Alex's trip reports (ft. Least Used in Scotland)

[Kite159]

Congratulations on clearing the 314s

Also a good little trip to knock off some stations in the Roundabout area

 

[55013]

Congratulations.
The sound of class clearance cannons is an imaginary noise of beauty

 

[The_Train]

Congratulations on clearing the 314s Alex, certainly makes getting out and about in the cold worthwhile

 

[alexf380]

Thanks gents! Still got a fair bit to look for in Strathclyde so I'll hopefully be back shortly.

 

[alexf380]

Alex's Thanksgiving
Thursday 22nd November 2018

It's been very quiet in this part of the forum recently, hasn't it? Or maybe I'm just not looking in the right places and am missing out on some juicy trip reports. Either way, here be some lovely bedtime reading.

Since my last trip, I've been doing a spot of planning, and I've come to realise that I can scratch all of my required shacks in the Strathclyde area in 6 visits. Yes, I really have taken planning to the extreme here but it's something that I do find quite interesting, how a day's bashing all falls into place.

Furthermore, November's "big trip" was pencilled in for the 22nd and I knew I wanted to get started with one of these days right away. I had two options in mind, North Clyde line or Inverclyde line. With the news that IBM Halt was to effectively close from the 9th of December, I was swayed towards the latter.

For those of you who are new to this thread, winner units are displayed in red text, with duds in black and winner shacks in italics.

After a very god night's sleep, I awoke at around half past 5 to the sight of much darkness and spitting rain. Thoughts of postponing the trip came to mind, but they were quickly swatted to one side, that's not what I do anymore! One bus ride into town later and I was on Waverley station at a smidge before 7 o'clock. (Oh yeah, I've moved house again, this time into a real flat not student halls.)

Breakfast is sourced before the 07:27 XC service to Glasgow Central is announced. 92044 makes an on-time appearance on the sleeper before dud 221119 arrives from Dunbar as my steed to GLC. I forget to catch the name of our guard but she is very cheery and chatty. Top marks to her!

We arrive in no time, and after purchasing my Daytripper ticket, now at £12.30 for one adult, I had to Costa for a coffee. It's busy in here today, and their system is down so I can't collect my costa points immediately. No problem for me, but for one gentleman in front of me it's just a bit too much to handle, and he scowls as he storms out the shop.

Scotrail 380108 by Alex Fleming, on Flickr

Very dud 380108 is my first 380 of the day (many more to come!) and I'm on board for the best part of half an hour out to Greenock Central. The temperature really is going to be a challenge today, and I don't think it reached double digits all afternoon. I wait in the low sun for the 09:55 service back towards Glasgow, which throws out 314210. Gladly, I climb aboard as it's the last of the class required for a photo. Port Glasgow is reached, photo is taken, and I am surprised at the lack of waiting room at such a seemingly grand looking station.

No matter, it's only 20 or so minutes until the first winner of the day 380004 rolls a couple of minutes late to take me to Cartsdyke. Notable, as I was only meant to have a +4 here. That's reduced to a +2 and as I cross the footbridge (right at the far Glasgow end of the platforms) I see the headlights of 380104 arriving.

Here's a random shot of said unit later in the day on an Ardrossan service;
Scotrail 380104 by Alex Fleming, on Flickr

I'm deposited a short while later at Bogston which is quite an intersting wee station, as you can see units passing on the Wemyss Bay line on the embankment above the platforms. It's really cold though, as the station is almost entirely in the shade, so it's a chilly wait for 380017 to appear and give me some warmth, and provide me with a PNB opportunity, on the way to Fort Matilda. A nice sounding station in a pleasant enough looking area. It wasn't long before 314208 arrived to take me five minutes up to the line's end at Gourock.

On a clear day I assume you can see right across the Firth of Clyde but I wasn't really paying much attention on this occasion. My mind was focused on not missing my +5 connection back onto 380017 on the stopper. I had to get this stopper as I wanted to now go for the shacks to the south of Port Glasgow that only get 2tph. Langbank was my destination, and I am deposited there in relative comfort before, as I predicted, it was the return of 314210 to take me one stop back up the line to Woodhall, confusing the Ticket Examiner in the process as he saw me board and alight in under five minutes.

