Techniquest
Veteran Member
Do you really blame her? Getting to York for 0700 would have been a proper early start with a late finish, and while us cranks can manage that easily enough, but norms don't like that 
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Richard's Trip Reports
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Absolutely not as it would have been the 0600 off Forster Square for her
I myself am engrained in a routine of minimal sleep, she most certainly isn't! Even then, I was starting to doze off on the train home, having woken up at 0440 yesterday! Never mind, she has the early start next, 0658 off Forster Square for her to come up here
I myself am engrained in a routine of minimal sleep, she most certainly isn't! Even then, I was starting to doze off on the train home, having woken up at 0440 yesterday! Never mind, she has the early start next, 0658 off Forster Square for her to come up here
Techniquest
Veteran Member
I hope she's going First Class for some free coffee on that long run that early then!
Not surprised you were tired on that trip home, I'll be the same tomorrow. Up by 0630, home around 2150, so I'll be shattered on my bus home!
Not surprised you were tired on that trip home, I'll be the same tomorrow. Up by 0630, home around 2150, so I'll be shattered on my bus home!
I can beat that! Up at 05:20 and home at about 17:00 three days later!
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Not continuously I hope! 
hock:
hock:
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Afraid not Tech, she's slumming it in Standard on a TPE Disastro
Ouch, poor girl! Still, more reason for you to take good care of her
Right here's an interesting one!
On March 30th I shall be using a Central Scotland 3 in 7 (16-25 Railcard discounted) as a day ranger (at £24 and with a full day of use, i'm not really complaining!) however of course this means I shall have 2 free days surplus!
If anyone would like to have the ticket afterwards and is in possession of a 16-25 railcard (And is able to either collect it from me at Newcastle station anytime from the 31st onwards, OR is able to collect it from Edinburgh Waverley at around 2030hrs-2050hrs on the 30th) then please do PM me! No strings attached, just an offer of two free days on a CSR!
On March 30th I shall be using a Central Scotland 3 in 7 (16-25 Railcard discounted) as a day ranger (at £24 and with a full day of use, i'm not really complaining!) however of course this means I shall have 2 free days surplus!
If anyone would like to have the ticket afterwards and is in possession of a 16-25 railcard (And is able to either collect it from me at Newcastle station anytime from the 31st onwards, OR is able to collect it from Edinburgh Waverley at around 2030hrs-2050hrs on the 30th) then please do PM me! No strings attached, just an offer of two free days on a CSR!
Kite159
Veteran Member
Doing the diversions I'm guessing?
Sadly due to an important visitor at work during the time I had booked off in July meaning that all leave for that week has been cancelled (all hands to the deck!), my plan of doing a good CSR got cut short to being just the Saturday/Sunday
I'm actually not on that day! However on the 7th i'm doing an SPT Daytripper so i'll bag a few bits of track anyway on my way there.
I'm planning on shacking what I can on the Shotts line (A Plusbus in the morning will start me at Curriehill, to do Wester Hailes, Cleland, Fauldhouse and Carfin) followed by the ones up the very top of the Fife Circle (Cowdenbeath, Lochgelly and Cardenden) and some 68 action
I'm planning on shacking what I can on the Shotts line (A Plusbus in the morning will start me at Curriehill, to do Wester Hailes, Cleland, Fauldhouse and Carfin) followed by the ones up the very top of the Fife Circle (Cowdenbeath, Lochgelly and Cardenden) and some 68 action
Kite159
Veteran Member
Good luck
Hopefully the weather holds out for you
Hopefully the weather holds out for you
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Regarding your rover thing, won't the rover have your name on it? If so it won't be transferable. Even a WMDR gets a name added to it in my local ticket office.
Sounds like you'll have a good time still, shame you can't use the full 3 days but hey ho!
Sounds like you'll have a good time still, shame you can't use the full 3 days but hey ho!
In all honesty, in all of the time i've bought Rovers and Rangers, i've only had a name added once. And that was at Leeds. Newcastle never ever adds a name.
