Railroving 1970s – 1990s

[Kendalian]

Ipswich to Blackpool on a 156...can't beat the good old days of BR

To think people refuse to travel in the West Highlands because it's a 156 :roll:

 

[Merthyr Imp]

All-Line RaIlrover 1989

I seem to have not bothered with the regional railrovers this year, so straight on to the All-Line:

Sunday 17th September
Being a Sunday, it meant London. Started with the 0833 from Nottingham to St Pancras (HST, 43052 at front), arrived 1055.
Then quickly down the Victoria Line to Victoria for a Dover Western Docks service at 1120 (Class 423 emu no. 3166) via Chatham, Sittingbourne, Faversham, Canterbury, etc to Dover Priory, arrived 1300. Changed there to a London to Ramsgate service (Class 423 no. 3177) at 1320 to Deal, arrived 1336.
Had fish & chips on the seafront there, then got a service from Ramsgate 13 minutes late at 1525 (Class 423 emu no. 3177 again) via Dover, Ashford, Orpington, etc to London Bridge, arrived 12 minutes late at 1728.
Up the Northern Line to King’s Cross for a Bradford Forster Square service at 1805 (HST, 43198 at rear) as far as Grantham, arrived 11 minutes early at 1920.
Then back to Nottingham on a Norwich to Blackpool service (156415) which left 9 minutes late at 2001 and, non-stop, got me to Nottingham 8 minutes late at 2027

Mileage for the day: 417

Monday 18th September 1989
An early start for the Monday with a Derby to Skegness service (150120) from Nottingham at 0630 to Grantham, arrived 0706.
Then a service from Leeds (HST, 43080 at front) at 0717 calling at Peterborough only to Kings Cross, arrived 0836.
Plenty of time for the Circle Line to Paddington for the 0930 (‘The Hibernian’) to Fishguard (HST, 43181 at front and 43170 at rear). This called only at Reading, Cardiff, Llanelli and Whitland so took the avoiding line at Swansea , arriving at Fishguard 6 minutes late at 1325.
Not much to see or do there, so I returned on same train forming the up ‘Hibernian’ to Paddington at 1404, calling at Whitland and Llanelli only as far as Cardiff, arriving 6 minutes late at 1609.
Luckily for my connection there, the Manchester Piccadilly service (47468, Mk2a) left 4 minutes late at 1614 (perhaps held for the connection). I went as far as Crewe, arriving 4 minutes early at 1852
Then a service from Llandudno at 1906 (thankfully not a 150/1 but hauled by 31124, Mk2a) to Derby, arrived 3 minutes late at 2025.
Then back to Nottingham on a service 2 minutes late at 2056 (150102), arriving at 2117.

Mileage for the day: 715 – one of my highest ever.

Tuesday 19th September 1989
This was another south and east London jaunt.
An early enough start from Nottingham with the 0720 from Cleethorpes to Birmingham (150140), arriving at 0842.
Then a service from Manchester Piccadilly (47801, Mk2c) to Brighton which left 17 minutes late at 0923 via Kensington Olympia to Clapham Junction, arriving 19 minutes late at 1155. So Class 47-hauled throughout unlike my previous journey that way a couple of years before.
Didn’t stay long at Clapham Junction, but got a service from Waterloo to Guildford via Putney and Chiswick (455913) at 1205 as far as Feltham, arriving at 1235.
Then a service from Guildford (Class 423 no. 3482) at 1240 to Waterloo, via Richmond arriving 2 minutes early at 1304.
Over the bridge to Waterloo East for a service from Charing Cross to Gravesend (Class 415 no. 5243) at 1351 via Maze Hill and Erith to Dartford, arriving at 1432.
From Dartford it was a Charing Cross service (Class 415 emu no. 5170) at 1447 via Bexley, Lewisham and New Cross to London Bridge, arriving at 1524. There was a change of plan here for some reason, and I made my way by Underground to Liverpool Street for a service at 1620 (315809) to Broxbourne, arrived 1701. Changed there to a service 2 minutes late at 1722 (305405) to Bishops Stortford, arrived 2 minutes late at 1739.
Then a service at 1745 (321331) to Cambridge, arrived 5 minutes early at 1820.
I was back on my original schedule then with a Blackpool service (156418) at 1848, calling at Ely, Peterborough and Grantham to Nottingham, arrived 2043.

Mileage for the day: 402

Wednesday 20th September 1989
Started from Nottingham with the 0804 to St Pancras (HST, 43095 at front), calling at Loughborough and Leicester only, arrived at 0942.
By Underground to Waterloo for a Weymouth service (442416) which left 7 minutes late at 1039 to Southampton, arrived 11 minutes late at 1149.
From Southampton I got a service from Portsmouth to Cardiff (155305) 3 minutes late at 1200 to Bristol Temple Meads, arrived 8 minutes late at 1342.
Then on a service from Liverpool to Plymouth (HST, 43174 at front, 43036 at rear) which left 12 minutes late at 1411 as far as Taunton, arrived still 12 minutes late at 1443.
From there on a service from Paignton to Newcastle (HST, 43009 at front) at 1534 via Weston-super-Mare (a little more black on the map) to Derby, arrived 3 minutes early at 1847.
Then back to Nottingham on a Birmingham to Lincoln service (150113) at 1905, arriving at 1929.

Mileage for the day: 517

Thursday 21st September 1989
An early finish the night before meant an early start - a service to Birmingham (150145) at 0652 to Tamworth, arrived 0748.
Then a service from Euston (86261, Mk 3) 5 minutes late at 0802 calling at Stafford, Crewe, Warrington, Wigan and Preston to Lancaster, arrived 2 minutes late at 0956 and, according to my records as far as it was scheduled to go.
Changed at Lancaster to another service from Euston (86103, Mk 3) which left 6 minutes late at 1025, calling at Oxenholme, Penrith, Carlisle and Motherwell to Glasgow Central, arrived 1248.
Then, for some black on the map, a service 9 minutes late at 1337 to Haymarket (Metro-Cammell 3-car dmu) via Shotts, arriving 1 minute early at 1506.
Then I think I got the first train that came along for Edinburgh – (47717, Mk2d). From there it was a King’s Cross service (HST, 43078 at rear) at 1530 to Doncaster, arriving 6 minutes late at 1831.
I was meant to get a service from Cleethorpes at 1838, but for some reason I instead got an HST at 1851 (43130 at front) to Sheffield.
From Sheffield it was a Liverpool to Ipswich service (156417) at 1927 calling at Chesterfield only to Nottingham, arriving 2 minutes late at 2020.

Mileage for the day: 661

Friday 22nd September 1989
Quite a short day. I started with a St Pancras train at 1007 (HST, 43152 at front) to Leicester, arrived 2 minutes late at 1030.
Then a service from Birmingham to Colchester (156406) at 1053 to Stamford, arriving at 1134 for a visit to Robert Humm’s bookshop on the station.
I left Stamford on a service from Cambridge (156464) at 1223 to Birmingham, arriving 4 minutes late at 1412. From there I got a service from Walsall to Stoke (310105) at 1436 as far as Stafford, arriving there 2 minutes early at 1528.
I must have spotted this next service in the timetable and somehow knew it was still worked by old-style dmus, as I got the 1551 to Coventry via Nuneaton and Bedworth, arriving 3 minutes early at 1702 on a Derby 2-car dmu which hopefully gave me a front seat view of a section of the West Coast main line (I can’t remember!).
From Coventry I returned to Birmingham at 1722 (86208, Mk2f), arriving 11 minutes late at 1758.Then back to Nottingham at 1810 (150101), arriving 2 minutes late at 1930.

Mileage for the day: only 258.

Saturday 23rd September 1989
Coincidentally I was able to use the ticket for a trip to a football match in Wrexham for the second year running.
I started with a service from Cambridge to Liverpool (156413) at 0758 to Stockport, arrived 3 minutes early at 0931. According to my records this ran via Derby and then called at Chesterfield only – i.e. not via Sheffield.
From Stockport I put some more black on the map with a service from Manchester Piccadilly (150215) at 0947 to Buxton, arrived 1029. Returned from there on a service to Manchester Piccadilly (150211) at 1102 back to Stockport, arrived 1142.
From Stockport I got a service from Warrington Central (a late-surviving Class 104, or it may just possibly have been a Class 110, 2-car dmu) which left 20 minutes late at 1211. This was via what was either before or later a freight-only line to Altrincham, then calling at Knutsford, Delamere, etc to Chester, arriving 19 minutes late at 1324. Fortunately I’d allowed plenty of time for the connection there, which was to a Derby 2-car dmu at 1350 to Wrexham General, arriving at 1406.
This season the game ended with a 2-0 victory for Lincoln City, and I set off for home on a service from Chester 3 minutes late at 1709 (150109) to Birmingham, arrived still 3 minutes late at 1909. I’d allowed a four-minute connection at Birmingham as a possibility, with a later train more likely, but despite the late arrival I made it thanks to the Lincoln service (150114) leaving 4 minutes late at 1914. At Derby, 150106 took over the working for some reason, and I was back in Nottingham 3 minutes late at 2027.

