BT's On The Road Again!

[Techniquest]

Sadly not, although I did upgrade to First Class for the extra space in order to try and grab some sleep

I wish you luck there!

 

[Blindtraveler]

Likewise, do you get any freebees with that or just a better seat?

 

[Kite159]

First Class non-dining, so no freebies, just a bigger seat (2+1 seating).

Luck of the draw if I get given a seat at a table for 2.

 

[FQ]

A brilliant read. It sounds like a good time!

 

[Kristofferson]

You and Tech had a great time by the sound of it - I'm still surprised that a new railway manages to open in this day and age, what with all the cost and politics.

 

[Blindtraveler]

You and Tech had a great time by the sound of it - I'm still surprised that a new railway manages to open in this day and age, what with all the cost and politics.

The doubters are still busy doubting esp as there has been a lot of widly reported overcrouding and more than the odd question about value for money or indeed lack of it! I think once the novalty has worn off it will behave largely as expected with the vast majoritty of its money made on the midlothian stretch.

The Borders Railway Now Open thread and the one debating if its value for money or not are, for interested parties worth a read, links to follow.

A brilliant read. It sounds like a good time!

We did indeed have a great time but it would appear that the boundries of the Central Scotland Rover will amazingly not be extended to cover the Midlothian shacks, Sorry Lord Quest, I owe you one!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
And as promised here you are

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthr...lforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=101555&page=60

http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=120445

And finally a link to Teq's view on our little day out
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
http://www.railforums.co.uk/showthread.php?t=101555&page=60

 

[Techniquest]

Nay drama, they'll be scored one day I'm sure. There could easily be a change of mind regarding Central Scotland rover validity next year, we'll soon find out! I'll let you know when I do about that one, got some other massive trips to book yet.

For the distance involved the fare to Tweedbank is good value, it'll sure be interesting to see how things go with it come winter time when the tourists and froth have all been and gone.

 

[Blindtraveler]

I agree.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Well a bit of a withering this morning - whent through the whole routine of getting MP3 Players etc charged, drinks and headphones in the bag and a jug of coffee made ready to heat up in the microwave to save time only to discover with a quick glance at NRE at 6am that my planned first train today was canx due to crewing issues. Now whilst I could still have gone out today Id have had to do an out and back trip rather than my planned multi modal extraviganza which would have seen my join up with the Wife later for a meal and return home. Are well, better luck next time I guess.

 

[Techniquest]

Sorry to hear your moves didn't happen in the end, you'll get it eventually!

My planned moves to Birmingham didn't happen today, so two of us planning to go out but didn't!

 

[Blindtraveler]

29th-30th September

As some on here will already know I have cleared the overwhelming majority of Scottish track with just a few anoying and unsurprisingly fiddly bits remaining unscratched. Brouzing back to an earlier report will give readers the opportunitty to learn how I nearly made it to Stranrar but didnt quite manage it, leaving the track from said town to Barhill still very frustratingly required. Given the time and milage involved this is a pain in the bum but a signifficantly larger pain was to make itself known when I unearthed an old notepad file on a USB Pen which I was clearing out. It contained a full list of Scottish track requirements and was very nearly scrubbed without propper perusal as other than the usual susspects (Kyle, Rannoch>Mallaig, Stranrar plus odd hard to get curves and freight only stretches and the BS and KR) it had all been done at some point or other although I would like to revisit Cumbernauld>Motherwell and the runs to Wifflet and Paisley Canal now their wired which will no doubt make a nice little day out sometime in the future. Id set myself the gole of achieving all of this before the end of the year as Iv been putting it off for too long and its now starting to anoy me. I had long since planned a day involving the Sky Circular although sadly not on the direct bus from Kyle due to poor connection of the 11:00x Inverness but this plan got rather quickly and not a little frustratingly binned when my mainly out of date notes told me I still required Oban, something Id been convinced was long since out of the way! So now I needed a way of trying to score Oban and my remaining WHL requirements plus Kyle without a lot of extra dud out and back milage or hotel stays which given the cost involved due to the remoteness and tourist pull of this part of Scotland soon adds up and makes it all a tad unafordable. I eventually settled on a future out and back trip to Kyle which sadly will involve another run to Inverness on a 170 <Shudders> but once Iv been up to Kyle and back down to Inverness again should hopefully leave enough time to make the run South a little different and on a (very) long day in the West Highlands to get it all done at once!

