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How difficult is it to arrive or leave at all timetabled platforms. 5 year project to achieve this.
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Kite159
Veteran Member
You will be waiting for a long time
(As it's meant to be Falmouth to Newquay, something I can see lasting one timetable period before it gets ditched due to being unreliable and services returned to Truro - Falmouth & Par - Newquay, it's got LNR's 2019 timetable chaos written over it when they tried to run London - Liverpool via Birmingham services with parts splitting off to serve Rugeley Trent Valley etc).Regards Fife, at least platform 2 at Glenrothes with Thornton and the track heading towards Markinch/Leven is easier to do these days. Not sure how much stuff still uses platform 1 or if there are any random peak time extras which link Kirkcaldy with Glenrothes anymore.
Been following and enjoying this thread over the past year but this seems to be my first post here.
I had resigned myself to never managing to do Tinsley as my rules require me to be able to see outside the train unless the PSUL is never traversed in daylight. Especially as I don't live in the UK any more and can't just fly over on a whim. (I'm only attempting to travel on every route, but not every single track or crossover, used in passenger service and be on a train when it stops at every station.)
I did think that I might have to do those Sheffield overnights at some point but it felt like a big waste of money to not be able to see anything.
So I was incredibly lucky when I happened to be on a UK visit on Sunday 12 November 2023 and discovered there were Tinsley diversions all day. It was quite misty but I counted it as a win.
I don't recall why the diversion was used on that day but I wonder if it is likely to happen again?
I had resigned myself to never managing to do Tinsley as my rules require me to be able to see outside the train unless the PSUL is never traversed in daylight. Especially as I don't live in the UK any more and can't just fly over on a whim. (I'm only attempting to travel on every route, but not every single track or crossover, used in passenger service and be on a train when it stops at every station.)
I did think that I might have to do those Sheffield overnights at some point but it felt like a big waste of money to not be able to see anything.
So I was incredibly lucky when I happened to be on a UK visit on Sunday 12 November 2023 and discovered there were Tinsley diversions all day. It was quite misty but I counted it as a win.
I don't recall why the diversion was used on that day but I wonder if it is likely to happen again?
All platforms
Member
Yup - not sure where i dredged Looe from (what an interesting service that would be if it ever materialised) but Falmouth is more logical of course. With the expense of making it easier to pass and the new platform at Newquay already pretty much finished i think it may last more than one timetable - or why do the upgrades - surely not for charters or the Sunday only direct services that we have at the moment. But as always things move in mysterious ways at times.You will be waiting for a long time
Regards Fife, at least platform 2 at Glenrothes with Thornton and the track heading towards Markinch/Leven is easier to do these days. Not sure how much stuff still uses platform 1 or if there are any random peak time extras which link Kirkcaldy with Glenrothes anymore.
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Thanks for the post - i see you are on a "do as much as i can" quest as well but very sensibly omitting the deep in the weeds crossover stuff. I also have a policy of doing as much as i can in daylight and there is very little that i have done in the dark that hasn't subsequently been done during the day. I can think of 2 pieces of track/link track i need to revisit at some future stage however.
I must have missed the Tinsley day use in 2023, and there was also a XC service that passed through 20.xx until recently so i guess i thought it wouldn't be an issue. With a 3.20am return start from Sheffield i have waited until now to see if the pre-dawn will give any glimmer of the outside mid June, and if not it just goes back on the list for an engineering return. Not holding my breath but there we go. Cheers.
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Member
Day 482: Saturday 07/06/2025 - Spirit of Scotland Rover 4 in 8 Days - £103.20 - Day 1. CP Arbroath £1.00
Total time today 669 mins - time on trains 432 mins and time waiting 237 mins. Stations completed today 4. Total completed 2353. Platforms completed at completed stations 5362.
"Arbroath to Inverurie and Markinch"
With a full week's holiday near Cupar in Fife to look forward to i had quite a bit of fun in planning my allotted 3 days play within those 7 days. What i intended today was to complete the outlying platforms and track north of Arbroath in order to minimise unnecessary distances on any possible return. It wouldn't be normal if things didn't go awry to some extent and today was no different. However it was an enjoyable day starting with the first service North that would be calling at Inverurie, which i didn't manage to fit in last year when i was hoovering up the remaining stations and lines West East and North of Inverness.
Inverurie was a pleasant surprise upon alighting there after a 90 minute journey and i had my choice of 3 local bakeries with which to garner breakfast and other supplies for the rest of the day. I had enough time to have a good wander around before returning for the trip back to Aberdeen. The trip North had included bonus track at Aberdeen doing a full pass of P7. Upon leaving Aberdeen from P7n after returning from Inverurie i traversed my last remaing timetabled crossover there and onwards to Montrose and its amazing tidal basin. Again i had enough time to go see this although it was just a vast array of mudflats and stranded boats as the tide was out when i visited. The HST sets were in full evidence this week and i got to ride them on many occasions and the trip back to Aberdeen was one such. Unfortunately we didn't arive in P5 as planned so that went back on the to do pile. Mutter mutter.
Next up i boarded the Queen Street service but alighting at Perth for the first time in P1 before boarding a re platformed stopping service there sitting in P6. Quite the journey to get to Perth and i was glad i was only going as far as Markinch to tick off station number 3 of the day. Back at Perth i had the opportunity to understand the layout there for future reference before going back to Arbroath to tick that box. I do like Perth which has quite a few platforms and track to have a go at, and it has a slghtly quirky layout in my eyes. the North facing bays are out of passenger use and its quite the trek up both P4 and P7 to see the lie of the land. I look forward to returning when i have a bash at the line up to Inverness - and that will be some trick to get all the loops and awkward platforms in the bag there without multiple attempts being needed.
For now it can wait so after completing Arbroath it was time to visit Dundee for the first time albeit very briefly. P1 is split into P1n and P1s but neither get used very much but ostensibly there are 3 late afternoon services where they get used - and also the Up Through line where the service in P1s goes round the P1n service on its way North. The reality is that at the moment this isn't happening with southbound service being diverted into P4 and the HST going North sits in full fat P1. This brings into play the 2 crossovers at Camperdown with one rarely used and the other very rarely. The consolation was these but i need to have a long hard look at the p1 variants to see if they get used again.
Back at Arbroath at a very sensible time with no further opportunities to add to my tally due to timetabling issues and the need to return to base at a decent time. An enjoyable day with a very high on trains to wait ratio for once, and a barrel load of new track has been completed into the bargain. I am a little more prepared on this holiday so i was able to get this marked as the week progressed without having to wait until back at home. It makes quite the difference i realised. Tomorrow will be something new too!
Total time today 669 mins - time on trains 432 mins and time waiting 237 mins. Stations completed today 4. Total completed 2353. Platforms completed at completed stations 5362.
"Arbroath to Inverurie and Markinch"
With a full week's holiday near Cupar in Fife to look forward to i had quite a bit of fun in planning my allotted 3 days play within those 7 days. What i intended today was to complete the outlying platforms and track north of Arbroath in order to minimise unnecessary distances on any possible return. It wouldn't be normal if things didn't go awry to some extent and today was no different. However it was an enjoyable day starting with the first service North that would be calling at Inverurie, which i didn't manage to fit in last year when i was hoovering up the remaining stations and lines West East and North of Inverness.
Inverurie was a pleasant surprise upon alighting there after a 90 minute journey and i had my choice of 3 local bakeries with which to garner breakfast and other supplies for the rest of the day. I had enough time to have a good wander around before returning for the trip back to Aberdeen. The trip North had included bonus track at Aberdeen doing a full pass of P7. Upon leaving Aberdeen from P7n after returning from Inverurie i traversed my last remaing timetabled crossover there and onwards to Montrose and its amazing tidal basin. Again i had enough time to go see this although it was just a vast array of mudflats and stranded boats as the tide was out when i visited. The HST sets were in full evidence this week and i got to ride them on many occasions and the trip back to Aberdeen was one such. Unfortunately we didn't arive in P5 as planned so that went back on the to do pile. Mutter mutter.
Next up i boarded the Queen Street service but alighting at Perth for the first time in P1 before boarding a re platformed stopping service there sitting in P6. Quite the journey to get to Perth and i was glad i was only going as far as Markinch to tick off station number 3 of the day. Back at Perth i had the opportunity to understand the layout there for future reference before going back to Arbroath to tick that box. I do like Perth which has quite a few platforms and track to have a go at, and it has a slghtly quirky layout in my eyes. the North facing bays are out of passenger use and its quite the trek up both P4 and P7 to see the lie of the land. I look forward to returning when i have a bash at the line up to Inverness - and that will be some trick to get all the loops and awkward platforms in the bag there without multiple attempts being needed.
For now it can wait so after completing Arbroath it was time to visit Dundee for the first time albeit very briefly. P1 is split into P1n and P1s but neither get used very much but ostensibly there are 3 late afternoon services where they get used - and also the Up Through line where the service in P1s goes round the P1n service on its way North. The reality is that at the moment this isn't happening with southbound service being diverted into P4 and the HST going North sits in full fat P1. This brings into play the 2 crossovers at Camperdown with one rarely used and the other very rarely. The consolation was these but i need to have a long hard look at the p1 variants to see if they get used again.
Back at Arbroath at a very sensible time with no further opportunities to add to my tally due to timetabling issues and the need to return to base at a decent time. An enjoyable day with a very high on trains to wait ratio for once, and a barrel load of new track has been completed into the bargain. I am a little more prepared on this holiday so i was able to get this marked as the week progressed without having to wait until back at home. It makes quite the difference i realised. Tomorrow will be something new too!
| Arbroath | Depart | 6.11 | ***** | SR | stations | platforms | ||
| Inverurie | Arrive | 7.40 | P2 | SR | wait 36m | completed | completed | |
| Inverurie | Depart | 8.16 | P1 | SR | 1 | 2 | ||
| Aberdeen | Arrive | 8.39 | P6n | SR | wait 44m | |||
| Aberdeen | Depart | 9.23 | P7n | SR | ||||
| Montrose | Arrive | 10.08 | P1 | SR | wait 45m | |||
| Montrose | Depart | 10.23 | P2 | SR | 1 | 2 | ||
| Aberdeen | Arrive | 11.04 | P6s | SR | wait 33m | |||
| Aberdeen | Depart | 11.37 | P4 | SR | ||||
| Perth | Arrive | 13.18 | P1 | SR | wait 6m | |||
| Perth | Depart | 13.24 | P6 | SR | ||||
| Markinch | Arrive | 13.56 | P1 | SR | wait 35m | |||
| Markinch | Depart | 14.31 | P2 | SR | 1 | 2 | ||
| Perth | Arrive | 15.19 | P6 | SR | wait 22m | |||
| Perth | Depart | 15.41 | P2 | SR | ||||
| Arbroath | Arrive | 16.23 | P2 | SR | wait 11m | |||
| Arbroath | Depart | 16.34 | P1 | SR | 1 | 2 | ||
| Dundee | Arrive | 17.00 | P4 | SR | wait 5m | |||
| Dundee | Depart | 17.05 | P1 | SR | ||||
| Arbroath | Arrive | 17.20 | ***** | SR |
Kite159
Veteran Member
A productive day in Scotland
All platforms
Member
Day 483: Sunday 08/06/2025 - Spirit of Scotland Rover - day 2. CP Perth - £3.00
Total time today 567 mins - time on trains 345 mins and time waiting 222 mins. No stations or platforms completed today but a significant amount of new track has been traversed.
