An excellent few days on my home turf and I'm surprised you found Meadow Well somewhere you could relax at though! Not the best place to hang around...
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The Various Random Mutterings of Kite
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Kite159
Veteran Member
15th August – Hunting High & Low for those trams, Part 1
After a good night’s sleep and a morning spent doing some catching up with the computer, I set of for a short walk to the local station to pick up a weekly season ticket to London (a mere £118.70), the reason will become clearer later in the week on my Kentish rover, but as I was having a lazy day I decided to try to make a small indent into my remaining GWR 43s, needing 19 out of the total fleet. But first I had a bit of business to attend to in Andover, so it was onto 159004 for the short run to Andover, where I took care of some business, and had a fast walk back to the station.
Due to an incident at Sherbourne, a set-swap took place, with 159011/159017 rolling in to take me to Basingstoke, where I exited the station to quickly grab a meal-deal from the nearby Sainsburys before returning a few minutes later, to head over to platform 5 where 150002 had just rolled in. The first time for me on this beast since November last year, windows open as I had some lovely 150 thrash up the line towards Reading, the driver pushing the unit to regain some time lost previous in the day, so it was only a couple minutes late into Reading.
RTT was fired up, with services towards Paddington highlighted, I knew I could ignore everything on the higher number platforms as they would be Turbos on stoppers, and I took up a position at the country end of platform 10 & 11. Dud after dud rolled in (and to give me a kick in the teeth a few of my required 43s were spotted heading in the other direction!), eventually winner 43175 rolled in with dud 43139 bringing up the rear for my first speedy run into Paddington for many months, I was watching out of the window at the process being made with the OHLE, some places have more work than others.
At North Pole the Virgin “Azuma” was spotted, as was 387130-133, as we rolled into Paddington. With the levels of duds heading in, I knew the only chance of something required for the next 30 minutes or so was one service I spotted on RTT as coming from the depot. That was dud as well, so making use of time I purchased my Kent Rover from the new ticket office at Paddington, and spent time looking at the brilliant roof (looked like it has been cleaned). A required 43 was spotted at the front of the 17:00 departure to Bristol, a fully restricted train.
Thankfully my weekly season came in handy as it has no restrictions on time, so I took a seat on the set with 43161 leading dud 43197. A full ticket check took place by some RPIs soon after departure with some youngsters caught travelling on off-peak tickets (upgrade to Anytime tickets were purchased, ouch!). As per normal, a lot of commuters alighted at Reading, as did I. A quick hop across to the other platform and winner 43129 had just arrived with dud 43162 on the rear, so it was back to Paddington, this time we arrived a couple minutes late, so I decided to head to the Bakerloo line platforms, with 3254/3540 taking me to Waterloo, as I wanted to avoid the 19:20 departure (as it’s the first service the £16 tickets are valid on, and is slightly busy, especially when trying to board at Basingstoke). I made it with 5 minutes to spare for the 18:50 service, which was slightly busy with 159102 leading 159003 for the run back to Grateley.
A little afternoon trip scoring me 3 power-cars, plus seeing the process on the GWML, the main event using the season ticket would be the next 3 days heading towards Kent using the 07:27 departure (so a peak-time service requiring the employment of a disguise so the regular commuters don't smell a newbie in their ranks)
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I was only there for 12 or so minutes, and there was worst stations in that area I was hanging around for in terms of anti-social behaviour.
Shame you weren't around, although I'm back up that area in early October to have an attempt with the Whitby line
After a good night’s sleep and a morning spent doing some catching up with the computer, I set of for a short walk to the local station to pick up a weekly season ticket to London (a mere £118.70), the reason will become clearer later in the week on my Kentish rover, but as I was having a lazy day I decided to try to make a small indent into my remaining GWR 43s, needing 19 out of the total fleet. But first I had a bit of business to attend to in Andover, so it was onto 159004 for the short run to Andover, where I took care of some business, and had a fast walk back to the station.
Due to an incident at Sherbourne, a set-swap took place, with 159011/159017 rolling in to take me to Basingstoke, where I exited the station to quickly grab a meal-deal from the nearby Sainsburys before returning a few minutes later, to head over to platform 5 where 150002 had just rolled in. The first time for me on this beast since November last year, windows open as I had some lovely 150 thrash up the line towards Reading, the driver pushing the unit to regain some time lost previous in the day, so it was only a couple minutes late into Reading.
RTT was fired up, with services towards Paddington highlighted, I knew I could ignore everything on the higher number platforms as they would be Turbos on stoppers, and I took up a position at the country end of platform 10 & 11. Dud after dud rolled in (and to give me a kick in the teeth a few of my required 43s were spotted heading in the other direction!), eventually winner 43175 rolled in with dud 43139 bringing up the rear for my first speedy run into Paddington for many months, I was watching out of the window at the process being made with the OHLE, some places have more work than others.
At North Pole the Virgin “Azuma” was spotted, as was 387130-133, as we rolled into Paddington. With the levels of duds heading in, I knew the only chance of something required for the next 30 minutes or so was one service I spotted on RTT as coming from the depot. That was dud as well, so making use of time I purchased my Kent Rover from the new ticket office at Paddington, and spent time looking at the brilliant roof (looked like it has been cleaned). A required 43 was spotted at the front of the 17:00 departure to Bristol, a fully restricted train.
Thankfully my weekly season came in handy as it has no restrictions on time, so I took a seat on the set with 43161 leading dud 43197. A full ticket check took place by some RPIs soon after departure with some youngsters caught travelling on off-peak tickets (upgrade to Anytime tickets were purchased, ouch!). As per normal, a lot of commuters alighted at Reading, as did I. A quick hop across to the other platform and winner 43129 had just arrived with dud 43162 on the rear, so it was back to Paddington, this time we arrived a couple minutes late, so I decided to head to the Bakerloo line platforms, with 3254/3540 taking me to Waterloo, as I wanted to avoid the 19:20 departure (as it’s the first service the £16 tickets are valid on, and is slightly busy, especially when trying to board at Basingstoke). I made it with 5 minutes to spare for the 18:50 service, which was slightly busy with 159102 leading 159003 for the run back to Grateley.
A little afternoon trip scoring me 3 power-cars, plus seeing the process on the GWML, the main event using the season ticket would be the next 3 days heading towards Kent using the 07:27 departure (so a peak-time service requiring the employment of a disguise so the regular commuters don't smell a newbie in their ranks)
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I was only there for 12 or so minutes, and there was worst stations in that area I was hanging around for in terms of anti-social behaviour.
Shame you weren't around, although I'm back up that area in early October to have an attempt with the Whitby line
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It's not great at all. Ah yes, Whitby. I need everything from Battersby to Whitby excluding Battersby, Whitby and Grosmont. Sunday service is better for the likes of Great Ayton (+20 from Middlesbrough back to Middlesbrough vs +120 upwards on Mon-Sat)
Kite159
Veteran Member
I noticed that when doing my plan, better to do some on a summer Sunday when services pass each other at Battersby and you won't be on the same unit all day long
I'm there on the 8&9th October if you fancy popping down to do a couple shacks
Couldn't tell you what I'm doing then just yet but will bear it in mind closer to the timeI noticed that when doing my plan, better to do some on a summer Sunday when services pass each other at Battersby and you won't be on the same unit all day long
I'm there on the 8&9th October if you fancy popping down to do a couple shacks
Techniquest
Veteran Member
You're required to find some time to meet on 19th October Richard, as I'll be up there for the afternoon myself
Some more top reads Kite, made my pre-work fester much more interesting!
Some more top reads Kite, made my pre-work fester much more interesting!
Iskra
Established Member
Nice reads. You're scratching a lot of shacks too, in some scenic parts of the country. I particularly like the area around Alnmouth. I feel sorry for the guards between Middlesbrough and Whitby, they have a lot of work with all the station stops. At least you got to visit Hartlepool in the Summer; it looks and feels a lot worse in January with the North Sea wind, I assure you!
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I think I can pass on the Saltburn line until the pacers are gone! I was screaming at 43308 when it appeared on my screen - It's my last required VTEC power car and one of my last 5 powercars, NMT included! Also, going for an unspeakably horrible thing instead of a loco hauled set from Berwick deserves the death penalty .
I agree with you regarding paying for toilets - I avoid it at all where possible and at stations where you have to pay, I'll simply head over to a train and go on that. It's worked at New Street and Piccadilly several times!
. I agree with you regarding paying for toilets - I avoid it at all where possible and at stations where you have to pay, I'll simply head over to a train and go on that. It's worked at New Street and Piccadilly several times!
Fantastic stuff - so much crammed in.
I really enjoy the Metro and it's very much on my list for a return visit soon (although that list is pretty long, I must admit)
As an aside, I lived near Thirsk for much of the 1970s and spent many a happy hour on the platforms writing down train numbers and then throwing the list away at the end of the day as we had no idea you could actually buy a book to record them in!
I still require it, though
I really enjoy the Metro and it's very much on my list for a return visit soon (although that list is pretty long, I must admit)
As an aside, I lived near Thirsk for much of the 1970s and spent many a happy hour on the platforms writing down train numbers and then throwing the list away at the end of the day as we had no idea you could actually buy a book to record them in!
I still require it, though
Kite159
Veteran Member
16th August A Kentish Rover, Day 1
The idea of the next three days was to have a good clearout of my remaining shacks in Kent, making use of some enforced time off work (building works) to use a Kent Rover. So making use of the weekly season ticket purchased the day before I pretended to be a London commuter and walked to the station for the 07:27 service to London (arrives around 08:45). This service comes up from Exeter, however that is only the rear unit, the front two units are attached at Salisbury (I would imagine), so being the first stop after Salisbury meant getting a seat in the front 6 coaches was a piece of carrot cake.
Mmm Carrot Cake
The service this morning was formed of 159020, 159022 & 159010 for the nice run, I grabbed a seat in the middle coach of 022, and it was a good trip, probably 90%-ish loading after Basingstoke (although I would imagine on a regular weekday not in the middle of August it would be more than that, especially going by the car-park still having spaces). Roughly an on-time arrival into Waterloo, maybe a couple minutes late due to the usual hanging around outside for a platform to become free. A short walk over to platform 1-4 to jump on the first movement back towards Clapham Junction found me onto 455722 & 455868 (5868 being cleared for 10 miles, and 5722 getting closer only previously had as a bus stop leap between Walton on Thames & Hersham. Anyhow it was using the cross platform to jump on the first Southern service which rolled in to take me to Victoria, 377462 & 377431 did this honour (both high mileage units had multiple times).
I picked up my ticket to Sevenoaks to link up with the rover area and had an option of a pair of 375s heading to Ramsgate which departed after the Dover service, but overtook the Dover service (as the Dover goes via Denmark Hill). Both were dud, and I went over to the semi-fast Dover service (although it be a stopper after St Mary Cray towards Rainham, before skipping those two tiny shacks and only calls at Canterbury after Faversham, compared to the other Dover service from Victoria which runs semi-fast to Rochester, then turns into an all station stopper down the line to Dover). I was surprised to see it was duds 465927 & 466041, mainly as I wouldnt have expected to see a pair of networkers on a long trip. Anyhow I climbed into a bay of 4 on the 466 in the motor coach for some traditional networker motor noise (sadly lost in the 465/0s & 1s), windows open (for it was a warm day), for the run along the Chatham main line to my first shack of the day at Canterbury East.
A nice little station, where I had a short wait for the next Dover service to roll in, and this was in the shape of dud 375712 for the near 10-mile trip to Shepherds Well, home of the East Kent Railway (one of the many heritage railways I need for coverage). A nice enough small station, a handy Co-Op located nearby (used to purchase a meal-deal as it was lunchtime), where I noticed the northbound service after the next one was showing as cancelled, so a quick change of plan was needed, which would involve a short walk between two close stations. 375712 returned from Dover to take me to Adisham, a very basic station whose waiting shelter on the Dover platform could do with some TLC (as the picture will probably show). The next Dover was formed of 8 coaches, and in rolled winners 375609 & 375610, happy days as I climbed on board 610 for the 2 mile trip to Snowdown.
Another basic rural station, but I had Google Maps fired up for the rough mile walk along a pavement, up a hill to reach Aylesham, with 35 minutes to kill (that included some wasted time looking at a statue for the miners killed in an accident). What is strange with this station is that it appeared to have an old path leading up from the Dover bound platform to the road bridge for disabled access, replaced with a regular footbridge (the path is very overgrown but you can still make it out, seems a bit strange that). Anyhow 375610 rushed through as ECS back towards London way and it was a short wait (hiding in the shadows) before dud 375608 rolled in, the 8 and a half mile run to Dover pushing this dual voltage 375 over the 10 mile mark. Arrival was a few minutes late rolling into platform 3, 375609 was sitting looking all 375 trial livery like (it isnt blue) in platform 2 and the Ramsgate shuttle was due to roll in on platform 1.
Since the sea-wall collapsed (between Folkestone & Dover) the service between Dover & Ramsgate has been in the hands of some 375/3s, sadly luck wasnt with me as dud 375309 rolled in to take me towards Ramsgate to Sandwich, where I made use of the handy footbridge to cross to the other platform to await the next service. This turned out to be 375310, which got the red pen treatment as it rolled in to take me down the line to Martin Mill. Another semi-rural station, with nothing much around, it was a short wait before fresh dud 375310 returned from Dover to take me to Deal (or No Deal), where I had a quick visit to the nearby Sainsburys to pick up some food (all this festering in the heat was making me hungry) and a bottle of anti-bacterial solution.
Back to Deal station, and it was onto 375309 to take me back on stop to Walmer to clear the line for shacks, a short wait before dud-of-the-day 375609 came into sight on route to Ramsgate, but this is the services which I was hoping to get in my book, one I actually did my plan around catching it, as after Sandwich it turns left over the single track chord to Minster station, scoring me the PSUL move over the Minster chord. Arrived a bit early (I think we were meant to be held on the chord for a few extra minutes but a Charing Cross service from Ramsgate got cancelled), before reversing back towards Ramsgate (just what is the point in that chord these days?). A quick change of platforms at Ramsgate to board 375629 as a time wasting move to score Broadstairs, before heading back to Ramsgate on a pair of 395s from Margate, with winner 395007 leading dud 395026.
It was back onto 375609 as it was forming the next Charing Cross bound service, to take me to Sturry, beware station bashers this station features a level crossing and a busy road, took me 5 minutes before I could actually cross the road to reach the other platform. The platform itself was very basic, little waiting shelter and not a lot else, an unknown 395 popped up on route to Margate, before another short wait for dud 375617, getting closer to the 10 mile club, to take me to Minster. A footbridge shack with the line towards Sandwich peeling away pretty much straight after the Ashford bound platform.
