Rambling Roebuck... (Trip Reports)

[D841 Roebuck]

...Yes, some hours before 45135 of this parish, I too tracked down the errant 08888. It was a complete surprise to me, as last time I checked it was at Scunthorpe!

Keeping awake still, I noted that we went via Aston, then we were soon at the Bat Cave. And a very nice cross-platform interchange on to an all-shacks Euston service. Mourning slightly the days when this would have been a Dusty (321), I was nevertheless pleased to note that 350115 was a winner.

A couple of familiar faces appeared as we approached Tile Hill - fellow quizzers. However, they disappeared up to the main road, whilst I gogoogleapped myself through an industrial estate. . We seemed to arrive at the same time, though.
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Ah. I thought you were avoiding the direct XC trains to Birmingham, but now it appears that you were doing the Chase Line.

Yes. I'd not done it for 30 years.

It was better then on a diverted sleeper with 47553 and 47567 up front, though.
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A couple of hours or so later, the Grand Prix was over 90.3 points out of 155 left me well down the lists (ended up 79th out of 120-odd according to the on line results). As I'd paid for lunch I decided to stay for fish & chips. Alright, but I'm used to F&C from , Seahouses, Whitby or Scarorough -Cov is a bit inlland...

 

[Techniquest]

Ahhh, someone else who visited the shack at Wythenshawe Town Centre for a PNB and visit to Asda! I did Costa instead on my visit as Asda was closed (it being a Sunday afternoon) which worked out just fine for me.

Well done on having the guts to finish the shacks on the Airport line, it will take me several goes as I just don't enjoy that line! I'd forgot Exchange Square was open, another reason to head to Manchester asap...

08888 sounds like one I'd best keep an eye out for next time I do a Midlands day, surprised some of the old-school guys need it so probably means I do too!

Excellent reads as well good sir, worth the wait

 

[FQ]

I'm enjoying the read and looking forward to the rest!

 

[Southwest]

This was a working men"s club in Western , situated halfway twixt twiCanley and Tile Hill stations

Now I'm a Coventry kid (actually born in Tile Hill) and for the life of me I can't figure out where Western is. The only thing remotely like this would be Eastern Green? Possible?

 

[D841 Roebuck]

Now I'm a Coventry kid (actually born in Tile Hill) and for the life of me I can't figure out where Western is. The only thing remotely like this would be Eastern Green? Possible?

Lime Green WMC.

 

[55013]

A nice trip out there.
08888 certainly seems to move about a bit.
I photographed it at Doncaster in 2005 and I believe it's also spent some time at Didcot recently.

 

[D841 Roebuck]

9/1/2016 continued

Quiz over and chips eaten, I set off through the steady rain to Canley. Annoyingly, I just missed a westbound service so crossed over and joined double winners 350113 + 350116 for the short run to Coventry. Crossing the platform here i joined 390122 for a trip to the NEC. Changing here, 323202 was dud for the run to New Street.

I was pleasantly surprised here - now its finished you can actually get out of the place fairly easily for the walk to Moor Street. 168002 was waiting to go in the bay platform, so was taken to Solihull. Coming up behind was172211, taken via the required curve at Hatton to Stratford Parkway for a shack scratch. Five minutes here, and the run of winners continued with 165018 appearing on the local to Leamington Spa.

Here, it was a case of planning a fill in move whilst waiting for the cat. However, delays were afoot. Eventually168217 arrived for a run to Solihull, with 168214 taken back for a shack attack at the bleak and windsweptWarwick Parkway. A chilly wait here before 68008 turned up to take me through to Moor Street.

 

[Techniquest]

Crikey you did well in the Midlands! Jealous of 68008...

 

[FQ]

I agree! Except the bit about 68008. That one is sooooo dud at 229.25 miles

 

[D841 Roebuck]

9/1/16 continued and completed

I had bailed at Moor Street intending to walk back to the bat cave. However, it was raining hard and horizontally. So I went by the dud but dry route - 172344 to Snow Hill, 172220 to Galton Bridge then downstairs for 323201 to Wolves. Here, I acquired a sandwich and then joined 221128 for a pleasant snooze back to Manchester. 3072 took me across to Victoria, then 156440 home to Rochdale.

A good day out. As the quiz GPs.are monthly, I've checked out future fixtures. Looks like Merseyrail may get a visit in Feb, with a WMDR again in March (Duston, near Northampton).

