Well the start of the day hasn't been good. I was booked for the 0553 off Plymouth to London. But there was no train at Plymouth when I arrived. There was however another HST on platform 7 which as far as I know isn't normally there. We were waiting for stock from Laira so I don't know if the train on 7 was originally ours but developed a fault on the way and they put it out of the way! Either way the train arrived and we left Plymouth at 0616, 23 late! I wondered how late we'd arrive at Paddington but it would mean I'd wait till off peak kicked in on tube before heading to Liverpool Street. Glad I booked a later train to Ipswich, that's for sure!
We arrived 40 late. Good job I did book the 1100 and not the 1000! Once I arrived at Liverpool Street I had 40 mins till my train. No chance of a quick out and return on the Stanstead expresses. So a cup of tea in the Wetherspoons for free was had. How? I went to pay by card and the machine wasn't working. So they let me have it on the house!
90012 was my traction to Ipswich. First winner of the day. The leading DVT was also a winner. At Ipswich I took photos of what was in the yard. Was a lot busier than the last time I was here but only one loco was required but one is better than none!
The main plan for today was route scratching. So I caught a winning 170 to Cambridge. As I passed Stowmarket there were several DRS locos stabled. Two 57s and three 37s. None were required. I'd have to check my records but I'm sure that 57003 and 57004 (the ones i saw) are the most spotted of DRS 57s for me! I didn't have time at Cambridge for lunch anywhere but from Upper Crusts (but I do like their baguettes). I waited for a train to Norwich. I looked to see if the XC 170 to Birmingham was required (I could bail at Ely) but it wasn't so I caught the NXEA 170 to Norwich.
When I arrived at Norwich things weren't looking good for winners! Everything in the station was dud from the NXEA 90 to the East Midlands 158. Luckily they weren't any train I planned to catch. My train to Lowestoft wasn't in. When it rolled in it was a winning 156! I also saw 150280 (on hire from Arriva Trains Wales) roll in a I was leaving.
Onwards to Lowestoft. By now it was nearly pitch black. I arrived just after 1630 and waited for a train back to Ipswich. It was cold and luckily the train arrived fairly quickly. It wasn't due to leave until 1708 but it was warm! The Lowestoft - Ipswich line is painfully slow and I'm glad I've got that out of the way! All that is left for me to scratch off on an Anglia Plus ranger now is the Felixstowe branch and the line between Ely and Kennet. I'm pleased with that.
Once I was back at Ipswich it was a short wait for the 1909 back to London. It ended up being 90012 doing the honours, the same as earlier in the day!
When I arrived at London I took a longer route to my sisters! I went Liverpool Street - Tottenham Hale - Vauxhall - Earlsfield. This meant I could get some 379s part of the way home!
A good day in all. Lots of new route and a fair bit of new traction.
Wednesday, 23 November 2011
Sunday, 13 November 2011
13th November - A few hours in Cardiff
Yes it's a Sunday but I already knew I'd have a day to do something and planned a few hours in Cardiff before meeting my wife at Exeter after her flight from Glasgow for her Grandad's 80th.
I was off of Plymouth on the 0925 and due to diversions went to Newport. This saved me time as a few minutes later a connection to Cardiff was made on a doubled up XC 170 unit. They were both winning so I jumped in the front one and knew I could get the other on the return. It was a good job I did it in that order as the return only had one unit serviceable which was the required one!!!
A couple of dud trips took me back to Cardiff and then Newport before my final XC 170 for sight rolled in on another doubled up train. This was good because most of the XC 170s I need now are the two car ones. So like before I got into the front unit in case the rear is out of action (should I require it) on the return!
The rear unit wasn't required and I headed back to Newport on a Pacer that was heading to Cheltenham Spa. Don't think I have ridden a Pacer between Cardiff and Newport before! There was not a lot else I could do from now on. My train back home was off Newport at 1503. The last thing I wanted to do was be late to meet My wife!!
Yes it was a short time but I got three winning 170s in, and the more difficult two carriage ones at that! Normally i only see three carriage ones in Cardiff! And all XC ones completed for sight. Finally the ride on Pacer on the mainline really wasn't that bad!
I was off of Plymouth on the 0925 and due to diversions went to Newport. This saved me time as a few minutes later a connection to Cardiff was made on a doubled up XC 170 unit. They were both winning so I jumped in the front one and knew I could get the other on the return. It was a good job I did it in that order as the return only had one unit serviceable which was the required one!!!
A couple of dud trips took me back to Cardiff and then Newport before my final XC 170 for sight rolled in on another doubled up train. This was good because most of the XC 170s I need now are the two car ones. So like before I got into the front unit in case the rear is out of action (should I require it) on the return!
