RJ
Established Member
Today started with the 08:52 Southern service from Forest Hill to London Bridge. A standard 455. On the home straight, I saw an 8 coach 319, half of which was one of the Southern 319s. I then took a Networker to Waterloo East.
I had to get the 09:20 Reading service, so I had to run from Waterloo East to Waterloo. I bought a ticket from a ticket machine, then, with one minute to spare, ran to platform 19. My heart sunk as I saw a Desiro, the whole point was to get a Juniper! Then, after asking various staff at the station for Juniper timings (in vain), I discovered that the 09:50 was also a Desiro. So I decided to get the morning Voyager instead. As I made my way to the other side of Waterloo, I bumped into Coxster! I took a 455 to Clapham Junction, then the late Brighton Express to East Croydon.
The Voyager was a couple of minutes late to East Croydon. I boarded the quiet coach, which had its engine switched off. I decided to move to a different coach, because I like the vibrations and sounds when a Voyager takes off. As we passed through Norwood Junction and Crystal Palace, I thought "Here we go again, round the houses :roll:" But, a surprise was in store. After passing West Norwood, we paused at Tulse Hill hock:. Then we crossed over to the Thameslink lines and paused again at Herne Hill, where I saw something (obscured by station buildings ) dragging EWS 59 205. After that, we sped through Brixton, past Southern's stations (Clapham, Wandsworth Road) then we went down through Battersea/Wandsworth. I snapped an old IC trailer. We came parallel to the SWT lines at Longhedge Junction, then went under the SWT lines and onto the WLL. Needless to say, we were late into Olympia.
This time, I didn't get off. The Voyager went onto the WCML, where I saw an EWS 66 + 92 hauling a lot of wagons. We went through some deserted, unelectrified sidings, over Chiltern's Paddington connection branch and the Central Line, then to Acton Wells Junction, then down onto the GWML. We sped through Ealing, and continued at high speed on the slow lines for some time. At some point, we crossed onto the fast lines, overtook one Turbo, then we crossed back onto the slow lines after a few minutes. Somehow, we managed to get to Reading at 11:33, a minute early!
I stayed at Reading for a couple of hours or so, taking pictures of HSTs, Voyagers, Turbos and SPADding 166s (I couldn't be bothered with the Adelantes). Just before I went, 66 135 briefly stopped for a crew change. I watched it go, then ran to catch the 13:39 service to Basingstoke. There are three ex-Virgin HSTs between Reading and Reading West.
Basingstoke is rather boring, even some 442s don't stop there. I wanted to wait for a diesel, but then I remembered, oh sh*t, I'm meant to be in King's Cross, snapping White Roses! So I took the first available train (a 444) arriving into Waterloo at 15:10, which was too late :cry:. So I went to Euston to see if the 14:35 from Wolverhampton was loco hauled. Just another Pendo :roll:. Then I went to King's Cross, where I was told that the White Roses were gone forever :cry:. Then I went to London Bridge, took the 18:07 Turbostar to East Croydon, then I took a 319 back up to London Bridge. My journey ended with a double 465 to Catford Bridge.
Pics of the day;
^^On a Voyager at Herne Hill^^
^^Old IC trailer^^
^^66 214^^
^^Double Voyager at Reading^^
^^166 206 stabled on the middle road at Reading^^
^^166 206 about to SPAD^^
^^HST^^
^^43 030 lookin' healthy!^^
^^166 215^^
^^Shows why the Junipers are being pulled-lack of corridor^^
^^HST for Paddington^^
^^Juniper coupling^^
^^Shawford Turbo leaving^^
^^Super Voyager^^
^^Turbo^^
^^Double Juniper^^
^^66 135^^
^^165 122 at Basingstoke. Note the ajar cab door and empty cab!^^
^^220 027 "Thames Voyager" on a Bournemouth service^^
^^170 308^^
^^Juniper at Twickenham^^
^^455 at Twickenham^^
^^Reading Desiro at Waterloo^^
^^HSTs at King's Cross^^
I had to get the 09:20 Reading service, so I had to run from Waterloo East to Waterloo. I bought a ticket from a ticket machine, then, with one minute to spare, ran to platform 19. My heart sunk as I saw a Desiro, the whole point was to get a Juniper! Then, after asking various staff at the station for Juniper timings (in vain), I discovered that the 09:50 was also a Desiro. So I decided to get the morning Voyager instead. As I made my way to the other side of Waterloo, I bumped into Coxster! I took a 455 to Clapham Junction, then the late Brighton Express to East Croydon.