A short wait here at Minster before 375620 rolled in to take me to Chilham, where I was in luck as the next Ramsgate bound service was running around 10 minutes late, allowing me to make a -5 connection onto duds 375703 & 375607 to Chartham, to clear the line. Ahead of my plan, it was time for a mileage move with a trio of duds, 375302, 375815 & 375621 to take me to Canterbury West, dashing under the tracks using a handy subway to jump onto an unknown Javelin. Sadly luck wasnt with me as it was high mileage dud 395005 (the one I spent a good few hours on a couple moves ago for a railtour). Ah well, an extra 14 miles & 18 chains wont harm it, and the quick battery charge for my phone was good. To Ashford International, where the next Charing Cross bound service was due from platform 1, however with delays to an inbound service from Blackfriars, it was switched to platform 5. Duds 375907 & 375625 rolled in from Ramsgate, and after a brief pause crossed over from platform 5 to reach the line towards Tonbridge.
I decided to kill some time (as this service would arrive into Waterloo East at 21:21, so it was a 59 minute connection), and bailed at Tonbridge for a couple options, a pair of duds from Hastings was first, followed by a pair of dud 465/9s from Tunbridge Wells, so it was onto my 3rd option, a service from Folkestone, formed of 11 coaches going by the PIS. In rolled dud 375307, followed by 375801 with winner 375707 on the rear, my final 375/7. So taking a seat in 707 for the fast run back towards Waterloo East, pausing at Sevenoaks before running non-stop to Waterloo East, a nice speedy run, once at Waterloo East, I crossed over to Waterloo (Main), via Tesco for a late evening wrap, and waited for the 22:20 to roll in. Tonight I was being taken home by 159004, a busy service until Basingstoke, but arriving into Grateley pretty much on time, and with a short walk home.
A chance to reflect on my day, only 3 stations remain on the line from Folkestone to Dover, the line from Ramsgate to Ashford & Dover is cleared, with a handful of required units. Here are some pictures:
466041 departs Canterbury East:
A blue 375712 departing Shepherds Well (or as the signs say Shepherdswell):
A nice station building:
A networker on holiday 466041 dashing like a bat out of the tunnel:
The dark blue suits the 375s:
The waiting shelter at Adisham...
When the snow comes down:
375309 at Sandwich:
A random Sandwich:
Was there once a mill owned by Martin here?
In years gone by, did Deal have a through line (to the banker?)?
Walmer in the sunshine:
The not-so broad stairs at Broadstairs:
An unknown Javelin passing Sturry:
Minster station, with chord on right hand side leading towards Sandwich:
Not such a nice footbridge at Chilham:
----------------
17th August A Kentish Rover, day 2
It was a similar start to the Tuesday (day 1), making use of the 07:27 service to Waterloo, doubling back to Clapham before heading to Victoria, today it was 159005, 159001 & 159012 getting the miles on route to Waterloo, arriving a few minutes late. 455741 & 455903 eventually departed a few minutes late, but was very stop-start to Clapham, with 377107, 377429 & 377163 taking me to Victoria. I was happy I had picked up my ticket beforehand as the queue for the TVMs was quite long.
The aim of today was to clear the line towards Dover, and also towards Ramsgate, but first a spot of linear hopping as a busy 375819 & 375820 took me to Rochester, a short wait before a service to Ramsgate from Charing Cross, with winner 465934 leading duds 466015 & 465907 for the tiny leap to Chatham. A few minutes later and 395017 became the next entry into my book on a leap to Gillingham, followed by 465901 & 466018 from Victoria to take me to Rainham. A dud service was heading back towards London which I turned down for a wait, spotting a 376 dashing through on route to Ramsgate depot, before dud 375629 rolled in to take me to Bekesbourne
Sadly we lost some time, and the +1 disappeared into the atmosphere, giving me an hour to fester a station in the middle of nowhere, apart from some houses and a minibus taking some youngsters somewhere and an office building, there isnt anything around. To hide from the sun I stood in the shade on a path behind the station, before moving to underneath the bridge before the train was due. I made use of the time by listening to some music & reading my book, so the 60 minutes flew by. As was the day before the next service was formed of 8 coaches, although unlike yesterday it wasnt a double win, it was 375923 & 375707 to take me down to Kearsney, a nice enough station with a little local shop (but some busy roads).
375707 returned 20-or so minutes later to take me back up the line to Selling, my final shack on the line full of little rural basic shacks. 30 minutes to fester at Selling before the next Dover bound service was due, making a note that the next fast was a dud 465, I was happy when winners 375805 & 375606 rolled in (final 375/6!) to take me down to Canterbury East, with a short wait for 375925 back up the line to Teynham for no reason other than a time wasting miles move. It was a short wait at the basic level crossing shack before 375811 took me to Faversham, where I gave myself an idea to change the order I did some shacks to potentially get home an hour earlier.
Winner 395006 was up next to take me one stop to Whitstable, where 15 or so minutes later 375629 popped up to take me to Herne Bay, a station which Im guessing in years gone past had a passing loop, with an old platform face fenced off. 375603 was up next to take me to the embankment shack of Chestfield & Swalecliffe, which was a horrible place to spend 10 minutes waiting for the next train as there was no shelter (has a little bus shelter, but with the angle of the sun meant it was useless). Thankfully it wasnt that long before winner 395010 popped up to take me to the rough looking Westgate-on-Sea, which is where my tight connection held (be at the Faversham end of the train), as I jumped onto 375630 back one stop to Birchington-On-Sea.
15 or so minutes later duds from yesterday, 375707 & 375310 rolled in to take me to Dumpton Park, which has an island platform, and little else. However with the crowds at Margate I was thankful I was boarding the next Ramsgate Victoria service from the 1st station, as 375623 rolled in to take me back towards Victoria. As expected it was quite cosy on departure from Margate, and remained cosy until Faversham when 375603 ran into the back of us (with announcers from the guard that the rear unit was empty to try and get some of the standing passengers to shift so they could get a seat).
Once back at Victoria, I was happy as I had cleared my targets with a few winners, the first service out of Victoria towards Clapham was in the hands of 377620/377604 heading towards Dorking, but with a delay it was running fast after Clapham Junction to Sutton. At Clapham Junction, I purchased food from Sainsburys before heading back to the station for the 20:27 service, expecting the worst, but wasnt that bad (considering many things), with 159003 leading 159018, taking a seat in 159003 as it was detaching at Salisbury (so anybody wanting stations towards Exeter was in the 018).
Day 2 was complete, on a hot sunny day, with some pictures:
376004 at Rainham (Kent), something I didnt expect to see:
Not my ticket to freedom from Bekesbourne:
The nice footbridge at Kearsney:
Ah 375707 we meet again, this time not behind a 37 at Derby:
A Javelin at Whitstable:
Herne Bay... Not to be confused with Herne Hill:
Chestfield & Swalecliffe in the sunshine.
Westgate-on-sea:
375630 departing Birchington-on-sea:
The luxury of Dumpton Park:
18th August A Kentish Rover, Day 3
The target for today was those stations on the Medway Valley line, and the Maidstone East line, so I was expecting a lot of networker action. Thankfully it wasnt as hot as it was the day before, as I walked to the station for the 07:27 service for the final time of the week. Today it was formed of 159007, 159012 & 159018, giving an extra 72 miles and 49 chains to my only sub thousand mile 159. Unlike the previous couples days I was treating myself to some High Speed action, but to kill time I had picked up a couple potential moves from Waterloo East to Charing Cross.
Neither of which were needed, as I was getting into position as a service formed of 465237, 465182 & winner 466036 rolled in, so it was rude to turn down a required 466 it was to Charing Cross (the 1st potential move I would have scored a pair of 465/9s on, the 2nd was a pair of dud 375s). Anyhow with nothing else much of interest at Charing Cross, it was via Co-Op on the Strand to visit the Bakerloo line platforms, with duds 3544/3246 taking me forward to Oxford Circus, and 11065/11066 to Kings Cross St Pancras. A short walk to leave the underground complex and I headed over to the High Speed platforms, as I had a chance of a linear hop before the next Faversham bound service would depart.
A required 395 was spotted on the platform, however that was locked up as the next Dover service was in front of it, a quick walk and it was winner 395003. To Ebbsfleet for some 395 speed on HS1 (zoom zoom), and after visiting the toilets I had a short walk over to platform 5&6 in the annex building to await dud 395023 to take me to Strood, a nice little ride.
The Medway line was running slightly late, as dud 466018 rolled in and departed a few minutes late to take me to Snodland where I had planned a 30 minute fester (very tight connection), although I probably would have made the connection if South Eastern didnt decide to run the next Strood service fast from Maidstone (and there was some very unhappy passengers that the train ran through without warning). Anyhow Snodland has a level crossing and a footbridge, with roadworks being carried out outside the building for a new car-park. 30 minutes later 466018 returned to take me to Cuxton, where the HS1 Medway viaduct could be seen.
After a short wait it was back onto 466018 as it returned towards Maidstone, to take me to Aylesford, another nice little station, and another short fester before 466018 returned to New Hythe, which compared to Aylesford looked to be a tad rough. However my run with 466018 was over as 466005 rolled in to take me down the line to Beltring a very basic level crossing shack in the middle of nowhere, and so my festers began before 466005 returned for the short trip to Wateringbury, another basic shack, this time with an old station building, and what appeared to be some old sidings. 466034 was the 3rd unit on the Medway line diagrams today as after 10 or so minutes of festering it rolled in to take me to Yalding, another basic rural shack without much in the way of life around.
40 (or so) minutes later 466034 returned from Tonbridge to take me to East Farleigh, the shack with a +3, which was easily made over the footbridge to rejoin 466005 down to Paddock Wood, where I had some time to dash out to a nearby Tesco for a meal-deal and a cold drink. Back to Paddock Wood station and 466005 returned from its magical adventure to Tonbridge to take me to Maidstone West, where I had 30 or so minutes to walk to the East station, swinging via Burger King for an ice-cream before reaching Maidstone East. A station which looks to be evil to change between platforms, but I noticed a service from Ashford was showing as cancelled, so a quick rethink of my plan was needed.
Rethink complete and 375618 took me to Bearsted where for the sake of a mileage move, I jumped onto 375818 back to Maidstone East for a short wait before 375805 rolled in to take me to Lenham, a basic shack with a goods loop behind the platform. 465913 was up next to take me to Hollingbourne for a short wait before 465909 took me back one stop to Harrietsham. Cant really remember much about either station, apart from they were quite rural, with footbridges. I didnt have long to wait before 375618 returned from Ashford to take me to the ultra-rural Kemsing, nothing around apart from a small business park. Needless to say even when 466038 & 465915 rolled in nobody else alighted or boarded the train for the short run to Borough Green & Wrotham.
A short wait here before the next of the peak-time extras rolled in, and it was a shock to see it being Thameslink branded 377523 & 377212 to take me the short hop to West Malling, passing another pair of Thameslink 377s heading back towards Victoria. Time to swing via a little Co-Op, before 377511 & 377209 rolled in for the little leap to East Malling, this time I knew it would be a pair of Thameslink 377s as it came from Blackfriars. Another short wait before 466026 & 465037 took me to Maidstone East on a Maidstone East terminating service, where I had hoped it would use the bay platform
Nope, went into platform 1, so probably a rare crossover, but it did save a walk as it departed as ECS back towards London. A short wait before 465907 & 466014 rolled in to take me to my final shack along this line at Barming for a +8 which turned into a +18 due to late running. This in turn reduced my +20 to a +10 between Maidstone stations. My bad luck with 465s continued as it was dud 465924 & 466007 back to Maidstone East, and with Google Maps fired up with the route to Maidstone Barracks, it was an easy footpath (although quite narrow, but didnt stop an idiotic cyclist ignore the no cycling signs and forced his way pass).
I arrived after 6 minutes of walking at my final South Eastern shack, Maidstone Barracks, I was happy my plans worked without any real issues. I relaxed as I boarded 466034 for the 3rd time of the day back to Strood, where 395005 took me to Ebbsfleet International, as I had noted the next St Pancras service was from Margate and that is usually a pair. Sadly it was only a single unit, which was running around 10 minutes late, but it was worth the wait as in rolled winner 395011 to take me to Stratford International for a 5 minute wait for the next service, which was dud 395023, back to St Pancras. A good speedy run from 395011 reduced the lateness by a couple minutes.
To the Victoria line and 11043/11044 took me to Oxford Circus, followed by 3258/3546 to Waterloo, where tonights 22:20 service was formed of 159102, to take me home, tired and in need of a shower. Not as many required units as I would have liked from the 3rd day, but all my shacks I set out to do were done, with a couple change of plans to avoid cancelled trains. As per usual, here are some pictures:
376 meets 395 at Strood:
An Eurostar on route to Europe going over the Medway Valley Line:
466018 at Aylesford:
The industrial New Hythe:
Beltring:
Wateringbury:
An old canopy at Yalding:
466034 at East Farleigh:
Maidstone West:
Leeds Castle is nearby Bearsted:
375818 pausing at Maidstone East:
Lenham:
Hollingbourne:
Harrietsham:
Trains passing at Kemsing:
Has a modern footbridge....
Borough Green & Wrotham:
Purple trains at West Malling
A former Southern 377/2 at East Malling:
An unknown 465+466 rushing past East Malling:
Barming:
My final South Eastern Shack, Maidstone 'Barracks':
466034 arriving to start my homeward bound journey, my guitar was in hand:
----------------------
19th August Another hunt for those HSTs
A late start was required from my body, and a late start it got given. A couple little jobs on the laptop before I set off for a short walk to catch 159004 heading to Basingstoke, where like on the Monday I popped out to grab a meal-deal from the Sainsburys before heading back towards platform 5. Would I get one of the Reading depot pets or would it be a Turbo I was thinking to myself as I climbed up the stairs to come across the green 150001 rolling in. Reading depot pet it will be, first time since last September for this 150.
Once at Reading, I returned in the rain to platform 10 & 11, to wait for anything required to pop up on route to Paddington. Sadly luck wasnt on my side at all this afternoon, however after 80 minutes, dud 43078 rolled in with winner 43147 on the rear, this time I sat on the left hand side in the direction of travel, noting a required 43 coming in from the depot, to give me something to aim for when it eventually rolled in and was announced as being a service to Cardiff. This service was only 7 carriages, and I could feel the difference in acceleration (add that the coach was empty as it came from Oxford)
Due to the late arrival, no seat reservations got put out, so I took up a seat in coach C, with 43036 leading winner 43016, only to be tapped on the shoulder by someone who said Oi You, shift it, Im with a family, if he was nice and said please then I probably would have moved, but as he was rude I refused and pointed out the other table was still available (all it the table which has a view of plastic) (I just dont like those airline style seats on a GW HST, they are too tall for me).
Once at Reading, I didnt hang around for long as the next departure for Paddington was rolling in, and featured winner 43035 on the front, with dud 43132 on the rear. Slightly more busy than the Ex-Oxford service, but after a quick look around Paddington saw nothing of interest, I took up a position on platform 1, where it overlooked the lines running in, giving me a good view to ID anything required. One service I picked up as being required, however when it got announced it was pick-up only at Reading (heading towards Penzance), so I gave that a miss, eventually picking up a required 43 heading towards Hereford, so it was onto 43191 leading winner 43017 for my 4th (and final) 43 of the day.
