ash39
Established Member
- Joined
- 8 Feb 2012
- Messages
- 1,524
Had the luxury of a spare Saturday afternoon, so decided to head out for a few hours. I started as usual for these rovers by driving to Garforth, arriving around 1130. I had two options for getting into Leeds, the first being a TPE service from Middlesbrough. I currently need around half the 185 fleet, so decided I'd get it if it was a winner. It was delayed around 5 minutes, so I got looking at my moves list on my phone, anything in the 13x region would be good as I need everything except 136 and 139. Worst case would be 145 which I've had 4 times. You can imagine I wasn't too impressed when a wedged 185145 turned up, and another load on the platform squeezed on. Unsurprisingly, I let that go and got the Northern service a few minutes behind, which was 185795, also dud despite needing loads of them. Not a great start, but things would improve!
I had no real plan for the day, but I always seem to get drawn to the Airdale/Wharfedale lines when I do these rovers. When winner 333015 was seen about to depart on a Bradford Forster Square train, I jumped on, thinking I'd get to Shipley and re-evaluate there. Once on board I realised it was due to stop at Apperley Bridge, and the wait for a return was less than 20 minutes so I decided to alight at this new(ish) station.
My overwhelming memory of this place was an infestation of giant mutant ladybirds. I've never witnessed anything like it, they were huge black ones with evil looking red spots and kept landing on me, so had to hide in the shelter. It must be the mild autumn, but even the shelter had a few knocking about. I managed to brave the platform for long enough to get a shot of a Skipton service coming through non-stop, which I thought would be a 333 but was 322485...
322485 Apperley Bridge 29/10/2016 by Flash 3939, on Flickr
I'd got it into my head that despite the 321/9's and 322's being a common pool, for the past few months I'd only ever seen 322's on the Doncaster line. This was of interest as I was hoping to find 321902 and 903 to finish them off, so having seen 322484 at Neville Hill earlier and now 322485 on a Skipton run, there was a chance the 321/9's would be out on the Doncaster line.
My return to Leeds was 333011, another winner! 7 of these to go now.
At Leeds, I checked to see if the 91 about to leave for London was needed, but it was dud 91116. Decided to let it go, and watched it make a spirited departure with sanders blasting away! Also missing its front valance.
91116 Leeds 29/10/2016 by Flash 3939, on Flickr
The stopper from Doncaster was due to arrive shortly after, and my earlier thoughts turned out to be fruitful as it was 321903. It's a quick turnaround at Leeds, so I got on and ate my sandwich whilst I waited for it to set off back. I have most of the stations on this line except Fitzwilliam which is a +1 onto the return (no chance of making it with the layout of the station), so I got off at Wakefield Westgate to see if I could get a winner 91 back.
An East Midlands Trains empty coaching stock move from Neville Hill to Nottingham passed through whilst I waited.
43066 Wakefield Westgate 29/10/2016 by Flash 3939, on Flickr
My plan to wait for the Virgin service was dropped when winner 321902 turned up on the Leeds stopper. How's that for luck?? On the way back I worked out this move is 10.06 miles, Keith Jarrett of this forum would like this leap!
(Sub)class cleared...
321902 Leeds 29/10/2016 by Flash 3939, on Flickr
Back at Leeds (again), I realised I'd only done Northern services so far, so I thought I'd try my luck on TPE, and there was a Dewsbury out and back move which worked out well. However, whilst waiting for it I got that usual Leeds P15/P16 feeling - that of being in a crowd of people sufficient to fill a 185, not to mention to amount of people already likely to be on board. The service was also losing time on RTT, and when it dropped to 7 late, I decided to look for another option. Down on platform 17 there was a Sheffield train about to leave which stopped at Wakefield Kirkgate, which had a short connection back to Westgate, so it was back to Wakefield again on winner 158794. Noted 90041 dumped at Midland Road depot, wonder how long until they dig it back out?
Winning 150111 came shortly after I bailed, for the move to Westgate.
150111 Wakefield Kirkgate 29/10/2016 by Flash 3939, on Flickr
I noticed a northbound Virgin HST was losing time and was now a viable connection, so this was a good option. Even better when winner 43277 rolled in. I got on around halfway down the train, so on the approach to Leeds I used the reflective building on the approach (some of you will know the one I mean!) to try and ID the rear power car. It was also a winner, Sunderlands finest 43274.
43274 Leeds 29/10/2016 by Flash 3939, on Flickr
I had to get home now, but I'd squeezed quite a lot into 4 hours and was pretty pleased. Like on the way in, I had the choice of a TPE service or Northern stopper to get me back to Garforth. The TPE was late (again), and when I saw the stopper was formed of winner 144015, I had to take it. Annoyingly, we accelerated to the station throat and then waited around 5 minutes for the TPE service to pass. Probably the right thing to do but it meant I'd have been quicker on the TPE, which turned out to also be a winner (185135), but I'm sure that'll be around a lot longer than the 144 will.