"The line between Perth and Inverness for the first time - and what a wild ride it will be to complete"
I spent quite some time plotting which services would traverse the unusual today and so had time to make a first visit to Stirling as part of this as i wanted a particular service going northwards. Another interesting station that i look forward to returning to in the future with lots of platforms and lines to explore.
As usual planning and actuals did not exactly coincide, but nevertheless lots of juicy things were attained on the trip up to and then back from Inverness. The journeys were on a HST set and i thoroughly enjoyed riding them and getting to see the wonderful scenery rather than the odd glimpse from driving there. The service northwards was 13-15 mins late for nearly all of the journey but did claw some time back after the Slochd loop - more of that later.
Now the reason for so many loops on this line is exactly to cater for this late running scenario. The downside is my careful planning could be in tatters as a result. What i can say is that after the first pass both ways i still have all the platforms to do but a good chunk of the track has been ticked - just not what i necessarily planned. I had thought (in my head at least) that i had done the loop at Slochd but as we were late the southbound service was waiting there instead and i hadn't realised this was the only one to have a loop on the West side. The other 3 are on the East side.....
Its over a week ago so i don't remember too much detail of these journeys but i do remember the interminable wait at Inverness as i would be going back on the same HST set (2 and a half hours later). Again the northward service was late so we lost a few things but i did gain the full loop at Kincraig and the P2 line at Aviemore i do recall. Both lines at Pitlochry too. I really need to do some work on this but any lateness either way will probably scupper plans. The actual journeys were great but the distances and time taken are large so there will probably be a lot of deja vu moments over the summer. I have changed my mind - this is more awkward then the line up to Fort William. At least i know now.
Total time today 567 mins - time on trains 345 mins and time waiting 222 mins. No stations or platforms completed today but a significant amount of new track has been traversed.
"The line between Perth and Inverness for the first time - and what a wild ride it will be to complete"
I spent quite some time plotting which services would traverse the unusual today and so had time to make a first visit to Stirling as part of this as i wanted a particular service going northwards. Another interesting station that i look forward to returning to in the future with lots of platforms and lines to explore.
As usual planning and actuals did not exactly coincide, but nevertheless lots of juicy things were attained on the trip up to and then back from Inverness. The journeys were on a HST set and i thoroughly enjoyed riding them and getting to see the wonderful scenery rather than the odd glimpse from driving there. The service northwards was 13-15 mins late for nearly all of the journey but did claw some time back after the Slochd loop - more of that later.
Now the reason for so many loops on this line is exactly to cater for this late running scenario. The downside is my careful planning could be in tatters as a result. What i can say is that after the first pass both ways i still have all the platforms to do but a good chunk of the track has been ticked - just not what i necessarily planned. I had thought (in my head at least) that i had done the loop at Slochd but as we were late the southbound service was waiting there instead and i hadn't realised this was the only one to have a loop on the West side. The other 3 are on the East side.....
Its over a week ago so i don't remember too much detail of these journeys but i do remember the interminable wait at Inverness as i would be going back on the same HST set (2 and a half hours later). Again the northward service was late so we lost a few things but i did gain the full loop at Kincraig and the P2 line at Aviemore i do recall. Both lines at Pitlochry too. I really need to do some work on this but any lateness either way will probably scupper plans. The actual journeys were great but the distances and time taken are large so there will probably be a lot of deja vu moments over the summer. I have changed my mind - this is more awkward then the line up to Fort William. At least i know now.
| Perth | Depart | 9.18 | ***** | SR | stations | platforms | ||
| Stirling | Arrive | 9.52 | P3 | SR | wait 44m | completed | completed | |
| Stirling | Depart | 10.36 | P2 | SR | ||||
| Inverness | Arrive | 13.28 | P3 | SR | wait 178m | |||
| Inverness | Depart | 16.26 | P2 | SR | ||||
| Perth | Arrive | 18.45 | ***** | SR |
All platforms
Member
Monday 09/06/2025 + Tuesday 10/06/2025 - Cupar to Dundee - £10.10 - Anytime Return. Dundee to Gleneagles - £11.50 - Anytime Return. Arbroath to Dundee - £9.35 - Anytime Return. CP Cupar £1.00 + Arbroath £1.00
Total time Monday 220 mins - time on trains 121 mins and time waiting 99 mins. 1 Station added to the total today so 2354 + 5364 completed platforms.
Total time Tuesday 184 mins - time on trains 57 mins and time waiting 127 mins. A new station and platform today but its not completed.
"the expensive morning trips commence"
I do have carte blanche to do early morning stuff (at a cost of course) as long as i'm back by 10ish and the first thing was to try and complete the other platforms at Dundee and make a trip down to Gleneagles to tick that off too. I like the fact that Dundee has a Tesco Express attached to the front of the station building and so i had time for a little something before heading off to Gleneagles via a P4 start and so ticking off another crossover to gain the Up line. Gleneagles has 4 of the biggest station name signs i can recall at each end of both platforms so no excuses for ever missing your station. One more station then and two more platforms as P3 and then P2 was used for the Gleaneagles out and back. I still need the crossovers relevant to both these platforms as i was thwarted later in the week by a double platform alteration.
Tuesday morning was spent visiting Golf Street P1 before returning to Arbroath via Dundee once more. A promised P1n did not materialise there..... Golf Street, Barry Links and Balmossie all used to have 4 calls per day. One each way in the morning and likewise in the early evening. Scotrail have withdrawn one of the evening services so there is no alternative but to walk in or out for P2 to be ticked. If the service does get reinstated i will probably return to do them properly but i don't hold out much hope. I did do P1 at Barry Links last year with an enforced 95 min wait my reward. Golf Street is the same and i took the opportunity to walk back to Carnoustie on the main road for a sandwich, and then return via the cycle path - just to get a feel for what's involved, as i will need to walk in or out for P2 of course. Not this time unfortunately as i didn't get an opportunity to do so. The cycle path doubles up as a conventional one and many runners and walkers were seen even this early and with or without dogs too. I enjoyed the open scenery and the smooth tarmac! Great views of the bay/sea/coast too.
Total time Monday 220 mins - time on trains 121 mins and time waiting 99 mins. 1 Station added to the total today so 2354 + 5364 completed platforms.
Total time Tuesday 184 mins - time on trains 57 mins and time waiting 127 mins. A new station and platform today but its not completed.
"the expensive morning trips commence"
I do have carte blanche to do early morning stuff (at a cost of course) as long as i'm back by 10ish and the first thing was to try and complete the other platforms at Dundee and make a trip down to Gleneagles to tick that off too. I like the fact that Dundee has a Tesco Express attached to the front of the station building and so i had time for a little something before heading off to Gleneagles via a P4 start and so ticking off another crossover to gain the Up line. Gleneagles has 4 of the biggest station name signs i can recall at each end of both platforms so no excuses for ever missing your station. One more station then and two more platforms as P3 and then P2 was used for the Gleaneagles out and back. I still need the crossovers relevant to both these platforms as i was thwarted later in the week by a double platform alteration.
Tuesday morning was spent visiting Golf Street P1 before returning to Arbroath via Dundee once more. A promised P1n did not materialise there..... Golf Street, Barry Links and Balmossie all used to have 4 calls per day. One each way in the morning and likewise in the early evening. Scotrail have withdrawn one of the evening services so there is no alternative but to walk in or out for P2 to be ticked. If the service does get reinstated i will probably return to do them properly but i don't hold out much hope. I did do P1 at Barry Links last year with an enforced 95 min wait my reward. Golf Street is the same and i took the opportunity to walk back to Carnoustie on the main road for a sandwich, and then return via the cycle path - just to get a feel for what's involved, as i will need to walk in or out for P2 of course. Not this time unfortunately as i didn't get an opportunity to do so. The cycle path doubles up as a conventional one and many runners and walkers were seen even this early and with or without dogs too. I enjoyed the open scenery and the smooth tarmac! Great views of the bay/sea/coast too.
| Cupar | Depart | 6.28 | ***** | SR | stations | platforms | ||
| Dundee | Arrive | 6.48 | P4 | SR | wait 24m | completed | completed | |
| Dundee | Depart | 7.12 | P4 | SR | ||||
| Gleneagles | Arrive | 7.53 | P1 | SR | wait 14m | |||
| Gleneagles | Depart | 8.07 | P2 | SR | 1 | 2 | ||
| Dundee | Arrive | 8.47 | P3 | SR | wait 61m | |||
| Dundee | Depart | 9.48 | P2 | SR | ||||
| Cupar | Arrive | 10.08 | ***** | SR | ||||
| Arbroath | Depart | 6.06 | ***** | SR | ||||
| Golf Street | Arrive | 6.15 | P1 | SR | wait 97m | |||
| Golf Street | Depart | 7.52 | P1 | SR | ||||
| Dundee | Arrive | 8.13 | P1 | SR | wait 30m | |||
| Dundee | Depart | 8.43 | P4 | SR | ||||
| Arbroath | Arrive | 9.10 | ***** | SR |
All platforms
Member
Wednesday 11/06/2025 - Arbroath to Broughty Ferry - £7.45 - Anytime Return. Spirit of Scotland Rover 4 in 8 days - Day 3. CP Arbroath £1.00
Total time today 296 mins - time on trains 67 mins and time waiting 229 mins. Stations completed today 3. Total completed 2357. Platforms completed at completed stations 5370.
"A ride on the Azumas"
The weather forecast had been solidly showing a few rainy days this week, but these started to recede somewhat so our "what shall we do today" plans changed significantly in order to accommodate the better weather. This meant i had to sacrifice one of the planned days out - well part of it anyway so my wish list at the end of the week is now longer than it would have been. I could still have a morning play and i opted for a trip to Balmossie to complete P1 at all the awkward stations hereabouts. Mighty glad when this worked out as planned with a wee bonus of turning at Broughty Ferry for another station completion. I loved these early morning visits and with the weather behaving again it was a joy to have a good old explore on the seafront.
