27/03/19 - New Trackery in the Near East
Wednesday started the same way as Tuesday, with sausage cob and coffee at Beeston Hauptbahnhof. 170521 then appeared for a run into Nottingham, before 156408 turned up on the Lincoln train. Then followed some semi-new track, as I'd never previously travelled eastbound from Carlton to Newark Castle, and indeed my only westbound trip had been about 40 years earlier (April 1979, on a first generation bogcart).
Arriving at Lincoln, it was time for today's new track proper matinee performance, with dudbox 153326 taking me on the Trans-Wolds-Express through Market Rasen to Barnetby. A pleasant enough ride, but not scenically magnificent.
Barnetby had changed since my previous visit. Sadly, the magnificent semaphore signals had gone; equally sadly, the hideous footbridge was still there; surprisingly, the undergrowth in the sidings west of the station had sprouted 56090 and 56113. There was still some freight - 66548, 66784 and 66788 all passed through whilst I was waiting for the dogbox to return from Grimsby.
The trip back to Lincoln seemed quicker, but there was a distinct lack of food handy, so a fast escape was made back to Nottingham, courtesy of 158854. By now I was rather hungry, so a tram trip up to Old Market Square was made on 209, lunch was ordered at Spoons and consumed and a weather eye was kept out for my last required Nottingham tram, the elusive 232. It didn’t appear, so I returned to the station on 202 for the second part of the day’s track bash.
And a winner was acquired, with dud 43049 and winner
43045 taking me down to a new shack at
East Midlands Parkway. This was a soporific place, with the soothing sound of the water coolers at the power station interrupted briefly by 66605 disturbing the tumbleweed as it passed through heading for Hope.
Release eventually came in the form of dud 220010, which trundled me south, passing 66003 at Mountsorrel, crossing to the slow lines at the Tropic of Sileby, staggering round the curve (psul but dud), noting Frisby-on-the-Wreake (Leicestershire has the best village names), stopping at Melton Mowbray and Oakham and then finally diverging south at Manton Junction onto new track.
The line south hence to Kettering seems to be a mixture of tunnels and viaducts, with the view from Harringworth being rather good. Electrification looms south of Corby, although hopefully the rather nice roofs at
Kettering (a new shack for me) won't be affected.
As I arrived at Kettering, 66604 departed Northwards, and a pleasant 15 minute wait saw a repeat HST score as dud 43089 led winning
43052 on my train back to Nottingham. A large variety of locos were stabled at Leicester, those identified in the twilight being 47727/813, 50008, 56060/065/077/104, 57305, before a speedy run to Nottingham, with me waving au revoir to Beeston en route.
Now for the trip home, and I was slightly concerned that my chariot to Manchester was to be 156404, vice the usual 158. I needn't have been - a competent, on-time run to Sheffield was followed by an absolutely storming run over (and under) the Pennines, until progress was halted by catching up the local from Buxton at Hazel Grove. From here into Piccadilly was a bit of a trundle, but an on-time arrival was still achieved. (Incidentally, having had 404 on the same trip previously, and also sampling it on the previous day, I thought it might achieve top spot in my “recorded 156 mileage league table”. However the trip to Carlton on the 25th just kept 156497 in front - by about half a mile - thanks to its previous service in the Manchester area!)
Getting home was straightforward now - trams 3098 and 3056 to Victoria and 150274 home.
28th February 2019 - Ponte Carlo or Bust
The rest of my week off was mostly devoted to Quizzing, stopping for two nights in a friend's garden shed in Pontefract. However the positioning move to get there involved a bit of cranking. The gory details are as follows:
142091 from Rochdale to Todmorden
156461/153304 thence to Halifax
155347 through to Leeds
144023 to
Normanton for the shack score, passing 66708 at Holbeck, 66420/522/524/541/546 and the Dead Fugly Society's usual suspects at Midland Road
144003/010 back to Cas Vegas
155341 to
Glasshoughton, for a dual shack and spoons score, and a bus to my Glamping appointment…
《Non Train Bit》
Thursday evening involved a pub quiz at Rothwell.
Friday involved too much beer at South Milford, Sherburn-Tin-Helmet and Towton, with a buzzer quiz at the latter to celebrate (?) the 558th anniversary of the Battle.
Saturday was Quiz in The North at Stockton, and also involved a lift in a Tesla (definite car marque scratch)
《Train bit continues》
185125 eventually took me back to Manchester from Thornaby on Saturday evening, for a late bus home.
And for the future - on Thursday 4th I've got a coach trip to London (Nat Ex, as opposed to Megabus) for another spot of line clearance.
The plan is (once arrived) Victoria - Bognor - Littlehampton - Brighton - St Leonards - Haywards Heath - Gatwick - Victoria (Southern Daysave already acquired), then overnight coach to Oxford, 68 on the commuter to Bicester, then Prince’s Risborough, the Chinnor Gala, up to Aylesbury Vale Parkway then back to Victoria for the coach home…
...write up to follow, eventually!