At Reading, it was a quick cross platform leap onto an unknown voyager heading towards Bournemouth; I managed to get a seat on this busy service to Basingstoke, which on alighting found it was 221125, however it gave me time to swing via Sainsburys for a couple items for dinner before heading back to the station to wait for the service from Waterloo. It was a quite busy 159015 & 159021, and until Overton I was standing by the doors, although that was down to someone deciding not to look inside the carriage itself as there was some seats available.
A short walk home before the rain started, as I reflected on scoring 4 more GWR 43s, so a small dent into my requirements. A good early night was required for an early start in the morning.
The idea of the next three days was to have a good clearout of my remaining shacks in Kent, making use of some enforced time off work (building works) to use a Kent Rover. So making use of the weekly season ticket purchased the day before I pretended to be a London commuter and walked to the station for the 07:27 service to London (arrives around 08:45). This service comes up from Exeter, however that is only the rear unit, the front two units are attached at Salisbury (I would imagine), so being the first stop after Salisbury meant getting a seat in the front 6 coaches was a piece of carrot cake.
Mmm Carrot Cake
The service this morning was formed of 159020, 159022 & 159010 for the nice run, I grabbed a seat in the middle coach of 022, and it was a good trip, probably 90%-ish loading after Basingstoke (although I would imagine on a regular weekday not in the middle of August it would be more than that, especially going by the car-park still having spaces). Roughly an on-time arrival into Waterloo, maybe a couple minutes late due to the usual hanging around outside for a platform to become free. A short walk over to platform 1-4 to jump on the first movement back towards Clapham Junction found me onto 455722 & 455868 (5868 being cleared for 10 miles, and 5722 getting closer only previously had as a bus stop leap between Walton on Thames & Hersham. Anyhow it was using the cross platform to jump on the first Southern service which rolled in to take me to Victoria, 377462 & 377431 did this honour (both high mileage units had multiple times).
I picked up my ticket to Sevenoaks to link up with the rover area and had an option of a pair of 375s heading to Ramsgate which departed after the Dover service, but overtook the Dover service (as the Dover goes via Denmark Hill). Both were dud, and I went over to the semi-fast Dover service (although it be a stopper after St Mary Cray towards Rainham, before skipping those two tiny shacks and only calls at Canterbury after Faversham, compared to the other Dover service from Victoria which runs semi-fast to Rochester, then turns into an all station stopper down the line to Dover). I was surprised to see it was duds 465927 & 466041, mainly as I wouldnt have expected to see a pair of networkers on a long trip. Anyhow I climbed into a bay of 4 on the 466 in the motor coach for some traditional networker motor noise (sadly lost in the 465/0s & 1s), windows open (for it was a warm day), for the run along the Chatham main line to my first shack of the day at Canterbury East.
A nice little station, where I had a short wait for the next Dover service to roll in, and this was in the shape of dud 375712 for the near 10-mile trip to Shepherds Well, home of the East Kent Railway (one of the many heritage railways I need for coverage). A nice enough small station, a handy Co-Op located nearby (used to purchase a meal-deal as it was lunchtime), where I noticed the northbound service after the next one was showing as cancelled, so a quick change of plan was needed, which would involve a short walk between two close stations. 375712 returned from Dover to take me to Adisham, a very basic station whose waiting shelter on the Dover platform could do with some TLC (as the picture will probably show). The next Dover was formed of 8 coaches, and in rolled winners 375609 & 375610, happy days as I climbed on board 610 for the 2 mile trip to Snowdown.
Another basic rural station, but I had Google Maps fired up for the rough mile walk along a pavement, up a hill to reach Aylesham, with 35 minutes to kill (that included some wasted time looking at a statue for the miners killed in an accident). What is strange with this station is that it appeared to have an old path leading up from the Dover bound platform to the road bridge for disabled access, replaced with a regular footbridge (the path is very overgrown but you can still make it out, seems a bit strange that). Anyhow 375610 rushed through as ECS back towards London way and it was a short wait (hiding in the shadows) before dud 375608 rolled in, the 8 and a half mile run to Dover pushing this dual voltage 375 over the 10 mile mark. Arrival was a few minutes late rolling into platform 3, 375609 was sitting looking all 375 trial livery like (it isnt blue) in platform 2 and the Ramsgate shuttle was due to roll in on platform 1.
Since the sea-wall collapsed (between Folkestone & Dover) the service between Dover & Ramsgate has been in the hands of some 375/3s, sadly luck wasnt with me as dud 375309 rolled in to take me towards Ramsgate to Sandwich, where I made use of the handy footbridge to cross to the other platform to await the next service. This turned out to be 375310, which got the red pen treatment as it rolled in to take me down the line to Martin Mill. Another semi-rural station, with nothing much around, it was a short wait before fresh dud 375310 returned from Dover to take me to Deal (or No Deal), where I had a quick visit to the nearby Sainsburys to pick up some food (all this festering in the heat was making me hungry) and a bottle of anti-bacterial solution.
Back to Deal station, and it was onto 375309 to take me back on stop to Walmer to clear the line for shacks, a short wait before dud-of-the-day 375609 came into sight on route to Ramsgate, but this is the services which I was hoping to get in my book, one I actually did my plan around catching it, as after Sandwich it turns left over the single track chord to Minster station, scoring me the PSUL move over the Minster chord. Arrived a bit early (I think we were meant to be held on the chord for a few extra minutes but a Charing Cross service from Ramsgate got cancelled), before reversing back towards Ramsgate (just what is the point in that chord these days?). A quick change of platforms at Ramsgate to board 375629 as a time wasting move to score Broadstairs, before heading back to Ramsgate on a pair of 395s from Margate, with winner 395007 leading dud 395026.
It was back onto 375609 as it was forming the next Charing Cross bound service, to take me to Sturry, beware station bashers this station features a level crossing and a busy road, took me 5 minutes before I could actually cross the road to reach the other platform. The platform itself was very basic, little waiting shelter and not a lot else, an unknown 395 popped up on route to Margate, before another short wait for dud 375617, getting closer to the 10 mile club, to take me to Minster. A footbridge shack with the line towards Sandwich peeling away pretty much straight after the Ashford bound platform.
A short wait here at Minster before 375620 rolled in to take me to Chilham, where I was in luck as the next Ramsgate bound service was running around 10 minutes late, allowing me to make a -5 connection onto duds 375703 & 375607 to Chartham, to clear the line. Ahead of my plan, it was time for a mileage move with a trio of duds, 375302, 375815 & 375621 to take me to Canterbury West, dashing under the tracks using a handy subway to jump onto an unknown Javelin. Sadly luck wasnt with me as it was high mileage dud 395005 (the one I spent a good few hours on a couple moves ago for a railtour). Ah well, an extra 14 miles & 18 chains wont harm it, and the quick battery charge for my phone was good. To Ashford International, where the next Charing Cross bound service was due from platform 1, however with delays to an inbound service from Blackfriars, it was switched to platform 5. Duds 375907 & 375625 rolled in from Ramsgate, and after a brief pause crossed over from platform 5 to reach the line towards Tonbridge.
I decided to kill some time (as this service would arrive into Waterloo East at 21:21, so it was a 59 minute connection), and bailed at Tonbridge for a couple options, a pair of duds from Hastings was first, followed by a pair of dud 465/9s from Tunbridge Wells, so it was onto my 3rd option, a service from Folkestone, formed of 11 coaches going by the PIS. In rolled dud 375307, followed by 375801 with winner 375707 on the rear, my final 375/7. So taking a seat in 707 for the fast run back towards Waterloo East, pausing at Sevenoaks before running non-stop to Waterloo East, a nice speedy run, once at Waterloo East, I crossed over to Waterloo (Main), via Tesco for a late evening wrap, and waited for the 22:20 to roll in. Tonight I was being taken home by 159004, a busy service until Basingstoke, but arriving into Grateley pretty much on time, and with a short walk home.
A chance to reflect on my day, only 3 stations remain on the line from Folkestone to Dover, the line from Ramsgate to Ashford & Dover is cleared, with a handful of required units. Here are some pictures:
466041 departs Canterbury East:
A blue 375712 departing Shepherds Well (or as the signs say Shepherdswell):
A nice station building:
A networker on holiday 466041 dashing like a bat out of the tunnel:
The dark blue suits the 375s:
The waiting shelter at Adisham...
When the snow comes down:
375309 at Sandwich:
A random Sandwich
:
Was there once a mill owned by Martin here?
In years gone by, did Deal have a through line (to the banker?)?
Walmer in the sunshine:
The not-so broad stairs at Broadstairs:
An unknown Javelin passing Sturry:
Minster station, with chord on right hand side leading towards Sandwich:
Not such a nice footbridge at Chilham:
----------------
17th August A Kentish Rover, day 2
It was a similar start to the Tuesday (day 1), making use of the 07:27 service to Waterloo, doubling back to Clapham before heading to Victoria, today it was 159005, 159001 & 159012 getting the miles on route to Waterloo, arriving a few minutes late. 455741 & 455903 eventually departed a few minutes late, but was very stop-start to Clapham, with 377107, 377429 & 377163 taking me to Victoria. I was happy I had picked up my ticket beforehand as the queue for the TVMs was quite long.
The aim of today was to clear the line towards Dover, and also towards Ramsgate, but first a spot of linear hopping as a busy 375819 & 375820 took me to Rochester, a short wait before a service to Ramsgate from Charing Cross, with winner 465934 leading duds 466015 & 465907 for the tiny leap to Chatham. A few minutes later and 395017 became the next entry into my book on a leap to Gillingham, followed by 465901 & 466018 from Victoria to take me to Rainham. A dud service was heading back towards London which I turned down for a wait, spotting a 376 dashing through on route to Ramsgate depot, before dud 375629 rolled in to take me to Bekesbourne
Sadly we lost some time, and the +1 disappeared into the atmosphere, giving me an hour to fester a station in the middle of nowhere, apart from some houses and a minibus taking some youngsters somewhere and an office building, there isnt anything around. To hide from the sun I stood in the shade on a path behind the station, before moving to underneath the bridge before the train was due. I made use of the time by listening to some music & reading my book, so the 60 minutes flew by. As was the day before the next service was formed of 8 coaches, although unlike yesterday it wasnt a double win, it was 375923 & 375707 to take me down to Kearsney, a nice enough station with a little local shop (but some busy roads).
375707 returned 20-or so minutes later to take me back up the line to Selling, my final shack on the line full of little rural basic shacks. 30 minutes to fester at Selling before the next Dover bound service was due, making a note that the next fast was a dud 465, I was happy when winners 375805 & 375606 rolled in (final 375/6!) to take me down to Canterbury East, with a short wait for 375925 back up the line to Teynham for no reason other than a time wasting miles move. It was a short wait at the basic level crossing shack before 375811 took me to Faversham, where I gave myself an idea to change the order I did some shacks to potentially get home an hour earlier.
Winner 395006 was up next to take me one stop to Whitstable, where 15 or so minutes later 375629 popped up to take me to Herne Bay, a station which Im guessing in years gone past had a passing loop, with an old platform face fenced off. 375603 was up next to take me to the embankment shack of Chestfield & Swalecliffe, which was a horrible place to spend 10 minutes waiting for the next train as there was no shelter (has a little bus shelter, but with the angle of the sun meant it was useless). Thankfully it wasnt that long before winner 395010 popped up to take me to the rough looking Westgate-on-Sea, which is where my tight connection held (be at the Faversham end of the train), as I jumped onto 375630 back one stop to Birchington-On-Sea.
15 or so minutes later duds from yesterday, 375707 & 375310 rolled in to take me to Dumpton Park, which has an island platform, and little else. However with the crowds at Margate I was thankful I was boarding the next Ramsgate Victoria service from the 1st station, as 375623 rolled in to take me back towards Victoria. As expected it was quite cosy on departure from Margate, and remained cosy until Faversham when 375603 ran into the back of us (with announcers from the guard that the rear unit was empty to try and get some of the standing passengers to shift so they could get a seat).
Once back at Victoria, I was happy as I had cleared my targets with a few winners, the first service out of Victoria towards Clapham was in the hands of 377620/377604 heading towards Dorking, but with a delay it was running fast after Clapham Junction to Sutton. At Clapham Junction, I purchased food from Sainsburys before heading back to the station for the 20:27 service, expecting the worst, but wasnt that bad (considering many things), with 159003 leading 159018, taking a seat in 159003 as it was detaching at Salisbury (so anybody wanting stations towards Exeter was in the 018).
Day 2 was complete, on a hot sunny day, with some pictures:
376004 at Rainham (Kent), something I didnt expect to see:
Not my ticket to freedom from Bekesbourne:
The nice footbridge at Kearsney:
Ah 375707 we meet again, this time not behind a 37 at Derby:
A Javelin at Whitstable:
Herne Bay... Not to be confused with Herne Hill:
Chestfield & Swalecliffe in the sunshine.
Westgate-on-sea:
375630 departing Birchington-on-sea:
The luxury of Dumpton Park:
18th August A Kentish Rover, Day 3
The target for today was those stations on the Medway Valley line, and the Maidstone East line, so I was expecting a lot of networker action. Thankfully it wasnt as hot as it was the day before, as I walked to the station for the 07:27 service for the final time of the week. Today it was formed of 159007, 159012 & 159018, giving an extra 72 miles and 49 chains to my only sub thousand mile 159. Unlike the previous couples days I was treating myself to some High Speed action, but to kill time I had picked up a couple potential moves from Waterloo East to Charing Cross.
Neither of which were needed, as I was getting into position as a service formed of 465237, 465182 & winner 466036 rolled in, so it was rude to turn down a required 466 it was to Charing Cross (the 1st potential move I would have scored a pair of 465/9s on, the 2nd was a pair of dud 375s). Anyhow with nothing else much of interest at Charing Cross, it was via Co-Op on the Strand to visit the Bakerloo line platforms, with duds 3544/3246 taking me forward to Oxford Circus, and 11065/11066 to Kings Cross St Pancras. A short walk to leave the underground complex and I headed over to the High Speed platforms, as I had a chance of a linear hop before the next Faversham bound service would depart.
A required 395 was spotted on the platform, however that was locked up as the next Dover service was in front of it, a quick walk and it was winner 395003. To Ebbsfleet for some 395 speed on HS1 (zoom zoom), and after visiting the toilets I had a short walk over to platform 5&6 in the annex building to await dud 395023 to take me to Strood, a nice little ride.
The Medway line was running slightly late, as dud 466018 rolled in and departed a few minutes late to take me to Snodland where I had planned a 30 minute fester (very tight connection), although I probably would have made the connection if South Eastern didnt decide to run the next Strood service fast from Maidstone (and there was some very unhappy passengers that the train ran through without warning). Anyhow Snodland has a level crossing and a footbridge, with roadworks being carried out outside the building for a new car-park. 30 minutes later 466018 returned to take me to Cuxton, where the HS1 Medway viaduct could be seen.
