I hadn't put the video together until this morning, so while it technically belongs in Day 1 here is my Class 315 Farewell video:
And now, the concluding part to my red pen fest!
23/09/2021 - 445, to, London! - Day 2
After collapsing into a deep sleep a little before 0030, I was surprised to be awake again before 0630. That left me a massive 3 hours until the off-peak began, so it was a very easy going morning. Frustratingly, the bathroom light didn't work now, having worked OK on arrival, and the shower seemed to lack power. It did fine, but not as good as on previous visits. Other than that, it was a decent night with no complaints.
With all that time to spare, it was difficult to fill really but at least all my notes were back up to date. Breakfast was formed of the last of the M&S lightly salted popped crisps, which are surprisingly reasonable, and some easy peeler oranges. Once the phone finished charging, I was off for a cuppa! Well, it was taking ages to charge so once I got most of the way I got my march on. First stop was the bigger Sainsburys Local, as I needed a roll-on antiperspirant due to forgetting the one in Hereford. D'oh! Greggs got visited too, as they've recently improved their breakfast range to offer some vegan options. I tried the vegan sausage bap, and a black tea, which seemed good value for £2.30. Yes, it would be, but the tea bag burst after it had been in the water for more than a few minutes, so I ended up wasting most of it.
The food, how was that? Chewy, tasted like it had been microwaved, lacking in any real flavour, I won't rush to have it again. I continued my march around Croydon after eating, taking in the Croydon Loop. That basically follows the Tramlink line through central Croydon, passing the likes of the bus station, West Croydon, Centrale and around to Church Street and onwards to East Croydon. It's not a hugely exciting walk, but it got me a reasonable amount of distance towards clearing the September 50km walking challenge and a sponsor 15km challenge. I can't remember the name of the company organising it through Strava, but 15km in 2 weeks? Yawn, wake me up when there's an actual challenge and reward worth having. On a work day, I go through an average of 7 miles a day, so it's not a challenge for me. However, it keeps things going on the days that cycling isn't really an option.
I also popped into 222 Coffee, as they had a special hot drinks for £1 deal on finishing on this day. I wanted caffeine, after my disappointing Greggs tea (never again I promised myself) but stuck to my guns and got a decaff americano. It's a simple pleasure, but I do like walking around somewhere, especially exploring somewhere new, with a takeaway coffee cup in my hand. I had plenty of time on arrival at East Croydon, so got my Travelcard through the GWR app for the Nectar points and updated my trip report. Sat where I was, happily waiting for time to pass with the sun beaming down on me, I looked at the Adidas advert above me. The one that caught my eye, as a keen cyclist, was the Laura Kenny cycling photo, the slogan on all the photos being 'Impossible Is Nothing'. I quite like that, and might actually try using it at work.
Eventually 0930 arrived and I could start using the trains. First up was going to be the 0931 to Cambridge, which would have been a winner 700/1, but I had seen the 0933 to London Victoria was showing as operated with Gatwick Express 387s. As I needed almost every 387/2, that could not be turned down! Perhaps to no surprise then, I joined double winners 387227+387213 on a non-stop ride to London Victoria. Compared to the trains the night before, this was so much faster and enjoyable!
On the way into Victoria I caught sight of a winner 465 on its way in, so I made a beeline for it as soon as I arrived. Much to my pleasant surprise, the 0958 to Orpington produced a pair of required 465s, and to Brixton I went with double winners 465041+465186. I will never clear the Networkers as some have been stored, possibly not coming back into use, so I've given up all hope on ever getting them all. Even so, as I am nearly there with the 465/1s and I do like a good Networker ride, I'm trying to enjoy them when the opportunity arises. With a PNB becoming urgent, and the facility busy on the 465/1, I ended up bailing at Brixton to return to Victoria and use the facilities there. I had planned to go to Bromley South, for a 375 hunt, but other matters took over and I was unconvinced I would enjoy the long stopping journey in the circumstances!
