barrowjack
Member
Summer 2017.
Having lost my trip to Glasgow courtesy of attending a work conference and the ELR Diesel Gala due to a Northern strike, it has been a run of the mill summer with no outstanding trips to report on and very little in the way of trips other than to work, or for various days out, so I have just written a summary of the best bits of Summer Welcome to the Highlights.
Returning from work in Carlisle on 24th May, I finally managed to catch up with 153316 my last Northern one working the Barrow service from Lancaster, and so the 153s became the first of the various Northern classes to be complete. I now just need to track down 156483 to clear the Northern 156s as well.
Trips to both the IPC World Para Athletics and the IAAF World athletics championships at the Olympic Stadium have seen my Class 395 Javelin requirements reduce from 18 to 8, and but for some bad luck and a very poor decision on my part could be so much less.
After the morning Para-Athletics on 15th July, I decided to go to the St Albans v Billericay friendly so made my way back to St Pancras for the 13:48 north fully expecting a 700 so was very surprised to see 319217/ turned up. This was the first time I had had a 319 outside the core and once on to the mainline and the driver opened the throttle, I didnt know they could go so fast! Think at one point they were shaking and eventually we arrived a few minutes early into St Albans. These have turned out to be my last 319s on Thameslink so was a good way to go out!
Coming out of the morning Athletics session slightly early on 11th August I headed over to Stratford station and found myself on Platform 8 at 12.40. Rather than board a pair of winning 315s, I waited another couple of minutes and boarded the 12:42 Class 345 Preview Service 345005 doing the honours. I am intending to wait for the Elizabeth line to open to do these as 9 car trains, but I decided that I at least wanted to try one now whilst they are still new, so just took this one on a bus stop move to Maryland for a pair of 315s back to Liverpool Street.
Tuesday 22nd August 2017
Today saw me take the car rather than the train due to my final destination being inaccessible to rail and bus. After a few hours in Appleby I headed a few miles east to Warcop and the Eden Valley Railway. The line runs back towards Appleby for just over 2 ¼ miles and today it was 205009 doing the honours on the hourly service with a round trip of just under half an hour to the current end of the line at Sandford Bridge. (No station here, the driver just changes ends for the return journey.) The line is also home to 3 Class 419 MLVs (one is used as the shop) and a couple of 4-CEP units, some industrial shunters and 47799. Interestingly the 205 is painted in Blood and Custard on one side and Chocolate and cream on the other. Anyway it was a lovely little run out and another preserved line knocked off the list.
My Final trip of the Summer was to Edinburgh on 24th August, predominantly for the festival but I still managed a couple of out and backs to Haymarket, picking up winners 68018, 156508,170405 and 170431 as well as 221102 for the return journey to Lancaster.
At the beginning of the year I set myself several targets so as 2/3 of the year draws to a close how am I doing with these?
Mileage I have currently done 9,820 against a target of 15,000 so at this point I am 180 miles behind schedule but hopefully will manage to achieve the 15,000
Winners 400. I am currently only on 236 including underground, trams and preserved lines so is extremely unlikely that I am going to make anywhere near the target figure.
Shacks - 25. I currently am on 17 (including Warcop) and if all else fails will do a linear leap on the East London line in November to hit the target.
I am currently half way towards the target of 10 new Football Grounds, but have 4 more trips in the diary so might just about make this one.
At the moment I think my report card is marked must do better though there is too many other things of interest me and cant motivate myself to spend more than a couple of hours bashing at a time
Attached is pic of 345005 leaving Maryland, and also some from the Eden Valley Railway
Having lost my trip to Glasgow courtesy of attending a work conference and the ELR Diesel Gala due to a Northern strike, it has been a run of the mill summer with no outstanding trips to report on and very little in the way of trips other than to work, or for various days out, so I have just written a summary of the best bits of Summer Welcome to the Highlights.
Returning from work in Carlisle on 24th May, I finally managed to catch up with 153316 my last Northern one working the Barrow service from Lancaster, and so the 153s became the first of the various Northern classes to be complete. I now just need to track down 156483 to clear the Northern 156s as well.
Trips to both the IPC World Para Athletics and the IAAF World athletics championships at the Olympic Stadium have seen my Class 395 Javelin requirements reduce from 18 to 8, and but for some bad luck and a very poor decision on my part could be so much less.
After the morning Para-Athletics on 15th July, I decided to go to the St Albans v Billericay friendly so made my way back to St Pancras for the 13:48 north fully expecting a 700 so was very surprised to see 319217/ turned up. This was the first time I had had a 319 outside the core and once on to the mainline and the driver opened the throttle, I didnt know they could go so fast! Think at one point they were shaking and eventually we arrived a few minutes early into St Albans. These have turned out to be my last 319s on Thameslink so was a good way to go out!
Coming out of the morning Athletics session slightly early on 11th August I headed over to Stratford station and found myself on Platform 8 at 12.40. Rather than board a pair of winning 315s, I waited another couple of minutes and boarded the 12:42 Class 345 Preview Service 345005 doing the honours. I am intending to wait for the Elizabeth line to open to do these as 9 car trains, but I decided that I at least wanted to try one now whilst they are still new, so just took this one on a bus stop move to Maryland for a pair of 315s back to Liverpool Street.
Tuesday 22nd August 2017
Today saw me take the car rather than the train due to my final destination being inaccessible to rail and bus. After a few hours in Appleby I headed a few miles east to Warcop and the Eden Valley Railway. The line runs back towards Appleby for just over 2 ¼ miles and today it was 205009 doing the honours on the hourly service with a round trip of just under half an hour to the current end of the line at Sandford Bridge. (No station here, the driver just changes ends for the return journey.) The line is also home to 3 Class 419 MLVs (one is used as the shop) and a couple of 4-CEP units, some industrial shunters and 47799. Interestingly the 205 is painted in Blood and Custard on one side and Chocolate and cream on the other. Anyway it was a lovely little run out and another preserved line knocked off the list.
My Final trip of the Summer was to Edinburgh on 24th August, predominantly for the festival but I still managed a couple of out and backs to Haymarket, picking up winners 68018, 156508,170405 and 170431 as well as 221102 for the return journey to Lancaster.
At the beginning of the year I set myself several targets so as 2/3 of the year draws to a close how am I doing with these?
Mileage I have currently done 9,820 against a target of 15,000 so at this point I am 180 miles behind schedule but hopefully will manage to achieve the 15,000
Winners 400. I am currently only on 236 including underground, trams and preserved lines so is extremely unlikely that I am going to make anywhere near the target figure.
Shacks - 25. I currently am on 17 (including Warcop) and if all else fails will do a linear leap on the East London line in November to hit the target.
I am currently half way towards the target of 10 new Football Grounds, but have 4 more trips in the diary so might just about make this one.
At the moment I think my report card is marked must do better though there is too many other things of interest me and cant motivate myself to spend more than a couple of hours bashing at a time
Attached is pic of 345005 leaving Maryland, and also some from the Eden Valley Railway