After a short wait it was back onto 466018 as it returned towards Maidstone, to take me to Aylesford, another nice little station, and another short fester before 466018 returned to New Hythe, which compared to Aylesford looked to be a tad rough. However my run with 466018 was over as 466005 rolled in to take me down the line to Beltring a very basic level crossing shack in the middle of nowhere, and so my festers began before 466005 returned for the short trip to Wateringbury, another basic shack, this time with an old station building, and what appeared to be some old sidings. 466034 was the 3rd unit on the Medway line diagrams today as after 10 or so minutes of festering it rolled in to take me to Yalding, another basic rural shack without much in the way of life around.
40 (or so) minutes later 466034 returned from Tonbridge to take me to East Farleigh, the shack with a +3, which was easily made over the footbridge to rejoin 466005 down to Paddock Wood, where I had some time to dash out to a nearby Tesco for a meal-deal and a cold drink. Back to Paddock Wood station and 466005 returned from its magical adventure to Tonbridge to take me to Maidstone West, where I had 30 or so minutes to walk to the East station, swinging via Burger King for an ice-cream before reaching Maidstone East. A station which looks to be evil to change between platforms, but I noticed a service from Ashford was showing as cancelled, so a quick rethink of my plan was needed.
Rethink complete and 375618 took me to Bearsted where for the sake of a mileage move, I jumped onto 375818 back to Maidstone East for a short wait before 375805 rolled in to take me to Lenham, a basic shack with a goods loop behind the platform. 465913 was up next to take me to Hollingbourne for a short wait before 465909 took me back one stop to Harrietsham. Cant really remember much about either station, apart from they were quite rural, with footbridges. I didnt have long to wait before 375618 returned from Ashford to take me to the ultra-rural Kemsing, nothing around apart from a small business park. Needless to say even when 466038 & 465915 rolled in nobody else alighted or boarded the train for the short run to Borough Green & Wrotham.
A short wait here before the next of the peak-time extras rolled in, and it was a shock to see it being Thameslink branded 377523 & 377212 to take me the short hop to West Malling, passing another pair of Thameslink 377s heading back towards Victoria. Time to swing via a little Co-Op, before 377511 & 377209 rolled in for the little leap to East Malling, this time I knew it would be a pair of Thameslink 377s as it came from Blackfriars. Another short wait before 466026 & 465037 took me to Maidstone East on a Maidstone East terminating service, where I had hoped it would use the bay platform
Nope, went into platform 1, so probably a rare crossover, but it did save a walk as it departed as ECS back towards London. A short wait before 465907 & 466014 rolled in to take me to my final shack along this line at Barming for a +8 which turned into a +18 due to late running. This in turn reduced my +20 to a +10 between Maidstone stations. My bad luck with 465s continued as it was dud 465924 & 466007 back to Maidstone East, and with Google Maps fired up with the route to Maidstone Barracks, it was an easy footpath (although quite narrow, but didnt stop an idiotic cyclist ignore the no cycling signs and forced his way pass).
I arrived after 6 minutes of walking at my final South Eastern shack, Maidstone Barracks, I was happy my plans worked without any real issues. I relaxed as I boarded 466034 for the 3rd time of the day back to Strood, where 395005 took me to Ebbsfleet International, as I had noted the next St Pancras service was from Margate and that is usually a pair. Sadly it was only a single unit, which was running around 10 minutes late, but it was worth the wait as in rolled winner 395011 to take me to Stratford International for a 5 minute wait for the next service, which was dud 395023, back to St Pancras. A good speedy run from 395011 reduced the lateness by a couple minutes.
To the Victoria line and 11043/11044 took me to Oxford Circus, followed by 3258/3546 to Waterloo, where tonights 22:20 service was formed of 159102, to take me home, tired and in need of a shower. Not as many required units as I would have liked from the 3rd day, but all my shacks I set out to do were done, with a couple change of plans to avoid cancelled trains. As per usual, here are some pictures:
376 meets 395 at Strood:
An Eurostar on route to Europe going over the Medway Valley Line:
466018 at Aylesford:
The industrial New Hythe:
Beltring:
Wateringbury:
An old canopy at Yalding:
466034 at East Farleigh:
Maidstone West:
Leeds Castle is nearby Bearsted:
375818 pausing at Maidstone East:
Lenham:
Hollingbourne:
Harrietsham:
Trains passing at Kemsing:
Has a modern footbridge....
Borough Green & Wrotham:
Purple trains at West Malling
A former Southern 377/2 at East Malling:
An unknown 465+466 rushing past East Malling:
Barming:
My final South Eastern Shack, Maidstone 'Barracks':
466034 arriving to start my homeward bound journey, my guitar was in hand:
----------------------
19th August Another hunt for those HSTs
A late start was required from my body, and a late start it got given. A couple little jobs on the laptop before I set off for a short walk to catch 159004 heading to Basingstoke, where like on the Monday I popped out to grab a meal-deal from the Sainsburys before heading back towards platform 5. Would I get one of the Reading depot pets or would it be a Turbo I was thinking to myself as I climbed up the stairs to come across the green 150001 rolling in. Reading depot pet it will be, first time since last September for this 150.
Once at Reading, I returned in the rain to platform 10 & 11, to wait for anything required to pop up on route to Paddington. Sadly luck wasnt on my side at all this afternoon, however after 80 minutes, dud 43078 rolled in with winner 43147 on the rear, this time I sat on the left hand side in the direction of travel, noting a required 43 coming in from the depot, to give me something to aim for when it eventually rolled in and was announced as being a service to Cardiff. This service was only 7 carriages, and I could feel the difference in acceleration (add that the coach was empty as it came from Oxford)
Due to the late arrival, no seat reservations got put out, so I took up a seat in coach C, with 43036 leading winner 43016, only to be tapped on the shoulder by someone who said Oi You, shift it, Im with a family, if he was nice and said please then I probably would have moved, but as he was rude I refused and pointed out the other table was still available (all it the table which has a view of plastic) (I just dont like those airline style seats on a GW HST, they are too tall for me).
Once at Reading, I didnt hang around for long as the next departure for Paddington was rolling in, and featured winner 43035 on the front, with dud 43132 on the rear. Slightly more busy than the Ex-Oxford service, but after a quick look around Paddington saw nothing of interest, I took up a position on platform 1, where it overlooked the lines running in, giving me a good view to ID anything required. One service I picked up as being required, however when it got announced it was pick-up only at Reading (heading towards Penzance), so I gave that a miss, eventually picking up a required 43 heading towards Hereford, so it was onto 43191 leading winner 43017 for my 4th (and final) 43 of the day.
At Reading, it was a quick cross platform leap onto an unknown voyager heading towards Bournemouth; I managed to get a seat on this busy service to Basingstoke, which on alighting found it was 221125, however it gave me time to swing via Sainsburys for a couple items for dinner before heading back to the station to wait for the service from Waterloo. It was a quite busy 159015 & 159021, and until Overton I was standing by the doors, although that was down to someone deciding not to look inside the carriage itself as there was some seats available.
A short walk home before the rain started, as I reflected on scoring 4 more GWR 43s, so a small dent into my requirements. A good early night was required for an early start in the morning.
Kite159
Veteran Member
That would probably make sense as the times of the trains which use the chord are school kids travelling time.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Some more excellent reading good sir, which has me in the mood for a Kent Rover again to hunt 375s, Networkers and 395s!
You may not have got as many winners as would have been liked, but you sure kicked some derriere (taking names afterwards!) with clearing out Kent's shacks. Does memory now tell me you've cleared all Southeastern shacks too? If so, many congratulations!
Sure doing well with your GWR HST power cars too, it must be said. It does take some serious determination to get them all in, more so if you were doing it in an age when gen was harder to come by! 12th May 2008 will always stay in the memory banks as a key date, the day I finally cleared the FGW (as it was back then of course) HST power cars with 43193. Good times...
Not surprised your body was telling you to have a late start, too many early starts and late finishes in a row catchs up with you fast. I have a feeling I'll not be getting out of bed before 0700 on Sunday, let alone hitting the rails before then for similar reasons. How you do these long days without coffee I don't know, credit where it's due for managing it though!
I can see you managing to clear pretty much everything south of Carlisle and Berwick before next summer at this rate!
You may not have got as many winners as would have been liked, but you sure kicked some derriere (taking names afterwards!) with clearing out Kent's shacks. Does memory now tell me you've cleared all Southeastern shacks too? If so, many congratulations!
Sure doing well with your GWR HST power cars too, it must be said. It does take some serious determination to get them all in, more so if you were doing it in an age when gen was harder to come by! 12th May 2008 will always stay in the memory banks as a key date, the day I finally cleared the FGW (as it was back then of course) HST power cars with 43193. Good times...
Not surprised your body was telling you to have a late start, too many early starts and late finishes in a row catchs up with you fast. I have a feeling I'll not be getting out of bed before 0700 on Sunday, let alone hitting the rails before then for similar reasons. How you do these long days without coffee I don't know, credit where it's due for managing it though!
I can see you managing to clear pretty much everything south of Carlisle and Berwick before next summer at this rate!
Kite159
Veteran Member
My remaining SET unit requirements are:
8x 375s (3x3, 3x8, 2x9)
9x 395s
8x 465/9s
3x 466s
8x 375s (3x3, 3x8, 2x9)
9x 395s
8x 465/9s
3x 466s
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Far, far better than my SET requirements, the numbers for which I don't have to hand but it's well over 100!
Wow! Those SET requirements are amazing! Sounds like a funky time although I certainly wouldn't be hanging around at Reading or Paddington for my winners and would instead be getting on the 1st available tram.
cactustwirly
Established Member
Kite159
Veteran Member
20th August A West Yorkshire Weekend Day 1
Originally I was going to bring my bike for one last weekend with it before the winter months, however with the forecast being a tad wet, my foot playing up (large blister requiring the use of boots rather than trainers) I decided to ditch the bike early on the Saturday morning. Poor bike hasnt really been used this year (compared to last year where it was with me for several weekends).
Anyhow, today the 05:27 service to Waterloo was running, and was formed of 159003 for the peaceful run towards Waterloo, deciding to swing via Charing Cross (as I fancied a Sausage Roll from the Co-Op), a pair of 465/9s were just rolling in as I came down the ramp at Waterloo East, so I decided to chance my luck. Sadly it was a pair of duds with 465930 leading 465920, swinging via the Co-Op to grab breakfast, I headed down to the Bakerloo line entrance next to Trafalgar Square. I was in luck as the first service rolled in as I was coming down the stairs and it featured required 3556 leading dud 3250 for the short run to Oxford Circus. Victoria line produced 11061/11062 to take me to Kings Cross St Pancras, where I exited the underground complex and made my way over to Kings Cross.
This morning I was booked onto the 08:03 departure, in a good seat in coach C. Sadly one of my last 3 91s didnt produce, and it was dud 91108 hauling the set this morning with DVT 82229 bringing up the rear. The usual Mk4 bumpy ride was had heading northbound on the ECML, coming away from the main-line at Doncaster to head towards Leeds, arriving pretty much bang on time. On doing research I highlighted a potential linear hop to Dewsbury on a Northern service towards Manchester Victoria, followed by a TPE to Huddersfield, much to my delight it was winner 150137 on the Manchester Victoria via Dewsbury & Brighouse service, so a short ride later on the 3+2 bay seated unit and I alighted at Dewsbury to find TPE doing what TPE does best and running late with the next service being around 17 minutes down.
I noted the other platform had a lot of race goers on, and the 185 which was on route to Scarborough was quite cosy on departure. Eventually 185135 rolled in 19 minutes late to take me to Huddersfield where thankfully my connection was with the Stalybridge stopping service (although from the sounds of things, someone wasnt best pleased the connection for the services towards Denby Dale wasnt held). A quick walk under the subway to take a seat on winner 142030 for the short 4 and a half mile to my first new station of the trip in the shape of Slaithwaite. We departed a couple minutes late, but beware Slaithwaite is quite a walk between platforms.
Duds 142011 & 142057 took me back to Huddersfield, where we were locked in 057 as the button to open the front door wasnt working, until someone kindly opened the door from the outside. I had a roughly 20/25 minute wait between services here as my attention now turned to the Denby Dale line, and my last 4 shacks. Due to engineering works trains were only running as far as Penistone, and with time to kill I went outside the station to have some fresh air (and to see if I could spot Felix). Back to the station and it was to platform 2 where the expected pacer turned out to be dud 158791, which took me along the single track section of the line to Brockholes.
A nice little station with the old station house preserved on the former platform, nothing really of note around the station itself, and it wasnt long before 144016 rolled in. A well loaded machine (football supporters from Barnsley) to take me to Lockwood, with Google Maps fired up, and I was ready for a short walk to kill the time. It was down a long hill to the village centre which had several sets of roadworks taking place, over a river and it was back up another long hill to reach the railway at Berry Brow (the fact the railway avoids the valley via a viaduct suggests it isnt the nicest of walks to do in the light rain). I made it with time to spare before 144016 rolled back in for the mile run to Honley to complete the line.
Honley is a station on an embankment, with some steep stairs to reach street level, and there wasnt much around, apart from some BT WiFi which I used to do some revision to my plan for later. 158791 soon returned to take me back to Huddersfield, where I turned down a chance to board 185123 and waited for the next service terminating at York. Sadly this was also a dud, this time 185139, but was reasonably empty in the leading coach. A nice run back to Leeds where I had time to grab some food from Sainsburys before heading over towards platform 1B (spotting a required 155+153 combo buffer blocking) for the next Knaresborough service, formed of duds 150223/150277.
Taking a seat in 223, and it was a right time departure to take me to the first stop on the Harrogate loop at Burley Park, going over the roadbridge and to the other platform to wait for the next Leeds bound service (this was mainly a time wasting move, but gets another shack out of the way), in rolled dud 153317 leading winner 155345 to take me back towards Leeds. A short walk over towards platform 17 to board the next Nottingham bound service (which due to engineering works, was diverting after Wakefield Kirkgate to go via Westgate-on-Sea and Moorthorpe to Sheffield, rather than via Barnsley). Dud 158844 was waiting to take me on the slowish run to Wakefield Kirkgate where I crossed over the platform to join dud 142004 on the Knottingley service.
A few minutes later, and it was away on what feels to be the slowest route known to man and his dog, but eventually the pacer rolled into my latest new shack of Featherstone, a level crossing shack (but appeared to have a subway), but I didnt want to explore far as the rain had started to come, so I hid in the little waiting shelter as a monsoon hit. The rain went away almost as fast as it arrived, before 144015 rolled in to take me back towards Wakefield to Streethouse. Another basic level crossing station, with the added feature of a lot of broken glass on the platform, but thankfully it was a decent seat under cover, so the wait wasnt that bad, before 180114 rolled pass on route to London, and 144015 returned to take me to the end of the regular service line at Knottingley.
