LSGs FoSS Trip.

[47403]

With my daughter to entertain for the weekend I thought I'd get the thread started before Mondays long awaited and bloody long overdue 4 day sojourn away starts.

Its been horrendous at work and this break is drastically needed. I've been quite lucky of late,a myriad of cops, passing through the North East, mainly coaching stock, 6 VTEC Mark 4s and a fair few off recent charters, new 68s on the Seaton Flasks has added 1 to my lists but I know of two others that I've missed too. 37607 and 47854, have added a bit of excitement in my world, even the sight of 73970 on Wednesday evening brought a huge smile to my face, as it was snared on its way to live in the North. Also the diverted Daventry-Mossend/Grangemouth intermodal traffic has added a bit more and much needed interest on the ECML when I've actually had a weekend off ofcourse.

To say I'm like a cat on hot bricks, doesn't really tell the story, more like a bare footed pigmy walking on the sun, even this week I've been doing tiny leaps just to have a few hours on Central Station,to get out the house and de-stress from work. Tuesday I made for the 19.42 from Heworth to Newcastle, I was expecting a pacer but a very dud, more surprising but a damn sight more enjoyable was the sight of 156444 arriving, nice little run into Newcastle Central, also with the Metro station closed from 8pm, it saved me walking back from Monument, word of note for you shack scratchers, this train stops at Dunston too.
Next evening I had to do a bit shopping, so after waiting round for the above 73, I jumped a bus to the Metrocentre, scarppered to where I needed to go and dashed over to the train station for the 20.02 to Newcastle on the ScotRail 156 from Glasgow Central, in hope of maybe snaring a winner, I didn't but 156477 took me to Central for a couple of hours trying to rake in some coaching stock, 2 gathered in too.

I'm certainly looking forward to this, it'll be a cop fest, GWRs units will be big gains, not just for haulage but sight. HST coaching stock for sight I need great swathes, not only them but within the vast surroundings of the FoSS boundaries, there's many a TOCs that have plenty units, of which I need at least 85% for sight. Easy to see why I booked it then.

On Monday morning the Soupdaragons song Free, will reign supreme, I'm free, to do what i want, any old time, any old how. Well when the FoSS or Freedom Travelpass kicks in i will be. It'll certainly be nice to get onto GWR Rails again,its been close to 2 decades since i last done it.

For those remotely interested there'll be a twitter hashtag to see what im up to, #LSGsBreakout will start about 7.30am on Monday. I"LL do my best to get photos and sightings up, to keep things up to date.

 

[Kristofferson]

Looking forward to it!


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[fishquinn]

I'm sure you'll have one heck of a good time!

 

[47403]

Thanks Kris and Fishquinn I'm sure i will.

I was a bit tired last night, so just put a bit back ground in first on the lead up to the FoSS, Then on Monday, I can just crack on with the report.

As usual I'm leaving Toon by the 08.59 tram, in what essentially is more like a positioning move, I planned this for a good 6months, so I've got some good advances on tickets, both to Kings Cross and from Paddington. i have 2hours or so to drag myself and the mobile house, over to Paddington, so a quick shufty over to St Pancras to have a look see what's in there, hopefully see a few Javelins before making my way over to Paddington for the 14.30 to Weston Super Mare. Where I'll book into base camp and get my ass out of there and make hay on the Monday evening with an ABC Freedom Travelpass between WSM and Bath Spa. Tuesday i start the FoSS.

 

[noddy1878]

Have a good trip! Hopefully get to do what you want.

 

[47403]

Have a good trip! Hopefully get to do what you want.

cheers Noddy, I'm fairly positive on what I've got planned, so hopefully it'll reap its rewards, filling big gaps here and there in the NREA.

 

[55013]

Good luck with the FoSS, an excellent ticket that provides for plenty of variety.
I look forward to reading about your adventures.

 

[Techniquest]

No idea how I missed this thread until now, but I've been following the hashtag keenly, loving the regular updates!

Happy hunting squire!

 

[fishquinn]

How's it going?

 

[Dhassell]

How's it going?

From his twitter posts he was in South Wales HST Bashing 2-3 hours ago.

 

[fishquinn]

Vote trams!

 

[47403]

Evening all, will get the trip report up as soon as, its been one helluva trip. Was gonna start on the way home but all the books are in the bottom of my bag and the train home is chocker block.

 

[Techniquest]

Got to say bud, loved the updates on Twitter, much appreciate how much it was killing your phone's battery!