Up just after 5 for a shower and coffee before a 20 minute bus trip to Waverley in time for the 07:00 Glasgow Queen Street service formed of the usual 170s although at least on a route they are built for and suited to (readers who've just come in see previous parragraph). Which was acting As a positioning move for the Do Not Miss 08:21 West Highland Working. The booked connection for this train is actually the 07:15 and whilst I very much doubt We'd have missed it the decision had been taken to go a little earlier and pick up a Burger King Breakfast at GLQ. This sadly never happened as the shutters were down when we arrived so meal deals were instead sauced from Boots. I should maybe point out at this stage that I was not alone but had persuaded the Wife, accompanied as ever by her large and faithful black Guide Dog Josh to join me for part of the day. Whilst she's not at all interested in covering every last mile of the network she is parcial to the odd trainride now and again and I thought she'd appreciate this one. 1 things for sure as she's short she certainly appreciated the low bak seating in Scotrails 156s more than I do although admits they are not the greatest in terms of legroom or overall cumfort for this kind of trip especially given that until Crianlarich its all old ground for me and quite a trundle for us both. More anoyingly still for her the sun disappeared just after Hellensburgh meaning she couldnt (despite having useful vision to do so) enjoy the view too well. Thankfully after around 20 minutes it was back and remained with us for the rest of the day.

At Crianlarach the train divides with the front 2 coaches continuing to oban and the rear 4 to Fort William/Mallaig - I wonder, do all 4 go through to Mallaig or is a unit left at FTW? Whilst the sets were detached the Oban Trolley Host made a quick dash into the station building for fresh supplies of hot water and on time we set off toward our final destination, on this leg of the trip anyway. A note here for anyone who hasnt used Scotrails West Highland Services, the coffee is in our opinion far superior to that offered on the E & G or Inverness/Aberdeen routes although Scotrail seam to regard it as an impherior product as its instant from stick sashays rather than the filter stuff in flasks. Im told this is due to limmitations on carrying capacity of the trolleys working this route. Anyway it was rather drinkable but too hot for the Mrs who took 3 quarters of hers off the train with her and we remained on the platform for half an hour enjoying the weather. Next up was a trip to the booking office to make a seat reservation for tonight. I'd tried to do this with Caledonian Sleaper by phone yesturday but they (or rather their computer) claimed they had an overly large number of cuing callers and were unable to help. Iv not noticed so many farse reports since the 90s were brought back but given how many muckups they've made since the spring its not inconseevible that they're still dealing with them all. Staff at Oban were however able to make the required reservation and were not at all shocked at my telephone experience. Earlier on the platform We'd got chatting to the guard of the 12:11 to Glasgow who was concerned to hear the new state of lowness to which many aspects of the sleaper have sunk and I think more than a little surprised when I said how good I felt FSR were in comparrison. In short it would seam Oban Scotrail Employees as a whole were and still are unimpressed with the sleaper.

A short stroll took us onto Station Road where we located the required bus stance and wated in the amazingly mild weather for the 12:40 West Coast Motors 918 to Fort William. Whilst registered as a bus service the standard vehicle allocation for this route is coaches and todays vehicle had apparently slipped a Fan belt on its way from FT and begun overheating quite rapidly. Having taken the road on a replacement vehicle, a relatively elderly, internally carewarn but healthy sounding Scania I can well understand why. For anyone who enjoys Rollercoasters but doesnt fancy Blackpool, Alton Towers etc this run with its bumps and bends and gradiants is a must and we both confessed to enjoying this far more than our train based morning so far. 8 early at FT and after the dog had watered the grass we crossed over to the station and went for a cuppa.at quarter to 3 the Wife headed for the 15:00 Citylink 914 to Glasgow and after leisurely finishing my tea headed for the metal benches in the wating area for just over an hours festering. At 15:50 the Jackabite returned from Mallaig 13 up. Wasnt able to establish which kettle was on the front but it sounded splended as it hauled the emptys out. Not long after this the 16:11 arrival (12:21x Queen Street) pulled in and detached the rear 2 coaches, the front 2 going forward as the 16:19 to Mallaig. The guard who was to take me and an assortment of tourists, locals and another Manchester based basher to Mallaig and back and who would then guard the sleaper as far as Rannoch was a great chap, very enthusiast friendly and who provided an answer to my querie about the morning working from Glasgow which does indeed take all 4 coaches all the way to the blocks for most of the year. The flow of information continued over the PA and face to face in the train itself with pre warning in both directions of our arrival at the viaduct at Glenfinnon and other such details. From an American Tourist to a local man in a wheelchair with his carer he had something to say to everyone and he even announced on arrival 4 early at Mallaig that the train would depart for FTW at 18:15 as approx half the pax onboard were indeed going streight back.