It was then to one of my highest mileage 380s next, as 380018 took me down to a surprisingly barren Paisley St James, completing the Paisley trio in the process. Another chilly wait was endured before 380017 appeared again to take me back to Port Glasgow, and lunch in a nearby Greggs. I had allowed 40 or so minutes here, as Wemyss Bay trains are only hourly, so I had a comfortable rest in the shop before sauntering back up the high street to the station.

Scotrail 380019 by Alex Fleming, on Flickr

Just two diagrams are required for Wemyss Bay services throughout the day, what with the branch being single track in its entirety. It was winner 380019 that made the first appearance this afternoon, and I take it along to Inverkip, where I am blessed with a twenty minute fester for the same unit to return. I notice that although the calls at IBM are not advertised on platform PIS displays Glasgow-bound, they are onboard, and the doors are unlocked. Interesting.

Branchton is my next destination, and I spend the half hour fester trying to figure out if it's worth it to try and walk along to IBM, or get a bus, or spend an equal amount of time festering there by train. In the end, I decide that my rules shall stand, and as it is a station within private land, a step onto the platform shall suffice. 380002 is next to make an appearance and I ride it all the way along to the grand end of the line at Wemyss Bay. It really does look splendid here.

Scotrail 380002 by Alex Fleming, on Flickr

I change ends, and as the light begins to fade, the call is made at IBM Halt and I scratch that station on the way to Whinhill, where many a schoolchild boards. I'm thankful that I'm leaving the train here, and I fester in gentle tranquility as I await the return of 380019 to take me to Drumfrochar to complete the branch. One more station is to be had in the area, and I read of it being easily walkable on these very boards a while ago. I must say I was very grateful to be doing the walk down to Greenock West in this direction as it's 100% downhill, getting rather steep in places. I wouldn't want to be making the walk uphill, that's for sure!

I let one dud go before 380108 shows up again and I decide to just take it anyway. I try my luck and elect to alight at Paisley Gilmour Street, falling back onto a service from the Ayrshire direction. It pays off as it transpires to be a very full 380007 taking me back to Glasgow Central where, after purchasing some scran, I retire to the lower level platforms for my next task.

Holytown station was an anomaly for me, as it is a winner in a sea of duds in that area of Lanarkshire. I knew that it could be easily scratched off the evening Carstairs flyer, and catching either of the Shotts stoppers that arrive within 15 minutes. 320404 (new-ish train smell...mmmm) is on this working tonight, and the motor coach is sought for some much needed noise after all that Desiro silence today. We lose a few minutes along the way, as we are caught behind a late running Whifflet stopper until after Rutherglen but after that the driver really opened the throttle and we flew along to Holytown, arriving 6 down. Normally this would have been an issue for me, but my connection back to Glasgow was also 6 down so it really didn't matter much. 156433 was the unit, and as soon as it arrived, the reason it was late became apparent, it had an awful wheel flat on the front coach.

We arrive back into Glasgow Central in no time at all, and I swing by the chippy under the station on my way over to Queen Street in plenty of time for the 18:30, hoping for a winning Networker but I have no such luck as it's 365529+365525 that are on this service tonight. Oh well, at least it's warm on here! No trouble in getting back to Edinburgh, and there's practically no time to wait on a bus home either. Result!

The sun is setting on IBM Halt by Alex Fleming, on Flickr

With just one more trip floating around my brain this year, 2018 looks to have been not that bad, all things considered.

 

[The_Train]

Another productive outing there Alex. I may be making a first appearance north of the border myself in the near future

 

[djpontrack]

A very interesting trip report there mate. I'm planning to visit the Gourock and Wemyss Bay lines next week so your trip has given me a few ideas. I may do the walk from Drumfrochar to Greenock West.
It is interesting that the Glasgow bound services still call at IBM even though they are not advertised to.

 

[alexf380]

Thanks, Gents. I'm sure you'll enjoy being up in Scotland, even if it is freezing cold, just need to keep moving!
As for IBM, I wouldn't want to guarantee it, but it appears as though it's not being advertised as a deterrent to people travelling there but those in the know can still use it.