Back to London Victoria with dud 465002 and winner 465243. The 465/2s I am also close to cleared on, but I believe at least one of those that I need is in storage. The classic sound from the 465/2 leaving Brixton was very welcome, sadly the nice weather did not really carry over too well from the previous day so it was a day for jeans. Warm when the breeze wasn't blowing, granted, but not as pleasant to fester. So the DLR would not be seeing me on this occasion! Plans made to do a winner 375/6, following the urgent business, were changed when I saw the 387/2s for the 1029 to Brighton were in. 387226 was one of my last two to get for sight, now I only needed 218 to clear the class for sight. Unsurprisingly, knowing there would be multiple facilities on board, I joined what turned out to be triple winners 387221+387220+387226 for a fast ride to Croydon. Oh my it has been a long time since I had triple winners on one move on Southern! Quite, this could well have been the first time!
At East Croydon, I saw a required 377/1 going to Victoria but it was leaving as I arrived. Bah! No matter though, as I was soon on double winners 377211+377224 back to London Victoria. So far, all my 387/2s have been scored without having to pay the expensive Gatwick Express fares. Will Gatwick Express return one day? Who knows, I will be surprised if it doesn't but these are interesting times...Once I had dealt with the PNB, it was time to get onto LU. I flagged a few S7 sets before eventually settling with double duds 21524+21523 for a leap to everyone's favourite S7 hunting spot, South Kensington. Something told me not to carry on with the Circle line service, as I had been looking to go to Paddington.
Not too long after arriving at South Kensington, I had a score with double winners 21375+21376 to Sloane Square. These two were the last of the 213xx sets to get for haulage, with just two pairs of 4xx and 5xx sets left to get before the huge fleet of S7 sets would be cleared. Thankfully, whatever was causing gaps in the service when I first arrived on the south side of the Circle appeared to have cleared up, and I was soon on double duds 21457+21458 back to South Kensington. Eventually, just when I was getting my earphones out, double winners 21533+21534 arrived on a Richmond service. Happy days, just 3 pairs of S7 sets to go, and I headed to Earls Court.
After a while of festering, I ended up getting a cuppa from Costa and got bored silly, so ended up on double duds 21527+21528 to Paddington. I was after some Bakerloo action, or some mainline action, I couldn't honestly decide between the two! After finally being able to get rid of my tea bag (is it tea bag or teabag? I've always assumed the latter, but Docs suggests that's wrong) at Paddington, I saw not a lot of interest I could do on a Travelcard any time soon on the mainline, so headed downstairs to the Bakerloo line. Which was living up to its nickname of the Oven Line, as it was rather toasty. My tea was finally getting consumed now too, over 30 minutes after getting it! Winner 3442 and dud 3232 were on the first train north out of Paddington, certainly a good start. I needed a good few sets on the Bakerloo line, it's not a line I use too frequently and today felt like a good day to start changing that. North of Queens Park, I would get the added scoring opportunities with the Euston DC Line stoppers too.
The next move fell to a train that came off the reversing sidings in the depot at Queens Park, with dud 3253 and winner 3438 one stop to Kilburn Park. Wow that was bouncy, the ride from Paddington was nothing like that! Soon enough it was back to daylight, courtesy of dud 3449 and winner 3242 back to Queens Park. Having festered on the southbound platform for a while, I noticed a terminating train roll in with a winner so I stayed put until it came back. I have to note too that LU don't seem to be putting any love or care into these trains, the amount of bodywork I saw with missing colours, numbers and so on was disappointing. Yes these trains are due for replacement in a few years, but it wouldn't hurt to make the trains more presentable in the meantime. They're certainly a world away from the S7 and S8 sets!
Eventually winner 3236 and dud 3466 took me to Maida Vale, just to mix things up a bit.
