As I approach the end of a year of obsessively covering the odd bits of track I've missed during my previous travels, it's not surprising to note that the big gaps are still in the same places. Whilst South West Wales is now covered along with large parts of East Anglia and most of Scotland, there are still strange areas of emptiness - namely around mid-Wales and the Essex Coast. While the former will surely appear on railtours at times, I realised some time ago I was going to have to chase the other bits on my own initiative. So today's trip had several purposes - firstly to work around the mess of engineering works blocking my path to the North, next to cross another line off the list in Essex, and finally to provide an opportunity to explore the territories I've been reading about recently in more detail. Started the day with the now customary sunrise-chasing trip up to London, arriving early and in surprisingly clear and bright weather. A quick underground move to Liverpool Street and soon on a slightly earlier than planned unit out to Shenfield. I'd forgotten just how poor these Class 321s were inside, and was pleased just to be doing a short hop on the particular example I used to Shenfield. Just outside Stratford we passed the Pathfinder trip to Great Yarmouth arriving from it's circuit around the Capital to pick up the Western from here. Half-wished I'd made the arrangements to do this run, not least because I could have done the elusive Wensum Curve in style! Left the train at Shenfield to await the unit to Southminster which shuttles back and forth all day or so it seems, at least at the weekends. A total failure of the information system meant that the station was relying on good old fashioned shouting of instructions by increasingly surly platform staff, sick of being asked where each train was going again and again, despite their efforts to communicate this! Eventually onto yet another 321 and onto the Southend lines.
As far as Wickham, I'd covered this line - though so long ago and in such innocence of the network that I really didn't remember it. However, realising that there were two ways to get to Southend and that I should do both was probably a very early, formative event of my evolution as a line collector. At Wickham, with the majority of the passengers detrained, we curved away from the double track route to Southend and headed onto a single line travelling over flat marshes punctuated with tufts of grass and streams in deep muddy fissures. The landscape had a real edge of the world quality... this was a long way from the cartoon Essex of dog tracks and white stilettos, and I confess I found the strangely marooned landscape impressive if a little bleak and unsettling.
Realised I was the only passenger in my carriage on arrival, but noted a few others detraining at the terminus. The rails just seem to run out here, alongside a fairly substantial building which appeared to be mostly abandoned and boarded up. Found a spot for a photograph, and realised suddenly and unnervingly that I was totally alone and the road was entirely silent. Noticed the driver of the unit which had brought us in heading up the street in the distance, so decided civilisation must be that way. Southminster appeared a pleasant and quiet place, maybe little more than a large village perhaps. Found a local shop and brought provisions, before heading back to the station, again passing a strange terrace of houses apparently made from slats of wood. Noticed a small pub, The Station Arms also constructed in the same way. An impressive list of beers were on offer, and notes were duly taken as this might be one to come back to sometime. Back on board the unit, with a few more companions this time - mainly people heading into Wickham for last minute Christmas shopping.
Settled in for the ride back towards London in bright winter sunshine. Trips like this remind me of why I never tire of travelling around Britain. A change at Shenfield once again, onto a very busy Class 360 heading into Liverpool Street. Another chance to look at the eerily abandoned Olympic site. I was heading into the east of the city this afternoon to take a walk through territory I'd incompletely explored and had been reading about almost obsessively, and that likely belongs in another entry here.
Lost::MikeGTN
I've had a home on the web for more years than I care to remember, and a few kind souls persuade me it's worth persisting with keeping it updated. This current incarnation of the site is centred around the blog posts which began back in 1999 as 'the daylog' and continued through my travels and tribulations during the following years.
I don't get out and about nearly as much these days, but I do try to record significant events and trips for posterity. You may also have arrived here by following the trail to my former music blog Songs Heard On Fast Trains. That content is preserved here too.