Knottingley is one of the stations quite far away from the place it serves, but for most of the day involves a long 20-30 minute fester as one service arrives a minute or so after one departs. 144015 disappeared into a siding outside the station, before returning a few minutes later to take me to Pontefract Monkhill, the last of the three Pontefract stations to get (I was thinking of using that service to get Glasshoughton done on a +15, but decided it wasnt worth it and to get Monkhill out of the way. Out of the three Pontefract stations this one is the roughest looking, and a nearby map had it as being a fair walk from the town centre itself. Once again I didnt explore as the rain had resumed its endless onslaught of making things wet (in a way Im glad I wasnt riding my bike out east, as I would have gotten a tad wet).
142004 rolled in on the service to Goole, I would dread to think how busy that would have been departing Leeds (as I believe this service is normally a 3-coach 144 or a 142+153) as it was still busy as a lot of passengers alighted at Monkhill. A few more alighted at Knottingley leaving 2 other passengers for the route towards Goole, a route which sees only 3 passenger services a day (2 westbound towards Leeds and 1 eastbound towards Goole). Nobody boarded or alighted from Whitley Bridge, and I was the only passenger to alight at Hensall. Google Maps was fired up, the sky looked like the rain would hold, the next station was a couple miles by road and I had an hour to do the walk. Started quite well involving a pavement, before the pavement decided to come to an end, high-viz jacket time.
Eggborough power station looked all power-station like, but the tracks leading to the power station looked a bit rusty, the pavement returned at a roundabout at Eggborough village, as I reached Whitley Bridge station in just over 40 minutes of a reasonable paced walk. As expected the platforms are quite bare, a little bus shelter on each platform, but I decided to sit on a low brick wall, eventually laying down enjoying the sound of silence, intrupted by the sound of the level crossing coming down signalling the return of 142004. 4 other passengers were on the service, with a lot more joining at Knottingley. I decided to alight at Glasshoughton for another short walk towards Castleford station itself, to kill two birds with one stone.
I require the track beyond Castleford (one of the few PSUL moves I havent yet done), as a dud 158 rolled in towards Wakefield which I ignored and waited as dud 144018 rolled in to take me to Woodlesford my final (regular served) shack between Knottingley & Leeds, and Sheffield to Leeds via Barnsley. Another station without much around, apart from a large footbridge, so it was a 20-minute fester, again sitting on the wall, before 144002 rolled in to take me to Leeds. After swinging via McDonalds to pick up dinner, I highlighted a few potential services towards both Bradford stations which I could use, sadly all were dud leaving me with my fallback of the Virgin East Coast service towards Forster Square.
In rolled dud 91115 with DVT 82214 at the rear on arrival, on the front on departure with several passengers being kicked out of 1st class (wouldnt it have been easier to put the set into platform 6 so First Class wasnt the first coaches passengers reached?). Pausing at Shipley on platform 3 (so probably some new crossovers as services from Leeds/Ilkley towards Bradford would normally use platform 4), before rolling into Bradford.
A pair of dud 333s were stabled on platform 1, with a dud 333 on platform 3 ready to depart with a Shipley shuttle. I decided to wait, and that decision paid off as the next departure was one of my final 2, 333015, so a hope to Shipley on the Ilkley train, jumping over to platform 5 where 333014 was waiting to take me back to Bradford Forster Square. A quick walk to the hotel, another quick walk to work out how do you get in, and a decent nights nip (bar the racetrack)
I managed to do everything I wanted to get done, apart from cycling from Knottingley to Hensall, and a couple other little rides to clear all 4 of those limited service stations, but Ive got 2 into the book, the other two will have to wait for another day Im staying overnight in Leeds area.
Anyhow beware of the Pacer:
Slaithwaite:
Brockholes:
144016 at Lockwood:
The platform at Berry Brow (bit hard to see where this was once double track):
Quinn will be happy 144016 is running away from Honley:
Seating at Burley Park:
Featherstone:
Streethouse:
180114:
144015 at Knottigley just about to depart to the sidings, 144002 has just departed towards Wakefield Kirkgate:
Many lines in the knottingley area:
Pontefract Monkhill:
Hensall:
Power Station:
Tracks to said Power Station:
Whitley Bridge:
The start of the line of old coal wagons:
So happy to see a pacer!
Glasshoughton:
158902 at Castleford, disused platform on the left:
Woodlesford:
333014 & 82214 at Bradford Forster Square:
-------------
Thanks 55013, well done for picking up the reference to the song Scarborough Fair in my FONE report
I can see a saturday being used later on in the year spent on a Thames Rover hunting down those HSTs, maybe even head that direction on Friday evening random London Smash & Grabs
Originally I was going to bring my bike for one last weekend with it before the winter months, however with the forecast being a tad wet, my foot playing up (large blister requiring the use of boots rather than trainers) I decided to ditch the bike early on the Saturday morning. Poor bike hasnt really been used this year (compared to last year where it was with me for several weekends).
Anyhow, today the 05:27 service to Waterloo was running, and was formed of 159003 for the peaceful run towards Waterloo, deciding to swing via Charing Cross (as I fancied a Sausage Roll from the Co-Op), a pair of 465/9s were just rolling in as I came down the ramp at Waterloo East, so I decided to chance my luck. Sadly it was a pair of duds with 465930 leading 465920, swinging via the Co-Op to grab breakfast, I headed down to the Bakerloo line entrance next to Trafalgar Square. I was in luck as the first service rolled in as I was coming down the stairs and it featured required 3556 leading dud 3250 for the short run to Oxford Circus. Victoria line produced 11061/11062 to take me to Kings Cross St Pancras, where I exited the underground complex and made my way over to Kings Cross.
This morning I was booked onto the 08:03 departure, in a good seat in coach C. Sadly one of my last 3 91s didnt produce, and it was dud 91108 hauling the set this morning with DVT 82229 bringing up the rear. The usual Mk4 bumpy ride was had heading northbound on the ECML, coming away from the main-line at Doncaster to head towards Leeds, arriving pretty much bang on time. On doing research I highlighted a potential linear hop to Dewsbury on a Northern service towards Manchester Victoria, followed by a TPE to Huddersfield, much to my delight it was winner 150137 on the Manchester Victoria via Dewsbury & Brighouse service, so a short ride later on the 3+2 bay seated unit and I alighted at Dewsbury to find TPE doing what TPE does best and running late with the next service being around 17 minutes down.
I noted the other platform had a lot of race goers on, and the 185 which was on route to Scarborough was quite cosy on departure. Eventually 185135 rolled in 19 minutes late to take me to Huddersfield where thankfully my connection was with the Stalybridge stopping service (although from the sounds of things, someone wasnt best pleased the connection for the services towards Denby Dale wasnt held). A quick walk under the subway to take a seat on winner 142030 for the short 4 and a half mile to my first new station of the trip in the shape of Slaithwaite. We departed a couple minutes late, but beware Slaithwaite is quite a walk between platforms.
Duds 142011 & 142057 took me back to Huddersfield, where we were locked in 057 as the button to open the front door wasnt working, until someone kindly opened the door from the outside. I had a roughly 20/25 minute wait between services here as my attention now turned to the Denby Dale line, and my last 4 shacks. Due to engineering works trains were only running as far as Penistone, and with time to kill I went outside the station to have some fresh air (and to see if I could spot Felix). Back to the station and it was to platform 2 where the expected pacer turned out to be dud 158791, which took me along the single track section of the line to Brockholes.
A nice little station with the old station house preserved on the former platform, nothing really of note around the station itself, and it wasnt long before 144016 rolled in. A well loaded machine (football supporters from Barnsley) to take me to Lockwood, with Google Maps fired up, and I was ready for a short walk to kill the time. It was down a long hill to the village centre which had several sets of roadworks taking place, over a river and it was back up another long hill to reach the railway at Berry Brow (the fact the railway avoids the valley via a viaduct suggests it isnt the nicest of walks to do in the light rain). I made it with time to spare before 144016 rolled back in for the mile run to Honley to complete the line.
Honley is a station on an embankment, with some steep stairs to reach street level, and there wasnt much around, apart from some BT WiFi which I used to do some revision to my plan for later. 158791 soon returned to take me back to Huddersfield, where I turned down a chance to board 185123 and waited for the next service terminating at York. Sadly this was also a dud, this time 185139, but was reasonably empty in the leading coach. A nice run back to Leeds where I had time to grab some food from Sainsburys before heading over towards platform 1B (spotting a required 155+153 combo buffer blocking) for the next Knaresborough service, formed of duds 150223/150277.
Taking a seat in 223, and it was a right time departure to take me to the first stop on the Harrogate loop at Burley Park, going over the roadbridge and to the other platform to wait for the next Leeds bound service (this was mainly a time wasting move, but gets another shack out of the way), in rolled dud 153317 leading winner 155345 to take me back towards Leeds. A short walk over towards platform 17 to board the next Nottingham bound service (which due to engineering works, was diverting after Wakefield Kirkgate to go via Westgate-on-Sea and Moorthorpe to Sheffield, rather than via Barnsley). Dud 158844 was waiting to take me on the slowish run to Wakefield Kirkgate where I crossed over the platform to join dud 142004 on the Knottingley service.
A few minutes later, and it was away on what feels to be the slowest route known to man and his dog, but eventually the pacer rolled into my latest new shack of Featherstone, a level crossing shack (but appeared to have a subway), but I didnt want to explore far as the rain had started to come, so I hid in the little waiting shelter as a monsoon hit. The rain went away almost as fast as it arrived, before 144015 rolled in to take me back towards Wakefield to Streethouse. Another basic level crossing station, with the added feature of a lot of broken glass on the platform, but thankfully it was a decent seat under cover, so the wait wasnt that bad, before 180114 rolled pass on route to London, and 144015 returned to take me to the end of the regular service line at Knottingley.
Knottingley is one of the stations quite far away from the place it serves, but for most of the day involves a long 20-30 minute fester as one service arrives a minute or so after one departs. 144015 disappeared into a siding outside the station, before returning a few minutes later to take me to Pontefract Monkhill, the last of the three Pontefract stations to get (I was thinking of using that service to get Glasshoughton done on a +15, but decided it wasnt worth it and to get Monkhill out of the way. Out of the three Pontefract stations this one is the roughest looking, and a nearby map had it as being a fair walk from the town centre itself. Once again I didnt explore as the rain had resumed its endless onslaught of making things wet (in a way Im glad I wasnt riding my bike out east, as I would have gotten a tad wet).
142004 rolled in on the service to Goole, I would dread to think how busy that would have been departing Leeds (as I believe this service is normally a 3-coach 144 or a 142+153) as it was still busy as a lot of passengers alighted at Monkhill. A few more alighted at Knottingley leaving 2 other passengers for the route towards Goole, a route which sees only 3 passenger services a day (2 westbound towards Leeds and 1 eastbound towards Goole). Nobody boarded or alighted from Whitley Bridge, and I was the only passenger to alight at Hensall. Google Maps was fired up, the sky looked like the rain would hold, the next station was a couple miles by road and I had an hour to do the walk. Started quite well involving a pavement, before the pavement decided to come to an end, high-viz jacket time.
Eggborough power station looked all power-station like, but the tracks leading to the power station looked a bit rusty, the pavement returned at a roundabout at Eggborough village, as I reached Whitley Bridge station in just over 40 minutes of a reasonable paced walk. As expected the platforms are quite bare, a little bus shelter on each platform, but I decided to sit on a low brick wall, eventually laying down enjoying the sound of silence, intrupted by the sound of the level crossing coming down signalling the return of 142004. 4 other passengers were on the service, with a lot more joining at Knottingley. I decided to alight at Glasshoughton for another short walk towards Castleford station itself, to kill two birds with one stone.
I require the track beyond Castleford (one of the few PSUL moves I havent yet done), as a dud 158 rolled in towards Wakefield which I ignored and waited as dud 144018 rolled in to take me to Woodlesford my final (regular served) shack between Knottingley & Leeds, and Sheffield to Leeds via Barnsley. Another station without much around, apart from a large footbridge, so it was a 20-minute fester, again sitting on the wall, before 144002 rolled in to take me to Leeds. After swinging via McDonalds to pick up dinner, I highlighted a few potential services towards both Bradford stations which I could use, sadly all were dud leaving me with my fallback of the Virgin East Coast service towards Forster Square.
In rolled dud 91115 with DVT 82214 at the rear on arrival, on the front on departure with several passengers being kicked out of 1st class (wouldnt it have been easier to put the set into platform 6 so First Class wasnt the first coaches passengers reached?). Pausing at Shipley on platform 3 (so probably some new crossovers as services from Leeds/Ilkley towards Bradford would normally use platform 4), before rolling into Bradford.
A pair of dud 333s were stabled on platform 1, with a dud 333 on platform 3 ready to depart with a Shipley shuttle. I decided to wait, and that decision paid off as the next departure was one of my final 2, 333015, so a hope to Shipley on the Ilkley train, jumping over to platform 5 where 333014 was waiting to take me back to Bradford Forster Square. A quick walk to the hotel, another quick walk to work out how do you get in, and a decent nights nip (bar the racetrack)
I managed to do everything I wanted to get done, apart from cycling from Knottingley to Hensall, and a couple other little rides to clear all 4 of those limited service stations, but Ive got 2 into the book, the other two will have to wait for another day Im staying overnight in Leeds area.
Anyhow beware of the Pacer:
Slaithwaite:
Brockholes:
144016 at Lockwood:
The platform at Berry Brow (bit hard to see where this was once double track):
Quinn will be happy 144016 is running away from Honley:
Seating at Burley Park:
Featherstone:
Streethouse:
180114:
144015 at Knottigley just about to depart to the sidings, 144002 has just departed towards Wakefield Kirkgate:
Many lines in the knottingley area:
Pontefract Monkhill:
Hensall:
Power Station:
Tracks to said Power Station:
Whitley Bridge:
The start of the line of old coal wagons:
So happy to see a pacer!
Glasshoughton:
158902 at Castleford, disused platform on the left:
Woodlesford:
333014 & 82214 at Bradford Forster Square:
-------------
Thanks 55013, well done for picking up the reference to the song Scarborough Fair in my FONE report
I can see a saturday being used later on in the year spent on a Thames Rover hunting down those HSTs, maybe even head that direction on Friday evening random London Smash & Grabs
cactustwirly
Established Member
Sounds like a productive time in West Yorkshire.
I'm quite familiar with Knottingley, and pacers are quite common on this line, I think they are all booked a 3 car 144 (I think the Goole turn is booked 153 + 150, but I could be wrong), but a 150/2 or a 142 is a regular occurance. Unfortunately the Coal traffic has stopped, but Knottingley used to be a good place for shed spotting.
It's only a 5 minute walk to the Town Centre, but there's nothing there of interest.
I;m glad I've cleared the Goole line. I didn't think it was very interesting
I'm quite familiar with Knottingley, and pacers are quite common on this line, I think they are all booked a 3 car 144 (I think the Goole turn is booked 153 + 150, but I could be wrong), but a 150/2 or a 142 is a regular occurance. Unfortunately the Coal traffic has stopped, but Knottingley used to be a good place for shed spotting.