 

[Kite159]

Sounded like a productive day in SPT land Alex

 

[alexf380]

Well folks, with the winter solstice fast approaching, and every day in December being fully booked, 2018's bashing comes to a close. I had hoped to find one day this month to get out but I simply didn't have the time, what with Christmas and such. Ergo, it's results time. 83 winners for haulage were scored, along with 77 shacks scratched in 2018. Bearing in mind that 6 months of the year have no journeys logged that's not such a bad effort.
We now look towards 2019 and what that brings to the bashing scene. Locos are a big interest for me at the moment so I hope they will feature more heavily in the year to come. No firm plans yet, but ideas a plenty.

All that's left is for me to wish everyone on this forum a very merry Christmas, and all the best for 2019!

 

[Techniquest]

A very merry Christmas to you too good sir, and I hope your 2019 will be epic too!

 

[barrowjack]

Merry Christmas, looking forward to reading more of your reports in 2019

 

[alexf380]

First Footing
Thursday 3rd January

The first trip of the year was upon us, and after having very little activity in December, I was itching to get out on the rails. The first available day of the year was chosen, as I really wanted to make the most of this year. 2019 is to be a year of change, as many units are set to meet their demise this year owing to the PRMTSI compliance regulations, meaning that all trains must be fully acessible to people of reduce mobility, and trains that cannot be modified must be removed from service. One such class that falls into that category is the Pacer train, and I still need many of those for haulage. Better get on with it then!
As always with my reports; Red numbers are winners for haulage, Black numbers are duds, and italics are new station scores.

It was an absolutely freezing start to the morning, as I waited for the 05:59 bus into town I was glad I'd packed a scarf with me. Half an hour later I had collected my tickets and was in the queue for a coffee to try and perk me up a bit. An old favourite of mine, the 06:52 Euston train, was chosen for this trip, really because I knew that an earlier train would just be too much for me to handle. We're off to a good start as the first winner of the year, 390042, is my chariot south.

After an on time departure from Edinburgh, we pick up a couple of minutes of delay en route and I start to think about my connection at Lancaster. I have a +14 here so it's not a huge issue, but I do still need to buy my ticket for the day (which, disappointingly, was printed on paper roll by Lancaster ticket office). In the end I manage the connection no bother and I join winning 142027 for the run to Morecambe and back, stopping to stroll down to the beach for a wee 10 minutes or so.

Back at Lancaster, I take the next southbound express to Preston to get started on some more Pacers. winner 390045 in it's Trainbow guise takes me there. As I like to be a man with a plan, I had worked out a way to cover all 5 diagrams on the Colne/Blackpool South/Ormskirk circuit today, with a few others thrown in for good measure. In order to reach my first target, I had to get out to Kirkham & Wesham, on board 319384. I almost didn't make the connection here as we're a few minutes late! We both arrive into the station at the same time, and I run over the new footbridge and into the awaiting local door of 142052. That was close! I take this one out to a shack score in the form of Church & Oswaldtwistle. A peculiar name for a very normal looking station.

A request stop was next on my radar, and it was the first dud of the trip, 142049, that took me down the line to Pleasington. It was a nice place to spent ten minutes or so, and before long, my ride out of here was arriving. Another dud, 142041 this time, was my chariot. I had planned to take this right through to Rose Grove, however my connection onwards from there was running very late, and would put me in good stead to completely mess my plan, so I alight at Blackburn instead. Good move, as not too long later, a winning dogbox comes through working a Clitheroe-Rochdale service. That'll do nicely, and I climb aboard 153307+150123 for the journey down to Bromley Cross. If I'd been paying attention, I could have bagged another 153 here as it is the crossing point on the single line, but I didn't. So a half hour wait it was.

In no time at all, 142035+150140 arrive, putting me back on my plan, and I take them down to the deep, dark shadows of Manchester Victoria. "Lunchtime" I think to myself, as I make my way round to McDonald's, although I don;t as I discover it's closed! Greggs will do, and I pick up a couple of things before I go and view a set that I knew came off Newton Heath depot. My luck was in as double winners 142029+142050 were sitting in the platform, working the next Kirkby service. I elect to sit in the rear unit for the journey out to Walkden, where I see that things are starting to fall apart.
It was delays aplenty at this point so I work a few things out as I join 150214+150116 back to Salford Crescent. I don't have to wait long before I notice a familiar looking 153 arrive, and I realise it's the one I missed earlier, now on its way back from Clitheroe so I take 153331+150142 back to Manchester Victoria, and I play the waiting game.

