Kite159
Veteran Member
It was the second one GBRf have done, the first being in 2015. I would expect another 4 day tour to be had in 2020 to celebrate 20 years of GBRf
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Noddy's Trip Reports
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It was the second one GBRf have done, the first being in 2015. I would expect another 4 day tour to be had in 2020 to celebrate 20 years of GBRf
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The_Train
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Got a bit of time to save the pennies then. Can I be nosy and ask how much it was this time around?
Kite159
Veteran Member
£480 for the whole trip in first class.
The_Train
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NorthWestRover
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I'm not sure I even knew Paddington was electrified until I ventured into this forum. When did that happen? 87 002 at Paddington just sounds weird.
Thanks!
Second four day tour, they do a few day ones throughout the year. The last one was celebrating 15 years of GBRf and was in 2016.
£320 for standard. Not bad for just short of 2000 miles of loco haulage!
Early this year it went live for all trains. Didcot to Paddington is live at the moment for passenger service trains. It was a truly awesome run!
Kite159
Veteran Member
It's been electrified since the late 90s as far as Airport junction, although the only EMUs were Heathrow Express & Heathrow Connect services [until a couple years ago when the 387s started arriving to run Paddington - Hayes & Harlington shuttles in the path of the Paddington - Greenford services]
47403
Established Member
Great read Noddy. I fully expected GBRf to deliver again and by the sounds of it they did.
As usual some cracking photos and a few flashes of red pen before and during the tour. Happy days.
As usual some cracking photos and a few flashes of red pen before and during the tour. Happy days.
D841 Roebuck
Established Member
Just caught up myself. Sounds a great tour with GBRF - and glad that their designated charity did well.
I note the presence of 'Spoons at Glasshaughton. Must make the effort to go there sometime...
I note the presence of 'Spoons at Glasshaughton. Must make the effort to go there sometime...
Kite159
Veteran Member
A good way to pass the time as Glasshoughton is pretty much an hour fester unless you get lucky or visit during one of the few times when the connection between trains isn't 1 minute
Thanks. Was a great tour and they truly delivered! Nice having the red pen as we went! Added bonuses!
Just catching up.
Some great reports there - that tour looks impressive and I enjoyed reading about your soiree to my local area
I love it up your way! Loads of variety and different things to do! Down here I have little choice! With the exception of one place (places I truly like to go to that is) way better bars up north too!
Easy to get too as well. Literally up the footbridge and across the road and there it is right in front of you.
24th September
The sleeper was three early into Plymouth, and then I set off for the mile and half walk home. I was home by 0600 and got myself a cup of tea and got some breakfast. A repack of my bag was then required for the next few days. More? Yep! When I found out that my wife only had the back end of the week off I made a plan to hunt down my last 365 which had fortunately been bought back into use. Unfortunately it was in Scotland. Well not unfortunately but it meant as much as I love it up there I needed to get back there which isn’t as practical as going to London!
So back at the station for the 0949 to Exeter. 43071 and 43029, with an extra 1st class coach which had been declassified arrived on time into Exeter and off I went outside the station to wait for the a bus. It arrived on time and then it was off to Exeter Airport. My time then became stressful and frustrating which didn’t help my hate of flying (I don't have a fear of flying, I just hate the experience all around it!). Security was a nightmare with people not doing what they should have been doing and then the staff becoming overly rude. My flight was then delayed and we didn’t board until when we should have left. Finally it was uncomfortable. I hate flying.
Anyway once I was at Edinburgh it was time to get on. My initial plan was to lose my bag. I boarded tram 265 at Edinburgh Airport but only took this to Edinburgh Gateway. At this point I had also cleared the route of the tram network too. Having fired up the Tram app I saw a required tram coming the other way which is why I bailed. 273 took me back to Ingliston Park & Ride where 270 took me forward to Edinburgh park where I was to intercept another potential winner. I didn’t make it though!
