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Techniquest's Amazing 14 Day ALR, 4th to 17th June 2012
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anthony263
Established Member
Excellent I look forward to your next update.
By the way I am making notes of places I should visit when I do my own ALR sometime in the next 18 months.
Hopefully I will get my 1st ever ride on a class 185
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
So I am not the only one then.
By the way I am making notes of places I should visit when I do my own ALR sometime in the next 18 months.
Hopefully I will get my 1st ever ride on a class 185
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
These reports are really enjoyable - a great bit of reading between sending off some job applications and updating my CV today
So I am not the only one then.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Thanks for reminding me, I really should have been doing that today too, however I've been too busy typing this lot up, doing some chores and hanging out with my brother. Never mind, might do some of it in a minute.
Glad to see the write-up's still providing interest, and glad the Waverley joke was appreciated. Really is a monster to find the necessary platform around there, and boy hasn't Waverley Steps changed a lot! Adding the humour adds significant amounts of time to the write-up, so for it to be noticed and appreciated makes it worthwhile.
I really should complain about the shoddy rides on the FSR sleepers, much like I really should get myself into gear and write to Northern to compliment them on a job well done in general when I was up there and for their excellent customer relations department. Virgin and East Coast too. Meant to do all that lot by now but I've clearly not caught up with everything. Still got my 12th edition Baker to update as well as a lot of general stuff in the Quails and the TOCs Completed/Track to Do lists in my A4 book, not to mention uploading photos to do!
Day 10 will probably come along soon, but for the moment having done 4 days of the write-up in the last 11 or so hours I really haven't got the patience to do more. I expect to do day 10 tomorrow night, with days 11 to 14 following on successive nights. Depends how tired I am after work.
Glad to see the write-up's still providing interest, and glad the Waverley joke was appreciated. Really is a monster to find the necessary platform around there, and boy hasn't Waverley Steps changed a lot! Adding the humour adds significant amounts of time to the write-up, so for it to be noticed and appreciated makes it worthwhile.
I really should complain about the shoddy rides on the FSR sleepers, much like I really should get myself into gear and write to Northern to compliment them on a job well done in general when I was up there and for their excellent customer relations department. Virgin and East Coast too. Meant to do all that lot by now but I've clearly not caught up with everything. Still got my 12th edition Baker to update as well as a lot of general stuff in the Quails and the TOCs Completed/Track to Do lists in my A4 book, not to mention uploading photos to do!
Day 10 will probably come along soon, but for the moment having done 4 days of the write-up in the last 11 or so hours I really haven't got the patience to do more. I expect to do day 10 tomorrow night, with days 11 to 14 following on successive nights. Depends how tired I am after work.
Blindtraveler
Established Member
nice one mate.
The world of berths is a different, if a bit pricy one.
The world of berths is a different, if a bit pricy one.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Yeah on one of the nights I did query it but they were pretty full and it was £42.50 to share.
Not got the patience tonight to do another day, got back late and I've been chilling out. Smirnoff and Dr Pepper time
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Alrighty ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it's time to do some more typing!
13th June 2012 - All Line Rover, Day 10
Argh, the day's numbers are already in double figures! If only I had 3 weeks to do everything, or even if I was able to do this for a living! Sleep is eventually had, after seeing winner 67030 had dragged the Edinburgh portion over at Carstairs. Not amused, and I've since found out 90019 had recently suffered an ETS fault, hence 67030 working. You're telling me, it was freezing last night Skoda 19 dragged a passenger working! I'm incredibly tired by 0029, but then it has been about 19.5 hours since I got up! I'm awake by Watford Junction, having somehow survived the night and if I'd had the ability to do so, I'd have made it official in writing there and then I was not doing another sleeper journey by choice again. Glad I woke up when I did as I got 378213 and 214 for sight on the way into London, just 210 to get now, unless there's even more that I still don't know about. Having by now changed into clean clothes, we arrive at 0611 and it's time for breakfast of a mini sausage baguette and coffee, kick-rear-end size Once I eventually add the minute amount of sugar they gave me, topped up with some of my emergency supply, I get on winner 378225 to Willesden Junction (when did I last get off here I wonder...) for winner 378212 over the top of London to Gospel Oak.
Boy doesn't Willesden depot look so different now too! I came here yonks ago (can't tell you when it was before as RailMiles doesn't like my search for Willesden Junction) when it was all 313s on NLL services and the depot had 313s, 86s, 87s and the odd 150 now and again in view, not to mention 08s, viewable from the high level station. Now you get the odd 172 and just 378s viewable on the depot today, although I believe there were also 86s parked up on the other side. Progress I suppose! My first LOROL 172 for haulage is up next with 172007 over to Leyton Midland Road for the shack scratch. I don't remember the GOBLIN (that is, Gospel Oak to Barking Line) being so slow and dull when it was 150s, it felt like an incredibly long 20 minutes on the 172 and an even longer time since I last did this line on a 150. And now all I have are memories...Fortunately the 0759 Woodgrange Park to Hampstead Heath, the PSUL move I came over here for, is indeed advertised on the PIS screens. Also:
AAAAAAAAA?! Since when did Chiltern loan out their 172/1s to LOROL? 172102 was in use this morning on a Barking to Gospel Oak service, which seemed quite unusual. And packed, wow I've never seen this line so busy! Was nice to get a Chiltern 172 in without having to get a Chiltern bash in mind! I bail at South Tottenham for another shack scratch before getting my train of choice in aboard 172002. As we get close to Gospel Oak, I start crossing my fingers and...yep we do indeed do the bit of track I wanted us to do. Excellent, another PSUL move out of the way! 378223 continues the so-far-non-stop winning streak today on a Richmond service which saw me standing the entire way. 32 minutes felt like forever, particularly as by now the coffee had worked its way south...Very useful having trains you can walk all the way along inside mind, just a shame there's no facilities on here! 450565+544 double up for more winnage on a leap to Twickenham and came in handy for dealing with urgent matters! With that done, it was time to jump off and get ready for my next move that would result in truth finally being applicable to the saying 'Good things come to those who wait'. First up though was a coffee move from Puccino's for a medium coffee for £2.25, as I felt a victory coffee would soon be necessary. Like the humour on their coffee cups, things like 'Now with this bit written here!' on one side just made it a bit different to the more usual cups emblazoned with nothing but the company logo. Platforms 1 and 2 are out of action for rebuilding work I see, and I join 450s 036+097 on a trip to Vauxhall via the long way around...
YEEEEEE-HAAAAAA! Finally, I have finished the South West Trains network with the coverage of Whitton Junction to Hounslow Junction! A silent toast in my head with my coffee raised in the air is now mandatory. Tough luck to anyone who thought it strange, I've seen far stranger in London before! This journey also provides a pleasant sight just before Wandsworth Town, as 31285+233 pass westbound on a test train. A nice bit of EE growling made the morning even better! After finally arriving at 1034 into Vauxhall and getting the unexpected bonus of finally going through each platform line at Clapham Junction, I put my feet and legs through their paces and I'm on a northbound Victoria line train within 3 minutes of getting off the 450s. Not bad at all in my book! I make it to Kings Cross in time to see the 1105 to Leeds is going from platform 0, winner 43208 is on it too so I'm even happier with that! My phone's in dire need of charging now and I try to post some gen for the first time in ages. I say try because the signal is so bad on the ECML that it takes at least 15 minutes to post even one bit! Needed some of the coaches on this set for sight I note during the journey, even happier with having got to Kings Cross for this one then!
