Richard's Trip Reports

[Blindtraveler]

Someone called?
Seriously give me a yell and I will be glad to help.

 

[Segedunum]

Someone called?
Seriously give me a yell and I will be glad to help.

Should I hit a sticking point then i shall do, cheers!

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[Blindtraveler]

Whats your planned moves? I assume trying to get your shacks out the way first?

 

[Segedunum]

Whats your planned moves? I assume trying to get your shacks out the way first?

Mopping up the trams first then either bus and shack moves as mentioned above or some Haymarket leaps. I need to come back to do the Borders line anyway so it's not gonna be too intensive.

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[Blindtraveler]

I would certainly not rely to heavily on buses to Kirknewton on a Sunday, dont also forget theres not a frequent tram on a Sunday its 10 minutes or less.

 

[Segedunum]

I would certainly not rely to heavily on buses to Kirknewton on a Sunday, dont also forget theres not a frequent tram on a Sunday its 10 minutes or less.

The timetable online seemed to insist that it was actually every 7 minutes for trams 7 days a week.

The 28 looked hourly.

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[Kite159]

I would certainly not rely to heavily on buses to Kirknewton on a Sunday, dont also forget theres not a frequent tram on a Sunday its 10 minutes or less.

It changed around January time, Sundays is every 7 minutes increasing to every ~ 5 minutes during shopping hours

 

[Segedunum]

Just as well really. Can recall seeing the depot full of trams doing nothing last time I did it.

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[Blindtraveler]

there is some debate locally if these levels of service are actually running or not as many say not.

 

[Kite159]

Just as well really. Can recall seeing the depot full of trams doing nothing last time I did it.

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That's what you get when they order enough trams for the original plans which got cut back

 

[Segedunum]

Well from what I've gathered today, it's very much a 7 minute frequency.

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[Blindtraveler]

It will be as the tourists are out. Was talking to a bus driver last night who used to do the trams and he said they often dont run it that much if its quiet.

 

[Segedunum]

It will be as the tourists are out. Was talking to a bus driver last night who used to do the trams and he said they often dont run it that much if its quiet.

Having just spent 11 minutes waiting at Edinburgh Park Station, seems that I spoke too soon.

The display at Edinburgh Park Central has the top line blank and the line below says 11 minutes. Hopefully it's a fault and I'm not gonna be waiting here that long!

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[FQ]

Sounds like a second good day there!

 

[Segedunum]

Well here's a little update.

I spent all of yesterday sifting through my notes, updating the books and getting all my journey details down so that I can continue doing the rest of the week's reports, along with Edinburgh from last Sunday.

I now have a more solid idea of what's occurring all the way through to September in terms of trips...

26/05 to 28/05- Trip up to Central Scotland, a norm trip but likely to see a couple of red pens.
09/06 to 23/06- 14 day All Line...-Exams. My A2 exams are in this period, so bashing is lulled for a while!
28/06 to 29/06- Strathclyde bashing trip, first one in a good year or so! Aiming to knock off my last few MK3 and PEP derived EMUs and clear a surprisingly long list of needed track (Wemyss Bay, Ardrossan Harbour, Helensburgh Central, Balloch)
19/07 to 21/07- Heart of England Rover, aiming to make good inroads in my West Midlands and Oxfordshire requirements so that I can focus on more hard to get areas on the ALR!

I'm then occupied every single weekend in August in London/The South West.

The first two are weekends away with my girlfriend and for different purposes (One is her birthday, one is an event at the Excel).

The third is likely to be a social in err Bude (North Cornwall) of all places, so I'm tempted to make a few days of it, use the sleeper and make it a Friday to Monday thing.

Then of course...

25/08 to 09/09- All Line Rover plus 2 days bashing in London. The biggest trip of the year by far, and I know Quinn will be screaming but I have factored in some social time and a day or two away with my girlfriend, though out of the 16 days I plan on having 13 and a half dedicated to bashing, versus the 9 and a half last year. Focuses being primarily: West Wales, The Valleys (despite me vowing not to return ), London Midland territory south of Milton Keynes, Southeastern, South Western Railways brought to you by our friends at MTR ( ), The Isle of Wight, Greater Anglia territory (pretty much all of it at some point except Clacton and Southend Victoria) and probably Southern whenever it doesn't feel like exploding into a mess.

 

[Techniquest]

Jeepers you have an amazing year lined up so far! hock:

So I'm not the only one going into deepest West Wales on an ALR this year!

 

[Segedunum]

Jeepers you have an amazing year lined up so far! hock:

So I'm not the only one going into deepest West Wales on an ALR this year!

