Rambling Roebuck... (Trip Reports)

[Keith Jarrett]

Looked like a good day on home soil. And well done on getting Ardwick in the book.

 

[D841 Roebuck]

Three little trips

Not full.day bashes, but may be of interest...

22 September 2016 - an adumbrated wayfarer

The plan was to do a Manchester Wayfarer, picking up a few shacks and (hopefully) a few winners.

Dud tram 3112 took me up to Rochdale station, then 158842 into Manchester Victoria followed by a scouse infestation, with 142047 to Bolton and 142051 on to a shack scratch at Adlington (Lancs). Fifteen minutes here was more than enough, and 150142 appeared to take me southward. It was a through service to Huddersfield, and I like Stalybridge station buffet, so travelled through there for a pie and a pint.

142047 must also have needed refreshment, as it followed me to Stalybridge, then conveyed me back to Victoria. Here, plans changed, as I spotted a winner. 142045 was attached to penultimate Northern sprinter, 150210. As this was on the local to Blackburn via Rochdale, I decided to take it to Castleton.

I used to live in Cas, and have many friends there, so decided to abandon the bash on a high note, and have a catch up. This done, 142062 + 150114 returned me to Rochdale, and dud tram 3096 trundled me home down the hill.


24 September 2016. A quiz trip

Monthly, buzzer quiz time, and attending this one required a shack.score. A very good start, with winner tram 3115 up to the station, 150269 then took me to Hebden Bridge, for a pleasant ten minute wait before 158906 arrived to take me through to the day's venue, and required shack, Church Fenton.

Quiz completed (fifth out of thirteen ) I was.dropped back at the station, with a forty minute fester. This was enlivened by 46233 steaming through, and also.very good smells from the Bangladeshi restaurant in the station building (if the service had been hourly instead of two hourly, I'd have partaken!). Eventually, 158753 appeared to whisk me back to Hebden Bridge, then 158849 through to Rochdale.

One last bonus here. My tram luck continued with brand new 3119 appearing for the downhill run home...


1 October 2016. Another quiz

Little.to report here. Tram 3119 obviously likes me, as it took me up to the station. A straight out and back to.Todmorden, with 150145 and 158758, then 3119 again down the.hill.

 

[FQ]

Sounds like a couple of good mini dashes! Congrats on only needing 1 Northern sprinter - what is it? 3119 must be getting quite annoying too!

 

[D841 Roebuck]

Sounds like a couple of good mini dashes! Congrats on only needing 1 Northern sprinter - what is it? 3119 must be getting quite annoying too!

Need five in total from Northern:
150115
319361, 319378, 319379
322484

 

[Techniquest]

Quite the productive time there, clearing out your local patch quite well!

 

[Kite159]

Sounded like a good few little trips, well done for getting close to the end for northern units (that is until they get more 319s)

 

[D841 Roebuck]

Been catching up.with updating records, and the red pen came out twice!

Firstly, I hadn't spotted.that Metrolink tram 3110, which took.me home at the end of my SVR trip in May was a.winner. I have now, and as a.cosequence.am.now down to three trams...

Secondly, I wanted to double check the date I was dragged by 25259 from Manchester Piccadilly to Macclesfield in November 1984. Checking on line, I found that the relevant date was 18/11/84, and the previously unrecorded by me loco being dragged, and which worked through to Birmingham New Street from Macc, was 86242, which I'd not had elsewhere. Saves on a trip to Hungary to claw it back...

 

[Kite159]

Is that 3 including 3120?

If so that is some good going, although it will take some luck to get those last 3

 

[D841 Roebuck]

Is that 3 including 3120?

If so that is some good going, although it will take some luck to get those last 3

Yes. 3013, 3092 and 3120.

 

[Techniquest]

Exceptionally good going to only need 3 Metrolink trams, I think I'm down to 27 of them to get. Once SCC opens, I'll be back to get it covered and to get the last two shacks I need at Milnrow and Newhey.