Another bit of PSUL track coming up, and so far only 43300 has been dud. Not bad at all, East Coast even being generous and providing a winner 91 in the form of 91104 on the 1108 Kings Cross to York, which I join at Peterborough. I should have used the short connection time here to get a coffee, but I think about it too late. I'm also rather hungry by now (after all, it is around 12 noon and breakfast was over 5.5 hours ago), so a treat is had with a KitKat and a strong coffee (Starbucks again...) for £3. I'm glad the woman on the Cafe-Bar asked if I wanted a strong one, as it was a good strong one (I think it had just got back from the gym
) and that was exactly what I needed. Time for some tunes as we sort-of rush along the ECML now, and I notice I need the short bit of track between Wigan Wallgate and Wigan Station Junction whilst perusing the Midlands Quail. A really annoyingly fiddly bit to do but an incredibly easy win. I see at Newark North Gate a Class 373 stop board is still up, crikey it's been years since they ran up here! Retford and fingers get crossed again for the booked track from Loversall Curve Junction and Flyover West Junction. We did indeed do it, and this made a change, going up through the Doncaster area and actually being able to ID the GBRf 66s up here! Not that I needed any of them but merr.
With another PSUL move crossed off, I pop outside to do some spotting at Doncaster and return to the station just in time to see 43206+311 arrive on an ex-EMT set on a Kings Cross service. 206 is a winner, as was 311, so I'm well chuffed and I jump on. Didn't think they'd have power sockets on here mind, it being an ex-EMT set. The batteries die in the CD player, so no more HTID today. The pen's running low now though it's done well, fair dos. Out comes the PSUL for more studying and I check my onward connections. Yep I should make it easily to East Midlands Parkway for my intended train this afternoon! Nowt I need on Peterborough, and I get to the ATM for some cash so as to get a chocolate muffin and a coffee from Pumpkin. Glad I didn't go into town for food after all, as I get winner 158813 to Nottingham, which leaves just 4 more NM (Nottingham Eastcroft) 158s to get now. We use the Down Slow after Tallington, although until I get a new pen the colouring in will have to wait.
Continued after tea (would have been done by now, but I got distracted by looking up Sonic 4...)
Not got the patience tonight to do another day, got back late and I've been chilling out. Smirnoff and Dr Pepper time
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Alrighty ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it's time to do some more typing!
13th June 2012 - All Line Rover, Day 10
Argh, the day's numbers are already in double figures! If only I had 3 weeks to do everything, or even if I was able to do this for a living! Sleep is eventually had, after seeing winner 67030 had dragged the Edinburgh portion over at Carstairs. Not amused, and I've since found out 90019 had recently suffered an ETS fault, hence 67030 working. You're telling me, it was freezing last night Skoda 19 dragged a passenger working! I'm incredibly tired by 0029, but then it has been about 19.5 hours since I got up! I'm awake by Watford Junction, having somehow survived the night and if I'd had the ability to do so, I'd have made it official in writing there and then I was not doing another sleeper journey by choice again. Glad I woke up when I did as I got 378213 and 214 for sight on the way into London, just 210 to get now, unless there's even more that I still don't know about. Having by now changed into clean clothes, we arrive at 0611 and it's time for breakfast of a mini sausage baguette and coffee, kick-rear-end size
Once I eventually add the minute amount of sugar they gave me, topped up with some of my emergency supply, I get on winner 378225 to Willesden Junction (when did I last get off here I wonder...) for winner 378212 over the top of London to Gospel Oak.Boy doesn't Willesden depot look so different now too! I came here yonks ago (can't tell you when it was before as RailMiles doesn't like my search for Willesden Junction) when it was all 313s on NLL services and the depot had 313s, 86s, 87s and the odd 150 now and again in view, not to mention 08s, viewable from the high level station. Now you get the odd 172 and just 378s viewable on the depot today, although I believe there were also 86s parked up on the other side. Progress I suppose! My first LOROL 172 for haulage is up next with 172007 over to Leyton Midland Road for the shack scratch. I don't remember the GOBLIN (that is, Gospel Oak to Barking Line) being so slow and dull when it was 150s, it felt like an incredibly long 20 minutes on the 172 and an even longer time since I last did this line on a 150. And now all I have are memories...Fortunately the 0759 Woodgrange Park to Hampstead Heath, the PSUL move I came over here for, is indeed advertised on the PIS screens. Also:
AAAAAAAAA?! Since when did Chiltern loan out their 172/1s to LOROL? 172102 was in use this morning on a Barking to Gospel Oak service, which seemed quite unusual. And packed, wow I've never seen this line so busy! Was nice to get a Chiltern 172 in without having to get a Chiltern bash in mind! I bail at South Tottenham for another shack scratch before getting my train of choice in aboard 172002. As we get close to Gospel Oak, I start crossing my fingers and...yep we do indeed do the bit of track I wanted us to do. Excellent, another PSUL move out of the way! 378223 continues the so-far-non-stop winning streak today on a Richmond service which saw me standing the entire way. 32 minutes felt like forever, particularly as by now the coffee had worked its way south...Very useful having trains you can walk all the way along inside mind, just a shame there's no facilities on here! 450565+544 double up for more winnage on a leap to Twickenham and came in handy for dealing with urgent matters! With that done, it was time to jump off and get ready for my next move that would result in truth finally being applicable to the saying 'Good things come to those who wait'. First up though was a coffee move from Puccino's for a medium coffee for £2.25, as I felt a victory coffee would soon be necessary. Like the humour on their coffee cups, things like 'Now with this bit written here!' on one side just made it a bit different to the more usual cups emblazoned with nothing but the company logo. Platforms 1 and 2 are out of action for rebuilding work I see, and I join 450s 036+097 on a trip to Vauxhall via the long way around...
YEEEEEE-HAAAAAA! Finally, I have finished the South West Trains network with the coverage of Whitton Junction to Hounslow Junction! A silent toast in my head with my coffee raised in the air is now mandatory. Tough luck to anyone who thought it strange, I've seen far stranger in London before! This journey also provides a pleasant sight just before Wandsworth Town, as 31285+233 pass westbound on a test train. A nice bit of EE growling made the morning even better! After finally arriving at 1034 into Vauxhall and getting the unexpected bonus of finally going through each platform line at Clapham Junction, I put my feet and legs through their paces and I'm on a northbound Victoria line train within 3 minutes of getting off the 450s. Not bad at all in my book! I make it to Kings Cross in time to see the 1105 to Leeds is going from platform 0, winner 43208 is on it too so I'm even happier with that! My phone's in dire need of charging now and I try to post some gen for the first time in ages. I say try because the signal is so bad on the ECML that it takes at least 15 minutes to post even one bit! Needed some of the coaches on this set for sight I note during the journey, even happier with having got to Kings Cross for this one then!
Another bit of PSUL track coming up, and so far only 43300 has been dud. Not bad at all, East Coast even being generous and providing a winner 91 in the form of 91104 on the 1108 Kings Cross to York, which I join at Peterborough. I should have used the short connection time here to get a coffee, but I think about it too late. I'm also rather hungry by now (after all, it is around 12 noon and breakfast was over 5.5 hours ago), so a treat is had with a KitKat and a strong coffee (Starbucks again...) for £3. I'm glad the woman on the Cafe-Bar asked if I wanted a strong one, as it was a good strong one (I think it had just got back from the gym
) and that was exactly what I needed. Time for some tunes as we sort-of rush along the ECML now, and I notice I need the short bit of track between Wigan Wallgate and Wigan Station Junction whilst perusing the Midlands Quail. A really annoyingly fiddly bit to do but an incredibly easy win. I see at Newark North Gate a Class 373 stop board is still up, crikey it's been years since they ran up here! Retford and fingers get crossed again for the booked track from Loversall Curve Junction and Flyover West Junction. We did indeed do it, and this made a change, going up through the Doncaster area and actually being able to ID the GBRf 66s up here! Not that I needed any of them but merr.With another PSUL move crossed off, I pop outside to do some spotting at Doncaster and return to the station just in time to see 43206+311 arrive on an ex-EMT set on a Kings Cross service. 206 is a winner, as was 311, so I'm well chuffed and I jump on. Didn't think they'd have power sockets on here mind, it being an ex-EMT set. The batteries die in the CD player, so no more HTID today. The pen's running low now though it's done well, fair dos. Out comes the PSUL for more studying and I check my onward connections. Yep I should make it easily to East Midlands Parkway for my intended train this afternoon! Nowt I need on Peterborough, and I get to the ATM for some cash so as to get a chocolate muffin and a coffee from Pumpkin. Glad I didn't go into town for food after all, as I get winner 158813 to Nottingham, which leaves just 4 more NM (Nottingham Eastcroft) 158s to get now. We use the Down Slow after Tallington, although until I get a new pen the colouring in will have to wait.