Mileage for the day: 295

 

[Techniquest]

A nice bit of variety throughout the week, including some first-gen DMUs even that late in the century!

 

[Cowley]

Enjoyed finally reading your 1989 trip. Like Tech said, lots of old DMUs around still.

 

[Merthyr Imp]

East Midlands Railrover Ticket 1990

There’s not too much of interest about these few days but I’ll record it anyway.

Thursday 17th May 1990

Started from Nottingham with a Crewe train (150107) at 1020 to Derby, arriving at 1049.
Then a Sheffield to St Pancras service (HST, 43096 at front) at 1304 to Leicester, arriving 2 minutes early at 1326.
Then a Birmingham to Harwich service (156417) at 1422 to Stamford, arrived 3 minutes early at 1502. Visited Robert Humm’s bookshop, then continued on a Birmingham to Norwich service (156403) at 1605 to Peterborough, arrived 1618.
Then it was back to Nottingham on a Norwich to Liverpool service (156420) at 1636, calling at Loughborough only, arriving at 1747.

Friday 18th May 1990

From Nottingham it was the 0857 to Skegness (Derby 2-car dmu), arriving 5 minutes early at 1119.
After a bus ride to Mablethorpe and back I returned from Skegness at 1540 to Nottingham (150103), arriving 4 minutes early at 1800.

Saturday 19th May 1990

An early start from Nottingham with the 0641 to Coventry (150113), arriving 6 minutes late at 0808.
Then a Wolverhampton to Euston train (86101, Mk2f) 5 minutes late at 0915 to Milton Keynes, arrived 14 minutes late at 0956. I paid my way from there to Euston and back, which I must have done well to manage in 3 minutes if my notes are correct, departing on a service from Birmingham (321421) at 0959 to Euston. Arrived there 3 minutes early at 1057.
After going around the bookshops I returned from Euston on a Birmingham service (321424) at 1654 to Coventry, arrived 6 minutes early at 1852.
Then it was the 1918 to Nottingham (150133), arriving 2040.

Sunday 20th May 1990

This was just my annual visit to the Great Central at Loughborough.
Departed on a Coventry service (150143) at 1410 to Loughborough, arrived 1431.
Then back to Nottingham on 150143 again 2 minutes late at 1725, arriving at 1744.

Monday 22nd May 1990
This was a trip to the bookshops in Birmingham. Got a Coventry train (150127) at 1049 to Nuneaton, arrived 3 minutes early at 1149. Paid my way to Birmingham and back and got a service from Lowestoft (156413) 32 minutes late at 1259, arriving at New Street 30 minutes late at 1327.
I returned on the 1712 to Nottingham (150103) via Nuneaton and Leicester, arriving there 3 minutes late at 1845.

And that’s all I have a record of.

 

[Cowley]

Hm. I was wondering what you did on my Birthday (21st May) but apparently it was cancelled that year Mr Imp?
Can you remember what was running on the GCR?

 

[Merthyr Imp]

Oops - sorry, I've somehow missed a day out. That should read Tuesday 22nd May 1990.

Monday 21st May 1990

Started with a service from Birmingham (dmu set formed of a Class 102 & a Class 118) at 0932, calling at Newark Castle only to Lincoln, arrived 3 minutes early at 1015.
Then a service from Doncaster (Derby 2-car dmu) at 1032 to Sleaford, arrived 1106.
From Sleaford it was a Skegness to Nottingham service (150112) at 1136 to Grantham, arrived 2 minutes late at 1202.
Then I got the ‘Yorkshire Pullman’ from Kings Cross to Leeds (91005, Mk4) 9 minutes late at 1232 as far as Doncaster, arriving still 9 minutes late at 1310.
Then a Sleaford service (142023) 5 minutes late at 1321 back to Lincoln, arriving 1408.
I then had a bus ride to Grantham and returned from there to Nottingham at 1656 (Class 118 dmu) arriving at 1729.

I'm afraid I never used to record what I was hauled by on the Great Central, and although I have many photos, with my usual inefficiency in these matters never recorded the dates of them. However, here are a selection:

'Robert Nelson No. 4', 4744 (69523), 5224, 'Witherslack Hall', 'Clun Castle', 61306 (probably had this more than any other), 'Butler-Henderson' and D9516 (which was a let-down when it appeared).

 

[Merthyr Imp]

All-Line Railrover Ticket 1990

Saturday 8th September 1990
A day for fitting in a football match, or so I thought.
Started from Nottingham with a Lincoln to Crewe service (150132 as far as Derby where 150134 took over the working) at 0811 to Stoke, arriving there 12 minutes late at 0943.
Then a service from Euston (87031, Mk3) which left 7 minutes late at 1007 to Manchester Piccadilly, arriving 7 minutes early at 1042 (unless I’ve recorded it as early when I meant late).
From Manchester I got a Hull service (156451) at 1133 calling at Huddersfield and Leeds only, as far as Selby, arriving at 1256. Then to York at 1337 (141105), arriving at 1358 in good time for York City v Lincoln City.
Unfortunately there was then the tragic incident of the death of the York City player David Longhurst during the match which was consequently abandoned at half time.
So I caught an earlier than planned service back to Sheffield (HST, 43009 front, 43172 rear) at 1704, arriving Sheffield 1822. Then a Liverpool to Ipswich service (156421) 3 minutes late at 1848 to Nottingham, arriving 2 minutes early at 1935.

Sunday 9th September 1990
As it was a Sunday that meant a London train from Nottingham - the 0825 to St Pancras (HST, 43038 at front), arrived 9 minutes early at 1047
Smartly down on the Victoria Line to Victoria for a Dover Western Docks service (Class 411 emu no. 1560) at 1120 to Faversham, arriving 7 minutes late at 1234. Changed there to a Charing Cross to Ramsgate service (Class 413 emu no. 3202) which left 7 minutes late at 1236 (connection probably held) to Herne Bay, arriving 6 minutes late at 1249.
Had fish & chips on the sea front and left on a Ramsgate to Victoria train (Class 411 emu no. 1608) 2 minutes late at 1409 to Sittingbourne.
Put a little bit of black on the map with the 1451 to Sheerness (Class 411 emu no. 1538) arriving at 1509. Came straight back on the same unit at 1513, arrived Sittingbourne 1529.
From Sittingbourne it was a Ramsgate to Victoria service (unsure what class of emu it was, but I recorded it as no. 3183) 5 minutes late at 1537 to Chatham, arriving 6 minutes late at 1555.
Changed there to a service from Gillingham (Class 415 emu no. 5153) which left 10 minutes late at 1613 via Welling to Charing Cross, arrived 5 minutes late at 1716.
Plenty of time to get to King’s Cross for a Bradford Forster Square service (91002, Mk4) at 1810 non-stop to Peterborough, arriving 6 minutes late at 1910. However, thanks to more late running I was just able to make the connection to a Norwich to Liverpool service (156424) which left 7 minutes late at 1912. This called at Loughborough only and got me back to Nottingham on time at 2019.

Monday 10th September 1990
The usual early start for the Monday, with the 0604 service to Derby (150136), arrived 2 minutes early at 0630.
Then it was a Derby to Birmingham service (47819, Mk 2d) at 0647 as far as Tamworth, arriving 4 minutes late at 0715. Down the steps for a service from Liverpool (87007, Mk 3) 14 minutes late at 0733 to Euston, arriving 6 minutes late at 0856.
Time to get to Paddington from Euston Square on the Circle Line, for a Plymouth service (HST, 43027 at rear) at 0935, calling at Reading, Newbury, Westbury, Taunton, Tiverton Parkway and Exeter to Newton Abbott, arriving 6 minutes late at 1220.
Luckily my connection for a bit of black on the map was also late – a service from Exeter Central (Metro-Cammell 3-car dmu) which left 8 minutes late at 1229 to Paignton, arrived there 7 minutes late at 1245.
Don’t remember any activity on the Paignton & Dartmouth Railway, but I wasn’t there long, returning on the same dmu at 1306 through to Exmouth (more black), arriving there at 1437.
I didn’t have yet another ride on the same unit, but waited for the next service which left at 1516 on another Metro Cammell 3-car dmu to Exeter St Davids, arriving at 1539.
Had a bit of a break there before getting a Plymouth to Sheffield train (47804, Mk 2d) 11 minutes late at 1653 to Derby, arriving there on time at 2038.
Back to Nottingham on a service from Crewe (150110) at 2048, arriving at 2118.

