A chance to get a FOSW presented itself meaning at £16.75 a day with the 6 days of use I would get minimum making it good value. One day I may get 8!
I decided I would head to Birmingham and got a £22 return from cheltenham. A West Midlands day tripper for £5.80 means for £44.55 I could get from Plymouth to the West Mids and back at what I consider is a reasonable price.
The main aim was to finish the London Midland 172s. I only needed two more. Upon arrival at New Steet I headed to Smethwick Galton Bridge. 323219 did the honours and was a winning start. As pretty much expected a dud 172 rolled in. I took this to Moor Street. It was required for 2012 haulage though.
I didn't have to wait very long for a winning 172! 172222 rolled in next so a short hop to Snow Hill ensured this was bagged. A dud 172 back to Moor Street (felt this was the best place as I was able to bag Chiltern units I need at the same time if they were there) and I went and checked the Chiltern 168 in the bay. A required unit! I took this to Solihull. A dud 168 but good for 2012 took me back to Moor Street.
Double winner next! In rolled 153365 and 170631. I took this to Acocks Green and then swapped to the other set and bailed at Olton. It was then back to Moor Street. A short hop to Snow hill on a 2012 winning 172 and I waited for anything new. Another Chiltern 168. A repeat journey to Solihull and back to Moor Street got this in and another dud 168 (but good for 2012!).
It would seem my last LM 172 was not out! Either that or I missed it. There was only one unit I didn't quite catch the number of during my travels in the last few hours! Next time?
So I headed back to New Street. Wanted to try and get a XC 170 that was required. I found 3 in the platform but two were going nowhere! Luckily they were dud and the last one which was required was about to leave for Leicester! Excellent! 170522 was duly caught to Coleshill. It was running late so I missed my connection back but that turned out to be a stroke of luck! Whilst I was waiting a DB 66 passed through the station and was one of my last required for sight! I also spotted a new shunter on the journey to Coleshill.
Once back at New Steet I saw a required Virgin Super Voyager. I caught this to Wolverhampton. Not sure if the next train is booked as a Voyager but the Wolverhampton - Euston at 1745 was a winning one. Most of these services are Pendolinos. I bailed at Sandwell and Dudley and got the 323 stopper behind it. I knew it was a winner as I saw it at Wolverhampton.
Once I was back at New Street I noticed the next Super Voyager north was another winner! So I headed back to Wolverhampton. From here the Pendo back was a winner. I was about to jump in it and noticed a LM 170 waiting to leave ahead of the pendo. It was a dud but there was a 153 attached! And was needed. Two in one day! Only one LM left for haulage. So I caught this to Sandwell and then the Pendo to New Street.
I was hungry by now and considered heading to a Spoons. I didn't though and went for a bk as I could eat that one a train if needed!
Good move! A required ATW 158 was heading north so i got that to Smethwick. I then got my final winning train of the day back to New Street. It was then a very late running XC to Plymouth. Running late due to tresspass in the Sheffield area I was on it 30 mins before my planned train so was hoping I'd be home earlier! Well I was but not that much! It would seem it paths home were knocked back later and later! Never mind! A productive day even if there is still one LM 172 to get! Next Thursday hopefully if I do the same!
I know I've said it before but next up Mazey Day!
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