I've done that sort of thing before with not having stuff red penned despite it being had yonks before. Had a similar sort through my notes and must have added a fair few EMUs, tons of coaches in various DMUs and EMUs also got the red pen treatment. Shows that even the veteran bashers make mistakes!

 

[D841 Roebuck]

7/10/2016. An Unadumbrated Wayfarer.

Like before, I'd spotted the gen of a required skip on the Pauper's WAG. So I went out to hunt it down...

First was the usual cooked breakfast, Shelley B's cafe making a change from, and an improvement on, Spoons. Then ticket bought and away.

A high note to start with, 3118 being a winning tram up to the station. 158758 soon appeared for the run to Manchester Victoria, where I boarded 150228, which broke before departure. So replacement 150139 took me our to the compulsory dull Central Lancashire Shack Score at Blackrod. Enroute, I spotted a winner out, to chase.down later. I formulated a plan to intercept it via a required shack.

First though it was time to exit the dull, dismal, drizzly dump which was Blackrod. 142041 + 150215 returned me to Notlob, where I dropped back onto the following pair of 185128 + 185123, which took me to Deansgate. I had 80 minutes to reach my winner interception point, so headed across to the tramshack.

15 minutes or so later, I was rewarded when 3018 turned up for a run to Cornbrook, annoyingly passing required 3097 enroute. At least I knew it was out, on the East Didsbury to Shaw service! No time to intercept it now, so instead 3102 was taken through to my last** Metrolink.shack at Ladywell. Not much hereabouts, so I waited for the following 3094 through to the terminus at Eccles, then had a slow walk up to the station.

My calculations proved correct, and 319375 returned punctually from its trip to Liverpool, taking me through to Manchester Victoria. Now to hunt down 3097. From the time elapsed since I saw it, I guessed it was probably between me and East Didsbury, so 3045+3023 were taken to Market Street, then 3091.to Deansgate, which was a handy spot for interception....

However another winner turned up first. 3083 was taken to St Peter's Square, where, in he's behind you pantomime.fashion, 3097 was just departing Didsburywards. Nothing else to do but chase the little.b*gger, then! 3067 to Cornbrook, and 3037 to Chorlton put me in position, and also enabled me to clock 3013 sat on Trafford tramshed. I'd hopes of luck on the Airport line, but nothing doing, so the errant 3097 was eventually scooped in back to Cornbrook, then 3076 back to Manchester Piccadilly.

An hour to go until skip time, so I checked RTT. And discovered that the inward working was cancelled at Llandudno Junction due to lack of guard! So I went for a smoke and a rethink, checking RTT cor replacement moves. And spotted that the service above was only cancelled between Ludo and Chester, a replacement guard being available there. So a fill in move was done to Stockport on 220014, 15 mijutes here produced no winners, so 158783 + 158858 were done back to Piccadilly, passing the skip enroute and depositing me handily on Platform 13.

67003 soon arrived, and became my 18th skip scored on a run to Newton-le-Willows. Changing here, I struck very lucky, with 319374 appearing for a nice run back to Victoria. The rest of the day can be summed up briefly: 142031 + 150144 to Castleton for a beer break, 155342 to Rochdale, 3087 out to Newbold for a supply raid on the adjacent Morrison's and finally 3080 through to Rochdale Town Centre.

A decent day. Two shacks and seven winners.

(** Last for the moment. Knowing GNUMPTE's expansionist tendencies, no doubt Manchester Town Hall contains secret plans for the.future Metrolink extensions to Barton on Humber, Silloth and Alton Towers... )

 

[Techniquest]

I wouldn't want to be on a M5000 all the way to Barton on Humber!

Quite a good little day out there, certainly your red pen got to get some exercise Mine's gathering dust at the moment, ready to get brought out of retirement next week!

 

[FQ]

Sounds like a good day with a good few local winners! I still need 67003!

