Which lines are you hoping to do in 2012?

Tramfan · 14 May 2012

I managed to do the North Wales line as far as Bangor, and the Llandudno branch, for the first time which was my main target this year, given that I have visited the area on holiday many times, but never travelled there by train. Was a really enjoyable day, first time on a 175 which I found to be really comfortable.

A 175 failing at Rhyl and my train coupling up to the rear on the way to Llandudno made the day even more interesting as I've only ever seen a pair of 175s once before.

Going to have to come up with a new target now!

RailUK Forums

MidnightFlyer · 3 Jun 2012

theblackwatch said:
I'm hoping to do Moorswater, Waterston, Tower and many other freight lines that are required - sadly, I don't expect to actually do many of them at all!

Gutted :P As am I

MattE2010 said:
Some more from me:
Scotland:
Glasgow Central-Shotts-Edinburgh
Glasgow Queen St / Motherwell-Cumbernauld-Falkirk Grahamston

Eastern:
Colchester-Colchester Town
Thorpe-le-Soken-Walton-on-the-Naze
Witham-Braintree
Hertford Loop

Western:
Bristol Temple Meads-Severn Beach

Midlands & North Western:
Llandudno Jn-Blanaeu Ffestiniog
Wirral lines

Southern:
Romsey-Eastleigh (via Chandler's Fold)
Hurst Green-Uckfield
Sutton-Epsom Downs

Off the list above, I've finished the two Scottish ones, the Wirral lines (except one of the ways from James St-Hamilton Square), and the Epsom Downs branch; I've got a feeling I've completed the Hertford Loop too. As well as Motherwell-Cumbernauld-Falkirk yesterday, I also did the S&C for the first time ever on the 1600 off Glasgow Central.

Some more for me to work on:
Havant-Chichester
Crainlarich-Oban (the last bit I need in Scotland; also the longest section I need countrywide)
Wickford-Southend Victoria
Romford-Upminster
Sutton-Epsom
Bath Spa-Trowbridge

142094 · 3 Jun 2012

Doing a lot of the 'rare' Northern services next week, or ones that run across uncommon lines for Northern stock anyway. Unfortunately just found out that one of the services I was planning on getting (Nottingham - Derby - Sheffield) is affected by engineering work, so will be having a few pints in Sheffield instead.

gnolife · 3 Jun 2012

Crossover said:
Which service did you do that on?

The 05:11 Manchester Picc to Bournemouth (first call was at Crewe), on the 11th April.

Ivo · 3 Jun 2012

MattE2010 said:
Some more for me to work on:
Havant-Chichester
Crainlarich-Oban (the last bit I need in Scotland; also the longest section I need countrywide)
Wickford-Southend Victoria
Romford-Upminster
Sutton-Epsom
Bath Spa-Trowbridge

Too many more in areas I know well and I might have to insist you pay me to be a tour guide

I take it the c2c route would also be a dud were it not for the Livery Farewell tour last year?

MidnightFlyer · 3 Jun 2012

Ivo said:
I take it the c2c route would also be a dud were it not for the Livery Farewell tour last year?

I was on the Last Blue Train last year, aye, but I'd done most of the network before then anyway, I was really on it for the depot runs and rare platform moves at Leigh-on-Sea, Laindon and Fenchurch St. IIRC I only needed the line between Southend East and Shoeburyness at the time.

Ivo · 3 Jun 2012

MattE2010 said:
I was on the Last Blue Train last year, aye, but I'd done most of the network before then anyway, I was really on it for the depot runs and rare platform moves at Leigh-on-Sea, Laindon and Fenchurch St. IIRC I only needed the line between Southend East and Shoeburyness at the time.

You still needed what is truly "my" bit of the line though - Thorpe Bay to Shoeburyness. Southend East is an odd choice of limit though.

Oh, and I have managed P2 at Laindon from both directions without the use of a tour or a terminating service. No such luck at Leigh though.

172212 · 3 Jun 2012

I'm doing the Cambrian line (to Aberystwyth) in August, from Birmingham New St, hopefully I get to ride in a refurbished unit. I would also like to do Birmingham to Liverpool sometime in the future

142094 · 3 Jun 2012

Think there are a few Northern services next week that are using the Manchester Airport avoider due to engineering work late at night.

