Techniquest's Red Pen Fest,22-24/03/14

[Techniquest]

Hi all,

This is going to be a long one by the time it's done, as it's a 3 day adventure. Not done one of those for ages! As I have 10 days off work starting today, some serious cranking is needed! Can't remember the last time I had a full day's bash on a Saturday, except for on my 2012 ALR, even that was a long time (over 21 months) ago now! Rare to get a Saturday off from work, so going to thoroughly enjoy this Saturday and next Saturday for that matter!

As I type this, I'm just coming into Hereford on the bus, so more will be coming later, or at least as soon as I can! London, here I come!

 

[sonic2009]

Are you coming back through New Street tonight?

 

[Techniquest]

Not tonight, back Monday. Why do you ask?

Forgot to add all updates on Twitter will use hashtag #redpenfest
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I know I haven't posted anything since yesterday morning on this, but no free WiFi = waiting til I get home instead! Trust me though, it'll be worth the wait It's been a very, very busy couple of days, and as I type this, I'm currently going to Totty Hale and not the Tube from Liverpool Street. Why? The answer to this, and more, will be revealed tomorrow!

 

[heart-of-wessex]

Not tonight, back Monday. Why do you ask?

Forgot to add all updates on Twitter will use hashtag #redpenfest
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I know I haven't posted anything since yesterday morning on this, but no free WiFi = waiting til I get home instead! Trust me though, it'll be worth the wait It's been a very, very busy couple of days, and as I type this, I'm currently going to Totty Hale and not the Tube from Liverpool Street. Why? The answer to this, and more, will be revealed tomorrow!

Did a NB 37/0 drop on the Cambridge semi fast? that last bit reminded me of something from Hellfire 'right onto the tube, oh wait! mega big (31/37/47) on the Cambridge!

 

[Techniquest]

Imagine if that had actually happened though! As I say, full details on the trip are coming, just typed up day 2's moves and even on only size 11 font it's just over one A4 side long! hock:
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Didn't get chance to finish typing the trip report yet, still only part way through day 2. So much bookwork to do, spent the entire journey home from London doing it and still plenty to go!

Got 3 days of rest and recovery now so I'll have time to get it done The moves book is done, 3 and a bit sides of A4 the 3 days of moves covered!
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OK then, here's day 1:

22/03/2014 – Techniquest’s Red Pen Fest

At last, the epic bash is here! Felt like forever coming, but at 0610, 20 minutes early, I’m up and doing final prep for departure. Not done a 3-day trip in ages, and not been on a proper bash on a Saturday since my 2012 ALR, quite the while ago at just over 21 months ago! After a bacon sandwich and a coffee while watching some American Dad!, it was off to get the bus to Hereford. Nothing of note, although it’s a journey I’ve done many, many times over the years, let alone the last 3 years of commuting to/from work! To my delight, the 0840 to Birmingham New Street is a pair of 170s, 170515 and 170514, today. Just as well as there were quite a few people waiting for it! Right time away and I get the new EMU book out, purchased on my previous trip on Monday, and start the ticking and underlining process. By University I’ve had enough for the duration and have just the light rail section to tick off next. After arriving at the centre of all things rail journey wise, Birmingham New Street, at 1009 it was off to McDonalds as I wanted coffee and free WiFi. The WiFi wouldn’t connect on my phone or laptop to my disappointment, but I do get some charging done and ripped some music off a couple of CDs I bought recently. Been a LONG time since I had last bought a CD, but nevertheless some classic dance tunes from 2000 and 2001 are now on the MP3 player. Back at New Street, it’s Costa coffee time before venturing to platform 6A for the 1133 to London Euston.

350118 is in charge of this service today, and I find a table seat with surprising ease. Out with the notebook to get the trip report going, and the weather can’t seemingly decide whether it’ll be sunny or cloudy today. However I’m glad I’m on one of the faster LM services to Euston, with calls only at Milton Keynes Central and Watford Junction after Northampton. So much better than the ones which call at almost everywhere! Annoyingly I leave the facilities just too late to observe which 37 was waiting at the top of Daventry at about 1216. This Advance from Hereford to London for just £9.90 is excellent value, fair dos. Even better as it was 10% off in a recent LM offer. Looking at the 350 depot at Northampton, it seems hardly any 350/2s are actually out today, and from memory at least 75% of them were required! 92011 is observed on the 1119 Wembley EUFOC to Daventry, been a while since I last saw a 92 on a freight. As there’s 16 or so minutes at Northampton before departure, I pop into the Pumpkin for a coffee and suffer a very slow service, not helped by customers adding more to their orders after the original ones were completed! Gonna need the caffeine to keep going today, I’m predicting a busy game of Buzz Bingo today! Buzz Bingo is the name I’m giving to the festival of hunting AC and DC EMUs, bit different! Right time onwards to London and I finish the light rail section of the new book, the rest can wait for now.

This train has suddenly got very busy from Milton Keynes, glad I wasn’t joining here! Onto the fast lines just before Cheddington, excellent! Not long after Watford Junction it was time to start getting ready to alight, by gum that went by quick! Nothing stabled on Camden sidings today, and we arrive at 1347. I get my Travelcard from the excess fares window to save waiting in the long queues upstairs, then after a bit of a stretch of legs I head to the Tube for what was the only time in the end today. 11080 and 11079 are black pen-ers for the trip to Blackhorse Road, and I’m still impressed that it only took 14 minutes to get there from Euston, considering it’s a bit of a trek from central London! The shoulder strap comes away from the rest of the bag just before alighting, which wasn’t welcome, but it gets sorted which is lucky as I’m only borrowing the laptop bag! Now considering I’m playing Buzz Bingo today, it seems a weird choice to be up here but I only need 3 LO 172s so I’m trying my luck. Very lucky with scoring 172003 on the 1421 to Gospel Oak and I end up bailing at South Tottenham to try my luck with the next eastbound one. Nope, what about the next westbound one? Nope, that’s 004 but I end up on it to Crouch Hill to get moving, and the next Barking was seen to be dud too. The next one westbound is the only one I won’t have seen working yet today, and thankfully that was winner 172005 for the crawl to Gospel Oak. Just 172008 to get, could well have been the one I saw hiding at Willesden earlier. Time to try the North London Line next, and winner 378230 takes me for the insect leap to Kentish Town West, and by now I’m beyond in need, so I walk to Kentish Town to find a 319.

