Techniquest
Veteran Member
Hi all,
I've not got the time to do all of this before I have to get ready for work, but I'm definitely starting it now with the intention to finish it asap. Before I start it, I'd like to pass on my thanks to DanTrainMan185 for the gen I received on Monday as it made the day that much more successful
Let's continue the telling of the story of my bashing career then:
3rd March 2014 - Cardiff Valleys Shack Scratch
Every frigging Sunday night...An attempt to doss at midnight is postponed at 0133, and I go downstairs to shut the stomach up and watch some How I Met Your Mother season 5, with sleep finally arriving at 0400. So it's understandably with heavy eyes the alarm gets shut off at 0600! Breakfast and the rest of the morning's pre-bash checklist completed, it's off to Hereford on the usual stallion, VX12 FBO. I must surely be getting reasonably close to clearing this thing for 7,000 miles by now! At least the trip to Hereford is accompanied by music, since I remembered my earphones today. Jeez it was an unpleasant commute the other day...The awesomeness of Altaria is getting blasted into my listening devices [ears, in case it's not obvious! - Ed], with the enjoyable instrumental and guitar section in Perfect Harmony being played as I wrote the first part of this trip report into my notebook
Arrival into Hereford is slightly earlier than expected at 0742, and I first head into the station to pick up my pre-booked tickets (as well as tickets for next week, I bought today's one in advance to get some more RSH points
) prior to going to Morrisons. After I pick up what might as well as been a pack of cards with all the reservations etc, it was time to pop into the conveniently located yellow lot's shop for some supplies then into the cafe for a coffee and freshly cooked bacon roll. Back on the station, I take some photos from the temporary footbridge (while the permanent one has lifts installed) and it is now my first bash on a 175 in absolutely ages! Coradia number 8 is on the 0630 Manchester Piccadilly to Milford Haven this morning
After staring out the window all the way to Abergavenny, just after we leave there I see 66548 on the 0700 Portbury to Rugeley heading north. Feels dead strange not being on a trip to the Midlands, definitely nice to have a change of scenery though! The standard hold at Maindee North Junction happens and we arrive at 0931. I observe opposite platform 1 the old shopping centre has finally gone and now replaced by a shiny new building for a bank and insurance companies. After some observations were made, it was onto my first HST in just over 3 months with 43016 and 43015, needed to charge my phone a bit already so needed this move! At Cardiff, £11 gets me a Valleys Day Explorer, and after realising the next train to Bargoed doesn't call at Energlyn & Churchill Park, I change plans and belt it over to platform 0 for the 1035 to Ebbw Vale Parkway with dud 150237. It turned out to be a wise move later on, as after scooping winner shack Rogerstone I get winner 150227 back to Cardiff! Excellent, just two more ATW 150s to get now
We arrive into Central at 1130, I belt it back up platform 4 to get over to platform 0 again for the 1135 to Ebbw Vale Parkway to get some more shack scratching going on. Dud 150245 is on it and I'm off to get Llanhilleth in the book. As I write this bit into the notebook, it's almost 12 noon so it's time for the chicken and bacon sandwich I got from Morrisons earlier. Will it compare to the Asda one? Turns out it was actually quite rateable! A coffee would be very nice right now, not had any since half 8 this morning! In Llanhilleth there is no coffee shop but I find the Premier shop less than 2 minutes away (leave the station, straight up to the road in front of you and turn left with it being on the left hand side) and get a can of Rockstar Xdurance for 99p. 150245 turns up again for the leap back to Crosskeys, another winner shack, and a tight +4 to follow the path under the bridge and up the other side. Nothing much of note here, other than to say there's Crosskeys General Stores across the road from the northbound platform, and that two Stagecoach buses on route 151 (Newport to Blackwood) were following each other!
150227 is back now for the leap to my last station I need on this line, Newbridge. Here, I see the same two buses following each other (37024 and 37021 were the two) again. There's a Co-Op right next door to the station, with a Greggs just up the road to the left after navigating the marathon length footbridge, with coffee shops and cafes all within 5 minutes walk from the station. I get myself a coffee for £1.50 and it's not bad stuff Back at the station, I get the notebook back out and update it before 150227 returns to take me back to Cardiff Central.
