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London & Beyond. Plus Voyager 4th route!

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RJ

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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 :shock:. 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;

ye367i.jpg


^^On a Voyager at Herne Hill^^

ye367x.jpg


^^Old IC trailer^^

ye367j.jpg


^^66 214^^

ye367k.jpg


^^Double Voyager at Reading^^

ye367l.jpg


^^166 206 stabled on the middle road at Reading^^

ye367m.jpg


^^166 206 about to SPAD^^

ye367p.jpg


^^HST^^

ye367r.jpg


^^43 030 lookin' healthy!^^

ye367u.jpg


^^166 215^^

ye367w.jpg


^^Shows why the Junipers are being pulled-lack of corridor^^

ye368y.jpg


^^HST for Paddington^^

ye3683.jpg


^^Juniper coupling^^

ye3685.jpg


^^Shawford Turbo leaving^^

ye3688.jpg


^^Super Voyager^^

ye368b.jpg


^^Turbo^^

ye368d.jpg


^^Double Juniper^^

ye368g.jpg


^^66 135^^

ye368j.jpg


^^165 122 at Basingstoke. Note the ajar cab door and empty cab!^^

ye368r.jpg


^^220 027 "Thames Voyager" on a Bournemouth service^^

ye36cy.jpg


^^170 308^^

ye36c3.jpg


^^Juniper at Twickenham^^

ye36c5.jpg


^^455 at Twickenham^^

ye36c7.jpg


^^Reading Desiro at Waterloo^^

ye36ca.jpg


^^HSTs at King's Cross^^
 
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voyagerdude220

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Nice post there, Very good pics :)

I really like Voyagers, and agree with you about prefering to be in a Voyager cariage with the engine on. I've only "suffered" an engineless journey on a Voyager twice, once last Christmas Eve, on a pretty busy 9-car double set between Preston & Bristol, and another time a few weeks ago in FC between Bristol & Preston.

Voyager Dude 220= Guy who allways travels in FC on Voyagers for fun, and enjoys seeing them.
 

evil_hippo

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voyagerdude220 said:
I really like Voyagers, and agree with you about prefering to be in a Voyager cariage with the engine on. I've only "suffered" an engineless journey on a Voyager twice, once last Christmas Eve, on a pretty busy 9-car double set between Preston & Bristol, and another time a few weeks ago in FC between Bristol & Preston.

I love travelling in engineless carriages generally! I remember being an a dead 153 dragged by a 156 from Appleby to Carlisle a while back. An odd expeience, but an enjoyable one.

As for voyagers, I would love to be spared the negine noise and vibrations!
 

heart-of-wessex

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you say your voyager went onto the WCML then over Acton East Jct onto the GWML, to what i know, it doesnt even touch the WCML...:s
 

voyagerdude220

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Well I'd like the DMU one, but I personally like being on Voyagers alot, especially with the engines giving a good accleration out of the station. (Especially good along the WCML, I'm thinking of a specific Supermarket set I did between Brum & Manchester, that did a REALLY good run between Wolves & Stafford- easily reached around 110 mph, probablly 125, but It was a while back)

As for 153s.. I haven't really been on alot. The last one being on a Wessex CDF to TAU, formed of a sole 153. (I was on it between BTM & HIG) I really enjoyed the journey, even though the unit was in a really crap condition inside. (It was a H-O-W one)

<( <D <( "LONG KILL THE 142/3s" (which normally work the line on local Wsx services- bring on 150s, or even a 156/170[I like these 3] !!)<( <D <(

evil_hippo said:
voyagerdude220 said:
I really like Voyagers, and agree with you about prefering to be in a Voyager cariage with the engine on. I've only "suffered" an engineless journey on a Voyager twice, once last Christmas Eve, on a pretty busy 9-car double set between Preston & Bristol, and another time a few weeks ago in FC between Bristol & Preston.

I love travelling in engineless carriages generally! I remember being an a dead 153 dragged by a 156 from Appleby to Carlisle a while back. An odd expeience, but an enjoyable one.

As for voyagers, I would love to be spared the negine noise and vibrations!
 

RJ

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Ok, thanks for the nice comments!

The Voyager ran beside the WCML then, as seen here

ye7d39.jpg
 

Julian G

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joy54.gen said:
You've been behind a 47 1288gaje?
err, I've seen one speed through West Brompton
let see ,hmm
47,47,47 m let see
no



the Brighton Voyagers will be going to Watford Junction after XMAS
 

Sprinter

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The Voyager route at Willesden is WLL- Mitre Bridge Junction- West London Junction- South West Sidings- NLL- Acton Wells- Acton Mainline.

Therefore these trains only breifly see the WCML as all the lines funnel in slightly to go under the NLL Mainline, before bearing sharply left past South West Sidings. Southern's 377s at this point carry straight on to join the main WCML tracks.
 

Julian G

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Someone in UKTS (metromuppet)
said that Voyagers will be diverted via Watford after XMAS
 

RJ

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metromuppet said:
If anyone is interested, the 09:21 and 14:22 services from Brighton to Manchester Piccadilly running on the 28th, 29th and 30th of December are running via the WCML and NOT via Reading.
 

Julian G

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metromuppet said:
If anyone is interested, the 09:21 and 14:22 services from Brighton to Manchester Piccadilly running on the 28th, 29th and 30th of December are running via the WCML and NOT via Reading.
metromuppet is probably a driver or staff :?
 
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