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The Various Random Mutterings of Kite

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Kite159

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Wow that’s a great trip on the South Central there, do 377/6s or other 377s often go to Tattenham or is it just 455s?

One of the diagrams did appear to be a 377 on Sunday (passed it in the Reedham area). As for booked workings of 377s to Tattenham I've no idea I'm afraid
 
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Blindtraveler

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Another couple of very enjoyable reports there Mr kite and it's great to see you back on the rails again especially after having a rough time

I to fear for the long-term future of railtours for many reasons although cost is a major Factor
Certainly most of them are out with my regular budget without some very careful planning

Thanks for sharing
 

Kite159

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Another couple of very enjoyable reports there Mr kite and it's great to see you back on the rails again especially after having a rough time

I to fear for the long-term future of railtours for many reasons although cost is a major Factor
Certainly most of them are out with my regular budget without some very careful planning

Thanks for sharing

Agreed there about cost, with Pathfinder breaking the £100 barrier on the last couple tours being announced (although can't be judged as norm as one is a steam trip and the other features multiple locos, the test will be the price of the next standard 66 TnT freight line tour).

I can see my number of tours slowly reducing over the next couple years, already I have a general rule of the tour spec scoring me 2 or more pieces of track in the Baker, although that could be relaxed if it one piece of required track depending what that track is.
 

87electric

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Railtours don't offer value for money to me anymore and I've cut down on them and much prefer to put my cash into Galas or Day Rovers, foreign trips, etc.......
I do enjoy the GBRF charity tours but obviously it isn't right to compare them to the other Railtour operators.
 

55013

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I concur with 87electric.
Three figures for a tour is unlikely to be justifiable for me.
 

Kite159

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Railtours don't offer value for money to me anymore and I've cut down on them and much prefer to put my cash into Galas or Day Rovers, foreign trips, etc.......
I do enjoy the GBRF charity tours but obviously it isn't right to compare them to the other Railtour operators.

The slight issue with the GBRF charity tours is that the some of the time it is a one-way trip so you need to figure out how to get back. But agreed those tours can offer good value for money depending what it is.

(I'm more track than traction, where it is nice to get a winning loco for another tick in the book it isn't the end of the world if a pair of dud 66s pop up on a tour as long as I'm getting my little highlighter out for some lines)
 

Kite159

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This evening's little spin to London started off well with the latest 707s falling (707023 & 707025 from Waterloo to Twickenham, intercepting 707027 & 707029 only for the short hop back to Richmond [changing onto a pair of 458s mainly to use the toilet, noticing how much faster the 707s are off the mark compared to a pair of 458s, both departed Putney at the same time and the 458s only caught up as the 707s called at Wandsworth).

Afterwards it went a bit wrong, a nice 10 minute wait at Warren Street on a Victoria line service due to a broken down unit at Finsbury Park to ID the 700 on the 18:12 Peterborough (dud 700128) before swinging via Liverpool Street for a spot of 345 hunting, only to be bowled out by 315s popping up (along with dud 345010). A 25 minute fester at Farringdon didn't produce anything matching my reducing needs and swinging via Paddington to find the station in a bit of chaos due to an incident in the Tilehurst area. The bright side is that I managed to get onto 800008 & 800005 working the delayed 19:00 to Bristol (which looked like it was sent via Newbury after Reading).

All in all, a mixed bag, 6 more units into my book is a decent return
 

TheAdelante

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Decent indeed! Good report! I'd quite like to go on an IET in Standard and see how much worse the seats are on a long journey!
 

TT-ONR-NRN

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The IETs have much harder unpleasant seats in First then the lovely leather on the HSTs but oh wow that head cushion is so comfortable!
 

palmersears

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London was an absolute nightmare yesterday wherever I went (as my report later will testify!) so you did well to get 6 winners in the book, Kite!
 

