Woken early by the sun, which gave me a little time to finish packing a bag. Set out at 0930 and had a quiet ride up to London reading Dining on Stones in a near feverish fashion. Things ground to a halt somewhere near Airport Junction, and despite being informed it was down to a track circuit failure people began to get jumpy. Lots of clipped mobile calls and return trips to the buffet with telltale glasses of ice in one hand and an anonymous paper bag in the other. Arrived at a slightly subdued but startlingly hot Paddington and made for the bus stop.
With the section of tube I wanted out of action, whimsical routes were out. As escalators are a personal taboo it was down to a No. 36 bus to Vauxhall. Despite concerns, it all went smoothly. Parked myself near the back doors, getting a good blast of cool air at each stop. Noted that people were reluctant to use the upper deck - which I put down to the power of mass-media images. North onto the teeming Edgware Road and then towards Marble Arch. Along Park Lane, around three brick walled sides of Buckingham Palace and through the chaos of Victoria before heading for Vauxhall Bridge. A brief wait at Vauxhall, watching shiny new rolling stock pass by.
Arrived at Surbiton and spent some time admiring the station building before moving on. Had committed the walk along Victoria Road and towards the Thames to memory. A pleasant small-town feel to the suburb, busy and prosperous. A swing towards the river, and less salubrious environs took me to Seething Wells, my home until Sunday. I'm not sure what this place was: the remaining original buildings point to either places of worship or waterworks - the filter beds beside the river perhaps suggesting the later. Now it is a complex of anonymous yellow student flats - found mine and settled in. Not luxury by any means, but clean and safe flats with en suite facilities but curiously poor mobile telephone reception. Unpacked before heading back to the Surbiton Flyer for a well-earned pint or two of Fullers' Discovery. Struck up a talk with a local who was pleasant and talkative, but it turned out it was my discarded newspaper she was mostly interested in. Settled instead to planning my route to the Penrhyn Road campus of Kingston University. I think, if the weather remains so seasonable, that I will set out early when it's cooler and walk to the campus taking breakfast on the way.
How can people not understand that this is my holiday?
Set out for the station with little idea of what to do today. Figured that given the current security situation, hanging around a major station would be unwelcome. A suggestion of a local rover ticket was inspired. Purchased the now slightly more expensive 'Freedom of the Severn and Solent' rover which allows travel in a wider area. Wasn't sure just how much use I'd get out of it, but set out with high hopes.
Customary 0830 Voyager out to Bristol, and then a dash for the South West Trains service to Salisbury. Slow running throughout, particularly due to a track circuit failure at Westbury. Changed for a following Wessex unit bailing briefly at Romsey, but boarding again and heading for Southampton Central.
Next delayed by maverick steam cranks photographing in the four-foot on the way to Brockenhurst. Boarded delayed heritage slamdoor unit 1498 for a brief trip up and down the Lymington branch. Back to Brockenhurst in blazing midday sunshine. Onto a Weymouth-bound 442 for a relaxing trip along the south coast via Bournemouth and Poole, covering track I'd not seen for what I think is around ten years!
Arrived in Weymouth to find Duke of Gloucester steaming away, with the Wessex 31s stabled awaiting the 1630 for Westbury. Shortly after our arrival, 33202 arrived to take the Duke to be turned around. Enjoyed the anachronistic scene for a while, before heading into town for a mammoth late breakfast and a wander around the sun-bleached and tourist thronged streets.
Back to the station in time to secure a seat up front on the 1630. Away on time, but stopped for a passing unit at Dorchester West. Stopped again at Maiden Newton. Eventually figured we were passing the Duke here, so hopped off and enjoyed a lazy half hour in the Dorset countryside before getting a shot of 33202 leading the Duke back to Weymouth. An uneventful journey as far as Westbury, but not quite in time for the Taunton-bound HST. A photo call for the 31s and the stabled class 59s at Westbury - still baking at nearly 1900 - before boarding a Cardiff service packed with Bath and Bristol clubbers. Time for a relaxing beer and the chance to flag a 143 to Severn Beach at Temple Meads before heading home.