I have two possibilities for winning Pacers here, a Blackburn via Todmorden or a Buckshaw Parkway terminator. I stand on the bride, awaiting their arrival and the Buckshaw Parkway train throws out a winnner. It's 142048, coupled to dud 142004, so I head down to it just as the Blackburn train arrives, with I note is winning 142042 coupled to what I think is 142061, another winner! I bolt onto the platform and over the bridge, looking like a madman, to join what was indeed 142042+142061 for the near-hour long trek up to Burnley Manchester Road. I can get back on my plan now, by taking the following ex-York train up to Preston. I see it's got much brighter headlights than usual, and I let out a small chuckle as it's super-dud 158868 that'll be carrying me there.
The fourth diagram on the Colne circuit is identified as 142030, so I take it one stop out to Lostock Hall, where some teenage girls are drinking in the shelter so I forego a photo, before watching them cross the tracks a couple of minutes before 142052 arrives, taking me back to Preston. I need to head back out to Kirkham & Wesham in order to pick up the fifth diagram, so it's over to 142049 to take me there. Once again, I make a beeline for the other platform and make it just as dud 142001 arrives.

Back in Preston, I feel a bit peckish, so I grab a pasty and work out a wee timewasting /phone charging move. I have two possible winning pendolinos heading south, so I can take them to Wigan for some juice before heading back up to Lancaster. The first was dud, so I let it go, and so was the second! But I needed a charge, so I took 390039 anyway for the short hop down to Wigan North Western. A cold wait is endured before 221109 is taken for the 36 mile run way back up to Lancaster.

I spy a Leeds train is due to leave soon, and I work out that I can score Carnforth quite easily and still make my train home. I reckon I'll only go if it's a winner. However it was dud 144014 that showed, so I opted to not bother. 350401 shortly arrived on a Manchester bound train, so I take that winner back to Preston where I picked up a very dud 350409 on the last train to Edinburgh of the evening. I really struggled to stay awake the further north we got, but after about Midcalder junction I started to get my bearings. Waverley station was absolutely dead, and I made my bus home no bother, getting through the door just after 10 past 12.

18 Winning units for haulage on my first trip of the new year isn't too bad, I just hope this good luck continues!

 

[Kite159]

Not a bad day trip to Northern land

 

[87electric]

Enjoyed reading that report. I think quite a few people will be trying to get their last pacers this year.

 

[ash39]

A good read as usual, on more familiar territory for me than some of your more local days out!

So, how many pacers left to chase??

 

[alexf380]

Thanks for your comments, Gents! Yes I suspect those of us with outstanding requirements will be in a hurry to get them in the book.
I need 16 Northern 142s, with 8 144s to boot. The GW and Welsh pacers are a whole other ball game!

 

[ash39]

A couple of days based around Manchester & Darlington/Newcastle should see those off, and a day in Leeds/Sheffield for the 144's.

The Welsh ones are a lot easier to pick off than the Northern ones. Not spread anywhere near as far and wide!

I'm down to three 142's and a handful of 143's, but the last ones are the hardest

 

[route101]

Nice report . Im doing the Wigan Wallgate to Kirkby to get to Liverpool tomorrow to tick off new track . Maybe it will be a pacer .

 

[Kite159]

Agreed with Ash, the Welsh Pacers tend to work mainly in the valleys and the GWR Pacers tend to work the Devon 'Metro' services so in theory should be easier to grab

[Although Cardiff Central - Cardiff Queen Street leaps are a lot harder these days due to both stations gaining additional platforms, when I was hunting down the Welsh pacers both stations were island platforms so it was easy to pull off tight connections]

 

[ash39]

Agreed with Ash, the Welsh Pacers tend to work mainly in the valleys and the GWR Pacers tend to work the Devon 'Metro' services so in theory should be easier to grab

[Although Cardiff Central - Cardiff Queen Street leaps are a lot harder these days due to both stations gaining additional platforms, when I was hunting down the Welsh pacers both stations were island platforms so it was easy to pull off tight connections]

The only other caveat I would add is whilst you might get 14 of the 142's in one visit, sods law may dictate that when you go again 6 months later the one you missed out on first time round might be split in half on Canton depot.

I'm still not over that

 

[alexf380]

Yeah a part of me is anticipating that. I was down there in 2017 on my ALR, picking up 6 or so of each 142 and 143s so there's an outside chance a requirement will be in exam.

