#LSGsCapitalGains

[47403]

With just over 2 weeks before I spring into action, well i say spring, more like stumble, for the first time since the SVR Diesel Gala. So.I thought I'd start the back story and garner anymore possible advice anyone could possibly throw at me too.

I've been itching to get back on the rails but a mixture of a new job and a holiday abroad, have occupied my time and money, so this one has had to be put on the back burner, till now. London has been calling for far too long, there's blank pages in my platform 5 of units down there, that I can no longer ignore. A hope that 3 days in the capital can at least remedy. It's not a totally blank canvas, so to speak but it's fair to say, the book of sights, should be healthier for the experience.

Tickets sourced, digs booked but not without disappointment too. I wanted to get the Sleeper off Carlisle on the Monday, however inviting the fare was £45 single, when I went to book said journey, I'm met with, Sold Out. Much gnashing of teeth.

So I thought, let's check to see if I could do it the Chiltern way, a bit cat action wouldve been a decent enough way to arrive into London, however theres a catch, a XC catch and a voyager journey. More gnashing of teeth, so lets investigate a cheap one to the Bat Cave. I know, I should know better, its was pointless, in fact, it'd be easier prising a Krispy Kreme doughnut out of Gemma Collins hands, than getting a cheap XC advance from the North East to the Bat cave. So it looks like the direct route again. 25mins later. I'm booked up and down the ECML to London for £30 cheaper than XC wanted for a single to the Bat Cave.

Anyhow to the questions. I'll be using the all zone Capital Card, as it was in old money. So I need advice on where the zones stretch to. I believe Hayes on the GWML and nothing on the GEML after Stratford? Also is there any services I can use to pass Wembley Yard on the travel card and is the tube to West Ruislip also within the boundary and services to pass Cricklewood.

Freight, I know of, Stratford, where base camp is, also Wilesden Junction, Acton, Denmark Hill and Wandsworth Road. I'd like to see some, unit blindness will get to me eventually.

Also any advice on the 345, 387 and 707 workings, would also be a big help.

As you can guess I'm raring to go. If I'm lucky I will get a big milestone by the end of the trip but I will keep that to myself for the trip report after I return.

Roll on 04.45 on Tuesday 10th October. Please feel free to offer any pearls of wisdom below.

Many thanks
47403

 

[rg177]

On the GEML your ticket is valid to Harold Wood on TfL Rail (Romford being the last stop on Greater Anglia, at least Mon-Sat, Sundays being different with the Southend services calling all stations Shenfield to Romford) though a 1-9 Travelcard will see you to Brentwood.

On the Great Western, you can go to West Drayton which is the stop after Hayes.

To pass Wembley yard if we're talking WCML, then the fastest services will be the twice hourly London Midland services to Tring, 1tph of which calls at Wembley Central, both calling at Harrow & Wealdstone.

All the tube (including West Ruislip) is valid on a 1-6 except the Metropolitan Line north of Moor Park.

Cricklewood is valid too, the Travelcard is valid as far north as Elstree & Borehamwood.

Sent from my F3111 using Tapatalk

 

[Dhassell]

To pass Wembley yard if we're talking WCML, then the fastest services will be the twice hourly London Midland services to Tring, 1tph of which calls at Wembley Central, both calling at Harrow & Wealdstone.

And Southern services from Clapham to Milton Keynes, If they run

 

[Far north 37]

And Southern services from Clapham to Milton Keynes, If they run

the southern services mentioned above go past wembley yard a lot slower so its best for picking up whats in there.
best going southbound on the southern service as its the closest line to the yard, you can pick up whats in the old freightliner terminal at willesden as well theres usually a few freightliner 66s

 

[Blindtraveler]

Can't add anything to this really for now but you have my number LSG so anything you need whilst on the trip text me and will do my best.

 

[rg177]

As for 387s- within the zones, the evening peak at a GWR station between Paddington and Hayes will do you best. Off peak a lot are stabled in Reading and Maidenhead.

GatEx 387s can easily be ticked off at Clapham Junction, and GN ones can be best seen at Finsbury Park or any other station south of Hadley Wood.

345s are starting to spring up a bit more- I'd recommend looking at the relevant thread, as with the 707s which now have a regular diagram on the Windsors. iirc there's also a new 707 peak diagram on Woking services.

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[Kite159]

For the 345s, a few are visible at the depot at Ilford, although it depends on the luck of the draw if you can ID some and they are not blocked by a triple 360

Good luck with your book of sights

 

[Cowley]

I know nothing, but have a good time mister.

 

[47403]

Wow!!! Mega quick responses, shouldn't be a surprise but brilliant, Thank you lads, very much appreciated.

