It's time I started doing trip reports...

[Peter C]

The first - that's a battery(?) powered shunting locomotive at Three Bridges depot.

Ah OK - thanks I've seen a few photos of that sort of thing recently. I need to look into them properly at some point.

The other picture you refer to was taken from a 455 heading from East Croydon towards Selhurst; those workings often coincide with a 700 arriving from the north and once in a while both units will be in the right place for the 700 to be snapped from the 455 - as on this occasion.

Sounds like quite the shot to get then! I suppose in that area you've got a lot of lines crossing over and passing under each other, so there's quite a few places to take photos of trains from other trains, unlike the Cotswold Line

I'll try to make a start on the August reports in the next day or two.

I look forward to reading them.

-Peter

 

[Peter Mugridge]

27/07/20

This trip was a "Catfish" hunt and that was partly chosen by the fact that my last longer trip before lockdown was the same, so it seemed to be a sort of neat bit of book-ending to do the same for the first post lockdown trip... Anyway:

I started with 377 625 + 377 620 from Epsom to Sutton, then 700 001 to Farringdon before nipping across to Liverpool Street on 21103 + 21104. Required 745 104 was the next Norwich working, so that was a good start; I also clocked two pairs of 710s, yielding three units for sight. These pairs were 710 119 + 710 120 and 710 117 + 710 107.

On the way out, I caught sight of 66 623 at Chelmsford, 66 788 at Witham and 745 009 at Colchester. Ipswich of course was rather busier with 755 334, 745 109, 755 419, 66 622 and 86 614 + 86 632 all in evidence. Unfortunately a pair of 360s was blocking most of the view of what was in the stabling point next to the station! Needham Market saw 755 413 passing by.

I hopped off at Diss, knowing that the following service was also required for haulage, 745 005, and photographed 745 010 and 745 103 while I was waiting for it.

Norwich was fertile ground for sightings, even on a brief visit, as you might expect. Present in and around the station and Crown Point depot were 745 105, 745 006, 745 007, 755 418, 755 329, 755 423, 745 002, 37 611, 66 304 and 66 305. My train back to London was required 745 107, so the mission was certainly a productive one.

Ipswich this time produced sightings of 66 592, 90 041, 66 543, 755 412 and 755 414 while 37 608 was lurking at Manningtree. One final new sighting was 745 108 at Liverpool Street. After that it was 21017 + 21018 across to Farringdon for 700 032 back to Sutton then 377 617 + 377 610 onwards to Epsom.

On the pictures below from the day, the fox is at Tulse Hill; spotted and snapped while on the way out in the morning.

 

[MDB1images]

27/07/20

This trip was a "Catfish" hunt and that was partly chosen by the fact that my last longer trip before lockdown was the same, so it seemed to be a sort of neat bit of book-ending to do the same for the first post lockdown trip... Anyway:

I started with 377 625 + 377 620 from Epsom to Sutton, then 700 001 to Farringdon before nipping across to Liverpool Street on 21103 + 21104. Required 745 104 was the next Norwich working, so that was a good start; I also clocked two pairs of 710s, yielding three units for sight. These pairs were 710 119 + 710 120 and 710 117 + 710 107.

On the way out, I caught sight of 66 623 at Chelmsford, 66 788 at Witham and 745 009 at Colchester. Ipswich of course was rather busier with 755 334, 745 109, 755 419, 66 622 and 86 614 + 86 632 all in evidence. Unfortunately a pair of 360s was blocking most of the view of what was in the stabling point next to the station! Needham Market saw 755 413 passing by.

I hopped off at Diss, knowing that the following service was also required for haulage, 745 005, and photographed 745 010 and 745 103 while I was waiting for it.

Norwich was fertile ground for sightings, even on a brief visit, as you might expect. Present in and around the station and Crown Point depot were 745 105, 745 006, 745 007, 755 418, 755 329, 755 423, 745 002, 37 611, 66 304 and 66 305. My train back to London was required 745 107, so the mission was certainly a productive one.