 

[Kite159]

The only other caveat I would add is whilst you might get 14 of the 142's in one visit, sods law may dictate that when you go again 6 months later the one you missed out on first time round might be split in half on Canton depot.

I'm still not over that

Or the one you want is pottering in deepest darkest Pembrokeshire

 

[alexf380]

Evening! I've spent the week in London this week with a couple of mates, a completely "norm" trip but a couple of rail opportunities presented themselves.
On Monday morning I scored 43238 & 43257 on the journey down from Edinburgh, and also Leicester Square station and the old Kings Cross Thameslink entrance to the Underground.

Tuesday morning saw us meet a pal for breakfast, so 455874 & 455913 were taken between Vauxhall and Clapham Junction, scoring both stations. 377130 & 377305 were then enjoyed up to Victoria.

On Wednesday, Bank DLR, Woolwich Arsenal DLR and North Greenwich stations were scored.

That was it until 91101 hauled us north on Thursday morning to bring an end to the holiday. 7 winners for haulage to boot was a good result from a non-train event.

 

[Techniquest]

It just sounds so weird to me to hear someone scoring Clapham Junction! It sure sounds like you had a fun time in London though, when I passed through last week it occurred to me I still haven't explored Regent's Park so I'm kind of thinking about a visit to London when the weather warms up a bit. I also still haven't done The Shard, so I'm thinking I may pop down in March after my trip to Sydney.

I also never used LU on my quick visit to London, which just feels weird. It was always mandatory to have a quick spin somewhere on LU on London visits of old, not any more it seems!

Hmm, I'm picturing my Instagram photo collection and the expected photos from London and it's making me want to go right now!

 

[alexf380]

Alex's Walkies
Thursday 14th March 2019

Well folks, it’s that time of year again where I feel inspired to write a trip report or 8. In order to do this, though, we must cast our minds back to March. Thursday 14th to be precise. It was to be another Strathclyde day for me, with shack scratching being the main aim of the day.

It was a leisurely start to the day, waking at my usual time for work, but running out the door to the bus stop instead. I was in town in good time to make the 07:45 Edinburgh to Glasgow Queen St, which was in the hands of a winner 385. A good start, and a busy loading on board 385115+385003, even in the front coach (which was half-way to Haymarket it was so far from the concourse! Not used to 7 car trains up here yet.)

Another thing I’m still not used to is the number of announcements that these trains make! Rather unnecessary if you ask me. Anyway, Queen St was reached one minute early, which didn’t really bother me as the Daytripper isn’t valid until 9 o’clock. The clerk in the temporary travelshop issued it without hassle and I headed downstairs to the low level platforms to await my next move.

Dalmuir was my destination, as I was heading up to scratch the shacks on the North Clyde line that I still need. Double duds 334014+334021 provided some nice semi-fast noise along the way. A couple of photo opportunities arose here as I awaited 318256 to arrive at the same platform for the run to the first score of the day, Dumbarton East. Only 5 minutes to wait here before today’s second red pen event, 320302+320317 pull in.

A random 320 during the photoshoot at Dalmuir.
320322 by Alexander Fleming, on Flickr

I take these up the Balloch branch to Renton, a nice enough station surrounded by houses. I now have a walk up the road on my hands. I’d allowed 45 minutes to walk up the line to Alexandria station via the Aldi next door to pick up some lunch. The walk passes no bother, and as it threatens to rain I spend a little longer than I would otherwise spend choosing my food. I head up to the station in good time for the train (which was late btw) formed of 318258+320307. By this point there are quite a few people waiting for this train and it gets busier and busier as I alight at Dalreoch.

320313 from above at Dalreoch, as it leaves on a Balloch working.
320313 by Alexander Fleming, on Flickr

A fella from my train follows me across the footbridge and into the shelter here, so I elect to walk as far down the platform to join 334020+334039 in the rear coach and guess what…he does that as well! Thankfully he doesn’t see me get off at Craigendoran so I lose him there. Just as well, as I had a 17 minute fester here and the rain was starting to pick up so I didn’t want to venture too far. There really isn’t much to talk about here, so 334039+334020 return from Helensburgh to carry me one stop down the line to Cardross.

