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

[All platforms]

Day 403: Sunday 20/10/2024 - Thames Branch Day Ranger - £17.30 - Valid all day at Weekends. Reading to North Camp - £6.95 - Off-peak Return. Birkenhead North to Liverpool Stations - £2.90 - Anytime Return. CP Byron Road Twyford and Birkenhead North - both free.
Total time today 742 mins - time on trains 324 mins and time waiting 418 mins (though this includes 200+mins relocating). No stations completed today. However 4 fast line platforms are now in the book - hurrah!

"More fast line platforms conquered" or "deja vu at North Camp"

The premise for today was to see if i could tick off the 4 remaining (and attainable) fast line platforms i need between Reading and Paddington, and then see what else i could fit in.

A stress free journey down and i remebered to park up on the opposite side of the station to the main car park as there are a bunch of spaces there which have no restrictions at weekends. I was a bit early in retrospect, and i could have got an earlier London bound train as my itinerary was a bit tight for the fasts and it might have been helpful to have done so for some wriggle room. The usual gaggle of early punters double and triple checking it was the fasts in use semi amused me (better safe than sorry though) and i was also very glad the P1 exits were already opened too at Twyford. It has been almost exactly 30 months since i bagged my first fasts here with a visit to Iver. This time however i had my sights firmly set on West Drayton and it was still near pitch black upon setting down there. I shall be glad of a bit more early morning light next week when the clocks go back.

It was also helpful to note that the gatelines to the fasts were open on all the interim stations as its not super intuitive to unlock from the slow side (you have to reach over and turn the knob thingy from the other side for these gates). A slight drizzle didn't help the mood so i retreated to the cover afforded on P3 as the light started to penetrate the gloom.

For some reason i have not yet visited Maidenhead and would barely do so this time as it would be a mad dash over the bridge to catch the P2 departure on a GW service, alighting at Slough. Potential pitfall duly avoided i sat back to work out why i have swerved Maidenhead so far. I think it has to do with the branch line to Bourne End and Marlow with some unusual platforming available (P5a and P5b) at Maidenhead, and also the track to get both platforms at Bourne End, so i will probably have to visit (via the slow lines) on more than one occasion anyway.

The other rare piece of track available today was the not normally timetabled Reading Up Spur so after turning at Slough i high tailed it to Reading for a P7a departure for the win and a trip towards Wokingham and Guildford. It was here that i got my turn point wrong as after alighting at North Camp i had a big deja vu moment. Not surprising really as i was here earlier in the year on my North Downs Rover. Inexplicably i had chosen North Camp again although with the need to return on the first available service there was not a lot of choice with the return skipping an awful lot of the interim stations. Blackwater should have been chosen i realise now.

Safely back at Reading after the North Camp debacle i settled into a long wait, along with the throngs trying to get to London as there was a long series of delayed trains from the West causing quite the melee. I wanted a particular one as it would net me P1 at Paddington anmd this would be the 4th of 4. The previous 3 were full and standing on arrival and i had hoped the last of these would be different. Not one bit and it was an uncomfortable 37 mins in a pose reminiscent from my commuting days. I had the misfortune to stand next to 2 blokes, one of which was telling the most tedious and droning story i can remember for the whole journey. Too wedged in to move i had to suffer the whole blessed thing. I bet he collects shovels as a hobby! The final straw was an unwanted arrival into P2.

Sheesh Paddington was busy, but i was on the right side of the station to exit onto the escalators down the Elizabeth Line. Too bad i was 30 minutes down on schedule as a result of the shenanigans with the delay but i was back on track with the first 4 of 8 new crossovers being my reward. There were still slow line closures at Reading and Paddington so all Crossrail trains were essentially routed onto the fasts at either end and then switched to the slows between Twyford West and Southall West crossovers. A bonus crossover was scored into Reading on one of my visits today but not sure which now. No matter i was back in the car at Twyford a whisker after 3 and back up the M40 and M6, but this time heading for the Wirral and a long awaited return for an isolated crossover at Birkenhead North. Its use was in force in a today only scenario with a P3 Departure and arrival bookending a trip round the Liverpool loop. Another welcome use of the new units on Merseyrail and a lengthy chat with the guard on an almost deserted train helped pass the time. Friendly chap!

Back at base by 8.15 and a successful foray was complete. Pretty much all targets were achieved with a couple of unexpected bonuses. Whilst there were no completed stations today normal service will be resumed next weekend when i make a return to Scotland after an absence of a few months - not on business this time either. There is also a possibility of making a late night trip this week to take in some rarely used track in the Wigan area and that's my next job to scope out.

Looking further ahead the promised use of the old Parcels platform at Preston (RES) 10.50 Sunday 03/11/2024 is a must. Very intrigued with that one to be sure. Also one for my diary is Sunday 17/11/2024 as long distance GW services seem to be routed into/out of Euston all day. This is possibly a precursor to the Xmas holiday period use (i haven't checked these yet). If nothing else it may bag me some missing platforms at Euston if it comes off OK. The date is reserved in my diary in any event. More intriguing is the actual track work needed to do this....

Twyford	Depart	6.59​	*****	XR			stations	platforms
West Drayton	Arrive	7.21​	P2	XR	wait 15m		completed	completed
West Drayton	Depart	7.36​	P1	XR
Maidenhead	Arrive	7.52​	P1	XR	wait 3m
Maidenhead	Depart	7.55​	P2	GW
Slough	Arrive	8.00​	P3	GW	wait 20m
Slough	Depart	8.20​	P4	XR
Reading	Arrive	8.45​	P10	XR	wait 4m
Reading	Depart	8.49​	P7a	GW
North Camp	Arrive	9.20​	P1	GW	wait 37m
North Camp	Depart	9.57​	P2	GW
Reading	Arrive	10.21​	P6	GW	wait 44m
Reading	Depart	11.05​	P10	GW
London Paddington	Arrive	11.42​	P2	GW	wait 29m
London Paddington	Depart	12.11​	B	XR
Reading	Arrive	13.12​	P9	XR	wait 19m
Reading	Depart	13.31​	P9	XR
Southall	Arrive	14.17​	P2	XR	wait 13m
Southall	Depart	14.30​	P1	XR
Twyford	Arrive	15.03​	*****	XR	drive +
Relocate to	*****	*****	*****	*****	wait 234m
Birkenhead North	Depart	18.57​	*****	ME
Birkenhead North	Arrive	19.21​	*****	ME

 

[Kite159]

Parcels platform at Preston? I would bet 10p that will get changed to a normal platform before the day, or on the day when it gets flagged in the data.

Not in Hunts Cross to do the crossover into platform 2 from the Warrington direction?

 

[Woolos 22]

The long distance gw trains to and from London Eustowill not stopping in Reading except of crew change

 

[All platforms]

The long distance gw trains to and from London Eustowill not stopping in Reading except of crew change

That is good to know at this stage - thanks. A big help when scoping it out.

 

[All platforms]

Parcels platform at Preston? I would bet 10p that will get changed to a normal platform before the day, or on the day when it gets flagged in the data.

It still might be worth a punt... I too was sceptical when i saw this - however on checking RTT i found that all other platforms had some activity on them between the ECS arrival and the scheduled departure time, so something else has to give to allow the TP offering to run from a normal platform. Digging around on the forum there are precedents - but not in the last 5 years or so. Its near enough to me to plan a day out around the possibility it runs without it spoiling the whole day - i might be more reticent if it was a 4 hour drive..... Not holding my breath but a check the day before will suffice i think.

Not in Hunts Cross to do the crossover into platform 2 from the Warrington direction?

I think i may have missed a trick with that one - but it was a case of the Birkenhead North move OR the Hunts Cross one on Sunday because of time constraints. It will turn up again at some stage hopefully. Lets face it - according to UTtracker, i still have over 1100 possible rare moves to do which can be done in the current timetable period, which puts it into perspective. I am not running out of targets any time soon... speaking of which i am starting to look at some of the awkward stuff nearer to home as a midweek alternative just to mix it up a bit! Anyone for the 03.01 from P14b at Manchester Piccadilly taking the scenic route to York??

 

[All platforms]

Day 404: Saturday 26/10/2024 - Church Stretton to Cardiff Central - £16.75 - Advance Single. Explore Cardiff & Valleys - £9.60 - Valid all day at Weekends. Cardiff Central to Church Stretton - £14.75 - Advance Single. CP Station Road Church Stretton - free.
Total time today 925 mins - time on trains 676 mins and time waiting 249 mins. Plenty of track and crossovers were completed today but no stations!

"A return to Cardiff and the Valleys for a Metro update"

I have always said i would do a before and after run on the South Wales Metro lines, and as i also needed a barrel load of track bits as well, i decided to squeeze an extra day out to pursue this. The real deciding factor to do this today was a blockade to the West of Cardiff Central which offered up a range of extra possibilities. With Sunday and Monday already spoken for i opted for the option of basing myself in Church Stretton, and letting the train take the strain from there. The ticket price was on par with the petrol cost but this way i got more rest in the dark! I arrived just as the first service was departing which was a class 66 (possibly 67) heading an HST rake with a HST trailng car on the back. I did spot this set in the depot much later in the day but still can't remember if the grey lead was a 66 or 67.... I am sure i will be corrected if i have my facts (guesses?) wrong.