Looking forward to the trip report, promises to be an epic read!

 

[47403]

6/6/16 - At last it's here!!​

At long long last it was time to get out and about, the hashtag for the twitterarty was #LSGsBreakout, a homage to the Foo Fighters song, mainly because I needed to get away on the rails myself and everytime I read a trip report, in the words of the song, you make me wanna breakout.

I'm up early, 5 am to be exact, I do the abloutions, get dressed and have a few slices of toast and make a steaming cup of coffee in my half pint, Best Dad in the world mug, sat on the back steps down into the back yard, in the fine morning sunshine, contemplating my plan, whilst waiting for the Tees-Mossend Intermodal to pass by. Bang on time at 06.23, I hear the loco powering up the hill, when I see 66230, I shout get in, its 1 out of the 3 DB sheds I need, I haven't even left the house, I felt like I'd scored the goal in the first minute of the Cup Final, however, the linesman ruled the goal offside, in this case, the linesman was my NREA, it was 66238 I needed, not 230. Talk about short lived joy.

I snapped out of my day dreaming and done a bag check, just as well, my tickets, Rover and Freedom Travelpass were still in my bedroom drawer. After filling a flask, I walk out the door towards the bus stop, to get this bloody thing up and running.

Fast forward 20mins and I'm in Greggs buying a large coffee and a bacon sarnie and after buying Railways Illustrated I make my way over to Platform 3 and await the arrivals of the Grand Central HST ecs to Sunderland and the XC HST, to hopefully scratch off some of the stock. Nothing of great interest within Central, however I'm convinced, 67024 will no doubt take root soon, its been there in the same spot for 2 weeks that I know of.

The XC HST, top n tailed by 43378 & 366, gained 4 winners amongst the stock and when 43467 and 465 turn up, I'm in luck, the whole rake is needed, leaving just the one rake to get, to clear them. The arrival of the 08.40 Leeds-Aberdeen, arrives and seeing double winners 43296 and 43307 going North cuts my chance of a winner on the 08.59 by 25%. 66711 briefly averts my attention, mainly down to its Aggregates livery, which again got me thinking of Class 59s, will I finally ensnare any, I keep seeing them but them stupid bloody number plates are a nightmare to ID them.

After a nip too the loo, I walk up to the North End of platform 3 and await the 08.59, after a short while, it snakes round past the Castle Keep, cross your fingers time, I tell myself without actually doing it, maybe I should have, as expected the front 43206 is a dud and to my dismay, so is the rear power car too, 43314.


I go to my seat and find I'm backward facing, oh cheers VTEC, not what I ordered at all, I asked to be forward facing, still at least I got a window seat and the table. Oh well best make the most of it, I'm here for 3 hours.

After updating the hastag of my dud HSTs and few sightings along the way, I pour a coffee from the flask and settle in reading Railways Illustrated and was lost in my own world until the Guard anounced, we'll shortly be arriving into York. my gaze shot to the left hand window, I'd missed seeing if anytthing was on York Yard but the NRM yard had D9000 and D9002, evoking memories of the late 70's, when YK had Deltics of its own stabled there, also sitting alongside was black five 48151 and the less popular kettle, these days anyway, 60163 Tornado, more importabtly for me was a certain 66 still residing at York, like I'd been told it was? Lo and behold 66779 Evening Star indeed was there and duly copped too. For the record, I think they've done a decent job, the shed suits it too. God I remember the times when out bashing on the trans penine turns we'd be at the window notebooks at the read trying to pick off there 03s,08s and whatever locos were stabled there, usually a few 20s, 31s,37s and 47's but peaks, 40s and 56s were not uncommon either, the Station itself is one of my favourites to visit and as I've mentioned in many a post, the NRM and Rail Riders World, especially the latter, were frequebted by my friends and I on a regular basis when there. Today only 66305 in the Parcels bay, is of any interest, basically apart from a 158 and a few 185s there was nothing else in.

We depart York and this is a first for me, a non stop run to LKX, meaning we'll hurtle through through Donnie station and past Doonie Yard and likewise past the GBRf Shed. I neednt have worried only 4 sheds between them, none required either, which was a shame, I was hoping Petrborough would've thrown me at least one GB shed for sight. Again I updated the hashtag and with my travel companion opposite now asleep and snoring, I reverted back to my magazine and reached for the earphones and sought a bit solace in LSGs Black Box of Doom, now for me, theres not much better to revive the soul than a bit punk, indie, metal and thrash music.

