Hi all, I have decided to start a thread specifically for my trip reports. I will put my first 2 in here, and add more, but don't expect loads as I won't be able (or no point) to do some.
Day 1, Pen-y-ffordd - Chester
After a fairly good night sleep at my granny's in Pen-y-ffordd, my phone alarm rang at 07:45 on the 1st of August 2014. I got out of bed, got dressed and grabbed a couple of slices of toast in the kitchen and ate them before getting my train-spotting books and camera ready for the day I had ahead. My mum had volunteered to drive me down to Pen-y-ffordd station for the 09:08 train to Wrexham, my first move of the day, but she over-slept so my granny taken me instead. Pen-y-ffordd station is a little shack on the borderlands line with a signal box and a barrow crossing. My train to Wrexham General, 150284, rolled in five minutes late at 09:13 and departed a minute later. For people who haven't traveled on the borderlands line south of Pen-y-ffordd, it is an utter stagger because there being so many stations on the route, taking nineteen minutes (if perfectly on time) to go 6 miles and 70 chains. I arrived at Wrexham General at 09:31 and after getting off the train and walking over the bridge onto platform 1, I bought a child return to Ruabon at the ticket office, but having already bought my return from Penyffordd-Chester on 150284, I didn't need to buy another ticket so I waited for the train to Ruabon, the 09:42 to Cardiff Central, hoping I would make my tight plus there.
My train arrived in at 09:42, formed of a 2 car 175, 175007. I boarded the far coach and walked through the train looking for a seat, which was surprisingly easy because there weren’t many people on the train. This was my first time on a class 175 and, thinking it would be a horrible journey, I quite liked it. The seats were quite comfy, the underfloor engine wasn't loud and the guard was very quick at checking tickets. I leaped off at Ruabon and ran over the footbridge onto platform 1. I then strolled down the platform, since my train wasn't in yet, a bit and stopped. Upon seeing what was coming around the bend at the end of the station, my blood froze. 158825 had pulled in to the drizzly station of Ruabon on the 09:54 service to Holyhead, my train to Chester. Having traveled on an ATW 158 before, and hating it, I groaned and reluctantly boarded. I had to stand in a cramped vestibule all the way to Chester and to make things worse, all the way there was a high pitched noise in the unit. The guard came down the train but only sold people tickets if they needed them, he didn't check tickets at all. I was very glad when I got off at Chester and away from the 158. I walked over the bridge from platform 4b to the barriers where I shown the man there my ticket from Pen-y-ffordd to Chester and he let me through. I then walked to the ticket office and waited for about 5 minutes in the queue before being served. I bought a Merseyrail all areas saveaway, £2.50 for a child, and decided to go to Bache. I walked over to platform 7b to see that 508140 was leaving on the 10:31 to Liverpool Central so I had to wait 15 minutes.
15 minutes passed and I boarded the 10:45 train, 507028 to go to Bache, passing Chester 175 Alstom depot on the way, which had a few units there and then a few sidings with rusted rails before arriving at Bache. I got off the train and wandered over the footbridge, looking at how easy the Morrisons opposite the station was to get to as I was planning to go there for lunch. I then walked down onto the other platform and strolled along it, with 3 minutes to spare. My train came in and I boarded it, able to get a seat for the 3 minute ride back to Chester, which ended up being 6 minutes on 507007. I jumped off at Chester on platform 7b and looked over at platform 3b at Chester to see 175112 leaving on a Llandudno bound train. I began to walk down platform 7, towards the Northern Rail part of Chester where I saw 2 class 150s sat in the 2 platforms, 1 ready to work the slightly delayed 10:59 service to Manchester Piccadilly and the other just sat in platform 5 doing nothing. I walked back to platform 7b and waited for the 11:11 arrival from Liverpool, but it arrived at 11:09. I boarded the train, 507005 ready to do it back to Bache. We left on time and arrived at Bache right time. Again I went over the footbridge and down onto platform 1. My train came in, 508134 and taken me back to Chester. I stayed on 508134 back out to Bache, as I was planning to catch the 11:55 train to Crewe and needed to kill some time. It arrived to Bache, where instead of strolling, I sprinted across the footbridge and made the +1 back to Chester on 508108. I then ran over the bridge at Chester and down onto platform 3 before walking up to platform 1 where 150242 arrived to take me to Crewe. I boarded the 150, noting the rank smell of the toilets. By the time we left Chester the train still had seats available, and definitely would for the rest of the journey to Crewe, as there were no more stations along the line. The main reason I had decided to take the 150 was because I needed the class 60s sat at Crewe Electric, and I would enjoy seeing what ever else was there and at the Heritage centre. Having only ever been on class 150s on the Borderlands line, where there are stops every 4 minutes (average, some 3 some 5), I loved going at 75 miles per hour towards Crewe, where I saw the class 60s and my last Arriva Trains Wales class 67, 67003. I then got out of my current seat and went in the one opposite, which was free, to view Crewe Heritage Centre. A few steam engines were there, including 60009 Union of South Africa, which was in steam. We arrived at Crewe and everyone but me got off the train and headed for the exits. I moved back over to the other side and got another facing window before loads of people boarded and took up every other seat, including the one next to me. There were about 3 people standing in the doorway nearest to me and another 3 in the other doorway of the coach. As we set off back towards Chester I stood up to see Crewe Heritage Centre again, as I missed the number of one of the steamies on the way into Crewe. I then sat down and put my head next to the window, which was vibrating like hell, and saw the first row of rusty, demic class 90s at Crewe Electric, which looked like they were ready to be scrapped. I then stood up to see over the depot wall, where I saw a load of Class 92s and 90s. It surprised me at how it was built up around Crewe and then how the train goes under a bridge and we are in the countryside. It was also strange at how the second we went into the countryside each way, the rain hammered down but when we reached Chester or Crewe the rain stopped.
