Techniquest
Veteran Member
Hi all,
Let's not hang about with this eh, I meant to start typing this about an hour ago and I've got work today...
3rd January 2012 - First trip of the year!
Ah the first trip report of the year, hopefully many more to follow! 0630 and slumberland is finally departed at 0640. A quick breakfast of beans and sausages on toast and a coffee is devoured before leaving for my first bus bash of 2012. No VA51 SAR on the 0720 to Hereford this morning, it's YE52 FHA. All that waiting I had to clear it for the magical thou at the end of last year and now I've had it three times since...We leave at 0726 due to awaiting a late-running connection from Llandrindod Wells. By Lyonshall, we're fully wedged! We pull in just before the main stop in Weobley, and a replacement and larger bus is to take us forward. Hardly surprising the Solo was overwhelmed, it's the first day back for some workplaces and the colleges. W408 UCJ, an Excel 2, takes us onwards although now I have to stand. Some very welcome additional mileage on this beast, still a long way off clearing it yet. We finally arrive at journey's end at 0852, about 30 minutes late.
£21.60 later and I have my first rail fare for the year, a West Midlands Day Ranger. A 12.5% increase on 2011's price of £20 by my calculations, going to have to make these rangers better value for money and really push for maximum mileage/moves! Time for a large coffee at £1.83, and sightings for the year begin with 158839 on the 0908 to Manchester Piccadilly, 175104 on the 0933 to Carmarthen and 170511 on the 0940 to Birmingham New Street. I start my writings in my new notebook I got for Christmas with one of the pens I got at the same time with these notes, and I join 170511 on the 0940 to Birmingham. We leave 1 minute late and shortly after 57316 passes with a rather late running WAG-Ex. A routine journey that starts, as usual, with the Metro and I particularly enjoyed the Nemi cartoon this morning. The journey ceased normality when we got halted at Newland East Crossing for a short time, despite barriers being down. After an exchange between signaller and driver, we take off again, to be halted again at Henwick Crossing. The exchange was more active from what I could see this time, with wide sweeping arm motions from the driver. Goodness knows what that was about!
Plenty of sightings across the board this morning, will be the same for the first few months until I've seen everything too much! We arrive at New Street's p9b at 1119, 6 minutes late. 55 miles down, 19,945 to go to hit the very ambitious target I've set myself for 2012! I go over to the 1124 to Holyhead, on which I meet a good friend I've not seen in ages, and we leave on 158831 and 158830 4 minutes late. Hardly surprising there's delays around today with the way the weather was, didn't realise just how bad it was up north until I saw it later. My friend and I spend the journey catching up and I alight for a station grice at Wellington at 1208. It was to be Gobowen, but I didn't fancy going all that way there and back without food. As I leave the station, an eastbound freight is making a racket so I go back down the ramp quickly to see a 70 pass. Damn, no number known. Off I go into town to find a suitable food move, which ends up being in the local Wetherspoon, The William Withering. A beef burger, chips and coffee meal is had for £3.99, not a bad deal in my book and another Wetherspoon in the book. Really need the list to scratch them off...
Back at the station, I flag 158830 and 158823 in favour of the next LM stopper so as to carry on gricing stations. 170501 produces with the 1301 to Birmingham New Street, that'll do me quite happily. Off I get then at Codsall and it's hardly any time before 170510 turns up with the 1333 back, this time it's Oakengates. After a 10 minutes or so fester here, I jump on 170515 with the 1405 to Birmingham, and it's a routine journey to Wolverhampton with 57302 noted on Oxley. The eagle-eyed of you might notice a considerable amount of time spent doing something...At 1436 I get off and spy a Virgin 221 on the 1420 Birmingham New Street to Haymarket (Edinburgh was shut due to the severe weather in Scotland, when I saw it on the news in the pub I was shocked, winds up to 105mph recorded!), with little chance of making it. Never mind, it wasn't 221108 or 221111 thankfully. Regular readers will know I've been after those two for a long time to no avail. Guess what I'm after next week...I get some badly needed timetables for the rest of the day's plan, after which I stroll over to what turned out to be the only bit of required haulage all day, 390032 on the 1445 to London Euston. It's a super dull journey to Birmingham New Street, and we even manage to leave 2 minutes late. 1507 and I am more than grateful to alight at platform 1 at New Street. After some time deciding on moves and scooping stuff for the yearly sight, I settle on the 1539 to Rugeley Trent Valley. 170514 and 170502 arrive for it, empty off Tyseley by the looks of it, and I jump on as soon as I can for a table seat and we leave 6 minutes late. Much decision making took place regarding which station to alight at, and I finally settled on Landywood.