I was lost in my own world, the loud music was just what the Doctor ordred and shook off any remaining cob webs, I may have had, so much so, it wasn't until I noticed Thameslink and GN EMU's whizzing either side of us, that I realised we weren't far away from the first point of call. At this point, this is where I cursed VTEC for placing me in a backward facing seat, It was impossible to get the numbers, we were past them before I had a chance to see them, I did manage to get 317348 and guess what, it was one of the 3, I already had I gave up trying, poured myself a coffee and got a sandwich out the bait box, as we stormed through the North London suburbs, as soon as I saw Arsenal's Emirates Stadium, I started putting my stuff into the mobile house(aka my large holdall) and before too long were in the tunnel that leads into Kings Cross, a few minutes early too.

I quickly bailed and after a quick shufty of the VTEC stock(of which, none was required) I made for the exit and a smoke, as I walked out the heat hit me like a wall, I found a place to sit amongst the hoardes, cracked open a can of Rockstar and enjoyed my smoke and the sunshine before making the short walk over to St Pancras, in hope of seeing some Eurostars or Javelins, the latter I ever saw but I was rewarded with 3 Eurostars, 3218, 3221 and 4008 required for sight, only an EMT zing was at that end of the Station and even then I couldn't ID that from the gate.
I made haste and got an oyster card, with a top up and made for the Hammersmith and City line, jumping aboard the first ever tube I've taken the number of, for the record is 21441, which I suppose it'll be an all round winner, to Baker Street, where I jumped off and got the next one 21544 for obviously another AR winner to Paddington.

I had an hour and a half to kill, now the HSTs are all dud for sight but theres more than a few nameplates to see among them and the stock in the NREA is limited to a handful and thats being generous, so I walked right over to the far platform and stood as far as I could go, in an attempt to start making inroads into the required stock and units, I had more joy with the HST stock, than the turbos, they weren't playing nicely, the 165s and 166s on offer were ones already underlined, the 332s aren't needed at all but 360205 eludes me to clear that series of dusty's, however that didn't show either.

I checked RTT to see what platform, the 14.30 to Weston Super Mare was leaving off and saw it was off 1, oh good, the very one I was stood at the top of. I also knew what my charriot was to be, no syrprises here double winners 43180 and 43035, mind you I'd have to be a tad unfortunate to have got duds, seen as I only had about 6 GWR ones and they were from the day, where trams roamed freely in the BR days.

They called the train open 10 mins before departing so I made my way to coach D for my first trevail via GWR lines beyond Ealing Broadway at least for close to over two decades

to be coninued

 

[noddy1878]

Very enjoyable read to start things off! Look forward to the rest of this even though I was following on Twitter. Whilst you didn't get down as far as where I am (out of rover area) I know the S&S very well.

 

[fishquinn]

Sounds like a great first day! Shame it was a double dud power car on the way down though.

 

[47403]

Day 1 continued​

With around 5 mins to departure, I climbed aboard a fairly loaded coach and found some guy in my seat, I was polite and said, excuse me your in my seat, I'd paid for the window seat on the right, mainly to get a view of Acton Yard and Reading depot, this guy got all arsey, turned and said, there's loads of other seats, I said I know and before I had a chance to say anything else, he retorted with a sarcastic, Well? I looked at him, got my reservation out, slapped it on the table and said, look mate, its in black n white there, I've paid for it, now shift!!, needless to say he shifted, giving me a rather hacky look, as he vacated said seat, I said thank you, he gave me a look that had, f#^k you written all over it.

I'm not one for window hanging trams but I heard the front power car rev up and we were off. Acton Yard had about 8 locos on, 4 I could ID, two were covered by a rake of of stone wagons, one was covered by the shed at the end of said stone wagons and the last was a damn 59 to far away over the back of the yard, plus it was one of them with the stupid number plate anyway. One day I'll actually be in place to actually ID 59005 or any of those 4 59/1s I actually need. A bit further on from the yard, a GBRf shed hides behind a wall, I could see the tops of the number, I can only summise its 1 of 6 possibilities, 736,738, 739, 766, 768 or 769, such was the curvitures of the tops of the numbers. I went in my bag for the flask and some sarnies, looked to my left as we whizzed past Southall in a flash. I did see 66541 on an intermodal and missed another shortly after while checking my NREA to see how I'd done at Paddington with stock requirements. Not doing so well catching these locos floating round here, I thought to myself but the HST stock more than made up for that, I clicked loads of them. Before I knew it, we'd arrived at Reading. There was a fair bit on the depot, however to far away to ID for my wretched eyesight.

