Kite159
Veteran Member
Sounded like a good little day in the local(ish) area 
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Rambling Roebuck... (Trip Reports)
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A good start to the year by the sound of it, and I'm glad to see that 232 made an appearance.
Keith Jarrett
Member
Not a bad little outing there - new units, new shacks. What more can a man ask for? O yes, Ardennes Pate sarnies!
Pleased to see that you ran into 153313, one of only four 153s that have never had the acquaintance of my red pen.
Pleased to see that you ran into 153313, one of only four 153s that have never had the acquaintance of my red pen.
That looked like a good trip. 08220 must be pretty old by now, surely one of the oldest locos on the network?
I like the bit about 70004, it's certainly a shame to see a thoroughbred like that relegated to freight duties.
I like the bit about 70004, it's certainly a shame to see a thoroughbred like that relegated to freight duties.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
A thoroughly enjoyable read as always! Congleton is one shack I really must get on with getting, I wonder if that XC run in the evening still calls there, just to score the shack in a slightly different manner.
A late start to the year but understandable with a new job starting. Four on and four off must be quite nice, although that depends on the hours of course!
08220 sounds like an 08 I need, I must find out and get up that way soon if I do!
A late start to the year but understandable with a new job starting. Four on and four off must be quite nice, although that depends on the hours of course!
08220 sounds like an 08 I need, I must find out and get up that way soon if I do!
Kite159
Veteran Member
18:27 Manchester to Bournemouth call, only XC to Manchester is the early morning 0557 Birmingham New Street to Manchester Piccadilly.
Appears on a Saturday the 17:27 Manchester to Bournemouth calls as well
D841 Roebuck
Established Member
20/2/2017 - Tramming in The Village of Snot's People
A couple.of years ago, I visited Nottingham, clearing the shacks on the old bit of the tram network and most of.the track.on the.southern extension before the electricity went off, curtailing my dayfirst a bit. Now was the time for a.revisit.
158872 took me efficiently down to Manchester Victoria, where I just missed connecting into one of my two missing trams
. So it was duds 3017/3039 to Market Street, then 3058 onwards to Manchester Piccadilly, where I used the Fairfield Street entrance and the lift as I was heading to Platform 13. Here, I struck.very lucky, as a required 156 had strayed over to Liverpool and was.now returning to Nottingham. 156404 duly led the inevitable 158863 to.Sheffield, then tagged on behind to Nottingham, passing 66764 enroute.
Once at Nottingham, I.headed upstairs to the trams
to be continued...
A couple.of years ago, I visited Nottingham, clearing the shacks on the old bit of the tram network and most of.the track.on the.southern extension before the electricity went off, curtailing my dayfirst a bit. Now was the time for a.revisit.
158872 took me efficiently down to Manchester Victoria, where I just missed connecting into one of my two missing trams
. So it was duds 3017/3039 to Market Street, then 3058 onwards to Manchester Piccadilly, where I used the Fairfield Street entrance and the lift as I was heading to Platform 13. Here, I struck.very lucky, as a required 156 had strayed over to Liverpool and was.now returning to Nottingham. 156404 duly led the inevitable 158863 to.Sheffield, then tagged on behind to Nottingham, passing 66764 enroute.Once at Nottingham, I.headed upstairs to the trams
to be continued...
Kite159
Veteran Member
Mmm 156 thrash
D841 Roebuck
Established Member
I've mislaid my notes for the Nottingham trip, so will start again, several months behind, with a trip to London in March...
20/3/17 - Cheap trip to London
Yes, Megabus again!
The trip started on the late evening of 20/3/2017, when 142053 + 142064 took me down to Manchester on the last train of the day from Castleton. I ambled over to Shude Hill via the chippy, then boarded the overnight Megabus. Nothing exciting happened on the journey down, unless you count 66207 lurking in the half light at Mill Hill Broadway...
