Techniquest
Veteran Member
Hey all,
Finally getting on with typing up the trip report from last week's brilliant bash celebrating 10 years of rail enthusiasm. As per usual, it won't be possible to do it all in one sitting so bear with me. Here we go then:
22nd September 2013 - The Epic 10 Year Anniversary Bash, Day 1
YEEHAA! At long last, the epic bash is here! After a tough week at work, it was especially needed. With everything prepared last night, it was finally off to bed for some doss around 0100 and the alarm was off at 0800. Certainly made me jump! I looked at the watch and misread it at first, thinking it said 0900! After breakfast and a coffee, I get a lift into town and we get there earlier than expected, due to light traffic on this Sunday morning. After a while, I head into the station to pick up my tickets (I had pre-booked them on RedSpottedHanky for some much needed loyalty points!) and board the 1006 to Birmingham New Street. Dud 172336 is on it, still need 331 and 337 yet, hopefully my next WMDR gets them in.
I'd have liked to recreate my first trip as an enthusiast for this anniversary bash, however that was the 0330 Swansea to London Paddington in autumn 2003 [I don't have an exact date annoyingly for it - Ed]. With HSTs featuring IC70 seats, Valentas, Marston coolers and NA256 turbos long gone, replaced with MTUs and vastly different seating, it's not exactly possible to recreate that! Many options were looked into for weeks for this trip, eventually I decided to keep it on UK soil, with a decision made to visit Glasgow. Flying up from Birmingham as I've wanted to do it for ages, and I'll hopefully get some more Flybe craft seen and travelled on [haulage isn't a suitable term here, flyage doesn't sound right, any ideas? - Ed] too. Since I also enjoy planes these days, it was deemed a vital part of this trip since I use planes a lot to get to rail bashes on the continent a lot. I've also not flown since 2nd June and I was getting withdrawal symptoms [I already have them again and it's not quite been a week yet! - Ed] after so long!
The trip to Worcester is spent starting the trip report and playing music, not to mention staring out of the window. Been far too long since my last proper big bash, well over a month! The train got rather busy after Worcester, having been moderately busy for a Sunday morning out of Hereford, and was full of standees after Bromsgrove. The first winner of the day is up next with an insect leap to Birmingham International, 390127 in charge of the 1150 to London Euston. An uneventful journey and it's Subway time for my usual meal here. Off next to the airport via the AirRail link, surprisingly enough there were no airline adverts playing on this occasion. I still remember hearing the bmibaby one far too many times to count
It's then Costa coffee time and much wandering around in the sunshine before heading through security with no issues. Those body scanner things are funky though! I read RAIL for a bit then decide to get a pint of Peroni from The Meriden bar, didn't expect it to cost £4.95 though! Very tasty thankfully, and I end up chatting to a couple off to Tenerife who've had to endure a 2 hour delay with Monarch. Never flown with them but everyone advises to not bother! It's winner G-FBEN, an Embraer 195, on the 1540 to Glasgow International which I'm very happy with. I had expected a Dash 8, but this suits me just fine as I've never had one of these before. We leave 8 minutes late, which turns out not to be a problem as the flight's only about 50 minutes long with a 1 hour and 20 minute schedule [important note, I count the departure time of a flight as when the pushback begins. Arrival time is when the plane comes to a stop at the terminal, as opposed to declaring an arrival to be xx minutes early when we've just touched down like Ryanair like to do - Ed]
Welcome to Glasgow at the airport by 43002, on Flickr
After an enjoyable flight on which I read more of the current RAIL magazine, we arrive 9 minutes early at 1651. I head straight to the bus stops, after noticing a Tesco Express at the airport which compared to the likes of Spar is incredibly handy. It's shortly onto McGills' route 66 to Paisley Gilmour Street, and a 12 minute journey drops me off by the station. I get my Roundabout for £6.30 for this evening's travels and just about make it up the stairs to platform 3 to see what's on the 1725 to Glasgow Central.
Paisley Gilmour Street station entrance by 43002, on Flickr
380115 at Glasgow Central by 43002, on Flickr
156496 at Glasgow Central by 43002, on Flickr
Dud 380115 is on it, but the next one isn't for quite a few minutes so I jump on regardless. The refurbishment of the station has been completed since I was last here and looks a lot better now. I'm also starving now so I head to Burger King after the short trip into Glasgow for a supersized usual meal, man that was good! After that, it was off to the low level platforms, and my next train is several minutes late, offering me an opportunity to have an insect leap on winner 334016 to Argyle Street. The thriller filler was followed by winner 318268 to Partick. Next up is dud 334011 on the insect leap to Charing Cross, which is next to the Premier Inn I'm staying at tonight. Quite literally next to the station, I'd be surprised if door to door it took more than 5 seconds to walk it!