Can't even put it down to London Midland, as Selly Oak never added anything! We shall see.
Meanwhile i've bagged myself a return to London for £22.40 on the 25th of June, seems that the extended booking horizon on VTEC has actually produced some cheaper fares at the weekend!
Can't even put it down to London Midland, as Selly Oak never added anything! We shall see.
Meanwhile i've bagged myself a return to London for £22.40 on the 25th of June, seems that the extended booking horizon on VTEC has actually produced some cheaper fares at the weekend!
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Maybe it's an ATW thing then! Bargain bash for you there too in June!
alexf380
Established Member
I would love to take you up on that rover offer, Richard, but I don't currently have a railcard! And the past two times I've done a CSR (purchased at Edinburgh) they've not asked for a name, so you should be okay on that front!
Kristofferson
Member
- Joined
- 23 Nov 2012
- Messages
- 1,132
Caught up with your most recent trips again (much harder than it used to be thanks to Tapatalk not playing nicely with the forum any more!)
The EMU bash in London certainly had some variety, and well done for clearing VTEC! Good reads as always - I can sympathise with normal-dom encroaching, but I also hope to have my train head back on over the next week or two!
The EMU bash in London certainly had some variety, and well done for clearing VTEC! Good reads as always - I can sympathise with normal-dom encroaching, but I also hope to have my train head back on over the next week or two!
Indeed, yes the Tapatalk issue is quite irritating! Makes browsing much more difficult and updating on the move nigh on impossible.
Sadly I haven't yet cleared VTEC, as 43312 still evades me! But there's plenty chances for that, as it does pass Newcastle on occasion. Not that that guarantees it, when I had 43314 and 43320 for haulage, they then never appeared again!
As for Normaldom, it's definitely enroaching a little more, though as it's a relationship with a little distance involved (not ideal in just about every other aspect) the frequent rail trips required (Primarily on Desiros, mind you!) the rail head in me is kept alive by the prospect of ebbing away at my required 185s in the process!
Sadly I haven't yet cleared VTEC, as 43312 still evades me! But there's plenty chances for that, as it does pass Newcastle on occasion. Not that that guarantees it, when I had 43314 and 43320 for haulage, they then never appeared again!
As for Normaldom, it's definitely enroaching a little more, though as it's a relationship with a little distance involved (not ideal in just about every other aspect) the frequent rail trips required (Primarily on Desiros, mind you!) the rail head in me is kept alive by the prospect of ebbing away at my required 185s in the process!
andyb2706
Member
I think you are probably right with that. Every time I have got a rover I have never had my name put on it.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Just caught up reading your London and Tyne Valley trips.
I am quite envious of you regarding your VTEC requirements, as I still need loads and am VERY aware of the lack of time to get them as to your trip around London Congrats on all the stations and units you cleared looked like an enjoyable day and I look forward to doing the same very soon.
A +67 at Haydon Bridge!! Although like you said it had to be done and luckily enough it seems you had the weather for it too, the longest I've had to wait was about 40 minutes at Lapworth (although I did find a nice pub) but that time might have to increase before long if I want to get some of the more obscure stations. But congratulations on clearing the Tyne Valley line.
Looking forward to future reports.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Ooh excellent! Should imagine you're feeling a bit like a caged lion by now, it's got to have been a while.
Kristofferson
Member
- Joined
- 23 Nov 2012
- Messages
- 1,132
Had a short break in York this week, but that was just standard Desiro, HST and 91 mileage - with luggage too. Off up Brum way on Thurs, but again that's just LM or VT. Haven't done "trains for the sake of trains" since the 68
Cheers Andy, aye I would never do such a long fester on a bash further out in the country, it's only because it's fairly local and can be done in an afternoon that I sat out the +67. There were other options (+30s spread across a few shacks) but i'd have had another hour added on to get Wetheral in. Still need Lapworth, another awkward one so i'm equally jealous of that
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Had a short break in York this week, but that was just standard Desiro, HST and 91 mileage - with luggage too. Off up Brum way on Thurs, but again that's just LM or VT. Haven't done "trains for the sake of trains" since the 68
Ouch, that 68 move was quite a while ago now!