Arriving at Victoria Coach Station, I adjourned to the underground, with winners 11085/086 taking me through to Highbury and Islington. My first target was class 313, so I was pleased when winning pair 313018+313036 took me through to Hornsey, then fellow winners 313048+313123 took me on to Alexandra Palace. Here, the winners temporarily ran out, with 313063+313046 taking me through to the day's first winning shack at Enfield Chase. Not much happening here, but 313035 was good enough to transport me on to shack 2, Crews Hill. 313046/063 reappeared to return me to shack 3, Grange Park, then 313042 + 313134 were a semi winning combination to Palmers Green, where I adjourned to the Spoons for breakfast.
Suitably refreshed (including black pudding, which was on offer), I returned to the station, and dud pair 313060+313041 down to Essex Road. Here, I walked through the short tunnel to the opposite platform, and was rewarded by winners 313026+313024 back up to Highbury and Islington. Returning to the Victoria Line, service frequency meant a spot of lateral bashing could be indulged in with minimal time loss, so 11013/014 were taken to Seven Sisters, then 11049/050 through to my final Victoria Line shack at Blackhorse Road. This was also a winning shack on the overground, so I headed upstairs. The odds here were 5-3 in favour of a winner, and they worked out as 172002 appeared to take me to the end of the line at Barking.
Now for some S-stock and shack double action:
21443/444 took me to Becontree
21391/392 forwarded me to Dagenham East
21375/376 produced to Hornchurch
21345/346 kept the winners going to Upminster Bridge
Finally, 21409/410 completed the spree to Upminster.
Now for some small inroads into my lack of 357's...
First up was 357032 "Essex Rifleman for a fast run back to Barking. Checking times, a shack score seemed in order, so 357036 "Essex Yeoman" took me out to the wilderness of Rainham (passing 08934, 66047/158/606, 92042 enroute) for 357031 "Essex Musketeer" back in to West Ham.
I was now thinking about booking in at my B&B and dropping off my bags. So I went downstairs to the Jubilee Line, and took half winning 96015/96072 all the way through to Baker Street. The semi-detached feeling continued with 3567/3260 through to Paddington on the Bakerloo. However, I was guaranteed winners for my next move, with 387130 + 387131 appearing for my trip out to a winning shack at Acton Main Line. I then walked the five minutes to my B&B, and checked in.
20/3/17 - Cheap trip to London
Yes, Megabus again!
The trip started on the late evening of 20/3/2017, when 142053 + 142064 took me down to Manchester on the last train of the day from Castleton. I ambled over to Shude Hill via the chippy, then boarded the overnight Megabus. Nothing exciting happened on the journey down, unless you count 66207 lurking in the half light at Mill Hill Broadway...
Arriving at Victoria Coach Station, I adjourned to the underground, with winners 11085/086 taking me through to Highbury and Islington. My first target was class 313, so I was pleased when winning pair 313018+313036 took me through to Hornsey, then fellow winners 313048+313123 took me on to Alexandra Palace. Here, the winners temporarily ran out, with 313063+313046 taking me through to the day's first winning shack at Enfield Chase. Not much happening here, but 313035 was good enough to transport me on to shack 2, Crews Hill. 313046/063 reappeared to return me to shack 3, Grange Park, then 313042 + 313134 were a semi winning combination to Palmers Green, where I adjourned to the Spoons for breakfast.
Suitably refreshed (including black pudding, which was on offer), I returned to the station, and dud pair 313060+313041 down to Essex Road. Here, I walked through the short tunnel to the opposite platform, and was rewarded by winners 313026+313024 back up to Highbury and Islington. Returning to the Victoria Line, service frequency meant a spot of lateral bashing could be indulged in with minimal time loss, so 11013/014 were taken to Seven Sisters, then 11049/050 through to my final Victoria Line shack at Blackhorse Road. This was also a winning shack on the overground, so I headed upstairs. The odds here were 5-3 in favour of a winner, and they worked out as 172002 appeared to take me to the end of the line at Barking.
Now for some S-stock and shack double action:
21443/444 took me to Becontree
21391/392 forwarded me to Dagenham East
21375/376 produced to Hornchurch
21345/346 kept the winners going to Upminster Bridge
Finally, 21409/410 completed the spree to Upminster.
Now for some small inroads into my lack of 357's...
