I have done over 1,110 stations excluding some I haven't accounted for yet (recent visits) but that includes everything in the Baker's, Light Rail included.
I find if you get so far, especially up to 1,000, you don't want to give it up or it's a wasted effort. Rome wasn't built in a day, so it does take time, and most people like me do it at a leisurely pace. It's taken me about 6-7 years to get where I'm at now, and it's been done through a number of ALR's, regional rovers and railtours that just happen to go to where I need (Llandrindod Wells for example was done on a Central Wales charter). My personal rule is to get off at the station and get on another train with a different headcode, OR step off/on the same train providing it's been there for a a reasonable long time (over 20-30 minutes at least)
I have done regional rovers specifically for station scratching like the Freedom of Severn & Solent, I plugged in the gaps between Weymouth and Southampton and now all I need is Hinton Admiral to complete Weymouth to Eastleigh.
SWT staff were quite intrigued of my expedition, one guard even offered to hold the train at Wareham, one of the stations I needed, for a couple of minutes so I could mark it off. Very helpful chap but I had to turn it down as it was against my rules. The plan was to get off at the next station I needed and double back on a different train to Wareham.
Most of the station scratching on busy sections is done by missing out each stop and doubling back to the one you didn't get off at. Doesn't always work when there are aren't even numbers.
Some stations on the Southern DaySave gave me quite a fair wait before the next train. This is a great opportunity to look around the station and find the local map to see where the hamlet/town is for a visit. These long stops are also worked in to include a refreshment stop so I'd go and find the nearest corner shop/supermarket.
Another tip is not to plan too much, especially the whole day. Work out through the timetable what stations you need and what connections there are to get back out. I often go to the furthest point on a section of track and work my way back. Some lines do have stations that are peak hours only, like Cooksbridge, so I'd aim for that first or aim to do it in the evening. Plan your stations in sections. Having a plan for the entire day is great, but when that train you rely on being on time comes in 45 minutes late and misses your connection to a station that has very little calls, it collapses into pieces and your day's plan has gone to bed.
The London area is of course very easy. In fact some areas are easier than they look. I used my smartphone on a Southeastern Travelcard station bash, and found quite a lot of lines that run close to other lines, and you can walk between two stations on two different lines that would save having to go to London Bridge or whatever just to come back on another line. It is worth having a look on the smartphone or local A-Z map and looking to see how close stations are and what route to take between the two.
I am actually leaving the Far North and Central Wales until last. These will probably be spread out over a lot of different bashes in the area. I have done Sugar Loaf but that was on a day return and was the only station I did that day, but is one less to do in the future, making it that bit easier. Wick/Georgmas/Thurso also done as I've completed the line, so I only need Scotscalder and stations before it to Inverness.
Places like Melksham have a very rare service each day, worst than what the Far North Line see's. If you got off at Melksham at 6am, you'd have to wait 12 hours before the next train! It's worth looking into local transport for stations like these, for instance you can get a train to Chippenham (every half hour) for the 234 bus (every hour) to Melksham and time it to meet the train at the station. I grew up in Melksham so I was pretty lucky to have it easy to scratch it off a million times!
Also remember to keep tabs on what you have done!! I've made the mistake once of not marking where I've been after a bash then I've lost the notes. Nothing worst than sitting there citing the entire bash going 'did I get off there? I seem to recall that station, but I can't remember if I was there'. So my 1,110 count isn't quite 100% as I've got missing stations, but to be fair it isn't that many (20 at most I'd say) and I've probably been to some of them again since anyway.
