150 all the way for me there!
Hashtag for Monday's Supertram bash has been announced on Twitter yesterday, mobile data signal issues in Hereford this week meant I couldn't post it here until now.
#bashernation is the one for Monday. Not decided on the one for my Southern Daysave trip yet, that's nearly here at last, hashtag to be revealed next week.
As always, the backstory behind the hashtag will be discussed in the trip report, which I aim to have posted on Monday evening. Until then gang, have a good weekend all, it's off to work for me now!
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OK then gang, here's the tale from today's bash. I'm sure you'll agree it went better than my previous two trips!
11th May 2015 - Tech's Basher Nation
Oh yes, it's here at last! It felt like forever coming around, but it's time for a return to foreign territory, the East Midlands! I was rather excited last night, so much so sleep didn't arrive until around 0300. Not too helpful when it's an 0600 alarm! So it was with heavy eyes that determination fought and won the battle to get me up and out of bed at 0610 [I might have to start using Southern's Rainy Day Guarantee for advance booking on some trips! - Ed] to get the final prep for this one done. Chocolate Pop Tarts get devoured and, since I've left my usual travel mug in my Mum's car, I bring out of retirement my Virgin Trains travel mug for this morning's caffeine attack. By some miracle I'm done and out of the house by 0632, all the while glad it's not a cold morning! As I spent ages on the forum last night, I get started on the trip report on the bus to town. So what's this trip title about, I hear you ask? It's back to pop culture references today, this one is a reference to Kernkraft 400's Zombie Nation [conveniently playing this morning as I type this bit up! - Ed], one of my favourite tunes from the early 2000s. I'd also considered Bashkraft 400 but figured it was not as clear a reference. Not that I'm not going to use that one day, it remains an option! Today also sees a trial run with a new holdall I sourced on Friday morning, using it to get used to one again [having not used one for some years - Ed] ahead of more multi-day trips.
My backpack is not exactly big enough for trips of 2 or more days of duration, although it's been made to do so for a long time. This will mean I can now carry everything I need for my trips, rather than having to leave some stuff at home. Today is also the first day that the council's Additional Rural Transport Fund kicks in. What does that mean, I understandably hear you ask? Well it had been rumoured for some weeks, and finally confirmed last week, I've now got an evening bus again for the first time since 30th August 2014! 2045 for the last one home is much, MUCH, better than 1815, so much more freedom now! That starts tonight [at least it's supposed to! - Ed] so I'm definitely taking advantage of a longer day to go bashing! A couple of forthcoming trips were booked before this was going ahead, so I'll still be finishing 'early' on a couple more yet. It's only happening until March 2016, after which additional funding may or may not exist. Even more reason to use it as much as possible to prove its usefulness to the council then! Risky plus off the 1722 London Paddington to Hereford though of just 15 minutes, that one I'll be organising a standby option for, just in case! Anyway, with all the backstory done, I'm now almost in town. My second coffee fix of the day falls to Costa [that shouldn't be a surprise to anyone! - Ed] and my Coffee Club points are building nicely towards the target as a result.
Fuelled up, it's off to the station to pick up my tickets for the trip, pre-booked to earn Nectar points of course. It all helps cover the cost of Frothmas after all! 153366 and 170516 are on the 0849 to Birmingham New Street this morning, and once the commuting log is updated I get started on filling in my new NREA. By Colwall I'm up to the 47s so take a break. We get held for several minutes at Ledbury, due to awaiting the 0759 New Street to Hereford's arrival off the single line. It's held up by nearly 15 minutes, caused according to the guard by a swan on the line in Worcester! That's the plus onto the 1030 from New Street out of the window then! Or not, as it turned out the slack in the timetable was enough to get us in on time. I comfortably make it onto 220002 for the run to Derby, which apparently started at Winchester today. Time for some tunes as we eventually leave 4 minutes late. I was going to get a coffee from the trolley, but she didn't come through until near Burton on Trent so decided to give it a miss! The HHVA [Horrificially Horrible Voyager Action - Ed] endured, I see the 1105 to Sheffield is a little late so I go for it. It's dud 222017, but I can't be bothered to go for the First Class lounge so jump on. Wow how nice is First Class these days on EMT? In MML days it was much less bright and cheery on 222s, this is far superior! Service is with a smile and a lovely, friendly, passenger-focused First Class Host. OK so the coffee isn't grand, but it did the job nicely.
