The Various Random Mutterings of Kite

[Kite159]

14th September – The return from Aberystwyth

The day began with the 9:30 service from Aberystwyth towards Birmingham International, but for me it started off in the Wetherspoons pub at Aberystwyth station for a quick breakfast, sat in the ‘garden’ overlooking the tracks, the narrow gauge station leading to Devil’s Bridge next the mainline station. At around 9:20 158829 rolled in and I got on board to take a nice table seat for the trip back towards Machynlleth where we ran into 158828 and continued along the way back towards England and towards Shrewsbury.

Couldn’t help noticing at Newtown, there was a painting of a 175, which I doubt is a train which won’t be serving Newtown for a while, until it gets the new signalling equipment. Arrival into Shrewsbury was met with a 15 minute break for a change of direction, a change in train crew, and a change of ticket (previously I was planning to get a West Midlands Day Ranger until I worked out it would be cheaper with a couple other tickets for what I had planned), getting quite busy heading towards Birmingham New Street, with passengers boarding at Wolverhampton complaining about the lack of seats (not like Wolverhampton isn’t served by many trains towards New Street). Arrival into New Street and the train emptied out.

I had 15 or so minutes to locate the Cross Country service which was heading towards Leicester as I wanted to try and cover the Cross Country lines between New Street and the Trent Valley line, 170519 was waiting for the service to Leicester, at first glance it looked rather busy with reservation slips, on second glance the slips were for the following service for when it returned to New Street after going to Leicester on a Stansted airport run. It was a nice little run towards Nuneaton, going over the bridge and into the new part (I assume) of Nuneaton. I had a little wait before 350265 (yep a 350/2 on a Euston-Crewe run, unlucky passengers) pulled in to take me to Tamworth.

It was running a couple minutes late heading into Tamworth which cut my connection time down from 5 minutes to 2 minutes, and I completely messed up the exit door, running to get up the stairs to get to the high-level platform to be greeted with a delay to the Cross Country service from Nottingham to Cardiff, 5 minutes later 170112 arrived, sadly a dud (previously rode back in April going from Derby to Nottingham) to take me back towards New Street. I can’t recall that much with the line between Tamworth & New Street, urban, fields, old buildings, plus some sidings.

I was hoping to catch a 170 towards Rugeley Trent Valley which went via the Soho junction, bypassing Aston, sadly it being a Sunday the services towards Rugeley Trent Valley (and also the Walsall stoppers) are run via Aston and both were 170s, what happened to the 323s between New Street and Walsall, a service 100% under the wires. My plan failed when 170507 departed heading London bound, coming off the main-line and running nonstop to Tame Bridge Parkway. Tame Bridge Parkway, not a station where to cross from one platform to the other is that quick, and the platform information on the New Street bound platform was displaying “charter train, this train is for special ticket holders only” as 170511 arrived to take me back towards New Street, this time on a stopper via Aston from Walsall.

Exiting the station, with an hour and a bit to spare before my booked train home, I decided to have a look around at the works outside with the new tram extension, which is coming along quite well, and to get a quick bite to eat for a late lunch, and having a look in a couple stores. Back at the station, I made my way towards the Virgin First Class Lounge, as when buying tickets First Class was a few quid more than standard to get back to Grateley, so what the heck. I took a comfy seat away from the madness, getting the free biscuits and cola from the fridge, and relaxed catching up with the internet using the free Wi-Fi, for 30 minutes before the platform got announced for the service back to Euston.

Sadly the train from New Street to Euston was a double super voyager (Virgin should order more 390s to release the 221s which run under the wires the whole journey to Cross Country. 221101 was leading with 221103 behind (both winners), I ended up in 103 (so the benefit of being in First to get closer to the barriers was wasted). I think the 221s have the ratio between 1st and standard class about right, picking my free snack box from the shop to take a seat to head back towards Euston, making use of the free Wi-Fi, nothing unusual apart from stopping at Hemel for around 10 minutes with some sort of fault, and seeing a couple 319s heading north.

Into Euston, for a quick walk towards the Victoria line platform, down the spiralling staircase to head back to Oxford Circus and then the Bakerloo to Waterloo. To the main concourse to play hear the 159 (just visit Waterloo and you will hear them before you can see them), formed today of a triple 159, 159021 leading with 159019 in the middle and 159007 bringing up the rear. Taking my seat in the empty First Class section of 019, I sat back and relaxed for the 75 minute journey home.

20th September – East Midlands Rover Day 1

3 day flexi-rover with the aim of trying to cover my uncovered track within the rover area, sadly due to engineering works the line between Lincoln & Doncaster remains uncovered. Having an earlier start than planned meant having to buy a single from Grateley to Andover to take me over 10:00 when my network railcard can be used (leaving at 9:59 is a pain sometimes). 159003 pulled in with today’s service to Waterloo.

Nothing much happened on the journey to Waterloo, nothing in the way of changes which I could spot, arrived pretty much bang on time at 11:17, which gave me 25 minutes to get onto the Virgin service at Euston, sadly not enough time to grab some lunch though. Jumping onto the Northern line and locating the platform the Glasgow via Birmingham service was due to depart, and jumped onto it, sadly it was a voyager, 221114, but I was only due to be on it until Milton Keynes when I would swap onto the London Midland service which departed a couple minutes after the Virgin (as I was on Virgin only tickets).

Finding a spare table in coach D, I sat down to read the newspaper and relax, looking out of the window, before Milton Keynes was soon arrived at, alighting and swapping tickets to the rover, I awaited the arrival of 350118 on the Euston – Crewe service, which was quite busy (Great Escape?), but I managed to find a seat in the rear most car, which was ideal for the fast turnaround at Tamworth, officially the connection is 2 minutes with a Derby bound cross country, the London Midland service arrived 1 minute late, so it was a run to get to the high-level platform, learning from the previous week to leave the train at the rear car. As expected the Cross country service was running a few minutes late.

170520 rolled in, around half-full, so I managed to find a nice table seat for the short 23 mile trip to Derby, this time stopping at Burton on Trent (previously sped though on a HST), due to catching the earlier train it allowed me to use plan A to kill some time before the Derby to St Pancras via Melton service departed, my key aim for the Friday, so I had a quick look to see what was happening and jumped onto winner 156498 for a return trip to Matlock, and the colours on the trees were quite amazing. Coming back I alighted at Beeston, and crossed the platform to await the Cross country service back up to Derby. Quite busy 170108 (sadly a dud) rolled in for the trip back to Derby.

With 30 minutes to spare, I tried to look for a shop to buy some early dinner, but failed, Derby station is quite far away from the town centre, so heading back to ponder for a few minutes before 222022 arrived, sadly no catering was available, and it did not go via Leicester and any customers with open tickets should wait on the platform for the following service as it would be quicker. I was surprised it was announced as St Pancras rather than say Corby, to prevent passengers boarding thinking it was a fast service. I do like the 222s; good seats for the distance, apart from the racks at the top having the sloping side reducing the available space. A couple passengers boarded at East Midlands Parkway for Leicester, not hearing the countless announcements that it would be going via Melton and not calling at Leicester. Poor passengers getting charged for a return ticket for East Midlands Parkway to Melton (at least they didn’t have to wait for long at Melton as a XC service was due 10 minutes later).

The area it passed on its way down towards Corby is quite nice, very peaceful fields, through Corby and waiting at Kettering for what felt was 15 minutes, I could have hopped off and made the return northbound service at Bedford, but I couldn’t check the timings due to not having an internet connection, so I alighted at Wellingborough, searching for something to eat. Seemed Wellingborough station is quite far away from the centre of population, so back to the station to jump onto my first EMT HST, formed of 43044 leading 43049. Going up to Kettering in the slow track which allowed an express 222 to pass, the seats are similar to the Grand Central & Greater Anglia Mk3s, fixed armrests. Didn’t have much time to experience the HST as 6 miles later I alighted at Kettering and crossed over to the other platform and exited, again looking for something to eat, but failing.

The time passed and 222017 arrived with another 5 car 222 behind it (which terminated at Kettering), darkness was falling so I took a seat in a mostly empty train (I think I was the only passenger in coach A after Corby) towards Oakham, where I alighted, crossed over to the other platform and awaited the arrival of the XC service, which was running late (interestingly the service an hour later was on time, but the service 2 hours later was running 1 minute late, according to the information displays). 170398 rolled in for my final 170 of the day, taking me towards Peterborough where I had a room for the night in a Travel-lodge, and frankly it was rubbish, overlooked ‘Nightclub’ Street (3 clubs) so was rather noisy until 2/3 am, plus the room was warm and I couldn’t open the window due to the noise. One to avoid in the future, but I managed to find a Tesco to purchase some food for dinner, plus some supplies for the rest of the weekend. The route to Peterborough from Oakham was in darkness, so I couldn’t see that much as there is not a lot between Oakham and Peterborough.


(I don't really care if anybody else is reading these, just passes the time at work if I can manage to get onto the PC, although that might reduce now my course has started)

 

[Cletus]

I read them! Always enjoyable to read as with Techniquest's, Darlo Rich's ALR (still only up to day 2!), etc.
6656 views so far, so other people do too.

 

[Kite159]

Managed to get some more done today as I took my laptop for a day-out (well it's getting dark early and have you ever travelled back from Westbury to Salisbury across the plain, miles of nothingness when it's dark), I'm slowly catching up.

21st September – East Midlands Rover part 2

A Saturday where I wasn’t on a service departing before 6am? How rare it felt being able to sleep in until 7am, to make my slow way to the station to catch the first service towards Doncaster. A charter train arrived picking up passengers on its way towards Carlisle, a couple Great Northern 365s were in station, but soon enough 156414 rolled in on a Lincoln terminating service, got a bit busy in between stations, but my first ride along the ‘Joint’ line, the works of improvements being shown.

I’m guessing the large old building on the left approaching Sleaford is some sort of old hospital (looked the part), away from the Skegness line and back up north where I had a tight connection to board a Grimsby Town terminator, thankfully the train from Peterborough arrived pretty much spot on time, which allowed me the chance to get a newspaper and await the arrival of the dog-box. 153357 rolled in and pretty much emptied out (felt like it was a clown 153, number of passengers was endless!), and it set off along its way towards Grimsby, nice part of the world, land time forgot.

Arriving into the bay platform at Grimsby Town (rather than Grimsby Docks) and I headed out of the station, as I had 20 or so minutes before the Brigg train arrived, so had a quick look around (nice little town area), before heading back to the station.

The train to Sheffield arrived pretty much on time and not knowing what sort to expect, I was happy it was 144009, rather than say a 142 or 150, heading towards one of the bay seats, to sit back and relax as it set back towards the west, passing Habrough and coming away from the triangle of tracks and towards Brigg, the station which only sees 3 services each way on a Saturday, I think this was the first west bound service. Quite a well-kept station be Brigg, can’t remember much of the station beforehand though. Arrived into Gainsborough Central, the bomb-shell of a station with a 15 minute wait, which allowed me to get a couple pictures of the Pacer at Gainsborough Central, onwards as it met the line between Doncaster and Lincoln and set off towards Retford where a couple passengers opposite me got off to do the return leg.

Nice run towards Sheffield, as the train got busier and busier as it went along, before Sheffield was reached. I had a choice of trains to get to Doncaster, and jumped onto 144012 (a dud) which was forming a local service, bit busy with football fans as it set off before coming to an emergency stop around 100 metres from where it started, the rear car still on the platform, breaking down, blocking the service to York via Church Fenton (another Northern parliamentary service), the guard opened the rear half of door to allow passengers to alight as it wasn’t going anywhere and I jumped onto 158816 which was on a fast service between the 2 cities before running towards Hull direction.

Arrival into Doncaster was reached, and I alighted to look outside the station to get some food, finding a Sainsburys to purchase a meal deal (with a stupid self-service till which didn’t want to work and headed back to the station to await the FTPE service to Cleethorpes, the pacer which had broken down came pass on a local stopping service to Scunthorpe so the FTPE 170303/170304 (303 was a winner, 304 was a dud) was held back by the signalling, as the heavens absolutely opened, but a nice little run alongside the canal and passing industrial buildings. The rain had slowed down as I had a nice hour and a bit around Cleethorpes to wait until the Barton on Humber service arrived, so headed into the seaside town, and to be honest it’s a bit of a dump, the line after Grimsby isn’t that nice.

I jumped onto 153304 when it arrived for the trip towards Barton on Humber, which is a nice little line and a Northern Island, rain has arrived back and was getting quite heavy as I changed seats for the journey back, checking RTT to find the train I was going to catch back to Doncaster was cancelled, forcing me to do a couple bits to work out a new plan, alighting at Habrough and crossing over the road to the other platform to await the arrival of the East Midlands service towards Newark North Gate, at least I can get that junction in, formed of dud (and the first train of the day) 156414, which emptied out at Lincoln and set off towards Newark. The light had faded away leaving Lincoln, and it’s rather empty out in the fields.

I got really lucky when the train pulled into Newark to see an East Coast 225 at the platform, it was running 10 minutes late which allowed me to run (no other word for it) across the platform to jump on with seconds to spare, formed of 91112 leading 82216 on a Newcastle bound service, both winning units. This got me into Doncaster slightly earlier than planned which was good as the guest house I had picked was a mile and a half away from the station, doh! Phone in hand I dodged the drunks around the centre of Doncaster onto a rather long road, but was worth it as the room was nice and quiet with comfy beds. A good night sleep was waiting for me.

21st September – East Midlands Rover Day 3

Back in June when I attempted to do an East Yorkshire round robin, it failed due to train issues on the way to York, so my plan was to cover the track, firstly heading towards Sheffield on the first train (I think) to depart Doncaster, a nice 158906 which was on a local stopping service, originally I was going to change at Meadowhall, but decided to risk the 8 minute connection at Sheffield, which was worth it as I got a good seat on 153315 which was leading 158910, sat opposite a fare dodging chav who tried to claim he got on at a station the train hadn’t reached yet, who soon did a runner at said station after the guard had to go open the doors. The line via Goole is quite nice, this is a rather beautiful part of the world.

Changing sides and seats at Hull as the 158 set off in the lead, and the line again was quite nice, although Yorkshire Coast line breaks the trade descriptions as I saw the sea once, for around 3 minutes. Can’t fault the train as it arrived into Scarborough pretty much bang on time, which allowed me to do a quick connection to the FTPE service waiting to depart, formed of 185143 for the nice 42 mile trip towards York, another nice bit of track, which I will revisit next year on another attempt to do a East Yorkshire Round Robin

Another East Coast delay at York worked in my favour, as the stopping service to Kings Cross was delayed by 30 minutes, formed of winner 82202 leading 91103, to take me the short (32 mile!) trip to Doncaster, where I alighted to have a look to see what service I could catch to get me down towards Derby, looking at the departure screens had a Northern service running a few minutes late or a FTPE service from Doncaster, I played it well with heading towards one of the platforms (P8 I think) to catch double dud 170303/170304 on a service towards the airport at Manchester, most passengers were crowning around the rear unit with only a few working out there was another 2 car unit at the front, silly passengers. Alighting at Sheffield to have another look to see what was departing netted me a Cross Country Voyager which was due to depart from Sheffield towards Reading.

2 minutes before it was due to depart the doors hadn’t been opened, eventually they opened on winner 220014 as I headed towards one of the good seats to relax as it powered its way down towards Derby, stopping at Chesterfield. Arriving at Derby 40 minutes before the next Crewe service was due to depart I decided it wasn’t worth trying to locate the town centre so I took a seat and watched the various movements, a 222 heading towards Kettering, another heading towards Sheffield, a 221 heading to Edinburgh, a diverted double 158 heading towards Norwich. 153374 rolled in and emptied out with a lot of passengers, before I took my seat to head back towards Stoke on Trent.

A good train journey until we came to a stop outside Stoke, just before the junction, to await platform clearance due to a 390 developing a dragged brake, eventually we were allowed in with a busy platform 1 with the 390 on the other side, smelling awful, a London Midland 350/2 arrived towards Crewe, followed by a couple Voyagers (one each way), before 390043 arrived. As the previous Manchester to Euston service had been cancelled (due to the brake), meant it was slightly busy, I headed straight towards the First Class area, with my money in hand ready to upgrade if the train manager passed, but they didn’t come, and I suspect it was declassified owing to the number of passengers heading through the car, stopping at Milton Keynes saw more passengers board, although it was standing room only. I was happy as I had covered another part of the WCML.

