The Various Random Mutterings of Kite

[507021]

Excellent report Kite, congratulations on clearing the 375s.

 

[87electric]

That was a hugely productive time, there's not many of us who've cleared the 375s and I suspect it will be a long time until the next trip reporter manages the feat. I sure won't be managing it for years.

I just need 375302 and 375305. I hope to nab them first week of January.

 

[Techniquest]

I just need 375302 and 375305. I hope to nab them first week of January.

Wow, not bad going! I really need to get down to London again for a multi day hardcore session!

*heads off into TPP Mode*

 

[Kite159]

I just need 375302 and 375305. I hope to nab them first week of January.

Hopefully they are gettable for you when you hunt them down, and not on a peak time special out of Cannon Street first stop Rochester

 

[Kite159]

27th December – The Post Christmas Boredom Reducing Bash


As I had nothing better to do, I decided to head up towards London with no real aim in place, many ideas where to aim for but it was all up in the air at where I would end up. The weather had remembered that it was December and introduced a rather chilly start as I walked up the road to the station for the 05:59 service, to find that the TVM was out of service (probably got confused with it being a bank holiday), so I had to purchase my travelcard from the guard on the train.

Anyhow, the 05:59 was unusually formed of 159004 leading 158886, a 5-car set this early in the morning of a time where not a lot was moving, I took a seat in the 158 for the change on the way to London, slipping a tad with the cold weather, but a roughly right time arrival into Waterloo, where I decided to grab some breakfast before having a think, eventually coming to an idea, so it was to the Bakerloo line with duds 3565/3253 taking me to Oxford Circus, where I set up position at a quiet station being able to overlook both the northbound Bakerloo & northbound Victoria lines in the hunt for either my last 2 Victoria line sets or 3266 on the Bakerloo (that is even assuming 3266 isn’t currently in the workshop getting the latest seats cushions/covers fitted).

45 minutes later, winners 11033/034 rolled in on the Victoria line, so a quick spin to Euston gets them into the book (11085/086 is the last set I require), I hung around for 10 minutes but in the end jumped onto duds 11075/076 to Kings Cross St Pancras, heading towards the Sub Surface Line island platform just to see what was floating around S7 or S8 wise. My wait wasn’t for long before winners 21073/074 took me to Farringdon where I was in need to visit the loo so headed over to the National Rail platforms, overlooking both lines being in a position to jump on anything Siemens. In the end I decided to jump on dud 387105 to City Thameslink (discovering there appears to be toilets at the station at the southern end).

The next Bedford was running a tad late, it was due to run fast after St Pancras calling only at Luton Airport on route to Bedford, I turned it down because it was a pair of 377s, being rewarded with winner 700015 for the tiny leap to Farringdon. 5 or so minutes later (typical Thameslink delays) I got my 2nd 700 into the bag with 700106 to St Pancras, deciding to hang back until the next Bedford to dash to West Hampstead to put me onto the Jubilee line. That didn’t work out as the next Bedford was a busy 319, so I stepped back to a Luton stopping service formed of 319372 & 319439 for the run to West Hampstead Thameslink.

For some reason unknown to even myself I decided to wait 10 minutes to see which 700 was working to Brighton as the PIS mentioned “formed of 12 coaches”. I think it was a good call as in rolled winner 700109 where I took it back to Farringdon, my time at Farringdon wasn’t for long before I was back onto platform 2 with winner 21515/516 taking me to Kings Cross St Pancras on a Hammersmith & City working, returning to Farringdon on dud 21433/434, sadly mistiming the next northbound Thameslink as a required 700 was just departing. But I was able to track when that 700 would be back from Bedford giving me an idea.

21027/028 was my 2nd S8 winner of the day to take me to Baker Street, where I decided to have a short wait at any S8s floating around in the bay platforms, but alas it was no luck as I jumped on dud 21085/086 to Finchley Road, where my feet didn’t have time to land before I rolled onto winner 96020 leading dud 96051 to West Hampstead. Closely followed by another required 1996 stock in the shape of 96018 leading 96087 to Kilburn with the sound of an unknown 68 roaring pass on route to Birmingham, as I took up a stand on the island platform in a position to ID both halves of northbound & southbound services, enjoying the sunshine.

A few duds later and a rare double winner 96119/96120 next entered the book back to West Hampstead where again I took up a position to ID services, noting a S7+1 dashing pass on the metropolitan lines on route to Aldgate. I paid it no attention as my attention was drawn to 96053 leading winner 96054 back to Finchley Road, where I crossed over to the Northbound platform, catching the next Southbound Aldgate S8 as being required. I decided to give chase and leapt onto the next southbound service, thankfully it being another Aldgate service formed of dud 21057/058 to Moorgate, crossing under the subway to reach the other platform with a couple minutes to spare before the next Metropolitan line service was due, I kept thinking to myself that I had bailed too late and the S7+1 had already departed.

Until 21323/324 rolled in for the bus stop leap to Barbican, closely followed by winners 21095/096 to Farringdon, where it was getting near the time my stalker was due back. Dud 700103 did the honours of taking me to St Pancras, where I had a short wait before 700104 finally got ticked off in the book. This 700 I have spotted more times than other 700s as it kept on popping up at times I couldn’t get it (for example southbound at East Croydon, passing it around Clapham High Street area etc). A short 10 minute wait at Farringdon before 700115 found its way into my book for the short run to Blackfriars (for the next northbound Bedford was running late).

