heart-of-wessex
Established Member
Hello all,
Not done a trip report for a long time not that I've been out much rail wise.
Now a bit of a prologue if that's the right word:
I had been doing bus haulages along with trying to do rail haulages, it was getting a bit too much really so having done rail haulages longer, and the fact it's easier in some respects to do, I've gone to doing bus numbers instead, which I do enjoy doing, that's the point right?
I had been very tempted to do the 50 railtour on the Bank Holiday Monday, at £99 there needed something required for me to splash out, and also get up rather early to drive from Trowbridge to Moreton-in-Marsh. The 66 might have been required, only need 50007, and I've done the track, including Leeds avoider curve, had it been doing the circuit the other way round then I would have booked it, seeing as I need the S&C and the Leeds avoider the other way.
Otherwise I planned to do either the Rhymney 37 or the Chiltern Bicester (Banbury on Fridays) commuter set, which has been on my bucket list for some time so I decided to go for that.
The Chiltern Slam Door adventure
Being the Summer Holiday's it was a case of finding a weekday to do it on. I picked the 21st August as I only had one coach to clean out for the next day, so worked from 0800 to 1400 and set off down the station for the planned move to get to London, the 1504 ex-Westbury to Paddington. If that was cancelled then there was no plan B so I'd just do it the next day.
Looking at Real Time Trains before I left I noticed it was running, so left work at about 14:15 and off to Westbury station, only under a 5 minute drive away. £2.30 down from buying a parking ticket, I went to the ticket window to get my return to Paddington, asking to return on the 2003 from Paddington so would get a Super Off Peak. £56 spent but before I paid I decided to get the return from Marylebone to Bicester North with a Network Railcard at £17. The lady checked it was a day return, checked it was for today, and was I sure it was for today, probably wondering if going to Bicester and getting the 20:03 back to Westbury was possible! (It was, bit tight coming back mind)
I had thought about getting the Bicester return at Marylebone, but wasn't sure if I would have time, but then if it turned out to be a 168 vice then I'd just go back to Paddington or something, but in the end decided to gamble and get the ticket at Westbury.
Noticed the 1504 to Paddington was late and expected at 1522, that's OK as there was already a +60 to get between the two terminals, so a minor delay doesn't matter. Took some photo's of some 165/166's and a GBRf shed to Kineton and a Avonmouth - Whatley stone with a DB shed, and would have seen what was on the Acton - Merehead, but looking on Open Train Times map I noticed they sent it round the avoider instead, I wasn't sure if that was right as it was booked for a stop at the Down Reception at Westbury, I thought maybe for a crew change. Sure enough I could hear the horn as it went round the avoider, and held at Fairwood Jn to let the SWR Yeovil train by. Then I noticed a 1Cxx IET appear on the map at Lavington wanting to fly round the avoider, this could be interesting!
To pass the time waiting for my delayed train I watched this with interest, as the Merehead stone got off Fairwood Jn rather early, it had to wait at Blatchbridge Jn for the 159 to come off of the Frome loop, and by now the Devon GWR IET was nearing the Westbury Avoider. By the time the IET got to the Frome avoider it would have had a double yellow, and then the Merehead had to slow down at East Somerset Jn to turn off for Merehead, the IET only just catching up then having a clear run and no delay. Fair play for squeezing that round, I half expected the IET to be running on yellows for some distance but they had it timed to perfection!
Anyway 2 x 5 car 802's rock up, winners 802020 and 802003, for the delayed 1504 to Paddington. I joined the rear 5 cars and despite being busy, there was still plenty of seats. These new IET's feel a bit spacious and lighter than the Mk3 HST's, and despite it's a shame they are gone, I can't but help think this 10 car set is a but better, and that if it was the HST it might be a bit crammed with less seats spare?
We whizzed out of Westbury and I decided to check Real Time Trains if there was a Bristol or Swansea to Paddington I could get at Reading for another possible required 800/802. There was but because of our delay time, we were due in at 1611 and the ex-Bristol was due out at 1611. After that was an ex-Cheltenham due in at 1651 which was a bit late for a +30 to get to Marylebone (as I wanted a cig break and some photos of the 68).
I also couldn't remember if 'London Terminals' meant I could use that as a transfer to Marylebone, so I checked on this very forum and found a thread literally just as a gripper came through, so asked him and said that it isn't and said 'if it had +U1 for Zone 1 it would, but London Terminals just takes you to the blocks'. I read the thread on here anyway which confirmed that and a few other things I didn't know about. I did bring an Oyster with me just in case so just as well I had that.
