2011 Year Review

What a year! This was my first complete year since getting back into the hobby. I managed to travel 31479 miles. I have managed to slowly knock classes (locos, DMUs and EMUs) for sight and a few for haulage. I have done many things I didn't think I would get to do but things fell into place that gave me the opportunity.

Throughout the year I have done many different Ranger and Rover tickets (not in this order).

• Devon Ranger (many of!)
• Wessex Day Ranger
• West Midland Ranger (a few)
• East Midland Ranger 
• Southern Daysave
• Anglia Dayplus
• Derbyshire Wayfarer
• Freedom of South West (quite a few)
• Freedom of North West
• Central Scotland Rover

I have also been on 3 complete (well more or less) rail tours. 

• The Heart of Wales Explorer - 66 haulage
• The Curnow Irruptor - Two 37s and 66 haulage
• The Ousing Dove - Two 37s, two 66s and a 60 for haulage.

I have also been on both sleeper services that run in the country.

I think the biggest highlight of the year was probably my Central Scotland which ended with my return home via London on the Caledonian Sleeper from Inverness. One of the things I was hoping and knew I would get one of them was spotting and getting some haulage from the Scottish 67s. It is worth remembering down in the South West we were spoilt in 2010 with 67 haulage to Paignton and Taunton from Cardiff. I managed to knock off a big chunk of the 67s during that period. As with all things it gets harder as time goes on but I have been able to keep my momentum up with them. Before my trip to Scotland I had seen two of the five 67s before. On the first night in Scotland I saw two more, one on the Fort William leg and one on the Inverness leg. I got the Fort William loco, 67009 from Dalmuir to Edinburgh. The next day I spotted the final of the five and caught a train it was hauling on the fife circle. This was extremely lucky as any loco could have worked that diagram (indeed a dud was working the diagram that followed!). So I had now seen all the awkward ones. It got better though as the train from Inverness when i went home was another for haulage. So only 67011 and 67030 to go for that. Strangely i didn't even see them around when I was up there but I had seen them before.

The second thing that has helped is Chiltern Railways using loco hauled trains. They are using the old Wrexham and Shropshire stock and locos and all can be caught within a West Midland Ranger. I have managed to get 4 of the locos. Only 67010 is left and that is broken (due back soon apparently). 

Of the entire class I need 9 more for haulage. Two of these will be assigned to the new WAG contract which will replace the 57s currently used. Realistically I can get 3 more easily (well I know where they could be!). 5 if you include the 67011 and 67030 in Scotland (but thats a long way to go if they are not running!). The other 4 can be anywhere!!! 

It's also worth pointing out that I only need one more FGW HST power car for haulage after a productive Devon Ranger a few weeks ago. 

I'm looking forward to next year. I am not going to set a target because I never know what will happen but I will see how it goes. To even achieve this years target I would need to get 2600 a month and that is some going. I am more frequently going out to get units and locos in the book as I gradually scratch off track so mileage opportunity is less frequent. 

I will start the year running though as I hopefully have a trip to London planned in the first week. And a Freedom of the North East in February. 

29th December Mince Pie Special - Dartmoor Railway

Well I thought my train spotting/travelling was finished for 2011 but I managed to bag a winning loco and another 20 miles in!

A day off and my wife wanted to go to Exeter. I managed to convince her that whilst she was shopping I would pop over to Okehampton and take a trip behind 47701. There are rumours the owners want to move it away so this was good.

Due to high winds during the night and a fallen tree the driver was late so the first train to Meldon Quarry didn't run. Instead the timetable started from Okehampton and went to Bow. This was fine. I did the trip to Bow and back. Another 20 odd miles and a winner in the book.

12th December - West Midland Day Ranger

Well an unexpected day off work led me to an unexpected West Midland Day Ranger. This really will be the last thing before Christmas (probably the new year)!

I arrived at Droitwich Spa for the 0900 start time of a day ranger and the was planning to catch the 0901 to New Street. This was not required so waited for the next train which was going to Dorridge. This was also not required but I needed to get going. So I went as far a Kidderminster and caught the train after. This was starting here so wasn't too long a wait. In fact it was a double 172 set both of which were needed.

I got off at Snow Hill and saw a delayed 168 to London Marylebone waiting which was required so jumped on that to Moor Street. From here a I was going to see if the the loco hauled London train was 67013 and get that in if it was. I had time to kill so a quick ride to Snow Hill and back gave me two more winning 172s. Once back at Moor Street the 67 was in and waiting. My luck was in as it was 67013. Of the old Wrexham liveried 67s only 67010 is now required for sight and haulage but it's at Crewe with engine vibrations. In fact its been there a while but is due back apparently!

I left the 67 at Solihull. I could have gone to Leamington on it but I wanted to get on as many trains as possible today. A dud 168 back to Moor Street and then a winning 172 to Smethwick Galton Bridge. Then it was off to Wolverhampton on a winning Arriva Trains Wales 158. All was going well so far. The next 2 and half hours wasn't so productive. I decided I would head to Rugeley Trent Valley to scratch that bit of track off. My initial train was a winner. I got this to Cannock where I had lunch in Wetherspoons. Then it was a dud to Rugeley, a dud to Stafford and then a dud back to Wolverhampton.