The next service was a disappointing pair of 153's, but i had chosen this particular service because of the promised routing into P3, which was an early crossover onto line E and staying there all the way into P3. Nothing rare about that - except i still needed to do it so was pleased when it came off. The more usual way is cross to line D and then a last minute cross onto line E and into P3 that way.

My next target was also supposed to be easy which is a Queen Street P2 arrival from the North. With extra services now running compared to my last visit its now easy, provided the train runs - which it didn't. I had stopped at Llanishen purely as a repositioning excercise to be greeted with the cancellation news. The knock on effect was the next 2 moves would be missed as a result. However, closer scrutiny of RTT showed that the next service which i was going to board at Queen Street was also calling at Llanishen. It would be terminating in P4b unusually and so it would use the 2 crossovers at the bottom of the Llandaff line. Right? Well actually it crossed over just outside Queen St and went down the ramp the wrong way before the second crossover into P4b. I had no idea this section was bi-di - but now i do. An Up train passed us on the down line as we descended just to rub this fact in....

My next target was the crossover before Bargoed. Super easy to do today, but less so 2 years ago. Nevertheless it got me up into the Valleys for the first time since then, and whilst i will return another time for the full run up to Rhymney, Bargoed was my limit today. A changeover at Queen Street for the Aberdare service via Ninian Park and a chance to do a full line run to look at the extra track laid, and the overhead lines. I had half an idea to go see Cardiff Bay again beforehand, but it can wait for now. A small bonus whilst doing this was a run through P3 at Radyr. UTtracker also promised an extra crossover after Pontypridd after using P2 (going North) but this proved to be a scheduling mixup as the services uses both P2 and P3 on the same run going as it does from Merthyr Tydfil to Aberdare via the Cardiff loop (or the other way round) and it can't differentiate which is which.

Makes sense to me (well it took a good hour of thinking this through before it did)........

The return saw me alight at Radyr after a bonus crossover into p2 from Abercynon. Just enough tiem to breathe a few times before heading off up to Merthyr Tydfil, with its extra loops (doubled track) for a more robust service going forward. What did throw me was the new platform at Quakers Yard so this is now on my must do list when i return. I was aware of the new platforms on the Treherbert section but this somehow had escaped my attention. I think its because i have deliberately not been reading the updates yet. Remember that easy hit into Queen St P2 from earlier? Well, the return from Merthyr did this so i was back on schedule....

The big moves of the day for me were the ones crossing the main lines onto and off the Barry lines which is most certainly an uncommon thing to be doing. The first was off P3 stopping at Bridgend on a GW service although AW were also running stoppers. All services all day (both ways) were using P1 at Bridgend (it has still not got a numbered sign up!!) with the occasional use of the bay P1a too. Cue the inevitable perma question from drunk and couldn't care less punters asking repeatedly if this was the Swansea/Cardiff train. "but its going the wrong way!!" etc Not sure i would have the patience for that sort of crowd control.

Inevitably the service back to Cardiff was delayed by quite a bit, as services going West were preferred and i would be missing my chosen service back to Church Strretton too as a knock on. Hilariously RTT initially had my 10 car London bound set stopping at P0 which holds barely half the length required, but common sense prevailed and we crossed the entire set of main line tracks to land in P1 and a whole bunch of never normally used bits of track was in my bag. Well... by this time most services were being delayed for one reason or another and so i was able to easily make my train in the end. It was advertised as a 6 car. Good as it was aright old scrum on the platform by now. Oh dear it turned up as a 3 car and it was full and standing before you knew it. Whats this? Another 3 car arrived and attached. Good i could get a seat. But no, the guard refused to open the back set giving some spurious excuse and that he would open it at Newport. This was a lie. A smug lie at that and it was clear he never had any intention of doing so. I eventually got a seat to myself at Abergavenny. No ticket check all the way back and he never moved from the back cab. I have seen many examples of great and good service today from staff but this wasn't it. Demerit badge awarded.

Managed to get some shuteye after Abergavenny and it was but a 100 minute jaunt back to base once i alighted. Thankfully it won't be too early a start tomorrow. I need to be in Ayr before 11am which is eminently doable. A successful day and i look forward to being back in Cardiff when opportunity knocks again.

Church Stretton	Depart	6.25​	*****	AW			stations	platforms
Cardiff Central	Arrive	8.20​	P3	AW	wait 50m		completed	completed
Cardiff Central	Depart	9.10​	P6a	AW
Llanishen	Arrive	9.22​		AW	wait 37m
Llanishen	Depart	9.59​		AW
Cardiff Central	Arrive	10.13​	P4b	AW	wait 11m
Cardiff Central	Depart	10.24​	P4b	AW
Bargoed	Arrive	11.11​	P1	AW	wait 4m
Bargoed	Depart	11.15​	P1	AW
Cardiff Queen Street	Arrive	11.57​	P3	AW	wait 10m
Cardiff Queen Street	Depart	12.07​	P2	AW
Aberdare	Arrive	13.26​	Single	AW	wait 3m
Aberdare	Depart	13.29​	Single	AW
Radyr	Arrive	14.05​	P2	AW	wait 8m
Radyr	Depart	14.13​	P3	AW
Merthyr Tydfil	Arrive	14.57​	Single	AW	wait 10m
Merthyr Tydfil	Depart	15.07​	Single	AW
Cardiff Central	Arrive	16.20​	P7	AW	wait 49m
Cardiff Central	Depart	17.09​	P3	GW
Bridgend	Arrive	17.54​	P1	GW	wait 48m
Bridgend	Depart	18.42​	P1	GW
Cardiff Central	Arrive	19.35​	P1	GW	wait 19m
Cardiff Central	Depart	19.54​	P1	AW
Church Stretton	Arrive	21.50​	*****	AW

 

[All platforms]

Day 405: Sunday 27/10/2024 - Ayr to Stranraer - £14.85 - Anytime Return. Strathclyde Roundabout - £7.40 - valid all day at Weekends. CP Ayr and Premier Inn at Stepps - both free.
Total time today 559 mins - time on trains 274 mins and time waiting 285 mins. Stations completed today 5. Total completed 2093. Platforms completed at completed stations 4806.

"The Kilkerran question"

One of the first forays into Scotland was based at Ayr and i am returning for some unfinished business on the line down to Stranraer. Firstly, the full P2 loop at Girvan can only be done by a Stranraer service so you might as well take the trouble to go all the way. The alternative is a lengthy wait at Barrhill with facilities there optimistically called minimal and certainly not on a rainy day. The views beyond Barrhill are worth the price of admission alone so it was a no brainer i would be going to Stranraer then...

I had noticed we were losing time on the way down - but only at the token exchange points at Barrhill, Glenwhilly and Dunragit, each of which took the best part of 2 minutes. Normally its a 15/20 second stop based on other parts of the country so i cannot account for why each was so lengthy. the same happened on the way back - to a slightly lesser extend and we were 4 down leaving Barrhill. The only booked use of the Kilkerran loop was this service, but i could not find a reason to use it (normally to allow another train to pass of course) so was a bit perplexed. Its a 6 and a half minute dwell as scheduled, but of course with the line being out of action for so long due to the station hotel fiasco at Ayr perhaps the original reason has been lost. Anyway we didn't stop there as planned and instead made time up by sitting at Maybole for a bout 4 minutes instead. I did ask the driver and he said it was his first Sunday shift for a while and was surprised to see it on his schedule - but then not surprised when it didn't happen!! I think this is just a scheduling anomaly. I may turn my beady eye on my next Sunday in Scotland towards p4 at Oban rather than attemptng this again. A fools errand right now i fear.

Time to head into Glasgow and check in at my trusty sub £40 hotel before heading out again for the early evening. About a 12 minute walk to Stepps station which is fine by me and a trip into Queen Street, this time the Glasgow version of course. Kerching on arrival as it is the required P6. The rest of the evening will be spent on the line up to Cumbernauld so after securing some food options at M&S i had a quick pint in the pub across the side entrance which in hindsight was a poor choice. It was really just to kill time as seated space at Queen Street was woefully inadequate, but time moved sufficiently to board once more and a move to Greenfaulds. In my previous Glasgow life this was served via Motherwell if i recall - but it was in the late 1980's and my memory has had quite a few refreshes since then.

Not a huge fan of doing this sort of stuff in the dark but i will get a chance in the morning for the bits from Robroyston into town in daylight, and i will almost certainly return at some stage to do likewise with the other bits and bobs. Also new to me was the use of the Cowlairs Chord in passenger use which would have been very exotic all those years ago. Oh i forget myself... I arrived at Stepps station to find the local photographers out in force, and this was for the return south for the Jacobite rake sandwiched between a tractor giving it full chat at the front and something i didn't catch at the rear as it thundered past. There was an engine in steam at the head of the rake (but after the class 37) so none of us got a good look as it whisked by in the gloom. An entertaining interlude nontheless.

After Greenfaulds it was the turn of Robroyston one of the more recent Scottish stations, and built to the modern formula which included 2 largeish free Car Parks. After Robroyston it was the turn of Cumbernauld where the service went ECS into a siding just beyond the station before returning on time for the departure into Glasgow, although i would be alighting at Stepps (needed for my own rules purposes). The final station for the win was Gartcosh this evening. An easy 5 stations to be honest and i was back at my hotel by about 8.40pm. I had an early night for once and was up with the lark the next morning as a result. Another day trying to do the awkward stuff which was a 50% success. Even more fun tomorrow!!