At least you've still had some sort of train action, but I know what you mean. Just using them to go from A to B on mandatory moves is not as enjoyable as havimg a full day of go-with-the-flow travel.
Central Scotland Rover- 30/03/16
It was time for a proper bash, the first one in nearly three weeks and this time I was off on a Central Scotland Rover, but just for one day. Indeed, I thought £24 was a fair enough price for a day ranger considering the £31.35 price tag of the North East Round Robin. Coupled with advance fares at £15.30 return, it wasn’t bad value at all. It was however, going to be most exhausting as I was using the first and last trains of the day! That was, the 0622 to Edinburgh and the 2100 to Leeds.
It was a 5am start for me as I clambered out of bed, grabbed breakfast, sorted out my bag and got myself ready to be at the station for 0545, indeed having to spend a little time waiting around on Platform 2 before duds 43309/43320 rolled in working the 0622 to Edinburgh Waverley. It was a relatively smooth journey, save for a sudden stop before Cramlington, with us being about 5 late throughout, into Waverley for 0812 where I went out and upstairs. It was time to catch a bus! I caught the 0817 Route 30, a Volvo 7900 Hybrid. It was quite a nice run, although I was a little surprised by the 20 or so Danish people on the bus all going to Saughton Prison! Seemed like a family day out the way they way going on We reached shack 1, Wester Hailes station at 0855 so I nipped up onto the platform, grabbed a few shots and considered the station scratched, making my way back towards where the bus came from and had a pleasant walk along the Union Canal. A little too pleasant, as when I checked Google Maps it seems I’d overran my intended next shack and was nearly at Slateford! A hasty run back was made to shack 2, Kingsknowe, where dud 158731 rolled in for the first rover move of the day.
Yup, I was definitely back in Scotland as I took a seat and sunk straight into the base. Good old collapsed Haymarket units. It was however, a very nice sunny journey along the Shotts line as I decided to continue all the way along to the edge of the SPT area considering that the only appropriate connection was a +4 back to Edinburgh. So, I was off at shack 3, Holytown, and crossing over to the sight of 68007 roaring past working the empties to Motherwell Depot off the Fife service. For me however, it was dud 156439 back to shack 4, Fauldhouse. Nothing too much of note here apart from the seemingly regular bus service operated by First, explaining why I was the only passenger then getting on dud *groans* 156501 to shack 5, Carfin. This was a terrible morning for winners! I had one last hope and that was going back into Edinburgh from a rather dismal and again deserted Carfin. Sadly not, as dud 156434 rolled in to take me all the way back through to Haymarket where I dropped back onto the ex Ayr train, in the hope of a winning 380. I rolled my eyes as dud 380109 turned up and I decided that I’d get whatever was a winner from Waverley as it was now 1pm and I’d not had anything new for haulage!
Winner 170412 was on the 1300 to Dundee so that was duly taken over to Inverkeithing where I decided that I may as well finish off the Fife Circle shacks if winners were so thin on the ground today! However, things did pick up as winner 158736 took me to North Queensferry for a +0 onto dud 158719 back to Inverkeithing where I was able to pick up winner 158733 to shack 6, Cowdenbeath. Without a doubt, this is the worst shack to get on the line. There is no way to avoid a fester, at least in the off peak. The terminating service buggers off for 20 minutes before going back and then missing the connection with the Glenrothes train at Dunfermline QM the other way, so unless you only need Cowdenbeath then it’s a +29 linear move for you! In this time, I went out and picked up some dinner, observing a rather nondescript dreary looking town with the usual mix of tat shops and at least three bakeries, so if you’re a pasty enthusiast you’re in the right place I then trudged back up to the empty platform to await the 1432 to Glenrothes which had winner 158728 working, up to shack 7, Cardenden.
