How difficult is it to arrive or leave at all timetabled platforms. 5 year project to achieve this.

[All platforms]

A very successful fairly local day out there! I haven't been on that line since the mid 2000s, my memory of the solo 153 journey is not terribly clear so I will have to go back some day. From what I've read and seen about the line, I will have great fun going off exploring with some walking on that line, maybe even a bit of cycling too!

I actually forgot there's a strike on today, good thing I don't need to use the railway! Hopefully you're using the day to do something productive

As for the other stations in the Wales part of your local area, might I suggest Ruabon gets done with a bus link to Llangollen and its heritage railway? Llangollen is certainly a picturesque place, and the heritage railway is definitely worth a ride. Chirk has a few bits of interest around it, I don't know how easy any of it is to see but you've got things like the aqueduct and the huge railway viaduct alongside it. The views going over that I recall are quite good. Gobowen still has its signal box from memory, and of course some sort of heritage railway operation attempting to get stuff happening. So worth a look about

I'm trying to remember interesting things about the Borderlands line from Wrexham to Bidston, but not a lot comes to mind. 11 and a half years, almost to the day, since I last went on that line so you'll have to forgive my lack of memory. I seem to remember something about Hawarden Bridge, the first thing that came to mind is that there's a National Cycle Network route that runs alongside the station. Not that I can remember where that goes to/from right now, but it's thanks to Geoff Marshall's video about the station that I have that memory. Dee Marsh is nothing as big as it was, although it does still get some freight to/from Margam. Long gone are the days of numerous 60s being seen up that way though, and a 60 hauling a heavy steel train is a fantastic sight and sound! Mostly just 66s on them now, but that may have changed.

Going back to your Glasgow comment, yes indeed the 320s have a great sound to them. I do like the noise of the 318s as well, although I have to say I like the 334s and their noise too. You'll love a Roundabout day out, so much to do and see! I think I've just talked myself into a Glaswegian adventure when I next get some time off

I am actually making room in the garage today so i can retrieve my bike from its present hidey hole and have a permanent spot for it here. About time i did this actually!!

Not every day can be a railway day i hear, although i will be doing some research later and checking on my Commonwealth Games related visit to Birmingham tomorrow. This will be my late finish day here, as at last all my non weekend only remaining targets are in theory available to be ticked off. The bonus is i don't need to set off till after lunch either. Something will go pop i'm sure but i should get a good few on the law of averages.

Llangollen and Chirk are well known to me already as they are just a hop skip and a jump away in the days out category for me, and whilst i haven't taken a trip on the heritage railway yet (no idea why not actually), i have walked across the canal viaduct at Chirk a few times and visited the castle there too which is worthwhile if that's you thing. Ruabon however, i have no memory of.

The borderlands line has 2 main obstacles for my project. Hawarden Bridge has limited services that i can get there and back from at accessible times, and at the other end is the PSUL option at Wrexham P3, and try as i might i can't work out a satisfactory itinerary for a day out that covers off these and everything else. Not sure now why this bothered me other than i was always one or maybe two moves away of fitting it all in, but with slightly more opportunities to get out and about - as you may have noticed, i will happily do a two day explore some time in the future - and maybe fit in a couple of stragglers too.

 

[Kite159]

Isn't Hawarden Bridge one of those stations which has a better service on a Sunday?

There is a handy Premier Inn pretty much nextdoor to Wrexham station which could be handy if you wanted to do that last Bidston - Wrexham service which does the short connection into P3 (there are also a couple other services which start from P3 heading south).

The line itself is boring in my eyes

 

[All platforms]

Isn't Hawarden Bridge one of those stations which has a better service on a Sunday?

There is a handy Premier Inn pretty much nextdoor to Wrexham station which could be handy if you wanted to do that last Bidston - Wrexham service which does the short connection into P3 (there are also a couple other services which start from P3 heading south).

The line itself is boring in my eyes

There is (or was) a weekday early evening switcheroo that could be done at H Bridge but yes a much better Sunday service which gives more options for this station - but the overall Sunday service on the line is inferior to the weekday one of course. Its no real biggie given its only 30 minutes to Wrexham or Chester for me - If i carry on as i am this year there will be nothing within a 90 minute (or longer) striking distance left to do.

The other reason its been left could be that its one of the more boring lines locally - which you have essentially confirmed. All will be fine though.

 

[Kite159]

And at least H Bridge isn't as bad as some as it's a short walk across the river to reach Shotton.

 

[All platforms]

Day 145: Thursday 28/07/2022 - West Midlands Day Ranger - £19.80 - Valid after 9.00am weekdays. Nuneaton to Leicester - £11.05 - Anytime Return. CP Smethwick Galton Bridge free.
Total time today 507 mins - Time on trains 204 mins and time waiting 303 mins. Stations completed today 1. Total completed 862.

This was a day long anticipated as it brought together (in theory) 5 of my remaining 6 targets in the West Midland area and bundled them up into a package starting just before 4pm - my latest ever start involving multiple targets. Nothing ever goes exactly to plan - at least not for me, but i will be more than satisfied at the finish.

Smethwick Galton Bridge was chosen as my base as this offered a safety net at the end of the day with a number of late services - which Sandwell & Dudley did not offer. I wanted the specific service at 15.44 as this was due to land in P7m - one of the lesser scheduled M platforms. Just a short hop really and we were being drawn forward by the dispatch team. I did ask and they did confirm this was P7 middle. Hurrah. This just leaves P1m to do which does have more opportunities if unsuccessful later. No time to wander for supplies as my next target was the rogue P4 at Leicester which has eluded me on a few occasions. P4a is used by the EM stoppers but for some reason the XC stoppers to New Street occasionally get timetabled on 4 and stop in a more central position. A good few pages of my book later here it was turning up on time in the correct spot - it must be my lucky day. This was an outlier platform with nothing for miles around now needed so that's a big win for me.

Next up was a missing piece of track between Nuneaton and Bermuda Park from my early days and it was getting decidedly dusk like by the time this was also in the bag and i was on the platforms at Coventry which looked so much better than on previous visits with the new upgrades now finished. A far cry from last year when it was a right old scruff bag in the midst of construction. 3 for 3 then - surely this couldn't be maintained?

Back in Birmingham i got my evening supplies and settled down to wait for my first evening service up to Aston from the East. The return service should land in P1m and it was a very nervous me that deemed that the hold outside the station didn't bode well. Yup, platform alteration into P3m as an very delayed Avanti was sitting in our designated spot - and for some time after. Oh well, i have to come back for Pleck (5.43 from Wolverhampton on a Saturday) and there is another opportunity just after 9.am for this so its not all doom and gloom. Just 1 platform away from completing what will be my biggest challenge at a station. All 49 platform variants.....

Last up is the Commonwealth Games circular using the very seldom used Perry Barr North from Soho South Junction and which would be used 4 times in all tonight collecting punters from the games and returning to the same spot in P5b. Busiest train of the day by far with all seats taken - I hope they had a great time at the opening ceremony. A bit of a wait rounded out the entertainment for me and i was back at the car only 10 minutes later than advertised. More overnight closure on the M6 delayed me more than a busy daytime traffic jam would often do but back by 2am to be met by a decidely grumpy cat who would have decorated my legs with cat laceration art if i hadn't seen him coming.

Not sure what is up next - depends on whether i will be coerced to watch the football on Sunday.

Smethwick Galton Bridge	Depart	15.44​	*****	LM			stations	platforms
Birmingham New Street	Arrive	15.51​	P7m	LM	wait 18m		completed	completed
Birmingham New Street	Depart	16.09​	P9a	XC
Leicester	Arrive	17.09​	P1	XC	wait 129m
Leicester	Depart	19.18​	P4	XC			1​	5​
Nuneaton	Arrive	19.45​	P6	XC	wait 29m
Nuneaton	Depart	20.14​	P1	WM
Coventry	Arrive	20.37​	P2	WM	wait 9m
Coventry	Depart	20.46​	P3	LM
Birmingham New Street	Arrive	21.16​	P4	LM	wait 28m
Birmingham New Street	Depart	21.44​	P9a	WM
Aston	Arrive	21.51​	P1	WM	wait 19m
Aston	Depart	22.10​	P2	WM
Birmingham New Street	Arrive	22.24​	P3m	WM	wait 21m
Birmingham New Street	Depart	22.45​	P5b	LM
Birmingham New Street	Arrive	23.15​	P5b	LM	wait 50m
Birmingham New Street	Depart	0.05​	P10b	LM
Smethwick Galton Bridge	Arrive	0.11​	*****	LM

 

[Kite159]

Sounded like a mostly successful day other than 1M

 

[All platforms]

Just an interesting (well maybe not) side note to Thursdays meander through the leafy West Midlands. It was the first day, apart from a few simple out and back journeys that creep in from time to time, that i have not had my tickets or Railcards checked. Some months ago it wasn't that unusual to have gone through the day with just the one check - usually a morning check, but those times are now over with regular checks a thing once again. Maybe its because i started mid to late afternoon? I was quite the surprised bunny...

 

[Techniquest]

I was literally just down the road from you on Thursday, as I was at Alexander Stadium for the opening ceremony! It was a good time, I can attest to that, that weird performance in the middle of the show was the worst bit. Don't ask me what I think of Duran Duran, I'm certainly not a fan and even less so after hearing that "singing"

I'd forgot about the shuttle trains if truth be told, although I could barely encourage my Mum (slightly dodgy hips) or my sister (issue with one of her feet) to walk all that far on Thursday or Friday. I'd even forgot there was a station not too far from the stadium I'll be using it on Wednesday and Thursday though, as I'm back there for some athletics sessions The last time I used Perry Barr station was almost certainly when the 323s were still in the old WMPTE colour scheme! Showing my age a bit there!

A good outing for you overall I'd say, a shame about p1m but otherwise you did rather well!

 

[Kite159]

Just an interesting (well maybe not) side note to Thursdays meander through the leafy West Midlands. It was the first day, apart from a few simple out and back journeys that creep in from time to time, that i have not had my tickets or Railcards checked. Some months ago it wasn't that unusual to have gone through the day with just the one check - usually a morning check, but those times are now over with regular checks a thing once again. Maybe its because i started mid to late afternoon? I was quite the surprised bunny...

In my experience ticket checks in the West Midlands were quite rare, even before Covid. The guards like to play "hide away in the back/middle cabs".

The number of e-tickets being sold to/from Duddeston/Smethwick Rolfe Street in order to bypass the barriers at New Street must be a lot (some of the chancers know not to use Five Ways as that also has gates and a ticket from Five Ways to New Street which hasn't had a "scan" to open the barriers is a large risk)

 

[All platforms]

Day 146: Sunday 31/07/2022 - Cheshire Day Ranger - £17.70 - Valid all day at weekends. CP Wilmslow Leisure Centre + Neston - Both free.
Total time today 383 mins - Time on trains 131 mins and time waiting 252 mins. Stations completed today 5. Total completed 867.

Just a local day today to knock out the Manchester Airport avoider going North and all this recent talk about the Borderlands Line had me revisiting the timetable to see what was possible on a Sunday.

I had almost forgotton about the Airport avoider requirement but thank goodness for organised spreadsheets. I aimed for the TfW option going through Wilmslow at 8.49 as this would transform itself into the butterfly that would go all the way to Swansea from Piccadilly and so i could just stay put on arrival - which i did in P6. Exactly an hour after setting off i arrived back in Wilmslow, this time via Stockport and plenty of time to get myself to Neston who would be hosting my vehicle for the remainder of my trip at a cost of exactly zero. I love a free car park by the way......

The timings on this line seem much friendlier than i remember and barring cancellations i could do the top half of the line covered by my Ranger ticket in just under 4 hours. The timetable is a bit assymetrical so a little care was needed to avoid unnecessary waits at the planning stage.

I arrived into a deserted CP at Neston and had time to have a scope around the area and quickly noted an Aldi and a Sainsburys Local on the opposite side of the tracks who would supply a little something to keep me going. The Wrexham train arrived on time and i was off to Hawarden Bridge, which is listed as a request stop but i got the impression from the guard we would be stopping there anyway. Curious. I didn't flag the return down but waited as one would normally and it stopped for me so i am not sure. Perhaps my intent was made clear by my being on the platform and watching the train approach. hmmm. Also worth noting is just how close this station is to the one at Shotton which is literally just the other side of the bridge. Lots of cyclists and walkers using the path adjacent in any event.

The first trip up the line would see me travel to Upton which is Merseyside's least used station. Before then however was the seemingly endless series of rusty and almost abandoned sidings just north of Hawarden Bridge on the River Dee side of the line. I also had a Simpsons moment as the sky was the exact shade of blue that the cartoon uses for the opening credits - and with the same series of fluffy clouds to boot. If that's not spooky i don't know what is. The line wasn't quite as boring as i had been expecting although it did get a bit residential as we approached Upton. I had always thought of this as a nothing line, but i have seen less interesting bits of the country so maybe not.

All the stations today (after the rural outpost that is HB) had local shops on the doorstep and Upton was no exception with a large Co-op. Otherwise nothing of note and i was back at my start point at Neston after a mere 10 minutes journey. This was my shortest wait and where i needed my arriving train to be on time. Thankfully it was just a minute late and so was the return so no panics and it was off once again, this time to the terminus at Bidston, and where Merseyrail services share the through platform. I was wondering where they were going to stable the unit for 20 minutes and it just returned back down the spur line and out of sight to wait it out, and to allow Merseyrail to use the through line.

Shotton was next and my first visit to the high level platforms except to use it to walk to the low level ones from the Car Park early last year. Easily gets the vote as busiest station on the line, and so it should really, given you can change for Chester North Wales as well as Wrexham and beyond here. By this time it felt very warm and muggy and i was glad to be be back on board for my last new station of the day at Heswall, which was a place my old school used to go to to have weeks away for third years (i think). Nothing else worthy of note to report here so i settled in for my longest wait of the day in the sunshine and with my book for company. Despite the trains being relatively busy i didn't have to wait at the interim stations with others so it did feel relatively peaceful despite how residential it all was just a stones throw away.

A successful if brief foray today and yes i was back in time for the football so all was good. I was intending to return to South Wales on Monday but less than good news at home means that is on hold for now.

Wilmslow	Depart	8.49​	*****	AW			stations	platforms
Manchester Piccadilly	Arrive	9.03​	P6	AW	wait 27m		completed	completed
Manchester Piccadilly	Depart	9.30​	P6	AW
Wilmslow	Arrive	9.49​	*****	AW	drive + wait
Relocate to	******	*****	*****	*****	87 mins
Neston	Depart	11.16​	*****	AW
Hawarden Bridge	Arrive	11.24​		AW	wait 15m
Hawarden Bridge	Depart	11.39​	P1	AW			1​	2​
Upton	Arrive	11.58​		AW	wait 34m
Upton	Depart	12.32​	P2	AW			1​	2​
Neston	Arrive	12.42​		AW	wait 8m
Neston	Depart	12.50​	P1	AW			1​	2​
Bidston	Arrive	13.05​	P2	AW	wait 23m
Bidston	Depart	13.28​	P2	AW
Shotton	Arrive	13.54​	P4	AW	wait 14m
Shotton	Depart	14.08​	P3	AW			1​	4​
Heswall	Arrive	14.24​		AW	wait 44m
Heswall	Depart	15.08​		AW			1​	2​
Neston	Arrive	15.12​	*****	AW

 

[Techniquest]

Whatever is going on at home, I hope everything will be better before too long

A decent day there yesterday, very productive!

 

[All platforms]

In my experience ticket checks in the West Midlands were quite rare, even before Covid. The guards like to play "hide away in the back/middle cabs".

The number of e-tickets being sold to/from Duddeston/Smethwick Rolfe Street in order to bypass the barriers at New Street must be a lot (some of the chancers know not to use Five Ways as that also has gates and a ticket from Five Ways to New Street which hasn't had a "scan" to open the barriers is a large risk)

Surely WM/LNW must know of the disproportionate number of ticket sales from the nearest station into New Street scenario. Makes you think they are not all that bothered with revenue protection - i have certainly never seen any protection officers on the network and i have done it to death these last 2 years. My memory fails me about ticket checks specifically in the West Midlands so difficult for me to corroborate - but i can well believe it. Northern and EMR have been quite keen on checks however these last few months as have TfW for the most part. I even got ticket checked for the short hop to Hawarden Bridge yesterday.

 

[Kite159]

Surely WM/LNW must know of the disproportionate number of ticket sales from the nearest station into New Street scenario. Makes you think they are not all that bothered with revenue protection - i have certainly never seen any protection officers on the network and i have done it to death these last 2 years. My memory fails me about ticket checks specifically in the West Midlands so difficult for me to corroborate - but i can well believe it. Northern and EMR have been quite keen on checks however these last few months as have TfW for the most part. I even got ticket checked for the short hop to Hawarden Bridge yesterday.

They might have cared before Covid but now all revenue goes to the DfT they probably can't care. Unless revenue protection is one of the performance related criteria for a bonus payment.

Northern can be good, although how much is down to the conductors getting paid per scan of an e-ticket (they always seem disappointed when you have a paper ticket)

 

[All platforms]

Whatever is going on at home, I hope everything will be better before too long

A decent day there yesterday, very productive!

Just showing support at a potentially difficult time. Despite my keeness to crack on over the summer a pause or two never hurts. Despite this i do have a spare 2 hours today after all after dong other chores, so i am off out for the short but expensive piece of track between Bank Quay and Warrington - edit err Crewe. However did i miss this on the Cheshire Day Ranger tickets.

Update: Passed on the Crewe attempt. Had to be done in a quick out and back but too many delays today to do this... oh well.

 

[Western Sunset]

Always enjoy reading about your meanderings. I admire your energy and enthusiasm. Best wishes.

 

[All platforms]

Always enjoy reading about your meanderings. I admire your energy and enthusiasm. Best wishes.

I am barely a third of the way through my meanderings with very little done outside a 200 mile radius of home so lets see how my enthusiasm keeps pace with the inevitable extra travelling! Glad you are enjoying the journey..

 

[All platforms]

Day 147: Wednesday 03/08/2022 - Explore South Wales Pass - £45.55 - 4 in 8 days - Day 1. Taffs Well to Trehafod - £2.20 - Anytime Single. Trehafod to Tonypandy - £3.90 - Anytime Return. CP Taffs Well, Cogan + Cwmbran all free.
Total time today 1027 mins - Time on trains 438 mins and time waiting 589 mins. Stations completed today 17. Total completed 886.

How much trainage can you fit into a day? A lot it turns out. Maximum trainage!

It all started out as a way of attempting the Maindee/Usk Junction PSUL moves (both directions) that occasionally pop up just East of Newport. There have been examples of these pretty much every month this year with the next batch at the end of the month. The downside is that these are the few late night/first train of the day moves, The 04xx moves don't always happen as possession has been given back early on quite a few occasions so late night it was. More of that later, but with South Wales targets reducing rapidly i wanted to see how much i could fit into the day before relocating to Cwmbran late in the evening.

In the end i ripped up part 2 of my planned itinerary as i realised the less predictable (and therefore tricky) part of the remaining South Wales targets would be the 3 remaining Cardiff platforms where i would have to do a lot of waiting there, and needed to generate some spare capacity for this. I started out way too early as it turns out as i made it down in one go save for a brief pit stop 30 miles or so from my chosen base of Taffs Well. The downside was i got there 50 minutes early, the upside was i got the last spot in the car park. There is a lot of activity going on at Taffs Well with closed access roads, loads of rail related construction connected with the Metro upgrades, and a reduced capacity CP all adding to the fun. On a whim i got an extra ticket for Trehafod to start earlier than planned, but maybe i was a bit hasty as will be seen from my first few moves which were not well planned!

I had to be on the very rare P1 arrival at Pontypridd (10.30) and so Trehafod and track to the North of there were the goals before that, but it wasn't happening so i swapped my original plan and did the track requirement first which left a more comfortable connection at Trehafod as a 2 minute gap between services is very much squeaky bum territory, especially if later connections rely on this happening. A leisurely trip up to Tonypandy via Tehafod to get a feel for the connection there, started proceedings therefore before returning to base and waiting for the Pontypridd terminator. I have a short memory because swapping platforms to/from p3 at Pontypridd takes way longer than you think especially with lethargic chaps and chapesses on gateline duty. Those stairs too! I made it, but only courtesy of a shouted appeal to the guard as i struggled to get through said gateline in anything like a satisfactory way. It's the achilles heel of Rover tickets as its a slim chance they will work where intended. A quick word about the return platform at Trehafod which was patrolled by a hi-vized security officer, guarding a very dubious bit of the platform deemed unsafe. Not in my book but then i would make a terrible safety officer in this day and age. Someone will be there from start to close of service untill fixed apparently and already we are a chunk of the way into week 2 of this. Also in the early morning blur that yesterday now takes was the appearance of a Northern liveried 150 and in a rash of unwarranted excitement i took a pic so welcome to the Valleys 150270.

The return turned out to be a non stop service from Radyr so i bailed at Pontypridd once more and waited a very acceptable 7 minutes for the next stopper as i needed Llandaf before returning North for Trefforest. Nothing of note here comes to mind so it was i alioghted at Queen Street to either do Cathays or Cardiff Bay whichever turned up first. Given its frequency no prizes for guessing Cardiff Bay and what an oddity this short piece of track is. Slightly bemused by it but the single coach did have quite a few passengers each way, but given todays motto i didn't explore which i might have done otherwise. A short wait thenm for my last Queen Street requirement of P5 and the very short hop to Cathays, althought there was an uncharachteristic wait of 20 mins here so i could catch my breath. That completes the Valley lines so hurrah for me and on to the next target, so back to Radyr one more time and a wait for the shuttle to/from Coryton via Ninian Park. Also a single car affair and the next 2 hours would be spent going back and to on this line calling at Fairwater, Danecourt, Ninian Park, and Waun-Gron Park before landing in Cardiff Central for the first time today, and waiting t=for the return to Rady to complete track requirements. I was getting famished by this time as there was either no time or nowhere immediately to hand to do a supply run - that is until swapping platforms at Ninian Park found me purchasing an excellent and cheap Cheese and Onion sandwich and a few other nick nacks.

One stop to Taffs Well rounded out part one of todays extravaganza and as i seemed to over 30 mins up on schedule, i thought i could go for other targets in the late afternoon/evening than planned. Cogan was my next base - just bacause its free and close to Cardiff and also what prompted me to look at the line to Bridgend via Barry. I had planned to be in Bridgend for the 21.30 as there was a good chance it would land at P6b and then go staright to depot - it didn't by the way so i have still to do this. I quickly scoped i could do the tougher bits of the line and still be on time so for track i did Bridgend first then back to Rhoose where my spidey sense told me to run for the crossing given only 6 minutes for the return. A blooming good chance i did because i just squeaked through before the beeps. Pics of the station/train were taken from the barriers therefore and one of only a couple of times i haven't waited to take a pic or two. A mini evening supply run followed at Llantwit Major with an excellent local supermarket close by to assist with this and if the return was on time i could do all the Barrys! Barry, Barry Island, Barry Docks and then Barry again to wait for the Bridgend service and get the more elusive of these - P2. Barry Island was in full swing when i arrived as the station is very close to the funfair action, and again in less pressing times i would have spent time here having a mooch. Would i have resisted the candyfloss though??

A good old wait at Bridgend was my reward and a bout of people watching ensued. My favouritre game was guessing how many times punters would try the (by now) locked toilet doors before realising they were actually locked and not just themselves inexplicably malfunctioning in their door handle using abilities. i think the record was 8 and the average at least 4. Not one left after one try - and there were many. So a bonus of Leckwith once more and a bonus stop at Ninian park before landing in P7 for a platform alteration. In the scheme of things i think this was the only thing that didn't go as expected today - drat that's a spoiler alert.

A quick phone home once back at Cogan and then off to Cwmbran where Maindee/Usk both ways was the main attraction. It all went to plan - what else can i say, although i am not sure we ended up in the Usk sidings for the first move before reversing the short distance into Newport. Only P1 and P2 were open there and Stop boards/signs were much in evidence off the other platforms. The orange army were out in force, predominantly at the Cardiff end and a hive of industry. The last move of the day was the reverse. From info over the tannoy, the dispatcher and the guard on the train i gleaned there was just one road open so that meant we would sit within the South side of the Maindee triangle awaiting the arrival of another Southbound service which duly arrived after 20 mins or so. It could be seen quite easily as it traversed the eastern side. Once it had passed us it was our turn and we for definite were put into the sidings this time before reversing across the main lines and onto the single line up to Maindee North.

A big tick for this one. I will return next midsummer for Ogmore and the Builth special going North but for now my question to myself is can i do the remaining targets on Sunday/Monday or will i need another half day to be sure. I will be having a close look at this later. As usual there was an overnight closure on the Motorway - this time the top end of the M50 and i had the devils own job finding my way back to the M5 after it became apparent that it wasn't just one junction that was closed. No heroics then and a couple of naps either side of Birmingham ensured i was back before 6.30.. Sunday and Monday in South Wales for one last hurrah and then it will be time for other parts of the country to get a look in.

Taffs Well	Depart	8.23​	*****	AW			stations	platforms
Trehafod	Arrive	8.38​		AW	wait 31m		completed	completed
Trehafod	Depart	9.09​		AW
Tonypandy	Arrive	9.20​	Single	AW	wait 14m
Tonypandy	Depart	9.34​	Single	AW
Taffs Well	Arrive	9.59​		AW	wait 16m
Taffs Well	Depart	10.15​		AW			1​	2​
Pontypridd	Arrive	10.31​	P1	AW	wait 4m		1​	3​
Pontypridd	Depart	10.35​	P3	AW
Trehafod	Arrive	10.39​		AW	wait 16m
Trehafod	Depart	10.55​		AW			1​	2​
Pontypridd	Arrive	11.01​	P2	AW	wait 7m
Pontypridd	Depart	11.08​	P2	AW
Llandaf	Arrive	11.26​		AW	wait 11m
Llandaf	Depart	11.37​		AW			1​	2​
Trefforest	Arrive	11.52​		AW	wait 7m
Trefforest	Depart	11.57​		AW			1​	2​
Cardiff Queen Street	Arrive	12.1812.23	P3	AW	wait 5m
Cardiff Queen Street	Depart	12.23​	P1	AW
Cardiff Bay	Arrive	12.27​	Single	AW	wait 2m
Cardiff Bay	Depart	12.29​	Single	AW			1​	1​
Cardiff Queen Street	Arrive	12.33​	P1	AW	wait 6m
Cardiff Queen Street	Depart	12.39​	P5	AW			1​	5​
Cathays	Arrive	12.40​		AW	wait 20m
Cathays	Depart	13.00​		AW			1​	2​
Cardiff Queen Street	Arrive	13.05​	P3	AW	wait 4m
Cardiff Queen Street	Depart	13.09​	P5	AW
Radyr	Arrive	13.18​	P2	AW	wait 13m
Radyr	Depart	13.31​	P3	AW			1​	3​
Fairwater	Arrive	13.37​		AW	wait 11m
Fairwater	Depart	13.48​		AW			1​	2​
Danecourt	Arrive	13.49​		AW	wait 17m
Danecourt	Depart	14.06​		AW			1​	2​
Ninian Park	Arrive	14.13​	P1	AW	wait 36m
Ninian Park	Depart	14.49​	P2	AW			1​	2​
Waun-Gron Park	Arrive	14.52​		AW	wait 20m
Waun-Gron Park	Depart	15.12​		AW			1​	2​
Cardiff Central	Arrive	15.24​	P6a	AW	wait 14m
Cardiff Central	Depart	15.38​	P8	AW
Radyr	Arrive	15.5215.59	P3	AW	wait 7m
Radyr	Depart	15.59​	P2	AW
Taffs Well	Arrive	16.02​	*****	AW	drive + wait
Relocate to	******	*****	*****	*****	51m
Cogan	Depart	16.53​	*****	AW
Bridgend	Arrive	17.42​	P1a	AW	wait 2m		1​	4​
Bridgend	Depart	17.44​	P1a	AW
Rhoose Cardiff International Airport	Arrive	18.09​		AW	wait 5m
Rhoose Cardiff International Airport	Depart	18.14​	P2	AW			1​	2​
Llantwit Major	Arrive	18.24​	P2	AW	wait 32m
Llantwit Major	Depart	18.56​		AW			1​	2​
Barry	Arrive	19.12​		AW	wait 6m
Barry	Depart	19.18​	P3	AW
Barry Island	Arrive	19.22​	Single	AW	wait 4m
Barry Island	Depart	19.26​	Single	AW			1​	1​
Barry Docks	Arrive	19.32​		AW	wait 13m
Barry Docks	Depart	19.45​		AW			1​	2​
Barry	Arrive	19.48​	P3	AW	wait 28m
Barry	Depart	20.16​	P2	AW			1​	3​
Bridgend	Arrive	20.47​	P1a	AW	wait 50m
Bridgend	Depart	21.37​	P2	AW
Cardiff Central	Arrive	22.05​	P7b	AW	wait 8m
Cardiff Central	Depart	22.13​	P8	AW
Cogan	Arrive	22.21​	*****	AW	drive + wait
Relocate to	******	*****	*****	*****	80m
Cwmbran	Depart	23.41​	*****	AW
Newport (South Wales)	Arrive	0.02​	P1	AW	wait 49m
Newport (South Wales)	Depart	0.51​	P2	AW
Cwmbran	Arrive	1.30​	*****	AW

 

[Kite159]

A productive day in South Wales

I've only ever done that curve at Maindee on charter services

 

[Techniquest]

That was a mighty long day! An incredibly busy and productive one, granted, I can only imagine the level of tiredness that must have caused!

Well done on getting that curve at Maindee too!

 

[The exile]

A productive day in South Wales

I've only ever done that curve at Maindee on charter services

Only opportunity I ever had to do it on a service train was stymied by the failure of the lighting in 1 coach of a Shrewsbury flower show extra (remember them?) just before Bristol. Rather than lock that coach out of use for the passage under the Severn, we were all turned off at Bristol. Think everyone on board was a basher - which may have had something to do with the decision!

 

[All platforms]

Day 148: Saturday 06/08/2022 - Warrington Bank Quay - £9.20 - Anytime Return. CP Dixon Street CP Warrington £2.00
Total time today 49 mins - Time on trains 32 mins and time waiting 17 mins. Stations completed today 0. Total completed 886.

I have looked at doing this rogue bit of track a few times but for some reason it just hasn't fit in to what else was planned, or on the day there were too many cancellations/delays - and its also an expensive few miles. Yes it can be done as part of a Cheshire Ranger Ticket but as of now i only have a few spots around Stalybridge and out to New Mills Central to do, so its a bit isolated. I had to bite the bullet at some stage so with a spare few hours this afternoon before i prepare for another trip to South Wales i whisked down to Bank Quay for the 14.4x. Whilst there were quite a few Avanti cancellations on the WCML today, mid afternoon seemed to be OK and so i went for it.

Bank Quay and Crewe have seen my custom many times on this journey and its probably safe to say this will be the last time i will see them - hmm.. actually, scratch that, i might use either for a base to go to/from London when i eventually swivel my steely gaze to the big smoke. The out and back was utterly uneventful though it was interesting to see the flyover from the Liverpool line just north of Acton Bridge.

I had eveything planned for tomorrow until i spotted that the Bishton flyover would be in use just before Severn Tunnel Junction with the fast lanes East of Newport out of commission, and so i have had 3 attempts at fitting everything in around that and the Landore Swansea avoiders that are a must do also. Lets see what happens!

Warrington Bank Quay	Depart	14.47​	*****	VT			stations	platforms
Crewe	Arrive	15.02​	P5	VT	wait 17m		completed	completed
Crewe	Depart	15.19​	P6	VT
Warrington Bank Quay	Arrive	15.36​	*****	VT

 

[Techniquest]

Ooh Bishton's in use, nice. Been a very long time since I last did that, it was oddly satisfying flying over the mainline and better still was doing it unexpectedly following a track circuit failure or similar!
Have fun in South Wales, and here's hoping it all goes to plan!

 

[All platforms]

Ooh Bishton's in use, nice. Been a very long time since I last did that, it was oddly satisfying flying over the mainline and better still was doing it unexpectedly following a track circuit failure or similar!
Have fun in South Wales, and here's hoping it all goes to plan!

It seems there is always something to be added to the list no matter where i go. The slippery micro gricing slope is looming i fear - though this is genuine track and not a crossover or wrong way working. Never even heard of Bishton until earlier today. I don't often find much on the Gensheet info exchange that is of interest to me but this is the exception and why i signed up i guess. No mention on PSUL or UTtracker although its search function is excellent once you get to grips. Looking forward to doing something a little different tomorrow - i love me a flyover...

 

[Techniquest]

I think it won't be on PSUL because it's not a normally booked route, comes up now and again on engineering works.

I wouldn't worry by the way, I think you're a long way from micro-gricing yet. It takes some serious dedication to doing that, and I think you have to have a particular mindset to even consider doing it seriously.

 

[Kite159]

I believe from memory the last Cardiff - Portsmouth train on a Saturday night back in 2015/16 time was timed to use the relief lines from Cardiff towards Tunnel Junction, sometimes it would do the flyover sometimes it would race on the mains to then sit outside Filton Abbey Wood for 5+ minutes.

There are different levels of microgricing, some more extreme than others.

 

[Snow1964]

I do enjoy your creativity.

Whilst I remember, for anyone interested, found this one on GWR engineering webpage for Sunday 13th November

Trains between Bristol Temple Meads and Weymouth will use an alternative route between Trowbridge and Frome, not stopping at Westbury.

 

[Kite159]

I do enjoy your creativity.

Whilst I remember, for anyone interested, found this one on GWR engineering webpage for Sunday 13th November

With that description, I imagine an area of Westbury is closed, so those trains will take the chord between Hawkeridge Jn & Heywood Road Jn, reversing on the "mainline" to go via the Westbury avoider line towards Frome.

(Used to be a PSUL service with a couple random London - Bristol trains which ran that way to give Trowbridge & Bradford on Avon a 'direct' Paddington train to avoid a reversal at Westbury, now it seems it is only used for diverts whenever the main line is closed after Reading.

 

[Snow1964]

With that description, I imagine an area of Westbury is closed, so those trains will take the chord between Hawkeridge Jn & Heywood Road Jn, reversing on the "mainline" to go via the Westbury avoider line towards Frome.

(Used to be a PSUL service with a couple random London - Bristol trains which ran that way to give Trowbridge & Bradford on Avon a 'direct' Paddington train to avoid a reversal at Westbury, now it seems it is only used for diverts whenever the main line is closed after Reading.

What I can’t remember is if there is a signalled reversal on mainline, or if have to use the Tarmac reception line for a reversal to/from Frome. If it is latter would be very rare track to use.

 

[Magdalia]

I am hoping that @All platforms knows the answer to this.

Yesterday I was listening on Radio 4 to The Infinite Monkey Cage, with Brian Cox and Robin Ince.

The Infinite Monkey Cage - Series 24 - How to Teach Maths - How to Teach Maths - BBC Sounds

Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by comedian Sara Pascoe to get a unique maths lesson.

www.bbc.co.uk

The programme was How to Teach Maths, and included a discussion about zero.

One of the guests was Matt Parker, a comedian, and I think I heard him claim that he had visited all of the platform zeroes in one day.

Is that possible, or was it a joke?

There's a repeat broadcast at 1600 on Thursday.

 

[Kite159]

I am hoping that @All platforms knows the answer to this.

Yesterday I was listening on Radio 4 to The Infinite Monkey Cage, with Brian Cox and Robin Ince.

The Infinite Monkey Cage - Series 24 - How to Teach Maths - How to Teach Maths - BBC Sounds

Brian Cox and Robin Ince are joined by comedian Sara Pascoe to get a unique maths lesson.

www.bbc.co.uk

The programme was How to Teach Maths, and included a discussion about zero.

One of the guests was Matt Parker, a comedian, and I think I heard him claim that he had visited all of the platform zeroes in one day.

Is that possible, or was it a joke?

There's a repeat broadcast at 1600 on Thursday.

I believe he joined Geoff Marshall to do all platform 0s in one day
Part 1:

Part 2:

Visiting all the stations with platform 0 (for there is only 8/9* of them) is easier than being on a train which uses platform 0. Especially for Haymarket where platform 0 has limited use for passenger services (I only scored it by chance as Scotrail spun a late running Edinburgh - Glasgow train there). [*can't remember if that was filmed before Leeds gained a P0]