How difficult is it to arrive or leave at all timetabled platforms. 5 year project to achieve this.

[Kite159]

A shame you went the road route between Ascott-under-Wychwood & Charlbury as there is a much quieter mostly off-road route via a couple footpaths/bridleways.

Likewise Finstock to Charlbury. Too late now mind

Good news with getting the Smethwick West - Smethwick Rolfe Street chord in your book

 

[All platforms]

A shame you went the road route between Ascott-under-Wychwood & Charlbury as there is a much quieter mostly off-road route via a couple footpaths/bridleways.

Likewise Finstock to Charlbury. Too late now mind

Good news with getting the Smethwick West - Smethwick Rolfe Street chord in your book

I did look to see if there were alternatives but didn't dive too deeply in this regard as you can see. Google certainly wasn't helping in this regard.. Not really a walker and it was already wet enough underfoot given the rain the previous night. The most walking kit i own is a waterproof anorak and a sensibleish pair of shoes haha.

I am minded to have a look at some of the other walk in/out stations on the network later in the year on the basis of doing some of the really awkward stuff before my knees seize or somesuch. Scotland however will be body swerved until a more normal service returns.

 

[Kite159]

Good plan on avoiding Scotland at the moment, just too much uncertainty.

I only found out about those rights of way by looking at the OS map (other map providers are available)

 

[Techniquest]

Many comments to make, but I'm rushing this reply while on break at work. I'll respond better later, but I can only imagine the irritance at being promised a fairly easy walk and confronted with many big hills. My Sustrans map often seems to be lacking contour lines where there should be loads of them, that area does not look too bad on the map but yikes! I need to return to the area myself, I have more cycling to do there but the memories of some of the hills makes the body scream out 'no thank you!' at me!

 

[All platforms]

My Sustrans map often seems to be lacking contour lines where there should be loads of them, that area does not look too bad on the map but yikes! I need to return to the area myself, I have more cycling to do there but the memories of some of the hills makes the body scream out 'no thank you!' at me!

I only found out about those rights of way by looking at the OS map (other map providers are available)

I really should know better as i have always been a huge fan of OS maps, for many reasons. I have dozens of the things but sadly not in this part of the world. I should really invest in a digital presence for these and as Techniquest said actual contour lines are the real give away. As said much much further up the thread i was a bit of a cycle nut in my teens and went out of my way with a OS map to find the hard compacted brown contour lines. Now its the opposite of course..

On another topic i have just noticed the Bay platform at Fareham P2 is in play most of Sunday. I know this is not normally timetabled but unsure if this is a must do now - or is it used a number of times every year and it can therefore easily be caught at some other time. I wasn't really needing another big trip so soon..

 

[Kite159]

I think Fareham platform 2, a platform I've departed from but never arrived into. But that was back a few years ago.

I'm interested on the Isle of Wight, as there is a Ryde St Johns Road starter (1516 Ryde St Johns Road to Shanklin Monday - Friday, 1617 Ryde St Johns Road to Shanklin on a Saturday). I suspect the unit arrives ECS from the depot straight onto the normal southbound platform, but it could also use that bay platform (assuming the bay platform can be used by passenger train departures).

 

[Techniquest]

OK I am finally back and ready to reply, I had a beautiful evening when I finished work so went for a walk in the last of the sunshine before returning to base. Instead of replying, I ended up spending a load of money on some maps to complete my collection!

Anyway, as I hinted yesterday, I wanted to discuss the good sir's visit to Oxfordshire. I did a big tour from Honeybourne to Charlbury in May 2021 by cycle, and my map really doesn't suggest too many big hills in the parts I was doing. Yeah, sure, right! That big downhill into Charlbury before the station (coming in from the south side) didn't appear on my map, I'm glad I wasn't going up it I must confess but yikes!

Charlbury, I too found it a nice place to visit. I wouldn't go out of my way to visit it, granted, but it is certainly worthy of a stop-off on a cycle tour/lengthy break between trains in the area/walking tour stop-off. I didn't have time to explore much of it, by the time I had locked up the beast and walked up into town in search of some food to make a meal I had to rush a fair bit.

The walks to/from other stations in the area, I sympathised strongly there. I was going to link to my video on YouTube from when I did Combe, that was back in the days when a 2-car 165 did the journey from Oxford. I don't know if that is still the usual motive power, it would make sense. Sadly, my video plays on YouTube but has no visual Never mind!