The rear unit wasn't required and I headed back to Newport on a Pacer that was heading to Cheltenham Spa. Don't think I have ridden a Pacer between Cardiff and Newport before! There was not a lot else I could do from now on. My train back home was off Newport at 1503. The last thing I wanted to do was be late to meet My wife!!
Yes it was a short time but I got three winning 170s in, and the more difficult two carriage ones at that! Normally i only see three carriage ones in Cardiff! And all XC ones completed for sight. Finally the ride on Pacer on the mainline really wasn't that bad!
Thursday, 10 November 2011
10th November - Thames Day Ranger
Been a while since I had done my one and only Thames Day Ranger. So I decided to do another and get the Marlow branch scratched off.
I left Plymouth on the 0748 train to Reading. For some reason we were held at Castle Cary for 8 minutes which led to the train getting later and later. I arrived at Reading with 1 minute spare for a connection to Maidenhead, which I missed. Not critical as i was able to catch another train and still make connection to Marlow.
I found the correct platform and got on the train. However it went nowhere and we got moved to another train due to a fault. Now I was going to miss my connection to Marlow by 3 minutes. However my luck was in. They held the train at Maidenhead.
So I headed off to Marlow to scratch off that bit of track. By the time I returned to Maidenhead (all on schedule) I was getting hungry. Curry for lunch in Wetherspoons was just the ticket. A quick walk to "The Bear" for lunch and then "The Greyhound" for another pint before 1332 to Paddington. Now the hunt for my last 3 FGW HST power cars was on.
I looked round at Paddington to see if any of my required power cars were present. There wasn't much in at this time an waited to see what would arrive. To kill time I saw a required Turbo so caught that to Ealing Broadway. My return to Paddington was also a winning Turbo. Another look round gave nothing of any reward. So it was onto a Bedwyn service a it was a winner. First stop Reading. At reading I got on the next train back to Paddington. It was an hst that stopped at Slough. Having seen a Turbo leave Reading a few minutes earlier that was required I noticed that I would overtake it and could catch it from Slough. I did this and noticed a winning power car! It was heading the wrong way and a quick look at its next couple of diagrams meant this one would have to wait another day!
Back at Paddington again there were no power cars. So I hopped onto a Heathrow Connect to Ealing Broadway and then another turbo to Maidenhead. It was then an HST to reading before another back to Paddington.
It was now getting on with time. So started making my way back to Reading. I bailed at Maidenhead to see if the train behind was a winner. It was and I then bailed at Twyford. The train behind was a dud but one heading east was good. So back to Maidenhead and one last chance for another winner back to Reading. It was!
At Reading I waited for my train home. A reasonably good day. No power cars but 13 winning units and a bit of new track. Guess I can't complain too much, I did get a winning power car on Monday!
I left Plymouth on the 0748 train to Reading. For some reason we were held at Castle Cary for 8 minutes which led to the train getting later and later. I arrived at Reading with 1 minute spare for a connection to Maidenhead, which I missed. Not critical as i was able to catch another train and still make connection to Marlow.
I found the correct platform and got on the train. However it went nowhere and we got moved to another train due to a fault. Now I was going to miss my connection to Marlow by 3 minutes. However my luck was in. They held the train at Maidenhead.
So I headed off to Marlow to scratch off that bit of track. By the time I returned to Maidenhead (all on schedule) I was getting hungry. Curry for lunch in Wetherspoons was just the ticket. A quick walk to "The Bear" for lunch and then "The Greyhound" for another pint before 1332 to Paddington. Now the hunt for my last 3 FGW HST power cars was on.
I looked round at Paddington to see if any of my required power cars were present. There wasn't much in at this time an waited to see what would arrive. To kill time I saw a required Turbo so caught that to Ealing Broadway. My return to Paddington was also a winning Turbo. Another look round gave nothing of any reward. So it was onto a Bedwyn service a it was a winner. First stop Reading. At reading I got on the next train back to Paddington. It was an hst that stopped at Slough. Having seen a Turbo leave Reading a few minutes earlier that was required I noticed that I would overtake it and could catch it from Slough. I did this and noticed a winning power car! It was heading the wrong way and a quick look at its next couple of diagrams meant this one would have to wait another day!
Back at Paddington again there were no power cars. So I hopped onto a Heathrow Connect to Ealing Broadway and then another turbo to Maidenhead. It was then an HST to reading before another back to Paddington.
It was now getting on with time. So started making my way back to Reading. I bailed at Maidenhead to see if the train behind was a winner. It was and I then bailed at Twyford. The train behind was a dud but one heading east was good. So back to Maidenhead and one last chance for another winner back to Reading. It was!