 

[Kite159]

A productive day in the Wayfarer area, do you need many more wayfarer area shacks?

 

[D841 Roebuck]

A productive day in the Wayfarer area, do you need many more wayfarer area shacks?

Quite a few. Parbold, Orrell, Chorley, Darwen, Moses Gate, Farnworth, Kearsley, Clifton, Trafford Park, Northwich, Lostock Gralam, Plumley, Knutsford, Mobberley, Goostrey, Chelford, Styal, Gatley, Burnage, Handforth, Prestbury, Adlington (Cheshire), Poynton, Bramhall, Dove Holes, Chapel en le Frith, Furness Vale, Whaley Bridge, New Mills Newtown, Middlewood, Hazel Grove, Woodsmoor, Davenport, Grindleford, Hathersage, Bamford, Hope, Edale,Chinley, Strines, Bredbury, Brinnington, Ryder Brow, Belle Vue, Fairfield, Godley, Dinting.(48)

Add on 37 within the Mersey Saveaway zone, 18 in West Yorkshire, 30 odd in Lancashire and I've still got a bit to go at in reasonable travelling range...

 

[Techniquest]

I need quite a few in the Greater Manchester area and in Yorkshire myself, and Lancashire, well it's nowhere near green enough in my atlas for me! Unsurprisingly I plan to attack these areas hard in 2017!

 

[D841 Roebuck]

No trips to report; instead, I've been catching up on the "bookwork", and in particular trying to work out mileage and get all moves possible on my spreadsheet. This is hampered by poor recording, particularly pre 1984, and also missing records for 2003/04/05 in particular.

I'm starting to get there, though, and am fairly confident that this particular class summary is accurate.

Class 81

Built: 25
Seen: 22
Hauled by: 17
Total miles: 797m, 73ch
Highest: 81002 (187m, 39ch)


Other classes to follow, randomly...

 

[Cowley]

Excellent. Looking forward to reading the rest of them (no matter what order). I think from memory I only had 2 class 81s and no idea how many I saw as my actual spotting book disappeared many years ago unfortunately.

 

[Techniquest]

No trips to report; instead, I've been catching up on the "bookwork", and in particular trying to work out mileage and get all moves possible on my spreadsheet. This is hampered by poor recording, particularly pre 1984, and also missing records for 2003/04/05 in particular.

I'm starting to get there, though, and am fairly confident that this particular class summary is accurate.

Class 81

Built: 25
Seen: 22
Hauled by: 17
Total miles: 797m, 73ch
Highest: 81002 (187m, 39ch)


Other classes to follow, randomly...

Very nice indeed, I'll probably never get a Roarer in my book. Based on the limited videos on YouTube, that is indeed a shame :cry:

I should be getting on with my own bookwork thinking about it, the pile is not coming down too quickly!

 

[D841 Roebuck]

Found some old notes..

Sometimes, catching up with the book work produces unexpected benefits. I found some old notes the other day, that hadn't been included in my records properly, so might as well share them as a trip report...

This was a four night camping(!) trip, designed to clear some track and visit a gala. Nothing new there then.

The "moves" are copied over from my spreadsheet...

Day 1

I'd bought cheap advances for this trip, hence the somewhat unusual route out and back.

1 02/08/2006 142045 Rochdale Manchester Victoria
The usual.commute, but with more luggage than normal.
66605 noted at Victoria.

2 02/08/2006 TM1024 Manchester Victoria Manchester Piccadilly
Metrolink is not fun with luggage.

3 02/08/2006 185119 Manchester Piccadilly Sheffield
A nice winner for the trip across the Hope Valley.
66514/530/547/608 at Earles sidings, 60012 at Dore.

4 02/08/2006 222005 Sheffield St Pancras
First Meridian for haulage, and far better than a Voyager!
56302 at.Chesterfield, whilst Derby produced 08899, 31454, 33021/103/202, 45112, 47145/709/832 - very weird to see a trio of Cromptons in the Midlands. 66154/721 passed at Mountsorrel.