First up was 357032 "Essex Rifleman for a fast run back to Barking. Checking times, a shack score seemed in order, so 357036 "Essex Yeoman" took me out to the wilderness of Rainham (passing 08934, 66047/158/606, 92042 enroute) for 357031 "Essex Musketeer" back in to West Ham.
I was now thinking about booking in at my B&B and dropping off my bags. So I went downstairs to the Jubilee Line, and took half winning 96015/96072 all the way through to Baker Street. The semi-detached feeling continued with 3567/3260 through to Paddington on the Bakerloo. However, I was guaranteed winners for my next move, with 387130 + 387131 appearing for my trip out to a winning shack at Acton Main Line. I then walked the five minutes to my B&B, and checked in.
D841 Roebuck
Established Member
Dropping my bag off, I then walked through the back streets to my next required shack, at Acton Central. I'd had plenty of 378s, so was pleasantly surprised by winner 378234 appearing to take me through to Richmond, then a nice winning pair in 455863+455910 took me through to Queenstown Road, for an annoying missing shack. Half winning 455872+455913 then took me back to Clapham Junction, where my thoughts turned tramwards.
To get to trams, one has to get to Croydon, and 377140 duly obliged with a run through to the East Station there. Now for an annoying curve - I'd never been round the curve from George Street to Church Street in Croydon, so 2555 was a nice bonus for this, Church Street /B] was scored as a shack and then 2539 took me for a longish run out to another new shack, at Beckenham Road.
A short walk down the hill lies Clock House, so I transferred to South eastern territory for a minor blitz on the Hayes branch. Winning pair 376036+376011 took me to Eden Park, semi winning 376016+376014 on to West Wickham, and finally 465192+465040 on to the end of the branch at Hayes, for a pint.
Returning to the station, the same pair of 465s took me back as far as a shack score at Catford Bridge. Here, I wandered over to Catford (NonBridge), but found no services operating due to some sort of earth fault whilst shunting at Bellingham. So I returned to Catford Bridge, and joined winning pair 465042+465189 as far as Charing Cross.
Tired now, and looking for home, so 3532/3242 were taken up to Oxford Circus, 92117120/156/137 through to the re-opened shack score at Holland Park, then a full quadruple winner 92291/094/172/175 through to North Acton, whence I got a bus down to the B&B.
And slept like a Class 50.
To get to trams, one has to get to Croydon, and 377140 duly obliged with a run through to the East Station there. Now for an annoying curve - I'd never been round the curve from George Street to Church Street in Croydon, so 2555 was a nice bonus for this, Church Street /B] was scored as a shack and then 2539 took me for a longish run out to another new shack, at Beckenham Road.
A short walk down the hill lies Clock House, so I transferred to South eastern territory for a minor blitz on the Hayes branch. Winning pair 376036+376011 took me to Eden Park, semi winning 376016+376014 on to West Wickham, and finally 465192+465040 on to the end of the branch at Hayes, for a pint.
Returning to the station, the same pair of 465s took me back as far as a shack score at Catford Bridge. Here, I wandered over to Catford (NonBridge), but found no services operating due to some sort of earth fault whilst shunting at Bellingham. So I returned to Catford Bridge, and joined winning pair 465042+465189 as far as Charing Cross.
Tired now, and looking for home, so 3532/3242 were taken up to Oxford Circus, 92117120/156/137 through to the re-opened shack score at Holland Park, then a full quadruple winner 92291/094/172/175 through to North Acton, whence I got a bus down to the B&B.
And slept like a Class 50.
D841 Roebuck
Established Member
22 March 2017
Waking reasonably early, I had a few hours to spare before the bus back from Victoria. First of all was the walk to Acton Main Line, where double winners 387135+387137 whisked me speedily into Paddington. Over to the old H&C platforms, and a Westbound train appeared first, so 21405/21406 were naturally done to winning shack Royal Oak, before 21473/21474 appeared to take me all the way through to Kings Cross (having secured a seat, I was keeping it!)
