H-O-W's The London Station Bagger

[heart-of-wessex]

Hello all,

As I work through the other report, I'll start on this one. It helps a lot that I have notes written down so I should be able to jog my memory and not miss anything.

The Idea
This trip is to tidy up some stations I need around London. I haven't done station scratching for a long time, and I was hoping to come back with a lot, however looking in the Baker's, it's starting to get a bit more difficult. Most of them are in the outer zones and therefore are spread out. Even then there's not a lot of station's grouped together in most area's, it's the odd one or two between other stations that I only need, so basically I need to hoover them up. It will take a bit longer than planned as I'll have to travel to each area to get them in the book, so I'll probably not get a lot in as I initially hoped for.

The Plan

I've got around 10 hours. That narrows down when you travel to another area, waiting for the next train etc. Plus there is a charter out too, but I plan to try and phot it on the Hounslow Loop at a station I need. So I decided therefore I'll allocate myself to do South West Trains shacks in the morning, Southern maybe combined with Northern Line in the day, and finish off at Waterloo East having done some Southeastern shacks in the afternoon. Sounds like a plan ready to be tipped upside down :lol!

The Bash

Welcome to the bash!

I was already awake at 3am, mainly doing some of the Europe report. I slept earlier so that I didn't oversleep and therefore I had time to get stuff together too. Despite getting this done by about 5am, I forgot a few things before I left so therefore I STILL managed to leave the house late, skimming it a bit as I left at 0620 and the train leaves at 0629. I can get to work in about 8 minutes, and I pass the station to get to work (It's not far from the station at all) so I should be able to make it.

There was no shortcut, whichever road I take doesn't really affect the walking time, but I had no time to do weekend diversions!

I got to the station with 2 minutes to spare, now to work out which 158 will it be, as I want the coach with the ex-TPX 158 seat's and not the upright ones.
Dreadful! It's not a 158 at all, it's 150926, bloody hell!

A score for me as I've not done the newer 3 car 150's yet. First train of 2015 believe it or not. Ticket bought and had it stamped, we are 0F01 apparently
Still we are only going as far as Westbury for a 11 month fester, boring! Just as well I'm going as far as Salisbury, this service just likes to sit around, a 7 minute wait at Westbury (well it does detach a unit from the back), 12 minutes at Salisbury, 4 minutes at Romsey and 3 at Southampton. It takes 3 hours for it to do Bristol to Portsmouth, and it's 3 hours 20 in the day on a Cardiff - Portsmouth, with the longest wait being 4 minutes.

Anyway, that passed the time at Westbury, we now set off to Salisbury. Certainly had some thrash up Dilton Bank, and quite impressive motoring down the Wylye Valley too I must say!!

We arrived into Salisbury 2 minutes early, gives me around 10 minutes in Pumpkin providing no-one else is ordering the menu. There was a bit of a queue, and I thought about getting a breakfast roll as I hadn't had any breakfast, but time was getting a bit close so I got a coffee instead, as I yet had to crossover to the island platform via the bloody 2 mile ramps, it's just as bad as the ramps to the platforms at Waterloo East!

I board the front unit, 159003, which had 107 and 002 in tow. As we head off to Waterloo I go through my notebook tidying anything up I haven't ticked off, I also had some underlining to do since I had no red pen until recently when I ordered 10 of them.
Half the numbers I have I can't tick off yet, as they aren't in the ICRS 2013 book. I think I might need a visit to Ian Allan at some stage!

At Andover I notice the PIS screen on the opposite side read '0744 When Harry Met Salisbury'......huh?
I went on Twitter, and saw that already people had taken pictures of different ones around the SWT network, and became evident it was to do with Valentines Day, ahhh makes sense now, completely forgot it was Valentines Day to be honest.