Winner 319367 is on the 1528 to Sutton via Tooting, that’ll do nicely. A Brighton service is not far behind me though, so I bail at St Pancras having dealt with the serious need, but to my serious annoyance 319214+319428 are on the 1540 to Brighton, both dud! Nevertheless, I’m on them to East Croydon as I need to get to Purley Oaks, the nearest station to the Travelodge I’m staying at tonight and where I’m setting up base camp. 377608 has the honours of taking me there, and is my second 377/6 for haulage. The Travelodge is only 2 minutes walk away and it has a Toby Carvery right next door! I know where I’m going tomorrow...After dropping off stuff and having a decaff coffee, it was next to the takeaway for some chips as I’m proper hungry now. £1.50 and they’re not bad chips to be fair, back to the station when it decides to bucket it down! Winner 455831 is up for taking me to winner shack Kenley, where I pop into the Co-op a minute’s walk away, then it’s onto winner 455833 for the leap to Whyteleafe South. I see there’s a Travelodge here too, about 45 seconds walk from the station, which means I’ll probably be back here one day! 455831 has returned to take me for the tiny leap to Whyteleafe, which is only a few minutes walk from Upper Warlingham, another shack I need and I can get a train of better quality than a 455 from here. I have a lengthy wait for the 1832 to Victoria, so crack open a can of Strongbow to kill the time. Eventually 377152 and 377104 roll in from East Grinstead, most frustratingly they’re both dud! A group of rowdy revellers are in my coach, thank Goodness I’m not going far. At East Croydon, it was time to get Coulsdon South in the book, and much to my delight winner 377432 takes me there. 127 377s to go!

I observe here that Coulsdon Town isn’t that far away and note the roads I need to follow. It’s about a 10 minute walk, and again the rain decides to try to dampen the day, thankfully it doesn’t last long. I just miss winner 455813 on a service to London Bridge, and I get dud 455830 on the 1921 to Tattenham Corner for the short leap to Woodmansterne. I had intended to return to civilisation now, however the desire to get more stations visited saw me take 455824 over to Reedham for a +7 onto the next Tattenham Corner service! That turns out to be dud 455843 and I’m on it for what felt like an eternity (there is a good reason for putting off doing the stations on this line, it’s so slow and boring!) to Tadworth. I’m glad though that I didn’t go for the tight +2 here on the following train though, as it’s a long walk up the road to cross the railway and come back down, you’d need 5 minutes to do it comfortably, 4 at a push. I’ve got Fragma - Toca’s Miracle in my head (and I’ve got it on as I type this at 2335!) during the fester in a rather cold March evening, so much for the heatwave I’d heard was due this weekend! 455843 returns in all its dudness on the 2021 Tattenham Corner to London Bridge and I’m taking it up the road to Kingswood. Only one more shack to scoop on this line, and winner 455844 takes me to Chipstead to clear the line finally! Now I’ve a lengthy fester though for the next London Bridge service, which falls to 455813 (didn’t feel so bad about missing it earlier now!) and I have my second of two mini pork pies I’d got from the one stop shop in Tadworth. Very nice they were too for £1! Off to Purley I go for a 9 minute connection onto a train to Purley Oaks, and I was surprised to see a pair of 377s come in on the service from Caterham.

Very frustrated that 377209 and 377438 were both dud though, still 127 377s to go! Back at Purley Oaks and it’s off to base camp where the usual evening procedures when I’m away are carried out, and I was shattered and ready for sleep but I’ve ended up on the laptop to type this up instead. 13 winners and 11 winner shacks today, not bad for 7.5 hours considering there was a lot of festering! Definitely got my £8.90 worth out of my Travelcard! Got an absolute ton of observations to deal with eventually, but not tonight! No, right now it’s time to get to bed and rest up before the alarm goes off at 0830!

Day 2 is only 1/3 typed up, I'm getting there slowly so bear with me!
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23/03/2014 – Red Pen Fest, Day 2

With the alarm at 0830 being shut off a few minutes early, it was time for a seriously good de-rancification (that’s shower time in English for you non-basher-speak people!) and a coffee before I head to Toby Carvery next door for breakfast. £3.99 for an all-you-can eat breakfast (not including drinks), and I had a lot altogether. Might as well fuel up now on food that’s far superior to a McDonalds breakfast and for not much more! After filling up most significantly, it was back to the room to get everything sorted for departure. Another Travelcard for £8.90 is got and winner 455842 starts off the day at 0959 from Purley Oaks for the leap to East Croydon. Somehow we end up overtaking a pair of 319s and dud 319455’s up front, but winner 319424 is on the back so it’s on for the crawl via Tulse Hill to Elephant and Castle (the direct route to London Bridge is shut for engineering works today). 2 out of 3 for Buzz Bingo so far is not bad, would have preferred a full house mind! I had been going to carry on to Farringdon, however there was a lengthy wait at Elephant and Castle so I bail to do the Bakerloo line into town. Feels weird having to walk through the shopping centre to get to the Underground! I end up changing plans last second and do a leap to Oval with 51548+51547, returning shortly after with 51646+51545 to Kennington for a nice and simple cross-platform interchange onto 51600+51601 to Tottenham Court Road. At Waterloo a ton of Southampton FC fans get on, drinking heavily too I might add, and making one helluva racket in my coach. Some of it made me smile mind, with a reference to The Inbetweeners being one bit in particular. “Football friend!” and the image of the one lad jumping up and down on the roof of the Tube train was certainly amusing!

