Back on the platform

[The_Train]

I believe WMT are only getting the 8x 172/0s from London, the 4x 172/1s are staying with Chiltern for the time being

Ah yes, so they are. Ah well chasing 4 around the Chiltern area should be fun anyway

 

[The_Train]

I notice Mr.Train continues to try to boost his numbers by noting track machines and unpowered carriages, which will also cause confusion for the day-total sweepstake. . Ah well, at least it was a good start and I look forward to being further entertained by the rest of the day's shenanigans.

Haha a part of the day I omitted was when I took a wrong turn out of New Street and ended up next to a tram stop. Gutted I didn't get any numbers as I was too busy trying to get my bearings

 

[NorthWestRover]

I recorded the numbers of three Metrolink (Manchester) trams I went on yesterday.

 

[Kite159]

And I wonder if Mr Skymonster would log the Tyne & Wear Metro stock seeing as it has its own TOCS number and runs on Network Rail metals (Pelaw Junction to South of Sunderland)

 

[Skymonster]

And I wonder if Mr Skymonster would log the Tyne & Wear Metro stock seeing as it has its own TOCS number and runs on Network Rail metals (Pelaw Junction to South of Sunderland)

Indeed he would - a trip to Geordieland is already under consideration, but probably not until next year as it's oop north and I don't really do cold.

 

[03_179]

Why not record all sightings:
Track machines.
Coaches.
Trams.
Tyne & Wear.
Parry People Movers.
etc.

All run on rails .... all have numbers ....

 

[Skymonster]

Why not record all sightings:
All run on rails .... all have numbers ....

And wagons too then?

Reminds me of this - not my vid but a bit of fun from someone I know:

 

[03_179]

LMAO ... I've seen some people doing that movement at stations ... Mostly they use the dictaphones though

 

[Kite159]

And wagons too then?

Reminds me of this - not my vid but a bit of fun from someone I know:

I think there is a few who go down to wagon level as they have seen everything else

 

[The_Train]

Haha that's a regular movement at my local. There are quite a few there who chase wagons and, as @Kite159 says, it's purely because they have very little else left to see

 

[03_179]

Once Wagons have been don its ......







Buses

 

[Skymonster]

I don't know about 'back on he platform' - seems to me like @The_Train must have fallen off the platform somewhere between Moor Street and Reading...

 

[Kite159]

I don't know about 'back on he platform' - seems to me like @The_Train must have fallen the platform somewhere between Moor Street and Reading...

Give Mr Train time to write up his notes from the day at Reading, where I'm led to believe the WH Smiths sold out of pens

 

[The_Train]

Thursday 11th October 2018 - Reading numbers in Reading


Part 3 - 'Riving into Reading

I left you at the end of part 2 as I headed towards my first ever journey from the power of a class 68 (@Mills444 & @47403 I wasn't ignoring you, I just wanted to save my answers to your questions for this post ). I climbed aboard via the door next to the 68 loco which was purring beautifully as it waited to push us south and I have to admit I was immediately taken by the amazing lighting in the Chiltern coaches. With a first big plus ticked off I decided to sit in the very rear seat to be as close to the beast as possible and as soon as my rear end hit the seat I was truly amazed by the comfort - I don't think I've experienced such comfort on any train I've ever travelled on. The plug socket was immediately put into use to get my phone back to full power and we were soon away from Moor Street as the growling cat pushed us slowly into the Birmingham suburbs before really powering us on our way. Getting back into the hobby I genuinely thought I'd find it hard to like the newer traction but the class 68 is something else and it was a pleasure to be shoved along by it - and you really could feel the shove from the rear coach (I imagine regular travellers would have found it slightly erratic at times but I loved every minute).