It was then fast to Basingstoke where I saw the screen for our train 'London Waterlove'
After a fast run to Woking we got checked on the final approach, which is a good thing as I wanted to cop the track machines in the BB yard, but as always I only got a couple, I've never noted all the numbers before, should try using the voice recorder on my phone really.
As we leave Woking I note a 455 set in the bay. Not one of the ones I need, but I note the destination is set for 'Shepperton' I doubt that somehow!



That's started that off. Dinner time, TV then bed, so I'll catch up the two reports tomorrow

 

[Techniquest]

Sounds like a good start to the trip, and I'm jealous as I need 150926!

Know the feeling with the stations, a lot of my requirements are spread out all over the place in London. Some of them are still grouped up, but not too many now. Hopefully after my 3 days in London my numbers should be vastly improved!

 

[PHILIPE]

Sounds like a good start to the trip, and I'm jealous as I need 150926!

Know the feeling with the stations, a lot of my requirements are spread out all over the place in London. Some of them are still grouped up, but not too many now. Hopefully after my 3 days in London my numbers should be vastly improved!

If you've had 150126, then you've got 2/3 of 926 !!!

 

[Techniquest]

If you've had 150126, then you've got 2/3 of 926 !!!

Correct, same for 150925 which I also need. For the purposes of full disclosure, I need 150120, 150131, 150216, 150925, 150926 and 158960 with FGW. Devon and Cornwall bashes in the coming months may change that, and if not they'll be hunted down like dogs on the proposed FoSS!

 

[heart-of-wessex]

Right some time on me hands . Let's re-start from London, after all that's where I was going!

So, at Clapham it was time for the arrival smoke. On the way out I went via the TVM to pick up a Z1-6 Travelcard, I could use my Oyster but it needs a Station Bashing setting on it and it doesn't have one yet. Chooses ticket..YOU WHAT!?! Re-checks I have actually selected the right ticket, I sure have, £12 for a 1-6! Hell, a Belgium tram/bus/tube rover is only just under £5. Can't see me doing this too often (Although a Network Card might help should I get one).

Plan was to kill two birds with one stone, Go to Chiswick and see the railtour whilst scratching the station. I didn't have much time to faff around but I decided to see it here instead as after all, it was coming through Clapham. Though I'm still not sure weather to actually go round the Hounslow loop or not. Beware the plans I'm writing now are what I thought of at the time, and are subject to change...rather frequently at that!



'Mayflower' came through the station, and included 47580 on the rear which was thrashing away nicely! I'm still toying with the idea of going to Chiswick though! A quick RTT search tells me the next train, the 0917 Hounslow, would get me to Chiswick ahead of the tour. Hmm, risky, but I decided to do it. It was now a minute late, but if it's no later than a minute then I *should* get away with it.

A pair of 450's come into view on the Hounslow. Hold on, what's the plus at Chiswick though? S**t, RTT is booted up as quick as my Galaxy would load it, and I see there's a +12, that's reasonable, so I jumped on the set, formed of 450042 (required) + 450039 (Dud). From here we run on the Fast Line to call at Wandsworth and Putney. Meanwhile we race the tour, running non stop on the slow line to Putney where we overtake it, as it's slowing down probably for the red at Barnes. I could have bailed at Putney for a shot but I flagged that idea, instead I was wondering whether to get off at Barnes Bridge, but that involves a +0, and relies on it being rather late! Sure enough as we approached Barnes Bridge, the London was already leaving, so I stayed on to Chiswick for another shot of the tour.



It stopped here for a few minutes too, not sure why as the 450 had now long gone, but the stop was also in RTT so it was a planned stop. Still, I got to see her depart with 47580 giving her a good shove! The 0944 train back to London was formed of another required/dud combo, 450108 and 106. Ok, now can I do a connection at Barnes Bridge for the Weybridge if it's late? It's a -2 connection but I've not seen it yet. We arrived into an empty Barnes Bridge station, so maybe I could. The doors opened, and still no Weybridge. Hmm...Is it one of those stations where you have to walk to Carmarthen to get to the other platform, like London Bridge? No idea, but I stayed on in the end. There was still no train when we got to Barnes, could be late, and I could still do it, but it's rather pointless as I wanted to scratch in Barnes Bridge.