Continued after tea (would have been done by now, but I got distracted by looking up Sonic 4...)
Blindtraveler
Established Member
can hardly wate. amazing day and your sleaper milage just keeps getting worse, I am embarrased that my local TOC let you down that badly
anthony263
Established Member
Excellent I have been looking forward to your next update and I look forward to more soon.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Sorry it's taken me ages to finish this day off, I just lost interest after tea last weekend and I went out on Monday (no trip report though, I felt ill and miserable all day so couldn't be bothered) so no typing time then. I've been working a lot since and now it's finally Sunday so more typing to come later.
Scotrail themselves have done alright in my experiences, and to be fair I knew it wasn't going to be a barrel of laughs on the seated sleeper. I've grown used to the luxury of a bed every night, and to be honest my 90 mileage is high enough already! Instead I'm a Travelodge Ticker!
Scotrail themselves have done alright in my experiences, and to be fair I knew it wasn't going to be a barrel of laughs on the seated sleeper. I've grown used to the luxury of a bed every night, and to be honest my 90 mileage is high enough already! Instead I'm a Travelodge Ticker!
Blindtraveler
Established Member
Iv now had so many problems with TL that Id rather take the 90 but good on ya and yes a bed each night is a good shout I have to admit.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Well then ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it's time to conclude day 10 and see how far I get after that. If TrainStation hadn't been down for maintenance, I'd have been on there at the moment, so before I get fed up of typing again:
13th June 2012 - All Line Rover, day 10 continued
It's time for the MP3 player up to Nottingham, and I pop into Tesco Express for a sandwich and a big bottle of pop. During the rest of the fester, I pop onto Facebook, post some gen and discover it's 43043+43047 on the 1628 Nottingham to London St Pancras. First visit to East Midlands Parkway then, with dud 222101 rolling in on the 1634 Derby to St Pancras [this was an HST on Monday! - Ed]. Had this back in April 2007 when Hull Trains were still using the class! After we do Syston North Curve, over which I had time to find a way to create peace in the Middle East, it was that slow and tight along there, it was time to devour my sandwich. I note an 08 on Lafarge Mountsorrel, no idea which one. Very quiet train this, think there's less than 10 people in Standard! And as much as I expect to receive hate PMs/replies for this, I didn't think much of Harringworth Viaduct which I'd been looking forward to going over. Maybe it looks better from the ground, but I find it amazing people organise railtours to go over this thing!
As this train spends a week and 12 hours at Kettering before continuing to London, I bail to get an alternative option in. After all, we arrived at 1802 and wasn't booked to go forward until 1827. I feel sorry for anyone who was booked on non-flexible tickets and forced to sit there for the whole time and not do what I'd seen in the timetable and announced before our arrival. Even so, I've now finished the EMT network which is well worthy of celebration! 222015 is a winner, the first win for some hours now and after Bedford it's looking out of the window for my last 319 for sight. After a non-stop run, with no luck seeing the 319 I wanted, we arrive 1 late at 1907 and I'm in a rush to get to Euston. I stormed my way through St Pancras, not an easy feat and it still takes 4 minutes to get to Euston Road. Felt like an hour dodging all the tourists! After 11 minutes I'm on the concourse at Euston, which is pretty good for a non-fit basher like me! 390112 provides an unexpected win on the last move of the day, rather glad then I went to Birmingham via London after all! Time to get the maps, Baker and Quails updated, and boy isn't my fold out map looking good now! Just a shame there's no sign of 378210 to finish the class for sight
After Hemel Hempstead we're going incredibly slowly, and randomly my pen chooses this moment in time to get working a bit better in my notebook. How random this thing is...I guess there's slow ahead of us, which is disappointing as I was hoping for a belter of a run. Disturbed's Indestructible is on now, time to wage war on delays, get out the air raid siren [for those not familiar with the track, it starts with a siren sound, feel free to look it up - Ed]! 390137 has been done now I see, it working to London whilst we were waiting time at Coventry. And what have the Midlands done to the weather, it's pouring down here yet was quite nice in London! Can't believe how fast this journey's gone, definitely far superior to the journey on Chiltern between Birmingham and London. I get over to Moor Street and the Travelodge is indeed only a couple of minutes away at the most, fantastic. It's the usual evening procedures of checking in and chilling out after arrival here, this evening was slightly different though as someone had put the Inspector Gadget theme in my head earlier so had to play it on YouTube amongst several other themes! Whilst waiting for The Big Bang Theory (I am a big fan of it in case you hadn't noticed!), I saw a bit of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning. What a disgusting, rancid, horrible bit of cinema! I flicked over to Channel 4 and found 2 Broke Girls was on. I'm no fan of it, but that was far better than that disgrace to the film industry. Surprised I didn't have nightmares! I watch the first half of The Big Bang Theory, but it's getting incredibly late (0015!) and my eyes are proving this by closing themselves. So then, the day's review:
Pretty good for mileage and action, and finishing the EMT and SWT networks at long last was excellent. Lots of winners too made the day pretty good, so then it's time for the stats:
Day 10 mileage: 593m27c
Mileage move of the day: 112m73c on 390112
Bus stop move of the day: 3m33c on 172102
Best bit: Finally finishing the EMT and SWT networks
Worst bit: The lack of decent sleep making the morning a fair bit of a drag
Bargain of the day: The big bottle of pop from Tesco for £1
Rip-off of the day: Nothing comes to mind in particular
Now to take another break and return to TrainStation (a game on Facebook for those unaware)
13th June 2012 - All Line Rover, day 10 continued
It's time for the MP3 player up to Nottingham, and I pop into Tesco Express for a sandwich and a big bottle of pop. During the rest of the fester, I pop onto Facebook, post some gen and discover it's 43043+43047 on the 1628 Nottingham to London St Pancras. First visit to East Midlands Parkway then, with dud 222101 rolling in on the 1634 Derby to St Pancras [this was an HST on Monday! - Ed]. Had this back in April 2007 when Hull Trains were still using the class! After we do Syston North Curve, over which I had time to find a way to create peace in the Middle East, it was that slow and tight along there, it was time to devour my sandwich. I note an 08 on Lafarge Mountsorrel, no idea which one. Very quiet train this, think there's less than 10 people in Standard! And as much as I expect to receive hate PMs/replies for this, I didn't think much of Harringworth Viaduct which I'd been looking forward to going over. Maybe it looks better from the ground, but I find it amazing people organise railtours to go over this thing!