As Im sure many a grycer has done and will do at this station I headed for the chipshop adjoining it, emerging armed with a fish supper, a smoked saussage and a can of fizzy orrange and returned to the 156 to eat it. Out again on time for the 18:15 to Fort William with the PIS seamingly playing up and iether announcing garbage or nothing at all. Having spent more hours than any posture expert would advise on the as built Ashborn seats I was now beginning to flag and was thankfull Id done the bus from Oban and not back to Chrianlarach for the long haul up. Gladder than I expected I bailed on time at Fort Bill where the highlight of the day in the shape of a propper cumfy reclining chair which whilst maybe not ideal for a run all the way to London is a truly fantastic way of making the 5h20 journey home to my bed. Im glad that I got the curve at Cowlares done a while back though as this train now works via the North Clyde and Airdry Bathgate so no longer uses it. The skip is in fine voice with the seats directly behind it, excillent! A few punters X FortBill for various destinations on the route and at Rannoch the guard changed over and I celibrated my long awated completion of a load of challenging (in terms of endurance: Scottish track with a Hot Chocolate! Im well aware a whisky would have perhaps been better but trooth is I was bushed and theres still several hours to go so after bringing this report up to date I settled gratefully back into the MP3 Player (its been on approx 75 percent of the time Id been flying solo) and relaxed for much of the remaining miles, vaigly paying attention to where we were. I was conciouse enough to notice the not unwelcome turn of speed meaning we were once again in sivilisation. Not much else to say really other than reporting a 10 early arrival at EDB WHERE I got into a taxi and headed home. Its really really nice to have got this lot out of the way, particularly the stretch north of Fort William as I must confess to being a huge Harry Potter fan and to have gryced the route of the Hogwarts Express, all be it on a DMU has fulfilled another ambition that Iv had since the 1st movie came out. I hope 1 day to do it on the Jacabite but given how many cheepo APs the cost of 1 trip on that thing can get you, itl be a very lon time yet. I also very much doubt Il be on the sleaper again any time soon although a trip behind a rebuilt 73 will doubtless happen at some point but most certainly only as far as somewhere vaguely sivilised like Dalmure, Dumbarton or Helensburgh. This should just about make up for the 2 most definately UN-sivilised gaps that are left up here OTO Barhill>Stranrar and Dingwall>Kyle. As I really dont want any more Scotrail 156 seat misery for a good while after all this is over I think Stranrar will be getting tackled rather soon. Ta for putting up with my usual series o moans and groans, comments as ever welcome!

 

[Techniquest]

Another excellent read good sir!

The Jacobite was 25 quid return when I did it in 2004, dread to think what it is now! Well worth doing, though the rain did put quite the dampner on the trip.

Sounds quite the lively ride from Oban to Fort William that's for sure! Well done on the clearout of some rather awkward track to do, a celebration was most deserved!

 

[Blindtraveler]

Hmm, Hot Chocolate and Shortbread maybe not the best way to celibrate but I enjoymdd it. I also rather enjoyed 5hrs of skip action too, worth saving that for last!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Well Im on the rails again today kiddies, full report of my travels up around midnight tonight!

 

[Kite159]

I look forward to the read

 

[Blindtraveler]

I look forward to the read

have you enjoyed the West Highland report yet?

 

[Kite159]

I did, makes me want to revisit a fantastic part of the world

*brings back memories of the 156 from Queen Street to Westerton to meet up with the down sleeper to Fort Bill*

 

[Blindtraveler]

A move thats no longer doable I dont think as its now booked via Dalmure and Dumbarton Central. A connection I believe is still possible at one of these points. I chose to do it in that direction as it ment I finished the day on the luxurious X First Class MK2 Recliners with a skip directly ahead in the consist and would recommend this to anyone!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
2nd Oct

I think I'll start this off with an appology, firstly for the silection of moans and groans in my West Highland blog entry and secondly for any that may appear in this one! As explained upthread the current project involves finishing off various bits and pieces in Scotland and (as my back keeps reminding me) I made signifficant progress with this earlier in the week when after a total of 19 and a half hours on the road I stumbled in a dazed stuper through my front door having stumbled out of it at 6am the previous day and inbetween finished the core West Highland Line plus Branches and managed just over 5hrs of 67 Haulage on the sleaper, a rollercoster bus ride to Fort William and more milage than Id usually consider doing on the orrigianal (although thankfully retrimmed but still lacking in padding) Ashborn seats fitted to Scotrails 156s which IMO are fine for trundles to East Kilbride, Falkirk, Cumbernauld, shots and Kilmarnock but no longer the best for longer distances like the West Highlands or the South West Routes. I dare say any Tyne Valley regulars would gladly swap their 142s for these and whilst I wouldnt mind I know Id be in the minority! Despite all this now being done and unlikely to be done again any time soon I still have an anoying bit of 156 opperated teritory which remains unvisited, namely the stretch between Barhill and Stranrar which should have been all cleared up 2 months ago (tech still owes me a dam good dinner for that) and I had every intention of sorting it out quite soon but maybe not quite as soon as today but as often happens fate or coincidence (you choose) intaveened.

A bit of work in Carlisle along with the Wife's (and admitedly mine 2) wish for lunch at our fave italian restaurant anywhere ment a jornt down that way was needed and so after a bog standard morning at home we headed to Waverley for the 10:51 Euston service, the first Southbound Pendo of the day meaning this is 1 of my fave morning trains down the West Coast from EDB. A refreshed unit too complete with new Auto Announcements with their new melodic chime and not forgetting the seriously good hand driers in the bogs On time at Carlisle and having had an excillent lunch we returned to the station where the Wife took the late running 14:11 back North again and I had a short work meeting before buying a coffee and taking it onto the 15:12 Glasgow Central (Via Dumfries) service which had arrived on time from Newcastle and also departed on shedule. The 14:35 Cumbrian Coast working was nearly 10 down but the 37 sounded (and smelled) good powering away from P1. An uneventful and speedy (bit of a difference from Tuesday - the thrash) run up the WCML and GSW saw me in Kilmarnock at 16:55 completing my rather randem South to go North (and then West) positioning moves and am streight onto the 17:04 to Stranrar. Its a very long time since Iv done the stretch from Killi to Troon and from memory the last time was in the other direction so something a bit different.