Kite159

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Well today went better than expected, which is a bit of an understatement

I shall explain more in detail when I get my logs upto date, but in the meanwhile have a picture of a pair of 156s at an unknown station (and I wonder if anybody can guess the station) :)
 

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Kite159

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9th December – Heading into the snow fields of Manchester

At the start of November I was playing around with looking up ideas to make use of a discount code for XC services, which flagged up that the lowest tier advances were available for a trip to Manchester using a VTWC+ Connections ticket, so with nothing better to do and as a semi traditional trip to Manchester in early December. My target was to score 3 out of my last 6 trams, with a Brucie Bonus target of 5 out of 6.

Anyhow, for the first time in what felt like months I had an early morning walk to Grateley station, it was quite chilly with a good frost on the cars, so I was happy when the 05:24 rolled in to give me warmth, for it was an empty 159104 featuring a very jolly guard. My private train didn’t last for long as it picked up a few other passengers on route, picking a lot more up at Basingstoke & Woking before arriving into Waterloo, I had roughly 70 minutes to get across to Euston, so my first point of call was the Sainsburys on Waterloo Road for a bacon sandwich, before heading down to LU, jumping on 51614/51615 to take me to Tottenham Court Road for a spot of 95 stock hunting. Alas my luck wasn’t in as I jumped onto 51668/51669 for the last mile and a bit to Euston, coming out of LU (getting hit by the cold air), to head over towards platform 3 where the 08:00 to Manchester was loading. Unusually there was no pre-boarding ticket check by members of staff (looked like they were looking at something with the barriers).

A white 390005 was on the 08:00 service, first time seeing a repainted 390 up close, and I have no real feelings. First time since they changed the unreserved coach around so I was in seat E08 (which like C9 lines up so the large window sill making a handy armrest. Departure was a couple minutes late and the service kept on losing time, due to a couple other late running services in front, both which called at Milton Keynes, so it wasn’t the fastest run, arriving into Stoke around 20 minutes late, around the same time a XC service should have been and gone so it was quite crowded as 3 train loads boarded (that XC service plus anybody waiting for the 08:20 Manchester from Euston), made worst at Macclesfield so by Stockport (where after another delay caused by waiting for the 07:35 Manchester service to clear out of the way) the train was quite cosy but sadly only 25 minutes late. Outside parts of the view was beautiful in the snow, and after a quick PNB I headed to the underbelly of Piccadilly to queue at the Metrolink TVMs, eventually purchasing my “Tram & Train” ticket, the idea was after doing tram hunting to do something with trains.

First tram was a single Bury service which I turned down for 3105 to take me to Deansgate Castlefield, passing a required tram going the other way towards Rochdale. I didn’t have long to wait at Deansgate as sitting in the middle platform was an Airport tram, 3069 which was one of the super six. To Cornbrook (which I still believe is better to hunt down trams than at Deansgate as it has an island platform), first couple services spotted were dud before 3013 decided it wanted the attention of my big red pen for a short run to Trafford Bar, returning to Cornbrook on a busy 3052.

I think I was there barely 5 minutes before the appearance of required 3103 on an East Didsbury working meant my target of 3 had been reached after barely half an hour! Anyhow back to Cornbrook on 3033, for a nice sit down on a bench, watching the comings & goings before another East Didsbury service rolled in, as it was winner number 4, 3061, so once more it was back out to Trafford Bar, for a long walk over to the other platform as the snow started falling with 3095 returning me swiftly to Cornbrook. I knew winner number 5 would be back in around 50 minutes, so after looking at the snow falling, I took a seat. A cheeky request to the Metrolink Twitter account produced that my other remaining tram was on an East Didsbury working, although I got that reply as I was standing on winner 3083!

Cornbrook Snow


To Trafford Bar once more, returning to St Peter’s Square on 3073, where a tram looked like it had broken down, trapping another Piccadilly bound service behind it. However I was trying to work out which East Didsbury service would feature my last tram, jumping onto 3080 to take me to Exchange Square and a RPI block. After going for a short walk I entered the platform at the other end, waited as one East Didsbury service came and went before 3116 rolled in, beating my target for the day with getting all 6 was a big bonus as I bailed at Cornbrook for a celebration picture.