 

[Kristofferson]

Not a bad day out at all

 

[47403]

A nice trip out there.
08888 certainly seems to move about a bit.
I photographed it at Doncaster in 2005 and I believe it's also spent some time at Didcot recently.

said gronk used to be a GD stalwart too, I'm led to believe it was rather garishly nicknamed "Killer", after being involved in two fatalities, how true this was I'm not sure.

 

[D841 Roebuck]

22/2/2016 - Covering the Big Sky Country

Can't believe I had to resurrect this fred from Page Five. Shows how many less idle cranks there are than me...

If any of you have exceptionally good memories for random charts which were last updated a year ago, and in particular my Route Coverage chart which is somewhere in the bowels of the eponymous thread, you will recall a web of redness in the bulgy bit between Gods Own County and Anglia. Recovered from a hacking cough, twas time to go out and correct this.

A still and calm Rochdale dawn found me awaiting the 0651 to Leeds. 150215 + 158848 took me through the half light to Halifax, where I acquired a coffee and paper, and awaited the result of my 4-1 gamble. Sadly, James Herriot was otherwise engaged (lambing season?), so twas dud 180101 which appeared, and trundled me towards my first Nutrax of the day. Where? Well, close examination of my Baker Atlas indicated an unhighligted bit from Crofton Jc to Hare Park Jc.
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22/2/16, 2

So off we trundled on the adelante, which was so slackly timed that Bradford to Donny takes as long as Donny to London. And shortly after Wakefield, the offending spur was scratched. At Donny, a full English was sourced from the Hungry Horse next door - a bit pricy but excellent quality. Back at the station, the atm was visited, a Lincolnshire Day Ranger purchased and, embarassingly, 67008 scored for sight. Then over to platform 5, where winner153355 awaited on the 1025 to Lindum Colonia.

And the dogbox was entertaining, but in an unexpected way. There was a group booking of teenaged lasses heading for Lincoln - pretty, Polish (I think) and with a ghetto blaster playing euro-pop. Sadly, on passing Belmont yard, the old boy sat behind me asked them to turn the music off So I sourced my headphones, and settled down to Simon's Mobile Moshpit with a selection of tracks from Foetal Juice and Pist

This trip was also all Nutrax, apart from the bit outside Gainsborough where the Brigg line goes the other way. And it was dull, with ditchwater being the most interesting thing on view (apart from the Polish lasses, obviously). Stale, flat but profitable in a coverage sense (the route, NOT the lasses).

 

[Kite159]

Agreed with that line from Doncaster towards Lincoln, it is quite dull.

Good to see you back on the rails again

 

[FQ]

A good start and I'm looking forward to the rest!

 

[D841 Roebuck]

22/2 cont

At Lincoln Central (first new shack of the day) I had time for a smoke, then joined 153381 for a trip over some more Nutrax to Newark Northgate. And so did the guard from my previous trip, so she saw my ranger for the second time. Not much else to report on this quick leap, although Hykeham Wanderers FC appear to have built a 10,000 seater stand (was a big edifice with an angled roof, so I'm sticking to this story) and my first pair of coots of the year were noted on one of the more watery flat bits lineside.
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Arriving at Newark, I walked across town to Castle station, visiting Morrisons enroute for a crusty baton, some cheese, some grapes and (thinking ahead) a breadknife to dismember said bread. I arrived at Castle in time to see a winning pair of dogboxen depart for Matlock, then joined 156411 for a short leap to Collingham for a shackscratch.

I had a +11 here for linear leap back to Lincoln, which became a +15 when 60096 inserted itself light engine into the queue of traffic. No worries, 153383 soon appeared for a run through to Sleaford.
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Although this was a through service from Newark to St Petersbog, everyone but me bailed off at Lincoln, including the guard, who was replaced by the lady who'd already conducted me twice. With a joke about who was stalking whom, she said she presumed I hadn't lost my ticket...

The scenery south of Lincoln was marginally better, but I failed to identify a suitable pub for a potential fester at Metheringham or Ruskington.. Then we swung off to the right to enter Sleaford from the west. Funny station layout here, with the trackplan being reminiscent of a model railway, somehow being squeezed in to the available space. However dud ex NL 156497 soon whisked me away towards Nottingham. As I obtained a table seat, the bread and cheese came out enroute.
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Now for some more Nutrax. A few years ago, Network Rail acquired some HoHornbyirst radius curves and put a new spur in for Skegvegas services to/from Grantham. . This was duly scored, before Grantham was scored for shackage. A pleasant half hour in the sun watching the trains go by, then 158863 turned up on a Norwich service, which was taken to St Petersbog, passing amongst others 73965 enroute.

