Techniquest
Veteran Member
Agreed it's a shame it wasn't an HST on the positioning move, never mind!
18/09/2016 - Tech's Turbo Power, Day 2
A dripping tap and a stuck sink plug really were not helpful for a good sleep, nor was the surprising amount of traffic down a suburban road! 0500 and the alarm is soon silenced, with the kettle banged on sharpish. A quick de-rance later, I'm sorted and on the walk to the station. I get a bit lost, but thankfully get to the station 25 minutes later. No-one in the ticket office this morning to issue my ranger, so I have no choice but to head to platform 5 and await the unlocking of the doors on Super Dud 166203. Even when they're released, they don't actually open for ages, an issue all the way down the train. Not had this before on a Turbo! Eventually we can get on, but due to the delay we obviously leave slightly late. I get some tunes going on, then eventually the WiFi likes me enough to actually work, so I load a trip report up to read while at the day's first winner shack, North Camp.
After the trip report, I get on with a bit more of the moves book, then winner 166215 rolls in and leaves 1 minute early to take me to winner shack Blackwater. Another trip report read and my stomach is getting more than a little angry with me right now, as I've not been able to source any food or coffee yet this morning. Having not eaten since around 1910 last night [and I was rather ravenous last night after that meal deal anyway! - Ed] it's now over 12 hours since my last food, unsurprising therefore that I'm now hungry. The plan currently involves a short break in Guildford, hopefully something will be open there! 166201 gets a step closer to being a Super Dud, and those with good memory will recall I first scored this one from Oxford to Hereford in March, on the way home from New York. I bail at the day's third shack score, Ash.
No TVM will sell my ranger, and it would not appear on the guard's machine either. Really not helpful! The TVM's instructions say to use the help point if my fare is not available, a good idea as they can advise me better. Only thing is that it's not working either! Winner 456010 led dud 456024 on the next move to Guildford, happy days! I finally manage to get my North Downs Day Ranger for £16 here, and I source a large coffee and large sausage baguette from Upper Crust. The stomach is now moderately happy! My timetable, and therefore planned moves, had it down as 0856 from here onwards, but it's actually 0839. All plans are now rendered null and void, so when I join dud 166215 I plan to take advantage of a very short wait at Chilworth, score that shack and get Wanborough scored. 166201 now joins the League of Super Duds for the leap back to Guildford, where I have a short wait for the 0917 to Ascot.
Happy days! Oh I am so glad I changed plans! Double winners 456014+456023 arrive to take me to winner shack Wanborough, what a result! More of the moves book update gets me to the end of 28th August, so I'm slowly getting there now. More will be done on the day's lengthy festers, should be all done by the end of the day! Back at Guildford, a much needed PNB is had before an early lunch from West Cornwall Pasty Company. A Cumberland sausage bap and large coffee is sourced, although it has to be said I prefer the Lavazza coffee in Upper Crust! Super Dud 166201 takes me to winner shack Betchworth, and I carry on with the big moves book update. With the bulk of it now done, this weekend's moves won't take long to add later.
166215 joins the League of Super Duds on the trip to winner shack Gomshall. A huge new footbridge is nearly finished here, the barrow crossing will soon be gone. I checked nothing was coming the other way, but got told off for not waiting for the 166 to leave the station first. It was well up the platform and well away from the barrow crossing [it was hardly likely to reverse back down the line! - Ed] but never mind, I won't need to come back here anyway. Super Dud 166203 is back to take me to winner shack Dorking West.
Google Maps tells me I can walk to Dorking Deepdene station in 17 minutes, which allows enough time to comfortably make it onto the next westbound Turbo. Challenge accepted! Just over 15 minutes marching along and I get to Deepdene station. Now to head west once again on Super Dud 166203 to Guildford, as I have a need for a coffee and my stomach is going nuts already! Granted it's been 3 hours since my early lunch, and it's not like it was a huge meal. I get food and drink in Tesco Express, then score the Spoons opposite and two winner halves are got. Wow that feels better, and I end up getting a couple more beers for later's lengthy festers from M&S out of the huge selection there.
