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Richard's Trip Reports

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FQ

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I'm looking forward to the report.
 
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Segedunum

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London calling- 16/1/16

London was calling and it was time for what was probably the cheapest London bash I’d ever done! The tickets and travelcard came to just £28.50 which seemed like exceptional value, and as you’ll find out, it was a bash of highs, and the odd low, generally not down to the traction on offer!

It was off to the Central for 0540 where I picked up some breakfast from Sainsbury’s then walked over to Platform 2, ‘hmm 43310, there’s one I’ve not had in a while, I wonder what’s working up the back?’ I see the ‘Deltic 50’ plate and then catch sight of the fact that this morning I had winner 43367 trailing dud 43310. Eventually! I was one closer to clearing my VTEC trams, of which there can’t be many to go! (There’s at least two, 43300/43312). I plonked myself in B61 as usual and looked to get some shut eye for the diversion via Sunderland, which was nice and smooth indeed. Then we came to a sudden halt outside Billingham which did alarm me slightly. I headed for the droplight and woke myself up with some fresh air. Apparently, due to VTEC’s twitter, it was caused by congestion. But RTT showed no other conflicting movements so I’ve no idea why. Anyhow, the guard, who was a bit of an unpleasant character (barking ‘RESERVATION!’ at me when I presented her my ticket, and my reservation?!) didn’t mention anything at all, so it was a 9 minute delay for no apparent reason. We then managed to lose more time on the approach to York somehow despite nothing seeming unusually slow.

We reach York and the carriage is about 30% full, plenty of seats available. This awkward French woman insists on sitting next to me (bear in mind at the time I was basically asleep across the seats, given that they weren’t reserved and the train was quiet) despite there being two free seats directly behind her so I haul myself up and move my things without question anyway. And all seemed good, until she starts elbowing me as she gets her paper about. Then the bugger had the cheek to complain about my headphones (which were leaking little or no sound)! Nonetheless, it was a nice enough journey, nice sunrise at least as we then trundle into London for 0948, 7 late, (or 41 late if you compare it to the usual timetable :lol:). I’d planned to start at Highbury for 1009 so it was time to make a run for it as I legged it onto the Victoria Line and was stood on the platform, having just missed a train, for 0952. 0953 appears and I’m off to Highbury and Islington, and legging it up the stairs to the North London Line for 0957. As a result, I was 10 minutes ahead and on the 0959 to Richmond! 11 minutes train to train, not bad ;)

We started off with winner 378203 taking to me to shack 1, Kentish Town West. Things were looking up as the sun started to shine yet my mood was sent through the floor again as I took a stroll up the platform to find an older gent urinating! He noticed me as I walked past with a look of disgust, and simply ran off back to the shelters. The platform absolutely stank. Tweet was duly sent to LO to advise them that a bucket of water was probably required :lol:. Dud 378207 then rolled in to take me back over to shack 2, Camden Road. 10 minute fester was required here for winner 378219 to cart me along to shack 3, Finchley Road & Frognal where I had a +1 that I fancied a go at. Indeed, it was made as I was in the right place to dash over the bridge and join winner 378216 to shack 4, Hampstead Heath. I was now 20 minutes ahead of schedule, which wasn’t bad considering the initial delay! Next up was winner 378213 to shack 5, Brondesbury Park where I had the chance at another +1 but played the good Samaritan and carried a buggy down the stairs :lol:. Never mind, it was dud 378212. 10 minutes later, dud 378214 was rolling in to take me the 35 chains back to shack 6, Brondesbury where there was a hasty swap of platforms for winner 378221 to shack 7, Willesden Junction. One more and that was the NLL core done west of Canonbury! Fresh dud 378203 appeared to take me to shack 8, Kensal Rise where I made the very very awkward platform change for winner 378211 all the way to Richmond.

Making that connection meant I was 30 minutes ahead and I also fancied my chances of a +1 (as per the WTT, +0 otherwise) to fill in some time to shack 9, North Sheen. It was dud 455916 doing the honours and soon I was on the pleasant island platform awaiting winner 455713 to shack 10, Strawberry Hill. It hadn’t occurred to me that bailing at Twickenham for Strawberry Hill would have bagged me two 450s until we left Twickenham, but instead I was rewarded with a -3 turned +2 onto double winners 455723/455849 back to Twickenham where I joined winner 455860 to shack 11, St Margarets. Just Mortlake to go and that’d be one side of the Hounslow/Kingston Loops completed! Next up was mega dud 455909 to shack 12, Teddington. Here, my mood took a hit again (after a successful 3 hours really!) as a bloke sat across from me kept glancing over, so naturally in this instance you glance over yourself to see what someone is doing. He instantly took offence and lectured me on how I shouldn’t stare at people for a solid 5 minutes before I gave up apologising and bailed at Teddington as I intended to anyway.

