Andy Pacer
Established Member
West Midlands Daytripper - 7th Sept 2020
My original plan for this day was the larger area West Midlands Day Ranger using £20 of rail travel vouchers I had courtesy of LNER. As discussed at great length in other threads, there are issues with LNER issued vouchers in that they are often not accepted at ticket offices due to not scanning and the numbers on them not working when imputed manually. The result of this was my decision not to spend my 'own money' on the ranger I was only doing to use the vouchers up before they expired so I went ahead and did the cheaper Daytripper instead, as there were a few outstanding matters of interest I wanted to tick off in the validity area.
I started the day at Marston Green where I had my first attempt at the purchase of my ranger, I was early so had already planned to by a single ticket to New Street from there, but intended to buy the ranger to save time later (but to no avail). This was my first proper day out on the rails since March, amusingly that being a 1st class All Line Rover which fortunately finished just days before full lockdown was announced. 350405 did the honours on the trip into Birmingham New Street which was a good start as it was a winner, I needed a few of the ex TPE examples as well as a small handful of 'natives'.
I killed a bit of time in the city centre before the Off Peak Daytripper was valid (I'd had another wasted attempt at using my RTV at New Street), and headed to Moor Street for a trip out for some required shacks. I started with 172212 out to required shack Whitlocks End, 172342 back along to Hall Green where I saw one of the new West Midlands Trains units on test. I then got double winners 172341 and 172008 along to Shirley where after a short wait they returned to take me back into the City and to Snow Hill.
A quick break for a snack before I headed to New Street for some inspiration for the next move. I spotted the TfW service to Birmingham International and decided to see what was on it as I still need a few of their 158s. One winner 158836 was joined by 158830 for the short run out to Birmingham International before winner 350410 accompanied by 350245 took me back to New Street.
Next I had fancied a long awaited trip to Walsall to have a few minutes look at the buses there, and another ex TPE unit 350407 took me up there. A little while later I was back at Walsall and 350233 took me back to New Street.
I was surprised to find I required Smethwick Rolfe Street so opted to get that ticked off on this trip, but major dud from its TPE days 350406 rocked up for the short trip. I then got wet and walked to Galton Bridge to see what was going on at Wolverhampton, 350374 and 350250 took me there, on arrival I noticed another required ex TPE 350409 was attached to 350257 for a run back to Galton Bridge where I was hatching a plan to tick off my last 172/3.
From Galton Bridge duds 172216 and 172222 took me to Stourbridge Junction for a short stop there and a quick look at the Parry People Mover. A few minutes later my required 172337 rolled up to take me back to Moor Street, I then walked back to New Street and boarded my first refurbished 350/1, 350121 back to Marston Green and the drive home.
All in all a good day, a few winning shacks ticked off, and a few more units than expected.
My original plan for this day was the larger area West Midlands Day Ranger using £20 of rail travel vouchers I had courtesy of LNER. As discussed at great length in other threads, there are issues with LNER issued vouchers in that they are often not accepted at ticket offices due to not scanning and the numbers on them not working when imputed manually. The result of this was my decision not to spend my 'own money' on the ranger I was only doing to use the vouchers up before they expired so I went ahead and did the cheaper Daytripper instead, as there were a few outstanding matters of interest I wanted to tick off in the validity area.
I started the day at Marston Green where I had my first attempt at the purchase of my ranger, I was early so had already planned to by a single ticket to New Street from there, but intended to buy the ranger to save time later (but to no avail). This was my first proper day out on the rails since March, amusingly that being a 1st class All Line Rover which fortunately finished just days before full lockdown was announced. 350405 did the honours on the trip into Birmingham New Street which was a good start as it was a winner, I needed a few of the ex TPE examples as well as a small handful of 'natives'.
I killed a bit of time in the city centre before the Off Peak Daytripper was valid (I'd had another wasted attempt at using my RTV at New Street), and headed to Moor Street for a trip out for some required shacks. I started with 172212 out to required shack Whitlocks End, 172342 back along to Hall Green where I saw one of the new West Midlands Trains units on test. I then got double winners 172341 and 172008 along to Shirley where after a short wait they returned to take me back into the City and to Snow Hill.
A quick break for a snack before I headed to New Street for some inspiration for the next move. I spotted the TfW service to Birmingham International and decided to see what was on it as I still need a few of their 158s. One winner 158836 was joined by 158830 for the short run out to Birmingham International before winner 350410 accompanied by 350245 took me back to New Street.
Next I had fancied a long awaited trip to Walsall to have a few minutes look at the buses there, and another ex TPE unit 350407 took me up there. A little while later I was back at Walsall and 350233 took me back to New Street.
I was surprised to find I required Smethwick Rolfe Street so opted to get that ticked off on this trip, but major dud from its TPE days 350406 rocked up for the short trip. I then got wet and walked to Galton Bridge to see what was going on at Wolverhampton, 350374 and 350250 took me there, on arrival I noticed another required ex TPE 350409 was attached to 350257 for a run back to Galton Bridge where I was hatching a plan to tick off my last 172/3.
From Galton Bridge duds 172216 and 172222 took me to Stourbridge Junction for a short stop there and a quick look at the Parry People Mover. A few minutes later my required 172337 rolled up to take me back to Moor Street, I then walked back to New Street and boarded my first refurbished 350/1, 350121 back to Marston Green and the drive home.
All in all a good day, a few winning shacks ticked off, and a few more units than expected.