Next up is the Central line with 92031+92038+92042+92075 for the trek across London to Mile End. Holborn sees the train get jammed full, I’d forgotten that damn Sport Relief thing was on over there, that’ll be fun to deal with later then. As luck would have it, I didn’t in the end but had to suffer elsewhere instead. Curious? Read on...A short wait on a cross-platform change gets me a D stock (7120+7525) on an Upminster service, which until I had pointed out later was currently nothing special, as they’re staying on until 2016 and it’s the C stock which is going to the scrappies, I had thought I’d been lucky. A no-nonsense leap, much like the rest of the Tube moves so far today to Upton Park for the scratch and 21389+21390 to Barking gets me just making it onto 357010 on a Basildon service (engineering work at Pitsea Junction today, with buses Basildon-Benfleet) for the leap to Upminster. 7120+7525 take me over to Elm Park and I end up visiting the Sainsburys Local 2 minutes walk away stocking up on some essentials, and some cider for later too. Nice and sunny at the moment too, although later on the weather would change its mind regularly on what it would do! It’s 7519+7023 onwards to Dagenham Heathway for 7035+7517 back to Dagenham East. You can probably tell I need a lot of stations on the Underground network (and still do as I type this at 0113 in the morning of day 3!), going to take a long time to get them all in! 7044+7025 take me west again, this time to Upney. For a short time here, it was hailing! 7501+7080 eventually gets me out of here for an insect leap (very short journey, you non-basher-speak people!) to Becontree, from where I get 7516+7035 back to Barking.

357012 carries me further west to West Ham for a mainline winner (I haven’t yet gone through the book to see what were winners and what weren’t on the Tube, but it’s a safe assumption there were a lot!), and with a fair wait for the next 357 back to Barking I end up getting 21341+21342 for the leap to Bromley-by-Bow where 7516+7035 take me back to Barking. I was going to do some more shacks on this line, however I’ve got obsessed with the idea of finding 172008 so I keep looking for it! It’s still not out yet, so I get winner 357005 to Upminster, where I was going to do the last 2 more stations I need between Upminster and Barking on the District line, however I elect to get a coffee instead. Just before getting on the 357, I realise I’ve left my watch on the last D stock I did so now I have to rely on my phone for the time. The D stock was dispatched to the sidings before I had chance to do owt about it. As for the coffee...no can do, as the machine’s being cleaned, so I end up on winner 357022 back to Barking. Still no sign of 172008 so I end up on 172006 on the 1353 to Gospel Oak in an attempt to find it. Will I have any luck? Read on and find out...

Bailing at Wanstead Park to observe the next one off Barking gets me actually noticing it’s a 4 trains per hour frequency on this line, even on Sundays which I hadn’t expected. Dud 172002 takes me forward to Blackhorse Road and I spent the whole journey looking out of the window in case 008 went past me. Nope, but the next Barking train’s due and should be the last one I haven’t yet observed. 172007 there so I give up, it must still be parked up for the weekend. Off next to the Victoria line and winners 11081+11082 take me on the 4 minute journey to Seven Sisters.

I just miss the fast train north, so I have a bit of a wait for 315805 and 315819, both winners, on the 1447 to Enfield Town, as far as Bush Hill Park for me. I only just make it through the crowd going over the bridge to jump on 315860 and 315827, both dud as it turned out, on the 1457 Enfield Town to London Liverpool Street. Bruce Grove is scored next, and my bag from Sainsburys is giving up on me so I dig out my spare carrier bag. All fine and good, but that too has given up! Lady Luck is back on my side next with 315803 and 315849 for the trip to Silver Street. It’s back onto 315819 and 315805 now, and I had forgot that Tottenham Hotspur were playing at home at White Hart Lane today, so the platforms are ridiculously busy. We’re there for at least 5 minutes waiting to go forward, didn’t help people crammed out the vestibule area but not into the train itself (my coach even had seats spare!) so it took forever to clear the platforms at all! Fortunately the majority bail at Seven Sisters, so I pity the poor people on the Victoria line having to deal with that lot. I, however, am getting off at Stoke Newington for, you guessed it, a shack scratch. 315849 and 315803 are back for the insect leap to Rectory Road, quite literally you could see the platforms of Stoke Newington quite clearly from halfway up the platform at Rectory Road! Winners 315809 and 315818 take me up to Stamford Hill next, where a short wait at the umpteenth shack scratch of the day gets me winners 315847 and 315850 for the trip to London Fields. I had been going to get Cambridge Heath in, however the plus there didn’t look too sensible.

Just as well, as winner 315848 (surprisingly on its own, unlike every other service I’ve seen up this way today) arrives to take me back up to White Hart Lane. Yes I decided to risk it with the Spurs fans, assuming they’d have mostly gone home by now. Nope, platforms are still very busy! Nevertheless, I join the crowds and I end up on winner 317665 and dud 317660 down to Hackney Downs. Clearly the fast trains are calling additionally at White Hart Lane to ease pressure on other services, most appreciated it was too! However by now, after spending ages on 315s, 172s and Tube trains, I’m in dire need. Fortunately this is eventually remedied when I jump on winners 317892 and 317890 on a trip to Highams Park. Epic phew! Only here for 4 minutes before 315847 and 315850 turn up to take me on a 3 minute journey to Wood Street, the last shack I need on the Chingford branch. I’ve got a massively banging headache at the moment, and having left my painkillers in my bag in the Travelodge (yeah that was real bright, putting the spare packet from my coat into my bag, the spare packet was got for just this sort of situation...) I pop into the shop next to Wood Street station and get a new packet for 79p. They take absolutely forever to work, although it’s not helping that it’s getting nippy now and the breeze is seriously cold! Winner 317504 takes me back to Hackney Downs next, and I’d forgotten just how comfy the seats are on these!

