FQ's trips around the globe

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Pretty much my own thoughts. I'd probably prefer to just hire an RV and roam the country as I pleased with no timetable than be stuck to a timetable. That way I can include everything I'd like.

Yes, I wouldn’t want to be stuck to a timetable either. I’d probably choose a hotel over an RV though.

 

[fishquinn]

I'd certainly prefer RV because it has an excellent feel to it and you wouldn't need to be somewhere that has a free hotel on a particular night.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I'd certainly prefer RV because it has an excellent feel to it and you wouldn't need to be somewhere that has a free hotel on a particular night.

Oh I would prebook the hotels first haha

 

[fishquinn]

Then you are kind of stuck to a timetable

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Then you are kind of stuck to a timetable

Yes I suppose so if I’m moving from place to place, but the main thing is I’m free to do what ever I want when I’m there.

 

[fishquinn]

I did a tour of the Western side of Canada and the USA back in 2014 and we never had a plan: we just went where we fancied and when we fancied. It was so much more relaxed that way.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I did a tour of the Western side of Canada and the USA back in 2014 and we never had a plan: we just went where we fancied and when we fancied. It was so much more relaxed that way.

Sounds good!

 

[fishquinn]

It was an absolutely excellent time and by far the best holiday I've ever had.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

It was an absolutely excellent time and by far the best holiday I've ever had.

I don’t doubt it, it sounds brilliant! It all depends on what you like really. One of my mates likes city breaks, some people like going on cruises, etc. Personally the sort of holiday I enjoy is staying in an all inclusive resort lying on a white sandy beach with a cocktail
The nine hour flights to Bridgetown/Hewanorra are certainly quite long, but Virgin Atlantic always seem to do a good job!

 

[185143]

I don’t doubt it, it sounds brilliant! It all depends on what you like really. One of my mates likes city breaks, some people like going on cruises, etc. Personally the sort of holiday I enjoy is staying in an all inclusive resort lying on a white sandy beach with a cocktail
The nine hour flights to Bridgetown/Hewanorra are certainly quite long, but Virgin Atlantic always seem to do a good job!

Try a 13 hour flight to San Francisco

 

[fishquinn]

I don’t doubt it, it sounds brilliant! It all depends on what you like really. One of my mates likes city breaks, some people like going on cruises, etc. Personally the sort of holiday I enjoy is staying in an all inclusive resort lying on a white sandy beach with a cocktail
The nine hour flights to Bridgetown/Hewanorra are certainly quite long, but Virgin Atlantic always seem to do a good job!

I'm not keen on city breaks at all. My kind is an adventure that has variation and the Pacific north west certainly has that!
If you want a very long distance flight for a trip then try about 22 hours from London to Sydney

 

[185143]

I'm not keen on city breaks at all. My kind is an adventure that has variation and the Pacific north west certainly has that!
If you want a very long distance flight for a trip then try about 22 hours from London to Sydney

Done that! Albeit not all in one go

 

[fishquinn]

Australia is another country I'd love to visit. Got a trip to Nova Scotia (Canada) and Iceland planned for next October so that'll probably be my next trip overseas. We're also looking at getting to New Zealand at some point.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

Ah yes, a lot of my family are Australasian, yet I’ve never been there sadly. I enjoy flying, even on long haul flights such as to the Americas, but when the hours I’ve been on the plane seep into double figures I start disliking the flight, so I’d probably hate the journey unless we broke it. I’ve got family in New Zealand, even more family in Australia.

Iceland sounds cool. Nova Scotia will be ace. New Zealand will be awesome, I really must go there at some point. (don’t envy the plane journey though, 20 odd hours is a heck of a journey even in first class)

We plan to go to Mauritius hopefully this summer, not done the Indian Ocean before but want to! Grenada is also on the list, we now love the Caribbean after having 10 days in Barbados last year and 11 days in St Lucia this year.

Talking short haul wise, Switzerland is back on the cards. My sister previously modelled for their leading supermarket chain and we did end up going there and loved it. Favourite place to visit in Europe I’d say.

 

[TT-ONR-NRN]

I'm not keen on city breaks at all. My kind is an adventure that has variation and the Pacific north west certainly has that!

Seeing as you’re clearly a transport lover being on this forum and all, I’m surprised you don’t like city breaks for the same reason I do! For example.

When I visited Barcelona on a city break I spent most of my time there bashing the Metro and Finiculars.

When I visited Geneva on a city break I spent most of my time there bashing the Trams and Trolleybuses.

When I visited Paris on a city break I spent most of my time there bashing the RER. (I don’t ride the metro anymore as my friend’s parkour artist brother died on it over New Year 2017, you may have heard on the news, idk)

When I visited Zurich on a city break I spent ALL of my time there bashing the Trams and S-Bahn.

When I visited Copenhagen on a city break I spent most of my time there bashing the Metro and S-Tog.

When I visited Malmö on a city break I spent most of my time bashing the Pagatag (their sort of metro/S-Train)

When I visit Glasgow on a sort of city break I will spend ALL of my time bashing local ScotRail services and the Subway.

Basically what I’m saying is I hate city breaks if there’s no transport because they’re quite boring. But if there is a metro/tramway/S-Train system - I’m on board! quite literally haha.

As I said though, I prefer all inclusive beach resort holidays.

 

[Spoorslag '70]

[...]
I've never actually done the Kyle line but I can think of plenty overseas that will be much better than it ever could...

I quite like NMBS/NGBE/SNCB line 37 (Luik/Lüttich/Liege-Aachen Süd(Gr)(and further to Aachen Hbf)). It is pretty scenic (argubaly the Belgish line with the most viaducts and tunnels) and has some very nice stock (which some people refer to as "electric pacers", eventhough they give a pretty decent ride) on the L-Trains (a change at Pepinster or Verviers-Centraal/Zentral/Central would then be requiered). Especially the section between Aachen and Hergenrath will give some nice thrash and towards Aachen, the trains use the oldest still in use tunnel in Germany.

 

[fishquinn]

Seeing as you’re clearly a transport lover being on this forum and all, I’m surprised you don’t like city breaks for the same reason I do! For example.

When I visited Barcelona on a city break I spent most of my time there bashing the Metro and Finiculars.

When I visited Geneva on a city break I spent most of my time there bashing the Trams and Trolleybuses.

When I visited Paris on a city break I spent most of my time there bashing the RER. (I don’t ride the metro anymore as my friend’s parkour artist brother died on it over New Year 2017, you may have heard on the news, idk)

When I visited Zurich on a city break I spent ALL of my time there bashing the Trams and S-Bahn.

When I visited Copenhagen on a city break I spent most of my time there bashing the Metro and S-Tog.

When I visited Malmö on a city break I spent most of my time bashing the Pagatag (their sort of metro/S-Train)

When I visit Glasgow on a sort of city break I will spend ALL of my time bashing local ScotRail services and the Subway.

Basically what I’m saying is I hate city breaks if there’s no transport because they’re quite boring. But if there is a metro/tramway/S-Train system - I’m on board! quite literally haha.

As I said though, I prefer all inclusive beach resort holidays.

I just don't really like cities and am more of a country person. Glasgow, Manchester and Nottingham are probably the exceptions to the rule in this country (and there are some but I wouldn't want to spend lengthy amounts of time there). London, for example, is excellent for transport but we had a 'normal' day in London recently to go to the theatre and it just wasn't pleasant. If the theatre wasn't so excellent and the trams to and from Didcot didn't produce then I'd have written the day off as a mistake.

When in Europe I'd probably spend little time exploring the cities and more time getting off at some random shack in the mountains and going for a walk. In my opinion that sounds like a much better way to spend some time.

I quite like NMBS/NGBE/SNCB line 37 (Luik/Lüttich/Liege-Aachen Süd(Gr)(and further to Aachen Hbf)). It is pretty scenic (argubaly the Belgish line with the most viaducts and tunnels) and has some very nice stock (which some people refer to as "electric pacers", eventhough they give a pretty decent ride) on the L-Trains (a change at Pepinster or Verviers-Centraal/Zentral/Central would then be requiered). Especially the section between Aachen and Hergenrath will give some nice thrash and towards Aachen, the trains use the oldest still in use tunnel in Germany.

Sounds like my interrail will need to be a month long one to fit everything I'd like to do in! Maybe some time in 2020...

 

[cactustwirly]

Try a 13 hour flight to San Francisco

That's an awful flight, I did that last year, after the 8 hour mark you want to slit your wrists!

 

[185143]

That's an awful flight, I did that last year, after the 8 hour mark you want to slit your wrists!

Correct!

 

[fishquinn]

I can well imagine... The longest I've done is Amsterdam-Vancouver (well, Birmingham to Vancouver with a layover in Amsterdam) at 10h and that was quite an endurance.

