As the date of the trip got nearer I revisited the plan and noticed there was quite a bit of dead time in the middle. Could this time be used to cover some more track for number one son.

The Plan (Version 3)

This plan is a bit risky at Crewe so a fallback position was required if the connection was missed.

The connection at York is also a bit risky so in the event of this occuring we would resume the original plan.

Good Friday 02 April 2010

The RMT are currently is dispute with Network Rail and the trip was looking risky but fortunately the strike dates were announced for the following week. As it transpired Network Rail got a court order and the strike did not take place anyway.

It was an early start because of the reduced service being operated by First Great Western. I do enjoy travelling very early morning on Bank Holidays you have the train to yourself and this morning was no different. The morning had arrived dull and remained so all day. The train down to London only had about 40 passengers in total even when it arrived in London. It appears London Underground had taken the opportunity of a Friday Bank Holiday to close lots of the network, fortunately the only part of the Circle or should I now call it “6” line was operating between Paddington to Liverpool St so it was possible to use it as far as Kings Cross. We do not have to take a long way round.

It is quite a few years since I last visited Kings Cross and the building work is never ending in the area of land between St Pancras and Kings Cross stations. The work is currently taking place on Kings Cross station. We have a quick look around St Pancras to see what is about then we cross the road into Kings Cross. We wander to the end of the platform to see what is about in the station and past the assembled group halfway up the platform.

After a few minutes at the end of the platform there is another group assembled halfway up the platform. These do not appear to be the normal group of spotter misfit types. Their outfits not being the normal warm coat for this type of activity but a wizards outfit, pointy hat and magic wand. I then spot the sign for Platform 9 and ¾ the penny drops. These are in fact “normal” people who have brought these outfits with them to dress up at the station in order to have their picture taken under the sign. It is a collection of Harry Spotters.

Some people thing Rail Enthusiasts need to get a life!

I do take a photo of number one son under the sign without cloak, hat and wand.

It is back to the intended activity. There is only one Class 180 in the station so this has to be our train to Hull. About 3 minutes before departure the platform appears on the monitor and everyone makes the mad rush to the train. It is good to see that First Group have spent nothing on these trains since leaving Great Western. They were looking shabby on the South Wales Mainline 2 years ago and the intervening period has not been kind. The only modification that appears to have taken place is the scraping off of the work “Great Western” and the removal of the set numbers. The interiors are the same just more faded. These trains are now looking very tired both inside and out. Having not yet travelled on Grand Central it would be interesting to see if they have made any internal alterations besides the external repaint.

180109 arrives in selby on the 12:45 Hull - Kings X

We leave Kings Cross on time and head north. The one thing you can say about these units is they do have good acceleration and top speed.

Arrival in Hull in on time. There does not seem to be much going on in Hull so an earlier train to Selby is caught to spend the time there and await the train that is going to cover one of the last two sections of track with a passenger service on the network when I started recording my routes in 1980. The route is successfully covered with now just one short section of the original network remains.

After leaving Sherburn the train is stopped for 5 minutes. The next connection is key to the remainder of the day and is looking very tight now. The train does not lose any further time and we have 2 minutes to find the next train to Sheffield. We cross over the bridge and it is just running in.

On arrival in Sheffield we have a little time so head over the footbridge in search of some trams. A couple go by so we head back down to the platform. Our train arrives and is a refurbished East Midlands Trains Class 158. A good quality job has been done on this unit and they are as good as the SWT units. The train is very full with all the seats taken luckily we manage to find two together.

We arrive at Stockport on time and cross over for the train to Crewe. This leg of the journey is where it can all fall apart. This train has to be early into Crewe in order to make the next connection, or not a connection in this case. The train we are travelling on is due into Crewe at 17:08 and the train we are attempting to catch leaves at 17:07. This should be possible as the Arriva Trains Wales services tend to arrive in Crewe early and in Platform 5, the Derby trains depart from Platform 4, therefore leaving from the front door within 20 seconds you should be on the Derby train.

The train shows on as “On Time” but it is past departure time and it has not yet arrived. It comes in 3 minutes late and by Wilmslow is still 3 minutes late. This is not looking good. Trying to make a minus 1 connection running 3 minutes late. This is turning into a man of steel move. 17:04 and we stop on the approach to Crewe 3 minutes before the next train leaves. 17:05 and we start moving forward into the platform, this is going to be very close. I then realise we are not going into Platform 5 but Platform 6. We jump off the train the clock is showing 17:06 and 50 seconds. We have 10 seconds to go over the bridge to the other side of the station and hope the train is still there.

We arrive on Platform 4 as the doors are closing fortunately the conductor is stood at the rear door, we dive on in the nick of time. Number one son manages to get Crewe – Stoke in the book.

153381 on 17:07 Crewe - Derby passes 153384 on 16:40 Derby - Crewe

On arrival in Stoke it is time to find some food. We look out the station to see if there is anything about the only thing on offer is station buffet or Subway across the road. We elect for Subway across the road. The next leg of the journey is provided by Cross Country so best stock up with refreshments as on the last few occasions provision of catering has been very poor and very infrequent. As it turns out the steward is very good and makes a number of passes between Stoke and Bristol Parkway.

 The last leg of the journey is typical First Great Western we join on time and lose time for no reason and we arrive back home 20 minutes late. Another good day out which has worked like clockwork despite a small amount of late running.

Traction Log: