This half term I had a decision between visiting Fife and London to scratch off some route coverage and I opted for London. As it happened, I made the right call as the weather's been horrible up North!
28/10
Leaving Wigan at 3.20am driving via the M6/M6 Toll/M40/M25 then straight on to complete the LNWR network and all of the WCML branches
0721 Watford Junction - St Albans Abbey
0743 St Albans Abbey - Watford Junction
A drive via Pinewood Studios and Runnymede to a very helpful ticket office lady in Shepperton:
1041 Shepperton - Teddington
1105 Teddington - London Waterloo (Richmond)
1156 Waterloo East - Dartford (Bexleyheath)
1306 Dartford - London Bridge (Sidcup)
1356 London Bridge - Slade Green
1438 Slade Green - Charlton
1506 Charlton - Lewisham
Most of Southeastern done. I didn't fancy the extra hassle of doing the chords between Slade Green as you can see them from the platform almost.
1519 DLR: Lewisham - Cutty Sark
Walked to North Greenwich as I heard the Sir David Attenborough vessel was anchored near the Cutty Sark. The Thames Path is a fantastic way to see London from a different perspective.
Tube: North Greenwich - West Ham
1633 West Ham - Grays (Rainham)
1708 Grays - Fenchurch Street (Rainham)
C2C network completed
Walked through the rush hour in a busy City to Mansion House just to break up the day.
1800 Tube: Mansion House - East Putney.
I don't think I've done more than 15 stops on the Tube before. I don't think I could ride a Tube for much longer than that without needing a break.
1838 Putney - Feltham (Hounslow)
1916 Feltham - Twickenham
1934 Twickenham - Teddington
1946 Teddington - Shepperton
It's awkward to start and finish in Shepperton but at least it helps clear more of SWR suburban London land.
2129 Staines - Feltham
2136 Feltham - Staines
2207 Staines - W&E Riverside
2251 W&E Riverside - Staines
Waterloo to Windsor/Shepperton completed via Hounslow/Richmond/Kingston
29/10
A great night's rest at a hotel by the river in Staines
1023 Staines - Wokingham
Waterloo to Reading completed
1110 Wokingham - North Camp
Walked between stations to see the Ascot train disappear as I got to the Tesco nearby.
1204 Ash Vale - Ascot
1237 Ascot - Virginia Water
Waterloo to Alton via Woking/Ascot completed
1253 Virginia Water - Weybridge
1333 Weybridge - Staines
Braved the traffic along the A308/A404(M)/M40/M42 and diverted via Coton in the Elms to also brag I've been to the centre* of the country as well as all the extremal points.
*pedants can debate the centre of England/UK/GB in a separate thread if they wish.
Lots of little routes done that helped tick off whole regions. Just disappointed that SWR actually run to Dorking so very nearly completed SWR.
I've not yet done all of the lines within the M25 yet as I need Epsom to Sutton and south of Knockholt but again very close to complete that too.
28/10
Leaving Wigan at 3.20am driving via the M6/M6 Toll/M40/M25 then straight on to complete the LNWR network and all of the WCML branches
0721 Watford Junction - St Albans Abbey
0743 St Albans Abbey - Watford Junction
A drive via Pinewood Studios and Runnymede to a very helpful ticket office lady in Shepperton:
1041 Shepperton - Teddington
1105 Teddington - London Waterloo (Richmond)
1156 Waterloo East - Dartford (Bexleyheath)
1306 Dartford - London Bridge (Sidcup)
1356 London Bridge - Slade Green
1438 Slade Green - Charlton
1506 Charlton - Lewisham
Most of Southeastern done. I didn't fancy the extra hassle of doing the chords between Slade Green as you can see them from the platform almost.
1519 DLR: Lewisham - Cutty Sark
Walked to North Greenwich as I heard the Sir David Attenborough vessel was anchored near the Cutty Sark. The Thames Path is a fantastic way to see London from a different perspective.
Tube: North Greenwich - West Ham
1633 West Ham - Grays (Rainham)
1708 Grays - Fenchurch Street (Rainham)
C2C network completed
Walked through the rush hour in a busy City to Mansion House just to break up the day.
1800 Tube: Mansion House - East Putney.
I don't think I've done more than 15 stops on the Tube before. I don't think I could ride a Tube for much longer than that without needing a break.
1838 Putney - Feltham (Hounslow)
1916 Feltham - Twickenham
1934 Twickenham - Teddington
1946 Teddington - Shepperton
It's awkward to start and finish in Shepperton but at least it helps clear more of SWR suburban London land.
2129 Staines - Feltham
2136 Feltham - Staines
2207 Staines - W&E Riverside
2251 W&E Riverside - Staines
Waterloo to Windsor/Shepperton completed via Hounslow/Richmond/Kingston
29/10
A great night's rest at a hotel by the river in Staines
1023 Staines - Wokingham
Waterloo to Reading completed
1110 Wokingham - North Camp
Walked between stations to see the Ascot train disappear as I got to the Tesco nearby.
1204 Ash Vale - Ascot
1237 Ascot - Virginia Water
Waterloo to Alton via Woking/Ascot completed
1253 Virginia Water - Weybridge
1333 Weybridge - Staines
Braved the traffic along the A308/A404(M)/M40/M42 and diverted via Coton in the Elms to also brag I've been to the centre* of the country as well as all the extremal points.
*pedants can debate the centre of England/UK/GB in a separate thread if they wish.
Lots of little routes done that helped tick off whole regions. Just disappointed that SWR actually run to Dorking so very nearly completed SWR.
I've not yet done all of the lines within the M25 yet as I need Epsom to Sutton and south of Knockholt but again very close to complete that too.