A pair of 387s was turned down, so was a heavily delayed pair of 377s, before I jumped on dud of the day 700109 to St Pancras, exiting the station to grab a late lunch from Boots before deciding that I couldn’t be bothered walking all the way over to the Sub Surface Lines platform so decided to head back down to the Bat Hollow. First up was a delayed Brighton service (a pair of 387s), but as the next Three Bridges was a few minutes behind and was “formed of 12” I decided to allow the busy 387s go. A good decision I think as in rolled winner 700108 for the short trip back to Farringdon, noting a required S7 on the Aldgate bound.

Taking up a seat on platform 2 (westbound platform), I noted a required S8 heading towards Aldgate, but apart from that nothing required was heading east. 21047/048 was a happy bonus to Kings Cross St Pancras, followed shortly by 21441/442 on a short-Circle line working to Euston Square. A dud S8 followed before 21009/010 took me to Baker Street (the S8 I had spotted earlier). With nothing in the bay platforms I headed to the Jubilee line platforms, but my luck from earlier had dried up, eventually jumping on duds 96013/96096 to Bond Street, followed 10 minutes (or so) later with duds 96047/96014 to Waterloo.

A quick swing via Tesco for a couple items for dinner, I headed to the main concourse at Waterloo, spotting le diesel forming the 16:50 Salisbury stopper (I know, an early finish for me!) formed tonight of 159018 to take me back home to Grateley, noting that it’s going to be another cold night. Thankfully I’m not away as early tomorrow morning, most likely on the 09:59 service for an overnight stay in Croydon for the “Old Father Thames” tour Thursday.

In case anybody is wondering, I’m down to needing 10 more sets of S8s, and 22x S7s (including those not entered traffic in Derby). 7 “odd” jubilee line sets and 4 “even” sets, but I can see a return to Finchley Road towards Wembley area, easier to ID units without the screens with the helpfulness of not being busy stations with island platforms.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Wow your doing well with what you need there Mr Kite.

a new tradition seams to be emerging too, bashing 700s iether North of, or in the core where theyr on AC, nice shout.


Great little day thanks for sharing

 

[Kite159]

Certainly beats going backwards & forward between blackfriars & Croydon

 

[Techniquest]

700 bashing on AC is definitely superior to piddling around on DC!

A very productive post-Christmas bash, I need to get down for another clearout. Such low amounts of LU needs is just simply incredible!

 

[55013]

Well, I'm just catching up with a few reports and your December moves beat mine into a cocked hat!
Looks like a fantastic Scotland trip. London proved pretty successful as well.

 

[Kite159]

28th December – Another spin to London

Staying overnight in London for the Old Father Thames tour on the Thursday (on grounds that it was cheaper than paying for a full-fat Anytime single), I had a day in London on the Wednesday. Similar to the Tuesday I had no real ideas where to go for, and eventually rolled out of the darkness of sleep around half nine (next week is going to kill me trying to get back to work timings), so it was onto the 10:59 service to Waterloo. The TVM still wasn’t working, and the platform was quite busy as 159004 and 159020 rolled in, I took up a seat in 020 for the 75-odd minute trip to Waterloo.

Anyhow once in London it was time for some lunch, and flipping a coin in my head I headed to the Waterloo & City line, with 65505/65506 doing the honours for the mile and half trip to Bank, where I walked for a mile and a half to reach the DLR platforms (okay, not quite a mile and half, but you get the point). Anyhow it was time for a good DLR based session, on the search for winners, festering around Shadwell to note any inbound workings to try and capture as they worked back out. My moves were as followed:

01-65-02 to Shadwell
45-54 to Limehouse
31-30 back to Shadwell
85-92 to Limehouse
81-37 to Westferry
50-93 to Poplar
76-32 to All Saints
28-43 to Poplar
45-54 to Canning Town High Level
105-151 to West Silvertown (from Low Level)
117-148 to Canning Town Low Level
118-116-154 to Custom House for ExCeL (before it closes for Crossrail works), 116 being my last B07 DLR unit
16-71 back to Canning Town Low Level

After a couple other dud moves I concluded that apart from a couple services on the Bank – Lewisham services I had captured the majority of what was out, so headed over to the Jubilee line with the aim of visiting Stratford to make use of a PNB at Westfield, however before I got there I was North Greenwich bound with 96076 leading winner 96105. Passing a spooky disused room on route to the other platform, with a couple dud services before winner 96097 rolled in with dud 96098 on the rear to take me to Stratford.

PNB completed at a very busy shopping centre, and I was back and located the westbound Central Line with a minute wait before the first set rolled in. I find I need to be top of the game when it comes to Central Line bashing, to ID all 4 sets within the service, and quickly comparing those 4 numbers to the requirements within a few seconds before deciding to jump on. First up was winner 91037 leading duds 92204/92438 with winner 91087 on the rear to Mile End. However before the next Central Line service rolled in required 21491/492 popped up on the opposite platform on a District Line service so it was to Stepney Green.

One more dud S7 later and the next Hammersmith service rolled in formed of duds 21509/510 to take me to Liverpool Street, where after around 15 minutes nothing else appeared which featured on my decreasing S-stock requirement list, so it was down to the Central Line for the following series of movements:
91147-92260-92228-91279 to Bank
91235-92156-92256-91313 to St Paul’s
91223-92108-92258-91217 to Chancery Lane
91139-92250-92146-91015 to Holborn

In deciding to have a change of scenery I headed over to the Piccadilly line, where I had a couple double-dud sets, my luck seemed to hold out:
868-190 to Covent Garden
181-892 to Leicester Sqaure
111-244 to Piccadilly Circus
211-202 to Green Park.

