James Wake
Member
- Joined
- 30 Aug 2013
- Messages
- 962
As I have a South West Trains issued annual season ticket on a Gold Card, I get 6 free weekend travel tickets, which is great for me, so yesterday I headed out and used my first one. I came up with a plan to travel on every type of SW unit, but changed it during the day.
My local station is Three Bridges, so I could use my Gold Card from there up to Clapham Junction (I would normally continue on from there to Twickenham or Fulwell). I aimed to catch the 0705 train from Three Bridges, but overslept slightly, but luckily my plan had leeway early on, being 1 train ahead of the one I needed to be on to make an hourly connection. So I headed to Three Bridges and joined 377137 and another I didn’t see to get to Clapham Junction, departing at 0733 and arriving at 0811.
My first job was to fill in my weekend ticket, so I did that in the platform 9/10 waiting room at Clapham Junction. My original plan was to get the 0757 to Salisbury, but the 0827 to Exeter St Davids as far as Salisbury it would be, it rounded the curve on time and was formed of 159101. I boarded and took a seat at the front of the first coach, enjoying my first ride on a 159 for nearly a year, enjoying the views from the SW Main Line, including passing the Brooklands Museum just after Weybridge, stopping at Woking, passing through Farnborough (where I had passed through on a bus day out the day before) and through Fleet where my Grandma lives. After Basingstoke, the track became new to me as we left the main line at Worting Junction and headed west to Salisbury, stopping at Andover, arriving in Salisbury at 0942. At Salisbury, the 159/1 attached to the back of a 159/0, but I headed over to platform 6 to await the 0956 service to Southampton Central.
At platform 6 was the 0947 to London Waterloo, formed of 159010, the unit I would have had from Clapham Junction at 0757, and behind it with its doors locked and engines off was 158887 for the 0956 to Chandlers Ford via Southampton Central, after 159010 departed for London, the guard released the doors on the 158 and I took a seat in the front coach right over the engine and behind the first class compartment. With 5 mins to go the driver arrived and the engine roared into life and we set off on time, passing back over the approach to Salisbury and turning south towards Romsey, stopping twice at Dean and Mottisfont and Dunbridge, before coming into Romsey, where a fair few passengers joined for the run via Redbridge and Millbrook, and the majority of them, along with myself alighted at Southampton Central at 1033.
It turned out my next train was also due to depart from platform 2, so after 158887 departed and 158883 arrived on the train going back to Salisbury, 450547 came out of the tunnel from Portsmouth and Southsea to form the 1044 back to there. 158883 departed just as the 450 arrived, which surely must be an annoying -1 connection for some passengers. I joined the 450 in the front coach to enjoy the ride along the twisting Netley line to Fareham, which was again mostly new track to me (St Denys to just before Fareham as I have done the Botley line before). The guard was really nice on this train, being rushed off his feet selling tickets and helping someone understand the different St Denys to Brighton fares, as he wasn’t sure which to buy from the machine. The guard sold him a “Via Barnham” ticket at £15.30. After Fareham a short 5 min hop to Portchester where I alighted to see my friend Dan who works in the ticket office there.
After a half hour break, I crossed back over the footbridge to await the 1153 to Portsmouth Harbour, which arrived on time in the form of 444008, which I took via Cosham and Fratton along mostly familiar track, apart from the spur between Cosham and Hilsea, and I alighted at Portsmouth and Southsea at 1210. As I wanted to catch the 1215 off Portsmouth Harbour, I had to change there to make sure I made the connection (I have been to Harbour before on Southern DaySaves).
