Back on the platform

[Kite159]

The code will look like this (without the ## signs)

[url##=https##://flic.kr/p/28fZbh7][img##] https##://farm2.##staticflickr.com/1808/42832776822_edec672258.jpg[/##img][##/url][url##=https##://flic.##kr/p/28fZbh7]143611 pausing at Crediton signal box[/url##] by [url##=https##://www.flickr##.com/photos/27666294@N02/]Kite[/url##], on Flickr

 

[The_Train]

To put photos into your postings from Flickr you need to do it this way:

Click on the photo you want in photostream, look below it to the right and there are a series of icons, the second one being an arrow that points to the right.
Left click on that and a box comes up; select "BB Code".
At the bottom is a drop-down list of sizes (I use medium 640x480).
An address appears above this.
Then, just copy that and paste it into the appropriate place in your report.

Hope that's reasonably clear, although I'm not sure I've described it very well.

Seems clear to me, I will have another go at it later on. Thanks very much

 

[The_Train]

The code will look like this (without the %% signs)

[url%%=https://flic.kr/p/28fZbh7][img%%] https://farm2.staticflickr.com/1808...url%%][url%%=https://flic.kr/p/28fZbh7]143611 pausing at Crediton signal box[/url%%] by [url%%=https://www.flickr.com/photos/27666294@N02/]Kite[/url%%], on Flickr

Thanks Kite, hopefully I can have some photos added to reports later

 

[The_Train]

Stafford - Friday 6th July 2018

Having enjoyed my first venture out just 2 days earlier, I was back on more regular ground as I had some time to spend at Stafford on yet another lovely sunny day. It's the first time I'd really planned a day out around a particular movement so my main aim for today's outing was to catch sight of the 56 movement to Longport and then to try and finish off the 220 and 221 sets.

It was an early start at Stoke but a positive one as 350127 got me off to a winning start before 220013 edged me closer to one of my targets of the day. Just 3 of the 220s left to see now. 153383 kept my early morning success rate at 50% before already seen 220015 provided my haulage for the first time as I headed to the sacred land that is Stafford. If I thought Stoke-on-Trent had been kind to me (not many people ever say that), it threw up an extra surprise as 325003 was stabled outside of the carriage works to take my Stoke wins to 4 in just a half hour stint.

Positively buoyed by this start, I arrived into Stafford at around 9am and was rewarded with a quick success thanks to my modern favourite class as 68029 came thundering through with empty ballast wagons before the 66s started with 516 being my opening success of the day
66516 @ Stafford by The_Train

My successes started to wane a little so I decided to head into town to stretch my legs and grab a latte and hope that this changed my luck a little. My arrival back at the station was met with much of the same until my penultimate 221 Voyager arrived in the form of 221132 on the 1M30 Bournemouth to Manchester Piccadilly service
Penultimate 221232 @ Stafford by The_Train

I was nearly there with both the 220 and 221 units and my targets for the day were suddenly looking achievable and to further enhance this (after winner departmental DR73948 passed through), my next success was indeed the 0M70 Leicester to Longport move of class 56s. It was all about the 56s and the rake of photographers at either end of Stafford station proved this, but for me an added bonus was winner 66769 at the helm pulling 56037, 56311, 56032 and 56031 slowly into platform 5
66769 hauling 56s through Stafford by The_Train
56311 @ Stafford by The_Train
56032 @ Stafford by The_Train

Friday 6th July seemed to be the day for departmental movements through Stafford and DR77904 was my next winner quickly followed by DR73114 which was attached to the rear. Next up was another departmental double as DR77909 and DR73120 passed through on their way to Westbury followed by DR73929 which made a fleeting visit to the goods line before heading into the sidings at the south end of the station
DR73929 @ Stafford by The_Train

350249 broke the run of departmental only successes as I continued to chip away at the 350 sets but this would prove to be the start of a lull as it took an hour and a half for 66558 to become my next winner of the day. My spirits were lifted further by a pleasant surprise as Anglia liveried 90015 made a special guest appearance in the Midlands as she headed to Crewe electric
Anglia 90015 @ Stafford by The_Train