I baled off of the 150 at Chester, exactly an hour after leaving, and walked over to platform 7b. By then I had got all of the 507s and 508s for haulage, that day on the Chester line, excluding 508140 which I had missed earlier in the day. According to my stomach lunchtime had rolled round so it was off to Morrisons opposite Bache station. My auntie goes to the cafe there a lot with my cousins so I knew that the food was good. When I got over to platform 7 I saw that the next Merseyrail unit was due at 13:01 so I walked back up to the Northern Rail section and saw 2 class 150s, 150146 was still there. I got my camera out and took a picture of the other, 150205, before walking back down the platform to get the Merseyrail unit to Bache. It came in on time with 508134, curses, the third time for haulage in 1 day. But my tummy was rumbling and wanted lunch as soon as possible so I boarded anyway and in 3 minutes was at Bache.
I ate my lunch, an all day breakfast, before walking back up onto Bache station. I looked at the departure board on platform 1, only to find out that the 13:52 service to Chester was expected at 13:59. I walked over to platform 2, 8 minutes before the 13:48 to Liverpool was due, so I decided that if it were 508140 I would do it to Hooton. It rolled in as 507028 so I hit my head as that meant if I had got to the station a few minutes earlier, 508140 would have been on the train calling at Hooton. Deciding to flag doing 507028 to Hooton, I walked back over the footbridge and waited another 10 minutes to go back to Chester on 507007. I arrived back at Chester at 14:02, where I hopped off and checked the departure board between platform 7 and 4. It said there was no trains between the train I had just came in on and the next Merseyrail so I just lingered around platform 7 waiting for the unit to come in that would form the 14:15 to Liverpool Central. The train arrived at 14:12, as 507005, so I boarded and got a seat at the very front of the train. We left Bache on time and started to pick up speed, darting along at 75 miles per hour. A couple of minutes before we arrived at Capenhurst, 508134 shot by on a train to Chester (thank god it won't be my one back). I arrived at Hooton just as 508108 was leaving towards Chester, so I wandered over the bridge and into the little shelter on the Chester and Ellesmere Port bound platform. I had a bit more of my drink I bought at Morrisons before going outside the shelter as the 14:42 service to Chester arrived as 508140.
I leaped on, a grin on my face and decided to do it back to Chester, even though Capenhurst is a winner station. The reason I wanted to do it back to Chester is because if I did it to Capenhurst, I would need to take the 11:54 train back up to Hooton, which I knew would be 508134. I arrived at Chester on time, at 14:56. Whilst doing my plans to get to Chester, I had also worked out moves to get me to Helsby for an Ellesmere Port bound class 70 by taking the 15:46 175 to Helsby and then the 16:41 175 back to Chester. I decided to stick with those times so I spent and hour taking photos at Chester before making my way over to platform 4a for 14:45. I rolled my eyes as I looked at the departure board again, to see my train to Helsby was 10 minutes late. I waited the 10 minutes saying to myself it had better be a 175 as I had seen a pair of 158s on a Llandudno-Manchester train earlier and there was a single 158 on a Llandudno train earlier as well. I was relived when 175113 rolled in but in the end I didn't really like the journey, mainly because it was heaving on departure from Chester. People were completely blocking the passage instead of attempting to cramp into the vestibule and they got annoyed when a gentleman and myself tried to get through to get off at Helsby even though the gentleman asked them kindly to move. We got through in the end and I got off as quickly as possible. I looked at the station and my jaw dropped. It was lovely. Thinking it would be a foul station smelling of urine, I was hugely surprised. I read the load of station signs on the signal box, which was strangely on the platform, which said that Helsby station had the best kept station gardens in Cheshire 2011 and things like that. The main station building, on platform 1 was made of stone and looked nice but the main thing that caught my attention was the waiting room for platforms 2 and 3. It had a basket of flowers drooping over the entrance and had 2 stone chimneys. As I took a picture of the station the signal-man stuck his head out of the signal box and asked if I needed the 16:14 Northern train to Warrington as that would be on platform 4. I said no and that I was here to see the coal train to Ellesmere Port. He said sorry and that it had already gone through, as our train was late arriving. I said thank you and walked over the bridge onto platform 4 to take a few pictures of the Northern service to Warrington, and do it to Frodsham if it was a 156. I heard the track squealing way before the unit came in, formed of 156425. I smiled as I boarded the front coach and walked into the main train. I walked right down that coach and through the next and was absolutely stunned at seeing that I was the only passenger on the train. I got a facing seat in the front coach next to the partition so I could see out of the whole window but before I knew it we were approaching Frodsham. I got in the vestibule and opened the door before jumping off but I decided to go down to the end of the train and ask the guard if the Northern unit would arrive at Runcorn East before the Llandudno bound train. She said it would so I climbed back on the train, my ticket being valid to Runcorn East. I chatted with her all the way there, got off and watched the 156 leave. I then walked up the ramp to the footbridge and went over it to platform 2. My mum rang while at Runcorn East station, just before catching my train back to Chester, the 16:33. My train came in at 16:36 and left at 16:37 on its way to Llandudno. Between