later this year when, no doubt, I'll be behind it again!
I'll post the rest of the report at a later time
TP
It started off at Norwich station at about 0540 ready to board the double 158 formation ready to pull away with the 0552 East Midlands Trains service to Liverpool Lime Street which I would be taking to Peterborough. The journey was uneventful and I recognised the conductor from my previous EMT stint.
Arriving at Peterborough, I headed over the bridge and out through the open barriers straight into the SSP outlet, a Bacon roll was had for £1.59 (with Bite) and very nice it was too! Back over to platform four to await the 0753 service to Leeds which was hauled by 91106. The trolley service passed through and I was only slightly worried by the fact that the attendant had a pair of handcuffs seemingly attached to his belt! I left the service at Doncaster and headed over to the travel centre to purchase the £1.25 anytime day single I would require later in the day; connecting the two advance purchase tickets I already held.
So it was back over to the platforms and I found that the 0901 Northern service to Sheffield had been delayed by 10 minutes, fine, no problem as my connection at Meadowhall to the Penistone line would still be possible. I also note on the departure boards a 0903 Northern service that will now be leaving infront of my booked train, it's a all shacks service to Lincoln via Meadowhall... it'll do nicely. A seat is had on this pacer and I check on my phone the status of 2B40, my connection at Meadowhall. Just my luck that it's showing as Cancelled so I immediately jump off again realising that this would mess up the rest of my plans for the day. I now need to get to Huddersfield, via another direction, before 1126. The 0926 to Leeds and then the 1025 TPE will do just that my phone calculates. A word is had with the conductor on the 322 before travel and she passes me up to Leeds, I was surprised how busy the service got calling at all the little shacks on the way.
On arrival at Leeds I head straight over to platform 16a to await the now late running 0925 service, when it arrived it was in the form of 185108 which, in keeping with most other TPEs through the platforms, was full and standing already! I made a quick check with the conductor to ensure he'd pass me onwards; I manage to bag a seat at a table and plug my phone into charge and we make our way towards Huddersfield 8 minutes down.
I used my time hear to buy some more tickets for future travel, don't know why I did though because the queue was massive and then headed into the newsagent on the station for some supplies. Realising how expensive things were in there, I didn't buy much!!
185128 was soon in the platform, again full and standing, and we left at 1126 bound for Liverpool. I sat at a table next to a 17 year old female who was travelling to Manchester with someone I only presume to be her Dad, they seemed to have a fantastic relationship with one another and I couldn't help but laugh at times! They left at Piccadilly (along with most of the train's occupants) and I swapped seats into the forward facing window seat for the onward journey. I was expecting to have to share the table but the gentleman who boarded seemed to enjoy playing footsies sitting directly opposite rather than in the aisle seat!
Before long we were approaching Liverpool South Parkway where I was to be leaving the service, out onto the platform and up the stairs to be faced with the very conveniently placed conveniences! It was a very interesting little booth that welcomed me in and appeared to be self cleaning, very posh for what and where it was!
Through the barriers (twice) and over to platform six to await a MerseyRail service to Liverpool Central, only the third ever MR service I'd been on, the constant screeching of the wheels/rails as we travelled was an annoyance but there was nothing I could do! I changed at Central for a service to Chester.
507016 took me over the new track southbound to Chester where we terminated 3 down at 1400. Through the barriers here and I had a wonder round, there was a high police presence here, not too sure why but I realised exactly how close I was to Wales when I saw "Heddlu Trafnidiaeth Prydeinig" on the officer's back rather than the "British Transport Police" one would usually witness. I found a Ham sandwich in what seemed like an unusual set up of a bar also serving the passing travelling trade, I also got a very nice chocolate milkshake from here before heading back and onto the 1435 Virgin Trains service to London Euston.
Aboard 221143 I took a seat at a table and plugged in my phone once again and waited out the remaining ten minutes until departure. I was soon joined by a Grandad and his two grandchildren who were journeying home to Crewe, I was soon involved in playing a game they had brought along with them, it was nice to be able to get along with other passengers and talk to them, something perhaps frowned upon in London town! Of course, it wasn't long until they got up ready to alight and I was left alone, having been wished farewell from the kind gentleman, just before witnessing 60163 Tornado operating brake van rides at Crewe Heritage Centre. It was only last year I was working behind it at the North Norfolk Railway and indeed it will be revisiting us again later this year when, no doubt, I'll be behind it again!
I'll post the rest of the report at a later time
TP
) A smartly dressed man sat opposite me (aisle side this time though!!) and soon we were fast to Milton Keynes. On approach to Milton Keynes Central, the Train Manager made a very late announcement about the stop and people panicked to get off. There was a family in the table bay opposite who had loads out on the table and luggage to go with... the gentleman couldn't get past either way to get off. As they headed through to the shop they were greeted with people getting on and before long the platform staff had given the platform work complete signal and a 1-2 beep had been sounded. Yes, the man and the family were coming to Euston with us! I don't know what happened on arrival but it transpires that the man was heading to Wembley and it wasn't much of an inconvenience to him. 