HMS Ark Royal
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The Various Random Mutterings of Kite
- Thread starter Kite159
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Kite159
Veteran Member
It will be on it's way, as soon as I locate a pacer to transport it in
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17th December – South Eastern Metro mini-day
With a musical concert in Camden in the evening, and with a nice early finish (due to work pretty much being closed down, we had run out of stuff to do), I got home and had time to throw together a loose plan with the aim of clearing my 5 remaining shacks on the South Eastern metro, and hence my last 5 remaining National Rail shacks inside the London Zones, a rough plan thrown together and I was out on the road to Andover. I could have walked to Grateley, but it was raining, quite well at that point, so decided I didn’t want to get wet, or pay for parking at Grateley station, so to Andover it was.
159018 & 159011 were the units on the 15:06 departure towards Waterloo, so taking a seat in 159018 and relaxing to read the newspaper and some of my book, as the line between Andover and Waterloo is rather boring once you’ve done is so many times (as I’m sure Mr Techni will agree with the line between Hereford and New Street). Into Waterloo pretty much on time, and across to Waterloo East, South Eastern staff handing out Christmas timetables due to the pending works closing London Bridge/Cannon Street/Charing Cross over Christmas & New Year (which was very nice of them). No chance of doing a linear bash as the train I was going to catch towards the Mottingham line ran fast from Waterloo East to Hither Green and the Orpington train had gone. Formed of 8 coaches so I knew it was going to be a pair of 465s (or a 465-466-466 combo), and in rolled dud 465168 leading required 465005 to take me to Ronnie Crayford.
We were a few minutes late, which meant my +5 for an inbound train would have been toast, but the inbound service was also 5 minutes late, so a bit of time to relax at the edge of zone 6, before winner 466033 rolled in with duds 465031 & 465161 behind, getting a bit wet as I needed to grab the rear 465 as it was still raining, anyhow 1 mile 36 chains later I alighted at Bexley and crossed over to the other side to await one of the three trains a day which goes from Bexley towards Barnehurst (before continuing back towards London) which cut down my time (as otherwise I would have to head back towards Lewisham or wait for a Slade Green bound service to take me to Slade Green before a Bexleyheath line bound service to take me onto the central line [or get a zones 1-9 travelcard and travel via Dartford]).
In rolled winner 376019 leading dud 376013 for the 25-odd minute trip around the curves to Bexleyheath (probably would have been as quick to walk from Bexley!), a quick hop back presented itself in a late running pair of 376s, and it was winners 376028 & 376016 to Barnehurst (excellent, gets rid another pair of 376s), back across the platform to await the next Lewisham bound service, and in rolled dud 465013 leading winner 465156 to my final shack on this line to Welling.
10 minutes later duds 465045 & 465154 rolled in to take me towards Lewisham, where I had the choice, either bail at Blackheath and wait for an unknown service from Gillingham, or swap at Lewisham for a quick hop to St Johns, I decided to stay on and swapped at Lewisham, heading across to the other platform with duds 465036 & 465193 to the island platform at St Johns. Just to see the number of services rushing pass, in both directions. 10 minutes (due to lateness) the next Hayes train rolled in, formed of duds 376006 & 376022 to take me to the my final required shack, Ladywell. Next service was formed of duds 466030, 465916 & 465915 for the 53 chain leap to Lewisham, to cross over to the other London bound platform to be rewarded with winner 466039 leading dud 465048 to Waterloo East.
The next service rolled in, formed of dud 465026 with winner 466001 in the middle and dud 465191 at the rear for the 61 chain trip across the river into Charing Cross. Down to the underground to Chalk Farm on required 51709 & 51553 to attend the musical show. Afterwards it was back to Waterloo on a set made up of units 51549 & 51550, and with 20-odd minutes to kill, I cast my eye around and spotted the next (and final?) Weybridge bound service was formed of winner 458512 which I took to Vauxhall, and having checked when at Waterloo, winner 458513 bound for Windsor, took me to Clapham Junction.
Across to platform 9 to await the 23:47 towards Salisbury, formed of 5 coaches tonight, and in rolled 158885 (which started the week as my lowest mile SWT 158 with a mere Romsey – Southampton hop, but I had it on Monday coming back from Cranbrook adding some decent miles to it) with a flame 159 on the rear... which wasn’t 159103, instead it was the refurbished 159102 which had come back from Loughborough (or Doncaster), not like I was moaning as it was a sub 1000 mile unit, but I sat in 158885 for some 158 thrash back to Andover.
Mission complete, SET metro cleared, time to focus on Cannon Street – London Bridge/Charing Cross – Waterloo East leaps to try and capture my final 20 x 376s, 19 465s (excluding the FC /9s) & 22 x 466s
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18th December – Southern WCML or: How I Learned to stop Worrying and Love the 350s
The aim of today was to tackle the southern end of the West Coast Main Line, mainly the part between Watford Junction & Bletchley as it remained uncovered apart from Hemel Hempstead, on a day which Southern decided to throw in the towel with running their West London Line services citing “a temporary shortage of train drivers”, so I was thinking how bad will it be with London Midland doing what London Midland does best and cancels services. Thankfully my London Midland related worrying wasn’t needed, and I will give 10p to anybody who gets the sub-meaning of this title.
Anyhow, after I finished work, it was a quick change and drive to Andover, and picked up my travel card from the TVM and boarded 159106, my aim was to try and buy my BZ6 – Ridgmont ticket from the guard to save having to bail at Basingstoke for the following service from Weymouth which called at Clapham (to allow me to travel to Victoria to use the TVMs there which sell Boundary Zone tickets). There were a pair of RPIs was on board checking tickets (and looked like they Penalty Fared someone without a ticket), sadly they were unable to sell me the BZ ticket, so it was off at Basingstoke to await the service from Weymouth.
Normally this service is a single 444, and today was no different as 444013 rolled in to take me to Clapham Junction, being held up around Woking (I’m guessing a late running service from Guildford was holding up the platform), so it was into Clapham, a quick hop to platform 11 saw me jumping onto a 377 just before the doors started to close, it was dud 377459 (how amazing would it have been if it was a winner?), anyhow it was soon to Victoria, where after purchasing my ticket, it was to the underground.
Victoria line stock 11045/46 took me forward to Euston underground, where it was a fast walk out of the underground and towards a 4-car 350 heading towards Birmingham (which was fast between Watford & Milton Keynes, but gave me a chance of a linear hop to Watford if it was required), it was a dud 350/1, so with 15 minutes to kill before the next Birmingham stopper, so I headed towards Sainsburys in search of a quick bite to eat for later, they had no sandwiches at all (delivery issue).
Back to the main-station and to the platform where the Birmingham/Northampton service was loading up, led by dud 350255 but with winner 350245 on the back, as I was going to Bletchley, I was asked to go into the rear part as the front part was for “passengers travelling beyond Northampton”, which makes sense in a way. 46 miles (and 54 chains) later, I arrived at Bletchley, where a quick interchange over to the footbridge and I boarded dud 153366 for the short trip to Woburn Sands, across the level crossing and to the other platform, it was a short wait before super-dud 150109 rolled in to take me back to Bow Brickhill, the guard somehow managed to sell me a Milton Keynes – Bow Brickhill ticket instead of a Woburn Sands – Bow Brickhill ticket (which I didn’t notice until later). Anyhow the reason why I came onto the Marston Vale Line was for a certain shack which is normally the passing point of the hourly service, as when I was playing with RTT (as you do), making plans for Nigel, I noticed that the next service departs Bletchley “off-pattern”.
30 minutes later (not so bad as Bow Brickhill had a nice little waiting shelter), 150109 rolled back in to take me to Ridgmont, and it was across the level crossing passing the cafe (there appeared to be a Costa at Woburn Sands) which was closed, for a 10 minute wait before 153366 arrived back. Not the nicest place to wait, bordered by a scrap yard with the constant noise of traffic from the nearby M1, with some large warehouses the other end. Anyhow a busy 153366 rolled back in (wouldn’t it be better to have 2x 150s down here instead of a 150 & a 153, allowing the 153 to strengthen up a 170-run service). Anyhow it was to Bletchley where the service surprisingly terminated (surprising to nobody).
As I had a ticket to Milton Keynes, I through I might as well make use of it as I had a short wait at Bletchley as the next service bound for Milton Keynes terminated there and would form the next southbound stopper, so it was onto a pair of 350s which were running around 10 minutes late (mixed messages, signalling problems & trespasser), I noticed the 153 which this service would have connected into depart just as winner 350267 rolled in with dud 350254 on the rear, I heard a “For **** sake” shouted out by a couple commuters who probably wanted that 153 (and now had an hour 20 minutes wait for the next service). Anyhow it was to Milton Keynes terminating into platform 2 (am I right in thinking that bay platform at the south end of platform 2 used to be used by the Southern 377/2s before the /7s came along?)
Across to platform 1 where three things were showing, firstly that the next Euston was fast after Leighton Buzzard, secondary it was formed of 4 coaches, and thirdly it was reported as “full and standing”, so expecting the worst as winner 350111 rolled in, and it was pretty much empty, maybe 20% loading in the front coach, so maybe yes it was full and standing earlier on, on its journey from New Street, but now not so much. Anyhow it was a short hop down south to my first main-line shack of the evening at Leighton Buzzard. A short wait later and fresh dud 350267 rolled in along with 350254 to take me south to Cheddington. It was held up on the way down so the first connection with a Northampton bound service was missed, thankfully I had planned for the following Bletchley bound service. Anyhow I’m surprised this station doesn’t have any sort of barrier protecting the fast tracks (as the 390s must go through the station at some speed), especially since the exit involved walking alongside the up fast (think of Tilehurst).
Anyhow duds 350265 & 350239 arrived to take me back to Leighton Buzzard, where I had planned to catch the Southern service to grab Tring... but there was no Southern services out to play, so it was a change of plan as I boarded dud 350128 to take me to Berkhamsted, with a short wait before a trio of units arrived bound for glory, or Milton Keynes as it’s otherwise known, leading was dud 350126 with dud 350234 in the middle and dud 350238 at the rear, but they took me to the massively long platforms at Tring. Across the footbridge and to the other side, and it was a short wait before another trio of units bound for Euston were due to arrive, and it wouldn’t matter as much if these were duds as I would simply wait for the Tring stopper to arrive.
In rolled dud 350375, followed by winner 350250 and 350371, happy days as I boarded the /3 and grabbed a table seat for a quick charge of my mobile phone for the run to Hemel Hempstead. A 10 or so minute fester to wait for the next service from Tring to appear, and it was formed of fresh dud 350245 leading dud 350253 to take me to Kings Langley. I now had a “danger” move planned, a +6 at Apsley in which if I missed the connection would meant I would miss the 22:20 from Waterloo, and dud 350232 rolled in with required 350257 on the rear 4 minutes down, and it rolled into Apsley, the final shack on the southern end of the WCML, but I didn’t have time to enjoy the station as it was straight over the footbridge and down to the other side as dud 350260 had rolled in with winning 350236 on the rear, and it was straight towards the front of 260 for the run back down to Euston. No potential of a linear bash at Watford as the next service after this one looked (to RTT) to be formed of one or more units from that trio of duds earlier, and it was down to Euston.
Bit chaotic trying to get out of the station as we were put into one of the unbarriered platforms, opposite a Manchester bound 390 which was due to depart in the following 3 minutes, so the Virgin staff had started to close their gates (only to see many passengers alighting from the 350s, soon directed towards the reopened gate on the other side, and out to the underground. Northern line 51615 & 51614 took me south to Waterloo, where a quick visit to Tesco was up first to grab food. Back to Waterloo and after a quick look at anything headed out for a linear hop found nothing so it was to 159005 & 159014 which was forming the 22:20 to Salisbury, and as usual it was busy (but emptied out a bit at Woking), but as I alighted at Andover for the short drive home in the pouring rain, I had the chance to reflect on how I learnt to stop worrying and love the 350s.
7 winners (so 15 left [6x/1s, 7x2s, 2x3s] and 9 new shacks cleared, a good evening I reckon.
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19th December – An unusual trip to Wales
For some reason a few months ago I had booked a pair of advances to head to Cardiff for the day, but decided earlier in the week not to my usual in shack attacking, owing to the poor weather forecasted and the Christmas crowds, so I cast my eyes out and spotted a required station out in the West which sees a semi-limited service, mainly the newish Fishguard & Goodwick, and also I wanted to get new track in the shape of Ebbw Vale Parkway to Ebbw Vale Town. It would get Fishguard & Goodwick out of the way so when I return next year I can focus on the other two branches with their 2 hourly services (which will probably involve the bike between some of the shacks on the Pembroke line!).
Anyhow, I was booked onto the 07:30 departure from Salisbury, formed this morning of 158955, no seat reservation labels put out but it was lightly loaded for a nice enough trip arriving into Bristol a couple minutes early for a 13-odd minute fester to reverse and continue to Cardiff, we were held outside Cardiff for a good 5 minutes to be allowed in onto the platform. This is where I looked at the times and saw the HST bound for Swansea which is normally 7 minutes behind the 158 was running rather late, it hadn’t even arrived in Wales at that point, so a shack attack at Neath went out of the window as I headed down to the concourse for a little break, idea of grabbing food for later so I looked in WH Smiths and saw they wanted £4.49 for a meal deal, yes four pounds and forty nine pence, more expensive than airports/hospitals and everywhere else, do they think they are M&S?
Anyhow I wasn’t going to pay that sort of silly money for an Urban Eats sandwich, and soon it was back to platform 3 to await the arrive of the Milford Haven bound service, formed of 2 coaches so I was expecting a 175/0... Dud 158830 rolled up, bit surprising that but allowed it to be cleared for 10 miles as Keith would say as my previous log was a New Street – International hop back in March time. Sadly the power-sockets were not working on the table I grabbed on a rather busy service (I’m guessing picking up passengers for Bridgend/Port Talbot/Neath/Swansea which would otherwise had gotten onto the HST) anyhow reversal into Swansea we were held for the late running HST to arrive (both power-cars dud thankfully) before departing out west. Personally I think the part of line after Gowerton towards Carmarthen (where it runs alongside the coast) is one of the most beautiful parts of track in South Wales.
Anyhow, it was another crew change and reversal at Carmarthen and we set off heading west and I alighted at my first shack of the day at Whitland. I had around 40 minutes to kill so I headed into the town centre and located a Co-Op for some lunch, yummy, and it was back to the station as it started to rain, a disused bay platform one side and some rather useless shelters on the westbound platform, so it was a case of hiding and waiting for the “formed of 3 coaches” service arrived, which would most likely be a 153 + 150/158 rather than a 3-car 175. The barriers went down and I saw the lights and in rolled dud 158841 with required 153320 at the rear. So taking a seat in the dog-box for the 27 mile blast out west, departing from double track and onto the single track branch line towards Fishguard, next stop was the one I was after and I alighted at Fishguard & Goodwick.