Off to Falkland and its Palace for a bit of culture but as we were back by just gone 4pm i was able to get back up to Arbroath for the final time hopefully and do the 2 walks needed for P2 at Balmossie and Barry Links. The weather was perfect for striding out and i experienced possibly two of the most enjoyable enforced walks between stations on this whole journey. (Monifieth to Balmossie and then Barry Links to Carnoustie). No letting up on the length and breadth of the enjoyable things to do - even this late in the game. I am now over 91% on the completed stations front with the awkward stuff receding quite nicely thank you very much. As said, the lines up to Inverness and Fort William may need some effort still and after doing the 2 longest walks of the awkward stations today a 20 minute stroll from Golf Street to Carnoustie is of little consequence. I am sure other stuff will trip me up but i will deal with that if it does.
Total time today 296 mins - time on trains 67 mins and time waiting 229 mins. Stations completed today 3. Total completed 2357. Platforms completed at completed stations 5370.
"A ride on the Azumas"
The weather forecast had been solidly showing a few rainy days this week, but these started to recede somewhat so our "what shall we do today" plans changed significantly in order to accommodate the better weather. This meant i had to sacrifice one of the planned days out - well part of it anyway so my wish list at the end of the week is now longer than it would have been. I could still have a morning play and i opted for a trip to Balmossie to complete P1 at all the awkward stations hereabouts. Mighty glad when this worked out as planned with a wee bonus of turning at Broughty Ferry for another station completion. I loved these early morning visits and with the weather behaving again it was a joy to have a good old explore on the seafront.
Off to Falkland and its Palace for a bit of culture but as we were back by just gone 4pm i was able to get back up to Arbroath for the final time hopefully and do the 2 walks needed for P2 at Balmossie and Barry Links. The weather was perfect for striding out and i experienced possibly two of the most enjoyable enforced walks between stations on this whole journey. (Monifieth to Balmossie and then Barry Links to Carnoustie). No letting up on the length and breadth of the enjoyable things to do - even this late in the game. I am now over 91% on the completed stations front with the awkward stuff receding quite nicely thank you very much. As said, the lines up to Inverness and Fort William may need some effort still and after doing the 2 longest walks of the awkward stations today a 20 minute stroll from Golf Street to Carnoustie is of little consequence. I am sure other stuff will trip me up but i will deal with that if it does.
| Arbroath | Depart | 6.06 | ***** | SR | stations | platforms | ||
| Balmossie | Arrive | 6.26 | P1 | SR | wait 98m | completed | completed | |
| Balmossie | Depart | 8.04 | P1 | SR | ||||
| Broughty Ferry | Arrive | 8.07 | P1 | SR | wait 44m | |||
| Broughty Ferry | Depart | 8.51 | P2 | SR | 1 | 2 | ||
| Arbroath | Arrive | 9.08 | ***** | SR | ||||
| Break for non related railway stuff | ***** | ***** | ***** | ***** | n/a | |||
| Arbroath | Depart | 17.21 | ***** | SR | ||||
| Monifieth | Arrive | 17.33 | P1 | SR | walk + | |||
| Walk to | wait 34m | |||||||
| Balmossie | Depart | 18.07 | P2 | SR | 1 | 2 | ||
| Barry Links | Arrive | 18.15 | P2 | SR | walk + | 1 | 2 | |
| Walk to | ***** | ***** | ***** | ***** | wait 53m | |||
| Carnoustie | Depart | 19.08 | P2 | SR | ||||
| Arbroath | Arrive | 19.15 | ***** | SR |
All platforms
Member
Thursday 12/06/2025 - Leuchars to Laurencekirk - £16.50 - Anytime Return. Spirit of Scotland Rover 4 in 8 days - Day 4. CP Leuchars £1.00 + Cupar £1.00
Total time today 482 mins - time on trains 310 mins and time waiting 172 mins. Stations completed today 2. Total completed 2359. Platforms completed at completed stations 5379
"Just 2 stations completed today"
Another one of those days where i unexpectedly got to go out in the afternoon - but in an unplanned way and looking back i have been very inefficient in my moves this week. Also cost has been an issue but one of my own making. I blame it on the lack of a full day 3 of the Rover. Nevertheless i was off out again and i opted for a trip to Laurencekirk but starting in Leuchars this time. I know this involved a bonus crossover which didn't materialise but it was an excellent journey to/from Laurencekirk nevertheless i recall. The outward journey was a direct one and as there are no returns at this part of the day i opted to do this via Dundee where another P1n possibility did not materialise in the end. The trip back from Dundee was on an Azuma, and i know there are not too many of those in this part of the world. I prefer the HST's i have to say.
Time for some standard sightseeing but as were finished by 2pm i resolved to go out in the afternoon - but at short notice it wasn't easy to stitch together a coherent itinerary. This was decidedly not made easier by some traffic lights that had sprung up on the road to Leuchars and after 15 mins there i decided to go back to Cupar and go from there instead. Frustratingly the machine wasn't working and the train i wanted was pulling out of the station as i strode onto the platform. 10 minutes scramble on RTT later i decided to have another go at P5 in Aberdeen, and then do Portlethen, but a most frustrating period as i gained Dundee on a replatformed service and then the Azuma just dawdled into Aberdeen (thankfully it was P5) and for the second time this afternoon i missed my service by just a few seconds - this one was my ticket to Portlethen. I did look but the wait for the next one was too long. Nothing for it but to return home and again a replatforming cost me at Dundee for an easy crossover. Also a third service missed by less than a minute today. A lot of effort for just one platform but Aberdeen is now complete and Arbroath northwards is now complete save Portlethen. Golf Street and Carnoustie are an easy duo now. This just leaves the P1s/n debate at Dundee and then Invergowrie and i am almost done to the north of the Central Scotland Rover area. I cannot wait to be wholly within that area this summer for some cheaper days out.
Total time today 482 mins - time on trains 310 mins and time waiting 172 mins. Stations completed today 2. Total completed 2359. Platforms completed at completed stations 5379
"Just 2 stations completed today"
Another one of those days where i unexpectedly got to go out in the afternoon - but in an unplanned way and looking back i have been very inefficient in my moves this week. Also cost has been an issue but one of my own making. I blame it on the lack of a full day 3 of the Rover. Nevertheless i was off out again and i opted for a trip to Laurencekirk but starting in Leuchars this time. I know this involved a bonus crossover which didn't materialise but it was an excellent journey to/from Laurencekirk nevertheless i recall. The outward journey was a direct one and as there are no returns at this part of the day i opted to do this via Dundee where another P1n possibility did not materialise in the end. The trip back from Dundee was on an Azuma, and i know there are not too many of those in this part of the world. I prefer the HST's i have to say.
Time for some standard sightseeing but as were finished by 2pm i resolved to go out in the afternoon - but at short notice it wasn't easy to stitch together a coherent itinerary. This was decidedly not made easier by some traffic lights that had sprung up on the road to Leuchars and after 15 mins there i decided to go back to Cupar and go from there instead. Frustratingly the machine wasn't working and the train i wanted was pulling out of the station as i strode onto the platform. 10 minutes scramble on RTT later i decided to have another go at P5 in Aberdeen, and then do Portlethen, but a most frustrating period as i gained Dundee on a replatformed service and then the Azuma just dawdled into Aberdeen (thankfully it was P5) and for the second time this afternoon i missed my service by just a few seconds - this one was my ticket to Portlethen. I did look but the wait for the next one was too long. Nothing for it but to return home and again a replatforming cost me at Dundee for an easy crossover. Also a third service missed by less than a minute today. A lot of effort for just one platform but Aberdeen is now complete and Arbroath northwards is now complete save Portlethen. Golf Street and Carnoustie are an easy duo now. This just leaves the P1s/n debate at Dundee and then Invergowrie and i am almost done to the north of the Central Scotland Rover area. I cannot wait to be wholly within that area this summer for some cheaper days out.
| Leuchars | Depart | 6.35 | ***** | SR | stations | platforms | ||
| Laurencekirk | Arrive | 7.37 | P2 | SR | wait 26m | completed | completed | |
| Laurencekirk | Depart | 8.03 | P1 | SR | 1 | 2 | ||
| Dundee | Arrive | 8.52 | P1 | SR | wait 35m | |||
| Dundee | Depart | 9.27 | P1 | GR | ||||
| Leuchars | Arrive | 9.40 | ***** | GR | ||||
| Break for non related railway stuff | ***** | ***** | ***** | ***** | n/a | |||
| Cupar | Depart | 15.07 | ***** | SR | ||||
| Dundee | Arrive | 15.27 | P3 | SR | wait 24m | |||
| Dundee | Depart | 15.51 | P4 | GR | ||||
| Aberdeen | Arrive | 17.09 | P5 | GR | wait 36m | 1 | 7 | |
| Aberdeen | Depart | 17.45 | P3 | SR | ||||
| Dundee | Arrive | 18.52 | P1 | SR | wait 51m | |||
| Dundee | Depart | 19.43 | P2 | SR | ||||
| Cupar | Arrive | 20.04 | ***** | SR |
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Day 488: Friday 13/06/2025 - Leuchars to Ladybank - £9.10 - Anytime Return. Leuchars to Cupar - £5.85 - Anytime Return. CP Leuchars - £1.00
Total time today 77 mins - time on trains 41 mins and time waiting 36 mins. Stations completed today 2. Total completed 2361. Platforms completed at completed stations 5383.
"2 easy runs out to complete the week"
Definitely things did not pan out as hoped this week but nevertheless a very successful week i would say and todays trips are short and sweet - namely a run out to Ladybank and then to Cupar. I have not given any people watching or other details of my activities this week but they did occur. I need to jot down a few things as they happen i think as a weeks worth of stuff is too much for me..... These last few weeks have been great as i pick away at the further corners left to do but as of writing this i have nothing else planned other than London yesterday and Tinsley tomorrow. It still keeps a smile on my face but i will be glad when the weekly trips perhaps reduce a little. I thought Cupar to be a great base for my activities this week even though i went North on every occasion. I also got to explore Fife in more detail as a holiday destination and i will probably return at some point. Scotland seems to be our first choice of late so lets see what else may occur. I am probably on my own for the central belt however.
More HST action today and if they disappear as intimated i am super glad to have ridden them most days this week. Next stop is London.
Total time today 77 mins - time on trains 41 mins and time waiting 36 mins. Stations completed today 2. Total completed 2361. Platforms completed at completed stations 5383.
"2 easy runs out to complete the week"
Definitely things did not pan out as hoped this week but nevertheless a very successful week i would say and todays trips are short and sweet - namely a run out to Ladybank and then to Cupar. I have not given any people watching or other details of my activities this week but they did occur. I need to jot down a few things as they happen i think as a weeks worth of stuff is too much for me..... These last few weeks have been great as i pick away at the further corners left to do but as of writing this i have nothing else planned other than London yesterday and Tinsley tomorrow. It still keeps a smile on my face but i will be glad when the weekly trips perhaps reduce a little. I thought Cupar to be a great base for my activities this week even though i went North on every occasion. I also got to explore Fife in more detail as a holiday destination and i will probably return at some point. Scotland seems to be our first choice of late so lets see what else may occur. I am probably on my own for the central belt however.