This was of course back when I was doing stations, and I walked back to Hanborough. I didn't have a huge amount of time before the HST to Hereford would be at Hanborough, and with a basic smartphone combined with poor data signal and not a good map, it was a challenge. Especially so given the low light of that evening, so much so it was pretty dark by the time I reached Hanborough! I was much younger and much more immature back then, I wouldn't dare do such a silly thing now!

It certainly was a good rover for you though, clearly. You haven't missed much in terms of scenery around that curve at Smethwick, it's not that exciting around there. Good work on getting it done though. As Kite said, there might be extras laid on in the Birmingham area for the Commonwealth Games, so some of your rare track may temporarily be easy to do. Sadly there seems to be very little news on that front, but then with the continuing issues with 196s I am hardly surprised. I'm going to a few events at the Games myself, not as many as I wanted to go to and not the ones I had originally wanted, but these things have a way of working out well. Of course, I will be visiting by rail and so are the family when we go to the opening ceremony. Trying to get them there, on potentially really busy trains, with varying concerns about the dreaded c-word, well that will be an interesting experience!

Regarding Fareham p2, I've not personally done it but I don't keep track of rare platforms etc these days. I wouldn't go out for it especially if it was me, not this close to previous big trips. I would definitely leave it for another time, I don't think it's terribly rare to get done, it's not common either from what I can gather. I would hold off until next time, if only to avoid annoying the other half too much and, just as importantly, to get some rest after the big adventures of recent times. If it was me, I'd be having focus on local stuff and treating the other half to something as a thank you for patience with all the big adventures. Quite, a nice meal out (for example) would do you both good, a bit of relaxing and recovery in good company must be a nice thought instead of having to get up before dawn for an unusual platform!

Obviously that's just my view! To finish this lengthy reply, I should add I'm still enjoying these trip reports even though I don't comment too often. Oh, and one last thought. Thinking of rare track in the Midlands, while I can't remember the junction names now, there was a curve of track near Perry Barr I did in January 2005 during some engineering works. I still haven't ever done it the other way, or indeed going east since then! This is the one coming from the Soho direction, then at the junction where you turn left for Walsall this goes off to the right.

 

[All platforms]

This is the one coming from the Soho direction, then at the junction where you turn left for Walsall this goes off to the right.

Yes that's the non timetabled PSUL item i am going to have to be patient with unless the Commonwealth Games generate something. I saw quite a few events when the games were based in Manchester all those years ago, (20?) especially the cycling road events as i knew the course they used pretty well in my teens.

That big downhill into Charlbury before the station (coming in from the south side) didn't appear on my map, I'm glad I wasn't going up it I must confess but yikes!

Yes, thats a real doozy of a thing. I did it uphill last year and am really glad it was at the start of the day not the end.

when I did Combe, that was back in the days when a 2-car 165 did the journey from Oxford. I don't know if that is still the usual motive power, it would make sense.

Yup its still a 165 2 car unit that plies its trade here although i have seen videos of class 180's stopping at Combe and Finstock too.

We shall be holidaying in Oban in 3 weeks and i had been given the all clear to have a day on the rails whilst there but a pointless excercise unless the full service returns with huge gaps currently. Lets see.

I think Fareham platform 2, a platform I've departed from but never arrived into. But that was back a few years ago.

I have decided to do the sensible thing and pass on the opportunity given my recent escapades - just hope it does reappear down the line.

I suspect the unit arrives ECS from the depot straight onto the normal southbound platform, but it could also use that bay platform (assuming the bay platform can be used by passenger train departures).

I did have a root around the Isle of White possibilities last year whilst scoping how best to do the island. In the meantime Platform 2 and 3 appear to have had a full refurb as part of the recent upgrades and the bay does get used. However i have only seen evidence of it being used for daytime stabling and the jury is out on if it does see active service. RTT and OTT are no help for platform info but Live Departures do indicate this, so i had made a note to see if this helps at all a bit nearer my future visit. (Not this year for sure)

 

[Kite159]

You might be able to get some stations on the Oban branch done, even with the reduced timetable.

The Combe Flyer has been a 180 (which at one point started at Didcot Parkway (2015/16 time) then switched to starting from London. These days it's gone back to a 2 coach 165 from Didcot (I've even done Combe on a HST!)

Good decision on Fareham platform 2, it will come up again when there is engineering works between Fareham & Cosham.