66085 was my next winner, being dragged through Stafford by dud 67030 before another lull set in, this time for nearly 2 hours
66085 behind 67030 @ Stafford by The_Train

As my quest to complete the Voyagers nears its end, I am becoming more and more reliant on the loco hauled services that pass through Stafford and for the next hour it was all about the 66s. First came 66520 pulling the Hayes & Hayton to Crewe tarmac train before 66184 made it a quickfire double. 66587 soon followed to keep my collection of 66s ticking over and then a 45 minute period of duds was ended with an absolute beauty as the 6K50 1513 Toton North Yard to Crewe Basford Hall engineers train was hauled into Stafford by BR Blue Large Logo liveried 66789 with 66726 providing plenty of support
66789 and 66726 enter Stafford station by The_Train

66542 completed the run of successful 66s before a double headed freightliner consisting of 86628 and 86613 passed by to add to my winners. The evening session was proving to be very fruitful and this continued as we neared 6pm thanks to winner 66051 and even though cloud cover had appeared the sun continued to shine as shown on dud 66756 as it was held in P4 before heading south towards Dagenham with the cars
66756 enjoying the sun at Stafford by The_Train

Next a triple headed mail train yielded success in the form of 325001 and 325014 with only 325004 proving to be a dud before 66561 was to be my next winner as it ran light through to Crewe Basford Hall
66561 light engine @ Stafford by The_Train

Having had a quiet afternoon with regards to passenger units, suddenly my 350 coffers were boosted thanks to winners 350244 and 350261 forming the evening 8 car London Euston to Crewe service. These were followed by a lovely surprise in the form of 2x West Midlands Railways class 170s thanks to some trespassing in the West Midlands area causing cancellations on the Rugeley to New Street lines. 170511 and 170503 adding to the XC 170s I'd picked up at Tamworth
170503 and 170511 make a surprise visit to Stafford by The_Train

350101 would prove to be my final winner of a successful day before I got my first haulage on 221136 for my journey back north.

My stats
Successes today: 39
Completed sets today: None
My day rating: 4/5 as missed out on 2 of my minor targets

Stafford stats
Stafford rating: 5/5 (plenty of activity, good variation and always throws up a surprise or 2)
What classes you can expect to see: 66, 68, 70, 86, 88 (I am told twice a day in the week), 90, 220, 221, 350 & 390
Facilities: Shop, Coffee Shop, Toilets (all on P1 plus a new coffee shop on P4) and plenty in the town which is a 5 minute walk from the station

 

[Kite159]

A good day in Stafford for your book of sights

 

[47403]

An excellent day there Mr Train. 39 cops on home turf is brilliant. Think I need 2 of them track machines and 66789 is required for me too. Glad to see you've sussed how to put pics on now. Some good shots on there.

Keep chipping away mate.

 

[The_Train]

A good day in Stafford for your book of sights

Indeed it was, Stafford has certainly been throwing up some surprises lately. There is something about seeing a loco or unit in an unexpected place such as the Anglia 90 I saw at Stafford. Creates a buzz around everyone there.

An excellent day there Mr Train. 39 cops on home turf is brilliant. Think I need 2 of them track machines and 66789 is required for me too. Glad to see you've sussed how to put pics on now. Some good shots on there.

Keep chipping away mate.

The track machines were definitely an unexpected bonus, particularly as there were so many on the move. Is that to be expected on a Friday as they are moved to correct locations for weekend works or was it just luck?

I'm quite happy with how most of my photos have come out to be honest. Considering I'm using my phone to take them and in most cases the sun has meant me being unable to see anything other than my reflection in the screen, I'm impressed there has been anything to see in any of the photos. I think long term I may invest in some sort of starter pack with regards to camera equipment.

I have a couple more reports to catch up on but non-train related things are taking precedence at the moment so will get them up as and when I can.

Thanks for reading guys

 

[03_179]

If you're noting numbers and are keeping track (pardon the pun) of them. If you have an Android phone you can use a FREE app called SPOTLOG.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=info.rail3d.spotlog

Best app out there to be honest.