The danger music is playing now, as we leave Guildford 7 down. That makes it a +3 at best at Shalford aboard Super Dud 166215...Kite's gen on a footbridge was correct, and I manage the +3 with plenty of time. Back onto Super Dud 166201 now to fresh dud shack [well, fresh as in 6 hours ago! - Ed], with all shacks North Camp to Gatwick now cleared. 3 more to go, and they're all 2-hourly served! Super Dud 166203 to take me to winner shack Farnborough North. By now I'm down to just 16% battery charge, so I'm more than glad I have my power bank with me! It's also the first time I've used it, and so far so good!
Super Dud 166215 takes me to winner shack Crowthorne, which leaves just one more to get with GWR on this line. Earley and the Winnershs will be dealt with later, and I still say I've done well on a Sunday timetable. I finally, FINALLY, finish the moves book update while at Crowthorne though, happy days! In celebration I get Tech's Mobile Disco back on, after 6 hours without it! It seems hard to believe, these days, how a +45 or more used to be a dreaded fester. Ever since the massive pluses at Cynghordy and Builth Road, the latter being a +216, all festers feel like a piece of cake. Even the +79 earlier was ridiculously easy! Super Dud 166215 takes me forward to winner shack Sandhurst, which clears Wokingham to Brighton [as well as other destinations! - Ed] at long last!
I visit Village Inn at Sandhurst, a few minutes' walk from the station. I find London Pride is a winner to my surprise, and at £3.75 it's a watery taste. Nice beer garden to enjoy it in mind, but wouldn't come back here. It's back to Tech's Mobile Disco and some Nightcore, starting with Raver's Fantasy, when I get back to the station. It's fair to say, at the time of typing, I'm well jolly! Brew number 499 is enjoyed on the station, the magical 500 is scheduled to be hit at winner pub The Three Guineas later. 166201 is the final Turbo move of the day on the leap to Wokingham. Double winners 450026+450092 take me on a BSB to winner shack Winnersh, and I decide I cannot be bothered to try Kite's recommended walk in 15 minutes, instead preferring to fester for the next train and to get Tech's Mobile Disco on.
Double duds 450002+450107 [what bad luck! - Ed] take me forward to winner shack Winnersh Triangle, as it didn't look like a potential connection coming back from Earley would be too easy. Turned out I'd have had a +6 and could be done in 3 minutes, but a bit late now! I decide initially to fester here for the next one to Earley, however I get brave and load up Google Maps which suggests a 20 minute walk back to Winnersh. There's only 21 or so minutes left at this point to do it, so I march like crazy. I make it with several minutes to spare, and by now I need my power bank back out again. To winner shack Earley next on double duds 450123+450042, oh I can't wait to be done with this line now!
Earley clears Reading to Brighton for shacks at long, long last. I am now tired and want food, bearing in mind my last food was around 1440, and at the time of typing it is now 1946! Considering I hadn't planned in Wanborough, Earley, Winnersh or Winnersh Triangle, to end up in Reading only a shade over 90 minutes after the original plan is not too bad.
Double duds 450019+450126 take me on my 22nd move of the day, I will be glad to see Reading again. Not often you hear of someone saying that! With still needing 58 450s, after that pair of winners earlier, I didn't expect 3 pairs of double duds!
Time for some food and for a walk to the hotel, I no longer have the patience to score the pub on the station. 14 and a bit hours on the rails, which for a Sunday is not bad, after not much sleep has become challenging. 15 shack scores and 6 winners, not bad considering much of the day was spent on the same 3 DMUs! My usual meal, supersize version due to the hunger, is sourced in Burger King before I go anywhere else. I noticed afterwards that I couldn't score The Three Guineas anyway, as it was closed! Brew number 500 can wait until tomorrow now anyway, I'm too tired. The long 22 minute walk back to base camp featured a short stretch of steep uphill walking, so I was glad to get into the room! The plug in the sink was fixed after my phone call, thankfully, so that's a relief. Having been awake just over 16 hours now, it won't be long until it's sleepy time!
An excellent day, although exhausting by the end of it. I'm not sure exactly what's coming in Day 3 of the trip, but you'll all know soon enough!