9 moves, 9 winners (1 pair), 1 dud, 1 winner station. Good afternoon out!
I had no real plan for the day, but I always seem to get drawn to the Airdale/Wharfedale lines when I do these rovers. When winner 333015 was seen about to depart on a Bradford Forster Square train, I jumped on, thinking I'd get to Shipley and re-evaluate there. Once on board I realised it was due to stop at Apperley Bridge, and the wait for a return was less than 20 minutes so I decided to alight at this new(ish) station.
My overwhelming memory of this place was an infestation of giant mutant ladybirds. I've never witnessed anything like it, they were huge black ones with evil looking red spots and kept landing on me, so had to hide in the shelter. It must be the mild autumn, but even the shelter had a few knocking about. I managed to brave the platform for long enough to get a shot of a Skipton service coming through non-stop, which I thought would be a 333 but was 322485...
322485 Apperley Bridge 29/10/2016 by Flash 3939, on Flickr
I'd got it into my head that despite the 321/9's and 322's being a common pool, for the past few months I'd only ever seen 322's on the Doncaster line. This was of interest as I was hoping to find 321902 and 903 to finish them off, so having seen 322484 at Neville Hill earlier and now 322485 on a Skipton run, there was a chance the 321/9's would be out on the Doncaster line.
My return to Leeds was 333011, another winner! 7 of these to go now.
At Leeds, I checked to see if the 91 about to leave for London was needed, but it was dud 91116. Decided to let it go, and watched it make a spirited departure with sanders blasting away! Also missing its front valance.
91116 Leeds 29/10/2016 by Flash 3939, on Flickr
The stopper from Doncaster was due to arrive shortly after, and my earlier thoughts turned out to be fruitful as it was 321903. It's a quick turnaround at Leeds, so I got on and ate my sandwich whilst I waited for it to set off back. I have most of the stations on this line except Fitzwilliam which is a +1 onto the return (no chance of making it with the layout of the station), so I got off at Wakefield Westgate to see if I could get a winner 91 back.
An East Midlands Trains empty coaching stock move from Neville Hill to Nottingham passed through whilst I waited.
43066 Wakefield Westgate 29/10/2016 by Flash 3939, on Flickr
My plan to wait for the Virgin service was dropped when winner 321902 turned up on the Leeds stopper. How's that for luck?? On the way back I worked out this move is 10.06 miles, Keith Jarrett of this forum would like this leap!
(Sub)class cleared...
321902 Leeds 29/10/2016 by Flash 3939, on FlickrBack at Leeds (again), I realised I'd only done Northern services so far, so I thought I'd try my luck on TPE, and there was a Dewsbury out and back move which worked out well. However, whilst waiting for it I got that usual Leeds P15/P16 feeling - that of being in a crowd of people sufficient to fill a 185, not to mention to amount of people already likely to be on board. The service was also losing time on RTT, and when it dropped to 7 late, I decided to look for another option. Down on platform 17 there was a Sheffield train about to leave which stopped at Wakefield Kirkgate, which had a short connection back to Westgate, so it was back to Wakefield again on winner 158794. Noted 90041 dumped at Midland Road depot, wonder how long until they dig it back out?
Winning 150111 came shortly after I bailed, for the move to Westgate.
150111 Wakefield Kirkgate 29/10/2016 by Flash 3939, on Flickr
I noticed a northbound Virgin HST was losing time and was now a viable connection, so this was a good option. Even better when winner 43277 rolled in. I got on around halfway down the train, so on the approach to Leeds I used the reflective building on the approach (some of you will know the one I mean!) to try and ID the rear power car. It was also a winner, Sunderlands finest 43274.
43274 Leeds 29/10/2016 by Flash 3939, on Flickr
I had to get home now, but I'd squeezed quite a lot into 4 hours and was pretty pleased. Like on the way in, I had the choice of a TPE service or Northern stopper to get me back to Garforth. The TPE was late (again), and when I saw the stopper was formed of winner 144015, I had to take it. Annoyingly, we accelerated to the station throat and then waited around 5 minutes for the TPE service to pass. Probably the right thing to do but it meant I'd have been quicker on the TPE, which turned out to also be a winner (185135), but I'm sure that'll be around a lot longer than the 144 will.
9 moves, 9 winners (1 pair), 1 dud, 1 winner station. Good afternoon out!
. It sounds like a great day there and congrats on the 321/9s!