Uneventful trip to Reading, reading forums and nodding off, didn't even notice if the diesel was off at Newbury or not as we went through non stop, though I may have been passed out at that point as I remember opening my eyes and seeing that we were going round the curve into Reading.
The trolley man came through 'Now approaching Reading, any refreshments?' Now that's an idea.
I got a coffee and having not had food yet, and not knowing when I'd get any, I forked out the £3 for a egg salad sandwich. Having just put the milk and tea in (the coffee, not the sandwich!) we stopped at Reading, and noticed the ex-Bristol IET opposite with 2 x 5 car 800's. Balls! Completely forgot about that! The fact that it was actually held for our train to go out first meant I would have made it as well, but with coffee and sandwich set up and my phone charger plugged in, it was too late to bail now. Oh well there'll be a day when I get a ranger to go IET bashing.
Leaving Reading I forgot just how well they rocket off under the wires, and very shortly we were flying down the GWML like the clappers, to me the sense of speed in these feels faster, and I do actually quite like these, even the Ironing Board seats no one like's, I don't mind them, didn't get any pain and legroom was fine (I'm about five foot eight or so) and seems quite fun racing down like a bat out of hell.
Got some serial's copped from Heathrow stuff too, a nice catch with Air China's A350 B-1081 and BA's A321 Neo, G-NEOP. Soon we were passing the Hitachi North Pole depot, been some time since I passed this site and forgot just how long the site is! Saw the track access point up to the North London Line which Eurostar's used to use when they worked from Waterloo, and wondered where the GWML connection is, but just seen it come out the other side, and round the back of the Old Oak Flyover and then joins the main line there, quite a bit of new track then.
I packed my stuff away and went to the loo to wash my hands, missing out what track we were coming into as it felt like we were crossing over a few times, but then we came into Platform 2, so maybe we didn't crossover anywhere then.
Being in the rear set I walked down the Island platform 2 & 3, taking a glance at the trainshed and admiring how gleaming it is. Also had a trip down memory lane walking down here, in my mind picturing walking between two FGW Barbie HST sets. The IET on Platform 3 is loading up destined for Swansea, though in my mind the Mk3 door's are open and just as I get to the blocks the Valenta engine is firing up. Back then when I came into London on a HST, I was always in either Coach A or Coach B (only a small handful of times I did First Class though), so when I got to the other end, most of the time the power car at the blocks opposite was starting up.
Through the barrier and down to the LU concourse, I was just about to head to the ticket machine to check my Oyster Balance and glimpsed at a portable whiteboard sign 'No More Southbound Trains' Eh?! I walked back to look at the screen, there were Bakerloo services both ways, but then I noticed it was the back of the sign (which had one of those Thought of the Day or something on the other side) which was next to some pillar.
Topped up the Oyster as there was only £3.60 or so on there, and went through the barrier to see another sign 'Down escalator not working, please use stairs or carefully walk down the escalator' however the down escalator was working fine.
Down to the platform, I couldn't remember where the exit stairs were at Marylebone, but I walked up the platform to a quieter bit of the platform, and standing here means I can observe both the set numbers. Oven sets 3262+3461 (the Bakerloo Line is nicknamed the Oven Line, something I think techniquest came up with, or we both did maybe) turned up, both were dud but got on car 4561 which was at about the middle of the set.
Two stops down arriving into Marylebone I couldn't believe it, I got off right next to the stairs! It's as if I already knew!
Up the escalator, walking because I can't do with this standing about on escalators, it was just too early for the 17:21 to appear on the screen, the 17:18 being the last one on there, so until something goes it then it will appear. No set visible on the platform yet so I got out to have a roll up and went to the main road to do a bit of spotting, still hoping that it's not a 168 vice.
I gave it until 16:58 then walked back up to the station and looked at the train indicator board, 17:21 Bicester North Platform 3, looked down to platform 3 to see a DVT, good news! It was indeed the slam door commuter set. Last time I saw pictures of this it was the Blue/grey Cargo D stock (that was some time ago!) and somehow thought it was formed of 4 or 5 cars, didn't expect a rake of 7 (I think it was 7, I didn't count) and noticed the coach by the DVT was standard...hmmm...don't tell me First Class is at the front..no it was the quiet coach, looked like it was standard class only. The front coach may have been originally First Class as it was a 110xx fleet number (I seem to recall these were, and 12xxx were standard?)
