Lost :: MikeGTN

In The Dock

2008-08-02T21:14:42+01:00

]]> So, as the weather brightened up we sped westwards into South Wales. A fair bit of activity and a good few locos out and about, perhaps surprisingly for a Saturday. Noticed we'd lost a fair few minutes - seemingly due to the unloading of bikes from the rear power car which is proving a time-consuming exercise on all of the HST routes since the changes in operating practice associated with the fitting of Selective Door Opening on First Great Western. Concerned about what should have been a comfortable 12 minute connection into the 09:00 to Milford Haven. Need not have worried - 158840 which we'd noted lurking around at Cardiff Central rolled in a little after us, delayed by our train in fact. A swift step to the other side of the platform and we were soon aboard and climbing the bank to Cockett, with Landore depot beside the line.

A sizeable crowd boards 158840 at Milford Haven

I hadn't covered the first part of this route for some time as the locomotive-hauled Fishguard trips (and indeed the unit substitutes when the loco didn't show) used the Swansea District Line as far as Llanelli. Soon on familiar ground though, and reminded of the last trip to Carmarthen - a good few years back. Reversed here and covered the first bit of new track for me today - the western leg of the triangle which sets Carmarthen off the mainline, on the stub of the former route to Lampeter and Aberystwyth. At Clarbeston Road, we took the southern fork in the single line, through the busy town of Haverfordwest. Passing the junctions for the fairly extensive network of oil refineries and storage sites, we finally arrived in Milford Haven. The platform was busy with Swansea City fans (heading for a testimonial match against West Brom) and a hen party, decked out in fancy dress and awaiting the return working of our unit, bound eventually for Manchester Piccadilly via the Welsh Marches! Stopped here long enough to get a picture of the busy scene to contribute to my collection of 'units at terminal stations' before boarding again to the surprise of the guard who exclaimed "you didn't stay long!". He couldn't confirm if we'd missed much, as I don't think he'd ever set foot outside the platform either!

The unit filled up with football fans as we headed back to the mainline, and it was good to get a breath of air at Carmarthen. Wandered a little, getting some lunch and enjoying views of the Afon Towy and the former route of the railway, before heading back to the station and waiting in the sun for our next train - First Great Western's summer only HST to Pembroke Dock. Once the hordes had disembarked with their luggage, boarded the oddly quiet train for what turned out to be a very pleasant trip but incredibly slow trip along another new branch. Retraced our steps to Whitland before curving south once again and heading into Tenby where we waited for the local unit to cross. Continued our lazy process, having a chance for a brief chat with the guard and confirming our plans to upgrade to First Class on the return leg. He was happy for us to do so, but couldn't issue a ticket because he didn't carry a machine, so we'd have to wait for the next Train Manager to board at Swansea. Eventually, after numerous unbarriered crossings and a descent through a deep cutting and a tunnel, arrived at Pembroke Dock station. The place seemed abandoned, a fine old canopy over the decaying platform, the building now a pub. At the end of the disused second platform what appeared to be a ramp for loading Motorail wagons. There was a strange and quiet atmosphere in the baking midafternoon sunshine here...

43040 rests at Pembroke Dock after it's long run from Paddington

We wandered into the town which seemed near abandoned. There was bunting flying in the street to greet us, but few people around. It was truly odd - the street had all the trappings of a High Street - Woolworths, Specsavers, Boots....but there was almost no-one around. A dangerous looking drunk staggered from a pub behind us for a few steps before disappearing up an alley, and a pretty dark-haired assistant hid in the doorway of a bakery, twisting a plastic bag around her wrist. We pressed on down the hill and found the continuation of the street was mainly hotels. Doubling back we walked through an almost silent shopping arcade which ended abruptly in a deleted car park - both it's entrances blocked with huge boulders. There was life at least in the local Asda, and we brought provisions for the trip home before scuttling back to the station - me utterly bewildered and oddly disturbed by Pembroke Dock, and Mr Spinks more concerned about my wibbling about psychogeography!