That'll do for now, I've got stuff to do before work so I'll try to finish this later today
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Right, as I cruise through Herefordshire to get to work, let's carry this on!
Just one more shack to get on the Valleys now, which is the newest one, Energlyn & Churchill Park. Glad I got back to Cardiff when I did, as the 1436 to Treherbert is 150253 and 150229. Score with 253! One more 150 to go with ATW and their entire fleet is done! Only insect leap mileage but it still counts
142073+142075 are next up on a Bargoed service, which I take to Llanbradach in order to get another train to Energlyn from where it's only 5 minutes until the next one back north. Shame the quality of travel has dropped significantly now after the rest of the moves so far but hey! Last time I visited Llanbradach was some years ago off a 37/4 going to Rhymney, which says something about how long it's been since I came up this way! A quick change of platform on a +4 connection gives me 142069+142010 on the leap to Energlyn, and having now cleared the Valleys again (I had done so before Ebbw Vale Parkway to Cardiff opened 6 years ago!) it's onto 143622+142072 back to Llanbradach for another +4 on the way back to Queen Street.
I spend ages here festering hoping for 150235 to appear, and I make a ton of observations for the "Trains you've seen working" thread. The works to build the new platforms is coming on well, another visit here in the future looks like it'll be required! At 1646 I give up and decide if 235 is to work now it'll be on some peak time workings, so take a leap to Central. I've been up here so long that 150229+253 are back from Treherbert!
I happen to spot a London Midland-liveried 150 and a 150 roll into platform 1 at Central to do the 1700 to Bridgwater (vice Exeter until the works are finished after the flood damage), so knowing it might be 153333 I dash over from platform 6 and give up all hope of finding 150235. Just as well, as not only is it 153333 which I need but it's got 150927 with it, another 150 I need! Winner winner chicken dinner! Photo time before finding a seat in 153333 and wait for departure time. Right along driver!
The leap to Newport is over before I know it, so it's time for another photo and some more observations, including 142002 on the 1615 Maesteg to Cheltenham Spa. I pity the poor souls on that all the way! It's over to platform 3 now for the 1716 Cardiff Central to Holyhead, which is 67001 today. I thought this was later from Cardiff, so it's a bonus I'm on it as my phone's running low on charge. I manage to find a table seat without much effort to my surprise and we leave only 1 minute late at 1732.
However, when we get to Cwmbran it all goes belly up. A rather lengthy wait to go I think, then the tannoy comes on to say there's an electrical supply problem and Control have been advised. Cue time to get a couple of photos before a fix is made and we leave 26 minutes late, while I couldn't help thinking of the famous quote from Hellfire, "Dreadful! Something's blown up!"
En-route to Pontypool and New Inn the tannoy's back on to say we've only enough power to get to Hereford so we'll be terminating there. Good news for me as that's where I'm going! Advice on the train was to either get the Manchester train behind us or wait for the 1821 from Cardiff to Holyhead. No such train in my timetable, an 1821 to Chester yes but not Holyhead. What I find weird is the lack of tweets from ATW on the disruption. Other TOCs like Southeastern, Southern, SWT, Greater Anglia and Northern manage to do so, regardless of whether it may come across as spam to users on unaffected parts of their networks. Journeycheck on the ATW website is all they suggest, although I failed to find the train on there. I might have used it incorrectly mind, having not used Journeycheck before.
We finally limp into Hereford at 1855, 33 minutes late. Thankfully still got time to run to Morrisons and pick up a drink then before the bus home at 1915. I still think significant disruption on a flagship route, especially a flagship service, should have been tweeted but that's up to ATW. I do find out I can claim 10% of my fare back, so even though it's only £2 I intend to do so this week!
Off home I go and I'm back at 2015, 2 hours earlier than normal on either a bash or work day so that much was nice. Time for a large Cornish pasty, chips and mushy peas for a late tea, and by 2230 I'm in bed again falling asleep so no paperwork got done! Got to add finally that I missed my travels with London Midland and Virgin Trains!
