Drsatan
Established Member
Hi everyone, this is a preliminary write up of yesterday's events. Since I didn't note train times during the Zone 1/2 challenge please feel to correct any mistakes I make.
I turned up at Romsey station at 08:55 and bought an OP day return (with YP railcard) including a zone 1-6 travelcard for the princely sum of £29.75. The 09:07 departure to Salisbury, worked by a single 158, arrived at 09:02. As usual from SWT, the 158 was clean and tidy, and upon departure at 09:07 the conductor walked through the train checking tickets.
I bailed at Southampton Airport Parkway to wait for the 09:38 to Waterloo, which was a single 444. The train was about 60% full, which was surprising because I expected the train to be busier seeing as it was just after the rush hour. It was a rather uneventful journey with stops at Winchester and Woking, although soon after departing Basingstoke the conductor asked whether there was a doctor or nurse on board, which was slightly alarming
. I assume one was found since the train wasn't delayed too badly; it arrived in Waterloo at about 10:55 (scheduled arrival time 10:49)
After getting off, I went to use the loos but unfortunately, a charge of 30p is levied to spend a penny, as opposed to 20p a couple of years ago
. So, in future I suggest you use the toilet on the train. After relieving myself, I went to the tube station and caught a Northern line service to Warren Street, where I changed onto a Victoria Line train (1967 stock, was hoping for the 2009 stock) for the journey to Kings Cross St Pancras. I then made my way to the Meeting Place statue (it's the statue depicting a couple hugging that dominates the Eurostar concourse)
MikeWh, Ivo and Yorkie turned up, although Mojo was delayed due to a broken down train. ChrisTheRef was noted by his absence! We then as a group caught a southbound Northern Line train to Bank where we met Mojo.
Owing to our limited numbers, we decided to do the Zone 1/2 challenge as a group. We then boarded a northbound Northern Line train back to Kings X, walked to Euston Square, then boarded a Circle Line train to Great Portland Street. From there we walked to the Bakerloo Line platforms at Baker Street, and caught a westbound train to Edgware Road.
The walk to the District and Circle platforms at Edgware Road was straightforward, but finding a train to Notting Hill Gate wasn't! Due to Paddington - Hammersmith being shut (http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/livetravelnews/realtime/tube/default.html#hammersmithandcity) the Circle Line was, yes, running as a proper circle rather than a teacup! Thus, the Hammersmith and City trains were terminated at Edgware Road and there was no real indication as to which trains were continuing west. After much indecision we found a C-stock train on a District Line service to Wimbledon and got on that, staying on until Notting Hill Gate, where we got on a Central Line service to Oxford Circus. Then it was a quick jaunt to Elephant and Castle on the Bakerloo, before taking a northbound Northern Line service to London Bridge. From there, we took a Jubilee Line train to Waterloo, then the 15:04 to Woking as far as Vauxhall (formed of two 455s). From there, we boarded a Victoria Line train as far as Green Park, then a Piccadilly service to Earls Court. We walked up to the subsurface platforms, and got on the Kensington Olympia - High Street Kensington shuttle. As usual a D-stock unit operated this service.
We boarded a C stock unit on an eastbound Circle Line service. At Tower Hill, me and Ivo got off to fulfil our own plan. We got a District Line service to Aldgate East, but as we got off the train we noticed Yorkie, MikeWh, and Mojo leg it to a C-stock unit on the opposite platform (they'd got off an Aldgate and ran to Aldgate East). Regardless, me and Ivo walked at a slightly more leisurely pace to Aldgate, where we got a Metropolitan line A-stock unit as far as Farringdon. A cross platform interchange and a ride on an FCC 377 got us to City Thameslink, where we had a nice surprise!
Outside the station entrance, we noticed a Routemaster on service 15, so we hopped on that and got off three stops later before walking to Chancery lane for an eastbound Central Line train to Liverpool Street before meeting the others there.
Myself, Ivo, Mojo and Yorkie walked to Shoreditch High Street for a ride on the new East London Line. First impressions were that the station is hideous, being little more than a concrete tube on top of a viaduct. Then, it took the lady in the ticket office five minutes to find a paper timetable for us - I assume that she's rarely asked for such things! Notwithstanding, we got a very clean 378 as far as Haggerston, where we waited for another 378 with TheBlackWatch present which took us to Dalston Junction. Since it's not a station of great interest (it's underground and the surrounding area is not particularly interesting), we boarded another 378 which took us to Crystal Palace. Despite being the rush hour, the 378 was not especially busy and we were able to find seats.
At Crystal Palace, a 377 took us back to Sydenham, where we caught a 378 heading to West Croydon (due to a lack of time we decided not to go back to New Cross). Now, Mojo discovered that he had a Pizza Express voucher on him which he found in the Metro, so we hunted the train for discarded Metro copies for these vouchers! When our search didn't return anything, we looked through West Croydon station for them, and looked round the bus station for any copies lying about. In the end, we gave up, and got a tram to Wellesley Road before walking to Pizza Express.
Unfortunately I had to leave the meal early so I could make the last train back to Romsey. After braving Croydon High Street I made it to West Croydon station where I caught the 21:34 to Victoria (bailing at Clapham Junction), which to my surprise was a 377. The train was almost empty leaving West Croydon but steadily filled up as it approached London. Upon arrival at the Junction I caught the (thankfully on time) 22:12 to Poole, which as expected was a 444. It was a rather uneventful journey to Eastleigh where to avoid waiting for too long I caught the 23:22 to Romsey (again a 158).
