24th September
The sleeper was three early into Plymouth, and then I set off for the mile and half walk home. I was home by 0600 and got myself a cup of tea and got some breakfast. A repack of my bag was then required for the next few days. More? Yep! When I found out that my wife only had the back end of the week off I made a plan to hunt down my last 365 which had fortunately been bought back into use. Unfortunately it was in Scotland. Well not unfortunately but it meant as much as I love it up there I needed to get back there which isn’t as practical as going to London!
So back at the station for the 0949 to Exeter. 43071 and 43029, with an extra 1st class coach which had been declassified arrived on time into Exeter and off I went outside the station to wait for the a bus. It arrived on time and then it was off to Exeter Airport. My time then became stressful and frustrating which didn’t help my hate of flying (I don't have a fear of flying, I just hate the experience all around it!). Security was a nightmare with people not doing what they should have been doing and then the staff becoming overly rude. My flight was then delayed and we didn’t board until when we should have left. Finally it was uncomfortable. I hate flying.
Anyway once I was at Edinburgh it was time to get on. My initial plan was to lose my bag. I boarded tram 265 at
Edinburgh Airport but only took this to Edinburgh Gateway. At this point I had also cleared the route of the tram network too. Having fired up the Tram app I saw a required tram coming the other way which is why I bailed.
273 took me back to Ingliston Park & Ride where 270 took me forward to Edinburgh park where I was to intercept another potential winner. I didn’t make it though!
A pair of 365s passed through the main station at speed and I was convinced the leading unit was a hopeful one! Change of plan. I fired up RTT and looked at where I could intercept it’s return. I now needed to get a ticket. No ticket office and only vending machines. I found someone on the gates and said I needed to by a rover so they sold me one form a mobile ticket machine. With that done I jumped on 334039 and 334033 to Haymarket. I didn’t want to risk it to Waverley and ending up in the wrong bit for the train due to leave that I needed.
380113 and 380016 would be my first electric ride on the flagship Glasgow - Edinburgh route, well as far as Falkirk High. It was a speedy run but was quite rough I felt. I soon arrived at Falkirk High and had to let a train go. They would have been my first 385s but they will be around for a while. I would kick myself if the train behind was not what I thought I had seen!
20180924-Falkirk High-380016 by
Steven Booth, on Flickr
20180924-Falkirk High-385003 by
Steven Booth, on Flickr
The time soon came and I would soon find out! 365513 and
365525.
20180924-Falkirk High-365525 by
Steven Booth, on Flickr
Yes! My final 365! I was happy because my objective for the trip was complete already! This would free me up now to worry about shacks and maybe relax? I now wanted to lose my bag. So It was all the way to Waverley and then to the Hub by Premier Inn. I don’t normally mention the accommodation but I was quite impressed by this. Small and functional rooms but everything was controlled by touch buttons. Nifty!
It was then back to the station with not much of a plan at all. I decided that as there was a train due to leave I would head out towards North Berwick. Now was the time to clear the shacks needed this way. Pleasantly surprised to find a pair of 385s working the train I boarded
385006 and
007 for my first experience of them. I was impressed. Smooth ride and quick acceleration. I was soon enough at
Longniddry. A fifteen minute saw 380103 arrive and take me the shortish distance to
Prestonpans. It was a pleasant evening but the sun was starting to drop now and with it the temperature. I was glad the waits weren’t that long! 170393 was next to arrive and it was off to
Drem to clear the line for shacks between the Edinburgh and North Berwick and Alnmouth. I waited for 170393 to return and take me back to Edinburgh.
It had just passed 2000 and I decided that I needed to eat. Now as I type this I can’t for the life of me remember what I did! I know I did something because it was another 40 odd minutes before my next move which was a tram move. I needed to return to them as there was still one kicking about I needed. I got on 261 at York Place and headed towards the Airport. I would intercept the one I needed. I failed though and got off one stop to late and missed it! Doh. I now had to retrace my steps. 264 was then had to St Andrews Square for
268 which I took back towards Haymarket where I was going to call my train/tram exploits a day. But I saw a tram that wasn’t even showing on the app, not even an incorrectly labelled one. So 257 took me back to Princes Street. I was playing it safe.
276 eventually returned and I took this to West End Princes Street. That was it then. Now time to go and enjoy a few drinks. The Hanging Bat, Brewdog and Innis and Gunn bars were visited. Some stunning beers enjoyed before returning to my hotel some what later than planned. It was about 0100 i think but I didn’t have an early start so all was good.