Upstairs here, and I just missed a 365 out to Finsbury Park, so fell back on the annoyingly dud 387123. Back down to the Victoria line, and winners 11075/11076 took me to Sever Sisters, before dud-since-yesterday 11049/11050 forwarded me on to Tottenham Hale. I fancied a 379 here (still never had one), so headed for the Liverpool Street Bound platform as a non stop train was due to there. This turned out to be 317671+317507 so I wasn't too unhappy. I then adjourned to a local café for a poor and expensice breakfast...
Returning to Liverpool Street, I decided to kill a few shacks. First of all, 321348 took me out to Stratford, then I transferred to the underground:
92055/132/462/131 took me to Leytonstone
92143/004/100/213 then scored me my first shack at Newbury Park
All dud-from-yesterday 92137/156/120/117 took me on to Chigwell, where no Birds of a Feather were to be seen.
92059/311/136/187, then took me back to Hainault, birthplace of the Black Prince's Mum.
92065/214/236/257 took me on to Fairlop, of the airfield.
92029/134/176/259 back underground to Redbridge (no sign of a Forest)
92347/076/446/159 through the tube to Gants Hill
Finally, quadruple winners 92299/184/252/295 took me back to Stratford.
No visit to London would be complete without a thrash on the DLR, so next up duds 137/149 took me through to a winning shack at Poplar, then treble-score 108/151/123 took me on to Westferry, and fellow three-in-a-bed 065/087/046 to Limehouse where again I dived off (this time downstairs) to rake in the overground shack.
And track - I don't think I'd ever done the Spur to New Cross before. It was certainly a shack score, even if 378152 wasn't winning transportation. Neither was dud-from-yesterday 376011, which took me on to St John's. Triple winners 465249+466024+466014 then came in, and I decided that the one shack score I had time left for would be Kidbrooke. And it was winners coming back also, with 466031+465165 as far as Blackheath, then 465170 + 466001 in to Victoria.
And the coach home, after a pleasant budget trip.
Waking reasonably early, I had a few hours to spare before the bus back from Victoria. First of all was the walk to Acton Main Line, where double winners 387135+387137 whisked me speedily into Paddington. Over to the old H&C platforms, and a Westbound train appeared first, so 21405/21406 were naturally done to winning shack Royal Oak, before 21473/21474 appeared to take me all the way through to Kings Cross (having secured a seat, I was keeping it!)
Upstairs here, and I just missed a 365 out to Finsbury Park, so fell back on the annoyingly dud 387123. Back down to the Victoria line, and winners 11075/11076 took me to Sever Sisters, before dud-since-yesterday 11049/11050 forwarded me on to Tottenham Hale. I fancied a 379 here (still never had one), so headed for the Liverpool Street Bound platform as a non stop train was due to there. This turned out to be 317671+317507 so I wasn't too unhappy. I then adjourned to a local café for a poor and expensice breakfast...
Returning to Liverpool Street, I decided to kill a few shacks. First of all, 321348 took me out to Stratford, then I transferred to the underground:
92055/132/462/131 took me to Leytonstone
92143/004/100/213 then scored me my first shack at Newbury Park
All dud-from-yesterday 92137/156/120/117 took me on to Chigwell, where no Birds of a Feather were to be seen.
92059/311/136/187, then took me back to Hainault, birthplace of the Black Prince's Mum.
92065/214/236/257 took me on to Fairlop, of the airfield.
92029/134/176/259 back underground to Redbridge (no sign of a Forest)
92347/076/446/159 through the tube to Gants Hill
Finally, quadruple winners 92299/184/252/295 took me back to Stratford.
No visit to London would be complete without a thrash on the DLR, so next up duds 137/149 took me through to a winning shack at Poplar, then treble-score 108/151/123 took me on to Westferry, and fellow three-in-a-bed 065/087/046 to Limehouse where again I dived off (this time downstairs) to rake in the overground shack.
And track - I don't think I'd ever done the Spur to New Cross before. It was certainly a shack score, even if 378152 wasn't winning transportation. Neither was dud-from-yesterday 376011, which took me on to St John's. Triple winners 465249+466024+466014 then came in, and I decided that the one shack score I had time left for would be Kidbrooke. And it was winners coming back also, with 466031+465165 as far as Blackheath, then 465170 + 466001 in to Victoria.
