It was still dark when I left the house this morning. Not pitch black, but gloomy enough to remind me that summer is drawing on, and I'll soon be travelling to work in the dark too. Today's forecast was uncertain too - which made me wonder whether the gloom was just cloud cover, with my thoughts naturally turning to a certain cricket match being played today. Today's trip took me eastwards - almost as far as one can go in that direction in fact. Essex and Suffolk are areas which I've neglected in my travels over the years, partly because historically it's not been easy to work the timetable to my advantage. More recently, it's been more about laziness and my preference for points north - and I've found myself heading east usually when there's nothing much doing elsewhere. That's unfair though, because I've almost always had interesting trips this way which have thrown up plenty of surprises. First though, the tried and tested routine of an early ride up to London. The sky brightened as we sped along through Oxfordshire and Berkshire, and as we slowed for arrival at Paddington the NENTA tour to Paignton passed with a flash of sunlight from the pristine 47760. Eager to get to Liverpool Street for a cup of decent coffee, and despite the Bishopsgate entrance being a filthy, cigarette strewn dust-trap, it was hard not to enjoy the warm August morning as the street grew busier.

At this point I realised that Liverpool Street - not usually at it's busiest on a weekend - was exceptionally crowded with younger passengers. Many of them were carrying pop-up tents and rucksacks too. It dawned on me that once again in my railway and work-addled state I'd let a bit of popular culture pass me by - this weekend saw the V festival come to Chelmsford. Wedged myself into a first class compartment on the Clacton service as soon as it was called, but this didn't stop an invasion! A busy but not unpleasant ride out of Liverpool Street followed!

From Colchester onwards, as we took the curve away from the mainline, I was on new ground. The landscape soon changed from rolling countryside to the flat, rivulet-cracked marshes which typify the coast of Essex. As we passed Thorpe-le-Soken, where the Clacton and Walton lines diverge, the coast was visible to the south, with an impressive line of brooding wind turbines stalking out to sea. One of my fellow passengers remarked "how ugly!" as they came into view. After curving through caravan parks, we finally arrived at the impressive seaside terminus. Clacton station has much in common with other seaside termini I've visited, and these stations do somehow retain a bit of a special feeling. Despite the embarrassment of having to face the quizzical looks of the same guard who had just checked my ticket on the inbound train, it was quite fun to queue at the barrier in the old fashioned way to board the working back to Thorpe-le-Soken.

On arrival at Thorpe, a small human drama was unfolding. A multi-buggied Essex mum was wandering up and down the platform with her older offspring and an utterly foul-mouthed older woman pushing a trolley, who I can only assume was her mother. They seemed to want to board the London train I'd just left, but after putting her two older children onboard, they sort of wandered off, with the mother cursing and spitting at staff and showing no signs of boarding. In the general melee, the train left on time with two children on board, but mother and child still swearing at each other on the platform! Cue scenes of panic and lots of shouts of "My f**king babies!". The service was, the older woman claimed, "f**king criminal!". I have to say the station staff, and the guard of the following Colchester service were amazing. They quickly contacted staff on the train to make sure the children were safe, and mother was put in touch with children. A plan was formulated to reunite the family swiftly, and all was sorted in mere minutes. Not good enough for the family though, with the old crone shouting "You should be f**king ashamed of yourselves, I'm going to the f**king papers about this!" before confidentially adding to her pale and clearly distressed daughter "There ought to be some f**king compensation in this for us, love!".

After watching these events unfold under bright sunshine, which perhaps was affecting the usually more reserved British temperament, I boarded the next train down to Walton-on-the-Naze, a station which has seen a fair bit of tinkering with it's name over the years - both gaining and losing the definite article along with it's hyphens over the years. On the way, passed through the recently replaced 'gates' at Frinton. This level crossing was iconic in separating the 'nice' side of town from the 'not so nice', and was instrumental for many decades in completing the separation which the apparently somewhat stuffy folk of Frinton wished to establish from their fringe communities. A dawn raid by Network Rail saw to the replacement of these older gates with a newer model as part of the resignalling around this area. The new gates didn't appear too out of place, and indeed were much older in style than others on the line. Frinton itself appeared tired, the station a graffitied concrete shell. It wasn't entirely clear what they were trying to protect here, and from whom? Onwards to Walton, terminating in a pleasantly leafy station, sadly much reduced from it's earlier importance.

From Walton, I took the stopping service all the way back to Colchester, which allowed me to cover the other two sides of the triangle leading to Colchester Town station. The train was busy but not overcrowded, and we made surprisingly quick progress back up the branch. After a reversal at Colchester Town, we curved back onto the mainline and arrived at one of the bay platforms at Colchester. This station is rather a mess of bays, staggered through platforms and sidings, and there is a woeful lack of useful announcements or passenger information. Had a brief refreshment stop, and then realised that I'd positioned myself at the wrong platform for the service I'd planned to catch back into London! Being in no hurry, flagged the Class 360 in favour of 90009 which followed a few minutes later with an express to Liverpool Street. A much quieter mainline journey this time, with the festival revellers safely in Chelmsford. A fairly quick and efficient switch onto the Circle Line and back to Paddington for the train home.

