May Day Bank Holiday 03 May 2010

We woke early to discover a clear but cold morning. Dragging number one son out of his pit in the morning is not easy at the best of times but even more difficult at 06:00. We were more efficient than anticipated leaving the house for the station. We got ready quite quickly and realised we could get to the station for the slightly earlier London train. There was frost on the ground and the car was frozen not helpful or expected, in May, when you are attempting to catch a train. With us being ready early we attempt to catch an HST to Cardiff rather than the Arriva Trains Wales Class 175 on the train we had planned.

On arrive in Cardiff we are surprised to find that the Class 67 hauled First Great Western diagram

67029 heads the stock for the 08:00 Cardiff to Paington

is being hauled by 67029 and 67022. Since this train started it has been virtually always been hauled by 67016 and 67017 and recently for the last couple of months 17 has been replaced by 22. 29 was a nice surprise and a different livery.

A further change at Filton Abbey Wood onto the Class 57/3 hauled diagram. This is quite a contrast to the train hired in from DB Schenker. This has seen different locos virtually every other day as it has been plagued by failures and in the 5 months it has operated has already seen half the entire fleet of Virgin locos. A member of staff at the station staff asks where we are going and is somewhat surprised when we say we don’t want to catch the first train to Parkway we would rather wait for the second one 5 minutes behind even though the first one is empty.

A quick change ends at Bristol Parkway and retrace our route through Filton and on to Bristol

57306 arrives at Filton Abbey Wood

Temple Meads. A quick interchange opportunity is spotted and rather than waiting for the train we are supposed to catch we head across for the HST on the 09:30 to Paddington. It is only when boarding that I realise that another piece of rare track could have been traversed. This train is diverted from Bath Spa via Trowbridge and Newbury travelling over the avoiding curve at Westbury.

I had not travelled over this curve since 1985 with 47484 on the overnight Fishguard to Paddington sleeper. This train was formed of Mk1 compartment stock and the ferry was cancelled. I was the only passenger on the train to Fishguard and back. Managed to get an excellent night’s sleep on the way to London.

There was insufficient time to work out if the itinerary was still possible on the diverted train via Reading so we elect to continue with the plan and alight at Bath Spa. The Weymouth train arrives and is quite busy. This is the first train of the day we have travelled on that has a reasonable number of passengers. Up to now we have been travelling around virtually alone. It is a good job we have stocked up on food as this is a 2 hour journey with no refreshments.

When planning a trip I normally use the printed National Rail timetable for the initial plan but then check the times on www.nationalrail.co.uk just in case there is engineering works that are not reflected in the published timetable. This was particularly important when travelling on Bank Holidays. When I had made this check for today’s trip I had discover the 12:20 from Weymouth to London was not running. On arrival at Weymouth I was somewhat surprised to find it in the platform waiting to depart but only as far as Eastleigh. This is OK as we are only intending to travel as far as Brockenhurst. Rather than waiting the planned hour we join the train.

A quick check of the timetable and we can catch the train 30 minutes earlier down to Lymington,

1498 at Lymington Pier 23 years later than above.

we then have the choice of a second trip up the branch and back or we can manage a quick trip to Eastleigh and pick up the train we had intended to catch from Brockenhurst at Southampton Central. Number one son is consulted and he would rather go to Eastleigh.

As the journey progresses we are running on time but the train is not going to be in Brockenhurst at the time shown in the timetable. We should be 2 minutes away but are several stations away which is definitely more than 2 minutes. A quick check on the online journey planner and it becomes clear why this train was not shown. The train is making additional stops and has a later arrival time in Brockenhurst. With the amended time this gives us 2 minutes to change platforms.  This is going to be a bit tight.

As it happens all is well and we jump off and across the bridge and board the train to Lymington. Number one son announces he likes these trains having never travelled in a compartment outside preserved railway. I explain there used to be loco hauled Mk1 compartment stock which used to be particularly popular on overnight trains where two people could sleep very well without the need to purchase the sleeping car supplement. The Scottish overnight services were particularly good and one night me and a mate had joined the overnight to Scotland in winter into a toasty warm empty compartment. We got down to sleep had not noticed the heater settings on the wall next to the window. Only the one knob controlling the electric heat had been set to on and the steam heat side was off. We had woken in the early hours freezing as the Scottish Region has provided a steam heat 47 from Mossend Yard and the heating was turned off. Quickly rectified by turning the knob and back off to sleep again.

He as left it a little late to discover Mk1 EMUs with little over 2 weeks left for the 2 that are left in service. The Lymington branch is quite scenic although brief with an end to end journey of 10 minutes. It will just not be the same on a Class 158.

The brief ride into the past is over on arrival back at Brockenhurst and we head for Eastleigh. We are quite fortune that the train we travel on is also the one we return on we do not have to so seeking out a different train. A brief visit to Eastleigh and it is back to Southampton for Cross Country to Reading. I am rather fortunate with this train as I am going to cover some new track which was not very easy to travel over. This train is diverted away from the normal route via Winchester and is booked to go via Romsey, Salisbury Avoiding Curve (Required Track) and back into the normal route at Basingstoke. I will try not to get too excited for the whole 2 minutes. I don’t want to over do it.

The timings for the diversion must be very generous as we sit waiting time for 20 minutes in Basingstoke. It is then forward to Reading where we sit outside the station for ages and eventually arrive 10 minutes late.

It is now getting towards time for our evening meal. Reading station has a reasonable selection of gourmet food emporiums, Burger King, M&S and a Cornish Pasty Shop. Number one son has to be difficult and wants the finest…… McDonalds, which of course I have no idea where the nearest one is. He then takes my phone much button pressing later announces there is one on this street and produces a Google Map how to get there. Fortunately it is only a 10 minute walk away. A number of very unhealthy items are procured and we head back to the train and proceed to fill the carriage with burger smells.

The remainder of the journey is without incident and we arrive home on time.

Once again we have travelled on a good number of trains, although there has been pre-planned engineering works the trains have all run on time. Another good day out.  

Final Itinary:

Neath	Dep	06:40	ATW
Cardiff Central	Arr	07:22
	Dep	08:00	FGW
Filton Abbey Wood	Arr	08:43
	Dep	08:57	FGW
Bristol Parkway	Arr	09:05
	Dep	09:12	FGW
Bristol Temple Meads	Arr	09:22
	Dep	09:30	FGW
Bath Spa	Arr	09:43
	Dep	10:07	FGW
Weymouth	Arr	12:08
	Dep	12:20	SWT
Brockenhurst	Arr	13:57
	Dep	13:59	SWT
Lymington Pier	Arr	14:09
	Dep	14:14	SWT
Brockenhurst	Arr	14:24
	Dep	14:38	SWT
Eastleigh	Arr	15:12
	Dep	15:20	SWT
Southampton Ctl	Arr	15:31
	Dep	15:38	XC
Reading	Arr	17:04
	Dep	17:41	FGW
Neath	Arr	20:10

Traction Log:

Neath - Cardiff Central	43198+43086
Cardiff Central - Filton Abbey Wood	67029+67022
Filton Abbey Wood - Bristol Parkway	57306+57309
Bristol Parkway - Bristol Temple Meads	57309+57306
Bristol Parkway - Bath Spa	43190+43195
Bath Spa - Westbury - Frome - Weymouth	150244+150249
Weymouth - Brockenhurst	444043
Bockenhurst - Lymington Pier - Brockenhurst	1498
Brockenhurst - Eastleigh - Southampton Ctl	444015
Southampton Ctl - Romsey - Salisbury W Jn -
Basingstoke - Reading	220004
Reading - Neath	43174+43015