It's only a 5 minute walk to the Town Centre, but there's nothing there of interest.
I;m glad I've cleared the Goole line. I didn't think it was very interesting
Kite159
Veteran Member
Last one
21st August A West Yorkshire Weekend, Day 2
The plan for today was to grab some odds and sods left dotted around West Yorkshire, sadly my plan to grab Marsden on the better Sunday service (+15 compared to a +1 during the week/Saturdays) failed due to that line being closed due to engineering works. My first target was the latest station in the Northern Empire, so it was a short walk back to Bradford Forster Square to wait for the 09:00 service to Leeds, expecting to see a 333 I was very shocked when a 158 rolled in (not sure if this service is booked for a 158 vice 32X/333)
However as it was winner 158855 so I didnt mind, as I climbed on board for the short run to Kirkstall Forge, a station open before the development has been built, so it was quiet (apart from a family who couldnt read the timetable and arrived 10 minutes after the hourly service to Leeds had departed) A basic station, with a TVM out in the open, a few cars in the car-park, but it was peaceful, apart from an unknown 333 dashing pass on route to Leeds. Eventually dud 333001 rolled in, and when doing research I spotted a linear bash without much of a time penalty, I bailed at Frizinghall.
4 minutes later dud 333004 rolled in to finish the journey down to Bradford Forster Square, where after showing my ticket to the RPI, I was allowed to carry on with my journey walking to the other Bradford station, Bradford Interchange, grabbing something cold to drink from a nearby Sainsburys Local. I arrived with time to spare at Interchange, which gave me time for a quick visit to the little boys room, before heading up to the platforms to wait for the service to Manchester Victoria. Dud from yesterday 150137 rolled in to take me the short distance to my 2nd new shack of the day in the shape of Sowerby Bridge.
A handy subway allowed me to dive to the other platform, passing a revenue block before boarding dud 158817 to New Pudsey for a mileage grab. Dud 144008 took me back to Bradford Interchange (working a Halifax short working), where I was over the moon as sitting on the opposite platform was a certain 180, my final 180 and Grand Central machine, 180105 (The Yorkshire Artist). Climbing on board, and finding an empty table seat for the short run to Halifax, I noticed how busy the train was on departure from Bradford and that the coach I was sat in was mostly reserved. Anyhow that saved a job for later as 158817 returned from Leeds to take me to Mytholmroyd.
Apart from being very hard to spell, this is a slightly hard station to change platforms in a hurry (another station on an embankment involving a walk via a road underpass, dodging cyclists ignoring the Do not cycle signs on the paths to/from the road. Anyhow, I had enough time to relax before a busy 150137 returned from Manchester, noting that even that it was a busy service a youth couldnt work out how to sit correctly and was sat sideways, back against the bulk-head, taking up two seats.
I alighted at Bradford Interchange and had a few options, sadly all were dud so I jumped on the Blackburn York service (would have been from Blackpool, but the line was closed after Blackburn), formed of a dud 158872 to take me back to Leeds, where I had time for some unit/loco hunting but nothing was spotted (I was ignoring the TPE, as some services ran fast from Leeds to Manchester Victoria via Rochdale, so knowing my luck I would spot a required 185 only for it to be one of those fast runners). Anyhow, it was time to return to shacks as I made my way across to platform 1, where the next York service was boarding, and a smile came upon my face, for it was a double winner.
153358 was sat leading 155342, my final 155, so with a smile on my face I boarded for the short trip to the edge of West Yorkshire at Horsforth, a couple miles away from the airport so a good couple planes were spotted coming in to land, over the roadbridge and a short wait before dud 153317 & 155345 rolled in to take me to Headingley, passing some revenue protection guys I crossed back over to the other platform to wait for the Sunday short working, the Leeds Horsforth service, something I suspect only runs due to funding from West Yorkshire Council seeing as it ends at the boundary station. Anyhow it was onto dud 144003 back to Horsforth, crossing over the road bridge as 144003 returned from doing a reversal to take me back to Leeds.
RTT was fired up and I had some spare time (my plan involved festering around Bradford for a bit longer to see what the other 2 GC 180s were) so it was onto a good unit hunt, of which nothing required was spotted for a good 45 minutes (apart from a required 43 on an ECS pausing at Leeds for a fair few minutes before heading towards Harrogate [makes me wonder if it might be worth East Coast putting that HST into service from Leeds to Harrogate to capture any passengers wanting to head to Harrogate]), however a late running service from Manchester Victoria had rolled in, and it was required 150146, so I jumped on for the short run to New Pudsey for a nice connection with a York bound 158756 (that service doesnt call at Bramley). During my fester earlier I received an email from Virgin East Coast to say the train I was booked on had been cancelled (which was kind of them) so deciding to catch the service before the one I was booked on gave me a couple options.
The main option was to Wakefield Westgate on that HST from Harrogate, lead by dud 43314 with required 43318 on the rear (only 43277 & 43312 left to clear the VT 43s), a delayed departure caused by a late running XC service (which itself was delayed due to a broken down 91 from earlier around Berwick), and we rolled into Wakefield Westgate a few minutes down. Turning down a Midland Mainline HST (as per the station announcer), I awaited for the 91 set behind, and it was 91115 again (with Im assuming DVT 82214 on the rear as it was the night before). At Leeds it was a short walk over to the 18:45 departure, DVT 82230 was leading dud 91126, on a busy service. I took up a seat in coach D (the priority seating) to see if any table seats were unclaimed, but sadly the only ones left which were reserved Leeds to London were some rubbish seats (ones which line up against the bulk head giving no elbow room).
Anyhow I was comfy enough, well apart from being bounced around by the awful ride from an Mk4 coach, and a few minutes late arrival into Kings Cross caused by an abnormally high volume of luggage being loaded onto the train at Doncaster. I dread to think how busy the 19:45 would have been. On the route down to Kings Cross, I picked up an interesting looking working at Charing Cross, a service timed for 90mph arriving from Ramsgate via Dartford (which seemed to suggest a 465/9). Duds 11013/11014 took me forward to Oxford Circus on the Victoria Line, followed by 3258/3546 on the Bakerloo to Charing Cross. Sadly the service I picked out for being a potential 465/9 turned out to be 465188 & 465048, so with nothing else I boarded for the short run to Waterloo East.
Time to grab a bite to eat from Sainsburys, before boarding the 22:15, formed tonight of 159022 & 159010, I took a seat in the middle coach of 159022 and on departure from Waterloo it was empty, a couple passengers boarded at Clapham, but they got off at Basingstoke, so it was a peaceful run back towards my home station, arriving pretty much on time, even with a late platform swap at Basingstoke where due to a Poole train having some sort of issue on platform 2 we were put into platform 3.
The walk home gave me time to reflect on a successful weekend, only 2 shacks remain in West Yorkshire, one of which I plan to score in a couple weeks time when on a South Yorkshire day (as Moorthorpe is easier to grab from the South than from the North). Next weekend, the final bank holiday weekend of the year is a long railtour (the UK Railtours trip to Ayrshire, which I am not looking forward to catching the 04:30 service to Victoria from East Croydon on Saturday morning (with a backup being the 04:40 Thameslink and a walk along Euston Road), and Sunday is looking like a trip to Essex for some more GA shacks.
Anyhow some final pictures:
158855 at Bradford Forster Square:
Do I get a bonus point for scoring Kirkstall Forge on a 158?
An unknown 333 dashes through:
150137 departing Sowerby Bridge:
London is that direction, 180105 at Halifax:
158817 at Mytholmroyd:
Another class unexpected cleared as 155342 departs Horsforth on route to York:
155345 departing Headingley:
Which for being a station next to a large sports stadium, the platforms are a tad narrow (and steps steep):
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
I think there are 3 units on Knottingley services, interworking so they do Leeds - Knottingley - Wakefield - Knottingley - Leeds, and on Saturday only 1 of those was a 3 car 144 (the other was a 142 and a 2 car 144) (and that was with the line via Barnsley being closed so no doubt more units sat at the depot not being required).
It has its moments, the line of coal wagons in a siding between Knottingley & Whitley Bridge, plus the industrial landscape of the power stations
21st August A West Yorkshire Weekend, Day 2
The plan for today was to grab some odds and sods left dotted around West Yorkshire, sadly my plan to grab Marsden on the better Sunday service (+15 compared to a +1 during the week/Saturdays) failed due to that line being closed due to engineering works. My first target was the latest station in the Northern Empire, so it was a short walk back to Bradford Forster Square to wait for the 09:00 service to Leeds, expecting to see a 333 I was very shocked when a 158 rolled in (not sure if this service is booked for a 158 vice 32X/333)
However as it was winner 158855 so I didnt mind, as I climbed on board for the short run to Kirkstall Forge, a station open before the development has been built, so it was quiet (apart from a family who couldnt read the timetable and arrived 10 minutes after the hourly service to Leeds had departed) A basic station, with a TVM out in the open, a few cars in the car-park, but it was peaceful, apart from an unknown 333 dashing pass on route to Leeds. Eventually dud 333001 rolled in, and when doing research I spotted a linear bash without much of a time penalty, I bailed at Frizinghall.
4 minutes later dud 333004 rolled in to finish the journey down to Bradford Forster Square, where after showing my ticket to the RPI, I was allowed to carry on with my journey walking to the other Bradford station, Bradford Interchange, grabbing something cold to drink from a nearby Sainsburys Local. I arrived with time to spare at Interchange, which gave me time for a quick visit to the little boys room, before heading up to the platforms to wait for the service to Manchester Victoria. Dud from yesterday 150137 rolled in to take me the short distance to my 2nd new shack of the day in the shape of Sowerby Bridge.
A handy subway allowed me to dive to the other platform, passing a revenue block before boarding dud 158817 to New Pudsey for a mileage grab. Dud 144008 took me back to Bradford Interchange (working a Halifax short working), where I was over the moon as sitting on the opposite platform was a certain 180, my final 180 and Grand Central machine, 180105 (The Yorkshire Artist). Climbing on board, and finding an empty table seat for the short run to Halifax, I noticed how busy the train was on departure from Bradford and that the coach I was sat in was mostly reserved. Anyhow that saved a job for later as 158817 returned from Leeds to take me to Mytholmroyd.
Apart from being very hard to spell, this is a slightly hard station to change platforms in a hurry (another station on an embankment involving a walk via a road underpass, dodging cyclists ignoring the Do not cycle signs on the paths to/from the road. Anyhow, I had enough time to relax before a busy 150137 returned from Manchester, noting that even that it was a busy service a youth couldnt work out how to sit correctly and was sat sideways, back against the bulk-head, taking up two seats.
I alighted at Bradford Interchange and had a few options, sadly all were dud so I jumped on the Blackburn York service (would have been from Blackpool, but the line was closed after Blackburn), formed of a dud 158872 to take me back to Leeds, where I had time for some unit/loco hunting but nothing was spotted (I was ignoring the TPE, as some services ran fast from Leeds to Manchester Victoria via Rochdale, so knowing my luck I would spot a required 185 only for it to be one of those fast runners). Anyhow, it was time to return to shacks as I made my way across to platform 1, where the next York service was boarding, and a smile came upon my face, for it was a double winner.
153358 was sat leading 155342, my final 155, so with a smile on my face I boarded for the short trip to the edge of West Yorkshire at Horsforth, a couple miles away from the airport so a good couple planes were spotted coming in to land, over the roadbridge and a short wait before dud 153317 & 155345 rolled in to take me to Headingley, passing some revenue protection guys I crossed back over to the other platform to wait for the Sunday short working, the Leeds Horsforth service, something I suspect only runs due to funding from West Yorkshire Council seeing as it ends at the boundary station. Anyhow it was onto dud 144003 back to Horsforth, crossing over the road bridge as 144003 returned from doing a reversal to take me back to Leeds.
RTT was fired up and I had some spare time (my plan involved festering around Bradford for a bit longer to see what the other 2 GC 180s were) so it was onto a good unit hunt, of which nothing required was spotted for a good 45 minutes (apart from a required 43 on an ECS pausing at Leeds for a fair few minutes before heading towards Harrogate [makes me wonder if it might be worth East Coast putting that HST into service from Leeds to Harrogate to capture any passengers wanting to head to Harrogate]), however a late running service from Manchester Victoria had rolled in, and it was required 150146, so I jumped on for the short run to New Pudsey for a nice connection with a York bound 158756 (that service doesnt call at Bramley). During my fester earlier I received an email from Virgin East Coast to say the train I was booked on had been cancelled (which was kind of them) so deciding to catch the service before the one I was booked on gave me a couple options.
The main option was to Wakefield Westgate on that HST from Harrogate, lead by dud 43314 with required 43318 on the rear (only 43277 & 43312 left to clear the VT 43s), a delayed departure caused by a late running XC service (which itself was delayed due to a broken down 91 from earlier around Berwick), and we rolled into Wakefield Westgate a few minutes down. Turning down a Midland Mainline HST (as per the station announcer), I awaited for the 91 set behind, and it was 91115 again (with Im assuming DVT 82214 on the rear as it was the night before). At Leeds it was a short walk over to the 18:45 departure, DVT 82230 was leading dud 91126, on a busy service. I took up a seat in coach D (the priority seating) to see if any table seats were unclaimed, but sadly the only ones left which were reserved Leeds to London were some rubbish seats (ones which line up against the bulk head giving no elbow room).
Anyhow I was comfy enough, well apart from being bounced around by the awful ride from an Mk4 coach, and a few minutes late arrival into Kings Cross caused by an abnormally high volume of luggage being loaded onto the train at Doncaster. I dread to think how busy the 19:45 would have been. On the route down to Kings Cross, I picked up an interesting looking working at Charing Cross, a service timed for 90mph arriving from Ramsgate via Dartford (which seemed to suggest a 465/9). Duds 11013/11014 took me forward to Oxford Circus on the Victoria Line, followed by 3258/3546 on the Bakerloo to Charing Cross. Sadly the service I picked out for being a potential 465/9 turned out to be 465188 & 465048, so with nothing else I boarded for the short run to Waterloo East.
Time to grab a bite to eat from Sainsburys, before boarding the 22:15, formed tonight of 159022 & 159010, I took a seat in the middle coach of 159022 and on departure from Waterloo it was empty, a couple passengers boarded at Clapham, but they got off at Basingstoke, so it was a peaceful run back towards my home station, arriving pretty much on time, even with a late platform swap at Basingstoke where due to a Poole train having some sort of issue on platform 2 we were put into platform 3.
The walk home gave me time to reflect on a successful weekend, only 2 shacks remain in West Yorkshire, one of which I plan to score in a couple weeks time when on a South Yorkshire day (as Moorthorpe is easier to grab from the South than from the North). Next weekend, the final bank holiday weekend of the year is a long railtour (the UK Railtours trip to Ayrshire, which I am not looking forward to catching the 04:30 service to Victoria from East Croydon on Saturday morning (with a backup being the 04:40 Thameslink and a walk along Euston Road), and Sunday is looking like a trip to Essex for some more GA shacks.