I got bored down here after a while, so joined double duds 3454+3265 back to Queens Park, as the next northbound train was around 6 minutes away and I had a hunch there would be only a short wait for an LO service. Which was correct, just a 6 minute wait. Obviously, I was still keeping my eyes open for Bakerloo line winners, as I was down to just 3 sets to go having needed 7 before this trip. My first 710/2 was up next, with winner 710266 to Willesden Junction. A most welcome, but poor condition, facility was taken advantage of, then my first 710/3 was had. That honour fell to winner 710377 for a leap back to Queens Park, I wanted a bit more hunting for my last 3 sets before I headed back to town. By gum doesn't it look weird seeing EMR and LNER HST power cars on Willesden depot!
At some point while I had been away on LO, a winner had rolled into Queens Park on a terminating service, as it rolled in off the sidings. Winner 3252 and dud 3455 (thanks Lewview on RailUK Forums for the gen!) took me to Baker Street, leaving just 3439 and 3461 to get. Yes, my 4-car sets on the Bakerloo line were now cleared! I wanted to find them, but time was getting on, it was around 1421 by now and the coach back to Hereford was at 1730. Plenty of time, yes, but I wanted to get cracking with another line. I was in such a rush to get to the Metropolitan line I forgot to note the rear set of my Bakerloo line move, oops! I knew it was dud, possibly 3465 or 3455, but I'll now never know for sure. I didn't hang around Baker Street for long, and double duds 21091+21092 took me to a favourite festering spot from when I was clearing the 96 stock, Finchley Road.
An Aldgate was due shortly after my arrival, and much to my pleasant surprise it was double winners 21033+21034. 3 S8 pairs to go! To Great Portland Street I went next, as I fancied trying my luck with S7 sets on the north side of the Circle at the same time. Yes I'd miss S8 sets terminating in the Baker Street bay platforms, but I had to compromise somehow. From previous experience, Great Portland Street is a nice enough place to fester for winners, not as handy as South Kensington I will grant you that, but this would do just fine. I didn't want to be too far from Central London now, due to the time. I was also wondering just how lucky I'd be!
Just after I had become bored, and put the Tokyo 2020 Victory Ceremony music on, double winners 21001+21002 rolled in. Off to Farringdon I went next, to try my luck on 700s as well. I would soon need to head south of the river anyway, and it made sense to position myself well for that now. I also had a raging stomach, demanding food, so that was way up my priority list now. A visit to Co-Op got me some vegan ham slices, reduced gluten free Warburtons thins and some vegan chocolate chunk cookies. With two sandwiches made outside Farringdon station, which got me a much needed break out of my face covering in overcast conditions, my stomach was satisfied enough for the time being. Attention now turned to the 700s, not in time to score 700060 which was a required sight on a Rainham service though.
A bit more S7 and S8 hunting was also carried out, but when winner 700059 rolled in I was on it for a leap to City Thameslink. There were higher priorities than S stock by now! I still need a fair few 700s for sight, so this gave me an opportunity to start correcting that. Winner 700153 was up next for a leap to Blackfriars, another new sight.
After a bit of a fester, I then joined winner 700120, yet another new sight so they were coming down, and I was off to London Bridge. Originally I was going to East Croydon, to have a fast run then onto a fast Southern to Victoria, so I settled in to finish the sandwich thins. It took so long to reach London Bridge I had finished them before the train reached the platform, so I changed my plans to alight. The observation of a winner 376 helped with that decision!
Sadly, it was a good while before anything I needed arrived heading towards Charing Cross. Eventually winner 376018 led dud 376005 on something like the 1647 from The Bridge to Charing Cross. It occurred to me to check my route from Charing Cross, when the time suddenly dawned on me. An ultra slow journey to London Waterloo East followed, where another check of options revealed I could use the Jubilee line from Southwark and potentially get there quicker. By now it was 1651, and I was down to the Jubilee as fast as possible.