 

[Andy Pacer]

You might be able to get some stations on the Oban branch done, even with the reduced timetable..

On Mon to Fri There's an afternoon trip from Oban (departs 16.11) and a 17.47 arrival which I had earmarked for a potential station or two when I'm up there in June, otherwise the gaps are too long.

 

[All platforms]

On Mon to Fri There's an afternoon trip from Oban (departs 16.11) and a 17.47 arrival which I had earmarked for a potential station or two when I'm up there in June, otherwise the gaps are too long.

You might be able to get some stations on the Oban branch done, even with the reduced timetable.

Before the recent drastic temp cuts across the whole of Scotrail i had a midweek itinerary that would have seen all the platforms ticked between Oban and Crianlarich (Ok P2 at Oban is/was a Sunday only affair) but i will see if there is any movement in the timetable in 3 weeks time when we shall actually be there. If not this will be my third thwarted attempt to do some decent Scottish action including the awkward Kyle and Oban Sunday only platforms. I had traded a Sunday out for a midweeek outing and Sunday is not possible for me this time. If no movement i will probably end up doing the station that caused me the most grief when putting together the itinerary - but frustratingly i can't recall which that was off the top of my head. No matter for now..

 

[All platforms]

Further to the above... i might be able to negotiate 2 or 3 late afternoon out and backs if that's all that is realistic. Better than nothing..

 

[Andy Pacer]

Further to the above... i might be able to negotiate 2 or 3 late afternoon out and backs if that's all that is realistic. Better than nothing..

That's pretty much what I have planned for my trip.

 

[All platforms]

Day 116: Monday 23/05/2022 - Manchester Piccadilly to Crewe - £11.60 - Anytime Return. CP Travis Street Manchester free.
Total time today 95 mins - Time on trains 63 mins and time waiting 32 mins. No stations completed today.

Just a small taster to start the week off. My Passenger Services over Unusual Lines (PSUL) side quest is starting to take up a lot of time that would otherwise be served by the thrust of my main All Platforms journey - but its still very satisfying to do. My West Midlands foray only has a few nuggets left to do in this regard, as has the North West (finally) but as mentioned previously its getting harder to piece together a full day around these, which is why i find myself driving to Manchester shortly after 4.00am for the exciting prospect of the 5.11 Cross Country service to Bournemouth - although i was alighting (once more) at Crewe. This service is the only remaining one left in the calendar that is the North to South Airport avoider following the recent timetable change. In truth the other offering hasn't run for quite a few weeks anyway so i guess i had to summon up the energy at some stage. I am quite keen to tidy up the loose ends now so there may be more of these out and back one off's that do not detract from my day to day job haha. The South to North avoider still has 5 offerings covering all days but the Sunday morning ones will be my target before too long i'm sure.

What can i say about this morning then. The service itself was a 5 car set and much busier then i would have imagined for such an early start. The catering trolley rattled past me within minutes of us setting off and i was almost tempted before common sense prevailed. The actual journey was direct so everything was passed at speed and in no time at all the deed was done and we rolled into Crewe. My intended return was cancelled so a half hour wait for the next offering which was the Avanti to Piccadilly. Probably the shortest service they offer i would think.

I have a feeling that Yorkshire and points East thereof will offer some challenges as i start to look in that direction. More chords than you get in a piece of music from my initial survey. the real meaty stuff may have to wait for a few weeks when i can let loose some more 4 in 8 days Rovers. In the meantime i may pick off some bits round the edges.

Manchester Piccadilly	Depart	5.11​	*****	XC			stations	platforms
Crewe	Arrive	5.39​	P5	XC	wait 32m		completed	completed
Crewe	Depart	6.11​	P1	VT
Manchester Piccadilly	Arrive	6.46​	*****	VT

 

[Kite159]

Good news on doing the airport avoider in the south direction, I've only ever gone north (mix of charter trains & the Sunday morning TfW services).

The old Wilmslow - Warrington - Liverpool service escaped me a few times for the novelty of a 195 over that line.

 

[All platforms]

Good news on doing the airport avoider in the south direction, I've only ever gone north (mix of charter trains & the Sunday morning TfW services).

The old Wilmslow - Warrington - Liverpool service escaped me a few times for the novelty of a 195 over that line.