I’d had enough of the South Western after that, the people this way were genuinely starting to grate on me, but not before I got a couple more scores so I joined double winners 450121/450088 to shack 13, Hampton Wick where I picked up a samosa from a corner shop to keep me going for a bit. Next up was winner 455906 to shack 14, Kingston, where the service was terminating in the bay platform which doesn’t appear to be booked to see much, if any use at all in normal service! It was a hasty dash over to dud 455727 to Wimbledon (original plan saw me bailing at Norbiton, then Fulwell before Wimbledon so I was now 1 hour ahead) where I swapped for some 319 action. Double winners 319438/319446 appeared for the slow and leisurely amble to shack 15, Streatham. Here, my plan was to get the two stations I needed left via Hackbridge, and the Dulwich/Peckham stations I needed. However, something different happened. Very different!

Dud 455830 appeared to take me north from Streatham and to be honest, my mood the way it was thanks to the last bloke, I decided on some radical change to try and get some more winners shacks (I was limiting myself to 6 or 7 in the same area with a high chance of duds with my plan originally) and I leapt off at Peckham Rye for double winners 319002/319434 to shack 16, Shortlands. I then remembered that the Vic-Sevenoaks trains were single 465s so my winner count was going to creep up very slowly unlike if I’d gone for the Dartford trains (I’d missed the Dartford by about 2 minutes at Peckham). Oh well, at least it was winner 465193 to shack 17, Bickley. Nifty cross platform here had me joining a busy winning 465005 to shack 18, Sydenham Hill. This area seemed quite pleasant, plenty of greenery around anyway as I waited the 4 minutes for winner 465196 to take me back over to shack 19, Penge East. One awkward platform change later and it was onto fresh dud 465193 to shack 20, West Dulwich. From here, I planned to walk to Tulse Hill and get in as many shacks between Tulse Hill and London Bridge as possible considering I required 4 out of 5 of them! Google Maps said it was a 17 minute walk, but I only had 8 to make the 1515 to London Bridge, so that looked pretty much impossible.

Indeed, I made it up at 1516 (so still half the time Google suggested) having basically ran/staggered the entire way uphill and caught sight of a pair of 319s so I dived on as the doors were closing for a quick filler move to Streatham. This turned out to be absolute genius on my part as I had winner 319004 leading dud 319448, followed by a +3 onto winner 319436 trailing dud 319435 back to Tulse Hill after just 11 minutes, meaning I could easily cross onto winner 455811 working the 1531 to London Bridge! Two winners instead of a +16 fester, nice timing on my part there! I took the 455 to shack 21, North Dulwich where there was a swift crossing required for dud 455840 to take me to shack 22, East Dulwich! Tissue sellers were also out and about here, I ended up with one on 5 services in a row! Winner 455807 then produced for the run to South Bermondsey, shack number 23. This was a very narrow platform indeed, as I crossed onto fresh dud 455811 to final shack, number 24, Queens Road Peckham. One final winner of the day in the form of 455813 had me into London Bridge for 1617 where I made a dash for the Northern Line back to Kings Cross for about 1635. Next stop Boots for the food, First Class lounge for the drinks :lol:.

Duds 43290/43305 were working tonight on the 1700 to Edinburgh, which was scheduled to take 3hrs 53 minutes (in the end it took 4hrs 02, the longest journey I’ve had on an HST, I’m pretty sure!) to Newcastle via Sunderland with one stop at York en route. I proceeded to complete 4 pages of a history essay before getting a lil spot of sleep via the Durham Coast, arriving into Newcastle for 2102.

On the whole, a decent day. I really need to not go to SWT land next time or at least stay away from the 455s :lol: 377s should be on the agenda next, I need heaps!

Total Mileage: 638mi 06ch
Total Winners: 26+24 shacks
Total Cost: £33.53

Winners for the year- 63
Shacks for the year- 49
Year Mileage- 2038mi 20ch
 
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FQ

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Lots of shacks and winners there! When I saw the title, I thought that it was a musical reference of 'London Calling' by the clash. I'm getting to used to Keith and Tech's titles!
 

Segedunum

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Cheers to you all, Southeastern is on my radar for my jolly down in March. This time the shacks via Chislehurst to Sevenoaks actually have a service as do the shacks via Slade Green. I'm also in at 0905, off 1730 so another hour or so to play with :)

And yeah, there were some good people too, had a nice chat with the driver of 319004 in the afternoon...
 

Techniquest

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Apart from the strange people (I've come across platform urinaters in the past, Saundersfoot of all places!) that was a great day in London!

I'm surprised Kite didn't comment on your getting one of his last 319s, 319436.

£28.50 for all that travel, oh I miss my Y-P!
 

Segedunum

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Actually that was mainly down to the EC sale and getting £10 flat fares each way, the Y-P saved me about £3 on the travelcard but that's about it ;)

I need heaps of 319s, most of all the 319/0s and 319/2s. At least the 319/3s are easier to get up here now.
 

47403

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Well done lad, Canny read n all, one things for sure, ye divvent let the grass grow under ya feet like. Certainly get yesel oot n aboot.:lol::lol::lol:

Plenty winners there, very productive day indeed.
 