A pair of 365s passed through the main station at speed and I was convinced the leading unit was a hopeful one! Change of plan. I fired up RTT and looked at where I could intercept it’s return. I now needed to get a ticket. No ticket office and only vending machines. I found someone on the gates and said I needed to by a rover so they sold me one form a mobile ticket machine. With that done I jumped on 334039 and 334033 to Haymarket. I didn’t want to risk it to Waverley and ending up in the wrong bit for the train due to leave that I needed.
380113 and 380016 would be my first electric ride on the flagship Glasgow - Edinburgh route, well as far as Falkirk High. It was a speedy run but was quite rough I felt. I soon arrived at Falkirk High and had to let a train go. They would have been my first 385s but they will be around for a while. I would kick myself if the train behind was not what I thought I had seen!
20180924-Falkirk High-380016 by Steven Booth, on Flickr
20180924-Falkirk High-385003 by Steven Booth, on Flickr
The time soon came and I would soon find out! 365513 and 365525.
20180924-Falkirk High-365525 by Steven Booth, on Flickr
Yes! My final 365! I was happy because my objective for the trip was complete already! This would free me up now to worry about shacks and maybe relax? I now wanted to lose my bag. So It was all the way to Waverley and then to the Hub by Premier Inn. I don’t normally mention the accommodation but I was quite impressed by this. Small and functional rooms but everything was controlled by touch buttons. Nifty!
It was then back to the station with not much of a plan at all. I decided that as there was a train due to leave I would head out towards North Berwick. Now was the time to clear the shacks needed this way. Pleasantly surprised to find a pair of 385s working the train I boarded 385006 and 007 for my first experience of them. I was impressed. Smooth ride and quick acceleration. I was soon enough at Longniddry. A fifteen minute saw 380103 arrive and take me the shortish distance to Prestonpans. It was a pleasant evening but the sun was starting to drop now and with it the temperature. I was glad the waits weren’t that long! 170393 was next to arrive and it was off to Drem to clear the line for shacks between the Edinburgh and North Berwick and Alnmouth. I waited for 170393 to return and take me back to Edinburgh.
It had just passed 2000 and I decided that I needed to eat. Now as I type this I can’t for the life of me remember what I did! I know I did something because it was another 40 odd minutes before my next move which was a tram move. I needed to return to them as there was still one kicking about I needed. I got on 261 at York Place and headed towards the Airport. I would intercept the one I needed. I failed though and got off one stop to late and missed it! Doh. I now had to retrace my steps. 264 was then had to St Andrews Square for 268 which I took back towards Haymarket where I was going to call my train/tram exploits a day. But I saw a tram that wasn’t even showing on the app, not even an incorrectly labelled one. So 257 took me back to Princes Street. I was playing it safe. 276 eventually returned and I took this to West End Princes Street. That was it then. Now time to go and enjoy a few drinks. The Hanging Bat, Brewdog and Innis and Gunn bars were visited. Some stunning beers enjoyed before returning to my hotel some what later than planned. It was about 0100 i think but I didn’t have an early start so all was good.
The sleeper was three early into Plymouth, and then I set off for the mile and half walk home. I was home by 0600 and got myself a cup of tea and got some breakfast. A repack of my bag was then required for the next few days. More? Yep! When I found out that my wife only had the back end of the week off I made a plan to hunt down my last 365 which had fortunately been bought back into use. Unfortunately it was in Scotland. Well not unfortunately but it meant as much as I love it up there I needed to get back there which isn’t as practical as going to London!
So back at the station for the 0949 to Exeter. 43071 and 43029, with an extra 1st class coach which had been declassified arrived on time into Exeter and off I went outside the station to wait for the a bus. It arrived on time and then it was off to Exeter Airport. My time then became stressful and frustrating which didn’t help my hate of flying (I don't have a fear of flying, I just hate the experience all around it!). Security was a nightmare with people not doing what they should have been doing and then the staff becoming overly rude. My flight was then delayed and we didn’t board until when we should have left. Finally it was uncomfortable. I hate flying.
Anyway once I was at Edinburgh it was time to get on. My initial plan was to lose my bag. I boarded tram 265 at Edinburgh Airport but only took this to Edinburgh Gateway. At this point I had also cleared the route of the tram network too. Having fired up the Tram app I saw a required tram coming the other way which is why I bailed. 273 took me back to Ingliston Park & Ride where 270 took me forward to Edinburgh park where I was to intercept another potential winner. I didn’t make it though!
A pair of 365s passed through the main station at speed and I was convinced the leading unit was a hopeful one! Change of plan. I fired up RTT and looked at where I could intercept it’s return. I now needed to get a ticket. No ticket office and only vending machines. I found someone on the gates and said I needed to by a rover so they sold me one form a mobile ticket machine. With that done I jumped on 334039 and 334033 to Haymarket. I didn’t want to risk it to Waverley and ending up in the wrong bit for the train due to leave that I needed.
380113 and 380016 would be my first electric ride on the flagship Glasgow - Edinburgh route, well as far as Falkirk High. It was a speedy run but was quite rough I felt. I soon arrived at Falkirk High and had to let a train go. They would have been my first 385s but they will be around for a while. I would kick myself if the train behind was not what I thought I had seen!
20180924-Falkirk High-380016 by Steven Booth, on Flickr
20180924-Falkirk High-385003 by Steven Booth, on FlickrThe time soon came and I would soon find out! 365513 and 365525.
20180924-Falkirk High-365525 by Steven Booth, on FlickrYes! My final 365! I was happy because my objective for the trip was complete already! This would free me up now to worry about shacks and maybe relax? I now wanted to lose my bag. So It was all the way to Waverley and then to the Hub by Premier Inn. I don’t normally mention the accommodation but I was quite impressed by this. Small and functional rooms but everything was controlled by touch buttons. Nifty!
It was then back to the station with not much of a plan at all. I decided that as there was a train due to leave I would head out towards North Berwick. Now was the time to clear the shacks needed this way. Pleasantly surprised to find a pair of 385s working the train I boarded 385006 and 007 for my first experience of them. I was impressed. Smooth ride and quick acceleration. I was soon enough at Longniddry. A fifteen minute saw 380103 arrive and take me the shortish distance to Prestonpans. It was a pleasant evening but the sun was starting to drop now and with it the temperature. I was glad the waits weren’t that long! 170393 was next to arrive and it was off to Drem to clear the line for shacks between the Edinburgh and North Berwick and Alnmouth. I waited for 170393 to return and take me back to Edinburgh.
It had just passed 2000 and I decided that I needed to eat. Now as I type this I can’t for the life of me remember what I did! I know I did something because it was another 40 odd minutes before my next move which was a tram move. I needed to return to them as there was still one kicking about I needed. I got on 261 at York Place and headed towards the Airport. I would intercept the one I needed. I failed though and got off one stop to late and missed it! Doh. I now had to retrace my steps. 264 was then had to St Andrews Square for 268 which I took back towards Haymarket where I was going to call my train/tram exploits a day. But I saw a tram that wasn’t even showing on the app, not even an incorrectly labelled one. So 257 took me back to Princes Street. I was playing it safe. 276 eventually returned and I took this to West End Princes Street. That was it then. Now time to go and enjoy a few drinks. The Hanging Bat, Brewdog and Innis and Gunn bars were visited. Some stunning beers enjoyed before returning to my hotel some what later than planned. It was about 0100 i think but I didn’t have an early start so all was good.
The_Train
Established Member
- Joined
- 2 Jun 2018
- Messages
- 4,358
Well done on clearing the 365s, certainly made your plane journey worth the effort.
Got to say, I love the look of the 385s
Got to say, I love the look of the 385s
87electric
Member
- Joined
- 27 Jan 2010
- Messages
- 1,023
Some good winners there for you.
I always like to retire to The Hanging Bat after a day in Edinburgh. Always a class selection of beers.
I always like to retire to The Hanging Bat after a day in Edinburgh. Always a class selection of beers.
Kite159
Veteran Member
Well done for clearing the 365s
Thanks. I agree with the 385s.
I agree! Especially the 11% Cave Dweller I had! Wow!
Thanks!Well done for clearing the 365s
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