I have a feeling I'll be using this hotel for my proposed regular trips to Glasgow more than originally expected, it's incredibly handy for cranking! After dropping off the majority of my stuff, I head back out for a while to get some more winners in the book. Dud 334031 is up next on another insect leap to Glasgow Queen Street Low Level, which is followed by dud 158720 on the 1922 to Cumbernauld. Off I go regardless for a shack scratch somewhere...
158720 at Glasgow Queen Street by 43002, on Flickr
Didn't realise it was replacement buses from Queen Street to Cumbernauld after this train tonight, eventually I get the gen from National Rail Enquiries that bailing at Gartcosh will be just fine. It means a +40 here, but the journey back from Greenfauld was deemed to be too long on the rail replacement bus. No posters on the station, and no working information point, so that meant some expensive phone calls to get the gen on the bus' picking up point. Eventually time passes and MacPhearsons' F11 MMM turns up on the 2020 back to Glasgow Queen Street. Lots of back streets and turn offs here, there and everywhere required to get us to Stepps and Springburn stations, only to pick up no-one and drop off no-one. We arrive at 2058, 2 minutes early and I head downstairs to the low level platforms to get the 2124 back to Charing Cross. 334005 is dud on the leap, then when I get back to my room feeling shattered, it's the usual evening procedures and TV watching. Sleep finally comes around midnight, a long day indeed.
So then, let's bring back the daily statistics!
Day 1 mileage - 83 miles, 47 chains on the rails
Mileage move of the day - 260 miles on G-FBEN
Insect leap of the day - 28 chains on 334016
Highlight of the day - The first flight in about 3.5 months
Low point of the day - The harsh amount of duddage, considering how much I need north of the border
Finally getting on with typing up the trip report from last week's brilliant bash celebrating 10 years of rail enthusiasm. As per usual, it won't be possible to do it all in one sitting so bear with me. Here we go then:
22nd September 2013 - The Epic 10 Year Anniversary Bash, Day 1
YEEHAA! At long last, the epic bash is here! After a tough week at work, it was especially needed. With everything prepared last night, it was finally off to bed for some doss around 0100 and the alarm was off at 0800. Certainly made me jump! I looked at the watch and misread it at first, thinking it said 0900! After breakfast and a coffee, I get a lift into town and we get there earlier than expected, due to light traffic on this Sunday morning. After a while, I head into the station to pick up my tickets (I had pre-booked them on RedSpottedHanky for some much needed loyalty points!) and board the 1006 to Birmingham New Street. Dud 172336 is on it, still need 331 and 337 yet, hopefully my next WMDR gets them in.
I'd have liked to recreate my first trip as an enthusiast for this anniversary bash, however that was the 0330 Swansea to London Paddington in autumn 2003 [I don't have an exact date annoyingly for it - Ed]. With HSTs featuring IC70 seats, Valentas, Marston coolers and NA256 turbos long gone, replaced with MTUs and vastly different seating, it's not exactly possible to recreate that! Many options were looked into for weeks for this trip, eventually I decided to keep it on UK soil, with a decision made to visit Glasgow. Flying up from Birmingham as I've wanted to do it for ages, and I'll hopefully get some more Flybe craft seen and travelled on [haulage isn't a suitable term here, flyage doesn't sound right, any ideas? - Ed] too. Since I also enjoy planes these days, it was deemed a vital part of this trip since I use planes a lot to get to rail bashes on the continent a lot. I've also not flown since 2nd June and I was getting withdrawal symptoms [I already have them again and it's not quite been a week yet! - Ed] after so long!
The trip to Worcester is spent starting the trip report and playing music, not to mention staring out of the window. Been far too long since my last proper big bash, well over a month! The train got rather busy after Worcester, having been moderately busy for a Sunday morning out of Hereford, and was full of standees after Bromsgrove. The first winner of the day is up next with an insect leap to Birmingham International, 390127 in charge of the 1150 to London Euston. An uneventful journey and it's Subway time for my usual meal here. Off next to the airport via the AirRail link, surprisingly enough there were no airline adverts playing on this occasion. I still remember hearing the bmibaby one far too many times to count
It's then Costa coffee time and much wandering around in the sunshine before heading through security with no issues. Those body scanner things are funky though! I read RAIL for a bit then decide to get a pint of Peroni from The Meriden bar, didn't expect it to cost £4.95 though! Very tasty thankfully, and I end up chatting to a couple off to Tenerife who've had to endure a 2 hour delay with Monarch. Never flown with them but everyone advises to not bother! It's winner G-FBEN, an Embraer 195, on the 1540 to Glasgow International which I'm very happy with. I had expected a Dash 8, but this suits me just fine as I've never had one of these before. We leave 8 minutes late, which turns out not to be a problem as the flight's only about 50 minutes long with a 1 hour and 20 minute schedule [important note, I count the departure time of a flight as when the pushback begins. Arrival time is when the plane comes to a stop at the terminal, as opposed to declaring an arrival to be xx minutes early when we've just touched down like Ryanair like to do - Ed]
Welcome to Glasgow at the airport by 43002, on Flickr
After an enjoyable flight on which I read more of the current RAIL magazine, we arrive 9 minutes early at 1651. I head straight to the bus stops, after noticing a Tesco Express at the airport which compared to the likes of Spar is incredibly handy. It's shortly onto McGills' route 66 to Paisley Gilmour Street, and a 12 minute journey drops me off by the station. I get my Roundabout for £6.30 for this evening's travels and just about make it up the stairs to platform 3 to see what's on the 1725 to Glasgow Central.