It’s time to walk over to Hackney Central next, and winner 378213 turns up shortly after arrival to take me over to Hackney Wick. A few minutes later, it’s back for another insect leap on winner 378222 to Homerton. I see Desi Fried Chicken next to the station, and as it’s around half 6 in the evening now I’m hungry, after all it’s been a long time since my epic breakfast at 9-something! 6 chicken nuggets and fries for £2.50 was considered quite a bargain, and as the next 378 I see going to Stratford is dud I stay on the platform, with the outside temperature being very low by now (I had also put my hat in the bag in the Travelodge, didn’t think I’d need it, how wrong I was!) so my head still hurts and I devour the rest of my tea. Winner 378216 is next on the trip to Stratford, and 7 minutes later I’m on the GEML for the first time in ages. I was going to wait for a train to Maryland, however winners 315844 and 315826 to Liverpool Street were impossible to pass up! Glad I came down here now, as my last 321/4 for sight, 321438, is finally seen! Just 321346 to see now to clear the class for sight. 321446 is on the 1914 to Southend............Victoria (for those unaware, that references the old announcements at Stratford where, for some reason, there was a long pause in that station’s name) and it’s a winner so I jump on board for the leap to Stratford. Very busy train too for some reason. 315807 and 315861 are both winners on the 1917 Liverpool Street to Gidea Park, and as they don’t stop at Maryland I have to do them to Forest Gate. Eventually 315823 and 315808 (808 winner) turn up for the short trip to Maryland, using the slow to fast lines connection in this direction too, having done it the other way around earlier.

I pop into the shop next to the station, as I had ages to kill, and get a bag of Cheetos for later (I never had them in the end!) and have now got a new carrier bag to replace the Sainsburys one, which had given up altogether at Silver Street so I’ve been carrying my large bottle of Pepsi Max for hours! Winner 315817 and dud 315846 take me onwards back to Liverpool Street, and by now I’ve had two cans of cider since earlier so I’ve got a need again. So I find some change in my pocket for the facilities at Liverpool Street, then as I’m doing some casual spotting en-route to them, I see 379012 on the rear of the 2040 to Stansted Airport. So I change my plans from getting the Tube from Liverpool Street and jump on 379005 which was married to 379012 (both winners) today instead, dealing with the need and telling myself “It’s fine, I’ll get the Victoria line from Totty Hale instead”. Ha, not so, red pen fever was still with me and get on 379025 and 379024 (both winners) back to Liverpool Street instead! Back there, I jump on winner 21020/21019 for the short leap to Barbican for a winner shack, going forward with 21390/21389. Didn’t realise they were dud from earlier! Off I go to Edgware Road anyway, as I had yet another new plan, this being to try for a final C stock bash.

As I received gen that Edgware Road to Wimbledon services were the best bet for C stock, it had to be done. Eventually a set of C stock rolls in and I’m on 5727, 5560 and 5596. An icon of Tube travel over the years for me, I could hardly let them all be withdrawn this spring without one last go on them. It was only as far as High Street Kensington (I looked it up and see I could have gone to West Brompton for my onward travels, but it’s a bit late now!), so hardly a proper bash but it had to do. Farewell made, eventually an S stock (seriously, when are they going to update the PIS on the sub-surface lines? So very frustrating not knowing until the last second when the train’s coming or where it’s going!) arrives to take me to Victoria. We have issues getting gone from Gloucester Road, doors opened and closed several times and edged forward a few centimetres twice, but eventually we get going after 5 minutes of trying to leave! A rush up the escalators is deemed mandatory as I have no idea what time the next train to Croydon leaves or if I’ve missed the last train to Purley Oaks tonight. Thankfully there’s a train to East Croydon soon, and I have a decent connection for Purley Oaks so I’m happy. The 2232 to Brighton is late coming in and detaching from other trains, so only announced for boarding at 2230. Cue an epic rush for me and everyone else! To my surprise, we only leave 1 minute late and I catch my breath after the epic run to platform 19. Didn’t help we had a 377/1 at the blocks to get past before jumping on 377414 and 377406 (406 winner)! Otherwise, a hassle-free trip to East Croydon, and I’m heading north again straight away!

Why? The train to Purley Oaks was late (I’d have still made it if it was on time anyway, but I’d have probably not risked it) so I jump on the 2256 to Victoria with winners 377431 and 377413 for the leap to Selhurst. It’s freezing outside now, and that breeze is a killer, but eventually 455842 rolls in and I jump on, thinking it’s a winner. Great way to end the day I think, but when I go through my moves afterwards I see it’s the same one I had started the day on! The perils of not updating the books as I go that there! We eventually arrive at 2321, much later than I had originally planned to get back to base camp, and the usual evening procedures are done. A friend from work rings up out of the blue, so things like updating the atlas didn’t get done and I was still up until silly o’clock typing up some of this and the moves. Eventually around 0200 I get to sleep with a ton of bookwork to do (I’ve still got quite a bit to process, but nowhere near as much as I had, as I type this in the evening on Tuesday 25th March) and looking forward to the morning’s bashing!
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Mmkay, just finished typing out the final part, here we go:

24/03/2014 – Red Pen Fest, Day 3

Getting up 35 minutes early for the start of a day of bashing is unusual for me, but at 0755 I’m up and about for a badly needed de-rancification and a coffee. I also get cracking with updating the notebook’s moves records and marking in the latest updates into my NREA. Eventually that’s done and I head to the Toby Carvery for breakfast, alas it’s not open Mondays to Thursdays for breakfast, gutted. So it’s back to the room to pick up the last few bits and hand in the key card to the friendly receptionist, then it’s off to Purley Oaks for the last time. I have to wait a few minutes on the ticket machine for 0930 to come around so I can get an Off Peak Day Travelcard, so go to the ticket office upstairs instead for it. The first train of the day falls to winner 377602 on the 0941 to London Victoria, for the leap to South Croydon to score the shack there. Winner 377623 takes me to Purley, as I can get a faster train back to Croydon from there than I would from Purley Oaks. Just as well as winner 377428 turns up to rush me to East Croydon, and I go upstairs to get a Costa coffee originally, however I see Burger King and go for a meal instead. £5.19 later and I’ve got my usual meal here, absolute bargain and so very filling and tasty! After that was devoured (I was absolutely starving!) it was onto the Tramlink system next, and I’ve gone from 8 trams to see to just 2 more now until the new ones arrive at some point in the future. Very happy with that result, and I score winner 2538 on a journey to Birkbeck, one of many, many required stations in the London area. 13 minutes later, I’m there and I have missed a London Bridge train by only a few minutes. No matter, I wanted to head east anyway. Amazed it’s 8 car trains on this line, and dud 455812 and winner 455840 take me forward to Beckenham Junction.

The 1100 to Orpington was a couple of minutes late, and I only just make it after rushing over the bridge to join winner 465241 for the journey to Bickley.
Glad I came this way, as I join winner 319443 and dud 319459 to St Mary Cray for yet another shack scratch, to get winners 319001 and 319380 back to Shortlands only a couple of minutes later. After a while here, I decide I’d like to get Chelsfield out of the way (having done Knockholt last year) in a bid to get some of the furthest out stations done. As it’s nearly midday now, I figure I’d best check if it’s doable so load up National Rail Enquiries for the first time in ages and yes it’s no problem. Winner 465196 is on the 1148 to Orpington, but it’s suggested I change at Petts Wood so I figured I should do. Really want a coffee, but the queue for the cash machine at Shortlands was too long, plus I don’t think the outlet there did coffee anyway. 465019 is dud (now at least 4 times that I’ve had this 465!) with winner 465248 on the back, so I jump in 465248 for the trip to Chelsfield. At Orpington, a staff member tells me it’s getting ripped off and only the front 4 coaches. Wondered why it was announced as only 4 coaches at Petts Wood when there were 8 on, but never mind, just as well I got off at Petts Wood earlier then as otherwise I’d have missed out on the score! Into 465019 I get for the short trip to Chelsfield, just 2 minutes later I’m there and I see I have enough time to get over the footbridge for the 1217 back to Charing Cross, for me I’m only going to Orpington for a fast train back to London. Or at least, that was the plan...
After finding a cash point, I was going to get my coffee (only my second one of the day so far!) from Puccinos but figured I’d give the cafe outside the station a try. Not really any difference in price, but the difference in quality was noticeable most certainly.

Anyway, I was going for a fast train back to London, but I observe winner 376027 on the 1233 slower service and decide to get it for the scratch at St Johns. Off we go on time out of platform 7, a score for me, and en-route I decide to get Elmstead Woods out of the way instead. I had then been going to wait 18 minutes for the next northbound train, but notice that I can get another train back to Petts Wood and return north. So I end up scoring 376035, but then both the Victoria and Charing Cross trains are dud at Petts Wood so I end up getting dud 465241 again to Orpington for a fast train back to London, as it’s now 1259 and I’m booked on the 1449 off Euston. Still plenty of time but I’d rather get going just to be sure. 375916 and 375628 are both winners with the 1309 to Charing Cross, which I take to London Bridge. I note en-route that Grove Park sidings are well full this afternoon, must do an evening cranking spree on SET sometime! We arrive at 1325 and instead of heading straight for the Tube, I’ve still got Red Pen Fever and join winner 319442 on the 1327 to Brighton instead! 1341 and I’m off at East Croydon and get dud 377215 and winner 377415 up to London Victoria for the Victoria line to Euston. En-route to Victoria, I see some 377/6s I needed for sight so am now on 16 out of 26 of them for sight now, not bad considering 2 weeks ago I hadn’t seen any!

I go looking for a McDonalds upstairs at Victoria in that shopping centre bit, but can’t find it so end up in Sainsburys Local for a couple of bits and bobs instead. On the way back to the station, I find it which was annoying. Then going down the escalator, I moan out loud at myself for not remembering there’s one by the SET platforms, d’oh! Down to the Victoria line finally, and I’m really cutting it fine now as by the time I leave on winners 11070 and 11069 it’s 1416. Fortunately I knew full well it’s only a few minutes to Euston on this line and we arrive at 1423. Phew, enough time to visit Caffe Nero outside for the first time in ages! I figure I’d best get a move on and get down to platform 11 for the 1449 to Birmingham New Street, 350120 being obviously dud (which you’ll know if you’ve read any of my previous trip reports, you’ll also know all 350/1s are dud) Good thing I did, as it’s well busy already! Fortunately I manage to find a table seat, and by the time we leave the train’s very busy all the way through, which I hadn’t expected for this time of day.

Time to get started on the bookwork, and even though I spent almost all the way to Birmingham doing it all I still have plenty to do. 3 and a bit sides of A4 the trip’s moves took up in my moves book! 37703 is noted at the top of Daventry, probably the same one I noted on Saturday, and it’s a winner sight which was definitely most pleasing!Eventually we reach Birmingham New Street, and we’ve left the nice weather in London behind somewhere. It was like a mass evacuation of Birmingham here, the amount of people marching out of the city centre into New Street was most surprising. I join 170635 and 170515, both dud unsurprisingly, on the 1719 to Hereford and get continuing with the bookwork. Even spending most of the way to Hereford sees me with plenty to do, and as I finish off this trip report on Tuesday 25th March I still have some atlas work to do, processing my observations, finishing off going through my new EMU book and processing all my journeys into RailMiles. Something to do tomorrow and Thursday then, so long as it’s all done before my next trip on Friday! Such a shame this trip is over already, been so much fun it’s unreal. Feels like such a backwater does Worcester, and Hereford felt worse. Eventually we make it back to Hereford at 1850, 1 minute early, and I have plenty of time before the 1915 bus home. As it’s so frigging cold out here, I end up going to the garage for a coffee to warm up and keep going! Onto the bus home and we leave right time, an hour later I’m getting off it and walk down the road for a large tea.

