Up and out on the 0640 in what promised to be strong sunshine. Opted for a Severn, Avon & Wessex Rover - will try to use this as an incentive for a day off in the week. Time for coffee at Bristol, and also a moment to note that 'Crowd Control Measures' would be in use at Cardiff Central, due to the Challenge Cup Final at the Millenium Stadium. The positive side of this is that lots of additional services are running. Noted 'Nunney Castle' still on Barton Hill Depot as we passed en route to Cardiff.
One particularly intriguing service was my target - the 0934 Cardiff Central to Cardiff Central, via Gloucester and Bristol Parkway. In other words, a big, Class 37 hauled circle! Arrived at a rather quiet Cardiff in good time and spent a while trying to photograph the 37s working the Rhymney services. Pretty soon, 37419 arrived and we were off - it was practically all cranks up front, with a few familiar faces. The journey up the Western bank of the Severn in wonderful weather was very pleasant, and 37419 appeared to be in good form. At Gloucester, it appeared thousands of Rugby fans wanted to get on. The small group who ended up in the front with us seemed a bit perplexed by what was happening!
Back to Cardiff via the Severn Tunnel. Out into the sunshine to get a picture of 37419. Then, in quick succession the other excursion trains started piling in - 47197 on a service from Manchester Oxford Road, a pair of 67s on a Wigan service, and 31454 top and tailing with 31452 on a Westbury-Cardiff. Even as the Rugby fans disappeared towards the stadium, the platform got busy with photograhers!
Could have hung around for the return leg, but felt that the mass exit of thousands of fans (at least half of whom would be disappointed!) was less likely to be pleasant. Since another hauled service was due tomorrow, decided to bid Cardiff goodbye. Headed back to Weston to get a long-promised haircut, then over to Highbridge for a brief visit. Considered wandering back up on the offchance of getting 31s back to Westbury, but decided I was too hot and tired.
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.