And the coach home, after a pleasant budget trip.
Kite159
Veteran Member
5 Minutes walk from Acton Main Line. A-Z hotel by any chance? 
Sounded like a very productive time in London, lots of required units and stations into your book
Sounded like a very productive time in London, lots of required units and stations into your book
D841 Roebuck
Established Member
5 Minutes walk from Acton Main Line. A-Z hotel by any chance?
Sounded like a very productive time in London, lots of required units and stations into your book
A-Z Hotel is correct. Clean if basic, would use again.
Keith Jarrett
Member
Welcome Back, Mr Roebuck!
Looks as though your capital caper was a success and I certainly like your comments about various stations on the Hainault Loop - particularly Chigwell. Gants Hill is most famous for its roundabout.
I see that you interchanged from the DLR to the East London Line - that would have been at Shadwell rather than the stated Limehouse.
Looks as though your capital caper was a success and I certainly like your comments about various stations on the Hainault Loop - particularly Chigwell. Gants Hill is most famous for its roundabout.
I see that you interchanged from the DLR to the East London Line - that would have been at Shadwell rather than the stated Limehouse.
D841 Roebuck
Established Member
It was indeed Shadwell - home station of a witchfinder-general?
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Finally had time to read these reports, and a very warm welcome back! 
Exceptionally fine performance there, some of that stuff I need myself. It would take me a while to check each and every bit of that lot, but a good handful of requirements you'll have had there.
You are correct that no trip to London is correct without a spin on the DLR, although I usually feel that way about the Victoria line. Not that I tend to use that very often these days since I cleared the fleet there. I had intentions of using the DLR when I was down that way earlier this week, but it didn't work out.
That base camp of yours sounds worth checking out, especially for those days when easyHotel availability is poor/too chingy. Nice and easy to get to by the sounds of it, which is always a bonus.
Exceptionally fine performance there, some of that stuff I need myself. It would take me a while to check each and every bit of that lot, but a good handful of requirements you'll have had there.
You are correct that no trip to London is correct without a spin on the DLR, although I usually feel that way about the Victoria line. Not that I tend to use that very often these days since I cleared the fleet there. I had intentions of using the DLR when I was down that way earlier this week, but it didn't work out.
That base camp of yours sounds worth checking out, especially for those days when easyHotel availability is poor/too chingy. Nice and easy to get to by the sounds of it, which is always a bonus.
D841 Roebuck
Established Member
A bit of planning has been going on.
Saturday 16th sees a potential quiz fixture in Brummagem. To get there will involve a WMDR, so it would be rude not to attempt a few shacks. The 05:25 from Manchester P gets me to Crewe in time for a connection to Rugby in time for the weekly Polesworth service, which implies getting a bus to Atherstone, then Nuneaton, a fill in move to Ricoh Arena and back, then a trip to Brum via the normally PSUL Whitacre Juntion route. Post quiz there are various options, but the Bromsgrove to Ledbury axis seems favourite.
A couple of weeks later, the quizzing is in Llandudno, and I have the week off before, so a Coast and Peaks seems to be in order. Might even get some of Kite's last few shacks before he does (I've covered all the track beyond Chester, so the Termini, Llandudno Jc, Colwyn Bay, Shotton and (randomly) Deganwy are dud already)
I'm stopping over Friday and Saturday night with some fellow quizzers, and my provisional plan includesthe suggestion to them of a Post Quiz pint at Tal-y-Cafn...
Hopefully a couple of trip reports will follow!
Saturday 16th sees a potential quiz fixture in Brummagem. To get there will involve a WMDR, so it would be rude not to attempt a few shacks. The 05:25 from Manchester P gets me to Crewe in time for a connection to Rugby in time for the weekly Polesworth service, which implies getting a bus to Atherstone, then Nuneaton, a fill in move to Ricoh Arena and back, then a trip to Brum via the normally PSUL Whitacre Juntion route. Post quiz there are various options, but the Bromsgrove to Ledbury axis seems favourite.
