Purple Train
Established Member
(EDIT 05/01/25): One of my New Year's Resolutions was to get this thread back up and running, so I thought I would delete the hurried introduction I wrote two and a half years ago and replace it with something more welcoming. So welcome to my trip reports thread; I hope you enjoy reading them as much as I enjoy writing them, and please leave advice or feedback, whether positive or negative, if you wish to, as I love experimenting with these. Anyway, without further ado, on to the reports!
INTRODUCTION - THE ONLY WAY TO ESSEX
I've always had a slight aversion to Essex. Whether it is simply due to the rather scruffy aura that seems to penetrate the sprawling towns close to the M25, or due to the slightly ridiculous name, due to the distinct coldness of south-eastern strangers compared to Northern ones (a view that I held after an experience on a trip in Essex), or simply due to an entrenched Northern contempt for the south-east, I don't know (and the latter would be highly ironic given I now live in the south-east). But the railways of Essex (in my much-loved Baker atlas) remained un-shaded beyond Brentwood (apart from a small amount on the Southend branch line), and so I imagined they would remain until I had covered practically every other bit of track in the atlas.
Something occurred to upset these plans, however, and I ended up having to take a trip right through the heart of Essex to a destination on the Sunshine Coast line, in order to visit some friends who lived on that stretch. And, despite my reluctance to travel through Essex, given the fact that I would have to in order to reach my destination, why not take the train? Therefore a plan was concocted, involving an outward trip on the 17th of August, and a return on the 20th, with, hopefully, a visit to one of the local beaches at some point to tick off some more track. Alas, even the best-made plans are vulnerable to being spoiled, and no sooner had the plan been made than there was the announcement of strikes on the 20th. "No problem," I thought, "I'll just return on the 19th instead." After much head-scratching, I worked out a scheme for getting there and back again that would tick off both sides of the flyover that gives access to the Sunshine Coast Line, plus all three sides of the triangle around Colchester Town station. Having written out an itinerary and informed my hosts of the plan, I settled back to counting down the days.
Of course, my actual journey bore very little resemblance to that plan (I ended up returning on the Sunday afternoon), and, instead, I was able to compare several different types of rolling stock with their competitors.
Day 1 - 17th August - Ticket barriers with appetites
Having purchased my ticket, I boarded 9P01 (345051) into London - my plan being to change at Southall for the stopper, so that I could tick off Hanwell, West Ealing, and Acton Main Line. Having noted 66541 in the sidings at West Drayton, and 66517 in the siding before Hayes & Harlington, I alighted at Southall to wait for the following 9P05 service, due at 1016, which was the only train I caught on this day that was delayed (albeit by only two minutes). It duly arrived courtesy of 345053, and, along the way, I noted 66092 in Acton yard, together with 345059 and 345055 waiting to reverse back down into the central tunnels. A quick dash across the concourse at Paddington yielded 800027 and 800002 waiting in the platforms, before I successfully navigated the ticket gateline down to the Elizabeth Line central section platforms and straight onto a waiting central section train (I didn't get the number) to Liverpool Street. Fortunately, I managed to find my way to the mainline station without getting lost once, and took my ticket out of its pocket to feed it through the gateline at the entrance to the Tube station. I placed it in the slot and held out my hand for it to be returned.
It didn't come. The machine had eaten it.
After an agonising wait of about seven seconds it was spat out, but the barrier didn't open. I presented the ticket to the surly gateline assistant, who let me through with a sharp, "I don't want to see your ticket!", and waited for the 1136 to Colchester Town (in order to tick off most GA-served GEML stations to Colchester, the section of flyover from platform 1 at Colchester, and two sides of the Colchester Town triangle), spotting, as I waited, six 720/5 units (586, 580, 566, 565, 557, and 567), two Class 745s (009 and 102), and a pleasant surprise in the form of 357316, which sat in platform 14 for a while before heading off ECS.
Having made my way through the gateline onto platform 13 (thanks to the rather more friendly gateline assistant manning that) I boarded 720531, and waited for the off. The train was very lightly loaded, with (I think) only ever one other person in my carriage, and departure was announced by the driver, who began with the words, "This is your captain speaking..."
DLR units 10 and 79 appeared on the approach to Stratford, which was taken at such a slow crawl that the "We are now approaching..." announcement took place about three minutes before arrival. Picking up speed through the closely-spaced, familiar commuter stations, I noticed DR97806 somewhere (!!!), and 720105 at Romford. Slightly more surprising was the sighting of an ancient brake van moored up at Shenfield, which totally distracted my attention from the Class 345s parked up.
Due to the hold-up around Stratford, we were a couple of minutes down, but a splendid run between Chelmsford and Witham brought us in a couple of minutes early, and we remained on time through Kelvedon and Colchester, before the tortuous 15mph grind into the charming Colchester Town station, where there were some particularly good information boards about the history of Colchester's railways, and a drink-vending machine that only used contactless (so was perfectly useless for me). The 1307 towards Walton-on-the-Naze was formed of 321323, which took me to my destination.