18/09/2016 - Tech's Turbo Power, Day 2
A dripping tap and a stuck sink plug really were not helpful for a good sleep, nor was the surprising amount of traffic down a suburban road! 0500 and the alarm is soon silenced, with the kettle banged on sharpish. A quick de-rance later, I'm sorted and on the walk to the station. I get a bit lost, but thankfully get to the station 25 minutes later. No-one in the ticket office this morning to issue my ranger, so I have no choice but to head to platform 5 and await the unlocking of the doors on Super Dud 166203. Even when they're released, they don't actually open for ages, an issue all the way down the train. Not had this before on a Turbo! Eventually we can get on, but due to the delay we obviously leave slightly late. I get some tunes going on, then eventually the WiFi likes me enough to actually work, so I load a trip report up to read while at the day's first winner shack, North Camp.
After the trip report, I get on with a bit more of the moves book, then winner 166215 rolls in and leaves 1 minute early to take me to winner shack Blackwater. Another trip report read and my stomach is getting more than a little angry with me right now, as I've not been able to source any food or coffee yet this morning. Having not eaten since around 1910 last night [and I was rather ravenous last night after that meal deal anyway! - Ed] it's now over 12 hours since my last food, unsurprising therefore that I'm now hungry. The plan currently involves a short break in Guildford, hopefully something will be open there! 166201 gets a step closer to being a Super Dud, and those with good memory will recall I first scored this one from Oxford to Hereford in March, on the way home from New York. I bail at the day's third shack score, Ash.
No TVM will sell my ranger, and it would not appear on the guard's machine either. Really not helpful! The TVM's instructions say to use the help point if my fare is not available, a good idea as they can advise me better. Only thing is that it's not working either! Winner 456010 led dud 456024 on the next move to Guildford, happy days! I finally manage to get my North Downs Day Ranger for £16 here, and I source a large coffee and large sausage baguette from Upper Crust. The stomach is now moderately happy! My timetable, and therefore planned moves, had it down as 0856 from here onwards, but it's actually 0839. All plans are now rendered null and void, so when I join dud 166215 I plan to take advantage of a very short wait at Chilworth, score that shack and get Wanborough scored. 166201 now joins the League of Super Duds for the leap back to Guildford, where I have a short wait for the 0917 to Ascot.
Happy days! Oh I am so glad I changed plans! Double winners 456014+456023 arrive to take me to winner shack Wanborough, what a result! More of the moves book update gets me to the end of 28th August, so I'm slowly getting there now. More will be done on the day's lengthy festers, should be all done by the end of the day! Back at Guildford, a much needed PNB is had before an early lunch from West Cornwall Pasty Company. A Cumberland sausage bap and large coffee is sourced, although it has to be said I prefer the Lavazza coffee in Upper Crust! Super Dud 166201 takes me to winner shack Betchworth, and I carry on with the big moves book update. With the bulk of it now done, this weekend's moves won't take long to add later.
166215 joins the League of Super Duds on the trip to winner shack Gomshall. A huge new footbridge is nearly finished here, the barrow crossing will soon be gone. I checked nothing was coming the other way, but got told off for not waiting for the 166 to leave the station first. It was well up the platform and well away from the barrow crossing [it was hardly likely to reverse back down the line! - Ed] but never mind, I won't need to come back here anyway. Super Dud 166203 is back to take me to winner shack Dorking West.
Google Maps tells me I can walk to Dorking Deepdene station in 17 minutes, which allows enough time to comfortably make it onto the next westbound Turbo. Challenge accepted! Just over 15 minutes marching along and I get to Deepdene station. Now to head west once again on Super Dud 166203 to Guildford, as I have a need for a coffee and my stomach is going nuts already! Granted it's been 3 hours since my early lunch, and it's not like it was a huge meal. I get food and drink in Tesco Express, then score the Spoons opposite and two winner halves are got. Wow that feels better, and I end up getting a couple more beers for later's lengthy festers from M&S out of the huge selection there.