A couple of weeks later, the quizzing is in Llandudno, and I have the week off before, so a Coast and Peaks seems to be in order. Might even get some of Kite's last few shacks before he does (I've covered all the track beyond Chester, so the Termini, Llandudno Jc, Colwyn Bay, Shotton and (randomly) Deganwy are dud already)
I'm stopping over Friday and Saturday night with some fellow quizzers, and my provisional plan includesthe suggestion to them of a Post Quiz pint at Tal-y-Cafn...
Hopefully a couple of trip reports will follow!
Kite159
Veteran Member
Funny if we bump into each other in North Wales
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Sounds like some fun ahead!
My next journey by train is likely to be on Friday, purely an out and back to visit a brewery and the many required brews they do!
My next journey by train is likely to be on Friday, purely an out and back to visit a brewery and the many required brews they do!
D841 Roebuck
Established Member
That would be pleasant. Are you up there between 25/9 and 29/9, or just at the weekend?
D841 Roebuck
Established Member
Out and back to a brewery? Wainfleet has one, I believe - don't know if its a required shack for you though...
47403
Established Member
Just caught up the this thread Roebuck, as usual some excellent reading.
You've certainly been busy, then quiz competitions have certainly enabled you to put a huge dint in your requirements.
Have you never thought of putting your extensive knowledge to a test on tv. May as well try n win some mega cash.
You've certainly been busy, then quiz competitions have certainly enabled you to put a huge dint in your requirements.
Have you never thought of putting your extensive knowledge to a test on tv. May as well try n win some mega cash.
D841 Roebuck
Established Member
Many of the people I play against are TV veterans - Eggheads, Chasers, Mastermind winners, etc. But being on TV again* holds little interest for me -jumping through audition hoops, inventing an "amusing anecdote" so the quiz show presenter has somethimg to talk about etc is an added disincentive to applying...
*At the age of seven, I starred as blurry dot just to the left of the goal as Leeds beat Wolves in the FA Cup semi final
)
Kite159
Veteran Member
That would be pleasant. Are you up there between 25/9 and 29/9, or just at the weekend?
Couple weekends afterwards is my trip to Wales
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Out and back to a brewery? Wainfleet has one, I believe - don't know if its a required shack for you though...
Ludlow is the one I was thinking of, but as it turns out my sister is down from Cheshire for a surprise visit so I'm not going anywhere today after all. While I wait for the rest of the household to get up it's time to catch up on 5 days of emails and the forum. Having a social life all of a sudden takes up a lot of time!
D841 Roebuck
Established Member
Brainache in Brum (16/9/17)
Another quizzing trip, this time to the Brain of Birmingham tournament, conveniently situated round the corner from New Street station. Which of course gave the opportunity to stay up all night and do some shacks.
So on the Friday night the following occurred:
- finished work at 8pm and transferred to the other side of the bar
- at last orders, caught tram 3061 Manchesterwards
- baled at Shaw, for a wee
- completed the trip on 3089, to St Peters Square
- walked up to the gay village, for a cola at the New Union and a chicken burger from the amusingly named McTuckys
- ambled up to Piccadilly station, spending the balance of the time until the first Euston loaded drinking osta and surfing the net via the free wifi from Accessorize.
Eventually, dud 390002 appeared, so I boarded, put my phone on charge and settled down for a snooze - hoping to wake up for Rugby!
Another quizzing trip, this time to the Brain of Birmingham tournament, conveniently situated round the corner from New Street station. Which of course gave the opportunity to stay up all night and do some shacks.
So on the Friday night the following occurred:
- finished work at 8pm and transferred to the other side of the bar
- at last orders, caught tram 3061 Manchesterwards
- baled at Shaw, for a wee
- completed the trip on 3089, to St Peters Square
- walked up to the gay village, for a cola at the New Union and a chicken burger from the amusingly named McTuckys
- ambled up to Piccadilly station, spending the balance of the time until the first Euston loaded drinking osta and surfing the net via the free wifi from Accessorize.