5 02/08/2006 LU5105 Kings Cross Great Portland Street
Had to look this up, A Stock on the Metropolitan Line.

6 02/08/2006 LU5536 Great Portland Street Bayswater (new shack)
C Stock. Took forever, with the long wait at Edgware Road. I didn't desperately do shacks then, but decided to change somewhere different.

7 02/08/2006 LU5509 Bayswater Wimbledon
More C stock, on the Wimbleware.

8 02/08/2006 455727 Wimbledon Surbiton (new shack)
Positioning move to the travelcard boundary. I remember Suburbiton being quite good fun, with the fast services storming through.

9 02/08/2006 455905 Surbiton Weybridge (new shack)
Unamused by the dud, but needed to change here for the branch.

10 02/08/2006 450049 Weybridge Chertsey (new shack)
First ever 450 for haulage, and the only new track of the day being the curve round to Addlestone.

Then I strolled riverwards, to a rather nice campsite at Chertsey Bridge, with adjacent pub, and pitched my tent.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Day 2. 3/8/2006

As ever on the first night of a camping trip, I woke at stupid o'clock, to the sounds of annoying feathery things tweeting (and taking more than 140 words to do so). Today was devoted to scratching new track in the London area, and as I needed the Shepperton branch I decided on an early morning walk along the river. It was a lovely day, walking along passed the riverside.dwellings of the rich and famous - until I got dive bombed by a flock of parakeets! At this point I gave up the nature ramble and headed inland, eventually finding Shepperton.station...

1 03/08/2006 455908 Shepperton Wimbledon
New track all the way here, until the junction at New Malden.

2 03/08/2006 319365 Wimbledon Streatham
Filling in an annoying gap. In 1987, I travelled to see Rochdale lose in the League Cup agaist Wimbledon, with the outward journey being to Wimbledon itself and the return, sensibly, from Haydons Road (much nearer to their once and future ground at Plough Lane). Hence I needed the bit of track in between...

3 03/08/2006 319362 Streatham Sutton
Again new track beyond Wimbledon, along the wall of death through the heart of Keith country.

4 03/08/2006 377210 Sutton West Croydon
Another required bit of line, and a fairly dull one IIRC.

5 03/08/2006 TC2552 West Croydon Sandilands
Onto the trams here, and as an Addington service was first up, it was taken to the junction.

6 03/08/2006 TC2544 Sandilands Elmers End
More track clearance, along the former Selsdon line.

7 03/08/2006 465168 Elmers End Hayes
A rather pleasant branch line, with a rather pleasant chip shop near the terminus. (Or was that Caterham a couple of years later...)

8 03/08/2006 465240 Hayes Lewisham
New track beyond Elmers End, clearing the Catford loop.

9 03/08/2006 DLR079 Lewisham Crossharbour
I had forgotten when I visited Crossharbour earlier this year that I'd been previously! New track from Lewisham to Mudchute.

10 03/08/2006 DLR095 Crossharbour Poplar
Positioning move.

11 03/08/2006 DLR066 Poplar Beckton
More new track, down to the now non-existent gasworks.

12 03/08/2006 DLR029 Beckton Canning Town
And back again...

13 03/08/2006 DLR059 Canning Town King George V
The last bit of Docklands track (at the time) cleared.

14 03/08/2006 DLR024 King George V Canning Town
And back again, again!

15 03/08/2006 313106 Canning Town Stratford
I think the North Woolwich service may have been on its last legs. Certainly waited a while here.

16 03/08/2006 315815 Stratford Romford
Positioning move.
08527 was copped at Ilford, whilst 90012/048 passed through Romford.

17 03/08/2006 321363 Romford Upminster
Very odd little required link line.

18 03/08/2006 357039 Upminster West Ham
First 357 for haulage...

19 03/08/2006 LU96074 West Ham Waterloo
New track.all the way. First experience of platform edge doors.