Anyway back to the main purpose of my trip, hunting winners, but as with my previous trip, Tyseley offered no hope of spotting most of the units. However, it did throw up a HST set (minus one of its power cars) with the remaining power car being dud 43357. I did manage to bag the Tyseley shunter this time around though so that's 08616 into the book. I continued enjoying the sounds coming from behind me and it was at Leamington Spa that I got to enjoy the sight of a 68 working towards Birmingham and as a plus it was needed 68013 with dud DVT 82301 at the rear. The same station also offered up 165017 but that was all until Banbury arrived all too quickly where I departed the 68 and was able to immediately log 165009. Little else happened at Banbury and I was relieved to be moving out of there, even if it was a very busy Voyager in the form of 220007 - annoyingly the 2nd haulage of the day that I'd experienced previously. I found a seat, albeit not much reserved seat, but thankfully the service thinned out a bit at Reading so I was able to move to the left hand side and bag a window seat which would prove beneficial as we entered the Reading area. It was actually Oxford that threw up my next pair of winners thanks to 168215 and 165124 but it wasn't until we hit the approach to Reading that my pen entered overdrive with Reading Traincare being extremely busy with the first notable thing being the overnight Sleeper set resting up with 57605 and 57603 at either end. Away from the set was 57602 but here as a guest also was 57306 and sat between all of these was the resident shunter, 08336. I'd feared that the Sleeper set might have blocked a lot of the units but there were still plenty to see with 165117 going into the book before a raft of 387s joined it, these being 162, 169, 167, 150, 137 & 164. I was into double figures for winners at Reading before I'd even got off the train but it wasn't long after that I was on the platform and trying to get my head around this vast space. Here is the final steed of my outward journey as it heads back out the way we entered
XC Voyager Class 220 220007 at Reading by The_Train

The first winner on Reading platform was 43190 with 43172 in support but this HST set did block my view of the number of the first 59 of my day. A bit of investigative work found it to be 59201 as it worked an Acton to Merehead train. 387157 was my first sighting of this class working away from the depot and then it was a pair of IETs as 800305 and 800306 passed through. By now I'd settled on the London end of platforms 10 and 11 (my mind made up by the group of spotters already based there) and having grabbed a large latte, having not had a coffee since Stafford I was very much in need, I was soon scribbling away. 387132 was duly logged before my first South Western winners were entered with 458534 and 458508 - I was grateful to the gent who I'd got chatting to who was armed with binoculars otherwise these units would have proven to be problematic. It was also a pain when these blocked the 165s but I guess you can't have everything at a place the size of Reading. 43191 and 43162 were the next power cars to be noted with 165105 following very closely behind. The pairing up of the 387s makes things a lot easier and it was 387149 and 387154 that were next in the book, 800314 quickly following before another pair of 387s in the form of 158 and 168. 165110 was followed up by another winning HST set, this time power cars 43197 and 43093 doing the honours

GWR HST power car 43197 arrives into Reading by The_Train

Just as this HST set arrived into platform 9, it's replacement unit arrived into platform 10 in the form of 800014 and 800019 paired up and it offered a decent pic of the old and the new of the GWR fleet

The old and new of the GWR fleet at Reading by The_Train

I'd feared that I'd left my trip too late to see a good chunk of the GWR HSTs but I was being proven wrong very early into my time at Reading as 43015 and 43070 becoming the 4th set I'd seen in my short time in the area. 387144 was next in the book with 800025 not far behind and more South Western 458s in the form of 518 and 515. The first of the 802 fleet was next to get the treatment as 802004 went into the book before another pair of 800s were ticked off as 800017 and 800014 came by working in tandem. The 59s weren't letting me down either and 59103 was next as it worked north with empty hoppers for Whatley Quarry
Class 59 59103 at Reading by The_Train

More HST action next as 43171 and 43010 passed through with an empty coaching stock move from Worcester to London Paddington before 387142 kept the 387s ticking over. Another 800 went into the book thanks to 800016 before more 387s were ticked off, this time 143 and 131 doing the honours. 800035 and 800006 working in tandem were next to be chalked off and these were quickly followed by 800004 working on its own as it made the journey to Paddington
GWR IET 800004 pauses at Reading by The_Train

Another 387, this time 387171, heading into the book and this was followed by another SWT double unit in the form of 458502 and 458528 before 800015 headed by on route to the capital. More of the glorious sight that is a HST set with 43097 and 43160 heading off to Worcester before I was hit with my first dud since arriving at Reading as 387132 ended my run of 61 consecutive winners. Not to be put off, I was soon celebrating more success and it was thanks to the ever reliable HST as 43025 and 43018 came by before the modern units wanted some action and a tandem working of 800s, in the form of 029 and 020, added to the ever increasing list of winners. 165113 soon entered the book as it terminated at Reading having formed a stopper from Redhill with 43004 and 43088 following suit before another 'Turbo' got in on the act with 165114 doing the honours this time as it headed towards Basingstoke. The IETs just kept on coming and it was the turn of 800315 to enter the book next before another tandem working of the 387s added 387166 and 387134 to the list of successes for the day. My first dud IET came next as 800305 made its 2nd appearance of the day but it was soon back to the winners as 43122 and 43154 passed by with a working to Paddington before the Waterloo diagram threw up more 458 success with 536 and 520 being chalked off this time. 800302 was next before we got back to a bit of freight action with DB 66091 providing the power for a rake of fully loaded hoppers from Whatley Quarry to West Drayton A.R.C
DB class 66 66091 passing Reading by The_Train