Tuesday 11th September 1990
After a late-ish finish, not too early a start from Nottingham with a Lincoln to Crewe service (150142) at 0810 to Derby, arriving 2 minutes early at 0836.
From there it was a Newcastle to Bristol HST (43125 at front, 43151 rear) 8 minutes late at 0914, calling only at Birmingham, to Cheltenham, arriving 7 minutes late at 1030.
From Cheltenham I got the 1046 to Swindon (155324), arriving there at 1144.
Then a Paddington to Swansea HST (43018 at front) as far as Cardiff, arrived 2 minutes early at 1254.
I then ventured onto the Valley Lines for the first time, with a service from Barry Island (150261) 3 minutes late at 1311 to Treherbert, arriving on time at 1409.
I had a little walk around there and ate my sandwiches on a hillside overlooking the station before returning on a Penarth train (150269) at 1447 to Cardiff, arrived 1546.
From Cardiff I hopefully managed a front seat on what was either a Class 116 or 118 dmu at 1707 to Birmingham, arriving 7 minutes late at 1934.
Then it was the Plymouth to Sheffield service I’d travelled on from Exeter the day before (and again it was 47804, Mk 2d) at 1958 to Derby, arriving 6 minutes late at 2044 I was in time to get the service from Crewe (150122) a minute late at 2048 to Nottingham, arriving there 6 minutes late, at 2124.

Wednesday 12th September 1990
An early enough start from Nottingham with a Cleethorpes to Birmingham service (150140) at 0719 to Derby, arrived 0748.
Then what was probably a Class 118 dmu at 0811 right through to Llandudno, arriving 2 minutes late at 1125. Hopefully I got a front seat on this.
I returned from Llandudno on a Crewe service (150112) at 1218 to Llandudno Junction, arriving 2 minutes late at 1226.
Then to get some more black on the map I got the 1246 to Holyhead (150103), arriving there at 1332.
I’m fairly sure I then secured the front seat on the Derby 2-car dmu which left Holyhead 5 minutes late at 1521 and took me all the way to Derby, arriving there 19 minutes late at 1925. That must have been one of my longest journeys on one of those.
From Derby it was a service from Crewe (150104) 6 minutes late at 2003 to Nottingham, arriving 3 minutes late at 2028.

Thursday 13th September 1990
Started from Nottingham with the ‘Nottingham Pullman’ – a service from Sheffield (HST, 43053 at front, 43039 at rear) – at 0738 calling at Leicester only to St Pancras, arriving at 0909.
Walked around the corner to Kings Cross Thameslink for a Luton to Sevenoaks service (319055) to Bromley South, arrived 1001. Changed there to an Orpington to Victoria train (Class 415 emu no. 5261) 2 minutes late at 1029 to Beckenham Junction. Then the 1035 Victoria train (Class 416? emu no. 5817 from there via Birkbeck, Gipsy Hill and Streatham Hill to Clapham Junction, arrived 3 minutes late at 1101. From there I got a service from Waterloo which was 31 minutes late at 1138 (Class 423 no. 3008) to Reading, arrived 44 minutes late at 1251
This late running meant I was then an hour later than scheduled, getting a 2-car dmu on the 1325 to Henley, arriving there 2 minutes early at 1346. Had time for, to quote from ‘Three Men in a Boat’, a mooch round Henley before departed at 1455 on a Metro-Cammell 2-car dmu on a Reading service as far as Twyford, arriving at 1507.
Left Twyford at 1518 on a Reading to Paddington service (Class 117 dmu) to Maidenhead, arrived 1527. The connection there was probably held, as I left 4 minutes late at 1533 to Marlow (Class 117 dmu), arriving on time at 1553. Stayed on it and returned at 1556 to Maidenhead, arriving on time at 1619.
Left Maidenhead on a service from Reading (Class 117 dmu) 3 minutes late at 1629 to Slough, arrived 1640. What I should have been doing was going to West Ealing for the Greenford branch and travelling from there on the Central Line to get to King’s Cross. However, the earlier late running from Clapham Junction put paid to that, so at Slough I changed to an HST (43177 at front) 9 minutes late at 1651 to Paddington, arriving 5 minutes late at 1706.
So it was Circle Line from Paddington to King’s Cross where I was back on schedule with the ‘Yorkshire Pullman’ Leeds service at 1750 (91001, Mk 4). This called at Peterborough only and got me to Grantham 2 minutes early at 1854. Changed there to a Norwich to Liverpool service (156418) at 1918, non-stop to Nottingham, arriving at 1946.

Friday 14th September 1990
The week finished with a Cambridge to Liverpool service (156424) which left Nottingham 18 minutes late at 0810. This ran via Derby and Chesterfield (but not Sheffield) and got me to Stockport 4 minutes late at 0938.
Departed Stockport at 1009 on a Paddington to Glasgow service – not something you get nowadays! This was hauled by 47848 (was in a Mk 2c), which was replaced at Preston by 90044, and got me to Oxenholme 11 minutes late at 1156.
Left there on a service from Liverpool (150221) 25 minutes late at 1224 and arrived at Windermere 24 minutes late at 1241.
Had a very short walk around, failing to catch a glimpse of the lake, then returned from Windermere at 1326 on 150221’s Liverpool return working. I’d been scheduled to do the whole journey, but with a 16-minute connection at Liverpool I bailed out at Preston when it was 22 minutes late there at 1453.
So from Preston I got a service (probably Euston-bound) 3 minutes late at 1523 (87034, Mk2d) to Crewe, arriving at 1606.
From Crewe it was back to Nottingham on a service 2 minutes late at 1624 (150121), arriving at 1808.

So still plenty of old-style dmus about.

 

[Cowley]

I see you managed to make it to my neck of the woods and passed through my home (at the time) town of Topsham. The 101 along with the 108 DMU being the usual fare at the time after the 142s were sent away in disgrace.
Like you say there were some interesting cross country services in those days. Enjoyed the read.

 

[Merthyr Imp]

Not much to this week but here it is:

Midland Railtourer Ticket 1991

Saturday 6th July 1991
Started from Nottingham with a service from Cleethorpes (150109) at 0719 to Birmingham – arriving there a massive 63 minutes at 0945. Can’t remember why. But I was able to get a service from Lichfield Trent Valley (Class 118 dmu) 4 minutes late at 1010 to Redditch, arrived 2 minutes late at 1050. I remained on the train, now forming a Lichfield Central service, as it left 6 minutes late at 1059. This got me back to New Street 5 minutes late at 1141. From there I got a Walsall to Stoke service (310108) 3 minutes late at 1206 to Stone, arriving 2 minutes late at 1302. Visited friends there, then set off on a service from Stafford at 1508 (emu 310107) to Stoke, arrived 1520. Then it was a service from Crewe (150146) 2 minutes late at 1542 to Derby, arrived 1626. More late running from there on a service which left 28 minutes late at 1808 (150135) and arrived at Nottingham 32 minutes late at 1840.

Sunday 7th July 1991
This was just my annual visit to the Great Central at Loughborough.
Travelled on the 1023 St Pancras service as far as Loughborough (HST, 43104 at front), arriving 3 minutes early at 1045.
Returned to Nottingham on the 1639 departure (156424), arriving at 1657.