I had my beady eye on the Liverpool to Wilmslow - and the return working for some time but when i eventually got round to it quite a few weeks ago now it had disappeared from the schedules. This has happened to me too many times now not to think that some conspiracy is afoot so i am making a concious effort now to do the awkward stuff sooner rather than later.

It also helps a little that this stuff is still somewhat local to me - i really do wonder whats in store for me as i spread my wings a little further. I dont mind the odd curveball at 5am in far off Kent or wherever, its when there are 4 or 5 competing examples that can only mean multiple returns that i am going to really watch out for now, and manage things (manage things he says laughingly) far more effectively than i have done so far.

Projecting forward some years, i am really looking forward to enjoying the Charter service world too. Lets see how much is left to do once the timetabled stuff is ticked first though. I was just wondering have you still got a whole bunch of stuff to do yourself that gets nominally timetabled?

 

[Techniquest]

I won't mention how I've done that airport avoider in both directions and on a mix of 221s, a 57 hauling a 390 (way back before the wires went up on the line through Huyton), a 319, a 175 and an HST

I didn't envy the early start though!

 

[All platforms]

I won't mention how I've done that airport avoider in both directions and on a mix of 221s, a 57 hauling a 390 (way back before the wires went up on the line through Huyton), a 319, a 175 and an HST

I didn't envy the early start though!

That's just showing off now. Kindly leave the room. Seriously though, big kudos for that feat

 

[Techniquest]

That's just showing off now. Kindly leave the room. Seriously though, big kudos for that feat

It is worth mentioning I've been on the railway scene, admittedly with a few breaks, since October 2003, and I used to chase rare track actively. Certainly a few years ago there was no PSUL track I wanted, except that Soho curve but that one will forever annoy me. As will Hambleton West, the only other curve I can think of that I want.

I won't mention 37 or 50 haulage to Fishguard, or indeed the charter with D1015 to Milford Haven

 

[All platforms]

It is worth mentioning I've been on the railway scene, admittedly with a few breaks, since October 2003, and I used to chase rare track actively. Certainly a few years ago there was no PSUL track I wanted, except that Soho curve but that one will forever annoy me. As will Hambleton West, the only other curve I can think of that I want.

I won't mention 37 or 50 haulage to Fishguard, or indeed the charter with D1015 to Milford Haven

In many ways i feel i have activated my interest a bit too late in the day. We can all look back on yesteryear and call them the glory days but in this case i think generally they were. The traction options were more interesting and varied and would probably have piqued my interest enough to add that to my list as well, but with very few exceptions its IET's or DMU's all the way now which is frankly not as interesting to me. I still have a memory as a 12 year old being put on a train in Manchester pulled by what i know now to be a class 37 (yay) all the way to Bodmin Parkway with carriages that all had compartments. Exciting? You betcha. I am pretty sure that was what lay in the back of the mind to go exploring in the future. Cars girls family and a general lack of time and money all got in the way of that for near 50 years.

There is still time to tick off the last few remaining of course. My completist itch would be nagging too much for sure.

 

[All platforms]

Day 117: Tuesday 24/05/2022 - Yorkshire Coast Day Ranger - £15.25 - Valid Anytime. CP Hutton Cranswick.
Total time today 586 mins - Time on trains 261 mins and time waiting 325 mins. Stations completed today 9. Total completed 708.

To Hull and back (twice).

Looking back i think this is probably the first line i ever tried to put a days outing into a proper itinerary and remember how frustrating it was to try and include everything. It was always 1 or 2 stations short, or just too long a day to contemplate realistically. The timetable has increased from 20 months ago of course but it seems no easier with the top end of the line being particularly intransigent. I also came to realise that tight turnarounds did not go well with level crossings and no crossing bridge which applies to all the smaller stations and so i had to abandon one intermediate station - but which one. I also had a weather eye on the line from Selby to Hull which has 3 really awkward stations all of which have to be realistically done on different days if sanity is to be retained. One of them even has the gall to only have 1 Eastbound service out of the 5 it offers on weekdays. I digress, but i do need to consider how i approach this or it will get very bitty and messy. In essence do i include Hull in my plans today or not. I may have got it wrong but lets see in July when i will return to these parts.

Hutton Cranswick was chosen as the base for the day as it was free and as quick as anywhere else on the line to get to. Unexpected roadworks x3 on the M62 did not bode well for the journey back but i still arrived in good time. One thing i have mentioned previosly is old station houses. Pretty much all the smaller stations today have these as private residences and very uunusually for me (so far) they all have multiple lower storey windows looking onto the platform and which are not frosted or boarded over. Not very private, and to my eyes a little odd to see people having breakfast or washing up etc just a few feet away as i await my chariot. Hutton Cranswick i think was the best example of this with 5 or 6 of them.