Yet another tandem working of 378s provided my next winners, 139 and 156 doing the honours, before a sense of royalty appeared in the form of 800003 as it headed towards London having made its way from Cheltenham Spa
Ladies and Gentlemen, I give you the Queen...... by The_Train

I think a royal ending is the perfect way to wrap up part 3 (and because it's now after 11pm and I'm tired) so with another 85 winners (including 79 at Reading in the couple of hours I've been there so far) to go with the 27 from part 2 I'm already at a healthy 112 winners for the day with well over 4 and half hours of my time and the Reading still to go. Surely a repeat of my Doncaster haul is on the cards.......isn't it? Tune back in for part 4 (hopefully to be posted tomorrow at some point)

 

[The_Train]

I don't know about 'back on he platform' - seems to me like @The_Train must have fallen off the platform somewhere between Moor Street and Reading...

Good things come to those who wait Mr Monster It will be a lot easier writing these days up when I'm at a stage when I'm chasing a few solitary units all around the South West

 

[The_Train]

Give Mr Train time to write up his notes from the day at Reading, where I'm led to believe the WH Smiths sold out of pens

Haha, I'm very impressed with my cheap pens from Home Bargains (other retailers are available). I broke one at Nuneaton but since then I've used the same one so it's got stamina. I think I need a rethink on my little notepads though - perfect size to keep in the pocket but too flimsy and looking very worn already. Saw someone with a hardback notepad earlier so that may have to be my next investment

 

[Kite159]

A good trip so far for your book of sights

 

[palmersears]

Good things come to those who wait Mr Monster It will be a lot easier writing these days up when I'm at a stage when I'm chasing a few solitary units all around the South West

Look on the bright side, at least that'll mean you're almost done when you get to that stage!

Good stuff so far in Reading, I note you've already seen the last 59 I need

 

[47403]

Glad to hear you enjoyed a bit cat thrash, bit of a come down, having to leave it for the Vomit Comet but even I'd have suffered it, for the sake of the book of sights. Talking of which, sounds like a very productive trip for the infamous book.
I knew you'd see at least one of the 59/1s, I can't stress how much they avoid me but I don't begrudge you Mr Train, I'll get them eventually(he says through gritted teeth).
As usual a great read. Look forward to the rest.

 

[Skymonster]

Doing well in Biscuit Town - looking forward to pt.4

 

[The_Train]

Glad to hear you enjoyed a bit cat thrash, bit of a come down, having to leave it for the Vomit Comet but even I'd have suffered it, for the sake of the book of sights. Talking of which, sounds like a very productive trip for the infamous book.
I knew you'd see at least one of the 59/1s, I can't stress how much they avoid me but I don't begrudge you Mr Train, I'll get them eventually(he says through gritted teeth).
As usual a great read. Look forward to the rest.

It was a bit of a come down to get off the Chiltern service and on to a Voyager. To be honest the Chiltern coaches are exactly how train travel should be and the Voyagers are probably everything that it shouldn't be

 

[Kite159]

But sadly for Banbury -> Oxford voyagers are the main option, unless you time your trip to make use of the 2-hourly GWR stopper to Didcot, or time the Chilterns to double back at Haddenham & Thame Parkway

 

[03_179]

I knew you'd see at least one of the 59/1s, I can't stress how much they avoid me but I don't begrudge you Mr Train, I'll get them eventually(he says through gritted teeth).

