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.

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!


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.

Resolved to go somewhere reasonably distant, following a long and trying week and a few weeks of mainly local wanderings. Had been at a loss however, as to where to go. Spent hours last night playing with times, but found myself hampered by absurdly inflated ticket prices (mainly around Virgin services I note) or the very Filton blockade which provided last weeks points of interest.

Finally settled on a run on South West Trains Reading to Brighton service, travelling via Basingstoke and Winchester to the south coast. Set out on the 0809 - allowing me the luxury of getting up at my usual time, and happily found the staff at Weston able and willing to sell the combination of Cheap Day Returns, which made a quick change at Reading possible. Tried to get breakfast on the train, but the absence of a "Travelling Chef" until after Bristol and the lack of announcements led to just having a coffee. Quick change at Reading with time to purchase refreshments before boarding an SWT 170 on Platform 1. I fully understand that the 170/3 units are newer than Central's but at least SWT seem to clean these. Comfortable trip to Brighton, if a little crowded at times in the 2 car unit. Notice I was travelling with a poet too, and was proud to notice that she took interest and noted down the name of my chosen reading matter.

On arrival, decided that being this close to new track, without a purpose demanded a trip to Lewes via London Road. I've almost always been going somewhere when I'm in Brighton - visiting Russell Hill or heading for the UNISON conference - so I've never had time to scratch the short bit of track between here and Lewes. Grabbed a ticket from the machine and hopped on a 377 waiting on Platform 1. A short but pleasant trip - the views from the viaduct over Brighton being particularly interesting. Interesting to see how Lover's Walk is dominated by 377 EMUs now, in comparison to my last visit some years ago when slammers populated the depot. I must confess I find the 377s both comfortable and quick - and whilst they are soulless plastic, they are pretty good units.

Headed into Brighton. Previous visits have given me a good navigational start on the place, and I was amazed to remember most of my way around the shopping areas. Headed straight for the shops, homing in on HMV where I bought Belle and Sebastian's "Dog on Wheels EP" many years ago (eight maybe?). Commemorated by buying their newly released "Books EP" from the same shop. Also got a USB hub and cable to get the printer going. Back to the station in record time, wishing I had more time to wander in fact, despite crowded streets and low-flying birds!

Spotted a 450 waiting to return to Basingstoke, so changed my vague plan to go via Gatwick and Guildford and decided to take my first trip on a 450. As reported, a pretty basic unit. Some confusion with the computerised announcments too, which announced a station just as we left it! All-in-all, a fine suburban unit akin to the 458s in use between Reading and Waterloo. Doesn't feel nearly comfortable enough for the Portsmouth services they find use on, or indeed this rather long run. Almost relieved to transfer onto a 165 for the run back into Reading!

Long, wet journey back to Weston. Hampered by more trespassers near Parson Street station. New track, new units and a bit of shopping thrown in. Can't complain at all.

With next week looming in something of a 'Sword of Damocles' manner after the last week of frustration and work-related awfulness, decided I had to get out and about this weekend. Spent yesterday trying to decide what to do, and finally settled on some more aimless local wandering.

Purchased a Wessex Rover which I have little chance of completely using, but was determined to get value from its slightly higher 'Summer Season' price. Off to Bristol, then decided to hang around for the 0828 Weymouth train. It was 31601 and 31452, so went with it as far as Westbury. I could have gone further, but didn't fancy another long hot trawl back from Weymouth today. Onto a Cardiff bound and very wedged 158 at Westbury. Finally got a seat at Bath, and enjoyed a rather quicker than last time spin around the Filton diversion to Newport.

From Newport to Cheltenham. Engineering works near Birmingham meant some disruption which was being complained about extremely loudly by a family near me. Only effect on my journey was that Central Trains were using a filthy 158 instead of the (sadly, for their age equally shabby) 170s.

A short stay at Cheltenham, where the rain started, and onto a Virgin service for Paignton. I seriously considered remaining on this to Weston, but rallied when I thought of the extra six quid I'd paid for my ticket! So, around the diversion in the other direction in a ten-car Super Voyager. Back at Bristol, noted a Southampton bound service across the platform, so grabbed refreshments and hopped on. A quick consultation of the timetable showed if I was careful, I could get a service via Melksham to Swindon, a rare enough event. Could probably have changed at Westbury, but to be sure, got off at Trowbridge.

Had a really quite unpleasant wait for the 1645 service, surrounded by Trowbridge kids in the rain. Arrived just a couple of minutes late, and off we went. As we pulled away, someone began shouting about not being able to get off. Seems an unfortunate passenger had been slow in unloading their luggage and had managed to get carried away having left some of her bags on the platform. Felt quite sorry for her, and that perhaps I could have done something to help - then however when discussing the situation with the guard she revealed she'd "left three more down at Westbury when I changed there!". Have people forgotten the concept of a timetable? Having checked later, it seems all her bags were safe, and she turned around with the train at Swindon and got back to Trowbridge a little late!

Sun out at Swindon, so waited for a direct service to Weston and wandered, watching people and trains. Turned out to be a pleasant if uneventful day in Wessex!

Its been an unlucky week in lots of ways, today sort of summed it up.

Since next week the Filton Abbey Wood diversions begin again making an early connection Cardiff tricky, I decided today I'd have another crack at the Fishguard Harbour haulage. I'd managed to determine that it was 37 hauled last week, and that no-one had posted anything to the contrary for today on the various gen lists. So, feeling relaxed I boarded the 0809 from Weston, absent-mindedly changing at Bristol for a Cardiff service. Figured I'd wake up with the racket of a 37 soon enough.

Stocked up with provisions once again at Cardiff Central and patiently waited for 1016 to tick around on Platform 7. Then, bad stuff began to happen. First, a platform change to 4, then a pretty grimy looking 158826 arrived at the Swansea end of Platform 4. Wandered over, and waited - still prepared to believe this wasn't what I dreaded. The guard stepped off the 158 and asked if I wanted the Fishguard. Confirmed, and he explained - no loco today because there was no shunter available to travel to Fishguard with them to run the locomotive around the stock. He bemoaned the shunters he'd seen offered early retirement or voluntary redundancy by Arriva and its predecessors before wandering off to break the bad news to more waiting cranks.

Now, a 158 in theory is preferable to the farce with a 150 a few weeks back. Sadly however, 158826 was filthy. The air-conditioning had failed, and the set was already warm from sitting in the sun outside Canton all morning. Despite the guard opening the few available hopper ventilators, we had a long, hot and drowsy ride to Fishguard. The threat of a huge storm rolling in from the Irish Sea didn't materialise, and the ride back was, if possible, even hotter as the train was a little more crowded. The rather bizarre timing on this service meant lots of standing at signals too. Not a fun journey.

Stepping onto a pair of Portsmouth-bound Wessex 158s at Cardiff I remembered what the 158s air-con should feel like - a comfortably icy blast as recalled from summer trips to Bristol back in the early 1990s! Wrote mental letters of complaint to Arriva as we passed back into England, and a jammed 153 back to Weston. The third 153 in the last two weeks with a lack of air pressure to open the doors... more Wessex units heading for failure? A frustrating day, serving only to give me the chance to correct my Welsh - it should have be Portladd Abergwaun all along.