I thought I'd do a write up of my bashing activities over the course of the next few weeks. Obviously I'll know if anyone else agrees that this is a good plan by the responses I get (or lack of them....). I've got what is (for me) quite an ambitious programme this summer, so here goes........ Feel free to chip in with comments and yr own experiences.
May 21st. Off to Northern Ireland for the MRSI ‘Twelve Counties’ tour to Tralee on 22nd. Got the no 737 bus from Shipley town centre to LBA for the FlyBe flight to Belfast City Airport. On arrival at LBA it took 25 minutes to get through security due to the sheer volume of hen and stag parties heading off to places presumably better for this purpose than West Yorkshire. The whole place looked like the result of some disastrous cloning experiment where the entire cast of Gavin and Stacey had been reproduced about 10 times and put in the airport.
Flight left on time and was pretty empty. Nice journey with clear views until the Irish Sea coast was crossed at Lytham St Annes. Very overcast in Belfast although arrived bang on time. The station serving the airport (Sydenham) is about a 10 minute walk away, so because the flight was bang on time, with a brisk walk I managed to get a train (09:51, CAF 3013) 30 minutes earlier than the one I'd planned, enabling me to get into Belfast Great Victoria Street station instead of Central for a few extra miles.
Leaving Central I checked the timetable and saw that with a 1 minute leap at Botanic, I could get a DEMU move on the 10:03 to Carrickfergus as far as Yorkgate, allowing me to return to Central on another thumper in time to pick up the 10:28 GVS > Londonderry train at Central instead at 10:40. However, we left Central one down and proceeded at a frustrating 20 mph to Botanic. Thumper 454 was already in the other platform with doors open, so I had basically no chance to get across. Such an early withering did not seem like a good sign. The purpose of taking the Derry train was to go to Coleraine for the Portrush branch thumper, which I had good gen on (got seriously bowled last time I tried this 2 years ago). When I got to GVS a few minutes later I got some gen that there had been signalling problems on the Derry line that morning. This would have the potential to bowl me for the afternoon's 80 class Larne line working if late running on the lengthy single track caused me to miss my 8 minute connection on the return journey from Coleraine. However, there was nothing being mentioned at the station so I took the Derry train at 10:28 anyway. Three Ulsterbus Leyland Tigers were parked up at the adjacent bus depot, but there was no photo op due to not being able to open the windows on NIR’s CAF sets.
Got withered again at Central as GM loco no 111 passed through en route to Adelaide yard with a single ballast wagon while I was sitting in the CAF. No photo op again due to being hermetically sealed in a plastic tube :cry: The third piece of bad news came a few minutes later to the south of Whiteabbey when a 450 class thumper raced past on the 09:57 ex-Larne Harbour. This train is part of the diagram usually worked by the 80 class unit, so it looked bad for later on when I was planning to pick this diagram up when it recommenced at 16:00.
Met some English bashers on the train heading for Derry. They’d never been to Northern Ireland before, and wanted to combine the whole network with as much thumper mileage as possible (preferably 80 class), so I gave them what gen I had (plus a potted history of NIR), and they asked me to text them when I had something better. Their plan was ambitious having started quite late in the day. They also had an out of date Baker’s Bible and were a bit concerned when they saw how the network had changed in the last 20 years! Any signalling problems caused minimal impact as we arrived at Coleraine only 10 minutes late. Bailed onto the hellfire 457 for excellent sound effects on the 13 minute journey to Portrush. Train full of holiday makers, but I had the power car to myself on the return working after just 2 minutes at the resort. Thrash + jointed track = happy thumper veg. Enormous portion of fish and chips at Coleraine, which I attempted to demolish on the platform while listening to the very enjoyable sound of a 4SRKT idling. Another round trip to Portrush saw me back on the platform at Coleraine, waiting for the return CAF set (3021) on the 13:57 to GVS.