Glad as anything I did this move, as I got 08428 and 70010 for sight as we passed Bescot! I got a text to let me know the 70 was the same one I saw at Wellington this morning, just need 70012 and higher with that class now
1617 and I'm off at Landywood, which I see is a staggered platform station, so I'm glad it's not a tight connection! I was of the impression there were 170+153 workings on the Chase Valley line, didn't see any though. 170634 brings me back south to Bloxwich where I was surprised to see a semaphore. 170633 carts me off after a 6 minute wait for the next station grice at Cannock, having chickened out of the man of steel +0 connection with the next southbound train at Hednesford (due in 1654, back out at 1654). No doubt a station without a footbridge too, so even less likely to manage it. 170502 and 170514 return with the 1658 to Birmingham New Street, and it's one of those few weekday workings which is non-stop Cannock to Walsall I see. Not done that before! Tame Bridge Parkway gets a visit from me at 1717, and I have a 18 minutes or so fester for the next train, having given up with the Chase Valley for this trip. Worth the fester to execute the rest of the day's plan and 323214 becomes my first Starship for 2012 as I take it on the 1737 to Wolverhampton via Birmingham New Street and alight for a grice at Witton. The second good bit about this move was finding a copy of the RailStaff newspaper on board, so got that and had a read during the fester in the cold at Witton. 323209 turns up next with the slightly late 1757 to Walsall and I go for massive mileage (not) on a leap to Perry Barr. I discover after adding this move to RailMiles it's only 68 chains!
323208 produces next with the 1814 to Wolverhampton, and we get held after Witton for some reason, arriving 3 minutes late as a result at 1831 into Birmingham New Street. I've got quite the headache and a majorly hungry stomach now, so I head straight off to Tesco Express. En-route, I discover a new eatery for me, eat4less. A rather tasty jacket potato with chicken curry filling was had for £1.50, bargain! Tesco Express have no painkillers for less than £2.29, no thanks. Tesco Metro in town fortunately do and a pack of Tesco ibuprofen for 41p will do just fine. Back to the station then and 170507 and 153371 roll in from Hereford. I join the 153 for a change, and we leave 1 minute late at 1920. I haven't had the A4 book out since before Codsall, so this report isn't going to be as detailed as it could have been. I get cracking with all the paperwork for the trip, although the moves book will be started later as it's at home. Rather annoyingly, at the last minute on the approach to Worcester Shrub Hill, we're told the 153 is being detached. Thanks for the advance warning...I change to 170507 after hurriedly packing stuff by and we leave at 2011, one minute late. I finally get this report finished with by Ledbury, then write the day's review. We arrive at Hereford at 2056, 6 minutes early, and I make movements to the country bus station for YE52 FHA on the 2117 home. So then, the day's review:
A damn fine start to the year, with 8 new stations in the book, a winner 390 (28 to go!) and plenty of mileage. Surprising just how much was on 170s in the end, but still welcome. I estimate around 200 miles for the day at the very most, and the day is rated at 8/10. Finally then, statistics for t'day:
Total mileage: 244 miles and 34 chains to my surprise!
Highest mileage: 55 miles and 5 chains on 170511
Lowest mileage: 0 miles and 68 chains on 323209
Best bit: The trip to Wellington due to meeting a good friend on it
Worst bit: 390032 from Wolverhampton to Birmingham New Street, so dull!
Random Quote 1: "If you want to give one to me, I'll take it" - was two college boys talking about roll-ups, but sounds dodgy out of context!
Random Quote 2: "Oh my God, they're two separate words!" - a converse between two college kids referring to 'wander' and 'wonder'. I think it was the way he said it more than owt.