Segedunum

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Well done lad, Canny read n all, one things for sure, ye divvent let the grass grow under ya feet like. Certainly get yesel oot n aboot.[emoji38][emoji38][emoji38]

Plenty winners there, very productive day indeed.
Cheers, whey aye gotta keep myself entertained haven't I ;)
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Blinking heck it's some kind of Geordie codespeak!
Thankfully it's aimed at a Geordie too :lol:
 
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Keith Jarrett

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What a capital day out! A fist full of winners and some decent HST mileage even if you came across some odd folk on your travels (we're mot all like that in The Smoke, know what I mean me old china! Well done on getting well ahead of schedule - better that way than falling behind and then trying to make up.

Half the fun in bashing can be making those dodgy +0/+1 connections and don't you just feel good when you actually pull them off even if it's like the charge of the light brigade over some creaky footbridge.

TBH I am not a huge fan of the 455s myself but like many other things in life, they are a necessary evil so I simply grim and bear them.
 

Kristofferson

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Productive day indeed, but my god you got unlucky with the people..! Still, harmless enough (if irritating).
 

Segedunum

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Cheers Keith, there's normally plenty decent people about (indeed, I normally bump into some lovely folk in London) but that particular corner of the capital had some damn snobby, awkward people out at that particular hour! When changing at Twickenham there was a platform alteration and one gent in his forced sounding Queens English bellowed "ohhh, what a disgusting service!" at staff...
 

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Apart from the strange people (I've come across platform urinaters in the past, Saundersfoot of all places!) that was a great day in London!

I'm surprised Kite didn't comment on your getting one of his last 319s, 319436.

£28.50 for all that travel, oh I miss my Y-P!

At the time I was listening to the noise of a EMT 43 roaring down the northern end of the East Coast Main Line, makes a better noise than a regular VTEC 43 ;)
 

Segedunum

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Well there's a sudden trip on the cards!

So i'm getting home yesterday and my mam turned to me, and said 'Rich, you're not going anywhere at half term are you?' well indeed I hadn't planned anything, having jammed up successive Saturdays after then (4 in a row in fact :lol:) 'Because I was thinking of a holiday in the sun somewhere'

Benalmadena in the Costa Del Sol was decided on (I'd pushed for Barcelona but hey, can't have everything :p) and indeed, the town is a station on the C-1 line of the RENFE Cerencias Malaga network, with trains every 20 minutes. I guess you can see where this is going.

I'm going to try to get in every single shack on both the C-1 and C-2 Lines operated by RENFE, plus clear the Tram/Metro network in Malaga (17 shacks, shouldn't be too hard!)

It's just a case of fares, which look to be a smartcard for the trams (touch in/out within 90 minutes, so i'm assuming I can just jump between stations for 90 minutes then touch out, max fare for not tapping out is also 1,64 so I could technically do everything for that :lol:) and books of tickets for the trains. So yeah, let the bashing commence! (And some beach holiday related things)
 
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FQ

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Have a cracking time!
 

Segedunum

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Madrid was going to get a visit by us but on looking on the RENFE website they wanted 691 EUR for the return for the three of us, not gonna happen! And it was even more to travel on the AVE high speed train....

Meanwhile, we'll be travelling First Class in summer on CPs High Speed line to Lisbon from Lagos for a mere 102 EUR return (yes, for all of us!), which is amazing considering the distance.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Midlands Adventure has been changed to a London adventure via the Chilterns! Decided that a £22 travelcard via High Wycombe was a nice choice considering I require Warwick-Princes Risborough, and it gives me a little under 4 hours of bashing in London where, conveniently, the shacks to Greenwich on the Southeastern have a service! So they're on my hitlist, along with Nunhead, Denmark Hill, Clapham High Street and Wandsworth Road, or Kidbrooke, Eltham, Blackheath and Bexleyheath. SE normally throws out lots of winners my way in double and triple formations so i'm hopeful of a decent little haul!

Plan is as follows:

0559 Newcastle-Doncaster 0724
0756 Doncaster-Birmingham NS 0928
0955 Birmingham Moor St-London Marylebone 1146
-
1540 London Marylebone-Birmingham Moor Street 1733
1803 Birmingham New Street-Sheffield 1918
1925 Sheffield-Doncaster 2003
2010 Doncaster-Newcastle 2142

Some tight connections on the way back but it'll certainly be an adventure!
 
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Techniquest

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I'd have stuck to the Midlands personally, as London is far more easily reached from your way!

Even so, have a fantastic time!
 

Segedunum

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There's diversions via Lincoln that day so it's a 4hr 40min journey [emoji14] I'm actually good for getting to the Midlands now, just grab two cheap Donny advances then split your way to Brum. Should get change outta 50 quid.
 

FQ

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Agreed! Just 10 days away!
 

Segedunum

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This is more of a dual trip in all honesty, considering that it's a flexible travelcard I can bail anywhere en route in a linear fashion at least (indeed I'll probably grab a few 172s around Brum before I head to London if I get to Moor Street fast enough, and on the return) and considering that I'll be able to scoop a couple of 168s or even a 68 in the process, vice a huge slog going via Lincoln (reversing at Newark too) it's going to be one hell of an adventure!
 
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