So, to sum it up, a very enjoyable day! Would I do it again? Yes
I turned up at Romsey station at 08:55 and bought an OP day return (with YP railcard) including a zone 1-6 travelcard for the princely sum of £29.75. The 09:07 departure to Salisbury, worked by a single 158, arrived at 09:02. As usual from SWT, the 158 was clean and tidy, and upon departure at 09:07 the conductor walked through the train checking tickets.
I bailed at Southampton Airport Parkway to wait for the 09:38 to Waterloo, which was a single 444. The train was about 60% full, which was surprising because I expected the train to be busier seeing as it was just after the rush hour. It was a rather uneventful journey with stops at Winchester and Woking, although soon after departing Basingstoke the conductor asked whether there was a doctor or nurse on board, which was slightly alarming
. I assume one was found since the train wasn't delayed too badly; it arrived in Waterloo at about 10:55 (scheduled arrival time 10:49)After getting off, I went to use the loos but unfortunately, a charge of 30p is levied to spend a penny, as opposed to 20p a couple of years ago
. So, in future I suggest you use the toilet on the train. After relieving myself, I went to the tube station and caught a Northern line service to Warren Street, where I changed onto a Victoria Line train (1967 stock, was hoping for the 2009 stock) for the journey to Kings Cross St Pancras. I then made my way to the Meeting Place statue (it's the statue depicting a couple hugging that dominates the Eurostar concourse)MikeWh, Ivo and Yorkie turned up, although Mojo was delayed due to a broken down train. ChrisTheRef was noted by his absence! We then as a group caught a southbound Northern Line train to Bank where we met Mojo.
Owing to our limited numbers, we decided to do the Zone 1/2 challenge as a group. We then boarded a northbound Northern Line train back to Kings X, walked to Euston Square, then boarded a Circle Line train to Great Portland Street. From there we walked to the Bakerloo Line platforms at Baker Street, and caught a westbound train to Edgware Road.
The walk to the District and Circle platforms at Edgware Road was straightforward, but finding a train to Notting Hill Gate wasn't! Due to Paddington - Hammersmith being shut (http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/livetravelnews/realtime/tube/default.html#hammersmithandcity) the Circle Line was, yes, running as a proper circle rather than a teacup! Thus, the Hammersmith and City trains were terminated at Edgware Road and there was no real indication as to which trains were continuing west. After much indecision we found a C-stock train on a District Line service to Wimbledon and got on that, staying on until Notting Hill Gate, where we got on a Central Line service to Oxford Circus. Then it was a quick jaunt to Elephant and Castle on the Bakerloo, before taking a northbound Northern Line service to London Bridge. From there, we took a Jubilee Line train to Waterloo, then the 15:04 to Woking as far as Vauxhall (formed of two 455s). From there, we boarded a Victoria Line train as far as Green Park, then a Piccadilly service to Earls Court. We walked up to the subsurface platforms, and got on the Kensington Olympia - High Street Kensington shuttle. As usual a D-stock unit operated this service.
We boarded a C stock unit on an eastbound Circle Line service. At Tower Hill, me and Ivo got off to fulfil our own plan. We got a District Line service to Aldgate East, but as we got off the train we noticed Yorkie, MikeWh, and Mojo leg it to a C-stock unit on the opposite platform (they'd got off an Aldgate and ran to Aldgate East). Regardless, me and Ivo walked at a slightly more leisurely pace to Aldgate, where we got a Metropolitan line A-stock unit as far as Farringdon. A cross platform interchange and a ride on an FCC 377 got us to City Thameslink, where we had a nice surprise!
Outside the station entrance, we noticed a Routemaster on service 15, so we hopped on that and got off three stops later before walking to Chancery lane for an eastbound Central Line train to Liverpool Street before meeting the others there.
Myself, Ivo, Mojo and Yorkie walked to Shoreditch High Street for a ride on the new East London Line. First impressions were that the station is hideous, being little more than a concrete tube on top of a viaduct. Then, it took the lady in the ticket office five minutes to find a paper timetable for us - I assume that she's rarely asked for such things! Notwithstanding, we got a very clean 378 as far as Haggerston, where we waited for another 378 with TheBlackWatch present which took us to Dalston Junction. Since it's not a station of great interest (it's underground and the surrounding area is not particularly interesting), we boarded another 378 which took us to Crystal Palace. Despite being the rush hour, the 378 was not especially busy and we were able to find seats.
At Crystal Palace, a 377 took us back to Sydenham, where we caught a 378 heading to West Croydon (due to a lack of time we decided not to go back to New Cross). Now, Mojo discovered that he had a Pizza Express voucher on him which he found in the Metro, so we hunted the train for discarded Metro copies for these vouchers! When our search didn't return anything, we looked through West Croydon station for them, and looked round the bus station for any copies lying about. In the end, we gave up, and got a tram to Wellesley Road before walking to Pizza Express.
Unfortunately I had to leave the meal early so I could make the last train back to Romsey. After braving Croydon High Street I made it to West Croydon station where I caught the 21:34 to Victoria (bailing at Clapham Junction), which to my surprise was a 377. The train was almost empty leaving West Croydon but steadily filled up as it approached London. Upon arrival at the Junction I caught the (thankfully on time) 22:12 to Poole, which as expected was a 444. It was a rather uneventful journey to Eastleigh where to avoid waiting for too long I caught the 23:22 to Romsey (again a 158).
So, to sum it up, a very enjoyable day! Would I do it again? Yes
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