Fortunately a very short wait produced 96124+96019 for the short journey to Westminster, and by the time I was doing the transfer it was 1656. Transferring from the deep level Tube line to a sub-surface Tube line is never fast, but I was up on the westbound platform at 1658. After all the hanging about, and minimal exercise, today I suppose I should be grateful! 3 minutes later and double duds 21511+21512 rolled in to take me 2 stops to Victoria, and I originally went down some stairs I needed to go up, but soon dashed and dived my way through and outside. The few minutes out of my face covering was most welcome on the fast march up the road to Victoria Coach Station, and I had arrived at the nearby Sainsburys at 1712.
With supplies sourced, the facilities in the coach station are now free, and it shows as they were in a disgusting state. Ugh! The coach was a little late due to traffic, but departure was only 6 minutes late in the end. Traffic through Knightsbridge and so on was very slow, I took advantage of the opportunity to admire Harrods and, before that, a quick view of Hyde Park. That looked really impressive, it is officially on my list to do. Battersea Park is likewise on that list, oh and talking of I'm glad I did the new line on Day 1 of this trip as flooding at Kennington had caused the line to be suspended between Charing Cross and Battersea Power Station!
1845 and it was out of the suburbs and onto the M4. Finally, some speed would be had! Sadly, not for too long, as the M4 was closed at Junction 6 so there was a diversion via the M25. Lovely, not what I was expecting at all! At least it was still pretty fast and there were no roadworks. It was time, now some food had been had, to put some tunes on, enjoy the sunset and review the trip report ready to post it when the photos and videos were sorted.
Somewhere during the reviewing process, the coach joined the M40 which was a new motorway for me. In the Oxford area it was off the motorway and onto the A40 to Cheltenham. It was a shame to do this combination of roads in the dark, as I have wanted to see this area for a long time. No particular reason, but this was new territory for me in this part of the Cotswolds. With notes reviewed, it was back to boredom. It was by now 1955, with a mighty long way to go until Hereford yet. I could read, yes, but the reading lights on this coach did not appear to be working. Argh!
Arrival into Cheltenham was finally had at around 2036, and after unloading a fair few passengers and their luggage, it was on the move again at 2040. I had no idea how late the coach was, I didn't want to know any more quite honestly, I was just ready to get back to base and start unwinding. I had work at 9am, which is the only reason I could get back to Hereford so late. This was unthinkable back when it was 3am starts! Even so, with a significant delay now, I would be lucky to get to bed and sleep before midnight. If it hadn't been for a significant amount of sugary food I'd have not managed to stay awake so long!
Which randomly leads me onto the seats. I'm not a huge fan of Fainsa seats anyway, but this coach journey gave me a good opportunity to see what sitting in one seat and not really moving was like again. Such an experience will one day be had when I return to exploring the world, and based on this journey I have no idea how I'll cope with flights now. When I last flew, it was before I had discovered the joy of cycling, before I got properly into investing time in improving my overall fitness level. I'm not terribly used to fairly firm seats any more, and not for any real duration like this. Chances are, when I get on a plane again I'll be fine, and I'll be so excited I won't notice, I guess I'll just have to find out!
2106 and it was away from Gloucester after dropping off a decent number there too, and it was up the A40 all the way to Ross-on-Wye thankfully, no faffing around with Newent. 2140 and after dropping someone off in Ross, it was onto the A49 with a small number of people also on behind me for Hereford. I had by now gone through my photos and put the Battersea Power Station video together. Before I knew it, we were getting fairly close to Hereford, so I got the coat out, packed the bag again to make room for the rest of the water and coffee cups (I will reuse those before getting rid of them) and got ready to get off the coach.
Arrival into Hereford was at 2207, 22 minutes late after light traffic and good bit of speed and all I had to do for the day was march back to base and chill. It had been a rather busy couple of days, and my winner total came to a respectable 52 scores. Not bad, not bad, I was happy with that result that's for sure. I'm now really close to clearing the Bakerloo line as well as the sub-surface lines too, although I am a long way from done with the Northern, Piccadilly and Central lines. Overall, an extremely good trip. It wasn't cheap, the food and drink alone cost me a fair amount, but it was worth it. Even though I then had to make the following two weeks fairly cheap!
so even better for next time) Just isn't enough of them around!