Reopened in 2012, it is a basic station, a newish empty station building gave me shelter from the rain which was non-stop at this point, so sadly I didn’t get the chance to have a look around before fresh dud 153320 rolled in with 158841 at the back, a reversal at Carmarthen and the 158 was back in front (and this time I was sitting in the 158 for the power sockets, and it was back towards Cardiff, non-stop after Llanelli (which made someone who jumped on at the last minute being annoyed as it didn’t go via Swansea), as it was Saturday it didn’t go via the Swansea district line, but instead used the Swansea avoidance curve behind the depot before getting caught behind a late running stopper. I alighted at Bridgend with the idea of a linear bash back to Cardiff, annoyingly a required 150 was sitting on the bay platform, but that would reach Cardiff a few minutes after the Ebbw Vale service departed, so would sadly have to wait. First up was a service towards Cheltenham which was a dud 150, my 3rd option was a HST but that was cancelled, so I had to get onto the 2nd option which was dud 150278 from Swansea.
To Cardiff Central, where I worked out I had no options of a quick Queen Street hop, so headed out towards platform 0 where the next Ebbw Vale Town service was due to depart from, and saw a very familiar looking 158, yep 158841 & 153320 (although I should have remembered that the units which made up the Fishguard service forms an Ebbw Vale service once back in Cardiff), so taking a seat in the busy 153 for the nice enough trip along the main-line and peeling away up towards Ebbw Vale Town, covering new track beyond Ebbw Vale Parkway. I was thinking about bailing out and trying to grab another couple shacks, but with the weather still being mostly rubbish I decided against it, not to mention we were a few minutes late so the crossover point at Crosskeys the next northbound service was sitting ready for the signal to clear onto the single line. I will keep to my plan to grab a couple shacks in the Cardiff area, so once Cardiff Central was reached I crossed over to platforms 6 & 7.
I assume platform 8 will be used mainly for those terminating trains so they don’t have to rush checking it’s empty before heading towards the depot to reverse to form the next service, once the track has been laid, anyhow my focus was on the next Penarth bound service in order to grab the intermediate shack on that short branch, but first up was a familiar looking 150 heading towards Barry Island, the one I turned down earlier had returned from the head of the valleys, as I jumped onto 150260 for the short hop to Grangetown, a few minutes later the sound of a pair of pacers broke the silence as dud 142072 rolled in with winner 142080 on the rear to take me the short hop to Dingle Road.
A brief wait at Dingle Road before 142080/142072 returned to take me to Cardiff Central, which went into a bit of chaos as we were told this service was terminating at Central and any passengers wanting its original destination to change, but it was a pair of dud 143s so I gave them a miss. The pair of 142s departed back to the depot and 10 or so minutes later the dud 143s departed, which meant the next service was running a tad late, and in rolled dud 143624 leading winner 143606 to take me to Llandaf.
The original idea was to head back and score Cathays, but the next service was getting later and later, and I wanted to see which 153 was on the Cardiff Bay shuttle today (makes sense trying to grab it if it was needed, as the next time I’m in Cardiff it could be out doing Shrewbury – Crewe stoppers or Heart of Wales services), sadly it was a dud 153, so when dud 150257 rolled into Llandaf I took is to Queen Street, noting that the 153 wasn’t required, I stayed on P2 to await dud 142010 to take me back to Central. It was now around 20:30 so I had time to kill, so I headed out of the station pass the former bus station (now a construction site) to Tesco to pick up something to eat.
Back to Central, and after noting a pair of required 175s working a Chester via Crewe service (rear was locked out of use causing confusion), and a required 142 was sat on P2 having arrived from a previous service, the clock hit 21:00 and no sign of the Exeter bound service, the pacer was still on P2, and a platform swap as the 21:00 was due to depart from P1, and in rolled 158960 and 150248 behind, sadly the 150 was locked out of use (no 150 tunnel thrash for me tonight), but it was a nice return to 150248 last seen dropping me off at the 2nd least used station in the UK. To Bristol Temple Meads where I had a short wait before 159107 rolled in from Salisbury, as I took a seat at a table and was expecting a rough trip (last Saturday before Christmas = lots of drinking). Got busy at Bath but a lot of those passengers left at Bradford/Trowbridge and by the time we had an accident with a randomly placed 158888 (what do GWR think they are, leaving their hire-in 158 laying around on platform 1 at Westbury
) the service was empty, after Warminster there was 3 people including myself in the centre car!Anyways, arrival into Salisbury was a few minutes late (delay with the attachment at Westbury), but it was a nice drive home, once I got out of the city as the traffic lights were being evil.
Some random pictures:
158830 departing Whitland:
158841 & 153320 running away to the harbour:
Next train, 5 and a half hours time!
Last edited:
Kristofferson
Member
- Joined
- 23 Nov 2012
- Messages
- 1,132
Welcome back to my part of the world - it's not too strange to love the 350s (see what I did there?)
LM have a reputation for cancelling the Tring stoppers in peak, but they usually compensate by adding stops to faster services. In terms of cancellations, they're not nearly as bad as Southern or Lesser Anglia, and are one of the more reliable TOCs in my experience.
LM have a reputation for cancelling the Tring stoppers in peak, but they usually compensate by adding stops to faster services. In terms of cancellations, they're not nearly as bad as Southern or Lesser Anglia, and are one of the more reliable TOCs in my experience.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Some rather excellent reads there Lord Kite, certainly you've been rather busy lately!
Still, when you go back to work I'll be back on the rails
Still, when you go back to work I'll be back on the rails
Kite159
Veteran Member
20th December The slightly unplanned day to the races
I had the idea of heading to London today to go unit hunting, however I hit snooze on my alarm clock when it went off and woke up around 9:30, so the earliest service to London would have been the 10:40-odd from Andover, so decided it wasnt worth it. A quick check of RTT saw that trains were running from Romsey (first couple were buses), and trains were running all the way to Brighton, all the way towards Lewes and up towards Victoria, which gave me an idea to try and visit a certain station which has escaped me a couple times.
A quick play with RTT suggested by changing from the GWR at Fratton would see me into Brighton a good 30 minutes before than if I changed at Southampton for the painfully slow Southampton Brighton (although not as bad as the Portsmouth Brighton all station stopper), so it was to Romsey and after picking up my return tickets, went to platform 1 and waited for 158961 to come rolling in, first service from Cardiff towards Portsmouth, so it was quite busy, but emptied out at Southampton, as I stayed on around the curve and towards Fareham, and reaching Fratton. This was after I checked over at Southampton to see which 377 it was and it was a dud 377444 (if it was required I would have boarded it).
Due to the line from Petersfield towards Guildford being closed, there was a lot of passengers waiting for the Southern service to Victoria via Hove, and in rolled 377458, where I managed to get a nice table seat in the rear coach, we joined up with 377465 at Worthing and continued onwards to Hove. Across to platform 1 where the service working the Brighton Hove shuttles today was waiting, normally on a Sunday this is a 377 instead of a 313 and today was no different as it was 377412 getting an extra mile and 35 chains under its wheels. Across to the other side of Brighton to await the arrival of the delayed service from Ashford, hoping it wouldnt be 729 as I was getting a bit hungry and could do with breaking my journey at Brighton to grab lunch (as I dont know if there are any shops in Lewes which do meal-deals). Thankfully it was 728 (I think) so off to Tesco I went.
Back at Brighton, I had a nice seat and watched as 3 electro-stars lined up a 377/1, a 377/6 and a 387/1, just to see the slight evolution in designs, before 313207 rolled in, to take me to Lewes. A 15 minute fester at Lewes before the slightly delayed Victoria train rolled in formed of 377125 & 377425, it was front 7 coaches only for the station which I needed, and I played it safe by staying in the middle as I arrived at Plumpton, opposite a race course Im guessing by the star on the Southern route map this station used to see a similar sort of service as Faygate & Doleham, as in a very limited service, rather than the current hourly service. Anyhow it had started to rain a bit, well a lot, before duds 377415 & 377144 rolled in to take me back to Lewes. They were running late, but so was the service from Ashford, so I managed to get across to platform 4 with a couple minutes to spare to see a 171 rolling in, and excellent it was 171729 my last 2-car 171, which made me very happy as all I needed of the 171s were 2 4-car units which work mostly the Uckfield line, which will hopefully be easy enough to pick up when I do a London Bridge fester one evening.
Anyhow, back to Lewes in the thunder and lightning, and a brief wait before going into platform 8 blocking the 313 stopper (as a 377 was in platform 7 ready to work a service to Victoria via Lewes due to signalling problems in the Preston Park area), I now had 30 odd minutes to kill before the Bristol Temple Meads bound service, but first I wanted to see what 377 would be on the Portsmouth stopper, it rolled in from Southampton and was dud, and so I headed to Tesco to pass the time, as 377412 was blocking the Great Western so the doors on the Great Western wouldnt be released until the Hove bound service departed. Back to the station to stand around waiting for the doors to be released on 150243 & 158763, I was looking for the table seat on the 150 (for some 150 thrash). The 377 departed and the doors were released as I grabbed the table seat at the front of the 150.
Nice speedy run, we caught up with the stopper around Chichester instead of Havant (as it was running late due to crowding), so the part from Chichester was more crawling than speedy, but thankfully once the stopper disappeared to Portsmouth we had green lights all the way, but still arrived 10 minutes down in Romsey. A nice enough drive home, the end of a short day, mainly unplanned but allowed me to clear the Southern network once and for all* (until new stations are built).
377425 speeding away from Plumpton:
Old overgrown platform to the north of the current platform?
I had the idea of heading to London today to go unit hunting, however I hit snooze on my alarm clock when it went off and woke up around 9:30, so the earliest service to London would have been the 10:40-odd from Andover, so decided it wasnt worth it. A quick check of RTT saw that trains were running from Romsey (first couple were buses), and trains were running all the way to Brighton, all the way towards Lewes and up towards Victoria, which gave me an idea to try and visit a certain station which has escaped me a couple times.
A quick play with RTT suggested by changing from the GWR at Fratton would see me into Brighton a good 30 minutes before than if I changed at Southampton for the painfully slow Southampton Brighton (although not as bad as the Portsmouth Brighton all station stopper), so it was to Romsey and after picking up my return tickets, went to platform 1 and waited for 158961 to come rolling in, first service from Cardiff towards Portsmouth, so it was quite busy, but emptied out at Southampton, as I stayed on around the curve and towards Fareham, and reaching Fratton. This was after I checked over at Southampton to see which 377 it was and it was a dud 377444 (if it was required I would have boarded it).
Due to the line from Petersfield towards Guildford being closed, there was a lot of passengers waiting for the Southern service to Victoria via Hove, and in rolled 377458, where I managed to get a nice table seat in the rear coach, we joined up with 377465 at Worthing and continued onwards to Hove. Across to platform 1 where the service working the Brighton Hove shuttles today was waiting, normally on a Sunday this is a 377 instead of a 313 and today was no different as it was 377412 getting an extra mile and 35 chains under its wheels. Across to the other side of Brighton to await the arrival of the delayed service from Ashford, hoping it wouldnt be 729 as I was getting a bit hungry and could do with breaking my journey at Brighton to grab lunch (as I dont know if there are any shops in Lewes which do meal-deals). Thankfully it was 728 (I think) so off to Tesco I went.
Back at Brighton, I had a nice seat and watched as 3 electro-stars lined up a 377/1, a 377/6 and a 387/1, just to see the slight evolution in designs, before 313207 rolled in, to take me to Lewes. A 15 minute fester at Lewes before the slightly delayed Victoria train rolled in formed of 377125 & 377425, it was front 7 coaches only for the station which I needed, and I played it safe by staying in the middle as I arrived at Plumpton, opposite a race course Im guessing by the star on the Southern route map this station used to see a similar sort of service as Faygate & Doleham, as in a very limited service, rather than the current hourly service. Anyhow it had started to rain a bit, well a lot, before duds 377415 & 377144 rolled in to take me back to Lewes. They were running late, but so was the service from Ashford, so I managed to get across to platform 4 with a couple minutes to spare to see a 171 rolling in, and excellent it was 171729 my last 2-car 171, which made me very happy as all I needed of the 171s were 2 4-car units which work mostly the Uckfield line, which will hopefully be easy enough to pick up when I do a London Bridge fester one evening.
Anyhow, back to Lewes in the thunder and lightning, and a brief wait before going into platform 8 blocking the 313 stopper (as a 377 was in platform 7 ready to work a service to Victoria via Lewes due to signalling problems in the Preston Park area), I now had 30 odd minutes to kill before the Bristol Temple Meads bound service, but first I wanted to see what 377 would be on the Portsmouth stopper, it rolled in from Southampton and was dud, and so I headed to Tesco to pass the time, as 377412 was blocking the Great Western so the doors on the Great Western wouldnt be released until the Hove bound service departed. Back to the station to stand around waiting for the doors to be released on 150243 & 158763, I was looking for the table seat on the 150 (for some 150 thrash). The 377 departed and the doors were released as I grabbed the table seat at the front of the 150.
Nice speedy run, we caught up with the stopper around Chichester instead of Havant (as it was running late due to crowding), so the part from Chichester was more crawling than speedy, but thankfully once the stopper disappeared to Portsmouth we had green lights all the way, but still arrived 10 minutes down in Romsey. A nice enough drive home, the end of a short day, mainly unplanned but allowed me to clear the Southern network once and for all* (until new stations are built).
377425 speeding away from Plumpton:
Old overgrown platform to the north of the current platform?
jayalongtheway
Member
- Joined
- 31 Oct 2015
- Messages
- 241
Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb
PHILIPE
Veteran Member
Re the Bay not used at Whitland in your report, Kite. Not quite right. It is used by 2E24 20 37 Whitland to Pembroke Dock on Sunday nights. It would appear that there is 19+58 ex Carmarthen but not showing in RTT. It connects out of 14 30 Manchester to Milford Haven but as this is worked by a 150 and 2E24 is worked by a 175 it cannot run coupled to it.
Techniquest
Veteran Member
Congratulations Lord Kite for clearing Southern's shacks!
As always an excellent read, and well done on clearing the 171/7s!
As always an excellent read, and well done on clearing the 171/7s!
Kite159
Veteran Member
So it is used, as the tracks looked rather rusty.
I learn something new every day.
Wouldn't really want to be on a 150 from Manchester all the way to Milford Haven! Not really a suitable unit for such a long trip with many stops, but if it is all that ATW have got spare then it must be used (would make a bit of sense if ATW try to grab some of the Scot-rail DMUs when they are released in the next few years due to the electrification work between Queen Street & Edinburgh)
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PHILIPE
Veteran Member
There are a couple of 150s on Manchester runs on a Sunday. The problem is where units finish on a Saturday night and the Southern end of ATW Network hasn't enough 175s to cover everything and there are some in the North End not required for the first half of the day.
Kite159
Veteran Member
21st December A trip to Hastings
The idea of today was a nice simple one, to linear bash the Hastings line using the peak time extras, so stations which would otherwise see one train an hour gets 3 or 4 trains an hour, and it was a bit of a late start for me, in the wet due to wanting to do some bits and pieces before hand for Christmas. I got dropped off at Andover and picked my tickets up before heading across for a wait before 159005 & 159011 rolled in from Exeter to whisk me towards Clapham Junction.
I worked out I could have 15 or so minutes at Clapham in search of my last few SWT units, and decided to go across to the Windsor line platforms in search of 450s & 458/5s working that side of the network, sadly luck wasnt with me as I spotted a couple requirements working away from London which was no good to me, as I got onto 450081 & 450040 from Reading for a non-stop trip to Waterloo. Across the footbridge and towards Waterloo East, which was in a state of delays due to signalling problems in the London Bridge area (late services rolling in meaning they were late departing etc), I was going to catch the next Hastings, but the next Ramsgate & Ramsgate service rolled in first, formed of dud 375614 but with winner 375624 at the rear, well I wouldnt turn down the chance for a nice non-stop run to Sevenoaks, ticking Orpington off as a station Ive gone non-stop through.
10 minutes late, it rolled into a wet Sevenoaks where I alighted, thankfully the Hastings service was a dud single unit, and I waited for the next Tunbridge Wells service, as I wanted to get a slightly annoying shack out of the way before going down to Hastings, a pair of 465/9s rolled in and as usual my luck was absolutely terrible (I needed 20 of the 34 at this point) and in rolled 465913 & 465923 to take me the short distance via a tunnel to Hildenborough, I had a nice fester here and with the seating being uncovered it was wet, so was a standing around under the cover of the station building canopy, a pair of dud 375s rolled in heading north and the PIS was rather useless at saying when a fast train wasnt approaching (it flashed up as please stand back when a train wasnt approaching, but when a service sped through it didnt say anything!). Anyhow my 25 (or so) minutes later winner 465901 rolled in with 465906 on the rear to take me to Tunbridge Wells.
I spotted a little Sainsburys outside the station, which was used to grab something to eat for later on and headed to the other side as dud 375922 and required 375926 rolled in for the short hop to High Brooms. Back towards Tunbridge on dud 375806 and winner 375608 with 608 being detached at Tunbridge allowing a rather busy 375806 to continue to my next required shack in the shape of Frant. In rolled a trio of units headed by winner 375916, dud 375905 and winner 375808 at the rear to take me back to Tunbridge Wells, where a quick platform jump got me onto dud 375918 leading winner 375904
With all the delays floating around, I decided to put myself ahead of my plan just in case a service got cancelled, so I alighted at Etchingham, with a few minutes wait before winners 375709 & 375902 took me back up the line to Stonegate, which happens to be in Essex according to the Evening Standard as they were reporting about another serial fare dodger who changed the date on their season ticket. Anyhow time ticked by, the next service appeared to getting later and later, a double set rushed passed, I had no internet in which to check RTT to see what the score was, but eventually winner 375714 rolled in to take me to Robertsbridge. 15 or so minutes later it was another single unit working a semi-fast service (I think they detach at Tunbridge with the front unit going on as a semi-fast and the rear unit(s) forming a stopper), this time winner 375829 to take me to Battle.
And unlike King Harold who died in 1066, I departed Battle 15 minutes (or so, timetables were all messed up with delays) on a pair of winners, this time 375825 and 375710 to Crowhurst, another basic looking shack, but only a 10 minute wait before fresh dud 375926 & 375922 rolled in to take me to West St Leonards. A pair of units arrived, but they were working a semi-fast (although with the time they spent sitting on the platform awaiting a delayed Southern 377 to roll across the junction, they might as well had called, as both were required for me), and followed up by dud 375708 to take me to St Leonards Warrior Square. The end of the line, as I jumped across to the other platform (which isnt the easiest thing to do) to check out a pair of 377s heading towards Brighton and both were dud, so back across to the Hastings bound platform as an Ashford bound service was due. I was very tempted by the next 375 set but they were running a bit late I feared for the connection at Hastings (and it was a trio of units). I jumped onto a busy (as Southern had cancelled an Victoria Ore train at Eastbourne) 171721 through the tunnel to Hastings.
I had around 10 or so minutes to kill before the next Victoria service, and in rolled winner 377475, where I got a nice table seat for the trip towards Eastbourne, looking over to the other platform and saying that 377 is needed, as the conductor (or driver) announced that this service was terminating here at Eastbourne, and passengers needed to cross over to platform 2 to get onto the pair of units currently sat waiting, so across I went and got 377408 in the bag as well as dud 377431 (that was a nice little bonus!). We joined up with 377159 at Haywards Heath and carried on, I jumped off at East Croydon as we were running a tad late (held at Haywards Heath for a fast service from Brighton it seemed).
In rolled a dud 377 from Southampton, which I allowed to depart, and the next service was another pair of units, 377152 & 377419 which after a 5 minute fester at East Croydon due to a drunken person being sick (got to love the lead up to Christmas), we headed to Clapham Junction. A quick dash to Sainsburys to grab me something to eat (as I was getting a bit hungry) and back to platform 9 to jump onto 159011 & 159005 (again!) for the trip back to Grateley, hauling 159005 over the 1000 mile mark. Anyhow I was happy, all the shacks on the Hastings line cleared, with 15 new units thrown in for good measure.
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22nd December Hunting the Pigs
The aim of today was to try and reduce the number of 442s I require before they disappear forever and also with my last LM 150 working the Bedford Bletchley services, a chance to grab 4 more shacks on that line, I got dropped off at the station (it was raining) and the queue for the TVM was massive, I arrived at 09:45 thinking it would be plenty of time to grab my tickets, but I managed to grab them just as 159017 came rolling in. A single unit which came from Gillingham, it was full and standing from Andover, even in first class, it emptied out a bit at Basingstoke but I decided to stay on until Waterloo (whereas normally I would have bailed at Basingstoke for the next service from Weymouth, although that is normally busy as well and probably would have been a single 444).
At Waterloo, I had a look around on platforms 1 to 4 to see if anything was required, nope, across to the Windsor lines side and nothing was required so I just jumped on the first thing out of the station on 458524 & 458520 and across to the Southern side, to have a wait to see which 442s were out running, I didnt have long to wait before I spotted the next 442 heading towards Victoria was required Pig 01, so it was a case of jumping on the next service to Victoria, this case was duds 377445 & 377159, to the TVM to pick up my BZ6 ticket and via Boots for some lunch.
To the Gatwick Express platforms, and the gates opened with the use of my travel-card and it was onto 442401 for the 35 minute trip to Gatwick Airport, passing a trio of 387/2s on test around East Croydon. Into Gatwick Airport and the next service towards Victoria had already departed so it was a 10 minute wait for the next service from Brighton, a pair rolled in and both were dud, so I casted my eye across to platform 6 where the next service had rolled in, as I spotted the rear 442 was one of the 8, and also was the front 442. But first I saw the lights in the north of a 387, and got lucky to grab the picture of the trio of 387/2s passing the 442s, like the new units meeting the old units, it had started to rain so I jumped onto winners 442420 & 442413 for the trip back to Victoria, arriving a minute or so before another Southern (branded) service arrived into platform 13 causing the gateline to be opened up.
Across to the main-line platform as I had spotted a pair of /3s and had time to kill (so I through, little did I know when I re-did the plan I messed up with the departure time from St Pancras being the arrival time at Luton!) and took a seat onto winners 377304 & 377316 working an East Grinstead service, I bailed at Clapham and onto dud 455815 back to Victoria in the hope of scoring another pair of /3s which I spotted at Battersea Park, but misjudged what their next service would be as we passed them coming out, doh!, anyhow I jumped onto 377473 & 377451 heading back to Clapham and another leap to the suburban side saw me onto a 10-car formation. Dud 377320 was leading winner 377326 with dud 377407 at the back, so it was back to Victoria where I noticed my mistake with St Pancras departures and headed to the underground, fighting through the crowds to get onto the Victoria line, where units 11022/11021 took me to Kings Cross St Pancras, and I headed out to head to the EMT platforms at St Pancras.
The train I was going to catch to Bedford was bound for Corby, and it was formed of 4 coaches which could only mean one thing, my first 222/1, and 222102 was sat on platform 3. First thoughts is that there is way too much first class for a 4-car unit, whole of the front coach and a third of the 2nd coach given up to 1st class (wouldnt it be better to convert all the seats in the 2nd coach to standard class and just have the front coach as being 1st class?), anyhow it departed full and standing for the nice run up to Bedford, where I spotted my 2nd last 377/5 working on a Thameslink service which arrived at Luton around the same time (so no chance of a quick hop across to grab it). Using the free wifi (from being near 1st class) I got the route map up from Bedford Main to the other Bedford station, Google suggested it would take 20 minutes, with the slight delay into the station, I had 18 minutes. Thankfully the ticket barriers were wide open so I had no hold ups as I set about on a fast walk following the signs, and cutting across a car-park to reach Bedford St Johns, my first shack of the day.
In rolled dud 153366 (which was strange as it was the same 153 as the week before) to take me to the very Scottish sounding Stewartby which was a pair of platforms seemingly in the middle of nowhere (although what is that old disused looking building site to the south of the line between Kempston & Stewartby?), nothing much around to report, apart from a little bus shelter next to the level crossing, the barrier lights sounded and the barriers started to go down, as a sign to depart the bus shelter and onto the exposed platform, and in rolled 150105. Purchasing my day return to the next station, took most of the time and we rolled into Kempston Hardwick, a shack like Stewartby being in the middle of nowhere (the map suggested a 15 minute walk to the village, along a non-lit road with no pavements where it seemed cars raced along it), but at least Stewartby had a waiting shelter on both platforms, the only waiting shelter at Kempston was on the Bedford bound platform, and with the walk from the platform to the road to cross the level crossing being quite long (Im guessing it used to be longer with an old pathway blocked off) I couldnt bear risk getting caught out on the wrong side of the tracks. I spent the half hour hiding next to the road, sheltered from the wind by the notice board.
The barriers dropped and in rolled 150105 again, where I confused the guard and stayed on until Lidlington, and compared to the previous pair of shacks, this one had houses nearby!, I didnt stay around for long looking at the pictures, before 153366 rolled back in to take me back to Bedford, which leaves Millbrook as my only outstanding shack on the line (a job for a simple day trip (I would say next week, but looking at RTT suggests there is only one train operating on the line next week)), anyhow to Bedford and I had a couple options, the first was a single dud 387 heading to Brighton (which had 1st class declassified!), so I waited for the next EMT from Corby, which was semi-required to take me to Luton where I could connect up with a service from Sheffield which called at Luton (but not Bedford) (and in the event of that one being dud, a choice of two Thameslink services to Luton Airport for another EMT this time from Nottingham (although I could have got those two mixed up and the first was from Nottingham), anyhow in rolled dud 222006 to take me to Luton, where I spotted a late running trio of 387s and another required 377 heading towards Bedford, but my eyes were on the 222 which was rolling in, and it was required 222004, so grabbing a table seat for the nice peaceful trip down south into St Pancras.
To the underground, and dud Victoria line set 11053/054 took me back to Victoria, where I had the next Gatwick Express departures loaded, and the next was the 19:00 departure, and I headed across and spotted winner 442417 working a Brighton service, only a 5 car so it was a bit busy, and as before it took around 35 minutes (being held for a signal outside Clapham) to reach Gatwick Airport, my 2nd last 377/5 popped up to mock me (but I will get that one at some point when I wasnt focusing on the pigs), the next service was a Gat Express from Brighton, and like before it was a pair of dud units, I looked over to see another dud unit rolling in to form the next departure, so I decided to call it a day and waited for the next Southern service from Brighton as it was formed of 10 coaches which sounded like it could be a pair of 442s (working a peak-time extra down to Brighton as a Gatwick Express branded service, but back to Victoria as a Southern branded service, like before the timetable changed), and yep the 19:28 from Brighton to Victoria is a pair of 442s (so something to remember for anybody else pig-hunting), and in rolled winner 442416 leading winner 442402, super score!. It was nice and quiet (I suspect passengers at Brighton through it was a Gatwick Express service rather than a Southern service [ignoring that they are both part of the same company], and I got a table seat in the centre motor coach for some lovely motor noises back to Clapham Junction.
Across to P9 and onto 159008 & 159003 to take me back to Grateley, clearing 159008 at long last for 1000 miles (as it had been sat at 999.9 miles for a couple months!), the end of a busy day, 6 out of my 9 required 442s cleared, 2 more 222s in the bag, 3 377/3s plus my final LM 150 with some more shacks cleared (leaving just 4 to get in the London Midland empire, Millbrook and the three between Crewe & Runcorn)
The very Scottish (at least to me) sounding Stewartby:
Darkness is winning the battle at Kempston Hardwick:
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24th December A Christmas eve unit hunt
The aim of today was to try and hunt down units, with all shacks cleared within the London zones, it meant I had a lot of 376s & 465s to hunt down, as well as Southern units, with keeping an eye out for any of my last 3 pigs, unusually today the 08:59 from Grateley didnt call at Clapham Junction, so it was to Basingstoke on a peaceful 159003 & 159107, where I transferred onto a peaceful 444001/444017 for the run into Clapham Junction, where things went wrong, due to police dealing with an incident at East Croydon Southern services were all other the place, so after a few minutes looking out for SWT services heading towards Earlsfield for any of my required 455s & 456s, I spotted a required 455. By the way, due to the number of winners scored today, anything in bold is a winner.
It wasnt red, but Southern 455835, so a quick jump in the subway and for a nice quick spin to Balham to get it into the book, Balham was just as bad, although not as bad as Clapham for the services which didnt touch East Croydon, and I spotted in the distance heading on the fasts my 2nd last 377/6, heading quiet slow, and blimey it was stopping (Im guessing it was a service from Sutton which came down onto the mains via that reversal chord which normally only sees one passenger service a day), and 377625 found itself into my book (leaving just 377617). At Clapham it was a short wait and377108 rolled up with 377141 behind it to take me to Victoria.
I crossed over to the South Eastern side, which was also in chaos due to signalling problems in the Gillingham area, so after a quick look and there was nothing required being displayed as in use (a couple required units which were locked up and split from other services), I decided to call it a day and head to Boots and finally to the underground, deciding to pick Cannon Street, I jumped onto S7 stock 21445/446 working a district line service to Cannon Street, before heading up to the station, first departure was in 5 minutes and was a trio of networkers (a 4-4-2), the next departure after that was another trio of networkers which was standing to the side, and after checking the rear two units on both sets, I saw that a required 465 was at the front of the first set, so it was to London Bridge on 465038 leading duds 465163 & 466017. I had just missed a required 375 heading into Cannon Street, and with the knowledge that the next service from Cannon Street was duds, stayed on platform 3. A trio of dud networkers rolled in, and it was across to platform 1 for an unknown service working a circular trip.
In rolled winner 376029 attached with 376023 for the short hop to Greenwich, I made it over the platform in time for another pair of 465s and both were not required, so decided to wait 10 minutes for the next spin, next service for London Bridge was dud, so it was a jump across to the other platform when winner 466037 rolled in, with duds 465241 & 465032 to take me the short hop to Maze Hill. Across the platform just as dud 376027 & winner 376012 was rolling in saw me onto 012 for another of the rather delightful units, and it was back to London Bridge.
