First trip of the year, and a much needed opportunity to get out and about. The plan was to explore Northampton a little. Set out on what would be my normal commuter service, travelling to Weston to rebook for Northampton. Time for a quick chat with staff at Weston before heading out in dry but misty conditions for Birmingham. Excellent running all the way, but limited success at getting my GPS receiver to work on the train. Arrived at New Street to find the London end closed entirely, with the station being worked as a terminus. Things were running suprisingly smoothly given the frequency and complexity of movements involved. Spent a little while watching things, before buying food and heading off to locate my service for Northampton.
This was also my first chance to sample the new Class 350 'Desiro' units. I'm not clear what sort of unit they're actually meant to be? Are they running commuter services for Central or providing the ex-Virgin inter-city service to Liverpool? They end up doing rather well at a combination of both, stopping everywhere from Northampton to Birmingham, then heading up the West Coast Main Line to the North West. Luckily they are surprisingly comfortable and spacious units which seem capable of speedy acceleration, and are incredibly quiet. An improvement on the rather tired ex-Silverlink 321s which previous operated the service to Northampton.
Due to the closure, out of New Street via the Stour Valley, follwed by a quick right turn at Soho South Junction. Another right-hander at Perry Barr and onto the freight-only chord for Stechford - a bit of new track for me, and a good start to the bashing year! Weather deteriorating into a damp, drizzly and dark afternoon. On crossing the green and sickly looking River Nene and arriving at a very depressing looking Northampton, decided that exploration wasn't a good idea as I'd form a very bad opinion of the place due to the prevailing conditions. Instead, rebooked again and boarded a Silverlink unit for Milton Keynes, which would enable me to complete the loop of track to Hanslope Junction, which I'd omitted to do over a decade ago and had no need or opportunity to cover since! Milton Keynes perhaps even more depressing than Northampton, so after a coffee and a wander around the bleak and windswept square outside the station I headed back for the next unit up to Northampton. This highlighted the silliness of splitting the London Euston-Birmingham New Street stopping service. Why operate two separate halves of what was previously a successful single service? It's all of course down to inter-operator politics and the seemingly random whim of the Strategic Rail Authority.
Arrived back at New Street a little late, but noted that my planned connection was also around 25 late, allowing comfortable time for a connection. As the situation developed, it appeared that the 6V36 Lackenby-Margam freight working had expired at Bordesley Junction. So concerned were Virgin at the one line into New Street from the north being blocked, that they volunteered 57307 'Lady Penelope' to assist. The only slight problem with this laudable effort was that she wasn't quite up to the job, causing further delays and much embarassment! Massive confusion at New Street, particularly with what promised to be a dangerously overloaded Cambridge-bound service. Central Trains thoughtfully provided an additional train in this case.
With 6V36 safely tucked in at Saltley, things began to move. Debated waiting for the following Plymouth service, but in the event squeezed on to the 16:33 service - now delayed by 95 minutes. Lucky that I did, as the following services became snarled up at New Street and ran even later. Arrived at Temple Meads around 17:30 with the next connection to Highbridge not leaving until 20:55. Tried to persuade Virgin that it was their job to get me home, to no avail. A chilly and boring end to an otherwise interesting day.
Since the millenium, I've not customarily observed the new year celebration. This year, I wandered out for a couple of pints, but soon found I was a little out of place propping up the bar on such a festive night. Returned home to watch TV and eat too much. This year London's fireworks were impressive, finally making up for the damp squib of 2000 when the world was puzzled by our alleged 'River of Fire' which failed to burn. Otherwise, it was a case of attempting to decipher the strange ramblings of Andrew Marr - the BBC's man in Edinburgh - as he ranted incomprehensibly about hogmonay to Natasha Kaplinsky!
Having returned to work for the strange limbo days between Christmas and New Year, I'm restless for the rest of the world to return to normality, and along with it for the railway to return to its usual timetable. I've spent much of the holiday season happily helping out my family and contentedly spending time with my nephew, but I'm sorely in need of a rail trip to blow away some cobwebs and generally just see different places. Naturally, these past few months I've felt reluctant to take leave, and I suspect that this will remain the case for a while longer. I miss the strange expeditions which I usually make on weekdays when the rest of the world is busy with its usual activity. So I'm loosely planning a trip to Northampton tomorrow based on a poorly-remembered journey ten years ago and curiousity aroused by mentions in Iain Sinclair's Edge of the Orison.
There are some immediately obvious challenges this coming year, and despite some shaky times over Christmas where nervous contemplation of the year to come overcame me, I think I'm probably ready for them. In my usual way however, I'll be worrying about the tiny details while the big issues are looming overhead!
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.