The traction today was venerable but refurbished 158 and 155 stock plying their trade between Bridlington and Hull and Class 170's doing the honours on the Scarborough run. I am afraid the older stock wins out for me. the 170's were all just too crashy especially if you made the mistake of sitting over the axles. Not comfortable on anything that wasn't smooth rail. The interiors were fine however.

Where possible i tend to do the more awkward stations first so my first port of call was Nafferton with only a short pause before clattering all the way down the line to Hull itself and the first of its active 6 platforms. It was interesting to note that that there was no signage whatsover in the large shed area that proclaimed we were acctually at Hull - or is it Hull Paragon. They seem to be interchangeable depending where you look. I had 30 minutes before i had to be boarding another service so i found a little gem of an independent cafe not far from platform 2 (London Way Cafe) that was doing a roaring trade in cooked breakfasts. very tempting and fairly priced. I would say Hull is the best example so far of integrated Bus and Train with level access from all platforms to the large Bus station immediately outside to one side. The mystery of the missing signage was partially resolved as i departed Hull as there wasa an abundance of them in the smallish area outside the shed at the far end of the platforms - all of which were tpe branded. Curiuous.

I had to approach my next station from the South as it was the really awkward Arram which really only gets 1 (maybe 2) connecting return services, neither of which (annoyingly) doesn't allow time to fit another station in beforehand hence an enforced trip to Hull. Back to Hull then and 2 more platforms in the bag before spending the rest of my day further north. A quick shuffle once at Driffield back to Beverley which is a lovely place to visit generally and which has a rather large shed of its own, complete with more pidgeons than you can reasonably shake a stick at. One poor punter was even given a present by one in my short time there.

Bridlington next then before trekking up North. It was once a very busy place given the platform numbers left which are 4 5 and 6 and until fairly recently there was 7 and 8 in situ albeit unused for many years. All extra track now lifted and much tidied. I thought there may be a possibility for a quick return at Hunmanby which is the designated passing place but faint hopes were dashed by my only delayed train of the day and another of the half barrier crossings. It may work if the southward working was a few minutes late but the barriers stayed down on my arrival (and departure). Hunmanby was my first real opportunity for me to take stock and time enough for a few more pages in my book. Bempton was next and the only single platform on the whole line. It also had one of the old style Northern perforated metal benches that allowed me the luxury of a few minutes shut eye in a deserted place although walkers did infiltrate the station just a few minutes before heading north again for the trip to Filey. A lovely part of the line i must say and well worthy of a trip or two along its length. Time enough at Filey to source some cold water before wending my way back to Cottingham via Bridlington where there was a very unexpected deluge for 10 minutes. Bouncing rain!

All dried up and sunny by the time we reached Cottingham my final new station of the day. If one was in need of sustenance the old Lamp room has been converted to a cafe and looks quite a bit posher than most. I didn't really put more than my nose through the door so cannot attest to quality etc but always good to see independent businesses on stations. I really do have an aversion to nearly everything that one normally finds on the bigger stations. Overpriced is one understatement i can offer.

And so back to Hutton Cranswick which is the only station i did not do on the line based on my very arbitrary rules of what is permissable (cannot count first and last trains). it was good to get some more new stations and platforms under the belt after a period of track consolidation but Yorkshire really does have a lot of awkward stuff in wait for me when i return. Out again on Thursday but i wont be straying too far i'm guessing.