Ayr	Depart	11.06​	*****	SR			stations	platforms
Stranraer	Arrive	12.35​	Single	SR	wait 6m		completed	completed
Stranraer	Depart	12.41​	Single	SR
Ayr	Arrive	14.09​	*****	SR	drive +
Relocate to	*****	*****	*****	*****	wait 139m
Stepps	Depart	16.28​	*****	SR
Glasgow Queen Street	Arrive	16.44​	P6	SR	wait 42m
Glasgow Queen Street	Depart	17.26​	P6	SR
Greenfaulds	Arrive	17.54​	P2	SR	wait 21m
Greenfaulds	Depart	18.15​	P1	SR			1​	2​
Robroyston	Arrive	18.29​	P1	SR	wait 8m
Robroyston	Depart	18.37​	P2	SR			1​	2​
Cumbernauld	Arrive	18.55​	P2	SR	wait 16m
Cumbernauld	Depart	19.11​	P1	SR			1​	2​
Stepps	Arrive	19.25​	P1	SR	wait 19m
Stepps	Depart	19.44​	P2	SR			1​	2​
Gartcosh	Arrive	19.47​	P2	SR	wait 34m
Gartcosh	Depart	20.21​	P1	SR			1​	2​
Stepps	Arrive	20.25​	*****	SR

 

[All platforms]

Day 406: Monday 28/10/2024 - Robroyston to Springburn - £1.75 - Anytime Return. Robroyston to Crianlarich - £24.35 - Anytime Return. Arrochar & Tarbet to Helensburgh Upper - £8.25 - Anytime Return. CP Robroyston - free.
Total time today 714 mins - time on trains 285 and time waiting 429 mins (though 180 mins of this was not of my making). Stations completed today 2. Total completed 2095. Platforms completed at completed stations 4809. 81.07% of stations are now fully completed.

"So close to using P3 at Dumbarton Central" or "Suspect package closes Dalmuir"

Time to complete stations and track up to Crianlarich with a bonus early move to Springburn and back from Robroyston to start proceedings. What can i say.... the first moves went off without a hitch and with enough time at Queen Street to gather supplies for the day it was time to complete the high level platforms with a P7 departure on the Oban/Mallaig 6 coach affair. Still relatively busy despite it being late October and full of the walking and cycling brigades all sporting their own uniforms. Good to see and a long haul up to Arrochar & Tarbet awaited and filling in all sorts of track tidbits along the way. The views as always are fairly spectacular with misty interludes making it a different take on a familiar story. Wonderful stuff.

Myself and one other alighted at Arrochar, which is a place i always note when passing, when driving to/from Campbeltown as i do most years. There are 2 waiting rooms at the station and as one was occupied by a sleeping hiker i had a look at the other which was heavily laden with a roll your own strong tobacco smell and which proved impossible to shift. Thankfully the rain was almost in a hiatus position so i went off the station for a while to allow my lungs to recover and to explore (a little) Thankfully the wait was only a half hour or so and i was headed South on another busy service.

Alighting at Helensburgh Upper for the win it was a 45 min wait here in a most uncomfortable shelter (no horizontal seats just perches -why o why?). I did get to have a read of a few pages which passed the time somewhat. Another service from the North rolled in not long before my own northbound and after the event i realised this used the West Highland Loop at Craigendoran Junction - not flagged anywhere as far as i can see, so this may be a future bonus move. All the way to Crianlarich for track purposes and a wander round the village/settlement resulted culminating in visiting the only open shop/pub, which was a Londis and a pointless purchase of something random out of boredom i realise now. the tearooom on the platform no longer exists and it was almost deserted, which was a marked difference from my first visit a few years ago albeit that was in high summer.

All that remained was to return to Glasgow and go 2 stops back to Robroyston. easy right?? Not when a suspicious package near to Dalmuir station stopped all trains including ours which stopped at Dumbarton. I did get to have a few words with both the driver and guard at some point and it was clear it was going nowhere despite no official pronouncement. With no sign of the RRB i bailed together with a few locals and waited for the 1A service into Glasgow. Basically it took forever and i was 3 hours late at Robroyston when i eventually got there (by train) Back at 11pm was not the plan and if i was totally committed i could have gone back up the line from P3 at Dumbarton. Only ever used in emergencies but with the bomb squad called in i guess this was one.

Robroyston	Depart	7.14​	*****	SR			stations	platforms
Springburn	Arrive	7.19​	P1	SR	wait 12m		completed	completed
Springburn	Depart	7.31​	P2	SR
Robroyston	Arrive	7.35​	P2	SR	wait 13m
Robroyston	Depart	7.48​	P1	SR
Glasgow Queen Street	Arrive	7.58​	P3	SR	wait 24m
Glasgow Queen Street	Depart	8.22​	P7	SR
Arrochar & Tarbet	Arrive	9.41​	P2	SR	wait 31m
Arrochar & Tarbet	Depart	10.12​	P1	SR			1​	2​
Helensburgh Upper	Arrive	10.42​	Single	SR	wait 44m
Helensburgh Upper	Depart	11.26​	Single	SR			1​	1​
Crianlarich	Arrive	12.29​	P2	SR	wait 71m
Crianlarich	Depart	13.40​	P1	SR
Dumbarton	Arrive	15.02​	P1	SR	Bus +
Bus No 1A to Glasgow	Depart	????			wait 234m
Not Rail Replacement Bus	Arrive	????
Glasgow Queen Street	Depart	18.56​	P6	SR
Robroyston	Arrive	19.08​	*****	SR

 

[Kite159]

Maybe use of the Kilkerran loop is a historic thing, where once that train from Stranraer would pass another passenger service towards Girvan before Covid struck and services on that line were cut back. I recall on a Sunday at one time there was a service which passed at Barrhill.

I would imagine with that southbound train not running in the current timetable, there will be no need for the train to use the loop. Greenfaulds is still served by trains from the Motherwell direction, Monday - Saturday only with an hourly service from Dalmuir towards Cumbernauld via Hamilton.

Ouchie with the farce at the end of the Monday with a long service bus move.

 

[All platforms]

Day: Wednesday 30/10/2024 - Weybridge to Boundary Zone 6 - £7.30 - Anytime Return. London Zones 1-6 Day Travelcard - £22.60 - Anytime. London Boundary Zone 6 to Farnborough (Main) - £7.30 - Evening Out Return. London Boundary Zone 6 to Aldershot - £8.05 - Evening Out Return. Aldershot to Frimley - £2.45 - Evening Out Return. Ash Vale to Bagshot - £3.10 - Evening Out Return. Camberley (Surrey) to Ascot - £2.75 - Evening Out Return. Aldershot to Farnham - £2.05 - Evening Out Return. Aldershot to Alton - £3.45 - Evening Out Return. CP Weybridge £7.90
Total time today 926 mins - time on trains 488 mins and time waiting 438 mins. Stations completed today 7. Total completed 2102. Platforms completed at completed stations 4825.

"To and fro at Waterloo" and then "to and fro at Aldershot"

I am not 100% sure what prompted another trip out in such a short space of time - perhaps the fact i currently have a bit more time to plan ahead, and therefore time to find the things i best want to do at this point. I think it was a missed opportunity from many moons ago that caught my attention, and so i started planning based on the finish at P2 Weybridge. A little odd perhaps but that missed opportunity was clearly one that rankled a lot, and so a rare midweek jaunt to London was born. I still set off pretty early despite a 8.15 starting service, as i didn't want to get caught up in the rush hour swirl on the M25, and i mamaged an hours kip on arrival to offset this. I wouldn't want to arrive any later if i were to do this sort of thing again as i was almost down to a standstill at the end.

I spent quite a bit of time looking at my wants between Clapham Junction and Waterloo and put together a few hours of track/crossover heaven. I do find Waterloo is one of the easier terminus stations to work on and i have never been short of achievable targets although the attrition rate on platform and routing alterations is quite high. So... a crossover onto the Up Fast immediately after Weybridge kicked off proceedings and this continued with a P22 departure once at Waterloo for the win on a short run back to Clapham Junction. Suffice it to say i ticked off at least 10 new bits as i spent the next few hours going back and forth including new platforms at Waterloo - P20, P6 and P10. My attempt at P1 at Vauxhall didn't go to plan due to late running services, but this same series of lates brought a platform change in my favour for once and i did gain a P1 there in the end. Also included was a pass through P8 at Clapham Junction and the use of the Down Windsor slow line into P6 at CJ also. Promised use of the Windsor reversible didn't materialise neither did attempts at P24 or P10 at Waterloo. Loads of itty bitty stuff however did work including some bonus stuff at the throat so that's all good. Still stuff left to do but not that much...

Time to catch my breath after a dizzying first few hours and all for a crossover into Farnborough (Main). The return would grant me another after Surbiton with a crossover onto the fasts at that point. I fear the 4 lines down to Basingstoke still have sufficiently numerous opportunities to keep me gainfully employed for quite some time hereabouts. The WCML has a ridiculous number of opportunities also.

Time for a change and a long awaited start on one of the last remaining places on the network that Rangers and Rovers don't exist and that i haven't yet visited. Essentially this is Brookwood to Alton, and Ascot to Aldershot. A few outliers also exist but maybe only half a dozen new stations remain. Planning this was actually good fun as there are so many anomalies that exist - and i will have to return at least once more.