Since a future railtour promises to cover all of the other mainline track I've not covered in this corner of the country, today was an opportunity to tick off some outlying extremities of the network. What it also showed though was that small seaside termini can be effectively turned into busy rail hubs with a good electrified commuter service. With recent word on wiring up the Great Western, perhaps this is something which local rail campaigners in my part of the world need to push for in terms of our local services too?

Having taken so many shots of King Edward at Highbridge, I wasn't sure I was going to go out to watch The Torbay Express today. I had been thinking of a walk to a new photo location, but left far too little time to consider this properly. In any case, decided to shoulder my camera on the walk through Highbridge. Just before I left the house, found out that the King, seen steaming happily at Barton Hill last night, was not operating due to a brake fault. Realised it would be my duty to inform the small crowd at Springfield Road - some of whom were appreciative, others who just plain didn't believe it until they saw it!

After getting a shot which was all too hasty as I'd been chatting to one of the rather more pleasant steam enthusiast couples who regularly watch here, we all trudged off - some expressing deep unhappiness and anger. As I put it to one of these folk, I wonder how the people who paid for a steam trip felt?

As August continues its strange and disjointed progress, I find myself filling a couple of weeks with hastily planned trips which score little bits of track or follow diversions, just to get me out and about. If nothing else, this presents the opportunity to relax between trying weeks, in anticipation of more extensive jaunts to come later in the Autumn. So today I'd planned a relaxing circuit of the East Midlands, based on a diversion noted in a BLS communique. Given that last week I'd over-taxed my injured knee I'd left plenty of time between trains - not difficult because it seems that the timetable hadn't been fully updated in time to book some of the diverted services. The plan was for an easy time with some scope for wandering in London should the mood take me later. Set off for the station early, noting that the mornings were getting a little darker once again. Caught the customary 05:50 to Bristol, which deposited us just feet from our next train, allowing time to stock up on provisions for breakfast as we sped north. Have to say though, that I found the idea of a cheese and scrambled egg sandwich rather odd - whether hot or cold! The weather seemed a little brighter too as we left Bristol, and the only surprising event in this otherwise pleasantly calm and quiet trip was the use of platform 4 at Bristol Parkway - certainly the first time I've done this on a Voyager. Arrived in Birmingham and having missed the passing of a charter down to Paignton from Chesterfield, we headed straight for a decent cup of coffee, whilst watching the world go by. We'd try to catch up with the charter on it's homeward run.

The next train was the main object of today's trip. The CrossCountry service between Birmingham and Stansted was unable to take it's booked route through Melton Mowbray and Stamford, and thus was heading north to Nottingham, then onto the East Coast Mainline to reach Peterborough and regain it's usual route. No new track, unless of course we used the through roads at Nottingham, but an interesting journey nonetheless. Set out in blazing sunshine, with a woman moaning to everyone but us that we'd taken her seat. We hadn't - as my reservation proved - but this didn't stop her. She eventually located herself close enough to let us hear her continual 'shock' at the contents of copy of The Sun she was reading. As we left Leicester and headed into uncharted waters, she and her offspring became distinctly jittery about being on the wrong train! Through Loughborough and East Midlands Parkway, before turning east and a slow crawl into Nottingham. Always a congested station, it seems that a booked crew-change here meant that we had to call in a platform. We seemed to wait ages to get into the station, with Fastline's 66301 and 303 passing, then again to leave. Once on our way in brilliant weather, we headed to Netherfield Junction, turning south east and soon reaching the new alignment at Allington Junction. A quick blast down the ECML and we were soon in Peterborough, with our neighbouring passengers rather bewildered by the route taken - but visibly relieved that they'd got here.

A little time to kill here before the next leg, and a chance to watch operations at this busy and varied station. Not as many locomotives stabled outside in the yards as usual - but this may point to a buoyant time in the track renewal programme, so perhaps no bad thing! Found a spot on a windswept but warm platform 3 and watched a parade of HSTs, a Hull Trains operated 180 and numerous local workings. Typically, just as my camera was safely back in it's bag, the distinctive howl of an unrefurbished HST engine signalled the passing of Grand Central's service to Sunderland. Soon time for our own train south, with 91101 bringing up the rear of an Edinburgh-Kings Cross service. Found a surprisingly very comfortable seat in standard class, and relaxed once again as we sped south.

A brief wander around the building site which is Kings Cross, before walking out to St Pancras and Euston to see what was happening. Noted the Domestic Highspeed platforms were closed, so no chance of seeing if any 395s were stabled over the weekend. No hurry to be anywhere, and whilst there was plenty of time to wander, my leg was much improved it seemed today, and I didn't want to risk changing that. Decided on a meandering bus trip back to Paddington, before some shopping, coffee and our trip back to Bristol. Again, a smooth-running and quiet trip spent trying to predict where we'd cross the path of the charter returning from Paignton. The hope was that we'd do so at either Bristol or Highbridge - allowing a swift photograph. In the event, we crossed the train somewhere south of Nailsea, with just 47501 working it in fact. Even the boarding of an incredibly raucous hen-party at Weston couldn't disturb my peace and quiet - despite other's best efforts to get very much involved in their celebrations!

So, a quiet, uncomplicated and varied day out spent just travelling for the sake of it. It was just the kind of day I needed today - and despite not scoring any new track or attempting any sort of epic quest, I'm quietly pleased to have travelled 450 miles or more around the country just watching, listening and enjoying the place.

August is shaping up to be a rather odd month - with lots going on at each end but very little in the middle weeks. After a busy week with a jaunt up to London and family visits, I was looking forward to a fairly gentle day out today. Also, given what promised to be an expensive few months ahead, conserving funds appeared to be a sensible strategy. Started out with the usual first train off Highbridge and subsequent connection into a London service at Weston. A nice, quiet and rather sleepy trip - disturbed only by a bunch of odd teenagers who boarded at Chippenham and attempted to strip the antimacassars from the carriage I was in. They were soon removed from the train at Swindon with no delay. Arrived a little early into London, only to remember I hadn't checked for engineering on the Underground. Discovered that as I feared, the Circle Line was out and thus wasted precious minutes getting to the bus stop for a service to Charing Cross. Missed one by seconds in fact, but my dodgy knee wasn't up to the dash - and would be needed for the walk across Tunbridge Wells later! Finally on board for a quiet trundle through the West End. Arrived in good time for my planned train, but couldn't help feeling I could have made it earlier if I'd been a bit more alert last evening and checked as I'd planned. The rest of the journey into the Kent countryside was quiet and uneventful, and we rolled into Tunbridge Wells exactly on time.

The walk across town wasn't quite as bad as I'd thought and the place seemed very well-to-do and rather busy with a market and some very upmarket shopping going on. The West station now appears to be a large wild west theme pub, with the locomotive shed across the access road to a large Homebase now providing the facilities. Arrived to find the next service out was the 11:08 - using the line's resident Oxted thumper unit. This was also departing from the non-preferred platform two. Not much of a platform in fact, as steps were required to get up to the doors! Soon away and making a huge racket as we chugged and thumped our way to High Rocks. The operation at this station is odd - with the train guard unlocking a gate to let passengers in and out, and then closing and padlocking it after them. This effectively ruled out nipping out for a quick photograph, as staff were keen to clear the platform swiftly and get the train moving. This occurs I understand because High Rocks station is at the foot of a pub beer garden, and the risk of people straying on to the railway is high. Pressed on and eventually arrived at Groombridge where this service terminated and headed back. Here too, the original station and alignment seem to have been sold - with the station in new use, and the former alignment built on. The new station is a simple affair with a shed acting as a very neat little refreshment stall. The line actually heads on further to Birchden Junction where it comes alongside the Uckfield branch, then proceeds to Eridge station - however this section remains out of use at present for work to make this a regular part of the line's operation.

Headed back to Tunbridge Wells West and settled into a pattern of hopping trains to try to get the best out of the day - with a double-headed service using the Spa Valley's E6047 (73140) and 33063 next. These services called at Groombridge then headed a little further to the loop at Groombridge Junction to return to the station top-and-tailed, before working back to Tunbridge Wells West. Visiting 20110 from the South Devon Railway lead a trip next, performing extremely well as ever. The timetable began to slip pretty badly here, with around a 20 minute delay. This meant arriving back to find that the shuttle to High Rocks with 15244 hauling the Thumper was packed to the gills already. Decided to flag this, get a drink and relax in the bright sunshine and pleasant surroundings. My aim was to get at least one trip involving 37254 - another resident, and this became more and more doubtful as the delays mounted. Finally, the time came for a double-headed run with 20110 and 37254. These were quickly and expertly hooked on to the front of the train and we were off. Both locos were working hard and we made some very fast getaways from station stops. A quick run around took place, but another delay in setting off meant plenty of pressure on the crews of the top and tailed locos. Shouldn't have feared, as they again worked the locos brilliantly, and the sound of both the 20 and 37 echoing past High Rocks was very memorable. Spent much of this trip happily with my head out of the window in the sunshine, listening to the engines!

Mindful of needing to get a bus across London in the much busier afternoon, I made a dash back to the mainline station after hopping off this service. Made it in good time for a slightly earlier service than planned, despite limping much of the way. In fact, I've developed a sort of 'fast limp' over the past few weeks which was put to good use today. Pleased to be in the cool of the air-conditioned unit, and had a productive ride back to Charing Cross with a good few units spotted on route! The bus was, as expected, pretty packed. Found myself becoming increasingly annoyed with tourists during the trip - which was rather hypocritical because I was one too, so to speak. However, I'd never turn up in another country without have done some basic research on how to get around. Disembarked at Paddington with about 45 minutes to grab a bite to eat whilst waiting for the 19:00 which took me directly home. A fine, uncomplicated day out on a small but well-run railway. Definitely due another visit when the full extent of the line is available.