Arriving into Euston around 10 minutes down, with the train manager repeating about the delay repay for the passengers from the previous Manchester service, but a quick dash to the Northern line platforms for the 2 mile trip down towards Waterloo. Euston Northern Line platforms suffer massively from backend loading; everybody jumps on the rear of the train due to the location of the stairs. Not an issue as I headed towards the 2nd car. At Waterloo I transferred to the mainline station and located the double 159, 159013 & 159108 waiting, taking my seat in 108 (the part which breaks away at Salisbury, hence is normally quieter than the part which continues) I worked out I was 2 hours ahead of schedule (catching the FTPE at Scarborough and the East Coast at York), which is always good. Nothing much happened on the way home, the end of a good weekend covering most of my required track in the East Midlands area. I will return in November to try and get the curve on the Skegness line which the few Nottingham to Skegness services which don’t call at Grantham use, also the Lincoln to Doncaster line.

23rd & 24th September, Return to Scotland

Having bagged myself a bargain berth, I was heading north on the sleeper, which was something I was looking forward to. Setting away from Grateley on the 8:36 train (delayed by 5 minutes), formed of 159008, I was looking at the diagrams thread and saw that a 442 from Brighton was due to arrive into Clapham 8 minutes after the 159 had passed, so I thought I would try and bag another 442 and changed at Clapham Junction.

Sadly the 442 didn’t show, the train it was meant to be was a double 377, I waited 5 minutes afterwards in case Real Time Trains was wrong, but it was correct, no 442 for me tonight, so hopping onto the next service to Victoria, 377431 (dud) /377444 (winner) arrived into Victoria as I headed down towards the circle line platforms, I had time to waste so the idea was the catch a circle line train to go the long way round to Euston Square, sadly there was no circle line trains, so I ditched that idea and headed to the Victoria line platform to catch a Victoria line train to Euston, which was so freaky and quiet that time of night. I hung around in the passenger lounge opposite the left luggage office, waiting for P1 to be announced as the required platform for the sleeper, reading my book.

The sleeper was formed of 90026 leading with 90039 behind, for the Edinburgh portion, I was in coach M, but headed via the lounge car to see what was happening, not a lot, and as I was tired I headed towards berth 3, lower bunk, and waited as the passenger for the top bunk arrived, a man of few works, business I would imagine, he disappeared towards the lounge car and returned, and I went to sleep, well tried to sleep as the various noises (not the best berth as it was over the bogie), but managed a few hours to be woken when it had stopped at Carstairs to spilt. Heading backwards with 90039 leading the way and hanging around for 15 minutes in the suburbs before speeding though Haymarket to terminate at Edinburgh, pretty much bang on time.

I headed towards the ticket machine to purchase a couple required tickets, and headed to the platform to get onto 344031/344019 for the short trip to Haymarket, where I changed to await the next service to South Gyle, I did some research into stopping at the next station up to get the 67 loco, but felt it wasn’t worth the risk. A revenue block was in place at South Gyle on the Edinburgh bound platform, as I had a few minutes wait as a 170 sped though with no warning (and the platforms at South Gyle are not the widest) before 67007 pulled in with the red coaches, as I was lucky to get a recently vacated table seat for the peaceful trip back towards Waverley.

At Waverley, I headed out of the station and headed towards St Andrews Square tram stop to buy my tram day ticket, I wasn’t going to pay the airport premium so the city zone was fine for me, as tram 258 arrived (with 952 in the window) to take me along towards Ingliston Park & Ride, a nice ride along the city streets before going onto its own track, a couple sharp bends, but the leather seats matched with the non AC trams, I can’t imagine will be a good mix in high summer. An enjoyable trip and quick change at the Park & ride to jump onto 275-951 to carry me back towards the city centre and the current terminus at York Place, seems odd where it is located, hopefully they will build some more at some-point. Heading back on the same service to York Place, where I went down towards Waverley, and jumped onto East Coast 43320/43306 for a short hop to Haymarket, and then 334009 back to Waverley.

158711 pulled in on a service towards Glenrothes with Thornton, heading clockwise around the circle (previously I have done the circle heading anticlockwise), and I sat back to relax as some lovely countryside passed, over the Forth bridge, continuing after Glenrothes I alighted at Kirkcaldy to head to get some lunch. Back at the station 170455/170426 arrived on a service to Edinburgh, which I alighted at Haymarket and crossed over to the middle platform to jump onto 380108 for the short trip to Waverley. Changing platforms again towards P20 (which is at the end of P1), as I awaited the Newcraighall service, to cover one of the last sections of line in Scotland. 158782 arrived (my first dud of the day, it was the same unit used earlier in the day) to take me down to Newcraighall, where the plan was to catch a bus, but I couldn’t locate the bus stop, so back onto 158782 I went back towards Waverley.

My plan was to try and get a FTPE 350, however it appears to be pick-up only ay Haymarket, so my plan failed, so I managed to get 334018/334035 to Haymarket, with a surprise with 156496/156494 back, a double 156 on a circle line service, how odd. Back at Waverley, I still had one Waverley to Haymarket ticket left, so jumped onto East Coast 43300/43311. Exiting at Haymarket, I headed towards the tram stop as 275-951 pulled in, as I alighted at Princes Street for a short walk back towards Waverley station. Sadly the first class lounge is closed, so I waited as dud 82216/91112 arrived, for the 393 mile trip back to Kings Cross, first time in coach M, and I got lucky a left hand side forward facing single seat, to see the part of the ECML which is pretty.

First Class is very relaxing; the Wi-Fi was rather good and the mushroom pastry was tasty, running fast from York (my favourite journey) it soon arrived into Kings Cross, where my usual method of using the Victoria line then Bakerloo came into play. 20 minutes it took me, so not my best time, locating the service to Salisbury, unusually it was the rear 159 which was continuing after Salisbury with the front unit terminating at Salisbury. Both duds with 159019 leading 159012, my search for 159103 continues. Nothing much happened on the way home, so it was the end of another good day and another walk home in the dark.

27th September – Cheshire Rover

I wonder how many Grateley to Buxton advance singles must be sold in a year, I can’t imagine it will be that many, but there will be at least 1 as that is the ticket I used, same price as a Grateley to Stoke ticket, so what the heck I thought when purchasing, at least if the Virgin service was delayed and I missed the 5 minute connection at Stockport I would be able to get something back. It was a rather long day for me, the longest possible with a Grateley start, 5:25 service formed of 159001, and someone else got on the train at Grateley!

Winter is closing as it was rather dark at that time of day, the first unusual thing happened when the unit changed to go into the slow track to stop at Farnborough (as the early morning Southampton to Waterloo service was cancelled) before returning to the fasts at Woking, the delay caused caught up by Clapham to arrive into Waterloo on time. I arrived into Euston by 7:00, so I had an hour to kill (only problem with getting VWC+connections tickets, is the long wait at Euston), 390020 was the unit today to take me to Stockport, I was a bit slow of the mark as my assigned seat was one of those which is crap, hardly any view, so I had hoped to get a good table in the unreserved coach. Never mind, I’ve seen that line before as it sped off out of Euston first stop Stoke-Le-Trent.

The train got quite busy, as I had to force my way out at Stockport, and crossed over to Platform 0 as the slightly delayed 150203 pulled in with a quite amazing trip to Buxton, the freight lines still in existence, an amazing little trip, something I wasn’t expecting. On my revisit list it goes. I had 40 minutes to spare at Buxton itself which is a nice little town in the peak district, nice little Waitrose and little co-op with a nice viaduct overlooking the town. Back to the station to re-board 150203, back to Stockport where I ditched, as it was getting very busy, must be the football crowds. I changed platforms and got onto 390002 for the short trip to Manchester Piccadilly, overtaking the 150 on the approach.

Eventually I got onto the through platforms, which were very busy, as the East Midlands service to Liverpool was short formed and late (one unit broke down so the unit which normally attaches went on ahead), it felt like the crowds getting off were endless, several clever people hit the door close buttons, but I grabbed them to prevent them closing to give time for someone to hit the open button. 5 minutes after it pulled in, we could board, I got lucky and got a seat at a table, 158858 was the unit in question, but it emptied out a bit at Oxford Road, and it zoomed away towards Lime Street via Warrington Central.

Warrington Central seems to be quite far away from Bank Quay, although that could be with a curve on the track, can’t remember much about the trip to Lime Street, apart from arriving into South Parkway, meant I had arrived and departed on a 350, a 508 & 158, can’t say that for many other stations. Into Lime Street, and I battled my way out of the station, and down towards the Merseyrail platform, where I jumped onto the first available service, 508125 rolled in and I alighted and changed at James Street, to await for the service behind which was going to Chester. The unit which took me to Chester was 508130, can’t remember much with the return to Chester on the yellow machines.

I had 25 minutes to spare in Chester, so headed out of the station, for a brief look around the town, purchasing a baguette from the station pub, before heading to platform 7 to await the Manchester bound service, a 142 was waiting in one of the bay platforms for the mid Cheshire line service, although a 150 pulled into the other bay platform which formed the Northern service to Manchester. 175115 pulled in to take me the short hop up to Helsby, nice little bit of line, at Helsby I had a bit of a shock, the Ellesmere Port/Helsby service was formed of a 156, I was expecting a 142 for a rather pointless service, formed of 156441, heading to Ellesmere the only other passengers were a couple old ladies heading to Ellesmere from Chester, and heading back was another rail basher (going by a notepad and pen). One of the stations is within the Shell grounds so has no public road access, the other doesn’t serve anywhere in particular, would be better if Northern change the Halton Curve service from Chester to Ellesmere (until the Halton curve improvements is complete), kill two parliamentary services with one stone. Nice running though the industrial area though.

Back at Helsby with a 20 minute wait for the next Manchester train, pretty little well-kept station, with some lovely flower beds. 175101 soon rolled in with the Manchester service, with me getting the bay seats at the end of the car, for the enjoyable trip, along the WCML to Warrington Bank then back towards Manchester, a very enjoyable run. Arriving pretty much on time (I know a ATW service which was on time). I exited the station as quickly as possible, and headed to Victoria, getting slightly lost, that free bus service seems to be a bit pointless for Piccadilly to Victoria as it goes around a large circle before reaching Victoria. Finding the platform at Victoria to be presented with a late running service to Kirkby on one of the platforms (due to lack of staff), and the FTPE service to Liverpool was delayed enough to make the stopper be cancelled (which was a good thing, can you imagine a 185 stuck before a 142 stopper between Man Vic and Lime Street?

Arriving into Liverpool with a good 90 or so minutes spare before the virgin service was due to depart, my original plan changed and I gave myself enough time in case things went wrong, as it was getting dark I decided to bash some Mersey rail units, by going around the circle with James Street as my base, I worked out it would take around 7 minutes to go from James Street to James Street, giving me on average 3 minutes to get to the other platform to catch the next looper, could have all gone wrong with me waiting 7 minutes or so for services, but in general the longest wait was 2 minutes, with the services pulling in pretty soon after I arrived. The unit used to get to James Street at first was 508139, then the following units on the James Street to James Street circle. 508122; 507004; 508117; 508128; 508126, with 508124 taking me back to Lime Street.

To Lime Street high level, as the manual gates were in process for 390040, and I headed to my seat for the journey back to Euston, in the dark so I didn’t see that much, a brief highlight was a family thinking the seat reservations they had coming up from Euston in the morning were still valid heading back, with someone listening to some sort of rap music leaking from their headphones, probably an iPhone user, those provided earphones are rubbish. Due to engineering works, we ended up in the slow tracks, after Rugby so went via Northampton, so we lost 10 minutes getting into Euston. Down to the underground and to Waterloo, and up via Burger King to sit on 159102, the final train from Waterloo to Salisbury. Where Euston’s departure boards were looking empty, Waterloo still had a full displays worth. Nice quiet service arriving at the set-down only stop of Grateley a couple minutes early.

A most enjoyable day in the Cheshire, Liverpool & Manchester area, with some extra 507s/508s crossed off.

 

[Techniquest]

Good God you've been busy! hock: Just a couple of comments for now:

I know what you mean about the 159s to an extent. I couldn't hear them whatsoever when I got there recently (I know I know, a Western man on the LSWR, could be done for treason! ), but while I was waiting for the off from platform 15 (with the 0920 to Exeter going from something like 9) I could hear the 159s roar away very loudly and clearly! Sounded to my tired ears like they were taking lessons from 156s in how to make a racket! That's something I'd like to see mind, a 159 sounding like a 156

As for 90039 being on the Edinburgh portion, are you sure it was tagged onto the back all the way from London to Carstairs? Seems unlikely, but also not impossible. 90039 should have been the shunt loco from Wembley, but it could have easily changed a lot since my last regular use of the Cally Insomny in 2012!

You've been on quite a few trains I need in your recent travels, possibly including my last 508. I'm also surprised you count the DVTs for haulage, but you don't appear to count the Tube

 

[Kite159]

I have no idea, 90039 was on the back when it left Euston, so unless it detached at one of the stops and another 90 took over at Carstairs.

I probably should count the tube and try and get the various numbers, but maybe that will be for next year.

I had my first delay repay claim yesterday for a good few months (last claim was in July I recall when FGW cancelled an early morning train), the East Coast Service I was on kinda kept randomly stopping towards Peterborough (some fault with the lights in Coach D) (91120-82202), terminated at PBO and the passengers got put onto either an Edinburgh bound HST or Leeds bound 225. 45 minutes late into Newcastle. (Plus the first Tyne & Wear Metro did an emergency stop between Haymarket & Jesmond)

 

[Techniquest]

Sounds like a fun experience there, lol. Did it get you an unexpected winner at least?

I've not done a Delay Repay claim for many months, the only detail I remember being it was for a London Midland trip. Maybe I'm lucky I don't get heavily delayed much!

 

[Kite159]

East Coast delay repay seems to be rather easy, complete an online form, scan the tickets and hit submit, with a reference number arriving to say they had received the details.

No FGW style post it off with a letter and wait 4 weeks to hear back.

Sadly the HST wasn't a winner (although I travelled on it for longer than last time's Edinburgh to Haymarket)

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With regards to your comment about 159 acceleration, Grateley station is on a slight hill, so whenever a westbound service departs from Grateley it's on a hill start which makes a lot of noise. Especially the triples.
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28th September – Blackpool

An autumn Sunday trip to the seaside was the plan, also a plan to ride the Blackpool tram (I would say network, but I don’t call a single line a very busy network). A couple advances booked finding that it was cheaper to book from Euston (the limit I’ve found with cheap VWC advances from Andover/Grateley is around Crewe), so off to Andover early morning to catch 159002 which took me to Waterloo, unlike yesterday where it was diverted to call at Farnborough nothing much to report, although I think it got a bit bike heavy after Woking.

Once into Waterloo with an hour and 20 to kill, I decided to head to Waterloo East to jump onto 465238 (a winner networker, excellent), to take the short hop to London Bridge, where I had hoped to score my first Thameslink branded service, sadly I didn’t read up before hand and London Bridge was closed to all traffic other than Southeastern, so back to platform 6 to await a couple minutes as winner 375612 pulled in for the short hop back to Charing Cross, where the service terminated. Without much else in my book for any plans, I headed down eventually to the Northern line platforms to jump onto a Northern line train to head to Euston. Up to the concourse where I headed for my usual waiting room to await for 23 minutes before the train departure time after checking RTT to get the platform number.

23 minutes before departure I packed my book into my bag and headed towards platform 3 area as pretty much bang on 20 minutes got announced as the platform, I previously checked my tickets and my seat was a good table seat with a view, so I headed straight towards coach B of 390127, took my seat and relaxed as it started to fill up. If you haven’t got a seat reservation, head to the unreserved coaches first, before heading forward from them as Virgin trains fill up from the front first. Odd spotting was a London Overground 378/2 in platform 2 to make up the next service to Watford Junction; the pan was up so I’m guessing it has no 3rd rail there. Due to engineering works on the fast lines we were sent up the slow line, which was a bit painful as it was rather slow, but nice seeing Northampton and speeding through it.