I didnt have long to wait before the next service rolled in with a required unit, formed of 465239, 465176 & 466016 to take me to New Cross, where I had a short wait before the next Tunbridge Wells service, which is where I made a mistake when 465901 & 465906 rolled in, instead of looking at my required 465/9s, I looked at my required 375/9s, doh! It was standing to Orpington, and a quick dash across the footbridge as a pair of 375s had just rolled in, and my 2nd last 375/7 was at the front, and so it was back to New Cross on 375703 & 375624. Another quick platform change saw me land 376001 & 376030 for the tiny leap to St Johns, with a brief wait before dud 376033 rolled in with winner 376003 on the back for the even tinier leap to Lewisham. I eyed up the next service which rolled in on platform 1, and it was winner 465244 & dud 465001 back to St Johns with a brief wait before 376026 & 376008 took me back to Lewisham.
Next service was bound for Victoria, and was formed of dud 465193 leading winner 466028 to take me to the island platform at Nunhead, the next Dartford service was delayed departing Victoria, so I decided to jump onto duds 319448 & 319440 to Peckham Rye, which gave me the option of Southern services if the next Dartford wasnt required, so over to platform 4 and a pair of dud 319s (so close to 319436 with 437) rolled in, before dud 465016 came rolling in attached with winner 466026, so it was back to Lewisham, a pair of dud units was on the next service towards Blackheath, so I gave them a miss and headed across to platform 2 where the next service was going to arrive, and in rolled winner 465152 attached with dud 465030, where I decided to stay on to Grove Park to see which 466 was out working Bromley North services.
It was a dud 466, so I headed back to the main platforms to wait for a pair of delays services, playing a game of which will arrive first, and in rolled a London bound 465037, 466031 & 466034, which I took to Hither Green, crossing over the bridges to the Bexley bound platform, and in rolled dud 465927 leading winners 465174 & 466003 to take me the tiny distance to Lee. A few minutes later and I was back moving, this time on a trio made up of 465196, 465194 & 466007 to Mottingham, I checked RTT and it saw a fast to New Eltham, Gillingham bound service would be after the next service, so it was onto duds 465034 & 466032 to New Eltham, which was a good call as a couple minutes later winner 465171 attached with dud 465045 rolled in to take me the non-so-tiny distance to Albany Park.
It was back to Sidcup on duds 465155 & 465197, where I bailed and scored 465160 attached with 465031 for another service bound for beyond Dartford to Bexley. Deciding it was worth thinking about heading back to zone 1, I jumped on the next Cannon Street bound service, formed of fresh duds 376001 & 376030 to add on 7 miles & 72 chains back to Lewisham, with one eye on the Victoria service, and in rolled winner 465180 attached with dud 465013 to take me out of South Eastern land and back to Victoria, which was still in a state of chaos.
However I spotted a required 377 which was getting ready to depart, and it was to Clapham Junction on duds 377403, 377111 & 377454, and it was a quick jump across the platform as I saw a required /3, and it was to Battersea Park on dud 377323 leading winners 377311 & a Brucie bonus 377453, across to the other platform to see what was going to make up the next Epson Downs service, and in rolled winner 377322 leading duds 377301 & 377143 back to Clapham Junction, with another quick leap across platforms to jump onto 377303, 377306 & 377139 back to Victoria.
As time was ticking on, I decided to call it a day and head over to the main-line side, where I spotted a pair of pigs working a Brighton Southern service and it was dud 442415 leading 442409, so turning down a required 377/3, I boarded 442 number 22 (just 403 & 419 left to try and grab in the new year), for the short trip to Clapham Junction (this service was causing confusion as it didnt call at Gatwick Airport!). I headed across to platform 9 getting ready for the Salisbury bound service, when a pair of 455s rolled into on platform 10, and it was required 455861 leading 455717 (my 2nd last SWT 455/8) so it was a quick trip to Vauxhall, where I turned down the chance to bag a 458/5 (as it only gave me 2 minutes to get from platform 5 (or 6) to platform 9), and joined duds 455868 & 455912 back to Clapham, and across to P9 and onto the same pair of 159s I had in the morning (the 2nd time that had happened this week!), with 159107 & 159003, to take me back to Grateley, the end of a rather successful day with 32 new units being entered into my book! (Plus a required S7)
And in case anybody was wondering, my remaining requirements for the 3rd rail network are, so I have plenty more to aim for in the new year:
SWT: 7 x 450s, 2x 455s (of which 1 is 5732 which is currently out of service), 7 x 456s, 15 x 458s (that everything though, so including the units not yet in service)
Southern:
2 x 171s, 4x 377/1s, 1 x 377/2, 10x 377/3, 4x 377/4, 1x 377/6, 2x 442, 6x 455
Thameslink
2 x 319, 2 x 377/2, 2x 377/5, 6x 387s
South Eastern:
7x 375/3, 15x 375/6, 1x 375/7, 11 x 375/8, 15 x 375/9, 13 x376s, 19 x 395s, 5x 465/0s, 2 x 465/1s, 3 x 465/2s, 19 x 465/9s, 16 x 466s
The idea of today was a nice simple one, to linear bash the Hastings line using the peak time extras, so stations which would otherwise see one train an hour gets 3 or 4 trains an hour, and it was a bit of a late start for me, in the wet due to wanting to do some bits and pieces before hand for Christmas. I got dropped off at Andover and picked my tickets up before heading across for a wait before 159005 & 159011 rolled in from Exeter to whisk me towards Clapham Junction.
I worked out I could have 15 or so minutes at Clapham in search of my last few SWT units, and decided to go across to the Windsor line platforms in search of 450s & 458/5s working that side of the network, sadly luck wasnt with me as I spotted a couple requirements working away from London which was no good to me, as I got onto 450081 & 450040 from Reading for a non-stop trip to Waterloo. Across the footbridge and towards Waterloo East, which was in a state of delays due to signalling problems in the London Bridge area (late services rolling in meaning they were late departing etc), I was going to catch the next Hastings, but the next Ramsgate & Ramsgate service rolled in first, formed of dud 375614 but with winner 375624 at the rear, well I wouldnt turn down the chance for a nice non-stop run to Sevenoaks, ticking Orpington off as a station Ive gone non-stop through.
10 minutes late, it rolled into a wet Sevenoaks where I alighted, thankfully the Hastings service was a dud single unit, and I waited for the next Tunbridge Wells service, as I wanted to get a slightly annoying shack out of the way before going down to Hastings, a pair of 465/9s rolled in and as usual my luck was absolutely terrible (I needed 20 of the 34 at this point) and in rolled 465913 & 465923 to take me the short distance via a tunnel to Hildenborough, I had a nice fester here and with the seating being uncovered it was wet, so was a standing around under the cover of the station building canopy, a pair of dud 375s rolled in heading north and the PIS was rather useless at saying when a fast train wasnt approaching (it flashed up as please stand back when a train wasnt approaching, but when a service sped through it didnt say anything!). Anyhow my 25 (or so) minutes later winner 465901 rolled in with 465906 on the rear to take me to Tunbridge Wells.
I spotted a little Sainsburys outside the station, which was used to grab something to eat for later on and headed to the other side as dud 375922 and required 375926 rolled in for the short hop to High Brooms. Back towards Tunbridge on dud 375806 and winner 375608 with 608 being detached at Tunbridge allowing a rather busy 375806 to continue to my next required shack in the shape of Frant. In rolled a trio of units headed by winner 375916, dud 375905 and winner 375808 at the rear to take me back to Tunbridge Wells, where a quick platform jump got me onto dud 375918 leading winner 375904
With all the delays floating around, I decided to put myself ahead of my plan just in case a service got cancelled, so I alighted at Etchingham, with a few minutes wait before winners 375709 & 375902 took me back up the line to Stonegate, which happens to be in Essex according to the Evening Standard as they were reporting about another serial fare dodger who changed the date on their season ticket. Anyhow time ticked by, the next service appeared to getting later and later, a double set rushed passed, I had no internet in which to check RTT to see what the score was, but eventually winner 375714 rolled in to take me to Robertsbridge. 15 or so minutes later it was another single unit working a semi-fast service (I think they detach at Tunbridge with the front unit going on as a semi-fast and the rear unit(s) forming a stopper), this time winner 375829 to take me to Battle.
And unlike King Harold who died in 1066, I departed Battle 15 minutes (or so, timetables were all messed up with delays) on a pair of winners, this time 375825 and 375710 to Crowhurst, another basic looking shack, but only a 10 minute wait before fresh dud 375926 & 375922 rolled in to take me to West St Leonards. A pair of units arrived, but they were working a semi-fast (although with the time they spent sitting on the platform awaiting a delayed Southern 377 to roll across the junction, they might as well had called, as both were required for me), and followed up by dud 375708 to take me to St Leonards Warrior Square. The end of the line, as I jumped across to the other platform (which isnt the easiest thing to do) to check out a pair of 377s heading towards Brighton and both were dud, so back across to the Hastings bound platform as an Ashford bound service was due. I was very tempted by the next 375 set but they were running a bit late I feared for the connection at Hastings (and it was a trio of units). I jumped onto a busy (as Southern had cancelled an Victoria Ore train at Eastbourne) 171721 through the tunnel to Hastings.
I had around 10 or so minutes to kill before the next Victoria service, and in rolled winner 377475, where I got a nice table seat for the trip towards Eastbourne, looking over to the other platform and saying that 377 is needed, as the conductor (or driver) announced that this service was terminating here at Eastbourne, and passengers needed to cross over to platform 2 to get onto the pair of units currently sat waiting, so across I went and got 377408 in the bag as well as dud 377431 (that was a nice little bonus!). We joined up with 377159 at Haywards Heath and carried on, I jumped off at East Croydon as we were running a tad late (held at Haywards Heath for a fast service from Brighton it seemed).
In rolled a dud 377 from Southampton, which I allowed to depart, and the next service was another pair of units, 377152 & 377419 which after a 5 minute fester at East Croydon due to a drunken person being sick (got to love the lead up to Christmas), we headed to Clapham Junction. A quick dash to Sainsburys to grab me something to eat (as I was getting a bit hungry) and back to platform 9 to jump onto 159011 & 159005 (again!) for the trip back to Grateley, hauling 159005 over the 1000 mile mark. Anyhow I was happy, all the shacks on the Hastings line cleared, with 15 new units thrown in for good measure.
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22nd December Hunting the Pigs
The aim of today was to try and reduce the number of 442s I require before they disappear forever and also with my last LM 150 working the Bedford Bletchley services, a chance to grab 4 more shacks on that line, I got dropped off at the station (it was raining) and the queue for the TVM was massive, I arrived at 09:45 thinking it would be plenty of time to grab my tickets, but I managed to grab them just as 159017 came rolling in. A single unit which came from Gillingham, it was full and standing from Andover, even in first class, it emptied out a bit at Basingstoke but I decided to stay on until Waterloo (whereas normally I would have bailed at Basingstoke for the next service from Weymouth, although that is normally busy as well and probably would have been a single 444).
At Waterloo, I had a look around on platforms 1 to 4 to see if anything was required, nope, across to the Windsor lines side and nothing was required so I just jumped on the first thing out of the station on 458524 & 458520 and across to the Southern side, to have a wait to see which 442s were out running, I didnt have long to wait before I spotted the next 442 heading towards Victoria was required Pig 01, so it was a case of jumping on the next service to Victoria, this case was duds 377445 & 377159, to the TVM to pick up my BZ6 ticket and via Boots for some lunch.
To the Gatwick Express platforms, and the gates opened with the use of my travel-card and it was onto 442401 for the 35 minute trip to Gatwick Airport, passing a trio of 387/2s on test around East Croydon. Into Gatwick Airport and the next service towards Victoria had already departed so it was a 10 minute wait for the next service from Brighton, a pair rolled in and both were dud, so I casted my eye across to platform 6 where the next service had rolled in, as I spotted the rear 442 was one of the 8, and also was the front 442. But first I saw the lights in the north of a 387, and got lucky to grab the picture of the trio of 387/2s passing the 442s, like the new units meeting the old units, it had started to rain so I jumped onto winners 442420 & 442413 for the trip back to Victoria, arriving a minute or so before another Southern (branded) service arrived into platform 13 causing the gateline to be opened up.
Across to the main-line platform as I had spotted a pair of /3s and had time to kill (so I through, little did I know when I re-did the plan I messed up with the departure time from St Pancras being the arrival time at Luton!) and took a seat onto winners 377304 & 377316 working an East Grinstead service, I bailed at Clapham and onto dud 455815 back to Victoria in the hope of scoring another pair of /3s which I spotted at Battersea Park, but misjudged what their next service would be as we passed them coming out, doh!, anyhow I jumped onto 377473 & 377451 heading back to Clapham and another leap to the suburban side saw me onto a 10-car formation. Dud 377320 was leading winner 377326 with dud 377407 at the back, so it was back to Victoria where I noticed my mistake with St Pancras departures and headed to the underground, fighting through the crowds to get onto the Victoria line, where units 11022/11021 took me to Kings Cross St Pancras, and I headed out to head to the EMT platforms at St Pancras.
The train I was going to catch to Bedford was bound for Corby, and it was formed of 4 coaches which could only mean one thing, my first 222/1, and 222102 was sat on platform 3. First thoughts is that there is way too much first class for a 4-car unit, whole of the front coach and a third of the 2nd coach given up to 1st class (wouldnt it be better to convert all the seats in the 2nd coach to standard class and just have the front coach as being 1st class?), anyhow it departed full and standing for the nice run up to Bedford, where I spotted my 2nd last 377/5 working on a Thameslink service which arrived at Luton around the same time (so no chance of a quick hop across to grab it). Using the free wifi (from being near 1st class) I got the route map up from Bedford Main to the other Bedford station, Google suggested it would take 20 minutes, with the slight delay into the station, I had 18 minutes. Thankfully the ticket barriers were wide open so I had no hold ups as I set about on a fast walk following the signs, and cutting across a car-park to reach Bedford St Johns, my first shack of the day.
In rolled dud 153366 (which was strange as it was the same 153 as the week before) to take me to the very Scottish sounding Stewartby which was a pair of platforms seemingly in the middle of nowhere (although what is that old disused looking building site to the south of the line between Kempston & Stewartby?), nothing much around to report, apart from a little bus shelter next to the level crossing, the barrier lights sounded and the barriers started to go down, as a sign to depart the bus shelter and onto the exposed platform, and in rolled 150105. Purchasing my day return to the next station, took most of the time and we rolled into Kempston Hardwick, a shack like Stewartby being in the middle of nowhere (the map suggested a 15 minute walk to the village, along a non-lit road with no pavements where it seemed cars raced along it), but at least Stewartby had a waiting shelter on both platforms, the only waiting shelter at Kempston was on the Bedford bound platform, and with the walk from the platform to the road to cross the level crossing being quite long (Im guessing it used to be longer with an old pathway blocked off) I couldnt bear risk getting caught out on the wrong side of the tracks. I spent the half hour hiding next to the road, sheltered from the wind by the notice board.