Forty minutes here, and it was time to board newly dud 153355 for more Nutrax, as far as Sleaford, though I travelled right through to Lincoln. (A Sleaford to Doncaster service followed 30 minutes later, but having failed to google any reasonably adjacent pubs/cafes at Ruskington or Metheringham I eschewed the shack scratch.) Instead, I festered at Lincoln, then took 142020 to Saxilby for the shack, waiting eight minutes here for 156411 (again) on the Sleaford-Donny (complete with returning party of Polish lasses!).

Not much to say about the rest of the trip. 91119 to Leeds was speedy but dull, whilst 150272 back to Castleton was wedged until Halifax.

A long but enjoyable day. Four winners, five new shacks and lots of Nutrax. That's Lincolnshire cleared, except for Lincoln to Barnetby, trackwise. Where next? South Wales has lots of required track in the valleys, but we'll see...

Finally, a little quiz. You may have noticed the word "Nutrax" appearing above. Which classic detective novel features Nutrax (for nerves) as part of its plot?

Hasta la fuego...

 

[FQ]

That sounds like a very fun day out in Lincolnshire! I don't know the answer to the quiz but worked out that it means 'new track' in this report!

 

[Keith Jarrett]

Sounds like a great day out cavorting around Lincolnshire. Love the term "nutrax" for track scratches. I take it that the new(ish) curve at Allington Junction is rather tight if your comparison with Hornby first radius curves is anything to go by.

 

[Techniquest]

That new curve is fairly tight aye, from vague memory of covering it years ago.

An excellent day out there D841, loved your mobile moshpit thing! 153355 seems to have been a popular score all round lately, it was a useless pile of nonsense when I had it on a WMDR a good while back, jesus didn't it struggle!

Not a clue on the quiz question there though.

 

[D841 Roebuck]

The quiz question was just a little whimsy, as they say, of mine (clue)...

Tech - glad you liked the moshpit reference! While I'm not the greatest fan of Death Metal (aka Bonnie Tyler's grandpa on karaoke after smoking 100 Capstan Full Strength), two of the Foetals are former work colleagues and great lads. I keep threatening to turn up to one of their gigs, but it probably won't happen...

Keith - thanks. The Allington Curve is indeed tight. Wouldn't want to traverse it in a pacer.

Mr Midshipman Quinn - likewise thanks. Twas a good day out. Now here's an idea - can you and your dad position your boats at Berney Arms for a forum meet? There are enough shackscratchers on here that your provision of a ferry service to Reedham or Somerleyton might prove remunerative...

 

[Techniquest]

Gotta admit death metal isn't my thing, as you'll have noticed from several Nightcore references in my trip reports! What I definitely liked was the parody of Tech's Mobile Disco I really need to expand it a bit, something to try and do on Sunday, after all it's been quite some time since I last had MCR and Green Day flooding into the ear canals!

 

[Kristofferson]

Nicely done, good day out indeed

 

[D841 Roebuck]

29/02/2016. Wayfaring

First, a small diversion. "Nutrax" is found in Murder Must Advertise, by Dorothy L Sayers...

To the main event, then. Techiquest of this parish had indicated that he was having a bash in Manchester on this day. As he comes across as a thoroughly decent chap on the forum, I arranged to meet his train, hopefully at Wilmslow. No particular targets were set for me - just an enjoyable (hopefully) day out in good company.

I went for the wayfarer rather than the GM Ranger as it covers the entire Metrolink and doesn't have the evening peak restrictions. Validity starts at 09:30, so at 09:10 I acquired a Greggs Sausage and Egg sandwich (vile, nowhere near as good as McDonalds), eating this whilst waiting for the first valid tram at Rochdale Town Centre.

Dud 3087 took me up the hill to the station, then 150132 appeared 10 minutes late to take me to Manchester Victoria, the lateness meaning that I rejoined 3087 for the trip to Piccadilly. Here, I boarded 175009, hoping to make a +2 onto Tech's train at Wilmslow. However, we were a minute down at Stockport, so I baled here to await 175004 and Tech for the run back to Piccadilly.
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Tech had acquired some gen regarding his last two 350/4 units, so we decided to plan arround those. This meant that we had 50 minutes or so to play with, so a spot of trambashig was decided on. The full gory details have already appeared on Tech's thread, so suffice it to say that our shuttling along the Piccadilly Gardens to New Islington axis produced winners3089, 3008, 3098 for me before we headed back upstairs for 350404 to Wigan, which pulled in attached behind 350408, making winners all round.

