The first outing in Feb would be like January and off to the big smoke! Courtesy of £13 advance tickets I left Plymouth on the 0553. On the way I saw nine locos on freight workings but none were required.
Now my plans for the day was to look for my remaining Class 378s and 379s. I required seven 378s and two 379s. I decided to try and knock the 378s off first. So I headed to Highbury and Islington where the ELL and NLL meet. I went via the Hammermsith Line to Moorgate and then up to Highbury. This got me a winning 313 to start the day off.
Upon arriving at Highbury and Islington I saw a winner straight away in the form of 378204. I hopped on it to Cannonbury. I then got on what I thought was another winner back. It would seem my notes weren't quite up to date! No matter. The next train was a winner. 378232 took me back to Cannonbury. I couldn't believe that in the space of 10 minutes I got two units. Then my plans unraveled. It was freezing and I was not enjoying the wait. I'd only been waiting 15 or so minutes and decided I couldn't do it anymore.
I needed to keep moving. My final 378s and 379s would have to wait. My plans now entailed me to catch a train to literally anywhere I fancied. I headed to areas where the chance of a winner increased and therefore my on train time was higher than platform time!!! I headed to London Bridge via the ELL and Jubilee line.
A train to Brockley and back got me a winning 377 and 455. Whilst doing this move i saw a required 378/1. I worked out its return and carried on. Arriving back into London Bridge I saw 171803. Very much needed, I caught it too East Croydon. It was then a winning 377 to New Cross Gate. A quick hop onto 455801 to Honor Oak Park and then a short wait for what should be 378151. It was! I took this to Forest Hill where I got lunch at the Wetherspoons, The Capitol.
After lunch I decided new track was next on the agenda. So I headed back to London Bridge and got a FCC service to Blackfriars. I then moved northwards until I got I a station where I would get a train to Sutton via Wimbledon.
It took ages due to the number of stops but I have scratched the track now. Just need to do the bit from Sutton back north (the other way basically!). I headed back to Wimbledon and caught a winning pair of 455s to Clapham Junction. I then headed west towards Richmond nabbing 8001 in the process. Then onto Twickenham on another winning 455. I was then planning to head back towards Richmond but another required 458 rolled in. Luckily Feltham was its next stop and valid.
I returned to Richmond on a dud 450 and then a dud 378 to Willesden Junction. I needed to go to Euston to pick up my London Midland Getaway ticket for two weeks time.
Whilst waiting for the Euston train a required 378 was heading north. I had loads of time so I caught it to Wembley. It was then to Euston to get my ticket.
My day was nearing the end. I made my way back to Paddington via the Northern line to Farringdon then a cheeky ride on a 319 to Blackfriars, a 377 back to Farringdon and then tube to Paddington.
It was a good day even though I didn't do as planned. It was far too cold. Even doing what I did still felt cold at times and was very glad to be on the hst home to be honest!! I haven't worked out my mileage but a rough guess would be 560 odd. Good going seeing as though 452 is the Plymouth - Paddington part I think! I managed to get 28 winning trains for haulage too. Four of them were 378s which considering I did not do what I was going to do is impressive as I didn't really wait around for them. Next up? A Devon Day Ranger!
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