Runcorn East and Frodsham 175112, our train, raced past an unidentified 175 on its way to Manchester. We arrived at Chester about 5 minutes late and I baled before walking over the stairs to the main concourse and asking the dude at the barriers to be let through. He did and I wandered into the Costa. After seeing the length of the queue I walked out and over the concourse to WH Smith and grabbing bacon and egg sandwich and an oasis. I walked over to the bench on platform 4b and ate my sarnie and drank a bit of my oasis before shoving it in my camo bag and watching a 158 leave. After that I walked back over the bridge and saw that there was virtually no queue so I went through the barrier again and got myself a strawberry and cream frappe. By the time I had finished that I had to make my way over to platform 3b for the 17:55 Llandudno train, which I was to do to Shotton. It rolled in as 175106 and I had to wait for people to get off before boarding myself. I knew the journey to Shotton was quick, only 8 minutes, but I only had a plus 6 to get a 150 back to Pen-y-ffordd, which I thought might be a problem because the high level and low level are in different places. We arrived at Shotton right time (thank god) where I hurriedly got off the cramped unit and ran down the ramp into the street. I then ran along the pavement to where the road turned off and I headed towards the high-level railway bridge. I saw the sign on the bridge with an arrow pointing up for Bidston and under the bridge for Wrexham so I went under it and up the cobbled ramp until reaching the top. After reaching the top and looking at the 'next train' board, I sat in the crowded bus shelter to get out of the rain. About 5 minutes later, my train arrived as 150252, a dud one for haulage, and I had no trouble finding the seat I liked, right had side with a window and facing. When the guard came down, just after Buckley, I shown him my return ticket from Pen-y-ffordd-Chester and he nodded and walked away. We arrived at Pen-y-ffordd 4 minutes late and I saw my granny’s car waiting in the car park so I stepped off and walked down to the gate into the car park next to the barrow crossing and went through it, before walking to her car. I watched the 150 leave a few seconds before getting to the car.
Classes traveled: 150, 175, 158, 507, 508, 156.
TOCs traveled: ATW, MR, NR.
Leamington Spa-Stafford and Tamworth
I had planned to go to Tamworth for the day, on the 14th of August, photting and spotting with a little bit of bashing. I talked my plan over with my parents the evening before, going from Leamington Spa-Birmingham Moor Street and then walking to New Street before going on a Nottingham bound train to Tamworth. They didn't really want me changing at New Street without someone with me (my friend wasn't available) but trying to think of an alternative at 11 o'clock at night, when my brain wasn't functioning properly through tiredness was difficult. In the end I fell asleep without thinking off a plan for the day. Having been woken up by my brother at 07:00 that morning, and being actually happy about it for once, I leaped out of my bed, grabbed yesterday’s clothes and ran over to the other boat. I should probably finish that statement by saying I live on a pair of narrow boats. Anyway, after getting onto my parents boat and running to the end (my parents room), I found out that my mum was still sleeping. Consequently, I went to the saloon and curled up in one of the armchairs and started to read my book. The bad thing is a late night and an early start don't mix well and before I had read a page I was asleep.
I woke up again, with a beam of sunshine steaming through the porthole onto me. I gently hit myself on the head for falling asleep and I then saw my brother sat in the chair, on his I pad. I slowly got out of the chair and walked to the kitchen and checked the time on the clock. I swore. The clock said Five to Ten; I was hoping to be on the 09:25 train off Leamington to Birmingham although I hadn't decided what I would do for the day at that point. I woke mum, hoping to be on the 10:25 instead but I knew we wouldn't make it. I let mum come round while I ran over to my boat again and down into the family room, which housed the computer. After turning the computer on and sitting down, my phones alarm rang, 2 hours late. I clicked 'stop' as the computer turned on. I went to Real-time Trains and checked times before writing them in my book. I went over and ran my timings through with mum, she was fine with them.
An hour later, I was leaving the car at Leamington Spa train station with 8 minutes to buy a complicated ticket and get my train. I walked in through the main entrance, only to find the ticket machines out of use and only one ticket booth open and 3 people in front of me. The only up side was to see that my train was 4 minutes late. In the end I was served, 3 minutes before my train was due. I asked for a west midlands day ranger for 1 child, £11.90, and I told him the name to put on my ticket. I then put my ticket in the barrier and ran onto platform 2. Seeing that my train was a further minute late, I walked to the very end of the station, to be near the loco and to get away from Mr. and Mrs. Joe normal, who had stopped at the very top of the stairs. When I got to the end of the platform, my train came in, 5 late at 11:30, on 1R22 the 10:15 London Marylebone-Birmingham Moor Street as 67010. I boarded and got my favorite seat on a Chiltern mark 3, a facing right hand side seat next to the partition. Since it were 6 late on departure I saw 70013 come off the Coventry line on 4O49, a Southampton bound liner. My train began to speed up and it hammered through Warwick, but just after the station the loco had to slow the train down for our next stop, Warwick Parkway. After Warwick parkway we were non stop to Solihull and then straight to Birmingham Moor Street. I arrived at Moor Street 2 late, pretty good considering that the train was six late off Leamington.