Winner 68013 was up the front (having ever only done 68012 on a power door set) got some shots and went to the front coach to stand at the front vestibule. Not for window leaning, just put the window down a bit to let the sound in. As I mentioned I did the power door set before and sat at the front seat by the front vestibule, and with no opening windows that was surprisingly loud.
Right time departure, started recording with my camcorder placed near the window but hopefully far enough inside not to let much wind noise into the mic, then some woman appeared for a phone call, couldn't you have done that a minute ago *sigh* I know I'm sounding ignorant, but I'm not shutting the window, though I do think maybe the quiet coach is best placed by the DVT rather than by a loco. Reminds me of the time I've seen someone trying to have a discussion on the phone when in the MSO of a Class 319 screaming down the Midland Mainline!
With a window open a bit, I was more surprised at the decent noise these Cat's make, then we came up to the tunnel, only probably on half power I suppose, and the woman on the phone saying 'Hello can you hear me' faded out as the noise was already loud enough to blank it out, then just a bit up in the tunnel, full power applied..just...wow!
! SERIOUSLY deafening! I honestly thought either my ears or my head is going to explode, I could feel my ears struggling to take it all in!
Then out of the tunnel, still full thrash for quite some way, then eventually power down, gosh my ears can rest! I could feel a very small pain in my head, I'm not at all surprised, that bit alone was well worth it! Power was not off for long though as it was then back to full power. Further down the line I couldn't make out what stations we were passing as I don't really know the route that well (I used to) but I I didn't think the first stop, Beaconsfield, was that far but it seemed quite some way up as we went pounding past a few stops. Another noise fest departure from here followed by 3 more before Bicester North, shame it's not Birmingham but if I lived round here I'd quite happily commute on this every day! Never found the line scenic in the way of there's not much to look at (ECML is worst for this IMHO though) but words cannot describe this journey, for the full noise fest it really was worth doing, and by Bicester I did have a headache, again not surprised by the sheer amount of noise especially in the tunnel out of Marylebone.
With a good 20 minutes to wait for the next train to Marylebone I went out for a smoke. Saw the Bicester Village bus and a Stagecoach bus. The Bicester Village one soon departed and did a U-turn just after the stop to exit the station, but couldn't quite get round as a car was in the way so it tried to reverse, but by this point the stagecoach bus had also departed and stopped right behind it and didn't move, despite the Bicester Village bus having it's reverse light on. After a few seconds, the Village bus went back into Drive and just squeezed past the car.
The Stagecoach one took a different approach by throwing the bus right up to the car and then slamming the horn.
I went back onto the station to the other platform to wait for the ex-Stratford service, from here it's non stop to Marylebone. Couldn't remember what this might be but expected one of the older 3 car 168's (not the ones that look like a 170). A Birmingham service appeared on the other side though with some mega 168 formation, 8 car's with 2 168/3's and a 4 car 168 on the rear.
The 18:45 Marylebone turned up a couple of minutes late formed of a 2 car 165, 165012. It looked rammed, but then a fair amount of people got off here so there were some seats free, forgot how cramped it is though, also forgot how slow these things feel pulling away.
Just up the line I noted the Oxford connection, track I still need and have to do at some point. It felt like a week for this thing to get any speed, so went back on the phone to update the railmiles so far and look at some other things, which passed the time into London.
Noted 20007 and some other 20 at West Ruislip and some S stock cars. Couldn't help but think how do they get from the Central Line depot to the Metropolitan Line depot? Couldn't think of a connection line between the two.
We were 2 minutes late but really couldn't afford to loose time, as we were booked in at 19:39 and the train leaves Paddington at 20:03, and yet again didn't have a plan B, apart from maybe needing an excess for a route Swindon ticket. A quick look on Real Time Trains and there is a 21:03 to Westbury as a backup.
Coming into Marylebone tunnel we are slowing down and then nearly stopping at the other end, waiting for something to clear the route, or have a call-on signal for a platform share, then I had this bad feeling, I hope we don't end up in Marylebone Parkway (the bay platforms miles away from the barriers) and then arriving into Marylebone...yep! in the bays at the far end...not only that but sharing a platform with a 3 car 168
Got off as soon as the doors opened and power walked down that platform at a rate of knots, trying to overtake everyone, and then trying to avoid those walking up Platform 3 to join their rammed 4 car Class 168 on the 19:47 to Snow Hill.