There was a huge party of Brownies waiting for this train, as well as a lot of other people. Knowing it was only a 3-car set I was concerned about overcrowding. As it left Coleraine it was indeed very busy, but everyone had a seat. I got talking to a very interesting chap who was a professional cellist and a thoroughly good cove who approved heartily of railway enthusiasm. However, it was by now a very hot day and the coach I was in had a failed aircon unit. The Brownies bailed at Cullybackey, but by this time we couldn’t be bothered to move and things were getting pretty sweaty by the time I bailed at Yorkgate station in Belfast, so was glad of what little breeze there was during the 8 minute wait for the 15:16 to Larne Harbour. As we arrived at Yorkgate I’d seen the 4-car 80 class set with 90 and 93 powering at York Road depot, so was optimistic that the 16:00 ex-Carrickfergus would produce. Got a text to this effect as well, adding to my sense of mounting excitement. 450 class number 459 came into view across the viaduct from Central, and we left on time.
Next problem was food for the following day’s tour. 459 would put me down in Carrickfergus with 21 minutes to spare for the Do-Not-Miss 16:00 departure. Bailed at Clipperstown ¼ mile short of Carrick as this station is slightly closer to the town’s (enormous) branch of Tesco. Ran as fast as I could considering a very hot day and a very heavy coat, and dashed around throwing breadcakes, cheese, chorizo (very New Labour), crisps, orange juice and the all important 13p 2 litre bottle of water into the basket. Then ran like the clappers to the main Carrickfergus station to pick up the 16:00 with 4 minutes to spare. Texted the gen about the 80 class diagram to the track bashers, and got settled into the front power car (93) for a good bellow up to Belfast. Unbelievable din and clag from 93 as we stormed up the fearsome gradient out of Carrick. My Lordz! My NIR gen source was also on the train, so we met up and chewed the fat about how much better life was before ‘the plastics’ in the days when DEMUs ruled the roost on this compact little system.
On arrival in Belfast the train filled up with normals for the 16:42 back to Larne Town. By this stage the train had at least 30 English bashers on board, all over for the tour the next day. I suppose the normals must have been wondering why their regular commuter train was suddenly full of middle aged English blokes with cameras saying things like ‘Hellfire’ and other nonsense. Anyway, hellfire it was as we proceeded apace, particularly beyond Whitehead on jointed track at 60+ mph with both 4SRKTs singing beautifully. At Whitehead it was depressing to see the dilapidated state of ‘preserved’ EE-engined Hunslet Bo-Bo no 102 in the middle of the ‘junk’ section of the RPSI’s premises.
5 minutes’ leg stretch at Larne before an even more hellfire thrash to Belfast on the 17:43 departure, non-stop to Whitehead this time except a brief wait at the loop at Magheramorne to pass 456 on the express 17:06 GVS > Larne Harbour. At Whitehead 454 was in the siding to form the 18:25 to Belfast, while a CAF set was in the loop on the second express working of the day (17:25 off GVS, and not a CAF diagram so I hope nobody got bowled).
My gen-providing friend bailed at Central and I stayed on the train for the 18:50 back to Larne Town. My track bashing associates joined me for the ride, excited because they’d got their lines in despite a minus one Man of Steel move at Adelaide. They were certainly enjoying the twin thumper action when I bailed at Downshire in order to visit a local off-licence for tomorrow’s stash before heading back to Belfast to meet an old friend and have a few pints. Picked up 455 on the 19:36 through train to GVS, and bailed at Botanic to check into the Youth Hostel. Slumming it is OK when it’s only £8 per night, and lo and behold there was the obligatory surly Australian working at the reception! This was always such a feature of Youth Hostelling in my youth that I’d have felt cheated if he hadn’t been there!
After three pints of Guinness I felt dreadful (in the non-basher sense), and sadly had to leave at 11:00, which was disappointing. I put it down to the lack of caffeine all day, and we went and got a cup of tea at a Spar just before it closed. This helped a bit, but what really cleared the pipes out was being copiously sick in the toilet at the Youth Hostel before settling down for a night of broken sleep (sorry folks!).
My ‘phone had been a bit dodgy all day, and kept switching itself off. This was a very considerable problem because it’s also my alarm clock and with a 5:30 start for the tour it was either depend on the ‘phone or not go to sleep! After 5 hours of anxious tossing and turning I woke purely by chance at 5:29, and left the dorm as quietly as I could in order not to disturb the farting, snoring, drunken backpackers who were populating the other bunks.