Hutton Cranswick	Depart	6.39​	*****	NT			stations	platforms
Nafferton	Arrive	6.49​	P2	NT	wait 8m		completed	completed
Nafferton	Depart	6.57​	P1	NT			1​	2​
Hull	Arrive	7.30​	P4	NT	wait 29m
Hull	Depart	7.59​	P6	NT
Arram	Arrive	8.18​	P2	NT	wait 12m
Arram	Depart	8.30​	P1	NT			1​	2​
Hull	Arrive	8.48​	P3	NT	wait 11m
Hull	Depart	8.59​	P7	NT
Driffield	Arrive	9.27​	P2	NT	wait 26m
Driffield	Depart	9.53​	P1	NT			1​	2​
Beverley	Arrive	10.05​	P1	NT	wait 12m
Beverley	Depart	10.17​	P2	NT			1​	2​
Bridlington	Arrive	10.46​	P6	NT	wait 23m
Bridlington	Depart	11.09​	P4	NT
Hunmanby	Arrive	11.26​	P2	NT	wait 56m
Hunmanby	Depart	12.22​	P1	NT			1​	2​
Bempton	Arrive	12.31​	Single	NT	wait 41m
Bempton	Depart	13.12​	Single	NT			1​	1​
Filey	Arrive	13.26​	P2	NT	wait 52m
Filey	Depart	14.18​	P1	NT			1​	2​
Bridlington	Arrive	14.38​	P5	NT	wait 22m		1​	3​
Bridlington	Depart	15.00​	P6	NT
Cottingham	Arrive	15.35​	P1	NT	wait 33m		1​	2​
Cottingham	Depart	16.08​	P2	NT
Hutton Cranswick	Arrive	16.25​	*****	NT

 

[Kite159]

Good news with making a clearance of the stations in East Yorkshire.
Agreed about the likes of Wressle on the line between Selby & Hull the service pattern is a bit rubbish

 

[Turbo004]

I've loved reading your trip reports. The reports make very interesting reading. I slightly disagree about things being less interesting these days. Perhaps you have to search for it a bit more but I find there is still plenty of variety on my trips out. I find that by still taking numbers of trains I realise when it is the last time I've seen a certain unit type etc etc. My main aim will always be travelling on all the lines in Britain but by taking numbers it makes those trips more interesting for me.

 

[All platforms]

I've loved reading your trip reports. The reports make very interesting reading. I slightly disagree about things being less interesting these days. Perhaps you have to search for it a bit more but I find there is still plenty of variety on my trips out. I find that by still taking numbers of trains I realise when it is the last time I've seen a certain unit type etc etc. My main aim will always be travelling on all the lines in Britain but by taking numbers it makes those trips more interesting for me.

I do take pictures of every service on boarding and alighting and could probably work out how many classes i have encountered, and when, from that but in truth my chosen notebook to keep a record of all my travels doesn't really have enough space to note all the numbers down too in a format i would be happy with. It would seem odd to my skewed view on things to start now but... there is always what to do once this litle adventure has been called time on. Anyway my brain can't juggle that many things at once and it can take all my focus to keep on track with the inevitable delays and cancellations without worrying was that digit a 5 a 6 or an 8. The focus is keeping those platforms and stations rolling by and hoping a little knowledge of the classes rubs off over time. Thinking about it i have come across some more unusual offerings on my travels. I have done at least 2 rides on HST's and been pulled by traction on Chiltern and TPE both. Just wish i had the knowledge to wax lyrical on encountering such things. Cheers.

 

[Turbo004]

I do take pictures of every service on boarding and alighting and could probably work out how many classes i have encountered, and when, from that but in truth my chosen notebook to keep a record of all my travels doesn't really have enough space to note all the numbers down too in a format i would be happy with. It would seem odd to my skewed view on things to start now but... there is always what to do once this litle adventure has been called time on. Anyway my brain can't juggle that many things at once and it can take all my focus to keep on track with the inevitable delays and cancellations without worrying was that digit a 5 a 6 or an 8. The focus is keeping those platforms and stations rolling by and hoping a little knowledge of the classes rubs off over time. Thinking about it i have come across some more unusual offerings on my travels. I have done at least 2 rides on HST's and been pulled by traction on Chiltern and TPE both. Just wish i had the knowledge to wax lyrical on encountering such things. Cheers.

I'm very impressed with taking a photo of every arriving service alighting and boarding service. I once tried this on a InterRail trip to Rome. I missed a train in Holland on the outward journey much to my friends delight. After this I gave up It! It is great our hobby - railways / trains. Whilst we all like the same thing it allows everyone to specialise in the bit they like the best.

 

[Techniquest]

I wouldn't get too hung-up on getting into the scene now and not before. Yes there is less variety now, but things are more reliable (normally!) these days which is quite advantageous. Less concerns about an HST power car breaking down and shafting the GWML, for example. The railway is much more accessible too, which is a huge plus.

