Edmund's extended excursion

[railfan99]

It sounds like you've had an incredible time around Europe! A lot of exploring and a whole ton of trains, clearly.

I may do a separate contribution re the huge number of trains on which we (mostly) and I (less often, solo) travelled in Europe. Never quite sure how much interest it is for folks in the UK but the analogy could be that it's similar travelling from London to Paris as for us the longer Melbourne to Sydney trip.

Indeed, a lot of exploring and wearing out the two feet that badly needed a resultant excellent but cheap foot scrub in Metro Manila, Philippines.

 

[railfan99]

At Sheringham I admired the relatively recently constructed/reconnected rails over the main road to the North Norfolk Railway.

I had though this would be a boring operation. How wrong I was.

I bought an Edmondson (!) ticket (Day Rover) and got talking to Barry, who turned out to be a guard that day but was also the town's Church of England Vicar. When I informed him I was a practising Catholic he laughed. He was excellent value: committed to volunteering, which he'd done for a decade, and knew a lot. He said they'd had some American visitors 'the other day'.

A 'sdhoutout' to use trendy lexicon is due to heaps of volunteers on preserved railways who I observed during my sojourn. Many were friendly, or dedicated, or both. Hats off to the many men and smaller number of women keeping your great preserved railway scene going. (That the UK is now 'in recession' won't help, but hey, some wartime type resolve may eventually see you all through a dark period).

What I hadn't realised is that on this delightful preserved railway, the majority of passengers originate at the other end (Holt station) as (free?) car parking can be difficult in the holiday town of Sheringham. I would have liked to explore this town but my hectic schedule did not allow.

It was terrific to be hauled by Great Eastern Railway's 564. Cars included a 1937-built LNER buffet, E9128.

We departed at 1003 hours. Loco 53809 was also in steam for a later charter.

Holt arrival was at 1028. I watched the impressive model railway adjacent to the station and enjoyed a quick look at the museum. The souvenir shop/tea room was patronised. It needs the funds!

To use the 'second set' (DRC E51228-E56062), I deliberately advised the guard I'd be alighting at Kelling Heath Halt, so after departure of the steam at 1045 I did that at 1053. At 1102 hours, the railcar appeared to pick me up for the short run back to Holt, with arrival at 1108. It was impractical to change over at Weybourne as there was a footbridge and despite the need (presumably) to exchange tokens via the box, the down apparently often departs very promptly after the up pulls in. The 'halt' thus came in handy to make my day efficient.

At Weybourne we crosed 564 on another down, and upon arrival at Sheringham at 1149, two early, 53809 with its four car special was in the less used, and canopy-less, platform 2. The railway wants to install a canopy but hasn't raised the funds required so I was told.

 

[railfan99]

At 1247 hours I was on board railcar set 338 to depart Sheringham. This was a four car set, my one being 981338. 19 passengers had alighted from its arrival.

En route I watched the conductor using his handheld in selling a single adult fare from Cromer to North Walsham for GBP3.80. We arrived Norwich platform 5 90 seconds before the timetabled 1341 hours after another pleasant though brief journey.

Here I struck trouble. Along with 20 to 30 other prospective passengers, I waited for the 1354 EMR Regional train to Peterborough.

At 1354 (!), we were advised by a train ticketseller that due to a 'track fault', our set would couple to the front of another railcar in platform 4. However the 1440 hours Greater Anglia train to Great Yarmouth was also in platform 4, and there wasn't an intermediate crossover available from memory, and nor initially could Greater Anglia supply a driver to move its train to another platform. Eventually this occurred, so 158856-57854-158854 as my train left at 1434 hours, 40 late.

At 1425, a conductor advised that the train would not be stopping at Ely. I gather this station may be a dead end, but due to the omission still haven't been to it.

At Thetford, seven passengers joined (1507-08) and I admired the pleasant, green forests. No sign of deciduous trees losing their leaves. We passed Ely North Junction at 1527, rather slowly.

It was amusing to pass the quaintly named Three Horse Shoes and then at 1551, we went through Whittlesea with what I assume were interlocked gates. (There is a Whittlesea in Victoria, Oz on the Melbourne to Warrnambool rail line).

