Kris Takes The Day Off
Evening all
It's time for one of my famously infrequent trip reports! My opportunities to do "trains for the sake of trains" are quite rare so, when out on the rails, I try and look for something a bit different.
Having recently tried the most thrashy loco of modern times (68) and the fastest third-rail train (442), my chosen oddity today is the tiny flywheel-driven Class 139 for a trip on the shortest branch line in Europe. With a (relatively) cheap return to Stourbridge Town booked a few days in advance, I'm up earlyish to polish off the obligatory bag prep and housework before attempting to head out.
After a quick argument with the cat (who is happily sat on my jacket) about whether or not I'm allowed to leave the house, he finally relents and I emerge into grim drizzle for the walk down t'hill.
Arrival at my local station is far too early (it's all about leaving contingency time!) and I fester for half hour in the damp conditions. Shortly after a Gatwick Express 387 thunders past on test, my
Class 350 chariot to
Watford Junction finally rolls up.
Another 20 minutes of festering is enjoyed (endured?) at Watford Junction, but at least I score two winning
Virgin Super Voyagers for sight. It's one of the few classes I actually "spot" and the last one with remaining requirements. Now I've ticked off
116 &
142, there's only two more to go and my requirements list will be clear! It should be noted at this point that Voyager spotting is flippin' difficult due to the positioning of the numbers and the speed of the trains - luckily, a quick message to VT's Twitter team helps me confirm that I did see the units I thought I saw!
Anyway, I digress! 1137 rolls round and
390 040 in its new Virgin Radio Star livery glides into the platform. I'm not a fan of the Virgin brand's constant need for cross-promotion, but the vinyls suit the Pendolino. As expected, there's someone asleep in my reserved window seat (which turns out to be rubbish anyway) so I awkwardly squeeze into the aisle seat next to them. I don't think they noticed. Some tilty goodness is enjoyed and we arrive right time at New
New Street.
Relying on my very limited local knowledge to head towards Snow Hill, I make it as far as Sainsburys on Union Street before briefly breaking out the sat nav to get my bearings. Turns out I'm only slightly off course and I arrive at
Snow Hill 15mins after leaving New Street.
It's my first time at Snow Hill and well, isn't it different to what the name suggests? Given the name, I expected something a bit more "vintage" and romantic. Turns out it's a concrete monstrosity underneath a car park. I see why Fishquinn calls it Snow Hell!
Having arrived at Snow Hell quicker than expected, I take the opportunity to board an earlier train towards Stourbridge Jct. It's a
Class 172 Turbostar which, for those who have never seen one, looks like an Electrostar and feels like a bus thanks to its hydraulic transmission. I've never travelled on a train with a gearbox before - although there isn't much thrash, I enjoy the noise as it revs up and works through the gears.
Munching on some Walkers Sensations (other crisps are available), I see that the West Midlands is still largely an industrial landscape - albeit with large swathes of rotting warehouse wastelands. After Rowley Regis, the industrial scenery slowly transitions to residential suburbs and we arrive right time at
Stourbridge Junction.
Now, the main event! I wander over to platform 1 just as a
Class 139 Parry People Mover whirrs up the final hill towards the station. My, this thing is small! Think of a Pacer, shrink it then slap the cab front from a 365 on it and you've got the picture! Letting the seemingly well-used railcar unload its passengers, I board the bus-like interior and take a sneaky photo of the open rear cab - the controls look really simple, but I refrain from asking "can I have a go"!
A bench seat is had as the traincrew (who take turns as driver and ticket inspector) swap ends and we're ready for the off! The Ford LPG engine (similar to that found in the Mondeo!), which is always rumbling away to provide power to the auxiliary electrics, speeds up a bit as the train rolls forwards before quickly dropping off as the flywheel releases its stored energy.
It's a quiet ride as expected (thrash addicts need not apply!) and I'm reminded of a miniature railway as I watch the track slowly roll towards us through the front windscreen. It's a hot, bumpy experience - as someone remarks on Twitter, "is this any better than a Pacer?". My response is "probably not, but it has more character!".
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A few minutes later, I disembark at the lovely
Stourbridge Town station and watch the 139 leave before wandering to the town centre for a quick look around. It's... a very average place. I expected it to have a villagey feel, but instead I'm greeted by a generic brick high street. Still, at least it has a CEX where I pick up a couple of games for cheap before heading back to the rails!
The 139 is already in the platform when I return and, after a revvier initial performance from the engine, it bounces silently back up the hill. I grab a couple more snaps of it at Stourbridge Jct and cross platforms for a Dorridge-bound 172 back to Snow Hell.
During this journey, I see some things that would be of interest on a WMDR ticket - the trams and 170+153 combos for sure! It's a trouble free trip back to Snow Hell and a warm walk back to New Street (unaided by technology this time!), where a quick lunch is grabbed from M&S.
I'm on my booked 390 home half hour before it leaves and briefly tweet with
Hassaanhch, who is on a Daytripper, about how we seem to have just missed each other at both Birmingham stations!
The ride to Watford Junction is made more entertaining by a fellow passenger who, when caught travelling on an invalid ticket, protests that restrictions are not clearly advertised (despite them being clearly advertised at point of sale); that he wasn't aware the ticket isn't valid on this train (despite repeated announcements) and that it's "immoral" for the ticket barriers to let him onto the paid concourse before the ticket validity begins (despite there being retail outlets and toilets on the concourse that passengers may want to access at any time). Eventually, about 30 miles later, he gives in and pays the full fare for a new ticket (ouch)!
A quick change of trains at Watford Junction is followed by a short walk uphill and I arrive home, where the cat is exactly where I left him this morning (sans jacket)!
Well, I had a cracking day out. Hope you enjoyed the read, guys
Cheers
Kris