Kite, the book of sights(always have a bit of titter at that), phrase seems to have entered THE definitive forum trips and planning phrase book. Along with winner, dud, shack, mobile house and Bat Cave, of which no trip report can be written without the aforementioned words.

Any others pearls of wisdom, no matter how big or small, please share. They'll be greatly appreciated.

 

[Kite159]

Wow!!! Mega quick responses, shouldn't be a surprise but brilliant, Thank you lads, very much appreciated.

Kite, the book of sights(always have a bit of titter at that), phrase seems to have entered THE definitive forum trips and planning phrase book. Along with winner, dud, shack, mobile house and Bat Cave, of which no trip report can be written without the aforementioned words.

Any others pearls of wisdom, no matter how big or small, please share. They'll be greatly appreciated.

The latest phrase is "depths of Hell" for St Pancras Low Level platforms. Probably more so once the tunnels open allowing for more confusion with route destinations

 

[Cowley]

Wow!!! Mega quick responses, shouldn't be a surprise but brilliant, Thank you lads, very much appreciated.

Kite, the book of sights(always have a bit of titter at that), phrase seems to have entered THE definitive forum trips and planning phrase book. Along with winner, dud, shack, mobile house and Bat Cave, of which no trip report can be written without the aforementioned words.

Any others pearls of wisdom, no matter how big or small, please share. They'll be greatly appreciated.

Well, if you go on the tube make sure you stare everyone in the eye and try to talk to them too. They really like that in London.

 

[Techniquest]

Well, if you go on the tube make sure you stare everyone in the eye and try to talk to them too. They really like that in London.

I'm sure it doesn't need mentioning, but that's so full of sarcasm the needle on my device flew off!

Looks like all your questions have been covered pretty well by everyone else, but to try and help you visualise it all, here's a Travelcard map:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lq3Sbz-uS...A/v1Q-UNh0OSc/s1600/London_tube_map_zones.gif

Cricklewood, sit on the right hand side and the depot is just after the station in the northbound direction.

Hornsey, going north sit on the right but off-peak it's heaving. You *may* find it more useful to view it from around 1600 from the bridge at Harringay, served every 10 minutes by Great Northern and its 313s. From around 4pm it should start emptying out rapidly, and you'll get an absolute ton of 365s and, I suspect now, 387s coming off it. I *think* the 700s are stabled for now in sidings on the left hand side (opposite the platform at Hornsey) but that's been ages since I last went there so I could be wrong on those.

Ilford, sit on the left on a TfL Rail service but you will struggle to see much as even then you go at a fair rate of knots and the 321s have such tiny numbers!

Stratford is THE mecca for anything GEML-related as far as I'm concerned, my favourite spot was always the London end of platforms 9 and 10 in 2005.

As someone else has already hinted (Far North 37 I think), the Southern services from Milton Keynes to East Croydon will crawl past Wembley EUFOC and they are your best bet to view locos on there. On a Zones 1-6 Travelcard you will be valid between East Croydon and Harrow & Wealdstone.

Don't think you need much on the WCML, if anything, but Harrow & Wealdstone is another much-loved spot from my early days on the scene.

Clapham Junction is THE mecca of SWR and Southern, my favourite spot was always the London end of platforms 11 and 12.

Depends on what you need bud, but that's the standard advice. Willesden Junction for 378s is good, Farringdon is good for Thameslink stuff, Waterloo East is good for South Eastern with a ton of stuff during the day. I'd recommend London Bridge but while that's being ripped up still (bring on next year when it finally finishes) I'd probably avoid it for much. It's coming on nicely mind, the difference is astronomical.

Feel free to text for advice, I'm on an 8-1 that day but will respond as fast as I can when I'm not on the battlefield.

 

[47403]

I'm sure it doesn't need mentioning, but that's so full of sarcasm the needle on my device flew off!

Looks like all your questions have been covered pretty well by everyone else, but to try and help you visualise it all, here's a Travelcard map:

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Lq3Sbz-uS...A/v1Q-UNh0OSc/s1600/London_tube_map_zones.gif

Cricklewood, sit on the right hand side and the depot is just after the station in the northbound direction.

Hornsey, going north sit on the right but off-peak it's heaving. You *may* find it more useful to view it from around 1600 from the bridge at Harringay, served every 10 minutes by Great Northern and its 313s. From around 4pm it should start emptying out rapidly, and you'll get an absolute ton of 365s and, I suspect now, 387s coming off it. I *think* the 700s are stabled for now in sidings on the left hand side (opposite the platform at Hornsey) but that's been ages since I last went there so I could be wrong on those.