Tuesday 9th July 1991
Don’t know what happened on the Monday, but on the Tuesday I set off from Nottingham on a Crewe service (150140) at 0905 to Derby, arrived 0932. Then it was ‘The Devonian’, Leeds to Paignton service (HST, 43162 at front), which left 5 minutes late at 0949 to Birmingham, arrived 8 minutes late at 1031. Because of this late running I had to ditch my scheduled trip to Stourbridge and back and instead got a Hereford service (Class 118 dmu) 15 minutes late at 1116 through to Kidderminster, arrived 13 minutes late at 1151.
After a trip on the Severn Valley Railway to Arley and Bridgnorth I left Kidderminster on a service from Great Malvern at 1700 (Class 118 dmu) to Birmingham, arrived 6 minutes late at 1742. From there I got a service from Longbridge (Class 118 dmu) 2 minutes late at 1756 to Lichfield Trent Valley, arriving at 1841. Down the steps there for a Crewe to Nuneaton service (310101) which left 38 minutes late at 1958 to Tamworth, arriving 37 minutes late at 2005. I was still able to make my scheduled connection there as the Class 118? dmu from Cardiff was 31 minutes late, leaving at 2022. Whether this was due to some mechanical defect I don’t know, but the unit was replaced by 150137 at Derby. I didn’t note the arrival time at Nottingham (due to have been 2046).

Wednesday 10th July 1991
Not a very early start from Nottingham with the 1137 St Pancras service (HST, 43072 at front) as far as Leicester, arrived 1159. I paid my way to Stamford and back, travelling on a Birmingham to Norwich service (158763) at 1249, arrived 1333. After visiting Robert Humm’s bookshop I returned on a service from Norwich (156409) which left 31 minutes late at 1504 to Birmingham, arriving 35 minutes late at 1704.
Departed Birmingham on 150131 3 minutes late at 1717 to Hednesford for a bit of black on the map. Arrived there 11 minutes late at 1809 and remained on the unit to return 9 minutes late at 1811 to Walsall, arriving 7 minutes late at 1834. Left there 9 minutes late at 1838 (310106) to Birmingham, arriving there 10 minutes late at 1902.
Departed Birmingham on a service from Cardiff (156402) 2 minutes late at 1931 to Nottingham, arriving still 2 minutes late at 2048.

Thursday 11th July 1991
This was just a bookshops trip to London.
Got the 0937 St Pancras service (HST, 43107 at front) as far as Leicester, arrived 0957. Bought my ticket to London and continued on a service from Leeds (HST, 43090 at front) at 1030 to St Pancras, arrived 1153.
Returned from St Pancras on a Sheffield service (HST, 43110 at rear) at 1900 to Leicester, arrived 7 minutes late at 2024. Left there on another service from St Pancras (HST, 43099 at front) 6 minutes late at 2053 to Nottingham, arriving on time at 2115.

Friday 12th July 1991
And this was simply a trip to Birmingham.
Left Nottingham on a Crewe service (156429) at 0905 as far as Derby, arrived 0933. Then it was the Leeds to Paignton ‘Devonian’ again (HST, 43185 at front) 4 minutes late at 0948 to Birmingham, arrived still 4 minutes late at 1027.
Returned from Birmingham at 1318 (156402), arriving Nottingham 2 minutes late at 1433.

 

[Merthyr Imp]

All-Line Railrover Ticket 1991

Sunday 8th September 1991
This year’s week started as usual for a Sunday with a trip London-wards. An HST (43054 at front) at 0826 to St Pancras, arrived 10 minutes early at 1046.
Knowing what it was like on Sundays if there happened to be no scheduled engineering work I’d had a contingency plan of departing from King’s Cross Thameslink at exactly the scheduled arrival time at St Pancras. The anticipated early running allowed me to make this - a Bedford to Brighton service (319178) departing at 1056. This got me to Haywards Heath at 1202.
A quick connection there to a Victoria to Littlehampton/Southampton service
(Class 421 emu no. 1857) at 1208 via Hove to Worthing, arriving 4 minutes late at 1258.
Fish & chips on the seafront before departing Worthing at 1342 on a service from Southampton/Littlehampton (Class 421 emu no. 1854) to Victoria, arrived 3 minutes early at 1500.
Round to Paddington on the Circle Line for a High Wycombe service at 1556 (Class 117 dmu) to West Ruislip, arrived 4 minutes late at 1617. Another little bit of black on the map.
Returned to Paddington at 1652 on a service from Banbury (Class 117 dmu), arriving at 1715.
I had various contingency plans for returning to Nottingham then, but set what must have been a personal record in getting to St Pancras on the Circle Line in time for the 1735 HST (43059 at rear), arriving in Nottingham 2 minutes late at 1918.

Monday 9th September 1991
As usual an early start for the Monday, with a Skegness service from Nottingham (Derby 2-car dmu) at 0624 to Grantham, arrived 3 minutes early at 0702.
Then a service from King’s Cross 2 minutes late at 0719 (91030, Mk 4), calling at most stations, including Newark and Retford, to Edinburgh, arriving there 3 minutes early at 1107.
Departed Edinburgh at 1140 on an Inverness train (158706) as far as Perth, arriving 2 minutes late at 1256.
Then it was a Glasgow to Aberdeen service (158707) at 1330 to Dundee, arrived there 1351.
Things got messed up then as I was supposed to have only 40 minutes or so in Dundee, but due to some disruption, the details of which I’ve forgotten, I left there on a service (158743) 22 minutes late at 1515. This meant I had to ditch my plan of changing at Kirkcaldy for a Cardenden Circle service and instead went through to Haymarket, arriving 31 minutes late at 1642.
The idea of changing at Haymarket rather than Waverley was to improve the chances of getting a good seat on a Glasgow to King’s Cross service (91008, Mk4) at 1656 as far as Doncaster, arriving there 13 minutes late at 2025.
Left there on a service from Cleethorpes (142072) 6 minutes late at 2042 to Sheffield, arriving on time at 2116.
More late running then, with a service from Liverpool (158779) which left 27 minutes late at 2214 and got me back to Nottingham 25 minutes late at 2301 and just in time to miss the last bus home.

Tuesday 10th September 1991
After the late finish the night before it was a welcome late start with a service from Lincoln (150103) at 0849 to Coventry, arriving 1011.
From there it was a Manchester Piccadilly to Poole service (47802, Mk2d) which left 15 minutes late at 1044, and arrived at Brockenhurst 2 minutes late at 1331.
For a little bit of black on the map I then got Class 421 emu no. 1219 at 1357 to Lymington Pier, arrived 1 minute late at 1407. Not much to see there, so I went straight back on the same unit at 1440, arriving back at Brockenhurst 4 minutes late at 1454.
Then it was a service from Weymouth (442404) at 1503, calling only at Southampton and Southampton Parkway to Waterloo, arriving at 1624.
Up the Northern Line to Euston for a Holyhead service - ‘The Welsh Dragon’ – (87015, Mk2d) at 1703, calling at Rugby only to Nuneaton, arriving at 1817.
I left there on a Rugby to Lincoln service (150132) at 1836 to Nottingham, arriving at 1945.

Wednesday 11th September 1991
This was one of my South London suburban jaunts, getting some more bits of black on the map.
I started with a Liverpool to Stansted train (158779) at 0838 via Grantham to Peterborough, arriving at 0940.
Then it was an HST (43065, front & 43064, rear) which started at Peterborough at 1000 to Kings Cross, arrived 1 minute early at 1049.
Walked to King’s Cross Thameslink for a Bedford to Gatwick service (319017) at 1116 to East Croydon, arriving 3 minutes late at 1148. From there it was a service from Victoria (Class 423 emu no. 3442) at 1153 to East Grinstead, arrived 1229. I returned from there on a Victoria service (Class 423 emu no. 3152) at 1319 to East Croydon, arrived 1353. Left there on a service from Charing Cross (455836) at 1404 to Caterham, arrived 1422.
Left Caterham on a London Bridge service (455809) at 1509 to Purley, arrived 1519.
From Purley it was a service from Victoria (319028) 9 minutes late at 1529 to Tattenham Corner, arrived 10 minutes late at 1551.
I walked to Epsom Downs station and caught a Victoria service (emu 455818) 2 minutes late at 1632 to Sutton, arrived 1639. Left there on a Guildford to Luton service (319049) at 1655, to Tulse Hill, arrived there 3 minutes late at 1713. A quick change there to a service at 1715 (319169) to Kings Cross Thameslink, arrived there 1736.
Walked around to St Pancras for the 1830 (HST, 43052 at rear) and arrived back in Nottingham 4 minutes late at 2014.