The barriers dropped and in rolled 150105 again, where I confused the guard and stayed on until Lidlington, and compared to the previous pair of shacks, this one had houses nearby!, I didnt stay around for long looking at the pictures, before 153366 rolled back in to take me back to Bedford, which leaves Millbrook as my only outstanding shack on the line (a job for a simple day trip (I would say next week, but looking at RTT suggests there is only one train operating on the line next week)), anyhow to Bedford and I had a couple options, the first was a single dud 387 heading to Brighton (which had 1st class declassified!), so I waited for the next EMT from Corby, which was semi-required to take me to Luton where I could connect up with a service from Sheffield which called at Luton (but not Bedford) (and in the event of that one being dud, a choice of two Thameslink services to Luton Airport for another EMT this time from Nottingham (although I could have got those two mixed up and the first was from Nottingham), anyhow in rolled dud 222006 to take me to Luton, where I spotted a late running trio of 387s and another required 377 heading towards Bedford, but my eyes were on the 222 which was rolling in, and it was required 222004, so grabbing a table seat for the nice peaceful trip down south into St Pancras.
To the underground, and dud Victoria line set 11053/054 took me back to Victoria, where I had the next Gatwick Express departures loaded, and the next was the 19:00 departure, and I headed across and spotted winner 442417 working a Brighton service, only a 5 car so it was a bit busy, and as before it took around 35 minutes (being held for a signal outside Clapham) to reach Gatwick Airport, my 2nd last 377/5 popped up to mock me (but I will get that one at some point when I wasnt focusing on the pigs), the next service was a Gat Express from Brighton, and like before it was a pair of dud units, I looked over to see another dud unit rolling in to form the next departure, so I decided to call it a day and waited for the next Southern service from Brighton as it was formed of 10 coaches which sounded like it could be a pair of 442s (working a peak-time extra down to Brighton as a Gatwick Express branded service, but back to Victoria as a Southern branded service, like before the timetable changed), and yep the 19:28 from Brighton to Victoria is a pair of 442s (so something to remember for anybody else pig-hunting), and in rolled winner 442416 leading winner 442402, super score!. It was nice and quiet (I suspect passengers at Brighton through it was a Gatwick Express service rather than a Southern service [ignoring that they are both part of the same company], and I got a table seat in the centre motor coach for some lovely motor noises back to Clapham Junction.
Across to P9 and onto 159008 & 159003 to take me back to Grateley, clearing 159008 at long last for 1000 miles (as it had been sat at 999.9 miles for a couple months!), the end of a busy day, 6 out of my 9 required 442s cleared, 2 more 222s in the bag, 3 377/3s plus my final LM 150 with some more shacks cleared (leaving just 4 to get in the London Midland empire, Millbrook and the three between Crewe & Runcorn)
The very Scottish (at least to me) sounding Stewartby:
Darkness is winning the battle at Kempston Hardwick:
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24th December A Christmas eve unit hunt
The aim of today was to try and hunt down units, with all shacks cleared within the London zones, it meant I had a lot of 376s & 465s to hunt down, as well as Southern units, with keeping an eye out for any of my last 3 pigs, unusually today the 08:59 from Grateley didnt call at Clapham Junction, so it was to Basingstoke on a peaceful 159003 & 159107, where I transferred onto a peaceful 444001/444017 for the run into Clapham Junction, where things went wrong, due to police dealing with an incident at East Croydon Southern services were all other the place, so after a few minutes looking out for SWT services heading towards Earlsfield for any of my required 455s & 456s, I spotted a required 455. By the way, due to the number of winners scored today, anything in bold is a winner.
It wasnt red, but Southern 455835, so a quick jump in the subway and for a nice quick spin to Balham to get it into the book, Balham was just as bad, although not as bad as Clapham for the services which didnt touch East Croydon, and I spotted in the distance heading on the fasts my 2nd last 377/6, heading quiet slow, and blimey it was stopping (Im guessing it was a service from Sutton which came down onto the mains via that reversal chord which normally only sees one passenger service a day), and 377625 found itself into my book (leaving just 377617). At Clapham it was a short wait and377108 rolled up with 377141 behind it to take me to Victoria.
I crossed over to the South Eastern side, which was also in chaos due to signalling problems in the Gillingham area, so after a quick look and there was nothing required being displayed as in use (a couple required units which were locked up and split from other services), I decided to call it a day and head to Boots and finally to the underground, deciding to pick Cannon Street, I jumped onto S7 stock 21445/446 working a district line service to Cannon Street, before heading up to the station, first departure was in 5 minutes and was a trio of networkers (a 4-4-2), the next departure after that was another trio of networkers which was standing to the side, and after checking the rear two units on both sets, I saw that a required 465 was at the front of the first set, so it was to London Bridge on 465038 leading duds 465163 & 466017. I had just missed a required 375 heading into Cannon Street, and with the knowledge that the next service from Cannon Street was duds, stayed on platform 3. A trio of dud networkers rolled in, and it was across to platform 1 for an unknown service working a circular trip.
In rolled winner 376029 attached with 376023 for the short hop to Greenwich, I made it over the platform in time for another pair of 465s and both were not required, so decided to wait 10 minutes for the next spin, next service for London Bridge was dud, so it was a jump across to the other platform when winner 466037 rolled in, with duds 465241 & 465032 to take me the short hop to Maze Hill. Across the platform just as dud 376027 & winner 376012 was rolling in saw me onto 012 for another of the rather delightful units, and it was back to London Bridge.
I didnt have long to wait before the next service rolled in with a required unit, formed of 465239, 465176 & 466016 to take me to New Cross, where I had a short wait before the next Tunbridge Wells service, which is where I made a mistake when 465901 & 465906 rolled in, instead of looking at my required 465/9s, I looked at my required 375/9s, doh! It was standing to Orpington, and a quick dash across the footbridge as a pair of 375s had just rolled in, and my 2nd last 375/7 was at the front, and so it was back to New Cross on 375703 & 375624. Another quick platform change saw me land 376001 & 376030 for the tiny leap to St Johns, with a brief wait before dud 376033 rolled in with winner 376003 on the back for the even tinier leap to Lewisham. I eyed up the next service which rolled in on platform 1, and it was winner 465244 & dud 465001 back to St Johns with a brief wait before 376026 & 376008 took me back to Lewisham.
Next service was bound for Victoria, and was formed of dud 465193 leading winner 466028 to take me to the island platform at Nunhead, the next Dartford service was delayed departing Victoria, so I decided to jump onto duds 319448 & 319440 to Peckham Rye, which gave me the option of Southern services if the next Dartford wasnt required, so over to platform 4 and a pair of dud 319s (so close to 319436 with 437) rolled in, before dud 465016 came rolling in attached with winner 466026, so it was back to Lewisham, a pair of dud units was on the next service towards Blackheath, so I gave them a miss and headed across to platform 2 where the next service was going to arrive, and in rolled winner 465152 attached with dud 465030, where I decided to stay on to Grove Park to see which 466 was out working Bromley North services.
It was a dud 466, so I headed back to the main platforms to wait for a pair of delays services, playing a game of which will arrive first, and in rolled a London bound 465037, 466031 & 466034, which I took to Hither Green, crossing over the bridges to the Bexley bound platform, and in rolled dud 465927 leading winners 465174 & 466003 to take me the tiny distance to Lee. A few minutes later and I was back moving, this time on a trio made up of 465196, 465194 & 466007 to Mottingham, I checked RTT and it saw a fast to New Eltham, Gillingham bound service would be after the next service, so it was onto duds 465034 & 466032 to New Eltham, which was a good call as a couple minutes later winner 465171 attached with dud 465045 rolled in to take me the non-so-tiny distance to Albany Park.
It was back to Sidcup on duds 465155 & 465197, where I bailed and scored 465160 attached with 465031 for another service bound for beyond Dartford to Bexley. Deciding it was worth thinking about heading back to zone 1, I jumped on the next Cannon Street bound service, formed of fresh duds 376001 & 376030 to add on 7 miles & 72 chains back to Lewisham, with one eye on the Victoria service, and in rolled winner 465180 attached with dud 465013 to take me out of South Eastern land and back to Victoria, which was still in a state of chaos.
However I spotted a required 377 which was getting ready to depart, and it was to Clapham Junction on duds 377403, 377111 & 377454, and it was a quick jump across the platform as I saw a required /3, and it was to Battersea Park on dud 377323 leading winners 377311 & a Brucie bonus 377453, across to the other platform to see what was going to make up the next Epson Downs service, and in rolled winner 377322 leading duds 377301 & 377143 back to Clapham Junction, with another quick leap across platforms to jump onto 377303, 377306 & 377139 back to Victoria.
As time was ticking on, I decided to call it a day and head over to the main-line side, where I spotted a pair of pigs working a Brighton Southern service and it was dud 442415 leading 442409, so turning down a required 377/3, I boarded 442 number 22 (just 403 & 419 left to try and grab in the new year), for the short trip to Clapham Junction (this service was causing confusion as it didnt call at Gatwick Airport!). I headed across to platform 9 getting ready for the Salisbury bound service, when a pair of 455s rolled into on platform 10, and it was required 455861 leading 455717 (my 2nd last SWT 455/8) so it was a quick trip to Vauxhall, where I turned down the chance to bag a 458/5 (as it only gave me 2 minutes to get from platform 5 (or 6) to platform 9), and joined duds 455868 & 455912 back to Clapham, and across to P9 and onto the same pair of 159s I had in the morning (the 2nd time that had happened this week!), with 159107 & 159003, to take me back to Grateley, the end of a rather successful day with 32 new units being entered into my book! (Plus a required S7)
And in case anybody was wondering, my remaining requirements for the 3rd rail network are, so I have plenty more to aim for in the new year:
SWT: 7 x 450s, 2x 455s (of which 1 is 5732 which is currently out of service), 7 x 456s, 15 x 458s (that everything though, so including the units not yet in service)
Southern:
2 x 171s, 4x 377/1s, 1 x 377/2, 10x 377/3, 4x 377/4, 1x 377/6, 2x 442, 6x 455
Thameslink
2 x 319, 2 x 377/2, 2x 377/5, 6x 387s
South Eastern:
7x 375/3, 15x 375/6, 1x 375/7, 11 x 375/8, 15 x 375/9, 13 x376s, 19 x 395s, 5x 465/0s, 2 x 465/1s, 3 x 465/2s, 19 x 465/9s, 16 x 466s
Techniquest
Veteran Member
You were certainly busy typing up trip reports! Not that I'm complaining as it has kept me busy waiting for my shift to start today!
3 very productive trips and 3 excellent reads as always. I'm so full of Moves Envy it's unreal, I still have to wait until 4th January before I can hit the rails again!
Certainly you're going into 2016 with a rather full book, doing exceptionally well in 3rd rail land, far better than I'm doing down there. Although I have plans to correct that asap!
3 very productive trips and 3 excellent reads as always. I'm so full of Moves Envy it's unreal, I still have to wait until 4th January before I can hit the rails again!
Certainly you're going into 2016 with a rather full book, doing exceptionally well in 3rd rail land, far better than I'm doing down there. Although I have plans to correct that asap!
Kite159
Veteran Member
jayalongtheway
Member
- Joined
- 31 Oct 2015
- Messages
- 241
Cheers Kite, enjoyed reading that as usual.
How long have these got? As I am starting with a blank canvas in the New Year how much time do I have to rake them in?
How long have these got? As I am starting with a blank canvas in the New Year how much time do I have to rake them in?
Kite159
Veteran Member
Nobody really knows when the 387/2s will start being released from testing
jayalongtheway
Member
- Joined
- 31 Oct 2015
- Messages
- 241
Thanks, I guess I shall have to hit them early doors to make sure I can bag a few. All 24 might be a stretch.
Keith Jarrett
Member
Only just catching up with the latest write-ups. Some good trips there and a great deal of success in what is normally considered by ,many to be the dead months for bashing. Good gracious, did I mention the "normal word"? Seems as if everyone is having one last go on the piggies before most of them are consigned to the scrap heap.
Seems like you still have plenty of work to do catching the remaining the remaining units in the land of the 3rd rail and no doubt we'll be hearing all about you chasing them in the new year. And surely there's a raft of southeastern shacks in Kent that are still on the wants list? Not easy to many of them unless you either do linear bashes or stay in the locality and get a Kent Rover.
Seems like you still have plenty of work to do catching the remaining the remaining units in the land of the 3rd rail and no doubt we'll be hearing all about you chasing them in the new year. And surely there's a raft of southeastern shacks in Kent that are still on the wants list? Not easy to many of them unless you either do linear bashes or stay in the locality and get a Kent Rover.
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Techniquest
Veteran Member
I'm not chasing the pigs, if one I need turns up then fair games, but I won't be going out of my way for them.
Quite, next time I'm down for a proper session I'm going to have a serious go on the south side of the city and clear out as many required shacks as possible!
Quite, next time I'm down for a proper session I'm going to have a serious go on the south side of the city and clear out as many required shacks as possible!
Kite159
Veteran Member
A Kent Rover is on the cards for the summer months, although I might still do one or two more linear Sunday trips to get some odds and sods out of the way.
My plan for those last 2 piggies (unless they pop up at random working East Croydon - Victoria services during the blockade) is probably to stay local to the main-line, keeping my eye out, and if I see one heading towards Victoria then I will jump on the first thing going and try and intercept it at Victoria
HSTs sound lovely pottering through Clapham Junction
James Wake
Member
- Joined
- 30 Aug 2013
- Messages
- 958
442420 and 442413 were on the 0800 ECR to VIC this morning.
Kite159
Veteran Member
I noticed that yesterday (and that the other pair of 423 & 418 which was floating around on Sunday got replaced by a pair of 377/6-7s.
Sadly I need piggie 03 and Piggie 19, which will probably have to wait until the new year unless one of them happens to be one of those units at Stewart's lane and they get swapped with 420/413 during the week
James Wake
Member
- Joined
- 30 Aug 2013
- Messages
- 958
I also twice from the road at TBD saw a pair of 442s on a Gatwick to Brighton shuttle, but couldn't ID them. On my travels as it is my local line and commute, I'll watch out for 03 and 19 for you. I'm sure I saw 19 last week on an Express.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
And it still is a pair of 377/6s or 7s, 377601 was on the back of the 0800 from Victoria.
--- old post above --- --- new post below ---
And it still is a pair of 377/6s or 7s, 377601 was on the back of the 0800 from Victoria.
Kite159
Veteran Member
27th December A Sunday in London
A completely unplanned day in London where I decided to do a spot of unit hunting, just to try and cheer myself up a bit, and so it was a nice drive to Andover to catch the 07:02 service to Waterloo, as I might have well make a good start of hunting. 159004 was the unit in charge to take me to Clapham Junction, where I alighted and headed across to the Southern platform in time to see a pair of 442s rush away bound for East Croydon, and I was hoping it would be a pig-free day, as I got out my deck-chair and waited with RTT in hand to tell me movements in order to position myself. A pair of dud 442s rolled in and out heading to Victoria, and my fester didnt last for long as the next 10-car set had required 377325 on the front with duds 377306 & 377109 behind, so it was to Victoria.