Clocked up around £62 worth of travel during the day, allaying my fears about the value for money of the new rover tickets. Good thinking Mr Spinks!
With everything that has been happening around me lately, I'd almost forgotten this trip until this week. The tickets arrived on Wednesday, with a much earlier than planned start time - but since this tour picked up from my doorstep I wasn't too concerned. Did feel sorry for the Exeter contingent of SWRG who had a 04:17 kick off however! So at a little after 05:00, I stumbled rather sleepily onto the platform at Weston, soon to be joined by quite a group of others. Bang on time, D1015 Western Champion rolled quietly and rather majestically into view.
Found myself seated with an acquaintance from Bridgwater and a veteran of Coach C on the recent Whistling Slater tour. We discussed the feeling that you should almost always book on a tour from your hometown, for fear they won't stop them there anymore. Soon afterwards, with all our pick-up stops complete we turned our attention to the Lickey. Despite a sudden loss of speed (unusual as we had a clear road) near Bromsgrove and a load of thirteen coaches, D1015 made slow but remarkably steady progress. On arrival at Birmingham however, we were notified that there was a slight problem with D1015 and that we would be diverted via Bescot Yard with a short delay necessary for an examination to take place. It turned out that a slight crack in one of the turbochargers was leaking coolant. For insurance on the isolated Heart of Wales line, we were to have 37427 tucked inside our train. Not a problem for me - all adding to the novelty of the day, including some unusual track at Bescot and a chance to thoroughly check the numbers in the scrap line!
Very good progress from here, despite our lateness. A crew change at Wolverhampton and a swift flypast of Oxley Depot, then some fast running as far as Shrewsbury where we were stopped for some time at Abbey Foregate.
Timing now became an issue, with a limited range of passing places on the Heart of Wales, many were speculating where we would stop and for how long. I'm ashamed to say that an early start, a relatively late night and a stressful week caught up with me and I dozed off several times between Shrewsbury and Llandridnod Wells, but as originally planned an extended break for food and leg-stretching was welcome. As ever local fish and chip shops struggled to cope. The town itself is a quiet and attractive Victorian spa with some fascinating buildings. I can't help thinking that an improved rail service would increase the number of visitors here greatly.
Off at our revised departure time of 13:30, and through some of the most remarkable scenery in the British Isles, south towards Swansea. More snoozing from me however! We took the rare curve from Hendy Junction to Morlais East Junction and onto the District Line. Once on the mainline we started to run at speed again - despite a faulty barrier at St. George's Crossing. Through Cardiff on the avoiding line, and to our next stop at Newport. Noted 37408 dumped near ADJ yard - rumour has it that 37427 was due down here to replace it following some accident damage. In any case, D1015 disappeared to East Usk for fuel, and to drop off 37427.
No problems at all for D1015 solo on its return trip. First, up to Gloucester via Lydney and then back via Standish and Westerleigh to Bristol. A little weak sunlight, the first of the day as we left Bristol for Weston. Lots of sleepy but very happy people from the South West aboard for the final fling. Left them at Weston, and dashed down the ramp for a final shot of D1015 leaving. Despite the problems early on, a successful day.
After a hectic weekend and a minor heatwave, I found myself standing on Drove Road bridge with a couple of other dedicated photographers in a gale, surrounded by a murky sea mist! In the distance, Wessex Trains ingenious queuing system snaked around the station car park, a sea of lobster-pink bodies fresh from the concert on the beach. A little later than expected, 31454 chugged into view with the empty stock from Bristol.
A much quicker turn around than other services which we'd seen arrive, and soon enough 31601 led the packed additional service back towards Bristol. Headed home soon after, having decided not to wait for the 21:00 service.
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.