Thursday 12th September 1991
As with Tuesday, this was a lot of mileage to get a little more black on the map.
An early start with the 0644 to Cardiff (a service I was to become well acquainted with in years to come). This was 156410, and travelling from Bromsgrove via Worcester Shrub Hill as it did in those days, got me to Cardiff at 1025. I left there on a Fishguard service (150279) 9 minutes late at 1119 as far as Carmarthen, arrived 3 minutes early at 1244.
Changed there to a train from Swansea (Class 116 2-car dmu) at 1305 to Milford Haven, arrived 3 minutes early at 1402.
Went for a little walk around (which didn’t take long) and left on the same unit at 1434 to Swansea, arriving at 1616.
Left Swansea on a Paddington service (HST, 43015 at front, 43019 at rear) at 1632, to Bristol Parkway, arriving 10 minutes late at 1810. My connection there was unhurried as the Plymouth to Derby service I got (47837, Mk2d) left 7 minutes late at 1820 and got me to Derby 3 minutes late at 2040.
Then it was a service from Derby (156420) at 2057, arriving Nottingham 2 minutes early at 2127.

Friday 13th September 1991
Quite a short day after the late finish the night before, although starting an hour earlier than I originally planned, with a Liverpool to Norwich service (156415) at 1048 via Loughborough to Ely, arriving 5 minutes late at 1239. Not sure why I changed there, but I did so, to 156405, which departed 3 minutes late at 1341 to Norwich, arriving there at 1432.
Got some black on the map then with the 1500 departure (Metro-Cammell 2-car dmu) to Great Yarmouth via Berney Arms, arriving 4 minutes early at 1533.
Left Yarmouth at 1620 on board 158776 via Acle back to Norwich, arriving 4 minutes early at 1649.
Left Norwich at 1658 on a Birmingham service (156417) to Peterborough, arriving at 1830.From there I got the ‘Hull Pullman’ from King’s Cross (HST, 43111 at front, 43061 at rear) which left 4 minutes late at 1843 just as far as Grantham, arriving 6 minutes late at 1905. No trouble with the connection there as 150140 left 10 minutes late at 1917 and got me back to Nottingham on time at 1953.

Saturday 14th September 1991
Made good use of the rover ticket today for long-distance travel to a football match.
Started with a Birmingham service (Metro-Cammell 2-car dmu) at 0856 to Derby, arrived 4 minutes late at 0921.
I’d been due to travel from there to Newcastle then across to Carlisle, but instead, presumably due to late running of the service from Bristol, I continued on to Crewe on a 0949 departure (150104), arriving there at 1107.
As I then had to make it up as I went along details are lacking, but I departed Crewe on a service 3 minutes late at 1131 to Carlisle (87035, Mk3), arriving there 2 minutes early at 1344.
So plenty of time to get to Brunton Park to see Lincoln City beat Carlisle United 2-0 before being back on schedule with a Glasgow to Birmingham service - ‘The Midland Scot’ - (86256, Mk2f) at 1728, to Crewe, arriving 9 minutes late at 1934. This meant I missed my five-minute connection there, so I had to wait until the 2030 departure to Nottingham (Metro-Cammell 2-car dmu – don’t know if it was the same one as earlier), arriving at 2221.

 

[Cowley]

Interesting stuff. I think I did the loco hauled Euston service to Holyhead that year, I'll have a look in the morning, did it have a DVT on one end maybe?

 

[Techniquest]

Interesting that connections from the north onto Derby trains was as poor back then as it is now! As always a top read and an excellent insight into the early 1990s.

 

[Merthyr Imp]

Interesting stuff. I think I did the loco hauled Euston service to Holyhead that year, I'll have a look in the morning, did it have a DVT on one end maybe?

Don't know, sorry!

By the way, reading back over what I said about boarding a King's Cross train at Haymarket rather than Edinburgh Waverley reminds me of my usual practice when getting a Nottingham-bound train from Manchester - wherever possible I would get on it at Oxford Road so as to be already in situ when it reached the hordes waiting to board at Piccadilly.

But I don't suppose I'm alone in doing things like that.

 

[Merthyr Imp]

Finally found time to continue with this, although not many more years to go.

East Midlands Rover Ticket 1992

Saturday 6th June 1992
I started from Nottingham with the 0740 to Skegness (Class 118 dmu), arrived 7 minutes early at 0937.
Didn’t stay long in Skeg’ but returned on a service to Sheffield at 1021 back to Nottingham (another Class 118 dmu), arriving at 1212.
Left Nottingham on a service (150229) 6 minutes late at 1358 to Derby, arrived 5 minutes late at 1419.
Then it was a Crewe service (150132) at 1450 to Stoke, arriving 3 minutes late at 1536.
After visiting friends in Stone (to where they gave me a lift) I left there on a service from Coventry (310106) at 1806 to Stoke, arrived 1820.
Then it was a service from Crewe (150128) at 1900 to Nottingham, arrived 2 minutes early at 2019.

Sunday 7th June 1992
This was my annual visit to the Great Central at Loughborough.
Got a Cardiff service (158776) at 1000 to Loughborough, arrived two minutes late at 1018.
Returned from Loughborough on a service from Birmingham (150114) 4 minutes late at 1615, arrived Nottingham 1630.

Monday 8th June 1992
Started from Nottingham with a Stansted Airport to Liverpool service (158844) at 0947 to Sheffield, arrived 1041.
Then a service which left 10 minutes late at 1155 to Cleethorpes via Brigg (153381), arrived 7 minutes late at 1344.
Probably had fish & chips at Cleethorpes before leaving there on a Newark North Gate train (153322) at 1521 to Lincoln, arriving 2 minutes late at 1629.
Then a service from Sheffield (153309) at 1722 to Peterborough, arriving at 1841.
From Peterborough it was a King’s Cross to Retford train (91021, Mk4) 12 minutes late at 1912 as far as Grantham, arriving 10 minutes late at 1930.
I had to wait there for a service from Ipswich (156407) which was 28 minutes late, departing at 2049, to Nottingham, arriving 24 minutes late at 2117.

Tuesday 9th June 1992
This was for my trip around the bookshops in London so was an HST day.
Started with a St Pancras train (HST, 43053 at front, 43045 at rear) at 0937 to Kettering, arrived 5 minutes late at 1026. Bought my ticket to London from there, then continued on a service from Leeds (HST, 43056 at front) at 1055 to St Pancras, arrived 1155.
Returned on a Leeds train (HST, 43076 at rear) at 1900 to Leicester, arrived 23 minutes late at 2039. Then a St Pancras to Sheffield service (HST, 43056 at rear) 9 minutes late at 2056 to Nottingham, arrived still 9 minutes late at 2122.

Wednesday 10th June 1992
Started from Nottingham with a St Pancras train (HST, 43056 at front, 43049 at rear) at 0937 to Leicester, arrived 0958. After looking at the bookshops in Leicester I got a Birmingham to Norwich service (158850) 14 minutes late at 1306 to Stamford, arriving 31 minutes late at 1404. This cut down my time in Robert Humm’s bookshop, but I still got the planned Birmingham to Lowestoft service (158792), which left 8 minutes late at 1520 to Peterborough, arriving a minute early at 1532!
I left Peterborough on a King’s Cross to Leeds service (91009, Mk4) which left 2 minutes late at 1712, to Grantham, arrival time not recorded. From there, some more late running saw me on a Norwich to Liverpool train (158785) which left 23 minutes late at 1832 and got me back to Nottingham 24 minutes late at 1907.

Thursday 11th June 1992
This day was the Birmingham bookshops.
Left Nottingham on a Birmingham train (150212) at 0959 to Tamworth, arriving 2 minutes early at 1048. Bought a ticket to Birmingham there and got a Nottingham to Cardiff service (Class 118 dmu) 6 minutes late at 1124 to Birmingham, arrived on time at 1144.
Returned on a Cardiff to Nottingham train (158796) 12 minutes late at 1530 to Derby, arriving 18 minutes late at 1620.
Then a service from Crewe (Class 118 dmu) 33 minutes late at 1806 to Nottingham, arrived 34 minutes late at 1835.

Friday 12th June 1992
And this day was just a round trip to Lincoln.
Got a Crewe to Skegness train (150111) at 1007 to Sleaford, arrived 2 minutes early at 1116.
Then a service starting from Sleaford at 1153 to Lincoln (153304), arrived 2 minutes late at 1226.
Returned to Nottingham on a service at 1354 (150239), arriving 11 minutes late at 1449.

 

[Techniquest]

I tell you what, I'm going to miss these trip reports when they come to an end.

More than a few Sprinters I need in there. I wonder why that 158 was so late into Stamford!

