43074
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First things first, I'm establishing this thread for my trip reports to keep things tidier - I know I don't do that many trip reports but it might be an incentive to do a few more!
18/02/2014 - Great Escape
A snap decision was made the day before that I was doing a LM Great Escape on realising the LM 321s won't be spending much more time on WCML duties - therefore it provided a brilliant opportunity to get some of these before they head up to Scotland later this year. A plan was hurriedly drawn up which would enable me to get some 321s and cover some new track. Here goes...
The alarm (particularly unwelcome during school half-terms) was off at 07:00, reminding me I had a rather exciting appointment for the day which rather offset the disappointment when the alarm went off. So, the first move of the day was a bus to Leicester station where I would pick up my tickets for the non London Midland part of the trip (a Leicester - Rugby Anytime Day Return and Z1-6 Travelcard) and my first unit for the day - mega mega mega dud 170103 - to Nuneaton, which was on the 08:48 departure for Birmingham New Street. Nuneaton is always a hive of activity, such that I missed 2 freights as I was exchanging my Great Escape voucher for the day rover. For £30 for a trip to London in total, I wasn't complaining!
I observed 66568 head towards Birmingham on a liner, before boarding my Desiro - 350104 - for the trip South on the WCML. I have a habit of changing my plans at the last minute - my initial plan was to nip to Milton Keynes, change there and take a slower service to Watford Junction but the attraction of a fast run from MKC to Euston proved to big a distraction, so I stayed onboard for the trip to Euston. Various locos were spotted on the Willesden complex but nothing particularly of note - although 86259 was a nice surprise.
Having splashed down at Euston, I ran up the Euston Road to Kings Cross. My main aim was to cover as many London termini as possible during my 4-hour window in central London - this was necessary in order to cram the 321 action in later on - but nonetheless some good festering was done. I payed a flying visit into Kings Cross for a few pictures of the East Coast stuff before it gets ''Virgined'', and 91101 was a pleasant surprise in it's Flying Scotsman advertising livery. A couple of HSTs were also present which are always a welcome sight.
P2184936 by huwross97, on Flickr
Having paid a flying visit to Kings Cross, I flew over to St Pancras for the flight to Stratford (I'll fetch my coat), on winning Javelin 395022 at the cost of £3.95 for a single to Stratford International. The seat was most welcome having been standing continuously since 09:00 that morning. Anyway, at Stratford I left and pondered at the engineering magnificence of the Stratford box which has a sadly deserted air to it - there can't have been 10 passengers in the station during the time I was there. I bought a baguette from the station cafe for £2.95 (for London prices I considered that good value, it wasn't bad) but it was most welcome. A trip on the DLR was next and I hopped on with seconds before departure for the run to Stratford.
I needed 9 315s for sight when I arrived at Stratford, and left having seen 2 more in the half hour I had there - taking the total needed to 7. A few Skoda surprises as well, in the form of 90048 on a late running liner and repainted 90011 on the 10:30 from Norwich. I also bagged demonstrator 317722 and then managed to get some 315 action in the form of 315837 (and 852) for haulage to Liverpool Street - I was well chuffed! Winning 315, 832, was observed on Bethnal Green Bank, so now 6 315s were required for sight. Had I not been on such a tight schedule, I might have tried my luck at Bethnal Green station but alas time did not allow for that. I'm convinced the person who decided to paint 315837's vestibules ''snot'' green, was either colourblind or needs to go to specsavers, although the TfL Rail livery is quite nice, albeit bland without branding.
90011 Stratford by huwross97, on Flickr
I spent a little time at Liverpool Street, and bagged 357043 for sight on Platform 8, what it was doing there I'm not sure, so more snaps were taken and it was henceforth to London Bridge via the Central and Northern lines (I don't take tube numbers). Winning units (and brand new) 387109 & 121 were on offer on the 13:12 to Brighton which I had to East Croydon - my opinion of the seats, they are OK if you sit bolt upright. Any other seated position and the torture of the Spanish Inquisition would probably be a comparable source of pain.