Back onto the return working of the HST to find the staff having lunch and lazing in the sun. Found a seat in first and did a crossword in a found newspaper while we waited to crawl back up the branch away from this strange town. This out and back circuit is a long trip by any standards, but was once again well used from Carmarthen eastwards. Following reversals at Swansea and Carmarthen and a chance to attempt to see what was stored at Margam and ADJ, we bailed at Newport to catch a local unit directly home. We didn't ever see a member of staff to pay for our upgrade. A fine day with miles of new track and some interesting sights despite it's strange start. I wonder if I'll ever go back to find out if we really had seen all there was to see at Pembroke Dock?

History Burns Again

2008-07-28T19:12:37+01:00

]]> The simple truth is we've lost another key piece of our heritage, and Weston has suffered a bigger blow. The town is in a kind of binary state just now, flip-flopping between family seaside holiday destination and a town built around stag- and hen-night debauchery. This fire may just have tipped the balance. Not today of course, as trainloads of day-trippers arrived to watch the fire or it's smoky aftermath. Roads closed and traffic chaos as rubberneckers attempted to get a glimpse. Was the west tower still standing? Isn't that where the deep fat fryers were? Are they saying that's what started it? A colleague pointed out that the tide would soon be washing away any evidence that had fallen through the superstructure. We decided not go and look today, it didn't seem right.

But there are key differences to Highbridge's situation. Within hours the owners of the site had said that despite this monumental setback, they would rebuild the pier. Local councillors were offering 'moral support' straight away (no cash, naturally) and people seemed to be getting behind the unlucky owners and supporting their local heritage. Suddenly it seemed OK to express a sense of loss, of childhood memories burned. Having lived in Weston for a few less than happy years, I was amazed at this sudden outburst of community spirit, in what has been a centre-less, disjointed and divided town for years.

Perhaps we could never have excited the local population here about a pub, particularly one which was declining in popularity and had seen better days in many senses. However, our tiny group of supporters remain committed to finding out what happened, and more importantly to doing all we can to secure a future for the Highbridge Hotel. We simply can't afford to lose any more of our heritage, our links with a quite recent past which seems impossibly distant to those who live in the town in 2008. As the people of Weston will discover tomorrow and beyond, once the strange gut-twisting thrill and disbelief of seeing flames leaping from a building has gone, a strange sense of loss sets in.

Welcome to Dieseltown

2008-07-26T23:51:37+01:00

]]> 66193 rattling through with some empty wagons. Had expensive but welcome coffee and waited for the 08:50 train, one of the few that travel via the Cumbrian Coast. It was well-loaded, with plenty of enthusiasts on board. Considering it was due to arrive a full hour before gates opened at the former Steamtown site, it was clearly going to be a busy day. Arrived at Carnforth and followed the crowds via the Station's Heritage Centre where a number of trade stalls had been set up, and out of the rear of the station. A little way along the road was the gated entrance to a rusting footbridge which we'd tried to access years back - but today it was open, and we were soon on the bridge trying to figure out what the etiquette around queueing was likely to be. In the event, we were just waved through with a cursory glance at our tickets. Perhaps in the current climate none but the journalists and professional photographers could afford the steeply priced 'early bird' entry fee. So, inside the site a full hour earlier than expected I set about exploring.

The main event? Mainline steam lines up at Carnforth

Immediately on entering, people were flocking to the steam shed - and perhaps understandably so since there were some truly fine examples of preserved locomotives here to 'celebrate' the 40th anniversary of steam's demise in the UK. Perhaps most significant was 70013 'Oliver Cromwell' veteran of the final steam railtour in 1968. The plans to restore the loco to mainline running are a little behind, but it looks set to perform in the anniversary year. It's hard to imagine that this loco is only a few years older than many of the diesel engines which regularly grace this page. As more punters arrived, the competition for photographic angles became as usual, rather heated. The idea that thousands of fairly socially deficient types could play nicely and observe polite turn-taking never quite works out that way. Wandered further into the vast yard to escape some of the ranters with their step-ladders and tripods.

And I'm glad I did. Buried at the back of the yard, lurking behind rakes of stock in various states of repair which hide it from the mainline, was a treasure trove of locomotives. These had clearly been purchased to support West Coast Railway Company's own fleet with parts and some of them were showing signs of neglect, heavy robbing and decay. However, there was much interest in such delights as a soon-to-be-scrapped 47972 and a brace of Loadhaul liveried 37s. Spent a good while having an excellent coffee, chatting and photographing the scrapline.

