September 3rd - Start of my trip to Scotland

So for my two weeks holiday of the Summer I was able to spend a few days in Scotland to do my first Central Scotland Rover. The cheapest way to get there was to go up to London and then up to Edinburgh on the East Coast Mainline. Good for two reasons new route (North of Doncaster on the East Coast) and it was cheaper. My plan was to go to London, stay at my sisters and then head to Scotland on the earliest possible train the next day. Again to maximise my time (and as it turned out the cheapest ticket) I headed to London on the first train on the Saturday. Originally I was going to spend the day in London but I realised I could head out to East Anglia and go to Great Yarmouth behind a Class 47 dragging a Class 90 so advance tickets were purchased to get to Ipswich where an Anglia Day Pass would kick in.

So the day arrived and I headed to the Capital. After I arrived in London I headed to my sisters to drop my stuff off. I then headed to Liverpool Street and caught my train to Ipswich. The whole trip from beyond Romford was new track. At Ipswich I changed trains and headed to Stowmarket. A return to Ipswich and a 45 minute gap until the relevent train to Great Yarmouth via Norwich (from where it would be dragged). During this 45 minutes I visited the 3 Wetherspoons. This was tough going as it was extremely hot and a gentle jog was required to get back to the station in time.

I made it and headed to Norwich. Upon arriving I got off the train as there was a wait while DRS owned 47818 was moved into position. There were several other DRS locos in the yard at the station too (three 47s and a 37). The drag took place via Accle. I got some great pictures in Great Yarmouth helped greatly by the weather. My return to Norwich via Reedham was on a 156. From here I headed to Sheringham for more new route.

I returned to Norwich for some dinner and a few drinks (three of the Wetherspoons visited) before my train back to London. I then headed back to my sisters.

A great day and was fantastic to get Class 47 haulage on the national network for the first time in well over 15 years. I got a lot of new route and plenty of new winners for sight in Anglia (as well as winners for haulage).

Blog Catchup!

I've done it again! I haven't updated my Blog for so long that i completely broke my last record!

Anyway here is a run down of what i did between the last day i wrote about on my last FOSW and my trip to Scotland.

• 14th July FOSW Day 3 - Headed to Cardiff for the day. Bought a Valley Line Rover and headed to Ebbw Vale and Measteeg to complete those routes.
• 15th July FOSW Day 4 - Headed to Cardiff via Swindon. I met friends on the train here as it was a Stag weekend in Cardiff
• 17th July Cardiff - Carmarthen + FOSW Day 5. After the Stag Weekend I got an off Peak ticket to Carmarthen. Visited the Wetherspoons at Carmarthen and then headed back to Newport via Swansea and stopping at Llaneli, Swansea and Neath.
• 18th July FOSW Day 6 and West Midlands Day Ranger - I headed to Hereford on advance purchase ticket for Breakfast before heading East to Birmingham. Bashed 150 units and grabbed a new 67 on the Chilterns.
• 5th August - Plymouth - Penzance Return. Due to problems with FGW Class 57s a Virgin Trains hire in 57309 was on duty. This was required so a return to Penzance was made. 
• 14th August - Visited the Ecclesbourne Valley Railway. Due to my wife requiring the car for the week and her holiday (I coulnd't get the time off work) I headed back to Plymouth on the train via London. 
• 16th August - I headed back to Derby on the train (again via London due to cost) and get an East Midland Day Ranger. Grabbed new route in Nottingham area and grabbed a fair few new East Midland power cars. 
• 18th August - Back to Plymouth. This time on a Voyager from Manchester (Was cheaper to go to Manchester and South than direct from Deby!) Spent a few hours in Manchester on a GMPTE ticket. New route to the airport, Rochdale and plenty of winning units (including my first Clas 180!)

That is what I have done between my last post and my trip to Scotland! 

10th July 2011 - FOSW Day 2

Yes it was a Sunday and is a tricky day to go out on but I have a ticket and my wife was away on a hen do. So it was HST power car hunting via Westbury to Chippenham. First train of the day was a winning FGW power car so it was worth it whatever happened for the rest of the day. On the way I saw 153399 heading to Penzance. I needed this unit and I was unsure how much longer it would be in it's temporary formation. I looked at what it should be doing for the rest of the day and worked out i needed to be at Newton Abbot by 1630. I called at Trowbridge so that I could visit both Wetherspoons before heading to Chippenham for lunch at the Wetherspoons there. It was then on the Chippenham - Newton Abbot fast HST via Bristol Temple Meads. I went first class because the train was rammed and decided to pay the £10 upgrade!

As I neared Newton Abbot i saw some gen that said 153399 was low on fuel and got swapped at Plymouth. So I stayed on the train to Plymouth. Upon arriving at Plymouth i saw 153399 in the bay platform for the Gunnislake branch. It obviously had enough fuel to go there and back so i jumped on it. 28 miles in 2 hours but at least i have this rare unit (that's both rare units this year, the other being 221144!).

Yes it was a Sunday but it was a good one!

4th July 2011 - FOSW Day 1

With an up and coming Stag weekend in Cardiff and days off work it was a sensible option to get another FOSW. My first day was on the Monday (not normally a day off work but my rota had changed this week). I headed to Cardiff for the ever decreasing list of units in the area to catch and hopefully get some luck with FGW power cars. There was a lot less travelling involved than usual as I waited for things that i needed. I managed to grab three new units and one power car. I also spotted 50044 passing light engine through Newport. The photo wasn't great and as luck would have it I passed it on the way to Cardiff so got a better photo there.

1st - 3rd July 2011 - Weekend to London

For the weekend me and my wife went to London. We went to several museums, walked along the Thames and saw friends. The only train related things were the getting from A to B! The only winners were therefore a few units used to get to my sisters house in Earlsfield and centre of London.

25th June - Mazey Day Spitfire Tours

Today saw three tours head to Penzance. Two from Spitfire and one from Pathfinder. I had to work so the best i got was to see the two Spitfire tours pass Plymouth. The weather was not great but saw and photographed the two tours. One winning 20 for sight too.

24th June - Bodmin Wenford Mixed Traction Weekend, Friday

My day off work got moved to Friday which was handy to attend the Bodmin and Wenford Railway Diesel day as part of their mixed traction weekend.

31110, 47306 and 50042 were out hauling trains. Haualge was had behind all three and i have finally got the branch to Boscarne Junction. So this means I only have the short Plym Valley Railway line to travel on and the Helston Railway.

My trip back to Plymouth produced a winning HST power car too so that was a good end to the day.