Off to the Halifax to get some dollar out of the machine, and back to City Hospital station where the tour was picking up instead of Botanic because it doesn’t have barriers and therefore NIR don’t have to provide staff at such a ludicrous time. NIR GM no 112 came into view around the corner, bang on time at 05:59, magnificent and all with headlights blazing, and a minute later we were off.
My regular railtour buddy wasn’t with me this time because he doesn’t like GMs, so I was travelling alone on a tour for the first time, which feels a bit weird. Luckily I ran into the track bashers from the day before and they invited me to join them. They turned out to be excellent company and helped make the day a great success.
An uneventful journey to Dublin (071 clocked at Dundalk on the weedkiller train), where some nervousness was detectable because no Irish Rail big GM 071 class was visible to take the tour forward to Tralee. The only loco to be seen was very dud 201 class no 230, which would have been a most calamitous withering had it set back onto the stock. A rumour was circulating that 112 would work throughout, which was plausible because it has been on long term loan to IR, and therefore has all the necessary warning system gear. This rumour got stronger when we were all told to bail at Connolly, causing speculation about a shunt release to get 112 out and on the front. This was on the whole an unwelcome prospect, but much better than 230 would have been. After about 20 minutes though, 081 came off the Sligo line having come up from the depot at Inchicore, and was placed at the head of the lovely rake of RPSI Mk IIs.
Now sitting in the second coach, we rattled off to the left, taking the Sligo line as far as Glasnevin Junction. Had a bellow while looking down on the Dublin rooftops below, savouring the sight and sound of a big GM hard at work. There were even some people flailing, something I haven’t seen on the main line in Britain for quite a long time. From Glasnevin it was line grice to Islandbridge Junction, the only new bit of the day for me. Head remained out right through to Inchicore, where there were 3 small GMs sitting near the main line.
An enjoyable if uneventful journey as far as Mallow, punctuated by the odd kip, and the first can of beer after Thurles. 071 no 088 was at Mallow on an engineers’ train, and after a short stop at the station, we set off onto the single tracked Tralee branch. This section becomes utterly gorgeous scenically after about Rathmore, so we settled down to drink in the views as far as Killarney. After the bizarre reversal out of the station into the headshunt, we took the steeply graded Tralee line with 081 at full pelt. This was absolutely hellfire, and I kept my head out nearly all the way to the terminus. Various odious Irish Rail railcars were encountered along the way, but in the interest of good taste and public decency I won’t talk about them here, except to say that the incoming railcar on the 13:30 Mallow > Tralee was over half an hour late, so after 20 minutes longer than the scheduled hour at Tralee (not much going on in the town TBH) we’re off again. Sitting near the back this time so less to hear, but once we got beyond Killarney Junction (only 5 minutes late by now) and back on the main line the driver really opened 081 up. Great to be on a tour with a powerful engine on a real main line, so that good fast running could be enjoyed. The weather was very conducive to bellowing, so by the time I sat down again after Limerick Junction my hair was full of clag and doing a passable imitation of the Jedward look! A stop in the middle of nowhere was a bit alarming as we started to think the loco had failed, but it was to allow a fresh crew to be put down by a Dublin > Cork passenger working.
Veg'd all the way back to Dublin, except for more heads-out from Islandbridge Junction into Connolly, where my travelling companions bailed. An hour’s fester during which time I bought some more beer for the northbound run to Belfast . After 112 had backed onto the stock (me near the front again!), 071 no 086 unexpectedly appeared and ran into the adjacent platform, giving the very unusual sight nowadays of three of these magnificent GMs in Connolly station at once, and providing an awesome photo op as she passed 112 on the adjacent track. 21:20 and we’re off, bang on time, on what turned out to be the most hellfire part of the day. Past Fairview depot and she’s off. Clag flying everywhere and the sound effects magnified by the north Dublin cuttings; this loco was on fire! Too good to be true maybe as the train ground to a halt beyond Skerries, and I stuck my head out to realise that the loco was silent with all headlights off. Not good. After a few minutes the driver started her up again and we were off. Just over the border the same thing happened again near Meigh. This is a pretty remote spot and not a good place to have a tour caped. Again the loco was restarted, and by the time it shut down for a third time just short of Lisburn, I was consoling myself with the thought that if push came to shove, I could at least walk back to Belfast from there and not miss my flight the next day!