I baled the 67, and walked over to platform 2, where I would take 2K23, the 11:40 Whitlocks End to Kidderminster to Smethwick Galton Bridge. I got there to see that it was supposedly on time, but at the time it was meant to leave, it hadn't even arrived. Then, about 5 minutes after that, the board said that the 11:58 to Kidderminster was 'delayed'. Then the board shown that it was expected at 12:04 and it came in, as single 172, 172221. I boarded and sat down in one of the seats and put my head against one of the windows that was vibrating like hell, but it stopped when we left. That is the strange thing I find with the London Midland 172s is that when you have your head against the window and you are moving, the window is fine but when you are not moving the window vibrates loads. Anyway, the 172 got to Smethwick Galton Bridge 4 late at 12:16 and it left as I waked above it on my way to the low level. I watched a 323 leave on the Wolverhampton Stopper before looking back on the deserted platform. Then a few minutes later 390129 rolled through on the Edinburgh train. I was going to get the 158s on the Aberystwyth and Harlech but I would definitely have taken the 323 to Sandwell and Dudley for the 390 to Wolverhampton but I had forgotten that the 390 was behind the 323. I waited for a few minutes before the 12:29 158 came in, and I was dreadfully surprised to see that it was just 1 of them, 158826. I had difficulty boarding, because the vestibule was stuffed full with suitcases but everyone moved there luggage to let me board. I walked through the heavily cramped coach and stood at the end, near the vestibule. The man with the trolley asked me to move, even though there was no room for me to move let alone go through. I just managed to let the trolley past before walking to the vestibule.
Leaping off at Wolverhampton, and not knowing the station, I walked over the bridge and checked each platform board before walking back onto the platform the 158 had arrived on. I saw the buffet and I grabbed an all day breakfast sarnie before returning to the platform and boarding the 12:54 London Midland Dez in the hands of 350118. It left with the usual part whine, on its way to Liverpool Lime Street, a lovely hour and a half stagger from Birmingham New Street. I had got a coach with a window seat on the right and it, unlike the 158, it was very lightly packed (probably because people heard that it was either quicker to drive or get Virgin from New Street to Crewe and then change) Anyway, I was riding along in an almost empty train when someone came and sat in the seat right opposite me and started trying to get my attention and start a conversation. In the end I had to talk to her, and she said "oh yes I saw you get on at Wolverhampton" and she immediately thought I lived there. Attention seeker no doubt. I was really glad when I got off at Stafford and away from her. I got off at Stafford and immediately went over the bridge onto platform 4 and walked to the end of the platform, where all of the enthusiasts were.
Ok, this is the annoying bit. I reached into my bag and got out my digital camera. Flat battery. I sighed and shoved the camera back into my bag and put it back on my back (it is a rucksack). About 5 seconds after that, my dad rung so I had to take my bag off my back to grab my phone. I answered it and I asked him (being a rail enthusiast himself) when the next freights were due. There were lots and I then decided to head to Tamworth on the 14:56 to Euston. My dad told me that winner 66415 was on the Washwood Heath to Basford Hall freight the day before so it might have stuck. I sat at the end, and just after a Pendolino whizzed though on a service down the Trent Valley line towards Rugley, I looked down platform 5 and saw the Washwood Heath to Basford Hall approaching, with dud 66507. I said darn and written it in my red train-spotting book (red for locos and purple for units). I sat watching the trains pass, and about 3 freight trains later 90020 screamed down the fast line on its way to Wembley. After that had gone through, I made my way over to platform 1, to await 1U34, the 14:56 to London Euston. It arrived after the Virgin to Euston had gone, a few minutes late. It rolled in on-time, as 350117, and left 2 minutes late to let a virgin 390 pass non-stop. The 350 left Stafford and sped towards Rugley Trent Valley, where a family sat in the chairs next to me. The train then arrived at Tamworth, 1 late, and I walked up to Platform 4, next to the lift from platform 2.
Tamworth is one of the very few stations that makes me lose my sense of direction, making me think that platform 2 is towards Lichfield Trent Valley, platform 1 for Atherstone and Nuneaton, platform 3 towards Birmingham and platform 4 for Nottingham. Anyway, in my plans, I had decided to get the 17:20 back to Rugby where my dad could pick me up, but I decided to stay until the 18:20 because I was having such a good time. I watched the 18:15 Crewe train leave, me still standing on platform 4 when I saw something on the fasts in the distance. I ran down one part of the stairs onto platform 2 to see the royal mail units approaching, but alas they were all dud (I need 3 left). The announcement then said that the next train on patform 4 does not stop here, and since an unspeakable horrible thing (221/221) had just went by, I knew it would be a freight. However after 3 minutes of waiting for it, my train back to Rugby was announced so I had to go down stairs and onto platform 2. The second I got onto platform 2, I heard something roll by on platform 2, to my annoyance. After getting to the place on the platform I would board the 350, another 3 class 325s zoomed by, 1 of them a winner . The 350 came in, 350121 and I instantly knew it would be very unlikely for me to get a decent seat. I boarded, the rear carriage and actually found a facing seat on the right had side, but it had very little window and a hanging coat covered up the window that it did have. Two idiots had boarded at Tamworth and I could tell that everyone else in the coach was really annoyed with them two but they baled at Atherstone. After they had got off, I pushed the persons coat forward so I could see out of the window, although no freight came. After Nuneaton, I pushed the coat a little further forward, as I knew that 4M93 would be passing soon. It did, at Ansty, where the 4 tracks diverge into 3, with 70015. As we approached Rugby, I saw my dads red car waiting, and I hopped of the 'dez' and my jaw dropped. 321411 was sat in the bay!
I rung my dad and said I was going to get a few pictures and then I would be with him and I ran over to platform 2 where I used my digital camera to get a load of pictures. I walked down, a smile on my face and out of the station to head to the car.
Classes Traveled: 67, 172, 158, 350.
TOCs Traveled: CR, LM, ATW.
A fun day!