This was a pleasant enough affair, and thankfully there was just a short wait until dud 170414 took me all the way back around the circle to Rosyth as it had the shortest wait until I then went all the way back up again! At least I could plonk myself in the declassified first compartment, plugging my phone in for the half hour journey until I bailed and joined winner 158715 back north again! Luxury again as I sat in the declassified first class area for the journey up to shack 8, Lochgelly. 15 minutes to wait here though and it looked slightly less pleasant, as did the locals. This was most noticeable as I joined dud 158730 back to Haymarket and found the train to have only chavs on board! All of whom were trying to avoid the fare! It was insane but the guard couldn’t do an awful lot with them all running off at Cowdenbeath and Dunfermline Town. Thankfully I’d found a more cushioned seat for the journey vice on 731, so it was tolerable enough. On the approach to Haymarket, we overtook a winning 170 off the Queen Street service so I made a point of legging it up the escalators and straight onto winner 170411 to Waverley, excellent bit of timing there!
Upon looking at the boards, it seemed that the next service out was the 1652 to Euston, so I headed over to Platform 9 to find double winners 221104/221114 working! It was just a short hop to Haymarket but nonetheless it got two Virgin Voyagers in the bag! Now for the best part of the day as I crossed over onto Platform 2 to await the 1711 to Glenrothes, which today had a winning DRS branded 68017 at the helm! Excellent stuff as I stood in the front vestibule for us absolutely flying to South Gyle. Some excellent noise going on there as I jumped off to execute another linear move, favourite of mine as it entails a 158/170 combo sandwiched between two 68 workings. The winners kept rolling in now as double winners 158711/170458 appeared on the 1723 to Kirkcaldy, for the one stop run to Dalmeny. These were shortly followed by dud 68007 working the 1737 to Cardenden, which meant that indeed I got some heads out and noise over the Forth Bridge! I was really back in my element (a little too in my element it seems as 007 was incredibly claggy meaning I got a face full of smoke, took ages to clear that off my chest!) I bailed at Inverkeithing and took dud 158721 back to Haymarket, dropping back onto the ex Dundee which sadly had dud 158735 working.
Keen to get back out to Haymarket to see the comings and goings, I jumped on duds 334003/334007 there to join the next winners back. I barely had to wait at all until winners 334015/334037 rolled in to take me back to Waverley, where I ended up taking dud 158782 on the 1903 to Dunblane to position myself for the 156 worked 1916 to Kirkcaldy. It was bloody dud 156434 from earlier! At this point through, having had myself a dozen winners in tricky territory, I shrugged it off and took it to South Gyle. Dud 158722 filed in behind to take me to Dalmeny, where I decided to head back to Edinburgh, and there was life in the bash yet as winner 170433 was working the 1939 to Waverley! Into the first class bit again as we reached Edinburgh at 1956, and I was running out of options for Haymarket leaps with the service levels starting to drop off. There were no winners around at all, so I just took dud 170414 out to Haymarket as it was first out, and sadly all that was due to take me back was the 2010 to Waverley, which had dud 170473 working. Never mind, I was satisfied! Back into Waverley at 2016 and I picked up a McDonald’s before sitting down on the concourse.
I was joined by, I kid you not, an elderly drunk Russian! He was yelling away to himself, before staff noticed as he kicked a bottle of coke over and dropped his wine! He was duly escorted away as I sat down to enjoy a cheeseburger, eventually deciding to head to Platform 2 at around 2050. Duds 43305/43306 were on the 2100 to Leeds tonight, and it was fairly quiet in Coach G, though we did have some music playing fairly loudly, least it was high quality and not leaky Apple headphone stuff! We soon hit trouble though, with a signal failure outside Dunbar meaning we were being talked from signal to signal, eventually appearing to be about 15 late. I was absolutely exhausted at this point, being very thankful at the sight of the Central Station around 12 late at 2255.