Well I'm not doing the Hounslow loop then! Now what to do? Whipping out the Bakers, I still need some on the Southern. It's not quite as easy as it's scattered so I could do with some tidying up to get them out the way. I need some things either side of Sutton, I've done the Sutton Loop, it's just ones towards Croydon and Epsom.
ACTUALLY....I could bail off at Balham and get some Northern Line (South of the Thames) ones out the way, then come back to Balham to carry on to Sutton.

Ok well that's gone flying out the window already, as I opted to jump on the next one arriving, which is RA Sutton on a Dorking.with 377616 (required). Not done these fast ones for a while so it gave me time to draw a plan, well that nearly took me as long as it does to get to Dorking!! First plan was to bail at Sutton then head up to Hackbridge, then back to Carshalton as I need those two. I could get a 319 to Hackbridge, but then I miss the next one, and the one after is non stop. Ok how about Carshalton then waiting for one behind to Hackbridge. Nope, Next Southern is also fast. Actually I'm not finding much Southerns calling here, it's just a PITA so I decided to carry on to Cheam.

After a storming run, we arrived into Sutton. After a couple of minutes, we were told that we'd be here for a few minutes as we arrived here 6 minutes early!!!! Holy c**p!!!
In the meantime 377703 arrived on the other platform, damn, could have done that, never mind stations is the plan of the day, not haulage's (I suspect you're waiting for that to change!) About a week later, we left off for Cheam.



That's another one done, I've only scratched 2 off so far though. I didn't know you could see Sutton station from here though! Well by 'see' I mean the upper parts, the bridge and a bit of the building. I stayed on the same platform as 2R32 to Epsom is only 10 minutes behind. 455840 turns up at 1042, a required box machine, and I take the short hop to Ewell East for the scratch. There we are, all stations between Sutton and Epsom done.

I could have made a +0 on a London service if it was late, but it was on time, shame as it was a required 377/4. The next was only 7 minutes away though formed of required for haulage 377623. I notice this stops at Carshalton/Hackbridge, maybe I could go for another attempt? On board, I decide to at least try one of them. Carshalton? Nope, a +1 for a TL back to Sutton, Hackbridge? Nope, a near +10 as it was late. F*** it, I'll do it another day! I know 10 mins isn't much, but I'd rather get them both at the same time, and the more waiting time is less stations done in the day.

I decided to head to Waddon instead, as I still need Waddon/Wallington, and is easy to do. After I burnt RTT out I bailed at Sutton and made a +4 onto a Victoria via Crystal Pally service with required 455822, doing well with the red pen at the moment, much better than a red pen day!

I sat in the MSO coach, and there was certainly some lovely 455 sounds as we left P4 to cross over to the West Croydon line. The motors cutting on/off 'Mmmmm.ClunkHISS...Mmmmm.ClunkHISS...Mmmmm.ClunkHISS...Mmmmm.ClunkHISS' I like the character of these, the couplers clunking knocking the coaches about, the hum of the motors...to think years ago I wanted them scrapped ! I still have my 'Keep Britain tidy. Bin a 455' sign from years ago !

I bailed at Waddon and on the approach I notcied a Maccy D's...hmm, I think it's time for a lunch break!




Keep an eye for more the rest of the report

 

[Techniquest]

Crikey, I'd forgotten how much we both used to form plans then almost immediately bin them on London bashes! I remember such a trip years back, we were both on a southbound Bakerloo train from Paddington, and we spent ages going "We could do X from A, or we could bash these" and so on. Back then of course we both needed an absolute ton of stuff across the entire city, whereas now my requirements have dropped significantly! I believe on that occasion above we ended up bailing at Charing Cross, the idea being to do Networkers. Of course, it could have been almost anything at the time!