Day 1, Pen-y-ffordd - Chester
After a fairly good night sleep at my granny's in Pen-y-ffordd, my phone alarm rang at 07:45 on the 1st of August 2014. I got out of bed, got dressed and grabbed a couple of slices of toast in the kitchen and ate them before getting my train-spotting books and camera ready for the day I had ahead. My mum had volunteered to drive me down to Pen-y-ffordd station for the 09:08 train to Wrexham, my first move of the day, but she over-slept so my granny taken me instead. Pen-y-ffordd station is a little shack on the borderlands line with a signal box and a barrow crossing. My train to Wrexham General, 150284, rolled in five minutes late at 09:13 and departed a minute later. For people who haven't traveled on the borderlands line south of Pen-y-ffordd, it is an utter stagger because there being so many stations on the route, taking nineteen minutes (if perfectly on time) to go 6 miles and 70 chains. I arrived at Wrexham General at 09:31 and after getting off the train and walking over the bridge onto platform 1, I bought a child return to Ruabon at the ticket office, but having already bought my return from Penyffordd-Chester on 150284, I didn't need to buy another ticket so I waited for the train to Ruabon, the 09:42 to Cardiff Central, hoping I would make my tight plus there.
My train arrived in at 09:42, formed of a 2 car 175, 175007. I boarded the far coach and walked through the train looking for a seat, which was surprisingly easy because there weren’t many people on the train. This was my first time on a class 175 and, thinking it would be a horrible journey, I quite liked it. The seats were quite comfy, the underfloor engine wasn't loud and the guard was very quick at checking tickets. I leaped off at Ruabon and ran over the footbridge onto platform 1. I then strolled down the platform, since my train wasn't in yet, a bit and stopped. Upon seeing what was coming around the bend at the end of the station, my blood froze. 158825 had pulled in to the drizzly station of Ruabon on the 09:54 service to Holyhead, my train to Chester. Having traveled on an ATW 158 before, and hating it, I groaned and reluctantly boarded. I had to stand in a cramped vestibule all the way to Chester and to make things worse, all the way there was a high pitched noise in the unit. The guard came down the train but only sold people tickets if they needed them, he didn't check tickets at all. I was very glad when I got off at Chester and away from the 158. I walked over the bridge from platform 4b to the barriers where I shown the man there my ticket from Pen-y-ffordd to Chester and he let me through. I then walked to the ticket office and waited for about 5 minutes in the queue before being served. I bought a Merseyrail all areas saveaway, £2.50 for a child, and decided to go to Bache. I walked over to platform 7b to see that 508140 was leaving on the 10:31 to Liverpool Central so I had to wait 15 minutes.
15 minutes passed and I boarded the 10:45 train, 507028 to go to Bache, passing Chester 175 Alstom depot on the way, which had a few units there and then a few sidings with rusted rails before arriving at Bache. I got off the train and wandered over the footbridge, looking at how easy the Morrisons opposite the station was to get to as I was planning to go there for lunch. I then walked down onto the other platform and strolled along it, with 3 minutes to spare. My train came in and I boarded it, able to get a seat for the 3 minute ride back to Chester, which ended up being 6 minutes on 507007. I jumped off at Chester on platform 7b and looked over at platform 3b at Chester to see 175112 leaving on a Llandudno bound train. I began to walk down platform 7, towards the Northern Rail part of Chester where I saw 2 class 150s sat in the 2 platforms, 1 ready to work the slightly delayed 10:59 service to Manchester Piccadilly and the other just sat in platform 5 doing nothing. I walked back to platform 7b and waited for the 11:11 arrival from Liverpool, but it arrived at 11:09. I boarded the train, 507005 ready to do it back to Bache. We left on time and arrived at Bache right time. Again I went over the footbridge and down onto platform 1. My train came in, 508134 and taken me back to Chester. I stayed on 508134 back out to Bache, as I was planning to catch the 11:55 train to Crewe and needed to kill some time. It arrived to Bache, where instead of strolling, I sprinted across the footbridge and made the +1 back to Chester on 508108. I then ran over the bridge at Chester and down onto platform 3 before walking up to platform 1 where 150242 arrived to take me to Crewe. I boarded the 150, noting the rank smell of the toilets. By the time we left Chester the train still had seats available, and definitely would for the rest of the journey to Crewe, as there were no more stations along the line. The main reason I had decided to take the 150 was because I needed the class 60s sat at Crewe Electric, and I would enjoy seeing what ever else was there and at the Heritage centre. Having only ever been on class 150s on the Borderlands line, where there are stops every 4 minutes (average, some 3 some 5), I loved going at 75 miles per hour towards Crewe, where I saw the class 60s and my last Arriva Trains Wales class 67, 67003. I then got out of my current seat and went in the one opposite, which was free, to view Crewe Heritage Centre. A few steam engines were there, including 60009 Union of South Africa, which was in steam. We arrived at Crewe and everyone but me got off the train and headed for the exits. I moved back over to the other side and got another facing window before loads of people boarded and took up every other seat, including the one next to me. There were about 3 people standing in the doorway nearest to me and another 3 in the other doorway of the coach. As we set off back towards Chester I stood up to see Crewe Heritage Centre again, as I missed the number of one of the steamies on the way into Crewe. I then sat down and put my head next to the window, which was vibrating like hell, and saw the first row of rusty, demic class 90s at Crewe Electric, which looked like they were ready to be scrapped. I then stood up to see over the depot wall, where I saw a load of Class 92s and 90s. It surprised me at how it was built up around Crewe and then how the train goes under a bridge and we are in the countryside. It was also strange at how the second we went into the countryside each way, the rain hammered down but when we reached Chester or Crewe the rain stopped.