Funnily enough ... I see a lot of 59s (they pass Selhurst all too often) I want to more other stuff but means a trip out each time.
One man's famine is another man's feast

 

[The_Train]

Thursday 11th October 2018 - Reading numbers in Reading

Part 4 - Celebrity Hunting

Having had a fruitful start to my time at Reading, surely my run of winners would start to dry up at some point. Maybe they would, but not right now as we continue the story with 59102 rolling through working from Allington A.R.C to Whatley Quarry before 800034 got in on the fun and games. Next it was back to the little Turbo machines as 165108 went into the book with another tandem working of 800s not far behind and this time it was 022 and 005 heading into the book. My fears that I would be faced with duds as the afternoon wore on were so far being cast aside as proven with another tandem working, 387146 and 387172 doing the honours this time and they were cast even further aside when I managed to get another class up and running as 450007 and 450020 arriving with a service from Waterloo. For the first time since Birmingham many hours before, I was now suddenly faced with 2 duds in a row but after breathing into a brown paper bag I pulled myself together just in time to log 387136 which was quickly followed by 43023 and 43030 which were working a Hereford to London Paddington service
GWR 43023 departing from Reading by The_Train

4 duds came by next, although 2 were HSTs and let's face it they are good to look at whether they are a winner or not, and it would take more HST action to bag my next winners with 43041 and 43086 providing the magic before 165112 became the next of its class to end up in the book. There were still more IETs for me to see and thankfully they kept on turning up with more double trouble as 800011 and 800033 came by working towards South Wales and then it was back to the bays as I bagged my second lot of 450s with 019 and 083 arriving from the capital. These were quickly followed by 165109 which departed platform 11 heading towards Paddington
GWR Class 165 165109 at Reading by The_Train

More HST fun next as 43092 and 43147 were chalked off before another 59 kept things ticking over with 59002 working it's way to Whatley Quarry
59002 at Reading by The_Train
59002 at Reading by The_Train

The ever reliable HSTs were proving equally reliable to me and 43193 and 43187 were next to get the bold treatment as they worked south to Paddington
GWR HST power car 43187 departing Reading by The_Train

I'd been hit with quite a few 387 duds over the previous half hour or so but they suddenly burst into life and 387151, 159 and 135 went into the book in quick succession. More South Western action was next on the agenda and it was more 450s on the scene with 034 and 092 finding their way into the book before 800024 became my first IET winner for a while. It was the next HST set that really stirred the excitement, not for 43016 on the front (even though it was a winner) but for British Rail InterCity 125 liveried 43002 which was on the rear as it pulled into platform 8
BR InterCity 125 liveried 43002 arriving into Reading by The_Train

800010 was the next of its class to head into the book but winners were starting to become more and more rare as time went on. 43029 was my next winner but it's partner 43189 turned out to be a dud having been sighted during my trip to Leicester when it was being moved from Wabtec back to Laira
IET Class 800 800010 at Reading by The_Train

(I genuinely took a picture of 800010 purely because of its name )

Anyway, the fun continued and even though duds were becoming more apparent than winners, there were still winners to be had, starting with 800310 and quickly followed by another HST set with 43063 and 43087 getting the treatment. My number of 165s was slowly increasing and this was helped by 165111. A pair of dud 458s had also arrived from Waterloo and my friend for the day advised me that we'd probably seen everything out on that particular run for today so we decided to wander up to the opposite end to see if anything was due off the depot. After a quick comfort break we made it up to the other end just in time to see another 59 roll up as 59205 came to a halt at the signal. I'd already spotted a good photo opportunity for when it got its path but having waited a while, I received a phone call I thought I needed to take (I didn't) and while the person on the other end was babbling to me, the 59 was given its path and the opportunity was gone. Still it was nice to bag another 59, which takes my running tally to 6 with what I'd seen through the day here along with the one I'd seen at Nuneaton. 800307 was next into the book before 387138 and 387170 joined it, having come off the depot, and not wanting to be left out 165101 got in on the act. There was still more 165 action to go in the book and it was the turn of 165137 this time before 165116 and 165120 came off the depot and straight into my book. 387155 and 387153 were swiftly chalked off as was 165118 before another tandem working of IETs brought success thanks to 800008 and 800028. I was also able to bag 387152 and 387173 working towards Didcot Parkway and these were swiftly followed by 800026 and 800031 heading in the opposite direction towards Paddington
'Electrostar' Class 387 387152 at Reading by The_Train

My friend for the day had decided to call it a day by now so it was back to just me for the last couple of hours which I begun by grabbing a nice big latte and heading back to the London end of the station. Even though I was getting towards my 10th hour of spotting for the day, Reading was still churning up winners and I was eating away nicely at the GWR IET stocks and this continued thanks to 802101 and then soon after 800009. 165104 was also added to the long list of winners as was 458532 which proved my decision to swap ends to be a good one. There was still more 800s to see and 800007 and 800023 were duly noted before 387148 was also added before we had another celebrity appearance as 43078 headed towards London with InterCity Swallow liveried 43185 at the rear
IC Swallow liveried 43185 leaves Reading by The_Train