Metrolink Tram 3116 at Cornbrook

Next service was 3089 heading to Eccles, and as I have never done this line during the hours of daylight, it was a nice little run out, the tram emptying out around Harbour City. I came up with a little plan for some hopeful 319 motor noise, so after swinging via Morrisons for lunch, I did a time wasting leap to Weastle on 3111, returning to Eccles on 3104 for a short walk to the national rail station for a slightly delayed 185 to come storming through on route to Liverpool across the great divide.

Unknown 185 storms past Eccles

319361 rolled in to give me some nice classical 319 motor noise on a reasonably busy Manchester Victoria stopper (this being the first time heading into Victoria on an EMU I believe), as I came up with a plan to get a bay platform at Stalybridge (as I just can’t remember if I’ve already had platform 5), but mainly it was for some Pacer thrash! 142031 being the unit from platform 1 at Victoria for the fast run via Ashton to reach Stalybridge, where I made a decent connection onto a late running stopping service from Huddersfield, being surprised as it turned out to be 156487 leading 156429 (I was expecting either a pair of 142s or even a 150).

The 156s emptied out at Manchester Victoria, and recovered the lost time to depart right time to take me towards Bolton, where to confess I had completely forgotten about the new platform & track layout. Anyhow it was across to platform 3 (makes a note to look out for services which use the bay platform) to board a busy(ish) 142043 & 142005 for a fast run back to Salford Crescent, spotting a refurbished 150/1 on the opposite platform (looks very blue inside) before 185121 & 185151 rolled in from Preston to take me to Manchester Airport. I sat in the refurbished unit (which does look nice, although I fear that carpet & seats will start showing coffee marks), shifting to a table seat after Piccadilly (noting that the airline seats now have plug sockets), for the run to the Airport.

Once at the Airport I had the option of remaining on the same 185s back to Piccadilly or crossing over to a Middlesbrough bound 185127, I decided to board the TPE service which featured a ticket check (something lacking on all the Northern services I took). A few minutes late into Piccadilly meant I could only pop via Boots for a quick sandwich before heading over to board 390011 (barriers were wide open at Piccadilly), this time getting a regular table seat with no handy armrest. Unusually this 390 was in reverse formation, and was reasonably busy until Stoke where it emptied out. A good run on the WCML but I was too busy watching a movie to pay much attention until the train past Wembley stadium, arriving roughly on time.

A short spot of 95 stock hunting (one day 51530/51557 will fall) produced nothing, so it was to Waterloo on 51676/51675 and onto the 20:20 service which tonight was formed of 159106 & 159011, featuring another jolly guard who managed to do a ticket check before Woking, and a good run back home, where it wasn’t as cold as the previous night (the cars in the car park weren’t frosted over). The end of a productive day where somehow Metrolink got cleared, which saves a job for January time, which I’m quite pleased about, but I will leave you with a picture of a festive tram 3085

Metrolink Tram 3085 at Cornbrook
 

TT-ONR-NRN

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A Pendolino? Lucky thing; very jealous of that!

I love the Metrolink, they need something like that in Central London.
 

Kite159

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10th December – What is this white stuff in London?

I was on the fence whenever or not to head out to London today, part of me wanted a lazy day, but in the end the part of me which wanted to tick a couple more items off my list won the day. With the weather being quite wet outside I decided to drive to the station (first time in quite a while), to board the 07:39 service, formed this morning of 159102 & 159108 for the run to Waterloo, noticing the snow around Berrylands, and the heavy snow in Clapham Yard during a short 7 minute wait for a little weave to reach Waterloo (wasn’t really paying attention). Noting that Windsor services were cancelled (a lucky escape as that would have been featured later this afternoon), and that the snow was causing a few issues on LU, even the lines showing “good service” were running with some gaps in service.

Eventually (5 minutes!) 96073/96088 rolled in for some 96 stock noise for the short leap to London Bridge (line via Waterloo East was closed), where I headed out into the white stuff which was coming down quite heavily (thinking at this point I should have stayed home). Anyhow, my target was on the hourly London Bridge – Streatham services which ran fast to Sutton via West Croydon, to recover the Sutton loop, and something quite special happened on 700039 as I’m pretty sure I had a private 700 (unless another passenger was hiding away right up the front, but I didn’t see anybody when I visited the loo in the centre of the train).