More HST action today and if they disappear as intimated i am super glad to have ridden them most days this week. Next stop is London.
| Leuchars | Depart | 5.54 | ***** | SR | stations | platforms | ||
| Ladybank | Arrive | 6.08 | P1 | SR | wait 12m | completed | completed | |
| Ladybank | Depart | 6.20 | P2 | SR | 1 | 2 | ||
| Leuchars | Arrive | 6.33 | P2 | SR | wait 11m | |||
| Leuchars | Depart | 6.44 | P1 | SR | ||||
| Cupar | Arrive | 6.51 | P1 | SR | wait 13m | |||
| Cupar | Depart | 7.04 | P2 | SR | 1 | 2 | ||
| Leuchars | Arrive | 7.11 | ***** | SR |
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Day 489: Sunday 15/06/2025 - Selby to St Pancras International - £33.95 - Advance Single. London Day Travelcard Z1-6 - £11.00 - Off-peak. Boundary Z6 to Ashford International - £18.20 - Off-peak Return. St Pancras International to Selby - £33.95 - Advance Single. CP Selby - £4.00.
Total time today 750 mins - time on trains a whopping 524 mins and time waiting 226 mins. No new platforms or stations today but a lot of rare track was consumed.
"I tried something a bit different today"
I have done a lot of driving these past few weeks and once i was toying with putting together an itinerary based on the through lines at Paddock Wood and Headcorn i alighted on the Hull Trains mega diversion route which in itself had a promised non timetabled crossover. It probably was dearer than driving down but anything to avoid queues at this time of year is a good thing in my opinion. Easy peasy to get to Selby for 9am but interestingly (and worryingly for some passengers) the service never made it to display boards. RTT confirmed it was on its way, but it wasn't until 9am when the ticket office opened that it was possible to get an announcement out to the masses. Another error on the boards later on as the Ramsgate service via Ashford was showing as Sandwich as the terminating point. Glitch in the matrix?
The journey down was much the same as one i did a couple of years ago on another divert. I had hoped to score a couple of crossovers as it was booked for P4 at Doncaster, but as it was late there was an Azuma sitting there as we rolled into P3b before crossing at the south end of the station. Beighton followed and then the High Level at Toton before i scored a double crossover as we switched from the slow line to the fasts for the rest of the journey at Loughborough North. The service didn't make up much time and we rolled into St Pancras too late for me to get to Blackfriars for my intended service. It was close as they shut the doors as i went through the barriers on P3. Cue frantic RTT searching as i tried to work out if i could salvage my targets. Yes was the short answer but it was galling that for the 4th time in as many days i had missed a service by mere seconds.
What i decided to do was to make my way to Bromley South on a TL divert and then get the Ramsgate divert via Sevenoaks and Ashford. A really nice bonus was the fact that we would be using the full P4 line at Sevenoaks which has very much eluded me so far and a welcome addition to the tick pile (2 of them as in and out were required from the Orpington line. Next up was Tonbridge and then non stop to Ashford P2, and thus using the through lines at Paddock Wood and Headcorn, both something i have had my beady eye on for some time. Loops and Through Lines are my new things i am prioritising first if i see them. Another bonus was new track into P2 at Ashford though it sould have been more if i had been in luck. In hindsight i missed a trick as the service continued on the Slow line before regaining the main line and a never timetabled crossover. I will have a look to see if this gets timetabled again and use that as an excuse to get the remaining Kent stations (5 i think) at the same time.
I thought there may be some new track on returning up the line from P2 but it was not to be and we headed for Sevenoaks via the through lines again. Apart from a little old lady who kept knocking the back of my seat on the way back to Selby nothing much of import yesterday, but i wasn't done yet. I alighted at Sevenoaks as Thames Link were terminating half hourly services there to/from Blackfriars and i spotted i still needed the crossover from a P3 departure there. Thus i got my final target of the day and all that remained was to get back to Selby from St Pancras. The station was packed so i sought some respite as i had a 90 minute wait and wandered over to Kings Cross. It was busy and all the retail outlets were open still but when i looked at the boards nothing was showing. Apparently KX was closed to trains yesterday but you wouldn't know it from the masses still congregating there.
Apart from being banged about by the little old lady (steady there) nothing much to report and i was back home before 11.30pm. An overnight tomorrow with an attempt at both Tinsley lines as well as a dubious attempt at one of my 2 remaining platform variations at Manchester Airport. I am able to sleep anywhere if tired so i don't expect it to be too onerous. the hard part will be the 2 hour wait at Sheffield, presumably outside the station if they operate the same policy as Swansea, but lets see. Its possible the 3.20 morning service may not be pitch black by the time we reach Tinsley but i am not holding my breath. I will return if i see a daytime diversion. After that its a blank canvas and hopefully something interesting will come to the fore.
Total time today 750 mins - time on trains a whopping 524 mins and time waiting 226 mins. No new platforms or stations today but a lot of rare track was consumed.
"I tried something a bit different today"
I have done a lot of driving these past few weeks and once i was toying with putting together an itinerary based on the through lines at Paddock Wood and Headcorn i alighted on the Hull Trains mega diversion route which in itself had a promised non timetabled crossover. It probably was dearer than driving down but anything to avoid queues at this time of year is a good thing in my opinion. Easy peasy to get to Selby for 9am but interestingly (and worryingly for some passengers) the service never made it to display boards. RTT confirmed it was on its way, but it wasn't until 9am when the ticket office opened that it was possible to get an announcement out to the masses. Another error on the boards later on as the Ramsgate service via Ashford was showing as Sandwich as the terminating point. Glitch in the matrix?
The journey down was much the same as one i did a couple of years ago on another divert. I had hoped to score a couple of crossovers as it was booked for P4 at Doncaster, but as it was late there was an Azuma sitting there as we rolled into P3b before crossing at the south end of the station. Beighton followed and then the High Level at Toton before i scored a double crossover as we switched from the slow line to the fasts for the rest of the journey at Loughborough North. The service didn't make up much time and we rolled into St Pancras too late for me to get to Blackfriars for my intended service. It was close as they shut the doors as i went through the barriers on P3. Cue frantic RTT searching as i tried to work out if i could salvage my targets. Yes was the short answer but it was galling that for the 4th time in as many days i had missed a service by mere seconds.
What i decided to do was to make my way to Bromley South on a TL divert and then get the Ramsgate divert via Sevenoaks and Ashford. A really nice bonus was the fact that we would be using the full P4 line at Sevenoaks which has very much eluded me so far and a welcome addition to the tick pile (2 of them as in and out were required from the Orpington line. Next up was Tonbridge and then non stop to Ashford P2, and thus using the through lines at Paddock Wood and Headcorn, both something i have had my beady eye on for some time. Loops and Through Lines are my new things i am prioritising first if i see them. Another bonus was new track into P2 at Ashford though it sould have been more if i had been in luck. In hindsight i missed a trick as the service continued on the Slow line before regaining the main line and a never timetabled crossover. I will have a look to see if this gets timetabled again and use that as an excuse to get the remaining Kent stations (5 i think) at the same time.
I thought there may be some new track on returning up the line from P2 but it was not to be and we headed for Sevenoaks via the through lines again. Apart from a little old lady who kept knocking the back of my seat on the way back to Selby nothing much of import yesterday, but i wasn't done yet. I alighted at Sevenoaks as Thames Link were terminating half hourly services there to/from Blackfriars and i spotted i still needed the crossover from a P3 departure there. Thus i got my final target of the day and all that remained was to get back to Selby from St Pancras. The station was packed so i sought some respite as i had a 90 minute wait and wandered over to Kings Cross. It was busy and all the retail outlets were open still but when i looked at the boards nothing was showing. Apparently KX was closed to trains yesterday but you wouldn't know it from the masses still congregating there.
Apart from being banged about by the little old lady (steady there) nothing much to report and i was back home before 11.30pm. An overnight tomorrow with an attempt at both Tinsley lines as well as a dubious attempt at one of my 2 remaining platform variations at Manchester Airport. I am able to sleep anywhere if tired so i don't expect it to be too onerous. the hard part will be the 2 hour wait at Sheffield, presumably outside the station if they operate the same policy as Swansea, but lets see. Its possible the 3.20 morning service may not be pitch black by the time we reach Tinsley but i am not holding my breath. I will return if i see a daytime diversion. After that its a blank canvas and hopefully something interesting will come to the fore.
| Selby | Depart | 9.07 | ***** | HT | stations | platforms | ||
| London St Pancras International | Arrive | 11.55 | P2 | HT | wait 8m | completed | completed | |
| London St Pancras International | Depart | 12.03 | A | TL | ||||
| London Blackfriars | Arrive | 12.10 | P1 | TL | wait 33m | |||
| London Blackfriars | Depart | 12.43 | P3 | TL | ||||
| Bromley South | Arrive | 13.18 | P2 | TL | wait 57m | |||
| Bromley South | Depart | 14.15 | P4 | SE | ||||
| Ashford International | Arrive | 15.03 | P2 | SE | wait 28m | |||
| Ashford International | Depart | 15.31 | P2 | SE | ||||
| Sevenoaks | Arrive | 16.04 | P1 | SE | wait 4m | |||
| Sevenoaks | Depart | 16.08 | P3 | TL | ||||
| London Blackfriars | Arrive | 17.05 | P3 | TL | wait 4m | |||
| London Blackfriars | Depart | 17.09 | P2 | TL | ||||
| London St Pancras International | Arrive | 17.18 | B | TL | wait 92m | |||
| London St Pancras International | Depart | 18.50 | P3 | HT | ||||
| Selby | Arrive | 21.37 | ***** | HT |
Cricketer8for9
Member
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- 11 Jan 2015
- Messages
- 854
Trains to Ramsgate via Sandwich are advertised as being to Sandwich (when East of Ashford) to prevent people getting on them and wasting 30 mins when they should have used the faster service via Canterbury.
Glad the halts played ball. Got them vaguely pencilled in for next year - guessing you fought shy of Springfield in the hope that it will get a shackbasher- friendlier service!
Kite159
Veteran Member
Monifieth to Balmossie is one of those walks on my list to do. Although I do have a plan to walk from Arbroath towards Dundee one of these days. A productive few days in Scotland and Kent
Agreed about the queuing chaos at St Pancras, I was there around 15;45 and the queues were beyond the escalators. I wonder if you need this platform at Cleethorpes
Agreed about the queuing chaos at St Pancras, I was there around 15;45 and the queues were beyond the escalators. I wonder if you need this platform at Cleethorpes
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Ah i understand now. Quite a few similar examples of this elsewhere on the network if i recall. The Leeds to York via Harrogate is flagged as Poppleton as the terminator when it actually isn't.