After Rugby, the speed came back as it tried to regain 10 minutes lost, and managed to regain 1 minute, arriving into Preston 9 minutes down, I had an unreserved train to take me to Blackpool North, where I hoped to get either the FTPE 185 or the 158 from Leeds, rather than the service from Liverpool which I suspected would be a 142. I was right as 142044 pulled in, but with 150117 behind it, and the door to the 150 was closer as I took my usual 150 seat, I can’t remember but I don’t think it was high density seating, but a nice little run to the hateful station at Blackpool North, as like other seaside town the station is a lot larger than is needed these days, and having to fight to keep hold my ticket I was out of the station and into a nearby Sainsburys to purchase a sandwich meal deal.

Finding my way towards the sea-front and North Pier, and arriving a couple minutes before tram 9 arrived on a service to Fleetwood Ferry (looking at the timetable it looks like Fleetwood has a better service on Sundays than the rest of the week), nice seating, and a couple ticket-sellers to purchase my Blackpool One ticket (which would allow travel on the buses as well), good levels of usage and a good little bit of line running alongside the coast, passing the lights, a classic car show was taking place, half request stops it seems, with the time being made back by waiting at the timed stops, went into the loop at Fleetwood, which is a nice little seaside town, although like Blackpool isn’t short of hotels or cheap tourist related shops.

15 minutes before the next service so heading for a quick look around to arrive back onto tram 9, and taking one of the prime front seats where there was a blind behind the driver you could still see through it to see the track in front. Nice little 11 mile run taking just over an hour to the other terminus at Starr Gate, passing the Pleasure Beach, which looked interesting, but nothing which is interesting enough to draw me to come back. Back onto tram 9 with new staff for the mile and a half trip back to Waterloo Road, the tram stop closest to Blackpool South, but still a good 5 minute walk away and isn’t that well signposted, and what a difference compared to the North station. South is a single platform whose sole feature was a shelter, which had some grumpy teens smoking & drinking that cheap cider, camped in there. I was suspecting that my luck regarding pacers would come to an end.

Thankfully it wasn’t a pacer which arrived, but a pair of 150s, unit 150134 was leading with 150138 behind. 134 was my first non-159 dud of the day (previously scored on the West Yorkshire challenge), but taking a seat to enjoy the slow pace run back to the main-line along the single track, a very enjoyable line, and arriving back into Preston where it terminated pretty much on time, which is always good. The Virgin service was delayed (not as delayed as a FTPE service though which was running 88 minutes late earlier in the day where passengers to Manchester bundled onto a stopping Pacer), sadly no First Class lounge at Preston (First Class was cheaper than Standard Class when booking tickets), but I headed towards coach J, as 390006 arrived. Quite busy it was, apart from coach J, which was nice and comfy, good leg room and a small table. The train manager saying that passengers for London on flexible tickets should change at Crewe, and catch the service from Liverpool as it gets into Euston 30 minutes before this service (which went via Birmingham). Getting a free drink and the usual snack box, where I alighted at Crewe.

The Cheshire Lounge at Crewe is very nice, not the easiest to get in with the intercom (although the person with the walkie talkie at the other end of the intercom was stood a few metres behind so he let me in manually. Nice little toilet, with free drinks, a pleasant place to relax for the 10 minutes before the Liverpool service was due in, formed today of 390126 (and I think my first dud 390 previously travelled towards Crewe on my Welsh trip earlier in the month), my seat was a nice single seat, in front of the microwave area, so a good view, the Wi-Fi was slightly better than it was on 006, but still it was a bit poor compared to the voyager. Arrival into Euston was on time, which allowed me to quickly head towards the Overground platforms, where my travelcard wasn’t accepted by the gates, but jumped onto dud 378210, which took me for the short hop to South Hampstead where I completely messed up the door to leave the train which lined up best with the ramp to the other platform, where I had something stupid like a 2 minute connection for the special diverted North London line service. Thankfully it was a couple minutes late, and formed of 378212 (back to the winners), to take me to Highbury & Islington via the Primrose Hill connection line, nice to see Camden all lit up.

At Highbury it was a quick trip down towards the Victoria line to take me back to Oxford Circus, changing onto the Bakerloo service to take me to Waterloo, via Wh Smiths to pick up a sandwich meal-deal to find the service back towards Andover was formed not of 3 cars, not of 6 cars, not even of 9 cars, but 8 cars, 159104 was leading (so close to the required 103), 159011 was the middle unit and 158884 was at the rear (the 158 was a winner unit for me), the rear 5 cars detached at Salisbury so after Basingstoke were nice and quiet, the guard was very professional, “first class is located towards the rear, the middle and the front of this service, marked by the blue seats, you could buy the £5 weekend upgrade etc”.

Arrival back into Andover was on time, no 159 related door issues tonight, and at the end of a busy day with good weather in Blackpool, got to love the sound of a 159-159-158 set accelerating away from a station.

4th October – Eurostar

Todays plan was to cross of that last remaining proper TOC (sorry Gatwick Express, you are merely a sub-brand of Southern), in the form of the Eurostars. Passport packed, as I set off, slightly later than normal at 5:59 on 159012 for the trip to Waterloo, with the usual 5 minute “we are ahead of schedule so have to wait for a platform” stop outside the station to allow a Portsmouth bound service to leave. I headed towards a 455 which was down as being the next service to Clapham, but it was having issues detaching from another 455, so onto 455920 I jumped, sadly arriving into Clapham a couple minutes late, missing my planned train to Victoria, not to worry as I fired up RTT to see that there was a service which called at Battersea Park in a couple minutes where the service to London Bridge via Crystal Palace High-level also called.

Onto winner 455810 (why do I get a feeling I will be undertaking a 455 bash next year?) for the short trip to Battersea Park, a nice little station with steep stairs and a disused platform and a platform which is hardly used (used by a small number of London Overground services a day, since they took over the Inner South London route and extended it to Clapham Junction). Heading to the other platform via a shop outside the station to buy a newspaper, and 377610 pulled in on the service to London Bridge via Crystal Palace High-level (the platforms served by London Overground) rather than the low-level platforms (if that makes any sort of sense). Making use of the toilet as I set back, phone on charge and would say relax, but that is rather hard to do on those hard seats.

I alighted one station too early (doh), at Sydenham, crossing over the bridge in the rain, and as there wasn’t much in the way of shelter jumped onto winner 378217 for the short trip back to Crystal Palace, where it terminated. I’m guessing that the bay platform 4 isn’t used anymore, but my time exploring the rather wonderful station building, as 377611 arrived (sadly a dud) to take me back to Victoria. Down to the underground station, at the sub-surface platforms as a District line service pulled in to take me the short 2 mile trip to Blackfriars, having just missed a double 377 set, I awaited as Luton bound 319371 arrived to take me to St Pancras Thameslink. My first Thameslink branded service.

Into St Pancras, still with 90 minutes to kill before the departure time of the service to Brussels, so I headed over to Kings Cross to do a Finsbury hop, outward was Great Northern double winner 365504/365527, and back to Kings Cross was winner 313058. Across the street to St Pancras where check-in was open for both the Brussels service and a Paris service which departed 4 minutes afterwards. A bit busy it was, but as soon as going pass the automatic gates scanning the bar-code on my e-tickets, through security and pass passport control and I arrived into the underbelly of the waiting area. Purchasing a meal-deal from the WH Smiths (surprised it wasn’t a rip-off, but still the regular meal-deal price), and took a seat to await. You would imagine two services departing within 5 minutes of each other would be kept apart at the platforms, but no, the Brussels service departed from P10 (I think) and the Paris service from P9. Arriving onto the platform around 6 coaches down, and unable to turn back to get the number of the rear 373, I headed forward to get 373106, which 373107 is believed to be at the rear.

Managing to get myself booked into a table seat in one of the coaches with a power socket which allowed my iPod to have a quick charge, before it set off, stopping at Ebbsfleet & Lille, at Ebbsfleet the Paris train shot pass us. Stopping for a couple minutes before we reached the tunnel before we carried on, picking up some good speed as all of a sudden the darkness ended and we were in France, carrying along at some good speed, some nice scenery along the way, before reaching Lille where the nice scenery came to a sudden end, as it ended tunnels, graffiti was plenty, as it continued along the high speed line towards Belgium, stopping for a couple minutes outside Gare du Nord, which allowed me to have a notice of some of the local rolling stock, white bodies with red doors seems to be the lively. Arrival into Du Nord and alighted, with a good site of a couple other high-speed units in the station, an ICE to Germany and another one which I can’t recall the name of.

Down to the metro, picking up a metro-day ticket at €7, before going though the barriers down to the metro platforms, employing the Spanish solution with doors being able to open both sides as a route 6 unit arrived, the number of the front unit was 165, plastic seating was the order of the day with pull handles to open the doors. Seemed to be an oldish unit, but well maintained, fast to accelerate and before I knew it, the terminus at Elisabeth was reached. Thinking that a walk would be in order to take me to Simonis, but it was up some stairs and it was there. Route 2 was next with unit number 229/110 to take me out from under the city towards Roi Baudouin. Where a couple minutes later the same unit returned to take me back towards Heysel where I exited the metro network and onto the extensive tram network of Brussels.

Tram 4017 was waiting and had the earliest departure on route 7, which I stayed on until Churchill, a very good little route, along the historic parts of the city, a good way to see some of the city, much better than by a bus. I alighted a stop early at Churchill instead of Vanderkindre, I quickly jumped onto a route 3 tram for the short hop, formed of 4014. I tried to locate the route 4 tram-stop and managed to locate it, as tram 4004 pulled in. These new trams are quite nice, good seats. At Stalle the tram terminated as I crossed over to the other platform where tram 4032 was waiting, tapping my card against the reader. 4032 took me all the way, back underground in the pre-metro tunnels towards Gare Du Nord, the north station. Changing over onto a route 3 tram, formed of 4046 for the trip out of the tunnels and recovering the route earlier, went towards Esplanade, a rather odd terminus as there didn’t seem to be much there, the tram departed around the loop and arrived back on the other platform, but unlike the other terminuses it was one tram only.

10 minutes later it departed back towards Churchill where I alighted at De Wand, to cross over to await as a route 7 tram arrived to take me back to Heysel. Exiting the tram network and back to the metro, and down to the platform to await route 4 train 176/351 pulled in to take me back to Du Midi. I looked at my phone to find myself still with 90 minutes before the eurostar departed so I went back to the metro to jump onto a route 2 train, I could only get 224 as a number from this unit, not sure if they are a car number or a unit number with the units doubled up. To West Station where I transferred to the route 1/5 platforms, slightly newer trains, they had a bit of fake wood on the plastic seats, the only number I could get from the route 5 train was 6201, which took me towards De Broukere, where I transferred down to the tram platforms, where I boarded the next tram (4063) back to Du Midi.

Exiting the metro network for the final time, not one ticket check in the day, and towards the Eurostar check-in which took less time than the morning, passing a happy passport control guard, as it would be stopping at Lille, Calais & Ashford, I was happy I would get that part of line between the CTRL and Ashford from the south, and speed though Ebbsfleet on the way back. Sadly it was dark so I was unable to enjoy much of the scenery outside the window, but some of the scenery inside was quite good. The toilets on the Eurostars could do with being a bit more modern, floor mounted buttons to operate the water & toilets are rather old.

Into St Pancras, where I managed to get the number of the front unit of 373005, with 373006 thought to be the rear, it was blocked off at Du Midi so I was unable to get the small number. I had plenty of time to get back to Waterloo, the Eurostar arrived around 21:10, so the next Grateley bound service was going to be 22:20. The Victoria line had some large delays due to something happening at Green Park, so I bailed at Euston and went down the Northern line to Waterloo. Once at Waterloo I looked at the displays for the fastest service to Basingstoke, and jumped (using my usual trick at Waterloo of a train about to close for departure of jumping into the first door and walking up the train) onto winner 444041 for the trip to Basingstoke. I wanted to test out the Wi-Fi which has been fitted to the 444s, and it is quite good, much better than the offering from Virgin. Interesting that it skipped Woking and called at Farnborough & Fleet. At Basingstoke I went down to get dinner of a late night pizza, and back to the station to await as 159014 pulled in, for the short trip back to Grateley, the end of a good day out.

5th October – Supertrams

A trip to Sheffield was the order of the day, but a lucky connection on the Saturday when I logged onto RTT to find out the exact time the service from Andover would depart as it can vary, and lucky I did as it was replaced by a bus (although the timetable posters said it was going to be a train). My first rail replacement bus (formed of a Volvo coach from local operator Amport & District) of the year. Nice and comfy ride to Basingstoke along the A303 and M3, where I would have put it for stopping at the bus stop at the bottom of the stairs at Basingstoke, instead it made its way up a tight corner to drop off at the station front in the short-stay taxi bays.

Into the station and onto a waiting 159001 which was waiting to take us to Waterloo, nothing much happened and arrived into Waterloo a bit early, didn’t have its usual 10 minute wait at Clapham. Crossing over to Kings Cross St Pancras, and I had 40 minutes to spare, so I did some hopping, jumping onto a Thameslink service southbound, formed of 319443/319425 for the short trip to Farringdon. Looking at the screens and there was a sizable gap before the next service so I jumped onto a Hammersmith & City line service back to Kings Cross St Pancras, and back up to the EMT platforms at St Pancras. On arrival the gates were open and the platform for the Sheffield train had just been announced, formed of 2x5 car sets (so passengers for Long Eaton needed to be in the front set), formed of 222012 leading with 222009 behind. Due to the fast lines undergoing engineering works we went up in the slow-tracks (hence the lack of Thameslinks), but taking 3 hours to get to Sheffield. Thankfully the scenery was very nice and I was able to relax.

At Sheffield, I crossed outside the station to the tram platforms, to await a service to take me towards Meadowhall via the Cathedral, noting a special deal for a tram-only day ticket, I boarded, purchased the ticket from the seller as it set of towards Cathedral. The first tram was 109. Going by tram is a good way to seeing the various parts of Sheffield, the good, the bad & the ugly, all stops are by request. The seats are quite comfy. Reversing at Cathedral and heading back along the city centre over the bridge and towards Meadowhall, customer levels remained roughly the same, and running alongside the double deck road bridge and it pulled into the tram platforms at Meadowhall. Changing seats as 109 headed back towards the city itself.

Once at the city, I alighted at Castle Square and walked up towards Cathedral via Sainsburys to pick up some lunch. At Cathedral I was either going to jump onto a yellow or a blue route tram, it depended which arrived first, and it was a blue route tram, 117, to take me to Malin Bridge, getting caught in traffic around the shopping area at Hillsborough. Into Malin Bridge and pretty much straight out, owing to the delay of arrival, and I stayed on for the short hop back to Hillsborough, where I got lucky as a yellow route tram was making its way down the road, so crossing the road and to the tram platform as tram 113 pulled in.

Tram 113 took me to the end of the yellow route at Middlewood, which seemed to be a nice part of the area, and after reversal it took me back out (another fast turnaround due to delays), as it set off back towards Meadowhall, one of the tram stops I don’t want to be at as its in the middle of busy dual carriageways with the tram-line in the middle of them. I alighted at Cathedral to await the next Blue or Purple route tram to take me to the other side of the city, and it was a purple route tram, made up of 103 which took me all the way to Herdings Park, which was a park. Lovely views of the city as the tram climbs the hills away from the city centre. 10 minutes at Herdings Park and it was back to Gleadless Townsend, where I transferred to the other platform to await the next blue route. I made a mistake and misread the next train as being a blue route but was a purple route (tram 125) which went back to Herdings Park, and back out to Gleadless, where I was lucky and managed to get a blue route 116 to Halfway.

Passing a large shopping centre, it soon went rural and terminated outside a large car-park, which all seemed to be at Halfway (apart from a bus-stop). I jumped back onboard and headed back to the city alighting at Cathedral which is a quite nice stop outside the cathedral (wouldn’t have guessed that), as I visited Sainsburys again for a sandwich for later. I walked down towards Fitzalan Square, just for something different as tram 101 pulled in, either on a blue or purple route, which took me back to the station, all the current network covered.

At the station, I headed to the toilets on the platform, as the toilets in the concourse area are paid for, went outside the station to look at the fountain and went back inside to wait at platform 2, 25 minutes early, so I read my book. Double winners 158854/158846 arrived on a service to Norwich, I was only going as far as Nottingham to close the gap between Chesterfield & Alferton, which arrived into Nottingham a bit early for it to separate, quite a busy service but I was lucky as I had a reserved seat. That was busy but the service from Nottingham to St Pancras was even busier, formed of 5-car 222011, somepeople can’t understand the word “reserved from Nottingham to St Pancras” or “reserved from East Midlands Parkway”. It was sadly getting dark when we left Nottingham so my window viewing was very limited until darkness fell and I went to my book. Standing room only after Bedford, as it arrived into St Pancras on time.