We arrived into Didcot, where 2 sheds were stabled, nothing exciting but I updated their presence via the hashtag. About 5mins after leaving Didcot, I briefly nodded off but was abruptly woken by an intermodal passing us going south, what was on it, I'll never know but I can confirm, I nearly had to seek a change of underwear

Anyway we ploughed on, at Swindon a DB shed was noted waiting outside the station, again I updated the hashtag of its presence, I think I did anyway but after which there was nothing of interest till we got to Bristol Temple Meads, or as I christened it, Shirley's Temple and then just to Shirley. Here I clicked 150123 and was wondering what the gronk was parked behind the Siemens depot, just outside Shirley. On leaving Shirley the guard apologised for the late running of this service, I thought really, where did we manage to lose 15mins. Then we got caught behind a late running stopoer which meant we practically crawled to Weston Super Mare. The guard was running down the train, replacing the reservation slips, while the guy from the buffet car was clearing any rubbish. 20 years ago, the Unions would've had them all out on strike.

I quickly bailed and having been told there was a Tesco's nearby, I made for there, I was in dire need of some cold drinks. I bought a big bottle of coke, some pork pies, a family pack of walkers and some choc chip muffins. Turned on my heels and walked back to the station and jumped a taxi to my base camp for the next few days.

Check in was quick and simple, I made for my room, quickly emptied the mobile house, quickly freshened up and went for a swift pint in the spoons right next door to my digs. 1 quick pint of Ruddles later, I was off on the walk back to the station. It said 20mins walk from the base camp to the station, despite getting lost, I done it in 12.
I made just in time to clamber aboard winner 150123 for a ride to Shirley's Temple, where I scanned the platforms for a ride out to Bath Spa, this evening I was using the Freedom Travelpass, so after picking up what units were about, I jumped aboard double winners 43174 & 43164 for a spin out to Bath Spa.

As I sat waiting to leave I remember being here many years ago, when class 50s and 47s were largely the main on passenger trains, Bristol Bath Road has gone too, a shed John, Glen and I got permission off the foreman to have a look round, little did I know then, the next time I'd visit the place, Bath Road would be no more and the only hoover you'd see there, would probably be in Curry's window on the High St. That's progress I suppose.

So off to Bath Spa, a place I hadn't visited since the mid 90s and that was for a footy match, that day, trains were not even on the agenda, I was stood outside a pub with a drink in my hand when a 56 stormed through on a MGR train. Unfortunately there's little chance of That day being created on this one. I had to make do with double winners back to Shirley with 43141 & 43176.


No sooner had I arrived when there was more double winners in the form of 43179 & 43124 straight back out to Bath Spa, might as well make hay while the sun shines. So straight back out but by now, I was starting to feel the pace and my tendonitis in my left ankle, was telling me to call it a day, what's more I'd been up since 5am, so I made sure this was my last trip of the day, bar the one back to WSM. After a short while another HST arrived, again double winners, this time 43165 & 43024 and sought charge for my phone, now there was no table seats and no sockets on the wall by the seats like VTEC's trains, so my phone was on fumes, all to late I found the charge point on the airline seats was at the base of the seats, so the phone got about 5mins charge if it was lucky.

I bailed that HST and made for the PIS and saw a train to Exeter St Davids that stopped at WSM, so I made over to the platform and after a driver arrived, climbed aboard an all round winner 150131for the journey back to base. 45mins later I was back in the room, cup of welcome Nescafe in hand contemplating what had been an exhausting but very profitable day. I had a shower, went downstairs got a pint of coke at the bar, went and sat outside in shorts and t-shirt on a lovely warm night, had a ciggy, said my goodnights to those in the bar and promptly zinked after I'd transferred everything from my Dictaphone to notebook.

 

[fishquinn]

Sounds like an excellent end to the day! Honest question though: Do you like Weston-super-Mare?

 

[Techniquest]

Someone else who's had 150131 before me!

Fantastic read so far bud, and I enjoyed the Twitter updates too. Really productive first day had and I look forward to the next part!

 

[jayalongtheway]

Nice one Mickey, look forward to the rest!