 

[Merthyr Imp]

All-Line Railrover Ticket 1992

Saturday 5th September 1992
It being the football season I had a match to go to in Lincoln – but didn’t exactly go straight there.
Started from Nottingham with a St Pancras service (HST, 43064 at front, 43046 at rear) at 0707 to Leicester, arrived 0728.
Changed there to a service which started at Oakham (156422) at 0736 to Birmingham, arrived 0830.
Then a service from Wolverhampton (86224, Mk2f) at 0848, calling at Birmingham International, Coventry and Milton Keynes, to Euston, arrived 7 minutes late at 1045.
Walked along to King’s Cross for a Leeds train (91001, Mk4) at 1105 to Peterborough, arrived 2 minutes late at 1153.
Then it was the 1230 to Lincoln (156423), taking a little bit of a chance, but it arrived on time at 1356.
For the record, it was Lincoln City 1 Scunthorpe United 0.
Returned home as usual on a Leamington service (150229) at 1752, arrived Nottingham 1849.

Sunday 6th September 1992
As usual with the Sunday lack of early trains from Nottingham other than in the London direction it meant a trip to the south coast, this one perhaps being my most ambitious.
Started with the 0825 to St Pancras (HST, 43061 at front), arriving 8 minutes early at 1049.
Plenty of time to get to Waterloo for the 1125 to Portsmouth Harbour via Guildford (Class 421 emu no.1302), arriving at 1259.
The high speed catamarans had now taken over from the boats to Ryde, and from the Pier Head I got a service 2 minutes late at 1344 (Class 483 no. 008) to Shanklin, arrived 1407. Had fish and chips there, then returned on no. 008 again, which left 2 minutes late at 1514 from Shanklin to Ryde Pier Head, arrived 1538.
Back at Portsmouth Harbour for the 1620 to Waterloo (442409), arrived 2 minutes early at 1752.
Then the 1835 from St Pancras (HST, 43072 at rear) to Nottingham, arrived 4 minutes late at 2027.

Monday 7th September 1992
The usual early start for the Monday, but for some reason not as early as I’d originally planned – maybe I couldn’t get up in time! Or it may possibly have been the 0604 to Crewe was cancelled.
At any rate, I started from Nottingham at 0622 on board 150209 which got me to Derby 4 minutes late at 0654. The later start meant I had to make things up as I went along and was unable to fit in one of the lines I had intended.
From Derby I got a service 2 minutes late (Metro-Cammell 2-car dmu) at 0732 to Crewe, arrived 12 minutes late at 0901.
Then a service 12 minutes late at 0926 (90013, Mk3) to Preston, arrived 9 minutes late at 1013.
From Preston it was a service 6 minutes late (86426, Mk2f) at 1020 to Edinburgh, arrived 1305. Didn’t stay long there, but got the 1330 to Glasgow Queen Street (158734), arriving 2 minutes early at 1418.
From there it was the 1429 to Dalmuir (320308), arriving at 1446.
Then the 1505 to Balloch (320319), arriving at 1526. No time to look for Loch Lomond, but returned on 320319 at 1538 to Partick, arriving at 1617.
A quick change there to the 1621 to Glasgow Central (303014), arriving at 1628.
I was back on schedule then with a Euston service (90007, Mk3) at 1701 to Crewe, arriving at 2016.
Then the 2030 to Nottingham (Derby 2-car dmu), arriving 2 minutes late at 2223.

Tuesday 8th September 1992
Surprisingly, a second early start in a row. I was originally due to get the 0658 to Derby, but must have got to the station early and so left at 0646 on a Cardiff service (158859), arrived 3 minutes early at 0711.
From Derby it was ‘The Armada’ from Leeds (HST, 43006 at front) 2 minutes late at 0740 and which travelled via Weston-super-Mare to Plymouth, arriving 13 minutes early at 1225. Had a little walk around Plymouth, then put a little black on the map with the 1345 to Gunnislake (Derby 2-car dmu), arriving 3 minutes early at 1429. I remained on the train, which returned at 1436 to Plymouth, arriving at 1519.
Now I was scheduled to return to Nottingham via London, departing at 1535, and I remember there were some delays to departures from Plymouth but not what the reason was. The upshot was I returned straight to Derby on a service (47810, Mk2f) which left 27 minutes late at 1615. Again, it’s completely disappeared from my memory what went on, but arrival in Derby was a massive 1 hour and 45 minutes late at 2221.Luckily, I was able to get what must have been the last train of the day to Nottingham (150125) which left at 2238 and arrived 2 minutes early at 2304. So a taxi home.

Wednesday 9th September 1992
I did very well to make it three early starts in a row. This time intentionally leaving Nottingham on the 0646, all the way to Cardiff (158847). In those days it went from Bromsgrove via Droitwich and Worcester Shrub Hill. Arrived Cardiff Central 2 minutes early at 1022.
Then for some black on the map it was a service from Penarth (150269) at 1100 to Rhymney, arrived 1157. Not much to do there, but I hung around until a Penarth train (150270) at 1310 to Cardiff Queen Street, arrived 1402.
A quick change there to the 1406 (143602) to Cardiff Bute Road, as it was then still known, arrived 1409. To save messing about going back to Queen Street I instead walked to Central for a Manchester Piccadilly service (158842) at 1443 to Shrewsbury, arriving 2 minutes late at 1643.
Interestingly there was then a service for Nottingham from there at 1705 (158854) but for some reason there was a change to another unit (158775) at Birmingham. Arrival back at Nottingham was at 1947.

Thursday 10th September
I would have been ready for the later start on this day! It was to be another of my roamings around the South London suburban area, picking up some bits of black on the map.
Left Nottingham on the 0937 to St Pancras (HST, 43052 at front, 43051 at rear), arriving 18 minutes late at 1130. This messed up my chances of getting an 1140 service from Victoria, but I was able to follow my schedule running half an hour later than planned.
After the Victoria Line to Victoria I got the 1210 from there (456020) to London Bridge via Denmark Hill, arriving at 1233.
Then a service from Charing Cross (Class 415 emu no. 5410) at 1300 to Hayes, arrived 1331.
I’d originally allowed over an hour at Hayes for some reason, but altered it so as to spend more time in Dartford later, so now I was running half an hour earlier than planned!
From Hayes I got a Charing Cross train (Class 415 emu no. 5407) at 1348 to Elmers End, arrived 1356 where I was lucky enough to get the 1357 departure to Addiscombe (Class 416 emu no. 6415), arriving at 1402. This meant I was now an hour earlier than planned.
Returned on the same unit from Addiscombe at 1418 to Elmers End, arriving at 1423.Then it was a Charing Cross train (Class 415 emu no. 5154) at 1427 to Lewisham, arrived 1440.
Then a service from Charing Cross to Gravesend (Class 415 emu no. 5419) 5 minutes late at 1453 non-stop to Dartford, arrived 3 minutes late at 1517.
After a walk around Dartford I left there now back on my original schedule on a Cannon St train (Class 415 emu no. 5624) at 1700 to Bexleyheath, arrived 1709.
Then it was a train from Cannon St (Class 415 emu no. 5264) 3 minutes late at 1728 to Slade Green, arrived 3 minutes late at 1736.
Then service from Dartford (an unrecorded emu – doubtless a Class 415) at 1740 to London Bridge via Plumstead, arrived 3 minutes early at 1822.
Up the Northern Line to King’s Cross for a Leeds train (91001, Mk4) at 1850 to Peterborough, arrived 2 minutes late at 1938.
Then a service from Ipswich (156407) at 1951 to Nottingham, arrived 4 minutes early at 2049.

Friday 11th September
I would have been glad of another late start, leaving Nottingham on a Liverpool to Stansted Airport train (158849) at 1026 via Loughborough to Peterborough, arrived 8 minutes late at 1142.
Then a service from Glasgow Central (91020, Mk4) 5 minutes late at 1155 to King’s Cross, arrived 1242.
I must have been lucky with the Circle Line as I was able to depart Liverpool Street on a Norwich train (321355) at 1300 to Ipswich, arriving at 1418.
Then it was a service at 1441 to Felixstowe (Metro-Cammell 2-car dmu), arrived at 1507. Can’t remember what I found to do in Felixstowe for so long before returning to Ipswich at 1645 (Metro-Cammell 2-car dmu), arriving at 1712.
Then the 1803 to Nottingham (156402), arriving 4 minutes early at 2049.

 

[Cowley]

Quite a varied week. Including Scotland and the south east. Still a lot of slam door stock on the southern but not much first generation stuff elsewhere.
There was lots of colour on the railway around then with all the different liveries etc.