There must be an easy way to getting from the EMT platforms at St Pancras to the Victoria Line platforms, as it seems quite a walk. Half walking, half fast-walking I managed to get down to Waterloo with 5 minutes to spare to jump onto 159104/159019/158883. Another winner SWT 158 unit (3 left from their 11 units). Nothing much happened on the way to Andover; even with 5 minutes to spare I got a good table seat in the middle 159 as it sped away, I enjoyed the packet of crisps I had with my meal deal. The end of a good day on the trams.

10th October – Bedwyn rounder 2

Nothing much has changed, felt odd to walk though empty coaches on a HST on a peak-time service from Paddington, another 45 minute wait at Salisbury (better than a 30 minute wait at Trowbridge), similar route to the 12th September. The masts around Reading are getting more.

First unit was 159016/159009 for the short hop to Basingstoke, where sadly the 150/0s were out of action being replaced by 3-car 165s, so 165116 took me to Reading (winner). I think the next time I do the rounder, I will jump onto the HST which departs before the Bradford on Avon bound unit to get another HST to Newbury. 43158/43153 (both winners) took me to Trowbridge, front 3 coaches only, I got a table seatv(all the better to type up some reports) in coach E so I had a nice walk to coach C. The FGW service to Portsmouth was running late (what again?) formed of dud 158952. Next time I will wait for the service from Cheltenham as it looks quieter when it arrives into Salisbury and is the SWT hire-unit, better chance of getting one of my 3 remaining SWT 158s (158880, 882 & 885) as all the FGW 158s have been covered. I managed to get a table seat on the FGW service.

Into Salisbury for the 45 minute wait, before 159002 arrived with an unknown 159 behind it which detached at Salisbury, I walked home just in time before a heavy rain shower started which lasted a couple hours. I can’t complain 135-odd miles for £9, mix of 159s, 158s, HST & either 165/150.

11th October – A Railtour to Swanage

A Saturday where I wasn’t on an early morning train? Madness it was. My first UK Railtour tour involving a 159 to Swanage, now including free transfers via SWT on the day. Sadly it had changed since booking and instead of going via the Laverstock north-south line it called into Salisbury and reversed. Engineering works in the Eastleigh area with the Cross Country Voyagers being diverted was the cause. I went to the station to catch the 8:24-odd train to Salisbury (didn’t want to push the free connections and go to Basingstoke), formed of 159013 (which would have formed the 5:25 to Waterloo) which took me to Salisbury.

Delay at Salisbury when it attached to another unit to take it down to Exeter before the doors were opened and I alighted, buying a newspaper I went to take a seat to read as the charter train arrived. Busy station is Salisbury with units attaching and detaching. 159004 & 159020 were the 159s on duty, and as the FGW Portsmouth service was running a few minutes late, it meant we were running a bit slow towards Southampton, where we reversed and finally got up to some sort of speed heading towards Bournemouth.

At Bournemouth, there was a bus service if you wanted one to go to Swanage via the chain ferry at Sandbanks, it was down to be a route 50 half-open top bus, but due to the weather, Wilts & Dorset provided a couple route 40 double deckers. Nice little trip, banging into branches, and over the chain ferry, although it got quite warm in the upper deck when we were waiting for the ferry. I would imagine the bus and the train arrived roughly at the same time. We got a discount on the steam trains, so after purchasing a meal-deal from the local Co-Op I purchased a discounted ticket and headed to the platform to await the arrival of the service to Norden, being pulled by steam engine 6695, which ran around the coaches at Swanage and at Norden.

A very enjoyable little line is the Swanage railway, good scenery of south Dorset, and soon enough I was back into Swanage itself with a couple hours to spare. The only other train in action appeared to be some sort of freight train which went backwards and forward as well. Nice little town, bit touristy but not overly touristy. For the last 40 minutes I spent sat overlooking the station from the picnic area before the doors on the 159 were released where I relaxed.

Due to a bridge strike on the part of the line between Wareham & Norden we were reduced to walking pace, although at Wareham we were 10 minutes up. I was so close to winning the top prize in the raffle (passenger behind me won it on the same colour tickets). Into Bournemouth running at a good speed going non-stop though Poole station, sadly the good speed ended after Bournemouth as we were put behind a stopper (which were being extended to Portsmouth), so it was quite slow. At Southampton we reversed again and headed back towards Salisbury, picking up some good speed, although the light had gone by the time we arrived into Salisbury where I alighted.

Due to a broken down train in the Wimbledon area, there was some quite major delays, an Exeter bound service arrived 68 minutes down, “9 car” 159002 pulled into Salisbury with an unknown 159 behind it (which detached at Salisbury) which took me back towards Grateley, running a bit late from Salisbury. Still came up on the display at Grateley as having 9 cars (which arrived after it had departed). A nice relaxing Saturday down to Swanage it was.

12th October – Tyne & Wear Metro

Newcastle was my aim for today, for my 2nd to last light-rail network (leaving just Manchester), after double checking there wasn’t going to be a bus today (line between Salisbury & Andover closed until 9am), as 159011 arrived from Basingstoke, and reversed using the crossover to the west of Andover. Quite a busy train it was, but soon was on its way once the bus from Salisbury arrived.

Waterloo came on time with the regular wait outside the station before I went down to the Bakerloo to Oxford Circus, then to Kings Cross via the Victoria Line. I had 40-odd minutes spare so I did the Finsbury park run, next Great Northern service to Finsbury was 317348/317345, both winners as being my first Great Northern 317 units. At Finsbury there was a sizable gap for the next southbound service so I went down to the underground and jumped onto a Victoria line service back to Kings Cross. When I went up to the main-line station, the platform for the Newcastle bound service had been announced, formed of 91120 pulling 82202. I’ve had 91120 before, but it had a different DVT, and I’ve had 82202 before but it was attached to a different 91. Taking my seat and relaxing as it set off.

Due to engineering works, they were being diverted via Hertford North, which allowed me to get the flyover in & dive under at Stevenage in (first time northbound), however the train wasn’t that well, as it kept on stopping, stopped once on the loop line and 4 more times before it terminated at Peterborough, with the lights of coach D turned off. Thankfully East Coast stopped the Edinburgh bound HST which was scheduled to run non-stop to York to replace the stops of the Newcastle train, allowing the Grand Central HST to Sunderland to pass before it set off stopping along the way. Formed of duds 43320/43306, I arrived into Newcastle 46 minutes later than schedule (delay repay form submitted).

Going via Sainsburys for some lunch, I went down to the metro platforms, purchasing a day-ticket, and went to the northbound platform, where I got lucky and an Airport unit pulled in, formed of 4009/4052, seemed a nice enough unit, good arm rest, seats which lined up with the windows, seats which are comfy and some prime seating at the front. Fast to accelerate and fast to do an emergency stop as between Haymarket & Jessop the brakes came on as it came to a sudden stop. 5 minutes later it set off, but it meant the connection at the Airport was missed so I had a 10 minute wait before 4052/4009 set off back towards the city centre. I alighted at South Gosforth, crossing over to wait for the next service to St James via the Coast, formed of 4078/4013.

Quite busy, but I found a seat, and after a couple kids removed their feet, sat down for a good run towards the coast, good views to be had, and back towards the city centre, running alongside the river, with the docks and industrial areas spotted, and back underground, and into St James. I exited the network for a quick walk back towards Monument station, where I went back underground to wait to see what the next service was going to be. 4004/4053 pulled in on a service to South Hylton, which is a good run, running alongside the main-line between Gateshead & Pelaw before running on the same tracks towards Sunderland. Must be the only station which platforms are shared between heavy & light rail. Along the former track to South Hylton, I managed to get the front seat after Sunderland which was good.

10 minutes at South Hylton and it was back along the way, again I managed to get the front seat, as it continued along to Pelaw, where I took a gamble and jumped onto 4001/4016 which was heading to South Shields. Gamble that I worked out the time it would take, and estimated I would have 10 minutes to get from the underground station to the mainline station if it took 10 minutes to turnaround. Thankfully as it was running a bit late, it didn’t take 10 minutes, it only took 5 minutes so after getting some dinner from Sainsburys I went to the platform where the East Coast service was waiting. The line to South Shields is interesting, running alongside a freight line, meaning some single track action, but a nice bit of line.

3rd time lucky I got a winning combo for the trip back to Kings Cross, 91132 was at the rear with DVT 82210 at the front. I managed to get a good table seat to do some studying and then some reading, for the trip back down south, darkness fell after York where we ran non-stop via Hertford North to arrive into Kings Cross on time. After getting back to Waterloo I decided to jump onto winner 444019 for the short trip back to Basingstoke to use the Wi-Fi, before 159021 & 159002 took over and took me back to Andover.

A long day, but enjoyable, last long Sunday planned for a while which my body will enjoy.

On the 14th October I went to London Bridge for the work quarterly meeting, 159018/159107 took me to Waterloo, with 465028/465912 (both winners) to London Bridge after Waterloo East. 465007/465249 took me back to Waterloo East with 159002/159107 taking me back to Grateley. And on the 17th I went to Southampton from Romsey, winner 158880 taking me via Eastleigh with dud FGW 158950 taking me back to Romsey.

18th October – Cumbria Coast

A day I was looking to, as it was a return to silly o’clock start with the 5:24 service to Waterloo, and it was very wet this morning, but I wasn’t alone in getting onto 159014 (with is now a super-dud), quite dark outside and it remained dark into Waterloo, nothing much to report on the journey, down to the underground at Waterloo to the Northern Line platforms to have a 5 minute wait for the next service, which allowed me to get to the front of the platform to get into the first car. Up to Euston and I came up to the main station around 7:07, a few minutes before the magic Euston 20. A quick fire of RTT found it was scheduled to depart from P3, so I hung around the entrance to the P3 ramp, with the 7:20 Manchester service due to depart from P2, so it was a bit busy.

7:10 arrived and still nothing with the platform getting announced officially at 7:14, and straight down to P3, pass the guards showing my ticket to Whitehaven with a smile, and onto dud 390010, also known as what should have been my first 390 if it wasn’t for engineering works around Waterloo in March, so it was my 2nd 390 (Carlisle to Edinburgh). Daylight was starting to break, as it set off full of West Ham fans heading to their match in Burnley, my table seat was decent which makes a change.

Arriving into Lancaster a few minutes late, and I alighted, making a quick trip to the loo to wait as the FTPE service to Barrow arrived, formed of winner 185145 (another 185 covered) for the beautiful (in parts) trip up the West Coast and away from the wires to Barrow, and what a beautiful (in parts) line, crossing rivers, with views of mountains and the sea (or Morecombe bay). It terminated at Barrow-in-Furness and I spotted what looked like a 142, but my eyes were playing games as I went towards the other platform to board the connecting service to Whitehaven.

Formed of double winner 153317/153307, for some dog-box action, got busy in parts, before getting quiet, before getting busy, I’m guessing the local roads are not the best so the locals use the trains to get around. Another quite beautiful trip, passing industry at the Sellafield, and through a tunnel and bang Whitehaven was there. 15 minutes in Whitehaven so I dashed to the Tesco to get some lunch, hoping the service to Carlisle wouldn’t arrive in the meanwhile. Very windy on the coast, I felt sorry for some of the ladies heading to Carlisle to party wearing dresses and skirts, trying to keep them down against the wind.

Back at the rather low platforms of Whitehaven and dud 156484 pulled in (previously seen in Middlesbrough), I managed to get a good table seat, but it kept getting busier, I’m guessing there must be something happening in Carlisle owing to the number of ladies drinking cheap wine and getting ready to celebrate, a youth who seemed to be glued to his phone sat by the side of me from Workingham. Nice trip along the coast, with mountains to the other side. A line to revisit, but gets a bit rough towards Carlisle.

25 minutes I had in Carlisle, before my booked service to Oxenholme arrived, so I spent watching how many delays they had, the only services without delays were the ones which started from there, a couple 390s, a 221, a northbound 350, managed to get a couple pictures of the East Coast HST on diversion, before my first 350/4 arrived, 350406 pulled in on a service to Manchester Airport, and it was quite nice inside. I got given a passenger survey to fill out on the journey down to Oxenholme, which is always a beautiful trip, running alongside the M6. Arrival into Oxen was 7 minutes late, but who is counting, as the service to Windermere was also a few minutes late.

I’m guessing that service to Windermere spilt on route as the coaches were lettered D, E & F, formed of winner 185118 (7 down!) for the short but sweet trip towards Windermere, I was interested in coverage so I will revisit next year to spend some time around the lakes themselves, so back onto 185118 for the trip back to Oxenholme where it was terminating. Makes perfect sense putting the wires along this line, at Oxenholme I transferred to the other platform to wait as a double 350/4 pulled in towards Manchester before winner 390050 (12th 390) pulled in on a service back to Euston. Some confusion with my ticket as poor printing meant the coach letter could have been a B, or D or even E, so I sat in coach E as it had a table and used my laptop to start writing up my first OU assessment of the year and also to get up to date with my trip reports as it was dark. Arrived into Euston 10 minutes early, which made a nice change as it gave me time to get back to Waterloo via the northern line (probably the best driver saying that “embankment was closed that the next stop would be Waterloo, South of the river, scary isn’t it” and “any more last minute change of minds?”, grabbing a quick bite to eat before playing find the diesel for the 19:50 service back to Salisbury. Formed tonight of duddy-dud 159105 for a rather uneventful trip back to Grateley (saying that at Andover, so hopefully I haven’t jinked the service now).

 

[Techniquest]

Reading all that almost took me as long as typing Day 5 of my trip report

Some massive amounts of trips there, some of them being big days out the day after a big trip away, which seems like madness! Jealous you've had 158884, my last SWT DMU to get. Also jealous you've had 390010, my penultimate 390/0 to get in the book. The rest I don't have my books to hand to check. Each 373 you got are required here though, and at least you didn't have the same set on your way home, like I did!

When I did Eurostar out of St Pancras, I was in coach 17 so went up the relevant walkway. I found it came out just in the right place to observe the smaller number for the rear set. Same coach going back, and same fortune coming up the relevant escalator for my part of the train. Although I was more than irritated to find I had 3733223 and 3733224 both ways!

You've reminded me I need to do the Tyne and Wear Metro again to fill in the gap I've got in my coverage, North Shields to Byker IIRC. I keep forgetting to go and get it done!

Overall it sounds like you've had some excellent results all in, although I wouldn't want to see your expenditure on that lot!

 

[Kite159]

Today I've been on a magical (not-so) mystery tour on the SWT diversions between Woking & Clapham (via Staines going via Hounslow on the way in and Richmond on the way out). Although some new track (I think) in going via Vauxhall P1 (and to the north side of the old Eurostar ramp). Plus I arrived on a train into an empty Cannon Street on a Sunday.

Although the Sunday service between Salisbury & Basingstoke has improved today, every hourly instead of the skipping 2 hourly pattern. No worries at missing the train at Waterloo to have to wait 2 hours for the next train which stops at Grateley.

(Although if you are rushing to catch a service which departs at say 21:58 and the big clock has just gone onto 21:57 do you jump onto the first available door (abit it being 1st class and walk down the train) or run down the length of the platform to jump on as the doors are starting to close)

 

[Kite159]

19th October – A Day of Diversions

Dear South West Trains, can all Sundays be like the 19th where all the trains stop at Grateley, Whitchurch & Overton? So refreshing not having a drive in the morning to Andover to catch the 7:00 service to Waterloo, instead having a short drive to the station, quite chilly it was standing around waiting for 159008 to arrive. Personally I would expected a double owing to the diversion cutting down the number of services between Woking & Waterloo, needless to say after Woking it was standing room only, the guard making a good income for selling weekend first upgrades. The service was losing time from Salisbury, caused by poor adhesion with the rails.