Things did get back on track though. 390031 was waiting at Wolverhampton and was required for sight. It wasn't in service though. I caught a train to Sandwell and Dudley on a winning 170 before another winner in the form of 390009 to New Street. Two more winners followed with a return to Aston. Then another to University.

A dud back to New Street before another 3 winners doing New Street - International, International - Coventry and Coventry - International. I saw an opportunity to scratch off Coventry - Nuneaton so headed back there on a dud Virgin Voyager. Good news was the winning 153 to Nuneaton.

Was now time to head back to Droitwich. A dud XC 170 to new street that for some reason got later and later as i got nearer New Street meant I missed my train to Droitwich.

Had to wait over an hour now so I quickly headed to Sandwell and Dudley and back. A winner out and back took me to 20 winners for the day. Not bad. My final train back to Droitwich was a dud 170.

Another good day. And on top of all the winners for haulage I managed to nearly complete the 172s for sight. Only 172222 to go and apparently that hasn't been delivered yet as its awaiting parts!

8th December - Devon Day Ranger

The main objective today was purely a meet up with Peter. It had been a while so a pub lunch and a hope our last few trains we need would turn up.

I left Plymouth at 0925 and then headed to Dawlish to catch the Cardiff - Paignton service. I knew it was diagrammed for a 158 (but that doesn't mean it is) and luckily it was. I was then hoping it would be one of the two newly formed 3 car ones! And it was! Well it was a winner for renumber because technically I have been on it before.

I bailed at Torre and caught the HST to Exeter. Peter got on at Newton. Neither of us were hungry so we did another trip to Newton. The plan was to head back to Exeter for the RHTT. Problem was the down was now running late and we thought we'd miss the up. When we arrived at Newton the up wasn't in. It came in just as our train stopped. I saw the power car on the front, 43131! I needed it! So we made the train and then saw the RHTT at Exeter.

After lunch a nostalgic bash up the hill to Central filled some time in before we headed to Totnes. A return to Newton before heading back to Totnes. Unbelievably the HST to Totnes was lead by 43164. Another winner!!! There was time for a bash back to Newton Abbot before returning to Plymouth.

What a great day! Only one FGW power car left to get haulage behind!!!

5th December - Timber Train Photography

A day off work and the gen that the rumoured new Timber Train would be starting meant an opportunity to get a photo of it. I decided that I would try and get a photo of it at Dawlish and Teigngrace so driving was the best option.

Another spot of gen was the Network Rail test train coming down. The obly poblem was the time it was due. I had to meet my wife from work and then head to Dawlish so I went to Marsh Mills before to see if the 37s came through. They didn't but a photo of a Voyager in the winter sun was taken.

It was then off to meet my wife and up to Dawlish. We were only at Dawlish for 15 minutes but I managed to get a photo of an HST, 150, 158 and the 66s on the RHTT whilst waiting for the Colas liveried 66. When it did come the sun came out just at the right time! Bonus!

It was then off to Teigngrace for a photo there.

All in all a good day. A winning 66 and 37 (I saw the network rail test train at Laira on the way home) and some great photos.

25th November - A Morning in London

It's a late update but here's what happened the day after my Anglia Plus. I left my sister's just before 7. She was off to work and apparently Earlsfield becomes a nightmare just after 7 as rush hour ramps up.

I had already planned one of my aims for the morning, to try and get some of the Chiltern 172s in the book. A winning 455 unit took me to Clapham Junction. From here I noticed a winning 378 unit waiting to leave so I crammed myself on it and bailed at West Brompton. From here I could head back to Clapham. Another winner! I hadn't expected a winning Southern unit from Milton Keynes., another 378 was what I was expecting!

By now I decided to head to Marylebone for the 172s that hopefully were working the diagrams reported. I got there with about half an hour to kill so headed to the Wetherspoons at Baker street. For some reason it wasnt open to until 0900 which was no good as my train leaves at that time. Back to the station and I killed time there. A photo of 67013 (I even looked at its next working as it is required for haulage but it was off to the depot until lunch time) and several Chiltern units were taken in the sunshine. At 0855 my train rolled in and it was 172104! Excellent! I headed to South Ruislip on this. As I passed Wembley I saw Chiltern liveried DVT 82302 which had been eluding me for the last year and half. I also saw 172101!

From South Ruislip I caught a Central line train to West Ruislip. From here my second 172 diagram should stop (and Wembley). It did and it meant I had seen all the Chiltern 172s and ridden three. One to go and then just the London Midland ones left!

Upon my return to Marylebone I made my way to Liverpool Street. I decided to try and get a few more 379 units in. I did a couple of bashes from Liverpool Street to Tottenham Hale return and managed to pick up another six new ones. Gradually ticking them off.

Time for a bit of new track and head back to Paddington via St Pancras (I wanted to see the giant Lego Christmas tree!). So I headed to Moorgate and then up to Finsbury Park. As I was waiting I took the opportunity to photograph passing trains. The sun was in a horrible place (an haven't uploaded those ones) but I finally saw my final 91 for sight!!! I got a better photo when I got to Kings Cross. Taken me a while but now I have it. Over at St Pancras I saw a couple of new Eurostars (and the tree) and then headed back to Paddington. A good morning and pity I couldn't stay longer (but needed to get home then head to Bournemouth to see Shed Seven who were awesome!). This I think will be my last major outing for the year. It took me to 31000 miles exactly with only a meet up with Peter left.