The rain has now stopped, so I go for a wander as I have half an hour wait to head in the same direction. It seems like a pleasant enough place with only a few people about. The fester passes quickly enough and it’s 334030 all by itself that takes me back to Dalmuir. A small ten minute interlude here throws out freshly (at the time) converted 320403 to take me up to Kilpatrick. I needed to make the connection here otherwise my plan would be completely ruined for the day. Thankfully, it works as planned and my +4 produces 334027 on a Dumbarton to Cumbernauld working, taking me all the way down to Yoker.

I’ve got no business being here, so 334025 is rapidly taken up to Bowling, where I have another tight connection. Not to a train this time, but to a bus. The Daytripper ticket is valid on a good number of local bus services, and when I was planning this day I saw an opportunity here to beat the train. I have a +6 onto a First Glasgow service 1A which I originally thought I’d missed as we arrived at Bowling 2 late, however the bus is also late and I climb aboard one of Dumbarton depot’s Enviro 300s down to Clydebank Bus Station, a journey time of about twenty minutes.

A nice wee slice of suburbia.
Scotstounhill station by Alexander Fleming, on Flickr

I'm on Clydebank station in no time, as 334025 makes its return from Dumbarton now as it takes me down the line to Scotstounhill. It’s clearly been raining here which makes the greenery look nicer than it otherwise would (see above!) I have a short fester before 320316+318261 (not many winners today at all!) take me on an insect leap to the last required station on this line, Garscadden. It’s an island platform here, which is good as I’ve only got a +2. I make it no bother and I clamber aboard 318252 for some motor coach buzz down to Glasgow Central Low Level.

One coffee run later, I head for a change of scenery as I’ve got time for a couple of Ayrshire shacks before I need to be home. 380022 is had for a decent 35 mile run out to West Kilbride. As this is a single track branch line by this point, I must await its return from Largs before I can get out of here. Sure enough, half an hour later I’m back on board 380022 for a hop down to Stevenston. I’m sure it’s a lovely part of the world, but I don’t go far from the station as 380111 is due any minute, and I take that all the way up to the end of the line at Largs. Fairlie station can wait for another day, and the rain is really battering the coast now so I stay on board for the 4 minute turnaround.

380022 hurries away from West Kilbride.
380022 by Alexander Fleming, on Flickr


Fifteen minutes later, I alight at Ardrossan South Beach, and set off on another walk. It’s much windier now (I can’t wait for summer) and I plod on through the bracing headwind up to Ardrossan Town to wait for the 17:23 all the way back to Glasgow Central, which produced 380104. I can’t remember if I get food here or not as I don’t think I have enough time.

Either way, it’s back down to the low level platforms as darkness begins to fall. 318262, yet another dud, takes me out to Anniesland where, you guessed it, I set out on a walk. I still had one station to visit on the Maryhill line, and I nearly get lost along the way, but eventually I get my bearings and find the right road, and reach Kelvindale with about ten minutes to spare.

Surprisingly, it’s 170413 that is on the Glasgow bound 19:09 tonight. I didn’t expect a 170 here, but I gladly take the opportunity to give my phone a quick burst of charge. Arrival into Queen Street is on time at 19:28, and because by this point the E-G line is half-hourly, I elect to not risk the +2 connection here and instead head straight downstairs to await an Airdrie-Bathgate train. Luckily, this proved to be a good decision as I stumble across only the sixth winner of the day. 334035+334015 are my chariots for the 44 miles back to Edinburgh.

The end of the day's bashing; 170413 on the blocks at Queen Street.
170413 by Alexander Fleming, on Flickr

Not a very red-penny day today, but a good number of shacks scratched. Stay tuned for more!

 

[alexf380]

Alex's Spirit Level
Day 1: It's a sprint, not a marathon
Tuesday 7th May 2019

I’m going to skip April for the time being. It was a really good two-day trip to Manchester, and then South Wales, but I still need to process the photos from that one, so I’ll come back to it later. That means it’s straight onto May, and that brought with it a week of annual leave. I knew I didn’t want to just do four days of local stuff, so I set about planning a Spirit of Scotland trip. Honestly, this was the best idea I’ve had in a long time. It was a fantastic week and I’d recommend one to anyone who hasn’t done one yet.