20 03/08/2006 455870 Waterloo Twickenham
Homeward (or tentward) bound now, with new track beyond Richmond.

21 03/08/2006 455750 Twickenham Strawberry Hill
Clearing the track on the Kingston loop.

22 03/08/2006 450053 Strawberry Hill Shepperton
Didn't realise 450s appeared on this line, still don't know if this is/was rare.

After arriving back at Shepperton, I walked down towards the river, eventually finding a quiet pub. Which became less quiet 30 minutes later when most of the regulars returned from a trip to Goodwood races. And had no objection to me joining their "lock in". Well, a 100% winning day deserves to be celebrated...

 

[Techniquest]

Ah now this set me up for an early morning trip down Memory Lane! Your observations at Derby reminded me of a highlight to a visit there, seeing what was parked up on the sidings alongside platform 6. I don't recall right now 47709 up there, but I don't have my NREA to hand on my morning commute to check.

C stock bashing, a staple of a London trip back in the day for me, although logging my moves back then was not exactly done. I still just about remember pre-refurb D stock on moves to/from Earls Court, as well as being able to do High Street Kensington to Kensington Olympia easily throughout the day without making a special effort for it as is the case these days. If you thought that caused some pleasant memories...

313s on North London Line services to North Woolwich, ooh that certainly takes me back! My moves book only goes back to January 2012, when keeping one was decided to be a priority instead of having notes chucked everywhere. Therefore I don't have easy access to when the Stratford to North Woolwich section closed, memory tells me it was at the December 2006 timetable change. One day I'll get the notes from my early years of bashing sorted, I think I have a moves book of sorts that started in spring 2007, as you can probably imagine I'm committed to sorting my notebooks and so forth out during the forthcoming winter months, when money is traditionally tight.

Ah yes, 1024 on Metrolink, this would be back in the days when Metrolink was still only a shadow of its current self. I won't admit to liking the now-gone T68 trams, but instead look back fondly to a spotting session at Manchester Victoria in May 2004 that was longer than planned due to waiting for a particular T68 to come back from Bury as I had left my bag on it. I'm still amazed to this day that it was still there and on the same seat it had been when I left my bag there! It was several years until I got to the ELR, unlike my bag of the time which had got all the way to Bury a long time before I did

As for your comment on birds tweeting, aside from the limit being 140 characters and not 140 words I declare that to be comment of the week!

Anyway, before I trek back too far down Memory Lane, I should point out that I thoroughly enjoyed your 2006 trip report so far and I look forward to more as it comes!

 

[D841 Roebuck]

Thanks, Tech, for your kind comments. You can tell my use of Twitter is limited to following rather than tweeting. Anyway, on with the report...

Day 3. 4/8/06

A bit more track.bashing, and a visit to a Heritage line.

1 04/08/2006 450055 Chertsey Weybridge
A later than planned start, back out to the main line.

2 04/08/2006 450023 Weybridge Woking
There's a certain similarity about today's mainline motive power, as will become apparent. New track all the way, though.
73204/205 noted during my wait at Woking.

3 04/08/2006 450105 Woking Alton
More new track, down a rather pleasantly rural branch. The scenery included a roebuck, head just visible above the contents of a cornfield he was busy lunching on

4 04/08/2006 K92212 Alton Alresford
My first visit to the Mid Hants, and also my first 9F. The K prefix is used in my moves spreadsheet to avoid confusion (although a 9F round the Hainault loop owuld be rather hellfire!)

5 04/08/2006 K92212 Alresford Ropley
Back up the line one stop, and I had a wander round. The original 12049 was noted amidst the kettles, alongside 45132, 73104/139

6 04/08/2006 K73096 Ropley Alresford
Not my first Standard 5MT, as I'd sampled 73082 at the Bluebell in 2004.
Getting on the footbridge, and peering down the sidings, I identified 27007 by shape!