700039 & 700108 at London Bridge

A fast run until Norwood Junction area where the 700 crawled around the junction before picking up speed passing West Croydon to arrive at Sutton where more passengers boarded. A good little run up the Sutton Loop (saluting to Lord Keith at his St Helena mansion), where the train emptied out at Wimbledon before continuing towards Streatham where it terminated, and formed a service back to London Bridge, scoring me a little crossover at the country end of Streatham station, my last time at Streatham was back in January 14, where I made use of the station to walk to Streatham Hill via a couple shops I believe.

700039

Back to Wimbledon where I managed to pull a tight connection to a Chessington South service to recover the short branch, which looking at a timetable poster sees an half hourly service all day long, no peak time extras. Anyhow this was another branch I hadn’t been to the end of since January 14, and on since October 15 when I cleared the shacks. 455738 & 455701 were finding the wet rails quite hard to put the power down, but it kept rough timings to the end of the branch, with the unused platform rotting away, along with an extremely rusting track. The snow had been replaced by rain, so after a quick picture I changed ends of the 455 pair to sit in 5738 for some more motor coach action

455701 at Chessington South

Looking at that picture, you wouldn’t think it was early December where other parts of the country was covered in snow, anyhow it was back to Wimbledon for my 2nd option, mainly try and get a tram which departed from the newish 10b, I just missed a departure with the next tram running into 10a, so I had a quick PNB on a handy 700 which was festering at the station for 15 minutes (I bet the driver gets bored), before tram 2549 rolled into 10b. Mission complete as I took a seat for what was going to be a run to the other end of the line, but I noticed there was a decent connection at Mitcham Junction for a Southern service, so I bailed there, crossing over to board 377610 on a stopper back to Clapham Junction (noting that a 455 had broken down on platform 15, blocking another unit in behind it). Time for some lunch, before I headed up to platform 17, minding the gap for 377705 working the Watford Junction service, as the heavens opened with snow falling.

I forgot how slow the line is when it crawls around the Willesden area, but the unit soon speeds up when it joins the slow lines, 377s can certainly fly on AC. I alighted at a snowy Harrow & Wealdstone and somehow made a minus 50 connection onto 350104 & 350117 working a Bletchley – Euston service (the WCML was all up the wall with snow related issues), which would be my first “London North Western” operated service (no doubt “West Midlands Rail” will probably have to wait until the new year)

377705 departs Harrow & Wealdstone

I managed to get a seat on a busy service to Euston, unlike people boarding a Crewe service which looked very cosy, next to a snowy 378. Anyhow with the snow I decided enough was enough for the day and to head back home on the 15:15 service, giving me roughly 75 minutes to kill, so I headed to the underbelly of Euston to the Northern Line which was still delayed (something like 3 trains inside 3 minutes then nothing for 7 minutes):
A snowy 378225 at Euston

I didn’t want to hang around for long, so with a delay to the next southbound I jumped onto 51638/51639 to take me to Tottenham Court Road, using the wrong passageway to reach the Central Line, which itself was delayed (one train every 10 minutes), so I was expecting the worst with the next eastbound service, only for it to roll in mostly empty, easy to get a seat. One thing was picked up when I was doing my mileage log for light rail a couple weeks ago, I had a phantom tick for a trailer set (I had it ticked off as being had, but no log of it), so I was pleased as required 92048 popped up in the eastbound service (91287, 92054 & 91047 were the other three units).

Onwards to Stratford where the Jubilee was still having some delays, the next departure screens were a bit useless (next train 15 minutes), as I jumped onto 96110/96109 for the run to Waterloo, getting some good motor noise, before I boarded a busy 159009/159018 working the 15:15 service back to Grateley, only to find the snow had followed me home. Thankfully it only lasted for 10 minutes before getting replaced by the rain, so a lucky escape for me.