As this train spends a week and 12 hours at Kettering before continuing to London, I bail to get an alternative option in. After all, we arrived at 1802 and wasn't booked to go forward until 1827. I feel sorry for anyone who was booked on non-flexible tickets and forced to sit there for the whole time and not do what I'd seen in the timetable and announced before our arrival. Even so, I've now finished the EMT network which is well worthy of celebration! 222015 is a winner, the first win for some hours now and after Bedford it's looking out of the window for my last 319 for sight. After a non-stop run, with no luck seeing the 319 I wanted, we arrive 1 late at 1907 and I'm in a rush to get to Euston. I stormed my way through St Pancras, not an easy feat and it still takes 4 minutes to get to Euston Road. Felt like an hour dodging all the tourists! After 11 minutes I'm on the concourse at Euston, which is pretty good for a non-fit basher like me! 390112 provides an unexpected win on the last move of the day, rather glad then I went to Birmingham via London after all! Time to get the maps, Baker and Quails updated, and boy isn't my fold out map looking good now! Just a shame there's no sign of 378210 to finish the class for sight
After Hemel Hempstead we're going incredibly slowly, and randomly my pen chooses this moment in time to get working a bit better in my notebook. How random this thing is...I guess there's slow ahead of us, which is disappointing as I was hoping for a belter of a run. Disturbed's Indestructible is on now, time to wage war on delays, get out the air raid siren [for those not familiar with the track, it starts with a siren sound, feel free to look it up - Ed]! 390137 has been done now I see, it working to London whilst we were waiting time at Coventry. And what have the Midlands done to the weather, it's pouring down here yet was quite nice in London! Can't believe how fast this journey's gone, definitely far superior to the journey on Chiltern between Birmingham and London. I get over to Moor Street and the Travelodge is indeed only a couple of minutes away at the most, fantastic. It's the usual evening procedures of checking in and chilling out after arrival here, this evening was slightly different though as someone had put the Inspector Gadget theme in my head earlier so had to play it on YouTube amongst several other themes! Whilst waiting for The Big Bang Theory (I am a big fan of it in case you hadn't noticed!), I saw a bit of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning. What a disgusting, rancid, horrible bit of cinema! I flicked over to Channel 4 and found 2 Broke Girls was on. I'm no fan of it, but that was far better than that disgrace to the film industry. Surprised I didn't have nightmares! I watch the first half of The Big Bang Theory, but it's getting incredibly late (0015!) and my eyes are proving this by closing themselves. So then, the day's review:
Pretty good for mileage and action, and finishing the EMT and SWT networks at long last was excellent. Lots of winners too made the day pretty good, so then it's time for the stats:
Day 10 mileage: 593m27c
Mileage move of the day: 112m73c on 390112
Bus stop move of the day: 3m33c on 172102
Best bit: Finally finishing the EMT and SWT networks
Worst bit: The lack of decent sleep making the morning a fair bit of a drag
Bargain of the day: The big bottle of pop from Tesco for £1
Rip-off of the day: Nothing comes to mind in particular
Now to take another break and return to TrainStation (a game on Facebook for those unaware)
anthony263
Established Member
Excellent I look forward to more
Techniquest
Veteran Member
And for the moment I can't be bothered to carry it on, so I'll see how I feel tomorrow. Dunno why I've so little energy today...
flymo
Established Member
I must admit I do like reading these trip reports and can only look on in awe at them.
It makes me somewhat jealous in a away and kind of long for the days gone by when a 14 day ALR was my summer holiday.
Keep em comin'
It makes me somewhat jealous in a away and kind of long for the days gone by when a 14 day ALR was my summer holiday.
Keep em comin'
Blindtraveler
Established Member
Amazing again! I cant wate 4 more!
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Here we go again then ladies and gentlemen! Dunno if I'll make it all the way through day 11 in one go, not long had a coffee to get myself pumped up though! Without further delay...
14th June 2012 - All Line Rover, Day 11
Up and about at 0500, and as I can spare some time today I return to bed for about 10 minutes after making a coffee. Once that's consumed and everything's prepared, I leave around 0540. No need to rush today either, since I'm so close to Moor Street! The first move of the day, the 0555 Birmingham Snow Hill to Stratford-upon-Avon, is dud 172333. Always my flipping luck with these things! The Travelodge was booked specifically for this PSUL move, and yes I could have done it last night on the other PSUL move, the 2136 from Stratford-upon-Avon, but that would have meant not getting the crossovers at each end of Hatton North Curve done. Surprisingly the journey passed by super quickly, and I noted 67014 on the 0655 to London Marylebone. Will I make it to Warwick later for it? At 0634, it's time to sound the victory horns (no victory coffee as nowhere was open for one earlier), as I've finally completed the London Midland network! [you try finding a decent victory horn sound on YouTube by the way for the purposes of this report, difficult! This will suffice, the first 4 or so seconds of this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i85iMapeTfs - Ed] It's back to Moor Street via the usual North Warwickshire route through Henley-in-Arden and Shirley on 172333 next, after missing the -1 at S-u-A which would have provided 168113+217 to Warwick for 67014 to London. Never mind, I'll get 014 one day!
The way back to Birmingham was just extremely dull and boring, and got very busy after just a couple of stops. I was glad to get back to England's second city for a breakfast and coffee move, but then it dawned on me that I can't use my ALR on Virgin from Birmingham New Street until after 1000, so I plan an XC bash in desperation instead. Ah yes, they're also extremely tight fisted [resists temptation to go into XC rant mode - Ed] so after I double check LM definitely isn't on the list, nor Wolverhampton, I find a LM service to Liverpool at 0801. That'll give me time to get food and coffee in Wolverhampton before getting Virgin north. I stay with dud 350107 though to get that lot at Crewe and check if there was a required 221 going to Chester or London. No such luck, so in the meantime I go over to Pumpkin and get a sausage bap and large coffee for a seriously late running breakfast (could have done with this lot 3 hours ago!) after seeing and photting 37409 with an inspection saloon. That made a nice change for the ears after the 350! The PIS on platform 7 says it's out of use, interesting. Not sure if I accidentally gave the girl £3.83 instead of £2.83 or if I simply lost the other £1, but it sure wasn't in my wallet when I got to Wigan, bah. The walk from North Western to Wallgate was dead short, can't believe I was expecting a marathon journey!
I finally get some cash from the Post Office nearby and get some Papermate pens for just 50p [seemed a bargain at the time...You'll soon see what I mean - Ed]. It's a lovely hot day here up north, lots of sunshine and heat. Compared to the rest of the country, I think I was getting rather fortunate with the weather! I spot some buses for a bit, I'd forgotten they had some decent sounding stuff like Optare Excel 2s up here. Dud 150138 rolls in on the 0953 to Manchester Airport, running several minutes late apparently due to a broken down train in front of it. At least I didn't have to suffer a 142! The bit of track I needed from Wallgate to Wigan Station Junction is finally done, which means I'm almost there with the North West now The map, Quail and Baker are looking good now with today's progress so far, and I almost left my camera behind when it came to getting off this very busy train. So glad I remembered it! 142037 provides the first win of the day on the 1045 Manchester Piccadilly to Sheffield stopper via the Hope Valley. Platform 1 is finally microgriced, and I flick through the Metro and that free Shortlist magazine. It has to be free, it's not worth paying for! 60007 is noted roaring north just before Romiley, I can't remember the last time I heard that sound but it was extremely welcome.
As we join the Hope Valley at New Mills South Junction, a victory parade is called for (this will suffice on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaxVwD-HvNU) as I finally clear the North West! Lots of good progress made today then, with all my maps and such like looking far better than they did last night. Somehow by Grindleford we've lost 7 minutes, I'm at a loss as to how that's happened. My plus onto the 1211 to Cleethorpes is in jeopardy now! We arrive into platform 8 (surprised it wasn't 2C, but merr) at 1206, 3 late and 185126 is flagged on the Cleethorpes. Perhaps I should check my NREA...D'oh, it was required and realise too late to jump on. Oh well, everything happens for a reason and I get myself a large coffee to celebrate the day thus far from Pumpkin. Winner 144009 takes me forward with the 1224 stopper to Scunthorpe via Rotherham Central. Gotta wonder what they'll do with such journeys if/when Supertram extends to Parkgate. The journey goes by super fast all things considered, we reached Doncaster much quicker than I expected! Nothing worthy of note here, and I get winner 91131 to Newcastle. This journey is a lengthy one, so on with the tunes and out with the trip report now I have new pens! I make my way, once in Newcastle, to platform 7 to join winner 156454 on the 1456 to Hexham.
You're probably wondering why I'm up here. Well I'd forgot until the other day about the short stretches of metal resting on metal attached to concrete/wood up here that I still need. Having studied the PSUL, I found some trains that I could go for that were booked to use the High Level Bridge into/out of Newcastle. With these little stretches being the last two regular bits to do in the North East (as usual, excluding preserved/light/freight railway) it had to be gone for. So after alighting at Metrocentre I get winner 142016 back to Newcastle on one of those trains in the PSUL. I check with the guard if we're indeed booked over the High Level bridge, which he confirms but alerts me to the fact it's not a guarantee. Fingers crossed after Dunston then. YES! We do indeed use the High Level Bridge, so I am now very happy! We arrive a few minutes earlier than expected, so I go to what I thought was platform 3 and redeem my full card at the Pumpkin. The 1528 to Kings Cross arrives in what is actually platform 3 (I was on p2) and full credit to the Pumpkin guy, he noticed what a flap I was getting in and rushed it as much as possible. How I didn't lose all my coffee to the floor on my rush over the bridge I don't know, but make it on with mere seconds to spare and somehow find a seat. No idea which 91 I'm on though, shall have to see which wire scraping machine it is at Peterborough! After updating the Quail and Baker, the trip report is carried on with, and I get up to today with it before I have to get ready to alight.