I arrived Peterborough platform 7 37 minutes late at 1559 hours. Many passengers alighted and more joined.

 

[railfan99]

Subsequently, I made my way to platform 4 and boarded an LNER Azuma in 1st, departing with 800108 on time at 1618. We stopped at the Newark Northgate home signal (I assume) at 1643 and then made an 80 second stop at the platform before arriving Doncaster at 1709 and a half, 90 seconds late.

However this Azuma did not depart until 1727 as there was a 'track inspection'. I did not know if it was a trespasser or some other problem such as a track circuit failure.

Eventually with 801220 at the helm, I left Doncaster at 1737 hours on a train that was due out at 1718, but delayed due to the above, Leeds arrival was at 1806 hours.

I had never been to Leeds so again was unfamiliar with the platform layouts. I just missed a Bradford-bound railcar by 30 seconds: the doors closed as I was nearly at it.

Annoying, but I settled into a seat on the 1826 hours to travel the short distance to Shipley. This train wasn't full but patronage was quite reasonable. It was 331110, a four car railcar, electric I assume.

We pulled out at 1829 and arrived Shipley at 1840, I having noted the significant traffic congestion on a road where there was a rail overbridge not far from Leeds station.

At Shipley it was raining a bit. I had to go across the carpark, and ask ticket checkers or railway police standing there in high-vis clothing how to get to platform 4.

This involved using a footbridge, so with my 20kg suitcase and 8kg backpack, I did just that.

It was a tight connection given it wasn't just a cross-platform transfer, as the scheduled times were supposed to be 1837 to 1844, but we'd arrived three late at Shipley.

Fortunately 331107 was two minutes late departing at 1846, with arrival at Bradford Forster Square at 1853 on time, meaning I could walk the short distance past some homeless using the viaduct's brick arches for shelter to the iconic Midland Hotel where I enjoyed a one night stay in highly recommended beautiful and historic accommodation.

However due to the 5 October rail strike, I was unable next morning to visit Saltaire and travel on the Keighly and Worth Valley Railway, being the second time these strikers had curtailed my plans to traverse a new (for me) preserved railway.

It was rainy in Bradford but I didn't need to leave the hotel's confines until next morning.

 

[Andy Pacer]

I note you had a Class 153+156 combination to Oban, the 153 being one of ScotRail's 'bike trains'. I haven't properly sampled that yet, but a trip to Oban is absolutely on the cards and I will be doing so then!

I believe you have to pay extra to sit in the 153. When I did Oban earlier this year on a Spirit of Scotland it was a 153+156, the 156 was packed but the 153 empty.

 

[railfan99]

I believe you have to pay extra to sit in the 153. When I did Oban earlier this year on a Spirit of Scotland it was a 153+156, the 156 was packed but the 153 empty.

On the down, my Eurailpass was checked, but on the up, there were not any checks.

 

[Watershed]

On the down, my Eurailpass was checked, but on the up, there were not any checks.

I think First class tickets are accepted without supplement in the 153 but the ScotRail site doesn't say one way or another.

It's rather amusing seeing a premium charged for the "luxury" to sit in an old Leyland bus 153

 

[xotGD]

At 1425, a conductor advised that the train would not be stopping at Ely.

You managed to score some unusual track by avoiding Ely. Not many passenger services do that curve.

I was unable next morning to visit Saltaire and travel on the Keighly and Worth Valley Railway

You could have taken a bus. A real shame that you missed out on a couple of highlights in my part of the country.

 

[railfan99]

It was raining in Bradford on 5 October 2022 when I waited for a taxi ordered by the Midland Hotel.

After 20 minutes, it failed to front, so I boarded an Arriva double decker bus at the nearby stop and travelled to Bradford Interchange bus station for the princely sum of (IIRC) GBP1.40. Here I visited Greggs for the first time, which had a continual queue and thus seemed popular.