7 04/08/2006 K73096 Alresford Alton
A storming run up the hill. I like Standard.Fives...

8 04/08/2006 450057 Alton Aldershot
Changing here for a different route back

9 04/08/2006 450028 Aldershot Ascot
More new track, through woods, heathland and past posh golf courses. I did ask the guard if returning this way was.valid, and he had no problem.

10 04/08/2006 450070 Ascot Staines
A friend and work colleague used to live here, and recommended it for an evening out. It was OK, but not a patch on Shepperton. Nice curry, though, and a decent folk/rock band on in one of the pubs.

A very pleasant day. Hadn't realised until now that I'd had nothing but 450s all day, though...

 

[Techniquest]

Nothing but 450s all day, painful!

 

[D841 Roebuck]

Day 4 5/8/06

Today was.gala day, at the previously unvisited Spa Valley Railway.

1 05/08/2006 450110 Chertsey Weybridge
Another day, another 450 scored..

2 05/08/2006 455901 Weybridge Waterloo
No messing about today, straight to the smoke

3 05/08/2006 375703 Waterloo East London Bridge
Over the bridge to a new shack, and my first 375...

4 05/08/2006 375913 London Bridge Tunbridge Wells
...quickly followed by my second!
37047/610 were at Hither Green and 73207 at Tonbridge.

5 05/08/2006 20118 Tunbridge Wells West Groombridge Loop
6 05/08/2006 20118 Groombridge Loop Tunbridge Wells West
First new track of the day, a return trip to the loop just beyond Groombridge station. 20118 was quite loud.

7 05/08/2006 09004 + D3489 Tunbridge Wells West Groombridge
8 05/08/2006 09004 + D3489 Groombridge Tunbridge Wells West
First ever 09 and 10 for haulage, all in one little measure. I bailed at Groombridge station for a ccoffee whilst the gronks went to the loop and ran round.

9 05/08/2006 20118 + 33063 + 33065 Tunbridge Wells West Birchden
A triple header as far as Groombridge loop, where the 33s were detached and sent to the rear of the train, whilst 20118 headed on to the working limit at the time, alongside the Uckfield line.

10 05/08/2006 33065 + 33063 Birchden High Rocks
Back to High Rocks, for a pub break at a very posh pub which was hosting a wedding reception.

11 05/08/2006 Southernham + D3489 High Rocks Tunbridge Wells West
"Southernham" was (and is) an industrial Drewry shunter, similar to an 04, and was a feisty and raucous little beastie!
In addition to the locos sampled for haulage, 15224 and 73141 were noted at TWW.

12 05/08/2006 375624 Tunbridge Wells Waterloo East
A third different subclass of 375 in three attempts!

13 05/08/2006 450093 Waterloo Chertsey via Hounslow
Home round the loop, which was new track, noting 31602 enroute.

A good day out at a very friendly line, with plenty of new locos, and which ended with a beer with the local vicar at a Chertsey pub.

 

[Cowley]

Must get over and do that line. They look very diesel friendly and it looks interesting too.

 

[FQ]

A good read there!

 

[Techniquest]

Mmm, 20118 was an absolute monster in 2008 when I had it with 20110 on the South Devon Railway. I would therefore imagine you had a good trip with it too. However, 20137 on the Gloucestershire-Warwickshire Railway will always be my favourite. The thrash in Greet Tunnel was nothing short of legendary off that beast! 20098 and 20048 a while before it in 2006 on the GCR were just nowhere near as good. Mind you, that was the GCR, one of the only lines I've not felt comfortable being at.

Spa Valley Railway still needs a visit from me, perhaps one day!

 

[D841 Roebuck]

I personally think 20059/20188 at the SVR are a loud pair. 20031 at KWVR also, although this one suffers by sharing accomodation with 25059, which seems to have acquired one of Motorhead's old speakers in its innards!

Anyway, on with the report...

