Today began as a bit of a farce. Having decided to get up later than usual, woke to a bunch of messages about a major mix-up regarding the coaching stock for Virgin's 'Holidaymaker Specials'. In short, it wasn't where it needed to be and was horrendously late in setting off to get there! Eyed the Live Departures Boards cautiously whilst preparing to leave. Seems that 1E99 - due to call at Weston at 10:53, and therefore my preferred first move - had started from Exeter St. Davids making up some time.
Arrived at the station to find a reasonable number of fellow cranks, and some customarily confused normal folks. One of these attempted some disparaging remarks before realising that there were more of us than of him! Dead on time 67029 at the head of 11 very lightly loaded Virgin liveried Mk2's arrived. Time for a quick photo before hopping aboard for a speedy and smooth run to Temple Meads.
Some more pictures at Bristol, then over to Platform 9 to watch the other northbound special arrive. This had started from Paignton as planned, and as a result of being somewhat late both 67 hauled services were at Temple Meads at once. Shame they weren't on adjacent platforms for the photo opportunity however! Watched 67016 and 67029 depart northward, then got coffee and settled in for the wait for 1V15 - one of the southbound specials.
67029 at Bristol Temple Meads
After some platform changing strangeness, 67027 arrived with another 11 almost empty coaches. Lets hope patronage of these services improves over the coming weeks - my father assures me that the 'factory shutdown' fortnight at the end of July will help! More pictures before setting of on time for a non-stop run to Exeter St. Davids. Hampered by a preceding Voyager some of the way, but we got moving quite respectably south of Taunton.
On to the sea wall at Dawlish - a spectacular bit of railway and an experience I never tire of. My favourite memory being of a stormy high tide six or seven years back, with waves landing the wrong side of the 158 heading for Penzance! 67027 seemed to make particularly swift progress here - there must be some impressive shots from the photographers at Dawlish out there on the various fotopic sites! Some talk of bailing at Dawlish for the northbound Virgin HST, but I decided to stay on to Paignton for old time's sake!
67027 leaves Dawlish on 1V15
In retrospect, probably shouldn't have done. The strange distaste I developed by visiting the town when in a very unhappy state of mind seems to still trouble me. The sad part is, I used to love a run down here, taking pictures of trains from the footbridge, a decent lunch and a walk to Goodrington. Today however, changed platforms for the 1530 Voyager heading northwards, and left swiftly.
Reasonably uneventful run back. Passed 67002 hauling the other southbound service at Exeter, very late having being swapped on and off the train at Crewe earlier in the day. Changed at Taunton for a packed 143621 back to Weston. Not many miles travelled, but some interesting haulage.
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.
