ash39's Trip Reports & Photos 2

[ash39]

My pre-existing trip report thread seems to have been locked, perhaps due to inactivity. For anyone wanting to read the story of how I spent the 2017-2020 period chasing Pacers and clocking up miles behind Class 91's, you can find those reports by clicking here

The first post of this new thread is a little different to the norm, though normality resumed in August with a North East Rover which I will post the write-up from in the next week or two. For now, here's all my rail-related memoirs from the April to July 2020 period.

 

[alexf380]

Good to have you back Ash! Some lovely photos in there, especially 66175 and 60026.

 

[Andy Pacer]

Good to see what you were up to during lockdown, i've done a couple of day rovers recently so hoping to get a trip report or two up.

 

[ash39]

Part 1 of August's rail activity is attached below, picking up where the lockdown blog left off. It also covers days 1-3 of a 7-day North East Rover. Part 2 to follow...

 

[Techniquest]

I'll have to read the August post tomorrow, but I really enjoyed the summary one.

I have to ask, how the heck did you make your bike fit on those IET hooks? Granted, I ride a mountain bike, so a road bike with thinner wheels may fit better, but I have only ever succeeded with hooking my bike up twice and both times by some miracle.

 

[CumbrianSausag]

Looking forward to reading part 2, more for your description of your Riding Mill to Corbridge experience!

 

[ash39]

I hope the conclusion of the North East Rover was worth the 6 week wait - here it is!

 

[ash39]

I'll have to read the August post tomorrow, but I really enjoyed the summary one.

I have to ask, how the heck did you make your bike fit on those IET hooks? Granted, I ride a mountain bike, so a road bike with thinner wheels may fit better, but I have only ever succeeded with hooking my bike up twice and both times by some miracle.

It wasn't without difficulty - the bike is lightweight and has narrow tyres. You wouldn't get most mountain bikes on there. Also, if there's a large bike occupying the aisle-side space and your reservation is for the window space, you've no chance of getting it in there!

 

[Andy Pacer]

A really interesting read as ever there Ash so thanks for sharing.

One thing I hadn't realised was that the north east rover is valid on Grand Central.

 

[Techniquest]

An excellent read there, and credit where it's due for doing those runs in rather unpleasant conditions! Especially so without waterproofs!

A busy rover that's for sure, with plenty of good results. I am a bit jealous of the moves on 68s though!

As for the bike hooks, I've managed to get my mountain bike on the GWT IETs a couple of times, but I certainly agree that only one bike (if you're lucky) will fit in there. I have no idea how anyone ever expected two bikes to fit in that space! Certainly the cycling community aren't impressed whatsoever...

 

[ash39]

You wait ages and two come along at once - October's movements attached

 

[Techniquest]

Not a bad haul, considering there was also some self-isolation in there. I'm on my final day of self-isolation, 14 days of it due to a housemate who tested positive. I'm still thankfully healthy, and as strange as it sounds I'm looking forward to going back to work on Friday!

Not as much as enjoying the great outdoors in the countryside tomorrow though, that's going to be amazing. I have missed my cycling really badly!

Glad to hear it was only mild symptoms for you, did you find isolating difficult?

I'm certainly inspired by your trips combining fitness and trains, it looks like you've got an ideal combination of both there. Some of that terrain sounded pretty challenging, and you mention a lack of training. That has me intrigued, what sort of training do you do for running? My training when it comes to cycling is just to get on the bike and ride, although I'm well aware there is no doubt a far better way to train than that.

 

[sftfan1909]

I also like the mix of running and railways. Part of the reason why I like going shacking is because there's plenty of opportunity to go on walks. Not sure I would run 14km before lunch though!

Some nice reads, please keep them up.

 

[CumbrianSausag]

Loving these again Ash, great to remember these, looking forward to the next one, get on with it!

Tech, training for running is more about frequency, the more you do the easier it is, with Ash sitting on his backside for a bit the muscle memory fades a little and the joints aren’t as lubricated. When we were really fit though to train for a 10k run we’d fartlek, hill sprint, long run, weights, resistance etc. Use all the muscles, strengthen the core, makes a difference to speed and strength.

 

[ash39]

Not a bad haul, considering there was also some self-isolation in there. I'm on my final day of self-isolation, 14 days of it due to a housemate who tested positive. I'm still thankfully healthy, and as strange as it sounds I'm looking forward to going back to work on Friday!

Not as much as enjoying the great outdoors in the countryside tomorrow though, that's going to be amazing. I have missed my cycling really badly!

Glad to hear it was only mild symptoms for you, did you find isolating difficult?

I'm certainly inspired by your trips combining fitness and trains, it looks like you've got an ideal combination of both there. Some of that terrain sounded pretty challenging, and you mention a lack of training. That has me intrigued, what sort of training do you do for running? My training when it comes to cycling is just to get on the bike and ride, although I'm well aware there is no doubt a far better way to train than that.

You have my sympathy, personally I found the isolation more difficult than the virus itself. It does feel great when you're 'released into the wild' again though so hang in there!

Training was probably the wrong term to use - I just haven't done much running in the past few months so I've lost some of the fitness I built up in the summer when I was running 20-25km a week.

