ALR07 Day Two - Keeping Eastern Promises 19 years ago
Posted in Railways on Sunday 10th June 2007 at 7:54pm
Woke and checked out early - surprising the pleasant possibly-Russian receptionist who appeared to have been working all yesterday and also overnight but remained chirpy nonetheless. Couldn't repay her pleasantries as still largely unable to speak! Off to Darlington station by a much quicker and more direct route than I'd taken yesterday. Walked as fast as I could in the hope that I could kickstart myself and get rid of the grungy feeling which resulting from the ever-present cold and a sleepless night in a stuffy but otherwise comfortable hotel room. Arrived, coughing and spluttering under the grand trainshed and explored the quiet station a little. A few units waiting for Bishop Auckland and Saltburn, but few passengers so early on a Sunday. The guard of a Whitby-bound train asked me if I was "coming along for the ride?". Declined, and said I was for the London train. "But Whitby's a much nicer place!" he said as he flagged his train away laughing. The coffee shop opened and there was time for a quick breakfast before the 08:28 to Kings Cross drew quietly into the station.
Once on board, settled in for the run to Peterborough. Again, glad of the air-conditioning but disappointed not to be able to get a connection to the internet - a service which saved so much time and money on my last trips on GNER. Much of the country seemed to be enveloped in the murky but hot weather which I'd set out in, and a grey mist seemed to be descending as we headed south and east. It felt good to be actually using the Sunday part of a rover ticket for something, and this afternoon promised some of the more substantial sections of new track for the week. An early celebrity sighting of sorts too, as Alan Yentob joined the train at Doncaster, apparently on the way back to London after the International Indian Film Awards weekend. On arriving at Peterborough, a flurry of GBRf locomotives confused me sufficiently for me to miss the number of the Class 91 which had brought us down. A quick curse, and over the bridge to await the Central unit to Norwich. I'd half-dreaded this bit of the trip for ages, as there is something oddly dull about the two-hour stretch of flat nothingness which usually takes place in a jammed, overheating and grubby Central Trains unit which isn't nearly up to the job. Pleased to note instead a surprisingly lightly loaded former-Transpennine Class 158 in fairly good condition! Once past the initial part of journey, made intriguing by Iain Sinclair in 'Edge of the Orision' I settled back with headphones on, and caught up on some missed sleep.
Norwich Thorpe remains a pleasant station to wait at, with a fair amount going on. Time for coffee before the next Great Yarmouth train - which I'd taken care to ensure was going the 'long way around' via Reedham and a bit of new track on the way. Mission accomplished, I turned around with the unit and was surprised to find it going back the same way - which I'd clearly misread in my planning. Nothing lost however, and glad to deal with this bit of track at last, despite having seen nothing of Yarmouth since about 1978 by my reckoning! Arrived back at Norwich with about fifty minutes until the next Sheringham train. Decided to poke my head out of the station doors and saw my hotel just yards away. Wandered over and checked in, meaning I could carry much less luggage to Sheringham with me. Back to the station and onto another 156 for the semi-fast trip up the branch, not calling at some of the minor stops on a Sunday. Made good progress until North Walsham (which still sees some freight it seems) before the line is singled, and things chug along a little less quickly. A swift reversal at Cromer, which seemed fairly busy for a Sunday afternoon, and minutes later we were at our terminus. The sun had arrived out of the mist somewhere along the way, and in the short time we had I managed to pop my head out of the door to see a pleasant and rather busy little town - perhaps one to visit again sometime. Now though it was time to retrace my steps to Norwich and to find a quiet beer and some food.
A quick stroll around Norwich showed, quite frankly, its bad side. The immediate environs of the station are - in fairness like many other places - a mess of cheap takeaways and derelict shops. However a knot of places near the river crossing, such as the Compleat Angler seem fairly reputable and it was here I decided to take refreshment. Given tomorrow's early start I decided to turn in, and to hopefully wake up with a little more vocal ability!
