southernyoshi
Member
- Joined
- 12 Sep 2014
- Messages
- 163
Take 1: 18/2/17 (yes, I know it's 2 weeks ago, stop sniggering)
So, to introduce my attempted trip reports, an admission. These will look a little different to everyone else's reports because...I'm not a basher.
Of anything.
I don't keep track of what individual train I'm on, I don't keep count of how many stations I've seen, I don't mark off every piece of track I know (I know, this is already a pretty rubbish trip report, isn't it). I travel by train (& bus too) to visit new places - & even with what I've said above, I will generally try to get either unvisited places, unseen lines, & although the individual numbers don't bother me - the insides of each type are the same, except for 377s, where each one seems somehow different - unused classes of train each time.
In addition, I also take things a bit slower than many here, as I will make stops in towns along the way. Several years ago, I discovered that bus timetables, where you can get them, are actually very good free souvenirs of places you've visited. As a result, in most places I stop, I will stop for a while, to mung round, see the place, & drop in on the Tourist Information Centre - where they still exist.
And so, it was time to set off on a 9-train loooop around 4 counties, while travelling a straight-line distance of...not far. Worthing to Tonbridge. You'd think it'd be simple...hahano.
And so it begins, the usual walk down the A24 (on the pavement
) & through the hideous crumbling monstrosity of a car park that welcomes our visitors (I can only apologise) to Worthing station. £10.10 for the ticket - some good value - & as 09:11 came, after I attempted to feed my 16-25 railcard to the barrier yet again, so did Unidentified 377 #1. Rammed, as always, but it was only for somewhat less distance than normal - to Burgess Hill.
After a definite blast, rather than mung, into town & back, my arrival back on Platform 1 was greeted by the distinctive vwoopvwoopvwoop of a Desiro - Unidentified 700. Why do people hate these things? Ok the seats aren't made for going the whole distance, but for a quick run they're adequate, & the in-car screens are the best new thing I can remember on a train. They really should become standard, the loading indicator & TFL status are so useful.
Into Gatport Airwick for the change to Redhill, the station deciding to send me into the baby footbridge this time as the 700 vwooped off towards its painful stagger through the wilds of Tulse Hill. Back at the airport station, whoever came up with fast & slow lanes for pedestrians, go here. Unidentified 377 #2 came in, on a route so desperate it calls at Salfords. After Redhill is reached, a proper mung round can be had. Not the most pleasant thing to do on a dull Saturday morning but oh well. Better than hanging round Gatwick getting flattened by suitcases for nearly an hour.
After that, Unidentified 377 #3 appeared, dead on 11:09, bound for Tonbridge. As it pulled out, I see a green GWR 166 just pulling in - good to know that connection isn't doable for future planning. Through the inexplicably-pronounced Leigh & into Tonbridge. Much nicer, complete with a Tourist Info IN A CASTLE - & on a hill. A big hill. Further progress back through town & back to the station.
The 20ish minute wait was entertaining - featuring a single Network Rail...thing that looked nothing like any other train I've seen - I guess it's some sort of track cleaner, plus a 375 that wasn't in service - despite stopping & displaying that it was bound for Ramsgate. Unidentified 375 turned up, in service, in the rather nice blue livery, for the sloooow run to Hastings.
Hastings was chosen for more than just a mung round. This is lunch town, & in the spirit of the forum, their spoons is named after John Logie Baird. I know, I thought he was Scottish too. A rarebit burger was a very useful addition to the day, & it was back to the station for the sea-run to Eastbourne. Oh, nearly forgot - it's Unidentified 377 #4.
Ps: Does anyone have a good way of ensuring that the empty table that you pick when entering doesn't get stolen while ordering? Most times I ask for table x only to finish the order, get to it & find someone's nicked it. This even sometimes results in me having to carry a half of something up stairs - an interesting spectacle for everyone around
Eastbourne's a nice town, but this half-hour stop added not much to the haul - only in Britain would the TIC in one of the main seaside resorts close at 1 on a Saturday. I know it's February but still. Onto Unidentified 377 #5 - the Marshlink block seems to have removed all trace of 171s from the line - to take a gamble on a 14 minute stop in Lewes. I've never been into Lewes town by train. Only bus. Remember this.
I get out of Lewes station, 14 minute countdown go, over the bridge, to the foot of the hill.
Stuff that.
Back to the trains immediately, Unidentified 377 #6 being the one to take me to Brighton. It was going well until the London Road viaduct, where we waited ages for a platform. Eventually, a big 7 flashed up, & we went into platform 7. We came to a halt outside the trainshed, which I thought rather strange. Anyway, long walk down the platform, to discover that we were...
Behind a GatEx 387. With another one on platform 8 (!) I believe my exact thoughts were 'how the hell did you get here'.
Ps: if there's anyone who does actually know how those 387s got there, an explanation may be nice
Anyway, smoothie bought for the walk home, I expected an unusually leisurely walk to the ever-full 16:33 to Southampton via Worthing (and, inexplicably, Eastleigh). Not so slow, as a GWR 158 (a green one with new-looking seats) parked in the already-remote platform 1 meant that Unidentified 377 #7 was halfway to Hove before starting. I got on it, it got to Worthing, I got home, for my first fully on-schedule, successful trip on Southern for an alarmingly long time.
So, to introduce my attempted trip reports, an admission. These will look a little different to everyone else's reports because...I'm not a basher.
Of anything.
I don't keep track of what individual train I'm on, I don't keep count of how many stations I've seen, I don't mark off every piece of track I know (I know, this is already a pretty rubbish trip report, isn't it). I travel by train (& bus too) to visit new places - & even with what I've said above, I will generally try to get either unvisited places, unseen lines, & although the individual numbers don't bother me - the insides of each type are the same, except for 377s, where each one seems somehow different - unused classes of train each time.
In addition, I also take things a bit slower than many here, as I will make stops in towns along the way. Several years ago, I discovered that bus timetables, where you can get them, are actually very good free souvenirs of places you've visited. As a result, in most places I stop, I will stop for a while, to mung round, see the place, & drop in on the Tourist Information Centre - where they still exist.
And so, it was time to set off on a 9-train loooop around 4 counties, while travelling a straight-line distance of...not far. Worthing to Tonbridge. You'd think it'd be simple...hahano.
And so it begins, the usual walk down the A24 (on the pavement
) & through the hideous crumbling monstrosity of a car park that welcomes our visitors (I can only apologise) to Worthing station. £10.10 for the ticket - some good value - & as 09:11 came, after I attempted to feed my 16-25 railcard to the barrier yet again, so did Unidentified 377 #1. Rammed, as always, but it was only for somewhat less distance than normal - to Burgess Hill. After a definite blast, rather than mung, into town & back, my arrival back on Platform 1 was greeted by the distinctive vwoopvwoopvwoop of a Desiro - Unidentified 700. Why do people hate these things? Ok the seats aren't made for going the whole distance, but for a quick run they're adequate, & the in-car screens are the best new thing I can remember on a train. They really should become standard, the loading indicator & TFL status are so useful.
Into Gatport Airwick for the change to Redhill, the station deciding to send me into the baby footbridge this time as the 700 vwooped off towards its painful stagger through the wilds of Tulse Hill. Back at the airport station, whoever came up with fast & slow lanes for pedestrians, go here. Unidentified 377 #2 came in, on a route so desperate it calls at Salfords. After Redhill is reached, a proper mung round can be had. Not the most pleasant thing to do on a dull Saturday morning but oh well. Better than hanging round Gatwick getting flattened by suitcases for nearly an hour.
After that, Unidentified 377 #3 appeared, dead on 11:09, bound for Tonbridge. As it pulled out, I see a green GWR 166 just pulling in - good to know that connection isn't doable for future planning. Through the inexplicably-pronounced Leigh & into Tonbridge. Much nicer, complete with a Tourist Info IN A CASTLE - & on a hill. A big hill. Further progress back through town & back to the station.
The 20ish minute wait was entertaining - featuring a single Network Rail...thing that looked nothing like any other train I've seen - I guess it's some sort of track cleaner, plus a 375 that wasn't in service - despite stopping & displaying that it was bound for Ramsgate. Unidentified 375 turned up, in service, in the rather nice blue livery, for the sloooow run to Hastings.
Hastings was chosen for more than just a mung round. This is lunch town, & in the spirit of the forum, their spoons is named after John Logie Baird. I know, I thought he was Scottish too. A rarebit burger was a very useful addition to the day, & it was back to the station for the sea-run to Eastbourne. Oh, nearly forgot - it's Unidentified 377 #4.
Ps: Does anyone have a good way of ensuring that the empty table that you pick when entering doesn't get stolen while ordering? Most times I ask for table x only to finish the order, get to it & find someone's nicked it. This even sometimes results in me having to carry a half of something up stairs - an interesting spectacle for everyone around
Eastbourne's a nice town, but this half-hour stop added not much to the haul - only in Britain would the TIC in one of the main seaside resorts close at 1 on a Saturday. I know it's February but still. Onto Unidentified 377 #5 - the Marshlink block seems to have removed all trace of 171s from the line - to take a gamble on a 14 minute stop in Lewes. I've never been into Lewes town by train. Only bus. Remember this.
I get out of Lewes station, 14 minute countdown go, over the bridge, to the foot of the hill.
Stuff that.
Back to the trains immediately, Unidentified 377 #6 being the one to take me to Brighton. It was going well until the London Road viaduct, where we waited ages for a platform. Eventually, a big 7 flashed up, & we went into platform 7. We came to a halt outside the trainshed, which I thought rather strange. Anyway, long walk down the platform, to discover that we were...
Behind a GatEx 387. With another one on platform 8 (!) I believe my exact thoughts were 'how the hell did you get here'.
Ps: if there's anyone who does actually know how those 387s got there, an explanation may be nice
Anyway, smoothie bought for the walk home, I expected an unusually leisurely walk to the ever-full 16:33 to Southampton via Worthing (and, inexplicably, Eastleigh). Not so slow, as a GWR 158 (a green one with new-looking seats) parked in the already-remote platform 1 meant that Unidentified 377 #7 was halfway to Hove before starting. I got on it, it got to Worthing, I got home, for my first fully on-schedule, successful trip on Southern for an alarmingly long time.