 

[185143]

I can well imagine... The longest I've done is Amsterdam-Vancouver (well, Birmingham to Vancouver with a layover in Amsterdam) at 10h and that was quite an endurance.

Yet on my way back from Vegas, the 9.5 hour overnight flight was surprisingly pleasant-I wasn't ready to get off when we landed, could have easily done another few hours on there! (I mean, when they announce you'll soon be landing and your thought is 'what, already??') and that's coming from someone who despises overnight flights!

 

[fishquinn]

My flight back from Vancouver was an overnight flight and I couldn't sleep at all. Led to a very tired mess when we landed in Birmingham for sure.

 

[fishquinn]

The 26 in the north day 1

I'd been invited to a forum event at the North Yorkshire Moors Railway on Saturday the 5th of August. Noticing that I had no current plans for this weekend I happily accepted an arranged with my grandparents in Pickering to stay up there for the weekend. Oddly enough, this was a week before I would be heading north to Yorkshire again for an already planned North East Rover but my grandparents were still fine to have me. I arranged to head up on the Friday and come back on the Monday for a week at home before heading north again on the following Saturday. Busy times!

Having been looking forward to this one for a long time it was great to finally be able to get up at 05:20 on the Friday morning (no kidding - it actually was!) and prepare for my weekend away. I was to take two bags: one for my clothes and one for my normal stuff but it wasn't too heavy; something that was lucky considering the plans I had for the Friday before finally getting to Yorkshire. Dad and I left home at 05:50 and were at Leamington station not long after and with my tickets already booked it was a case of going straight up to platform 2 for a short wait before 165014 whisked us away to Birmingham.

I had plenty of time to have breakfast this morning as my next train of the trip wasn't until 08:19. It was up to the usual Wetherspoon for an excellent brekky and chat with dad before we had to head our separate ways. I was at the bat cave by 08:00 and headed to the 170 on the 08:19 Nottingham. The Plymouth bound tram, which I'd be having north later in the day, was observed as 43304 and 43303, a pairing that would be rather good for me for two reasons.
1) 43303 was one of my lower mileage XC powercars so a mileage boost would be good.
2) 43304 was my highest mileage XC powercar so the extra mileage would make it an even more respectable figure.
Alas, for now, I was stuck on 170108 for the run to Derby.

67003 was sat outside West Mids Signaling Centre on a route learning train but that was the only 'different' thing to usual on the run to Derby. It wasn't a very busy service and I was surprised that no ticket check was performed on the way (a rarity on an XC 170 out of Brum).

After arrival at Derby I decided to pop into the 1st class lounge as I had a short wait before my next train. The 1st class lounge is quite a nice place and has standard EMT complimentary biscuits so was a great place to wait compared to the platform. I didn't head straight into the lounge after getting off the 170, instead getting photos of double winner for sight 73963 and 73961 which were stabled on a test train.

My next service was soon arriving and was an ex Matlock pair of 153s. Needing quite a few EMT 153s for haulage I wasn't too pleased to see that it'd be double dud 153319 and 153326 taking me to my first winner shack of the day. Still, it wasn't particularly busy so I got to get lots of numbers in Derby RTC as we passed on the way to shack score 1, Long Eaton. I was only here a couple of minutes (on the same platform) before a St Pancras bound winner 222102 arrived. Not the nicest of journeys but it was a short one to East Midlands Parkway. Just over 5 minutes until a tram now!

You may have guessed that my plan before making it into Yorkshire was to bash EMT trams. I'd worked out a good way to get the fleet that both mileage and powercars for the year was currently lacking so I was pleased to have finally found a way to do them. I got to see a set that I'd have later, 43066 and 43073, head towards Nottingham before my set arrived with 43044 and 43048 providing the power. Both winners for the year with 048 also being low mileage: excellent. I took one of the best seats on board (that being any seat on board ) and the journey to Leicester, which I hadn't done in ages, was enjoyable.
Approaching the power station by fishquinn1, on Flickr
Paths crossing by fishquinn1, on Flickr

Leicester fester number 1. Look at how good I am at rhyming. I'd make a great poet if I didn't think of poetry as boring and tedious. I had my i-pod fully charged so made use of the free wifi on the station during my fester for the 10:25 Nottingham, positioning myself towards the London end of the platform so both powercars could be identified.
Heading for London by fishquinn1, on Flickr
This set was one that I'd had a couple of weeks previously from Nottingham to East Midlands Parkway but my mileage was so tiny on that run that it was good to get them again: 43054 and 43089 were my next powercars, the rear one still being needed for 100 though. Seats were again sourced for the run back to East Midlands Parkway, passing 67024 at Loughborough.