A level crossing CCTV failure is delaying significantly everything over Daw Lane (a little north of Shaftholme Junction) level crossing. Bet York IECC weren't too happy about that! Fortunately we're not massively affected and we reach Peterborough for the fifty millionth time this fortnight [seriously, anyone reading this may well be thinking I had a thing going on here! - Ed] at 1754, about 5 down (yes, I use down in my writings not late, high time I used my own terminology). A medium tea is up next as I'm in dire need of refreshment now, 2 hours after my last drink for £1.40. Nowt on Peterborough I need, how many GBRf 66s do I actually need I wonder. 170106 is up next for my first XC journey of the fortnight, a TOC I'd planned to avoid for the whole trip. So long as I don't have to suffer one of their Voyagers, this will be a fine compromise [I've had to suffer an XC 220 since then, and ugh! Can't avoid them enough! - Ed]. 66734 is a winner sight on March, glad I went this way then now! Especially since we use platform 7 at Cambridge, one of the sides of the new island platform here. Platform 5 is noticeably shorter than p6 I see now too, everything looks much different to my visit here in August 2011!
I get 4 379s I needed for sight here, and with nowt else open for food without a trek into town about the same length as walking to Everest, I set up a loan and head into M&S Food. Everything's so flipping expensive in here compared to Asda [now that's something I'd like to see, Tesco/Asda at stations - Ed], an example being a chicken and bacon sandwich. £3.25 in M&S, £2 in Asda, £1.80 in the latter for me (). Guess which one tasted far superior and had more in it. If you guessed Asda, congratulations you were right. Same sort of story with everything I looked at. If it cost 90p in Asda, it would be at least £1.75 in here. I know some people over here are rich, but for us normal people this takes the mick! A pack of chocolate digestives and a small bottle of water form the rest of my tea for a total of £4.95. Outrageous price and even some of my most miserable colleagues could do better than this lot. In case it's not obvious, I don't like M&S! 170207 takes me on the last train of the day, the 1943 Cambridge to Harwich International which I take as far as Needham Market. Platform 5 was a winner too, and after eating my first food since breakfast, over 11 hours ago (!) I start feeling really tired.
The green pen, the first of my new batch of pens, has now stopped working. No biggie, I have 9 more. Eventually, after a lot of persuasion, the red one works but to have 8 pens fail out of a 10 pack is outrageous. Especially for Papermate! We finally arrive at 2049 and I start the walk to the Travelodge shortly afterwards. It takes 32 minutes but involved a major roundabout. Glad there wasn't any traffic using it at the time! The usual evening procedures are next and end up watching some of Jimmy and the Giant Supermarket. I couldn't stay awake to watch the end of it though, after all it is around midnight! So then the day's review:
It's been a most productive day with several winners and some fiddly bits out of the way. Finishing the LM network after so many years was a bonus and getting the North West out of the way was great. Lots of mileage today and some new sights, all in all a good day out with a score of 9/10. Stats:
Day 11 mileage: 625m17c
Mileage move of the day: 192m27c on 91117 (winner by the way)
Bus stop of the day: 3m39c on 156454
Best bit: Finishing the LM network at long last
Worst bit: The arduous journey up the normal way to Birmingham on 172333, just so bored tired and hungry at that point!
Bargain of the day: Gonna say that cup of tea at Pumpkin, Peterborough
Rip-off of the day: Those pens. Whilst there was a lot of them for 50p, with only two of them working I was outraged!
Right then, that'll do for now. Days 12 to 14 will come along soon enough, but I've got a lot of work to do this week so doubt it'll be before Sunday.
14th June 2012 - All Line Rover, Day 11
Up and about at 0500, and as I can spare some time today I return to bed for about 10 minutes after making a coffee. Once that's consumed and everything's prepared, I leave around 0540. No need to rush today either, since I'm so close to Moor Street! The first move of the day, the 0555 Birmingham Snow Hill to Stratford-upon-Avon, is dud 172333. Always my flipping luck with these things! The Travelodge was booked specifically for this PSUL move, and yes I could have done it last night on the other PSUL move, the 2136 from Stratford-upon-Avon, but that would have meant not getting the crossovers at each end of Hatton North Curve done. Surprisingly the journey passed by super quickly, and I noted 67014 on the 0655 to London Marylebone. Will I make it to Warwick later for it? At 0634, it's time to sound the victory horns (no victory coffee as nowhere was open for one earlier), as I've finally completed the London Midland network! [you try finding a decent victory horn sound on YouTube by the way for the purposes of this report, difficult! This will suffice, the first 4 or so seconds of this http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i85iMapeTfs - Ed] It's back to Moor Street via the usual North Warwickshire route through Henley-in-Arden and Shirley on 172333 next, after missing the -1 at S-u-A which would have provided 168113+217 to Warwick for 67014 to London. Never mind, I'll get 014 one day!
The way back to Birmingham was just extremely dull and boring, and got very busy after just a couple of stops. I was glad to get back to England's second city for a breakfast and coffee move, but then it dawned on me that I can't use my ALR on Virgin from Birmingham New Street until after 1000, so I plan an XC bash in desperation instead. Ah yes, they're also extremely tight fisted [resists temptation to go into XC rant mode - Ed] so after I double check LM definitely isn't on the list, nor Wolverhampton, I find a LM service to Liverpool at 0801. That'll give me time to get food and coffee in Wolverhampton before getting Virgin north. I stay with dud 350107 though to get that lot at Crewe and check if there was a required 221 going to Chester or London. No such luck, so in the meantime I go over to Pumpkin and get a sausage bap and large coffee for a seriously late running breakfast (could have done with this lot 3 hours ago!) after seeing and photting 37409 with an inspection saloon. That made a nice change for the ears after the 350! The PIS on platform 7 says it's out of use, interesting. Not sure if I accidentally gave the girl £3.83 instead of £2.83 or if I simply lost the other £1, but it sure wasn't in my wallet when I got to Wigan, bah. The walk from North Western to Wallgate was dead short, can't believe I was expecting a marathon journey!