Stopped for around 15 minutes after Winchfield, before continuing along towards Woking, managing to beat the stopper (which was being held at Byfleet) to divert onto the Chertsey line, to power towards Virginia Water, although not that fast though the stations, onto the Reading – Waterloo line proper at Virginia Water and down towards Feltham, going slow-ish though the stations, but nice to get some more non-stop action, before it went off on the Hounslow loop, now 25 minutes late, back onto the main-line, stopping at Clapham before carrying on towards Waterloo, first time going pass Vauxhall via P1 and to the north of the former Eurostar ramp, and into Waterloo, the works in place, reducing the platforms available.

30 minutes late into Waterloo, so it was a bit of a rush to get to Paddington, and a rush to fight pass the crowds wanting to board the service back to Exeter. Down onto the Bakerloo where I got lucky as a classic unit pulled in, taking a comfy seat to speed off towards Paddington, exiting the Bakerloo platform and onto the concourse to check the platform number for the service to Carmarthen. Formed of winners 43053 & 43005, and it set off, down the relief lines until just after Slough where it transferred into the fast lines, I would have said it would have been into P7 at Reading, but arrived into P9. Down towards Newbury and speeding though the B&H stations, slowing down to cover the curve leading to the Wessex line, before speeding though Trowbridge & Bradford back to the main line at Bath, and onto Bristol. A nice peaceful ride at a table, medium loading with a full ticket check (rare!) carried out between Reading and Bath, well they had a good hour to waste. At Temple I saw one of the ‘new’ 150/9s the north-side bay platform on Severn Beach duties.

Having a look around Bristol, probably for the first time since 2005/6 time and parts have changed, but still is mostly the same, but soon my time was nearly up so back to the station I went, and the unit from Swansea forming the return leg was already in the station, having arrived to do the reversal, formed of duds 43158/43191 (158 had the previous Friday between Reading & Trowbridge, and 191 in August back from Bristol Parkway to Reading). Quite busy, I had a table seat (going backwards again) booked, which was free until Reading, where I bailed. Nice little return trip, picking up speed between Bath & Trowbridge, and the first time of using the east bound middle track at Newbury to overtake a Turbo.

Into Reading where I alighted and made my way to P14 (might have been 15) to jump onto the Turbo from Didcot, formed of winners 165132 & 165111, and was nice and empty. A RPI came by and challenged me on my ticket, which after a couple minutes checking went away (probably didn’t realise that you could travel from Basingstoke to Paddington if you paid extra to get Any Permitted rather than the default “Via Woking”). Annoyingly it was a bit late getting into Reading (and was due to run semi-fast stopping at Slough) which meant the Reading to Paddington stopper got ahead (we were racing coming out of the station before stopping). Managed to overtake by moving into the fast line after Maidenhead area before coming back into the relief tracks before Slough, where we remained, arriving a few minutes late, but a nicer trip than on a busy HST. Down to London Bridge via Baker Street (Bakerloo to Baker Street for a cross platform interchange to a Jubilee train) and I arrived onto P1 of London Bridge a good 15 minutes to spare before the Ashford train was due.

A service going down the Maidstone line to Ashford, you would put money on it being a 375 right? Nope, I got a surprise when winner 465035 pulled in (not even a 465/9 with First Class) from Cannon Street, next stop St Mary Cray, using the curve after Chislehurst, and onto the Chatham main-line (in place due to the lines into Victoria being closed on the South-eastern side), second time in covering this rare curve, and I changed at St Mary Cray, the edge of the London zones. Having some spare time before the return was due, I went onto winner 465245 on a service to Blackfriars, alighting at Ravensbourne, crossing platforms where my series of duds began, 465007 (previously had on the prior Tuesday between Waterloo East & Bridge) took me back to St Mary Cray, with a couple fare dodgers getting caught when a RP boarded at Bromley. Over the platform to wait as 465912 (although unit from Tuesday) arrived to take me back to Cannon Street

At least it was a 465/9 this time, so people who paid for 1st class could have a small 1st class section, quite busy, but I managed to get a good seat as it used the grade separation to get back onto the SEML in a large curve, so both sides of that junction have been covered, and onward with majority of passengers alighting at London Bridge where it continued for the short trip over Cannon Street bridge into a rather deserted Cannon Street station. Not normally open on Sundays, and with only 2 trains departing in the next hour, with the last we passed between Bridge & Cannon so not a lot of passengers, the underground station were closed so I took a walk back to Blackfriars, in the sunshine.

Once at Blackfriars I went to the northbound platform to wait as Thameslink dud 319425 arrived to take me the short 46 chain journey to Farringdon (which I swear feels longer), where I changed over to the southbound platform to jump onto dud 319220 for the trip south to London Bridge. It was on a Sutton loop service, whose next stop would have been Sutton, if I had time I would have continued down to Sutton to get some additional non-stop stations. Across to P6 and onto 465016/465037 and my run of duds came to an end as 465016 was a winner, my 31st 465, I rode it for a few minutes into Charing Cross, where I dashed over to the opposite platform onto a packed solid 465017, another winner.

Standing by the door allowed me to jump off quickly at London Bridge across to P6 with a couple minute wait as a Bedford train has just cleared the platform, as 466030/466002/465239 pulled in, an unusual combo with 2 466s combined with a 465, but all 3 units were winners which was a good end of the day. To Waterloo East, crossing over the bridge and heading to the Reading/Windsor platforms of Waterloo, as 159108/159021 pulled in with a quick turnaround, 10 minutes (was delayed arriving), with me getting a good seat for a quite busy trip back to Grateley via Richmond, arriving 10 minutes down, but that was to be expected with a long diversion pass stations which doesn’t normally see the delights of 159s (or 444s).

24th October – Farewell to the Pretendolino
The last schedule running of the Pretendolino, and the news was looking good, it appeared to be running. I finished a bit earlier than planned, this came in handy as I got on to the 14:49 departure to Basingstoke, formed of 159007 (so super-dud). At Basingstoke I had either the choice of a late running FGW service to Reading (running 18 minutes late when it departed Basingstoke) or a Cross Country service. The 150/0s were back on their regular duty and winner 150001 arrived (if it was dud 150002 I would have jumped onto the 220/221 for the chance of a winner).

Into Reading, and spotting the revised 166 sitting on platform 14, looking quite smart in the new livery, and I went onto a 180 hunt, as the 16:26 departure to Paddington calling at Slough was diagrammed to be a 180, and a smile appeared on my face as the Bedwyn service pulled in before hand to pick up a few passengers waiting at Reading to Paddington, as the sight of a 180 pulled in, and it was a dud 180104, managing to get a nice seat by the window in coach B, for the journey into Paddington. The internal doors are rather slow to open. Arriving into Paddington, 2 hours to spare, so I went around to platform 12 to jump onto the Greenford bound winner 165131, for the short (can’t really call it a bus-stop hop at 5 miles) trip to Ealing Broadway, where a quick change of platform allowed me to board winner 165135 for the trip back to Paddington.

Almost made a big mistake by jumping onto a turbo service, first stop Maidenhead, so I decided to pop to the newsagents to purchase a newspaper and await the Heathrow Connect service, formed of winner 360202 on the outward leg and 360203 on the inward leg, again changing at Ealing Broadway. Time was getting on as I headed towards the Hammersmith & City line platforms to jump onto a Circle line train which stopped outside Edgware Road for a few minutes, awaiting the signal to change as the H&C service in front had broken down, so the service from Edgware got quite busy towards Euston Square. I exited the station with 20 minutes to spare, making my way though the Euston crowd, passing ticket checks and onto the Pretendolino. DRS branded 90034 was leading with Virgin coloured 82126 was the locos of choice, heading up in 1st class, and taking my seat opposite Alex, for a rather enjoyable trip up to Birmingham, moving though the coaches to meet up with several other forum members.

Nice wrap & drink later, and after “this is an old train, to open the doors you need to open the windows and open them from the outside handle”, causing confusion for non Mk3 regulars. Lots of photographers at New Street, platform 4, with a London Midland service wanting to depart from 4a (or 4c?) to Liverpool or Crewe, with “stand clear” was being shouted by the guard as it pulled away. Back onto a quite busy return leg until Rugby where myself and a couple other forum members grabbed a table seat, reservations went out of the window as it pulled back into Euston on P1. A very good service, a shame to see it end, but it couldn’t keep up with the modern 390s with tilt.

Saying farewell as I headed to the underground, noticing the new balcony being built at Euston, down to the Northern line to Waterloo where I made a slight mistake, thinking of doing a quick in/out of Clapham, ended up with me hitting a 10 minute dead spot with no Waterloo bound services, the units travelled to Clapham Junction (before anybody gets confused and thinks I went to Clapham in the north), on 455870/455859. 455870 was a dud, but 859 was a winner, my 34th 455, so only a mere 103 left to mark off (including both Southern & SWT 455s). 20 minutes later the service to Basingstoke pulled in on platform 6, formed of a very busy (just managed to get a seat) 450073, regular users of Clapham Junction might be now pondering, platform 6, as the majority of the Basingstoke stoppers use platform 9 (or 11).

It was platform 6 as it used Point Pleasant Junction to get onto the District line just north of East Putney and down to Wimbledon that unusual way. I ditched at Woking, saving someone wanting to go to Alton a 50 minute wait as he was getting onto the Alton train which was in P2 and pointed him towards P5 for the next Alton train. 13 minutes later the final Salisbury train arrived. 159104 arrived (so 7th time using it this year since I’ve started making a note of the numbers), only thing unusual is that it pulled into Basingstoke on platform 1 and soon enough I was walking home to try and grab some sleep before a bloody early start the next day.

25th October – Cheshire Rover, Part 2

The original plan was to catch the 5:59 to Waterloo to get onto the 8:10 service to Chester, but when advances went on sale for some reason that service was £88, so having to go plan B and booking the 5:24 service to Waterloo and then the 8:07 service to Liverpool, changing at Crewe, so I had a lovely enjoyable hour wait at Euston, after arriving to Waterloo on 159104 (damn, so close), and up the Northern line. Advance tickets so no time-wasting bash on the Overground (although if I wasn’t on advance tickets I wouldn’t have had an hour wait).

As per usual Virgin kindly gave me seat C39, which on a 390 is one of the worst seats, yes it has a table, but the view is of the wall, so heading straight down hoping that it wasn’t a 9 coach on a service normally diagrammed for 11 coaches (hence no unreserved coaches) and thankfully it wasn’t as 390016 was waiting on platform 16 for the trip to Crewe, and I headed straight to coach E to get a table seat with a view. Nothing much on the journey apart from a couple first class customers moaning about the lack of free food coming though the coach, but soon enough Crewe was reached and I alighted to cross over to P9 to await the Chester service. Not knowing what to expect, was it going to be absolutely rammed which was why there was no cheap advances, but when it arrived, a few passengers alighted with suitcases, but coach B was rather empty (10 passengers). Voyager in question was 221109, another winner.

Into Chester a few minutes early to catch the pretendolino farewell tour getting ready to leave for the trip to North Wales, I had enough time to get over to P7 (45 odd minutes to spare before the next Mid-Cheshire line service departed) to do a quick Merseyrail bus-stop trip to Bache, 1 mile according to Rail Miles, sadly it was dud 508120 for the outward leg but winner 507007 for the return leg, which was running a couple minutes late. Deciding not to risk another hop, I headed to sit and watched the movements. An ATW 158 was sat in the sidings, looking rather dusty, has it broken down as I swear it was there the last time in Chester in late September? A voyager pulled in on an Euston service with a passengers mixing up 109 which was stabled in P2, with the service which was ready to leave on P4, and I was getting ready, gearing myself up for what normally is prime 142 country, only to be happy when a double 150 pulled in (abit on the wrong platform).

Formed of 150133 with 150135 behind, I can only assume 150133 was having engine issues until Northwich as it was nice and quiet with 135 providing the power. A nice relaxing line over some lovely countryside, a few footballs by the side of the line, some posh looking houses, but a good journey, running side by side with a Metrolink tram for a few metres, and into Stockport where I transferred over to P2 (interesting that there was a revenue blockade at the bottom of the stairs for P3 & P4, but nothing for P1-P2), the next train departing which called at Wilmslow was an ATW service formed of winner 175104 which was heading to Shrewsbury. At Wilmslow I crossed over to P1, after having a quick look outside and a quick look on RTT to see if I could get lucky at the Airport and jump onto a fast train to Piccadilly, with something like a minute connection it was tight. Hyper-turbo 323233 (I love the 323s) pulled in on a service to Pic via the airport, arriving a couple minutes early allowing me to dash across the platform to jump onto York bound FTPE 185127, yet another winner for the hop to Manchester Piccadilly.

After getting lunch, I looked at my options as I was 40-odd minutes up, and waited around for the Sheffield train, a 150 was stabled in P3 which I thought might have been the unit for Sheffield, but sadly a platform swap happened to P2 and my 142 luck came to an end (last 142 only service was at the start of September in the Tees Valley area). 142038 was the Pacer in question, my first 142 with the original low-bus style 3+2 seating, and damn it was uncomfortable for a tall person, going via Reddish on a trip outside the rover zone to Chinley, and that is such a beautiful part of the world. Alighting at Chinley with a 40 minute wait for the return service, I had a quite look around the small village before heading back, deciding not to stay in the little waiting room as it was sealed and the air was a bit ‘dead’. The return service was 14 minutes late, and formed of winner 142068, one of the former FGW units.

142068 took me back towards Romiley, where a quick platform change got me in luck, the next train to Rose Hill Marple was in 5 minutes, and extra luck as the return service went via Guide Bridge. Formed of 150224, it was a nice hop to Rose Hill (which has an interesting model of a Pacer on the wall outside the station, but was a bit better as it had 8 wheels. Back onto 150224 for the enjoyable trip back to Piccadilly, arriving an hour up on my original plan, which gave me 2 hours to waste before my booked service, so I decided to do some unit bashing to Stockport. Diving over to jump onto ATW 175007, with a couple passengers getting told they boarded the wrong train as the Sheffield train was the FTPE in front, with one of the passengers looking like he had an advance ticket to Cleethorpes, nasty surprise for him.

At Stockport I alighted and headed over to the Manchester bound platforms, passing the guards and waited for the next Manchester train, which wasn’t a lot wait as 323237 pulled in, taking a nice seat for the return leg, and into Piccadilly. I decided to have a change of mind and head to the Airport (not the best of moves), but double winner 185121/185133 arrived to take me down to the Airport, but I arrived at a bit of a dead time and had a 20 minute wait for the next service back to Piccadilly (excluding 185133/185121). Sadly it was dud 185143 on the return leg (final stop Middlesbrough). Dashing over to 390157 for another quick hop down to Stockport, and returning on 150140/150215, I could have possibly fitted another Stockport hop in but the 390 which was making up the service to Euston had arrived, and as usual Virgin had given me a crap seat.

390132 was on the 18:50 to Euston going via Crewe, at 18:45 I was getting a bit worried as I was the only passenger in unreserved coach U, and remained the only passenger as it departed until Stockport when some football fans boarded (with some police) who got off at Crewe (Chester supporters). A nice enjoyable run down the West Coast, non-stop after Crewe (a very nice way to travel), and down to Waterloo to wait as 159002 arrived for the 22:20 service back to Grateley. The end of an enjoyable day with I believe South Manchester being covered (excluding Denton), with a few winners to add to my list.

26th October – Thameslink
This day was looking to be off (following the previous two late nights), until after research found it to be one of the few Sundays where I could go Romsey to Brighton, then Brighton to Bedford without involving a bus. A nice drive to Romsey with parking in my usual place and going to the station, arriving with a good 10 minutes to spare, 158953 pulled in, final destination being Inverness (according to the destination board), sadly my journey to Brighton wasn’t as beautiful as any of the routes to Inverness.

Good thing with the 8:19 service from Romsey to Brighton is that it starts from Romsey, so pretty much guaranteed seat, with an enjoyable run to Brighton arriving into the South coast city pretty much on time, a minute late due to being held at a signal at Hove (with a 377 on Hove-Brighton duties which was due to depart a couple minutes after the FGW), sadly not onto P3, but onto P1. Crossing over to look at the next Gatwick bound service to find it was Thameslink 319428, with me thinking “I recognise this number” when I typed it into the phone, only to be correct as it was a dud. I managed to get a seat and watched as it got busier and busier, until Gatwick where it was standing room only.