387109 & 387121 London Bridge by huwross97, on Flickr
It was back over to Platform 1 at East Croydon for the 13:27 to London Victoria - with winning units 377122 and 124. Very comfortable I must say after a trip on the 387s, although the ride quality was much worse. The 13:53 to Epsom was formed of more winning units at Victoria, 377612 and 613 which I had to Clapham Junction. I had some time for festering at Clapham Junction which provided a welcome break - 458536 was noted for the first time and I now think the Class 70s look pleasing to the eye. More BREL action was had in the form of 455702 and 919 to Waterloo.
43013/014 London Euston by huwross97, on Flickr
Time was no longer on my side, and I had to abort my trip to Paddington and Marylebone stations in favour of sticking to my new plan. The Bakerloo line was had to Oxford Circus, from where an 09 stock whisked me to Euston. A welcome sight at Euston were 43013 & 014, which I drooled over for half an hour before taking yet another winner - 350105 - to Watford Junction. Europhenix 86701 was noted at Willesden Depot this time, as well as 70001 which subsequently followed me home (well, to Nuneaton, anyway). I bailed at Watford Junction for 321414 to St Albans Abbey. It's a pleasant branch really, quite surprising so close to the concrete utopia not so far away.
321414 St Albans Abbey by huwross97, on Flickr
Anyway, it was straight back to the Junction where I had intended to wait for the 16:47 to Milton Keynes, but decided to take the 16:36 (IIRC) to Berkhamsted which was formed of triple troubles 350113, 370 and 375 - the /3s being winners! After a brief interlude at Berkhamsted, where 90045 headed South and 325001 & 004 were noted going North, amongst other things, 321412 (dud) and 321413 were had for the run to Milton Keynes which was brilliant.
321412 & 321413 at Berkhamsted by huwross97, on Flickr
70001 passed me again, before I headed North on 350121/109 to Rugby. Unfortunately we were stuck behind the 70, so it was rather tedious to say the least! Anyway, a +5 connection was made at Rugby into 350124 & 257 to Nuneaton (where I was again overtaken by 70001), before heading onto 170519 back to Leicester.
----------
Top Spot: Probably 43013 and 014 at Euston
Lowlight: Having to skip Paddington and Marylebone
Total London Termini visited: Euston, St Pancras, Kings Cross, Liverpool Street, London Bridge, London Victoria & London Waterloo - 7.
Haulage of the day: 321412/3 Berkhamsted to Milton Keynes.
I'll add a few photos later.
18/02/2014 - Great Escape
A snap decision was made the day before that I was doing a LM Great Escape on realising the LM 321s won't be spending much more time on WCML duties - therefore it provided a brilliant opportunity to get some of these before they head up to Scotland later this year. A plan was hurriedly drawn up which would enable me to get some 321s and cover some new track. Here goes...
The alarm (particularly unwelcome during school half-terms) was off at 07:00, reminding me I had a rather exciting appointment for the day which rather offset the disappointment when the alarm went off. So, the first move of the day was a bus to Leicester station where I would pick up my tickets for the non London Midland part of the trip (a Leicester - Rugby Anytime Day Return and Z1-6 Travelcard) and my first unit for the day - mega mega mega dud 170103 - to Nuneaton, which was on the 08:48 departure for Birmingham New Street. Nuneaton is always a hive of activity, such that I missed 2 freights as I was exchanging my Great Escape voucher for the day rover. For £30 for a trip to London in total, I wasn't complaining!
I observed 66568 head towards Birmingham on a liner, before boarding my Desiro - 350104 - for the trip South on the WCML. I have a habit of changing my plans at the last minute - my initial plan was to nip to Milton Keynes, change there and take a slower service to Watford Junction but the attraction of a fast run from MKC to Euston proved to big a distraction, so I stayed onboard for the trip to Euston. Various locos were spotted on the Willesden complex but nothing particularly of note - although 86259 was a nice surprise.
Having splashed down at Euston, I ran up the Euston Road to Kings Cross. My main aim was to cover as many London termini as possible during my 4-hour window in central London - this was necessary in order to cram the 321 action in later on - but nonetheless some good festering was done. I payed a flying visit into Kings Cross for a few pictures of the East Coast stuff before it gets ''Virgined'', and 91101 was a pleasant surprise in it's Flying Scotsman advertising livery. A couple of HSTs were also present which are always a welcome sight.