At Green Park I decided for another change and headed to the Victoria line platforms, which are an island giving view of both northbound and southbound services, on the lookout for a certain pair of services. 6 minutes later 11085-11086 rolled in heading south, so I leapt on board my final Victoria line set for the tiny leap to Victoria itself. Exiting LU to grab some fresh air, I noticed a required 387/2 departing, which gave me an idea for some 387 hunting. With the current timetable it is a service to Gatwick every half hour, so there would be 3 sets out.

The first 2 sets were both triple duds, so to kill time before the 3rd set I headed to the district line where services were running Edgware Road – Upminster due to engineering works, a few duds and with one eye on the time I jumped onto duds 21541/542 to St James’s Park, striking it lucky with winner 21529/21530 back to Victoria. A quick exit of LU and over to platform 13 where my travelcard worked the barriers (my BZ6 – Gatwick ticket in my wallet) and I jumped onto the next triple. Winner 387207 was leading dud 387224 with winner 387213 on the rear. I took up a seat in an empty coach on 387207 for the trip down to Gatwick Airport. Ride is so-so at speed, not as good as the 442s.

Once at Gatwick I was going to jump on the next Bedford service, however I spotted a required 700 working down to Three Bridges, so after the next Bedford services were duds (377s) I headed out to the airport itself, passing open barriers (the main entrance barriers were closed), passing the time before returning to platform 1 for winner 700014 to roll in on a Bedford service, which is a semi-fast to East Croydon (so no good speed run on a 700, but god it has good acceleration), taking up a seat in the rear 1st class area to relax back to East Croydon.

An hour spent on platform 7 (interworked with a trip to Sainsburys for some sweets) and I called it a night with dud tram 2561 to George Street to visit the little Tesco for a bottle of water for the next day. Walking back towards East Croydon I headed straight to the Easy Hotel, checking in, getting the same room I had back at the start of the month, but this time doing something clever in removing my card from the reader to shut-off the electric box and its humming.

Anyhow a successful day for me, 10 DLR units into the book, 2 more 96 stocks, 2 more S7s, 8 x 91 stocks, 5x 73 stock, plus my final 2009 stock. Not forgetting 2 more 387/2s plus another RLU 700. Here be a couple pictures of DLR land:
13 & 04 on Poplar depot:


Units at Canning Town:


-------------

29th December – Old Father Thames

It was the day of my final railtour of 2017, this being the Old Father Thames tour which was down to cover a couple freight lines which I required, plus some required track in the Clapham Junction area, the route was changed due to a loco ban on the ‘temporary’ bridge between Lewisham & Nunhead which meant an earlier start from Victoria. Not as early as my previous exits from Croydon but still an early enough start, as a kick in the teeth I had to wait for required tram 2564 to pass before reaching the station for the delayed 07:07(ish) service, which was formed of a cosy 377152 for the run to Victoria, making use of the time to grab a sandwich meal-deal for later (as there would be no breaks on the tour).

The tour was due out from platform 2, with dud 66019 on the rear and dud 66177 on the front, both which worked the Buxton Spring service back in April 2015 (ah well, can’t have required locos on every railtour). I was in coach F, right by the door (which could do with some oiling), with 66177 hauling us out of Victoria, onto dud track swinging down underneath the SWML and onto required track as the line split once more and we carried on back underneath the SWML towards Latchmere Junction and onto the West London Line, scoring a micro-grice of the Kensington Olympia through line, pausing to change drivers at Willesden Junction before continuing at a snail’s pace on the North London Line caught behind a London Overground stopping service.

A brief pause at Stratford to allow passengers to board before continuing on crossing over to join the Goblin line towards Barking (the route taken by the half hourly C2C services), over the flyover and onto the line towards Grays (I think we might have run in a reception line for Ripple Lane, but couldn’t be sure), turning off before Stanford-Le-Hope onto my first main track score of the day heading towards London Gateway docks, which featured many giant cranes and containers full of various goodies.

The first reversal of the day and it was back out to the main-line, and into the track at West Thurrock Junction for a 2nd reversal and brief pause before carrying on passing Tilbury Town and onto the former Tilbury Riverside line, passing the site of the former station running to the buffer stocks. Not as impressive as London Gateway, but still a few containers around. Back on the move again, back onto the main-line and towards Grays, passing the station, back out towards Stratford and back onto the North London Line.

Once more it wasn’t long before we had caught up with a stopper, but this time we went via the freight line passing the former platform at Caledonian Road & Barnsbury, but it was a slow and steady pace, pausing at Willesden Junction once more where a few passengers alighted before continuing along the West London Line, carrying on underneath the SWML to pause to continue onto the line taken by LO services, which looking at a detailed map means my remaining required track in the Clapham Junction area is the former chord towards Waterloo (used by Eurostar services to access the depot, and now pretty much disused, but like other various little chords will remain uncovered until there is a railtour booked to go that way.

Anyhow, back to the report, never losing my sense of wonder. The tour continued along the LO lines (via the Brixton flyover) crossing over towards the Nunhead line after Denmark Hill for a slow trip via the Catford loop, noting that the 319s stabled in Bellingham sidings had been visited by the local youths with spray paint. An uneventful trip towards Swanley where we were allowed to alight for some fresh air, but couldn’t go far before reversing back towards London taking the grade separated junction to the SEML, passing Chislehurst taking the Lee Spur heading out towards Dartford towards Gravesend turning left onto the Grain branch after Hoo Junction. I had previously covered the Grain branch a few years ago so it was dud track for me, but a nice revisit to countryside.

A water stop at Grain to top up the water tanks before heading back along the same way, but now into darkness, one final reversal at Swanley heading back up the Catford loop, caught behind a Thameslink stopper, and hanging around the outside of Victoria for 10+ minutes awaiting for platform 2 to become available, arriving pretty much bang on the arrival time in the booklet. I had a few options on how to get home, so it was over to the Southern side with 377443/377110 taking me to Clapham Junction for a brief wait as the colourful 450 paused on a Basingstoke stopper (looked busy), grabbing a view of the 707s located in the yard.