Back at City Hospital only 5 minutes down and I waved goodbye to 112 that had been such an entertaining companion for the last 2 and a bit hours. Strolled back to the Youth Hostel, hit the scratcher and didn’t emerge again until I’d had 9 hours of blissful sleep.
Thanks to all who organised and participated in this great tour, particularly those in coach number 300, who made a lone traveller feel welcome. It was my first diesel tour in Ireland, but you can be sure I’ll be back.
May 21st. Off to Northern Ireland for the MRSI ‘Twelve Counties’ tour to Tralee on 22nd. Got the no 737 bus from Shipley town centre to LBA for the FlyBe flight to Belfast City Airport. On arrival at LBA it took 25 minutes to get through security due to the sheer volume of hen and stag parties heading off to places presumably better for this purpose than West Yorkshire. The whole place looked like the result of some disastrous cloning experiment where the entire cast of Gavin and Stacey had been reproduced about 10 times and put in the airport.
Flight left on time and was pretty empty. Nice journey with clear views until the Irish Sea coast was crossed at Lytham St Annes. Very overcast in Belfast although arrived bang on time. The station serving the airport (Sydenham) is about a 10 minute walk away, so because the flight was bang on time, with a brisk walk I managed to get a train (09:51, CAF 3013) 30 minutes earlier than the one I'd planned, enabling me to get into Belfast Great Victoria Street station instead of Central for a few extra miles.
Leaving Central I checked the timetable and saw that with a 1 minute leap at Botanic, I could get a DEMU move on the 10:03 to Carrickfergus as far as Yorkgate, allowing me to return to Central on another thumper in time to pick up the 10:28 GVS > Londonderry train at Central instead at 10:40. However, we left Central one down and proceeded at a frustrating 20 mph to Botanic. Thumper 454 was already in the other platform with doors open, so I had basically no chance to get across. Such an early withering did not seem like a good sign. The purpose of taking the Derry train was to go to Coleraine for the Portrush branch thumper, which I had good gen on (got seriously bowled last time I tried this 2 years ago). When I got to GVS a few minutes later I got some gen that there had been signalling problems on the Derry line that morning. This would have the potential to bowl me for the afternoon's 80 class Larne line working if late running on the lengthy single track caused me to miss my 8 minute connection on the return journey from Coleraine. However, there was nothing being mentioned at the station so I took the Derry train at 10:28 anyway. Three Ulsterbus Leyland Tigers were parked up at the adjacent bus depot, but there was no photo op due to not being able to open the windows on NIR’s CAF sets.
Got withered again at Central as GM loco no 111 passed through en route to Adelaide yard with a single ballast wagon while I was sitting in the CAF. No photo op again due to being hermetically sealed in a plastic tube :cry: The third piece of bad news came a few minutes later to the south of Whiteabbey when a 450 class thumper raced past on the 09:57 ex-Larne Harbour. This train is part of the diagram usually worked by the 80 class unit, so it looked bad for later on when I was planning to pick this diagram up when it recommenced at 16:00.
Met some English bashers on the train heading for Derry. They’d never been to Northern Ireland before, and wanted to combine the whole network with as much thumper mileage as possible (preferably 80 class), so I gave them what gen I had (plus a potted history of NIR), and they asked me to text them when I had something better. Their plan was ambitious having started quite late in the day. They also had an out of date Baker’s Bible and were a bit concerned when they saw how the network had changed in the last 20 years! Any signalling problems caused minimal impact as we arrived at Coleraine only 10 minutes late. Bailed onto the hellfire 457 for excellent sound effects on the 13 minute journey to Portrush. Train full of holiday makers, but I had the power car to myself on the return working after just 2 minutes at the resort. Thrash + jointed track = happy thumper veg. Enormous portion of fish and chips at Coleraine, which I attempted to demolish on the platform while listening to the very enjoyable sound of a 4SRKT idling. Another round trip to Portrush saw me back on the platform at Coleraine, waiting for the return CAF set (3021) on the 13:57 to GVS.