Ipswich this time produced sightings of 66 592, 90 041, 66 543, 755 412 and 755 414 while 37 608 was lurking at Manningtree. One final new sighting was 745 108 at Liverpool Street. After that it was 21017 + 21018 across to Farringdon for 700 032 back to Sutton then 377 617 + 377 610 onwards to Epsom.

On the pictures below from the day, the fox is at Tulse Hill; spotted and snapped while on the way out in the morning.

Great report.
Really need to do Anglia once things settle down.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Pictures, including another one from the flyover at Selhurst, from a shopping trip on 01/08/20... If I get time tonight, I'll start reporting on my Rail Rover week which began the next day.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

02/08/20 Rail Rover Day 1 of 7

Beginning an intensive week of travel on a Sunday is always a good idea as it guarantees a quiet day both before and afterwards!

The first train from Epsom was formed of 377 111 + 377 158. Normally I would change at Sutton to get across London by Thameslink, but on this day there was a late start - aside from it being Sunday, there was some engineering work resulting in a later than usual start. This meant I continued to Clapham Junction, where I boarded 377 144 + 377 113. The plan was to go to East Croydon and pick up the first northbound Thameslink from there, but I quickly worked out that I could stay on to Gatwick and pick up the same service there for a much shorter fester, so that is what I did and eventually I set off north again on 700 116 for Cambridge.

Passing Hornsey I noticed 47 727 + 47 739 stabled in the Ferme Park sidings and 08 580 at Bounds Green, but there was otherwise nothing really of note. It was "Catfish" time again from Cambridge, with 755 415 "over the top" to Norwich, where I photographed it and 755 330 before boarding 755 327 to Great Yarmouth and back; I needed the haulage but the Sunday timetable was such that there was no benefit in getting off anywhere else. 745 101, 745 102 and 745 103 were all also present at Norwich. The recent arrival of carriages for store at Great Yarmouth, along with 08 762 to shunt them around provided some extra interest.

Having returned to Norwich, a study of the timetable revealed that I would either have to make another trip on the same unit to somewhere and get only one other coming back or get only a single other new haulage on another local line. Instead I took required 745 006 to Stowmarket and unfortunately the return to Norwich was dud 745 107. This is often the trouble with Sunday travel - not a lot of choice, especially when faced with a later starting time.

Upon getting back to Norwich, I quickly discovered that any attempt to get more haulages locally would at best yield just one but would result in a three hour delay getting home, which would not be good with a week of very early starts ahead of me, so as another required unit, 755 405, was going to be the next Cambridge service, with the risk of a dud on the following one, I decided to head back an hour earlier than planned. Other units present at Norwich - both in the station and at Crown Point - at that time were 755 407, 755 410, 755 331, 745 002 and 745 009. Shortly before Cambridge, I managed a very good photo of a combine harvester at work, which I have included as one of the sample below. The surroundings and the views are all part of the journey experience, after all.

Back at Cambridge I managed a tight two or three minute connection - fortunately straight across the platform - onto, annoyingly, 700 116 again. I might have had them all for haulage, but it's still annoying when the same one turns up twice in the same day! I did manage to grab a photo of a triple line up of 700 134, 700 060 and 700 124 in the sidings despite the tight connection. I stayed on board to St Pancras, then changed for 700 045 to Sutton and then 377 604 for the short hop back to Epsom.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

03/08/20 Rail Rover Day 2 of 7

Monday morning issues struck this mission!

Working out that my best way of getting across London purely on the rover was to head to London Bridge each day and then get Thameslink through the core, I started off with the first train of the day from Epsom, namely 455 811 + 455 826 and picked up a good connection at London Bridge with 700 101. Unfortunately, this got no further than Blackfriars - the wires were down in the core!!! However, ticket acceptance was in place so I was able to get round to King's Cross with the help of 21449 + 21450 on the Circle, and after examining the options, I got authorised by LNER to use the rover before 10.00 and in fact left King's Cross on the same train, required 801 216, that I would have picked up later at Peterborough had the Thameslink been running through normally. That was certainly a neat recovery following the disruption.