So, after getting to Aldershot via Woking i was off and running on the evening leg with a P3 departure on the Ascot shuttle. Turning at Frimley and then Ash Vale before RTT had to be consulted as i would miss my connection at the next station due to a delay - Bagshot. Would it matter? No, as long as there were further delays under 10 mins. A full on Halloween party for kids was just about winding up on arrival at Frimley. Bagshot and later Camberley were in built up areas and had a higher footfall then the others on this line. It was getting dark and still sufficiently damp to deter much exploration. Whilst not very descriptive on the matter i did enjoy this return to basics back and forth on these lines, and something i will have to do an awful lot more of as i continue to visit new areas.

Now for the evening proper and once at Ascot i settled down to wait for the evening service from London that takes in P2 and the attendant crossover on its way to Aldershot. Quite a few Aldershot and Farnham terminators at this time of the day and i found myself on a Farnham version before returning once more to Aldershot. The real awkward sticking point on this line is the P2 loop at Bentley which gets very sparse use. The 19.47 from Aldershot was one such but it was a few minutes late and they released the ecs blocker early to clear the section before our arrival. There is another later option which is far more reliable so that is a probable return for this. The final action once at Alton was a surprise visit to a Kebab van after realising i had no tea/supper options on me. Not half bad - it must be 25 years since i did something similar..

A bonus bit of track upon arrival at Waterloo before a 20 minute wait for the slow boat err train to Weybridge calling all stations. If i had known i had other options i would have bailed at Wandsworth Town however as we unexpectedly called at P1, which is one of my stubbornly awkward so and so platforms. I daren't look to see if it was feasible - the randomness of this platform makes me sweat. A bonus use of Barnes P4 and the attendant awkward crossover from there onto the line down to Hounslow was a partial offset. Sheesh it was a long slow ride with many drunken revellers giving some partial relief to this. By the time of our eventual arrival into P2 (yay) there was me and one other alighting.

A long and winding road home and i needed a half hours sleep at Frankley to keep me going. Back home at 4.30am. No more than 1 of those a month please... More planning needed - i really want to get at least 4 weeks ahead with this so that's tomorrows task.

Weybridge	Depart	8.16​	*****	SW			stations	platforms
London Waterloo	Arrive	8.38​	P14	SW	wait 12m		completed	completed
London Waterloo	Depart	8.50​	P22	SW
Clapham Junction	Arrive	8.57​	P6	SW	wait 23m
Clapham Junction	Depart	9.20​	P3	SW
Vauxhall	Arrive	9.26​	P2	SW	wait 23m
Vauxhall	Depart	9.49​	P1	SW
London Waterloo	Arrive	9.55​	P16	SW	wait 4m
London Waterloo	Depart	9.59​	P20	SW
Vauxhall	Arrive	10.03​	P3	SW	wait 9m
Vauxhall	Depart	10.12​	P2	SW
London Waterloo	Arrive	10.16​	P20	SW	wait 37m
London Waterloo	Depart	10.53​	P23	SW
Clapham Junction	Arrive	11.04​	P5	SW	wait 5m
Clapham Junction	Depart	11.09​	P4	SW
London Waterloo	Arrive	11.18​	P20	SW	wait 8m
London Waterloo	Depart	11.26​	P6	SW
Clapham Junction	Arrive	11.35​	P11	SW	wait 14m
Clapham Junction	Depart	11.49​	P7	SW
London Waterloo	Arrive	11.57​	P8	SW	wait 12m
London Waterloo	Depart	12.09​	P15	SW
Farnborough (Main)	Arrive	12.44​	P2	SW	wait 33m
Farnborough (Main)	Depart	13.17​	P1	SW
London Waterloo	Arrive	14.08​	P8	SW	wait 11m
London Waterloo	Depart	14.19​	P9	SW
Woking	Arrive	14.44​	P4	SW	wait 19m
Woking	Depart	15.03​	P5	SW
Aldershot	Arrive	15.20​	P2	SW	wait 10m
Aldershot	Depart	15.30​	P3	SW
Frimley	Arrive	15.41​	P1	SW	wait 31m
Frimley	Depart	16.12​	P2	SW			1​	2​
Ash Vale	Arrive	16.18​	P2	SW	wait 30m
Ash Vale	Depart	16.48​	P1	SW			1​	2​
Bagshot	Arrive	17.05​	P1	SW	wait 24m
Bagshot	Depart	17.29​	P2	SW			1​	2​
Camberley	Arrive	17.34​		SW	wait 14m
Camberley	Depart	17.48​	P1	SW			1​	2​
Ascot	Arrive	17.59​	P3	SW	wait 20m		1​	3​
Ascot	Depart	18.19​	P2	SW
Aldershot	Arrive	18.54​	P2	SW	wait 18m
Aldershot	Depart	19.12​	P2	SW
Farnham	Arrive	19.17​	P2	SW	wait 10m
Farnham	Depart	19.27​	P1	SW			1​	2​
Aldershot	Arrive	19.33​	P1	SW	wait 17m		1​	3​
Aldershot	Depart	19.50​	P2	SW
Alton	Arrive	20.12​	P1	SW	wait 31m
Alton	Depart	20.43​	P1	SW
London Waterloo	Arrive	21.59​	P12	SW	wait 23m
London Waterloo	Depart	22.22​	P21	SW
Weybridge	Arrive	23.42​	*****	SW

 

[Kite159]

Two small parts I still need to cover (Ascot P2 towards the Bagshot line & the connection into P2 at Weybridge from the Addlestone direction [i've done it in the opposite direction on a diverted Reading service but never get round to doing it the other way round]

I also need the connection from Bagshot towards Ascot P1, and from memory one of the stations on that line has a Travelodge located pretty much next to the station, so it could be a random stay to avoid an early start.

 

[All platforms]

Maybe use of the Kilkerran loop is a historic thing, where once that train from Stranraer would pass another passenger service towards Girvan before Covid struck and services on that line were cut back. I recall on a Sunday at one time there was a service which passed at Barrhill.

I would imagine with that southbound train not running in the current timetable, there will be no need for the train to use the loop.

With that hotel fiasco at Ayr stopping trains running to Stranraer for so many months, it has only been back again for a few weeks and checking RTT it hasn't used Kilkerran so far. Its still in the new december timetable but with no passing train situation showing up it will probably not be used - one to be ignored.

Two small parts I still need to cover (Ascot P2 towards the Bagshot line & the connection into P2 at Weybridge from the Addlestone direction [i've done it in the opposite direction on a diverted Reading service but never get round to doing it the other way round]

I also need the connection from Bagshot towards Ascot P1, and from memory one of the stations on that line has a Travelodge located pretty much next to the station, so it could be a random stay to avoid an early start.

I still need a full daylight run for completeness from Ascot to Alton as well, and i think the travelodge is at Camberley, as i made a mental note of it the other day in passing and thinking how it could be handy at some future stage.

 

[All platforms]

Day 408: Sunday 03/11/2024 - London Zones 1-6 Day Travelcard - £10.40 - Off-peak. London Boundary Zone 6 to Stevenage - £6.75 - Super Off-peak Return. London Boundary Zones 6 to Burgess Hill - £12.15 - Off-peak Return. Balcombe to Wivelsfield - £3.75 - Off-peak Return. Three Bridges to Horsham - £4.15 - Off-peak return. CP Barrett Avenue Alexandra Palace- free.
Total time today 621 mins - time on trains 339 mins and time waiting 282 mins. Stations completed today 3. Total completed 2105. Platforms completed at completed stations 4831.

"Fun with flags at Horsham"

Well it looks like i may owe Kite 10p with the Parcels Platform move at Preston being rescheduled - along with 2 other targets i had identified today, and so i had little choice but to abandon the promised Lancashire Day Ranger in favour of a short notice trip to London and yet more track and crossover opportunities. I keep saying i will plan ahead more effectively and i actually have done so for the next 3 weeks with time being a bit more my own once again (for how long though comes the cry from the back). Today (Sunday) however was thrown together at the last minute but plenty of juicy targets on the face of it.

Perhaps i was a bit sporty with a 6.42 start at Alexandra Palace but provided i remember to actually get some sleep the night before the early starts don't phase me much these days. Kings Cross still has some work to be done on it but for the most part nothing that onerous appears to be left and so it was with this early visit. The routings from Finsbury Park can be a bit ambiguous and so it proved with this first move and fortuitously taking a definitely not timetabled crossover onto the UF after P2 following a nervous wait at a red signal. One further crossover was negotiated in the Gaswork Tunnels for a P6 arrival which leaves me with five on the face of it doable bits of track to be done in the Kings Cross area. A good start then.

Less so on my next move which was one up to Stevenage. It should have gone via P7 at Finsbury Park onto the Slow Line 2, but it was delayed and routed via P5 in the end. Bit of a kicker that loss i have to say, but by going via P5 it did make up the lost time as i had a tight turnaround at Stevenage to contend with. It appears the SL2 was blocked by an Azuma as we thundered by. Maybe i would get better luck with my next move which was a P1 start from Stevenage and taking the Up Hertford Loop via Hertford North, which has proved tricky to plan for previously. Another bonus with this move was the fact it was going via the P1 line at Alexandra Palace which is another bit of track which has proved elusive over many visits.

