The Ultimate 150 Marathon

This was the day 'd been planning for months. On the back of the last meet in Birmingham, This was Mission Impossible to try and clear all the remaining 150s I needed on the Snow Hill Lines.First of all however I needed to get to International for 90044. After A quick dash off my Voyager at New Street, I found a late running Class 350 to Northampton on Platform 4 which was delayed due to a late running ATW service. I arrived into International in plenty of time for the Pretendolino which should arrive into Coventry at 1153 however because it can only go at 110mph and the service is timed for a 125mph Pendolino, It always loses time as far as International but since the use of Freightliner Class 90s has been arriving into New Street ontime, proof DB Schenkers 90s weren't upto the job. I had a chat with a fellow Rail Enthusiast whilst waiting for the 90. He was on a London Midland Great Escape and had bought an additional ticket for the 90 whilst also having his kid in toe (trying to get him interested in trains at an early age). 90044 arrived approximately 3 minutes late and departed at 1159. It made a spirited run to New Street arriving in at the booked time at 1208, which whilst including 5 minutes baggage time was quite impressive.We then had a 20 minute wait before returning to Coventry on the set where incredibly it departed ontime, something a DBS 90 never did. I then hopped onto a 350 for the run back to New Street. I then walked across to Moor Street where the unit bashing commenced.
  
First train was 150016 on a late running service to Whitlocks End (A brand new destination one stop beyond Shirley where the service previously terminated). I alighted at Hall Green, filmed the train leaving then bought a Permit to Travel for 5p to add to my collection, as it hadn't been deactivated as you would expect when the ticket office is open. Like the one I bought at Cosford it was printed upside down. Next was 150011 back to Snow Hill. I then walked across the bridge and caught 150019 back to Birmingham Moor Street. I then continued these hops catching 003 and 014 before heading back to Coventry for the 90 which I did to Birmingham New Street and back to Coventry. It was heavily delayed but only departed Birmingham New Street back South 2 Minutes late at a very quick turnaround. After alighting off the 90 at Coventry I then did a Pendo back to New Street and continued the hops on the Snow Hill Lines. I netted 150012 and two required Chiltern 168s before departing for home on a CrossCountry Voyager arriving home fairly early in the evening.

Only 3 x London Midland 150s are needed now, these are 104,124 and 126 two of which were on depot. The other I would assume was on Bedford-Bletchley.

Also seen on depot today was 172331 after being delivered to Tyseley a few days previous.

Spoons - 9/2/11

This was a trip over to Barnsley Robs crib for a pint and some grub at the locals spoons. On the way there my train was 40 minutes late (Triggering a delay repay claim) and whilst waiting I saw "The Chaz", also known to some as the arrogant train guard in the rear of his Buxton Bound 156+150 Combo. He gave me a waive as he departed. 158806 was absolutly rammed over the Hope Valley because it had tons of Chinley/Dore Commuters onboard so I ended up standing in the vestibule for the entire journey. On arrival at Sheffield I made for a Newcastle based Pacer 142020 to Meadowhall, on which the guard stamped my Return even though I gave her my Outward on top. I then boarded a Penistown line 144 which was all shacks to Barsneley. I met Al,Purch,Jake and Rob at the station and we walked up to Spoons. The food was fab although the Cider I have (Can't remember what it was called was a bit dry. Me and Purch got a Furness back to Sheffield where the guard pushed into one of the seats when walking past and the seat cushion fell out. I then said goodbye to Purch on Platform 1b and got a Fat Bastard (Class 185 Desiro) back over the hopeless valley back to Stockport and then a 323 back to Poynton.

So to recap my moves :-

323237 Poynton - Stockport
158806 Stockport - Sheffield
142020 Sheffield - Meadowhall (Winner)
144010 Meadowhall - Barnsley (Winner)
150147 Barnsley - Sheffield
185111 Sheffield - Stockport (Winner)
323225 Stockport - Poynton

Class 150 Mission - 04/02/11

With the soon imminent arrival of the First London Midland 172 for test runs and mileage accumilation February seemed a good month to hit the snow hill lines and get as many of the remaining required 150s as possible. 90041 was on EBW (Euston - Birmingham Workings) too so it seemed a good day all round. Eventually a plan was formed with Chris Harvey and David Clark so it turned into a mini meet. A Smethwick Galton Bridge hop was also included for Mr Harvey. And unexpectedly for me 150229 turned up at Great Malvern on a Weymouth turn whilst on hire to FGW (Only 2 units daily now with both returned every night and new units sent the next day from Cardiff Canton) so a great day all round

