London Day Trip Nov 2016 by Martin Coles
At the beginning November, on Monday 7th, I enjoyed a day off work, and decided upon a trip to London to do a bit of unit bashing.
Starting off, as always, from Banbury with an off-peak Travelcard in hand, I headed for Reading on a Cross Country Voyager, strangely quiet for a morning train, albeit I was on the 9:20 departure. But there were plenty of seats available for only a 4 car unit, 220019.
The continued upgrading and progress of our railway was very evident seen from my rear facing window seat. Starting with the ground works taking shape for Chiltern Railways new depot south of Banbury Station, I’m sure it wont be long until framework starts to appear.
Next was Oxford with trackwork getting close to completion for the line from Oxford Parkway, along with great progress on the two new bay platforms for the Chiltern Mainline service to Marylebone, due to start very soon.
As we rounded the bend a Didcot, with the GWR Railway Centre to my right, and joined the Great Western Main Line, a very different landscape was in full view. Full signs of the now very delayed electrification were evident with masts and posts everywhere and looking like it all wired up and ready to go.
I left the train at Reading and had a quick look around and decided to get the GWR stopping service into Paddington, worked by Turbo 166204. It always baffles me as to why this train is only advertised on all the departure boards as terminating at Ealing Broadway? Maybe its to move everyone on the fast moving express workings from the west, so they can go non stop to London?
I’m sure all this will change in a year or two when Crossrail eventually gets to Reading.
Heading down the Thames Valley it was the same story as before Reading, all the way into London electrification gantries lining the trackside, including the branches off from Twyford to Henley and from Maidenhead to Marlow.
Its crazy to see how much has been achieved but also so little considering the timeframe. It just baffles me as to why it is so disjointed and not complete in larger sections. The cost of contractors carrying out he work in smaller sections I guess.
I had planned to stop somewhere along the approach to Paddington to get some shots of the Heathrow Express and Connect services and maybe some freight. Acton would have been ideal, but I opted for Hayes & Harlington instead. Mainly as the service I was on did not stop at Acton.
Hayes & Harlington was a new destination for me, having never stepped foot on the platform before, only ever have passed through on my way into our out of Paddington.
Plenty of work was being carried out in readiness for Crossrail with the construction of a new ticket hall and waiting rooms along with new lifts for easier access to the over-bridge.
No sooner had I made my way over the middle island platform, a Heathrow Connect Class 360/2 appeared. This was one of the main reasons I wanted to stop along this route.
The small class of Siemens Desiro’s have been in use for many a year now with the stopping service for Heathrow Airport, but I certainly have never photographed them before, and continue to be one of the forgotten fleets in the UK.
Interestingly the first four examples 360201-360204 were originally constructed as 4-car Class 350 testbed units for use by Siemens in Germany back in 2002. They were used as pre production models before the main order for the West Coast Mainline Class 350’s was started in 2005.
Later in life around the same time, a 5th car was added and converted for use for Heathrow Connect, and an additional 5th set was constructed.
Having photographed three out of the five 360’s, and also 332’s, Turbos and HST’s, I decided to head into Central London. Just before boarding my connection into Paddington on 165104, DB Red GM 59202 powered through the station heading for Acton with a loaded stone train from The Mendips. Being in completely the wrong place it took my by surprise and missed the photo opportunity. I did however cop quite a few wagons in the consist, including older PGA hoppers and newer MRL branded box wagons.
Squeezed into the two car Turbo on my way to Paddington, I passed by Acton, catching up with 59202 and a few other Class 66 in the yard.
Next up was Old Oak Common and North Pole depots. I was hoping to see some of GWR’s new Class 387 Electrostar’s and maybe a Class 800 or two at North Pole, now occupied by Hitachi to service and maintain the new fleets being introduced for the new Great Western Railway.
I was disappointed in one aspect as no IEP’s were to be seen, the shed doors were closed. Pretty much just the same when i went to the Asfordby test track a few weeks prior. So again these new high speed trains elude me. That said I did get 4 new 387’s, one of which was on the Old Oak side, so not all bad, four new cops in the shape of 387135/137/138 and 387139.
Arrival into Paddington was on the suburban platform side, next to The Hammersmith & City Line. A few shots os some S-Stock and other GWR stock in the terminus and i headed on down to the Underground to the District line and head off to Kings Cross.
Only heading one stop along the line, the District Line service terminated at Edgware Road, so off again and onto another new S-Stock set to continue my journey.
I really do like these trains, so open, fresh and airy, certainly with open gangway ends leads to a more pleasant travelling experience.
Walking up the stairs of Kings Cross St. Pancras Underground station up to the open concourse outside Kings Cross leads into a bustling and very busy station.
I cant believe that all theses people used to fit into the old booking hall in the older station, clearly retail outlets bring custom.
The main reason I was here was to try and catch any 387’s now transferred to Great Northern services from Thameslink duties. Alas it was not to be today, plenty of 91’s including celebrity liveried 91110 and 91111, in Battle of Britain and Remembrance liveries respectively. Also sat in the station was old favourite 91107 Skyfall now in regular Virgin East Coast red.
67015 was the thunderbird on duty, for time I've seen this with a fresh coat of DB red, last time it was still carrying the old WSMR/Chiltern Mainline double silver.
With a Grand Central and Virgin HST also under the roof, that was all in my brief visit.
