I had a nice day out to Southend on Saturday 6th Aug. The first time both for visiting the place and also using the new Elizabeth Line. What a fantastic difference it makes crossing London compared to the Underground. It is now 15 minutes faster getting from Paddington Elizabeth station to Liverpool Street with just 3 stops at Tottenham Court Road, Farnham and Liverpool Street. There will be 4 stops when the new Bond Street station opens. Paddington's new station is where you come out of Paddington on the platform one side. There is two very steep and Cavernous escallators to go down and also to come up from the new Liverpool Street station up to the main line station. It is also a fairish walk. However, it is all clearly sign posted and easy to make your way.
The stations and trains remain cool with very efficient air conditioning which is a nice change from the Underground.
I left Didcot at 0817 and arrived at Southend Victoria at 1040. Very good going for the 87 mile journey. However, my return journey must have been the quickest you could do the full journey back home. I caught the 16.05 from Southend Central station and arrived in Paddington at 17.28 just in time to catch the 17.35 fast to Didcot arriving at 18.10 that is some doing for the distance. I only spent 3 minutes at Liverpool Street and appx 5 minutes at Paddington for my connections.
I plan a trip to Norwich soon and will use the Elizabeth Line again, to Liverpool Street station. The last time I visited Norwich back in the 90's I travelled via Oxford to Coventry then to Nuneaton for the service from Birmingham to Nottingham via Leicester. It should feel like a doddle going via the Elizabeth Line and Liverpool Street.
Took lots of photos during my walk around Southend but here are just a few photos of the trains I used and encountered during the day. This includes the Pier Railway. Sadly I never saw the new train running although it was berthed in the other platform by the train I took out to the pier. I walked back just to experience the walk along the pier and catch the trains in action.
I didn't get any photos of Elizabeth trains as you can't see them at the stations due to the line of doorways along the platforms.
The stations and trains remain cool with very efficient air conditioning which is a nice change from the Underground.
I left Didcot at 0817 and arrived at Southend Victoria at 1040. Very good going for the 87 mile journey. However, my return journey must have been the quickest you could do the full journey back home. I caught the 16.05 from Southend Central station and arrived in Paddington at 17.28 just in time to catch the 17.35 fast to Didcot arriving at 18.10 that is some doing for the distance. I only spent 3 minutes at Liverpool Street and appx 5 minutes at Paddington for my connections.
I plan a trip to Norwich soon and will use the Elizabeth Line again, to Liverpool Street station. The last time I visited Norwich back in the 90's I travelled via Oxford to Coventry then to Nuneaton for the service from Birmingham to Nottingham via Leicester. It should feel like a doddle going via the Elizabeth Line and Liverpool Street.
Took lots of photos during my walk around Southend but here are just a few photos of the trains I used and encountered during the day. This includes the Pier Railway. Sadly I never saw the new train running although it was berthed in the other platform by the train I took out to the pier. I walked back just to experience the walk along the pier and catch the trains in action.
I didn't get any photos of Elizabeth trains as you can't see them at the stations due to the line of doorways along the platforms.
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