 

[Keith Jarrett]

Day one sounded excellent and all you really did was get to base camp and a few fill in moves. That light grey 08 skulking down the back of Barton Hill depot would have been 08516 - it's lived there for quite some time now.

 

[47403]

Sounds like an excellent end to the day! Honest question though: Do you like Weston-super-Mare?

I had no complaints mate, though I did leave mainly before 9 and got back at the earliest 22.30 Quinn.

techniquest said

Someone else who's had 150131 before me!

Fantastic read so far bud, and I enjoyed the Twitter updates too. Really productive first day had and I look forward to the next part!

Yeah I'm sorry about that mate, ever since you found out, I've had aches and pains all over, been out with the voodoo doll me thinks

noddy1878 said

Very enjoyable read to start things off! Look forward to the rest of this even though I was following on Twitter. Whilst you didn't get down as far as where I am (out of rover area) I know the S&S very well.

jayalongtheway said

Nice one Mickey, look forward to the rest!

Cheers all, for the kind words, very much appreciated, seems a fair few were folowing the hastag, thanks for that too.

Sir Keith Jarrett said

Day one sounded excellent and all you really did was get to base camp and a few fill in moves. That light grey 08 skulking down the back of Barton Hill depot would have been 08516 - it's lived there for quite some time now

Im glad someone filled me in, it was indeed Barton Hill as @dstrains said, he also said it'd be 08516, although he wasn't sure. It was an enjoyable day Keith but as soon as tech heard I'd had 150131, me ankle done nowt but play up, no coincidence me thinks.

 

[Techniquest]

You're safe as houses, I ran out of needles for the voodoo doll before then, think some of the other trip reporters got them all for 68025 and 37716

I had a hunch it was 08516 at Barton Hill, but as it's been years since I'd ID'd that one I wasn't willing to say for sure!

 

[D841 Roebuck]

Great read, My Lord.

Looking forward to the rest!

 

[Kristofferson]

Fan-flipping-tastic, LSG!

A properly flat out day, but sounds just like the holiday you ordered you're definitely well back in the game and I can't wait for the rest.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[47403]

Cheers Roebuck, Kris, much appreciated lads.

Day 2- Lets get the FoSS outta Here​

So I'm up at 7.15, Breakfast is at 8, so I jump in the shower, get my bag ready for todays fun, make myself a cuppa and I sit in the chair by the window for 5mins and watch the world go by. About 10 to 8, I go downstairs and make for the terrace to have a quick ciggy, here I hear two older Gentleman talking with a very familiar accent, fellow Geordies. I say morning and for a while were asking where each other are from. Turns out its a bowling clubs annual trip away, they go sight seeing, shopping and play a few local clubs in friendly matches, enjoying the hospitallity at the club houses and each others company. In fairness they were damn good laugh and one of the ladies among the party, jokingly threatened to punch me, for calling their game, ole farts marbles. At 8o'clock sharp, it was if someone had rang the school dinner bell, they might've been retired but by god they could shift when it came to breakfast time. I followed down and my plate was filled high with a mighty English breakfast, with fried bread and toast, washed down with apple juice and a pot of coffee. I was stuffed but I had to crack on, I said my goodbyes, good luck, hope you's win and was out of there just after 8.35.

I called in at Tescos and got a meal deal for later, a large bottle of fanta and a chunky kit kat. I walked over to the Station where a unit was already waiting, so without checking the number, I just jumped on, I'd find out soon enough. The plan for today was Cardiff and Westbury, as well as explore a bit, so I may as well go to Shirley's first.

On the way up to Bristol theres a small container terminal, next to Parson Street Station, whats the place called? Whatever its called, 66541 was there as I passed. We arrived into Shirley's Temple, I put on twitter I'd had 158768, going by the side number, which was wrong, when I looked at the front it was 158956, which was an all round winner, not a bad start if I say so myself, I ambled round Shirley's platforms, picking off the units, the majority all copped, 150925 and 150926 side by side in the same bay platform, was a huge bonus, well for me at least it was anyway I walked through the underpass over to Platforms 12 & 13, to get the HST stock and had a bit of a eureka moment, on the way over yesterday, I saw one of kites rides, 159003 in the bay at Swindon, which was a cop by the way. I thought I haven't had one of those yet, maybe nows as good a time to get one. So I hopped aboard the next one out to Paddington, which had double winners 43170 & 43070, I got a table seat put the phone on charge, before pouring myself a coffee and devoured my chunky kit kat and settled in for the ride out to Swindon.