The booking officer at Bradford Interchange station was friendly and issued me a free 1st class seat reservation for one of only two or three Grand Central trains operating to London that day, the 1022 hours. I asked for a forward facing window seat but seat 24 in car E (car number 54905) turned out to be facing backwards. I assume the booking officer and software/seat map cannot tell which way a set will be facing on the day.

This turned out to be heavily patronised in standard class by the time we reached London Kings Cross at 1338 hours, five minutes early. First class was supposedly heavily booked but a few failed to turn up: the dreaded 'no-shows'. I was surprised by how slow the initial sections were until we departed Doncaster on the main line at 1203 hours.

The three women conductors/buffet car attendants were friendly. None had previously seen a paper Eurailpass. The GC train was somewhat more spartan than say Arriva West Coast's Pendolinos but was still very acceptable in 1st.
Halifax station looked to serve a particularly attractive heritage town. Maybe I should spend some hours there on a future excursion from Essendon (a suburb in Melbourne, but not where I reside).

I then journeyed to Heathrow, using the 1748 hours ex Paddington on the relatively new Elizabeth Line to meet my wife.

 

[Techniquest]

I believe you have to pay extra to sit in the 153. When I did Oban earlier this year on a Spirit of Scotland it was a 153+156, the 156 was packed but the 153 empty.

You do, when I last looked it was £10 extra. I've commented a few times elsewhere on the forum in the past, primarily in the thread discussing the bike trains before they started being used, that I'm happy to pay the supplement if it means I can be with my cycle on a lengthy journey. If I was going beyond the Daytripper area, I'd pay the money.

My one and so far only time of sampling a ScotRail bike train was in January 2022, on a Glasgow Queen Street to Dalmuir journey. My cycle had a journey in the 153, I sat in the 156. The only reason I put my bike in the 153 is because the 156's cycle storage area was at the back of the train, where the catering crew were based. So I was allowed to put my cycle in the 153, but I wasn't paying £10 to sit in there myself. Not for that short a journey!

All the way to Oban, for example, I absolutely would pay the £10, no question of it.

 

[railfan99]

You could have taken a bus. A real shame that you missed out on a couple of highlights in my part of the country.

Thank you, but due to the need to meet my wife at Heathrow early that evening (she'd never been to UK, or Europe) it was essential that I was on the 1022 GC ex Bradford Interchange. I lacked confidence that (say) LNER would be operating many (or any) trains, but RTT trains informed me that GC would be operating. I had designed a tight schedule, another hindrance to bus substitution. Next time!

 

[railfan99]

The only remaining rail travel of substance wholly in the UK was a visit to Windsor Castle (my second) that saw us use the smaller Windsor Riverside station (cheaper day return fares, as my wife's Eurailpass had yet to be validated) in preference to the closer Windsor Central station. This was uneventful.

 

[Watershed]

I was surprised by how slow the initial sections were until we departed Doncaster

As with most other open access (i.e. non-franchised) operators, Grand Central were only able to get approval for their services by providing new connectivity that wasn't previously catered to - meaning they were expanding the market rather than just creaming off the revenue of the incumbent operators.

The way they achieved this was to use a slower, secondary route from Bradford to Doncaster, via Halifax, Mirfield and Wakefield Kirkgate. In fact, they run over some lines that previous only had freight services, such as Knottingley West Jn to Shaftholme Jn (the "Askern" line). As per the image below, this route (shown in green) is much more slow and circuitous than the shortest route, via Leeds (shown in orange):

 

[railfan99]

As with most other open access (i.e. non-franchised) operators, Grand Central were only able to get approval for their services by providing new connectivity that wasn't previously catered to - meaning they were expanding the market rather than just creaming off the revenue of the incumbent operators.

The way they achieved this was to use a slower, secondary route from Bradford to Doncaster, via Halifax, Mirfield and Wakefield Kirkgate. In fact, they run over some lines that previous only had freight services, such as Knottingley West Jn to Shaftholme Jn (the "Askern" line). As per the image below, this route (shown in green) is much more slow and circuitous than the shortest route, via Leeds (shown in orange):

View attachment 124128

Great explanation, as at the time, using a 20 year old rail atlas it was challenging to follow.