You’ll not be surprised to hear that I didn’t surface out of bed until midday
Total Mileage: 459mi 63ch
Total Winners: 14+8 shacks
Total Cost: £45.53
It was time for a proper bash, the first one in nearly three weeks and this time I was off on a Central Scotland Rover, but just for one day. Indeed, I thought £24 was a fair enough price for a day ranger considering the £31.35 price tag of the North East Round Robin. Coupled with advance fares at £15.30 return, it wasn’t bad value at all. It was however, going to be most exhausting as I was using the first and last trains of the day! That was, the 0622 to Edinburgh and the 2100 to Leeds.
It was a 5am start for me as I clambered out of bed, grabbed breakfast, sorted out my bag and got myself ready to be at the station for 0545, indeed having to spend a little time waiting around on Platform 2 before duds 43309/43320 rolled in working the 0622 to Edinburgh Waverley. It was a relatively smooth journey, save for a sudden stop before Cramlington, with us being about 5 late throughout, into Waverley for 0812 where I went out and upstairs. It was time to catch a bus! I caught the 0817 Route 30, a Volvo 7900 Hybrid. It was quite a nice run, although I was a little surprised by the 20 or so Danish people on the bus all going to Saughton Prison! Seemed like a family day out the way they way going on
We reached shack 1, Wester Hailes station at 0855 so I nipped up onto the platform, grabbed a few shots and considered the station scratched, making my way back towards where the bus came from and had a pleasant walk along the Union Canal. A little too pleasant, as when I checked Google Maps it seems I’d overran my intended next shack and was nearly at Slateford! A hasty run back was made to shack 2, Kingsknowe, where dud 158731 rolled in for the first rover move of the day.Yup, I was definitely back in Scotland as I took a seat and sunk straight into the base. Good old collapsed Haymarket units. It was however, a very nice sunny journey along the Shotts line as I decided to continue all the way along to the edge of the SPT area considering that the only appropriate connection was a +4 back to Edinburgh. So, I was off at shack 3, Holytown, and crossing over to the sight of 68007 roaring past working the empties to Motherwell Depot off the Fife service. For me however, it was dud 156439 back to shack 4, Fauldhouse. Nothing too much of note here apart from the seemingly regular bus service operated by First, explaining why I was the only passenger then getting on dud *groans* 156501 to shack 5, Carfin. This was a terrible morning for winners! I had one last hope and that was going back into Edinburgh from a rather dismal and again deserted Carfin. Sadly not, as dud 156434 rolled in to take me all the way back through to Haymarket where I dropped back onto the ex Ayr train, in the hope of a winning 380. I rolled my eyes as dud 380109 turned up and I decided that I’d get whatever was a winner from Waverley as it was now 1pm and I’d not had anything new for haulage!
Winner 170412 was on the 1300 to Dundee so that was duly taken over to Inverkeithing where I decided that I may as well finish off the Fife Circle shacks if winners were so thin on the ground today! However, things did pick up as winner 158736 took me to North Queensferry for a +0 onto dud 158719 back to Inverkeithing where I was able to pick up winner 158733 to shack 6, Cowdenbeath. Without a doubt, this is the worst shack to get on the line. There is no way to avoid a fester, at least in the off peak. The terminating service buggers off for 20 minutes before going back and then missing the connection with the Glenrothes train at Dunfermline QM the other way, so unless you only need Cowdenbeath then it’s a +29 linear move for you! In this time, I went out and picked up some dinner, observing a rather nondescript dreary looking town with the usual mix of tat shops and at least three bakeries, so if you’re a pasty enthusiast you’re in the right place
I then trudged back up to the empty platform to await the 1432 to Glenrothes which had winner 158728 working, up to shack 7, Cardenden. This was a pleasant enough affair, and thankfully there was just a short wait until dud 170414 took me all the way back around the circle to Rosyth as it had the shortest wait until I then went all the way back up again! At least I could plonk myself in the declassified first compartment, plugging my phone in for the half hour journey until I bailed and joined winner 158715 back north again! Luxury again as I sat in the declassified first class area for the journey up to shack 8, Lochgelly. 15 minutes to wait here though and it looked slightly less pleasant, as did the locals. This was most noticeable as I joined dud 158730 back to Haymarket and found the train to have only chavs on board! All of whom were trying to avoid the fare! It was insane but the guard couldn’t do an awful lot with them all running off at Cowdenbeath and Dunfermline Town. Thankfully I’d found a more cushioned seat for the journey vice on 731, so it was tolerable enough. On the approach to Haymarket, we overtook a winning 170 off the Queen Street service so I made a point of legging it up the escalators and straight onto winner 170411 to Waverley, excellent bit of timing there!