My thoughts on the rolling stock? The 720s were fine units, with a very comfortable ride, good Passenger Information Systems, and pretty nice seats by modern standards (certainly far softer than the seats on the Class 345s). I won't read too much into the fact that I fitted into them with no problems at all, given the fact that I'm 5ft 4in tall and roughly 40kg (if my friends's set of scales are to be trusted), but everyone I spoke to about the seats said that they were wide enough. The 321 was comfortable as well, though not quite as luxurious as the 720s - definitely belying its heritage as more of a commuter train than a medium-distance train. Nevertheless, neither was as bad as I was expecting, though I didn't have too much time to think about that, because as soon as I arrived at their house, I noticed a stack of Steam Railway magazines...
Day 2 - Saturday 20th August - EARM
With no trains running on GA branch lines due to the strike, I didn't get the opportunity to tick off the section between Marks Tey and Chappel & Wakes Colne, but fortunately the East Anglian Railway Museum was still open, so we made our way over there.
I can't recommend it highly enough. Almost everything is open to have a look round, including the restoration shed (with their N7 tank in pride of place, though with only cosmetic bodywork and the cab in place above the underframe), most of their carriages (assuming they've been parked up next to a platform) and the working signal box. The preserved coach of 317345 was there as well, initially in platform 2, though, by the time we went, it had been moved to one of the sidings behind the goods shed. The 04 was working, and performed several shunting manoeuvres, and the Waggon und Maschinenbau railbus was parked outside the restoration shed. Admittedly I missed getting the numbers of most of the stock in the restoration shed because I spent upwards of an hour playing around with an old Metrobus they have parked in the picnic area!
Day 3 - Sunday 21st August - Show me the way to go home
With the Elizabeth Line core closed for testing, I thought I would use the opportunity to compare the core with the Central Line. With my plan to do the St Botolph's avoiding line derailed (albeit by a very kind offer of a lift to Colchester North station) I took the 1500 from Colchester, formed of 745009. The step-free access is truly brilliant, and, in Standard Class, it isn't dissimilar to a Class 720, but much more spacious, and with a leather headrest (or at least a convincing fake leather headrest, couldn't tell which!) The Passenger Information System is horrible, though - it has the same features as the 720s but with far too many pointless adverts. The fast run down to Stratford was smooth and comfortable, and, despite a slow run from Manor Park (as all EL locals were switched onto the Main Lines due to testing), the train came into Stratford on time. Nothing was noted on the way down - the train was standing room only from Colchester - although 345016 (as far as I remember - it may have been 345010) was in the Elizabeth Line up platform on a test run through the central tunnel.
Making my way over to the Central Line westbound platform (via the eastbound platform
) I boarded an Ealing Broadway train. 345010 passed us on test as we waited for a platform at the Broadway, and I wandered over to platform 1 for the 1653 to Reading, noting two pairs of HEx Class 387s (130+138 and 131+140) and several 80x units.
The 1653 came in six minutes late (delayed behind the 1650 to Heathrow, which was also running late), formed of 345024, and I boarded it.
We were crossed back onto the Down Relief at Stockley Junction, and proceeded to Iver, where we were held for two minutes at a red signal. At Langley, I was just sorting out my luggage when the driver came over the tannoy and announced that, due to a signalling problem, we would be unable to stop at Burnham or Taplow. Panicking slightly, I ran off the train at Slough and straight into the dispatcher, who suggested going to Maidenhead and doubling back. After a brief dash to make the closing doors, we set off, and were held for about five minutes outside the station awaiting a path onto the fast lines. Two IETs (one up, one down) eventually passed (though I didn't get the number of either) and we proceeded into platform 1 at Maidenhead 17 minutes down.
I crossed to platform 4, where the 1744 was showing as "delayed", although, soon after I arrived on the platform, it changed to "expected 1800". After that, there was very little to do except wait, although required unit 345065 was a welcome sight. Hoping for a new unit to turn up, instead I renewed acquaintances with 345053, which got me back home without further incident, albeit 40 minutes later than I had planned.
However the disruption did mean that the leg of my journey that took the shortest time was from Colchester North to Stratford!
Overall, though, I managed to get all three types of GA main-line stock for haulage (leaving the 755s for another day), and, although I still have the St Botolph's avoider to do, I imagine I can do that when I do the remainder of the Clacton/Walton branch (which I missed out on as our visit to Clacton coincided with a strike day, so we had to squeeze on board a rather crowded 74 bus. Happily, though, it turned out that, contrary to my misgivings, it didn't turn out to be the most comfortable thing I rode in!)
(This is my first attempt at a post in this thread, so please do inform me if I've done something wrong and I shall rectify it.)