Time to catch up on some sleep on the run down to Burgess Hill and i was a bit more refreshed upon alighting there some 90 mins later. The Brighton Main Line is not an easy thing to complete with a Southern Daysave as i had originally thought of using, as Thameslink seem to be preferred for stopping points at some stations. And so i just thought to do the 3 remaining 2 platforms stations today with Burgess Hill being followed by Balcombe and then Wivelsfield. It was at Wivelsfield i was asked on 3 separate occasions by a (i think) a Japanese gentleman as to which train he should catch to get to Eastbourne. (The answer was the 12.38!) I feel i must get asked at least once or twice each time i venture forth with similar questions. Do i have a label stamped on me saying "ask me any timetabling question" that i myself cannot see??

I could have done more on the BML but i also wanted to do a bit more at Horsham with P4 being timetabled for Southern Services and P3 for Thameslink today. The use of P4 was a bit hit and miss however and i was unfortunately on one of the ones that didn't use this - so for the third time i am none the wiser about the use of the Loop there. Ticks for track still, as not much is in the book yet here despite this. On the way back i was sat behind someone with a flags of the world app on his phone and he spent the entire hour tapping away on this. I think i may prefer utter boredom. Reminded me a little of the recurring skit on the big bang theory about "fun with flags." The return up the line did garner some success - but not the P1 line at Three Bridges as promised but the full P1 line at Gatwick Airport did work however. The last move that was was promised was at the Stoats Nest crossovers but this also proved to be a lie so i just shut my eyes at that point and bemoaned a 50% success rate today. It still took a chunk of time to get back to Alexandra Palace and then the joy of a near death experience on the M6 as a SUV was no more than an inch or so from taking my front wing off as it careered its way across 4 lanes right on a junction.

A busy (but sadly not rail related) week awaits now, but i will be out next Sunday with the first instalment of a three day excursion on a 3 in 7 Freedom of Severn & Solent Rover which will largely be covering new territory for me. I am very much looking forward to this - lots of tricky bits await me for sure. Its harder than it may first appear - lets leave it at that for now.

Alexandra Palace	Depart	6.42​	*****	GN			stations	platforms
London Kings Cross	Arrive	7.08​	P6	GN	wait 51m		completed	completed
London Kings Cross	Depart	7.59​	P9	GN
Stevenage	Arrive	8.22​	P4	GN	wait 8m
Stevenage	Depart	8.30​	P1	GN
Finsbury Park	Arrive	9.20​	P1	GN	wait 9m
Finsbury Park	Depart	9.29​	P2	TL
Burgess Hill	Arrive	10.50​	P2	TL	wait 21m
Burgess Hill	Depart	11.11​	P1	TL			1​	2​
Balcombe	Arrive	11.23​	P1	TL	wait 38m
Balcombe	Depart	12.01​	P2	TL			1​	2​
Wivelsfield	Arrive	12.10​	P2	TL	wait 36m
Wivelsfield	Depart	12.46​	P1	TL			1​	2​
Three Bridges	Arrive	13.09​	P4	TL	wait 23m
Three Bridges	Depart	13.32​	P3	SN
Horsham	Arrive	13.44​	P3	SN	wait 52m
Horsham	Depart	14.36​	P3	TL
East Croydon	Arrive	15.37​	P2	TL	wait 33m
East Croydon	Depart	16.10​	P1	TL
Finsbury Park	Arrive	16.46​	P7	TL	wait 11m
Finsbury Park	Depart	16.57​	P8	GN
Alexandra Palace	Arrive	17.03​	*****	GN

 

[Kite159]

Shame on the loss of the stuff around Lancashire, but at least you did something from the day on the Brighton Main Line.

 

[Woolos 22]

Melksham next week is bus replacement fot local services if you were planning to stop there

 

[All platforms]

Melksham next week is bus replacement fot local services if you were planning to stop there

Yes - unfortunate timing with that and so Melksham and the track either side will have to wait. I forsee returning at least once more to the area with a Severn & Solent Rover in my sticky mitts. One based around Southampton and another probably based around Bristol. A big area to crack for sure and that line down to Weymouth will take quite some time to tame.

 

[All platforms]

Day 409: Sunday 10/11/2024 - Freedom of Severn & Solent Rover - £50.60 - Valid all day at weekends. CP Upwey free. Westbury £2.90.
Total time today 656 mins - time on trains 333 mins and time waiting 323 mins. Stations completed today 3. Total completed 2108. Platforms completed at completed stations 4837.

"Hello Dorset - Hello Cardiff"

Well, my first Freedom of Severn & Solent 3 day Rover is purchased and probably one of my daftest first moves of the day to satisfy a whim is included in that. I have already planned out a week in Dorset for the week commencing Saturday 23 Nov 24 so today will be filling in some gaps from that week and with that in mind the moves today may make a bit more sense. So 250 miles later i arrived in Upwey after not hanging around on the way down. My opening target was the crossover at Wareham which would be traversed on the return. Bonkers really but there it is - it caught my eye some weeks ago and here i am after a near half hour hour on board. There was a Spar not too far away and i stocked up quite considerably here. Yay. Wareham was a station that may interest me further, but it was colder than expected still and i sought refuge onboard to snack contentedly upon regaining the station. There was a phalanx of RRB's (or coaches in reality) just outside and had quite the custom, even at this early hour.

I rejigged somewhat the order of things as i realised i could tick off Moreton (Dorset version) without the usual 2 hour delay today given the timetable changes and so my wait at Upwey was less than expected before i was off to Moreton for quite a big win in the circumstances. It was there i struck up a conversation with an Australian who wanted to tell me all her train woes, which was then supplemented by her health woes and the inability to speak to a Doctor here - hopefully sorted upon her return to Milan in the next few days!!

It was back at Upwey that i contemplated the no travel advice given by GWR today (at the last minute too - thanks chaps!). I could get to Dorchester West my next intended target Ok and i thanked my lucky stars that the 30 minute wait wasn't 2hr 30mins as the return after mine was cancelled. It was still showing on RTT however... hmmm... is this going to be a feature for the rest of the day? You betcha is is.

Time to relocate to Westbury where all services today were using P1 only. I did have visits to Dilton Marsh and Warminster planned for today but the cancellations were coming thick and fast and who wants to be stranded in the middle of nowhere... Late cancellations were still being seen in real time and i just opted for the visit to Newport as planned (but not from Dilton) on a full and standing service destined for Cardiff. I was only interested in the crossovers at Bristol Temple Meads however where we would be traversing the throat into P5 before a couple more on departure. A good start as some pretty rare stuff was seen here. I finally got a seat just before Bristol but with every other service not running it was in the rammed category at times. i did alight at Newport but then thought better of that as i did not want to stand for the next 2 hours plus so took a local service to Cardiff to ensure i could board at the starting point for the return.

The rover covers a heck of a lot of ground but the return promised more rare (and not so rare) crossovers i needed with Bristol Temple Meads being a newish station to me. Ok not quite so rare this time as we were routed into P13, but still all new to me nevertheless. Back at Westbury by 18.45 or so but i bailed there not risking the fluid natire of services which were still a feature of the day so Warminster was the casualty this time. It allowed me to get back to Swindon where my very cheap 2 day Premier Inn stay was to commence, and an earlier night than expected was had to compensate for the bonkers start time.

Upwey	Depart	7.50​	*****	SW			stations	platforms
Wareham (Dorset)	Arrive	8.16​	P1	SW	wait 47m		completed	completed
Wareham (Dorset)	Depart	9.03​	P1	SW
Upwey	Arrive	9.32​	P2	SW	wait 18m
Upwey	Depart	9.50​	P1	SW			1​	2​
Moreton (Dorset)	Arrive	10.03​	P1	SW	wait 15m
Moreton (Dorset)	Depart	10.18​	P2	SW			1​	2​
Upwey	Arrive	10.32​	P1	SW	wait 39m
Upwey	Depart	11.11​	P2	GW
Dorchester West	Arrive	11.17​	P1	GW	wait 30m
Dorchester West	Depart	11.47​	P2	GW			1​	2​
Upwey	Arrive	11.53​	*****	GW	drive +
Relocate to	*****	*****	*****	*****	wait 129m
Westbury	Depart	14.02​	*****	GW
Newport (South Wales)	Arrive	15.26​	P2	GW	wait 13m
Newport (South Wales)	Depart	15.39​	P2	AW
Cardiff Central	Arrive	15.53​	P4a	AW	wait 32m
Cardiff Central	Depart	16.25​	P2	GW
Westbury	Arrive	18.46​	*****	GW

 

[Kite159]

Been a good couple of years since I last did a FOSS. Shame you got hit with cancellations on GWR on the Sunday but at least you managed to get something out of the day

 

[The exile]

In your quest for rare-ish crossovers I assume you are aware that as well as traversing the Rhubarb curve, the 07.04 Bath - Filton usually departs Bath from the up side so uses the crossover at Westmorland Road? Ironically, this morning it didn’t!

 

[sh24]

Sadly on Sundays GWR hits Northern levels of unpredictability

 

[All platforms]

Been a good couple of years since I last did a FOSS. Shame you got hit with cancellations on GWR on the Sunday but at least you managed to get something out of the day

Sadly on Sundays GWR hits Northern levels of unpredictability

You really need all services to be working to plan anything properly with a FOSS - i did so without realising GWR were a basket case at the moment on Sundays - i will not make the same mistake again

In your quest for rare-ish crossovers I assume you are aware that as well as traversing the Rhubarb curve, the 07.04 Bath - Filton usually departs Bath from the up side so uses the crossover at Westmorland Road? Ironically, this morning it didn’t!