On the way north I saw renumbered 156 909 at Peterborough; also 66 707 and 66 783. Doncaster was more fruitful, with 66 733, 66 755, 66 777, 66 742, 56 096, 56 113, 66 618 and 331 105 all present. Just short of York was a pair of new TPE units, 802 219 + 802 208 - presumably doing coupling training - while 37 218 was resting in one of the usual bays.

Continuing north to Newcastle, I was eyeing up a rather tight +3 with a southbound TPE but this being Monday, the plans were scuppered again when we were signalled to a halt on the King Edward bridge where we remained for about ten minutes "obstruction on the track" apparently. During which ten minutes, of course, the TPE came past us. Well, no real worries - not having had any of those before, I knew the next one would be required and there was always the possibility of a required LNER turning up southbound as well - and with the currently compulsory reservations, this was where the allocations on RTT came in very useful! I could see that there was in fact a required 801 207 expected before the next southbound TPE, so a quick visit to the ticket office sorted a reservation for it, which I rode to Darlington, after first photographing 802 201 and 802 207 plus observing 67 007 on Thunderbird standby.

At Darlington it was only a matter of minutes before 802 201 became my next gain, while 802 202 dashed past in the opposite direction at Northallerton. Bailing from the 802 at York, I made a move with 68 033 + TP08 to Leeds. Passing Neville Hill allowed me to observe 08 950, 195 001 and 195 102. On arrival at Leeds, a quick dash round the platforms after 68 031 + TP11 was made, only to find Monday had struck again and it was cancelled there with a fault - drat!!! Instead I caught 802 214 back to York, but not before I had noted 195 006 and photographed 180 108. Passing by Neville Hill again added 195 002 and 331 107 to the notebook. On arrival at York I did quick pictures of 802 214, 801 204 and 800 105 before boarding 802 202, which I had seen earlier, back to Leeds again - this time adding 08 525 at Neville Hill, and grabbing a picture of 08 950, knowing where exactly it was from my earlier passes.

This time I boarded 331 110 for Doncaster, but not before getting a picture of 802 202 and 331 109. The Doncaster move, armed with reservations made at Leeds ( thanks again to the RTT allocations ) saw me change onto 801 110 + 801 112 onwards to Peterborough - having first grabbed pictures of several Mk4s in the station and then 66 735 and 66 777 just outside the station. Peterborough was more productive than on the way out, this time 66 751, 66 771, 66 731 and 66 788 were present at the depot while 66 416 passed through the station; several of LNER's Zoomy Things were noted northbound and then my next required haulage 801 227 turned up ( having been pre-reserved at Leeds ).

Riding this to King's Cross I walked over to St Pancras and caught 700 049 to Sutton for 377 703 back to Epsom.

Now for the usual selection of images from the day...

 

[Kite159]

Sounded like a good day with the rover

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Thank you. It was indeed. I'm trying to get the rest of these reports done asap before things start opening up again next month.

Now...

04/08/20 Rail Rover Day 3 of 7

Again starting early with 455 804 + 455 808 from Epsom to London Bridge, this time 700 133 took me through the core with no problems and on to Peterborough, passing 66 125 at Biggleswade. At Peterborough I continued my journey with 801 111 + 801 108, a required pair, to Doncaster. Aside from 66 731 and 66 720, nothing else was sighted until Doncaster itself, where 66 414, 66 533, 66 777, 66 712, 66 714, 66 155, 37 612, 67 001 and 08 724 were present, along with 331 104. My move onwards to York was required 801 221.

From York, a fairly relaxed change to Leeds was had on unfortunately dud 802 202 while 802 213 headed the other way! This was forced because gen was received advising me that the only 158 I needed for photo was at Sheffield - and the quickest way there was to continue on another dud, 158 796. This ability to change plans at a moment's notice really demonstrates the value of the flexibility of an all line rover! Before leaving Leeds, however, I noted 66 780 and 195 114. Midland Road, not surprisingly, provided a fest with 70 013, 70 002, 70 019, 70 011, 70 020, 66 598 and 66 561 all present.