At 1218 450084 and one other arrived on the 1220 to London Waterloo via Guildford and I joined and sat right at the front of the train, behind the cab. We traversed the familiar line to Havant, where it again became new to me as far as Woking, as I have never travelled on the Portsmouth Direct Line via Haslemere. I enjoyed this journey very much, the nice scenery and limited stop service was nice and pleasant to ride. As we arrived in Guildford, this is where my plan changed. I had intended to do a 455 to Clapham Junction via Epsom then back to Guildford via Cobham, but saw on the connections that I would just miss an Ascot train and it may not be a 456, so instead remained on 450084, along with a lot of passengers who had boarded at Guildford into London Waterloo, where we arrived just ahead of schedule at 1354 on platform 14. I crossed over to await the arrival of my next train.
My next train was the 1420 to Reading which I would take as far as Ascot. I have done the Reading line on my last all line rover and travel on part of it frequently (Clapham Junction to Twickenham) on my regular commute. It was shown on the board as 4 coaches only, which was a shame, but at least it was 458017 doing the honours. The train left Waterloo reasonably busy, but after Clapham Junction it became so overcrowded that the conductor declassified first class, I gave up my standard class seat in the front coach and headed into first class, but just missed out on getting a seat, but after Richmond I did get one as quite a few alighted, and most of the rest of the whole coach at Twickenham (as I expected), so I enjoyed the nice legroom of the seats (which I believe are the same seats as FGW HST standard class seats) and a virtually empty compartment up to Ascot. As we pulled in I looked across and saw a pair of 456s waiting with the Guildford connection, a brilliant plan change move thought up by me and Dan at Portchester.
I crossed via the subway to platform 3 to join 456020 and 456013 for a trip to Guildford via Aldershot, getting a photo of 458017 and 456020 next to each other as the 458 left. I joined 456020 to Aldershot via Camberley (where I had been on my bus day out too, as well as Frimley and Aldershot on the Stagecoach Gold 1 service). At Aldershot, a 450 was waiting to go back to Ascot, but I changed ends and sat in 456013 for the onward trip to Guildford, which was a lovely ride (except a few fellow loud mouthed passengers) and cleared my first green SWT 456s (I have had 456014 before in red on a run from Clapham Junction to Vauxhall).
I crossed over to platform 2 at Guildford and joined 455716 for a trip to Clapham Junction via Cobham and Stoke D’Abernon. We departed on time at 1637 with a virtually empty coach, but at Effingham Junction, a large group of about 80 boarded, with the guard nearly shutting the doors on some of them, I believe they all made the train, but after that it was a bit of a noisy journey. We passed Chelsea FC’s training ground at Cobham (which was nice for me as I support them) and headed through the lovely scenery to Surbiton, where it was the familiar run to Clapham Junction, but with an excursion onto the fast lines from New Malden to just before Wimbledon to overtake a delayed Shepperton to Waterloo train. I had a double seat behind the cab, but at Wimbledon we took on a fair few passengers, so had to give the seat next to me to someone else, but as I was only on the train for a few more minutes it wasn’t a huge problem. I squeezed through the crowd and alighted at Clapham Junction, my South West part of my day being over.
But of course I still had to get home, so I crossed via the footbridge via the cashpoint to platform 13 and joined the 1738 Southern service to Southampton Central and Bognor Regis, formed of 377452 and 377146, I travelled in my favourite seat in 377452, backwards on the aisle of the first table behind the first set of doors in the leading coach. I asked a gentleman to move his coat so I could sit down, he did so I could get the seat. As we pulled into East Croydon, I was looking over to platform 6 where a pair of 319s were heading for Three Bridges, and the man gave me a huge barge as he wanted to get off, no manners at all, which left me with a sore side for a few minutes, but I had the double seat after East Croydon, admiring the sunset over the Surrey Hills and at Gatwick Airport, where I took a photo of the sunset and the airfield then conversed with an elderly couple who had just flown back from Switzerland and were heading back to Cosham. (I think they flew into Heathrow and caught the X26 to East Croydon as that is where they boarded.) We talked a bit about old buses and railways, before I alighted at Crawley at 1818, wishing them a safe journey, I headed home and that brought to an end a wonderful day out. Looking forward to the next one, still have 5 more tickets to use up, and today I covered every type of SWT unit available, a 158, 159, 444, 450, 455, 456 and 458.