A wonderful 'accident' of history that despite Dr Beeching, the UK still possesses numerous alternative routes.

My nation is different geographically and demographically but fairly rare for us to possess same (plus we can have 'the gauge problem').

 

[Watershed]

Great explanation, as at the time, using a 20 year old rail atlas it was challenging to follow.

A wonderful 'accident' of history that despite Dr Beeching, the UK still possesses numerous alternative routes.

My nation is different geographically and demographically but fairly rare for us to possess same (plus we can have 'the gauge problem').

To be fair, having that number of alternative routes is quite rare; it's generally only otherwise seen around London.

Many of the lines only survived because, in the Beeching era, they enjoyed a healthy level of freight traffic. The lost freight traffic has, generally, been made up for by increased passenger services.

 

[railfan99]

I have reviewed the European continuation of our trip separately.

 

[30907]

I have reviewed the European continuation of our trip separately.

Just got to this,sorry for belated reply.

The semaphore you saw on the Oban line was one of the "rockfall signals" aka Anderson's Piano in the Pass of Brander - a rockfall would break one or more of the wires at the lineside and put the signals to danger. Simple and presumably effective.

Congratulations on navigating Shipley station, and sorry you didn't have the time for Saltaire and the KWVR - you would have needed at least half the next day to do them justice, especially with using buses. Come back soon!

 

[railfan99]

As I reflect on my UK (and European) trip from late September to early November 2022, thanks and a wish for a Happy Christmas for quite a few of you who were helpful in answering pre-trip questions, as I'd not been to either for a few years.

It's a very pleasant, sunny 20 degrees in Melbourne at 1100 hours as I write, as our hotter weather will come later in summer, but somewhat different from the temperatures you are enduring.

I hope upon a return trip, all preserved railways such as my favourite West Somerset have coped (difficult as it can be) with challenging economic times in the UK. Some of its Winterlights and Santa Specials have been booked out so if there's reasonable support for other departures, that would be pleasing.

I remain hugely impressed with the observed patronage on many long distance trains such as from Penzance and Glasgow to London.

 

[Techniquest]

I'm not going to lie, I am a little bit envious of you having such warm weather in Melbourne! The Artic weather is due to ease this week I'm informed, but the strong wind is back. It's not a good time to enjoy the outdoors, that's for sure!

Fingers crossed when you return to these shores things on the UK railway will have brightened up somewhat. They sure need to!

Have a great Christmas for you and your wife I'll be glad to see it finished with, quite honestly, it's been Christmas in my place of work since early November and I've lost my festive spirit now!

 

[railfan99]

I'm not going to lie, I am a little bit envious of you having such warm weather in Melbourne!

'20 degrees' not considered warm in southeast Oz. Try 34 degrees plus for that, which we "may" start to sometimes get in the first week of January, but rare not to have a cool change after two hot nights.

I like cold, crisp, sunny days with some snow or even ice on the ground that on previous autumnal trips (plus the one just undertaken) I've had in Europe. It's probably fair comment in England, based on my limited experience as a foreigner, that such days tend to be rather cloudier. However I can cope with that more easily than a 40 degree day in Oz or a 36 degree humid one in Indonesia or Philippines.

English (and accompanying nations) rail network(s) have much to be proud of, though that may not be the most common thought at the moment due to strikes.

It was amazing having many branch lines still to do. I was too lazy to rise at 0530 in Norwich for a switch trip to (say) Lowesoft before I went to Sheringham for the NNR. From what I saw of East Anglia (the one UK area I'd not previously been to) it had much to attract: many heritage stations, controlled level crossing gates at some stations and fairly frequent trains even on branches. I thought it under rated for railfans.

Another aspect of UK rail travel that's terrific is because 87 per cent of the population does NOT live in Greater London, there are significant rail passenger services operting from hubs at the Birminghams, Manchesters and Leeds of the world. Plus I still have to travel on light rail in cities like Sheffield and Nottingham. In contrast, capital cities in Australian states dominate: Melbourne with 5.1 million is 20 plus times the size of Geelong (#2) with just c.250000.