I had two main areas of interest; the far south west, and the north east. Day 1 was spent in the former. In order to get there, I’d planned to be on the 08:10 Transpennine from Edinburgh. In fact, only one of the days had a planned start before 8 o’clock, so I ended up not feeling very tired at all throughout the trip. 350407 was on the TP service this morning. I had been hoping for one of my three requirements from this fleet group, but no such luck was had. I take this to Carlisle, where the rover is indeed still valid (it’s valid as far south as Berwick on the east coast.)

I was Dumfries bound next, and as the inward working arrived, I knew it was to be a winner. Yes, one of quite a few Scotrail sprinter requirements was 156434 on the 09:57. Unfortunately, as we arrive at Gretna Green station, I notice that my planned connection at Annan had been cancelled. I work out the best course of action which is, of course, to stay on as far as Dumfries and endure the 100 odd minute wait. I go for a walk around the town, find a Greggs and get some food, and try to kill some time. In the end, I head back to the station with about twenty minutes left to find 156434 still sitting there. A diagram swap means that it’ll be taking me north on my next train.

156434 takes a break at Dumfries.
156434 by Alexander Fleming, on Flickr

11:50 comes and goes and we set off up the line. I alight this time, at Auchinleck, into the driving rain. I get soaked on my walk to the other platform, and eat my lunch in the shelter, and await the arrival of the next southbound working. Half an hour later, winning 156492 arrives to take me on the twenty-minute journey to sunny Sanquhar (pronounced San-ker). I give way to a horse and rider on my way over to the other platform and set about some work to fill the +45 fester.

My next port of call was via dud 156512, and I was off to Kirkconnel. I was worried about this station, as the connection time wasn’t great. Thankfully, my fears were dumbfounded, and I make the move onto equally as dud 156514 with no hassle. I go off plan here, and head for one of the stations I missed this morning. You see, I figured I could leave New Cumnock for a day when I was attacking the Kilmarnock area shacks as it’s within the Daytripper validity area. Annan and Gretna, unsurprisingly, aren’t so I wanted to make sure I got those two scored today.

LED Station lighting and semophore signals in the same photo as 156512 leaves Kirkconnel, bound for Glasgow.
156512 by Alexander Fleming, on Flickr

Annan was my destination of choice, where I have a short wait for 156492, freshly dud from earlier, to take me back to Dumfries. Here, I meet the unit that was swapped earlier, and I’m pleased to see that it’s a winner. I just have to wait for it to be fired up. It was to be 156511 that took me on my last Sprinter trip of the day, the 16:02 to Carlisle. I take this out to Gretna Green, for a little something different. I get a little bit confused about which way I’m meant to be walking to the town but I get my bearings soon enough, and eventually I find the right bus stop. I was aiming for a 382 worked by McCall’s coaches. I was expecting some MCV type single decker, but what I got was something completely different. Round the corner comes this big DAF coach, offering a free ride as it wasn’t fitted with a ticket machine.

Everyone on board seemed to know the driver, so we all had a wee chat, which made the journey pass that little bit quicker, even if the coach didn’t keep to the timetable. We were about 15 minutes late by the time we got to Lockerbie, something which I had hoped wouldn’t happen as the connection time was already tighter than I would have liked. If I miss the train here, it’s an hour until the next one north. The driver informed me of the best stop to alight at for Lockerbie station and I make it onto the platform with a couple of moments to spare as thankfully, 350409 is also running late on the 17:33 Glasgow Central. I take it all the way to the end of its journey, where I take a moment to get some food, as that sandwich at Auchinleck was a loooong time ago!

KFC is sourced just across from Central station, before I set my sights for Queen Street station and the 19:15 Edinburgh. Tonight, it’s in the hands of double winners 385118+385015. Score! I take the single seat table outside the first class section on 115 and settle down for my journey homeward, arriving into Edinburgh almost 12 hours to the minute since I left this morning!

Not a bad day, if a little annoying having to lose a station to gain two, but it’s an easy enough fix. I'll leave you with this photo of two Sprinter friends at Dumfries. Onwards, to the North East!