Nothing much of interest on the Southern side (reduced service due to the Purley block), so I wondered over to the South Eastern part of the station, as I overheard a front 7 coaches for stations to somewhere, rear 4 for somewhere else, mainly the 7 coaches as that suggested a quite rare unit in my books, the 375/3s (which Ive only had 2 out of 10), and would give me a chance to sample a refurbished 375. Leading the trio was winner 375814 with 375305 in the middle and dud 375615 at the end to take me the 10 miles 68 chain trip to Bromley South. The refurbishment is quite well done inside; they do look like new units. At the twin island platform Bromley South I didnt have long to wait before the next This train is fast to Victoria service rolled up with dud 375818 leading required 375622 back to Victoria, on the opposite platform I spotted one of my few remaining 465s so it was a mad jump to board 465041 leading dud 465049, but I shouldnt have worried as it was delayed for 5 minutes awaiting a late running driver.
I alighted at the first stop at Denmark Hill, and crossed over as some 378s rolled in, and the announcer seemed to love the sound of her own voice (the next Victoria service has just departed Nunhead and should be here in around 4 minutes, the next Dartford service is in the Brixton area), I decided to jump on the next Victoria service which was formed of duds 465195 & 465048 back to Victoria. Nothing else of interest on the South Eastern side as I crossed back to the Southern side, my eye catching a couple required 455s departing in the next 10 minutes, but first a trio heading towards East Grinstead from platform 13 (with the ticket gates being open with the ticket slots being taped over, probably saves hassle with rejection of tickets for the normal Gatwick Express platforms), the rear unit took my eye as it was required, so I jumped on for the short run to Clapham on duds 377443, 377128 & winner 377433, across to platform 15 and to Balham as dud 455826 rolled in with winner 455829 on the back. Allowing the next Epsom bound service to depart the lovely island platform (I do like Balham), and onto dud 455819 leading winner 455816 where I decided to stay on until West Norwood.
The reason why I bailed at West Norwood is that it gave me a chance to see what was forming a London Bridge Crystal Palace with a potential hop to Gipsy Hill, but that was a dud single 455, so I crossed over and boarded duds 377704 & 377622 to Balham, a couple dud units later and with a potential gap I jumped onto duds 377611 & 377610 to Clapham Junction, and across the platforms as a service from East Grinstead was dud. It was a quad set of 3s, leading was winner 377328, dud 377324, winner 377312 and dud 377327 at the end which I took to Victoria, giving me an idea that the blockade busters running to Gatwick via Sutton might be using that normally rare spur at Streatham connecting the lines running towards Micham with the fast lines (where normally services would go over the flyover and join the main-line onto the slows), timings made sense and so it was to Victoria where I had around 20 minutes to kill before the next Gatwick Airport service so it was to Boots to grab lunch.
Boots had no sandwiches, so it was back to the platforms to jump on a pair of 442s working East Croydon services, sadly my remaining 2 were not floating around, as it was duds 442413 & 442420 taking me to Clapham Junction, where I grabbed lunch from the Sainsburys located in the subway entrance, it was back to the platform as duds 377606 & 377609 rolled in to take me towards Sutton, quite an empty train (although I was in coach 2 of 606), as it slowed to allow another service to clear before crossing over into the up fast and crossing onto the spur, accelerating hard to get up the steep slope, but next track scored, as it was fast to Sutton. Sadly due to Thameslink being unable to organise itself, there was no services on the Sutton loop (and no announcements around the station about Thameslink as sorry to announce the so-and-so service is cancelled or there are no services today), and I had a 20 or so minute fester before the next fast to Clapham service was due, but I had a couple options, first was a pair of dud 455s working a stopper via West Croydon, and a pair of dud 377s (must be quite rare to have 2 /7s working together) working a stopper back towards Balham, and it was a short wait before a quite busy 377626 & 377613 rolled in to take me back towards Clapham using that reversal spur.
It was a rugby day at Twickenham, which meant two things, firstly the station was manically busy and secondary it meant Rugby extras, and the first had pulled in and it was a certain 458/5 which when it was a 458/0 always kept escaping me, winner 458522 with dud 458520, so it was to the first stop at Richmond, to give me more chances of another pair of required units towards Twickenham, maybe try and score that bay platform at Kingston to give me something else to do. Richmond isnt the easiest stations to get across platforms in a hurry, but after a couple duds, the Kingston service was looking more promising, until dud 450558 rolled in with required 450550 on the back, and I wasnt turning down one of my last 450s, so it was back to Clapham. Thankfully it didnt look like I missed much heading towards Twickenham, and with 458522/458520 returning to form a Clapham Twickenham special, I headed back to the main-line side, as some service to/from Hampton Court were due. Since the timetable change these have been formed of 6 coaches on Sundays, which could only mean one thing, well two things but pairs of 159s would be very unlikely, 456s. First was the Waterloo bound service which was formed of a trio of dud 456s, so I changed my focus to the next down service and in rolled required 456023 with dud 455911 on the rear to take me to Earlsfield, where for some reason I decided to bail, and wait for dud 455901 to take me to Fort Wimble, sorry Wimbledon as a semi-fast from Alton/Basingstoke was due (and another service was due for a semi-fast to Surbiton), sadly all dud 450s as I watched the platform assistant unlock and open the gate to allow passengers to access the fast line platforms, keeping an eye out for various coloured trams, but the trams and district line would have to wait for another day as I wanted to get to Marylebone to see if any of my remaining 165s would roll up (as there are 4 services an hour on Sunday which calls within the zones, although 2 of them give rather tight +2s at Wembley Stadium), so it was back to Clapham on 455909 and back to Waterloo on 455850 & 455917.
I was walking towards the underground platforms, where a 458/5 caught my eye and so it was back to Vauxhall on dud 458524 leading winner 458523, well it would have been rude to say no. To the underground platform at Vauxhall with dud Victoria line units 11008 & 11007 taking me to Oxford Circus with a cross platform interchange to winners 3563 & 3256 to take me to Marylebone. RTT in hand, and first things that a HST looks amazing in the station, but sadly the first departure was a dud 165, and nothing else of interest rolling in for the following couple departures, so after seeing the HST depart I headed back to the underground with my eye on Liverpool Street, mainly for the West Anglia side as the GEML side was a very reduced service due to the line being closed (half hourly C2C service and quarter hourly TfL Rail service to Iford), and I had the same pair of Bakerloo units (what were the odds of that?) to take me to Baker Street where I was going to transfer onto the SSL to Liverpool Street...
...I didnt check before hand, but there was no SSLs east of Baker Street today, doh!, so it was to the Jubilee line with 96103 & 96034 taking me to Bond Street, Ive used this shack before a few years ago when I did a random shopping day in London, but first time recording Ive used it, anyhow I decided that when I was on the central line, I might as well clear out my remaining zone 1 stations which were all on the central line, so it was out west for the 27 chains to Marble Arch on 91025/92236/92114/91235, with a couple minute wait before 91133/92086/92430/91349 rolled in to take me the 59 chains to Lancaster Gate. 91139/92448/92032/91145 were up next to take me to Queensway, where I crossed over to the eastbound platform and jumped onto 91131/92210/9194/91271 for a nice run to Chancery Lane before 91051/92198/92174/91309 rolled in for another leap to my final zone 1 station in the shape of St Pauls. My final Central line leap was from 91293/92094/92230/91183 to take me to Liverpool Street, all units were winners for me (but as I hadnt previously had many units it was no great surprise)
Time to head out of the underground with a fast walk to see that the next two LO services were in the hands of 315s, which were cleared (only 4 remaining blue ones), so the next up was the next Stansted Express, and blimey my 3rd last 379 was sitting smiling at me, so it was onto dud 379029 leading required 379010 along the same route which I used for the other 379s which was the slow ponder to Tottenham Hale (note to self, buy a cheap BZ6 ticket for a good speed run on a 379), using the free Wi-Fi I had a list of the next departures, a service to Hertford East followed by a service from Cambridge and a service from the airport, which I noticed most were single units (so were the Cambridge services using 379s to try and get passengers to use Greater Anglia instead of Great Northern with nice modern units with power-sockets and Wi-Fi), however I didnt have to ponder for long before required 317656 rolled in heading to Hertford East, which RTT suggested a nice +3 at Brimsdown (or a +7 at my all time favourite station name, Ponders End) so it was to Brimsdown, and over the level crossing (couldnt be bothered using the subway) and to the other platform, to give me another ponder, stay on the next service all the way to Stratford or bail at Tottenham Hale for the 379(s) behind... dud 317882 rolled in.
I decided to stay on to Stratford as it gave me more chance of winners, either 315 or 357s, so after looking over at the 374s looking very lovely in the Eurostar depot (need to do another Eurostar trip next year) we arrived a few minutes early, so it was to platform 8, first up was a pair of dud 315s for Iford, so I gave them a miss, and in rolled dud 357035 with winner 357037 behind it, excellent another C2C unit from my list, and it was to Barking where RTT suggested I would have 3 options before a large gap, first two services were duds (although I did see my first 357/3 in the shape of 357317, but as I had it previously as 357217 Im not counting it as required as nothing has changed over than the removal of some seats). My 3rd and final option rolled in, and it was lead by dud 357009 with required 357204 on the rear back to West Ham, where I was going to call it a day...
...until the next Barking bound service rolled in on the other side of the island, and I wasnt turning down a double winner, so it was back to Barking (mad) on 357006 & 357041 with a bit of a dash over to another platform to grab 357043 & dud 357206 back to West Ham (after noting the Circle Line services from Barking). Winning 96 stock 96038 & 96113 took me to Waterloo, and it was up to the main concourse, to find that the HST I was thinking of taking for a linear hop back to Basingstoke was running late, but my eye caught a Hampton Court departure as having a required 456, so choices wait for the HST to roll in or bag another 456, and in the end the 456 won and it was onto a trio of units, headed by duds 456006 & 456009, but with winner 456005 at the back for the short hop to Vauxhall. A quick platform change onto the Windsor side saw me heading back to Waterloo on super-dud 458532 leading winner 458508. The HST had come and gone with a fast turnaround, so it was over to a trio of 159s headed by 159009 with 159014 in the middle and 159013 at the back, and until Clapham I had the middle coach of 159014 all to myself (after Clapham it had another couple passengers), but it did mean 159014 can now join the 1000 mile club, back to Andover and a well earnt Papa Johns pizza sourced and it was back home.
A good day with 22 new heavy rail units ticked off, a small bit of new track (saves me having to get up early for the morning peak service which takes it), zone 1 cleared and a lot of new underground units.
A completely unplanned day in London where I decided to do a spot of unit hunting, just to try and cheer myself up a bit, and so it was a nice drive to Andover to catch the 07:02 service to Waterloo, as I might have well make a good start of hunting. 159004 was the unit in charge to take me to Clapham Junction, where I alighted and headed across to the Southern platform in time to see a pair of 442s rush away bound for East Croydon, and I was hoping it would be a pig-free day, as I got out my deck-chair and waited with RTT in hand to tell me movements in order to position myself. A pair of dud 442s rolled in and out heading to Victoria, and my fester didnt last for long as the next 10-car set had required 377325 on the front with duds 377306 & 377109 behind, so it was to Victoria.
Nothing much of interest on the Southern side (reduced service due to the Purley block), so I wondered over to the South Eastern part of the station, as I overheard a front 7 coaches for stations to somewhere, rear 4 for somewhere else, mainly the 7 coaches as that suggested a quite rare unit in my books, the 375/3s (which Ive only had 2 out of 10), and would give me a chance to sample a refurbished 375. Leading the trio was winner 375814 with 375305 in the middle and dud 375615 at the end to take me the 10 miles 68 chain trip to Bromley South. The refurbishment is quite well done inside; they do look like new units. At the twin island platform Bromley South I didnt have long to wait before the next This train is fast to Victoria service rolled up with dud 375818 leading required 375622 back to Victoria, on the opposite platform I spotted one of my few remaining 465s so it was a mad jump to board 465041 leading dud 465049, but I shouldnt have worried as it was delayed for 5 minutes awaiting a late running driver.
I alighted at the first stop at Denmark Hill, and crossed over as some 378s rolled in, and the announcer seemed to love the sound of her own voice (the next Victoria service has just departed Nunhead and should be here in around 4 minutes, the next Dartford service is in the Brixton area), I decided to jump on the next Victoria service which was formed of duds 465195 & 465048 back to Victoria. Nothing else of interest on the South Eastern side as I crossed back to the Southern side, my eye catching a couple required 455s departing in the next 10 minutes, but first a trio heading towards East Grinstead from platform 13 (with the ticket gates being open with the ticket slots being taped over, probably saves hassle with rejection of tickets for the normal Gatwick Express platforms), the rear unit took my eye as it was required, so I jumped on for the short run to Clapham on duds 377443, 377128 & winner 377433, across to platform 15 and to Balham as dud 455826 rolled in with winner 455829 on the back. Allowing the next Epsom bound service to depart the lovely island platform (I do like Balham), and onto dud 455819 leading winner 455816 where I decided to stay on until West Norwood.
The reason why I bailed at West Norwood is that it gave me a chance to see what was forming a London Bridge Crystal Palace with a potential hop to Gipsy Hill, but that was a dud single 455, so I crossed over and boarded duds 377704 & 377622 to Balham, a couple dud units later and with a potential gap I jumped onto duds 377611 & 377610 to Clapham Junction, and across the platforms as a service from East Grinstead was dud. It was a quad set of 3s, leading was winner 377328, dud 377324, winner 377312 and dud 377327 at the end which I took to Victoria, giving me an idea that the blockade busters running to Gatwick via Sutton might be using that normally rare spur at Streatham connecting the lines running towards Micham with the fast lines (where normally services would go over the flyover and join the main-line onto the slows), timings made sense and so it was to Victoria where I had around 20 minutes to kill before the next Gatwick Airport service so it was to Boots to grab lunch.
Boots had no sandwiches, so it was back to the platforms to jump on a pair of 442s working East Croydon services, sadly my remaining 2 were not floating around, as it was duds 442413 & 442420 taking me to Clapham Junction, where I grabbed lunch from the Sainsburys located in the subway entrance, it was back to the platform as duds 377606 & 377609 rolled in to take me towards Sutton, quite an empty train (although I was in coach 2 of 606), as it slowed to allow another service to clear before crossing over into the up fast and crossing onto the spur, accelerating hard to get up the steep slope, but next track scored, as it was fast to Sutton. Sadly due to Thameslink being unable to organise itself, there was no services on the Sutton loop (and no announcements around the station about Thameslink as sorry to announce the so-and-so service is cancelled or there are no services today), and I had a 20 or so minute fester before the next fast to Clapham service was due, but I had a couple options, first was a pair of dud 455s working a stopper via West Croydon, and a pair of dud 377s (must be quite rare to have 2 /7s working together) working a stopper back towards Balham, and it was a short wait before a quite busy 377626 & 377613 rolled in to take me back towards Clapham using that reversal spur.