159002/159011/159017 took me back to Basingstoke where I had a 30 minute wait to grab a pizza (Saturday timetable this week), and noticed it was freezing (the ground that was, the pizza was tasty). 159101/158883 was up next to take me back to Grateley, the end of a successful railtour, two more branches highlighted in the book, with some mild scores in the Clapham Junction area.

66177 at Victoria:

Big cranes at London Gateway:

Former Tilbury Riverside station:

Cranes at London Thamesport in the dying light:


More trains need horses on the side:


--------------

31st December – Forgotten Melody

A trip to the West Midlands was on the cards to make a change, making a large note of the last XC services southbound being earlier due to New Year’s Eve. A request to the TOCS request thread gave me the location of some winners, and a dud pretending to be a winner, so I had a rough plan for the day.

159019 was working the 05:59 service to Basingstoke, where I turned down the GWR 165 towards Reading on grounds of not having a seat reservation for the XC service, which was formed of 220010 for the trip out towards Banbury, grabbing a table seat in coach F (reserved from Birmingham International). A good speedy run on a mostly empty unit (coach F only had myself and another couple passengers in until Oxford), but it was time to change to Chiltern.

168111 & 168001 formed the 08:0X service towards Birmingham Snow Hill, passing 68011 at Leamington Spa (which probably featured Quinn on route to London), but an OK run towards Snow Hill, where I picked up my Daytripper from the ticket office before returning (via the open gates) to board 172332/172212 for my first 172 based move since May, to take me to Smethwick Galton Bridge (as I didn’t fancy the tight connection at Rowley Regus).

It was time for some 68 thrash, as dud 82303 rolled in (with dud 68012 on the rear when I IDed it at Snow Hill due to short platforms meant the rear coach was off the platform) for a nice trip to Snow Hill, going via the subway located at the “St Pauls’” end of the station to cross over to the other platform with hybrid 172333 leading 172222 (features one coach from 172338) back to Smethwick Galton Bridge. Where it was a long walk round to platform 4 (as the lift wasn’t working) to await the next ATW service. My first winner of the day rolled in with 158820 leading 158840, my final ATW 158 finally into the book, where I turned down my final 350/2 in exchange of 390011.

Which I had down as being required, however due to a typing error earlier in the year when setting up my requirement lists, I must have inputted 011 rather than 001. Mega Doh! Anyhow dud 390011 took me out to Birmingham International with dud 350253 returning me to Birmingham New Street, where after a quick glance around for anything which might have been set swapped, I picked up some lunch before heading to the tram platform for the following moves (the dud trams were just time wasting mileage moves):

24 to St Pauls
36 to St Chads (also known as the stop formally known as Snow Hill, but renamed on grounds that it doesn’t really serve Snow Hill station anymore
22 to Winson Green Outer Circle
26 to Soho Benson Road
20 to Winson Green Outer Circle
29 to Jewellery Quarter
19 to Soho Benson Road
23 to Jewellery Quarter
26 back out to Winson Green Outer Circle
31 to Jewellery Quarter once more
21 out to Handsworth Booth Street
35 to Jewellery Quarter
23 to Soho Benson Road
24 to Jewellery Quarter

Now that tram 24 had returned I made a tight connection to 172214 at Jewellery Quarter to take me to Birmingham Moor Street for a time wasting move, before heading back to New Street, getting a shock when the next Liverpool service said formed of 8 coaches, with 350103 & 350122 being in charge (football in Liverpool?) to take me to Wolverhampton, crossing over the high footbridge to platform 4 as winner 350246 rolled in, my final 350/2 (leaving just 2 more 350/1s to get).

Back to Birmingham New Street, where after a quick look around and shopping trip to see if anything of interest was included in the HMV sale, before heading to Moor Street, with an idea of a “Voyager Avoiding Move”. 172333/172222 took me to Snow Hill, where I got a good table seat on 168002 for the run up to Banbury, walking over the footbridge to platform 1 where 165121 was waiting on the GWR Oxford service (why do I see these services transferring over to Chiltern at some point in the future?), scoring some micro-gricing south of Banbury giving me some 165 thrash (a much better noise than the noise from a 168) in the former 1st class area.

Running into Oxford platform 1 (the new bay platform, another little score), I turned down a pair of 166s on a fast service, noting 172101 & 168326 on the next Marylebone service. The next “Ealing Broadway” stopping service was formed of 165119 with 165114 on the rear locked out of use. I remained on until Didcot Parkway, crossing over to the main-line side for my last HST of 2016. Sadly it wasn’t one of my last 11 GWR 43s with 43143 leading 43186 for the speedy run to Reading.

Once at Reading I had an issue, there was a late running Bournemouth bound XC due to roll in at the same time as the next Basingstoke stopper was due to depart, so I decided to hang around the rear of 165130 keeping an eye out on the signal, when I saw it go green I jumped on board, but hanging near the door before the familiar sound of bells from the guard signalling to the driver to close the doors and I took a seat for the run to Basingstoke. That 220 was rolling in just as we had departed so a close call, and was behind us by Bramley (after a sub-3 minute turnaround), rolling into platform 4 at Basingstoke a minute or two after I headed to platform 2.

I had finished a good couple hours before I was planning, so my final train of 2016 was the 19:38 departure from Basingstoke to Grateley, formed of City of Exeter 159001. Which looking at my logs was my 1st service from Andover to Clapham on the 10th January (not my first train of 2016 which was 66001, nor first 159 of the year which was 159014 on a Romsey Rocket). Anyhow a relaxing walk home with scoring 2 more units, plus 3 trams, a good end of the year.

