mark_47769
Member
I decided to do another day in the West Midlands area to pick up a few of my remaining units for haulage. Those being 139002, 172218 & 323241. I decided upon a Network Daytripper for my rover of the day which cost £6.70.
The alarm was set for 04:30 and I was out of the house by 04:55. It was then a quick drive to the local Mcdonalds to pick up some breakfast and then to the local station Wrexham General. 158818 & 158834 rolled up with the first service of the day towards Birmingham International. The journey went rather slow but on arrival into Shrewsbury I noticed two units that I required 170635 & 221117 but there was no way of getting them as I was stuck on advance tickets to Birmingham New Street. A few more passenger started to board the service and then train got rather busy reaching Wolverhampton, shortly after we then arrived into Birmingham New Street station at 07:31.
I then decided that as my ticket was not valid unit 09:30 that I would have a quick nip over to the Tesco situated just a short walk from the entrance at Grand Central. On arrival I was out of luck as was looking to pick up a sandwich for lunch later on in the day but decided that I could find something later on.
The new plan was to head for a tram to The Hawthorns so a short walk back to Grand Central. It was the first time I’d ever done one of the Midland Metro’s and with the “City Hop” fare for £1 it was almost impossible to say no.
Tram 21 arrived so I took a seat, paid my fare and enjoyed the trip. As we passed Birmingham Snow Hill 68012 was seen working a service towards London Marylebone. Not long after we arrived at The Hawthorns that was the limit of my £1 fare so I alighted and switched platforms. Shortly after tram 34 arrived which took me to the next stop St Pauls where I alighted and waited for the tram behind. After seeing a few units passing on the mainline tram 33 was approaching and took me onward to St Chads. I then seen required 172218 working a service towards Stourbridge Junction so worked out what it would work later on in the day. Then it was tram 19 to Bull Street followed by tram 37 back to Grand Central.
On arrival at Birmingham New Street it was approaching 08:30 so only one hour to waste. I had a tip off that 323241 was working 08:35 service so with my return ticket to Aston in hand it was off down onto the platform. The service was running slightly late but as expected 323241 & 323207 took me to Aston. It was a quick dash to the other platform for the 08:49 service back to Birmingham New Street. That being 170512 so turned out to be a good move. I arrived back into New Street just before 09:00 and I had worked out that 172218 was due back at Birmingham Snow Hill at 09:17.
A quick walk out to Grand Central and tram 17 was waiting I took this to Bull Street and walked to Snow Hill station. I picked up a ticket from the TVM and went onto the platform where I noticed services were delayed due to a points failure. Shortly after 172218 arrived paired with 172212 and after about five minutes we departed to Birmingham Moor Street which is where I alighted as the service was going to run fast to Dorridge to make up time.
It was 09:30 so my Network Daytripper was now valid. I headed over the footbridge to see what was on the 0935 to Leamington Spa. 165015 so I took this for the 6 mile trip to Solihull. I had five minutes to wait for the next Chiltern service back to Snow Hill. 168004, 168326 & 168323 arrived so I took these. We passed 66100 in the Tyseley area and shortly after calling at Moor Street we arrived.
It was then time to do a few more trams between Bull Street and Corporation Street. 22, 23 & 24. Then to head back to Birmingham New Street on tram 21 for the 10:49 to Hereford.
150109 was on this so I decided to take it to the first stop University the train was quite busy but managed to find a seat. 170505 took me back to Birmingham New Street. I then decided upon a quick dash for 170632 on the 11:14 to Rugeley Trent Valley I took this to Walsall and noted 66512, 66112, 66127, 66041, 66055, 66056 around the Bescot area. 153375 & 170503 were waiting for the 11:45 to Birmingham New Street so I decided to take these.
We arrived back at Birmingham New Street at 12:09 and it was time to head back to Birmingham Snow Hill. Tram 30 took me to Bull Street and I then walked to Snow Hill for the 12:35 departure formed of 172335 I alighted at the ticket boundary Stourbridge Junction. 139002 was working the Stourbridge Town shuttle so I took this to Stourbridge Town and back.
170630 & 153365 Then arrived to take me to Smethwick Galton Bridge. Downstairs it was to the low level platform towards Birmingham. 350253 arrived so I took this to Birmingham New Street. My stomach felt slightly empty by this point so I headed to the Costa for a sausage bap. I noticed 170507 & 170517 working the 14:05 to Shrewsbury so I boarded for the 20 minute trip to Wolverhampton. 220019 then took me back to Birmingham New Street it was now coming up to 3 o’clock.
I headed out of the station and tram 30 was waiting for me. Not great as I had already had it earlier in the day but I needed to get to Moor Street. Thinking on it would of been easier to walk as I got Moor Street and Snow Hill mixed up but never mind I alighted at Bull Street and walked back to Moor Street.
68015 was working the 15:55 service to London Marylebone so I quickly got on and found a seat. Back to Solihull it was for my second time of the day but it was nice to get some 68 action in. We arrived Solihull at 16:13. I decided it was almost time to head home having already bagged what I was hoping for. 168216 arrived so I took this to Birmingham Moor Street. I took the short walk back to New Street and arrived at around 16:40.
390016 was noted working the 16:50 service to London Euston so I took this to Birmingham International where 158826/1588XX were waiting with the 17:09 departure to Llandudno. The train got very busy on arrival into Birmingham New Street. We continued onward to call at Wolverhampton, Telford Central and Wellington before arriving into Shrewsbury where the rear 158 was detached to head up the Cambrian Coast. On departure from Shrewsbury I noticed we were running a few minutes behind schedule. We arrived into Wrexham General at 1905 3 minutes late.