There was a huge party of Brownies waiting for this train, as well as a lot of other people. Knowing it was only a 3-car set I was concerned about overcrowding. As it left Coleraine it was indeed very busy, but everyone had a seat. I got talking to a very interesting chap who was a professional cellist and a thoroughly good cove who approved heartily of railway enthusiasm. However, it was by now a very hot day and the coach I was in had a failed aircon unit. The Brownies bailed at Cullybackey, but by this time we couldn’t be bothered to move and things were getting pretty sweaty by the time I bailed at Yorkgate station in Belfast, so was glad of what little breeze there was during the 8 minute wait for the 15:16 to Larne Harbour. As we arrived at Yorkgate I’d seen the 4-car 80 class set with 90 and 93 powering at York Road depot, so was optimistic that the 16:00 ex-Carrickfergus would produce. Got a text to this effect as well, adding to my sense of mounting excitement. 450 class number 459 came into view across the viaduct from Central, and we left on time.
Next problem was food for the following day’s tour. 459 would put me down in Carrickfergus with 21 minutes to spare for the Do-Not-Miss 16:00 departure. Bailed at Clipperstown ¼ mile short of Carrick as this station is slightly closer to the town’s (enormous) branch of Tesco. Ran as fast as I could considering a very hot day and a very heavy coat, and dashed around throwing breadcakes, cheese, chorizo (very New Labour), crisps, orange juice and the all important 13p 2 litre bottle of water into the basket. Then ran like the clappers to the main Carrickfergus station to pick up the 16:00 with 4 minutes to spare. Texted the gen about the 80 class diagram to the track bashers, and got settled into the front power car (93) for a good bellow up to Belfast. Unbelievable din and clag from 93 as we stormed up the fearsome gradient out of Carrick. My Lordz! My NIR gen source was also on the train, so we met up and chewed the fat about how much better life was before ‘the plastics’ in the days when DEMUs ruled the roost on this compact little system.
On arrival in Belfast the train filled up with normals for the 16:42 back to Larne Town. By this stage the train had at least 30 English bashers on board, all over for the tour the next day. I suppose the normals must have been wondering why their regular commuter train was suddenly full of middle aged English blokes with cameras saying things like ‘Hellfire’ and other nonsense. Anyway, hellfire it was as we proceeded apace, particularly beyond Whitehead on jointed track at 60+ mph with both 4SRKTs singing beautifully. At Whitehead it was depressing to see the dilapidated state of ‘preserved’ EE-engined Hunslet Bo-Bo no 102 in the middle of the ‘junk’ section of the RPSI’s premises.
5 minutes’ leg stretch at Larne before an even more hellfire thrash to Belfast on the 17:43 departure, non-stop to Whitehead this time except a brief wait at the loop at Magheramorne to pass 456 on the express 17:06 GVS > Larne Harbour. At Whitehead 454 was in the siding to form the 18:25 to Belfast, while a CAF set was in the loop on the second express working of the day (17:25 off GVS, and not a CAF diagram so I hope nobody got bowled).
My gen-providing friend bailed at Central and I stayed on the train for the 18:50 back to Larne Town. My track bashing associates joined me for the ride, excited because they’d got their lines in despite a minus one Man of Steel move at Adelaide. They were certainly enjoying the twin thumper action when I bailed at Downshire in order to visit a local off-licence for tomorrow’s stash before heading back to Belfast to meet an old friend and have a few pints. Picked up 455 on the 19:36 through train to GVS, and bailed at Botanic to check into the Youth Hostel. Slumming it is OK when it’s only £8 per night, and lo and behold there was the obligatory surly Australian working at the reception! This was always such a feature of Youth Hostelling in my youth that I’d have felt cheated if he hadn’t been there!