INTRODUCTION - THE ONLY WAY TO ESSEX
I've always had a slight aversion to Essex. Whether it is simply due to the rather scruffy aura that seems to penetrate the sprawling towns close to the M25, or due to the slightly ridiculous name, due to the distinct coldness of south-eastern strangers compared to Northern ones (a view that I held after an experience on a trip in Essex), or simply due to an entrenched Northern contempt for the south-east, I don't know (and the latter would be highly ironic given I now live in the south-east). But the railways of Essex (in my much-loved Baker atlas) remained un-shaded beyond Brentwood (apart from a small amount on the Southend branch line), and so I imagined they would remain until I had covered practically every other bit of track in the atlas.
Something occurred to upset these plans, however, and I ended up having to take a trip right through the heart of Essex to a destination on the Sunshine Coast line, in order to visit some friends who lived on that stretch. And, despite my reluctance to travel through Essex, given the fact that I would have to in order to reach my destination, why not take the train? Therefore a plan was concocted, involving an outward trip on the 17th of August, and a return on the 20th, with, hopefully, a visit to one of the local beaches at some point to tick off some more track. Alas, even the best-made plans are vulnerable to being spoiled, and no sooner had the plan been made than there was the announcement of strikes on the 20th. "No problem," I thought, "I'll just return on the 19th instead." After much head-scratching, I worked out a scheme for getting there and back again that would tick off both sides of the flyover that gives access to the Sunshine Coast Line, plus all three sides of the triangle around Colchester Town station. Having written out an itinerary and informed my hosts of the plan, I settled back to counting down the days.
Of course, my actual journey bore very little resemblance to that plan (I ended up returning on the Sunday afternoon), and, instead, I was able to compare several different types of rolling stock with their competitors.
Day 1 - 17th August - Ticket barriers with appetites
Having purchased my ticket, I boarded 9P01 (345051) into London - my plan being to change at Southall for the stopper, so that I could tick off Hanwell, West Ealing, and Acton Main Line. Having noted 66541 in the sidings at West Drayton, and 66517 in the siding before Hayes & Harlington, I alighted at Southall to wait for the following 9P05 service, due at 1016, which was the only train I caught on this day that was delayed (albeit by only two minutes). It duly arrived courtesy of 345053, and, along the way, I noted 66092 in Acton yard, together with 345059 and 345055 waiting to reverse back down into the central tunnels. A quick dash across the concourse at Paddington yielded 800027 and 800002 waiting in the platforms, before I successfully navigated the ticket gateline down to the Elizabeth Line central section platforms and straight onto a waiting central section train (I didn't get the number) to Liverpool Street. Fortunately, I managed to find my way to the mainline station without getting lost once, and took my ticket out of its pocket to feed it through the gateline at the entrance to the Tube station. I placed it in the slot and held out my hand for it to be returned.
It didn't come. The machine had eaten it.
After an agonising wait of about seven seconds it was spat out, but the barrier didn't open. I presented the ticket to the surly gateline assistant, who let me through with a sharp, "I don't want to see your ticket!", and waited for the 1136 to Colchester Town (in order to tick off most GA-served GEML stations to Colchester, the section of flyover from platform 1 at Colchester, and two sides of the Colchester Town triangle), spotting, as I waited, six 720/5 units (586, 580, 566, 565, 557, and 567), two Class 745s (009 and 102), and a pleasant surprise in the form of 357316, which sat in platform 14 for a while before heading off ECS.
Having made my way through the gateline onto platform 13 (thanks to the rather more friendly gateline assistant manning that) I boarded 720531, and waited for the off. The train was very lightly loaded, with (I think) only ever one other person in my carriage, and departure was announced by the driver, who began with the words, "This is your captain speaking..."
DLR units 10 and 79 appeared on the approach to Stratford, which was taken at such a slow crawl that the "We are now approaching..." announcement took place about three minutes before arrival. Picking up speed through the closely-spaced, familiar commuter stations, I noticed DR97806 somewhere (!!!), and 720105 at Romford. Slightly more surprising was the sighting of an ancient brake van moored up at Shenfield, which totally distracted my attention from the Class 345s parked up.
Due to the hold-up around Stratford, we were a couple of minutes down, but a splendid run between Chelmsford and Witham brought us in a couple of minutes early, and we remained on time through Kelvedon and Colchester, before the tortuous 15mph grind into the charming Colchester Town station, where there were some particularly good information boards about the history of Colchester's railways, and a drink-vending machine that only used contactless (so was perfectly useless for me). The 1307 towards Walton-on-the-Naze was formed of 321323, which took me to my destination.