After the excitement of seeing proper traction in proper livery, it was back to the modern stocks with the 800 winners continuing to rise with 800032 and 800036 being next to hit the notepad, before I was blessed with yet more 59 action with 59104 taking me to my target of seeing 6 of this class during my outing to Reading
Class 59 59104 passing Reading by The_Train

The next half hour was all about HSTs and my number of winners improved dramatically as I bagged no less than 6 new power cars in quick succession with 43053, 43071, 43020, 43024, 43094 & 43027 all going into the book. Time was now ticking towards my departure time but there was still time for more freight action, unfortunately this started with dud 66085 but 800313 soon made up for that by adding itself to my book. The next 66 was a little bit better for me as 66416 came by working a Bristol to London Gateway Freightliner and then it was own to the 387s to offer me a few final winners with 387140 and 387145 working a tandem service and proving to be my final winners of my time at Reading. All that was left was for me to endure a journey home on a Voyager with 221129 providing that torture although I did at least manage to get my reserved seat which turned out to be a table seat as well which was a bonus. I spent the journey home logging my finds for the day onto SpotLog and then looking intelligent by doing the sudoku puzzles in the paper and before I knew it we were arriving back to Stafford where I hung around to see a couple of dud 66s and a dud 70 before finishing the day by chalking off another track machine as DR98962 passed by with a late night working northbound. Here is the, now, standard blurry picture of my final haulage for the day
XC Voyager Class 221 221129 departs Stafford by The_Train

So that's the curtain down on another outing and Reading was a very worthwhile and productive outing and one I would recommend to anyone, particularly those needing plenty of GWR stuff.

Sight Summary

Winners: 191
Classes completed: N/A
Sub classes completed: x2 - 172/2 & 172/3

Haulage Summary

Winners: 3
Total Mileage: 244 miles
Classes completed: N/A
Sub classes completed: N/A

 

[The_Train]

But sadly for Banbury -> Oxford voyagers are the main option, unless you time your trip to make use of the 2-hourly GWR stopper to Didcot, or time the Chilterns to double back at Haddenham & Thame Parkway

To be honest, barring the obvious overcrowding issues, I've never had problems with the Voyagers but for some reason I found them difficult to travel on this time around. In particular with the direct trek from Reading on the journey home as I actually felt a little nauseous by the time I got off, and that's something I've never experienced from train travel before

 

[fishquinn]

But sadly for Banbury -> Oxford voyagers are the main option, unless you time your trip to make use of the 2-hourly GWR stopper to Didcot, or time the Chilterns to double back at Haddenham & Thame Parkway

I'm pleased to say that I've never had a voyager between Banbury and Oxford so have just timed it for the GWR or, if more convenient, done the short walk across Bicester between North and Village. Neither are a huge hardship to be honest but it is a bit of a pain.

 

[Keith Jarrett]

Looks like the book of sights had a pretty good session at Reading. Save for the London termini, there's not that many places that you can go now and bag nigh on 200 winners in a day

Not sure if 387109 is a typo as that's a white unit normally found running out of Kings Cross

 

[The_Train]

Looks like the book of sights had a pretty good session at Reading. Save for the London termini, there's not that many places that you can go now and bag nigh on 200 winners in a day

Yeah I've actually been thinking about where to go next and the only places that came to mind for large volume winners are, as you say, the London termini and maybe Scotland? I have still got to eat into the Northern and Merseyrail stuff which I've earmarked a Cheshire Day ranger for trips around Manchester and Liverpool. Sheffield and Leeds are on the cards as well, purely to bag the 20s out on RHTT duty and because I keep being told that Leeds will keep me busy.

Not sure if 387109 is a typo as that's a white unit normally found running out of Kings Cross

You are indeed correct. It was actually 387169 but I'd not completed the 6 properly in my notepad and it looked like a 0. I've now amended my final results as 387169 had been seen earlier in the day

 

[NorthWestRover]

I have still got to eat into the Northern and Merseyrail stuff which I've earmarked a Cheshire Day ranger for trips around Manchester and Liverpool.

You can get the 67 for haulage on that. Manchester to Warrington or Chester (or vice versa).

 

[Mills444]

Seems like that was a fruitful visit to Reading there weren't many turbos kicking about there did you get to see the 2 turbos on the Basingstoke's