Some pictures:
68012 at Snow Hill:


The stop formally known as Snow Hill:


Driving coach from 172338 in 172333:



168326 & 165121 lining up in the Oxford Bays:


I shall try and do a 2016 summary at some point

 

[Kite159]

2016 Summary

Where to start with the year, I wish I could say how many shacks I have visited in 2016 but I don’t have any sort of totals at the start of the year, but as of the end of the year, London Underground, DLR, Croydon Trams, Metrolink, Sheffield Supertram, Nottingham Express Transit, Edinburgh Trams, Glasgow Subway, Blackpool Trams plus Tyne & Wear Metro and not forgetting the Midland Metro had been cleared for stops.

National rail side, 2016 saw a few more TOCs joining the 100% cleared list, leaving just 58 shacks on Northern, 90 shacks on Scotrail and 147 shacks in ATW land left to visit. A slight regret is not really focusing on Wales this year, instead focusing on Northern. Hopefully by the end of 2017 those numbers would be reduced to under 100, the majority being in Wales.

Total mileage for the year was just under 52709 miles, a slight increase of 2015 figures, total overnight stays on Saturdays had increased as well with the number of multi-day stays to focus on particular areas (a week in Beeston to knock out East Midlands, a few days in Newcastle for the North East, a few days in Glasgow for a lot in SPT land). I doubt my mileage for 2017 will be as much with reduced Friday “smash and grabs” in London.

Units wise (and selected passenger locos) I have scored 696 winners, plus countless trams, DLR & underground units (the highlight being clearance of the Victoria line). The highlight being clearing my 142s by luck, only needing assistance for the final 2 which happened to be in the area where I was in that weekend.

End of year unit requirements are
1x 143 (ATW)
2x Northern 150s, 2x ATW 150s, 2x GWR 150s (excluding 150933)
1x ATW 153, 1x LM 153, 2x Northern 153s
4x Scottish 156s, 2x Northern 156s, 2x GA 156s
7x Scottish 158s, 8x Northern 158s
6x Scottish 170s plus 1x LM 170
3x 175s
EMU wise:
1x 318
1x 320
11x 321 (started the year needing 61 of them, all GA)
3x 332 (I can see a Sunday afternoon trip to Heathrow at some point)
2x 350s (LM)
2x 380s
5x 387/2s (I’m not counting the 387/1s with GWR not built or entered service)
2x 390s
9x 395s
1x 465
2x 507
A lot of 700s

Selected Passenger Locos
11 x 43s for GWR plus 2 for VTEC
2x 57s for GWR
4s 73/9s for Cally Sleeper
3x GA 90s
1x 91

Anyhow 2016 has been kind to me, a few wet and horrid days bashing stations in the middle of nowhere, but the bike hasn’t seen that much action. Hopefully 2017 will bring more class clearances, plus making dents in my 700s, with both 345s arriving on Crossrail, 387s on GWR, 707s for SWT (plus 385s in Scotland).

-----------

Anyhow, a rough calendar if anybody wants to say hi (just look for the frog):
7th January - Manchester
14th January - Mersey Weaver 2 Railtour
21st/22nd January - Edinburgh Weekend
28th January & 4th February - Cardiff Trips (probably one day will be Valley lines, the other day will probably be grabbing some of those Swanline shacks)
18th February - Midland Meander Tour
25th February - Leeds Trip (focus on those last few shacks on the Harrogate Loop, plus unit/loco hunting)
11th March - The Waste Train
8th April - Andover Fisk Re-Run

 

[Cletus]

The Snow Hill tram stop. I had trouble getting out of it the other day - in the end just walked alongside the tracks towards the Bull Street stop. Or was there another way out?

 

[Kite159]

The Snow Hill tram stop. I had trouble getting out of it the other day - in the end just walked alongside the tracks towards the Bull Street stop. Or was there another way out?

Pretty much the only way out at moment.

 

[alexf380]

Happy New Year Kite! Wow that is a fantastic looking set of requirements to hold to your name! I hope 2017 brings you much joy and another TOC or 2 cleared.

 

[Techniquest]

An excellent way to end 2016 Kite, fair game. I see 21 and 35 produced for you, so I'd have had 2 winners if I'd joined you on the trams. Instead I was working!

Such a small list of required shacks there, especially with Northern! Whereas you increased your multi day trips I swear mine decreased. That is getting drastically corrected this year, starting this weekend

Happy bashing in 2017 Kite (and to all my fellow trip reporters too) although I already know you've gone to war on your requirements

 

[Blindtraveler]

Big question is what will you do when its all cleared?

Oh and did I see Voyager avoidance move? Good lad if so.

Well done, thanks for sharing and happy new year.

 

[FQ]

Certainly not my kind of tour but it sounds like a good few days! Congrats on the Victoria line too! I was indeed at Leam when your cart to Brum rolled in and got on 68011 a couple of minutes later.

 

[Kite159]

Big question is what will you do when its all cleared?

Oh and did I see Voyager avoidance move? Good lad if so.

Well done, thanks for sharing and happy new year.

I was worried that the hourly service would have been busy so decided to head back via 165s.

I doubt I will ever get to a point where it's 100% cleared, there will always be the odd LU set to chase, the odd tram to hope it's out, plus new stock coming in over the next few years.

 

[Cowley]

Really enjoyed reading all the reports over the last year Kite. You've certainly been very busy.
Has 2016 been a particularly good year for winners would you say? Or are you expecting more out of 2017?

