If you want just the trains I travelled on, skip down to the section at the end of this post.
PMH = Portsmouth Harbour
PMS = Portsmouth and Southsea
BTN = Brighton
SEF = Seaford
NVH = Newhaven Harbour
NVM = Newhaven Marine
BAA = Barnam
BOG = Bognor Regis
LIT = Littlehampton
HAV = Havant
I wanted to get the most time out of a Southern Day Saver as possible. So on the 9th May, I left home at 6am and drove to Portsmouth. Parking in Gunwharf Quays, I walked over to Portsmouth Harbour station where I purchased a Portsmouth to Brighton single, and collected the Day Saver. (The Day Saver isn't valid before 10am).
The first journey was the 0829-0952 PMH-BTN, worked by 313215 (1S13 BI701). This departed on time and arrived into Brighton two minutes early. This gave me plenty of time to wander around and find the train for my first Seaford round trip.
The 1011-1048 BTN-SEF, worked by 313220 (2C20 BI705). The outbound trip arrived two minutes early, and the return trip arrived one minute early. So far so good!
The next trip was on the same tracks, this time one of the rare Newhaven Marine reversers. 313206 departed and arrived on time at Newhaven Harbour as 1211-1241 2C98 (BI708), reversed at Marine as 5C33 and returned to Brighton on time as 2C33.
Next up was another Seaford and back, this time the 1411-1448 2C36 and 1453-1529 2C41, worked by 313212 (BI708). That was my last return trip to Brighton and all ran to time. Time to head back towards Portsmouth, with a few stops on the way.
The first segment of this part of the trip was on 313215, 1600-1646 BTN-BAA, 1S28. This was a Portsmouth and Southsea service. There was a smooth change at Barnham onto 313207 on 2P48, the 1652-1659 BAA-BOG which arrived on time on diagram BI703. I was picking up 207 part way on its circular diagram which started out at PMS.
A quick turnaround at Bognor and I was out again on 1705-1723 2P33 to Littlehampton. This was the first delayed service on the day - departed Bognor on time but held at a red before joining the mainline for another 313 to pass in front of us. Once it had departed Barnham, we were allowed off the branch and into Barnham. Departing BAA three minutes late, we made up some time and arrived at Littlehampton one minute late.
The turnaround at Littlehampton was easy, and 2S30 departed on time on the 1755-1853 LIT-PMS and arrived into the lower platforms at Portsmouth and Southsea one minute late, sharing a platform with a SWR 450.
All my time so far on Southern territory had been in sunny, slightly overcast weather. Great for taking photos and videos! The moment I got back into SWR's territory, the skies OPENED. So I have no pics of 207 at Portsmouth as I was running for cover - especially as we were at the far end of the platform behind a 450!
I waited out the rain and found a great burger place less than two minutes' walk from the station, recommended by a member of station staff. Came back to the station to dry out and eat, and then back onto the trains. And this is where it all went wrong. The weather had moved from causing havoc on SWR's territory to causing havoc on Southern's territory. Almost all 313 services to/from Brighton were cancelled, with delays and cancellations all over the rest of the network.
I first knew something was up pretty much as soon as I left Portsmouth - lots of waiting at signals and slow running. 313219 (BI709) working 2S29 1957-2053 PMS-LIT departed 3L and arrived 20L. By the time we'd arrived, I had spent some time looking at RealTimeTrains and Southern's website, trying to figure out what was running and what wasn't. Almost all the 313s out of Brighton were cancelled including the Portsmouth services which I was relying on to get home, and SWR were refusing ticket acceptance even though at one point they were the only company running into Portsmouth Harbour.
My original plan was 2149-2229 BAA-PMH 1S38 BI704 313xxx, but that was cancelled. As was every BTN-PMS/PMH service. I had a chat with the guard on the way out of Littlehampton and we figured out a plan B. Step one was 313219 taking me as far as Barnham on the 2109-2122 LIT-BAA 2P66 (Bognor service). This was my last 313.
While waiting at Barnham, a 377 came in from London Victoria and terminated early, emptying out a load of unhappy passengers from London before and going back up to London. So the platform was busy. Reason for the early cancellation was "speed restrictions as a result of heat (X4)"... go figure. And a 313 came through on a Brighton service.
After a while, 377146 arrived on a London Victoria to Southampton Central service (2159-2227 BAA-HAV 1J62). It was fairly quiet which was good because a LOT of people got on, including me! In the end it departed two minutes late and arrived at Havant three minutes late.
Last service of the night was a late running SWR service - 2231-2252 HAV-PMH 1P69 444016. Arrived 10 minutes late into Havant. I found the guard who was more than happy to authorise me to travel even though I was on a Southern only ticket. It was a good thing was running late as the timing worked out quite well with the connection with the previous Southern service.
I then walked back to the Gunwharf Quays car park, found my car and drove home! And that was my day out, and likely the last time I'll ever travel on a 313 in normal passenger service.
Good points: the 313s making some superb traction sounds and still holding together with great ride quality after 47 years, drivers and guards happy to chat, the weather for holding out for the best part of the day, the guards on 2P66 and 1P69, great staff on Southern overall and SWR staff at Portsmouth and Southsea
Bad points: the weather, SWR for being frustratingly inflexible on tickets (SERIOUSLY YOU WERE THE ONLY COMPANY RUNNING TRAINS TO PMH!!!), no more 313s!
PICTURES WILL BE COMING SOON - I need to sort through the hundreds I took and get them uploaded, and get the videos edited and uploaded. I will update this thread in due course!
Code:
Summary of the day:
0829-0952 PMH-BTN 1S13 BI701 313215
Departed on time, arrived 2E.
1011-1048 BTN-SEF 2C20 BI705 313220
Departed on time, arrived 1E.
1053-1129 SEF-BTN 2C25 BI705 313220
Departed and arrived on time.
1211-1241 BTN-NVH 2C98 BI708 313206
Departed and arrived on time.
1244-1250 NVH-NHV 5C33 BI708 313206
Stock move between platforms via Newhaven Marine.
1258-1329 NHV-BTN 2C33 BI708 313206
Departed and arrived on time.
1411-1448 BTN-SEF 2C36 BI707 313212
Departed on time, arrived 1E.
1453-1529 SEF-BTN 2C41 BI707 312313
Departed and arrived on time.
1600-1646 BTN-BAA 1S28 BI701 313215
Departed and arrived on time.
This was the BTN-PMS service, scheduled arr. PMS 1723.
1652-1659 BAA-BOG 2P48 BI703 313207
Departed and arrived on time.
1705-1723 BOG-LIT 2P33 BI703 313207
Departed on time, arrived 1L. Was held outside Barnham, departing Barnham 3L.
1755-1853 LIT-PMS 2S30 BI703 313207
Departed on time, arrived 1L.
1957-2053 PMS-LIT 2S29 BI709 313219
Departed 3L, arrived 20L. Lots of slow running and waiting at signals.
2109-2122 LIT-BAA 2P66 BI708 313219
Departed 7L, arrived 3L.
This was the LIT-BOG service, scheduled arr. 2133.
2149-2229 BAA-PMH 1S38 BI704 313xxx
CANCELLED
2159-2227 BAA-HAV 1J62 377146
Departed 2L, arrived 3L.
This was the VIC-SOU, 2035-2308.
2231-2252 HAV-PMH 1P69 444016
Departed 10L (at 2241), arrived 8L.
This was the WAT-PMH service, 2100-2252.