A total of 102 winners and 40 winner shacks had on this trip, now on 1,463 (I think!) visited stations in the UK and Ireland now. My books and Baker look so much better than they did before, still a lot to do in London but much progress has been made. Enjoyed this trip an awful lot and can’t wait to go back down to London and have a monster bash down there again! In the meantime, I need a couple of days to rest, recover and get the bookwork done! After that, bring on Friday’s trip to Liverpool!

 

[crispy1978]

Great read - managed to get the jist of most of the lingo. That's the sort of trip I'd like to do!

 

[Techniquest]

It takes some motivation to do it all, especially for 13.5 hours (well, 9 minutes off it!) as Sunday ended up being. Definitely great fun though, beats going to work for sure!

Any jargon in particular you want translating into 'norm' English rather than 'basher' English?

 

[bb21]

102 winners? That is seriously good stuff.

I am doing a Red Pen bash myself, mainly to clear ScotRail 170s plus bits of others, although not going all out for it. I might write a report depending on my mood by the end.

 

[crispy1978]

It takes some motivation to do it all, especially for 13.5 hours (well, 9 minutes off it!) as Sunday ended up being. Definitely great fun though, beats going to work for sure!

Any jargon in particular you want translating into 'norm' English rather than 'basher' English?

Winner = train not previously travelled on?
Dud = train previously travelled on?
Winning Shack = station visited, not done previously?

Think that's the three main ones, but think I have them right.

Why 'red pen' out of interest?

Would love to know your mileage, and an actual list of journeys undertook, seems a very good effort!!!

 

[bb21]

Winner = train not previously travelled on?
Dud = train previously travelled on?
Winning Shack = station visited, not done previously?

Think that's the three main ones, but think I have them right.

Why 'red pen' out of interest?

Yes to all.

"Red pen" comes from the fact that traditionally a red pen is used in a basher's book when a unit is scored.

 

[Techniquest]

Yes to all.

"Red pen" comes from the fact that traditionally a red pen is used in a basher's book when a unit is scored.

That saved me replying the same, so thanks I still call it 'red pen' even though I tend to use black. My red pen expired on The Hunt for 67008 (which reminds me, I still haven't typed up that trip report, meant to do it by now...) and haven't got around to replacing it yet.

102 winners isn't bad at all no, a lot were on the Tube mind. Lots of D stock sets were won, although I also had a lot of dud ones too. Even had one S stock set twice in one day without realising it

I wish you luck with your trip to Scotland, hopefully you get your winners and that we see a trip report from you
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---

Would love to know your mileage, and an actual list of journeys undertook, seems a very good effort!!!

I've starting processing my moves into RailMiles, takes quite a while just for day 1's small number of moves. 52 moves were made on Sunday, so that's going to take ages to go through! A list of journeys is also being progressed, got the rest of day 1 and all of day 3 to do yet but I'll post the entire lot later.

A very good effort is right, but I could have got so many more winners if I'd not been scoring stations!
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
Well I've finished typing up the moves, they are as follows for all 3 days. Mileage figures are on the way, just processed the first 21 of 52 moves from Sunday with Monday's to do afterwards. I expect they'll be finished later:

170515+170514 Hereford-Birmingham New Street (0840,arr 1009)
350118, in 63778, Birmingham New Street-London Euston (via Northampton) (1133,1d,arr 1347)
11080+11079 Euston-Blackhorse Road (1359,arr 1413) (Victoria)
172003, in 59313, Blackhorse Road-South Tottenham (1421,arr 1424)
172004, in 59414, South Tottenham-Crouch Hill (1440,arr 1446)
172005, in 59315, Crouch Hill-Gospel Oak (1501,arr 1508)
378230, in 38330, Gospel Oak-Kentish Town West (1510,arr 1512)
319367, in 63049, Kentish Town-London St Pancras (Low Level) (1528,arr 1532)
319214+319428, in 71799, London St Pancras (Low Level)-East Croydon (via London Bridge) (1540,arr 1610)
377608, in 70408, East Croydon-Purley Oaks (1613,11d,arr 1629)
455831, in 71667, Purley Oaks-Kenley (1718,9d,arr 1733)
455833, in 77644, Kenley-Whyteleafe South (1746,arr 1751)
455831, in 62739, Whyteleafe South-Whyteleafe (1759,1d,arr 1801)
377152+377104, in 77104, Upper Warlingham-East Croydon (1832,3d,arr 1847)
377432, in 73432, East Croydon-Coulsdon South (1851, arr 1859)
455830, in 71666, Coulsdon Town-Woodmansterne (1921,1d,arr 1924)
455824, in 62732, Woodmansterne-Reedham (1936,1d,arr 1941)
455843, in 71679, Reedham-Tadworth (1948,3d,arr 2007)
455843, in 77663, Tadworth-Kingswood (2024,2d,arr 2029)
455844, in 71680, Kingswood-Chipstead (2039,1d,arr 2045)
455813, in 62721, Chipstead-Purley (2103,arr 2114)
377209+377438, in 78579, Purley-Purley Oaks (2121,1d,arr 2125)