I need all track west of Cardiff Central so I'm planning to clear absolutely all the regularly used track, ie Cardiff to Swansea, Llanelli, Carmarthen followed by the three branches to Fishguard, Milford Haven and Pembroke Dock.

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[noddy1878]

Sounds like you have some really good trips coming up! 14 day ALR! I can only dream! I've done one 7 day ALR in my life and loved it! Want to do another but the missus has other ideas!

 

[Blindtraveler]

Take the Mrs with you Noddy?

Richard, good to hear its not just me in the entire rail UK world that needs stuff west of LLE, something that Im afraid I will beat you to on Junes All Liner with Lord Quest, we have a very intense dyay lined up starting with the 05:35x Cardif and finishing at god knows when o'clock at Pembrook Dock Travelodge.

 

[Kite159]

I wish you luck with the 05:35 service as it is a super stopper

Sounds like a busy summer coming up

 

[Blindtraveler]

It will effectively be a 2nd bedroom as we plan to stumble out of bed, into a cab and then go back to sleap all the way to Millford Haven. Then its by bus to Pembrook dock, dump bags and do branch shacks, I plan to do a little run to Fishguard later so as I dont have to return that far West again.

 

[noddy1878]

Take the Mrs with you Noddy?

Richard, good to hear its not just me in the entire rail UK world that needs stuff west of LLE, something that Im afraid I will beat you to on Junes All Liner with Lord Quest, we have a very intense dyay lined up starting with the 05:35x Cardif and finishing at god knows when o'clock at Pembrook Dock Travelodge.

I have offered, but she's not interested! She is great for letting me do what I do though to be fair!

 

[Segedunum]

Was looking at that Pembroke Dock Travelodge but they want £60 off me whereas the Premier Inn Swansea was only £29.

Hopefully, now that I know what I'm doing in Cornwall in the middle of August, I'm gonna have a chance to get Okehampton in, which of course is Summer Sundays only. Looks like the 1505 bus from Bude arriving 1610, a leisurely walk to Sampford Courtenay then train to Okehampton and back to Exeter. Short break, up to Barnstaple, back to Exeter, score Exton, Topsham and Lympstone Village then back in time for the sleeper to London.

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[Blindtraveler]

Agreed that Travelodge isnt cheep, I have a huge dislike of travelodge at the best of times but the other options in the are area are limmited and even pricier plus lots to do in a day down there and a certain HST service to bash the next morning.

 

[Techniquest]

Worth noting platform to platform at Topsham is done via the level crossing. Services cross here, so the barriers don't go up between one train and the other, so you are guaranteed a +30 at minimum there. Unless of course the train from the other direction is running late enough to warrant putting the barriers up, but sure don't rely on that!

 

[Segedunum]

Worth noting platform to platform at Topsham is done via the level crossing. Services cross here, so the barriers don't go up between one train and the other, so you are guaranteed a +30 at minimum there. Unless of course the train from the other direction is running late enough to warrant putting the barriers up, but sure don't rely on that!

Scratch that then, thanks!

I could do Lympstone Commando instead, if that wouldn't evoke suspicion as it'd be past 11 at night!

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[AnthonyRail]

Worth noting platform to platform at Topsham is done via the level crossing. Services cross here, so the barriers don't go up between one train and the other, so you are guaranteed a +30 at minimum there. Unless of course the train from the other direction is running late enough to warrant putting the barriers up, but sure don't rely on that!

failed my LGV test at Topsham crossing last year

 

[noddy1878]

Scratch that then, thanks!

I could do Lympstone Commando instead, if that wouldn't evoke suspicion as it'd be past 11 at night!

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As long as the the train is scheduled to stop there it shouldn't be an issue. Since there has been a public right of way between the railway and the army base there they cant really stop anyone.

 

[Segedunum]

As long as the the train is scheduled to stop there it shouldn't be an issue. Since there has been a public right of way between the railway and the army base there they cant really stop anyone.

I'll see what occurs. I have had a service stop there before back in 2012 for a walker so can't imagine it should be too bad.



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[Segedunum]

*Guilty as charged*

I've gone and booked something else for summer, spurred on by Nectar points!

I've booked a Friday and Saturday trip to Norfolk at the end of July, as my ALR will ideally be focused on the swathes of soon to depart EMUs and the non rover served shacks further south.

£3.25 single on TPE Newcastle to York, then a £19.80 single from York to Ely (paid for entirely by Nectar Points, making the outward leg cost a whole £3.25!)

Returning on the 1600 Norwich to Liverpool Street on the Saturday at £6.60, then the 1911 King's Cross to York, insane value at £8.45 single, before £3.25 on TPE to Newcastle.

37s and Wherry Line shacks are on my radar. Including Buckenham on a Saturday, which of course requires a walk to Brundall or Lingwood!

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