 

[Kite159]

Really enjoyed reading all the reports over the last year Kite. You've certainly been very busy.
Has 2016 been a particularly good year for winners would you say? Or are you expecting more out of 2017?

I would say it has been a good year for winners on the mainline, this year will probably see my requirements drop further but not at a same pace

 

[Keith Jarrett]

Kite

Well done with your successes in 2016 - you're an inspiration to all of us. Your write-ups have always been well presented received and I look forward to the almost daily reads on this thread.

But the BIG question has to be posed. Exactly what's left for you to get?

 

[Kite159]

Kite

Well done with your successes in 2016 - you're an inspiration to all of us. Your write-ups have always been well presented received and I look forward to the almost daily reads on this thread.

But the BIG question has to be posed. Exactly what's left for you to get?

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showpost.php?p=2827817&postcount=88

Although that was before a mega day yesterday
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
2nd January – Starting the New Year with a bang

London was calling me with a challenge of 50 new units within a day (which to be honest would be easy enough to do with the Central line alone), taking into account the new weekend/bank holiday restrictions for super-off peak tickets, I had a walk to the station to purchase a new travel-card (gone up 35p!) and 159010 becomes my first train of 2017 for the quiet run to Waterloo, using up the time by reading the latest issue of Rail which hit my door-mat on Saturday.

Once into London, I decided to have a short session with the northern line as I had ignored it on the previous couple LU hunts, with the moves as followed:
51628/51629 to Embankment
51679/51680 to Charing Cross (mistake in thinking it was required, but in fact was 579/580 being required)
51535/51536 to Waterloo
51712/51574 to Kennington (5 dud sets heading south in a row, narrowly missed a required southbound service)
51644/51722 to Elephant & Castle
51718/51616 to Borough
51562/51561 to London Bridge
51508/51702 to Bank
51580/51579 to London Bridge
51573/51572 to Borough
51655/51654 to London Bridge
51664/51663 to Borough

51630/51720 took me to Bank, where I decided to call it a day on the Northern line, and head to the DLR to get some fresh air, and for a change of scene as it had been a good couple hours since I’ve been in the tunnels. At Bank I leapt on the first Lewisham bound service which had just rolled in, the front was dud but I couldn’t ID the rear two units until a couple minutes later when I alighted at Shadwell to find it was duds 91, 37 & 81. At Shadwell I took up position to ID both what was coming out of the tunnel/Tower Gateway and what was heading in.
My moves were as followed:
63-95 to Limehouse
86-08 to Westferry
125-122-154 to Limehouse (special mention to the slow lift at Westferry)
87-49-09 to Canary Wharf
107-153 to Poplar (after checking out all the sets out on Canary Wharf – Stratford services, swinging via Tesco & a nearby toilet for a PNB)
145-148 to Canning Town High Level, where I headed downstairs and towards the low level platform to ID the various movements on Canning Town – Becktons (3 sets) & Stratford International – Woolwich Arsenal (5 sets), however my eye was drawn over to the jubilee line platforms where I saw a pair of winners heading towards Stratford, closely followed by another winner, as the next Stratford International service rolled in with dud 67 leading required 79 to West Ham.

Quickly crossing over to the Jubilee platforms, it was a short wait before I started moving again:
96072/96015 to Canning Town (where another required set was spotted heading towards Stratford)
96046/96057 to North Greenwich
96031/96118 to Canning Town (was the 1st Stratford service to roll in, probably could have taken it to West Ham)
96068/96089 to North Greenwich, where once more I got lucky as an unknown odd-numbered unit (forgot to make a note of it) was leading 96074 my final even ending set. To Canning Town, with duds 96071/96088 taking me to Stratford for a PNB in the Stratford centre (the little shopping centre on the southern side).

Next up was going to be the Central Line, which I needed to be on top form with to grab all 4 set numbers, but unlike Wednesday from the previous week it was a slow start with the first 3 westbound sets being quad duds (and slow progress with a few more quad duds), however my moves were:
91099/92082/92022/91197 to Mile End
91035/91283/92110/91105 to Bethnal Green
91149/92058/92090/91153 to Liverpool Street
91115/92402/92240/91129 to Bank
91349/92152/92070/91287 to St Pauls
91295/92254/92462/91131 to Chancery Lane
91225/92262/92006/91303 to Holborn
91167/92440/92096/91275 to Tottenham Court Road
91227/92044/92224/91317 back to Holborn

A transfer was made over to the Piccadilly line, which was quite busy with suitcases from people heading towards Heathrow, again I had some double duds pausing my progress, but my moves were:
165/178 to Covent Garden
184/155 to Leicester Square
194/243 to Piccadilly Circus
102/113 to Green Park
229/154 to Hyde Park Corner
146/131 to Green Park
176/215 to Knightsbridge
858/227 to South Kensington

I haven’t done the transfer before from the Piccadilly line towards the district line, and it is a long-ish walk, but the PIS on the eastbound platform was pretty much useless, at a guess it only picks up services once they leave Gloucester Road. Anyhow keeping an eye on both sides of the island platform before getting on the move with the first service eastbound:
21385/386 to Sloane Square
21527/528 to Victoria
21535/536 to St James’s Park
21557/558 back to Victoria (having missed out on 21333 due to a D-stock appearing).

Once at Victoria, I had a quick look at what 387s were out to play (although service was limited to half hourly triples heading to Gatwick only), the gateline was wide open allowing me access to ID the first departure featured a required unit. After a fight with a TVM to give me a BZ6 ticket, I leapt onto dud 387208 leading winner 387211 with dud 387206 on the rear. 206 was busy but as I moved forward to the leading coach of 211 I had it all to myself for the fast trip down to Gatwick Airport.