I hope you all enjoyed reading this.
James
My local station is Three Bridges, so I could use my Gold Card from there up to Clapham Junction (I would normally continue on from there to Twickenham or Fulwell). I aimed to catch the 0705 train from Three Bridges, but overslept slightly, but luckily my plan had leeway early on, being 1 train ahead of the one I needed to be on to make an hourly connection. So I headed to Three Bridges and joined 377137 and another I didn’t see to get to Clapham Junction, departing at 0733 and arriving at 0811.
My first job was to fill in my weekend ticket, so I did that in the platform 9/10 waiting room at Clapham Junction. My original plan was to get the 0757 to Salisbury, but the 0827 to Exeter St Davids as far as Salisbury it would be, it rounded the curve on time and was formed of 159101. I boarded and took a seat at the front of the first coach, enjoying my first ride on a 159 for nearly a year, enjoying the views from the SW Main Line, including passing the Brooklands Museum just after Weybridge, stopping at Woking, passing through Farnborough (where I had passed through on a bus day out the day before) and through Fleet where my Grandma lives. After Basingstoke, the track became new to me as we left the main line at Worting Junction and headed west to Salisbury, stopping at Andover, arriving in Salisbury at 0942. At Salisbury, the 159/1 attached to the back of a 159/0, but I headed over to platform 6 to await the 0956 service to Southampton Central.
At platform 6 was the 0947 to London Waterloo, formed of 159010, the unit I would have had from Clapham Junction at 0757, and behind it with its doors locked and engines off was 158887 for the 0956 to Chandlers Ford via Southampton Central, after 159010 departed for London, the guard released the doors on the 158 and I took a seat in the front coach right over the engine and behind the first class compartment. With 5 mins to go the driver arrived and the engine roared into life and we set off on time, passing back over the approach to Salisbury and turning south towards Romsey, stopping twice at Dean and Mottisfont and Dunbridge, before coming into Romsey, where a fair few passengers joined for the run via Redbridge and Millbrook, and the majority of them, along with myself alighted at Southampton Central at 1033.
It turned out my next train was also due to depart from platform 2, so after 158887 departed and 158883 arrived on the train going back to Salisbury, 450547 came out of the tunnel from Portsmouth and Southsea to form the 1044 back to there. 158883 departed just as the 450 arrived, which surely must be an annoying -1 connection for some passengers. I joined the 450 in the front coach to enjoy the ride along the twisting Netley line to Fareham, which was again mostly new track to me (St Denys to just before Fareham as I have done the Botley line before). The guard was really nice on this train, being rushed off his feet selling tickets and helping someone understand the different St Denys to Brighton fares, as he wasn’t sure which to buy from the machine. The guard sold him a “Via Barnham” ticket at £15.30. After Fareham a short 5 min hop to Portchester where I alighted to see my friend Dan who works in the ticket office there.
After a half hour break, I crossed back over the footbridge to await the 1153 to Portsmouth Harbour, which arrived on time in the form of 444008, which I took via Cosham and Fratton along mostly familiar track, apart from the spur between Cosham and Hilsea, and I alighted at Portsmouth and Southsea at 1210. As I wanted to catch the 1215 off Portsmouth Harbour, I had to change there to make sure I made the connection (I have been to Harbour before on Southern DaySaves).
At 1218 450084 and one other arrived on the 1220 to London Waterloo via Guildford and I joined and sat right at the front of the train, behind the cab. We traversed the familiar line to Havant, where it again became new to me as far as Woking, as I have never travelled on the Portsmouth Direct Line via Haslemere. I enjoyed this journey very much, the nice scenery and limited stop service was nice and pleasant to ride. As we arrived in Guildford, this is where my plan changed. I had intended to do a 455 to Clapham Junction via Epsom then back to Guildford via Cobham, but saw on the connections that I would just miss an Ascot train and it may not be a 456, so instead remained on 450084, along with a lot of passengers who had boarded at Guildford into London Waterloo, where we arrived just ahead of schedule at 1354 on platform 14. I crossed over to await the arrival of my next train.
