How has This Year been and Next Years Trip Plans

[Minilad]

For 2015 I gave myself one target. 100,000 miles in the year.
Work usually accounts for 40-45,000 of that so had a lot of leaping to do in order to make it.
Well I did it with quite a bit of room to spare. I passed 100,000 for the year on 29th October and ended the year on 117,067m 42ch
Of that lot obviously XC stuff would be the main bulk 29509m 36ch on 220s for example
But I did spend a lot of time on 91s this year and they ended up at 16646m 20ch
HSTs as usual figured a lot and the final total there was 14985m 03ch
A low point for me was having to do 385m 48ch on those horrid tilting things on the WCML
The new cats were on everyone's wish list and I managed 3003m 54ch on those.
Commuting on LM 350s meant 4081m 72ch for them
My month by month totals were
Jan 7650.39
Feb 9652.78
Mar 9809.24
Apr 11310.22
May 10843.53
Jun 10510.44
Jul 10308.01
Aug 9137.57
Sep 11263.21
Oct 10580.74
Nov 5618.76
Dec 10381.33
In terms of highlights
My first ever trips on the Liverpool local system (yep really)
The new cats
First experience of Dutch railways
The NVR gala in April
41001 back in service
59003 on the West Somerset in June
27 locos in a day in Brussels
The choppers on the GBR tour
Some big American loco thrash in Texas in October.
So 2015 was a decent year for me. 2016 won't be anywhere near as hectic I wouldn't imagine!

 

[HMS Ark Royal]

I'm stopping the addressing of fellow trip reporters as Lords actually, so you've missed out!

You can still call me Captain or Master as befitting my status as a naval vessel

 

[Techniquest]

That's an excellent year in anyone's books, except for the unfortunate use of Voyagers

 

[Minilad]

That's an excellent year in anyone's books, except for the unfortunate use of Voyagers

Well seeing as I drive them most days I would say its a little unavoidable. Although they are much more comfortable in the seat I am usually sat in

 

[507021]

This was my first year travelling on the railways for leisure, and I set myself a rather low target for the year (2,500 miles, I think it was) at first, although I managed to exceed that in June. I didn't do any serious mileage until the latter half of the year. I haven't added my final mileage total for the year up just yet, but I hope to by the end of Sunday. I'll post my Class/TOC stats with that too, because like my final mileage total, I haven't finished working those out just yet.

I haven't got a great deal confirmed at the moment for this year apart from a Nina Nesbitt gig in Manchester in a few weeks time and an A-ha gig in Glasgow in March. I'll be heading up to Glasgow a few times to visit my girlfriend as and when I can, too. I do plan to do the obligatory annual 7 Day ALR at some point in the year (maybe around Easter), but I'm undecided as to where I'd go with one at the moment. I have a few ideas in mind, but I'll make a final decision a bit nearer the time.

 

[Techniquest]

Well seeing as I drive them most days I would say its a little unavoidable. Although they are much more comfortable in the seat I am usually sat in

I should hope you're more comfortable up front!

 

[Minilad]

I should hope you're more comfortable up front!

You clearly have never sat in the drivers seat of a 170 then!

 

[Techniquest]

Indeed, I tend to be in the saloon

 

[47403]

You can still call me Captain or Master as befitting my status as a naval vessel

Skipper, would probably be more befitting perhaps Ark Royal

 

[davidgiles]

Mann Island Jn – Liverpool James St stabling siding
Derby Square Jn – Paradise Jn
Bidston East Jn – Birkenhead North T&RMSD
Kirkdale South Jn – Kirkdale Carriage Washer – Kirkdale North Jn
Kirkdale North Jn – Kirkdale Carriage Shed
Reading – Reading High Level Jn [– Tilehurst]
Channelsea South Jn – Carpenters Road South Jn
Eccles Road – exchange sidings – Johnson Logistics grain terminal
Boss Hall Jn – Europa Jn
Trimley – Felixstowe North FLT
Manchester Liverpool Road (MOSI layout)
Heaton Park Lakeside – Middleton Road
Whitrope Tunnel south portal – Whitrope (Bridge 200)
Saughtree
Belvoir Road Halt – Snibston Central – ‘The Elks’
Big Pit – Whistle Inn
Furnace Sidings – Blaenavon High Level
Newcraighall North Jn – Galashiels – Tweedbank
Foxton Exchange Sidings – Barrington Quarry
Bicester South Jn – Gavray Jn
Broomhill – Broomhill North
Troisdorf – Neuwied – Koblenz [DE]
Koblenz [DE] – Luxembourg [LU]
Luxembourg [LU] – Marloie [BE]
Luxembourg [LU] – Metz [FR]
Metz – Champagne-Ardenne – Paris Est [FR]
Chennai Beach – Lighthouse [IN]
Chennai Fort – Madurai – Nagercoil Junction [IN]
Darjeeling – Batasia – Ghum [IN]
Tietê – Praça da Árvore [BR]
Sé – Republica [BR]
São Paulo Luz – Paulista [BR]
Anhumas – Jaguariúna [BR]
São Paulo Luz – Paranapiacaba [BR]
Ipanema General Osório – Rio de Janeiro Central – Maracanã [BR]
Cosme Velho – Cristo Redentor [BR]
Santa Rita – João Pessoa – Cabedelo [BR]