The Voyager was a couple of minutes late to East Croydon. I boarded the quiet coach, which had its engine switched off. I decided to move to a different coach, because I like the vibrations and sounds when a Voyager takes off. As we passed through Norwood Junction and Crystal Palace, I thought "Here we go again, round the houses :roll:" But, a surprise was in store. After passing West Norwood, we paused at Tulse Hill hock:. Then we crossed over to the Thameslink lines and paused again at Herne Hill, where I saw something (obscured by station buildings ) dragging EWS 59 205. After that, we sped through Brixton, past Southern's stations (Clapham, Wandsworth Road) then we went down through Battersea/Wandsworth. I snapped an old IC trailer. We came parallel to the SWT lines at Longhedge Junction, then went under the SWT lines and onto the WLL. Needless to say, we were late into Olympia.
This time, I didn't get off. The Voyager went onto the WCML, where I saw an EWS 66 + 92 hauling a lot of wagons. We went through some deserted, unelectrified sidings, over Chiltern's Paddington connection branch and the Central Line, then to Acton Wells Junction, then down onto the GWML. We sped through Ealing, and continued at high speed on the slow lines for some time. At some point, we crossed onto the fast lines, overtook one Turbo, then we crossed back onto the slow lines after a few minutes. Somehow, we managed to get to Reading at 11:33, a minute early!
I stayed at Reading for a couple of hours or so, taking pictures of HSTs, Voyagers, Turbos and SPADding 166s (I couldn't be bothered with the Adelantes). Just before I went, 66 135 briefly stopped for a crew change. I watched it go, then ran to catch the 13:39 service to Basingstoke. There are three ex-Virgin HSTs between Reading and Reading West.
Basingstoke is rather boring, even some 442s don't stop there. I wanted to wait for a diesel, but then I remembered, oh sh*t, I'm meant to be in King's Cross, snapping White Roses! So I took the first available train (a 444) arriving into Waterloo at 15:10, which was too late :cry:. So I went to Euston to see if the 14:35 from Wolverhampton was loco hauled. Just another Pendo :roll:. Then I went to King's Cross, where I was told that the White Roses were gone forever :cry:. Then I went to London Bridge, took the 18:07 Turbostar to East Croydon, then I took a 319 back up to London Bridge. My journey ended with a double 465 to Catford Bridge.
Pics of the day;
^^On a Voyager at Herne Hill^^
^^Old IC trailer^^
^^66 214^^
^^Double Voyager at Reading^^
^^166 206 stabled on the middle road at Reading^^
^^166 206 about to SPAD^^
^^HST^^
^^43 030 lookin' healthy!^^
^^166 215^^
^^Shows why the Junipers are being pulled-lack of corridor^^
^^HST for Paddington^^
^^Juniper coupling^^
^^Shawford Turbo leaving^^
^^Super Voyager^^
^^Turbo^^
^^Double Juniper^^
^^66 135^^
^^165 122 at Basingstoke. Note the ajar cab door and empty cab!^^
^^220 027 "Thames Voyager" on a Bournemouth service^^
^^170 308^^
^^Juniper at Twickenham^^
^^455 at Twickenham^^
^^Reading Desiro at Waterloo^^
^^HSTs at King's Cross^^