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Oscar's Odysseys

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Oscar46016

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Ok, so a bit about me first.
Started spotting in the 70's, loved Westerns & Peaks started bashing late 70's then gave up late 80's early nineties but always kept an interest.

Recently have been working next to Cardiff Central so started logging numbers on an excel spreadsheet and then as things do it progressed. I now have a season ticket to Newport to get some new haulage in bit don't have the opportunity to travel far.

Once a month I'll get a day when I can do a day trip.

The first of these was to London and very successful arrived at Paddington, called in at Marylebone, Clapham Jct, Waterloo, Liverpool St, KX & Euston.

Second trip was less successful - Paddington again - but lack of planning on my part meant that we diverted at Bristol which took some available time off and there was a tube strike in London!

On that occasion I stopped off at Reading for a few photo's of freight, popped into KX, StP & Euston again.

Tomorrow is my third trip - I'm thinking of bailing at Reading and taking a EMU up to Victoria and then a whistle stop tour of the termini.

I've read some of the other threads on this forum and have always found them interesting, so thought it was time to contribute my own!
 
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Oscar46016

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In terms of potential which journey is better?

Reading>Padd>Victoria gives me some Gatwick Express plus seom fright at Action amd 387's

What do I get on the Reading > Vicoria line?
 

James Wake

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The Reading line goes into Waterloo, South Western Railway run the services and you would have to change at Clapham Junction for a Southern service to Victoria. SWR trains from Reading will either be during the day class 458/5 Juniper type EMUs, or class 450 Desiro EMUs.
 

The_Train

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What are you looking to do? Just logging numbers, just chasing haulage or a bit of both?
 

Oscar46016

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The Reading line goes into Waterloo, South Western Railway run the services and you would have to change at Clapham Junction for a Southern service to Victoria. SWR trains from Reading will either be during the day class 458/5 Juniper type EMUs, or class 450 Desiro EMUs.

Yep, sorry should have said waterloo.
 

The_Train

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Check our my recent postings in my trip reporting thread as there are few posts detailing what I saw at Reading last week. It's well worth a few hours there as it eats into the GWR stuff, particularly HSTs, 800s and 387s
 

PeterY

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In my youth I loved to take numbers and wished I'd kept the records. For me, I'm 60 now but still love being around the railways, warts 'n' all. If I get a chance especially in the winter, I'll do day light trips up to London. Some new stock to try out. 707's seem to avoid me. I'm still hoping to be on a train that goes under the new Acton fly-under. So Oscar46016 enjoy your days out.
 

Oscar46016

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Check our my recent postings in my trip reporting thread as there are few posts detailing what I saw at Reading last week. It's well worth a few hours there as it eats into the GWR stuff, particularly HSTs, 800s and 387s
Thanks - I’m not too bad on the GWR stuff - I was winding what the route into Waterloo is like fro reading whether you pass any depots or get a chance to get anything before Clapham.
Oscar
 

Kite159

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From the Reading line towards Clapham, maybe some units just after Staines, but no other real depots, only things you will see are coming the other way.

Clapham is a good place to spend a few hours due to the sheer number of services which pass through
 

Oscar46016

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Yep, I’m going to do Clapham - it’s just which way to go - direct from reading or via Paddington.

At least with Paddington I may see some freight at Acton and get some 387s at south all as well as the Gatwick expresses.

I’ll do a quick circle line to Victoria then head out to Clapham.

Thanks for the tips guys

Oscar
 

Oscar46016

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A lovely day for a day out Friday, sun was shining and Marmite & Toast procured for breakfast.

Turned up at Cardiff Central for 08:26 to Paddington to see I've just missed the 07:56 as it was about 20 down - not sure if I could have used my off-peak ticket anyway.

So in rolled 800036 and 800009 for the trip up to the big smoke, only 36 was a winner for haulage.

An uneventful trip to begin with, the odd 66 at Ebbw Jct and Stoke Gifford yielded no winners, although a quick check online showed that 66003 was up ahead and we were chasing down to hopefully overtake it about Reading for the first winner of the day, in the end it was overhauled at Didcot.

Some more 66’s on the route in at Swindon and Acton was pleasing, as was a selection of 387s at Reading meant that I only require one – not a bad return for only three trips to London.

Into the big smoke and a quick tube to West Bromwich followed by an Overground to Clapham Junction – Clapham is great though can be stressful with trains flying everywhere! I’ve yet to work out how to get to see the number of trains parked down the side, although the use of my telephoto lens gleaned a few – needless to say numerous winners.

After about half hour I took a South Western EMU into Victoria, and once there after a brief run around the “blocks” to see what was about it was an underground to Kings Cross.

“The Cross” was quite quiet, but a couple of HSTs provided some good photo opportunities as did 90039, however there was no “67” on duty which had been there the last two visits.

A quick move across to St Pancras for some more HST photos and luckily enough the barrier staff were accommodating as the barriers were initially all closed off, but a quick explanation and I was allowed on to the platform for Photos.

Next up a quick tube to Marylebone just in time to see 68014 leaving, and then another tube back to Paddington for another pair of 800 winners on the train home.

All in all a successful if rapid day out!

Oscar
 

The_Train

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Certainly sounds like you were flying around the capital. Good trip though. How long did you spend at Clapham roughly?
 

Mills444

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The bridge at Clapham can normaly get you the first sets of units in the row but I don't think you can get the rear
 

Far north 37

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In my youth I loved to take numbers and wished I'd kept the records. For me, I'm 60 now but still love being around the railways, warts 'n' all. If I get a chance especially in the winter, I'll do day light trips up to London. Some new stock to try out. 707's seem to avoid me. I'm still hoping to be on a train that goes under the new Acton fly-under. So Oscar46016 enjoy your days out.
I think every service thats heading into paddington from ealing broadway on the relief lines uses the diveunder now.
 
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