Dumfries by Alexander Fleming, on Flickr

 

[alexf380]

Alex's Spirit Level
Day 2: Slicing and Dyce-ing
Wednesday 8th May 2019

Day two was upon us in no time at all, and with it came the rain. It was a horribly grey day practically all day long (as you will tell from the photos) but there were shacks to be scored, so I wasted no time in getting up and about. My first train wasn’t until 09:30, so I had time to make my way into town in a leisurely manner to meet 43021+43026 on the Aberdeen train. Of note on this service, is the First class coach is completely out of use due to a door fault, and one of the standard coaches is in darkness with an electrical fault, so we essentially have a two coach train. A further blow is dealt when I try to get a drink from the non-existent trolley.

That aside, it’s still a fairly pleasant journey on this classic HST set, and I take no pleasure in alighting at my first shack score of the day, Montrose. It’s really raining here, and as I head off in search of food from the local Tesco I get soaked. The waiting room at Montrose is on the southbound platform, with very little facilities heading north, so I had to keep an eye out for my train coming from Glasgow. Surprisingly, it arrives into Montrose 5 or so minutes early, so I take a stroll over to meet 43138+43144 and take a seat, this time in a fully functioning rake of carriages!

43138 at Aberdeen.
43138 by Alexander Fleming, on Flickr

Aberdeen is reached 50 minutes later and I only just have time to buy a coffee (finally!) before I wander over to the awaiting 158731 on the Dyce shuttles today. It had been my intention to score both Dyce and Inverurie today, but I must have got my dates confused as the blockade between the two stations had already commenced, and I didn’t fancy using the replacement bus to come straight back the way I came. I still need the rest of the shacks between Inverurie and Inverness though, so it’ll be easy enough to pick up in the future. Anyway, Dyce is reached in no time at all, and I go off in search of some onward transport.

I have two hours now to get lunch and sample some of Aberdeen’s bus network (not going to lie, I wanted a shot of a bendy bus, don’t have those in Edinburgh!) before heading back to the station to head south a bit. Super dud 158735 was on the 15:17 Montrose shuttle, and somewhere in between boarding at Aberdeen and alighting at Laurencekirk the sun went away and the rain came out. There’s not even a waiting room at Laurencekirk, which I found odd for such a new station, but it wasn’t long before 170403 arrived and whisked me two stops up the line to Portlethen.

170403 by Alexander Fleming, on Flickr

This station has received a much improved service with these shuttles running, going from less than 10 trains a day to almost hourly. It was a nice enough place to spend twenty minutes, observing the passing Turbostars, before 158729 arrived on a random Stonehaven terminator to take me to…well…Stonehaven.

The aforementioned Stonehaven terminator.
158729 by Alexander Fleming, on Flickr

Now, I’m sure Stonehaven is a lovely place, but having walked for at least ten minutes before seeing anything that remotely hints to a town centre, I cut my losses and went back to the station. Realistically, I have two options to get back to Aberdeen, I can take the approaching 158, or hang fire for an unknown unit from down south. I think it better to get on the move and join 158735 for the second time today back to Aberdeen.

There’s just time to grab some dinner before watching the empties for the evening Leeds train plod out of the depot, with a winner in the formation. That’ll do nicely, I think to myself, as a familiar looking 170 arrived on the Dyce-Stonehaven service. It’s 170395, which is the last of the Hull Trains batch to sit below ten miles. A run on this will take it comfortably over that mark, so I take it to the end of its working at Stonehaven in tranquillity as when it arrives at Aberdeen, everyone gets off and heads over to the Montrose train that leaves ten minutes before this one!

Welcome to the club, 170395!
170395 by Alexander Fleming, on Flickr

Stonehaven is reached in no time, and I await the arrival of the Leeds train, which is being run by 43307+43311, for some LNER type power all the way down to Edinburgh. I could have bailed at one or two stops en route to fall back onto a Scotrail service but I don’t really fancy it, the weather had kind of got me down today, so I opt for some open droplight action as we cross the Forth Bridge. Much better! Arrival into Edinburgh is just before 9pm and I just have time to nip to the lavatory before making a beeline for the bus home.

Not an awful day, with 6 more stations in the bag in a part of the country where there are no day rovers. Day 3 is a much better day with sun, sea and sprinters galore. Watch this space!

 

[Highlandspring]

There’s not even a waiting room at Laurencekirk, which I found odd for such a new station

There’s a heated waiting room with accessible toilet on the Down platform in the former station building.

 

[55013]

Grand stuff.
I must get back to Scotland soon, I'm missing it.