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Drogba11CFC's trip reports, part 2

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Drogba11CFC

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Wales 2018

Sunday 3rd June

This year's rail holiday was centred around Wales so it was Winchester where my trip started and 444045 on 1W28 as far as Basingstoke. One replacement bus later and I found myself at Reading, where I caught 387135, 387149, 43097 Environment Agency, 43188, 387138 and 387168 before an unidentified voyager finally arrived 32 late with 1M38. 800032 was glimpsed just beyond Reading, with 165126 being caught at Oxford, 172101, 172102 and 165021 at Banbury, 172345 and 221125 at Leamington Spa, and 350236, 153366 and 153375 at Coventry before arriving 31L at Birmingham New Street. A hastily-bought lunch from Pret a Manger saw me board an unidentified 350 on 1F45 to Liverpool South Parkway, with 08805 being seen at Soho. I disembarked at Crewe which proved a goldmine, as I caught 47830, 345025, 68020 Reliance, 350250, 221107 Sir Martin Frobisher, 323255, 323236, 175103, 390127 Virgin Buccaneer - Jessica Varnish, 390040 Virgin Radio Star and 319370 before climbing aboard a very busy 175010 on 1D27, with 47712 being glimpsed at Crewe Heritage Centre and a very folorn-looking 90032 and 90031 glimpsed in Gresty Bridge sidings. Chester yielded 142061, 175001 and 175011 before 175106 was seen at Shotton and 175102 at Abergele and Pensarn. The final leg of my journey saw me board 2D74 at Llandudno Junction where 175009 took me to Llandudno and the Can-Y-Bae guest house.

Key:
Red - haulage
Green - sight
Black - dud
 
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Drogba11CFC

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Monday 4th June

Monday saw a fairly leisurely start before boarding 2D14 at Llandudno with 150231. A trip down the Conwy Valley Line saw me travel behind David Lloyd George to Porthmadog. A fish and chip lunch and some milling around in the town saw me wave at the WHR service to Caernarfon as it crossed over the crossing...only to find out that it was the last train of the day. So it was off to Porthmadog main line station for 2J11 to Pwllheli with 158839, where a bus took me to Caernarfon and the Black Boy Inn.

Tuesday 5th June
After a large breakfast, it was off to Caernarfon for the WHR train to Porthmadog, which I enhanced with a Welsh tea as the train steamed through Snowdonia. Then it was David Lloyd George again to Blaenau Ffestiniog, with 190 being spotted at Tan-y-Bwlch. At Minfford I disembarked and boarded 2G65 as far as Tywyn, with 158840 as the unit. 158831 was sighted at Harlech, before I checked in to the Monfa Guest House.
 

Drogba11CFC

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Tuesday 6th June
A good breakfast (with fried bread) was followed by a ride in the saloon coach up the scenic Talyllyn Railway (rapidly becoming an old haunt) behind 7 Tom Rolt, with 2 Dolgoch being sighted on the 11:30 ex-Tywyn at Brynglas. After fish and chips at Skippy's, it was back to the station, with dud 158827 coming in on 2J15 to Pwllheli, before I boarded 158828 on 2G55, with 158838 joining at Machynlleth with 1G55, which took me to Shrewsbury where I saw 170634. I then checked in to the Station Hotel...only to to find out that it was more like a cocktail bar with rooms added and didn't serve breakfast. And my room overlooked the road.

Thursday 7th June
After a night of having to hear the sound of constant traffic and a Premier Inn breakfast, I boarded 1J07 as far as Welshpool with 158833 and 158821, with 97303 being seen at Shrewsbury and 158830 being glimpsed at Welshpool. Following a trip up the Welshpool and Llanfair Light Railway behind 823 Countess and Fish and Chips from Andrew's Fish Bar, it was a return to the station and 158839 on 1J19 to Aberystwyth, with 158822 and 158838 seen at Machynlleth.
 

Drogba11CFC

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Friday 8th June
The last steam train of my trip saw me travel up the valley behind 1213 Prince of Wales on the Vale of Rheidol Railway, with 8 Llewelyn being seen at Aberystwyth. Following lunch at the Lord Beeching pub, it was 158829 on 1G55 as far as Shrewsbury, with 158827 joining at Machynlleth. 158839 was seen at Talerdigg, with 175001 and 158832 being sighted at Shrewsbury before 175115 arrived on 1V50 from Manchester. A whizz down the Marches Line saw 175110 being sighted at Shrewsbury, with 153303 being seen at Marshbrook. Ludlow yielded 175102, with Hereford yielding 170503 and 170505. 175004 was seen at Cwmbran, before Newport yielded 158798 and 150255. Cardiff Central saw me score 143604, 142075, 166216 and 150230, with 170117 and 82121 being sighted beyond the station. At Swansea, 800014 and 800028 were seen before I headed for the waterfront Premier Inn and a Beefeater Grill supper.
 
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Drogba11CFC

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Saturday 9th June
After a Premier Inn breakfast it was a leisurely stroll to Swansea station, where 800015 and 800026 were waiting with 1L55, which I would take to Reading. As I settled down in First Class, I caught 150280 and 158836 before 66569 was sighted at Port Talbot. 170114 and 150255 (again) were sighted at Cardiff Central before Newport yielded 66174, 66137, 66059, 175113, 66529, 66531 and 66615, before 66543, 66590, 66548, 800029 and 800006 were sighted at Bristol Parkway. 66724 and 43122 were sighted on the way to Swindon, before Reading yielded 387144, 387174, 165110, 165106 and 458528. My last spot of the holiday was 159003 Templecombe at Basingstoke.
 