My thoughts on the rolling stock? The 720s were fine units, with a very comfortable ride, good Passenger Information Systems, and pretty nice seats by modern standards (certainly far softer than the seats on the Class 345s). I won't read too much into the fact that I fitted into them with no problems at all, given the fact that I'm 5ft 4in tall and roughly 40kg (if my friends's set of scales are to be trusted), but everyone I spoke to about the seats said that they were wide enough. The 321 was comfortable as well, though not quite as luxurious as the 720s - definitely belying its heritage as more of a commuter train than a medium-distance train. Nevertheless, neither was as bad as I was expecting, though I didn't have too much time to think about that, because as soon as I arrived at their house, I noticed a stack of Steam Railway magazines...
Day 2 - Saturday 20th August - EARM
With no trains running on GA branch lines due to the strike, I didn't get the opportunity to tick off the section between Marks Tey and Chappel & Wakes Colne, but fortunately the East Anglian Railway Museum was still open, so we made our way over there.
I can't recommend it highly enough. Almost everything is open to have a look round, including the restoration shed (with their N7 tank in pride of place, though with only cosmetic bodywork and the cab in place above the underframe), most of their carriages (assuming they've been parked up next to a platform) and the working signal box. The preserved coach of 317345 was there as well, initially in platform 2, though, by the time we went, it had been moved to one of the sidings behind the goods shed. The 04 was working, and performed several shunting manoeuvres, and the Waggon und Maschinenbau railbus was parked outside the restoration shed. Admittedly I missed getting the numbers of most of the stock in the restoration shed because I spent upwards of an hour playing around with an old Metrobus they have parked in the picnic area!
Day 3 - Sunday 21st August - Show me the way to go home
With the Elizabeth Line core closed for testing, I thought I would use the opportunity to compare the core with the Central Line. With my plan to do the St Botolph's avoiding line derailed (albeit by a very kind offer of a lift to Colchester North station) I took the 1500 from Colchester, formed of 745009. The step-free access is truly brilliant, and, in Standard Class, it isn't dissimilar to a Class 720, but much more spacious, and with a leather headrest (or at least a convincing fake leather headrest, couldn't tell which!) The Passenger Information System is horrible, though - it has the same features as the 720s but with far too many pointless adverts. The fast run down to Stratford was smooth and comfortable, and, despite a slow run from Manor Park (as all EL locals were switched onto the Main Lines due to testing), the train came into Stratford on time. Nothing was noted on the way down - the train was standing room only from Colchester - although 345016 (as far as I remember - it may have been 345010) was in the Elizabeth Line up platform on a test run through the central tunnel.
Making my way over to the Central Line westbound platform (via the eastbound platform
) I boarded an Ealing Broadway train. 345010 passed us on test as we waited for a platform at the Broadway, and I wandered over to platform 1 for the 1653 to Reading, noting two pairs of HEx Class 387s (130+138 and 131+140) and several 80x units.The 1653 came in six minutes late (delayed behind the 1650 to Heathrow, which was also running late), formed of 345024, and I boarded it.
We were crossed back onto the Down Relief at Stockley Junction, and proceeded to Iver, where we were held for two minutes at a red signal. At Langley, I was just sorting out my luggage when the driver came over the tannoy and announced that, due to a signalling problem, we would be unable to stop at Burnham or Taplow. Panicking slightly, I ran off the train at Slough and straight into the dispatcher, who suggested going to Maidenhead and doubling back. After a brief dash to make the closing doors, we set off, and were held for about five minutes outside the station awaiting a path onto the fast lines. Two IETs (one up, one down) eventually passed (though I didn't get the number of either) and we proceeded into platform 1 at Maidenhead 17 minutes down.
I crossed to platform 4, where the 1744 was showing as "delayed", although, soon after I arrived on the platform, it changed to "expected 1800". After that, there was very little to do except wait, although required unit 345065 was a welcome sight. Hoping for a new unit to turn up, instead I renewed acquaintances with 345053, which got me back home without further incident, albeit 40 minutes later than I had planned.
However the disruption did mean that the leg of my journey that took the shortest time was from Colchester North to Stratford!
Overall, though, I managed to get all three types of GA main-line stock for haulage (leaving the 755s for another day), and, although I still have the St Botolph's avoider to do, I imagine I can do that when I do the remainder of the Clacton/Walton branch (which I missed out on as our visit to Clacton coincided with a strike day, so we had to squeeze on board a rather crowded 74 bus. Happily, though, it turned out that, contrary to my misgivings, it didn't turn out to be the most comfortable thing I rode in!)
(This is my first attempt at a post in this thread, so please do inform me if I've done something wrong and I shall rectify it.)
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I have to say, I had similar misconceptions about Essex before I had a bit of cycle touring around there last year. Granted, some places and people aren't that great but I had a good time exploring overall. I didn't think I would, but I am glad to have been proven wrong.
What did you think about Walton on the Naze? I was surprised by how nice the area was, for a small seaside resort I'd definitely set up base there for more touring in the future!