Joining the main Glasgow>Ayr line with its frequent stops served by faster accelerating EMUs I got to wondering how good or not reliabilitty and service recovery will be post Dec when the current Stranrar>Glasgow service which is almost an express after Ayr becomes an Ayr>Kilmarnock with more regular stopps and only a limmited number of through workings to Glasgow on the much slower route via Barhead? At a guess Id say that the Ayr>Kilmarnock stretch will often be cansled and a spare 156 stabled at KMK to enable the 2 TPH service to GLC (which the X Stranrar trains will drop into) to remain undisrupted. I also suspect that the 156s accelleration which isnt shabby and indeed quite impressive for a unit this age may cause problems should they hit the Ayr>Troon or VV section more than a few minutes late given the speeds achieved by the 380s and hope that controll and local staff employ common sense in terms of cansilations, delays and train dispatch. At Ayr both driver and guard changed and a very healthy load of passengers borded for the run West. I know Gurven is doing very good business these days and its easy to see why as good speeds are achieved and of course theres some wonderful jointed track too - always fun to hurtle over.
For all the doom and gloom merchants (of which I admit to being one of til August) who say the line is dead from Girven onwards, this train even on departure from said station continued to do good business and with a huge mix of people traveling. A good few off at Barhill also and as the guard have two on the buzzer I swiched off the MP3 Player which had been on near continously since Gretna JN and consentrated on where we were going. I didnt expect so many gradiants if Im honest. Whilst not exactly fast I can now understand how many prefer the train over local bus provision or Citylinks direct Glasgow and Edinburgh services opperated jointly with Ulstabus, given the slow and often dangerous A77 they must use. Some of the crossings on this line have come in for a bit of stick over the years and I hope for no major issues in this area in future as this could easily destabilise the route. The drivers however do seam very adept at easing off at various intervals, signals etc and using the horn to warn the users of such crossings. At 18:54 our 2 coach train pulls into the rather sad feeling platform at Stranrar, a town which Im told feels equally sad and has done for years but even more so since late 2011 when Stenaline moved its Irish Sea opperations to Cairnryan. The rail approach, like the entire line after Ayr is a tad overgrown and gives the impression of being a tad unloved. On disembarking I was approached by a teenage girl who had joined my table at Dumfries on the previous train and who I'd moved my stuff for so she could use her laptop to ask if I needed a lift as she had a taxi coming. Despite the Dumfries>Stranrar rail journey leaving the region for a lengthy diversion through Ayrshire and including a change of train before reentering Dumfries and Galloway between Girven and Barhill she as a student prefers it as the bus is slow apart from 1 or 2 fast ones per day and as she's mainly home studdying and only goes to colledge 1 or 2 days a week the ability to work on the move greatly outways any inconvenience and the cost doesnt appear to be problematic iether and Id guess although havnt checked that if you have a railcard and use Advances it isnt much different. Never the less Im sure she would willingly support those on here who want the old route via Newton Stuart, Gatehouse of Fleat and Castle Douglas to Dumfries reopened. I'd no sooner thanked her for her kind offer when the grip approached and asked the same. Having informed him I was going streight back we got chatting and he seams as displeased as many on here about the new TT although admits the extra Morning train may well be a hit. Like me though he feels that the line will have to prove its worth for longterm survival. One of the key areas for improvement must surely be transport intigration at the Stranrar end as with the ferries gone and the station out on a limb from the town centre the bus service needs looking at seriously and from my own POV 1 of the reasons Iv been putting this route offf is the distance between the 2 places plus the often huge festers. Iether way good luck to anyone and everyone connected with the line, Im glad I did it now whilst I can still go directly and quickly back to Glasgow without a sceenic tour of Ayrshire.

Back onboard for the 19:08 to Glasgow via Ayr which unsurprisingly is quiet but as its a Friday a few familys and partygoers as well as some local traffic for Barhill are keeping me company. A few on at Barhill also and loadings grew steadily all the way with many Ayr and Killwinning punters heading for nights out taking advantage of an extra fast service toward Glasgow. Despite its many stretches of fast running this train doesnt dock at gLC in time for any sensibly timed services to Edinburgh with the next one being the shots stopper at 22:15. When this route is wired Im sure the AT200s destined for it will knock minutes off the Arthritic timetable currently in place all shacks or not and I cant wate for that day to arrive as quite frankly Glasgow City Centre on any night but particularly a weekend one isnt my idea of fun and with no shuttle Bus over to GLQ at this hour I decided to travel via Partic for some very welcome EMU action. I'd been making for the 21:45 but found the earlier service, formed of a recently refreshed 318 running a few minutes late and therefore offering the opportunitty if I was quick of the 21:53 to EDB at Partick instead of the 22:06 to GLQ with an onward connection for the 22:30. I had been looking forward to a Burger King at Queen St and had orrigionally dismissed the A to B due to having already done it once this week and also because I wanted to make my last faster more direct bus home but having had more than enough DMUage today I inlisted a station staff member to hold the 334 for that extra 5 seconds allowing me to jump aboard, praying that it woant lose a great deal of time and allow my connection to be made. once again burried myself in the MP3 Player as I had been doing all the way to Glasgow and despite being all shacks we did indeed arrive at 23:14, 6 mins ahead of the booked arrival time of the 170 I'd been planning to catch. Nice to have avoided it (regular readers will know how lothesome I think the Scotrail ones in particular are, especially on long distance services) but I was also very hungry indeed! Resigning myself to a ham sandwitch when I got home I headed for the bus stop and after a speedy run was in the door at 5 to Midnight. With the acception of the BS and KR and a few hard to get/freight only lines I now only need Dingwall to Kyle before Scotlands rail network is covered. These last few bits have been understandably rather slow and taken a bit of planning, kyle also fits into this catigry and Im afraid that despite my dislike of long distance 170 journeys I'm gunna have to make 1 in order to complete it and get home again in the day. That day has not yet been decided but it will certainly be before the turn of the year. Offers of company or lifts to inverness in time for the 11:00 (or indeed just a bottle of whisky) will be gratefully receaved!