P2184936 by huwross97, on Flickr
Having paid a flying visit to Kings Cross, I flew over to St Pancras for the flight to Stratford (I'll fetch my coat), on winning Javelin 395022 at the cost of £3.95 for a single to Stratford International. The seat was most welcome having been standing continuously since 09:00 that morning. Anyway, at Stratford I left and pondered at the engineering magnificence of the Stratford box which has a sadly deserted air to it - there can't have been 10 passengers in the station during the time I was there. I bought a baguette from the station cafe for £2.95 (for London prices I considered that good value, it wasn't bad) but it was most welcome. A trip on the DLR was next and I hopped on with seconds before departure for the run to Stratford.
I needed 9 315s for sight when I arrived at Stratford, and left having seen 2 more in the half hour I had there - taking the total needed to 7. A few Skoda surprises as well, in the form of 90048 on a late running liner and repainted 90011 on the 10:30 from Norwich. I also bagged demonstrator 317722 and then managed to get some 315 action in the form of 315837 (and 852) for haulage to Liverpool Street - I was well chuffed! Winning 315, 832, was observed on Bethnal Green Bank, so now 6 315s were required for sight. Had I not been on such a tight schedule, I might have tried my luck at Bethnal Green station but alas time did not allow for that. I'm convinced the person who decided to paint 315837's vestibules ''snot'' green, was either colourblind or needs to go to specsavers, although the TfL Rail livery is quite nice, albeit bland without branding.
90011 Stratford by huwross97, on Flickr
I spent a little time at Liverpool Street, and bagged 357043 for sight on Platform 8, what it was doing there I'm not sure, so more snaps were taken and it was henceforth to London Bridge via the Central and Northern lines (I don't take tube numbers). Winning units (and brand new) 387109 & 121 were on offer on the 13:12 to Brighton which I had to East Croydon - my opinion of the seats, they are OK if you sit bolt upright. Any other seated position and the torture of the Spanish Inquisition would probably be a comparable source of pain.
387109 & 387121 London Bridge by huwross97, on Flickr
It was back over to Platform 1 at East Croydon for the 13:27 to London Victoria - with winning units 377122 and 124. Very comfortable I must say after a trip on the 387s, although the ride quality was much worse. The 13:53 to Epsom was formed of more winning units at Victoria, 377612 and 613 which I had to Clapham Junction. I had some time for festering at Clapham Junction which provided a welcome break - 458536 was noted for the first time and I now think the Class 70s look pleasing to the eye. More BREL action was had in the form of 455702 and 919 to Waterloo.
43013/014 London Euston by huwross97, on Flickr
Time was no longer on my side, and I had to abort my trip to Paddington and Marylebone stations in favour of sticking to my new plan. The Bakerloo line was had to Oxford Circus, from where an 09 stock whisked me to Euston. A welcome sight at Euston were 43013 & 014, which I drooled over for half an hour before taking yet another winner - 350105 - to Watford Junction. Europhenix 86701 was noted at Willesden Depot this time, as well as 70001 which subsequently followed me home (well, to Nuneaton, anyway). I bailed at Watford Junction for 321414 to St Albans Abbey. It's a pleasant branch really, quite surprising so close to the concrete utopia not so far away.
321414 St Albans Abbey by huwross97, on Flickr
Anyway, it was straight back to the Junction where I had intended to wait for the 16:47 to Milton Keynes, but decided to take the 16:36 (IIRC) to Berkhamsted which was formed of triple troubles 350113, 370 and 375 - the /3s being winners! After a brief interlude at Berkhamsted, where 90045 headed South and 325001 & 004 were noted going North, amongst other things, 321412 (dud) and 321413 were had for the run to Milton Keynes which was brilliant.
321412 & 321413 at Berkhamsted by huwross97, on Flickr
70001 passed me again, before I headed North on 350121/109 to Rugby. Unfortunately we were stuck behind the 70, so it was rather tedious to say the least! Anyway, a +5 connection was made at Rugby into 350124 & 257 to Nuneaton (where I was again overtaken by 70001), before heading onto 170519 back to Leicester.
----------
Top Spot: Probably 43013 and 014 at Euston
Lowlight: Having to skip Paddington and Marylebone
Total London Termini visited: Euston, St Pancras, Kings Cross, Liverpool Street, London Bridge, London Victoria & London Waterloo - 7.
Haulage of the day: 321412/3 Berkhamsted to Milton Keynes.
I'll add a few photos later.
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