So that's that. 5 winner shacks, 4 winners and 214 miles (although that's subject to change when I get the Llanbradach to Energlyn mileage figures) had so another good day had Stay tuned on the "Trains you've seen working" thread for the observations which I intend to post by tomorrow evening. Finally then, keep your eyes peeled next week for another trip report. Hashtag to be confirmed by Sunday
I've not got the time to do all of this before I have to get ready for work, but I'm definitely starting it now with the intention to finish it asap. Before I start it, I'd like to pass on my thanks to DanTrainMan185 for the gen I received on Monday as it made the day that much more successful
Let's continue the telling of the story of my bashing career then:3rd March 2014 - Cardiff Valleys Shack Scratch
Every frigging Sunday night...An attempt to doss at midnight is postponed at 0133, and I go downstairs to shut the stomach up and watch some How I Met Your Mother season 5, with sleep finally arriving at 0400. So it's understandably with heavy eyes the alarm gets shut off at 0600! Breakfast and the rest of the morning's pre-bash checklist completed, it's off to Hereford on the usual stallion, VX12 FBO. I must surely be getting reasonably close to clearing this thing for 7,000 miles by now! At least the trip to Hereford is accompanied by music, since I remembered my earphones today. Jeez it was an unpleasant commute the other day...The awesomeness of Altaria is getting blasted into my listening devices [ears, in case it's not obvious! - Ed], with the enjoyable instrumental and guitar section in Perfect Harmony being played as I wrote the first part of this trip report into my notebook
Arrival into Hereford is slightly earlier than expected at 0742, and I first head into the station to pick up my pre-booked tickets (as well as tickets for next week, I bought today's one in advance to get some more RSH points
) prior to going to Morrisons. After I pick up what might as well as been a pack of cards with all the reservations etc, it was time to pop into the conveniently located yellow lot's shop for some supplies then into the cafe for a coffee and freshly cooked bacon roll. Back on the station, I take some photos from the temporary footbridge (while the permanent one has lifts installed) and it is now my first bash on a 175 in absolutely ages! Coradia number 8 is on the 0630 Manchester Piccadilly to Milford Haven this morning After staring out the window all the way to Abergavenny, just after we leave there I see 66548 on the 0700 Portbury to Rugeley heading north. Feels dead strange not being on a trip to the Midlands, definitely nice to have a change of scenery though! The standard hold at Maindee North Junction happens and we arrive at 0931. I observe opposite platform 1 the old shopping centre has finally gone and now replaced by a shiny new building for a bank and insurance companies. After some observations were made, it was onto my first HST in just over 3 months with 43016 and 43015, needed to charge my phone a bit already so needed this move! At Cardiff, £11 gets me a Valleys Day Explorer, and after realising the next train to Bargoed doesn't call at Energlyn & Churchill Park, I change plans and belt it over to platform 0 for the 1035 to Ebbw Vale Parkway with dud 150237. It turned out to be a wise move later on, as after scooping winner shack Rogerstone I get winner 150227 back to Cardiff! Excellent, just two more ATW 150s to get now
We arrive into Central at 1130, I belt it back up platform 4 to get over to platform 0 again for the 1135 to Ebbw Vale Parkway to get some more shack scratching going on. Dud 150245 is on it and I'm off to get Llanhilleth in the book. As I write this bit into the notebook, it's almost 12 noon so it's time for the chicken and bacon sandwich I got from Morrisons earlier. Will it compare to the Asda one? Turns out it was actually quite rateable! A coffee would be very nice right now, not had any since half 8 this morning! In Llanhilleth there is no coffee shop but I find the Premier shop less than 2 minutes away (leave the station, straight up to the road in front of you and turn left with it being on the left hand side) and get a can of Rockstar Xdurance for 99p. 150245 turns up again for the leap back to Crosskeys, another winner shack, and a tight +4 to follow the path under the bridge and up the other side. Nothing much of note here, other than to say there's Crosskeys General Stores across the road from the northbound platform, and that two Stagecoach buses on route 151 (Newport to Blackwood) were following each other!
150227 is back now for the leap to my last station I need on this line, Newbridge. Here, I see the same two buses following each other (37024 and 37021 were the two) again. There's a Co-Op right next door to the station, with a Greggs just up the road to the left after navigating the marathon length footbridge, with coffee shops and cafes all within 5 minutes walk from the station. I get myself a coffee for £1.50 and it's not bad stuff
Back at the station, I get the notebook back out and update it before 150227 returns to take me back to Cardiff Central.That'll do for now, I've got stuff to do before work so I'll try to finish this later today
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Right, as I cruise through Herefordshire to get to work, let's carry this on!