I'd also forgotten your hatred of 455s, that's going back a few years now! You'll be glad to know my dislike of 442s is still going, despite that brief change following The Ruby Rover tour.

Nice to see some more of your trip report has been posted, I look forward to the rest of it in due course

 

[Kite159]

Agreed with Barnes Bridge being an awkward station to get from platform to platform

 

[heart-of-wessex]

Isn't that when we did leaps from Cannon St <->London Bridge in the peak? I know we did that once, can't remember when!

Same story for the 442's here too, I like watching them still, not the same to go on though.

So, back at Waddon after a nice break at McDonalds I had a short wait for a train back towards Sutton. 455826 was the unit that rolled in. I jumped onboard and checked the book...required! After a short ride I bailed at Wallington for yet another station cop. Now scored all stations from Victoria - Epsom via Selhurst, just got to do Hackbridge and Carshalton to clear the other route.

At Wallington I was just about to wander to the other platform when I noticed that there is a +10 here for an Epsom Downs. I sat on the bench and whipped out the atlas to confirm that I needed Belmont. I did indeed, that'll be worth getting out the way. It was another 455 this time 835. Again once onboard I checked the book..Required! Flippin heck! I still need 15 more units, but still the times I've stood at Clapham Junction P14 to await a required 455 only for all the dud ones turn up, doing better just doing station bashing!

We got to Sutton and then headed down the rural Epsom Downs branch. Last time I did this line was behind a DRS Class 20 last year. You could tell how steep the branch was with that, not much noticeable on a 455.



I bailed at Belmont and waved the 455 off. Not many people would understand but I was pleased to be here, it was one of those annoying niggles in the atlas, and now I don't have to do the branch again. Looking at the screen, I had 30 minutes to wait for 835 to pick me back up. Balls, didn't consider the epic waiting time to wait for the unit to trundle to Epsom Downs and back!

I looked at the local area map and saw that outside the station and up the road is a shop where you can top up oysters, should be a corner shop which in that case I can get a bottle of coke or something. I went out Station Road to the crossroads as the map said, looked up the road and all I could see was a pub.....I just pictured buying a pint and topping up your oyster, somehow I doubt that was right! Apart from that there was a lot of tree's and a field. Well unless it's a travelshop in a Marquee then I don't think there's anything here! I took a walk up the hill on Downs Road, passing a President Trident that was at the bus stop lay-by. Would have gone on that if I was on a bus bash.

I went as far as Clifton Vale, but no shops in sight, so I turned round and headed back. It looked like a nice but expensive area, had that Surrey feel to it that's for sure. By the time I got back down the hill, I noticed the Trident had gone with a E400 now parked there. Just as I passed it, I now wondered why I didn't get on the Trident, I could have took it back to Sutton or something, it must have gone that way, and would have got back quicker. Never mind, I'll happily flag the E400 and wait for the 455.

Getting back to the station I notice the other side looked like a town area, I think I went the wrong side of the station, looks like the shop I was looking for was the other side. Oh well, train is due soon, so I had a smoke and looked at the engineering poster. I like reading these, especially when you think 'ouch!' at some of the RRB routes!

455835 duly turned up on time at 1241 on 2R57, the first dud 455, can't imagine why
So, now where to go? Well I still need Penge West, and West Norwood, maybe I could do those? Or I could go to East Croydon via the Tram and head up to London Bridge for South Eastern shacks. I nearly went up to Balham to do the Northern Line idea but that was a trek for a stopper from here.

I was mashing through RTT again for some ideas. Well actually I could bail at Selhurst for a Caterham, I still need a couple of shacks down there. Hmm well it's an idea. By West Croydon I still hadn't decided, reminded me of the time when me and Techniquest had this dilemma in Ireland and when we did decide to get off, the doors closed !