159018 departs Grateley

In summary, a reasonable day with a couple more lines ticked off my list of ones I want to try and revisit, plus a required 92 stock, one of these days 91177 will fall.
 

Keith Jarrett

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10th December – What is this white stuff in London?



A fast run until Norwood Junction area where the 700 crawled around the junction before picking up speed passing West Croydon to arrive at Sutton where more passengers boarded. A good little run up the Sutton Loop (saluting to Lord Keith at his St Helena mansion), where the train emptied out at Wimbledon before continuing towards Streatham where it terminated, and formed a service back to London Bridge, scoring me a little crossover at the country end of Streatham station, my last time at Streatham was back in January 14, where I made use of the station to walk to Streatham Hill via a couple shops I believe..

You should have warned me that you were coming - I would have sent the chauffer out in her limmo to fetch you down to view KJ Towers in all its sleet covered glory. If you were really lucky, we might have even rolled out the red carpet for you!

And well done for sorting out the Manchester trams. Scoring six from six in one day cannot be bad although all those bus stop leaps will do nothing for your mileage!
 

Kite159

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Indeed Keith, it was nice to get all 6 into my book to save returning to Manchester next year to try and hunt any remaining ones down :)

16th December – The Jolly Grid Summary

I was in 1st class as the original plan was to go from Westbury, and with it being a long day I decided the extra cost was worth it. However that changed when the BLS came out with the Grand Central HST tour on the Sunday so after a quick play around I changed my plans. Annoyingly the tour was originally going to pick up at Oxford but instead the closest would have been Banbury, so it was to Banbury (159004, 166204 & 220010 all featuring), before required 66122 rolled in. I was in the rearmost passenger carriage (with the generator behind) so there would be no repeat of the trip a few months ago with a 56 where I was right at the front.

66122 arrives into Banbury

I took my seat in a warm carriage for the trip to the rear of Bescot yard (required track I think), via Coventry, the 66 was detached and required 56094 was attached for the nice run towards the Freightliner Terminal at Trafford Park, via Walsall, Colwich before a short break in a loop south of Stoke and in a loop north of Stoke due to various faster services. A quick visit to the Down Goods line at Stockport, before another couple loops (something around Longsight depot and the Mayfield loop) before going nonstop past Piccadilly, Oxford Road & Deansgate turning onto the world’s most unreliable line for a short distance before heading into the large container terminal at Trafford Park for the coaches to be rewatered and dud 60017 to attach itself onto the rear for a little drag back.

Next stop was Piccadilly, before heading towards Longsight depot, pausing before starting again before pausing and starting again heading to one of the reception lines next to the main lines (giving an excellent view of passing trains, including this random 156:



The 56 was back in charge for a weave back across Piccadilly before once more going past platform 14, Oxford Road (platform 1), Deansgate and onto the recently opened Ordsall Chord (First 56 hauled passenger service anybody? ;)), pausing for a moment at Victoria before carrying on towards the Philips Park line towards Ashburys before heading into darkness via Reddish North, a brief stop at New Mills Central (where a few passengers doing the tour on the Sunday got off) before a longer wait at the junction for a late running TPE service (pick a part that’s new!).

To be honest by this point it was dark so I didn’t pay much attention to the darkness around the Valley of Little Hope making use of the time to get dinner, before the train took the Dore South Junction for a run towards Chesterfield, losing time caught behind a late running Steam service, before heading down the Nottingham line, making use of a loop before Alfreton and the goods line which goes behind the platforms at Langley Mill (required track). Into Toton depot going around the rear where the train arrived 25 minutes late, so time was ticking down as the 56 was detached and another 66 was attached (required 66051.

Eventually the train got going around 10 minutes late, crossing over the Trent junction onto the Castle Donington line, running into the goods line passing Burton On Trent where it managed to regain some of the lost time as a 170 droned past us around the junction with the Coalville line, the last loop was by Elford for a late running Voyager to roar past before arriving into Tamworth around 9 minutes late. Sadly at this time of night there is nothing around Tamworth so I joined the rest of a large crowd on platform 3 for 220022 to take me to York via Doncaster, with a semi-busy 43318/43312 finishing the day taking me to Newcastle, where I played a game of avoiding the drunks and headed to the Euro Hostel for a 4-bed dorm room to grab some sleep.