Had the foresight earlier in the week to try to plan something for this weekend. Managed to find cheapish tickets for a circular jaunt up to Stockport and via the Parliamentary to Doncaster. Having had a couple of pretty gruesome work days, set out to enjoy the amazing weather we've been having. The start of the journey went a little more to plan than last week's football-fan interrupted efforts. A quick change at Weston, then a pleasant and unhurried breakfast on a fairly quiet 1S42. All went well until a little south of Bromsgrove, when we were checked at a signal. It turned out that there were reports of trespassers, so we were cautioned past the signal, but except for a couple of dog walkers (who appeared to be safely inside the fence) we saw no-one. Another stop at the next peg to report back, and the damage was done however, as we rolled into New Street about 15 minutes down, just as the 09:20 Manchester train was leaving.
Over to platform 5 via the Customer Reception where I got my ticket endorsed for the 09:48 Pendolino. An on-time arrival meant plenty of time to settle in for the journey. A fairly busy train by all accounts, which filled with a hen party and an unconvincing gang of apprentice would-be football hooligans at Macclesfield. Not sorry to get off at Stockport after an agonising wait for a platform which left me with a three minute cross-platform connection into the 'Ghost Train' to Stalybridge.
The usual bunch of neds and cranks on board for the last Parliamentary of the old timetable. We made a slow start, and seemed to hang around forever at Guide Bridge waiting for another unit to pass, with constant enquiries as to whether we were the Manchester train, given that we were waiting on the wrong platform as usual! Finally into Stalybridge, and oddly signalled into the through platform rather than the bay. Driver and guard appeared as puzzled as the rest of us, but it shortened the walk to the Buffet for a welcome (and this time rather quiet) pint.
I'd hoped for a 185 through to Leeds, but having not found the Saturday diagrams yet I left it to chance, and got a slightly tired looking 158 through Standedge Tunnel, bursting out into bright Yorkshire sunshine for the descent into Huddersfield and Leeds. A nice run, if not quite the traction I'd hoped for. Leeds was busy as ever, but with the first England game of the World Cup about to start things were thinning out fast! Shopped a bit and took up a sunny spot at the end of platform 6 to watch the world go by and grab a few pictures. Realised I was standing beside the very loco which would get me back to Doncaster on the next leg of my journey.
Just time for complimentary coffee before we arrived at Doncaster. Explored a bit to see what was happening - a few locomotives stabled here, but nothing major. Found my platform and settled in for the short wait, half wondering if I should try to get a picture of custom-built maintenance unit 950001. In the end, it was a little two far back from the platform.
Aboard the 14:55 Virgin service for the sleepy and rather too warm run into Bristol. Very quiet in my coach, possibly due to football fever! Some strange signalling choices saw us following not one, but two delayed stoppers en route to Cheltenham. By Bristol we were about 10 minutes down. Also sad that they didn't tuck the Voyager into the bay at platform 1 like last week, which would have been a novelty for me. Just by chance as I ambled past the screens, noticed that 1C50 was running late, and that I wouldn't have to wait for a later train if I made a dash for platform 15. Stumbled into the Coopers a little later for a relaxing pint. A fine day, with great weather and interesting travels.
Hey, thanks everyone who sent abusive mail after yesterday's rant about the Flag of St. George. Most entertaining.
Here is a far more interesting, and to recent correspondents, probably even more infuriating
article from a fellow flag fan published in today's Guardian newspaper.
Daylog Entry for Sunday 10/06/2001 25 years ago
Posted in Updates on Sunday 10th June 2001 at 12:00am
A quiet weekend - some tentative work on gwvedit, but not a lot else productivity-wise. Visited what will soon br my parents new home today, then lounged around drinking beer a bit before trying my hand at cooking on a barbecue (I think I did OK). Speculated a bit about my DSS visit tomorrow. Cheered myself up by watching the inimitable Roy Mallard totally confusing an actor in "People Like Us".
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.