Straight down to the Bakerloo line, 1 minute for a Harrow. Walked up the platform a bit and found a quieter spot on the platform. Stood roughly in the middle for the set numbers, required 3265+3450 turned up. At Paddington I could not believe it, I'd done it again, got off right by the stairs!
Went power walking again to the mainline concourse to see the time '19:50'. Ten minutes from Marylebone Platform 5 to Paddington concourse. Required 802104 was on Platform 3 loading up for the 20:03 to Paddington and I got a seat near the front. Got my phone charger out, plugged it in, settled down and looked over to Platform 1 to see a 20:00 to Bristol. Bummer, that's something else I thought of doing, getting that in the book and then changing at Reading. Couldn't be bothered to check if it was one's I needed, I ain't going for it now.
Left on time at 20:03, trolley soon came round, ordered a coffee, decided to have a chocolate bar (mind you, £3 for a coffee and a chocolate!) replied to a text then spotted a couple of Heathrow departures, then thought must be just past West Drayton, but we went storming through Slough 'What? ALREADY? bloody hell that was quick!'
Paddington to Reading took 23 minutes, so had to sit about for time to catch up! From here we ambled along to Newbury where the diesel engines came on. First time I've been in a carriage to hear the engine, and I must say it sort of reminds me of being in a Class 180, to me it sounds like it has that Adelante sound, which is welcome as I did like those!
Most the train had tipped out at Newbury leaving a couple of others in this coach. One man a couple of seats behind is loudly turning pages of the newspaper every 2 -5 seconds, I don't know what paper it was but it must of had 4,000 pages, as this is all I heard from Newbury all the way to Westbury! God that was annoying!
Off at Westbury to the car and home via the KFC Drive Thru and then had some paracetamol to cure the headache, and then to bed to end a brilliant evening out.
If I get the chance I will do it again. I did it now rather than later, as soon my company is putting me through a PCV course, so I'll be busy with that. On the flip side if I work weekends I would get rest days on a weekday to do this, I still need to find time to do the Rhymney 37's too.
Hope the report wasn't too boring!
James.
Not done a trip report for a long time not that I've been out much rail wise.
Now a bit of a prologue if that's the right word:
I had been doing bus haulages along with trying to do rail haulages, it was getting a bit too much really so having done rail haulages longer, and the fact it's easier in some respects to do, I've gone to doing bus numbers instead, which I do enjoy doing, that's the point right?
I had been very tempted to do the 50 railtour on the Bank Holiday Monday, at £99 there needed something required for me to splash out, and also get up rather early to drive from Trowbridge to Moreton-in-Marsh. The 66 might have been required, only need 50007, and I've done the track, including Leeds avoider curve, had it been doing the circuit the other way round then I would have booked it, seeing as I need the S&C and the Leeds avoider the other way.
Otherwise I planned to do either the Rhymney 37 or the Chiltern Bicester (Banbury on Fridays) commuter set, which has been on my bucket list for some time so I decided to go for that.
The Chiltern Slam Door adventure
Being the Summer Holiday's it was a case of finding a weekday to do it on. I picked the 21st August as I only had one coach to clean out for the next day, so worked from 0800 to 1400 and set off down the station for the planned move to get to London, the 1504 ex-Westbury to Paddington. If that was cancelled then there was no plan B so I'd just do it the next day.
Looking at Real Time Trains before I left I noticed it was running, so left work at about 14:15 and off to Westbury station, only under a 5 minute drive away. £2.30 down from buying a parking ticket, I went to the ticket window to get my return to Paddington, asking to return on the 2003 from Paddington so would get a Super Off Peak. £56 spent but before I paid I decided to get the return from Marylebone to Bicester North with a Network Railcard at £17. The lady checked it was a day return, checked it was for today, and was I sure it was for today, probably wondering if going to Bicester and getting the 20:03 back to Westbury was possible! (It was, bit tight coming back mind)
I had thought about getting the Bicester return at Marylebone, but wasn't sure if I would have time, but then if it turned out to be a 168 vice then I'd just go back to Paddington or something, but in the end decided to gamble and get the ticket at Westbury.
