HMS Ark Royal
Established Member
First of all, my apologies for not writing this up sooner, but things have been against me...
DAY 1
Getting up early and putting hot water into an already made up coffee, I picked up my bag and went down to the station in the early hours of the morning to pick up 158903 for Hull-Doncaster where I casually went over to the other side of the station to pick up 322482 for a Doncaster-Leeds service. It was at this point that I was going to go up the S&C, go over to Newcastle so I would be in a position to get to British Steel Redcar in order to claim a ticket for a journey starting there, however, Lord Techniquest informed me via twitter the line was closed - at that time, nobody knew about the extensive damage that would be found. Deciding that breakfast was in order, I decided upon Lord fishquinn's recommendation of a Subway MegaMelt which was consumed on a slightly drafty 158859 on a Leeds-Manchester Victoria service. Tram 3109 then took me to Manchester Piccadilly. After a quick loo stop and a coffee, I got onboard on unknown 323 to Ashburys and came back on 323223. Now, at this point, an interesting thing happened. As I crossed from the outer platforms onto the main ones, a woman in front of me dropped to her knees, raised her hands to the sky and started chanting. Now, I am not built for speed, but lets just say I led the charge away from her in company of two dozen passengers! BTP were called and I presume she was led away and questioned at some point. After checking in with Techniquest over twitter, I decided to go to Liverpool and did so onboard 319367. After noting the time of the next possible return to Manchester, I stopped at the White Star in the station and had a well earned pint of John Smith's while sitting at the windows overlooking the concourse. For those of you who have never been there, the pub is located "upstairs" in the main area. Time came up for my train, and I boarded a combo of 142058 and 150138 - I sat in the 142 - to Manchester Oxford Road where it terminated and I changed to 150112 for the short hop to Piccadilly again. It was my intention to go to the airport and back again, but I happened to notice my old nemesis 142009 ready for departure so it was quickly boarded as far Romiley where, on departure to Marple Rose Hill, the rear lights flickered once more - I think we're well respected enemies now
:roll: To my surprise, 142071 came a few minutes later for me to position to Sheffield. Upon arriving there, yet another pacer rolled to a stop in front of me - this time it was 142015 which was taken all the way to Doncaster. Given the time I knew I had left, I decided to do a quick run to Scunthorpe in the company of 142022... and confused the train crew by catching the same unit back again! After getting a coffee from a vending machine in the bus station next to Donny, 158815 was taken back to Hull where I was able to drop in and pick up some put aside pub grub on the way home.
DAY 2
Not much to say about Day 2 other then my tablet, after sending a message to Techniquest, decided to reset itself which meant losing all the pictures I had taken the previous day. However, i had still noted down the following journeys:
158815 Hull-Doncaster
158794 Doncaster-Meadowhall
158790 Meadowhall-Leeds (Express/Limited Stop)
158851 Leeds-Skipton
333005 Skipton-Leeds
333015 Leeds-Bradford Forster Square
333015 Bradford Forster Square-Leeds
At this point, I decided that I had had enough travelling and went for a pint in the White Rose in the station at Leeds where I told maybe a little too much to Techniquest on the restored tablet. certainly, he now knows my personal situation in some regards...
After that, 322482 arrived in the through platforms instead of the bay platforms to take me to Doncaster where I quickly boarded a somewhat delayed 158815 back to hull again
DAY 1
Getting up early and putting hot water into an already made up coffee, I picked up my bag and went down to the station in the early hours of the morning to pick up 158903 for Hull-Doncaster where I casually went over to the other side of the station to pick up 322482 for a Doncaster-Leeds service. It was at this point that I was going to go up the S&C, go over to Newcastle so I would be in a position to get to British Steel Redcar in order to claim a ticket for a journey starting there, however, Lord Techniquest informed me via twitter the line was closed - at that time, nobody knew about the extensive damage that would be found. Deciding that breakfast was in order, I decided upon Lord fishquinn's recommendation of a Subway MegaMelt which was consumed on a slightly drafty 158859 on a Leeds-Manchester Victoria service. Tram 3109 then took me to Manchester Piccadilly. After a quick loo stop and a coffee, I got onboard on unknown 323 to Ashburys and came back on 323223. Now, at this point, an interesting thing happened. As I crossed from the outer platforms onto the main ones, a woman in front of me dropped to her knees, raised her hands to the sky and started chanting. Now, I am not built for speed, but lets just say I led the charge away from her in company of two dozen passengers! BTP were called and I presume she was led away and questioned at some point. After checking in with Techniquest over twitter, I decided to go to Liverpool and did so onboard 319367. After noting the time of the next possible return to Manchester, I stopped at the White Star in the station and had a well earned pint of John Smith's while sitting at the windows overlooking the concourse. For those of you who have never been there, the pub is located "upstairs" in the main area. Time came up for my train, and I boarded a combo of 142058 and 150138 - I sat in the 142 - to Manchester Oxford Road where it terminated and I changed to 150112 for the short hop to Piccadilly again. It was my intention to go to the airport and back again, but I happened to notice my old nemesis 142009 ready for departure so it was quickly boarded as far Romiley where, on departure to Marple Rose Hill, the rear lights flickered once more - I think we're well respected enemies now
:roll: To my surprise, 142071 came a few minutes later for me to position to Sheffield. Upon arriving there, yet another pacer rolled to a stop in front of me - this time it was 142015 which was taken all the way to Doncaster. Given the time I knew I had left, I decided to do a quick run to Scunthorpe in the company of 142022... and confused the train crew by catching the same unit back again! After getting a coffee from a vending machine in the bus station next to Donny, 158815 was taken back to Hull where I was able to drop in and pick up some put aside pub grub on the way home.DAY 2
Not much to say about Day 2 other then my tablet, after sending a message to Techniquest, decided to reset itself which meant losing all the pictures I had taken the previous day. However, i had still noted down the following journeys:
158815 Hull-Doncaster
158794 Doncaster-Meadowhall
158790 Meadowhall-Leeds (Express/Limited Stop)
158851 Leeds-Skipton
333005 Skipton-Leeds
333015 Leeds-Bradford Forster Square
333015 Bradford Forster Square-Leeds
At this point, I decided that I had had enough travelling and went for a pint in the White Rose in the station at Leeds where I told maybe a little too much to Techniquest on the restored tablet. certainly, he now knows my personal situation in some regards...
After that, 322482 arrived in the through platforms instead of the bay platforms to take me to Doncaster where I quickly boarded a somewhat delayed 158815 back to hull again
hock:
don't blame you for running a mile at Man Picc - can never be too careful these days eh.