I have done the Rhubarb curve on a diversion a couple of years ago. However the 7.04 is a good find - thanks. UTtracker does not mention this service at all which is somewhat strange given that it is up to date and working properly as i write this. It certainly flags up many other possible opportunities to do it. Thanks again.

 

[The exile]

You really need all services to be working to plan anything properly with a FOSS - i did so without realising GWR were a basket case at the moment on Sundays - i will not make the same mistake again

I have done the Rhubarb curve on a diversion a couple of years ago. However the 7.04 is a good find - thanks. UTtracker does not mention this service at all which is somewhat strange given that it is up to date and working properly as i write this. It certainly flags up many other possible opportunities to do it. Thanks again.

What’s UTtracker?

 

[All platforms]

Day 410: Monday 11/11/2024 - Freedom of Severn & Solent Rover 3 in7 day 2 - £50.60 - Valid after 9.00am Weekdays. Swindon to Kemble - £9.15 - Anytime Single. Swindon to Reading - £21.40 - Super Off-peak Return x2. CP Premier inn Swindon Central - free.
Total time today 713 mins - time on trains 354 mins and time waiting 359 mins. Stations completed today 2. Total completed 2110. Platforms completed at completed stations 4841.

"Today is a track focused day"

With the 3 day ticket primarily there to fill in the (rather large) gaps remaining before my Dorset week commences, there are 2 key long distance out and backs to traverse today, but firstly it was some unfinished business at Kemble. A 20/30 minute walk to the station at Swindon (depends if you are a keen walker or a trudger) and an extra ticket to be sourced as its too early for my Rover. I have to say Kemble is firmly in my top 5 stations visited so far (and no i probably couldn't name the other 4 without a lot of thought due to a patchy memory). It has pretty much everything you might want from a station. An abandoned platform, plenty of the old style GWR long benches properly under cover, Pretty as you like station buildings, a proper Car Park, an independent station cafe, together with toilets and a good number of waste bins. The ambience of the immediate surroundings also gets a big tick from me. Lovely stuff. Being remembrance day proper there were at least 6 people carrying wreaths on the return service all in a wide variety of military uniform. Oh, i forgot to mention the P2 start from Swindon taking in the long way round to the Down Kemble having traversed via the Up Kemble on a previous visit.

Back at Swindon there was plenty time to make my way across to P4 from my P1 arrival platform. Initial supplies sourced on my walk in, so i had time to explore a little. My next destination would be Bristol Temple Meads and 2 new platforms actually used by me with a P15 arrival and a P13 departure. Nothing too unusual about that but they still need to be ticked.

A word about the Rover desert between Swindon and Reading. With many of the routes being long distance only there is sometimes little option but to stump up the extra to ensure a particular routing can be completed. So it was, i found myself on a Paddington service but alighting at Reading. This was due to the need to tick the full P3 loop at Swindon as well as the track East into Reading. Loved the decent intervals between stations today on what is a very pretty part of the country, although with the sun out this always helps to maximise prettiness i think. No surprises that a P10 arrival and P9 departure greeted me at Reading and a chance to garner further supplies with a 30 minute stopover needed. More track to be ticked off on my longest out and back, with another visit to Newport and a second trip through the Severn Tunnel. More snippets of track were gained here which was a bonus, and only a 25 minute wait to boot.

Back to Reading then but this time via a Bristol Parkway P3 stopover which was still needed and then via the p1 loop at Swindon as this was still a requirement too. A good 2 hour wait greeted me once at Reading again and i went outside for a goold old explore. It didn't take me long to find a Wendys - probably the best of the bunch of burger joints when i toured Florida many moons ago. Hmm do i relive the memory? Well it was starting to go dark again and getting colder so i went in for some nostalgia. Verdict. Still the best essentially but how many of these are there in the UK. Just looked it up and there are 40 apparently, mostly in the South of England, but they do exist as far North as Whitby. Next order of business was to keep warm and so a pint was nursed and some book reading too as i whiled away the time after all my previous exploring.

Once back at the station it was congestion central with almost everything out of Paddington subject to small delays. The outcome of this was quite a few platform alterations which did affect me. I wanted P8 going West but in the end i got a not normally timetabled P9b instead (although it probably happens frequently when congestion turns up). The reason for the long wait was that i wanted the crossovers into P1 at Swindon which were duly achieved meaning i have done a good chunk of the track here now (still stuff to do however).

The last act of the day was a trip to Chippenham as i was neglecting the all platforms side of the quest. I did get a squeaky bum as we were held outside the station but thankfully the return was also delayed a few minutes and so i had time to take a pic of the totem but not much else before boarding my return to swindon and a second nights stay. The walk back seemed much longer than the walk in but i did reward myself with a second pint once back at the Premier Inn before an almost unprecedented second early night. Tomorrows focus will be more new track but also a few more stations to be completed.

Swindon	Depart	7.54​	*****	GW			stations	platforms
Kemble	Arrive	8.07​	P2	GW	wait 46m		completed	completed
Kemble	Depart	8.53​	P1	GW			1​	2​
Swindon	Arrive	9.05​	P1	GW	wait 20m
Swindon	Depart	9.25​	P4	GW
Bristol Temple Meads	Arrive	10.03​	P15	GW	wait 26m
Bristol Temple Meads	Depart	10.29​	P13	GW
Reading	Arrive	11.44​	P10	GW	wait 32m
Reading	Depart	12.16​	P9	GW
Newport (South Wales)	Arrive	13.40​	P2	GW	wait 25m
Newport (South Wales)	Depart	14.05​	P3	GW
Bristol Parkway	Arrive	14.24​	P3	GW	wait 29m
Bristol Parkway	Depart	14.53​	P3	GW
Reading	Arrive	15.49​	P10	GW	wait 139m
Reading	Depart	18.08​	P9b	GW
Swindon	Arrive	18.40​	P1	GW	wait 34m
Swindon	Depart	19.14​	P4	GW
Chippenham	Arrive	19.24​	P1	GW	wait 8m
Chippenham	Depart	19.32​	P2	GW			1​	2​
Swindon	Arrive	19.47​	*****	GW

 

[All platforms]

What’s UTtracker?

uttracker.com is my indispensibe tool in planning and recording my activities. From May 2024 however it was closed to new memberships as the owner/creator was unable to continue due to ill health. It was due to close in September but it has continued since then, only recently receiving new updates to the diary due to a third party learning that process in the interim.

The demo of the website doesn't appear to be up and running at the moment but essentially you can plan and record any unusual moves/track covering at least the next 12 weeks (and sometimes longer). It can be searched by date, and much more in depth RTT requests can be made than on that site, you can search for every example of a particular bit of unusual track noted, and has fully completed maps of the entire network (save 15 to 20 still needed but more than 400 have been done) which can be marked up as completed and are in a visual format which highlights track unusual or not. I do it no justice in this description but it is a wonderful tool.

The site did suffer with slow working for 5 months in 2024 but is now working as intended. Once the weekly updates can be seen to be also working as intended it may be possible to bring back memberships but i have no intel on this currently.

 

[The exile]

uttracker.com is my indispensibe tool in planning and recording my activities. From May 2024 however it was closed to new memberships as the owner/creator was unable to continue due to ill health. It was due to close in September but it has continued since then, only recently receiving new updates to the diary due to a third party learning that process in the interim.

The demo of the website doesn't appear to be up and running at the moment but essentially you can plan and record any unusual moves/track covering at least the next 12 weeks (and sometimes longer). It can be searched by date, and much more in depth RTT requests can be made than on that site, you can search for every example of a particular bit of unusual track noted, and has fully completed maps of the entire network (save 15 to 20 still needed but more than 400 have been done) which can be marked up as completed and are in a visual format which highlights track unusual or not. I do it no justice in this description but it is a wonderful tool.

The site did suffer with slow working for 5 months in 2024 but is now working as intended. Once the weekly updates can be seen to be also working as intended it may be possible to bring back memberships but i have no intel on this currently.

Ah right - the unusual use of the Westmorland Road crossover may not appear because it’s probably not actually booked. Although it uses Pl.2 (almost) every day, if it’s shown as 2 on the PIS it’s always flashing (to indicate a platform change). Very occasionally it’ll be showing as 1 and then get changed just as it pulls in to 2. This morning for some reason, the 06.57 (normally off 1) went from 2 so did the crossover move the 07.04 normally does. This meant the 06.58 Westbury had to run wrong line into 1 - followed by the 07.04. Three sets of passengers swapping platforms through the subway - oh joy!

 

[All platforms]

Ah right - the unusual use of the Westmorland Road crossover may not appear because it’s probably not actually booked. Although it uses Pl.2 (almost) every day, if it’s shown as 2 on the PIS it’s always flashing (to indicate a platform change). Very occasionally it’ll be showing as 1 and then get changed just as it pulls in to 2. This morning for some reason, the 06.57 (normally off 1) went from 2 so did the crossover move the 07.04 normally does. This meant the 06.58 Westbury had to run wrong line into 1 - followed by the 07.04. Three sets of passengers swapping platforms through the subway - oh joy!

Yeah i had a look at this weeks activities around that time and this morning was a bit of a puzzle as to why all the changes.. All part of lifes rich pageant - unless you are a daily commuter i guess.