I finally get some cash from the Post Office nearby and get some Papermate pens for just 50p [seemed a bargain at the time...You'll soon see what I mean - Ed]. It's a lovely hot day here up north, lots of sunshine and heat. Compared to the rest of the country, I think I was getting rather fortunate with the weather! I spot some buses for a bit, I'd forgotten they had some decent sounding stuff like Optare Excel 2s up here. Dud 150138 rolls in on the 0953 to Manchester Airport, running several minutes late apparently due to a broken down train in front of it. At least I didn't have to suffer a 142! The bit of track I needed from Wallgate to Wigan Station Junction is finally done, which means I'm almost there with the North West now
The map, Quail and Baker are looking good now with today's progress so far, and I almost left my camera behind when it came to getting off this very busy train. So glad I remembered it! 142037 provides the first win of the day on the 1045 Manchester Piccadilly to Sheffield stopper via the Hope Valley. Platform 1 is finally microgriced, and I flick through the Metro and that free Shortlist magazine. It has to be free, it's not worth paying for! 60007 is noted roaring north just before Romiley, I can't remember the last time I heard that sound but it was extremely welcome.As we join the Hope Valley at New Mills South Junction, a victory parade is called for (this will suffice on YouTube http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RaxVwD-HvNU
) as I finally clear the North West! Lots of good progress made today then, with all my maps and such like looking far better than they did last night. Somehow by Grindleford we've lost 7 minutes, I'm at a loss as to how that's happened. My plus onto the 1211 to Cleethorpes is in jeopardy now! We arrive into platform 8 (surprised it wasn't 2C, but merr) at 1206, 3 late and 185126 is flagged on the Cleethorpes. Perhaps I should check my NREA...D'oh, it was required and realise too late to jump on. Oh well, everything happens for a reason and I get myself a large coffee to celebrate the day thus far from Pumpkin. Winner 144009 takes me forward with the 1224 stopper to Scunthorpe via Rotherham Central. Gotta wonder what they'll do with such journeys if/when Supertram extends to Parkgate. The journey goes by super fast all things considered, we reached Doncaster much quicker than I expected! Nothing worthy of note here, and I get winner 91131 to Newcastle. This journey is a lengthy one, so on with the tunes and out with the trip report now I have new pens! I make my way, once in Newcastle, to platform 7 to join winner 156454 on the 1456 to Hexham.You're probably wondering why I'm up here. Well I'd forgot until the other day about the short stretches of metal resting on metal attached to concrete/wood up here that I still need. Having studied the PSUL, I found some trains that I could go for that were booked to use the High Level Bridge into/out of Newcastle. With these little stretches being the last two regular bits to do in the North East (as usual, excluding preserved/light/freight railway) it had to be gone for. So after alighting at Metrocentre I get winner 142016 back to Newcastle on one of those trains in the PSUL. I check with the guard if we're indeed booked over the High Level bridge, which he confirms but alerts me to the fact it's not a guarantee. Fingers crossed after Dunston then. YES! We do indeed use the High Level Bridge, so I am now very happy! We arrive a few minutes earlier than expected, so I go to what I thought was platform 3 and redeem my full card at the Pumpkin. The 1528 to Kings Cross arrives in what is actually platform 3 (I was on p2) and full credit to the Pumpkin guy, he noticed what a flap I was getting in and rushed it as much as possible. How I didn't lose all my coffee to the floor on my rush over the bridge I don't know, but make it on with mere seconds to spare and somehow find a seat. No idea which 91 I'm on though, shall have to see which wire scraping machine it is at Peterborough! After updating the Quail and Baker, the trip report is carried on with, and I get up to today with it before I have to get ready to alight.
A level crossing CCTV failure is delaying significantly everything over Daw Lane (a little north of Shaftholme Junction) level crossing. Bet York IECC weren't too happy about that! Fortunately we're not massively affected and we reach Peterborough for the fifty millionth time this fortnight [seriously, anyone reading this may well be thinking I had a thing going on here! - Ed] at 1754, about 5 down (yes, I use down in my writings not late, high time I used my own terminology). A medium tea is up next as I'm in dire need of refreshment now, 2 hours after my last drink for £1.40. Nowt on Peterborough I need, how many GBRf 66s do I actually need I wonder. 170106 is up next for my first XC journey of the fortnight, a TOC I'd planned to avoid for the whole trip. So long as I don't have to suffer one of their Voyagers, this will be a fine compromise [I've had to suffer an XC 220 since then, and ugh! Can't avoid them enough! - Ed]. 66734 is a winner sight on March, glad I went this way then now! Especially since we use platform 7 at Cambridge, one of the sides of the new island platform here. Platform 5 is noticeably shorter than p6 I see now too, everything looks much different to my visit here in August 2011!
I get 4 379s I needed for sight here, and with nowt else open for food without a trek into town about the same length as walking to Everest, I set up a loan and head into M&S Food. Everything's so flipping expensive in here compared to Asda [now that's something I'd like to see, Tesco/Asda at stations - Ed], an example being a chicken and bacon sandwich. £3.25 in M&S, £2 in Asda, £1.80 in the latter for me (
). Guess which one tasted far superior and had more in it. If you guessed Asda, congratulations you were right. Same sort of story with everything I looked at. If it cost 90p in Asda, it would be at least £1.75 in here. I know some people over here are rich, but for us normal people this takes the mick! A pack of chocolate digestives and a small bottle of water form the rest of my tea for a total of £4.95. Outrageous price and even some of my most miserable colleagues could do better than this lot. In case it's not obvious, I don't like M&S! 170207 takes me on the last train of the day, the 1943 Cambridge to Harwich International which I take as far as Needham Market. Platform 5 was a winner too, and after eating my first food since breakfast, over 11 hours ago (!) I start feeling really tired.The green pen, the first of my new batch of pens, has now stopped working. No biggie, I have 9 more. Eventually, after a lot of persuasion, the red one works but to have 8 pens fail out of a 10 pack is outrageous. Especially for Papermate! We finally arrive at 2049 and I start the walk to the Travelodge shortly afterwards. It takes 32 minutes but involved a major roundabout. Glad there wasn't any traffic using it at the time! The usual evening procedures are next and end up watching some of Jimmy and the Giant Supermarket. I couldn't stay awake to watch the end of it though, after all it is around midnight! So then the day's review:
It's been a most productive day with several winners and some fiddly bits out of the way. Finishing the LM network after so many years was a bonus and getting the North West out of the way was great. Lots of mileage today and some new sights, all in all a good day out with a score of 9/10. Stats:
Day 11 mileage: 625m17c
Mileage move of the day: 192m27c on 91117 (winner by the way)
Bus stop of the day: 3m39c on 156454
Best bit: Finishing the LM network at long last
Worst bit: The arduous journey up the normal way to Birmingham on 172333, just so bored tired and hungry at that point!
Bargain of the day: Gonna say that cup of tea at Pumpkin, Peterborough
Rip-off of the day: Those pens. Whilst there was a lot of them for 50p, with only two of them working I was outraged!
Right then, that'll do for now. Days 12 to 14 will come along soon enough, but I've got a lot of work to do this week so doubt it'll be before Sunday.
anthony263
Established Member
excellent
Requeststop
Member
Thanks for the reports - I really enjoyed reading them. I enjoy riding lines I have not done before and I think a rover would be a great way for me to cover some areas I have not done before - the welsh valleys and Suffolk northward to Newcastle with the exception of the ECML. Manchester and Yorkshire too. A lot of the south of London (commuter belt) and north east of London out of Liverpool Street and Kings Cross (again commuter belt) Central Scotland and the West Highland Line too.
I have a game I play with myself at times using the latest timetables. Start as early as you can and wherever you want, take a train anywhere, but you cannot stay on that train for more than a scheduled hour. One hour, one minute is definately not allowed. You cannot get off the train and re-board it. You cannot cover a line you have already covered even in reverse, or re-visit a station to change trains. At the end of the day how many miles can you cover?
I find that starting at places like York/Crewe/Swindon/Derby highly frustrating to organise as train times seemingly do not fit into this game even for Great Rail Centres. Newcastle is a place to avoid too. Maybe someday I'll come up with a great scheme and be able to continue for a few days and actually take the journeys when I re-visit the UK again, and cover some of my missing tracks.
I have a game I play with myself at times using the latest timetables. Start as early as you can and wherever you want, take a train anywhere, but you cannot stay on that train for more than a scheduled hour. One hour, one minute is definately not allowed. You cannot get off the train and re-board it. You cannot cover a line you have already covered even in reverse, or re-visit a station to change trains. At the end of the day how many miles can you cover?
I find that starting at places like York/Crewe/Swindon/Derby highly frustrating to organise as train times seemingly do not fit into this game even for Great Rail Centres. Newcastle is a place to avoid too. Maybe someday I'll come up with a great scheme and be able to continue for a few days and actually take the journeys when I re-visit the UK again, and cover some of my missing tracks.
Stephen55a1960
Member
Well then ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, it's time to conclude day 10 and see how far I get after that. If TrainStation hadn't been down for maintenance, I'd have been on there at the moment, so before I get fed up of typing again:
13th June 2012 - All Line Rover, day 10 continued
It's time for the MP3 player up to Nottingham, and I pop into Tesco Express for a sandwich and a big bottle of pop. During the rest of the fester, I pop onto Facebook, post some gen and discover it's 43043+43047 on the 1628 Nottingham to London St Pancras. First visit to East Midlands Parkway then, with dud 222101 rolling in on the 1634 Derby to St Pancras [this was an HST on Monday! - Ed]. Had this back in April 2007 when Hull Trains were still using the class! After we do Syston North Curve, over which I had time to find a way to create peace in the Middle East, it was that slow and tight along there, it was time to devour my sandwich. I note an 08 on Lafarge Mountsorrel, no idea which one. Very quiet train this, think there's less than 10 people in Standard! And as much as I expect to receive hate PMs/replies for this, I didn't think much of Harringworth Viaduct which I'd been looking forward to going over. Maybe it looks better from the ground, but I find it amazing people organise railtours to go over this thing!