A bit of new track with a trio of new locos into my book, so a good day out.

View from Orsall Chord

------------

17th December – The Grand Farewell Tour Summary

Happy Birthday Grand Central!

Sadly after 10 years the GC HSTs are getting retired, replaced by 180s (just won’t be the same), so to celebrate the end of the HSTs on Grand Central, there was a BLS tour from Newcastle, the route changing slightly due to engineering works, so after a quick supply raid from a Co-Op on the route from the hostel to the station, I was greeted by 43480 & 43423 on platform 4, not an unusual sight due to them passing daily to reach the depot, but an unusual sight in passenger service

43423 at Newcastle

I was in coach D, which is a coach with all table seating and excellent legroom, and I had a private table until York (where the train did fill up). Anyhow departure from Newcastle was heading south crossing the bridge to use the lesser used sides of the triangles to reach the Sunderland line, a couple little loops featured on route to Sunderland before heading into one of the sidings at Ryhope Grange for a reversal before carrying on heading south (where I admit to falling asleep at the point, waking up after Hartlepool).

Nothing unusual on the route towards Northallerton before some good speed for the run to York, after York it was another short bit of speed before coming off the ECML at Hambleton North to use the route taken by some of the York – Hull services, before taking the Selby Canal Curve (required track, tick) to rejoin the ECML once more to run towards Doncaster for another pick-up. Next up was a trip to the goods lines south of Doncaster before another reversal around the south facing curve (another bit of required Baker Track) towards the Sheffield lines, reversing once more to head into Roberts Road EMD depot.

After paying a visit to the depot (many 66s), it was back to the main-line and for a speedy run to Sheffield, no unusual routings as it was main-line all the way, pausing for a 20 minute break at Sheffield, enough time to grab something to eat for later before resuming the tour.

43423 at Sheffield

Departure was back heading north taking the curve towards the Woodhouse line before using the chord down to the Sheffield avoiding “Old Road” line, going via a goods loop around Barrow Hill, to reverse once more to take in the loop on the other side, before heading back towards Sheffield, using one of the through lines (sadly pausing so Sheffield still remains as needing a non-stop run through), before heading south, and onto the Valley of Little Hope, this time in daylight with the HST getting some good speed along the line, coming down using the Hazel Grove chord used by EMT/TPE services, for a short break at the junction south of Stockport to await a path across towards the “Down Main Line”, where the booked fester was cut short as the signaller wanted us moving.

A pause at Reddish South & Denton for some photographs before taking the chord towards the Ashton line, heading back towards Manchester before another bit of track got entered into my book with the Brewery Curve putting the HST onto the Rochdale line, for a nice speedy run until the Hebden Bridge area where it caught up with a stopping service, pausing to wait time south of Halifax to do a little weave via platform 1 before arriving into Bradford Interchange which has a large step down.

After a short break, it was a trip towards Leeds via New Pudsey, taking the Whitehall chord (another bit of required track for me, one which had been annoying me as it is used by a few charter services from Kings Cross/ECML area towards the S&C. Nothing else of interest as the train sped towards Castleford to use the line towards Milford Junction, taking the chord up to the Hull line (one I covered back at the end of March on a Hull bound TPE service, just where has this year gone?), reversing in the Gascoigne Wood Down Loop, before getting held at Sherburn Junction for a late running 144 from Sheffield (which looked completely empty), to follow this back to York.

43423/43480 departs York

With 55 minutes to kill in York, I popped out to Sainsburys for a sandwich to eat later, before saying farewell to Rob as I boarded the Ex-Aberdeen HST, fast to London and was a reasonable busy 43206/43295 (lots of HST mileage for me today!). Which got me thinking, has VTEC changed the ‘default’ coach for reservations from coach C to coach E (as it seemed judging by the reservation level pictures coach C was lightly reserved and E was busy)? Anyhow it was easy enough to grab a seat in coach G for the fast run towards London.