Over to P1 at Gatwick, to await the Gatwick Express branded Southern service, was due to depart at 10:50, it didn’t pull into P1 until 10:52, so late before it even started, formed of 442405/442422 (both winners), I made my way to the first car, where the only other passengers was an Asian couple with lots of luggage. Going via a mystery tour following the Thameslink diversion via Crystal Palace before going onto the Southeastern line pass Brixton and into Victoria 10 minutes late, which allowed 3 regular Southern services to arrive faster than the ‘Express’ (ok the 3rd we pulled in at the same time).
Eventually I got out of the platform, as it was the Southeastern side, the Brighton-Bedford ticket wasn’t working the barrier and down to the rammed Underground. Did I fall asleep and wake up at 8:20 on a weekday as that is what it felt like down the stairs with the sub-surface lines not running, lots of passengers getting though the gates. Up the Victoria (a few passengers got off at Green Park for the American football at Wembley) line to St Pancras, heading to the EMT platforms with a 20 minute wait for the 12:30 service to Sheffield. Once more my ticket failed to open the gates, but I was let though and was surprised.

I was expecting a 222 on Sheffield duties, but it was a HST, with 43043 up front and 43052 in the rear, I got a seat which was only reserved from Leicester (read the reservation slips) in coach E on a rather busy train, which was running in the ‘slow’ tracks after St Pancras for a short while due to engineering (track replacement) works. Into Bedford where I had a few options, after grabbing the number of the 43 up front I went down to the town centre, and to be honest it is a bit of a dump (sorry for any readers who live in Bedford), 1960s style buildings, gambling shops, private parking company signs everywhere, even on the side of houses. After 10 minutes I decided to head back to the station.

The EMT service to St Pancras was advertised as ‘full and standing’, but I wasn’t interested as I spotted 377511 on the platform ready for a Three Bridges departure, sitting in the former 1st class section in the rear (amazing even when there are stickers on the doors saying “this seating is for standard class customers” passengers ignore them. A nice little run, only getting overtaken by the EMT service after Luton, a good chance to give my iPod a quick charge. Down underground and out the other side going via Elephant & Castle and unusually via Norbury. Still took nearly 40 minutes between Elephant & East Croydon, sitting at a signal for 10 minutes, without much to look at. I decided to alight at Gatwick and although the platform staff was giving the wrong advice that you needed to board the Thameslink to Three Bridges for buses to Brighton, I stayed and waited as a few minutes later (running late) arrived double winners 377423/377148, with me getting a nice table seat.

Down in Brighton it was chaos, but I escaped it and hung around the end of P1-P2 where there was a lot of other passengers, thankfully they were waiting for the Portsmouth stopper, which was running late, after the Portsmouth stopper departed, the Brighton-Hove shuttle departed (total passengers 2) (that Brighton-Hove service must be one of the shortest scheduled services in the country which isn’t a branch line). The doors on 158961 were opened and I took my reserved seat for the trip back to Romsey, nice to not to listen to the various 377 announcements, and another FGW service which was running on time!

On the 27th October, I hopped to London for the forum meal, 159016 was leading with winner (and my final 159) 159103 behind (yippee), nice trip to Warren Street [note to self, do not use the peak-time subway as I get lost], nice meal and back to Waterloo which was in chaos due to a broken down train, taking a seat on 159021 waiting as 159006 arrived 25 minutes down, to attach and back to Grateley, 30 minutes late in leaving. Some poor passenger who boarded (without a ticket) at Woking who wanted either Warminster or Westbury was told they had missed the last FGW [seems to depart 3 minutes after the SWT is due to arrive, that can’t be an official connection] to Westbury so he had to get a taxi, oops.


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Some pictures of my trip to Aberystwyth & Pwllheli https://www.flickr.com/photos/27666294@N02/sets/72157648631415807/
And from here in my random pictures pile: https://www.flickr.com/photos/27666294@N02/15047268014/in/set-72157644502707352
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1st November – The ‘oh my god, it’s November already’ bash

The aim of today was to cover the once a day service to Heysham Port, plus to do the Morecombe to Leeds line finishing off with a trip to York via Harrogate, west coast to east coast. Nice drive to the station, arriving 10 minutes earlier than required for the first train, as I sat watching the rain come down. A class 70 powered through, followed by a Voyager on the Laverstock diversion due to Winchester – Basingstoke being closed. 159103 rolled in, a few minutes late, I would be going yippee as 159103 was required until last Monday, now all the 159s are duds, the race is on to see which one tips 1000 miles first.

Into Waterloo, via WH Smiths for a newspaper, down to the Northern line to bash up to Euston, arriving at 7:03, looking up RTT to give an idea of the platform for the 7:30 service to Glasgow, a few weeks ago it departed from P3, which is where it departed this week, opposite the 7:20 Manchester train. Winner 390046 was on duty today and my assigned seat was actually quite good (nice window view), so I sat back and did some studying as it departed and was on its way, first stop Warrington, always nice to zoom pass Crewe. Picked up a few extra passengers at Preston, and was soon at Lancaster where I alighted for a 2 hour wait. The cheap advances (£14.50) for Euston to Lancaster after the 7:30 departures were for the X: 43 departures which went via Birmingham, taking an extra hour with the cheapest advances for the faster trains coming in at least £29.50, and not wanting to cut it fine at Lancaster the only other train would have been the 7:43, which wouldn’t have made much of a difference with the starting time from Grateley.

After an hour wondering around Lancaster I headed back to the station, nice city, relaxed. Deciding to try and get an couple extra units in I awaited as 142047 arrived from Sellafield, full and standing when it arrived and pretty much emptied out, probably only a small handful (less than 10) remaining on board before it filled up again. First 142 which has original style 3+2 seating but has been replaced with newer seats (not the bench style), interesting combo, I stayed on for the 2 mile hop to Bare Lane, a ‘reverse’ station where trains pass each other on the wrong side of the track. Nice 20-odd minute wait there as 142047 returned heading back to Lancaster, but I stayed at the station as 156469 pulled in, another Northern winner

To Morecambe where it terminated, a station which probably has seen better times, a uncovered island platform with an exposed waiting shelter, with a small ticket office down the slope. Deciding to hang around as 144013 pulled in which was scheduled for the Heysham Port trip, first I knew something was up when a passenger asked where the replacement bus was departing from, yep, it was replaced by a bus from Morecambe to Heysham Port, I wasn’t the only person disappointed with the news, cancelled due to a “planning error”. At least it was a 144 rather than a 142 with bus-style bench seating. An hour later it departed onwards to Leeds via a reversal at Lancaster. Am I correct in thinking the only planned service which uses the north curve onto the WCML from the Morecambe branch is the 5:46 Lancaster to Windermere service?

Getting a good seat for the long trip to Leeds, via a very beautiful part of the country, the train was getting busier as it arrived into the West Yorkshire travel area at Skipton, where I could have been cheeky and dashed to get a 333 which was running late, a few 322s around the sidings, but due to the 333 service to Leeds departing Skipton 15 minutes late it meant we were stop and start heading towards Leeds, after being on time to being 10 minutes down as it entered Leeds, a couple passengers found out the hard way that they need to buy tickets from the ticket-office or machines at Skipton as they were charged the full anytime rate for tickets. Into Leeds and it was a dash from P5 to P1 to get onto a busy 150206 (spotting a very lovely moustache) which emptied out after the first couple stations on a Knaresborough service.

I can tell it’s getting nearer winter as the nights are drawing in thick and fast now, darkness had fallen when it terminated at Knaresborough (where I got a pretty poor picture of the moustache) where I sat down and had a 30 minute wait (didn’t see much sign of live around the station as it appears on the map to be on the edge of the town) until the next York service arrived, formed of 150275 (all 5 Northern units were winners today) for the short trip to York, arriving pretty much bang on time, which is always a good thing. Crossing over York from P8 to P3, to await the (delayed) service to Kings Cross, running non-stop, formed of winner 91108 pushing dud DVT 82201 (previously had twice with 91124).

First sight it wasn’t as well as it should have been was between Grantham and Peterborough where it had slowed down due to a broken down train, passing Peterborough 25 minutes down, so my plan for a 30 minute connection between Kings Cross to Waterloo to catch the 20:20 home were dashed. Annoyingly it arrived into Kings Cross 28 minutes down, just shy of the 30 minutes required for Delay Repay. Heading down to the underground to head to Oxford Circus, then to Waterloo, stopping at Embankment, and up to the Waterloo main station. I had a choice of 45 minutes for the 21:20 service or I could try and get one or maybe 2, 444s in. Checking the next service to Woking and located it, with a mad dash to jump on with 40 seconds to spare onto 444035, sadly a double dud (although nice seeing it again, last rode back in March).

At Woking I changed, heading out of the station to grab a bite to eat, and back to await the next Basingstoke bound service, passing up the 450 stopper and 444019 pulled in, and was another dud (12% chance of that happening as I had 16 of the 45 444s), which took me to Basingstoke, pausing for a couple minutes before crossing over to head into P4 (first time heading into P4 from the east for a while), and stopped right at the end of the platform, where a 10-car would normally end, which was a nice walk back from the front car to the stairs to head down to P2 to await dud 159004 to take me home to Grateley. The end of an enjoyable day with some extra coverage, sadly Heysham Port will have to wait until December where I will replan my 2nd Lancaster day-ranger to take into account the port. Long live the pacer!

2nd November – Another diversion filled Sunday

To Romsey for a rainy Sunday day-trip, not going that far today, the main aim was to do the Guildford XC diversion. Deciding to give the FGW Brighton service a miss (covered all 158s operated by FGW), but getting to the station just in case it was a rare outing for the new 150/9s (never know), but it was a 158 so I gave it a miss, waiting for the SWT Romsey rocket to take me to Southampton, which normally follows the first SWT 158 which goes via Eastleigh to Southampton, formed of 158889. The guard announced that due to a points failure in the Eastleigh area it would run fast to Southampton and then up to Eastleigh, so an earlier arrival into Southampton, but bittersweet as the following unit I would have caught was required 882 (bugger!).

To Southampton as the rain got heavier, I decided to hang around waiting as eventually the Manchester bound voyager arrived, and it was a super-voyager (super!), but a winner all the same, 221121 was the unit on duty, sitting in the unreserved coach and waited until 9:20 where it departed towards St Deny, making a 142 style squeal when going around the curve after branching away from the main line at St Deny, thankfully the schedulers saw sense in having the non-stop XC service go first, followed by the SWT Waterloo bound service then the Southern service and finally the SWT stopper. Imagine the chaos if the stopper went first!

Heading slowly though Fareham and speeding up before slowing down passing Havant and onto the quite boring Portsmouth Direct Line, and an hour and a bit later after leaving Southampton, Guildford was reached, yippee, before it set off up the North Downs, passing a FGW 166, passing some nice countryside and sooner than expected the 3rd rail of Wokingham was reached and onto the Reading-Waterloo line where the 458s run wild. Crossing over from Southern lines to the GW main-line using the Reading New junction into P9, where I noticed the platform information display had the XC departing at 11:11 and a service to Penzance departing at 11:12, from the same platform, I had a feeling the Penzance train probably won’t be departing at 11:12 (public timetable).

Reading hasn’t changed that much in the 10 months since I last visited the town centre, apart from a few hungover students, I was soon back onto the station, waiting in the new waiting room on the new platform 15. 220006 pulled in (another winner) taking me away using the subway underneath the main-line, the “southern” junction according to my map, and repeating the trip back to Southampton. After Fareham it was slow-down, speed up as it was caught behind the stopper, which got boring after a while.

At Southampton, it was raining (yet again), so I decided to hang around the platform, waiting for the Waterloo train to arrive to take me to Havant, formed of winner 444028 leading dud 444019, it was quite busy as it departed Southampton only to come to a stop just outside the tunnel, due to a trespasser around the Northam area. 15 minutes later we got a move on, squealing around the curve overtaking the FGW Barnham service somewhere along the track, and into Havant where I alighted. I’m guessing Fareham is only designed for a max of a double 450 so when a double 444 arrives with the rear 2 cars overhanging it can’t open the doors due to the lack of SDO, oops. At Havant I had a couple minute wait before dud 158954 arrived to take me the short hop to Chichester. Over the bridge and onto dud 377431 to take me back to Fareham. Changing at Fareham and passing the chance of a FGW 158 for the chance of hopefully a double winner in the Weymouth service proved successful in scoring double winners 444030 and 444016, excellent

At Southampton (again), I had a 10 minute wait before dud 158889 took me back to Romsey, the end of an enjoyable quiet day, 50% winning units, and a tiny bit of new track outside Reading station (both junctions from the ‘Southern’ lines from the main part of the station. Next Saturday is the Doctor Hoo railtour, followed by maybe the Laverstock division on Sunday (Andover to Southampton tickets seems to have both going via Basingstoke and Salisbury as permitted routes) if the 10:10 service is running.

 

[Techniquest]

Another fascinating read as always, sounds like you've had a good bit of luck mostly with getting winners

 

[Kite159]

The odds of getting a Northern dud are quite long owing to the number of available winner units.

This year coverage, next year unit bashing. Should be cheaper!

 

[Techniquest]

Ha ha ha, like fudge is it! I spend a fortune every year red penning, it's not cheaper than track bashing!

 

[Kite159]

Probably depends, for me I could get a GRT to London travelcard for £25 which could score a lot of winners within the London zones. With the chance of some 444s between Waterloo & Woking, and Woking & Basingstoke.

My aim probably for the first few months of 2015 will be to get the 165s/166s done in FGW land. Thames Branch ranger to the rescue!

 

[Techniquest]

For the first few months in 2015, my plan is to go to the North West as well as getting on with the new Midland Metro trams. I also need to get going on the 350/3s, make more progress with the 390s and hopefully finish the 350/2s eventually as well!

I do also anticipate a South East trip in Q1 of 2015, but we'll see what happens!

 

[Kite159]

I need to make more progress on those 379s.

Why do I have a feeling I will be going back and forward between Liverpool Street & Tottenham Hale?

Don't forget those lovely new 387s coming into service soon

 

[Techniquest]

Liv St to Totty's all fine and good but I like a good fast run to Stansted (shame my flight times next week are no good for the trains really then!) so don't just do your 379 cranking to/from Totty!

Aye the 387s will be started on as soon as possible, then there's the 345s soon enough too (although I forget when they arrive), then the 700s will be here in 2016 and of course the IEP will be here before we know it too!

Up my way we'll have the 68s in a few weeks to start cranking So it should be a fantastic year ahead, I'm rather looking forward to it!

 

[Kite159]

The only 379 (379003) I have scored is to Stansted (made use of those cheap 30 day advances)

If only I can try and find a cheap way to doing the Heathrow Express (only for the experience of a 332 belting it down the GWML)

 

[Techniquest]

Booking HEx 7 days in advance you can do it for £15 I believe. Didn't read the poster last time I saw it at Euston too carefully but it's worth looking into!

 

[Kite159]

Seems £13.80 for a single with a Network Railcard which beats that advance fare

 

[Techniquest]

That's excellent value!

 

[Kite159]

15th November – A foggy day in Lincolnshire

Back in September when out on an East Midland Rover, the line between Doncaster & Lincoln was closed, leaving some red on my coverage map, so I planned to have a quiet day in Lincolnshire, to try and also get the PSUL movement on the Nottingham to Skegness line which avoids Grantham, with my first Grand Central West Riding service.

The day set off as normal at 5:00 with double checking my travelling bag was ready before having a nice drive to the station, where a 66 freight train powered through heading down towards Salisbury, and a delayed Cross Country diversion flew through at 5:23, allowing for 159014 to arrive slightly late at 5:30, with the guard apologising for the late running. Nice little run towards London, with a passenger deciding to walk pass the ticket machines at Woking and boarded, only to get hit with an anytime return from Woking to Twickerham via London, ouch. I decided to alight at Clapham Junction to make a change, and noticed a double 377 pulling in on platform 12 so a quick dash and I jumped onto double winners 377131/377150 for the short trip to Victoria.

Down onto the Victoria line and up towards Kings Cross St Pancras, exiting the station my regular way onto the square outside Kings Cross as I crossed the road and went into St Pancras via the entrance next to the Eurostar check-in desks, which comes out near the stairs to the EMT area. A route to bear in mind for the future as it was quicker than going underground. Up to the EMT platforms to wait, only one train was in the station (EMT part) at the time, 222002 was the unit on the station and for the 7:28 Nottingham service which took me towards Nottingham, a nice table seat (and a passenger not realising that seat reservations were displayed on screens above the seats, must be used to the HSTs with the paper reservations).