 

[The_Train]

If you're noting numbers and are keeping track (pardon the pun) of them. If you have an Android phone you can use a FREE app called SPOTLOG.

https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=info.rail3d.spotlog

Best app out there to be honest.

Yeah I already use it but thanks for the tip. Seems to be well updated and is definitely easy to use. I also like the fact that it gives instant information regarding whether you've logged a winner or a dud without the need to trawl through past records.

I'd also definitely recommend this app to anyone logging numbers.

 

[03_179]

Yeah I already use it but thanks for the tip. Seems to be well updated and is definitely easy to use. I also like the fact that it gives instant information regarding whether you've logged a winner or a dud without the need to trawl through past records.

I'd also definitely recommend this app to anyone logging numbers.

We try to keep all the datasets up to date; UK and Europe.

Also using your phone it's a bit more discrete

 

[The_Train]

We try to keep all the datasets up to date; UK and Europe.

Oh, I didn't realise you were part of the setup. Good work on the app and good work on the shameless sales plug on my thread

In all seriousness it is a great tool to have. Always a good idea to take your charger if planning a long day though, particularly if anyone else's phone battery is as bad as mine.

Also using your phone it's a bit more discrete

This is maybe a trivial thing for most but to be fair I am sure there are lots of people who want to trainspot but are put off by the perceived stigma of standing on a platform with a pen and paper so this would definitely be a plus for those.

 

[Kite159]

Although nothing beats a good backup of having a book being ticked off once you are home

 

[03_179]

Oh, I didn't realise you were part of the setup.

I'm one of the Beta testers and "updaters" as such.

Things like the GPS function is useful (I don't often use it) if you are on a train and pass something you see.

I've actually made a excel spreadsheet that I can type up the traction/stock on a big trip. Then copy to a xml file and import, I am quite "old school" and still use a pen and book if doing a day out, but if just a local trip then I use the app.

It's also handy to work out what ones I've had for haulage, and photographed.

MRG is the originator of the app and has done an excellent job. He's making a iPhone version as well.

I like being able to back up the files and upload them to the net and use the webapp as well.

 

[The_Train]

Although nothing beats a good backup of having a book being ticked off once you are home

That was one thing I've mentioned before about using apps. As a kid the marking off what I'd seen was as exciting as the actual day out and I did kind of miss that at first but I suppose I replaced that by writing up reports on here.

That said, you've got me thinking about what would happen if the app suddenly disappeared (not saying it would of course). I can see the logic in having numbers and other info backed up in the more 'old fashioned ways'. What are the best (and most cost effective) books to be looking for these days?

 

[03_179]

That said, you've got me thinking about what would happen if the app suddenly disappeared (not saying it would of course). I can see the logic in having numbers and other info backed up in the more 'old fashioned ways'. What are the best (and most cost effective) books to be looking for these days?

Backup your own personal file to WebApp.
Then if you had a new phone or the app did go.
Download you own personal file down again.

Simples

 

[The_Train]

It's also handy to work out what ones I've had for haulage, and photographed.

Yeah I've recently started to use these functions as well. It's a shame, however, that there is no space for logging mileage that you have done behind specific locos/units (or is there and I'm being daft?)

 

[03_179]

That's something I'd like to see.
e.g. on hitting the Add.H it give you a box to add the miles (e.g. 3.74 as a decimal as Miles/Chains is too hard to calculate) than that is saved under the loco/unit. Over time it accumulates.

I have a separate excel when I add a trip in and it calculate miles against each unit/loco plus a few other things.

 

[The_Train]

Backup your own personal file to WebApp.
Then if you had a new phone or the app did go.
Download you own personal file down again.

Simples

I'm struggling with the backing up process. I'm not that tech savvy and when I hit backup on the app I have no idea where the file goes to on my phone

That's something I'd like to see.
e.g. on hitting the Add.H it give you a box to add the miles (e.g. 3.74 as a decimal as Miles/Chains is too hard to calculate) than that is saved under the loco/unit. Over time it accumulates.

