james60059
Member
So this evening, I decided to have a trip to Leamington Spa from Nuneaton, my first trip out on a train since lockdown was eased a number of weeks ago, aiming for the 17:16 departure, I arrived in good time, although the train was already in on Platform 1 as there's a decent turnaround time at the Nuneaton end. Going into the ticket office area, there is areas mapped out for social distancing purposes, with one window open, as there was already a customer, I opted for the self service machine. Picking up my tickets, I headed onto the platform, which also has markings on where to stand to allow enough room for passengers to disembark the train, in fact it seems pretty surreal at the moment, also as there was no enthusiasts on the station - whether they are still barred or not I don't know.
172004 would be my steed for the journey, and boarding the train at 17:05, there was only me on board, although as the departure time crept up, more passengers joined. Departing on time, there was just 7, including myself in the front coach. First stop, Bermuda Park, no one got on, but 2 people from the back coach alighted, with Bedworth being the next port of call not long afterwards. 4 people in the front coach got off and 1 boarded, it was extremely apparent that there is still not many customers using the railways. Leaving Bedworth, we shortly passed the derelict oil terminal, well not sure if it's entirely derelict, but the lack of trains using the terminal is clearly apparent with extremely rusty rails, and a fair bit of undergrowth now encroaching on the 2 sidings. Coventry Arena wasn't long arriving, and again the people alighting and boarding could be counted on 1 hand, just beyond Coventry Arena, the old track to Prologis Park can be discerned, again, as it's been a fair few years since a train was on the branch, 10 years at least, mother nature is slowly reclaiming the track bed.
Arriving into Coventry, running on time too, 15 people alighted, many of these being in the rear coach, although there was more or less an equal number boarding as well for the remainder of the journey to Leamington Spa. Leaving Coventry, screeching round the curve, it was a a lively sprint southwards, the double line becoming single line at Gibbet Hill Junction, although we were brought to stop just prior to Kenilworth Loop, a quick look at RTT quickly realised the 4O17 Lawley Street - Southampton freightliner was in front of us, and had been let out following the passage of a Manchester Piccadilly - Bournemouth service. Getting a single amber, we progressed to the signal protecting the end of the loop where it was a few minutes wait - apparently it's just one section between Kenilworth Junction and Milverton Junction, so we had to wait for the liner to clear Milverton Junction before proceeding into Kenilworth Station, this single line must be fun and games for signallers at times. Soon we got the all clear and we arrived at Kenilworth Station, 3 passengers boarded, and 3 got off, before setting off again for journey's end at Leamington Spa. The shenanigans around Kenilworth cost us 8 minutes, which meant very little time to turn around, we arrived into Leamington Spa, on Platform 3.
Despite the late arrival, we were 1 minute late departing Leamington, and there was also a good number of passengers on board, a quick count of 18 passengers, a handful of whom got off at Kenilworth, with 6 getting on at Kenilworth. Coventry was quickly reached, where many of those who boarded at Leamington got off, and about the same number got on. I think I must have been the only one going straight through
.
Leaving Coventry on time, 2 people alighted at Coventry Arena, one boarded, Bedworth seen 5 people leave the train with 2 boarding, and Bermuda Park then seen one off and one on before finally terminating at Nuneaton Platform 1 again, despite the late departure, we were 2 minutes early arriving
.
All in all, it was a pleasant experience, and I would like to say that if anyone does fancy a trip on a train, now is the time to do it, wearing a face covering of sorts, which I observed at least 80% of passengers split between Nuneaton, Coventry and Leamington Spa, as well as the ones on the train was. I also noticed that NO seats were marked off either, but passengers did exercise social distancing and were observant of the general social distancing ethos.
Cheers
James
172004 would be my steed for the journey, and boarding the train at 17:05, there was only me on board, although as the departure time crept up, more passengers joined. Departing on time, there was just 7, including myself in the front coach. First stop, Bermuda Park, no one got on, but 2 people from the back coach alighted, with Bedworth being the next port of call not long afterwards. 4 people in the front coach got off and 1 boarded, it was extremely apparent that there is still not many customers using the railways. Leaving Bedworth, we shortly passed the derelict oil terminal, well not sure if it's entirely derelict, but the lack of trains using the terminal is clearly apparent with extremely rusty rails, and a fair bit of undergrowth now encroaching on the 2 sidings. Coventry Arena wasn't long arriving, and again the people alighting and boarding could be counted on 1 hand, just beyond Coventry Arena, the old track to Prologis Park can be discerned, again, as it's been a fair few years since a train was on the branch, 10 years at least, mother nature is slowly reclaiming the track bed.
Arriving into Coventry, running on time too, 15 people alighted, many of these being in the rear coach, although there was more or less an equal number boarding as well for the remainder of the journey to Leamington Spa. Leaving Coventry, screeching round the curve, it was a a lively sprint southwards, the double line becoming single line at Gibbet Hill Junction, although we were brought to stop just prior to Kenilworth Loop, a quick look at RTT quickly realised the 4O17 Lawley Street - Southampton freightliner was in front of us, and had been let out following the passage of a Manchester Piccadilly - Bournemouth service. Getting a single amber, we progressed to the signal protecting the end of the loop where it was a few minutes wait - apparently it's just one section between Kenilworth Junction and Milverton Junction, so we had to wait for the liner to clear Milverton Junction before proceeding into Kenilworth Station, this single line must be fun and games for signallers at times. Soon we got the all clear and we arrived at Kenilworth Station, 3 passengers boarded, and 3 got off, before setting off again for journey's end at Leamington Spa. The shenanigans around Kenilworth cost us 8 minutes, which meant very little time to turn around, we arrived into Leamington Spa, on Platform 3.
Despite the late arrival, we were 1 minute late departing Leamington, and there was also a good number of passengers on board, a quick count of 18 passengers, a handful of whom got off at Kenilworth, with 6 getting on at Kenilworth. Coventry was quickly reached, where many of those who boarded at Leamington got off, and about the same number got on. I think I must have been the only one going straight through
.Leaving Coventry on time, 2 people alighted at Coventry Arena, one boarded, Bedworth seen 5 people leave the train with 2 boarding, and Bermuda Park then seen one off and one on before finally terminating at Nuneaton Platform 1 again, despite the late departure, we were 2 minutes early arriving
.All in all, it was a pleasant experience, and I would like to say that if anyone does fancy a trip on a train, now is the time to do it, wearing a face covering of sorts, which I observed at least 80% of passengers split between Nuneaton, Coventry and Leamington Spa, as well as the ones on the train was. I also noticed that NO seats were marked off either, but passengers did exercise social distancing and were observant of the general social distancing ethos.
Cheers
James