Paisley Gilmour Street station entrance by 43002, on Flickr
380115 at Glasgow Central by 43002, on Flickr
156496 at Glasgow Central by 43002, on Flickr
Dud 380115 is on it, but the next one isn't for quite a few minutes so I jump on regardless. The refurbishment of the station has been completed since I was last here and looks a lot better now. I'm also starving now so I head to Burger King after the short trip into Glasgow for a supersized usual meal, man that was good! After that, it was off to the low level platforms, and my next train is several minutes late, offering me an opportunity to have an insect leap on winner 334016 to Argyle Street. The thriller filler was followed by winner 318268 to Partick. Next up is dud 334011 on the insect leap to Charing Cross, which is next to the Premier Inn I'm staying at tonight. Quite literally next to the station, I'd be surprised if door to door it took more than 5 seconds to walk it!
I have a feeling I'll be using this hotel for my proposed regular trips to Glasgow more than originally expected, it's incredibly handy for cranking! After dropping off the majority of my stuff, I head back out for a while to get some more winners in the book. Dud 334031 is up next on another insect leap to Glasgow Queen Street Low Level, which is followed by dud 158720 on the 1922 to Cumbernauld. Off I go regardless for a shack scratch somewhere...
158720 at Glasgow Queen Street by 43002, on Flickr
Didn't realise it was replacement buses from Queen Street to Cumbernauld after this train tonight, eventually I get the gen from National Rail Enquiries that bailing at Gartcosh will be just fine. It means a +40 here, but the journey back from Greenfauld was deemed to be too long on the rail replacement bus. No posters on the station, and no working information point, so that meant some expensive phone calls to get the gen on the bus' picking up point. Eventually time passes and MacPhearsons' F11 MMM turns up on the 2020 back to Glasgow Queen Street. Lots of back streets and turn offs here, there and everywhere required to get us to Stepps and Springburn stations, only to pick up no-one and drop off no-one. We arrive at 2058, 2 minutes early and I head downstairs to the low level platforms to get the 2124 back to Charing Cross. 334005 is dud on the leap, then when I get back to my room feeling shattered, it's the usual evening procedures and TV watching. Sleep finally comes around midnight, a long day indeed.
So then, let's bring back the daily statistics!
Day 1 mileage - 83 miles, 47 chains on the rails
Mileage move of the day - 260 miles on G-FBEN
Insect leap of the day - 28 chains on 334016
Highlight of the day - The first flight in about 3.5 months
Low point of the day - The harsh amount of duddage, considering how much I need north of the border
Iceland is sourced down the road and some meat, bread, chocolate bars and crisps are got for later, then it was back to the station. I get curious as to how far Ardrossan Town to Ardrossan South Beach is on foot, and the maps function on my phone suggests it's not too difficult or far. Therefore the next move is dud 380113 to Ardrossan Town, from which I rush up the road along the B780 to Ardrossan South Beach, making it in just 9 minutes. If I didn't have luggage with me I could have done it in less no doubt, if I'd realised I would have time to spare I'd have got some photos. Dud 380011 is back for a thriller filler to Saltcoats to kill time before the next Largs train. Would you believe it, after such a long spree of duddage, I get a pair of winners with 380116 and 380007 on the next Largs train for the leap to West Kilbride. Should have known the evening peak wouldn't let me down!
. I get the pen and notebook back out and finish writing this lot up, which took until just before Worcester. Then it was time to do the moves book, which only just got done before arriving into Hereford. Off then to work and then the usual commute home to round off the trip, although it was hard to work since I still had my crank head on! So was this a good trip? Yes indeed, although I'd have been far happier if I'd had more winners. Even so, it was a good celebration for doing what I do for 10 years, now bring on the next 10 years! Let's finish this off once and for all then with some stats: