I got the 0830 off London Padd to BTM. At Redaing I met 50149 and his dad and I noted the signal was set for the Berks & Hants. As the train approached Westbury East me and 50149 did a spot of H-O (for me it was to highlight the line H-O). I was surprised though at how sharp this curve is!
At BTM, out HST pulled in platform 15 and the 1040 to Cardiff was due off platfoirm 3. Typical, right the other side of the station! It was six minutes down it came in as 5 car formation, but then I was even more surprsied when a three car unit that was parked in platform 4 powers into life and coupled onto the end of our train., making an EIGHT car formation! If only this capacity was provided during Mon-Fri peaks......Found heart-of-wessex onboard the train
It was here where 50149 went to do his own thing but me and heart-of-wessex were joined by HSTfan (who had a good plan to get all three of the special workings done). So first it was the 1210 off Cardiff (425 and 419) up to Caerphilly where we alighted and went into town to get a packed lunch from Tesco. When we returned it was back to Cardiff on the 1248 (this was done so that when we re-joined the train at Cardiff the 50 would be at the front. It was on this train where FGWFan also joined us.
50031 was certainly a thrash beast, coming up out of Cardiff Central 50031 was setting up its own fog!! This time the group of us alighted at Ystrad Mynach to intercept the 47 and 33 working. Again another spirited ride, with the 47 at full thrash! Took this all the way back down to Cardiff Central.
It was here that the group went there separate ways, HStfan got the next train back to Newport whereas me, FGWFAn and H-OW went into a nearby pub for a celebratory drink. After this FGWFan quickly rushed off to get the 1615 to Manchester via Hereford, whilst me and HoW decided to do a full Cardiff-Rhymney run (mainly just to pass the stations north of Ystrad Mynach at which the normal passenger trains stop at). This turned out to be 37411 on its own.... This train was held at Bargoed for around 20 minutes whilst waiting for the late running unit and then the 33&47 combo to come off the single line section from Rhymney, before we could proceed!
At Rhymney the stock was terminated, in order for them to work the Monday morning peak hour trains, so we had an almost 2 hour wait for the next southbound train due off at 2020! In the meantime we photographed 37425 and the Arriva liveried coaches also stable for the night. We noted how some people ran out of the train and went to a level crossing in order to get better views.
So me and HoW decided to find it too, walked past it the first time, but found it on the way back, so when 37419 and its coaches came up, HoW ran up to this level crossing to get good pics, whilst I tried to get some from the platform (which wasn't a complete success!)
Due to 37419 coming into Rhymney later than planned, it also meant the unit was also late, due to the single line section between Bargoed and Rhymney. Glad to say it turned up but was running 17 minutes down. Got back to Cardiff Central at 2130ish.
