2012 Review

So another year has passed since I took up this hobby and again another good year. Maybe spent a bit more than I should have but it has been good. My target for mileage was 30500 which would see me beat 2011.

The year started well. I was off the mark on New Years Day with a trip to Truro to see my parents. This was followed by a trip to London, a FOSW combined with a southern Daysave and finally a West Midland Day Ranger. Feb continued this good start. Another trip to London and a London Midland Great Escape (where I accessed the area via cheap London tickets) kept my mileage going. The month finished with a FONE with my Dad. I also bagged my final FGW HST power car in Feb on a Devon Day Ranger! 

Then thing started to slow down. I didn't do much in March. A devon day ranger followed by a Severn and Solant Rover (I used devon and cornwall railcard day return to Tiverton and it was valid. Cheaper than FOSW). This started to bag me ATW 67s that were now running the WAG. Two of the three assigned to the pool were required for haulage so this was good. A trip on Eurstar boosted my mailage whilst going to Paris in April and then I had a few days in Leeds. The only charter (full tour) I managed for the year was the East Midlands HST to Barrow Hill for the Fab Four event.

May would see me attend my first Swanage Diesel Gala. Loco failure meant that they were a few locos down but it was a good weekend all the same. I bought a FOSW and made the most of it with days off from work. I spent some time in Cardiff and Pompey and also added west midland rangers to it. 

June saw me attend Railfest. The naming of 91110 was the first train naming I had seen and I enjoyed that. A couple more galas. Paignton and Dartmouth and Somerset Railway. June also saw me get two charters for part journeys for Mazey Day to Penzance. So I had the Deltic twice in June. Once on the mainline and once on hertiage! July was a quiet month but saw another couple of trips to London (one was with my wife so no trains!).

In August a trip to London with my dad where I bagged my final 379 for haulage was the major highlight! Also a trip to Mangapps Farm with Dave and Pete where it was a good day for me with plenty of 03 and 04 action. I also got the 08 at Plym Valley finally (alarming really as I only live a couple of miles from the line!!).

September saw some action with me spending a couple of days in Leeds and doing a South Pennine Ranger and Lancashire. This was track scratching mainly but getting plenty of winners. I also completed the 333s for haulage. The end of Sep saw me scratch most of Kent off with a Kent rover. Only the High Speed connections left! Also got my first trip on a Eurotunnel train to France. I finally did the Severn Valley railway in October during their Diesel Gala. I also finally got my final FGW Class 150. The only thing in November of note was the short trip on the wonderfully restored Steam Railmotor on the Looe branchline. 

December's main event was my trip to the North East where I did a Tyne and Tees. I completed the track to Whitby and Bishop Auckland. I also had a disaster getting home thnaks to OHLE probs on the East Coast and required a taxi from London to Plymouth! 

So I finished the year with 26679 miles on the board. Over 3000 less than last year but my trips have been more confined as I complete route. I then only tend to go after units. Also I don't do much local anymore because I have had haulage off all local trains which means going further afield which in turn costs more so it happens less! 

Highlights! 

• Completing the FGW HST Power Cars for haulage
• Completing the FGW 150s for haulage
• Barrow Hill, Railfest
• Swanage and Severn Valley Diesel Galas
• 379s and 333s completed for haulage.

Lowlights 

• Not mentioned above but two railtours I was booked on cancelled becasue of Network Rail issues (and not the DBS issues which have plagued the charter market at the back end of the year!)

So for 2013? I have a target of 26679. Weirdly it is the same as 2012s total but this will mean that I will have achived 100k miles since May 2010 when I returned to the hobby. I need roughly 2223 miles a month to achive this.