Day 7 : Saturday 26 September

Another misty morning as we pass through commuter land. No commuters about though (as it's 06:50 on Saturday morning). We pass a Freightliner train hauled train as it crosses to the goods lines to enter Willesden yard. There are a number of 47's, 87's, 90's and 92's stabled in the yard. Presumably the rail blue 87 is 87101 "Stephenson".

We arrive at Euston at 07:10. I decide to catch the 07:37 (to Watford Junction) as far as Willesden Junction. There is garish purple and green 321429 on a Silverlink County service to Milton Keynes in the adjacent platform. 313008 arrives (pan down) to form the 07:37 at 07:33. Another Silverlink train pulls in. This time it's two 323's - the rear has a large 'London to Birmingham from £7.00 return' advert.

We set off on time. 87's and 90's wait on trains for the north. 86245 "Caledonian" in a Caledonian blue version of the Virgin livery backs its train into the platform. 90023 arrives with the Fort William, Inverness and Aberdeen sleepers. Next is an ECS HST, presumably for the Holyhead service.

We cross the Grand Union Canal and then into Primrose Hull tunnel. As we're on the DC lines, it's just like being on the Underground, but with larger stock - the same sights and sounds - there's even an Underground map on the inside of the unit. Another tunnel after Kensal Green, round the back of Willesden depot and we arrive at Willesden Junction (Low Level). Up to the high level platform. There's a train waiting - it's the one for Clapham Junction. We set off and an 87 rushes by beneath as we cross over the main line.

Past Mitre Bridge Junction, tha canal again and a Eurostar in North Pole depot. There's building work in progress next to the station at Kensington Olympia. Connex South Central 319002 arrives and spends 5 minutes sitting at the southbound platform. A Eurostar (3108/3107) comes through. Presumably the one I saw sitting at the depot.

Tube trains arrive and depart. A Silverlink Metro heads north and another heads south. At 08:40 platform 2 is signaled southbound. The Ramsgate should arrive at platform 1, as the train is too long for platform 2. At 08:43, this route is canceled. Then, platform 1 is signaled southbound and D9000 arrives, to the accompaniment of a multitude of camera shutters.

The train is full, as expected. I'd reserved seats for both directions and I'm in the front coach for the journey to Ramsgate. There is a long wait and then a gentle start at 08:58. We've held up a Eurostar, which waits just south of the station. We cross the Thames, the tide is out. It's another grey day here, nothing is moving on the river. We negotiate the junctions around Clapham Junction to get from the West London Line to the SEC main line from Victoria (Latchmere Jn's to Factory Jn). A 73 and at 37 are visible in the vicinity of Stewarts Lane depot.

We accelerate through Brixton, Herne Hill and West Dulwich, slow slightly for Sydenham Hill, then dive into Penge Tunnel. The twin Napiers up ahead can be clearly heard. Another Eurostar passes us just before we stop at Bromley South. A slight delay as the guard forgets to unlock the doors. More acceleration after Bromley South. A slight slow for Bickley and St Mary Cray junctions and then we pick up more speed. Soon we leave the suburbs behind and head out into Kent countryside and commuter land.

The Medway comes into view and we slow for the junction with the Gravesend line. We cross the river. Lots of boats moored and ships tied up at the docks. A good view of the cathedral and castle. We amble through Rochester station, through Fort Pitt tunnel and arrive at Chatham. The couple opposite me get off here, and are going to catch D9000 on the way back. We accelerate through Chatham tunnel, past Gillingham and the depot there. We're checked almost to a stand just past the depot, because of a stopper, which we pass at Newington. After this, we race along.

Margate. A few people get off and run to get a photograph of the departure. We're at the seaside now. We arrive at Ramsgate. There's lots of stock stabled around the station. Everyone heads for the front to get photographs. There's the characteristic hum of an idling deltic. 365503 arrives with a Charing Cross via Canterbury West service. D9000 runs round, the photographers follow.

We depart and run slowly to Margate. A long pause here and then a fast run along the North Kent coast. It's glorious weather here, with the sun beating down. Two yachts head west just offshore. We're checked at Whitstable and again at Sittingbourne, with some fast running in between. We crawl past Gillingham depot, which boasts two NSE-style clocks and accelerate through the station, only to brake for Chatham. I miss the steam-hauled VSOE going the other way.

We seem to be following something into London, as it's not as fast a run as the outbound one. A sharp brake application and we come to a stand on the SEC line, waiting to get to the West London Line. We wait for a long while. 58045 passes on a railtour while we are stationary. A train announcement - we'd been wrongly signaled to Clapham Junction. We set back about 50 yards. Another pause and then we're off on the correct line.

A pullman-liveried 73 has joined the 37 at Stewarts Lane. There are better views across the river this time - the mist has cleared. Then Kensington Olympia and a crawl through the junctions (crossing the Grand Union Canal twice) toward the GW main line. We wait to join the main line as 37371 passes on a rail train. As we slowly wend our way down, we are also passed by an HST.

We finally get up some speed. A Paddington-bound HEX passes at Hanwell. We slow down before Southall and another HEX passes us heading west. We crawl along until Slough, where we finally get some speed on. An HST overhauls us at the same time as another heads toward Paddington.

We stand for some time outside Reading. It starts raining. We cross onto the main line and into the station. We depart on time for a fast run to Didcot, where we cross back to the relief line to take to Didcot avoiding line. The difference in the quality of the permanent way is noticeable as we start to bounce and sway. A 15 minutes stop at Oxford, a long pause before Banbury. At Coventry, we leave 3 minutes down. We're 1 minute down into New Street. D9000 is uncoupled and departs for Oxley.

It's slightly chaotic at New Street. The 16:35 to Liverpool (with 86214 and 82144 on the front) is late. It's further delayed while 86227 backs onto the Edinburgh (ex Ramsgate). It finally gets away at 16:57. The 16:57 to Edinburgh (via the ECML) arrives at 16:59, with 43121 on the front (43184 on the rear). We depart at 17:02. The 16:57 from Glasgow is shown as 95 minutes down.

We pass D9000 near Washwood Heath. On through Tamworth, Burton with its breweries and along the flat valley of the Trent to Derby, where DRS 20303 and 20304 are stabled on a rake of Mk I's. After Derby, the country is more hilly. Chesterfield with its spiraling and leaning church spire. We approach Sheffield. The green 101 (685?) is on the Manchester via Hope Valley service. Sheffield is busy - four other trains are in the platforms too. As we pass Meadowhall, a supertram is making its way round to the interchange station.

After Moorthorpe, we leave the Midland line and curve down onto the electrified GC/GN Joint line. Past Wakefield and it's getting misty and the light is fading. Leeds station is busy, as usual. We have a 5 minute wait here. A 308 leaves for Skipton. 153341 arrives attached to a Pacer. It's fully dark by York. The work on the platforms is almost complete. The only other train in the station is a 153 on a Leeds service.

Darlington, Durham and finally back to Newcastle. Seven days and 6000 miles later!


Timetable and Mileages


Introduction Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday Timetable Mileages


Text and photographs Copyright J.D.Coleman 1998.