You also have to remember that information and the ability to share that information, these days, is hugely better. Finding out what train is working what is really handy and can make or break a day. The amount of time I have spent on platforms looking for specific trains, to find that they're not even running, over the years is just crazy. I also don't miss the days of 10-12p texts, or having to pay huge photo development costs, or having to carry spare AA or AAA batteries for cameras and CD players, I could go on.

Oh and another one to add is that I don't miss the poor quality coffee on FGW! There are a LOT of things I miss about the 2000s, such as pulling the droplight down on a MK2 or MK3 and enjoying the racket from an HST fitted with a Valenta, NA256 turbos and a Marston cooler for example, but there's so many things that are better now. The journey experience on Silverlink, with 313s on the Watford DC lines or 150s on the Gospel Oak to Barking line, was an entirely different world to how it is now, and yes the old motive power was more fun but I wouldn't go back to it!

The other thing I wouldn't go back to is the level of immaturity I had back then. I'm certainly not fully mature now, but I definitely wasn't very grown-up in the 2000s. So what I guess I'm saying is that I do get a bit nostalgic for that era, but these days I do like to look forward to the future. There's plenty I have going on away from the hobby to look forward to, but in terms of what we have coming up on the railway? Well of course there's HS2, we now have the central section of CrossRail open as of yesterday, we have new trains coming to TfW, WMR, LNWR and EMR just to mention a few, there's new locomotives coming soon, I believe that the MML up to Sheffield is getting electrified too. That's just some of the good things coming soon I can think of.

In time, this current era will be one that we look back on fondly. Of this I have zero doubt. When it works, the current railway works well. It just doesn't seem to work too well so often that it really drives me crazy. It makes me want to learn to drive, and that goes against so many morals and ethics! In a world that needs the railway to behave and do what it does well, the industry seems to be ignoring it and problems are getting bigger.

It's a shame, but I see it as a good thing for me as it means I can focus on keeping fit and healthy! I could have had a seriously big red pen day today, I won't say where as it'll spoil the surprise, but I only did the bits I wanted then focused primarily on the physical exercise. Instead of scoring trains left, right and centre I went out for a good walk, and to get to the main event today I could have easily got just trains to it but I factored in a big cycle ride to do it. Years ago, such a thing would not have been on my radar, but these days I'm so much more interested in health than trains.

Anyway! This was not meant to be a long post but it's sure got that way!

 

[All platforms]

I wouldn't get too hung-up on getting into the scene now and not before. Yes there is less variety now, but things are more reliable (normally!) these days which is quite advantageous. Less concerns about an HST power car breaking down and shafting the GWML, for example. The railway is much more accessible too, which is a huge plus.

You also have to remember that information and the ability to share that information, these days, is hugely better. Finding out what train is working what is really handy and can make or break a day. The amount of time I have spent on platforms looking for specific trains, to find that they're not even running, over the years is just crazy. I also don't miss the days of 10-12p texts, or having to pay huge photo development costs, or having to carry spare AA or AAA batteries for cameras and CD players, I could go on.

You make some good points right there.. Having had time to think about it i am fairly certain i would not have embarked on this particular quest if there had not been the likes of RTT and other good information sources. You can't have progress without changing what went before. Back in the day i would have had to rely on the huge tome that was the railway timetable book. Actually i am sure i would have made any challenge a more local one like all stations on the northern network for example.

I remember a day out on the rails (i only ever did the odd one really) in the late 1980's in Glasgow where i was living and working at the time and it was almost a case of choosing somewhere and hoping there was a return service without too long a wait. As part of that i remember travelling on a service to Whifflet that back then was, i am sure, from the ark. It was part parcels van and slam door and had the springiest mohair seats known to man - and boy was it old. To this day i have no idea what it was but most definitely the most uncomfortable ride this side of a boneshaker. You may be right that today is the place to be.

 

[All platforms]

Day 118: Thursday 26/05/2022 - Lancashire Day Ranger - £17.70 - Valid after 9.00am Weekdays. CP Dover Street Moses Gate.
Total time today 508 mins - Time on trains 163 mins and time waiting 345 mins. Stations completed today 5. Total completed 713.

The intent today was to do the line from Bolton to Preston and filling in the gaps. It all started so well but late running and then a raft of cancellations caused focus to drift elsewhere. It was well that i had a pretty good handle of what i had left to do in these parts.