 

[Techniquest]

Quite the day, and well done on clearing Stranraer! I don't remember a grand amount of the town on the forum meet up that way over 9 years ago, but what I do remember wasn't much good.

Yep after that epic fail of my timetable reading when we were last up that way I do owe you a BK meal! Maybe we'll get one during that trip of ours in November, only 1 month and 17 days to go now. I assume that BS and KR is Boness and Kinnell Railway? If so I need it too, along with other preserved lines all over the place.

Good move on the 170 avoidance, fortune was on your side there! Shame about the BK meal not being doable after all though!

If I could I'd provide you company on the Kyle trip but I definitely can't afford that one. New York may be 5 months away but there's still a lot of money to find for that trip!

 

[Blindtraveler]

You are indeed correct and I am meaning the Boness and Kinnell Railway. I tend to try do this kind of line in conjunction with something else but this 1 is a tad of a pain to get TBH.
We will indeed need to go get a good feed in Glasgow next month!

 

[Techniquest]

I'll be fancying a BK by the time I arrive from Birmingham that's for sure! Not long for us to sort out a base camp arrangement either, sometime in the next couple of weeks.

Know what you mean about the Boness being awkward to do, one day!

 

[Kite159]

I think you can pick the Fort Bill portion of the sleeper up at Queen Street LL.

Anyhow an enjoyable read for a nice little day trip



For Kyle, how about the VTEC HST to Inverness, overnight stay before heading out to Kyle in the morning, coming back towards Edinburgh you might get lucky with a 158

 

[James Wake]

Or do the Skye Circular then the full West Highland line. I found the seats on the 156 when I did it more comfortable then you Blindtraveller it seems. Keep up the excellent trip reports. I agree with the HST idea, maybe do something like this:
VTEC up to Inverness
Overnight stay in Inverness, I recommend the Market Brae Guest House, breakfast is at 8 and I had no problem catching the 0855 to Kyle. It does the round trip and gets back to Inverness at 1442. You then have the option of down the Highland Main Line to Glasgow at 1447, or catch the 1529 to Aberdeen to arrive at 1746, then the 1818 VTEC service to Edinburgh from there. The Aberdeen (actually continues to Stonehaven) should be a 158 of course. This will work for most weekdays. Be sure to bag the declassified first class on the Kyle train, but first class is enforced on the Aberdeen line.

 

[Iskra]

Or do the Skye Circular then the full West Highland line. I found the seats on the 156 when I did it more comfortable then you Blindtraveller it seems. Keep up the excellent trip reports. I agree with the HST idea, maybe do something like this:
VTEC up to Inverness
Overnight stay in Inverness, I recommend the Market Brae Guest House, breakfast is at 8 and I had no problem catching the 0855 to Kyle. It does the round trip and gets back to Inverness at 1442. You then have the option of down the Highland Main Line to Glasgow at 1447, or catch the 1529 to Aberdeen to arrive at 1746, then the 1818 VTEC service to Edinburgh from there. The Aberdeen (actually continues to Stonehaven) should be a 158 of course. This will work for most weekdays. Be sure to bag the declassified first class on the Kyle train, but first class is enforced on the Aberdeen line.

I did the Chieftan, overnight stay and then 0855 to Kyle and return combo in August, it's a good way to do it but beware, as I found out to my peril, that it is a very dodgy connection on a line with a number of request stops. But, yes declassified 1st class is a must.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Thanks guys. Dont think Il do the Circular but I do have a number of potential ideas for clearing this last bit. Out and about again this weekend family visiting and then having a bit of bash related fun on my way North on Mon.

 

[Techniquest]

Monday should be a good day, will be nice to have good company on the first proper bash in about 5 weeks!