I baled off of the 150 at Chester, exactly an hour after leaving, and walked over to platform 7b. By then I had got all of the 507s and 508s for haulage, that day on the Chester line, excluding 508140 which I had missed earlier in the day. According to my stomach lunchtime had rolled round so it was off to Morrisons opposite Bache station. My auntie goes to the cafe there a lot with my cousins so I knew that the food was good. When I got over to platform 7 I saw that the next Merseyrail unit was due at 13:01 so I walked back up to the Northern Rail section and saw 2 class 150s, 150146 was still there. I got my camera out and took a picture of the other, 150205, before walking back down the platform to get the Merseyrail unit to Bache. It came in on time with 508134, curses, the third time for haulage in 1 day. But my tummy was rumbling and wanted lunch as soon as possible so I boarded anyway and in 3 minutes was at Bache.
I ate my lunch, an all day breakfast, before walking back up onto Bache station. I looked at the departure board on platform 1, only to find out that the 13:52 service to Chester was expected at 13:59. I walked over to platform 2, 8 minutes before the 13:48 to Liverpool was due, so I decided that if it were 508140 I would do it to Hooton. It rolled in as 507028 so I hit my head as that meant if I had got to the station a few minutes earlier, 508140 would have been on the train calling at Hooton. Deciding to flag doing 507028 to Hooton, I walked back over the footbridge and waited another 10 minutes to go back to Chester on 507007. I arrived back at Chester at 14:02, where I hopped off and checked the departure board between platform 7 and 4. It said there was no trains between the train I had just came in on and the next Merseyrail so I just lingered around platform 7 waiting for the unit to come in that would form the 14:15 to Liverpool Central. The train arrived at 14:12, as 507005, so I boarded and got a seat at the very front of the train. We left Bache on time and started to pick up speed, darting along at 75 miles per hour. A couple of minutes before we arrived at Capenhurst, 508134 shot by on a train to Chester (thank god it won't be my one back). I arrived at Hooton just as 508108 was leaving towards Chester, so I wandered over the bridge and into the little shelter on the Chester and Ellesmere Port bound platform. I had a bit more of my drink I bought at Morrisons before going outside the shelter as the 14:42 service to Chester arrived as 508140.
I leaped on, a grin on my face and decided to do it back to Chester, even though Capenhurst is a winner station. The reason I wanted to do it back to Chester is because if I did it to Capenhurst, I would need to take the 11:54 train back up to Hooton, which I knew would be 508134. I arrived at Chester on time, at 14:56. Whilst doing my plans to get to Chester, I had also worked out moves to get me to Helsby for an Ellesmere Port bound class 70 by taking the 15:46 175 to Helsby and then the 16:41 175 back to Chester. I decided to stick with those times so I spent and hour taking photos at Chester before making my way over to platform 4a for 14:45. I rolled my eyes as I looked at the departure board again, to see my train to Helsby was 10 minutes late. I waited the 10 minutes saying to myself it had better be a 175 as I had seen a pair of 158s on a Llandudno-Manchester train earlier and there was a single 158 on a Llandudno train earlier as well. I was relived when 175113 rolled in but in the end I didn't really like the journey, mainly because it was heaving on departure from Chester. People were completely blocking the passage instead of attempting to cramp into the vestibule and they got annoyed when a gentleman and myself tried to get through to get off at Helsby even though the gentleman asked them kindly to move. We got through in the end and I got off as quickly as possible. I looked at the station and my jaw dropped. It was lovely. Thinking it would be a foul station smelling of urine, I was hugely surprised. I read the load of station signs on the signal box, which was strangely on the platform, which said that Helsby station had the best kept station gardens in Cheshire 2011 and things like that. The main station building, on platform 1 was made of stone and looked nice but the main thing that caught my attention was the waiting room for platforms 2 and 3. It had a basket of flowers drooping over the entrance and had 2 stone chimneys. As I took a picture of the station the signal-man stuck his head out of the signal box and asked if I needed the 16:14 Northern train to Warrington as that would be on platform 4. I said no and that I was here to see the coal train to Ellesmere Port. He said sorry and that it had already gone through, as our train was late arriving. I said thank you and walked over the bridge onto platform 4 to take a few pictures of the Northern service to Warrington, and do it to Frodsham if it was a 156. I heard the track squealing way before the unit came in, formed of 156425. I smiled as I boarded the front coach and walked into the main train. I walked right down that coach and through the next and was absolutely stunned at seeing that I was the only passenger on the train. I got a facing seat in the front coach next to the partition so I could see out of the whole window but before I knew it we were approaching Frodsham. I got in the vestibule and opened the door before jumping off but I decided to go down to the end of the train and ask the guard if the Northern unit would arrive at Runcorn East before the Llandudno bound train. She said it would so I climbed back on the train, my ticket being valid to Runcorn East. I chatted with her all the way there, got off and watched the 156 leave. I then walked up the ramp to the footbridge and went over it to platform 2. My mum rang while at Runcorn East station, just before catching my train back to Chester, the 16:33. My train came in at 16:36 and left at 16:37 on its way to Llandudno. Between Runcorn East and Frodsham 175112, our train, raced past an unidentified 175 on its way to Manchester. We arrived at Chester about 5 minutes late and I baled before walking over the stairs to the main concourse and asking the dude at the barriers to be let through. He did and I wandered into the Costa. After seeing the length of the queue I walked out and over the concourse to WH Smith and grabbing bacon and egg sandwich and an oasis. I walked over to the bench on platform 4b and ate my sarnie and drank a bit of my oasis before shoving it in my camo bag and watching a 158 leave. After that I walked back over the bridge and saw that there was virtually no queue so I went through the barrier again and got myself a strawberry and cream frappe. By the time I had finished that I had to make my way over to platform 3b for the 17:55 Llandudno train, which I was to do to Shotton. It rolled in as 175106 and I had to wait for people to get off before boarding myself. I knew the journey to Shotton was quick, only 8 minutes, but I only had a plus 6 to get a 150 back to Pen-y-ffordd, which I thought might be a problem because the high level and low level are in different places. We arrived at Shotton right time (thank god) where I hurriedly got off the cramped unit and ran down the ramp into the street. I then ran along the pavement to where the road turned off and I headed towards the high-level railway bridge. I saw the sign on the bridge with an arrow pointing up for Bidston and under the bridge for Wrexham so I went under it and up the cobbled ramp until reaching the top. After reaching the top and looking at the 'next train' board, I sat in the crowded bus shelter to get out of the rain. About 5 minutes later, my train arrived as 150252, a dud one for haulage, and I had no trouble finding the seat I liked, right had side with a window and facing. When the guard came down, just after Buckley, I shown him my return ticket from Pen-y-ffordd-Chester and he nodded and walked away. We arrived at Pen-y-ffordd 4 minutes late and I saw my granny’s car waiting in the car park so I stepped off and walked down to the gate into the car park next to the barrow crossing and went through it, before walking to her car. I watched the 150 leave a few seconds before getting to the car.