As this train spends a week and 12 hours at Kettering before continuing to London, I bail to get an alternative option in. After all, we arrived at 1802 and wasn't booked to go forward until 1827. I feel sorry for anyone who was booked on non-flexible tickets and forced to sit there for the whole time and not do what I'd seen in the timetable and announced before our arrival. Even so, I've now finished the EMT network which is well worthy of celebration! 222015 is a winner, the first win for some hours now and after Bedford it's looking out of the window for my last 319 for sight. After a non-stop run, with no luck seeing the 319 I wanted, we arrive 1 late at 1907 and I'm in a rush to get to Euston. I stormed my way through St Pancras, not an easy feat and it still takes 4 minutes to get to Euston Road. Felt like an hour dodging all the tourists! After 11 minutes I'm on the concourse at Euston, which is pretty good for a non-fit basher like me! 390112 provides an unexpected win on the last move of the day, rather glad then I went to Birmingham via London after all! Time to get the maps, Baker and Quails updated, and boy isn't my fold out map looking good now! Just a shame there's no sign of 378210 to finish the class for sight
After Hemel Hempstead we're going incredibly slowly, and randomly my pen chooses this moment in time to get working a bit better in my notebook. How random this thing is...I guess there's slow ahead of us, which is disappointing as I was hoping for a belter of a run. Disturbed's Indestructible is on now, time to wage war on delays, get out the air raid siren [for those not familiar with the track, it starts with a siren sound, feel free to look it up - Ed]! 390137 has been done now I see, it working to London whilst we were waiting time at Coventry. And what have the Midlands done to the weather, it's pouring down here yet was quite nice in London! Can't believe how fast this journey's gone, definitely far superior to the journey on Chiltern between Birmingham and London. I get over to Moor Street and the Travelodge is indeed only a couple of minutes away at the most, fantastic. It's the usual evening procedures of checking in and chilling out after arrival here, this evening was slightly different though as someone had put the Inspector Gadget theme in my head earlier so had to play it on YouTube amongst several other themes! Whilst waiting for The Big Bang Theory (I am a big fan of it in case you hadn't noticed!), I saw a bit of The Texas Chainsaw Massacre: The Beginning. What a disgusting, rancid, horrible bit of cinema! I flicked over to Channel 4 and found 2 Broke Girls was on. I'm no fan of it, but that was far better than that disgrace to the film industry. Surprised I didn't have nightmares! I watch the first half of The Big Bang Theory, but it's getting incredibly late (0015!) and my eyes are proving this by closing themselves. So then, the day's review:
Pretty good for mileage and action, and finishing the EMT and SWT networks at long last was excellent. Lots of winners too made the day pretty good, so then it's time for the stats:
Day 10 mileage: 593m27c
Mileage move of the day: 112m73c on 390112
Bus stop move of the day: 3m33c on 172102
Best bit: Finally finishing the EMT and SWT networks
Worst bit: The lack of decent sleep making the morning a fair bit of a drag
Bargain of the day: The big bottle of pop from Tesco for £1
Rip-off of the day: Nothing comes to mind in particular
Now to take another break and return to TrainStation (a game on Facebook for those unaware)
I've got a long way to go before my trip reports are as interesting as yours
CC 72100
Established Member
- Joined
- 23 Jan 2012
- Messages
- 3,777
I'm sure I'm not the only one when I say I'm eagerly awaiting the last 4 days of the report. Been a great read so far!
Blindtraveler
Established Member
Couldnt agree more! I want the last 4, then once read I can start it from the beginning again and take in its great epicness.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Sorry for the lack of any updates yesterday, went to the Elan Valley and couldn't be bothered to type last night. If I hadn't been at work today, I'd have done some more. Not off until Sunday, and that's my sister's birthday so not likely to get online for a while. It won't be much longer though...
Blindtraveler
Established Member
hope your sis has a nice day
D841 Roebuck
Established Member
Its a cliffhanger.
Will any cheap Wigan pens be working by Day 14? Will Room 101 at <insert location> Travelodge have resident fleas/hot water/a working telly? How much further can the EU coffee lake be lowered by our intrepid traveller?
The suspense is killing...
Will any cheap Wigan pens be working by Day 14? Will Room 101 at <insert location> Travelodge have resident fleas/hot water/a working telly? How much further can the EU coffee lake be lowered by our intrepid traveller?
The suspense is killing...
Blindtraveler
Established Member
and just as an Afterthought, will he do any more sleapers and more to the point will he get any sleap?
Techniquest
Veteran Member
I do apologise for the lack of updates in recent weeks, I've still been busy with work and family life and tonight I'm off to Birmingham International for a flight to Dublin tomorrow for another Irish adventure. There *MAY* be some time to do some typing on Monday night when I get back, but no promises.
If I lived on my own, I'd have a lot more time to do the typing but that's not the case. At the moment, the earliest I expect to get any more updates done will be next weekend.
If I lived on my own, I'd have a lot more time to do the typing but that's not the case. At the moment, the earliest I expect to get any more updates done will be next weekend.
anthony263
Established Member
No worries Techniquest
David
Established Member
We want the rest ....
We want the rest ....
etc
[/chant]
We want the rest ....
etc
[/chant]
Techniquest
Veteran Member
I was FAR too tired last night to do more typing last night, indeed I have a lot of paperwork to do yet. After getting less than 4 hours sleep and getting up at 0345 yesterday, I was fast asleep by 2100! Too tired to do anything this morning and definitely don't feel like it now either, I've had 3 cans of Cidre tonight after work
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OH **** ME! Just spent ages typing away, and I've realised I've just gone and typed up day 9 again. EPIC FAIL!
That was a waste of an hour...Bear with me and I'm going to start doing a bit of the correct day next, it won't be finished before I leave for work after all though
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Right then, I see I managed to do day 11 last time, so let's get going on day 12. Shows how long it's been since I last typed up anything...Paul Stanley's Live to Win will hopefully motivate me enough to get going now after that let down. Other tunes that have rallied me to carry on include The Imperial March and a techno remix of This Is Sparta. Yes I've some strange tastes...
15th June 2012 - All Line Rover, Day 12
It's up at 0700 and I've a stinking headache! Had a good sleep mind but I did need it! It takes some calling around to organise a taxi as they're all busy on school runs. Eventually one's arranged and I go to Little Thief (sorry, Chef) for breakfast. I also use the free WiFi to update my RailMiles pages a bit whilst waiting for my breakfast and coffee. Baked beans, hash browns, sausage, 2 pieces of bacon, toast and saute potatoes made for some very filling and tasty food. Can't remember the last proper meal I had before that, but I sure didn't expect it to cost £9.67! £4.99 for a 5 item breakfast, 79p for toast, 99p for saute potatoes and a mammoth £2.90 for cafetiere coffee! I'd have flagged the caffeine if I'd known it was that much! The taxi from Needham Taxis, PX59 XXZ, was a guaranteed win and takes me on a 5 minute journey to the station. Better than dicing with death on the pavement-less road and that massive roundabout, so well worth a fiver! 170272 is the first rail winner of the day on the 0849 to Ipswich, and there's significant congestion apparently in Ipswich, blamed on late running freights. Not sure I've ever heard that one before!