So off to Selhurst it is then. We did shift off of West Croydon somewhat before slowing right down for the curve to Selhurst, which is on a 1-in-bloody steep. We also had a red at the top of the hill too, so the driver went up slowly, knocking the power on and off to keep 835 crawling up the hill. We got close to the signal and the driver had to stop. Literally a nano-second later the signal cycled from red to green!
Problem was the rails were still a bit wet, but we got crawling and a hiss of the brake release we got going a bit more and then CRUNCH-BANG-HISS!! The wheeslipped causing the couplers to bunch, made me jump I can tell you that, especially as I jolted!

After another hill start, we arrived into Selhurst. I swapped platforms for a +10 onto the 2Y97 Caterham. It was a 455 as expected, this time it just happened to be 455836! And that was also required! Now I'm on this, I'm not sure whether to actually do the Caterham branch, as logically I could combine that with Tattenham Corner.
I didn't have long to mess around in RTT, but I could go to London Bridge on South Eastern, didn't know they were diverted today. So Plan ZZZ was now to take SE to Bridge.

I bailed at East Croydon and took the hike to the concourse to check the boards. 1258 London Bridge is still on the board as 'Delayed' (it's about 1310 at this point) and the next one at 1328 is also just 'Delayed'. Hmmmm....Time to get a coffee I think, but I could do with some cash. I went outside and found a bank of 3 ATM's but only one was working which had a small queue. That shouldn't be too long...ha! No, the queue consist's of people wishing to go through every menu on the ATM, do a million query's, take the card out and put it back in for more cash, some I think were standing there playing Tetris or something.

FINALLY I got to the machine and got some cash out, well that took some time 'would you like to see your balance?' No. 'Would you like a reciept? No. 'Would you like to play Tetris?' NO! Just give me the damn tenner!!!!

**** sake! A week later, I got my tenner and headed for the coffee place, can't remember if it was Pumpkin or Costa, but either case I got my drink and noticed the 1328 was now due on time, and is was only a minute or so away, so I scurried through the barrier and took a quick walk down the ramp. I noticed there was a 375 set in P2 already but when I got to the platform it was locked out with no one on. This was probably the 1258 which may have expired perhaps.

Seconds later, 375915+375711 arrived into P1, both required, but then I do need a stash of these. At least I now had time to drink my coffee and enjoy the non stop spin up to Bridge. Between New Cross and Bricklayers Arms, I noticed a couple of DBS shed's on an engineers set. We now crossed over here onto the Bricklayers Arms Reversible line, required bit of track! After here I was a bit lost, with some track next to us blocked off by buffer stops and small sections missing. I haven't been up here for quite a while.

London Bridge was now looking rather different, I noticed P9 and P8 was blocked. The PA came on to announce that there is no service to Charing X due to the works, only Cannon Street services running, but Charing X services are running through non-stop. Balls! That makes my plans a bit harder. Doing SE bashing in the peaks from Bridge is going to be difficult with only Cannon Street services on offer!

Now what do I do? Find out in the next and final part!

 

[55013]

I'm enjoying this.
I'm looking forward to the next part.
Thanks for posting.

 

[Kite159]

I believe the 280 bus serves both Belmont & Sutton, which is probably what I will use to get from Belmont the next time I'm down that branch.

Cannon Street to Bridge hops are still good to do, easier than Charing Cross to Waterloo East hops

 

[Techniquest]

Oh I remember that time in Ireland, all the way back in December 2004! Deciding where to get off the DART then once we decided the doors were closing! I remember parts of that trip well, 10.5 years on hock:

You sure did well with your Southern 455s, and I see you're finding going after shacks is a good way to get your winners in. It sure beats doing Victoria to Clapham leaps all day!

I still need the two intermediate shacks on the Epsom Downs branch, I keep putting off doing that side of London as I seem to prefer doing GN, TL and GA stuff on my last London bashes. I really need to change strategies and have an enormous clearout on SWT and SN, although I also need to organise another London bash, not sure I can wait until 3rd August to go again!