Let's not hang about with this eh, I meant to start typing this about an hour ago and I've got work today...
3rd January 2012 - First trip of the year!
Ah the first trip report of the year, hopefully many more to follow! 0630 and slumberland is finally departed at 0640. A quick breakfast of beans and sausages on toast and a coffee is devoured before leaving for my first bus bash of 2012. No VA51 SAR on the 0720 to Hereford this morning, it's YE52 FHA. All that waiting I had to clear it for the magical thou at the end of last year and now I've had it three times since...We leave at 0726 due to awaiting a late-running connection from Llandrindod Wells. By Lyonshall, we're fully wedged! We pull in just before the main stop in Weobley, and a replacement and larger bus is to take us forward. Hardly surprising the Solo was overwhelmed, it's the first day back for some workplaces and the colleges. W408 UCJ, an Excel 2, takes us onwards although now I have to stand. Some very welcome additional mileage on this beast, still a long way off clearing it yet. We finally arrive at journey's end at 0852, about 30 minutes late.
£21.60 later and I have my first rail fare for the year, a West Midlands Day Ranger. A 12.5% increase on 2011's price of £20 by my calculations, going to have to make these rangers better value for money and really push for maximum mileage/moves! Time for a large coffee at £1.83, and sightings for the year begin with 158839 on the 0908 to Manchester Piccadilly, 175104 on the 0933 to Carmarthen and 170511 on the 0940 to Birmingham New Street. I start my writings in my new notebook I got for Christmas with one of the pens I got at the same time with these notes, and I join 170511 on the 0940 to Birmingham. We leave 1 minute late and shortly after 57316 passes with a rather late running WAG-Ex. A routine journey that starts, as usual, with the Metro and I particularly enjoyed the Nemi cartoon this morning. The journey ceased normality when we got halted at Newland East Crossing for a short time, despite barriers being down. After an exchange between signaller and driver, we take off again, to be halted again at Henwick Crossing. The exchange was more active from what I could see this time, with wide sweeping arm motions from the driver. Goodness knows what that was about!
Plenty of sightings across the board this morning, will be the same for the first few months until I've seen everything too much! We arrive at New Street's p9b at 1119, 6 minutes late. 55 miles down, 19,945 to go to hit the very ambitious target I've set myself for 2012! I go over to the 1124 to Holyhead, on which I meet a good friend I've not seen in ages, and we leave on 158831 and 158830 4 minutes late. Hardly surprising there's delays around today with the way the weather was, didn't realise just how bad it was up north until I saw it later. My friend and I spend the journey catching up and I alight for a station grice at Wellington at 1208. It was to be Gobowen, but I didn't fancy going all that way there and back without food. As I leave the station, an eastbound freight is making a racket so I go back down the ramp quickly to see a 70 pass. Damn, no number known. Off I go into town to find a suitable food move, which ends up being in the local Wetherspoon, The William Withering. A beef burger, chips and coffee meal is had for £3.99, not a bad deal in my book and another Wetherspoon in the book. Really need the list to scratch them off...
Back at the station, I flag 158830 and 158823 in favour of the next LM stopper so as to carry on gricing stations. 170501 produces with the 1301 to Birmingham New Street, that'll do me quite happily. Off I get then at Codsall and it's hardly any time before 170510 turns up with the 1333 back, this time it's Oakengates. After a 10 minutes or so fester here, I jump on 170515 with the 1405 to Birmingham, and it's a routine journey to Wolverhampton with 57302 noted on Oxley. The eagle-eyed of you might notice a considerable amount of time spent doing something...At 1436 I get off and spy a Virgin 221 on the 1420 Birmingham New Street to Haymarket (Edinburgh was shut due to the severe weather in Scotland, when I saw it on the news in the pub I was shocked, winds up to 105mph recorded!), with little chance of making it. Never mind, it wasn't 221108 or 221111 thankfully. Regular readers will know I've been after those two for a long time to no avail. Guess what I'm after next week...I get some badly needed timetables for the rest of the day's plan, after which I stroll over to what turned out to be the only bit of required haulage all day, 390032 on the 1445 to London Euston. It's a super dull journey to Birmingham New Street, and we even manage to leave 2 minutes late. 1507 and I am more than grateful to alight at platform 1 at New Street. After some time deciding on moves and scooping stuff for the yearly sight, I settle on the 1539 to Rugeley Trent Valley. 170514 and 170502 arrive for it, empty off Tyseley by the looks of it, and I jump on as soon as I can for a table seat and we leave 6 minutes late. Much decision making took place regarding which station to alight at, and I finally settled on Landywood.