 

[Kite159]

*sends good vibrations for a good day on Monday*

 

[Kristofferson]

Good reads there - can't wait to do the West Highland myself early next year (all being well money wise, touch wood..!)

Have a cracking time tomorrow chaps!

 

[Blindtraveler]

We will that. First mainline move of the day for me is the 10:15x MYB for some Cat Action!

 

[Techniquest]

Good reads there - can't wait to do the West Highland myself early next year (all being well money wise, touch wood..!)

Have a cracking time tomorrow chaps!

Cheers good sir! You'll love the WHL for scenery, even your lady will enjoy it I suspect, make sure you've got your camera!

My first rail move fell to 170516 and 153371 on the 0849 Hereford to Birmingham New Street!

 

[Blindtraveler]

9th-12th Oct

The Wife's once again suffered the joys of Serco Northlink Ferries and Highland Mainline 170s for the sake of visiting family this weekend and whilst Id usually have taken the chance to go bashing it was all so short notice that nothing could be done cheeply and also we were ment to be cat sitting for a neighbour who often cat sits for us so I offered to stick relatively near to home til Sat when both moggies could be left for 24hrs when our mate would return. I did however decide that as I wasnt working on Fri Night to go for a little spin behind a 68 then later pick up the XC HST to Glasgow (12:25x Plymouth) before nipping across to Bucannon St by taxi for a Citylink service home. Unfortunately however Friday Night traffic and the start of half term ment that despite leaving home at quarter to 4 I missed both the 17:08 and 17:20 - grr! Hung around a very busy Waverley including a visit (at last) to Burger King!! Emerged from there around 19:45 and was treated to the X Working of the Fife 68 revving from idle and thrashing out of P19 toward Millerhill. Nice! Unfortunately not long after this the news broke that the 21:14 Tram to Glasgow was (to quote the manual station announcement) "once again canceled". Having asked around since and checked online this it would seam is a farely regular thing, so much so that ticket acceptance on Scotrail is automatic. Are well, that was a good waist of an evening, at least I didnt have to cook!

Next day saw a long haul to Essex. Nothing very exciting to report here as it was very much a Normaldom Orianted jornt although a few observations of note were made. Firstly my journey which started with the 12:12 TPE as far as Carlisle to meet the 13:49 Euston train (the WCML yet again beating the ECML on price by a huge margin) started a little chaotically owing to a late platform alteration. Those familiar with things at EDB will be scratching their heads as to why this happened with this particular train, as was I till the grip kindly informed us over the PA. Despite booking engines, RTT and no doubt internal systems being well aware that this train is an 8 coach 350 on Saturdays, the inbound working had been signaled into a platform (13 I gather) unable to fully accommodate it meaning that the emtys had to shunt out and back into P14, disrupting traffic in the Gardens and Westen bays in the process. Consiquently the platform wasnt announced till 12:05 and the doors not released till 12:08. Despite this the train was ready for off just after the booked departure time but didnt get away until 12:19 due to the earlier aforementioned disruption. At carlisle the Pendo was shown as 25 down due to train faults in Glasgow and eventually rolled in at 14:26. Whilst wating with a coffee and chocolate browny (excillent BTW) at Caf Ritazza a kettle approached from the South with a very busy charter, anyone know what this was? The driver of the 14:22 to Dumfries was clearly out to please and thrashed the 156 hard out of P7. Meanwhile the terminating 37 on the Cumbrian Coast working was also sounding good over on P1. Free tea coffee and water was available on the 390 which eventually docked 47 late at EUS (AM i entitled to claim? I get confused with each TOCs rules) and I indulged in a rather 1 sided argument with the Escalater Hologram on the way to the tube where I encountered one of the best buskers (Girl with a guitar and an amazing voice) that Iv heard in a while on route to the Victoria Line.