Noticed the 1504 to Paddington was late and expected at 1522, that's OK as there was already a +60 to get between the two terminals, so a minor delay doesn't matter. Took some photo's of some 165/166's and a GBRf shed to Kineton and a Avonmouth - Whatley stone with a DB shed, and would have seen what was on the Acton - Merehead, but looking on Open Train Times map I noticed they sent it round the avoider instead, I wasn't sure if that was right as it was booked for a stop at the Down Reception at Westbury, I thought maybe for a crew change. Sure enough I could hear the horn as it went round the avoider, and held at Fairwood Jn to let the SWR Yeovil train by. Then I noticed a 1Cxx IET appear on the map at Lavington wanting to fly round the avoider, this could be interesting!
To pass the time waiting for my delayed train I watched this with interest, as the Merehead stone got off Fairwood Jn rather early, it had to wait at Blatchbridge Jn for the 159 to come off of the Frome loop, and by now the Devon GWR IET was nearing the Westbury Avoider. By the time the IET got to the Frome avoider it would have had a double yellow, and then the Merehead had to slow down at East Somerset Jn to turn off for Merehead, the IET only just catching up then having a clear run and no delay. Fair play for squeezing that round, I half expected the IET to be running on yellows for some distance but they had it timed to perfection!
Anyway 2 x 5 car 802's rock up, winners 802020 and 802003, for the delayed 1504 to Paddington. I joined the rear 5 cars and despite being busy, there was still plenty of seats. These new IET's feel a bit spacious and lighter than the Mk3 HST's, and despite it's a shame they are gone, I can't but help think this 10 car set is a but better, and that if it was the HST it might be a bit crammed with less seats spare?
We whizzed out of Westbury and I decided to check Real Time Trains if there was a Bristol or Swansea to Paddington I could get at Reading for another possible required 800/802. There was but because of our delay time, we were due in at 1611 and the ex-Bristol was due out at 1611. After that was an ex-Cheltenham due in at 1651 which was a bit late for a +30 to get to Marylebone (as I wanted a cig break and some photos of the 68).
I also couldn't remember if 'London Terminals' meant I could use that as a transfer to Marylebone, so I checked on this very forum and found a thread literally just as a gripper came through, so asked him and said that it isn't and said 'if it had +U1 for Zone 1 it would, but London Terminals just takes you to the blocks'. I read the thread on here anyway which confirmed that and a few other things I didn't know about. I did bring an Oyster with me just in case so just as well I had that.
Uneventful trip to Reading, reading forums and nodding off, didn't even notice if the diesel was off at Newbury or not as we went through non stop, though I may have been passed out at that point as I remember opening my eyes and seeing that we were going round the curve into Reading.
The trolley man came through 'Now approaching Reading, any refreshments?' Now that's an idea.
I got a coffee and having not had food yet, and not knowing when I'd get any, I forked out the £3 for a egg salad sandwich. Having just put the milk and tea in (the coffee, not the sandwich!) we stopped at Reading, and noticed the ex-Bristol IET opposite with 2 x 5 car 800's. Balls! Completely forgot about that! The fact that it was actually held for our train to go out first meant I would have made it as well, but with coffee and sandwich set up and my phone charger plugged in, it was too late to bail now. Oh well there'll be a day when I get a ranger to go IET bashing.
Leaving Reading I forgot just how well they rocket off under the wires, and very shortly we were flying down the GWML like the clappers, to me the sense of speed in these feels faster, and I do actually quite like these, even the Ironing Board seats no one like's, I don't mind them, didn't get any pain and legroom was fine (I'm about five foot eight or so) and seems quite fun racing down like a bat out of hell.
Got some serial's copped from Heathrow stuff too, a nice catch with Air China's A350 B-1081 and BA's A321 Neo, G-NEOP. Soon we were passing the Hitachi North Pole depot, been some time since I passed this site and forgot just how long the site is! Saw the track access point up to the North London Line which Eurostar's used to use when they worked from Waterloo, and wondered where the GWML connection is, but just seen it come out the other side, and round the back of the Old Oak Flyover and then joins the main line there, quite a bit of new track then.
I packed my stuff away and went to the loo to wash my hands, missing out what track we were coming into as it felt like we were crossing over a few times, but then we came into Platform 2, so maybe we didn't crossover anywhere then.