The moves were :-

Poynton - Stoke 323237
Stoke - Birmingham New Street 220034
Birmingham New Street - Great Malvern 170630
Great Malvern - Worcester Shrub Hill 150229 (Winner)
Worcester Shrub Hill - Stourbridge Junction 150132+150125 (Both Winners)
Stourbridge Junction - Stourbridge Town PPM 01 (Winner)
Stourbridge Town - Stourbridge Junction PPM 01
Stourbridge Junction - Kidderminster 150009 (Winner)
Kidderminster - Smethwick Galton Bridge 150009
Smethwick Galton Bridge - Birmingham New Street 323209
Birmingham New Street - Birmingham Interntaional 323220
Birmingham International - Birmingham New Street 90041 (Winner)
Birmingham New Street - Wolverhampton 350101
Wolverhampton - Birmingham New Street 350118
Birmingham Moor Street - Dorridge 150007 (Winner)
Dorridge - Birmingham Moor Street 67012+82305
Birmingham New Street - Stoke 221139
Stoke - Poynton 323239

02/02/11 Free Travel Vouchers Part 2

The second of my free travel vouchers saw me go round the Harrogate Loop and complete the two routes from York - Selby before finishing with a round trip from Victoria - Piccadilly via Salford Crescent, which involved helping a stricken Pacer Door shut.

the moves :-

Poynton - Manchester Piccadilly 323237
Manchester Victoria - Leeds 150211
Leeds - Knaresborough 155343 + 153324
Knaresborough - York 150270 + 150275
York - Selby via Sherburn 158795
Selby - York via Colton Junction 158795
York - Leeds DIRECT 158759
Leeds - Manchester Victoria via Brighouse 144014
Manchester Victoria - Salford Crescent 156425
Salford Crescent - Manchester Piccadilly 142038
Manchester Piccadilly - Poynton 323225

Northern Free Travel Vouchers Part 1 - 26/01/11

After complaining about being thrown out of Declassified First Class in January 2010 , I was given some travel vouchers and decided to finally use one of them.

The moves were a circular journey around Yorkshire as follows :-

Poynton - Manchester Piccadilly 323235
Manchester Victoria - Selby 158752
Selby - Hull 158903
Hull - Scarborough 158795
Scarborough - Hull 158795
Hull - Sheffield 158851
Sheffield - Manchester Piccadilly 142062
Manchester Piccadilly - Poynton 323239

02/01/11 "The Piccadilly"

My First Bash of 2011, a run into Manchester for a pub lunch at The Piccadilly with Sir Haigh,Alex Roberts,Andy Sheridan,James Howse,Chris Harvey and Jake Shaw. Afterwards we did a bit of GM Rail Ranger bashing. A visit to the Sportsbar to watch the footie and have some more drinks finished the day/night off nicely.

Moves of the day

Poynton - Stockport  Bakerbus 108

Stockport - Manchester Piccadilly 390044

Manchester Piccadilly - Stockport 390040

Stockport - Manchester Piccadilly 150256 (Winning Unit)

Manchester Piccadilly - Salford Crescent 156429

Salford Crescent - Manchester Victoria 150138

Manchester Victoria - Piccadilly Gardens 1025

Piccadilly Gardens - Piccadilly 3003

Manchester Piccadilly - Stockport 220022

Stockport - Poynton 323237

Red Dot Day - The End of 2010

Haven't updated this for a while so I will bring it up to date.

30th December was red dot day at Nottingham which meant for £15 I could have Unlmited Travel for the day on East Midlands Trains. I set off nice and early as it takes time to get to Nottingham. The train was also 20 minutes late which meant that I ended up in Nottingham an hour late.

I got the first Meridian to Leicester,alighted then and got the next Meridian non-stop to London St Pancras Domestic. When I got to London I decided to try out the Class 395 Javelin High Speed service to Ashford so got my ticket, went over to Kings Cross for some photts then came back tried to find the Southeastern High Speed platforms but missed the next train to Margate so had to wait for the next one which was a Dover Priory service. The ride quality wasn't as good as a Pendolino but it was acceptable and the interior was lovely and roomy. We didn't get to go above 125mph as the train was on-time.

43089 was out and about again with it's new MTU engine on thr front of Neville Hill EMT Set 3 so I hitched a ride behind it back to Leicester.

So here were my full moves for the day

150222 Poynton - Stockport

185110 Stockport - Sheffield

158863 (Betty!!!) Sheffield - Nottingham

222018 Nottingham - Leicester

222010 Leicester - London St Pancras

395028 London St Pancras - Ashford International

395018 Ashford International - St Pancras

43089+NL03+43075 St Pancras - Leicester

222016+222102 Leicester - Derby

222004 Derby - Sheffield

185116 Sheffield - Stockport

323227 Stockport - Poynton

Total Mileage 528.01

Total 2010 Miles 12732.60

And that's it for 2010, an immense year that has taken me to many new places :- Sunderland,Newcastle,Peterborough,Lymington Pier for the last 3-CIG slammer door units on the network,ferry cross the Mersey,Gunnislake,Salisbury,Swindon,Portsmouth,Fratton,Fareham,Southampton,Worksop,Lincoln and Whitwell

Thank you to everyone who I've been out with in 2010 and here's to another year of fun!