Hidden gems - a mixed bag of Class 37s await disposal

A wander back up the site to the turntable found the visit locomotives - including a line of DRS owned examples of each of the classes they operate parked under the huge coaling towers which have become the icons of Carnforth. EWS had sent their recently repainted for charitable purposes 60074 'Teenage Spirit' which bears the ominous 'DB Schenker' name - perhaps the shape of things to come now? A surprise here was Intercity liveried 37685, an absolute star of the show for me, not even upstaged when 55022 'Royal Scots Grey' was thunderously started up and trading horn blasts with 26010, a visitor from the Boness and Kinneil Railway. Even more locomotives were to be found lurking at the back of the sheds, some tucked away behind stock or trade stands in the building where someone had altered the sign to read 'Welcome to Diseltown'.

Welcome to Dieseltown!

After a bite to eat and a final wander of the now crowded site, I left and walked back into town for a pint at the Royal Station Hotel. Nice to be in a cool place with a chance to flick through the many photographs I'd taken. Back to the station, now in blazing sunshine, to find it packed with people and a thoroughly wedged 142 sitting at the platform while the guard summoned assistance for the overcrowding. He finally persuaded enough people to wait the 50 minutes or so for the next train to be able to close the doors and leave. Figured there would certainly now be a scrum for my train at 14:55 so positioned myself and waited impatiently. Got to my booked seat with no problem, and had a much more comfortable ride than some back to Preston in a truly packed 185. The conductor announced that "passengers should have their tickets ready for inspection", followed by a brief pause as groans filled the vestibules, then "just kidding". Good to see a sense of humour still operates up here! Quick change onto another 185 which took a diversion via Wigan North Western, Crows Nest Junction and Westhoughton to avoid the engineering work at Chorley. Despite a delay at Birmingham New Street, a smooth journey back.

Attending today was an afterthought, but I'm glad it worked out because this was a cracking event, and possibly the best of the year so far - well-organised, plenty to see and lots of space to wander. The unsorted pictures are in a gallery here for the moment. The open day has been billed as a 'one-off' event. Given the excellent organisation and turn-out, I hope that's not the case.

Heartbreak Hotel

2008-07-25T21:39:09+01:00

]]> Pathfinder's 'Cwm and Go' to South Wales - but with that postponed a while back, switched plans in order to attend the West Coast Railway Company open day at the former Steamtown site at Carnforth. This meant an opportunity to travel up today and stay in the area - and to cover a bit of track I need, given that technically the routes to Heysham Port and Morecambe work as separate lines from Bare Lane. I also wanted the opportunity to wander around a bit without needing to worry about others being entertained, which my last visit to Morecambe didn't achieve.

So, set off on my usual commuter train and switched to 1E39 at Weston for a nice, quiet ride up to Birmingham. Felt hot and bothered and a little distracted at first, but enjoyed the ride nonetheless. A swift change at New Street onto the 11:03 to Glasgow Central. Not for the first time, cursed the idea of ending direct services from the South West to the North West. Again, a quick ride up with the tilting mechanism very obviously working hard as we negotiated the twists and turns of the West Coast Mainline.

66176 at Lancaster with 6G06

Arrived at Lancaster, sorted out my hotel and headed back to the station to get a train to Morecambe. Having missed a few key freight workings which passed us (including the legendary 'Malcolm's') delighted to see 66176 creeping around the curve on a departmental working. Ironically, once onboard the Morecambe unit with doors closed, 57313 crept by with the log train from the West Highland Line! Amazed to have once again managed to completely miss this train (having documented previous attempts). Consoled myself with a trip to Morecambe, covering the bit of track I needed.

My previous visit to Morecambe wasn't a success. In fact, it occurred in surreal circumstances and didn't fill me with a great liking for the place. However, I did get a glimpse of the Midland Hotel and the former Promenade station buildings, which I wanted to see more of today. Arrived at the rather bleak, windswept island platform in Morrisons car park. There was a ticket office with a symmetrically arranged Tourist Information Centre in a similar building on the other side of the road. They achieved further similarity by both being closed. Trekked to the prom to get my pictures, feeling uncharitable towards the surprisingly few holidaymakers who had parked in the huge empty swathe of former railway land cutting the Promenade station off from it's lines.