 

[All platforms]

Day 411: Tuesday 12/11/2024 - Freedom of Severn & Solent Rover 3 in 7 day 3 - £50.60 - Valid after 9.00am Weekdays. Westbury to Maiden Newton - £13.25 - Anytime Single. CP Westbury £4.10.
Total time today 585 mins - time on trains 349 mins and time waiting 236 mins. Stations completed today 4. Total completed 2114. Platforms completed at completed stations 4849. 81.81% completed.

"Day 3 of track focused movements"

I have found the line down to Weymouth from say Westbury to be a bit of a challenge to plan for, because there is a 2 hour service pattern and inevitably long waits can occur at some very out of the way places. With some moves planned for later this month i was left with what to do with Maiden Newton as this is where services inevitably cross. I just bit the bullet and went for it with a single purchased for the pre 9.00am start. My second visit to Westbury then, and probably a place i will return to in later mop ups of the area. Just about doable from my Cheshire home base too.

We sat outside Yeovil Pen Mill for about 20 mins for some signalling issue, before crawling in to find another service on the opposite platform also delayed because of the single line up to Westbury being occupied by ourselves. A delightful line this and one i am looking forward to revisiting over the next few weeks. Wonderful views for the most part with the occasional tree coverage lineside being a bit invasive at times. I must remember my people watching findings today as there were a few oddities on show. The first of these was at Maiden Newton where i decided to explore the village in its interity due to how darn cold it was still and i needed to keep moving. A clue as the temperature was the sound of car windows being scraped as i walked down into the village. I don't think this is a rich persons place as virtually no new cars and certainly no SUV's were on show which added to the non modern vibe that was being experienced. Very friendly people and a phalanx of dog walkers were out and about too. I digress... what i found amusing was a parent on a bicycle with a small child on the back in its own seat. Nothing too unusual in that you may cry until you add in the bit about the parent having a rather large back pack on, which resulted in the poor child's face being somewhat squashed behind. Not my child so i am allowed to have a chuckle about it.

The petrol station at the other end of the station sported yet another Spar, which appears to be the dominate small supermarket outlet hereabouts. I stocked up rather effectiely here, enough to see me through the day in fact, and i meandered back to the station and onto the wrong platform as it had a very decent shelter whereas my needed one did not. Time for breakfast and a read in solitude then. I then noted that the service after mine was cancelled so i dodged a bullet again as a 4 hour wait here was certainly not to be desired. The platform did start to fill with 20 mins to go and with 10 to go i joined them by way of the barrow crossing, although a more conventional bridge at the other end did also exist.

Back to Westbury where the service paused as it waited delayed incoming crew, so much so i jumped ship for a bonus platform (P3) and then boarded another (P2) (now overtaking) service also passing through Trowbridge which was my next target. I was also marking the track here as its a bit convoluted for such a small station. I would end the day with a good chunk of it marked off with nothing too onerous (i think) left to do there. Trowbridge also afforded my people watching activities with some very odd hair colour combos being sported. Nothing too odd in itself perhaps except for it almost being the norm here on my visit.

Next up was a positional move which took in P4 at Salisbury - so almost in Kite territory, where i had a bit of time to see the town from the West having approached from the South previously on a conventional holiday. So why Salisbury? Well i wanted to do the SW service to Yeovil Junction via Westbury, but it also got P4 ticked at the same time which i will need even after my next few forays here, if that makes sense. There are a very few services that use the Pen Mill Single between Pen Mill and Junction (Yeovil) but this was one and a bit of a SW outlier really. Perhaps it is also used for knowledge retention in times of engineering as an alternate route towards Axminster. I was surprised just how close to the Weymouth line it ran for quite a while before peeling off at the last moment and into P1 at the Junction. My kind of oddity for sure. Not much to see at the station so i hopped back on board after a bit to await the return journey, but this time alighting at Westbury once more.

My last out and back was to Frome where the service would also terminate before returning. It was rammed with school kids so a valid reason for the service to exist, though thankfully many alighted as i boarded and a seat was not that difficult to procure. As many will know Frome is a single platform station on a loop from the main line so perhaps more long distance moves will be needed to gain Taunton (or perhaps Tiverton Parkway) on another occasion. This will need to include the Westbury avoiding loop of course. Apart from this and the line through Melksham i should be able to concentrate more on the stations when i next return.

Next weekend will see me based near Reading in an attempt to finally clear some stubborn Thames Branch lines and also some newly found platform variations at Guildford although this will see me with very little sleep one night as a result. The big wazoo however is the fact that GWR will be using Euston for some services this Sunday and i will most certainly be attempting some of that goodness. The downside is that nearly all services will not officially be calling at Reading. Also GWR and a Sunday combo - can they afford to get this wrong on this trial before more of the same over Christmas. For this reason i am also trying to fill in some blanks on the WCML - and boy there is still so much work needed here that it may bankrupt me before i am done. Anyway lets see what happens.

Westbury	Depart	6.49​	*****	GW			stations	platforms
Maiden Newton	Arrive	8.16​	P2	GW	wait 103m		completed	completed
Maiden Newton	Depart	9.59​	P1	GW			1​	2​
Westbury	Arrive	11.04​	P3	GW	wait 11m
Westbury	Depart	11.15​	P2	GW
Trowbridge	Arrive	11.20​	P1	GW	wait 7m
Trowbridge	Depart	11.27​	P2	GW			1​	2​
Salisbury	Arrive	12.02​	P4	GW	wait 49m
Salisbury	Depart	12.51​	P4	SW
Yeovil Junction	Arrive	14.18​	P1	SW	wait 32m
Yeovil Junction	Depart	14.50​	P1	SW
Westbury	Arrive	15.39​	P2	SW	wait 15m
Westbury	Depart	15.54​	P1	GW			1​	3​
Frome	Arrive	16.07​	Single	GW	wait 19m
Frome	Depart	16.26​	Single	GW			1​	1​
Westbury	Arrive	16.34​	*****	GW

 

[The exile]

Yeah i had a look at this weeks activities around that time and this morning was a bit of a puzzle as to why all the changes.. All part of lifes rich pageant - unless you are a daily commuter i guess.

It’s the fact that the auto announcements are still blaring out the wrong platform information as the train pulls in that annoys me- the staff info screens show the road set quite a while earlier but you’ve got to be able to read them.

 

[All platforms]

Day 412: Sunday 17/11/2024 - Twyford to Reading - £3.45 - Off-peak Return. Reading to Boundary Zone 6 - £10.25 - Off-peak Return. London Zones 1-6 Day Travelcard - £10.40 - Off-peak. London Euston to Crewe - £23.60 - Advance Single. Crewe to London Euston - £19.00 - Advance Single. London Euston to Coventry - £15.95 - Advance Single. Coventry to London Euston - £8.65 - Advance Single. Boundary Zone 6 to Newbury - £13.65 - Off-peak Return. CP Byron Road Twyford - free on sundays.
Total time today 857 mins - time on trains 629 mins and time waiting 228 mins. No stations completed but an absolute ton of track was.

"GWR at Euston!"

Well, it be rude not to given today was a test day at GWR for the next few Christmas's when Paddington will be closed for the next few years at that time. Reading can't cope with the volume neither can Ealing Broadway although both were pressed into action to assist. The South Wales and the Taunton and beyond services were however starting/terminating at Euston using P1 P2 and a few at p3. Nothing to/from Reading except an early and a late but with GWR also as reliable as a chocolate fireguard on Sundays i didn't want to push my luck so thought this would be a good time to also look at the WCML too given my woeful completion rate of unusual track there.

First off was a move into Reading from Twyford which is not a bad base for a Sunday. Bonus crossover on the way into the station started the tickage and a long relaxing wait on board for pretty much the only service from Reading being used as a boarding point. A superlative series of moves awaited with the route onto the Up Fast and then back to the Up Relief at Dolphin Junction and then a slow coast behind an Elizabeth Line service and then an unplanned and most welcome move in using the P5 loop at West Drayton to pass the stopping service there. Excellent and then just a few miles further up the line we slowed again as we reached the junction to Acton Yard (Up Poplar i think). I am pretty sure we took the first of the 2 very close together options to gain this in a partial use of the Relief Line not normally seen these days. We were then almost parallel to the main passenger line before climbing and turning away into the Yard area. There appears to be double track for the most part apart from a link that goes towards the WCML. I might be hard pressed to be absolutely certain of the tracks used if marking Track maps etc but i found Google Maps helped me orient myself after the event to have a clearer picture. Onto the WCML fasts and a flyover route into P2 at the end. I needed that platform so a lot of stuff ticked off with that service for sure.

Now for the less pleasant journeys on very busy Avanti services although lots of normal and rare track was ticked off in both directions as i almost made it all the way back home before alighting at Crewe onto a meleed P11 (and then P6). Supplies reluctantly obtained there at inflated prices and despite walking all the way to the end of P7 for the trip back to Euston, (LNWR this time) it was full and standing upon departure. It was sweltering too with the heat turned to max and i was so glad to eventually get off. It didn't get much better on the next service going to Coventry. Far too busy for me, far too hot, and all i wanted to do was get off again after ticking off more track. Too much to list but as said, this is one part of the network i never really got to grips with the first time around. It was almost dark as i alighted at Coventry and i had to use a mix of RTT and spot the crossover by the train movement to keep marking on my last visit to Euston. I am pleased as punch with the amount completed so far today but i may look again at Sundays if this is what is happening. Three new platforms at Euston today was a plus point (P2 P5 P6 since you ask) and this leaves 4 to do and lots of associated track but i probably halved that total today. I am much closer to completing Waterloo, Marylebone and Paddington which are my other outstanding terminii.