Ilford, sit on the left on a TfL Rail service but you will struggle to see much as even then you go at a fair rate of knots and the 321s have such tiny numbers!

Stratford is THE mecca for anything GEML-related as far as I'm concerned, my favourite spot was always the London end of platforms 9 and 10 in 2005.

As someone else has already hinted (Far North 37 I think), the Southern services from Milton Keynes to East Croydon will crawl past Wembley EUFOC and they are your best bet to view locos on there. On a Zones 1-6 Travelcard you will be valid between East Croydon and Harrow & Wealdstone.

Don't think you need much on the WCML, if anything, but Harrow & Wealdstone is another much-loved spot from my early days on the scene.

Clapham Junction is THE mecca of SWR and Southern, my favourite spot was always the London end of platforms 11 and 12.

Depends on what you need bud, but that's the standard advice. Willesden Junction for 378s is good, Farringdon is good for Thameslink stuff, Waterloo East is good for South Eastern with a ton of stuff during the day. I'd recommend London Bridge but while that's being ripped up still (bring on next year when it finally finishes) I'd probably avoid it for much. It's coming on nicely mind, the difference is astronomical.

Feel free to text for advice, I'm on an 8-1 that day but will respond as fast as I can when I'm not on the battlefield.

Thanks tech. Much appreciated squire.

 

[47403]

With just over 29hrs to go, till I leap back on the rails. Again many thanks for all the info shared. Its been a huge help.

If your remotely interested, I will try and keep the hashtag updated on twitter with the #LSGsCapitalGains starting in the early hours of Tuesday morning.
Many Thanks
47403

 

[Techniquest]

The very best of luck to you tomorrow, I'm jealous as my own trip to London is still 12 days away. I'll be keeping an eye on the hashtag before and after work, feel free to get in touch off-forum should you desire. I'm working 8-1 tomorrow so won't be fast to reply mind.

 

[47403]

Cheers tech. I will at some point be in touch no doubt

 

[47403]

Back home, may take a bit to write the report, got to sort, the bookwork out, to get an exact total of winners for the book of sights, for what was a hugely successful but exhausting 3 days away.
Cheers to all for advice and help, your pearls of wisdom contributed hugely. I cant thank you all enough.
47403

 

[Techniquest]

Bring on the trip report, the Live Trip Report on Twitter (when Twitter behaved for me!) was an enjoyable read. Made me jealous with all that stuff I've yet to have mind, I note you had stuff even Kite still needs!

 

[Kite159]

Bring on the trip report, the Live Trip Report on Twitter (when Twitter behaved for me!) was an enjoyable read. Made me jealous with all that stuff I've yet to have mind, I note you had stuff even Kite still needs!

Which isn't that hard to do with the new stock coming in on a semi-regular basis

No doubt your book of sights will be filling up when you pop down next week

 

[47403]

Which isn't that hard to do with the new stock coming in on a semi-regular basis

No doubt your book of sights will be filling up when you pop down next week

Ha Ha next week, I wish, regarding having stuff, that both Kite and Tech, haven't got, may I remind you both, you both have stuff cleared in your haulage files, that I have yet to underline in the "book of sights", so I'm fairly sure you'll both put to bed, what I saw and had.

Glad you enjoyed the live twitter feed Tech, took some doing and at one point my phone was running on fumes.

 

[Techniquest]

Been there and done that LSG, I use every trick in the book to keep my phone going. Minimum brightness, connections all off, Ultra Power Saving Mode and even Flight Mode when underground/spending lots of time in a known signal-less area.

 

[47403]

LSGsCapitalGains - Day 1
​

At 02.30 I was up, not very bright eyed, nor bushy tailed. After a shower, getting ready, coffee and ciggy, I was a bit more alert. After making sure I'd left nothing behind, my flat mate, run me over to Central Station at 4am for the (oh Christ that's early)4.45 to London Kings Cross, which was already parked in Platform 2. So whilst getting the stock off the aforementioned service, I bumped into an old mate and fellow crank, whom I'd never seen for ages. Who'd been working night shift on Central, after asking each other, how we were and have you seen this and that person, he asked where I was off. I told him I was off to the Queen, his reply was, oh will she be at Clapham Junction, cos that'll be as close as you get to her, I admitted, yeah your probably right. I asked, what's the blunt on the top of this lot, I'm told 91130. We said our goodbyes and I continued forlornly getting the dud stock, before coming face to face with the Lord Mayor of Newcastle

20171010_043150 by Michael Barrass, on Flickr

Have to admit I was happy with this, as it was a winner blunt, well 2nd time round it is anyway.