Being in the rear set I walked down the Island platform 2 & 3, taking a glance at the trainshed and admiring how gleaming it is. Also had a trip down memory lane walking down here, in my mind picturing walking between two FGW Barbie HST sets. The IET on Platform 3 is loading up destined for Swansea, though in my mind the Mk3 door's are open and just as I get to the blocks the Valenta engine is firing up. Back then when I came into London on a HST, I was always in either Coach A or Coach B (only a small handful of times I did First Class though), so when I got to the other end, most of the time the power car at the blocks opposite was starting up.
Through the barrier and down to the LU concourse, I was just about to head to the ticket machine to check my Oyster Balance and glimpsed at a portable whiteboard sign 'No More Southbound Trains' Eh?! I walked back to look at the screen, there were Bakerloo services both ways, but then I noticed it was the back of the sign (which had one of those Thought of the Day or something on the other side) which was next to some pillar.
Topped up the Oyster as there was only £3.60 or so on there, and went through the barrier to see another sign 'Down escalator not working, please use stairs or carefully walk down the escalator' however the down escalator was working fine.
Down to the platform, I couldn't remember where the exit stairs were at Marylebone, but I walked up the platform to a quieter bit of the platform, and standing here means I can observe both the set numbers. Oven sets 3262+3461 (the Bakerloo Line is nicknamed the Oven Line, something I think techniquest came up with, or we both did maybe) turned up, both were dud but got on car 4561 which was at about the middle of the set.
Two stops down arriving into Marylebone I couldn't believe it, I got off right next to the stairs! It's as if I already knew!
Up the escalator, walking because I can't do with this standing about on escalators, it was just too early for the 17:21 to appear on the screen, the 17:18 being the last one on there, so until something goes it then it will appear. No set visible on the platform yet so I got out to have a roll up and went to the main road to do a bit of spotting, still hoping that it's not a 168 vice.
I gave it until 16:58 then walked back up to the station and looked at the train indicator board, 17:21 Bicester North Platform 3, looked down to platform 3 to see a DVT, good news! It was indeed the slam door commuter set. Last time I saw pictures of this it was the Blue/grey Cargo D stock (that was some time ago!) and somehow thought it was formed of 4 or 5 cars, didn't expect a rake of 7 (I think it was 7, I didn't count) and noticed the coach by the DVT was standard...hmmm...don't tell me First Class is at the front..no it was the quiet coach, looked like it was standard class only. The front coach may have been originally First Class as it was a 110xx fleet number (I seem to recall these were, and 12xxx were standard?)
Winner 68013 was up the front (having ever only done 68012 on a power door set) got some shots and went to the front coach to stand at the front vestibule. Not for window leaning, just put the window down a bit to let the sound in. As I mentioned I did the power door set before and sat at the front seat by the front vestibule, and with no opening windows that was surprisingly loud.
Right time departure, started recording with my camcorder placed near the window but hopefully far enough inside not to let much wind noise into the mic, then some woman appeared for a phone call, couldn't you have done that a minute ago *sigh* I know I'm sounding ignorant, but I'm not shutting the window, though I do think maybe the quiet coach is best placed by the DVT rather than by a loco. Reminds me of the time I've seen someone trying to have a discussion on the phone when in the MSO of a Class 319 screaming down the Midland Mainline!
With a window open a bit, I was more surprised at the decent noise these Cat's make, then we came up to the tunnel, only probably on half power I suppose, and the woman on the phone saying 'Hello can you hear me' faded out as the noise was already loud enough to blank it out, then just a bit up in the tunnel, full power applied..just...wow!
! SERIOUSLY deafening! I honestly thought either my ears or my head is going to explode, I could feel my ears struggling to take it all in! Then out of the tunnel, still full thrash for quite some way, then eventually power down, gosh my ears can rest! I could feel a very small pain in my head, I'm not at all surprised, that bit alone was well worth it! Power was not off for long though as it was then back to full power. Further down the line I couldn't make out what stations we were passing as I don't really know the route that well (I used to) but I I didn't think the first stop, Beaconsfield, was that far but it seemed quite some way up as we went pounding past a few stops. Another noise fest departure from here followed by 3 more before Bicester North, shame it's not Birmingham but if I lived round here I'd quite happily commute on this every day! Never found the line scenic in the way of there's not much to look at (ECML is worst for this IMHO though) but words cannot describe this journey, for the full noise fest it really was worth doing, and by Bicester I did have a headache, again not surprised by the sheer amount of noise especially in the tunnel out of Marylebone.