Sure enough, 158 816 was lurking in the west end shed at Sheffield and a picture was duly taken. I then quickly did pictures of 195 013 and 195 014 before getting the first available train back to Leeds in the shape of my third dud haulage in a row, 158 906. This move gave me my first sighting of a traim, with 399 203 passing at Rotherham, where I also snapped a couple of industrial shunters at a steelworks. At Wakefield, we were on the high lines while 66 724 passed below on the low lines and that also fell victim to my shutter.

Following arrival back at Leeds, 68 023 + TP09 was my next haulage; the locomotive at least was required but the rake was dud! Also noted present was 331 107. I bailed at Dewsbury and got dud 158 753 back to Leeds where a quick move from one end of the station to the other allowed me to board 195 007 on one of the York shuttle diagrams. 802 217 was also at Leeds at the time. Neville Hill was host to 195 127, amongst other stuff, and at Crossagtes it was again time to bail out, grab a quick picture and then make the long slog over to the other platform to intercept 195 009 + 195 012 back to Leeds on the other shuttle diagram.

By now I had plotted my moves back to London in such a way as to gain three required zoomy things for haulage. This meant ignoring the temptations of 802 218, 195 010 and 331 103 in favour of 800 204 to Doncaster and 801 213 south from there. Below Doncaster I added 66 733, 66 737 and 66 723 to the morning's collection, saw 195 005 on the low level line at Retford and netted a few more locomotives at Peterborough: 66 788, 66 771, 66 775, 66 786, and 66 951. A photograph was obtained of 700 138 simply because it was at a good angle in good light. Passing northbound were 801 103 + 801 109, but my quarry was 801 206 onwards to King's Cross, from where I again walked to St Pancras and took 700 030 to Sutton for 377 616 home to Epsom.

As usual, below are a few of the images captured on the day.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

05/08/20 Rail Rover Day 4 of 7

This time my start off Epsom was on 455 843 + 455 838 ( I was rather surprised to see 700 003 in the Downs side of Sutton while passing through, and I managed to grab two pictures of it... ) and the connection from London Bridge was 700 131, followed by a further change at Blackfriars for 700 153 after the former was terminated there. There was nothing of note until Peterborough, where I boarded required 801 201 for the run to York. Seen just after departure were 66 743, 66 537, 66 550 and 66 529 while the passage through Doncaster yielded 66 737, 66 729, 66 735, 66 568, 56 105, 56 078, 08 724 and 156 907.

From York I had the quality haulage of 68 032 + TP12 to Malton - both the locomotive and the carriages being required - with 185 129 + 185 146 getting me swiftly back in order to get required 802 218 forwards to Leeds, but not before grabbing a picture of 801 203. From the train I obtained a picture of 195 120 at Neville Hill and on arrival at Leeds noted 195 101.

My next move, however, was required 195 004 to Crossgates for required pair 195 003 + 195 010 back again. While waiting at Crossgates, 68 032 + TP09 charged through. Going forwards from Leeds I utilised 185 111 + 185 135 to intercept an 802 at Dewsbury, but I must have miscalculated the Liverpool turnarounds because dud 802 201 turned up to bring me back to Leeds.

Having gone to all that trouble the day before, it was somewhat annoying to find 158 816 in the platforms at Leeds, but that did allow me to get a much better picture of it at least. Also photographed was 195 113, and 66 770 was seen passing through but was not in a photographable position. My next haulage was required 331 106 to Ilkley and back, before plotting my moves back south - today this was 801 107 + 801 103 to Doncaster and 801 225 from there through to King's Cross. En route, 66 732 and 66 786 were photographed at Pererborough.

The last moves of the day were 700 025 from St Pancras to Sutton and 377 614 to Epsom.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

06/08/20 Rail Rover Day 5 of 7

Today it was 455 823 + 455 830 from Epsom to start with, and 700 154 provided the connection from London Bridge to Peterborough for required 801 229 forwards to York - but not before doing a picture of a pigeon nesting on the station! Present at Peterborough were 66 720, 66 786, 66 754, 66 771 and 66 529. Doncaster yielded 66 723, 66 136 and 70 803 while 331 101 and 331 102 were also around.

Upon arrival at York, my next move was required 802 217 for Manchester Victoria, noting 195 101 ( at Leeds ), 802 212 ( at Dewsbury ) and 09 009 ( at Miles Platting ) on the way. 195 125 was lurking at Manchester Victoria, but my choice was 802 205 back as far as Huddersfield and 802 210 back to Manchester Victoria ( noting 66 523 at Phillip's Park ). This time, knowing the next TPE would be dud, I bagged 195 105 instead to Leeds via the Calder Valley.

Once at Leeds, it was time to do the Crossgates leap again, this producing 195 013 outwards and 195 011 + 195 005 return. I was able to grab a photo of 08 525 at Neville Hill on the way back and one each of 800 206 and 195 128 after detraining but before gaining 331 101 for haulage to Wakefield Westgate.

I had also used my brief time at Leeds to again sort out my moves back to London in a haulage friendly way. This time it was 801 102 + 802 206 from Wakefield to Doncaster and 801 219 onwards to Stevenage. 08 724 was lurking at Doncaster and 66 054, 66 705 and 66 779 were noted at the yards south of the station. At Peterborough, 66 732 had shown up since the morning.

The connection at Stevenage was 700 129, from which I snapped 802 201 at Bounds Green and 700 034 at Finsbury Park. My connection for Sutton at St Pancras was 700 022 while 377 616 took me the last few miles to Epsom.

 

[Peter C]

Looks as though you had some good days out then Peter - you got to see (and ride on) a fair variety of traction! Something nice to read and forget about not being able to do the same at the moment.

-Peter

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Thank you; I'm trying to speed up my reporting catch up hence the double report today - I'll try to get a third out later! I want to be fully caught up before I can do anything more than just food shopping trips...

 

[Peter C]

Thank you; I'm trying to speed up my reporting catch up hence the double report today - I'll try to get a third out later! I want to be fully caught up before I can do anything more than just food shopping trips...

You're very welcome Ah cool - I'd be wanting to do that too.

-Peter

 

[87electric]

801 102 + 802 206

LNER & TPE mix?
Good to read your trip reports again.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

LNER & TPE mix?
Good to read your trip reports again.

Oh poo.... that's a typo! I'll correct it in a minute... Can't read my own bloomin' handwriting...!!

Next report will probably be tomorrow now; I'm already running a bit late tonight...

 

[Peter Mugridge]

07/08/20 Rail Rover Day 6 of 7

The Friday started with 455 844 + 455 815 on the Epsom to London Bridge sector with 700 113 doing the honours on to Peterborough; 66 725 and 313 121 provided some interest while passing Hornsey and 08 441 did the same at Bounds Green as did 66 054 at Biggleswade.

It will come as no surprise that my haulage north from Peterborough was required, in this case 801 224. The usual cluster of locomotives on this day consisted of 66 707, 66 745, 66 720 and 66 786. Those at Doncaster were 66 770, 66 779, 66 731, 70 803, 56 096, 37 612 and 08 724. There were of course more, but only those were identified.

From York and attempt was made in the dead time before the TPE to Malton to get the 195s on the Leeds shuttles by going to Micklefield and back, but all three were dud - 195 005 out and 195 009 + 195 012 back. 37 218 was lurking at York and required 68 034 + TP07 produced in full, and my swift return on this occasion was with 185 124 + 185 142. Unfortunately this was followed by dud 802 214 to Manchester Victoria, and again I miscalculated the return diagrams and landed another dud, 802 210, back from there to Leeds. At least 66 758 brightened things up at Miles Platting.

Back at Leeds there was a crop of new sightings: 195 118, 195 019, 331 112 and 195 108. By now it was time to return to base, and as usual I had quickly made reservations guaranteeing me a trio of new haulages. This time it was 800 208 + 800 210 to Wakefield and 801 223 from there to Stevenage. En route I added 66 773 to the list of those at Doncaster and 66 737 plus 66 771 at Peterborough.

Connecting at Stevenage into 700 123, the Sutton train at St Pancras produced 700 023, thus making three "23"s in a row ridden on. Weird! The final leg from Sutton was on 377 610.

 

[Kite159]

Making good progress with all those new trains in the north

 

[Andy Pacer]

I was surprised to see you retracing your steps so many days on an ALR but it's each to their own I just can't wait to get one done again this year!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

I was surprised to see you retracing your steps so many days on an ALR but it's each to their own I just can't wait to get one done again this year!

I was using it for haulage hunting purposes - I already have most of the track in the UK marked in my atlas...

 

[Peter Mugridge]

08/08/20 Rail Rover Day 7 of 7

Saturday started with a slightly different timetable; my earliest connection to Thameslink ( and you will notice that in the course of the entire week I avoided having to fork out extra to cross London simply by making use of the Core each day! ) this time being via SWR to Wimbledon, and so it was that my first move was 455 902 + 455 874 + 456 004 and then 700 009 to St Pancras, then - being Saturday so no silly 10.00 restriction on the Rover - the short walk next door to King's Cross to again head north to York.

Sadly, this time there was no new haulage to be had on this sector; the first available service was well dud with 91 127 + 12205 + 12481 + 12485 + 12407 + 12328 + 10300 + 11229 + 11308 + 11408 + 82211. By coincidence, at Biggleswade we passed 66 127 while Peterborough produced 66 754, 66 719 and 66 786 with Doncaster adding 66 028, 66 733, 66 736 and 66 701.

No new sightings at York, although I did grab some photos, and the first available train via Leeds was fortunately required for haulage; 800 206. Again I stayed on board to Manchester Victoria and knowing when my next required 802 eastbound would be I filled in the time by bagging 195 024 for haulage to Salford Crescent then the following 331 011 + 331 010 to Bolton. I was gambling on the 331s gaining time on the booked schedule to make the tight +3 for the way back viable. If it wasn't, I'd be sunk - and I was well aware of just how long the trot over the bridge at Bolton is...

As it happened, I made it - by less than 30 seconds ( phew! ) and boarded 331 027 + 331 028 back to Salford Crescent then changed for the immediately following 158 755 to Manchester Victoria, snapping 397 008 during the brief wait. This time I had the diagrams right, and required 802 211 was already in the other platform waiting to carry me back to Leeds. Nice to be able to get some impossibly tight bashing moves in and benefit to the tune of five additional haulages in between the main moves isn't it? Just like the old days...

Back at Leeds it was dud 195 005 for the Crossgates leap, but I knew I was on safe ground here as I had observed both diagrams earlier during the journey from York, so it was no surprise really when the return half of the leap was a required pair, 195 014 + 195 019. This got me to Leeds in time to do another Ilkley return, like a few days earlier, in order to add 331 112 to the growing list of haulage claims.

This time, however, there was only one available required haulage on the way back south, so it was 801 112 all the way from Leeds to Stevenage for me this time, everything I could have connected in to being dud for at least two hours. Passing Doncaster I noted 56 113, 56 105, 56 096, 66 115 and 70 010. Peterborough was packed this time with 66 760, 66 751, 66 740, 66 749, 66 731, 66 732, 66 772, 66 786, 66 771 and 66 705 all being present.

From Stevenage it was 700 150 to St Pancras ( noting 47 739 + 47 727 at Hornsey ) and by coincidence 700 050 from there to Sutton before finishing my rover week with 377 601 to Epsom.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

17/08/20

After the intense rover week, this was a more local haulage hunt! First, however, I had gen on where 700 144 and 700 155 were and they were my last 700s for a photo, so that was the first priority. Departing Epsom on 377 302 + 377 309 + 377 416 I first headed towards London Bridge to use 700 149 to travel down to East Croydon, where I lay in wait, and sure enough 700 144 soon arrived and fell victim to my lens. Following it to Blackfriars on 700 107 I quickly made sure that 700 155 followed suit, then crossed the core to Farringdon with 700 031. From there, 21517 + 21518 shifted me westwards a couple of miles to Paddington.

Required 345 030 conveyed me to Hayes and Harlington, with Acton Yard playing host to 66 206, 66 092, 66 118 and 66 187. At Hayes, 66 536 and 66 501 made their presence known and required 345 034 took me back to Paddington, in the process I added 66 704 at Southall and a further two at Acton, 66 566 and 59 103, to my notebook.

Heading back eastwards with 21441 + 21442 to Baker Street ( urgent PNB needed! ) and 21359 + 21360 onwards, my next move was required pair 710 102 + 710 124 from Liverpool Street to Bethnal Green, followed swiftly with 710 116 + 710 130 to Hackney Downs and dud pair 710 108 + 710 121 was a necessity to get back to Bethnal Green quickly. Required 710 107 + 710 117 were the next gains, this time back to Liverpool Street while I worked out where another required pair was. Arghhh!!! Chingford!!! That meant dud pair 315 824 + 315 823 back out to Hackney Downs, to intercept 710 119 + 710 120 to Bethnal Green, then a further required pair 710 111 + 710 125 right behind from Cheshunt.

Time was getting on, so I thought I might as well try a different route back and utilised dud 345 029 to Forest Gate then a quick walk to Wanstead Park for 710 267 ( also dud! ) to Gospel Oak - passing 66 504 at South Tottenham - and 378 224 to West Hampstead. Another quick walk there put me on 700 019 to Sutton and finally 377 706 to Epsom.

 

[MDB1images]

08/08/20 Rail Rover Day 7 of 7

Saturday started with a slightly different timetable; my earliest connection to Thameslink ( and you will notice that in the course of the entire week I avoided having to fork out extra to cross London simply by making use of the Core each day! ) this time being via SWR to Wimbledon, and so it was that my first move was 455 902 + 455 874 + 456 004 and then 700 009 to St Pancras, then - being Saturday so no silly 10.00 restriction on the Rover - the short walk next door to King's Cross to again head north to York.

Sadly, this time there was no new haulage to be had on this sector; the first available service was well dud with 91 127 + 12205 + 12481 + 12485 + 12407 + 12328 + 10300 + 11229 + 11308 + 11408 + 82211. By coincidence, at Biggleswade we passed 66 127 while Peterborough produced 66 754, 66 719 and 66 786 with Doncaster adding 66 028, 66 733, 66 736 and 66 701.

No new sightings at York, although I did grab some photos, and the first available train via Leeds was fortunately required for haulage; 800 206. Again I stayed on board to Manchester Victoria and knowing when my next required 802 eastbound would be I filled in the time by bagging 195 024 for haulage to Salford Crescent then the following 331 011 + 331 010 to Bolton. I was gambling on the 331s gaining time on the booked schedule to make the tight +3 for the way back viable. If it wasn't, I'd be sunk - and I was well aware of just how long the trot over the bridge at Bolton is...

As it happened, I made it - by less than 30 seconds ( phew! ) and boarded 331 027 + 331 028 back to Salford Crescent then changed for the immediately following 158 755 to Manchester Victoria, snapping 397 008 during the brief wait. This time I had the diagrams right, and required 802 211 was already in the other platform waiting to carry me back to Leeds. Nice to be able to get some impossibly tight bashing moves in and benefit to the tune of five additional haulages in between the main moves isn't it? Just like the old days...

Back at Leeds it was dud 195 005 for the Crossgates leap, but I knew I was on safe ground here as I had observed both diagrams earlier during the journey from York, so it was no surprise really when the return half of the leap was a required pair, 195 014 + 195 019. This got me to Leeds in time to do another Ilkley return, like a few days earlier, in order to add 331 112 to the growing list of haulage claims.

This time, however, there was only one available required haulage on the way back south, so it was 801 112 all the way from Leeds to Stevenage for me this time, everything I could have connected in to being dud for at least two hours. Passing Doncaster I noted 56 113, 56 105, 56 096, 66 115 and 70 010. Peterborough was packed this time with 66 760, 66 751, 66 740, 66 749, 66 731, 66 732, 66 772, 66 786, 66 771 and 66 705 all being present.

From Stevenage it was 700 150 to St Pancras ( noting 47 739 + 47 727 at Hornsey ) and by coincidence 700 050 from there to Sutton before finishing my rover week with 377 601 to Epsom.

Suspect a big dent put in your Northern/TPE/LNER units after that week.
A great read.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Suspect a big dent put in your Northern/TPE/LNER units after that week.
A great read.

Thank you and yes - I'm down to 20 of the Zoomy Things and got about half of the IETs on TPE as well and quite a few 195s, 331s plus three 68s + Mk5s as a result. Might well do a round 2 this summer... I'll try to post a few more reports this week.

 

[Andy Pacer]

Thank you and yes - I'm down to 20 of the Zoomy Things and got about half of the IETs on TPE as well and quite a few 195s, 331s plus three 68s + Mk5s as a result. Might well do a round 2 this summer... I'll try to post a few more reports this week.

Yes definitely really interesting reading. I'm looking forward to getting a few of the 'new' units once we're allowed out a bit more again. A south pennines day ranger may well be my first outing.

 

[xotGD]

Thank you and yes - I'm down to 20 of the Zoomy Things and got about half of the IETs on TPE as well and quite a few 195s, 331s plus three 68s + Mk5s as a result. Might well do a round 2 this summer... I'll try to post a few more reports this week.

Would a B&B in Leeds (or similar) and a north-east rover not be a more cost effective way to do it?

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Would a B&B in Leeds (or similar) and a north-east rover not be a more cost effective way to do it?

Not really, no - doing it as day trips I have maximum flexibility to change my plans as and when required, so if something I'm particularly after turns up in a different part of the country, I can go straight for it.

Also I wouldn't have to cart any overnight kit around on the first and last days either.

The cost overall would work out about the same.

 

[xotGD]

Not really, no - doing it as day trips I have maximum flexibility to change my plans as and when required, so if something I'm particularly after turns up in a different part of the country, I can go straight for it.

Also I wouldn't have to cart any overnight kit around on the first and last days either.

The cost overall would work out about the same.

Good point. Instead of Yorkshire you could find yourself in Cornwall!

 

[Peter Mugridge]

24/08/20

Today's target was another haulage hunt on the eastern side of the country; starting from Epsom with the coincidental pairing of 377 602 + 377 702 I switched to 700 028 at Sutton for Farringdon and then the short shuffle eastwards to Liverpool Street with 21421 + 21422. Having a bit of time until a known required Catfish would leave I did a quick spin on 710 113 + 710 127 to Bethnal Green and 710 128 + 710 109 back, both pairs being required, so that was an instant bonus four new haulages.

As expected, that shortened my wait for required 745 103 to Ipswich; there was little of note on the way - 66 557 at Chelmsford, 755 421 at Colchester and 66 072 at Manningtree. As usual my destination had quite a lot of traction stabled and those I noted - there were more hidden behind them - were 66 531, 66 534, 86 604, 86 638, 86 614, 86 613, 86 637, 86 632 and 66 785. I also grabbed a picture of 755 330 before boarding required 755 420 to Stowmarket, returning on required 755 327.

My next move was required 755 411 to Wickham Market and another required example, 755 416 back to Ipswich, where I noted 66 550 in addition to the ones logged earlier, and then had required 755 408 to Colchester substituting for a 745; I managed a picture of it and a couple of other things at Colchester before finally finding a dud turning up, 745 007 to Liverpool Street. On the way, I noted 345 056 at Ilford.

A westward shuffle on 21363 + 21364 to Farringdon followed, then it was 700 016 to Sutton and for the second time in the day 377 702, this time by itself, back to Epsom.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Part 1 of images from shopping trips in August and September, plus a couple ( 67 024 and 70 805 ) that I grabbed on a day out to Whitstable with the wife on 22nd August.

 

[Peter Mugridge]

Part 2 of the September shopping trip images; while the restrictions were not in place some of the shopping trips included photographic spins to Woking with some of the 450s that had been renumbered back as /0 from /5 being the target.

Bashing trip reports for September will appear next, but not necessarily tonight.