It was a rugby day at Twickenham, which meant two things, firstly the station was manically busy and secondary it meant Rugby extras, and the first had pulled in and it was a certain 458/5 which when it was a 458/0 always kept escaping me, winner 458522 with dud 458520, so it was to the first stop at Richmond, to give me more chances of another pair of required units towards Twickenham, maybe try and score that bay platform at Kingston to give me something else to do. Richmond isnt the easiest stations to get across platforms in a hurry, but after a couple duds, the Kingston service was looking more promising, until dud 450558 rolled in with required 450550 on the back, and I wasnt turning down one of my last 450s, so it was back to Clapham. Thankfully it didnt look like I missed much heading towards Twickenham, and with 458522/458520 returning to form a Clapham Twickenham special, I headed back to the main-line side, as some service to/from Hampton Court were due. Since the timetable change these have been formed of 6 coaches on Sundays, which could only mean one thing, well two things but pairs of 159s would be very unlikely, 456s. First was the Waterloo bound service which was formed of a trio of dud 456s, so I changed my focus to the next down service and in rolled required 456023 with dud 455911 on the rear to take me to Earlsfield, where for some reason I decided to bail, and wait for dud 455901 to take me to Fort Wimble, sorry Wimbledon as a semi-fast from Alton/Basingstoke was due (and another service was due for a semi-fast to Surbiton), sadly all dud 450s as I watched the platform assistant unlock and open the gate to allow passengers to access the fast line platforms, keeping an eye out for various coloured trams, but the trams and district line would have to wait for another day as I wanted to get to Marylebone to see if any of my remaining 165s would roll up (as there are 4 services an hour on Sunday which calls within the zones, although 2 of them give rather tight +2s at Wembley Stadium), so it was back to Clapham on 455909 and back to Waterloo on 455850 & 455917.
I was walking towards the underground platforms, where a 458/5 caught my eye and so it was back to Vauxhall on dud 458524 leading winner 458523, well it would have been rude to say no. To the underground platform at Vauxhall with dud Victoria line units 11008 & 11007 taking me to Oxford Circus with a cross platform interchange to winners 3563 & 3256 to take me to Marylebone. RTT in hand, and first things that a HST looks amazing in the station, but sadly the first departure was a dud 165, and nothing else of interest rolling in for the following couple departures, so after seeing the HST depart I headed back to the underground with my eye on Liverpool Street, mainly for the West Anglia side as the GEML side was a very reduced service due to the line being closed (half hourly C2C service and quarter hourly TfL Rail service to Iford), and I had the same pair of Bakerloo units (what were the odds of that?) to take me to Baker Street where I was going to transfer onto the SSL to Liverpool Street...
...I didnt check before hand, but there was no SSLs east of Baker Street today, doh!, so it was to the Jubilee line with 96103 & 96034 taking me to Bond Street, Ive used this shack before a few years ago when I did a random shopping day in London, but first time recording Ive used it, anyhow I decided that when I was on the central line, I might as well clear out my remaining zone 1 stations which were all on the central line, so it was out west for the 27 chains to Marble Arch on 91025/92236/92114/91235, with a couple minute wait before 91133/92086/92430/91349 rolled in to take me the 59 chains to Lancaster Gate. 91139/92448/92032/91145 were up next to take me to Queensway, where I crossed over to the eastbound platform and jumped onto 91131/92210/9194/91271 for a nice run to Chancery Lane before 91051/92198/92174/91309 rolled in for another leap to my final zone 1 station in the shape of St Pauls. My final Central line leap was from 91293/92094/92230/91183 to take me to Liverpool Street, all units were winners for me (but as I hadnt previously had many units it was no great surprise)
Time to head out of the underground with a fast walk to see that the next two LO services were in the hands of 315s, which were cleared (only 4 remaining blue ones), so the next up was the next Stansted Express, and blimey my 3rd last 379 was sitting smiling at me, so it was onto dud 379029 leading required 379010 along the same route which I used for the other 379s which was the slow ponder to Tottenham Hale (note to self, buy a cheap BZ6 ticket for a good speed run on a 379), using the free Wi-Fi I had a list of the next departures, a service to Hertford East followed by a service from Cambridge and a service from the airport, which I noticed most were single units (so were the Cambridge services using 379s to try and get passengers to use Greater Anglia instead of Great Northern with nice modern units with power-sockets and Wi-Fi), however I didnt have to ponder for long before required 317656 rolled in heading to Hertford East, which RTT suggested a nice +3 at Brimsdown (or a +7 at my all time favourite station name, Ponders End) so it was to Brimsdown, and over the level crossing (couldnt be bothered using the subway) and to the other platform, to give me another ponder, stay on the next service all the way to Stratford or bail at Tottenham Hale for the 379(s) behind... dud 317882 rolled in.
I decided to stay on to Stratford as it gave me more chance of winners, either 315 or 357s, so after looking over at the 374s looking very lovely in the Eurostar depot (need to do another Eurostar trip next year) we arrived a few minutes early, so it was to platform 8, first up was a pair of dud 315s for Iford, so I gave them a miss, and in rolled dud 357035 with winner 357037 behind it, excellent another C2C unit from my list, and it was to Barking where RTT suggested I would have 3 options before a large gap, first two services were duds (although I did see my first 357/3 in the shape of 357317, but as I had it previously as 357217 Im not counting it as required as nothing has changed over than the removal of some seats). My 3rd and final option rolled in, and it was lead by dud 357009 with required 357204 on the rear back to West Ham, where I was going to call it a day...
...until the next Barking bound service rolled in on the other side of the island, and I wasnt turning down a double winner, so it was back to Barking (mad) on 357006 & 357041 with a bit of a dash over to another platform to grab 357043 & dud 357206 back to West Ham (after noting the Circle Line services from Barking). Winning 96 stock 96038 & 96113 took me to Waterloo, and it was up to the main concourse, to find that the HST I was thinking of taking for a linear hop back to Basingstoke was running late, but my eye caught a Hampton Court departure as having a required 456, so choices wait for the HST to roll in or bag another 456, and in the end the 456 won and it was onto a trio of units, headed by duds 456006 & 456009, but with winner 456005 at the back for the short hop to Vauxhall. A quick platform change onto the Windsor side saw me heading back to Waterloo on super-dud 458532 leading winner 458508. The HST had come and gone with a fast turnaround, so it was over to a trio of 159s headed by 159009 with 159014 in the middle and 159013 at the back, and until Clapham I had the middle coach of 159014 all to myself (after Clapham it had another couple passengers), but it did mean 159014 can now join the 1000 mile club, back to Andover and a well earnt Papa Johns pizza sourced and it was back home.
A good day with 22 new heavy rail units ticked off, a small bit of new track (saves me having to get up early for the morning peak service which takes it), zone 1 cleared and a lot of new underground units.
HMS Ark Royal
Established Member
Must have missed your first one...
Both posts were great - oddly enough I read the stop off at Kempston Hardwick at the same time as watching the youtube video about the SPAD there a few years ago... Never been able to find a copy of that one as it is one I would love to read
Both posts were great - oddly enough I read the stop off at Kempston Hardwick at the same time as watching the youtube video about the SPAD there a few years ago... Never been able to find a copy of that one as it is one I would love to read
Techniquest
Veteran Member
As always, an excellent read! What a productive day!
Kite159
Veteran Member
It was Quinn
28th December London to Oxford, a slightly long way round
With the Great Western HSTs being diverted into Waterloo/Marylebone, there was a forum meet to do both diverts and a meal in Oxford, and with it being a bank holiday early morning restrictions on the use of super-off peak tickets were not in place, and with it being a bank holiday SWT wanted a lot of money to park in Grateley car-park so it was a walk to the station to catch 159013 working to Basingstoke.
Due to the half hourly HST from Waterloo to/from Basingstoke the Salisbury shuttle was pegged back to Basingstoke, so meant I had to change onto duds 43156 & 43063 (or it was a pair of 444s, the HST won the day as it meant some early morning thrash (and only gave a couple minute time penalty over the 444s), anyhow once into Waterloo it was out to grab something to eat for breakfast, before heading back to see if anything required was floating around, keeping an eye out on the Reading services which were 4 an hour today, and gave me a chance to score some 450s. Nothing of interest around so I jumped onto 458508 & 458532 (the same pair I had into Waterloo yesterday evening!) to Clapham Junction, as Clapham is a nicer place to stand around and watch the trains come in.
A couple services later, and a pair of 450s heading to Reading rolled in, leading was 450081 but behind was winner 450118, which I took to Putney as RTT suggested another service would come in soon behind it heading back towards Waterloo, so it was over the footbridge as winner 458515 rolled in with dud 458519 behind to take me back to Clapham Junction, where my festering on the Windsor line side gave me no other winners and after 30 minutes decided to head over to the Southern side of Clapham. I didnt have long to wait before winner 455809 rolled in with dud 455804 on the back to take me to Victoria. After a brief look around saw nothing of interest I headed across to the South Eastern side, and straight away a 375 caught my eye on platform 8, and so it was onto a trio of units heading to somewhere in Kent (Ramsgate I think), led by winner 375307 with dud 375308 in the middle and required 375925 on the rear, so sitting in 307 (which is a nice refurbishment) for my usual SET hop to Bromley South.
RTT in hand to give me possible options, first up was a couple units from Ramsgate which were duds, a couple 465s & 319s floating around which were also dud, but a 12 car from Folkstone was due, and in rolled winner 375827 with dud 375813 sandwiched in the middle and winner 375630 on the rear, so happy days as I jumped on for the worlds slowest trip back to Victoria heading back via Catford loop, so slow that the stopper which departed Bromley a couple minutes before the trio rolled in arrived at pretty much the same time into Victoria, but it was nice to cross off some additional stations which Ive gone non-stop through.
Nothing else of interest at Victoria, and after purchasing my Boundary Zone ticket from a TVM, headed down to the underground, where eventually I got onto the platforms, winning 11093/11094 of the 2009 tube stock took me forward to Oxford Circus where a cross platform interchange was made as I jumped onto duds 3554/3246 for the short hop to Marylebone, where I met up with others on the little tour, 12 of us in total as we made our way to the first class coach on winner 43160 (Sir Moir Lockhead OBE) leading winner 43172 (Harry Patch). It was a very nice run heading along the Chiltern main-line (I wonder what those passengers in the Jubilee/Metropolitan line services through when they saw a HST rush pass them), after Bicester North we came to a stop for a few minutes but we got going again to roll into Banbury (most likely a late running XC causing the usual delays at the junction). A nice fast reversal and it was swift down to Oxford.
After a nice burger in a nearby eatery, it was back to the station, where we had two options to make the connection with the Penzance Waterloo service, a stopper formed of a pair of 165s or a voyager, and the Voyager won the day, but it was a busy 220031 to take us back to Reading, I managed to get a seat and we went via the festival chord to reach platform 3 from the reliefs (as the mains were closed). I made a note of a pair of required power-cars heading to Waterloo as they could potentially be my pair back to Basingstoke, before winner 43012 rolled in with dud 43086 on the rear, so taking our reserved seats in the half seating/kitchen coach, and with 43086 leading it was soon down to Basingstoke, where we festered for a good 15 or so minutes before setting off again, this time with 43012 leading for the nice fast run to Waterloo.
Saying goodbye to the rest, as I crossed over to jump onto winner 43162 leading winner 43028 for the run back to Basingstoke, where I had a cross platform interchange to board 159009 which was working the shuttle, not that busy (but I would dread to think how busy the hourly 159 towards West of Salisbury would have been with Andover/Salisbury passengers. I wasnt that fussed, a pair of required 43s beats a pair of 450s any-day of the week. Back to Grateley and with a quick walk home to relax.
A couple pictures:
43172 (Harry Patch The last survivor of the trenches) at Oxford, next stop Swindon:
43162 at Basingstoke with another HST heading towards Waterloo departing:
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30th December A day spent on 3rd rail land in London hunting those pesky 171s
With 2 of the 4-car 171s left to try and grab, they were high on my list, little did I know I would spend pretty much the entire day in 3rd rail land as I wanted to get across to Liverpool Street for some unit hunting. Anyhow, after a short walk to the station and picking up my tickets, it was soon on a formed of 5 coaches service, with 158885 leading 159011 for the run to Waterloo (passing Andover which PIS was having a silly 5 minutes in claiming the next Exeter/Bristol service was formed of 11 coaches! Would 11 23m coaches even fit in Waterloo?
Anyhow it was via Tesco to grab an early lunch, and to the underground with some 96 stock action to London Bridge, with winners 96079 & 96010 for the mile and a bit hop. I had 30 or so minutes to kill before the next Uckfield service was due to depart, and after a quick look around saw nothing of interest, so I paused for a moment as dud 171804 rolled in. I took a walk up the platform just in case it was formed of 8 coaches, and yes it was a pair of /8s, and leading was winner 171805, happy days as I took a seat and waited before it could depart, keeping an eye on the various movements around the station, with a required 455 catching my eye working towards West Croydon.
A plan was formed to intercept said unit at West Croydon, so once 171805 departed me at East Croydon and I had a look around, making a note that a required 377/3 was spotted heading down to East Grinstead saw me forming a plan to intercept said unit on its way back up. Nothing else of interest was spotted, and so it was a short wait before I heard the sound of diesels as in rolled 171803 with dud 171724 behind, happy days my last 171 popping up, no need to search for it in the new year. A quick hop to Norwood junction got it into my book, and with a fast platform swap saw me onto a pair of 377s heading towards Sutton, leading with 377204...
...and dud 377206 was on the back, for the short run to West Croydon (if I missed this pair it wouldnt have mattered as a 378 was due a couple minutes afterwards), once at West Croydon it was across to platform 4 to await the pair of 455s from London Bridge to roll in, and I jumped onto winner 455811 leading dud 455817 (2 Southern 455s left) where I bailed at Selhurst for a spot of planning to get back to East Croydon (which would most likely involve the tram), a few duds later and I jumped onto duds 455846 & 455831 heading to West Croydon, where the London Overground unit which would have departed a minute before this pair arrived was delayed, so it was to Norwood Junction on 378144, and down to East Croydon on 455835 & 455825.
A few minutes later, in rolled that quad set of /3s I saw earlier on, with dud 377308 leading winner 377318 and duds 377319 & 377328 behind for the leap to Clapham Junction, overtaking a required 377/2, however this time I didnt have to plan to intercept it on its return working as it was due into Clapham a couple minutes after this service, so over to the slow lines and in rolled my last Southern 377/2 (need 2 more of the subclass, but both are with Thameslink), 377205 with dud 377202 behind. I bailed at Battersea Park and it was a swift return to Clapham on duds 377204/377206 for the second time of the day.
I had RTT up and running to show me the services in order to position myself, but that wasnt needed as the next service from Gatwick was dud, and in rolled 377321 leading 377307 with dud 377440 at the back, so jumping on board for the short run to Victoria, and I spotted another quad set which had required /3s on, so it was a short wait before winners 377314 & 377305 departed with duds 377320 & 377303 in tow back to Clapham Junction, where I had a dead 20 minutes, nothing required, so I decided to call it a day and in rolled winner 377157 attached with duds 377132 & 377159, back to Victoria.
Crossing over to the South Eastern side and I spotted a required dark blue 375, and after checking a trio of units heading to Ramsgate (all 3 were dud) it was onto dud 375615 leading winner 375605 for the slow run via Catford to Bromley South, I had hoped it would use the chord to the fast lines at Shortlands junction rather than going underneath and joining the slows (if that makes sense), as I need that chord, anyhow it was into Bromley South a few minutes early. However when we were leaving Victoria I had spotted a required 465 & 466 working from platform 1, so I tracked it on RTT, the good news is that it would come back later on, the bad news is that it was the Gillingham service so wouldnt be back for a far while. My festering at Bromley wasnt for long before winner 465248 rolled in with dud 465016 in tow to take me to Orpington, where I crossed over to meet up with a service from Hastings, which was due to run fast to Blackfriars (giving me a chance for a non-stop Bromley run).
In rolled dud 375701 with winner 375909 on the rear, and seating in 909 (easier at Blackfriars), as it used the chord from the fast lines at Petts Wood to Bickley (required track for me I think), and a nice non-stop run via Bromley before slowing down at Herne Hill to take the route to Blackfriars via Loughbough Junction and rolling into Blackfriars. It was hard to try and get off the service at Blackfriars as some idiotic passengers tried to board before allowing others to leave, anyhow with one eye on the time to intercept that required 465 back from Gillingham, I crossed over to platform 1, sadly my required 319s were not out to play, and the trios of 387s to/from East Croydon were duds, so it was over to a very busy 465032 & 465241 to Lewisham via Denmark Hill.
Lewisham was busy, full of people moaning about how they wanted to get to London Bridge/Charing Cross but couldnt they didnt say services would be diverted, Lewisham is a bit of a maze, but I think I have it sorted, and in rolled dud (which I mistakenly had as required) 465245 & 465036 to take me to Blackheath, and duds 465049 & 465041 back to Lewisham, thinking of intercepting that service at Blackheath instead of at Lewisham (as it ran fast back to Victoria), saw me onto duds 376034 & 376031 back to Blackheath, where another fast cross over to await the arrival, and in rolled dud 465188 with winners 465050 & 466023 on the back, for the short hop to Lewisham. Happy days I felt as I looked over to platform 2 and in rolled a pair of required 376s heading to Hayes, formed of winners 376007 & 376005 for the short run to Catford Bridge.
RTT told me the next Thameslink from Catford was cancelled, so I stayed listening to some music which was leaking from a Chavs earphones and in rolled duds 376004 & 376013 to take me back to Lewisham, where I decided to get out and jumped onto dud 465906 & 465901 (4th time Ive had this pairing of 465/9s in the past 10 days!
) to take me back to Blackfriars, and in rolled afterwards a pair of required 375s towards Hastings. First stop was Orpington but that didnt matter as I sat onto required 375619 & 375621 to Orpington, but giving me a 20 minute wait for the next service, a stopper formed of 465035 which was held at Petts Wood junction for the next inbound 375s. I bailed at Bromley South, and crossed over to a trio of units which was running a few minutes late, but would get me back to Victoria earlier than the stopper.
Leading was winner 375923 with duds 375603 & 375918, and once at Victoria I headed over towards McDonalds, but the queue was rather large so decided to go to WH Smiths, they had no sandwiches left (apart from Egg Mayo), so decided to jump onto the first serviced to Clapham which was in the hands of a quad of 377/3s, 377328, 377319, 377318 & 377308, where food was sourced from the Sainsburys Local before heading back to jump onto 159014 & 159004 forming the 21:27 service to Yeovil Junction.
20 winning units today, which is good, especially with those two 171s, 10 green 377s remain.
28th December London to Oxford, a slightly long way round
With the Great Western HSTs being diverted into Waterloo/Marylebone, there was a forum meet to do both diverts and a meal in Oxford, and with it being a bank holiday early morning restrictions on the use of super-off peak tickets were not in place, and with it being a bank holiday SWT wanted a lot of money to park in Grateley car-park so it was a walk to the station to catch 159013 working to Basingstoke.
Due to the half hourly HST from Waterloo to/from Basingstoke the Salisbury shuttle was pegged back to Basingstoke, so meant I had to change onto duds 43156 & 43063 (or it was a pair of 444s, the HST won the day as it meant some early morning thrash (and only gave a couple minute time penalty over the 444s), anyhow once into Waterloo it was out to grab something to eat for breakfast, before heading back to see if anything required was floating around, keeping an eye out on the Reading services which were 4 an hour today, and gave me a chance to score some 450s. Nothing of interest around so I jumped onto 458508 & 458532 (the same pair I had into Waterloo yesterday evening!) to Clapham Junction, as Clapham is a nicer place to stand around and watch the trains come in.
A couple services later, and a pair of 450s heading to Reading rolled in, leading was 450081 but behind was winner 450118, which I took to Putney as RTT suggested another service would come in soon behind it heading back towards Waterloo, so it was over the footbridge as winner 458515 rolled in with dud 458519 behind to take me back to Clapham Junction, where my festering on the Windsor line side gave me no other winners and after 30 minutes decided to head over to the Southern side of Clapham. I didnt have long to wait before winner 455809 rolled in with dud 455804 on the back to take me to Victoria. After a brief look around saw nothing of interest I headed across to the South Eastern side, and straight away a 375 caught my eye on platform 8, and so it was onto a trio of units heading to somewhere in Kent (Ramsgate I think), led by winner 375307 with dud 375308 in the middle and required 375925 on the rear, so sitting in 307 (which is a nice refurbishment) for my usual SET hop to Bromley South.
RTT in hand to give me possible options, first up was a couple units from Ramsgate which were duds, a couple 465s & 319s floating around which were also dud, but a 12 car from Folkstone was due, and in rolled winner 375827 with dud 375813 sandwiched in the middle and winner 375630 on the rear, so happy days as I jumped on for the worlds slowest trip back to Victoria heading back via Catford loop, so slow that the stopper which departed Bromley a couple minutes before the trio rolled in arrived at pretty much the same time into Victoria, but it was nice to cross off some additional stations which Ive gone non-stop through.
Nothing else of interest at Victoria, and after purchasing my Boundary Zone ticket from a TVM, headed down to the underground, where eventually I got onto the platforms, winning 11093/11094 of the 2009 tube stock took me forward to Oxford Circus where a cross platform interchange was made as I jumped onto duds 3554/3246 for the short hop to Marylebone, where I met up with others on the little tour, 12 of us in total as we made our way to the first class coach on winner 43160 (Sir Moir Lockhead OBE) leading winner 43172 (Harry Patch). It was a very nice run heading along the Chiltern main-line (I wonder what those passengers in the Jubilee/Metropolitan line services through when they saw a HST rush pass them), after Bicester North we came to a stop for a few minutes but we got going again to roll into Banbury (most likely a late running XC causing the usual delays at the junction). A nice fast reversal and it was swift down to Oxford.
After a nice burger in a nearby eatery, it was back to the station, where we had two options to make the connection with the Penzance Waterloo service, a stopper formed of a pair of 165s or a voyager, and the Voyager won the day, but it was a busy 220031 to take us back to Reading, I managed to get a seat and we went via the festival chord to reach platform 3 from the reliefs (as the mains were closed). I made a note of a pair of required power-cars heading to Waterloo as they could potentially be my pair back to Basingstoke, before winner 43012 rolled in with dud 43086 on the rear, so taking our reserved seats in the half seating/kitchen coach, and with 43086 leading it was soon down to Basingstoke, where we festered for a good 15 or so minutes before setting off again, this time with 43012 leading for the nice fast run to Waterloo.
Saying goodbye to the rest, as I crossed over to jump onto winner 43162 leading winner 43028 for the run back to Basingstoke, where I had a cross platform interchange to board 159009 which was working the shuttle, not that busy (but I would dread to think how busy the hourly 159 towards West of Salisbury would have been with Andover/Salisbury passengers. I wasnt that fussed, a pair of required 43s beats a pair of 450s any-day of the week. Back to Grateley and with a quick walk home to relax.
A couple pictures:
43172 (Harry Patch The last survivor of the trenches) at Oxford, next stop Swindon:
43162 at Basingstoke with another HST heading towards Waterloo departing:
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30th December A day spent on 3rd rail land in London hunting those pesky 171s
With 2 of the 4-car 171s left to try and grab, they were high on my list, little did I know I would spend pretty much the entire day in 3rd rail land as I wanted to get across to Liverpool Street for some unit hunting. Anyhow, after a short walk to the station and picking up my tickets, it was soon on a formed of 5 coaches service, with 158885 leading 159011 for the run to Waterloo (passing Andover which PIS was having a silly 5 minutes in claiming the next Exeter/Bristol service was formed of 11 coaches! Would 11 23m coaches even fit in Waterloo?
Anyhow it was via Tesco to grab an early lunch, and to the underground with some 96 stock action to London Bridge, with winners 96079 & 96010 for the mile and a bit hop. I had 30 or so minutes to kill before the next Uckfield service was due to depart, and after a quick look around saw nothing of interest, so I paused for a moment as dud 171804 rolled in. I took a walk up the platform just in case it was formed of 8 coaches, and yes it was a pair of /8s, and leading was winner 171805, happy days as I took a seat and waited before it could depart, keeping an eye on the various movements around the station, with a required 455 catching my eye working towards West Croydon.
A plan was formed to intercept said unit at West Croydon, so once 171805 departed me at East Croydon and I had a look around, making a note that a required 377/3 was spotted heading down to East Grinstead saw me forming a plan to intercept said unit on its way back up. Nothing else of interest was spotted, and so it was a short wait before I heard the sound of diesels as in rolled 171803 with dud 171724 behind, happy days my last 171 popping up, no need to search for it in the new year. A quick hop to Norwood junction got it into my book, and with a fast platform swap saw me onto a pair of 377s heading towards Sutton, leading with 377204...
...and dud 377206 was on the back, for the short run to West Croydon (if I missed this pair it wouldnt have mattered as a 378 was due a couple minutes afterwards), once at West Croydon it was across to platform 4 to await the pair of 455s from London Bridge to roll in, and I jumped onto winner 455811 leading dud 455817 (2 Southern 455s left) where I bailed at Selhurst for a spot of planning to get back to East Croydon (which would most likely involve the tram), a few duds later and I jumped onto duds 455846 & 455831 heading to West Croydon, where the London Overground unit which would have departed a minute before this pair arrived was delayed, so it was to Norwood Junction on 378144, and down to East Croydon on 455835 & 455825.
A few minutes later, in rolled that quad set of /3s I saw earlier on, with dud 377308 leading winner 377318 and duds 377319 & 377328 behind for the leap to Clapham Junction, overtaking a required 377/2, however this time I didnt have to plan to intercept it on its return working as it was due into Clapham a couple minutes after this service, so over to the slow lines and in rolled my last Southern 377/2 (need 2 more of the subclass, but both are with Thameslink), 377205 with dud 377202 behind. I bailed at Battersea Park and it was a swift return to Clapham on duds 377204/377206 for the second time of the day.
I had RTT up and running to show me the services in order to position myself, but that wasnt needed as the next service from Gatwick was dud, and in rolled 377321 leading 377307 with dud 377440 at the back, so jumping on board for the short run to Victoria, and I spotted another quad set which had required /3s on, so it was a short wait before winners 377314 & 377305 departed with duds 377320 & 377303 in tow back to Clapham Junction, where I had a dead 20 minutes, nothing required, so I decided to call it a day and in rolled winner 377157 attached with duds 377132 & 377159, back to Victoria.
Crossing over to the South Eastern side and I spotted a required dark blue 375, and after checking a trio of units heading to Ramsgate (all 3 were dud) it was onto dud 375615 leading winner 375605 for the slow run via Catford to Bromley South, I had hoped it would use the chord to the fast lines at Shortlands junction rather than going underneath and joining the slows (if that makes sense), as I need that chord, anyhow it was into Bromley South a few minutes early. However when we were leaving Victoria I had spotted a required 465 & 466 working from platform 1, so I tracked it on RTT, the good news is that it would come back later on, the bad news is that it was the Gillingham service so wouldnt be back for a far while. My festering at Bromley wasnt for long before winner 465248 rolled in with dud 465016 in tow to take me to Orpington, where I crossed over to meet up with a service from Hastings, which was due to run fast to Blackfriars (giving me a chance for a non-stop Bromley run).
In rolled dud 375701 with winner 375909 on the rear, and seating in 909 (easier at Blackfriars), as it used the chord from the fast lines at Petts Wood to Bickley (required track for me I think), and a nice non-stop run via Bromley before slowing down at Herne Hill to take the route to Blackfriars via Loughbough Junction and rolling into Blackfriars. It was hard to try and get off the service at Blackfriars as some idiotic passengers tried to board before allowing others to leave, anyhow with one eye on the time to intercept that required 465 back from Gillingham, I crossed over to platform 1, sadly my required 319s were not out to play, and the trios of 387s to/from East Croydon were duds, so it was over to a very busy 465032 & 465241 to Lewisham via Denmark Hill.
Lewisham was busy, full of people moaning about how they wanted to get to London Bridge/Charing Cross but couldnt they didnt say services would be diverted, Lewisham is a bit of a maze, but I think I have it sorted, and in rolled dud (which I mistakenly had as required) 465245 & 465036 to take me to Blackheath, and duds 465049 & 465041 back to Lewisham, thinking of intercepting that service at Blackheath instead of at Lewisham (as it ran fast back to Victoria), saw me onto duds 376034 & 376031 back to Blackheath, where another fast cross over to await the arrival, and in rolled dud 465188 with winners 465050 & 466023 on the back, for the short hop to Lewisham. Happy days I felt as I looked over to platform 2 and in rolled a pair of required 376s heading to Hayes, formed of winners 376007 & 376005 for the short run to Catford Bridge.
RTT told me the next Thameslink from Catford was cancelled, so I stayed listening to some music which was leaking from a Chavs earphones and in rolled duds 376004 & 376013 to take me back to Lewisham, where I decided to get out and jumped onto dud 465906 & 465901 (4th time Ive had this pairing of 465/9s in the past 10 days!
) to take me back to Blackfriars, and in rolled afterwards a pair of required 375s towards Hastings. First stop was Orpington but that didnt matter as I sat onto required 375619 & 375621 to Orpington, but giving me a 20 minute wait for the next service, a stopper formed of 465035 which was held at Petts Wood junction for the next inbound 375s. I bailed at Bromley South, and crossed over to a trio of units which was running a few minutes late, but would get me back to Victoria earlier than the stopper.Leading was winner 375923 with duds 375603 & 375918, and once at Victoria I headed over towards McDonalds, but the queue was rather large so decided to go to WH Smiths, they had no sandwiches left (apart from Egg Mayo), so decided to jump onto the first serviced to Clapham which was in the hands of a quad of 377/3s, 377328, 377319, 377318 & 377308, where food was sourced from the Sainsburys Local before heading back to jump onto 159014 & 159004 forming the 21:27 service to Yeovil Junction.
20 winning units today, which is good, especially with those two 171s, 10 green 377s remain.
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