Mileage: 277mi 41ch
Haulage Cops: 23
The alarm was set for 04:30 and I was out of the house by 04:55. It was then a quick drive to the local Mcdonalds to pick up some breakfast and then to the local station Wrexham General. 158818 & 158834 rolled up with the first service of the day towards Birmingham International. The journey went rather slow but on arrival into Shrewsbury I noticed two units that I required 170635 & 221117 but there was no way of getting them as I was stuck on advance tickets to Birmingham New Street. A few more passenger started to board the service and then train got rather busy reaching Wolverhampton, shortly after we then arrived into Birmingham New Street station at 07:31.
I then decided that as my ticket was not valid unit 09:30 that I would have a quick nip over to the Tesco situated just a short walk from the entrance at Grand Central. On arrival I was out of luck as was looking to pick up a sandwich for lunch later on in the day but decided that I could find something later on.
The new plan was to head for a tram to The Hawthorns so a short walk back to Grand Central. It was the first time I’d ever done one of the Midland Metro’s and with the “City Hop” fare for £1 it was almost impossible to say no.
Tram 21 arrived so I took a seat, paid my fare and enjoyed the trip. As we passed Birmingham Snow Hill 68012 was seen working a service towards London Marylebone. Not long after we arrived at The Hawthorns that was the limit of my £1 fare so I alighted and switched platforms. Shortly after tram 34 arrived which took me to the next stop St Pauls where I alighted and waited for the tram behind. After seeing a few units passing on the mainline tram 33 was approaching and took me onward to St Chads. I then seen required 172218 working a service towards Stourbridge Junction so worked out what it would work later on in the day. Then it was tram 19 to Bull Street followed by tram 37 back to Grand Central.
On arrival at Birmingham New Street it was approaching 08:30 so only one hour to waste. I had a tip off that 323241 was working 08:35 service so with my return ticket to Aston in hand it was off down onto the platform. The service was running slightly late but as expected 323241 & 323207 took me to Aston. It was a quick dash to the other platform for the 08:49 service back to Birmingham New Street. That being 170512 so turned out to be a good move. I arrived back into New Street just before 09:00 and I had worked out that 172218 was due back at Birmingham Snow Hill at 09:17.
A quick walk out to Grand Central and tram 17 was waiting I took this to Bull Street and walked to Snow Hill station. I picked up a ticket from the TVM and went onto the platform where I noticed services were delayed due to a points failure. Shortly after 172218 arrived paired with 172212 and after about five minutes we departed to Birmingham Moor Street which is where I alighted as the service was going to run fast to Dorridge to make up time.
It was 09:30 so my Network Daytripper was now valid. I headed over the footbridge to see what was on the 0935 to Leamington Spa. 165015 so I took this for the 6 mile trip to Solihull. I had five minutes to wait for the next Chiltern service back to Snow Hill. 168004, 168326 & 168323 arrived so I took these. We passed 66100 in the Tyseley area and shortly after calling at Moor Street we arrived.
It was then time to do a few more trams between Bull Street and Corporation Street. 22, 23 & 24. Then to head back to Birmingham New Street on tram 21 for the 10:49 to Hereford.
150109 was on this so I decided to take it to the first stop University the train was quite busy but managed to find a seat. 170505 took me back to Birmingham New Street. I then decided upon a quick dash for 170632 on the 11:14 to Rugeley Trent Valley I took this to Walsall and noted 66512, 66112, 66127, 66041, 66055, 66056 around the Bescot area. 153375 & 170503 were waiting for the 11:45 to Birmingham New Street so I decided to take these.
We arrived back at Birmingham New Street at 12:09 and it was time to head back to Birmingham Snow Hill. Tram 30 took me to Bull Street and I then walked to Snow Hill for the 12:35 departure formed of 172335 I alighted at the ticket boundary Stourbridge Junction. 139002 was working the Stourbridge Town shuttle so I took this to Stourbridge Town and back.
170630 & 153365 Then arrived to take me to Smethwick Galton Bridge. Downstairs it was to the low level platform towards Birmingham. 350253 arrived so I took this to Birmingham New Street. My stomach felt slightly empty by this point so I headed to the Costa for a sausage bap. I noticed 170507 & 170517 working the 14:05 to Shrewsbury so I boarded for the 20 minute trip to Wolverhampton. 220019 then took me back to Birmingham New Street it was now coming up to 3 o’clock.
I headed out of the station and tram 30 was waiting for me. Not great as I had already had it earlier in the day but I needed to get to Moor Street. Thinking on it would of been easier to walk as I got Moor Street and Snow Hill mixed up but never mind I alighted at Bull Street and walked back to Moor Street.
68015 was working the 15:55 service to London Marylebone so I quickly got on and found a seat. Back to Solihull it was for my second time of the day but it was nice to get some 68 action in. We arrived Solihull at 16:13. I decided it was almost time to head home having already bagged what I was hoping for. 168216 arrived so I took this to Birmingham Moor Street. I took the short walk back to New Street and arrived at around 16:40.
390016 was noted working the 16:50 service to London Euston so I took this to Birmingham International where 158826/1588XX were waiting with the 17:09 departure to Llandudno. The train got very busy on arrival into Birmingham New Street. We continued onward to call at Wolverhampton, Telford Central and Wellington before arriving into Shrewsbury where the rear 158 was detached to head up the Cambrian Coast. On departure from Shrewsbury I noticed we were running a few minutes behind schedule. We arrived into Wrexham General at 1905 3 minutes late.
Mileage: 277mi 41ch
Haulage Cops: 23