The danger music is playing now, as we leave Guildford 7 down. That makes it a +3 at best at Shalford aboard Super Dud 166215...Kite's gen on a footbridge was correct, and I manage the +3 with plenty of time. Back onto Super Dud 166201 now to fresh dud shack [well, fresh as in 6 hours ago! - Ed], with all shacks North Camp to Gatwick now cleared. 3 more to go, and they're all 2-hourly served! Super Dud 166203 to take me to winner shack Farnborough North. By now I'm down to just 16% battery charge, so I'm more than glad I have my power bank with me! It's also the first time I've used it, and so far so good!
Super Dud 166215 takes me to winner shack Crowthorne, which leaves just one more to get with GWR on this line. Earley and the Winnershs will be dealt with later, and I still say I've done well on a Sunday timetable. I finally, FINALLY, finish the moves book update while at Crowthorne though, happy days! In celebration I get Tech's Mobile Disco back on, after 6 hours without it! It seems hard to believe, these days, how a +45 or more used to be a dreaded fester. Ever since the massive pluses at Cynghordy and Builth Road, the latter being a +216, all festers feel like a piece of cake. Even the +79 earlier was ridiculously easy! Super Dud 166215 takes me forward to winner shack Sandhurst, which clears Wokingham to Brighton [as well as other destinations! - Ed] at long last!
I visit Village Inn at Sandhurst, a few minutes' walk from the station. I find London Pride is a winner to my surprise, and at £3.75 it's a watery taste. Nice beer garden to enjoy it in mind, but wouldn't come back here. It's back to Tech's Mobile Disco and some Nightcore, starting with Raver's Fantasy, when I get back to the station. It's fair to say, at the time of typing, I'm well jolly! Brew number 499 is enjoyed on the station, the magical 500 is scheduled to be hit at winner pub The Three Guineas later. 166201 is the final Turbo move of the day on the leap to Wokingham. Double winners 450026+450092 take me on a BSB to winner shack Winnersh, and I decide I cannot be bothered to try Kite's recommended walk in 15 minutes, instead preferring to fester for the next train and to get Tech's Mobile Disco on.
Double duds 450002+450107 [what bad luck! - Ed] take me forward to winner shack Winnersh Triangle, as it didn't look like a potential connection coming back from Earley would be too easy. Turned out I'd have had a +6 and could be done in 3 minutes, but a bit late now! I decide initially to fester here for the next one to Earley, however I get brave and load up Google Maps which suggests a 20 minute walk back to Winnersh. There's only 21 or so minutes left at this point to do it, so I march like crazy. I make it with several minutes to spare, and by now I need my power bank back out again. To winner shack Earley next on double duds 450123+450042, oh I can't wait to be done with this line now!
Earley clears Reading to Brighton for shacks at long, long last. I am now tired and want food, bearing in mind my last food was around 1440, and at the time of typing it is now 1946! Considering I hadn't planned in Wanborough, Earley, Winnersh or Winnersh Triangle, to end up in Reading only a shade over 90 minutes after the original plan is not too bad.
Double duds 450019+450126 take me on my 22nd move of the day, I will be glad to see Reading again. Not often you hear of someone saying that! With still needing 58 450s, after that pair of winners earlier, I didn't expect 3 pairs of double duds!
Time for some food and for a walk to the hotel, I no longer have the patience to score the pub on the station. 14 and a bit hours on the rails, which for a Sunday is not bad, after not much sleep has become challenging. 15 shack scores and 6 winners, not bad considering much of the day was spent on the same 3 DMUs! My usual meal, supersize version due to the hunger, is sourced in Burger King before I go anywhere else. I noticed afterwards that I couldn't score The Three Guineas anyway, as it was closed! Brew number 500 can wait until tomorrow now anyway, I'm too tired. The long 22 minute walk back to base camp featured a short stretch of steep uphill walking, so I was glad to get into the room! The plug in the sink was fixed after my phone call, thankfully, so that's a relief. Having been awake just over 16 hours now, it won't be long until it's sleepy time!
An excellent day, although exhausting by the end of it. I'm not sure exactly what's coming in Day 3 of the trip, but you'll all know soon enough!