Talk enroute turned to the potential for a sneaky shack scratch. As we both needed Hag Fold, we walked across to Wallgate, boarding 156452 to get there. The 20 minute fester produced a cunning plan, involving Daisy Hill, Westhoughton and a walk via the intervening Spoons. The first part of this involved 156427, which resulted in a cry of Winner, winner, chicken dinner from my colleague (who, when asked, didn't think he'd used the phrase when dining chez Blindtraveller!
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The Spoons goes high up on my list of rateable ones - clean, friendly, efficient service and a belting pint of Doom Bar. All too soon, it was time to head back to Wigan via Westhoughton and 150271. Then back to Manchester on pre-genned 350409, making Tech happy. Sadly, 405 wasn't fastened to the back, so I still need one (and half a ton of the 350/1/2/3 variants from LM).

As Tech has posted elsewhere, moves to possible shacks were discussed and discarded, then an attempt was made on Exchange Square. Although winners 3076, 3088 were scooped in, the attempt was only a qualified success (might have been better, in hindsight, to walk down from Shude Hill...)
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Back up to Piccadilly now, as it was time for Tech's train home. 175115 produced a bantersome guard, then just as we set off, Tech spotted 158863 (my last required EMT one) heading for Liverpool. My plan at this time was to go to Spoons in Wilmslow for grub, then do the awkward shack Styal (nice +5), then possibly somewhere up the Buxton line for a random shack bash with attached pint.

After much haveringI decided to stick to my plan. Spoons was found, fish & chips devoured, then I headed back to the station.
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To find a minor farce. Delays of 10 minutes or so made the planned Styal leap unwise. It's an ill wind, though, as that meant a certain 158 was back on the menu. And the cause of the delays? 150280 battling its way up the marches to become a totally unexpected winner in to Piccadilly. And 158863 + 158854 appeared right on schedule for the run out to Stockport again.

Here I paused for thought. It was now raining as well as cold, so the Buxton line was looking less appealing. And the train thence was a dud pair of 150s. First thing back to Manchester was 220002 so I retreated on this, then 3072 over to Victoria. I could have got the 1956 to Cas Vegas, but it was a dud pair of pacers. And there was a winner to hand...
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So 319371 was joined for a whiz out to Newton Le Willows. Sadly, no winner back, though, with 319382 to Piccadilly, 3082 over to Victoria and 155345 (for the third time this year) out to Castleton and the pub on the 21:26.

That was a good day out, in good company, with four winners from four different Tocs (plus five trams), a new shack, two new spoons (Wilmslow ok but Westhoughton better imho) and a win at the quiz...

Now in full planning mode...

 

[Techniquest]

Glad you enjoyed the trip good sir, well done on clearing the EMT 158s! Probably the better move vice getting cold at a random shack, which is still there and probably will be for a long time, unlike the 158. Nicely done with the ATW 150, always nice to get a surprise win!

 

[FQ]

Well done on getting all of the EMT 158s! It sounds like you both had a great day!

 

[D841 Roebuck]

Advance tickets and Travelodge booked for next week.

Going the civilized way (Grand Central) to Kings Cross. The random cheap travelodge generator on their website threw up Edmonton Green.

Aim is track clearance. Requirements are:
Bakerloo (south of Waterloo)
Central (Greenford to White City)
District (Kensington Olympia branch)
Jubilee (Finchley Rd to Stanmore)
Met (Watford branch)
Northern (Edgware/Mill Hill branches, and south of Clapham Common)
Piccadilly (North of Finsbury Park, Heathrow branch)
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NR requirements are:
The various routes to Dartford
Bromley North branch
Chessington branch
Wandsworth(?) to Crystal Palace
Finsbury Park to Moorgate
& a couple of PSUL bits

 

[Keith Jarrett]

The random cheap travelodge generator on their website threw up Edmonton Green.

Cue loads of London Overground 315s and 317s ....

Hope you have a great time and loads of nutrax, nushacks, nuwhatever.....

 

[D841 Roebuck]

Cue loads of London Overground 315s and 317s ....

Hope you have a great time and loads of nutrax, nushacks, nuwhatever.....

Ironically, Edmonton Green is an oldshack

Nevertheless, I expect to do quite well....

 

[47403]

A good read there Roebuck, fair few winners thrown in for good measure too.

 

[Techniquest]

Good luck, I look forward to seeing how you get on!