 

[Techniquest]

That was a good bit of variety across the week, it must be noted. The long wait in Rhymney must have been outrageously boring, it's bad enough waiting for the turnaround time as it is let alone waiting for the next train! I do wonder when Bute Road got renamed to Bay mind, I'm sure it was Bay by the mid 1990s when I last went to Techni?uest just around the corner. Oh we loved that place back in childhood!

Some adventurous schedules you had there, and of course some of those lines are now tram lines in South London.

That was quite an extreme delay you had coming back from Plymouth too, no wonder you needed a later start after all those early rises mind!

As always an enjoyable read!

 

[Merthyr Imp]

The long wait in Rhymney must have been outrageously boring, it's bad enough waiting for the turnaround time as it is let alone waiting for the next train! I do wonder when Bute Road got renamed to Bay mind, I'm sure it was Bay by the mid 1990s
That was quite an extreme delay you had coming back from Plymouth too, no wonder you needed a later start after all those early rises mind!

I didn't have to wait that long in Rhymney as I could have departed on the same unit as I arrived on - but I never liked to do that unless it was unavoidable (e.g. Gunnislake).

Apparently Bute Road became Cardiff Bay in 1994.

Like I said - I've completely forgotten anything of that late running journey back from Plymouth to Derby. By that time any non-HST Cross-Country journeys were - as with that one - a 47/8 and five or six coaches. I was never very keen on those, remembering the full-length 45 or 47-hauled trains of yesteryear.

 

[Merthyr Imp]

Midlands Rover Ticket 1993

Saturday 5th June 1993
An early start from Nottingham with a Crewe train (150235) at 0604 to Derby, arrived 0631. Changed there to the 0641 to Birmingham (47806, Mk2f), arriving at 0728.
From Birmingham it was the 0740 to Worcester Foregate Street (150104), calling at Barnt Green, Bromsgrove and Droitwich, arrived 0823.
Then I got a Hereford to Paddington service for my first ride on a Networker Turbo (165109) at 0849 to Oxford, arriving at 1004.
As it was late running I was then able to change to a service 7 minutes late at 1009 (47845, Mk2d) to Leamington, arriving only 2 minutes late at 1045.
From there I got the 1111 to Birmingham Snow Hill (150214), arrived 1156
Walked to New Street in time for a service at 1209 (310102) to Stafford, arriving at 1249.
Spent an hour there before setting off on a Macclesfield service (304003) at 1351 to see friends at Stone, arriving there 2 minutes late at 1403.
Returned from Stone on a service from Wolverhampton (310105) at 1653 to Stoke, arrived 1705.
Then it was a Skegness train (Class 118 dmu) from Stoke which left 21 minutes late at 1806 back to Nottingham, arriving 22 minutes late at 1932.

Sunday 6th June 1993
This was my annual visit to the Great Central at Loughborough.
Got the 0912 to Derby (158791), arriving 2 minutes early at 0933.
Then a Sheffield to St Pancras service (HST, 43043 at front) 10 minutes late at 1003 to Loughborough, arriving 28 minutes late at 1040 – I’m guessing it was due to engineering work.
Returned from Loughborough on a Nuneaton to Lincoln service (158793) at 1410 to Nottingham, arriving at 1439.

Monday 7th June 1993
Started from Nottingham with a Crewe train (153323) at 0913 to Derby, arrived 0938. Changed there to a Birmingham service (158788) at 1027 to Birmingham, arrived 2 minutes early at 1119.
Then a Hereford service (150012) at 1130 to Kidderminster, arrived 1202.
Travelled on Severn Valley Railway, then returned from Kidderminster on a service 4 minutes late (156406) at 1605 to Stourbridge Junction, arrived 3 minutes late at 1615.
Put a tiny amount of black on the map then with a service 2 minutes late at 1617 (153314) to Stourbridge Town, arrived 1619. Remained on train and returned at 1630 to Stourbridge Junction, arriving at 1632.
Then it was a service 5 minutes late (150012 again) at 1650 to Birmingham, arriving 1710.
Then back to Nottingham at 1717 (158713), arriving 8 minutes late at 1834.

Tuesday 8th June 1993
Got a Cardiff service (158860) at 1031 to Burton-on-Trent, arrived 1110. Visited a bookshop there then got a train from Nottingham (150008) 3 minutes late at 1248 to Birmingham, arrived 1326.
Walked to Snow Hill for the 1422 (150009) to Stratford, arrived 7 minutes late at 1520.
Returned from there via Solihull on a service 4 minutes late (150210) at 1614 to Birmingham New Street, arrived 7 minutes late at 1700.
Then a Cardiff to Cleethorpes train (158860) 2 minutes late at 1719 to Nottingham, arrived 35 minutes late at 1901.

Wednesday 9th June 1993
Started from Nottingham with a Sleaford to Narborough train of all services (156407) at 0950 to Leicester, arrived 2 minutes early at 1020.
Must have paid my way to Stamford and back, getting a Coventry to Norwich service (158780) 5 minutes late at 1103 to Stamford, arrived 9 minutes late at 1148.
Visited Robert Humm’s bookshop, then got what I’ve recorded as a service making a special stop at Stamford (158859) back to Leicester.
Returned from Leicester on a St Pancras to Sheffield service (HST, 43064 at front) 13 minutes late at 1537 to Derby, arrived 15 minutes late at 1607.
Then a service 11 minutes late at 1646 to Nottingham (153376), arrived 12 minutes late at 1716.

Friday 11th June 1993
Just a visit to the bookshops in Birmingham.
Got a Crewe train (156462) at 0913 to Derby, arrived 0938.
Made a quick change to ‘The Devonian’ from Leeds to Paignton (HST) at 0941 to Birmingham, arrived 17 minutes late at 1040.
Returned on the 1419 to Nottingham (150132), arriving 6 minutes early at 1536.

I haven’t bothered with details of the Thursday as it was just an uneventful trip to London and back, evidently not making use of my Rover ticket.

 

[Techniquest]

I had forgotten there used to be Birmingham to Hereford services via Kidderminster, that sounds so bizarre these days. I did such a run many, many years ago myself, must have been very late 1990s or maybe even in 2001. That was years before I got into the railway though.

You certainly got some variety on that rover, it must be said!

 

[Merthyr Imp]

I remember when the Birmingham - Cardiff Sprinter services first began (worked by Class 155s and with a refreshment trolley) they were routed via Kidderminster and Worcester Shrub Hill. Not sure if they've featured in these reports, but I have a note of a journey on 12th March 1988, returning from a football match at Kidderminster (we drew 3-3), when I got a service from Cardiff (155313) at 1706 which arrived Birmingham New Street 8 minutes late at 1749.

I don't think that routing lasted long before they were switched to run via Bromsgrove and Shrub Hill, and now of course they cut out Worcester altogether.

 

[Merthyr Imp]

All-Line Railrover Ticket 1993

Saturday 4th September 1993
As with the previous year I took the long way round to go to a football match in Lincoln.
An early start from Nottingham with a Skegness service (156418) at 0615 to Grantham, arrived 0659.
Then a service from Leeds (91023, Mk4) at 0726, calling at Peterborough only, to King’s Cross, arrived 8 minutes early at 0835.
Went by Victoria Line to Seven Sisters then to get a little bit of black on the map, got a service from Liverpool Street (315832) at 0915 to Enfield Town, arrived 0927. Walked to Enfield Chase for a service from Hertford North (313033) at 1003 to King’s Cross, arrived 1025.
Left King’s Cross on a Glasgow service (91009, Mk4) at 1100 to Peterborough, arrived 1145.
Then a service 4 minutes late at 1155 to Lincoln (156488), arrived 1315.
For the record, the game ended Lincoln City 0 Preston North End 2.
Returned home as usual on a Coventry service (156401) at 1815 to Nottingham, arrived 4 minutes late at 1917.

Sunday 5th September 1993
The usual drill for a Sunday - got a service which had started at Derby (HST, 43083 at front, 43089 at rear) 4 minutes late at 0829, ‘all stations’, even including Bedford and Luton, to St Pancras, arrived 1057.
Round on the Circle Line to Liverpool Street for the 1150 to Southend Victoria (321361), arrived 3 minutes early at 1253.
Walked down to the seafront for fish & chips before going to Southend Central for a service from Fenchurch Street (312785) 5 minutes late at 1416 to Shoeburyness for a little black on the map. Arrived there 5 minutes late at 1425 and returned on a service 2 minutes late at 1432 (312795) to Fenchurch Street, arrived 1539.
Can’t remember why or where I then hung around until departing King’s Cross on a Leeds service (91011, Mk4) at 1710 non-stop to Peterborough, arrived 1757.
Then it was a Cambridge to Liverpool train (158786) 7 minutes late at 1822, calling at Stamford only, to Nottingham, arrived 5 minutes late at 1929.