Classes traveled: 150, 175, 158, 507, 508, 156.
TOCs traveled: ATW, MR, NR.
Leamington Spa-Stafford and Tamworth
I had planned to go to Tamworth for the day, on the 14th of August, photting and spotting with a little bit of bashing. I talked my plan over with my parents the evening before, going from Leamington Spa-Birmingham Moor Street and then walking to New Street before going on a Nottingham bound train to Tamworth. They didn't really want me changing at New Street without someone with me (my friend wasn't available) but trying to think of an alternative at 11 o'clock at night, when my brain wasn't functioning properly through tiredness was difficult. In the end I fell asleep without thinking off a plan for the day. Having been woken up by my brother at 07:00 that morning, and being actually happy about it for once, I leaped out of my bed, grabbed yesterday’s clothes and ran over to the other boat. I should probably finish that statement by saying I live on a pair of narrow boats. Anyway, after getting onto my parents boat and running to the end (my parents room), I found out that my mum was still sleeping. Consequently, I went to the saloon and curled up in one of the armchairs and started to read my book. The bad thing is a late night and an early start don't mix well and before I had read a page I was asleep.
I woke up again, with a beam of sunshine steaming through the porthole onto me. I gently hit myself on the head for falling asleep and I then saw my brother sat in the chair, on his I pad. I slowly got out of the chair and walked to the kitchen and checked the time on the clock. I swore. The clock said Five to Ten; I was hoping to be on the 09:25 train off Leamington to Birmingham although I hadn't decided what I would do for the day at that point. I woke mum, hoping to be on the 10:25 instead but I knew we wouldn't make it. I let mum come round while I ran over to my boat again and down into the family room, which housed the computer. After turning the computer on and sitting down, my phones alarm rang, 2 hours late. I clicked 'stop' as the computer turned on. I went to Real-time Trains and checked times before writing them in my book. I went over and ran my timings through with mum, she was fine with them.
An hour later, I was leaving the car at Leamington Spa train station with 8 minutes to buy a complicated ticket and get my train. I walked in through the main entrance, only to find the ticket machines out of use and only one ticket booth open and 3 people in front of me. The only up side was to see that my train was 4 minutes late. In the end I was served, 3 minutes before my train was due. I asked for a west midlands day ranger for 1 child, £11.90, and I told him the name to put on my ticket. I then put my ticket in the barrier and ran onto platform 2. Seeing that my train was a further minute late, I walked to the very end of the station, to be near the loco and to get away from Mr. and Mrs. Joe normal, who had stopped at the very top of the stairs. When I got to the end of the platform, my train came in, 5 late at 11:30, on 1R22 the 10:15 London Marylebone-Birmingham Moor Street as 67010. I boarded and got my favorite seat on a Chiltern mark 3, a facing right hand side seat next to the partition. Since it were 6 late on departure I saw 70013 come off the Coventry line on 4O49, a Southampton bound liner. My train began to speed up and it hammered through Warwick, but just after the station the loco had to slow the train down for our next stop, Warwick Parkway. After Warwick parkway we were non stop to Solihull and then straight to Birmingham Moor Street. I arrived at Moor Street 2 late, pretty good considering that the train was six late off Leamington.
I baled the 67, and walked over to platform 2, where I would take 2K23, the 11:40 Whitlocks End to Kidderminster to Smethwick Galton Bridge. I got there to see that it was supposedly on time, but at the time it was meant to leave, it hadn't even arrived. Then, about 5 minutes after that, the board said that the 11:58 to Kidderminster was 'delayed'. Then the board shown that it was expected at 12:04 and it came in, as single 172, 172221. I boarded and sat down in one of the seats and put my head against one of the windows that was vibrating like hell, but it stopped when we left. That is the strange thing I find with the London Midland 172s is that when you have your head against the window and you are moving, the window is fine but when you are not moving the window vibrates loads. Anyway, the 172 got to Smethwick Galton Bridge 4 late at 12:16 and it left as I waked above it on my way to the low level. I watched a 323 leave on the Wolverhampton Stopper before looking back on the deserted platform. Then a few minutes later 390129 rolled through on the Edinburgh train. I was going to get the 158s on the Aberystwyth and Harlech but I would definitely have taken the 323 to Sandwell and Dudley for the 390 to Wolverhampton but I had forgotten that the 390 was behind the 323. I waited for a few minutes before the 12:29 158 came in, and I was dreadfully surprised to see that it was just 1 of them, 158826. I had difficulty boarding, because the vestibule was stuffed full with suitcases but everyone moved there luggage to let me board. I walked through the heavily cramped coach and stood at the end, near the vestibule. The man with the trolley asked me to move, even though there was no room for me to move let alone go through. I just managed to let the trolley past before walking to the vestibule.