90012 on the 0830 Norwich to Liverpool Street is routed around us at Ipwich Upper Yard, jammy sods! Not that anyone on our train had connections to make mind, no let's please the commuters going to London...I'd intended to get that train originally, so was miffed I couldn't get it as I needed 90012. Another passenger was connecting with a train to Beccles, it wasn't held at all and the poor guy had a 2 hour wait for the next one. Not a good morning...I fill some time by getting my collector card redeemed at Upper Crust and phot 66418 on Freightliner's depot. Looks out of place! I join the 0930 to London Liverpool Street worked by 321362+343, the latter a win, as far as Chelmsford. Loving the racket in the motor car! A short wait here gives me 321431+439+338 (439+338 winners) to Shenfield, from where I manage a +3 onto 321427+361 (both winners) to Wickford. Seen lots of 321s today, alas still not seen my last two yet! 321444 is yet another winner on the Southminster branch, where we arrive at 1124. Victory time, as that finally clears the Greater Anglia network for me! No victory coffee at the moment though.
I rejoin 321444 and it's full of school brats, but it might as well have been a chicken house for the noise that was being produced. I thank the Good Lord for earphones and banging tunes, fortunately they're all off at Burnham on Crouch. After arriving back at Wickford into the other bay platform, 321435 takes me on another win down to London. Ex-StanEx 317/7s are noted heading east on the slow lines, 719+714 to be precise, although their working was unknown. Bet my last two 321s for sight were amongst the load of them on Ilford depot, sadly couldn't ID any of them. I manage to get off the NR network and onto the Circle line within 3 minutes, that's pretty damn good going! 6502 carts me off to Cannon Street, from where 465166 begins the spree of SET moves, this one being a winner on the 1307 to Barnehurst via Woolwich Arsenal. Such a shame it's not got the classic Networker sound, it's just not cricket anymore with these things. I finish the biscuits from last night as my stomach's doing a Bruce Banner on me. Most stations we seem to sit around at for days on end, which just peeved me off no end. We finally get to the curve from Slade Green, then we sit there. We wait, wait and wait some more. No explanation given at all, which really got me fuming [I was turning into the Hulk by now! - Ed]
13 minutes later, we finally get going to Barnehurst, the journey having taken 55 minutes! 465235 provides a win onwards to Dartford afterwards on the 1408 from Barnehurst to get another curve in. 465184 also wins on a leap from Dartford to Crayford. There's a rather significant wait for a train to Slade Green, so I do a leap to Bexley for another shack scratch, returning 5 minutes later on double winning 465032+465013 around to Erith, as another big wait was in order at Slade Green otherwise. 376009 takes me back there for a winning move, and I visit Forest Cafe for a coffee for £1. 465190 wins next on the 1517 to Barnehurst and 1538 onwards to London. At least an announcement was made about the wait this time. After much use of NRE, I plan my next moves and eventually settle with bailing at Lewisham. In my hurry to find platform 2, which I realised eventually I'd walked right past leaving me feeling foolish, I forgot to check the rear Networker. D'oh! 465162+161 were seeing each other on the 1603 to Orpington, which I get to Petts Wood.
I'll continue this at a later time, I've got to start getting ready for work!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
OH **** ME! Just spent ages typing away, and I've realised I've just gone and typed up day 9 again. EPIC FAIL!
That was a waste of an hour...Bear with me and I'm going to start doing a bit of the correct day next, it won't be finished before I leave for work after all though--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Right then, I see I managed to do day 11 last time, so let's get going on day 12. Shows how long it's been since I last typed up anything...Paul Stanley's Live to Win will hopefully motivate me enough to get going now after that let down. Other tunes that have rallied me to carry on include The Imperial March and a techno remix of This Is Sparta. Yes I've some strange tastes...
15th June 2012 - All Line Rover, Day 12
It's up at 0700 and I've a stinking headache! Had a good sleep mind but I did need it! It takes some calling around to organise a taxi as they're all busy on school runs. Eventually one's arranged and I go to Little Thief (sorry, Chef) for breakfast. I also use the free WiFi to update my RailMiles pages a bit whilst waiting for my breakfast and coffee. Baked beans, hash browns, sausage, 2 pieces of bacon, toast and saute potatoes made for some very filling and tasty food. Can't remember the last proper meal I had before that, but I sure didn't expect it to cost £9.67! £4.99 for a 5 item breakfast, 79p for toast, 99p for saute potatoes and a mammoth £2.90 for cafetiere coffee! I'd have flagged the caffeine if I'd known it was that much! The taxi from Needham Taxis, PX59 XXZ, was a guaranteed win and takes me on a 5 minute journey to the station. Better than dicing with death on the pavement-less road and that massive roundabout, so well worth a fiver! 170272 is the first rail winner of the day on the 0849 to Ipswich, and there's significant congestion apparently in Ipswich, blamed on late running freights. Not sure I've ever heard that one before!
90012 on the 0830 Norwich to Liverpool Street is routed around us at Ipwich Upper Yard, jammy sods! Not that anyone on our train had connections to make mind, no let's please the commuters going to London...I'd intended to get that train originally, so was miffed I couldn't get it as I needed 90012. Another passenger was connecting with a train to Beccles, it wasn't held at all and the poor guy had a 2 hour wait for the next one. Not a good morning...I fill some time by getting my collector card redeemed at Upper Crust and phot 66418 on Freightliner's depot. Looks out of place! I join the 0930 to London Liverpool Street worked by 321362+343, the latter a win, as far as Chelmsford. Loving the racket in the motor car!
A short wait here gives me 321431+439+338 (439+338 winners) to Shenfield, from where I manage a +3 onto 321427+361 (both winners) to Wickford. Seen lots of 321s today, alas still not seen my last two yet! 321444 is yet another winner on the Southminster branch, where we arrive at 1124. Victory time, as that finally clears the Greater Anglia network for me! No victory coffee at the moment though.I rejoin 321444 and it's full of school brats, but it might as well have been a chicken house for the noise that was being produced. I thank the Good Lord for earphones and banging tunes, fortunately they're all off at Burnham on Crouch. After arriving back at Wickford into the other bay platform, 321435 takes me on another win down to London. Ex-StanEx 317/7s are noted heading east on the slow lines, 719+714 to be precise, although their working was unknown. Bet my last two 321s for sight were amongst the load of them on Ilford depot, sadly couldn't ID any of them. I manage to get off the NR network and onto the Circle line within 3 minutes, that's pretty damn good going! 6502 carts me off to Cannon Street, from where 465166 begins the spree of SET moves, this one being a winner on the 1307 to Barnehurst via Woolwich Arsenal. Such a shame it's not got the classic Networker sound, it's just not cricket anymore with these things. I finish the biscuits from last night as my stomach's doing a Bruce Banner on me. Most stations we seem to sit around at for days on end, which just peeved me off no end. We finally get to the curve from Slade Green, then we sit there. We wait, wait and wait some more. No explanation given at all, which really got me fuming [I was turning into the Hulk by now! - Ed]
13 minutes later, we finally get going to Barnehurst, the journey having taken 55 minutes! 465235 provides a win onwards to Dartford afterwards on the 1408 from Barnehurst to get another curve in. 465184 also wins on a leap from Dartford to Crayford. There's a rather significant wait for a train to Slade Green, so I do a leap to Bexley for another shack scratch, returning 5 minutes later on double winning 465032+465013 around to Erith, as another big wait was in order at Slade Green otherwise. 376009 takes me back there for a winning move, and I visit Forest Cafe for a coffee for £1. 465190 wins next on the 1517 to Barnehurst and 1538 onwards to London. At least an announcement was made about the wait this time. After much use of NRE, I plan my next moves and eventually settle with bailing at Lewisham. In my hurry to find platform 2, which I realised eventually I'd walked right past leaving me feeling foolish, I forgot to check the rear Networker. D'oh! 465162+161 were seeing each other on the 1603 to Orpington, which I get to Petts Wood.
I'll continue this at a later time, I've got to start getting ready for work!
anthony263
Established Member
I certainly enjoy reading your post on your recent ALR trip.
Been working so I dont get home til 18:00 and I am out of bed at 4am so I dont get much free time to use my computer on weeknights anymore.
Still the money for my ALR fund is stacking up nicely already put £200 aside with the plan to do it next april.
Been working so I dont get home til 18:00 and I am out of bed at 4am so I dont get much free time to use my computer on weeknights anymore.
Still the money for my ALR fund is stacking up nicely already put £200 aside with the plan to do it next april.
- Status