Anyhow some final pictures:
158855 at Bradford Forster Square:
Do I get a bonus point for scoring Kirkstall Forge on a 158?
An unknown 333 dashes through:
150137 departing Sowerby Bridge:
London is that direction, 180105 at Halifax:
158817 at Mytholmroyd:
Another class unexpected cleared as 155342 departs Horsforth on route to York:
155345 departing Headingley:
Which for being a station next to a large sports stadium, the platforms are a tad narrow (and steps steep):
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I think there are 3 units on Knottingley services, interworking so they do Leeds - Knottingley - Wakefield - Knottingley - Leeds, and on Saturday only 1 of those was a 3 car 144 (the other was a 142 and a 2 car 144) (and that was with the line via Barnsley being closed so no doubt more units sat at the depot not being required).
It has its moments, the line of coal wagons in a siding between Knottingley & Whitley Bridge, plus the industrial landscape of the power stations
Blindtraveler
Established Member
- Joined
- 28 Feb 2011
- Messages
- 10,544
Finally got caught up on your adventures from Tyneside, North Yorkshire, London, Kent and West Yorkshire. Sounds a lot of fun although I cant personally get excited about the Metro. Your Kentish adventures however were all in areas I iether know and love or mean to visit so enjoyed that, likewise for the WY part of the reports, againt good read and what a clearout all round! Well done and enjoy the railtour.
I'm not to happy about the pacer running away from Honley - I'd prefer it if it never left 
!
Sounds like a great time there! Both you and Nathan need 43277 by the sound of it (he needs that one and 239) too.
!Sounds like a great time there! Both you and Nathan need 43277 by the sound of it (he needs that one and 239) too.
Thanks 55013, well done for picking up the reference to the song Scarborough Fair in my FONE report
Is the plaque commemorating the writing of "Homeward Bound" still in situ on Widnes station?
I notice you also enjoyed the ambience of Whitley Bridge
.Do you intend to just surreptitiously insert S & G lyrics or are you going to include Paul Simon's solo stuff?
If so, I'm looking forward to you sneaking "My head's a lollypop and everyone wants to lick it" in somewhere.
His current album, Stranger To Stranger, is top of my playlist at the moment.
By the way, people in Pontefract aren't necessarily dangerous, although a few of them are quite odd.
One of them is so strange that she agreed to marry me!
Oh, the train stuff was very interesting as well - it's always nice to read about moves in my local area.
Keith Jarrett
Member
Kite, I'm having trouble keeping up with my own trip reports let alone your antics across various parts of the national rail network. Bur well done on all your recent scores be it shacks, track or indeed units. There's certainly going to be very little south of Hadrian's Wall for you to chase come winter but if nothing else, you are 100% dedicated and you have my greatest admiration. Just think what I could have grabbed tonight if I'd not spent a few hours in St George's with an old china of mine!
And as a bi-product, we seemed to have flushed out where Mrs 13 hails from!
And as a bi-product, we seemed to have flushed out where Mrs 13 hails from!
Techniquest
Veteran Member
As always, lots of top reading there Kite, well done on clearing the 180s and 155s!
Kite159
Veteran Member
Thanks for your kind words.
Agreed about Mr Simon's latest album being quite good Mr 13.
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26th August A Friday evening Smash & Grab
It was the return of a Smash & Grab where I would aim for some units on my wish-list, currently the new 171s (formed of the former Scottish 170s, as they have been reformed and renumbered I count them as new units), plus some 466s.
Anyhow, a quick drive to Andover parking in the usual spot before a slow walk over to the station to pick up some tickets for a future trip and via the subway to platform 1 for the couple minute delayed 14:38, formed today of the new transmission pilot 158885, 159005 and 159003, as usual with this service after grabbing the ID of the last unit I jumped on to the leading 158 for some hopeful 158 thrash, but the new transmission gives none of the usual noise and feels very different to the usual 158/159 smoothness (you can feel the gears being changed).
The delay was soon recovered, even with the slow-down just before Weybridge (TSR Im guessing as it crosses over the crossovers), and after a couple minute fester outside Waterloo it was a right time arrival (where I need to make a note that the 15:50 service looked to be rather busy, probably day-trippers heading home on that £16 ticket). My first target was 171402 which was due to be working into London Bridge arriving around 16:50 (or so), so it was down to the Jubilee line where duds 96087 & 96004 took me to London Bridge, where a long walk later I arrived at the concourse, checking the ID of a 10-coach 171 working the 16:13(ish) service (just in case 202 popped up to attach).
Sadly all 3 units were dud, but my eyes caught a shiny white train, so I turned down the 171s in exchange for required 700110, the front three coaches were locked out of use (with a little divider across the open gangway to block whatever it was in those three coaches out of view. Grabbing an aisle seat for better legroom for the right time departure speeding towards East Croydon, where the inbound working of that 171 operated set was showing as cancelled (typical Southern).
I was in two minds of either checking into the hotel to ditch some weight from the bag, or heading back towards London, my mind was made up with the appearance of another shiny white train, this time 700102, going back the slow way (yawny yawn). A highlight being spotting what I think was a required 466 leading another networker departing Waterloo East when we were waiting for a 319 to go ahead, a quick look at RTT highlighted it could have been on a Folkestone service or a Gravesend bound service. After a couple minutes the 700 was allowed into Blackfriars pretty much bang on time (with no issues from the seats for me, apart from legroom in the window seats).
With time to kill before the first move, I decided to head towards Cannon Street for one last London Bridge leap before platforms 1 to 3 close for rebuilding, when I headed down to the underground platform a D-stock was rolling in, formed of dud 7105 leading required 7512 for a tiny bus stop leap to Mansion House, for a minute wait before dud 21359/21360 followed for the 15 chain leap to Cannon Street. Up the stairs and to the station, with some services highlighted of being 375 operated, the first was on platform 1 and would depart in 3 minutes so it was a fast walk to reach the leading unit, checking against my list of 4-car 375 requirements, with a smile on my face as I boarded the service.
Winner 375913 was leading duds 375925 & 375905, so for probably the last time it was out of Cannon Street for the 56 chain leap to platform 2 at London Bridge, where I alighted as Im sure the next stop would have been Rochester. Over to platform 3 for a short wait as another trio of 375/9s rolled in from Hastings, sadly my last 375/9 (375921), didnt feature so I decided to head down to the underground and jump back to Southwark. Due to the crowds I failed to get the number of the leading unit, but dud 96117 was at the other end for a cosy journey. Heading up stairs via No Mans Land with a couple options to get back to Charing Cross, sadly 2 or of the 3 options were running late, and with the 466 spotted heading towards Charing Cross as ECS, it was onto the 3rd option, a trio of units formed by 465029, 465172 & 466030, with a massive challenge of crossing over from platform 1 to platform 2 in a record breaking time of 4 minutes
It was going to be tighter than the worlds tightest nut, but somehow I made it with 3 minutes and 55 seconds to spare (might have even been 56 seconds), taking up a seat in 466013 which was leading 465014 & 465190 on a trip to Gillingham, but I was only on the unit as far as Waterloo East, as it would be running fast to somewhere on the Mottingham line, and my next move was probably more important as it was a one-way service (when it arrived at Sevenoaks it would head back to the depot). With nothing due towards Charing Cross for around 10 minutes, it was back to the Jubilee line platforms at Southwark, where dud 96123 was leading winner 96124 for the warm trip to London Bridge, where due to crowd control it was a long walk to reach platform 1 (involving the crowds to reach the Southern platforms).
A few minutes (or so) later the next Sevenoaks service rolled in, formed of 465159, 465160 & 466021, another 466 into the book. This service was run fast to Grove Park, although a late running Hayes stopper was in front, so it was a bit of a crawl before taking the Lewisham avoiding lines to reach Grove Park, arriving 7 minutes down. A few minute to wait before 465196/465036 rolled in to take me to Lewisham, where I had a 30 minute wait before the service which 466024 might have been on would roll in, a quick check of anything required floating around unsurprisingly found me still at Lewisham 29 minutes later when the next Gillingham service rolled in, and alas it was only a pair of 465s.
466024 must have been heading to Folkestone after all (although running fast from Waterloo East to Sevenoaks, would have given a lot of Networker thrash). I was a bit foolish and decided to head back towards Cannon Street on 376027 & 376035, a pair of dud 465s from Tunbridge was behind so I decided to call it a night and head over to the low-level platforms. A Thameslink to Brighton had been cancelled, with the next service expected to be a 171 towards Uckfield, this rolled in as 10-coaches with 402 spotted on the front
Alas after a few minutes the rear most unit detached and the doors were released for a very cosy 171/8, departure time came and went with the driver coming on the PA to say that he was waiting for a guard, only for 10 minutes later (once another Brighton had departed) to announce that sadly this train had been cancelled due to a lack of guard (typical Southern), as a Horsham bound service departed. Pretty much a 25 minute wait before the next East Croydon bound service, and a quick check of RTT found Victoria a sea of delays and cancellations, I decided to wait for the next service which rolled in formed of 377322 & 377308, which to be expected was cosy, but departed right on time. Sadly both units are high distance 377s so no new members to the club of 10 miles this evening.
A quick swing via the Sainsburys opposite East Croydon found shelves for sandwiches completely bare, so a walk down towards the town centre for the Church Street Sainsburys found a tuna pasta pot which was consumed for dinner, before heading to check in at the Easy Hotel, and getting ready for a rather early start the following morning.
A couple extra LU units into my book, plus 5 more heavy-rail units, I will be happy when I can finally score 466024 to clear another class. Although the 375s will be harder with the loss of Cannon Street London Bridge leaps (without looking at the revised timetable I would say most of the 375s from Cannon Street will be running fast to either Rochester or Sevenoaks & beyond)
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27th August The Longest Day The Ayr Apparent
My alarm was set for 4am, to catch the 04:30 Southern service to London Victoria (with a back-up of the 04:40 Thameslink service), as the rail tour departed Euston at 05:50. I was surprised the ticket gates at East Croydon were closed at that hour of the day, a Brighton bound service looked rather busy (and a Gatwick Express looked like it was carrying fresh air), as 377425 & 377473 rolled in, both already members of the 377 10-mile club, and it was a reasonable load pausing briefly at Selhurst for a staff call, and onwards to a dead Clapham and Victoria.
It was to the underground to have my first experience of the Night Tube, the platform was busy and the information screen was showing the next train in 45 minutes, but thankfully the screen was wrong as a Kings Cross St Pancras bound 11027/11028 rolled in for the short run to Euston, with manual announcements from the driver This is Warren Street, exit only, the Northern Line is closed.
To the main concourse at Euston and the only retail outlet I could see open was the little Upper Crust, which had a large line of people purchasing coffee and breakfast, I joined the line for a sausage baguette before joining the train formed of the usual heritage coaches, but first a check at which 90 was at the front and it was 90020 (which when I checked with my 2014 Rail Guide is a winner), a speedy run northbound down the WCML, fast lines all the way pausing at Watford Junction, Rugby (where a lot more passengers boarded) and Crewe [where a 390 which had been following us overtook].
Personally I was surprised they didnt route the train via the new down slow line at Norton Bridge to give the chance of new track for some of the bashers, but the early start caught up with me and I drifted in and out of sleep on route northbound, non-stop to Carlisle. At Carlisle the tour had a 40 minute break for loco swaps, so I set off for a fast walk to the nearby Tesco Metro for some supplies, before returning to Carlisle to note the scaffolding as Network Rail do work on the roof. It was a double win for me as 66108 joined at the front and 66092 on the rear, and a slightly delayed departure waiting for the 07:30 Euston to Glasgow to clear platform 1, before setting off.
The first part of new track for me was scored as the train turned right at Mossband Junction to head along the single line alongside Longtown MOD depot, which previously used to carry on towards Hawick as the Border Union Railway. The train stopped at the Bush-on-Esk No 2 Crossing with a fast reversal (as both locos had drivers) back towards the WCML, pausing briefly before carrying on over the Kingmoor Yard flyover and alongside waste land where the huge Kingmoor yard used to be, carrying on along the freight line passing the DRS Kingmoor Depot where a few 68s were spotted (plus some other locos).
Another reversal and I was back to going backwards, and the train rejoined the main-line, speeding towards Scotland and turning left onto the Dumfries line for a good trip towards Kilmarnock, pausing a couple times for block sections to clear. A few minute wait at Kilmarnock before carrying on into the Long Lyes Sidings, reinstalled in 2009 to allow coal trains to reverse without having to do a loop over some single tracks and pathing on the busy Glasgow Central Ayr services. Another quick reversal after running nearly to the end of the siding, and back to Kilmarnock, before reversing for the final time of the tour to head along the single track line towards Barassie, waiting for a Spotty Dessie to pass and the train was on the move down towards Newton-on-Ayr.
The final part of new track for me on this tour was the line turning off after Newton-on-Ayr back towards the former station of Mauchline, a quite scenic line via the Scottish lowlands, rejoining the main-line between Kilmarnock & Auchinleck, carrying on back towards Carlisle pausing for a 20 minute pathing stop at Dumfries which under my rules for shack scoring counts as a shack score. A right time departure from Dumfries and the train said farewell to Scotland and entered England, pausing outside Carlisle station for platform 3 to become available for the 66s to detach and the 90 to attach.
I decided to head towards WH Smiths for a meal-deal for later in the evening, arriving at around 18:27, 3 other customers were in a queue at the checkout, but when I entered the little store I got shouted at WERE CLOSED (considering the sign on the door outside the station clearly states 19:00 closing time), probably the assistant (which I believe her name was Jacqui) wanted to finish early before heading to the pub. So a place to completely avoid. Anyhow rant about poor customer service over, and it was back to the train, with 90020 returning from the sidings outside Carlisle for a speedy run back south. A few minutes late departing Carlisle, but a good non-stop run meant we were back on time at Warrington, pausing at Crewe carrying on into the slow line to allow the last Glasgow Euston service to overtake, a speedy run down the Trent Valley line to Rugby where the train emptied out, allowing the remaining passengers to spread out.
Slightly delayed departing Rugby due to a slightly delayed Manchester Euston 390, before carrying on in the fasts avoiding Northampton, going into the slows north of Milton Keynes before returning to the fasts after Leighton Buzzard, arriving 5 or so minutes early into Watford Junction, and around 10 minutes early into Euston. The Sainsburys was completely empty (even the Egg Mayo sandwiches had gone), but for the first time I decided to walk towards St Pancras, mainly to save a bit of money going direct via Thameslink, wanting to avoid Southern and also the next service southbound towards Brighton was meant to be a shiny 700 (so more chance of a winner).