Once at Gatwick it was a case of seeing if any required 700s were show before the next triple would appear half an hour later. The first couple Thameslink services were 377s, with a dud 700/1 rolling in on a Three Bridges terminator, but running so late it was turned around at Gatwick. However time passed and a required 387 rolled in from Victoria so it was back down to platform 5 (you can see where the additional gateline will be). Duds 387220 & 387218 was leading winner 387204 to take me back to Victoria. This time I was sitting in the leading coach of 220 and again it was empty.

Back at Victoria, and I decided to head down to the district line, to the westbound platform for a change. A bad decision as 2 required S7s were spotted heading eastbound (boo), with no luck I headed back upstairs to ID the 3rd (and final) trio of units out on Gatwick Express, which were thankfully all dud, so it was a leap onto the next departure towards East Croydon, a late running Ore/Littlehampton service, leaping on just as the doors started to close. Duds 377107/377150/377453 were in charge for the run to Croydon, taking a seat in the low density 107 (to be nearer the exit at Croydon) heading outside the station to the tram platforms for some hunting of the 2 new trams, would I strike it lucky at the 3rd attempt at a Croydon fester?

A couple dud trams later (heading in both directions) before I saw the shape of a Stadler came from the town centre, my eyes lit up as I joined the queue to board winner 2564, just for the one stop to Lebanon Road for it was quite busy. Dud 2537 took me back to East Croydon where I took up a seat on the island platform, being in a position to ID trams heading in both directions, I was just getting comfy (or as comfy as you can get when sitting on a metal bench) as another Stadler appeared heading towards Elmers End, for it was winner for everything 2565 to take me to Sandilands. My last Croydon tram, and I was quite happy as I crossed over to wait the next Croydon bound service, which was dud 2545 to take me back to East Croydon station, where a quick look at RTT gave me 3 options to get back towards the city centre, either Blackfriars (option 1) or London Bridge.

Required 700030 was spotted heading southbound, but there was a 4th option which I hadn’t noticed as it was late running, another Thameslink service towards Bedford, and in rolled winner 700010 to take me to Blackfriars via the usual Thameslink crawl (although the driver did make use of the extra acceleration cutting the delay from a 14 minute delay to 8 minutes). As usual I was sat in the rear first class area for the long trip. At Blackfriars the gateline assistant was arguing with someone who was claiming the TVMs were broken and he couldn’t buy a ticket (the TVMs appeared to be working fine, just someone trying to dodge the fare). The LU gateline was wide open, and trains were not stopping at Temple due to the station being closed due to staffing issues.

The first service was a dud S7 on the Circle line, which I turned down for dud 21513/514 rolling in a minute later to Embankment, with dud 51583/51584 taking me to Waterloo on the Northern Line. Swinging via McDonalds for some dinner before I boarded the 19:50 Salisbury service formed of 159020 for the nice trip out west to Grateley, with a nice walk home, thinking that it will be hard to beat my score of 67 winners in a hurry (well until I head to London again on a Sunday). The bonus of getting both trams in without a long fester was the cherry on the cake.

Here be a picture of 2565 at Sandilands:

--------------

3rd January – Locomotion Number 1

As I wasn’t due back into work until the Wednesday, I had a spare weekday in which I could do something which has been on my wishlist for a while, mainly the loco hauled sets in Norwich. A rough plan was formed using the diagrams to grab both sets for a decent distance, and I set off for the 08:59 service towards Waterloo, and as always it was quite busy as 159101 & 159009 rolled in. Taking a seat in 159009 which membership of the ‘159 2K’ club has been approved for the run into Waterloo. My aim was for the 11:00 ‘fast’ Norwich train, which meant 40 minutes to get across from Waterloo to Liverpool Street (avoiding the W&C line).

Jubilee line set 96123/96124 took me to London Bridge, with a short walk over to the Northern line with duds 51625/51624 taking me to Moorgate, just missing a required S8 on the Aldgate bound with dud 21491/492 on the H&C to Liverpool Street, arriving onto the concourse a mere 20 minutes after leaving the 159s at Waterloo. With time to kill I popped outside the station to the Tesco Metro to pick up an early lunch plus a newspaper before heading back to the station, discounting purchasing my Anglia Plus rover from the ticket office at Liverpool Street due to a large queue.

The 11:00 service for my first loco hauled set of the year was led by dud DVT 82127 being pushed by winner 90013, happy days with only 90009 & 90014 left, a quick check on the TOPS request thread highlighted that 90014 was on the 12:00 departure with 90009 not being allocated, however my attention was drawn to the appearance of 156412 on the Lowestoft – Ipswich services, so with a heavy heart I decided to ditch the 90 in favour of the 156 (on grounds that the 90 will be easier to get within London). Purchasing my rover from the senior conductor allowed me to head straight towards 156407 on the 12:19(ish) departure to Lowestoft, a bit of an odd unit as 156507 was my last 156 of 2016 (I see random patterns).

It was a nice enough run to Wickham Market, where I alighted at the single platform station, the station building is being done up with the exit being via a hole in the fence, but other than a pub nearby there isn’t anything around the station not really in Wickham Market. Time to settle down on the bench with the newspaper to waste the 20 or so minutes before the next Ipswich bound service rolled in. My fingers were crossed as winner 156412 appeared for the 15 and a bit miles back to Ipswich, pausing at Westerfield to operate the level crossing (just why is this station skipped during the week, wouldn’t it be better to depart Ipswich a minute or so earlier to call on route to Lowestoft?). Anyhow back at Ipswich to ID anything of interest in the Freightliner yard (several 66s, a couple 70s and a 90), before I got caught out at Ipswich as DVT 82114 rolled in with the James Bond of 90s providing power (90007, shaken not stirred).