Day 2

455842, in 62750, Purley Oaks-East Croydon (0959,arr 1004)
319455+319424, in 62924, East Croydon-Elephant and Castle (via Tulse Hill) (1003,2d,arr 1026)
51548+51547 Elephant and Castle-Oval (1037,arr 1041) (Northern)
51646+51545 Oval-Kennington (1044,arr 1045) (Northern)
51600+51601 Kennington-Tottenham Court Road (1046,arr 1055) (Northern)
92031+92038+92042+92075 Tottenham Court Road-Mile End (1058,arr 1112) (Central)
7073+7014 Mile End-Upton Park (1113,arr 1124) (District)
21389+21390 Upton Park-Barking (1127,arr 1134) (H+C)
357010, in 67760, Barking-Upminster (1134, arr 1141)
7120+7525 Upminster-Elm Park (1143,arr 1149) (District)
7518+7023 Elm Park-Dagenham Heathway (1200,arr 1206) (District)
7035+7517 Dagenham Heathway-Dagenham East (1214,arr 1216) (District)
7044+7025 Dagenham East-Upney (1222,arr 1229) (District)
7501+7080 Upney-Becontree (1239,arr 1241) (District)
7516+7035 Becontree-Barking (1248,arr 1252) (District)
357012, in 67662, Barking-West Ham (1255,arr 1300)
21341+21342 West Ham-Bromley-by-Bow (1305,arr 1306) (H+C)
7085+7042 Bromley-by-Bow-Barking (1309,arr 1320) (District)
357005, in 67655, Barking-Upminster (1325,arr 1332)
357022, in 74072, Upminster-Barking (1339,arr 1346)
172006, in 59416, Barking-Wanstead Park (1353,arr 1400)
172002, in 59412, Wanstead Park-Blackhorse Road (1414,1d,arr 1424)
11081+11082 Blackhorse Road-Seven Sisters (1428,arr 1432) (Victoria)
315805+315819, in 71299, Seven Sisters-Bush Hill Park (1447,1d,arr 1458)
315860+315827, in 71448, Bush Hill Park-Bruce Grove (1500,arr 1509)
315803+315849, in 64466, Bruce Grove-Silver Street (1519,3d,arr 1527)
315819+315805, in 64497, Silver Street-Stoke Newington (1535,arr 1553)
315849+315803, in 71391, Stoke Newington-Rectory Road (1602,arr 1603)
315809+315818, in 64496, Rectory Road-Stamford Hill (1612,1d,arr 1615)
315847+315850, in 64554, Stamford Hill-London Fields (1622,arr 1630)
315848, in 71328, London Fields-White Hart Lane (1637,1d,arr 1652)
317665+317660, in 77211, White Hart Lane-Hackney Downs (1701,arr 1711)
317892+317890, in 71612, Hackney Downs-Highams Park (1710,2d,arr 1725)
315847+315850, in 71435, Highams Park-Wood Street (1729,arr 1732)
317504, in 62664, Wood Street-Hackney Downs (1747,arr 1756)
378213, in 38313, Hackney Central-Hackney Wick (1808,arr 1812)
378222, in 38222, Hackney Wick-Homerton (1818,arr 1820)
378216, in 38116, Homerton-Stratford (1851,arr 1858)
315844+315826, in 71306, Stratford-London Liverpool Street (1902,1d,arr 1910)
321446, in 63102, London Liverpool Street-Stratford (1914,arr 1921)
315807+315861, in 71395, Stratford-Forest Gate (1924,1d,arr 1928)
315823+315808, in 64475, Forest Gate-Maryland (1943,3d,arr 1948)
315817+315846, in 64493, Maryland-London Liverpool Street (2015,2d,arr 2026)
379005+379012, in 61905, London Liverpool Street-Tottenham Hale (2040,arr 2053)
379025+379024, in 61225, Tottenham Hale-London Liverpool Street (2101,2d,arr 2115)
21020+21019 Liverpool Street-Barbican (2118,arr 2121) (Metropolitan)
21390+21389 Barbican-Edgeware Road (2124,arr 2137) (Circle)
5727+5560+5596 Edgware Road-High Street Kensington (2154,arr 2201) (District)
21364+21363 High Street Kensington-Victoria (2208,arr 2220) (Circle)
377414+377406, in 73406, London Victoria-East Croydon (2232,1d,arr 2252)
377431+377413, in 78613, East Croydon-Selhurst (2256,arr 2258)
455842, in 71678, Selhurst-Purley Oaks (2305,7d,arr 2320)

Day 3

377602, in 70402, Purley Oaks-South Croydon (0941,arr 0943)
377623, in 70323, South Croydon-Purley (0945,4d,arr 0955)
377428, in 73828, Purley-East Croydon (1002,1d,arr 1007)
2538 (Tramlink) East Croydon-Birkbeck (1035,arr 1048)
455812+455840, in 77658, Birkbeck-Beckenham Junction (1057,arr 1100)
465241, in 72800, Beckenham Junction-Bickley (1100,2d,arr 1110)
319443+319459, in 71814, Bickley-St Mary Cray (1117,arr 1120)
319001+319380, in 71772, St Mary Cray-Shortlands (1124,1d,arr 1135)
465196, in 65845, Shortlands-Petts Wood (1148,arr 1157)
465019+465248, in 72064, Petts Wood-Orpington (1206,arr 1209)/
465019 Orpington-Chelsfield (1212,arr 1214)
465029+465002, in 64760, Chelsfield-Orpington (1217,arr 1219)
376027, in 61627, Orpington-Elmstead Woods (1233, arr 1241)
376035, in 64335, Elmstead Woods-Petts Wood (1245,1d,arr 1251)
465241, in 65740, Petts Wood-Orpington (1259,arr 1302)
375916+375628, in 74278, Orpington-London Bridge (1309,arr 1325)
319442, in 77373, London Bridge-East Croydon (1327,2d,arr 1341)
377215+377415, in 73815, East Croydon-London Victoria (1344,1d,arr 1401)
11070+11069 Victoria-Euston (1416,arr 1423) (Victoria)
350120, in 66880, London Euston-Birmingham New Street (via Northampton) (1449,arr 1703)
170635+170515 Birmingham New Street-Hereford (via Worcester Shrub Hill) (1719,arr 1850)

Just a few journeys...

 

[crispy1978]

Wow - that is pretty darn epic!! 94 different journeys if my counting is correct!

Would love to do a long weekend trip like that at some point!

