James Wake
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- Joined
- 30 Aug 2013
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All Line Rover Report March 2016
Day 1: Sunday 13th March
It was finally time again for another ALR. Once again not everything went to plan, but it was probably my best yet, but my favourite journey was the Skye Circular on my first ALR.
Starting from Three Bridges again, my first train was dud 387114 to St Pancras International, which was as usual for GTR late, but I had plenty of time. At St Pancras I walked to Euston via Brill Place for my Virgin Train to Crewe. My check of OpenTrainTimes showed 1S37, the 0845 to Glasgow as standing on platform 12. At the top of the ramp at platform 12 a Pendolino was in, but I waited for it to be advertised. It was at about 0830 so I joined winner 390107 up to Crewe, a speedy journey once the London Midland 350 had got out of the way.
At Crewe, I saw the 390 depart for Glasgow and watched two ATW class 150s detach, one for the Chester shuttle, the other seemed to be the ECS for my Heart of Wales line train. However I headed back to platform 6 to join winner and first ATW 175 175111 to Shrewsbury, a really nice guard and a quick journey later I alighted at Shrewsbury platform 7.
I was right with my 150 hope, as winner 150262 (luckily not my only ATW 150231) rolled in from Crewe with a guard onboard too, so not sure why it can't run with passengers. I loved the Heart of Wales line, and a 15 minute fresh air stop at Llandrindod was very useful. I changed ends at Llanelli for the last leg into Swansea, where I alighted on time at 1603.
Then a ride on a HST to Cardiff Central for the night was on the cards, I saw the green set coming round the corner, but sadly it was on a depot run as 43193 and 092 came in from Carmarthen, standard leading out of Swansea (as it would reverse at Swindon due to works), a nice ride in seat A73 by the Train Manager's office and off at Cardiff Central. Walking to my hotel and to get something to eat, I watched the HST leave from the street. Day 1 successfully completed.
Day 1: Sunday 13th March
It was finally time again for another ALR. Once again not everything went to plan, but it was probably my best yet, but my favourite journey was the Skye Circular on my first ALR.
Starting from Three Bridges again, my first train was dud 387114 to St Pancras International, which was as usual for GTR late, but I had plenty of time. At St Pancras I walked to Euston via Brill Place for my Virgin Train to Crewe. My check of OpenTrainTimes showed 1S37, the 0845 to Glasgow as standing on platform 12. At the top of the ramp at platform 12 a Pendolino was in, but I waited for it to be advertised. It was at about 0830 so I joined winner 390107 up to Crewe, a speedy journey once the London Midland 350 had got out of the way.
At Crewe, I saw the 390 depart for Glasgow and watched two ATW class 150s detach, one for the Chester shuttle, the other seemed to be the ECS for my Heart of Wales line train. However I headed back to platform 6 to join winner and first ATW 175 175111 to Shrewsbury, a really nice guard and a quick journey later I alighted at Shrewsbury platform 7.
I was right with my 150 hope, as winner 150262 (luckily not my only ATW 150231) rolled in from Crewe with a guard onboard too, so not sure why it can't run with passengers. I loved the Heart of Wales line, and a 15 minute fresh air stop at Llandrindod was very useful. I changed ends at Llanelli for the last leg into Swansea, where I alighted on time at 1603.
Then a ride on a HST to Cardiff Central for the night was on the cards, I saw the green set coming round the corner, but sadly it was on a depot run as 43193 and 092 came in from Carmarthen, standard leading out of Swansea (as it would reverse at Swindon due to works), a nice ride in seat A73 by the Train Manager's office and off at Cardiff Central. Walking to my hotel and to get something to eat, I watched the HST leave from the street. Day 1 successfully completed.
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