After three pints of Guinness I felt dreadful (in the non-basher sense), and sadly had to leave at 11:00, which was disappointing. I put it down to the lack of caffeine all day, and we went and got a cup of tea at a Spar just before it closed. This helped a bit, but what really cleared the pipes out was being copiously sick in the toilet at the Youth Hostel before settling down for a night of broken sleep (sorry folks!).
My ‘phone had been a bit dodgy all day, and kept switching itself off. This was a very considerable problem because it’s also my alarm clock and with a 5:30 start for the tour it was either depend on the ‘phone or not go to sleep! After 5 hours of anxious tossing and turning I woke purely by chance at 5:29, and left the dorm as quietly as I could in order not to disturb the farting, snoring, drunken backpackers who were populating the other bunks.
Off to the Halifax to get some dollar out of the machine, and back to City Hospital station where the tour was picking up instead of Botanic because it doesn’t have barriers and therefore NIR don’t have to provide staff at such a ludicrous time. NIR GM no 112 came into view around the corner, bang on time at 05:59, magnificent and all with headlights blazing, and a minute later we were off.
My regular railtour buddy wasn’t with me this time because he doesn’t like GMs, so I was travelling alone on a tour for the first time, which feels a bit weird. Luckily I ran into the track bashers from the day before and they invited me to join them. They turned out to be excellent company and helped make the day a great success.
An uneventful journey to Dublin (071 clocked at Dundalk on the weedkiller train), where some nervousness was detectable because no Irish Rail big GM 071 class was visible to take the tour forward to Tralee. The only loco to be seen was very dud 201 class no 230, which would have been a most calamitous withering had it set back onto the stock. A rumour was circulating that 112 would work throughout, which was plausible because it has been on long term loan to IR, and therefore has all the necessary warning system gear. This rumour got stronger when we were all told to bail at Connolly, causing speculation about a shunt release to get 112 out and on the front. This was on the whole an unwelcome prospect, but much better than 230 would have been. After about 20 minutes though, 081 came off the Sligo line having come up from the depot at Inchicore, and was placed at the head of the lovely rake of RPSI Mk IIs.
Now sitting in the second coach, we rattled off to the left, taking the Sligo line as far as Glasnevin Junction. Had a bellow while looking down on the Dublin rooftops below, savouring the sight and sound of a big GM hard at work. There were even some people flailing, something I haven’t seen on the main line in Britain for quite a long time. From Glasnevin it was line grice to Islandbridge Junction, the only new bit of the day for me. Head remained out right through to Inchicore, where there were 3 small GMs sitting near the main line.
An enjoyable if uneventful journey as far as Mallow, punctuated by the odd kip, and the first can of beer after Thurles. 071 no 088 was at Mallow on an engineers’ train, and after a short stop at the station, we set off onto the single tracked Tralee branch. This section becomes utterly gorgeous scenically after about Rathmore, so we settled down to drink in the views as far as Killarney. After the bizarre reversal out of the station into the headshunt, we took the steeply graded Tralee line with 081 at full pelt. This was absolutely hellfire, and I kept my head out nearly all the way to the terminus. Various odious Irish Rail railcars were encountered along the way, but in the interest of good taste and public decency I won’t talk about them here, except to say that the incoming railcar on the 13:30 Mallow > Tralee was over half an hour late, so after 20 minutes longer than the scheduled hour at Tralee (not much going on in the town TBH) we’re off again. Sitting near the back this time so less to hear, but once we got beyond Killarney Junction (only 5 minutes late by now) and back on the main line the driver really opened 081 up. Great to be on a tour with a powerful engine on a real main line, so that good fast running could be enjoyed. The weather was very conducive to bellowing, so by the time I sat down again after Limerick Junction my hair was full of clag and doing a passable imitation of the Jedward look! A stop in the middle of nowhere was a bit alarming as we started to think the loco had failed, but it was to allow a fresh crew to be put down by a Dublin > Cork passenger working.