Crossover · 12 Jun 2012

Crossover said:
We will have to see how things pan out but a few possible thoughts are the Penistone line, the Island line and down to Portsmouth Harbour.

Wouldn't mind doing the S&C sometime either.

With some luck, I'll get some new areas with some of the upcoming meets (the GMPTE challenge will hopefully allow me to travel on some of the local Manchester lines that I haven't as of yet)

So, Penistone Line done back in March, S&C now done twice, taken a service to and from Portsmouth Harbour (also clearing all 3 sides of the Havant - Cosham - Fratton triangle) and travelled on the entire Island Line (main line that is, not heritage line)

Also done a few other bits I wasn't expecting, such as Holyhead, Blaenau Ffestiniog and Chester - Wrexham. Had intended doing likes of Bidston but an earlier finish was decided on and we missed a connection to Bidston due to late running. Alas, they are doable easier than the likes of Blaenau with its 1tp3h service.

Nothing much else planned for this year, so we will just see what pans out

(The Pontefract Baghill line and out to Knottingley are about all I need to do in West Yorkshire now so may dedicate a day to that at some point)

gnolife said:
The 05:11 Manchester Picc to Bournemouth (first call was at Crewe), on the 11th April.

Now that's dedication!

gnolife · 12 Jun 2012

Crossover said:
Now that's dedication!

No, that's called not wanting to pay Virgin prices to get to London

(Virgin wanted me to pay 63.00 for an advance single from Stockport whichever train I took to get there on time, London Midland wanted me to pay 12.50 from Crewe

)

I got another couple of little bits yesterday, namely the Northern Line (Mersey), the New Brighton and West Kirby branches of the Wirral Line, the Borderlands line, Warrington BQ to St Helens Junction and Dinting to Hadfield (avoiding Glossop)

172212 · 12 Jun 2012

I really want to do the LM journey from Birmingham New St to Shrewsbury, then do some trainspotting in Shrewsbury; Birmingham New Street to Hereford, and do some train spotting in Hereford and Galton Bridge to Stratford-Upon-Avon to do some train spotting

Michael.Y · 12 Jun 2012

172212 said:
I really want to do the LM journey from Birmingham New St to Shrewsbury, then do some trainspotting in Shrewsbury; Birmingham New Street to Hereford, and do some train spotting in Hereford and Galton Bridge to Stratford-Upon-Avon to do some train spotting

All you're likely to see at Hereford and Salop are HSTs, 150s, 158s, 170s, 170+153s, 175s, the 67+Mk2s flying through, and one or two EWS 66s. Maybe if you're lucky a Freightliner 66 or 70.

Crossover · 12 Jun 2012

Michael.Y said:
Maybe if you're lucky a Freightliner 66 or 70.

Let's be honest...you're going to be lucky to see one of these anywhere at the moment, unless it is setting the countryside alight

172212 · 12 Jun 2012

Michael.Y said:
All you're likely to see at Hereford and Salop are HSTs, 150s, 158s, 170s, 170+153s, 175s, the 67+Mk2s flying through, and one or two EWS 66s. Maybe if you're lucky a Freightliner 66 or 70.

Good enough for me, I haven't got any 67+mk2 or 175 footage

Michael.Y · 12 Jun 2012

172212 said:
Good enough for me, I haven't got any 67+mk2 or 175 footage

175s common as muck. For the 67+MK2 (plus DVT from September) you'll need to be there for about 8:45am onwards on Platform 2.

172212 · 12 Jun 2012

Michael.Y said:
175s common as muck. For the 67+MK2 (plus DVT from September) you'll need to be there for about 8:45am onwards on Platform 2.

Not where I live they're not

Michael.Y · 12 Jun 2012

172212 said:
Not where I live they're not

Well unless you live on the ATW network, then I suppose they're not. Just like I don't see many Desiros or Pendolinos down on the South Wales Main Line. However for someone living near the WCML, it's another matter. :lol:

NIMBUS · 13 Jun 2012

Having done most of the passenger network, there are a few outstanding bits that I really ought to finish off, like:

Cumbrian Coast
Windermere branch
East Grinstead branch
Seaford branch
Abercynon - Merthyr
Maesteg branch
Exmouth branch
Gunnislake - Bere Alston
Coleford Junction - Barnstaple
Wickford - Southminster
Darlington - Bishop Auckland
Ayr - Stranraer
Wemyss Bay branch
Largs branch
Lanark branch
East Kilbride branch
Neilston branch

Apart from those, any additional freight mileage.