Now the last time I was at Swindon Station was at silly o'clock in the morning, I was on a coach trip, we'd came here for the shunter and it wasn't there, in fact absolutely nothing was, so it was turned into a half an hour break, to stretch your legs, if indeed you were awake it was anyhow, then as we got on the bus a 47 rumbled through with a speedlink or some intermodal. Wonder what chance there is of one of them today?

We arrive at Swindon and I look across to the bay and sure enough theres a SWT unit in there, I thought, oh get in, I disembark said trams, without a second glance and march towards the bay platform, unfortunately its not a 159 but a cop nontheless in 158882. I didn't know where it was going but I knew it was going to have me aboard. As it turned out it was going to Cheltenham. I stood at the Bristol end of the platform, taking more HST stock, when an intermodal came through, alas it wasn't one of LSGs favourite machines but bloody 66541, for the 3rd time in 2 days, in my head I told it to go away, well not quite in them words but the sentiment was the same.

A driver came out and opened the 158, I followed on pretty much seconds after him, the 158 was boiling, it was like walking into the kitchen, when your Mams got the Sunday lunch cooking, I thought of techs saying, winner winner chicken dinner, however I tweeted, winner winner, gonna make me into a chicken dinner. I opened a few windows but it barely done anything till we got moving, I'd got a table seat and settled in with a massive glug of Fanta. I nipped to the loo and on returning to my seat, the guard was hovering over where I'd put my bag, epecting a tickets please, he asked, is this your bag? I said, whey aye, is there a problem? he said oh no, just take it with you if you nip to the loo, I had an incident on a train the other week, where a woman done the same and she had her I-pad and purse stolen, just I'd hate to see anything of value taken, I said, thanks for the heads up but they'd have been sadly disappointed, my phone and wallets in my pocket, mind you, I'd have been slighly narked if they'd taken my pork pies, we both laughed. I showed him my Rover and not for the first time on this trip, issued at Newcastle made him have a second glance, before adding, by thats some rover. I told him its for round this neck of the woods, just got it at Newcastle.

The route to Gloucester was a new line for me, not that I'm a quail or baker man but it's always nice to add a new string to your bow. Wasn't a great deal to see of interest but it was a pleasant enough journey, in what seemed to be a line of very remote places. The young woman who got on at Stroud, was certainly the highlight of the trip.

I bailed 158882 at Gloucester and was looking for any sign of the sidings where 97653 used to stabled, unfortunately I could see nothing, maybe thats gone too, however in fairness, when I did see it, it was pitch black and I only ever saw it on the stabling point, so never saw it move. Maybe 55013 or KJ can shed some light on its movement in and around Gloucester?


This not my photo but this used to live in these parts

Other than 170638, very kindly donating itself to my ever growing cops list, there was very little on offer, although with the glorious weather the ladies were looking rather fetching. However I couldn't dwell on that, especially as winner 150925 was heading back to Bristol and as I was now of the opinion, I think it's time I got heading for the Welsh capital.

I jumped aboard the front coach and took a seat right behind the cab, not that I took i the journey because after calling at Yate, I zonked out till I heard the guard say, we'll shortly be calling at Bristol Parkway, I quickly fired up RTT, to see when the next train to Cardiff would be, I saw that if I bailed at Filton Abbey Wood, I'd have a +10, cracking that'll do me and I bailed there. I crossed the foot bridge went out of the station had a quicky ciggy and a huge glug of Fanta, I went over to the platform and within a few minutes in came another AR winner 150243. On the way, we passed the new Hitachi Depot, it looks quite impressive and ready just to deliver the trains, the site looks massive and well away from being able to see anything, when locos are actually on the depot, although I'm sure will find a vantage point somewhere.

I certainly enjoyed the symphony of the 150 climbing the bank up towards and through the Severn Tunnel, the driver was certainly thrashing it's gut out. Now I sitting there thinking, imagine the racket a 37 thrashing away up this would make, the thought of a 47 doing it, would just give me the horn Out the other side of the tunnel to another place I'd visited on a couple of coach journeys was Severn Tunnel Junction, there'd be a myriad of locos stabled there, especially at weekends, now I'm struggling to find the rails of where the stabling point actually was. Progress has really started to irritate me now.

Next stop was Newport, I was going to bail here, mainly because I wanted to try and get another winner in before the Welsh Capital and delay getting to Cardiff when Canton would push everything out for the peak.