Upon looking at the boards, it seemed that the next service out was the 1652 to Euston, so I headed over to Platform 9 to find double winners 221104/221114 working! It was just a short hop to Haymarket but nonetheless it got two Virgin Voyagers in the bag! Now for the best part of the day as I crossed over onto Platform 2 to await the 1711 to Glenrothes, which today had a winning DRS branded 68017 at the helm! Excellent stuff as I stood in the front vestibule for us absolutely flying to South Gyle. Some excellent noise going on there as I jumped off to execute another linear move, favourite of mine as it entails a 158/170 combo sandwiched between two 68 workings. The winners kept rolling in now as double winners 158711/170458 appeared on the 1723 to Kirkcaldy, for the one stop run to Dalmeny. These were shortly followed by dud 68007 working the 1737 to Cardenden, which meant that indeed I got some heads out and noise over the Forth Bridge! I was really back in my element (a little too in my element it seems as 007 was incredibly claggy meaning I got a face full of smoke, took ages to clear that off my chest!) I bailed at Inverkeithing and took dud 158721 back to Haymarket, dropping back onto the ex Dundee which sadly had dud 158735 working.
Keen to get back out to Haymarket to see the comings and goings, I jumped on duds 334003/334007 there to join the next winners back. I barely had to wait at all until winners 334015/334037 rolled in to take me back to Waverley, where I ended up taking dud 158782 on the 1903 to Dunblane to position myself for the 156 worked 1916 to Kirkcaldy. It was bloody dud 156434 from earlier! At this point through, having had myself a dozen winners in tricky territory, I shrugged it off and took it to South Gyle. Dud 158722 filed in behind to take me to Dalmeny, where I decided to head back to Edinburgh, and there was life in the bash yet as winner 170433 was working the 1939 to Waverley! Into the first class bit again as we reached Edinburgh at 1956, and I was running out of options for Haymarket leaps with the service levels starting to drop off. There were no winners around at all, so I just took dud 170414 out to Haymarket as it was first out, and sadly all that was due to take me back was the 2010 to Waverley, which had dud 170473 working. Never mind, I was satisfied! Back into Waverley at 2016 and I picked up a McDonald’s before sitting down on the concourse.
I was joined by, I kid you not, an elderly drunk Russian! He was yelling away to himself, before staff noticed as he kicked a bottle of coke over and dropped his wine! He was duly escorted away as I sat down to enjoy a cheeseburger, eventually deciding to head to Platform 2 at around 2050. Duds 43305/43306 were on the 2100 to Leeds tonight, and it was fairly quiet in Coach G, though we did have some music playing fairly loudly, least it was high quality and not leaky Apple headphone stuff! We soon hit trouble though, with a signal failure outside Dunbar meaning we were being talked from signal to signal, eventually appearing to be about 15 late. I was absolutely exhausted at this point, being very thankful at the sight of the Central Station around 12 late at 2255.
You’ll not be surprised to hear that I didn’t surface out of bed until midday
Total Mileage: 459mi 63ch
Total Winners: 14+8 shacks
Total Cost: £45.53
alexf380
Established Member
A good read there Richard. Sounds like you had fun, excusing the lack of winners. One question for my records though; when you had 158721 from Inverkeithing, was it in Saltire livery? I'm only asking as I haven't seen any photos of it as such and I'm led to believe it was the latest set to be refurbished.
Cheers,
Alex
Cheers,
Alex
Kite159
Veteran Member
Sounded like a good day around Scotland
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