At Reading I waited for my train home. A reasonably good day. No power cars but 13 winning units and a bit of new track. Guess I can't complain too much, I did get a winning power car on Monday!
Tuesday, 8 November 2011
7th November - Cardiff and Newport
Today I went to Cardiff to try and knock off a few of the ATW units that I require for haulage. Any FGW HST power cars required would be a bonus.
So I left Plymouth on the 0925 to Aberdeen. My usual move would then be be to change at Bristol Parkway for the HST to Cardiff. However due to a signalling fault in the Swindon area the Cardiff train was running 35 late. I decided to get something to eat now rather than at Cardiff. So I actually left the platforms and went to Uppercrust. The barriers at Parkway didn't like my ticket (or many other people's for that matter so there was a queue!) which is no doubt frustrating for many people.
Anyway my train finally arrived and off I went to Cardiff. On the way I saw a winning GBRF 66 at Alexander Dock Junction and a 'Super 60'! If these are super remains to be seen as they seem just as unreliable as normal 60s. Anyway it was 60007 and required for sight but as per usual with 60s no photo opportunity. Last time I was here was in July. I headed straight to the Valley lines platforms and waited. I saw units that were required but going the wrong way. I wanted to go to Queen Street and back. So I worked out when their return was. I then saw a winning 158 heading to Cheltenham Spa. So I headed off to Platform 1 to get it. I caught this to Newport and saw a required 175 waiting to leave for Cardiff. This was going well. Back at Cardiff I saw another 175 that was required took me back to Newport.
A dud 175 back to Cardiff. I then saw a FGW HST power car on the rear of a Paddington bound train that was required. I checked it's moves for the day and discovered it was heading to Taunton on its next move. I looked at where I could meet it and it'll be move to Swindon when the time was right.
In the meantime I saw a winning XC 170. So I caught this to Newport with a dud return. During all this I missed the units that would be returning through Cardiff on the valley lines. This wasn't so bad because I felt its easier to get them than units that normally cover a greater area of working. I waited on the Valley Line platforms in hope of a required unit to Queen Street but nothing was happening. During my wait another required 170 rolled in. So this was the start of my return home. I caught 170398 to Newport and then an HST to Swindon. From here should be my winning Power car to Bristol. I didn't want to go to Taunton as it was a stopper after Bristol through Weston. It was 43041 and at Bristol it was a Voyager home. A lot later than planned but worth it for the power car. Only 3 FGW ones left for haulage.
A good day. 5 new units for haulage and a power car.
So I left Plymouth on the 0925 to Aberdeen. My usual move would then be be to change at Bristol Parkway for the HST to Cardiff. However due to a signalling fault in the Swindon area the Cardiff train was running 35 late. I decided to get something to eat now rather than at Cardiff. So I actually left the platforms and went to Uppercrust. The barriers at Parkway didn't like my ticket (or many other people's for that matter so there was a queue!) which is no doubt frustrating for many people.
Anyway my train finally arrived and off I went to Cardiff. On the way I saw a winning GBRF 66 at Alexander Dock Junction and a 'Super 60'! If these are super remains to be seen as they seem just as unreliable as normal 60s. Anyway it was 60007 and required for sight but as per usual with 60s no photo opportunity. Last time I was here was in July. I headed straight to the Valley lines platforms and waited. I saw units that were required but going the wrong way. I wanted to go to Queen Street and back. So I worked out when their return was. I then saw a winning 158 heading to Cheltenham Spa. So I headed off to Platform 1 to get it. I caught this to Newport and saw a required 175 waiting to leave for Cardiff. This was going well. Back at Cardiff I saw another 175 that was required took me back to Newport.
A dud 175 back to Cardiff. I then saw a FGW HST power car on the rear of a Paddington bound train that was required. I checked it's moves for the day and discovered it was heading to Taunton on its next move. I looked at where I could meet it and it'll be move to Swindon when the time was right.
In the meantime I saw a winning XC 170. So I caught this to Newport with a dud return. During all this I missed the units that would be returning through Cardiff on the valley lines. This wasn't so bad because I felt its easier to get them than units that normally cover a greater area of working. I waited on the Valley Line platforms in hope of a required unit to Queen Street but nothing was happening. During my wait another required 170 rolled in. So this was the start of my return home. I caught 170398 to Newport and then an HST to Swindon. From here should be my winning Power car to Bristol. I didn't want to go to Taunton as it was a stopper after Bristol through Weston. It was 43041 and at Bristol it was a Voyager home. A lot later than planned but worth it for the power car. Only 3 FGW ones left for haulage.
A good day. 5 new units for haulage and a power car.
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