Next move was on the Monday morning where I made my way to MYB (Tube Station Gryce) for the 10:15 to Birmingham. A bit of a leap of faith booking this £5.95 London>Leamington advance as I only went this way to bash the 68 that should be hauling it and the diagrams on the forum stated valid til Oct 3rd. Expecting (correctly as it happened) that they wouldnt have changed all that much though I decided it was worth the wrisk. The TFL journey planner thought I'd be there at half 9 but actually was nearer 5 past meaning that once I'd picked up my advance ticket and bought a West Midlands Day Ranger I still had plenty of time so wandered off to get a Burger King breakfast. Noteworthy event here was that the lady in the ticket office said that in 3 years of working there she'd never seen or sold a WMDR before and took a minute or 2 to examine its validitty, boundries and conditions, at which she was amazed and impressed and she thanked me for introducing her to it as she now felt more able to assist customers with onward journeys in the Midlands. The only thing IMO better than a 68 today would have been if forp some reason the Banbury Commuter set had stayed out and been allocated to this working but unsurprisingly it didnt but very surprisingly the sound effects from the front coach of the power doored MK3 wrake were excillent and dead on time at 10:15 off we went to the accompanyment of a simfony of thrash! Signal checked a couple times before Banbury and I was able for the 2nd time today to help a member of rail staff in the shape of the Stuard who's trolley rolled on a hill/curve we'd come to rest on and become stuck at a strange angle. A hefty shuv streightened him up and got him on his way again. God this was fun, I hope the Scotrail HST refurbs are as good, esp the bogs, although that said the Chilton ones will take some beating, IMO best on the network, esp the Dysan Hand Dryers!

At Leamington Spa I'm joined by my dear friend Techniquest who informed me that our slower progress from Banbury onwards was caused perhaps somewhat predictably by a bluddy Voyager getting in the way! No problems of that sort now though as we power on toward solliehulWhere we bailed and observed68015 thrashing off toward Birmingham. We then headed down the platform to get a coffee which we then took back into the glorious sunshine to awate the 10:45x MYB which should have also been a 68 hauled set. However a 168 rolled in instead and as we'd already decided that our next move would take us from Snow Hill to Smethwick Galton Bridge we festered a little longer for 172333 to take us direct. 25 minutes later, we left my first 172 for 4 years and out into the sunshine for a quarter of an hour. Tech had got Jen that 1 of his last 2 required Pendos was out on a Liverpool to Euston turn and we'd already decided to dedicate a portion of the Afternoon to nailing it once and for all! To this end we positioned ourselves to Sandwell and Dudley (shack scratch for me) with an insect leap on 350263, reached at Smethwick by another serious contender for the slowest lift on the network! At S & D the CIS showed the Glasgow Central working we were making for as on time but also delivered the alarming and depressing news that it was formed of 5 coaches which could of course only mean a Voyager 221104 duely showed up and for the 2nd time for me today (3rd for Tech who started in HFD) we found ourselves at 1 of the boundry stations of the rover in the shape of Crewe. The liverpool train was 20 late, rather putting a dampner on any other major moves after the next one so we thought we might go for a pint. We were reminded however how bad Crewe is for pedestrians when hellish traffic and poor crossings wasnt going to leave enough drinking time so we returned to the station and passed through the half demolished booking office and the newly installed barriers. Appreciative smiles were cracked at a Northern 323 heading to Manchester and even bigger ones emerged when the much saught after 390016Rolled in on the expected working! Off to stafford where we had a short fester for 390148Back to CRE (Does the fact we both like 390s show)? Sadly that was it for me as with a Wife well on her way home I had to get back North and Id booked a £12 and some pennies advance on the 16:09. This train was a pendo last time I observed it but for the 2nd time today a piece of bad Vomit Commet News was to be delivered by the CIS, stowicly informing us that FC would be at the centre of the train. In a less than elated mood I said cheery-o and joined the train, resigning myself 2 another 2hrs of, well, whatever you do for 2hrs on a 221. 3 down at Carlisle where I picked up a 5 down (and full of teenage girls) 350 for Waverley and home.

I now just need Oxenhom and Warrington BQ to have done every WCML shack between Scotland and Birmingham International so good going. If i thought I had a 68 addiction before then I certainly have one now and this trip has done me the world of good as all the slow, rural DMU based Scotrail bashing had rather put a dampner on things of late. I think Tech feels the same so maybe we could all help him break out into different areas with different trains? Ta v much!

 

[FQ]

That sounds like a fun time! Shame you got 2 voyagers. And there is only 1 way you can describe a 2 hour ride on a pair. Hell.