I actually did Springfield on a very cold morning a couple of years ago, and vowed not to return for these long waits unless it was what passes for summer on the NE coast. I also did Barry Links P1 on the same visit and that was just as bad - and it was dark... I just have Golf Street P2 to do now of these awkwards and will do this via Carnoustie i think - a very pleasant 20 mins (or less) stroll.
the first one is a tiddler of a walk but the Arbroath/Dundee might take a while.... I think it is tarmaced for a good chunk of the way too. Watch out for the bikes!!Monifieth to Balmossie is one of those walks on my list to do. Although I do have a plan to walk from Arbroath towards Dundee one of these days. A productive few days in Scotland and Kent
Agreed about the queuing chaos at St Pancras, I was there around 15;45 and the queues were beyond the escalators. I wonder if you need this platform at Cleethorpes
Oh i forgot. I did a few loose ends in the Lincoln area a few months ago - and managed to bag p4 at Cleethorpes at that time. I still need the loop at Grimsby and also Barnetby p1 and line.
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Kite159
Veteran Member
Does anything actually use that loop between Grimsby & Cleethorpes other than out of course working (delays)?
I've just looked in Trust, and it looks like 2T01, 0458 Lincoln to Cleethorpes is booked to use it 0553-0556
The 1008 from Sheffield to Cleethorpes is booked P1 at Barnetby (whether it actually uses it is another matter!)
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I think that the answer for now is that both these oddities seem to be mainly working as planned - certainly in the last few weeks when i have keeping an eye on these.
The Grimsby loop is the more temperamental of the 2 being used 6 out of 9 times in the last 2 weeks
Barnetby P1 is an addition to the summer timetable and so far seems to be working as planned. i haven't checked everything since May but the ones i have checked have all gone through P1 and thus the Loop also.
It was also timetabled a few years ago but that was a bit of a lottery
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Day 490: Tuesday 17/06/2025 + Wednesday 18/06/2025 - Newton-le-Willows to Manchester Airport - £4.95 - Advance Single. Manchester Airport to Manchester Piccadilly - £2.25 - Advance Single. Manchester Piccadilly to Sheffield - £7.00 - Advance Single. Sheffield to Manchester Piccadilly - £7.00 - Advance Single. Manchester Piccadilly to Newton-le-Willows - £1.30 - Advance Single. CP Newton-le-Willows - free.
Total time today 585 mins - time on trains 260 mins and time waiting 325 mins. No further forward after today - in any regard!!
"How to waste an overnighter"
2 targets - P3b at the Airport and Tinsley both ways. TLDR - It didn't work. However, its all part of lifes rich pageant and i will be having another go sometime. P3b does get timetabled at Manchester Airport. Most timetable updates bring with it variations but at the moment its an evening thing. Close scrutiny of RTT and others suggests that the b variant will not be used as no other units appoear to be in the a zone i.e. nearest the buffers. I was kinda in the area so i went and had a look and i can confirm my thoughts were correct. There is a slight better possibility that a late evening reverser may be successful but it was a last service of the evening deal so not helpful tonight.
I did go and have a wander around the city centre/Northern quarter once back at Piccadilly. I know the area well having worked there for the last 18 years of my working life and i always find new things whenever i do this. Time for the main event and eventually we were under way on what the conductor/guard said was a "magical mystery tour" due to diversions and route retention requirements. I did get to have a few words and he dropped the bombshell that despite it being on his list for tonight (and still on RTT by the way all week) we were not doing Tinsley. Possibly do to do with a new tram stop but i haven't checked this. No Tinsley at all this week apparently so that is that.
Much better waiting outside the station at Sheffield for near on 2 hours at this time of year but still not a fan of them closing the station period. There were probably a dozen of us by the time they reopened at 3am on the dot and the unit was sitting in P5a still and not P5b as timetabled. However it did draw forward into the b slot 5 mins before departure. I decided to get some shut eye so no real memory of the journey back. It is dubious that it was light enough to see much even if Tinsley would have been used.
A bit of a wait at Piccadilly for the first service of the day calling at Newton-le-Willows, and it was surprisingly busy. I holed up in the elevated waiting area for P13/14 and those extra large seats were very welcome. I did have another kip on the way back doing my usual thing of waking up at every stop - except my own, so i got an extra bonus trip to Earlestown and back.
I am out on Sunday for 3 days having recovered now from the midweek exertions. I am determined to fill in as many gaps as i can before the schools break up and madness on the road breaks out, so a broad swathe of the MML, Kent, Surrey, Sussex and Berkshire will be traversed in quite the ambitious itineraray. Its also probably one of my most expensive forays unfortunately, which is probably the reason some of these services have not been attempted before. I am looking forward to it - a lot. Right i need to prepare.
Total time today 585 mins - time on trains 260 mins and time waiting 325 mins. No further forward after today - in any regard!!
"How to waste an overnighter"
2 targets - P3b at the Airport and Tinsley both ways. TLDR - It didn't work. However, its all part of lifes rich pageant and i will be having another go sometime. P3b does get timetabled at Manchester Airport. Most timetable updates bring with it variations but at the moment its an evening thing. Close scrutiny of RTT and others suggests that the b variant will not be used as no other units appoear to be in the a zone i.e. nearest the buffers. I was kinda in the area so i went and had a look and i can confirm my thoughts were correct. There is a slight better possibility that a late evening reverser may be successful but it was a last service of the evening deal so not helpful tonight.
I did go and have a wander around the city centre/Northern quarter once back at Piccadilly. I know the area well having worked there for the last 18 years of my working life and i always find new things whenever i do this. Time for the main event and eventually we were under way on what the conductor/guard said was a "magical mystery tour" due to diversions and route retention requirements. I did get to have a few words and he dropped the bombshell that despite it being on his list for tonight (and still on RTT by the way all week) we were not doing Tinsley. Possibly do to do with a new tram stop but i haven't checked this. No Tinsley at all this week apparently so that is that.
Much better waiting outside the station at Sheffield for near on 2 hours at this time of year but still not a fan of them closing the station period. There were probably a dozen of us by the time they reopened at 3am on the dot and the unit was sitting in P5a still and not P5b as timetabled. However it did draw forward into the b slot 5 mins before departure. I decided to get some shut eye so no real memory of the journey back. It is dubious that it was light enough to see much even if Tinsley would have been used.
A bit of a wait at Piccadilly for the first service of the day calling at Newton-le-Willows, and it was surprisingly busy. I holed up in the elevated waiting area for P13/14 and those extra large seats were very welcome. I did have another kip on the way back doing my usual thing of waking up at every stop - except my own, so i got an extra bonus trip to Earlestown and back.
I am out on Sunday for 3 days having recovered now from the midweek exertions. I am determined to fill in as many gaps as i can before the schools break up and madness on the road breaks out, so a broad swathe of the MML, Kent, Surrey, Sussex and Berkshire will be traversed in quite the ambitious itineraray. Its also probably one of my most expensive forays unfortunately, which is probably the reason some of these services have not been attempted before. I am looking forward to it - a lot. Right i need to prepare.
| Newton-le-Willows | Depart | 20.34 | ***** | NT | stations | platforms | ||
| Manchester Airport | Arrive | 21.30 | P1a | NT | wait 18m | completed | completed | |
| Manchester Airport | Depart | 21.48 | P2 | NT | ||||
| Manchester Piccadilly | Arrive | 22.00 | P14 | NT | wait 112m | |||
| Manchester Piccadilly | Depart | 23.52 | P1 | TP | ||||
| Sheffield | Arrive | 1.18 | P5a | TP | wait 123m | |||
| Sheffield | Depart | 3.21 | P5b | TP | ||||
| Manchester Piccadilly | Arrive | 4.47 | P2 | TP | wait 72m | |||
| Manchester Piccadilly | Depart | 5.59 | P14 | NT | ||||
| Newton-le-Willows | Arrive | 6.19 | ***** | NT |
Kite159
Veteran Member
It would make sense for the route via Tinsley to be closed for construction of that new tram stop at the science centre, although shame you missed out on all the oddities of it
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It would be wonderful to do this during daytime on an engineering diversion. As targets start to dwindle i have more of a chance to spot this if it ever happens.
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Day 491: Sunday 22/06/2025 - Luton Airport to London St Pancras International - £9.65 - Super Off-peak Return x 3. London St Pancras International to Thanet Parkway - £28.70 - Super Off-peak Return. Canterbury West to Chartham - £3.15 - Off-peak Return. London St Pancras International to Ebbsfleet International - £15.45 - Off-peak Return. Car Park - Luton Airport Parkway - £3.40.
Total time today 613 mins - time on trains 394 mins and time waiting 219 mins. Stations completed today 5. Total completed 2365. platforms completed at completed stations 5402.
"Ticking off stuff on the MML and then off to Kent"
For once the germ of an idea turned into a whole day of new stuff and the chance to complete a number of stations whilst doing so. The first of a 3 day extravaganza.
A relatively late start for me at 8am with the drive down to Luton being uneventful (as it always should be!). I have had terrible luck with EM moves on the MML and there would be no let up with this today. Are the possessions always finished early at weekends i wonder. If so i better wait for full day diversions i think. Not all was wasted however as i had some Thameslink moves to consider and the first of these was a ride down to St Pancras LL where it would terminate at Platform A. The kicker was the return also started from there and so would use the not otherwise timetabled crossover at Midland Junction to regain the Up Line. Back at Luton Airport my doubts surfaced as the first few EM services were being switched to the fast lines (again). I did ride my service back to St Pancras HL but the promised crossovers did not materialise as we stayed on the fasts. There was supposed to be an embargo on these in the St Albans area but i have to say i saw no evidence of this on my first out and back.
For some reason i still needed a P4 departure from the High Level, and the least used platform of the 4 for sure. I had one chance today and a brisk walk from P1 to P4 saw me gain the Sheffield service just prior to departure. Both East Midlands services were full and standing (yet again) but thankfully less than 30 minutes for each. Again the fasts were used all the way despite an unusual crossover being timetabled. My last chance for something different was at Kentish Town. I alighted the TL service there and waited for a P3 terminator starter there from/to Rainham which was a feature today. A P3 starter going South is obliged to use the crossover at Dock Junction North and so my 3rd morsel of newness today was in the bag before alighting at the Low Level again.
Despite whingeing about the cost of tickets a few weeks ago i decided to bite the bullet today on something i had little choice but to do at some stage, namely to complete the track and Platforms on the High Speed Service. A P12 departure on the service to Margate saw St Pancras completed, and i enjoyed the fast run down to Ashford in glorious air conditioned comfort. I decided to combine this with completing the 3 remaining standard Kent stations and so alighted first at Canterbury West before boarding the local service to Chartham. Normally a crossing point and i had scheduled an hours wait accordingly, but i saw i could cross the bridge in time to get the reverse service. An hour saved would prove useful later on as i proceeded to my oldest new station not yet visited (can you work it out?) being Thanet Parkway. I have said this before but the successful Parkway stations have cheaper Car parks in general, and this one wasn't cheap and there were hardly any cars there. What's the point building the station if its not going to be used - and no one likes to overpay for parking that's for sure.