For those of you who don't know what the connection is like tram-tram at East Midlands Parkway, it's tight. A +2 at best from the Leicester direction if both trains are running on time (and there's more chance of the one that's come from London being delayed than the one from Nottingham). Luckily, with a run, my connection worked out and put me on 43073 and 43066 back to Leicester. Another two off the list for the year and both needed for 100. That's forgetting the 'Nat annoyance factor' as 073 is one of his last two EMT powercars needed.

Back at Leicester I had yet another 25-minute fester (these feature quite a lot) and nothing of real interest occurred before 43047 and 43083 took me back to East Midlands Parkway. Another tight connection had to be pulled off here in order to make the return of 43054 and 43089 from Nottingham. No prizes for guessing where I was heading to next...
43089 by fishquinn1, on Flickr
43089 by fishquinn1, on Flickr

A freight came through to break up the procession of units while I was at Leicester this time and, as usual, I moved over to the southern end of the Notty bound platforms about 5 minutes before the 12:25 was due in. Another familiar pair from when I did Nottingham-East Midlands Parkway runs in July, 43052 and 43050 (the former being a hundred-mile requirement) were to take me back up to East Midlands Parkway. The connection wasn't so tight this time (thank god) and I could walk over to the other platform with a bit of a wait before 43083 and 43047 returned me to Leicester, where betty number 3 was observed on a freight.
43083 by fishquinn1, on Flickr
43076 and 43045 were to be my last 'different' set for the day on the 13:25 to Nottingham as I'd get a repeat on my next run from Leicester. The connection at East Mids yet again made (4 for 4 - not bad at all) and put me on 43050 and 43052 back to Leicester in the 1st class coach that's pretending to be standard. Now rather sick of Leicester festers I was glad that this was to be my last one. I was also glad that the set I'd get away from here was to be one that I had interest in with both powercars.
37403 was observed with Carline before I had to leave and repeated from earlier 43066 and 43073 were soon coming to a stop to take me away.
37403 by fishquinn1, on Flickr
I took a seat on my final EMT tram set of the day for the ride through to Nottingham, arriving bang on time at 14:53.

With 15 minutes to kill until my next train I decided to pop into Nottingham 1st class lounge for a quick snack. With 'lunch' sorted I headed over to 170115 and got a seat. Just a little more time to endure on a 170 before I'm back on trams. It was busy service and I only just managed to get a seat (along with 3 other people in a bay of 4). The run wasn't exactly pleasant as my seat was over the droning engine and Tamworth couldn't come soon enough. I would have about 20 minutes to kill here before my Glasgow bound HST and it passed rather quickly. Tamworth as usual managed to completely throw my sense of direction but I was thankfully waiting on the correct platform by the time 43303 and 43304 arrived two minutes late. I found out that my reserved seat was pretty rubbish so found a better one in the quiet coach for the journey north and was glad to see that we were on time again departing Derby. I also couldn't help but notice which guard I had on this run: XC's wonderful Kevin Kramer. He was excellent as usual with customer service and announcements, going through the train asking for tickets from New Street and Tamworth, 'unless you want to pretend you didn't come from there', or something like that. He never fails to put a smile on my face, I must say.

All was going well until Clay Cross Junction (the one where the Erewash Valley line joins on to the 'main'). At this point we gradually slowed and came to a stop. A few minutes later we started moving again, slowly, and we came to a stop outside Chesterfield station again, eventually getting into the platform 8 minutes late because a late running 158 had been let out in front of us at Clay Cross. Stupidity... This 8-minute delay would put my connection at York, a +10, onto the Malton unit into jeopardy so I just had to hope that we got out of Leeds before the 185. Sheffield was departed 7-late and we continued to make up time, being at Moorthorpe 5-late. Unfortunately this was the second point a really weird (and annoying) signaling move occurred as we were stopped just before the junction before Fitzwilliam to let a 322 on a stopper go out ahead of us! This meant that we had an absolute stagger to Wakefield and went from 5-late at Moorthorpe to 12-late from Wakefield Westgate. Connection at York now looking highly unlikely. I think the phrase rhymes with clucking bell (because there's nothing wrong with a good bit of Blackadder).