An enjoyable trip up the Midland Main Line, and Nottingham was reached pretty much on time (I think it was 1 minute late), on the approach I noticed a Northern 150 replacing the 158 on the Nottingham to Leeds service. 30 minutes I had spare before the Skegness train was due for departure from platform 2, right at the end of the station, but before I exited the station via the side gate, noticing the new bridge for the tram extension had opened for pedestrians to walk to the tram stop without crossing over the road. A visit to Tesco to buy an early lunch (to save time later) and back to the station via the main entrance, through the ticket barriers [which as usual didn’t open with a rover], passing a HST which was on the London departure, and down towards platform 2.

A Norwich train was in P1, which departed and the doors on dud 156414 opened as I took a nice table seat, to sit back and read the newspaper before it departed. Making 156 related noises and it accelerated out of the station, passing the old station and out of the suburbs, a nice fast service stopping at Bingham before taking the lesser use side of the triangle at Allington junction and onto the Skegness line proper, diving underneath the ECML as a 225 set was passing over. Onwards to Heckington, passing the old hospital at Sleaford (I am assuming that old building by the side of the tracks after Sleaford is some old hospital with “Lincolnshire Health Authority” signs).

I could have changed at Sleaford and headed north towards Lincoln, but owing to the limited service on that line it was quicker to head back to Nottingham and change onto the Lincoln train there, after a brief look around Heckington, I crossed the barrow crossing and waited as dud 158846 pulled in, locating a nice seat for the return leg via a reversal at Grantham (changing seats to carry on going forward) and into Nottingham. A couple minutes before it was due in (arrival pretty much bang on time) I visited the loo before jumping off at the front door to dash across to platform 1 to get onto the Lincoln train, with something like a 4 minute connection.

Another dud with 156497 on the Lincoln duty to take the short trip towards the capital city of the country, a station where I’ve been through and changed trains but have never left the station, and today was no different as soon as it pulled in I made it across the bridge to jump onto the Northern service, I was expecting a pacer, but it was winner 150144, after checking RTT, I ditched at the first stop at Saxilby, the new bridge in plain sight, and had a look around where I had the choice of either an EMT service back to Lincoln or the Northern service, the northern service gave a 4 minute connection, so played it safe and got onto a dog-box, sadly another dud, with 153313, to take me back to Lincoln where I crossed over for the Doncaster train.

A winner it was with 156408, sitting down opposite someone who was following the Macbook rule, where they have to have it on display but not actually using it, and the unit set off a couple minutes after the Northern pacer pulled in. Heading back at the Doncaster line, the fog which has been around most of the day seemed to have got thicker, up to Gainsborough Lea Road, nice scrap yard, and up for a slow trip towards Doncaster over a river (River Trent?) before the line towards Retford broke away and towards Doncaster, swinging around the old royal mail depot before coming into the bay platforms on the south of the station. Heading to the north bays to see which Northern service was on the Leeds spotter (previously in September I had a couple 158s on that duty) and spotted it looked like a 321, so headed down to the front of the station and buy a return ticket to Adwick, the edge of the South Yorkshire travel area.

Back to the bay platform to jump onto a busy 321902, my first Northern 321/9, to take a seat for the short hop to Bentley, where I alighted to wait for the Adwick terminator to arrive, 10 minutes at Adwick before the returning Doncaster service, but 142057 (another winner) arrived 9 minutes down, so it would be a mad dash to the other platform. Into Adwick, and I dashed up the stairs, across the bridge and down onto the other platform, to find the returning service was 5 minutes late. Typical, I could have walked. 5 minutes late, but it was worth it as my first 322, as 322482 arrived to take me back to Doncaster, the fog had got thick and darkness fell so I spent the remainder of the time reading a couple pages of my book.

I had just over an hour to spare in Doncaster, so headed down the town to buy some new trainers and have a look in some of the shops before heading back to the station to await the arrival of the Grand Central service. Formed of 180107, must be the hardest unit to get the unit number from as it was written down low on the coupler, makes the 456 & 220s easy to get in comparison. Sitting back in a rather empty coach, phone on charge and doing some OU work heading down south, non-stop, until after Finsbury park where it stopped for 10 minutes due to points issues on the approach, putting my idea to do a Finsbury shuttle away for another day (there was a double 365 on the platform opposite the one used by the 180 and it looked rammed).

Checking RTT on the way down, noticing a potential train from Paddington at 19:15, so it was a dash to the sub-surface line platforms, and a Metropolitan S7 had pulled in which was no use to me, as I waited for the next unit, a Hammersmith & City S8 for the short hop to Paddington. Hammersmith & City line platform 15 to platform 11 is a rather long way to walk, especially with the gates at the base, swinging around to jump onto winner 165103 a few seconds before the buzzer sounded, a rather tight connection. To Slough where I alighted to visit the Tesco to buy dinner, where the barrier decided to eat my travel card, which was nice of the barrier. I have a feeling the relief lines were not working that evening as everything was scheduled to be on the main ‘fast’ line platforms.

I decided to get onto the late running Oxford stopper to give me a better connection at Reading, and I was in luck as it was double turbo winner 165104 & 165114. Into Reading, taking a few moments to log the numbers and headed across to P1-P2 area, thinking I was going to be in luck when a 166 pulled in on P1, before the platform display changed to put the 166 as the Newbury stopper as dud 165118 pulled in on the Basingstoke service. To Basingstoke with a wait (noticing that the side gate on P4 appears to be open during weekends), before 159006 & 159019 pulled in to take me home. Noticing that a Voyager was due to come flying pass Grateley a few minutes after the 159 had cleared, put me in a good place to try and get a picture of it, roaring its way up the hill.

An end of a rather foggy day, a few winners, and some new coverage, which makes me happy as another area of my coverage map is now blue.

16th November – A Southern & Southeastern day trip

Deciding to have revisited the line between Ashford & Dover and also the Tonbridge to Redhill line today. The day set off as normal, with a lovely drive to Romsey, owing to the wet weather overnight, I decided to stick to the main road through Stockbridge rather than the back-road, both are around the same distance and time, so made no difference to my arrival at Romsey at just after 8:00, parking up on the street parking opposite the station car-park, and to the platform as dud 158951 arrived to form the morning Romsey to Brighton service, last week it was a double 150/2, so slightly disappointed.

Managing to keep pretty much to time, getting busier as the service carried on towards Brighton, with me positioning myself by the front door ready to try and make a silly connection (2 minute if the FGW is on-time) to get on a Seaford 313. Doors opened and I dashed for it, making it onto (dud) 313212 just as it disappeared from the screens, and it soon set off, making 313 related noises (note to self, try and get some more 313s in the new year on a daysave), over the London Road viaduct, and stopping at the little stations before I alighted at Lewes. 7 minutes later, busy dud 377419 arrived, managing to get a table seat in the first car to look at the window.

I’m guessing that due to engineering works, the 171s were only running between Ashford & Eastbourne, with the suggested change being at Hampden Park, with 15 minutes at Hampden, I looked over the road to spot a Tesco which was dashed to pick up an early lunch (saves time and money for when it was lunchtime). My first winner of the day with 171725 pulling in, yep, back to the 2-cars, however I made my usual way to the first class section, which as usual was empty, taking up a single table seat, plugging my iPod in and relaxed, another couple passengers joined along the way, trying to pass themselves off as children, although I think the guard knew of them. Nice little run along the marshlink, passing Hastings was strange with no 375s in the station, such a peaceful trip (and Southampton to Ashford is the same price as to Brighton).

Arrival into Ashford and I had a 25 minute wait before the hourly service to Ramsgate via Dover pulled in and spilt, winner 375812 was the front unit, taking a table seat in the area under the pan-well, not that busy, and it set off down towards Dover, running alongside the CTRL, sadly no Eurostars present, although I did spot one of the new 374 sets in the sidings. Running alongside the sea for a while before hitting tunnels, such a lovely view, train emptied out at Dover before continuing along the line towards Ramsgate. At Ramsgate I had a tight connection and jumped onto winner 375708 to take me to Canterbury West, alighting to have a 15 minute wait before winner javelin 395008 pulled in. I’m guessing there used to be central running lines through Canterbury West, good chance to get a photograph of the train before it pulls around the curve into the track at the station.

Last time I did this part of the line was when it was recovered from being flooded, and with the rain overnight, the fields looked a bit wet. Nice little run towards Ashford where I alighted, and headed back to P1-P2 island for a short wait as 375812 made its way back from Ramsgate to sit on the platform before winner 375823 joined it. I had several options, and alighted at Marden, a station in the middle of nowhere, although it did have a large warehouse nearby. The rain was getting a bit heavy, so I purchased a permit to travel from the machine and jumped onto 375615-375915 for the short hop to Staplehurst, the guard was nowhere in sight. At Staplehurst I crossed over the platform, hiding underneath the bridge from the rain as dud 375604 arrived with winner 375815 behind it for the trip back to Tonbridge.

At Tonbridge, a quick walk to the waiting hourly Southern service to Redhill, formed of winner 377404, sitting in the rearmost car in the hope of a fast turnaround at Redhill, the darkness had fallen on leaving Tonbridge, which is a nice enough line. Into Redhill and crossing over to P3 to wait for the Horsham stopper, formed of winner 377127 with high-density seating for the short hop to Gatwick Airport, where I dashed over to another platform to jump onto Thameslink 319440/319454, another 2 winning 319s, only for the short hop down to Three Bridges where it was terminating due to engineering works.

Over to another platform to await the Bognor train, formed of winners 377425 & 377106, taking my usual seat on a table for the journey down the Arun valley to Ford, reading up on my OU book. At Ford it was a couple minutes wait for the Southampton bound 377405 which took me to Cosham, alighting at Cosham to jump onto the FGW service to Fareham, although sadly it was 158951 again. To Fareham and the wait for the Weymouth train, formed of a double 444, so front unit only was opening the doors due to short platforms, formed of winner 444025 with dud 444039 behind, taking a seat in 039 for the journey back to Southampton Central.

Awaiting on the same platform for the SWT Romsey rocket, formed tonight of 158888, as it comes with added subtitles, for the short trip back to Romsey, the end of an enjoyable day in the south, with 16 winning units.

22nd November – Lancaster Day

The day started at the usual time, but having a quick walk to the station instead of spending 5 minutes de-icing my car before driving it to the station, no Voyager diversions today so that 159104 arrived bang on time, for a roll towards Waterloo. I was on advances so I couldn’t do my usual trick at changing trains along route to try and get some EMU winners. Into Waterloo and up towards Euston, swinging via the Sainsburys local outside the station to pick up a hot sausage roll (as it was rather chilly that time of day).

20 minutes before departure and the platform was announced, P6 I believe for the Manchester service, formed of winner 390011, thankfully Virgin gave me a good seat, at a table with a view, so I was happy, and the train set off zooming up the West Coast, first stop Stoke-Le-Trent. Into Piccadilly and I went towards the P13-P14 area, passing the Northern staff checking tickets, to check, plan was to catch the Southport service, but I decided to jump onto winner 185102 for the short hop to Oxford Road, it was running late, but if it was on time I would have scored a couple winning 350s.

A few minutes later, 142062 rolled in, a 3+2 bench seat style; thankfully I managed to grab one of the bay seats after Salford. Nice little run towards Southport via Bolton, over pretty much all new track, bouncing along going fast. Into Southport with 10 minutes before departure of the next Merseyrail train, so I picked a meal-deal, mistaking in thinking the smaller packets of crisps were the ones in the deal, but in fact it was the larger packets, how odd. Back onto the platform to board dud 508117 for the trip down to Sandhills, giving me an idea for future 507/508 bashing between Moorfields and Sandhills. Crossing the platform with some youths messing around smoking and riding their bicycles around, before the Kirkby bound service pulled in, and it was another dud, 507007.

Kirkby was reached and with a quick walk to the other side of the platform to jump onto Northern 156483 (winner) on a Todmoron service, what an unusual line between Kirkby & Wigan Wallgate, like a backwater track, the train was getting busier and busier as it went along via the direct route to Manchester, leaving passengers behind as there was no more room on the train. It emptied out a bit at Salford, and a lot at Victoria.

I had a couple options, originally I was going to go up towards Blackburn, but that train was late arriving, so decided to risk my original plan going towards Hebden Bridge which had a rather tight connection between the Leeds service and the Blackpool service. I wrote down 158753 on my phone as the leading 158 but according to my book, that is a 3-car unit and the one travelled was a 2 car unit, with 153316 attached on the rear bringing it up to 3 cars. I forgot how lovely the bit of track from Victoria to Hebden Bridge is, and arrived into the station pretty much on time.

Dashing over to the other platform was a bit wasted as the Blackpool service was running a couple minutes late, formed of 158757, and was nice and empty in the leading car, and what a beautiful line towards Blackburn & Preston, a nice surprise. Into Preston, and with me wanting to get the line to Bolton in, via Chorley, meant missing another double 350, however 185148 was waiting in the station from Windermere and was awaiting the unit from Blackpool to join up to go down to Piccadilly. 185104 rolled in on time, however the train was delayed leaving Preston due to a late running Virgin, but set off down towards Bolton to complete that part of track.

Into Piccadilly and headed towards dud 390050 which was on the Euston service, having to evict a couple passengers from my seat (same as the morning trip), and was a nice peaceful run up the West Coast, into Euston a few minutes late, but not to worry though as I headed towards the underground and down towards Waterloo where I had an option of jumping onto the Salisbury service or waiting 33 minutes for the Yeovil train, deciding that Salisbury would be quieter, jumped onto 159107 for the trip home.

An enjoyable day in the North West, and only one pacer

23rd November – London Calling from faraway lands

The idea of today was to try and score Rickmansworth curve on a metropolitan diversion and also to do some unit bashing, the only plan I had was to get to Rickmansworth, after that I had no plan whatsoever, apart from wanting to be at Kings Cross for around 17:30 to see which 180 was on the Hull Trains service which stopped at Stevenage.

The day couldn’t have been any different from the Saturday; it was wet, so driving to the station where Grateley is a winner in the Surbiton area diversions when all the trains stop on a Sunday, so no drive to Andover which was nice. 159106 arrived to take me towards Woking where I ended my journey, expecting the stopper to start from the pier, but 455742 (a winner) was on platform 4, which took me the short trip to West Byfleet, where I alighted in the rain, to wait the arrival of the 450s from Alton & Basingstoke. Formed of triple winners 450124, 450106 & 450568 as it pulled away from the mainline after Byfleet & New Ham, to go the diversion via Staines.

Always interesting running fast down the Windsor line, going passed Twickenham where I decided to ditch at Vauxhall, alighting at P1, crossing over platform to await as 450083/450113 arrived a minute later, to arrive into Waterloo. Down to the Bakerloo and up towards Marylebone to get onto a service which stops at South Ruislip, formed of double Turbos, winner 165019 leading dud 165020, as it set off towards the Chilterns. I think it is the first time in using the loop from the main-line which stops at South Ruislip which normally allows a fast train to pass. Felt so strange running alongside the underground lines with nothing moving.

To the Central line service, which was waiting in the platform, for quite some time (3 minutes), for the hop to West Ruislip where I exited the station to head for the bus stop for a rail replacement bus to Rickmansworth, running fast and was an Arriva single decker, misted up inside and was an enjoyable trip, seeing a part of London I wouldn’t normally see. Into Rickmansworth and passing the member of staff warning passengers that there were no central London services from the station today, I said I was off to Watford and he let me pass.

A metropolitan line service arrived to take me to Watford via the normally hard to score curve, where I had 3 options, back to Rickmansworth to go back to Ruislip, walk to Watford High Street (as I did previously back in February time) or catch a service to Northwood and get the bus to Kenton. The rain put an end to the walk, and so I jumped onto the service which was heading to Northwood, before getting some food and awaiting a double decker to take passengers down towards Kenton.

At Kenton I awaited the arrival of the first northbound service, looked like was going to be a Bakerloo, but dud 378222 arrived for the short hop to Harrow & Wealdstone, will be mentioned in future as Harrow. To the national rail platform, as a southbound service was being delayed due to signal issues making the 390s zoom pass in the slows, good view of the pans against the wires with the water turning into steam as passed. Eventually 350101 arrived and was rather rammed, deciding to get off at Wembley central (I’m guessing at some point in the pass there was more platforms in use), passed the security gate and to the DC lines platform to jump onto winner 378233 to take me back to Harrow.