It was very hot by this time so i was glad i could find some shade near the lift area and just like that we were on our way back towards St Pancras via Ashford P5. I will have to return to Ashford at some future time as a few track bits remain and also look at the platform variations there. Hopefully not too onerous and that a deep dive will not take up too much time. Back at St Pancras i stayed on the unit as i would be going back down to Ebbsfleet as i still needed P2 and P3 to complete the UK platforms. I did wonder about doing the International platforms at St Pancras but i think if falls outside my remit for now, Accordingly i am counting St P and Ebbsfleet complete (for now). Another wee bonus was i could just stroll across the island platform once at Ebbsfleet and gain another 30 minutes on the day. This was important as tomorrow was going to be super long and i had a good 70 minutes in the car to gain my hotel in Winnersh (cheapest, free CP and a good road exit on day3 to get home at a decent time). With a 2.50am alarm call tomorrow i had a nightcap and was in bed by 10pm. A good days work despite the issues with EM services.
Total time today 613 mins - time on trains 394 mins and time waiting 219 mins. Stations completed today 5. Total completed 2365. platforms completed at completed stations 5402.
"Ticking off stuff on the MML and then off to Kent"
For once the germ of an idea turned into a whole day of new stuff and the chance to complete a number of stations whilst doing so. The first of a 3 day extravaganza.
A relatively late start for me at 8am with the drive down to Luton being uneventful (as it always should be!). I have had terrible luck with EM moves on the MML and there would be no let up with this today. Are the possessions always finished early at weekends i wonder. If so i better wait for full day diversions i think. Not all was wasted however as i had some Thameslink moves to consider and the first of these was a ride down to St Pancras LL where it would terminate at Platform A. The kicker was the return also started from there and so would use the not otherwise timetabled crossover at Midland Junction to regain the Up Line. Back at Luton Airport my doubts surfaced as the first few EM services were being switched to the fast lines (again). I did ride my service back to St Pancras HL but the promised crossovers did not materialise as we stayed on the fasts. There was supposed to be an embargo on these in the St Albans area but i have to say i saw no evidence of this on my first out and back.
For some reason i still needed a P4 departure from the High Level, and the least used platform of the 4 for sure. I had one chance today and a brisk walk from P1 to P4 saw me gain the Sheffield service just prior to departure. Both East Midlands services were full and standing (yet again) but thankfully less than 30 minutes for each. Again the fasts were used all the way despite an unusual crossover being timetabled. My last chance for something different was at Kentish Town. I alighted the TL service there and waited for a P3 terminator starter there from/to Rainham which was a feature today. A P3 starter going South is obliged to use the crossover at Dock Junction North and so my 3rd morsel of newness today was in the bag before alighting at the Low Level again.
Despite whingeing about the cost of tickets a few weeks ago i decided to bite the bullet today on something i had little choice but to do at some stage, namely to complete the track and Platforms on the High Speed Service. A P12 departure on the service to Margate saw St Pancras completed, and i enjoyed the fast run down to Ashford in glorious air conditioned comfort. I decided to combine this with completing the 3 remaining standard Kent stations and so alighted first at Canterbury West before boarding the local service to Chartham. Normally a crossing point and i had scheduled an hours wait accordingly, but i saw i could cross the bridge in time to get the reverse service. An hour saved would prove useful later on as i proceeded to my oldest new station not yet visited (can you work it out?) being Thanet Parkway. I have said this before but the successful Parkway stations have cheaper Car parks in general, and this one wasn't cheap and there were hardly any cars there. What's the point building the station if its not going to be used - and no one likes to overpay for parking that's for sure.
It was very hot by this time so i was glad i could find some shade near the lift area and just like that we were on our way back towards St Pancras via Ashford P5. I will have to return to Ashford at some future time as a few track bits remain and also look at the platform variations there. Hopefully not too onerous and that a deep dive will not take up too much time. Back at St Pancras i stayed on the unit as i would be going back down to Ebbsfleet as i still needed P2 and P3 to complete the UK platforms. I did wonder about doing the International platforms at St Pancras but i think if falls outside my remit for now, Accordingly i am counting St P and Ebbsfleet complete (for now). Another wee bonus was i could just stroll across the island platform once at Ebbsfleet and gain another 30 minutes on the day. This was important as tomorrow was going to be super long and i had a good 70 minutes in the car to gain my hotel in Winnersh (cheapest, free CP and a good road exit on day3 to get home at a decent time). With a 2.50am alarm call tomorrow i had a nightcap and was in bed by 10pm. A good days work despite the issues with EM services.
| Luton Airport Parkway | Depart | 8.00 | ***** | TL | stations | platforms | ||
| London St Pancras International | Arrive | 8.37 | P1 | TL | wait 15m | completed | completed | |
| London St Pancras International | Depart | 8.52 | A | TL | ||||
| Luton Airport Parkway | Arrive | 9.23 | P2 | TL | wait 23m | |||
| Luton Airport Parkway | Depart | 9.46 | P3 | EM | ||||
| London St Pancras International | Arrive | 10.10 | P1 | EM | wait 7m | |||
| London St Pancras International | Depart | 10.17 | P4 | EM | ||||
| Luton Airport Parkway | Arrive | 10.38 | P4 | EM | wait 14m | |||
| Luton Airport Parkway | Depart | 10.52 | P1 | TL | ||||
| Kentish Town | Arrive | 11.32 | P1 | TL | wait 24m | |||
| Kentish Town | Depart | 11.56 | P3 | TL | ||||
| London St Pancras International | Arrive | 12.01 | P1 | TL | wait 39m | |||
| London St Pancras International | Depart | 12.40 | P12 | SE | 1 | 9 | ||
| Canterbury West | Arrive | 13.36 | P2 | SE | wait 31m | |||
| Canterbury West | Depart | 14.07 | P1 | SE | 1 | 2 | ||
| Chartham | Arrive | 14.12 | P1 | SE | wait 2m | |||
| Chartham | Depart | 14.14 | P2 | SE | 1 | 2 | ||
| Thanet Parkway | Arrive | 14.38 | P2 | SE | wait 29m | |||
| Thanet Parkway | Depart | 15.07 | P1 | SE | 1 | 2 | ||
| London St Pancras International | Arrive | 16.24 | P12 | SE | wait 16m | |||
| London St Pancras International | Depart | 16.40 | P12 | SE | ||||
| Ebbsfleet International | Arrive | 16.59 | P3 | SE | wait 1m | |||
| Ebbsfleet International | Depart | 17.00 | P2 | SE | 1 | 4 | ||
| London St Pancras International | Arrive | 17.18 | P12 | SE | wait 18m | |||
| London St Pancras International | Depart | 17.36 | B | TL | ||||
| Luton Airport Parkway | Arrive | 18.13 | ***** | TL |
Last edited:
All platforms
Member
Day 492: Monday 23/06/2025 - Tonbridge to Redhill - £15.00 - Anytime Return. Tonbridge to Paddock Wood - £6.50 - Anytime Return. Tonbridge to Sevenoaks - £6.10 - Anytime Single. Sevenoaks to Tonbridge - £4.05 - Anytime Single (railcard now valid). Tonbridge to Paddock Wood - £6.50 - Anytime Return. Southern Daysave - £26.00 - valid after 10am Weekdays. Redhill to Brighton - £12.00 - Anytime Single. Brighton to Preston Park - £2.65 - Off-peak Return. Hastings to Tunbridge Wells - £5.50 - Advance Single. Tunbridge Wells to Chelsfield - £10.15 - Off-peak Return. Tunbrideg Wells to Paddock Wood - £4.65 - Off-peak Return. Redhill to Gatwick Airport - £3.50 - Off-peak Return. Redhill to Merstham - £2.05 - Anytime Single. Tonbridge to London Cannon Street - £7.10 - Advance Single. London Cannon Street to Tonbridge - £6.70 - Advance Single. CP Tonbridge C Car park - £8.70.
Total time today 1236 mins - time on trains 614 mins and time waiting 622 mins. Stations completed today 4. Total completed 2370. Platforms completed at completed stations 5417.
"Longest Day, Most tickets in a day, Most expensive day, and one of my most satisfying days - so far"
A day to remember for sure as i took the first train of the day out of Tonbridge and arrived back there on the last train of the day. In fact i was out of my hotel for over 24 hours straight. Granted it was over an hour each way to get to Tonbridge and lets face it the M25 is not busy that early in the morning. However the overnight closure on the return did cost me an extra 30 mins sleep. Curses.
Tonbridge is one of those stations that has an over abundunce of quirky bits of track - just about as many as i can recall outside a mainline multi platformed station. Maybe Gatwick Airport comes close, but the lines there are nowhere near as interesting and perhaps one reason i haven't really made an effort yet to do these. My goal today was to do as many of these quirks as possible at Tonbridge and hang the cost - it would be more costly to return for any missed.
The first win was immediately after setting out on the 4.42 to Redhill as it would use the crossover from P2 to gain the Up Godstone. Fully light by then of course being midsummer and i enjoyed what would be the first of 5 traverses of this line today, the second being the return from the full fat P1 at Redhill thus just leaving the Sunday only P2A and B variants to do. Perhaps the run to Paddock Wood was superfluous in hindsight but it was to confirm if the slow line was till being used for the return rather than the fast and a last minute crossover into P2 - as this is how almost all P2 arrivals are scheduled. I was later able to speak with a driver about this and he said that up until a few years ago the fast was preferred but for some reason since then all trains have been using the Up Slow line aka the first part of the Up Loop. I am therefore unable to be able to use the Eastmost part of the Up fast currently. Actually you can use part of it - see later.
A bit of a wait now for the P4 departure which would use the attendant crossover for another 2 wins and turning at Sevenoaks to return. I then spotted something so dashed off to get an extra ticked as i noticed the Strood departure from P2 which would use the crossover mentioned above and part of the fast line before gaining the Down Fast and my second out and back to Paddock Wood. That would be a bonus today.
Time for the 3rd trip on the Godstone which i could do now using my Southern Daysave as we were post 10am (just). The rest of my Tonbridge targets were later in the day so i resolved to tick off as much as i could elsewhere within reach. The Brighton Main Line experienced delays all day due to earlier signalling issues which never resolved properly so i was kept fully on my toes for the next few hours making sure i had correct tickets. I managed to get to Three Bridges in time to use P5 there and complete the station for platforms. Quite a bit of trackwork remains on this line however, and it will be super difficult to do this with just a Southern Daysave as Thames Link get a lot of the action too.