Moses Gate was again my starting point with a free parking spot right next to the station which is fine by me! A quick trip into Bolton and a short wait for the Blackpool train and then off at Adlington (lancs) which only has a 2 hourly service off-peak. Did i mention it was raining? Well it was the wetting kind of rain that seeps into your soul and it was a thing till well into the afternoon. Not much opportunity to explore then so i made friends with my book most of the morning as i waited things out in some pretty uncomfortable waiting shelters. Blackrod and then Chorley followed with the last longish wait at Horwich Parkway but at least this station had a waiting area in the booking hall. I was fairly amazed that Adlington had a ticket office that was open given the service intervals but there we are. Definitely an outlier.

Just as 1pm arrived i was off on the next service to Leyland which is where things started the pear shaped trajectory the rest of the day took. I arrived as expected but the return due on platform 4 was somewhat late and i would have then missed my return connection at Lostock which is another oddly connected station by the way. I also needed platform 2 at Leyland and made the decision to wait another 10 minutes and go do Walkden via Wigan North western. The jury is most definitely out on whether this was a wise move but looking at the cancellations now showing on all 4 platforms it made sense to keep moving especially given the amount of hanging around in the rain i had already done. Wigan then and then a mere 6 minutes for the Leeds train although i did notice the next one was also cancelled. Off at Walkden then which is rather windswept at the best of times to see further cancellations showing both ways so i took the first service north and in an attempt to minimise platform time went all the way back to Wigan Wallgate for a return working to Salford Crescent.

Yes cancellations on the board there as well, so in a eureka moment i decided to try for one of the very few opportunities to do platform 1 at Oxford Road at an accessible time. Its only a hop and a skip to Oxford Road from the Crescent so off i went and settled down to some people watching in the shelter at p1. True to form many of the services appeared to be a few or more minutes late and i was so tempted to bail to platform 3 when they placed a TPE in there to try and play catch up. Not much uses platform 3 currently so this may have been the rarer opportunity. Oh well.

All that remained was to remember to alight at Bolton on what was a very busy Barrow train and then one stop back to Moses Gate and home.

Unfortunately todays messing about has left some bits of track still to do on both lines although only Lostock remains as a station. Also P4 at Leyland thinking further. Nothing difficult of course but despite a full day it doesn't feel that much has been achieved, something i hope to rectify on Saturday when a trip to the Blackpool's is planned.

Moses Gate	Depart	9.10​	*****	NT			stations	platforms
Bolton	Arrive	9.13​	P5	NT	wait 8m		completed	completed
Bolton	Depart	9.21​	P4	NT
Adlington (lancs)	Arrive	9.34​	P2	NT	wait 64m
Adlington (lancs)	Depart	10.38​	P1	NT			1​	2​
Blackrod	Arrive	10.41​	P2	NT	wait 57m
Blackrod	Depart	11.38​	P1	NT			1​	2​
Chorley	Arrive	11.46​	P1	NT	wait 19m
Chorley	Depart	12.05​	P2	NT			1​	2​
Horwich Parkway	Arrive	12.11​	P1	NT	wait 48m
Horwich Parkway	Depart	12.59​	P2	NT			1​	2​
Leyland	Arrive	13.14​	P3	NT	wait 22m
Leyland	Depart	13.36​	P2	NT
Wigan North Western	Arrive	13.47​	P4	NT	wait 6m
Wigan North Western	Depart	13.53​	P3	NT
Walkden	Arrive	14.13​	P1	NT	wait 34m
Walkden	Depart	14.47​	P2	NT			1​	2​
Wigan Wallgate	Arrive	15.10​	P1	NT	wait 10m
Wigan Wallgate	Depart	15.20​	P2	NT
Salford Crescent	Arrive	15.57​	P1	NT	wait 14m
Salford Crescent	Depart	16.11​	P1	NT
Manchester Oxford Road	Arrive	16.17​	P4	NT	wait 42m
Manchester Oxford Road	Depart	16.59​	P1	NT
Bolton	Arrive	17.14​	P4	NT	wait 21m
Bolton	Depart	17.35​	P3	NT
Moses Gate	Arrive	17.38​	*****	NT

 

[Kite159]

Sounded like a productive day even with all the cancelled trains & wet weather.

 

[Techniquest]

Much yikes to the bad weather! I think getting platform 1 at Oxford Road will have been the sensible call, in my experience it's a challenge to get done whereas platform 3 is much more likely to receive use. Of course, I base all this purely on my own experience and things could well be very different up there now.

It looks like you did well despite cancellations across the board! Hopefully your next day will go smoothly