With a good 20 minutes to wait for the next train to Marylebone I went out for a smoke. Saw the Bicester Village bus and a Stagecoach bus. The Bicester Village one soon departed and did a U-turn just after the stop to exit the station, but couldn't quite get round as a car was in the way so it tried to reverse, but by this point the stagecoach bus had also departed and stopped right behind it and didn't move, despite the Bicester Village bus having it's reverse light on. After a few seconds, the Village bus went back into Drive and just squeezed past the car.
The Stagecoach one took a different approach by throwing the bus right up to the car and then slamming the horn.
I went back onto the station to the other platform to wait for the ex-Stratford service, from here it's non stop to Marylebone. Couldn't remember what this might be but expected one of the older 3 car 168's (not the ones that look like a 170). A Birmingham service appeared on the other side though with some mega 168 formation, 8 car's with 2 168/3's and a 4 car 168 on the rear.
The 18:45 Marylebone turned up a couple of minutes late formed of a 2 car 165, 165012. It looked rammed, but then a fair amount of people got off here so there were some seats free, forgot how cramped it is though, also forgot how slow these things feel pulling away.
Just up the line I noted the Oxford connection, track I still need and have to do at some point. It felt like a week for this thing to get any speed, so went back on the phone to update the railmiles so far and look at some other things, which passed the time into London.
Noted 20007 and some other 20 at West Ruislip and some S stock cars. Couldn't help but think how do they get from the Central Line depot to the Metropolitan Line depot? Couldn't think of a connection line between the two.
We were 2 minutes late but really couldn't afford to loose time, as we were booked in at 19:39 and the train leaves Paddington at 20:03, and yet again didn't have a plan B, apart from maybe needing an excess for a route Swindon ticket. A quick look on Real Time Trains and there is a 21:03 to Westbury as a backup.
Coming into Marylebone tunnel we are slowing down and then nearly stopping at the other end, waiting for something to clear the route, or have a call-on signal for a platform share, then I had this bad feeling, I hope we don't end up in Marylebone Parkway (the bay platforms miles away from the barriers) and then arriving into Marylebone...yep! in the bays at the far end...not only that but sharing a platform with a 3 car 168
Got off as soon as the doors opened and power walked down that platform at a rate of knots, trying to overtake everyone, and then trying to avoid those walking up Platform 3 to join their rammed 4 car Class 168 on the 19:47 to Snow Hill.
Straight down to the Bakerloo line, 1 minute for a Harrow. Walked up the platform a bit and found a quieter spot on the platform. Stood roughly in the middle for the set numbers, required 3265+3450 turned up. At Paddington I could not believe it, I'd done it again, got off right by the stairs!
Went power walking again to the mainline concourse to see the time '19:50'. Ten minutes from Marylebone Platform 5 to Paddington concourse. Required 802104 was on Platform 3 loading up for the 20:03 to Paddington and I got a seat near the front. Got my phone charger out, plugged it in, settled down and looked over to Platform 1 to see a 20:00 to Bristol. Bummer, that's something else I thought of doing, getting that in the book and then changing at Reading. Couldn't be bothered to check if it was one's I needed, I ain't going for it now.
Left on time at 20:03, trolley soon came round, ordered a coffee, decided to have a chocolate bar (mind you, £3 for a coffee and a chocolate!) replied to a text then spotted a couple of Heathrow departures, then thought must be just past West Drayton, but we went storming through Slough 'What? ALREADY? bloody hell that was quick!'
Paddington to Reading took 23 minutes, so had to sit about for time to catch up! From here we ambled along to Newbury where the diesel engines came on. First time I've been in a carriage to hear the engine, and I must say it sort of reminds me of being in a Class 180, to me it sounds like it has that Adelante sound, which is welcome as I did like those!
Most the train had tipped out at Newbury leaving a couple of others in this coach. One man a couple of seats behind is loudly turning pages of the newspaper every 2 -5 seconds, I don't know what paper it was but it must of had 4,000 pages, as this is all I heard from Newbury all the way to Westbury! God that was annoying!
Off at Westbury to the car and home via the KFC Drive Thru and then had some paracetamol to cure the headache, and then to bed to end a brilliant evening out.
If I get the chance I will do it again. I did it now rather than later, as soon my company is putting me through a PCV course, so I'll be busy with that. On the flip side if I work weekends I would get rest days on a weekday to do this, I still need to find time to do the Rhymney 37's too.
Hope the report wasn't too boring!
James.