I have a separate excel when I add a trip in and it calculate miles against each unit/loco plus a few other things.

That's pretty much it yeah, just a box to add your mileage for the day and that then calculates a total that sits on the particular loco/units record. Maybe it could be a future add on once the iPhone app is up and running. It's a popular hobby of people (or so it seems on here) so would be a welcome addition. That said, I understand that it's a free app and it's easy for me to suggest lots of additions but I've no clue as to the financial and time restraints the app owner and his/her team have

 

[03_179]

I'm struggling with the backing up process. I'm not that tech savvy and when I hit backup on the app I have no idea where the file goes to on my phone

In Settings there is a section called Backup and Sync
Here you can tell Spotlog where to save a copy of your file (the back up) to.

Pressing Back up records once pressed will store on your phone (to the place you told Spotlog to put your back up.
What I do is occasionally I email a copy of this file to my computer at home. (I must do that today LOL)

https://spotlog.org Go to the site and email MRG for a Sync Code and he will sort it for you.
Basically when you select Data you can see "Sync Data". Once that is pressed it uploads to the spotlog server your personal spotting file, once this is set up.

Hope this makes sense ...

 

[The_Train]

In Settings there is a section called Backup and Sync
Here you can tell Spotlog where to save a copy of your file (the back up) to.

Pressing Back up records once pressed will store on your phone (to the place you told Spotlog to put your back up.
What I do is occasionally I email a copy of this file to my computer at home. (I must do that today LOL)

https://spotlog.org Go to the site and email MRG for a Sync Code and he will sort it for you.
Basically when you select Data you can see "Sync Data". Once that is pressed it uploads to the spotlog server your personal spotting file, once this is set up.

Hope this makes sense ...

Thanks for the information.
I will give it a go when I've got a bit more time on my hands

 

[47403]

Failing that buy a book. Yeah it's a chore marking it all up but if you lose your phone your not snookered.
The most comprehensive one is probably the ICRS one. The brand new and updated one, will be on sale at the DRS Open Day at Crewe. It covers everything. Locos, main line and preserved, coaching stock, units, track machines, light rail and London underground are all in there.

 

[03_179]

Failing that buy a book. Yeah it's a chore marking it all up but if you lose your phone your not snookered.
The most comprehensive one is probably the ICRS one. The brand new and updated one, will be on sale at the DRS Open Day at Crewe. It covers everything. Locos, main line and preserved, coaching stock, units, track machines, light rail and London underground are all in there.

How much are they now ?

 

[The_Train]

Failing that buy a book. Yeah it's a chore marking it all up but if you lose your phone your not snookered.
The most comprehensive one is probably the ICRS one. The brand new and updated one, will be on sale at the DRS Open Day at Crewe. It covers everything. Locos, main line and preserved, coaching stock, units, track machines, light rail and London underground are all in there.

Just checked their website out and yeah that certainly looks like a comprehensive book. Do shops on stations still sell these sorts of books or is it all online now?

How much are they now ?

If I'm reading their website right it would be £11 for non-members which seems pretty reasonable to me

 

[47403]

£11 is good value seen as my last combined Platform 5 was £20 odd and its not as comprehensive as that. Its great value.

 

[Strat-tastic]

Yeah I already use it but thanks for the tip. Seems to be well updated and is definitely easy to use. I also like the fact that it gives instant information regarding whether you've logged a winner or a dud without the need to trawl through past records.

I'd also definitely recommend this app to anyone logging numbers.

I use Spotlog too, can recommend. I think whenever you have a new sighting it should play a bong, and a super bong whenever you clear a class

Did you find out how to log the track machines?

 

[The_Train]

Did you find out how to log the track machines?

I posted my issue onto the forum on the SpotLog website and a very helpful chap advised me that the track machines all came under a separate dataset (UKDPT). However, at the time this set was still at draft stage so not visible on the app.