I did hit another jackpot as we landed in P3 which is the least preferred platform at Brighton but we all had to go through a scanner to exit!! Something new i haven't seen before at a station. Much police presence also. off to Ore via the full P4 line at Hastings to tick off another stubborn tidbit. I would return for my 2 remaining stations hereabouts by doing Bexhill as a linear hop (P1 then P2 on the return) and Collington in the more conventional way.
I also had no choice but to return to Tonbridge via the Southeastern service via Robertsbridge, though in fact i would change at Sevenoaks and proceed up to Chelsfield to await a specific Tonbridge avoider that would stop there. I missed the first one due to delays but i caught the second and so so traversed the Down Fast to Down Hastings Tonbridge avoider, and in a bid to make up time i turned at High Brooms and not Tunbridge Wells as envisaged. i didn't quite make up the lost time but not all was lost as soon after i arrived back at Tonbridge i saw an unscheduled use of the Down Slow aka the Down Loop as the routing indicator board was displaying "L" at the end of P2. I am using up all my luck today with that win and my third visit to Paddock Wood went off without a hitch as we trundled along the Down Slow almost as far as the old Mail Platform. Good stuff.
No time for people watching today as delays had plagued me all day and i was deep in RTT permutations for a good chunk of my time. Ok - trip number 4 on the Godstone and more delays once at Redhill including my service to Gatwick Airport which was cancelled. Platform roulette also in play here so i decided to ensure my last crossover at Redhill would work by taking an earlier service to Merstham than i planned and waited it out for the return which would crossover into P2 before continuing to Reigate. Thankfully this worked out fine and i decided to snooze my way back to Tonbridge. Bit of a wait in the dark as i would be taking the last service to Cannon Street which would then convert to the last service from there back to Tonbridge (and continuing to Tunbridge Wells). I got cheap Advance Singles as i intended to doze there and back and therefore not wait at an intermediate station.
It was yet another big win as we landed in P1 at Tonbridge via the crossover from the Down fast to Up fast and the Up Loop, and just like that my longest day was at an end (i am not counting sleeper services in that). Not back at my hotel until gone 3am but the mini sleeps had helped to keep me going. I don't need to be awake before 8.30am tomorrow as i do something very different again. There were a few other bits and pieces that worked out for me today that i haven't itemised, but safe to say one of my most successful days of the whole journey.
Total time today 1236 mins - time on trains 614 mins and time waiting 622 mins. Stations completed today 4. Total completed 2370. Platforms completed at completed stations 5417.
"Longest Day, Most tickets in a day, Most expensive day, and one of my most satisfying days - so far"
A day to remember for sure as i took the first train of the day out of Tonbridge and arrived back there on the last train of the day. In fact i was out of my hotel for over 24 hours straight. Granted it was over an hour each way to get to Tonbridge and lets face it the M25 is not busy that early in the morning. However the overnight closure on the return did cost me an extra 30 mins sleep. Curses.
Tonbridge is one of those stations that has an over abundunce of quirky bits of track - just about as many as i can recall outside a mainline multi platformed station. Maybe Gatwick Airport comes close, but the lines there are nowhere near as interesting and perhaps one reason i haven't really made an effort yet to do these. My goal today was to do as many of these quirks as possible at Tonbridge and hang the cost - it would be more costly to return for any missed.
The first win was immediately after setting out on the 4.42 to Redhill as it would use the crossover from P2 to gain the Up Godstone. Fully light by then of course being midsummer and i enjoyed what would be the first of 5 traverses of this line today, the second being the return from the full fat P1 at Redhill thus just leaving the Sunday only P2A and B variants to do. Perhaps the run to Paddock Wood was superfluous in hindsight but it was to confirm if the slow line was till being used for the return rather than the fast and a last minute crossover into P2 - as this is how almost all P2 arrivals are scheduled. I was later able to speak with a driver about this and he said that up until a few years ago the fast was preferred but for some reason since then all trains have been using the Up Slow line aka the first part of the Up Loop. I am therefore unable to be able to use the Eastmost part of the Up fast currently. Actually you can use part of it - see later.
A bit of a wait now for the P4 departure which would use the attendant crossover for another 2 wins and turning at Sevenoaks to return. I then spotted something so dashed off to get an extra ticked as i noticed the Strood departure from P2 which would use the crossover mentioned above and part of the fast line before gaining the Down Fast and my second out and back to Paddock Wood. That would be a bonus today.
Time for the 3rd trip on the Godstone which i could do now using my Southern Daysave as we were post 10am (just). The rest of my Tonbridge targets were later in the day so i resolved to tick off as much as i could elsewhere within reach. The Brighton Main Line experienced delays all day due to earlier signalling issues which never resolved properly so i was kept fully on my toes for the next few hours making sure i had correct tickets. I managed to get to Three Bridges in time to use P5 there and complete the station for platforms. Quite a bit of trackwork remains on this line however, and it will be super difficult to do this with just a Southern Daysave as Thames Link get a lot of the action too.
I did hit another jackpot as we landed in P3 which is the least preferred platform at Brighton but we all had to go through a scanner to exit!! Something new i haven't seen before at a station. Much police presence also. off to Ore via the full P4 line at Hastings to tick off another stubborn tidbit. I would return for my 2 remaining stations hereabouts by doing Bexhill as a linear hop (P1 then P2 on the return) and Collington in the more conventional way.
I also had no choice but to return to Tonbridge via the Southeastern service via Robertsbridge, though in fact i would change at Sevenoaks and proceed up to Chelsfield to await a specific Tonbridge avoider that would stop there. I missed the first one due to delays but i caught the second and so so traversed the Down Fast to Down Hastings Tonbridge avoider, and in a bid to make up time i turned at High Brooms and not Tunbridge Wells as envisaged. i didn't quite make up the lost time but not all was lost as soon after i arrived back at Tonbridge i saw an unscheduled use of the Down Slow aka the Down Loop as the routing indicator board was displaying "L" at the end of P2. I am using up all my luck today with that win and my third visit to Paddock Wood went off without a hitch as we trundled along the Down Slow almost as far as the old Mail Platform. Good stuff.
No time for people watching today as delays had plagued me all day and i was deep in RTT permutations for a good chunk of my time. Ok - trip number 4 on the Godstone and more delays once at Redhill including my service to Gatwick Airport which was cancelled. Platform roulette also in play here so i decided to ensure my last crossover at Redhill would work by taking an earlier service to Merstham than i planned and waited it out for the return which would crossover into P2 before continuing to Reigate. Thankfully this worked out fine and i decided to snooze my way back to Tonbridge. Bit of a wait in the dark as i would be taking the last service to Cannon Street which would then convert to the last service from there back to Tonbridge (and continuing to Tunbridge Wells). I got cheap Advance Singles as i intended to doze there and back and therefore not wait at an intermediate station.
It was yet another big win as we landed in P1 at Tonbridge via the crossover from the Down fast to Up fast and the Up Loop, and just like that my longest day was at an end (i am not counting sleeper services in that). Not back at my hotel until gone 3am but the mini sleeps had helped to keep me going. I don't need to be awake before 8.30am tomorrow as i do something very different again. There were a few other bits and pieces that worked out for me today that i haven't itemised, but safe to say one of my most successful days of the whole journey.
| Tonbridge | Depart | 4.42 | ***** | SN | stations | platforms | ||
| Redhill | Arrive | 5.13 | P1 | SN | wait 11m | completed | completed | |
| Redhill | Depart | 5.24 | P1 | SN | ||||
| Tonbridge | Arrive | 5.54 | P1 | SN | wait 24m | |||
| Tonbridge | Depart | 6.16 | P3 | SE | ||||
| Paddock Wood | Arrive | 6.22 | P2 | SE | wait 36m | |||
| Paddock Wood | Depart | 6.58 | P1 | SE | ||||
| Tonbridge | Arrive | 7.07 | P2 | SE | wait 78m | |||
| Tonbridge | Depart | 8.25 | P4 | SE | 1 | 6 | ||
| Sevenoaks | Arrive | 8.36 | P1 | SE | wait 6m | |||
| Sevenoaks | Depart | 8.42 | P3 | SE | ||||
| Tonbridge | Arrive | 8.52 | P3 | SE | wait 13m | |||
| Tonbridge | Depart | 9.05 | P2 | SE | ||||
| Paddock Wood | Arrive | 9.11 | P2 | SE | wait 18m | |||
| Paddock Wood | Depart | 9.29 | P1 | SE | ||||
| Tonbridge | Arrive | 9.35 | P2 | SE | wait 29m | |||
| Tonbridge | Depart | 10.04 | P1 | SN | ||||
| Redhill | Arrive | 10.35 | P0 | SN | wait 19m | |||
| Redhill | Depart | 10.54 | P2 | TL | ||||
| Three Bridges | Arrive | 11.12 | P2 | TL | wait 9m | |||
| Three Bridges | Depart | 11.21 | P5 | TL | 1 | 5 | ||
| Brighton | Arrive | 11.48 | P3 | TL | wait 10m | |||
| Brighton | Depart | 11.58 | P5 | TL | ||||
| Preston Park | Depart | 12.02 | P2 | TL | wait 15m | |||
| Preston Park | Arrive | 12.17 | P3 | TL | ||||
| Brighton | Depart | 12.23 | P5 | TL | wait 3m | |||
| Brighton | Arrive | 12.26 | P8 | SN | ||||
| Ore | Depart | 13.45 | P1 | SN | wait 12m | |||
| Ore | Depart | 13.57 | P2 | SN | ||||
| Hastings | Arrive | 14.00 | P2 | SN | wait 15m | |||
| Hastings | Depart | 14.15 | P2 | SN | ||||
| Bexhill | Arrive | 14.24 | P1 | SN | wait 12m | |||
| Bexhill | Depart | 14.36 | P1 | SN | ||||
| Collington | Arrive | 14.38 | P1 | SN | wait 8m | |||
| Collington | Depart | 14.46 | P2 | SN | 1 | 2 | ||
| Bexhill | Arrive | 14.48 | P2 | SN | wait 27m | |||
| Bexhill | Depart | 15.15 | P2 | SN | 1 | 2 | ||
| Hastings | Arrive | 15.26 | P2 | SN | wait 20m | |||
| Hastings | Depart | 15.46 | P3 | SE | ||||
| Sevenoaks | Arrive | 17.10 | P1 | SE | wait 20m | |||
| Sevenoaks | Depart | 17.30 | P2 | SE | ||||
| Chelsfield | Arrive | 17.41 | P1 | SE | wait 33m | |||
| Chelsfield | Depart | 18.14 | P2 | SE | ||||
| High Brooms | Arrive | 18.35 | P2 | SE | wait 8m | |||
| High Brooms | Depart | 18.43 | P1 | SE | ||||
| Tonbridge | Arrive | 18.48 | P2 | SE | wait 5m | |||
| Tonbridge | Depart | 18.53 | P3 | SE | ||||
| Paddock Wood | Arrive | 19.00 | P2 | SE | wait 28m | |||
| Paddock Wood | Depart | 19.28 | P1 | SE | ||||
| Tonbridge | Arrive | 19.38 | P2 | SE | wait 24m | |||
| Tonbridge | Depart | 20.02 | P1 | SN | ||||
| Redhill | Arrive | 20.36 | P1 | SN | wait 34m | |||
| Redhill | Depart | 21.10 | P2 | SN | ||||
| Merstham | Arrive | 21.12 | P1 | SN | wait 31m | |||
| Merstham | Depart | 21.43 | P2 | SN | ||||
| Redhill | Arrive | 21.47 | P2 | SN | wait 13m | |||
| Redhill | Depart | 22.00 | P1 | SN | ||||
| Tonbridge | Arrive | 22.32 | P1 | SN | wait 44m | |||
| Tonbridge | Depart | 23.16 | P2 | SE | ||||
| London Cannon Street | Arrive | 0.03 | P4 | SE | wait 17m | |||
| London Cannon Street | Depart | 0.20 | P4 | SE | ||||
| Tonbridge | Arrive | 1.18 | ***** | SE |
Kite159
Veteran Member
A busy couple of days there
All platforms
Member
Day 493: Tuesday 24/06/2025 - Kennet Day Ranger - £11.65 - Valid after 9.30am Weekdays. CP Theale - £5.80
Total time today 396 mins - time on trains 160 mins and time waiting 236 mins. Stations completed 6. Total completed 2376. Platforms completed at completed stations 5431.