So, how do i get back to my start point? A trip to Newbury is how (cheaper than Swindon which was the alternative), and a first look at a station on the line down towards Westbury. I will return in the daylight of course at some point but for now it was an interesting trip through the yard in the dark, passing another service to boot in there. More track ticked of course - its been that kind of day. I didn't get to check-in before 10pm (Wokingham) but was delighted to note the bar was open for a nightcap. Off to bed shortly after, as an early alarm was needed in the morning for a trip up to West Ealing first thing. If today was chalk it will be a cheese day tomorrow. Very different again.......

Twyford	Depart	7.31​	*****	GW			stations	platforms
Reading	Arrive	7.39​	P13	GW	wait 20m		completed	completed
Reading	Depart	7.59​	P14	GW
London Euston	Arrive	8.52​	P2	GW	wait 18m
London Euston	Depart	9.10​	P6	VT
Crewe	Arrive	11.40​	P11	VT	wait 33m
Crewe	Depart	12.13​	P7	LM
London Euston	Arrive	14.29​	P13	LM	wait 25m
London Euston	Depart	14.54​	P5	VT
Coventry	Arrive	16.05​	P3	VT	wait 61m
Coventry	Depart	17.06​	P1	LM
London Euston	Arrive	18.53​	P6	LM	wait 40m
London Euston	Depart	19.33​	P3	GW
Newbury	Arrive	20.44​	P1	GW	wait 14m
Newbury	Depart	20.58​	P2	GW
Reading	Arrive	21.25​	P1	GW	wait 17m
Reading	Depart	21.42​	P14	GW
Twyford	Arrive	21.48​	*****	GW

 

[All platforms]

Day 413: Monday 18/11/2024 - West Ealing to South Greenford - £6.70 - Anytime Return. Drayton Green to Castle Bar Park - £5.90 - Anytime Return. West Ealing to Greenford - £6.70 - Anytime Return. North Downs day Ranger - £13.95 - Valid after 9.00Am Weekdays. Aldershot to Bentley (Hampshire) - £2.75 - Evening Out Return. Aldershot to Wanborough - £2.45 - Evening Out Return. Aldershot to Alton - £3.45 - Evening Out Return. Aldershot to Guildford - £4.15 - Evening Out Return. CP The Avenue, West Ealing - free before 9.00AM. North Camp £3.00. Aldershot £4.20.
Total time today 1085 mins - time on trains 392 mins and time waiting 693 mins. Stations completed today 10. Total completed 2124. Platforms completed at completed stations 1870 (includes 2 bonus platforms today at a previously completed station)

"3 different lines make for a long day"

So the proverbial early start and a trip to West Ealing for the service that goes onto the Greenford Branch from the main line. The engineering works from overnight had overran and everything was cancelled - apart from my Greenford train albeit it was delayed by 10 mins or so. The Lizzie line services were still all cancelled when i finished up here some 90 mins later.....

You will all have forgotten but i have already done most of this branch line 2 years ago, but not quite up to my arrive and depart by train standards as i actually used the Underground shock horror to arrive and depart! Its no biggie but as i still need Greenford itself i thought i might as well right the wrong by doing the line in full. Service patterns are much kinder than in the post covid times and it didn't take long to get this in the bag. No fox at castle Bar Park this time and the line was generally busier than i remember notwithstanding the time of day. A funniosity is Greenford and the single sandwiched between 2 Underground lines is probably unique. I am sure someone will correct me if i am wrong. Yes i have been to Stratford and Barking etc where services do coexist but this feels different. And i also miss the opportunity to ride a Chiltern up to South Ruislup. I tried but it was cancelled....

Now can i find a car parking space at North Camp after the rush hour journey? The answer is yes, but not one of the many free options unfortunately but £3 will not break my Bank Account. Time to complete the line between Reading and Redhill with GWR being the prime provider here for most stations. With a ranger in my grubby hands i thought to do the awkward stations early on so Chilworth received some attention and easily the longest wait of the day ensued. The stations on the line receive a 30 60 or 120 minute service depending on how busy it each one is i guess, but you can also not travel between certain stations direct as well thus making it a tricky so and so to plan properly. Thankfully not raining i opened my book for half an hour after having a good mooch.

Blackwater was next which does receive a half hourly service most of the day and for this reason i will be returning here after taking a turn out to Dorking West which is another 2 hourly served station. Hot food can be sourced at the end of the station approach road and i decided that was what i needed. It also helped to while away the time as the weather turned a little and i retired to the shelter to wait it out. Returning up the line via Guildford i got an enexpected track bonus as we traversed the P6 line in its entirety. All that remained to be done on the line was to tick off in turn, Farnborough (North), Sandhurst, Ash and Crowthorne. Wanborough will be done via SW Trains later on as GWR offer a very sparse service for this station. I am a bit pushed for time today so have not planned this report out too well and have probably missed quite a few reminisces as a result. Apologies and all that. End of branch 2.

Part 3 was going to offer up more goodness on the line down to Alton with its oddiosities causing me to keep rechecking RTT. I had intended to alight at Bentley P2 which sees a sparse service with almost everything using P1 (both directions). Unfortunately its lateness meant the cross at the station didn't happen and we were held before the single line section to allow the Up train to pass. Time to tick off Wanborough next and the wanted list round here starts to shrink a little. Back to Alton for the P2 loop at Bentley as it stands for over 15 mins there for pathing reasons. I will be using this trick to get P2 on a return visit. Alton P2 completes the station and a chance to peer through the metal fence at the Watercress Line paraphanalia including many Christmas trees. Good stuff. I will be travelling to Guildford via Aldershot and a P6b arrival there which i am sure wasn't around when i first looked at the station many moons ago. With a P6a Departure, 2 new variants were ticked off and late to bed as a result. I may have taken on too much as 3.5 hours is unlikely to be enough sleep, but opportunities for 40 winks here and there will hopefully be enough to keep me going tomorrow. Very pleased with 10 stations completed on a very different kind of day than Sunday.

West Ealing	Depart	6.09​	*****	GW			stations	platforms
South Greenford	Arrive	6.15​	P2	GW	wait 12m		completed	completed
South Greenford	Depart	6.27​	P1	GW
Drayton Green	Arrive	6.31​	P2	GW	wait 8m
Drayton Green	Depart	6.39​		GW
Castle Bar Park	Arrive	6.40​	P1	GW	wait 16m
Castle Bar Park	Depart	6.56​		GW
West Ealing	Arrive	7.00​	P5	GW	wait 3m
West Ealing	Depart	7.03​	P5	GW
Greenford	Arrive	7.14​	Single	GW	wait 2m
Greenford	Depart	7.16​	Single	GW			1​	1​
West Ealing	Arrive	7.27​	*****	GW	drive +
Relocate to	*****	*****	*****	*****	wait 112m
North Camp	Depart	9.19​	*****	GW
Chilworth	Arrive	9.44​	P1	GW	wait 84m
Chilworth	Depart	11.08​	P2	GW			1​	2​
Blackwater	Arrive	11.39​	P2	GW	wait 33m
Blackwater	Depart	12.12​		GW			1​	2​
Dorking West	Arrive	12.53​		GW	wait 66m
Dorking West	Depart	13.59​		GW			1​	2​
Blackwater	Arrive	14.37​	P2	GW	wait 8m
Blackwater	Depart	14.45​		GW
Farnborough (North)	Arrive	14.49​	P1	GW	wait 12m
Farnborough (North)	Depart	15.01​	P2	GW			1​	2​
Sandhurst	Arrive	15.08​	P2	GW	wait 33m
Sandhurst	Depart	15.41​	P1	GW			1​	2​
Ash	Arrive	15.57​	P1	GW	wait 35m
Ash	Depart	16.32​	P2	GW			1​	2​
Crowthorne	Arrive	16.53​	P2	GW	wait 11m
Crowthorne	Depart	17.04​	P1	GW			1​	2​
North Camp	Arrive	17.20​	*****	GW	drive +
Relocate to	*****	*****	*****	*****	wait 53m
Aldershot	Depart	18.13​	*****	SW
Bentley (Hampshire)	Arrive	18.30​	P1	SW	wait 21m
Bentley (Hampshire)	Depart	18.51​	P1	SW
Farnham	Arrive	18.56​	P1	SW	wait 7m
Farnham	Depart	19.03​	P1	SW
Wanborough	Arrive	19.24​	P1	SW	wait 7m
Wanborough	Depart	19.31​	P2	SW			1​	2​
Farnham	Arrive	19.49​	P2	SW	wait 37m
Farnham	Depart	20.26​	P2	SW
Alton	Arrive	20.57​	P2	SW	wait 46m
Alton	Depart	21.43​	P2	SW			1​	2​
Aldershot	Arrive	22.04​	P1	SW	wait 36m
Aldershot	Depart	22.40​	P1	SW
Guildford	Arrive	23.03​	P6b	SW	wait 51m			1​
Guildford	Depart	23.54​	P6a	SW				1​
Aldershot	Arrive	0.14​	*****	SW