With any cardio exercise, you will get better just by doing more of it. The caveat to that is always to build slowly or you'll end up with injuries. I get enough satisfaction now from running new routes and keeping a reasonable level of fitness, I don't think I'll ever beat my PB's now I'm firmly in my mid-30's.

I also like the mix of running and railways. Part of the reason why I like going shacking is because there's plenty of opportunity to go on walks. Not sure I would run 14km before lunch though!

Some nice reads, please keep them up.

Glad you enjoyed the read. I've done quite a few journeys between shacks on foot over the past 5 years or so. Some memorable ones:

Woodbridge to Melton (Suffolk)
Lelant to Lelant Saltings (Cornwall)
Ardrossan Beach to Ardrossan Town (North Ayrshire)

Loving these again Ash, great to remember these, looking forward to the next one, get on with it!

Tech, training for running is more about frequency, the more you do the easier it is, with Ash sitting on his backside for a bit the muscle memory fades a little and the joints aren’t as lubricated. When we were really fit though to train for a 10k run we’d fartlek, hill sprint, long run, weights, resistance etc. Use all the muscles, strengthen the core, makes a difference to speed and strength.

November isn't over yet, can't post it!

 

[Techniquest]

Thanks for the thoughts on training, I have to agree with you both that regular training does make it easier. Agreed too that building slowly is best, something I didn't know back in May when I pushed hard really fast and got injured. Hopefully, when I get back out there in a few hours' time, I'll not have too many issues and before I know it I'll be back to regular cycling again

You two are seriously welcome to running though, the most I've ever done is about a third of a mile Not for me, that's for sure.

EDIT: I sympathise, I'm not far off 36 so I'm well past my peak too!

 

[Kite159]

Walking between stations is a good way to get some exercise, especially if there are some interesting Rights of Ways allowing for mostly traffic free routes.

Ie Ascott-under-Wychwood to Charlbury,
Shippea Hill to Lakenheath via the nature reserve
Freshford to Oldfield Park via Midford & the Two Tunnels Greenway

 

[ash39]

Fashionably late as usual, November's report attached.

 

[CumbrianSausag]

Another great report Ash, my last proper run pre Covid, bet I couldn't do it now.

Seems like a lifetime ago.

 

[Techniquest]

Certainly not a bad little day out, a good way to combine interests Quite productive too, and I must confess surprise too with the revelation that you needed Ashburys!

 

[ash39]

Here's a shock, this months' report comes before the end of the month. I'm confident in doing so as it's very unlikely I should find myself on a train before midnight this evening...

What a strange year, no big trips for obvious reasons but managed to keep the wheels turning.

Overall winners fell from 189 to 150 this year - locally accessible new rolling stock for LNER, Northern & TPE helping this stay relatively high.

New stations dropped from 106 to just 67. Unless I can improve my hit rate, I will be going another 27 years until I complete the network!

 

[Techniquest]

Nice little bit of action there, despite the weather not being amazing Congratulations on clearing 100 of the 158s too

 

[alexf380]

Yes that's a good couple of months for you, Ash. You've certainly done well to keep the numbers rising during lockdown. I can only dream of getting out every couple of weeks at the moment!
100 x 158s is good too. That's about what, two thirds of the class?

 

[Kite159]

A good way to end the year

 

[ash39]

No moves whatsoever in January or February, and just 3 Garforth-East Garforth leaps in March to red pen 195006, 125 and 130.

April was much more like it with 18 pages worth of moves and photos (and it's a day early!)

 

[Kite159]

All the running between stations


"We had the novelty of leaving York earlier in the day using platform 1 and returning into platform 2 - not something that many people will have done before!"

Reminds me back in the summer of 2019 when I went into platform 1 at York from a rammed train from Hull to depart from platform 2 on one of the summer additional 185s TPE had laid on

 

[Andy Pacer]

Great work Ash, always an enjoyable read.

Been looking at the East Yorkshire round Robin ticket myself to strike off some of the coast stations, but after a year of being able to do very little its another that is still on the list.

 

[ash39]

All the running between stations


"We had the novelty of leaving York earlier in the day using platform 1 and returning into platform 2 - not something that many people will have done before!"

Reminds me back in the summer of 2019 when I went into platform 1 at York from a rammed train from Hull to depart from platform 2 on one of the summer additional 185s TPE had laid on

I should have put a disclaimer in. If anyone had done it previously it was bound to be you!

 

[Techniquest]

It is almost a certainty an unusual move will have been done by the forum's chief basher!

As always, I enjoyed the read there. Running between stations is a good idea, keeps one fit and ups the productivity on a trip! Not that you would find me running, I did a 5k run a few weeks ago and yeah...To be fair, my longest run before that was a 0.3m dash! I'd rather go for a 100km cycle ride, on its own a tough mission, than go running again!

 

[ash39]

It is almost a certainty an unusual move will have been done by the forum's chief basher!

As always, I enjoyed the read there. Running between stations is a good idea, keeps one fit and ups the productivity on a trip! Not that you would find me running, I did a 5k run a few weeks ago and yeah...To be fair, my longest run before that was a 0.3m dash! I'd rather go for a 100km cycle ride, on its own a tough mission, than go running again!

Running is a useful way of speeding up the shack collecting. Cycling would be useful for some of the stations further apart but it's a bit of a faff with the bikes on trains.