Eventually, dud 390002 appeared, so I boarded, put my phone on charge and settled down for a snooze - hoping to wake up for Rugby!
D841 Roebuck
Established Member
And wake up I did, staggering across the footbridge as the rosy fingers of dawn crept o'er the Warwickshire rooftops. Soon, the main reason for the earliness of the trip arrived, in the form of winner350256. The red pen, while welcome, was not the reason for my growing excitement.
Third stop on this service was, of course, the weekly served shack at Polesworth. I descended from the train, found a gate and toddled off in search of civilization and a bus stop. The latter was found just along from the former (a Co-Op), so a chicken mayo butty and can of Monster were sourced, before I joined the #65 bus for a whirligig of a journey (boxing more compasses than the packaging department of Sperrey, Inc) which eventually deposited me at Atherstone. The "lets throw out an annoyingly dud 350 syndrome" to which London Midland are distressingly prone, then provided 350119 for the short run to Nuneaton.
Third stop on this service was, of course, the weekly served shack at Polesworth. I descended from the train, found a gate and toddled off in search of civilization and a bus stop. The latter was found just along from the former (a Co-Op), so a chicken mayo butty and can of Monster were sourced, before I joined the #65 bus for a whirligig of a journey (boxing more compasses than the packaging department of Sperrey, Inc) which eventually deposited me at Atherstone. The "lets throw out an annoyingly dud 350 syndrome" to which London Midland are distressingly prone, then provided 350119 for the short run to Nuneaton.
Kite159
Veteran Member
Congrats on getting Polesworth out of the way. I must be one of the few to have boarded there rather than alighting 
D841 Roebuck
Established Member
Congrats on getting Polesworth out of the way. I must be one of the few to have boarded there rather than alighting
Cheers Kite.
Apologiez for the fragmented nature of the report. Its being written and posted during Day 1 of my Coastz n Peakz, courtesy of ATW free wifi...
Anyway, returning to Nuneaton, I decided on quantity over quality and hit the north side of the Cross City line. Winner 350368 took me back through Polesworth as far as Lichfield Trent Valley where I went upstairs for a small orgy of starship-shack-scratchery.
Dud 323214 took me to Sutton Coldfield, then 323201 back up to Butlers Lane, before winner 323216 took me down to Gravelly Hill. More duds followed, with 323241 to Erdington, 323204 to Aston and finally 323222 to New Street for a the Quiz...
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D841 Roebuck
Established Member
Next came the quiz, where I came 19th out of 29. Egghead Steve won, just ahead of Chaser Paul. Perhaps of more relevance, during the lunch break I spotted various blue-shirted individuals, and formulated a plan for another awkward shack...
So, quiz over, I ambled over to Moor Street, joining dud 172332 on the short hop to Bordesley. And, unaware of the sacking of Harry Redknapp, I left again on winner 172337 for the run back to Moor Street.
A couple of hours or so remained, and there was a tempting winner in 165026 waiting to go on the Chiltern local. I had planned a shack-score at Hatton, but it looked unsheltered and rain was now falling, so I stayed on to Leamimgton for the 68 back. No lucky winner for me, though, as dud 68012 appeared for a good run back to Moor Street.
I now ambled back to New Street, and consulted the departure boards. A Nottingham train looked promising for a final shack score, so dud 170116 was taken to Tamworth.
Downstairs here, and straight on to equally dud 390145 up to Stafford.
So, quiz over, I ambled over to Moor Street, joining dud 172332 on the short hop to Bordesley. And, unaware of the sacking of Harry Redknapp, I left again on winner 172337 for the run back to Moor Street.
A couple of hours or so remained, and there was a tempting winner in 165026 waiting to go on the Chiltern local. I had planned a shack-score at Hatton, but it looked unsheltered and rain was now falling, so I stayed on to Leamimgton for the 68 back. No lucky winner for me, though, as dud 68012 appeared for a good run back to Moor Street.
I now ambled back to New Street, and consulted the departure boards. A Nottingham train looked promising for a final shack score, so dud 170116 was taken to Tamworth.
Downstairs here, and straight on to equally dud 390145 up to Stafford.