33056 · 13 Jun 2012

An update: Most of Latvia was done and very good it was too; after much prevarication my next trip will be to Switzerland next month using a Swiss Pass to polish off as much as possible that isn't covered by FIP or Interrail. We are also planning a long trip later in the year during which we will investigate doing some new countries and ones that we have not done much in.

MidnightFlyer · 13 Jun 2012

I got Moorfields-Hunts Cross finished last Tuesday (as well as some other bits and bobs I'd done before but can't remember around Cheshire, such as Ellesmere Port-Helsby and Acton Bridge-Ditton since Weaver Jn's remodelling). Friday saw me polish off most of East Anglia, with Witham-Braintree, Colchester Town, Thorpe-le-Soken-Walton-on-the-Naze, Harwich International-Harwich Town and Romford-Upminster being done, leaving just Wickford-Southend Victoria now to do in Essex / Suffolk / Norfolk / Cambridgeshire.

Techniquest · 18 Jun 2012

MattE2010 said:
Acton Bridge-Ditton since Weaver Jn's remodelling)

When did they do that and what changed? I did the 1707 Euston to Liverpool on Saturday and whilst we followed the expected route I didn't know of any remodelling at Weaver Junction. If you could enlighten me as to the changes, I'd appreciate it.

No idea where my last post on this thread was, otherwise I'd quote that too but in terms of the passenger network I'm pretty much done with the passenger network. Only some PSUL stuff to do on the mainline, then it's preserved, light and railway left in the UK, and of course any new openings/re-openings that come up. Maybe actually that should be where I go next, Sheffield to finish off the Supertram network, or indeed Manchester to finish the Metrolink lot...

Still, with the UK mainline networks pretty much dominated, with exception to those PSUL moves that number around 10 including those on light rail, my sights are aimed on Australia now

MidnightFlyer · 18 Jun 2012

Techniquest said:
When did they do that and what changed? I did the 1707 Euston to Liverpool on Saturday and whilst we followed the expected route I didn't know of any remodelling at Weaver Junction. If you could enlighten me as to the changes, I'd appreciate it.

Years ago, I think back in 2008-2009 they removed the loops and realigned where the tracks joined the WCML, but only by yards from what I can gather. Not much to everyone else but it all counts!

Techniquest · 18 Jun 2012

Ah right, shows how out of date I am!

313103 · 19 Jun 2012

I have just done Shrewsbury to Porthmadog. I also did the Welsh Highland Railway from Porthmadog Harbour to Caernarfon. Looking at my my 1990 Rail Atlas the Welsh Highland Railway was only a short stub. It seems the rest of line is more or less very new.

172212 · 5 Aug 2012

I'm doing the Cambrian line tomorrow, to Aberystwyth.
I really want to do the West Highland line, that line looks absolutely beautiful, even better with class 156s, they can roar with the best of them

Techniquest · 5 Aug 2012

If you get a good one. Based on experience though, FSR's fleet are much less varied in racket than Northern's fleet are. Can't remember what the WHL was like on a 156, as I was asleep after an extremely long time (35+ hours) awake. Gonna have to do it again one day...

172212 · 5 Aug 2012

Techniquest said:
If you get a good one. Based on experience though, FSR's fleet are much less varied in racket than Northern's fleet are. Can't remember what the WHL was like on a 156, as I was asleep after an extremely long time (35+ hours) awake. Gonna have to do it again one day...

How long is the line? :idea:

Techniquest · 5 Aug 2012

A fair way, good few hours journey time all in from Glasgow to Mallaig. 122 miles and 36 chains from Queen Street to Fort William, and another 41 miles and 28 chains on top to Mallaig.

ACE1888 · 6 Aug 2012

Looking to do the main lines in Scotland in October, with a visit to Celtic Park on the Saturday too, best way for me is an All Line Rover @ £450! Settle-Carlisle on the way back too, my mate (retired railwayman of nearly 50 years service) is arranging all the routes etc (and overnight stops), he gets to travel for free though :lol:

Which lines are you hoping to do in 2012?

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