Monday 6th September 1993
By now I was having to travel quite far afield to get some black on the map.
As usual with the Monday it was an early start from Nottingham with a Skegness service (153378) at 0625 to Grantham, arrived 0707.
Then a service from King’s Cross (91021, Mk4) 2 minutes late at 0720 to Edinburgh, arrived 6 minutes late at 1115.
Then the 1140 to North Berwick (305501), arrived 1210.
I had my sandwiches there overlooking the beach, then returned to Edinburgh at 1320 (305517), arriving 3 minutes late at 1353.
Then I managed a ride on the Cardenden, or Fife, Circle service via Dunfermline (150257), departing Edinburgh at 1415 and arriving back there at 1607.
Then in order to get a good seat from Waverley I first travelled on a Glasgow Queen Street service (158712) 11 minutes late at 1641 to Haymarket, arriving 14 minutes late at 1648. This meant I was able to board a Glasgow Central to King’s Cross train (91019, Mk4) there, which left 14 minutes late at 1709. Although it stopped at most stations, including Dunbar and Alnmouth, it missed out Retford and presumably wasn’t scheduled for Grantham either, as I alighted at Newark North Gate, 13 minutes late at 2044. This left far too much time to walk to Newark Central for a Lincoln to Leicester service (153385) at 2129 to Nottingham, arriving at 2151.

Tuesday 7th September 1993
And another long journey for a new line to travel on.
Started from Nottingham with a service from Sheffield - ‘The Robin Hood’ (HST, 43045 at front, 43049 at rear) at 0739, calling at Leicester only, to St Pancras, arrived 0910.
Plenty of time to get to Paddington on the Circle Line for another named train– ‘The Cornish Riviera’ to Penzance (HST, 43192 at rear) which left 3 minutes late at 1038 and called at Reading, Exeter and Plymouth only and which got me to Liskeard 7 minutes late at 1409.
The three-minute connection at Liskeard was evidently held, as I departed on a Class 117 dmu 9 minutes late at 1415 to Looe, arriving 3 minutes late at 1435. I remained on the train which left 3 minutes late at 1438 back to Liskeard, arriving 7 minutes late at 1506.
Once again the connection was probably held, as I got a service from Penzance (47810, Mk2f) 5 minutes late at 1508 to Plymouth, arrived 4 minutes late at 1532.
Unlike the previous year I had better luck returning from Plymouth, doing the full journey of a service departing at 1544 (47848, Mk2f), and arriving at Derby on time at 2038.
Then it was a service from Crewe (156419) at 2053 to Nottingham, arrived 2121.

Wednesday 8th September 1993
From Nottingham I got the 0720 to Birmingham (158846), arrived 2 minutes early at 0842.
Then an Aberystwyth service (156412) 2 minutes late at 0927 to Machynlleth, arrived 1210. Changed to a service starting from there at 1220 (150121) and went all the way to Pwllheli, arriving 2 minutes early at 1452. A long way for a little black on the map, never having been beyond Portmadoc before, but I was always ready for a ride on the Festiniog Railway so returned on the same unit (Machynlleth-bound) 2 minutes late at 1501 to Portmadoc, arriving 2 minutes late at 1524. Walked to the Harbour Station in time for the 1550 to Blaenau Ffestiniog, arriving there at 1655.
Then it was a service 5 minutes late at 1710 to Llandudno Junction (156455), arrived 1800. I was able to get an earlier train than planned, departing at 1804 to Chester (158765), arrived 4 minutes early at 1859 where I changed to my scheduled service at 1927 to Crewe (158770), arriving 2 minutes early at 1946.
Then a service at 2031 to Nottingham (153320), arrived 20 minutes late at 2237, but still in time for a bus home.

Thursday 9th September 1993
This day was my London suburban lines trip, filling in the map with some more black.
From Nottingham, got the 0838 to St Pancras (HST, 43087 at front, 43103 at rear), arrived 1025.
Then round on the Circle Line for the 1054 from Liverpool Street to Chingford (315846), arrived 1119. Had a brief look around – not much to see – then returned at 1144 to Liverpool Street (317393), arrived 1208.
Then it was off to Waterloo for a service at 1317 to Chessington (5855), arrived 2 minutes late at 1349. Returned on the same unit at 1403 on a Waterloo service as far as Raynes Park, arrived 1416. Changed there to a service from Waterloo (5901) at 1423 to Shepperton, arrived 1451.
Had a brief look around, then returned on the same unit on a Waterloo service at 1507 to Hampton, arrived 1517. Walked from there to Hampton Court for a Waterloo service (5739) 2 minutes late at 1611 to Surbiton, arrived 1617.
From Surbiton it was a Waterloo to Guildford service (5869) at 1636 to Hinchley Wood, arrived 1640. Then a service from Guildford (5859) 2 minutes late at 1651 to Waterloo, arrived 1715. Why I went to Hinchley Wood and back I can’t remember.
From Waterloo to King’s Cross for a Glasgow train (91001, Mk4) at 1800 non-stop to Peterborough, arrived 1847. Then a Cambridge to Liverpool service (158860) at 1857 which must have been via Loughborough as it was non-stop to Nottingham, arriving 4 minutes late at 2006.

Friday 10th September 1993
Instead of London suburban this was Manchester suburban to get some more black on the map.
Started from Nottingham with a Grantham to Liverpool service (156422) at 0735 to Stockport, arrived 2 minutes early at 0923. Changed there to a Deansgate to Crewe service (Metro-Cammell 2-car dmu) 2 minutes late at 0949 to Wilmslow, arrived 2 minutes late at 1000.
Then a Warrington service (Metro-Cammell 2-car dmu) at 1013 to Heald Green, arrived 3 minutes late at 1022. From there it was a service from Manchester Piccadilly (305511) at 1027 to Manchester Airport on the line which had opened the previous May, arrived there 1032.
From Manchester Airport I got a Blackpool North service (150141) at 1057 to Salford Crescent, arrived 1123. Then a service from Bolton (142062) 3 minutes late at 1131 to Rochdale, arrived 1159.
From Rochdale I got a Wigan service (142064) at 1215 back to Salford Crescent via Oldham, arrived 2 minutes early at 1255.
Then it was a Southport to Chester service (150146) at 1309 to Stockport, arrived 1330.
From Stockport I got a Stalybridge service (Metro-Cammell 2-car dmu) at 1356 to Guide Bridge via Reddish South and Denton, arriving 2 minutes late at 1411. Changed there to a service from Manchester Piccadilly (Metro-Cammell 2-car dmu) at 1430 to Rose Hill Marple, arrived 1453.
Hung around there until returning on the same unit at 1527 back via Guide Bridge to Manchester Piccadilly, arrived 1558.
Then it was a Hadfield service (305518) at 1625 to Glossop, arrived 3 minutes late at 1658. Waited for the 1729 to Manchester Piccadilly (305509) via Hadfield arriving at 1816.
As usual when returning from Manchester, rather than fighting for a seat at Piccadilly I went to Oxford Road on what was presumably the first available service, on board 158806.
From Oxford Road it was a Liverpool to Peterborough service (an unrecorded Class 158) at 1840 to Nottingham, arriving 13 minutes late at 2046.

 

[Cowley]

That looked like a good week with some nice scenery thrown in. As you say, running out of new track in some areas.
You must have nearly written them all up by now?

 

[Merthyr Imp]

One East Midlands and one All-Line to go!

 

[Cowley]

One East Midlands and one All-Line to go!

Well I've enjoyed reading them, thanks for putting them on here.

 

[Techniquest]

I've been thoroughly enjoying the reads from start to finish, and gutted the series is coming to an end!

I'm genuinely curious, why didn't you book hotels or such like on these All Line Rovers? It would have made it so much easier to get your required far away branches, surely?

 

[Merthyr Imp]

I'm genuinely curious, why didn't you book hotels or such like on these All Line Rovers? It would have made it so much easier to get your required far away branches, surely?

My excuse was always the cost on top of the ticket itself.

 

[Cowley]

I went for the night train (in the seated bit) and the travelling mk2 or mk3 shower/bath in one of the toilets.
Mind you I had quite a way to travel from Devon to get to Scotland etc