The Midland Hotel, Morecambe

I couldn't get the pristine artistic aspect of the hotel I wanted. Real life got in the way in the form of people, cars, seagulls. I suppose that life isn't like books of art - but this hotel is like a huge modernist artwork on the seafront of an otherwise unassuming coastal town. Its' demise, regeneration and protection a story that developers nearer to my home could learn lessons from. Having given up on that perfect shot, I turned my attention to the abandoned fairground buildings nearby, totally unregenerated. A little pretentious and 'artschool' maybe, these abandoned seaside relics - but interesting pictures nonetheless. Perhaps I'll dump the lot into a gallery on here soon?

Back to Lancaster to find the station in disarray. An earlier fatality between Lockerbie and Carlisle had caused a few problems, and huge numbers of travellers were trying to fit onto late running services. A strange signalling decision - sending a 185 up the mainline to set back into the apparently rarely used platform 1 - caused it's own problems too. Left to find beer in the pleasant little city of Lancaster. Somewhere else I'd seen in a new light today, having finally had a chance to make my way around on foot. After all, you never really get to understand a town by getting a taxi to the driver's favourite Chinese restaurant.

Messages from Beyond the Internet

2008-07-23T22:38:23+01:00

]]> the South West Rail Gen Group. I also indicated my dismay that I had no idea what date I took the picture on. Photography wasn't a big hobby for me then and I was three years away from owning a digital camera which would free me from the frustration of waiting for a film to be developed.

Amazingly, the message elicited a response from Tony Hughes, a local who posts regularly to the group, giving the date as 2nd May 1997. This fits into my memory of a strange time - I'd just fought an election campaign, stayed up all night at the Wells Constituency count and turned up at Bridgwater Town Hall for the local election count which I lost - but not desperately embarrassingly. I was on my way to my grandmother's house in the Midlands. When I got to Redditch station I was so exhausted I got a taxi to her house, which caused quite a stir on Batchley estate! I can't remember why I had my camera, perhaps I'd wanted to capture something of the atmosphere that night?

A lot has changed, but how amazing that this history is all out there in the information democracy.

The Dock of the Bay

2008-07-23T18:48:43+01:00

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37055 at Weston-super-Mare, circa 1995?

So I was surprised to read that for some reason, one of Colas Rail's 47's had made the trip to Weston and set back into the bay. I wasn't sure how long for so I made a dignified excuse for an early lunch, and found it at the extreme end of the siding, apparently shut down but seemingly ready to leave at any moment. I captured the moment for posterity - struck by the thought that 'phone cameras were barely dreamed of back when I'd snapped 37055 with a dodgy film camera!

47727 at the end of the bay at Weston-super-Mare

When I went to catch my train home tonight, 47727 had already gone. I wonder if this will be a regular visit? Maybe one day we'll even see passenger trains in the bay again?

The King Takes Over

2008-07-20T10:16:32+01:00

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6024 leads the Torbay Express down through Highbridge

This week, King Edward I took over the duty from Tangmere. A lot less smoke, a bit more noise, and one very impressed young nephew!

Holiday Haulage

2008-07-19T23:51:49+01:00

]]> Crosscountry once again this year are a welcome diversion.

The arrangement is that three HST sets are hired in - at least until Crosscountry's own small fleet is ready for action - two coming from National Express East Coast and one from East Midlands Trains. The two NXEC sets form Manchester-Newquay-Manchester and a Bristol-Paignton-Newcastle diagrams, with the EMT set working down empty on a Friday evening to form an early Plymouth-Newquay service before heading back to Manchester. The whole arrangement provides much needed extra capacity which makes travelling to and from this area just about palatable! I haven't bothered to cover these workings for a couple of years due to a lack of time and finance, and also because I was just slightly bitter that they weren't using locomotive hauled services as they did in the summer of 2004. So today was a chance to make up for this by covering two out of the three sets in operation.

43307 heads back to Paignton station from Goodrington Sidings

Today started with an earlier than advisable arrival at a very damp and drizzly Bristol Temple Meads in order to take the 07:35 to Paignton. 43367 and 43307, both in new National Express colours, took this train out via it's unusual route via Bath Spa and Westbury to rejoin the usual route to the coast at Taunton. Here, saw some local faces and gave them a wave before setting in for the journey south, through Exeter and along the sea wall at Dawlish. Once south of Taunton we encountered some excellent weather which was to come and go throughout the day. A very brief chance for pictures at Paignton before heading over the footbridge to get back onto the same set as far as Exeter. Arrived to find a fairly large crowd of rather familiar enthusiasts including the near-legendary Dr Death! After a brief telling off for straying across a line on the platform I don't recall being there last time I was here, time to find my way to the platform for the second HST set of the day.

43238 preparing to leave Plymouth with 43110 leading

This soon arrived with 43110 and 43238 in charge, and departed for Plymouth a couple of minutes down. It was unlikely to have much effect on the overall progress of the day though, as I'd ended up with a longish wait at Plymouth due to ticket availability, and the timings on these services is notoriously slack in any case. Some fine running over the Devon banks, passing the third set (including 43301 as sighted yesterday) a little west of Newton Abbot. A smooth run then, by Tavistock Junction and Laira into Plymouth. Had over an hour here, so wandered into the city and found it a little changed in the past ten years since I walked through the central area. Noticed an air of vague menace about the place, and also that almost every eating or drinking place was full with queues outside. Did however discover and briefly visit The Moor and More Beer shop. Resisted the temptation to purchase only because I didn't have a bottle opener with me! Retreated to the station for a bite to eat and in good time for the 14:25 voyager to Bristol.

The plan now had been left deliberately vague. Given the decent weather and the relatively early hour, decided to head out to Westbury on the next available service to await the returning class 67 hauled additional service from Weymouth. Boarded a busy but tolerably loaded 3 car class 158, travelling all stops to Westbury where there was time for a coffee and the opportunity to get a bit chilly on this always windy and exposed station. Realised after around an hours wait that I'd miscalculated and had been looking at the progress of the wrong train! This meant that the wait would be much shorter, and soon after 67021 came into view. Boarded for the run back to Bristol in the comfort of a Mark 2 carriage and stunning evening sunshine. Surely this is the best way to travel. On arrival, took the opportunity to photograph silver 67029 under the shadow of the station roof. Strange, having spoken only yesterday about not travelling with this loco since it was painted silver!

Celebrity 67029 'Royal Diamond' with the shadows of Temple Meads Station roof

Finished the day with a curious additional working - really and extension of a Paddington-Bristol service non-stop as far as Weston-super-Mare where it turned back.So a good old-fashioned day of accruing mileage behind fairly local special workings. An entertaining day out to nearby destinations which I rarely end up visiting.

Crossing the Country in Style

2008-07-18T19:52:58+01:00

]]> Crosscountry today. Heard yesterday that one of their refurbished power cars was due for release. A swift check today indicated it would work 9V65 12:05 Edinburgh to Plymouth. It duly did so, and I arrived home from work in time to wander down to Springfield Road to watch it blast by!

Crosscountry's 43301 passes Springfield Road

I think the livery rather suits the power car, and looks surprisingly tasteful for a modern paint'n'vinyl job! Typically, this means that tomorrow's plan to cover two out of the three sets will likely avoid this one entirely!

Where Are We Going?

2008-07-12T17:50:46+01:00

]]> Virgin Trains are providing during the extended blockade on the West Coast Main Line. So, down to the station for the familiar 05:50 departure which was uncharacteristically late. This meant a swift change at Weston, and an ever quicker dash for Mr Spinks who needed to collect tickets from the machines and had expected to have about 20 minutes to do so. On board and in a quiet First Class coach with moments to spare. Surprising amount of activity along the route, with a fair number of locomotives out and about. Having planned to get the 10:00 departure from Euston, no great need to rush or worry about time - so finding the Circle Line closed was no great worry. Onto the Hammersmith and City, and since the entire ticket gate system seemed to be out of action, a free ride to Euston Square. Had a wander around Euston on arriving, with The Chief's Trainset led by 90028 in Platform 17, along with a Thunderbird and the Caledonian Sleeper with 90019 on the front. Network Rail staff proved a bit sniffy on the photography rules, but no major problems.