It's also quite a small cup [still significantly bigger than those in Belgium! - Ed] which was to be expected. The orange juice also goes down well, and while I take the shortbread I keep hold of it for later. The journey's over before I know it, and I step off very pleased I spent the extra £5.60 to enjoy First Class between Derby and Sheffield. It's been way too long since I enjoyed the luxury on an inter-city journey, rather looking forward to doing so again in the future! I make my way to Upper Crust to meet up with 37038 from the forum, and we're soon off to the tram station after an ATM move. A Bus and Tram DayRider is soon got for £3.90 from the on-board conductor, and Supertram 112 is a winner for the journey to Meadowhall South, the day's first shack attack. For those unaware, due to engineering works trams are running between Halfway and Herdings to Meadowhall via the curve that avoids the city centre route. It's a PSUL move normally, but today is the first day of a several week long blockade on the bridge towards the city centre, on which track replacement is being carried out. It's only a very short curve, but it's easy to get for a good while now. 123 is a dud on the ride back down the line to Valley Centertainment, with 110 being a score on the insect leap back up to Carbrook. It really is a short distance, a matter of a few chains! 112 is soon back for the trip to Attercliffe, yet another shack attack. 102 is a score on the trip to Arena/Don Valley Stadium, and thankfully the driver on 110 waits for us to run over and jump on!
Nunnery Square is next, and a short wait provides winner 115 to Woodbourn Road. 114 is also a winner back down the line to Hyde Park, where we soak up the sun before winner 117 arrives for the BSB to Cricket Inn Road. With the Meadowhall line shacks done, which was pleasing enough, I'm over the moon at having scored 106 for sight on Nunnery depot. My last Supertram for sight at long last! A 12 minute wait gets us back on 115 to Sheffield Station, where a PNB is declared necessary, before walking into town and to Cathedral. Of course, the railway natter is still flowing, both of us discussing trips past and trips planned. 107 is a dud from July 2012's visit to the Supertram network [yes it really was that long ago! - Ed] for our trip to Bamforth Street, with a short wait for winner 111 to Langsett/Primrose View. In no time we're carrying on to Hillsborough Park with winner 118, walking the fairly short distance to Leppings Lane. That cleared the shacks on the Supertram network for 37038 which no doubt was quite pleasing for him! 118 is back to take us to Hillsborough, where we break for the winner Spoons, literally right next to the westbound platform! Two new and enjoyable beers added to my Untappd, now on 54. After the refreshment break, 107 takes us to Infirmary Road, which 37038 hadn't had on his list to do but didn't remember it. Winner shack for me too, indeed all of them bar Cathedral, Hillsborough and Sheffield Station have been winners for me today.
Before we know it, winner 108 takes us to Cathedral for the walk back to the station. Sadly there's not quite enough time to do the 1549 to St Pancras, so after a PNB it's onto the 1555 to Penzance instead. Yep, more HHVA! "You're in First Class to Derby", I hear you say, "You'll be fine!" you all continue. Well I would have been, but I forgot it's Frothbucks [sorry, Starbucks - Ed] coffee on XC. What rancid nonsense, I've had value coffee with more flavour than that! Don't get me started on the size of the cup either. FGW never used to be that stingy when I used to do First Class regularly, and their coffee used to actually taste like coffee. I say used to as it's been many moons since I did FGW First Class, so long I can't remember it! Soft drinks include Coke so that much is OK. A pack of stem ginger biscuits is welcome for later too. The ride on 220029 is not great though, and I swear XC First Class in 2004 was better than this [yes it has been that long! - Ed]. All in all, I'm not feeling that happy with XC's provision, although if it had been on an HST I bet it would have been better! The swap to Standard Class is made at Derby, more sensible to stay on board to New Street on this and do a supply raid there. After an hour and 11 minutes of HHVA I'm more than ready to alight! Supplies got from Tesco, and I see Navigation Street Bridge is open again.
Welcome back to that I say, it's been absolutely ages since that was last available! Ticket barriers are also coming to New Street, according to posters I saw. That's going to be, quite simply, bizarre! The ECS is late into New Street for the 1749 to Hereford, no doubt caused by the train fault which means we're shortformed tonight. 3 coaches instead of 4, although I have no idea if that means a pair of 170/5s, a 170/6 and a 153 or what normally. Naturally as a result it's full and standing, with me standing to Bromsgrove where the train empties most significantly. I get on with the trip report, as I haven't touched it since before Birmingham this morning! 170630 is on the 1749 New Street to Hereford today, my highest mileage 170 by some way. By the time I get back to Hereford I'll have had 716 miles off it! It takes until Worcester Foregate Street to get caught up with the trip report, and now I finally have something to eat, the first food since I had my ham and stuffiing rolls on the train up this morning! After the cheese and onion crisps, I finish the book for now and before I know it I'm back in Hereford. First things first, time for a chippy move, as I have a good while until the bus home yet!
Chicken curry and chips for £2.60 from the chippy had, it was back to the station to watch the action. I note the 1722 Paddington to Hereford arrived on time, could have done that then. I make my way to the bus stop and join a different Solo to the usual one that works the evening runs, good news for me as it's a lowie! So ends a very enjoyable day, and it was a pleasure to finally meet you 37038!