Glad as anything I did this move, as I got 08428 and 70010 for sight as we passed Bescot! I got a text to let me know the 70 was the same one I saw at Wellington this morning, just need 70012 and higher with that class now
1617 and I'm off at Landywood, which I see is a staggered platform station, so I'm glad it's not a tight connection! I was of the impression there were 170+153 workings on the Chase Valley line, didn't see any though. 170634 brings me back south to Bloxwich where I was surprised to see a semaphore. 170633 carts me off after a 6 minute wait for the next station grice at Cannock, having chickened out of the man of steel +0 connection with the next southbound train at Hednesford (due in 1654, back out at 1654). No doubt a station without a footbridge too, so even less likely to manage it. 170502 and 170514 return with the 1658 to Birmingham New Street, and it's one of those few weekday workings which is non-stop Cannock to Walsall I see. Not done that before! Tame Bridge Parkway gets a visit from me at 1717, and I have a 18 minutes or so fester for the next train, having given up with the Chase Valley for this trip. Worth the fester to execute the rest of the day's plan and 323214 becomes my first Starship for 2012 as I take it on the 1737 to Wolverhampton via Birmingham New Street and alight for a grice at Witton. The second good bit about this move was finding a copy of the RailStaff newspaper on board, so got that and had a read during the fester in the cold at Witton. 323209 turns up next with the slightly late 1757 to Walsall and I go for massive mileage (not) on a leap to Perry Barr. I discover after adding this move to RailMiles it's only 68 chains!323208 produces next with the 1814 to Wolverhampton, and we get held after Witton for some reason, arriving 3 minutes late as a result at 1831 into Birmingham New Street. I've got quite the headache and a majorly hungry stomach now, so I head straight off to Tesco Express. En-route, I discover a new eatery for me, eat4less. A rather tasty jacket potato with chicken curry filling was had for £1.50, bargain! Tesco Express have no painkillers for less than £2.29, no thanks. Tesco Metro in town fortunately do and a pack of Tesco ibuprofen for 41p will do just fine. Back to the station then and 170507 and 153371 roll in from Hereford. I join the 153 for a change, and we leave 1 minute late at 1920. I haven't had the A4 book out since before Codsall, so this report isn't going to be as detailed as it could have been. I get cracking with all the paperwork for the trip, although the moves book will be started later as it's at home. Rather annoyingly, at the last minute on the approach to Worcester Shrub Hill, we're told the 153 is being detached. Thanks for the advance warning...I change to 170507 after hurriedly packing stuff by and we leave at 2011, one minute late. I finally get this report finished with by Ledbury, then write the day's review. We arrive at Hereford at 2056, 6 minutes early, and I make movements to the country bus station for YE52 FHA on the 2117 home. So then, the day's review:
A damn fine start to the year, with 8 new stations in the book, a winner 390 (28 to go!) and plenty of mileage. Surprising just how much was on 170s in the end, but still welcome. I estimate around 200 miles for the day at the very most, and the day is rated at 8/10. Finally then, statistics for t'day:
Total mileage: 244 miles and 34 chains to my surprise!
Highest mileage: 55 miles and 5 chains on 170511
Lowest mileage: 0 miles and 68 chains on 323209
Best bit: The trip to Wellington due to meeting a good friend on it
Worst bit: 390032 from Wolverhampton to Birmingham New Street, so dull!
Random Quote 1: "If you want to give one to me, I'll take it" - was two college boys talking about roll-ups, but sounds dodgy out of context!
Random Quote 2: "Oh my God, they're two separate words!" - a converse between two college kids referring to 'wander' and 'wonder'. I think it was the way he said it more than owt.
) but only because he was in too fast too furious!
