Once again, managed to slip out of work for a while for one of D1015s now almost regular visits to Weston. Arrived a little after 1100 to find Western Champion awaiting the departure of a unit from platform 2. A chance to get some shots, despite poor light and bleak skies. A fair turn out of enthusiasts for a weekday morning too. The 'Dunster by Candlelight' tour has become an interesting annual event now, but today was perhaps not quite the event which last year produced!
Bang on 11:11 D1015 thundered out of the station, leaving a trail of clag in its wake. Exhilarating stuff, and a reminder of why I go out in the cold when I could be safely tucked into my warm office! Other rail users have not been quite so lucky today.
Later, after another delayed Wessex journey home, I was wandering back from the Coopers Arms when I heard the tell-tale sounds of the Western passing on it's return trip. If I'd planned my times better I could have watched it pass Highbridge at speed. Still lots to get used to in my new location.
After a couple of weeks of being unable to speak properly, incredible tired and generally sorry for myself, I was determined to get out today. Got up obscenely early just in case anything was happening, but decided that for old times' sake I'd go for the Wessex Class 31s which were heading for Southampton again this weekend. The strange mid-morning timetable for Highbridge meant heading out at 10:19 on the soon to be abolished Arriva service for Pembroke Dock and Crewe. Only half of the train had turned up, and the staff were going nuts. Languished in the vestibule as far as Temple Meads.
Had an extended wait at Bristol for the 13:40. Chatted to a few locals, out for the steam special due in around the same time we left. Had lunch and wandered around the station. A little before 13:00 31452 led the stock south through the middle road, so it looked like the trip was on. Finally aboard a freezing Mk 2 at 13:20, and off on time. As ever the stopping pattern on this service put paid to any hope of being on time, but the 31s performed pretty well - with the stops at Westbury and Salisbury mopping up most of the extra minutes. Passed the Black Five at Oldfield Park, and later 67020 on the VSOE excursion at Bradford-on-Avon. Noted 31454 stabled rather incongruously at Salisbury too. Arrived a couple of minutes late at a freezing but dry Southampton Central.
Not much light remaining for photographs so wandered around looking for somewhere to get hot coffee and food without queueing for ages, and finally found a 'Cafe Ritazza' which I don't remember being there before. Coffee good, but the 'breakfast panini' was pretty weird - not recommended. I was so cold I could barely taste it anyway. Front coach on the way back was at least heated. During a short wait at Bristol for the 19:15, noted 66061 on the scrap train, apparently abandoned on the middle road.
Good to get out again after what feels like a very long break indeed. Its almost a year since I got any Class 31 mileage too!
All sorts of things planned for today which didn't quite come off. Firstly to be in London, but my stupid and annoying illness conspired against that. Then to be in Newport, but general confusion and a desire to stay warm and recuperate scuppered that one too. So, nothing to do but stay here and work on some bits of the Movebook which have been bugging me for a while.
Dusted off my PHP skills, and added the 'via route' option and made the mileage pre-filling code cope with routes we've used before. Mucked about with some monthly mileage reports, and finally plugged the stock reports into the user interface. Along the way, did some tweaking to Areopagitica too to keep pace, and lots of general database maintenance.
So, I still have no voice and a stupid sounding cough, but version 2.0 of the Movebook is here, with whizzy reports, cleverer recording of routes and easier ways to get to things.
You can enter the Movebook here.
I'm sick of being ill. Weirdly, I don't actually feel too bad - just a little tired and aching. But I have a ferocious cough which scared a small child on the train home tonight. I've stumbled through this week, not really noticing much beyond my immediate surroundings. It's been a strange routine of getting up, going to work, coming home and going directly to bed again. I briefly surfaced from the fug for an important meeting on Tuesday, and then a welcome chance to catch up with people I've missed more than I realised for a long time. In the eight years or so I've been away from here, despite being just a little way up the coast, I've realised how important local history really is.
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.