I bailed at Newport and walked halfway up Platform 2 and took a seat, why you may ask? anyone who's read some of my nostalgic memories in the 47403 The Early Years, may remember a recount of one of my favourite railway memories, happened at Newport. Having had 47600 from Cardiff out to Newport in a hope of getting a 37/4 back, I know I'm telling an old tale here but bear with me, this was the first time I'd been back since that very day, so as I sat on that bench on Platform 2, looking up the line, it didn't feel right, so I got up walked over the bridge and meandered up to roughly a similar spot on the opposite platform and sat down, looking up the line, this was the spot or a damn sight near it, all of a sudden the memory came flooding back, I remembered us laughing and carrying on, hearing the horn and the 37 coming out of the darkness, Glen laughing wildly and shouting, woooaaahh and Glen, John, Maxy and I pegging it up the platform, to get a window nearest the 37. I sat day dreaming, probably with a silly smirk on my face, it was good to recall that memory and I have to say, it was good to be back.

Special mention must go to Newport Station, the only station in the entire FoSS area to accept my Rover ticket. My coffee in the flask, had gone to the warm, awful tasting stage, so I drained my Fanta instead. Today I wasn't getting a 37 over to Cardiff but I did get winner 175008 and this is when the cop fest began, I practically clicked every ATW DMU on sight, the 142s, began with 142081 and 142082 and they just kept coming, within an hour, I had all but 1 of the welsh 142's and numerous 150s. Athis time, I decided on a quick filler move, so when double winning trams turned up, I thought, yeah they'll do, especially with 43126, being in the enviro livery

I quickly bailed off at platform 3 and would simply climb aboard, whatever came next, 5mins later or so winner 43063 and dud 43003 turned up to take back to Cardiff

At Cardiff I had time to click another 4 ATW 150's but I was more concerned of finding the Platform for the 17.16 Cardiff-Holyhead loco hauled turn. Now I was in luck, I'd had some very accurate gen from a certain Techniquest, who'd seen 67001 on the previous days working, so I was looking forward to geting a) A winner and b)one of the blue skips. As I stood looking up the platform I saw said skip on its way, so I made my down the platform, to get the front window, as it got closer, firstly I wondered if I'd gone colour blind as the skip rolled in front of, me, I have to say....................

techniquest, was totally wrong, they changed it, not that I was complaining, as of February, I still required this skip for sight, now I've got 67013 for haulage.

A weird scenario, has emerged here, 67014 was my penultimate skip, guess which one was on the Manchester loco hauled set, when I done a FONW last October, yip 67014, also my last 185, was 185143, the first 185 I got on that very same Rover, was none other than 185143, certainly a weird set of coincidences that have emerged. I bailed off 67013 at Newport and was going to go for a ciggy but this turned up, so I thought I better get on even though I'd had it when it was named Top of the Pops, which co-incidentally I'd taken then, mainly because it was my last HST back then

this time with dud 43002 leading winner 43018 I was back off to Cardiff to hopefully find that last 142, 142069.

to be continued

 

[Kristofferson]

Great stuff, hope you found that 142...! Haven't seen 43002 up close properly, but caught a glimpse from the tube platforms at PAD a couple of weeks back


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[55013]

Excellent stuff.
IIRC, the Western Region had five class 97/6s which they used in engineering possessions. They used to be moved in the consist of the trains and then move them around, allowing the mainline loco that brought it in to go and do something else.
Here's a shot (again, not mine) of 97652 in such a consist at Taunton:
https://www.flickr.com/photos/davek...bkU-tCm1VW-qr4acs-Hyeh5z-GexidJ-v81jp4-p15YCb

I remember 97653 spent many years dumped at Reading in a derelict state.
I missed it when it went

 

[Keith Jarrett]

You seem to be enjoying your FoSS - getting all those South Wales units must have swelled your book nicely.

Those sidings you were thinking of at Gloucester were at Horton Road which is effectively by the level crossing at the eastern end of the station. While in their later years , the 97/6s were used as Mr 13 describes (incidentally, The Haulage Book notes that it was 55007 that took me all around Kent way back on 26 March 1978) but when I first encountered them, they were numbered PWM 650-654 and based at fixed locations around the Western Region (PWM = Permanent Way Machine, in case anyone asks).

 

[47403]

Thanks for the info on 97653 guys, I thought if anyone knew it'd be you two guys. #railwayoracles