Arrival at Leeds was at 18:14, two minutes after my 185 should have left. We eventually departed at 18:19 (11 down) and before ringing my grandparents to say that I'd be an hour late I decided to check RTT to see how my cart was running, hoping that it too was about 10-late. I couldn't believe my eyes when I saw that it was indeed running 11-minutes late and that we were out of Leeds ahead of it. Great news! The rest of the run to York was uneventful apart from 'racing' a Grand Central tram set into York and I wasn't the only person who was going for the Scarborough train on board. I was talking to someone in the vestibule on the approach to York who also wanted to make it and was pleased to hear that it was running late too.
XC and GC by fishquinn1, on Flickr
43303 by fishquinn1, on Flickr
43303 by fishquinn1, on Flickr
York pair by fishquinn1, on Flickr

After my good mileage run on this Cross Country set it was time to watch it leave and head over to platform 5. Dud 185130 was soon arriving on the 18:40 to Scarborough and after departure from York I called my grandparents to let them know I was on my way. No problems were had en route and arrival at Malton was at about 19:15. This left plenty of time to get to the excellent Eastgate chippy on the way back from the station where a very pleasant (and cheap) pie, chips and gravy was purchased. This was taken back to my grandparents house and devoured while having a chat. A very fun positioning move for the 'main event' the next day!

 

[cactustwirly]

Are you sure 052 was a 100 requirement? I'm jealous you got 050!
For once, all but two of those was dud for me. Unlucky on the 222/1, I thought these were mostly confined to the Corbys.

If it wasn't for the seats, the EMT sets would be my favourite, I mean the VP185 sounds amazing!

 

[Iskra]

Nice report, I'm looking forward to the rest. You can always rely on TPE to be late! When did Caroline change colour? I don't think green looks quite right.

 

[rg177]

Ah yes, Kevin.

Same bloke with the encyclopedic knowledge of connections, isn't he? What a top guy.

 

[fishquinn]

Are you sure 052 was a 100 requirement? I'm jealous you got 050!
For once, all but two of those was dud for me. Unlucky on the 222/1, I thought these were mostly confined to the Corbys.

If it wasn't for the seats, the EMT sets would be my favourite, I mean the VP185 sounds amazing!

Yep. It was on 107 when we did it on the VTEC move (which was after this). Of course, 050. I'm guessing that's the EMT powercar you want to get most right now? What was the other winner you would've had?

The VP185 most certainly sounds amazing. What is your favourite tram set then?

Nice report, I'm looking forward to the rest. You can always rely on TPE to be late! When did Caroline change colour? I don't think green looks quite right.

Cheers. Caroline has been that colour for quite a while now. I have a photo of it at Leamington back in mid 2014 in that livery.

Ah yes, Kevin.

Same bloke with the encyclopedic knowledge of connections, isn't he? What a top guy.

He is the guy that has the amazing connections knowledge, yep. Absolutely brilliant guard.

 

[185143]

Kevin picked me up at Stafford once after I was overcarried on a Stockport leap... I knew something was wrong when we passed Mauldeth Road! There were engineering works I didn't know about... he announced the details of our route (including linespeeds and the fact we'd stop at Crewe but the doors would nit be released) in great detail! He found my adventure rather amusing, and neither of us had any words for the geezer who boarded at Stafford and-despite hearing the detailed announcement in the platform-was heading to Stoke...

 

[cactustwirly]

Yep. It was on 107 when we did it on the VTEC move (which was after this). Of course, 050. I'm guessing that's the EMT powercar you want to get most right now? What was the other winner you would've had?

The VP185 most certainly sounds amazing. What is your favourite tram set then?

047 I think?
Do EMT powercars not move around like the GWR ones, those pairings are identical to last Thursday.

I'm not sure, I really like the EMT sets (except the seats) I'll be getting a few GWR ones on Tuesday so I'll make my decision then.

BTW I've never had this Kevin bloke before

 

[Andy Pacer]

For once, all but two of those was dud for me. Unlucky on the 222/1, I thought these were mostly confined to the Corbys.

I also used to think the 222/1 were meant to be for Corby’s but it appears the three weekday diagrams are 1 on Corbys, 1 on Sheffields and 1 on Nottingham’s. Unfortunately one of my regular trips back from Luton is scheduled a 222/1 but it is often a 5 car that is actually allocated so they do seem quite haphazard.