 

[Techniquest]

Worth doing I'd say, I can't wait to do it again! I haven't counted the journeys but it should be fairly high. Can't be bothered to count them yet

As for mileage, I've processed all the moves finally, a grand total of 639 miles and 34 chains

 

[heart-of-wessex]

Holy hell! Enough winners?!? Don't think I've ever managed that amount!

Something to consider doing in May I think when we meet up for a London bash. 37703 will be the one you saw on day one as it's the super shunter at Daventry.

Did you have much time to get back on the train at Northampton? I've had close shaves like that before with a 15 min or so fester at Salisbury on a Waterloo service, going to the Pumpkin and joining a rather slow moving queue!

Epic amount of stations scored, still need all the tube ones between Barking and Upminster, along with a few on the West Anglia lines.

That's something else I got caught on before, going on a 'winner' but only noticing when adding the moves in RailMiles when the number comes up in the box below (ones that you have already typed in before) then I see that I had it the day before! Updating the NREA at the end of each day is essential really, must start doing that myself.

As for the Tattenham Corner line, your spot on there. Only ever done the line in the dark too. First time was on a Connex livery 455 all stops Victoria, took an absolute age to reach Purley, and got off at East Croydon for a fast Victoria. Second time was on the Buffer Puffer 11.1 with TnT Class 20's. I thought passing the shacks would make it quicker, or rather it didn't!

Still considering doing the farewell C sock rail tour in June, unsure on that yet.

Nothing worst than taking a long walk to P19 at Victoria, only to find a locked out 4 car unit in the platform! Actually there is one old incident I found where that happened on weekdays (back in 2005) where a 8 car 377 is locked out in P18 and the front 4 is in service to Bognor or something like that. Must have been a pain to walk to, especially if advertised late.
Couldn't believe you forgot where Maccy D's was at Victoria

Still a very enjoyable read as always, 639 is bloody good considering, including the moves to/from London, it can be hard to get a lot of miles when doing moves in London doesn't usually add up to a great distance.

Oh and did the 2256 from Victoria on Sunday get routed via Herne Hill or was the fast/slow through Clapham open at that time?

 

[Techniquest]

Holy hell! Enough winners?!? Don't think I've ever managed that amount!

Wasn't enough winners for me Not sure I've ever managed 102 winners in one trip either before, with possible exception to the 14 day ALR in 2012. Think a London bash with an all-nighter in 2005 got a lot of winners but then a lot of them were buses. Even so I doubt I hit even close to 102.

Something to consider doing in May I think when we meet up for a London bash. 37703 will be the one you saw on day one as it's the super shunter at Daventry.

Yes I can't wait for that London bash, it's going to be frigging epic! Feels like decades since the last time we were on a bash together, probably the PLEG event at Shildon hock:

Aye I thought it must be the same 37, not got a winner 37 for sight in a long time so that was a pleasant surprise!

Did you have much time to get back on the train at Northampton? I've had close shaves like that before with a 15 min or so fester at Salisbury on a Waterloo service, going to the Pumpkin and joining a rather slow moving queue!

I did have about 5 minutes in the end after getting my coffee, but I was paranoid someone would have taken my space on the train and, more importantly, my stuff. Thankfully it hadn't been touched, but it was a risk I had to take!

Aye if those staff we've both encountered at Pumpkin outlets worked in Asda they'd have been fired by now for working too slow!

Epic amount of stations scored, still need all the tube ones between Barking and Upminster, along with a few on the West Anglia lines.

I still need Hornchurch and Upminster Park between Barking and Upminster, at least it won't be such a daunting task when I go back there! Still an absolute ton of Tube stations I need mind all in!

That's something else I got caught on before, going on a 'winner' but only noticing when adding the moves in RailMiles when the number comes up in the box below (ones that you have already typed in before) then I see that I had it the day before! Updating the NREA at the end of each day is essential really, must start doing that myself.

Aye keeping books updated is essential definitely, I do normally keep my NREA updated as I go along but I just didn't have time on this trip really!

As for the Tattenham Corner line, your spot on there. Only ever done the line in the dark too. First time was on a Connex livery 455 all stops Victoria, took an absolute age to reach Purley, and got off at East Croydon for a fast Victoria. Second time was on the Buffer Puffer 11.1 with TnT Class 20's. I thought passing the shacks would make it quicker, or rather it didn't!

Oh I've done it in daylight before and it's no more fun lol. Really not much fun at all the Tatty Corner line, nor is the Caterham line but that's over so much more quickly.

Still considering doing the farewell C sock rail tour in June, unsure on that yet.

Aye I want to do that too but don't see me managing it somehow.

Nothing worst than taking a long walk to P19 at Victoria, only to find a locked out 4 car unit in the platform! Actually there is one old incident I found where that happened on weekdays (back in 2005) where a 8 car 377 is locked out in P18 and the front 4 is in service to Bognor or something like that. Must have been a pain to walk to, especially if advertised late.
Couldn't believe you forgot where Maccy D's was at Victoria

Aye we had 377141 in the way of the 2232 VIC-BTN, was a pain in the rear! Especially when boarding was announced 90 seconds before the booked departure time! Yeah I don't know how I forgot where McD's was, an epic fail for me!

Still a very enjoyable read as always, 639 is bloody good considering, including the moves to/from London, it can be hard to get a lot of miles when doing moves in London doesn't usually add up to a great distance.

Aye about 340 miles (roughly) was on the moves to/from London so to get around 300 in on the 3 days around London is damn fine going! Some moves add up quickly, like Victoria-Euston at about 2.25 miles, and Victoria to East Croydon at about 10.5 so it can mount up fast.

Oh and did the 2256 from Victoria on Sunday get routed via Herne Hill or was the fast/slow through Clapham open at that time?

2232 VIC-BTN was normal lines to Clapham, then slows through Wandsworth Common, then we turned right just before Balham I do believe to carry on as normal to East Croydon and back to the fasts.