Day 5! (3rd October)
This was my last day in Wales - I wanted to get back and have a full day's recovery before going to a Weird Al Yankovic gig on the Sunday. I was awake early and left the hotel to take a walk on the beach. I was able to watch the sun rise from behid the eastern hills, then went back for breakfast and checkout.
I walked to Llandudno railway station, where 175101 swiftly arrived on a Manchester Piccadilly run. When the guard came to sort out my ticket, I explained I was headed to London by way of Shrewsbury, so he left me alone for a few minutes while he checked the rest of the train, then came back and sold me a split ticket to Birmingham. I sat on the coastal side of the train, but didn't get any good photos. The sunshine of Llandudno swiftly disappeared, and by the time I alighted at Chester the weather was decidedly foggy.
I'd never been to Chester before, and I have to say that while it is entirely lacking in any sort of pleasant looks, the operations are quite interesting. My train arrived on time, but was mysteriously delayed departing, leading to everyone disembarking for 150110/149, which had recently appeared from the west. Several Merseyrail trains came and went, almost turning around and leaving before you'd even realised they were there in the first place. I paid a visit to WH Smiths, then boarded 175111, which was working a Holyhead to Cardiff service.
It was around this time that I realised Chester to Shrewsbury is not actually the Welsh Marches Line, and thus I hadn't managed to complete the line. Another visit required.
The weather stayed pretty bad as we travelled south, and I was surprised by how much of the line was single track. I made sure to look out for the Wrexham Central branch, though there was no train visible when we passed. In fact I only saw one other train before getting off at Shrewsbury.
My North Wales journey had now completed its loop, but I wasn't quite done with new territory yet. I boarded 158841/829, which were working a Cambrian to Birmingham service. This was where the pleasant part of my train journeys ended, as, even on a Saturday, these trains are pretty packed. While I was able to get a seat, I wasn't the relaxing journey I'd got used to over the past few days. When we reached Wolverhampton I was back on ground I'd covered previously, and I did consider getting out, but decided that given I was now encumbered with a box of shoes as well as 28 CDs and a wooden cat, I should probably just stay aboard.
The mist had cleared by the time we reached Birmingham, and I was able to get my first view of the new New Street. The outside is shiny, and fun to take photos with. The inside is spacious and light. The platforms are still a dank and depressing ****hole. I stayed a while outside to take photos of the reflections, then made my way to Moor Street. That was actually a lot easier than expected - I tried to go between Moor Street and New Street last year, and ended up going a very circuitous route. But this time I found the way without any problems, although it's still not an easy interchange by any means, and the coming of HS2 to Curzon Street will just make matters worse.
I arrived at Moor Street with not a moment to spare. I bought a ticket and jumped aboard Chiltern 168112, which formed the 1255 departure for Marylebone. This was also pretty busy, but I got myself a seat with a plug socket. While the grey of the mainline trains is pretty dull to look at, they are well-appointed. We ran a few minutes late most of the way, and it made me realise just how bloody long it is from Aynho Junction to London. I arrived into Marylebone at 1445, and finally it was sunny, just in time for me to head underground to go home via the Bakerloo and Jubilee Lines.
Thus ended my holiday. Slightly under 200 (mainline) trains spotted, around 3500 photos taken, 725.44 miles travelled by train, 218 stations passed through.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/mattbuck007/albums/72157660601244407