Day 5. 6/8/2016

The last day, so I had to strike my tent and cart my belongings with me.

1 06/08/2006 450066 Chertsey Waterloo via Staines
A surprisingly busy service, with lots of people travelling into London on a Sunday morning.

2 06/08/2006 LU96010 Waterloo Green Park
New track (I'd done the old Jubilee route to Charing Cross)

3 06/08/2006 LU4084 Green Park Kings Cross
Crowded and unpleasant. On reaching KGX I'd had enough of carting my luggage about, so chinged out to leave it at the left luggage emporium in order to have a quick bash.

4 06/08/2006 319363 Kings Cross Thameslink Farringdon
I think both shacks were new. The unit certainly was.

5 06/08/2006 319426 Farringdon London Bridge

6 06/08/2006 377137 London Bridge Charing Cross
A puzzle here. Presumably the unit had been borrowed, or possibly a.Sunday diversion?

7 06/08/2006 375619 Charing Cross London Bridge
On arrival, I decided the Northern Line was a better bet than Thameslink to get back to KGX.

8 06/08/2006 LU51634 London Bridge Bank

9 06/08/2006 LU51512 Bank Kings Cross

10 06/08/2006 91132 Kings Cross Leeds via Hertford North
I'd booked first class for this, as this was the cheapest advance I could find. Ten years later, I've not been in first class again. There were two other passengers in my carriage, a mum and daughter of about 4. The latter had a most amusing journey, being allowed to "help" the catering chap serve her mother and myself with coffee and biccies at frequent intervals! The routeing via the Hertford Loop was unexpected, and scored me the track, whilst the winning 91 was also a bonus.
47145/712 were at Kings Cross; Peterborough had 66030/182/192/216/234/702/715/721; 37042 was in Belmont Yard and 08669 at Doncaster.

11 06/08/2006 158910 Leeds Rochdale

That was a very good short break, and has nearly got me nostalgic enough to contemplate purchasing a small tent (camping at Altnabreac/Portsmouth Arms/Swanage/wherever next summer...)

 

[Techniquest]

I can't comment on the KWVR as I've never been on it, so not had 20031 yet nor the 25. I can't remember right now which one is on the ELR but I remember it being disappointing and not even a patch on the 37s or 50 that day. You have also reminded me to check 20059 and 20188, as I don't remember seeing them in my search on RailMiles yesterday. Might have been logged under D numbers though. I have no good memory of the 20s on the SVR but I remember 47580, that thing was a monster!

Anyway, back to your trip report. It's been years since Southern stopped running anything to Charing Cross, which I believe was mostly a peak time thing on weekdays. I don't know enough about workings down there to comment accurately though, a job for Keith Jarrett to possibly explain! It's not something I ever did at the time, and I can imagine it must have looked a tad out of place at the time.

As per the rest of your trip report from 2006, I thoroughly enjoyed the memories the final instalment created. Funny how circumstances work out differently mind, in this case I reference your mention of not going in First Class since this trip. Back in the mid 2000s I was in First Class whenever possible, especially if I was in place for the 1130 Swansea to London Paddington. I used to love the Pullman service on that working, their mixed grills were amazing. As was the apple pie and custard, and their bottles of Overland Dry Australian Red were awesome. I used to be so regular on it that I knew the crew members quite well and they knew what I would order as soon as I confirmed where I was alighting. If it was only to Newport, I got served first to ensure I got my meal. Excuse me while I take a moment to remember those journeys...Point being that these days I very rarely travel in First Class, and having recently sampled the excellent refurb job on GWR HSTs in First Class I yearn for more!

 

[Keith Jarrett]

That jaunt from 2006 was certainly peppered with winners! Now that 377 into Charing Cross. Once upon a time, Southern used to run into CHX in the off-peak every half hour by extending their Caterham / Tattenham Corner to London Bridge services the extra couple of miles over the river to the South Eastern's west end terminus. In the peak, the service patronised the low level platforms at LBG.