Next I headed across the road to St. Pancras to have a look up top on the HS1 and International platforms.
Quite the normal really, but no new Class 374 Valero’s, only now vintage Class 373 original Eurostars, and a few 395’s as always. Cant seem to track my last few down. I must spend half a morning or afternoon at Ashford to clear them off.
I headed down underground to the Thameslink platforms to catch a train south. There seemed to be a few delay and my next connection south was about a ten minute wait. This afforded me the opportunity to see a few northbound workings, still in the handoff Class 319’s and cascaded from Southern 377/2’s working with 377/5’s.
The main reason for me heading onto this route and south was to get some more 378’s of both Thameslink and Gatwick Express flavours. But hopefully a new Desiro City 700, or two.
Whilst sting and waiting I noticed that the overhead conductor cable had been replaced with a rail instead. Im unsure as to why, but obviously is more suitable in this concrete box than a frail cable?
Eventually my train arrived and I jumped on 377521 forming the rear half of the 13:24 to Three Bridges.
After emerging out of Blackfriars, the service took an unlikely route south. Quite possibly due to the ongoing upgrading at London Bridge.
After crossing the river we headed through Elephant & Castle, Herne Hill, West Norwood, Crystal Palace, Norwood Junction passing Selhurst Depot and then East Croydon, where I left the train.
Just my luck as passing Norwood Junction an eight car Class 700 was approaching from the Sutton direction. If was not for trees and foliage and my non telescopic eyes I would have got it. Missed on again!
East Croydon has become somewhat of a new favourite station, having been through and changed trains there in the past, I had never spend much time there, that was until earlier this year.
A good hour was spend up top getting the last of my original Croydon trams. Then another hour or so toward the north end of platforms 4 & 5 really woke me up to what a busy hotspot it was.
That said that day back in the summer also had many SouthEastern service calling because of the aforementioned London Bridge remodelling.
But the main reason for heading south to East Croydon as mentioned above was to hunt down a few newbies.
I was not disappointed. No sooner than arriving, then I saw a 12 car Gatwick Express set heading up to Victoria. Made up of three 387/2’s looking very smart in the all-over red livery with large, 90’s style GX branding. I really do like this livery, very basic but certainly unique and not another white base livery.
The mainstay of units which I saw were Southern 377 Electrostar’s, a few 455’s and a ten-car DMU formed of recently converted ex Scotrail 170422 now reformed as 171402. This was working with 171725 and 171802. A nice surprise in a EMU world.
A few more 387’s from both Gatwick Express and Thameslink also made an appearance, but also the highlight of the day a couple of Class 700/1 12 car Siemens Desiro City’s.
These new monster length units have slowly been arriving into the UK form Germany at about a rate of one or two a week through the Channel Tunnel, now being pressed into service releasing 387’s to Great Northern and 319’s up North to work for Northern.
A last it was nice to actually “get” my first examples, after seeing quite a few from afar this year, and not actually getting a number.
I quite like these units, especially their front end and bogie profile, unfortunately what lets them down is the very drab and boring new Thameslink livery. It’s like no effort at all has been made by a design agency to make a desirable livery, plus its going to be an absolute pain to keep them clean all the time. As mentioned above Gatwick Express have a lovely livery, as does London Midland, Virgin and the new GWR green. But the over reliance on a white base is a little tired and past it now!
So soon the winter day was drawing in and light was becoming somewhat of a problem for decent photography, especially of moving trains! So I decided to head back towards the city centre and get back home.
I boarded 377422 working the 14:56 Southern service to London Bridge and started heading back. Passing Selhurts Depot three more 171\s in a 10 car formation were leaving the shed heading up to London Bridge for the evening rush hour, this time formed of 171724, 171803 and 171401, another newbie, made up of Scotrail 170421.
At Norwood Junction 8 car 700018 went by, another first for the day and another cop.
Arriving at London Bridge under the mighty Shard, I headed down to the Underground to board a Westbound Jubilee Line train to Waterloo, where I changed and switched to the Bakerloo Line for Marylebone.
I planned to head back home via the local route, and as always I manage to arrive at Marylebone just in time to catch the fast train back to Banbury. Today formed of a Chiltern Mainline Mk 3 set headed up by DRS’s 68011.
At 16:15 sat in the first coach, 12625, the 68’s Caterpillar Engine fired into life and pulled the train away so gently and smoothly. These are in my opinion the best trains in the country, with the great power up front, coupled together with the refurbished Mk 3’s, they are certainly hard to beat. Maybe on First Trans-Pennie in a a few years when the Mk 5’s and 68’s are up and running they might get a run for their money?
Passing Chiltern’s Wembley Depot at speed, 68008, 68010 & 68012 were all on shed getting ready for the evening rush hour. Soon the light faded and i settled back into my chair for the short journey back to Banbury.
Rolling in at 17:09 on time my day was done, as I stepped off the train to grab a few last shots of 68011, I bumped into Pip Dunn, former Editor of Railways Illustrated, I don't know him, but looking at his twitter page the day after confirmed that indeed it was him as he had posted a image or two at the Station.
A great day in all, plenty of new pieces of rolling stock, new liveries and some great photos. As always London gives so may options of places to visit and plenty of variety. Next time I will concentrate more on the London Overground and the Anglia routes as its been a while up that way.