Just one more shack to get on the Valleys now, which is the newest one, Energlyn & Churchill Park. Glad I got back to Cardiff when I did, as the 1436 to Treherbert is 150253 and 150229. Score with 253! One more 150 to go with ATW and their entire fleet is done! Only insect leap mileage but it still counts
142073+142075 are next up on a Bargoed service, which I take to Llanbradach in order to get another train to Energlyn from where it's only 5 minutes until the next one back north. Shame the quality of travel has dropped significantly now after the rest of the moves so far but hey! Last time I visited Llanbradach was some years ago off a 37/4 going to Rhymney, which says something about how long it's been since I came up this way! A quick change of platform on a +4 connection gives me 142069+142010 on the leap to Energlyn, and having now cleared the Valleys again (I had done so before Ebbw Vale Parkway to Cardiff opened 6 years ago!) it's onto 143622+142072 back to Llanbradach for another +4 on the way back to Queen Street.
I spend ages here festering hoping for 150235 to appear, and I make a ton of observations for the "Trains you've seen working" thread. The works to build the new platforms is coming on well, another visit here in the future looks like it'll be required! At 1646 I give up and decide if 235 is to work now it'll be on some peak time workings, so take a leap to Central. I've been up here so long that 150229+253 are back from Treherbert!
I happen to spot a London Midland-liveried 150 and a 150 roll into platform 1 at Central to do the 1700 to Bridgwater (vice Exeter until the works are finished after the flood damage), so knowing it might be 153333 I dash over from platform 6 and give up all hope of finding 150235. Just as well, as not only is it 153333 which I need but it's got 150927 with it, another 150 I need! Winner winner chicken dinner! Photo time before finding a seat in 153333 and wait for departure time. Right along driver!
The leap to Newport is over before I know it, so it's time for another photo and some more observations, including 142002 on the 1615 Maesteg to Cheltenham Spa. I pity the poor souls on that all the way! It's over to platform 3 now for the 1716 Cardiff Central to Holyhead, which is 67001 today. I thought this was later from Cardiff, so it's a bonus I'm on it as my phone's running low on charge. I manage to find a table seat without much effort to my surprise and we leave only 1 minute late at 1732.
However, when we get to Cwmbran it all goes belly up. A rather lengthy wait to go I think, then the tannoy comes on to say there's an electrical supply problem and Control have been advised. Cue time to get a couple of photos before a fix is made and we leave 26 minutes late, while I couldn't help thinking of the famous quote from Hellfire, "Dreadful! Something's blown up!"
En-route to Pontypool and New Inn the tannoy's back on to say we've only enough power to get to Hereford so we'll be terminating there. Good news for me as that's where I'm going! Advice on the train was to either get the Manchester train behind us or wait for the 1821 from Cardiff to Holyhead. No such train in my timetable, an 1821 to Chester yes but not Holyhead. What I find weird is the lack of tweets from ATW on the disruption. Other TOCs like Southeastern, Southern, SWT, Greater Anglia and Northern manage to do so, regardless of whether it may come across as spam to users on unaffected parts of their networks. Journeycheck on the ATW website is all they suggest, although I failed to find the train on there. I might have used it incorrectly mind, having not used Journeycheck before.
We finally limp into Hereford at 1855, 33 minutes late. Thankfully still got time to run to Morrisons and pick up a drink then before the bus home at 1915. I still think significant disruption on a flagship route, especially a flagship service, should have been tweeted but that's up to ATW. I do find out I can claim 10% of my fare back, so even though it's only £2 I intend to do so this week!
Off home I go and I'm back at 2015, 2 hours earlier than normal on either a bash or work day so that much was nice. Time for a large Cornish pasty, chips and mushy peas for a late tea, and by 2230 I'm in bed again falling asleep so no paperwork got done! Got to add finally that I missed my travels with London Midland and Virgin Trains!
So that's that. 5 winner shacks, 4 winners and 214 miles (although that's subject to change when I get the Llanbradach to Energlyn mileage figures) had so another good day had
Stay tuned on the "Trains you've seen working" thread for the observations which I intend to post by tomorrow evening. Finally then, keep your eyes peeled next week for another trip report. Hashtag to be confirmed by Sunday 