However the shiny 700 was running 20-odd minutes late (10 minutes late departing Bedford, delayed for a further 10 minutes at St Albans), so to kill time I headed to McDonalds. A place which makes the chaos of Waterloo McDonalds not so bad, but it was food and more importantly a cold drink (as the train had been rather warm, made worst by someone on the table in front refusing to open the window due to having many track map print-outs in front of him, as he penned in every move the train made and didnt want the wind to blow his papers around). To St Pancras low level, the northbound platform looked very busy, as a 700 rolled in, my heart sank as it was dud 700107. 2 trips down, only 10 more trips to make this unit a super-dud, its going to take forever), anyhow due to some pond-life (wearing football shirts) deciding to be funny and set off a fire extinguisher one of the coaches was locked out of use (well the doors were locked with the driver announcing at the stops to watch out as the floor was very slippery).
30 or so minutes of the usual Thameslink crawl later, I alighted at East Croydon and headed to the hotel for a good nights sleep after a very busy day covering 816 miles on the tour. Quite a nice relaxing day compared to the usual Saturday. Anyhow some pictures:
Freeing the Night at Euston:
90020 taking a rest at Carlisle:
66108 taking a short rest at Dumfries:
Scaffolding at Carlisle (plus the return of 90020):
Agreed about Mr Simon's latest album being quite good Mr 13.
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26th August A Friday evening Smash & Grab
It was the return of a Smash & Grab where I would aim for some units on my wish-list, currently the new 171s (formed of the former Scottish 170s, as they have been reformed and renumbered I count them as new units), plus some 466s.
Anyhow, a quick drive to Andover parking in the usual spot before a slow walk over to the station to pick up some tickets for a future trip and via the subway to platform 1 for the couple minute delayed 14:38, formed today of the new transmission pilot 158885, 159005 and 159003, as usual with this service after grabbing the ID of the last unit I jumped on to the leading 158 for some hopeful 158 thrash, but the new transmission gives none of the usual noise and feels very different to the usual 158/159 smoothness (you can feel the gears being changed).
The delay was soon recovered, even with the slow-down just before Weybridge (TSR Im guessing as it crosses over the crossovers), and after a couple minute fester outside Waterloo it was a right time arrival (where I need to make a note that the 15:50 service looked to be rather busy, probably day-trippers heading home on that £16 ticket). My first target was 171402 which was due to be working into London Bridge arriving around 16:50 (or so), so it was down to the Jubilee line where duds 96087 & 96004 took me to London Bridge, where a long walk later I arrived at the concourse, checking the ID of a 10-coach 171 working the 16:13(ish) service (just in case 202 popped up to attach).
Sadly all 3 units were dud, but my eyes caught a shiny white train, so I turned down the 171s in exchange for required 700110, the front three coaches were locked out of use (with a little divider across the open gangway to block whatever it was in those three coaches out of view. Grabbing an aisle seat for better legroom for the right time departure speeding towards East Croydon, where the inbound working of that 171 operated set was showing as cancelled (typical Southern).
I was in two minds of either checking into the hotel to ditch some weight from the bag, or heading back towards London, my mind was made up with the appearance of another shiny white train, this time 700102, going back the slow way (yawny yawn). A highlight being spotting what I think was a required 466 leading another networker departing Waterloo East when we were waiting for a 319 to go ahead, a quick look at RTT highlighted it could have been on a Folkestone service or a Gravesend bound service. After a couple minutes the 700 was allowed into Blackfriars pretty much bang on time (with no issues from the seats for me, apart from legroom in the window seats).
With time to kill before the first move, I decided to head towards Cannon Street for one last London Bridge leap before platforms 1 to 3 close for rebuilding, when I headed down to the underground platform a D-stock was rolling in, formed of dud 7105 leading required 7512 for a tiny bus stop leap to Mansion House, for a minute wait before dud 21359/21360 followed for the 15 chain leap to Cannon Street. Up the stairs and to the station, with some services highlighted of being 375 operated, the first was on platform 1 and would depart in 3 minutes so it was a fast walk to reach the leading unit, checking against my list of 4-car 375 requirements, with a smile on my face as I boarded the service.
Winner 375913 was leading duds 375925 & 375905, so for probably the last time it was out of Cannon Street for the 56 chain leap to platform 2 at London Bridge, where I alighted as Im sure the next stop would have been Rochester. Over to platform 3 for a short wait as another trio of 375/9s rolled in from Hastings, sadly my last 375/9 (375921), didnt feature so I decided to head down to the underground and jump back to Southwark. Due to the crowds I failed to get the number of the leading unit, but dud 96117 was at the other end for a cosy journey. Heading up stairs via No Mans Land with a couple options to get back to Charing Cross, sadly 2 or of the 3 options were running late, and with the 466 spotted heading towards Charing Cross as ECS, it was onto the 3rd option, a trio of units formed by 465029, 465172 & 466030, with a massive challenge of crossing over from platform 1 to platform 2 in a record breaking time of 4 minutes
It was going to be tighter than the worlds tightest nut, but somehow I made it with 3 minutes and 55 seconds to spare (might have even been 56 seconds), taking up a seat in 466013 which was leading 465014 & 465190 on a trip to Gillingham, but I was only on the unit as far as Waterloo East, as it would be running fast to somewhere on the Mottingham line, and my next move was probably more important as it was a one-way service (when it arrived at Sevenoaks it would head back to the depot). With nothing due towards Charing Cross for around 10 minutes, it was back to the Jubilee line platforms at Southwark, where dud 96123 was leading winner 96124 for the warm trip to London Bridge, where due to crowd control it was a long walk to reach platform 1 (involving the crowds to reach the Southern platforms).
A few minutes (or so) later the next Sevenoaks service rolled in, formed of 465159, 465160 & 466021, another 466 into the book. This service was run fast to Grove Park, although a late running Hayes stopper was in front, so it was a bit of a crawl before taking the Lewisham avoiding lines to reach Grove Park, arriving 7 minutes down. A few minute to wait before 465196/465036 rolled in to take me to Lewisham, where I had a 30 minute wait before the service which 466024 might have been on would roll in, a quick check of anything required floating around unsurprisingly found me still at Lewisham 29 minutes later when the next Gillingham service rolled in, and alas it was only a pair of 465s.
466024 must have been heading to Folkestone after all (although running fast from Waterloo East to Sevenoaks, would have given a lot of Networker thrash). I was a bit foolish and decided to head back towards Cannon Street on 376027 & 376035, a pair of dud 465s from Tunbridge was behind so I decided to call it a night and head over to the low-level platforms. A Thameslink to Brighton had been cancelled, with the next service expected to be a 171 towards Uckfield, this rolled in as 10-coaches with 402 spotted on the front
Alas after a few minutes the rear most unit detached and the doors were released for a very cosy 171/8, departure time came and went with the driver coming on the PA to say that he was waiting for a guard, only for 10 minutes later (once another Brighton had departed) to announce that sadly this train had been cancelled due to a lack of guard (typical Southern), as a Horsham bound service departed. Pretty much a 25 minute wait before the next East Croydon bound service, and a quick check of RTT found Victoria a sea of delays and cancellations, I decided to wait for the next service which rolled in formed of 377322 & 377308, which to be expected was cosy, but departed right on time. Sadly both units are high distance 377s so no new members to the club of 10 miles this evening.
A quick swing via the Sainsburys opposite East Croydon found shelves for sandwiches completely bare, so a walk down towards the town centre for the Church Street Sainsburys found a tuna pasta pot which was consumed for dinner, before heading to check in at the Easy Hotel, and getting ready for a rather early start the following morning.
A couple extra LU units into my book, plus 5 more heavy-rail units, I will be happy when I can finally score 466024 to clear another class. Although the 375s will be harder with the loss of Cannon Street London Bridge leaps (without looking at the revised timetable I would say most of the 375s from Cannon Street will be running fast to either Rochester or Sevenoaks & beyond)
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27th August The Longest Day The Ayr Apparent
My alarm was set for 4am, to catch the 04:30 Southern service to London Victoria (with a back-up of the 04:40 Thameslink service), as the rail tour departed Euston at 05:50. I was surprised the ticket gates at East Croydon were closed at that hour of the day, a Brighton bound service looked rather busy (and a Gatwick Express looked like it was carrying fresh air), as 377425 & 377473 rolled in, both already members of the 377 10-mile club, and it was a reasonable load pausing briefly at Selhurst for a staff call, and onwards to a dead Clapham and Victoria.
It was to the underground to have my first experience of the Night Tube, the platform was busy and the information screen was showing the next train in 45 minutes, but thankfully the screen was wrong as a Kings Cross St Pancras bound 11027/11028 rolled in for the short run to Euston, with manual announcements from the driver This is Warren Street, exit only, the Northern Line is closed.
To the main concourse at Euston and the only retail outlet I could see open was the little Upper Crust, which had a large line of people purchasing coffee and breakfast, I joined the line for a sausage baguette before joining the train formed of the usual heritage coaches, but first a check at which 90 was at the front and it was 90020 (which when I checked with my 2014 Rail Guide is a winner), a speedy run northbound down the WCML, fast lines all the way pausing at Watford Junction, Rugby (where a lot more passengers boarded) and Crewe [where a 390 which had been following us overtook].
Personally I was surprised they didnt route the train via the new down slow line at Norton Bridge to give the chance of new track for some of the bashers, but the early start caught up with me and I drifted in and out of sleep on route northbound, non-stop to Carlisle. At Carlisle the tour had a 40 minute break for loco swaps, so I set off for a fast walk to the nearby Tesco Metro for some supplies, before returning to Carlisle to note the scaffolding as Network Rail do work on the roof. It was a double win for me as 66108 joined at the front and 66092 on the rear, and a slightly delayed departure waiting for the 07:30 Euston to Glasgow to clear platform 1, before setting off.
The first part of new track for me was scored as the train turned right at Mossband Junction to head along the single line alongside Longtown MOD depot, which previously used to carry on towards Hawick as the Border Union Railway. The train stopped at the Bush-on-Esk No 2 Crossing with a fast reversal (as both locos had drivers) back towards the WCML, pausing briefly before carrying on over the Kingmoor Yard flyover and alongside waste land where the huge Kingmoor yard used to be, carrying on along the freight line passing the DRS Kingmoor Depot where a few 68s were spotted (plus some other locos).
Another reversal and I was back to going backwards, and the train rejoined the main-line, speeding towards Scotland and turning left onto the Dumfries line for a good trip towards Kilmarnock, pausing a couple times for block sections to clear. A few minute wait at Kilmarnock before carrying on into the Long Lyes Sidings, reinstalled in 2009 to allow coal trains to reverse without having to do a loop over some single tracks and pathing on the busy Glasgow Central Ayr services. Another quick reversal after running nearly to the end of the siding, and back to Kilmarnock, before reversing for the final time of the tour to head along the single track line towards Barassie, waiting for a Spotty Dessie to pass and the train was on the move down towards Newton-on-Ayr.
The final part of new track for me on this tour was the line turning off after Newton-on-Ayr back towards the former station of Mauchline, a quite scenic line via the Scottish lowlands, rejoining the main-line between Kilmarnock & Auchinleck, carrying on back towards Carlisle pausing for a 20 minute pathing stop at Dumfries which under my rules for shack scoring counts as a shack score. A right time departure from Dumfries and the train said farewell to Scotland and entered England, pausing outside Carlisle station for platform 3 to become available for the 66s to detach and the 90 to attach.
I decided to head towards WH Smiths for a meal-deal for later in the evening, arriving at around 18:27, 3 other customers were in a queue at the checkout, but when I entered the little store I got shouted at WERE CLOSED (considering the sign on the door outside the station clearly states 19:00 closing time), probably the assistant (which I believe her name was Jacqui) wanted to finish early before heading to the pub. So a place to completely avoid. Anyhow rant about poor customer service over, and it was back to the train, with 90020 returning from the sidings outside Carlisle for a speedy run back south. A few minutes late departing Carlisle, but a good non-stop run meant we were back on time at Warrington, pausing at Crewe carrying on into the slow line to allow the last Glasgow Euston service to overtake, a speedy run down the Trent Valley line to Rugby where the train emptied out, allowing the remaining passengers to spread out.
Slightly delayed departing Rugby due to a slightly delayed Manchester Euston 390, before carrying on in the fasts avoiding Northampton, going into the slows north of Milton Keynes before returning to the fasts after Leighton Buzzard, arriving 5 or so minutes early into Watford Junction, and around 10 minutes early into Euston. The Sainsburys was completely empty (even the Egg Mayo sandwiches had gone), but for the first time I decided to walk towards St Pancras, mainly to save a bit of money going direct via Thameslink, wanting to avoid Southern and also the next service southbound towards Brighton was meant to be a shiny 700 (so more chance of a winner).
However the shiny 700 was running 20-odd minutes late (10 minutes late departing Bedford, delayed for a further 10 minutes at St Albans), so to kill time I headed to McDonalds. A place which makes the chaos of Waterloo McDonalds not so bad, but it was food and more importantly a cold drink (as the train had been rather warm, made worst by someone on the table in front refusing to open the window due to having many track map print-outs in front of him, as he penned in every move the train made and didnt want the wind to blow his papers around). To St Pancras low level, the northbound platform looked very busy, as a 700 rolled in, my heart sank as it was dud 700107. 2 trips down, only 10 more trips to make this unit a super-dud, its going to take forever), anyhow due to some pond-life (wearing football shirts) deciding to be funny and set off a fire extinguisher one of the coaches was locked out of use (well the doors were locked with the driver announcing at the stops to watch out as the floor was very slippery).
30 or so minutes of the usual Thameslink crawl later, I alighted at East Croydon and headed to the hotel for a good nights sleep after a very busy day covering 816 miles on the tour. Quite a nice relaxing day compared to the usual Saturday. Anyhow some pictures:
Freeing the Night at Euston:
90020 taking a rest at Carlisle:
66108 taking a short rest at Dumfries:
Scaffolding at Carlisle (plus the return of 90020):
Mixed fortunes there.
I don't really do railtours these days but fair play it looks like you enjoy it.
Good to see the football season getting into full swing
Changing the subject back to Paul Simon, the man is a true poet and superb user of metaphor.
My favourite track on Stranger to Stranger is "The Werewolf"
Life is a lottery, a lotta people lose.
But the winners, the grinners,
with money coloured eyes,
eat all the nuggets then order extra fries.
Brilliant stuff.
I don't really do railtours these days but fair play it looks like you enjoy it.
Good to see the football season getting into full swing
Changing the subject back to Paul Simon, the man is a true poet and superb user of metaphor.
My favourite track on Stranger to Stranger is "The Werewolf"
Life is a lottery, a lotta people lose.
But the winners, the grinners,
with money coloured eyes,
eat all the nuggets then order extra fries.
Brilliant stuff.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Another two excellent reads Sir Kite, truely a legend of bashing! Only needing so little of SET's enormous fleet must be nice, and it's fair to say I'm quite envious of that!
Looking forward to your report from Sunday and your viewpoint of Monday
Looking forward to your report from Sunday and your viewpoint of Monday
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