Leaping off at Wolverhampton, and not knowing the station, I walked over the bridge and checked each platform board before walking back onto the platform the 158 had arrived on. I saw the buffet and I grabbed an all day breakfast sarnie before returning to the platform and boarding the 12:54 London Midland Dez in the hands of 350118. It left with the usual part whine, on its way to Liverpool Lime Street, a lovely hour and a half stagger from Birmingham New Street. I had got a coach with a window seat on the right and it, unlike the 158, it was very lightly packed (probably because people heard that it was either quicker to drive or get Virgin from New Street to Crewe and then change) Anyway, I was riding along in an almost empty train when someone came and sat in the seat right opposite me and started trying to get my attention and start a conversation. In the end I had to talk to her, and she said "oh yes I saw you get on at Wolverhampton" and she immediately thought I lived there. Attention seeker no doubt. I was really glad when I got off at Stafford and away from her. I got off at Stafford and immediately went over the bridge onto platform 4 and walked to the end of the platform, where all of the enthusiasts were.
Ok, this is the annoying bit. I reached into my bag and got out my digital camera. Flat battery. I sighed and shoved the camera back into my bag and put it back on my back (it is a rucksack). About 5 seconds after that, my dad rung so I had to take my bag off my back to grab my phone. I answered it and I asked him (being a rail enthusiast himself) when the next freights were due. There were lots and I then decided to head to Tamworth on the 14:56 to Euston. My dad told me that winner 66415 was on the Washwood Heath to Basford Hall freight the day before so it might have stuck. I sat at the end, and just after a Pendolino whizzed though on a service down the Trent Valley line towards Rugley, I looked down platform 5 and saw the Washwood Heath to Basford Hall approaching, with dud 66507. I said darn and written it in my red train-spotting book (red for locos and purple for units). I sat watching the trains pass, and about 3 freight trains later 90020 screamed down the fast line on its way to Wembley. After that had gone through, I made my way over to platform 1, to await 1U34, the 14:56 to London Euston. It arrived after the Virgin to Euston had gone, a few minutes late. It rolled in on-time, as 350117, and left 2 minutes late to let a virgin 390 pass non-stop. The 350 left Stafford and sped towards Rugley Trent Valley, where a family sat in the chairs next to me. The train then arrived at Tamworth, 1 late, and I walked up to Platform 4, next to the lift from platform 2.
Tamworth is one of the very few stations that makes me lose my sense of direction, making me think that platform 2 is towards Lichfield Trent Valley, platform 1 for Atherstone and Nuneaton, platform 3 towards Birmingham and platform 4 for Nottingham. Anyway, in my plans, I had decided to get the 17:20 back to Rugby where my dad could pick me up, but I decided to stay until the 18:20 because I was having such a good time. I watched the 18:15 Crewe train leave, me still standing on platform 4 when I saw something on the fasts in the distance. I ran down one part of the stairs onto platform 2 to see the royal mail units approaching, but alas they were all dud (I need 3 left). The announcement then said that the next train on patform 4 does not stop here, and since an unspeakable horrible thing (221/221) had just went by, I knew it would be a freight. However after 3 minutes of waiting for it, my train back to Rugby was announced so I had to go down stairs and onto platform 2. The second I got onto platform 2, I heard something roll by on platform 2, to my annoyance. After getting to the place on the platform I would board the 350, another 3 class 325s zoomed by, 1 of them a winner . The 350 came in, 350121 and I instantly knew it would be very unlikely for me to get a decent seat. I boarded, the rear carriage and actually found a facing seat on the right had side, but it had very little window and a hanging coat covered up the window that it did have. Two idiots had boarded at Tamworth and I could tell that everyone else in the coach was really annoyed with them two but they baled at Atherstone. After they had got off, I pushed the persons coat forward so I could see out of the window, although no freight came. After Nuneaton, I pushed the coat a little further forward, as I knew that 4M93 would be passing soon. It did, at Ansty, where the 4 tracks diverge into 3, with 70015. As we approached Rugby, I saw my dads red car waiting, and I hopped of the 'dez' and my jaw dropped. 321411 was sat in the bay!
I rung my dad and said I was going to get a few pictures and then I would be with him and I ran over to platform 2 where I used my digital camera to get a load of pictures. I walked down, a smile on my face and out of the station to head to the car.
Classes Traveled: 67, 172, 158, 350.
TOCs Traveled: CR, LM, ATW.
A fun day!
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. I wandered back over to the station, where I had to wait 10 minutes for the third-rail unit back to Chester, and I wasn't very happy when I saw what it was, the annoying 508134 (see first report for why it's annoying). I taken a seat for the short journey back to Chester, where lunch was obtained in the form of an All Day Breakfast Sandwich from WHSmith and a creamy cooler from Costa. I headed back to the platforms and a pleasant surprise awaited me, an RHTT with 97303 and 97304. Camera out and photos taken.