There was only this set and the thunderbird 67005, for those who care, At Central, so I clambered aboard and found my seat. No sooner had I found my seat, I asked for a table seat and was kindly given an airline seat, cheers!!!. I went into my bag for my Lucozade, opened the top and it fizzed all over, me, my arm and my bag on the seat, a guy sitting opposite in his seat on the left hand side of the carriage, just looked at me and shook his head

With nowt to see, it's that time of year again, it's pitch black, nothing to see out the window but your reflection, so I decided to put my head down for a bit. I was woken at Darlington, with a nudge and tickets from Newcastle, Durham and Darlington please. Panic ensued, whilst I looked for my ticket wallet, which wasn't in my pockets but under my phone, on the pully down, tabley thing, you get when you get an airline seat. After that I couldn't get back to kip and with nowt to see out the window till we got South of Doncaster, I amused myself with an old Issue of Railways Illustrated I have on my phone, reading about the decline of coal traffic. Which is a shame because when I first got into this hobby, the majority of freight I saw passing, was class 37's with (I think) old HTV coal hoppers, before progressing onto 56's with the HAA's on MGR's (by that was a lot of abbreviations for one sentence), up in the North East it probably accounted for about 75% of freight traffic up here, now we've about a dozen coal trains, mainly all operated by GBRf between Tyne Dock, North Blyth Drax and Cottam. Sad really.

After Newark and light getting better, I got my stuff ready and headed for the door to a)bail at Peterborough and b0 to see if any of those last 8 GB sheds I'm after are on view, sadly they aren't.

I bail off the station and go for a quick ciggy, I've got 20mins till the 07.41 comes in from Leeds, I manage to score a tamper and 2 365's for sight and 1st cops of the trip and a Hull trains 180 bowls me from seeing another shed running light through the station, nevermind, can't win em all. Not long after, my HST approaches, will I, won't I, get winners, no it duds 43208 and 43272 and to make matters worse, the train is so chocker, I can't even get into the coach to get to my reserved seat, so I just say, oh sod it and try and find a vestibule to stand in, nothing at all near a window but one rather attractive young lady, gave its own type of wonderful view, shame I got to see zip on the outskirts of London though

to be continued

 

[Cowley]

It feels like ages since I read one of your reports. Always great LSG.
Looking forward to the rest of it but go steady on that Lucozade next time.

 

[fishquinn]

Sounds like a not-so-great start to the trip with the aisle seat, Lucozade, ticket faff and wedged tram but at least you got a few winners.

The lucozade thing reminds me of a story dad told me not long back from when he was about my age and on the Clansman from Euston to Scotland with a few friends. Apparently one of his mates was a bit older at the time so had some beer that had got shaken up on the way over to Euston from Waterloo. Dad and 3 of his friends (including the one with the beer) were in one bay of 4 and another of dad's friends was sat next to a normal in the bay of 4 next to them. The guy with the beer decided that it'd be a laugh to send beer from the bottle flying at his friend who was sat next to the normal so shook it up even more and took the cap off. Unfortunately his friend saw this coming and ducked so loads of foam and beer hit the normal next to him, who was bald so had a foam hairstyle and you could see the outline of his head on the window where his head had blocked the window from being dripping wet. The guy said absolutely nothing though: just looked at them, got a handkerchief from his pocket and just wiped it off... Apparently everyone in the area couldn't contain themselves from laughing, including the two normals sat opposite the guy who had received the beer

 

[Techniquest]

Apart from the view between Peterborough and London (was it as good as the one shared in the chatter group?) it sounds like a bit of a dull start to the trip. Still, better to start poorly than well and have the main event be dull!

 

[47403]

Apart from the view between Peterborough and London (was it as good as the one shared in the chatter group?) it sounds like a bit of a dull start to the trip. Still, better to start poorly than well and have the main event be dull!

Tech she was stunning, the one at Paddington was nice but the one on the train was...... wow!!!!!.

Yeah a rather sedate start, I admit lads, the Lucozade was just stupid of me. i'M GLAD IT JUST WENT OVER ME AND NO-ONE ELSE, I'd have died a death

 

[Kite159]

Shame about the busy HST, but a required 91 is a good start.

 

[47403]

Shame about the busy HST, but a required 91 is a good start.

2nd time round but yeah a great start kite.

 

[Blindtraveler]

Apologies for not pre warning you about the very special Kind of exhaustion a few days in Fusey Azam in London brings on
It is a unique and pleasurable feeling and I love it but it is draining

Look forward to the report when it's ready

 

[47403]

Apologies for not pre warning you about the very special Kind of exhaustion a few days in Fusey Azam in London brings on
It is a unique and pleasurable feeling and I love it but it is draining

Look forward to the report when it's ready

Yeah it was knackering but enjoyable BT