"the more affordable way to hoover up stations"
I have had my beady eye on the line from Reading to Westbury for quite some time now and i have been waiting patiently for the opportunity to do so. With the exertions of the previous two days behind me i didn't want to over extend myself today so i settled for a post 9.30am start which allowed me to catch up on sleep etc. I won't complete the line today but i will get all the awkward stuff in the bag and i have to return to Reading at some time anyway so chose to focus on the the Bedwyn side of things.
A mere 15 mins from my Winnersh base was my starting point of Theale, which doubled up as the most convenient point to make my way home later on and i started off proceedings with an out and back to Newbury. There are at least 7 crossovers and platform ends to consider there and i don't need to list each and every one but each of my visits there today would address one or more of them. A day when everything worked out for me so i have completed Newbury now for track and ticked off quite a few stations in doing so.
So, with a second visit to Newbury (and after ticking off Theale) i completed the P3 line both ways before heading off to Hungerford from P2. A lovely town and i wish i had had more time there before moving on but a great place to stock up on supplies. One stop back to Kintbury which also has its own charm, but my stay there was only 15 mins or so as i was on the clock to get as much done as possible. With Pewsey tackled previously from Westbury that just left Bedwyn to complete at this end of the line and easily done too, with an hourly shuttle from Newbury to Bedwyn in operation. This stretch of the line is not electrified so a venerable 2 car class 165 seems to be the order of the day and a turnback just beyond the station is used to get out of the way of the express services. On return we stopped in P2 so that took car of the P2 line bits and bobs upon returning back to Bedwyn.
Once that was done and once again back at Newbury it was time to utilise the P1 line both ways and i did so on a service which called at Thatcham which became my sixth and final station completion of the day.
This is where the day got really interesting for me. P3 at Newbury Racecourse normally sees one service per week - on a Sunday, but i had spotted two random services today that promised to call there (no idea why!) and thought it too good an opportunity to pass on. Super pleased to report that the return from Thatcham did call at the racecourse and i alighted onto the P3 platform. Interestingly a much longer platform than the main ones and it easily fit the 8 car which i was on. No P3 sign however despite me walking the length of the platform in the full heat of the day seraching for it. I did take cover under the bridge for a while as i waited for the second service that would call at P3, an hour later.
It turned up as good as gold and a surprising number of passengers alighted as i boarded. And just like that P3 and the full P3 line was in the bag and all that remained was to scoot across the bridge to get my chariot back to Theale once i arrived at Newbury. What remains to be done? P1 and P2 at the racecourse, Midgham, and Aldermaston. Looking a bit further afield i still have to do the Westbury avoiding line both ways as well, which is not the cheapest bit of track to tick off but perhaps i need to look a bit closer at that. I still have one or two trips south before the school holidays start and my annual hiatus kicks in, though this year i think i will return to Glasgow and the Central belt as an alternative. No idea what i might do this weekend yet as it has taken this long to debrief from my most recent travels, but i hope it will be as interesting as these last few days. Another very successful day and i got back home without a pitstop too. The late start clearly helped!
Total time today 396 mins - time on trains 160 mins and time waiting 236 mins. Stations completed 6. Total completed 2376. Platforms completed at completed stations 5431.
"the more affordable way to hoover up stations"
I have had my beady eye on the line from Reading to Westbury for quite some time now and i have been waiting patiently for the opportunity to do so. With the exertions of the previous two days behind me i didn't want to over extend myself today so i settled for a post 9.30am start which allowed me to catch up on sleep etc. I won't complete the line today but i will get all the awkward stuff in the bag and i have to return to Reading at some time anyway so chose to focus on the the Bedwyn side of things.
A mere 15 mins from my Winnersh base was my starting point of Theale, which doubled up as the most convenient point to make my way home later on and i started off proceedings with an out and back to Newbury. There are at least 7 crossovers and platform ends to consider there and i don't need to list each and every one but each of my visits there today would address one or more of them. A day when everything worked out for me so i have completed Newbury now for track and ticked off quite a few stations in doing so.
So, with a second visit to Newbury (and after ticking off Theale) i completed the P3 line both ways before heading off to Hungerford from P2. A lovely town and i wish i had had more time there before moving on but a great place to stock up on supplies. One stop back to Kintbury which also has its own charm, but my stay there was only 15 mins or so as i was on the clock to get as much done as possible. With Pewsey tackled previously from Westbury that just left Bedwyn to complete at this end of the line and easily done too, with an hourly shuttle from Newbury to Bedwyn in operation. This stretch of the line is not electrified so a venerable 2 car class 165 seems to be the order of the day and a turnback just beyond the station is used to get out of the way of the express services. On return we stopped in P2 so that took car of the P2 line bits and bobs upon returning back to Bedwyn.
Once that was done and once again back at Newbury it was time to utilise the P1 line both ways and i did so on a service which called at Thatcham which became my sixth and final station completion of the day.
This is where the day got really interesting for me. P3 at Newbury Racecourse normally sees one service per week - on a Sunday, but i had spotted two random services today that promised to call there (no idea why!) and thought it too good an opportunity to pass on. Super pleased to report that the return from Thatcham did call at the racecourse and i alighted onto the P3 platform. Interestingly a much longer platform than the main ones and it easily fit the 8 car which i was on. No P3 sign however despite me walking the length of the platform in the full heat of the day seraching for it. I did take cover under the bridge for a while as i waited for the second service that would call at P3, an hour later.
It turned up as good as gold and a surprising number of passengers alighted as i boarded. And just like that P3 and the full P3 line was in the bag and all that remained was to scoot across the bridge to get my chariot back to Theale once i arrived at Newbury. What remains to be done? P1 and P2 at the racecourse, Midgham, and Aldermaston. Looking a bit further afield i still have to do the Westbury avoiding line both ways as well, which is not the cheapest bit of track to tick off but perhaps i need to look a bit closer at that. I still have one or two trips south before the school holidays start and my annual hiatus kicks in, though this year i think i will return to Glasgow and the Central belt as an alternative. No idea what i might do this weekend yet as it has taken this long to debrief from my most recent travels, but i hope it will be as interesting as these last few days. Another very successful day and i got back home without a pitstop too. The late start clearly helped!
| Theale | Depart | 9.49 | ***** | GW | stations | platforms | ||
| Newbury | Arrive | 10.01 | P1 | GW | wait 9m | completed | completed | |
| Newbury | Depart | 10.10 | P3 | GW | 1 | 3 | ||
| Theale | Arrive | 10.28 | P1 | GW | wait 22m | |||
| Theale | Depart | 10.50 | P2 | GW | 1 | 3 | ||
| Newbury | Arrive | 11.03 | P3 | GW | wait 13m | |||
| Newbury | Depart | 11.16 | P1 | GW | ||||
| Hungerford | Arrive | 11.25 | P2 | GW | wait 41m | |||
| Hungerford | Depart | 12.06 | P1 | GW | 1 | 2 | ||
| Kintbury | Arrive | 12.11 | P2 | GW | wait 16m | |||
| Kintbury | Depart | 12.27 | P1 | GW | 1 | 2 | ||
| Bedwyn | Arrive | 12.39 | P1 | GW | wait 13m | |||
| Bedwyn | Depart | 12.52 | P2 | GW | 1 | 2 | ||
| Newbury | Arrive | 13.12 | P2 | GW | wait 9m | |||
| Newbury | Depart | 13.21 | P2 | GW | ||||
| Bedwyn | Arrive | 13.39 | P1 | GW | wait 12m | |||
| Bedwyn | Depart | 13.51 | P2 | GW | ||||
| Newbury | Arrive | 14.09 | P2 | GW | wait 16m | |||
| Newbury | Depart | 14.25 | P1 | GW | ||||
| Thatcham | Arrive | 14.33 | P2 | GW | wait 19m | |||
| Thatcham | Depart | 14.52 | P1 | GW | 1 | 2 | ||
| Newbury Racecourse | Arrive | 14.57 | P3 | GW | wait 62m | |||
| Newbury Racecourse | Depart | 15.59 | P3 | GW | ||||
| Newbury | Arrive | 16.01 | P1 | GW | wait 4m | |||
| Newbury | Depart | 16.05 | P2 | GW | ||||
| Theale | Arrive | 16.25 | ***** | GW |
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Kite159
Veteran Member
Probably the best time to do the Westbury avoider is when there is engineering works on closing Westbury station
Pretty sure the Heart of Wessex day ranger goes towards Pewsey.
Unless things have changed, Midgham has a level crossing which doesn't tend to rise between trains
Pretty sure the Heart of Wessex day ranger goes towards Pewsey.
Unless things have changed, Midgham has a level crossing which doesn't tend to rise between trains
spyinthesky
Member
Correct, Heart of Wessex is the furthest east on that line
All platforms
Member
I took advantage of a Heart of Wessex day ranger a couple of months ago to get Pewsey in the bag, and i had the track east of there from a few years previously when i did a Bristol avoider. As said, just the three stations left on this stretch and i agree that Midgham may be the slightly tricky one. I have become very concious of level crossings at stations so always leave plenty of slack in the itinerary for these. Just 3 least used stations left to do now and this is one of them. Faygate and Smallbrook Junction also await my presence.