The opportunity to get out and about midweek doesn't arise very often these days. However, with a few days off this week and a chance to sample a free first class journey courtesy of friends at First Great Western, I decided to design myself a day catching up on changes on the network around London. My visits to London usually take two forms - either fleeting cross-city dashes to get from one station to another, or long drawn out psychogeographical rambles which lead me into hitherto unexplored bits of the area. Today though was to be dedicated to new track and new trains. This short break having crept up on me, still found myself shuffling about and deciding what I needed to take this morning. Would I get a chance to take pictures in the now enthusiast-unfriendly city? Would I need a coat, as Highbridge was very wet indeed. Erred on the side of caution and took both camera and raincoat. Soon on board the 07:12 to Paddington which provided a relaxing, easy journey into the capital.
A swift Circle Line trip to Kings Cross followed, and then a rather long walk to the Highspeed Suburban platforms at St Pancras International. They weren't well signposted, but I suppose this is the 'preview' service, and they wouldn't have been ready when the station opened and original signage was erected. Used my vague knowledge of the track layout to get myself into the far northeastern corner of the station, and sure enough found a small temporary sign pointing up to the concourse. Took the opportunity to pack my coat away, as despite the dreary weather at home, London was sweltering in a steamy, humid haze. Ascended to the platforms and spied a line up of Hitachi Javelin trains. The sleek, blue forms were rather breathtaking up close - a real vision of the future like we used to see in science fiction books. A friendly and helpful member of the gateline staff came over to chat. He was happy for me to take pictures, and seemed proud of what Southeastern were doing here. Finally boarded 395011 finding a comfortable and cool - but strangely rather ordinary interior. I'm not sure what I expected, but I was happy enough with a good seat and plenty of legroom!
And then the entertainment began...a crawl out of the station and onto the CTRL relief lines was taken slowly, but as we climbed towards the covered tunnel high above Kings Cross, the train began to accelerate. Once inside the tunnel, there was a sudden feeling of speed and dive-bomber whine from the train. It's difficult to gauge speed underground, but from the tunnel lights flashing by it felt fast! It wasn't until we breached ground at the concrete box which is fast becoming Straford International Station, that I appreciated just how quickly we were moving. Blasting back into tunnel, there was a perceptable pop as my ears adjusted to the sudden change in pressure. Meanwhile onboard, things were far from futuristic. Announcements were made, and the polite and friendly staff checked my ticket and crossed it with a pen mark. It seemed almost like the staff had been told to play down the fact we were hurtling along at high speed.
We burst into open air again near Rainham. The yards at Ripple Lane and Dagenham beside the line flashed by, and we skirted the road to the Queen Elizabeth II Bridge. Once again into tunnel, this time to pass under the Thames. And strangely, all too soon, we were slowing for Ebbsfleet! We entered another concrete box - the lines connecting to North Kent leapt up and over, and we came to rest in platform 2 beside another pair of Javelins on test. A surprising amount of people had travelled, and some were waiting to come back. People are taking the new service in their stride it seems, which made my furtive photography and foolish excitement seem all the more strange. I calculated 14 minutes for the 22 miles or so to Ebbsfleet - an average speed of 94mph including all the accelerating and decelerating around the stations. Sadly, as the route is mainly in tunnel, I couldn't get a maximum speed reading from my GPS. I can't wait to get a longer run on one of these remarkable machines when they enter squadron service next year!
Next it was time to sample another way in which London was catering to it's embattled commuters needs. After making my way back to St Pancras via another exhilarating trip on 395011, I hopped back onto the tube to Liverpool Street and after a quick bite to eat onto a 321 to Stratford. Seemed odd to be arriving at a station I'd just passed under at extreme speed. Had a brief wander around the busy station front. It was now fairly bright and very warm out, and I was suffering under the weight of my ill-considered raincoat, now stuffed into a bulging rucksack. Dodged the charity muggers and headed back to platform 1, where the London Overground service has been diverted into new platforms to leave those bisecting the concourse free for the DLR extension. Here I became rather muddled about which diagram was planned for one of the new trains. However, waiting around here wasn't an option - there were a huge amount of staff milling around, and their constant looks and patrols indicated that they felt my presence was a threat in some way. Decided to find a place further along the line where my presence wouldn't be questioned. Naturally selected Dalston Kingsland - if there is anywhere it's possible to fade into obscurity it had to be there. So compromised by doing the first bit of my trip on a battered but still reliable 313, covering the new curve and passing the Olympic Park with its profusion of frames and skeletons. Popped out into Dalston on arrival for a brief walk around Ridley Road market and the shopping centre before heading back down to the platforms. I comfortably let two trains pass here with no comment or concern from anyone. While Stratford becomes nervous in anticipation of it's Olympic future, Dalston soldiers on - unsuspecting and unsurprised. Finally my patience was rewarded. The sight of a high intensity headlamp signalled the arrival of 378007 into the station.
Inside the unit gave an impression of space. The longitudinal tube-style seating and full-width gangways allow sight all the way through the train. Settled on a sort of 'perch' seat beside the doors and watched how people avoided standing near the corridor connection. This however allowed a travelling busker to set up his stage for a swift rendition of 'King of the Road'. The guard came to move him on and a dungaree-clad Islingtonite and her friend defended him "Leave him alone, he's done no harm" they protested. Confidentially, a fellow passenger beside me whispered "Dunno, I thought he murdered that one". I nodded tacit agreement and stared ahead in the time-honoured London fashion. At Willesden, a small gaggle of Bombardier workers boarded and began a complicated series of ambient temperature checks on the unit. This seemed to involve them leaning over passengers and waving a probe about, quite unsure of where it ought to be. The unit was cold - for me pleasantly so, because I appreciate well air-conditioned trains. However the chill wasn't to everyone's taste and I can only assume it's this the deputation had been sent to asses scientifically.
We progressed around the North London Line, and I heard plenty of positive comments about the new train as people remarked on it's arrival. Eventually into Richmond where the turn around allowed time to get a quick snapshot of the unit before it worked back. I travelled back as far as Willesden Junction, with the Bombardier guys struggling to finish their measurements before getting off too! With the start of a nagging headache from the humidity, feeling much too hot and weighed down by my rucksack, I decided to get a coffee - I must have looked downtrodden because the barista was extra nice to me today! Spent a pleasant few minutes drinking coffee, chatting and watching trains pass by on the West Coast Main Line below. Eventually time to do one of my signature moves - back to Paddington via West Brompton.
Enjoyed a quiet ride back on the busy 16:30, regarding today's trip as a success. Perhaps most excitingly I've seen the developments which have caused so much speculation and debate in railway circles over the past few years finally come to fruition. Of course the common thread in terms of both the Overground renewal and the Highspeed Service is the Olympics - an uncomfortably transient phenomenon. London is beginning to get the modern railway it deserves, but I hope the momentum can be sustained into projects like wider electrification and new trains for the provinces.
It was also interesting to think that thundering west in a 1970s built HST on a century old rail alignment, I wasn't really going so much slower than the Javelin...
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.