Apart from a brief slow down at Grantham where it had caught up with the 16:20 semi-fast service, it kept good time heading south, things were looking up for an earlier than expected finish (21:15 from Waterloo), until the HST came to a stop around the Welham Green area for a good 5 minutes before resuming the journey, however the damage had been done and the HST arrived 8 minutes late so I gave up any hope on the 21:15 service, for a spot of Northern Line hunting (making use of the island platform with a random central passageway with doesn’t lead anywhere).

Alas no luck, 51506/51507 took me to London Bridge (via an extended break at Moorgate as someone decided to press the passenger assistance button, and so needed resetting by the driver/station staff. 51639/51638 to Kennington with 51536/51535 to Waterloo, although I did eye-ball Angel as a potential festering point for the Bank branch, onto the 22:15 back to Grateley (159020 & 159001) and a walk home

Overall a good tour, a few new bits of little track scored, and nice to have a HST on tour, it is a shame to see them disappearing to East Midland Trains, as the 180s are just not the same.
 
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noddy1878

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Nice write up! Plenty of new bits of track for you there! Me too on the Sat and I would have need a few bits and pieces on that HST tour too. The 60 was dud for me as well but everything else was good.

We finally got back to Westbury at 0054! I then had a 2h20 drive back home. By the time I got into bed I'd been up for 24h 30m! I was a tad tired! :lol: Was a good day though even if it was dark for a lot of it!
 

Kite159

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I didn't get into Newcastle until 00:15 or so, the staff getting ready to lock up the station for the night.

It was a long day for me, I would imagine at 00:54 all the cars would have been frozen over in the car-park.

Looking at my mileage log sheet, that 60 was dud from a tour in 2015 from York to Peterborough* via Heworth [and then southwards via Gainsborough which was originally meant to been Tornado]
 
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heart-of-wessex

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Just read both write up's, very good! Jealous as funds wouldn't allow me to do both tours so missed out on the GC one, which reading that looks like it was a cracking day especially to get a HST to London as well.
Lot's of bits required for me there, though can't remember when I did Whitehall curve, did it both ways sometime, might have been the NENTA tour.

Not sure about your 180 comment though ;)
 

Kite159

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Just read both write up's, very good! Jealous as funds wouldn't allow me to do both tours so missed out on the GC one, which reading that looks like it was a cracking day especially to get a HST to London as well.
Lot's of bits required for me there, though can't remember when I did Whitehall curve, did it both ways sometime, might have been the NENTA tour.

Not sure about your 180 comment though ;)

More to do with the 'secret' coach on the GC HSTs ;) [also known as the declassified First Class coach]

When I was booking the VTEC services, surprisingly the non-stop HST was the cheapest at the time, and gave me an extra bit of lee-way. I think a couple passengers from the GC tried to leg it at York to catch the delayed ~17:59 non-stop service, which I guess if they had open tickets would have made sense trying to get back to London quicker.
 

TheAdelante

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You are so right, GC just won’t be the same without the HSTs. It will be loads better! Now I don’t have to limit myself to going on one train a day when on the Sunderland route

:)
 

rg177

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Having done Doncaster to London non-stop last weekend, I can assure you that an HST far far beats getting bounced down the ECML on a 180- they might be decent trains but they're almost perilous when they're doing 125 for a solid 90 minutes. Much smoother off the mark indeed but when at speed not the best ride. On the Great Western of course they (were) a welcome break from a 166 down the Cotswold Line.

And of course GC have the aforementioned declassified First on their HSTs.

Heck, I think I need one last GC run before they leave for good.
 

palmersears

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I saw you (well not you personally, but the tours) on both days, Kite! You went past the end of my road on Saturday just before New Mills Central, and then I picked up the HSTs on Sunday just before you went through Disley tunnel and down the Hazel Grove chord. A splendid sight on both days, even in the gloom.
 

cactustwirly

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Some great reads there Kite, I'm looking forwards to getting those ex GC HSTs in the book when they move to EMT.
 
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