Joined the pair of Voyagers for the 10:00 with a surprising amount of other passengers. Had heard these services were quiet a couple of weeks back, but certainly didn't seem so today. Virgin, ever trying to turn setbacks into advantages, had provided a clever little leaflet entitled 'Where are we going?' which explained the reasons for the diversion, why the train was different, and gave a fairly full description of the route onto the Chiltern Line. People seemed to respond fairly positively to the efforts to keep them informed by the staff, and we received the usual Virgin good service. A shame there were no Advance fares for these trains though, as the full First Class service was on offer! Soon off, with little of the extended stopping which had been mentioned in previous weeks. Slow running certainly, as we took the line to Acton Wells Junction, then onto the Great Western Main Line where we'd come into London. Then, via Greenford and a short section of the Wycombe Single to South Ruislip where we joined the Chiltern route proper. A mixture of comfortable running and crawling behind local units, but no delays and no outright stops as such. Decent weather seemed to be the order of the day as we progressed north, taking the line via Kenilworth to reach our destination at Birmingham International.

A swift change onto a Glasgow-bound Pendolino here, missing a passing Class 92 hauled freight in my efforts to check we weren't going to scoot directly up the WCML to Preston or something! Would dearly love to have stayed on board for a longer trip, but today it was just a short hop to New Street and a fairly quick change for a Stafford-bound semi-fast service passing Bescot and calling at Walsall. Bescot now appears to be little more than a dumping ground for a host of aging locomotives. However, a bit of activity with a Class 08 with a cut-down cab, and a gaggle of 66s at the north end of the depot. At Walsall, got confused by the horrible shopping centre on top of the platform, and ended up missing the train to Wolverhampton. This meant an hour long fester in Walsall. Not a happy moment for me as I trudged through the town feeling gloomy, getting annoyed at the locals and finally settling for a fairly good pint of Banks' while I waited patiently for the next service.

The reason for the wait when I could of course very easily gone back to New Street, was the need to cover the curve back to Pleck Junction which I'm certain I've never done - a combination of 170 and 153 turned up and duly covered the required track, arriving at a rather windy Wolverhampton a few minutes later. Since we had some time to spare, and since Mr Spinks had yet to cover the Midland Metro line to Snow Hill, we decided to take the tram back to Birmingham. Passed a bunch of youngsters beating the crap out of each other one the way to the tram terminus at St. Georges, as a reminder that we were in the West Midlands. Nice. Not sorry to leave Wolverhampton and Walsall, having had memories stirred of a very miserable long wait for the cancelled Electric Scot Farewell tour back in December!

Midland Metro Tram No. 11 in the dingy Snow Hill platform

Had a camera disaster resulting in the dingy image above, and generally began to write my day off as not one of the best, despite some interesting journeys. Mr. Spinks however insisted it was his lucky day, and things did seem to start working out rather surprisingly well on arrival back at Birmingham. After a wander down to New Street, noted that 1V63 was about 40 late from Newcastle and showing as cancelled south of Birmingham. However the screens said 'On Time', and a curious train had appeared on the Live Departure Boards timed a few minutes later than the 16:40 and marked 'Starts Here'. The crew turned up, and were equally surprised to see an empty Voyager set roll in. Soon away, the only passengers in First Class on a replacement unit - with the rest of 1V63 still somewhere north of Derby as we sped south down the Lickey! The strange turn of events continued as we arrived back in the south west. We laughingly speculated about a delay meaning we could grab the 17:53 instead of waiting for the 18:53. On checking, indeed it did seem to be delayed by a few minutes. On arrival though, things were going very badly for most folks at Temple Meads. Lineside equipment failure had knocked back all the Severn Tunnel traffic, and our train was 40 minutes down at least. We chatted over various possibilities for recovering the service, including First Great Western's latest favourite tricks, turning the service at Weston (bad for us) or running fast to Weston (possibly better!). In the end, in a rather surprising move, the train ran around 50 late with the first stop at Highbridge. Tried not to grin too much as we wandered past disgruntled Westonians and boarded the unit, meeting a gent who'd been on the first train out with us for what we dubbed 'The Highbridge Express'.

The screens at Bristol TM show an unusual stopping pattern!

The driver took full advantage of a non-stop run, and by a rough calculation we covered the 27 miles or so in around 26 minutes, averaging close to 60mph in the rather lively 143621! So, a strange and varied days with some unusual turns of luck. A good trip, an interesting route and a quick ride home.