That said, I've just checked on the app and UKDPT seems to have gone live so head to the app and download the dataset

Edit: I've just downloaded it and it automatically logged my sightings

 

[The_Train]

Just a diddy visit to Stafford - Monday 9th July 2017

Just a few days after my previous visit, I was back in Stafford. However, this wasn't a visit where I'd planned to spend any significant time at the station as I had properties to view. On this basis, I'd set no targets nor did I have any idea of what would be in the running schedule for the day.

As ever the day began at a drafty Stoke station but the winners began immediately with 323230 arriving from Manchester Piccadilly. 220010 provided me with haulage for the first time as I made my short way down to Stafford where 350234 became my first winner there, leaving me just 10 of the WMT 350s to find (as well as the 10 TPE units which I believe may be heading to WMT soon?). 90044 was to be my final winner before heading into town to checkout my potential future home.

The viewing went well, and the property certainly went onto the 'maybe' list although it's location wasn't particularly great for walking to places (something I've decided I need to do more of). Anyway, I did walk back to the station on this occasion and was fortunate enough to arrive just in time to see yet another Greater Anglia come through Stafford, this time on route to Cardiff Cantonese. It was DVT 82118 being moved (the first one I've marked off) and if this wasn't a plus for the day, the fact it was being pulled by 37407 certainly was
37407 drags 82118 through Stafford by The_Train

There wasn't to be many more successes in the short time I remained at the station but 350245 reduced my 350 arrears even further before 66957 kept up my record of a 66 winner during every visit to Stafford. 66531 was my next winner but I was sensing a lack of luck with winners as dud after dud rolled through so I was already planning a return home. However, I hung around long enough to tick off another 66, thanks to GBRF 66777 running the Toton North Yard to Crewe Basford Hall through the fast lines
66777 at Stafford by The_Train

That was pretty much it for this unplanned visit with just the 9 winners. However, it was worth the time spent just to pick up 37407 who was looking and sounding great.

I have one more report to catch up on so will try and get that one done later today

 

[318266]

Those TPE units are definitely going to WMT

 

[The_Train]

Those TPE units are definitely going to WMT

Thanks for the confirmation. Will make it easier for me to track them down from my location if they are roaming around the midlands

 

[Far north 37]

Just a diddy visit to Stafford - Monday 9th July 2017

Just a few days after my previous visit, I was back in Stafford. However, this wasn't a visit where I'd planned to spend any significant time at the station as I had properties to view. On this basis, I'd set no targets nor did I have any idea of what would be in the running schedule for the day.

As ever the day began at a drafty Stoke station but the winners began immediately with 323230 arriving from Manchester Piccadilly. 220010 provided me with haulage for the first time as I made my short way down to Stafford where 350234 became my first winner there, leaving me just 10 of the WMT 350s to find (as well as the 10 TPE units which I believe may be heading to WMT soon?). 90044 was to be my final winner before heading into town to checkout my potential future home.

The viewing went well, and the property certainly went onto the 'maybe' list although it's location wasn't particularly great for walking to places (something I've decided I need to do more of). Anyway, I did walk back to the station on this occasion and was fortunate enough to arrive just in time to see yet another Greater Anglia come through Stafford, this time on route to Cardiff Cantonese. It was DVT 82118 being moved (the first one I've marked off) and if this wasn't a plus for the day, the fact it was being pulled by 37407 certainly was
37407 drags 82118 through Stafford by The_Train

There wasn't to be many more successes in the short time I remained at the station but 350245 reduced my 350 arrears even further before 66957 kept up my record of a 66 winner during every visit to Stafford. 66531 was my next winner but I was sensing a lack of luck with winners as dud after dud rolled through so I was already planning a return home. However, I hung around long enough to tick off another 66, thanks to GBRF 66777 running the Toton North Yard to Crewe Basford Hall through the fast lines
66777 at Stafford by The_Train

That was pretty much it for this unplanned visit with just the 9 winners. However, it was worth the time spent just to pick up 37407 who was looking and sounding great.

I have one more report to catch up on so will try and get that one done later today

Always good to see a class 37 coming through what was 66957 working being chasing that for ages one of my handful of freightliner locos left.