Anyhow it was easy enough to grab a table seat in coach G for the run to Norwich, where I was greeted with 90014 on the 14:30 Liverpool Street service (doors locked just as we rolled in) and a 37 bubbling away on platform 4 for the 14:55(ish) Lowestoft. I had time to grab some food from the Co-Op before heading towards the Loco hauled short set with winner 37405 at the front, grabbing a seat in the front carriage, near to the 37, my eyes caught on a certain 156 rolling in as ECS onto platform 6 (attached to a 153), for it was 156418 (my last GA 156 which I hadn’t even seen before, sadly I had no idea which service it ended up on as that ECS move wasn’t on RTT, but I suspect it was detached from the 153 and shunted to the middle track between P4 & P5 with the 153 attaching to the next Lowestoft service).

Anyhow, it was a glorious noise as the driver opened up 37405 for the run towards Lowestoft, a semi-fast service calling at Cantley, Reedham & Oulton Broad North, with some good 37 noise as it accelerated from the stations (masked by a single mother talking to her kid about his “useless father”). It was a nice trip towards the eastern most station in GB at Lowestoft, but I didn’t stay around for long as after a couple photos it was back onto the carriages, this time in the guard-van being hauled by winner 37422 to Brundall, calling at nearly all the stations along the way for that extra noise.

Why bail at Brundall you might be asking, because the connection at Norwich to the Great Yarmouth train is a bit pants (a +1 to the public timetable), I wasn’t alone in bailing at Brundall, but where the rest either walked the mile to Brundall Gardens or stayed on the other platform, I jumped onto dud 156419 to Brundall Gardens for a +5 to the Yarmouth service which was booked to be the 68s. I heard it before I saw the high density headlights as winner 68025 rolled in, grabbing a seat near the front again for the run towards Great Yarmouth, stopping at Brundall, Lingwood & Acle, arriving into the seaside capital of Norfolk. Superb gave a Superbed performance

Once more I didn’t hang around for long, as after a couple pictures, it was back on board, once more in the carriage closest to winner 68005 for the run back towards Norwich, again some good noise with the acceleration (with only 3 carriages and another loco, the power of the 68 is shown). It was to Norwich, pausing briefly outside the station watching as a 08 was shunting a couple Mk3s plus a DVT around Crown Point before rolling in. The 18:00 departure to London was in the hands of dud 90001 with required DVT 82139 on the rear, I was thinking about bailing at Diss to get 90014 into the book and returning on the 19:00 but decided that on another day I would have done, but I wanted to get back at a decent time with it being a “work-night”. Sadly that plan failed as we caught up with a late running freight train at Chelmsford, after departing pretty much on time, we were crawling until Forest Gate, at least giving me my first view of a 345 at Ilford (sleek). But arrival into Stratford was 13 minutes down, which meant it would be very hard to make the 20:20 from Waterloo (doable if there was no delay with the Jubilee line). I decided it wasn’t worth it, so did a spot of 321 hunting, but for the 3rd time my luck didn’t hold with several inbound services being duds.

Over to the Jubilee line, my list of the last 3 units on my phone, but sadly my luck wasn’t holding out so I bailed onto 96066/96067 for the long trip back to Waterloo, swinging via Tesco for a pasta pot for a meal-deal before joining 159107 & 158887 for the trip back to Grateley, with member 6 of the “159 2K” club being introduced with 107 clearing that figure. Getting a lift home to avoid the rain was a bonus, but a good reflection of scoring a 156, a 90 plus getting a good trip behind several locos, both old & new.

Some pictures:
37405 at Norwich:


Lowestoft:



Departing Brundall:


68025 at Great Yarmouth, just Superb:


68005 at Yarmouth:


90047 at Stratford:

 

[Techniquest]

As always, an excellent read there. I don't think I've ever had 67 winners in one day before, and as I need more stuff on LU than you do I might have to give it a go...

 

[Cowley]

Excellent. A proper loco fest in East Anglia.
Nice photos, strange to see a blue and grey coach on a passenger train these days.
Were there many bashers about on the hauled trains?
I'm sure the Dad of those kids has is own version of events too.

 

[Kite159]

Excellent. A proper loco fest in East Anglia.
Nice photos, strange to see a blue and grey coach on a passenger train these days.
Were there many bashers about on the hauled trains?
I'm sure the Dad of those kids has is own version of events too.

I would say half a dozen in the front vestibule of the 37s, the 68s not so much

 

[87electric]

Hopefully they are gettable for you when you hunt them down, and not on a peak time special out of Cannon Street first stop Rochester

If the 2 last required 375s are on the peaks out of Cannon St i will ching up for a ticket.
I'm armed with diagrams and tomorrow is my attempt at them.

 

[Kite159]

If the 2 last required 375s are on the peaks out of Cannon St i will ching up for a ticket.
I'm armed with diagrams and tomorrow is my attempt at them.

Hopefully they will pop up on a service calling within the zones for you.

Although I guess if you get news that both are out in the Medway Valley you will be zooming towards Maidstone

 

[Keith Jarrett]

Wow, 67 winners in a day is excellent going. I'd be happy with 67 winners in a month of intensive bashing!

And the East Anglia trip achieved its purpose of getting some more locos in the book.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Great couple days there good Sir. Sounds like a lot of fun on both LU and mainline.

 

[noddy1878]

67 winners is very good going with you requirements list being as low as it is. A good day in Anglia. Still the same 37s as when I did it in November! And 68005 is still on it. 68025 was kicking about then too but was in the yard and i don't need it anyway.