Fast crossover wasn’t worth the run as a 377/7 was the next service to arrive, before 350237/350258 arrived, double winners, again calling at Wembley and down into Euston, arriving onto P12, so a dash around the ramp, through the gates to jump onto 350234 with seconds to spare to take me back to Harrow. Another fast turnaround at Harrow scoring me 350126/350125 on another Euston run, and back upon 350114 before coming down on 350102. All winners apart from 350102. Noticing the next service to Harrow wouldn’t depart for 25 minutes and it appeared to be 126/125, so I decided to call an end to the Harrow runs. Best sight was on 126/125 as it was first unit only at Wembley, a passenger decided to block up the aisle talking to her ‘mates’, causing a few passengers to try and push passed her to get off the train to see the football.

Down to the underground, around the staircase, passing a couple trying to manhandle a pram down the spiral staircase, couldn’t they use a lift to go south before heading north (as per the advice)? Staying on the Victoria line until near the end of the line at Blackhorse Road, leaving the underground and to the Overground platform for some Goblin action, jumping onto winner 172003 for the hop to Woodgrange Park, before doubling back with 172008 to Wanstead Park before getting onto 172005 for the trip to Barking.

Across the platform at Barking, passing a very rude passenger who decided that the best place to stop to chat on their phone was half-way up the stairs, and was swearing at passengers wanting to get passed. Jumping onto a busy dud of 357222 for a quick run to Upminster, working out the best plan to avoid waiting around, to jump onto dud 357022 leading winner 357210 to take me to West Ham, nice peaceful trip compared to the previous trip. At West Ham, I headed one stop north on the Jubilee to take me to Stratford.

315821/315835 was on Shenfield duties so I jumped onto it, rather busy it were, going up to Seven Kings. Due to engineering works, the stoppers were using the same track as the fast, meaning some narrow platforms due to the fences. Deciding to wait and jump onto 315852/315831 for the hop to Chadwell Heath before crossing over to get onto 315806/515845 to take me down to Stratford, where it was terminating.

To Liverpool Street on the central line, before heading to the main-line station to jump onto 379023/379024 on the airport run stopping at Seven Sisters due to Tottenham Hale being close, time was now 17:30, so passed the crowds waiting on the platform to head to the underground to get the Victoria line back to Kings Cross, up the stairs to quickly check the number of the Hull Trains unit in the station, seeing ‘109’ cheered me up, so dashed out to buy super off-peak day returns (I know boundary zone 6 to Stevenage would have been cheaper, but didn’t have the time), and boarded finding a table seat in coach A which was quite handy as it got quite full. To Stevenage on 180109, via Hertford, having a brief moment of waiting before entering the loop, once arrived I dashed across the bridge to the southbound platforms.

A double 317 pulled in from Cambridge, before pulling away causing some confusion with passengers, before double winner 365506/365518 arrived to take me back down to Finsbury Park, where I decided to alight with the idea of a quicker path onto the Victoria line, I would say it is about the same time. To Victoria to find a station rather quiet, the entire Southern side was blocked off, with 4 Southern trains an hour departing from the South eastern side, it was so bad that even the Gatwick Express branded trains weren’t running, although there was a double 442 on a Brighton run.

After visiting a well known burger chain which gives students free ice-creams to grab some dinner, I headed to sit on the side of the platform 7, to await as a triple 377 arrived which was heading to Portsmouth & Bognor. Sadly only 377401 was a winner with dud 377410 & 377150 making up the other 2 units, it headed to Clapham via a very unusual route, over Grosvenor Bridge, over the SWML before turning away from the South Eastern line for a long curve to Clapham junction via (to RTT) Factory Junction, Longhedge, Stewarts Lane, Longhedge & Pouparts, I think the charter trains use that route from Victoria to Clapham, unexpected new coverage I would imagine.

3 minute connection at Clapham to get to platform 6 to board a triple 450 set to Basingstoke & Alton, thinking I was going to get lucky with 3 additional 450 winners, nope, it was the same 3 units I used in the morning from West Byfleet, 450106; 450124 & 450568. Noticing that the Woking stopper from Staines was a couple minutes behind, I ditched at West Byfleet again, an interesting station which has a platform on the fast down line, I would have thought it would have been fenced off (but maybe at that point the trains would be slowing down for Woking). Walking up the platform as I got a seat in the rear set, the bay seat opposite the little guard office and didn’t decide to walk up through the train.

Winner 455902 took me back to Woking Pier, where I had a few minutes to wait before winner 444027 with dud 444019 took me to Basingstoke, where 15 minutes later super-duds 159106/159013 took me back to Grateley, the end of an enjoyable unplanned day. Number of new units 33.

 

[Starmill]

Interesting read! I don't suppose you have any further plans to do the 47s on Northern, do you?

 

[Kite159]

I'm around that area again on the 12th & 13th December, so I will try and get the loco hauled, although one of my plans is fixed with trying to get that once a day service to Heysham port on the Saturday (Friday is going to be spent in the wayfarer zone doing the metrolink, plus some additional unit bashing if time allows before having to get back to Wigan)

 

[Techniquest]

As always, a fascinating read and good to see you making good progress with both coverage and getting plenty of winners in!

 

[Kite159]

Not the best picture of a speeding Voyager diversion:
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7538/15890288106_ebc9c03083_b.jpg

91111 "For the Fallen" at Kings Cross yesterday:
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7462/15914112071_ee3908cdd9_b.jpg
https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7532/15296409143_cc0b7f7a29_b.jpg

Beat my own record for connections, EC from Doncaster pulled in at 22:24, I was on the 22:37 Brighton service from Victoria (which departed 1st train on P16) to Clapham, which allowed me to comfortable make the connection with the 22:53 from Waterloo, the final service to connect with the final Farnborough to Basingstoke service before buses took over.


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Looks like the 159s are diverting this Sunday between Salisbury and Yeovil Junction, going via Westbury, Yeovil Pen Mill & the connecting line, change of plans, Charing Cross to Cannon Street can wait until later in the day

 

[Techniquest]

Done the connecting line at Yeovil in both directions on diverted HSTs years ago

Not heard of SWT diverting via Westbury for quite a while!

 

[Kite159]

I was waiting for the HST diversion, but I'm happy with the SWT diversion, mainly as it will probably be cheaper (although sadly no network railcard discount). Sunday is going to be a busy day with some london bashing thrown in, mainly to get the metropolitan curve.

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29th November – A Northern adventure

Due to my plans for an East Yorkshire Circle being messed up back in July, I got sent a free one-day travel ticket from Northern which was very nice of them. Gave me a few ideas where to use it before deciding it would be a good chance to try and cover a couple parliamentary services which are not covered by any other day rover, mainly the Dearne Valley Line and the Pontefract line to Goole, also to cover a couple other parts which replaced red on my coverage map.

Unusually the day doesn’t begin with the 5:24 from Grateley to Waterloo, due to the track being closed between Woking & Farnborough meant a bus between those two towns, around 13 minutes by train, 30-odd minutes by bus, deciding it wasn’t worth the risk of getting into Waterloo a bit late to miss the 8:03 departure to Leeds, I had a nice morning drive to Basingstoke, leaving home at 4:45 (won’t be the earliest starts as I’m on the 4:54 from Basingstoke in the new year to try and link up with the Shropshire union tour), first service of the day was the 5:47 departure to Manchester Piccadilly, formed of winner 221130, which took me the 15 miles to Reading.

Sadly it was running a couple minutes late (is there any crosscountry service which doesn’t run late? So my very ambitious 2 minute connection with the 6:03 didn’t work out, so hanging around on P14 for the next all-station stopper to arrive (first ‘fast’ or semi-fast doesn’t leave Reading until 6:45, the 6:18 was formed of dud 165116, which I had previously on a Basingstoke-Reading weekday working, takes just over an hour to do the 35 mile trip, taking my favourite seat on a 165 (2+2 bay seat near the first class section) to read my book as it was rather dark outside. Picked up a few passengers heading towards Paddington, where I found the ‘short-cut’ to get to the overbridge to get towards the Hammersmith & City line platforms, where a Circle line service took me towards Kings Cross St Pancras.

I got into Kings Cross around the same time as the Leeds train was announced, so I headed towards the platform it was on, dud DVT 82219 was on the rear, and walking to the front made me smile as it was winner 91111, for the fallen, wearing the tribute to the war dead. I had a nice table seat which lined up with the window, the coach had the Richmond rugby team on (so nice and quiet) so I settled down and watched a movie on my Nexus, just to pass the time running up the East Coast to Doncaster, before putting the tablet away for the run from Doncaster to Leeds. A nice little run to Leeds arriving 2 minutes down, but not to worry as I had 20-odd minutes to spare before the Sheffield stopper via Wakefield Westgate & Moorthorpe, some new line covered. A lot of the crowd got onto the faster Sheffield service which departed (and then stopped due to a signal causing some passengers to be confused) as winner 158903 had a last minute platform change to 11 (from 9). Nice enjoyable run down towards Meadowhall, running under the wires, I couldn’t help noticing that some of the stations along that line would be a Kintbury style pain to try and get to the other platform in a hurry.

Deciding to alight (with several other passengers) at Meadowhall, for a quick walk, over the wet floor of the bridge, pass the revenue protection guards and down to P3 to catch winner 158860 to continue the trip to Sheffield, one of the few Northern services not to terminate at Sheffield as it continued down to Nottingham, into Sheffield with a bit of a dash to get onto winner 142086 for a return service to Meadowhall. Did the Sheffield/Meadowhall run a few times, a couple tight connections at Sheffield, but being careful to avoid known-duds, i.e if I previously travelled on that day between Meadowhall and Sheffield to avoid going the other way. Managed to get winners 144023 & 158792, dud 144021, plus a double 142 with dud 142021 leading winner 142029 which I had all to myself for the short 3 mile trip, missed out on the Tour De France 158 as it was due to go back out, but was replaced.

At Meadowhall, I let 144021 go, before jumping onto winner 144004 for the short trip to Rotherham Central, either change here or change at Swinton, deciding the same platform change would be better, I alighted with some football fans, and staying on the platform to await the twice daily York train, formed of winner 144005 with a 158 behind it, sadly the 158 was fresh dud 158903 (must have been hiding around Sheffield), deciding to take the bay seat in the 144 as the 158 looked busy, disaster stuck as I managed to drop my iPod and bend the plug on my earphones (sitting at a nasty looking 30 degree angle), they still worked, but new ones have been ordered as the best sound come when it was only plugged in a little bit. Anyways, up the Dearne Valley, nice peaceful trip, bit boring at first as it runs in a cutting, but mainly I was on my own in the 144, another couple passengers boarded at Church Fenton, but a nice little enjoyable ride along the mainly freight line.

To York and I had a brief idea to try and catch the return Sheffield service as far as Church Fenton to wait for the Blackpool bound service, the train pulled into P6 with the return advertised as departing from P1, 158903 disappeared, but sadly the platform was swapped with a couple minutes to spare, so deciding not to double-dip on a dud, hung around York station for a few minutes, before winner 158848 pulled in, which was a bit of a shock as I thought it would have been one of the 3-car 158s or even have a dog-box attached (as per the previous weekend). Nice and quiet from York as passengers wanting Leeds were told to board the FTPE service, getting a bit busier as Leeds got closer, but nothing compared to Manchester the previous week. First time arriving into Leeds from the Neville Hall side, so some more track covered.

I had around an hour spare before the Goole train, so heading towards platform 2 to try some 333 bashing, the Bradford service was served, formed of winner 333013, and I noticed the different in terms of seat comfort between a 333 and 158, nice short trip to Shipley, crossing over to the P5 side to jump onto a 2 minute delayed 333001 to take me the short distance to Frizinghall where I made one of my best connections, the platforms are staggered over a bridge, the Bradford service pulled in as the Leeds train was passing, so was a mad dash, out of the station, up stairs, over the bridge, down the ramp, and up another ramp to get onto 333012 (another winner!) a few seconds before the doors began to close. I didn’t have time to catch my breath as Shipley was reached again where I ditched for a brief walk out of the station, across the car-park, though the gate and over the top line at the triangle, and waited for 333011 to arrive to take me back to Leeds. 4 winning 333s, taking a sideways siding seat as darkness has fallen.

To Leeds with a short walk towards the platform the Goole train was due to depart and was my first proper busy train of the day, formed of winner 144018, sitting in the sideways facing seat by the door probably was a mistake, but worth it as it gave me some leg-room and a seat as it was standing room only on departure, emptying out at Castleford, Pontefract & Knottingley. After Knottingley where the train becomes the parliamentary service, I had it all to myself, bar the Northern staff (which outnumbered me 3 to 1), sadly it was dark so didn’t see that much out of the window, apart from some basic looking stations, and Goole was reached, the service managing to regain the 5 minutes it was down, although some of the stations were a case of stopping, making sure no passengers were hiding and pulling away again. Checking RTT at Goole seemed to suggest a problem with the FTPE service from Brough, it was 40-odd minutes down at Leeds, deciding to travel up towards the Hull-Selby line at Brough, on new-dud 158792, proved my fears to be correct, the 19:00 service to Leeds had been cancelled, cut short at Selby.

Decision time, so deciding to break the terms of the advance ticket from Leeds and jumped onto winner 144007 back down passed Goole to Doncaster, with a 40-odd minute wait for the last train from Leeds (and also the last London train from Doncaster), going to the shopping centre food area to look for something to eat, KFC was closed, so it was Burger King, and headed back to the station to watch as the HST from Aberdeen arrived and departed, running in reverse formation, (thinking that this time next week I will be on that train), winner DVT (yes I know, strange counting DVTs, but they are part of the train) 82218 was leading with dud 91112 behind. Finding my seat, to find the train rather empty (and full of Leeds – London reservation slips), to watch another movie for a rather unremarkable trip down towards London, after I spotted Alexandra Palace I decided to make a move from coach C towards the front, stopping at the buffet car. Having 2 options for a mad connection, the 22:45 from Waterloo, either risk a few minutes wait for a Bakerloo, or carry on the Victoria to Victoria and link up with the Portsmouth service at Clapham. Deciding to carry on to Victoria was the option I picked.

Stepping off the East Coast service at 22:24, going by the station clock, I was on the (delayed) 22:37 Brighton service at 22:39, which departed as the front train from P16, quite good going I say. The delayed service (caused by a Horsham service being cancelled) formed of winner 377457 was rammed, thankfully I was only on board to Clapham where a fast turnaround got me to P9 in time for the Woking semi-stopper to come and go before winner 450098 arrived with dud 450083 behind it (another SWT 450 ticked off in my book, only 100 or so to go) for a fast service to Woking. Transfer to a rather nice coach, nice leather seats and warm, luxury travel. Rather foggy evening as 45-odd minutes later the bus arrived at Farnborough (main), seems to be a long trip from Woking to get onto the M3. The reason for the mad dash in London was that I boarded the final train of the day, dud 444034, after it left Basingstoke (and a Salisbury bound service departed) Basingstoke would be closed down, everything replaced by buses until later on Sunday.

Driving home the back way (better road than the M3/A303) took a little while longer, down to the fog, the main road probably wouldn’t have been that much better, but arriving home around 1:30, the end of a long but enjoyable day. Several new northern winners, a couple other winners, and new coverage, only bad part is now planning in a trip to Selby from Leeds in my January wash-up.

 

[Techniquest]

A rather grand trip there, plenty of winners and some good going on the Underground! I had a single 144 on my trip down the Dearne Valley line, it is a rather boring trek but it's done and I have no intention of revisiting it! Much preferred the Goole line out of the two, shame you've now got a gap in the coverage but it's an easy one to do

 

[Kite159]

I'm in Edinburgh on Friday night, I might buy a 7-day season between Edinburgh & Haymarket to get some additional Scotrail units bashed off (booked on the 8:32 departure from Haymarket to the city of oil, so could have an hour and a bit going back & forward)

Alas I don't have a passport photo handy

*goes off wondering if a regular passport style photo will do*
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Must be a good few years since the good people of Yeovil Pen Mill could catch a direct train to Waterlooo without having to travel to the Junction:

https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8676/15970139292_f30534b729_b.jpg

Not an advertised passenger stop, but it waited for 15 minutes for the Exeter bound service to clear the single line to Castle Cary. Felt like it got to top-speed along the Reading-Taunton line