Drogba11CFC

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Around the north 2019
Sunday 2nd June

An unidentified Voyager on 1M38 from Winchester took me to Reading where 158882 was seen in platform 1 working 1L27 to Salisbury, as well as 800301 on 1B25 to Swansea. Shortly 800320 arrived on 1W20, which I boarded. 800003 and 165036 were both sighted at Oxford, as well as 800308 at Kingham. At Worcester Foregate Street I disembarked and boarded 2S12 with 172212 as far as Kidderminster. At Kidderminster, I sighted D821 Greyhound before boarding the 3:20 behind 7714 as far as Highley. From the train I saw D4100, 09107 and 40106 at Kidderminster MPD and 1501 at Arley before seeing 33108 at Highley. In addition, I saw 34027 Taw Valley as well as 600 Gordon, 4566, 47383, 80079, 48773, 46443 and 7819 Hinton Manor, before boarding the next train behind 6960 Raveningham Hall to Bridgnorth, where I saw 4144, 75069 and D1062 Western Courier before checking into the nearby George Hotel - where all the rooms are named after steam locomotives.
 

Cowley

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Nice.
What’s the George Hotel like?
 

Drogba11CFC

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It's alright. My room was a bit cramped and the cooling system went off every five minutes so I had to close the window, but the breakfast was good.
 

Drogba11CFC

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Monday 3rd June
After a cooked breakfast it was off to Bridgnorth station to catch the 10:30 to Kidderminster, again hauled by 6960 Raveningham Hall. In addition, I saw D3586, 66763 Severn Valley Railway on ballast wagons, and D9551 at Bridgnorth and 50007 Hercules (disguised as 50014 Warspite) at Arley and 2857 and 50049 at Bewdley. Having purchased lunch on the go, I caught the late-running 2S40 at Kidderminster, with 170503, 153371 and 153364, along with seeing 170515. 172336 was sighted at Blakesdown, before I reached Smethwick Galton Bridge. There, I saw 350122, 170506 and 170510 before boarding a very busy 350243 on the similarly late 9F44 (seriously, whose bright idea was four coaches from Euston to Liverpool?) 350264 and 350265 were seen at Wolverhampton and 350244 and 350266 were seen at Stafford before we reached Basford Hall Junction and 66772, 56049, 397004 and 710103 were sighted. At Crewe, 350267 was sighted before I boarded 221104 Sir John Franklin was boarded on the late-running 9S65, seeing 87035 Robert Burns as we passed the Heritage Centre. 150101 and 319446 were sighted at Wigan North Western before we reached Preston. 142058 was sighted before I purchased a North Country Rover and boarded 156479 on 2C37 to Carlisle, seeing 390049 Virgin Express arriving at the adjacent platform. At Lancaster, 158909, 142057 and 142020 were sighted, before Carnforth yielded 57314, 57316, 37669, 68004, 68034, 57313, 57601, 31128, 57001 and 86259 Les Ross.
At Barrow, I saw 156460, 195001, 195113 and 195114 before continuing to Ravenglass and the Bay Horse B&B.
 

Drogba11CFC

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Tuesday 4th June

After a cooked breakfast and a trip to Dalegarth and back behind Northern Rock, I saw 156425 at Ravenglass before 156479 rolled in on 2C53 to Carlisle. At Sellafield, I saw 88003 Genesis, 88005 Minerva, DR80201, 68004 Rapid, 68016 Fearless and 68013 before we crossed 156496 at St Bees. We then continued up the coast, with 156438 sighted at Workington and 156459 being seen at Wigton before 156443 was seen at Carlisle. At Carlisle, I boarded 158792 on 2H93 to Leeds. We ran well enough until Skipton , before being shunted behind a very late 333009 (66770 was also sighted), with 158910 being seen at Keighley, and the approach to Leeds yielding 142023, 333006, 142091, 144018, 144023, 144002, 142068, 801109, 801108, 170477, 150123 and 322484 before we eventually arrived 24 late. 43384 and 43321 were sighted before 185123 rolled in on 1P84. 158851 was seen as we departed Leeds, with 185120 sighted at Dewsbury and 142061 seen at Stalybridge before 09009 was seen at Miles Platting. I then took the Metrolink to Bury, where I checked in to the Premier Inn.
 

Cowley

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Sounds like an amazing trip. You’ve done lots of stuff.
 

Drogba11CFC

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Wednesday 5th June

The first stop for today was the East Lancashire Railway where 08164 was sighted at Bury Bolton Street before 80097 was the motive power to Rawtenstall and back. Following a tram ride back to Manchester Victoria 185123 was sighted before I boarded 158792 on 2E15 to Leeds. As the train travelled along the Calder Valley line, one of the last outposts of steam, I saw 156427 at Rochdale, 150205 at Todmorden and 144012 at Halifax. 150115 was then seen at Bradford Interchange before 180106 was seen at Mill Lane Junction. At Leeds, I saw 43206 and 43313, 153324 and 142025, along with 170473, 158855 and 144022 before 333011 on 2H48 finally departed 7 late due to the guard showing up late. At Keighley, I changed onto platform 4 where 43924 was on the 15:45 to Oxenhope, with 78022 being sighted at Haworth. At Oxenhope, I took a bus to Haworth and my room at The Fleece Inn.
 
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