Veg'd all the way back to Dublin, except for more heads-out from Islandbridge Junction into Connolly, where my travelling companions bailed. An hour’s fester during which time I bought some more beer for the northbound run to Belfast . After 112 had backed onto the stock (me near the front again!), 071 no 086 unexpectedly appeared and ran into the adjacent platform, giving the very unusual sight nowadays of three of these magnificent GMs in Connolly station at once, and providing an awesome photo op as she passed 112 on the adjacent track. 21:20 and we’re off, bang on time, on what turned out to be the most hellfire part of the day. Past Fairview depot and she’s off. Clag flying everywhere and the sound effects magnified by the north Dublin cuttings; this loco was on fire! Too good to be true maybe as the train ground to a halt beyond Skerries, and I stuck my head out to realise that the loco was silent with all headlights off. Not good. After a few minutes the driver started her up again and we were off. Just over the border the same thing happened again near Meigh. This is a pretty remote spot and not a good place to have a tour caped. Again the loco was restarted, and by the time it shut down for a third time just short of Lisburn, I was consoling myself with the thought that if push came to shove, I could at least walk back to Belfast from there and not miss my flight the next day!
Back at City Hospital only 5 minutes down and I waved goodbye to 112 that had been such an entertaining companion for the last 2 and a bit hours. Strolled back to the Youth Hostel, hit the scratcher and didn’t emerge again until I’d had 9 hours of blissful sleep.
Thanks to all who organised and participated in this great tour, particularly those in coach number 300, who made a lone traveller feel welcome. It was my first diesel tour in Ireland, but you can be sure I’ll be back.
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. A 319 did the honours and it was nice to ride in something familiar churned out of York in my youth. At Wimbledon I went out of the barrier to buy a return to Byfleet & New Haw. Also got the new timetable with unbelievably small type (still want an extra quid for it though I see, the saucy sods), and some lunch from Greggs. More York built ‘excitement’ as an 8 car 455 rolled in for the sedate run to Byfleet. I took a couple of shots of the 455. If in my youth I had received a visit from my future self and I had told me that one day I would have been taking photos of 455s and not considering it ludicrous behaviour, I would have simply refused to believe it.
Anyway, hats off to South West Trains for a flawless journey as far as Vauxhall (another 455) where I bailed to take the Victoria Line onwards. Slight withering as I walked onto the northbound platform to see the doors closing on a set of 1967 stock, and having to wait a whole minute before some miniature plastic tube with red and blue bits stuck all over it came crashing into the station. Maybe it was just the colour scheme, but this thing really did look more like a tube of toothpaste than any train I’ve ever seen. The GC Jitters were getting serious now: I was pretty tired, but quite prepared to experience the uncertain wait for the 19:18 should I get bowled for the 16:50. Into the Cross at 16:35 courtesy of the ‘Colgate Express’, but goodness me, what a long walk! The layout seems totally different from the last time I was in Kings Cross tube station some years ago, but I’m pretty sure it was never that far from the Victoria Line to the concourse back in the day. Five minutes later and I reckon having walked half way from Euston, I came up into the concourse at a most unfamiliar angle. Got my bearings and started looking about. An MTU engined EC HST was lurking almost silently, and a couple of DVTs were hanging about the buffers. Where was the 16:50? Then, out of the corner of my eye I clocked the unmistakable profile of a Mk III coach in platform 8. The light was all wrong so couldn’t see properly at first, but with a bit of squinting I could make out the Grand Central logo. Valentas! It had all paid off! Got a quick snap and got on board, only to find that the bashers’ seats were being occupied by some oblivious normals. There should be a sign on these seats like for disabled people saying, ‘please give up this seat if a Valenta basher needs it’. It’d be in their interest really, not to have bashers walking past all the time en route to the vestibule. 16:50 and we’re off on the button. Heads out for the thrashfest through the tunnels. God, this was good, and worth waiting for. Given that I’d sort of known I’d only get Valentas in one direction, I was glad it was this way. Unfortunately got withered by the young guard lady just north of Copenhagen Tunnel, who invited me to ‘take my seat’. What cheek! I wasn’t even leaning out, and I’m sure there is no rule against standing in the vestibule. Indeed, if the train were full they’d only be too glad for me to stand there and free up a seat for someone else.
) got some excellent thrash from midi