My next train was the 1420 to Reading which I would take as far as Ascot. I have done the Reading line on my last all line rover and travel on part of it frequently (Clapham Junction to Twickenham) on my regular commute. It was shown on the board as 4 coaches only, which was a shame, but at least it was 458017 doing the honours. The train left Waterloo reasonably busy, but after Clapham Junction it became so overcrowded that the conductor declassified first class, I gave up my standard class seat in the front coach and headed into first class, but just missed out on getting a seat, but after Richmond I did get one as quite a few alighted, and most of the rest of the whole coach at Twickenham (as I expected), so I enjoyed the nice legroom of the seats (which I believe are the same seats as FGW HST standard class seats) and a virtually empty compartment up to Ascot. As we pulled in I looked across and saw a pair of 456s waiting with the Guildford connection, a brilliant plan change move thought up by me and Dan at Portchester.
I crossed via the subway to platform 3 to join 456020 and 456013 for a trip to Guildford via Aldershot, getting a photo of 458017 and 456020 next to each other as the 458 left. I joined 456020 to Aldershot via Camberley (where I had been on my bus day out too, as well as Frimley and Aldershot on the Stagecoach Gold 1 service). At Aldershot, a 450 was waiting to go back to Ascot, but I changed ends and sat in 456013 for the onward trip to Guildford, which was a lovely ride (except a few fellow loud mouthed passengers) and cleared my first green SWT 456s (I have had 456014 before in red on a run from Clapham Junction to Vauxhall).
I crossed over to platform 2 at Guildford and joined 455716 for a trip to Clapham Junction via Cobham and Stoke D’Abernon. We departed on time at 1637 with a virtually empty coach, but at Effingham Junction, a large group of about 80 boarded, with the guard nearly shutting the doors on some of them, I believe they all made the train, but after that it was a bit of a noisy journey. We passed Chelsea FC’s training ground at Cobham (which was nice for me as I support them) and headed through the lovely scenery to Surbiton, where it was the familiar run to Clapham Junction, but with an excursion onto the fast lines from New Malden to just before Wimbledon to overtake a delayed Shepperton to Waterloo train. I had a double seat behind the cab, but at Wimbledon we took on a fair few passengers, so had to give the seat next to me to someone else, but as I was only on the train for a few more minutes it wasn’t a huge problem. I squeezed through the crowd and alighted at Clapham Junction, my South West part of my day being over.
But of course I still had to get home, so I crossed via the footbridge via the cashpoint to platform 13 and joined the 1738 Southern service to Southampton Central and Bognor Regis, formed of 377452 and 377146, I travelled in my favourite seat in 377452, backwards on the aisle of the first table behind the first set of doors in the leading coach. I asked a gentleman to move his coat so I could sit down, he did so I could get the seat. As we pulled into East Croydon, I was looking over to platform 6 where a pair of 319s were heading for Three Bridges, and the man gave me a huge barge as he wanted to get off, no manners at all, which left me with a sore side for a few minutes, but I had the double seat after East Croydon, admiring the sunset over the Surrey Hills and at Gatwick Airport, where I took a photo of the sunset and the airfield then conversed with an elderly couple who had just flown back from Switzerland and were heading back to Cosham. (I think they flew into Heathrow and caught the X26 to East Croydon as that is where they boarded.) We talked a bit about old buses and railways, before I alighted at Crawley at 1818, wishing them a safe journey, I headed home and that brought to an end a wonderful day out. Looking forward to the next one, still have 5 more tickets to use up, and today I covered every type of SWT unit available, a 158, 159, 444, 450, 455, 456 and 458.
I hope you all enjoyed reading this.
James
Last edited:
