steve158
Member
due to having a bad cold at work on sunday i've chucked in today's revised plan to do the H.O.W. anyway -
Friday:
Started on the 0836 Wessex from Shrub Hill to Gloucester. 20mins at Gloucester(i think), ran over to asda for some breakfast then came back and got the 0925 CT to Newport - yeees, Nottm have provided us with a 158.
Arrived Newport 1004, whilst trying to dodge some mad asian woman trying to sell me health insurance i bought my south wales rover and trying to help the booking clerk with the computer system. strange, i've never seen one like that before. at 1030 got the FGW HST to swansea, fairly busy but got a seat. arrived swansea on time, couple of 'grab shots' of Landore Depot.
when i got to swansea, there was a 153 waiting on platform 5. this wasn't the pembroke dock train was it ?? it was! oh well, 2 hours or so on a 153. travelled through to camarthen alright. we had 16min there which gave me loads of time to get pictures of the station and the 'depot'. bit of a change from worcester..
Anyway, back on the 153. our new guard was one of the old stalwarts, really friendly and having a laugh with the passengers. he managed to keep in check a lively group of girls going to saundersfoot. got to tenby, realised what the 12min was for - waiting for the token to be released to go onto the pembroke single line. loads of pictures again. arrived in pembroke around 1400.
pembroke town centre is really spread out and quiet. however, being near the coast, i managed to get some fish and chips(not bad), a pint(brains - ok) and a go on the amusements. back on the 153, all went well until we got to tenby. the train from camarthen was 10min late. oh ****, i'd miss my connection from Whitland To Milford. have to do it another day.
i guessed i'd miss the 1730 HST from swansea, so i got the 1702 Camarthen-Manchester as far as hereford. quick trip into morrisons for some supper, then home.
-- edited ---
now onto the Cardiff Valleys bit.
same train as friday off WOS, but started on the 1041 to Bridgend, surprisingly a 150. after grangetown a young lad(i won't call him a chav, he didn't look like one)asked what i was doing(taking photos).after barry on the VoG it's a nice run through to bridgend, nice scenery.
arrived bridgend 5min late. never mind - the 1149 maesteg train was late. i needed a warm drink so i went over to the very nice cafe on platform 2. sells most things and at reasonable prices. another 150 to maesteg then(10min late),another single line(from Tondu)up to maesteg. returned on the same unit to Cardiff getting shots of Pontyclun and Pencoed.
decided to have an hour's break, rather than half an hour in Cardiff for some lunch in the Prince of Wales Pub. then onto the 1406 City line train - my first pacer! nice views of Canton depot. we arrived early at Radyr and suprisingly, i managed to get the next aberdare service(1425). yes, another pacer.
now this is where i cocked up. i got off the train at abercynon north, just to say i'd got a train from both abercynon stations. it cost me half an hour later. walked to abercynon south(not the nicest area i've got to say), and got the 1506 to Merthyr(pacer!) 13min wait at merthyr, the old station is now a shopping centre!! into tesco then for some snacks. back at 1543 and got off at Pontypridd. big station this but not much used. there was another wetherspoons across the road and i had 20min so had another pint. and on finally(i feel as tired typing this now as on it yesterday) to the 1636 to treherbert, thankfully a 150. on the way back the guard, who had been watching me, again asked what i was doing. she didn't say anything after but "you sad ****" must have been in her mind! 1715 back to Cardiff then, got some tea and then on the 1847 to hereford!
absolutely shattered, but i've loads of pictures now and i just need the fishguard, milford, coryton and aberdare lines to finish now.
Friday:
Started on the 0836 Wessex from Shrub Hill to Gloucester. 20mins at Gloucester(i think), ran over to asda for some breakfast then came back and got the 0925 CT to Newport - yeees, Nottm have provided us with a 158.
Arrived Newport 1004, whilst trying to dodge some mad asian woman trying to sell me health insurance i bought my south wales rover and trying to help the booking clerk with the computer system. strange, i've never seen one like that before. at 1030 got the FGW HST to swansea, fairly busy but got a seat. arrived swansea on time, couple of 'grab shots' of Landore Depot.
when i got to swansea, there was a 153 waiting on platform 5. this wasn't the pembroke dock train was it ?? it was! oh well, 2 hours or so on a 153. travelled through to camarthen alright. we had 16min there which gave me loads of time to get pictures of the station and the 'depot'. bit of a change from worcester..
Anyway, back on the 153. our new guard was one of the old stalwarts, really friendly and having a laugh with the passengers. he managed to keep in check a lively group of girls going to saundersfoot. got to tenby, realised what the 12min was for - waiting for the token to be released to go onto the pembroke single line. loads of pictures again. arrived in pembroke around 1400.
pembroke town centre is really spread out and quiet. however, being near the coast, i managed to get some fish and chips(not bad), a pint(brains - ok) and a go on the amusements. back on the 153, all went well until we got to tenby. the train from camarthen was 10min late. oh ****, i'd miss my connection from Whitland To Milford. have to do it another day.
i guessed i'd miss the 1730 HST from swansea, so i got the 1702 Camarthen-Manchester as far as hereford. quick trip into morrisons for some supper, then home.
-- edited ---
now onto the Cardiff Valleys bit.
same train as friday off WOS, but started on the 1041 to Bridgend, surprisingly a 150. after grangetown a young lad(i won't call him a chav, he didn't look like one)asked what i was doing(taking photos).after barry on the VoG it's a nice run through to bridgend, nice scenery.
arrived bridgend 5min late. never mind - the 1149 maesteg train was late. i needed a warm drink so i went over to the very nice cafe on platform 2. sells most things and at reasonable prices. another 150 to maesteg then(10min late),another single line(from Tondu)up to maesteg. returned on the same unit to Cardiff getting shots of Pontyclun and Pencoed.
decided to have an hour's break, rather than half an hour in Cardiff for some lunch in the Prince of Wales Pub. then onto the 1406 City line train - my first pacer! nice views of Canton depot. we arrived early at Radyr and suprisingly, i managed to get the next aberdare service(1425). yes, another pacer.
now this is where i cocked up. i got off the train at abercynon north, just to say i'd got a train from both abercynon stations. it cost me half an hour later. walked to abercynon south(not the nicest area i've got to say), and got the 1506 to Merthyr(pacer!) 13min wait at merthyr, the old station is now a shopping centre!! into tesco then for some snacks. back at 1543 and got off at Pontypridd. big station this but not much used. there was another wetherspoons across the road and i had 20min so had another pint. and on finally(i feel as tired typing this now as on it yesterday) to the 1636 to treherbert, thankfully a 150. on the way back the guard, who had been watching me, again asked what i was doing. she didn't say anything after but "you sad ****" must have been in her mind! 1715 back to Cardiff then, got some tea and then on the 1847 to hereford!
absolutely shattered, but i've loads of pictures now and i just need the fishguard, milford, coryton and aberdare lines to finish now.
