Trips 6 to 8th May (Wales & Liverpool)

Trips 6 to 8th May (Wales & Liverpool)

6th May – A Trip to Pembrokeshire

The idea of staying overnight in South Wales came about earlier in April when I did some research to book a place in Llanelli I used a couple of years ago, a cheap but cheerful hostel around 15 minutes from the station.  As the weather was going to be decent, I decided to head further west to do a walk along a path I’ve wanted to do for a while but either got messed with wet weather or a heavily reduced timetable.

The plan nearly went into the bin before it started with issues between Newport & Cardiff after a fire knocked out the signalling, coming up with an alternative plan in the event I couldn’t reach Swansea in time for the Pembroke Dock train.  The day began with the 05:24 service from Grateley with 159021 & 159022 to Basingstoke, changing over onto 165128 to Reading where I had around 45 minutes to kill before 800003 & 800011 rolled in on a Swansea (vice Carmarthen) service.  I settled down for the trip west, getting lucky as the train only lost a minute or so between Newport & Cardiff (and featured a rather grumpy lady as the train got very busy at Newport due to various cancellations, who didn’t like someone asking her to move her oversized handbag and actually left the train in a huff.  Considering the next train was 30 minutes later and was a 2 coach TfW special I didn’t fancy her chances at even being able to board that service).

After Cardiff the news came through that the train was continuing towards Carmarthen, all be with a set swap at Swansea.  After popping out of the station for some supplies from the handy Tesco Express, I took a seat on a lightly loaded 800004 from platform 1 for a slow trip towards Carmarthen, following a TfW service for Milford Haven which called at all the stations, still it gave me more time to look at the lovely views.  At Carmarthen I had time to buy a West Wales ranger from the ticket office, a rover I’ve not used in many years (probably June 2014 was the last time) before boarding 197015 on the Pembroke Dock service, the 4th train on platform 1.

150217 at Carmarthen

An enjoyable run towards Pembroke Dock, pausing at a few of the little request stops, noticing what seemed to be a new mixed used path outside Saundersfoot station.  At Pembroke Dock I headed away from the station, and towards the A477 road heading towards the Cleddau Bridge over Milford Haven (the water that is, not the town), quite a steep climb and it was quite windy when on top of the bridge as it gave some nice views of both Neyland & Pembroke Dock.  I continued along the pavement of this busy road, crossing over the Westfield Pill before picking a footpath, part of the Wales Coastal Path towards Neyland, dropping down towards the Brunel Quay.  Neyland used to be the western terminus of the Great Western Railway where passengers could transfer onto transatlantic ships for America.  Sadly both the port & railway are long gone, with the route of the railway turned into a mixed used path heading towards Johnston as part of cycle route 4.

After I picked up the start of the path near a marina, it went underneath the main road, following the Westfield Pill with some nice views of the water before heading into countryside, a busy path with cyclists, dog walkers & other walkers.  Soon I reached the outskirts of Johnston where the old railway met up with the remaining line, with the path running alongside the railway line passing Johnston station heading towards North Johnston and back into countryside.

A477 Bridge over the Westfield Pill, Neyland

The path headed towards some woods, before running alongside a minor road before following the route of the railway towards Merlin's Bridge, part of Haverfordwest.  I headed up Merlin's Hill, which was quite steep (wishing I stayed with the cycle path as it ran alongside the Bypass), but soon I reached the top of the hill and came down the other side, heading towards the station, arriving with around 5 minutes to spare before 197020 rolled in on a Milford Haven service.  I took this unit to the end of the line at Milford Haven, making use of the time to pop to Tesco for some supplies before boarding the same unit for the long trip to Cardiff Central.

25 minutes after arriving I was onto winner 756114 to take me towards Penrhiwceiber on the Aberdare branch for a short connection onto winner 756116 back towards Radyr, stepping back onto 231006 for the trip back to Cardiff Central, going via Queen Street and terminating on platform 4 (as it was the time of night where the trains were heading to the depot).  As for me the plan was to catch the 22:30 Carmarthen service which used the Swansea District Line towards Llanelli, but then I noticed by chance the 23:24 service was also going via the district line but also via Barry, deciding to delay myself an hour for the novelty of a 197 via Barry.  At the same time, I noticed services were reversing after Newport to use the non-passenger side of the triangle towards Hereford.

231006 at Cardiff Central

 

Cardiff Central was quite chaotic this time of night, as platforms 0-2 were closed with everything long distance using 3 + 4, not helping was services arriving from Queen Street & elsewhere onto platform 4 to terminate and a GWR 166+165 blocking platform 3 on the last train to Bristol.  Eventually 197117 rolled in from Crewe where it terminated and formed the Carmarthen train as I grabbed a seat in the standard plus seats at the front of the train with various announcements by the guard that this train was not calling at Neath or Swansea and any passengers for those stations needed to change at Port Talbot for a replacement bus (or wait for the following GWR service).  Based on overhearing some chatter I think several drunks weren’t listening and ended up forking out for taxis!

Anyhow the train departed towards Bridgend, not the fastest due to following a Barry Island service it was meant to be in front of, eventually picking up speed after the junction at Barry to head towards Bridgend, before heading towards Port Talbot Parkway.   After Port Talbot it branched off the main line onto the little used (for passenger services) Swansea district line, a line which isn’t the fastest, made slower as at Genwen Junction (after Bynea) it swung onto the goods line, running the length of the loop before crossing over just before Llanelli station.

197117 at Llanelli Station

I headed away from the station at Llanelli, heading towards my accommodation at the World Horizons centre, near North Dock, this time getting a room on the top floor, basic but functional, the biggest negative was the lack of cover for a skylight so when the morning came the room was flooded in light.  Still for £24 for the night, it was a good deal compared to other places in both the Llanelli & Carmarthen areas which were £60+.  A good first day in Wales, a nice walk in Pembrokeshire followed by a couple more 756s falling to my little red pen (leaving just one more of the 4 coach 756s) with the novelty of some unusual track in the Llanelli area.

7th May – Exploring Fishguard and a set swap which wasn’t actually a set swap.

I was thinking when travelling to the accommodation that it might be worthwhile visiting Fishguard Harbour when I was in this general area, and hence clearing all of West Wales for coverage by 197.  Also, because that area had been on my list for a little explore for a while, but owing to the limited timetable of previous years it was quite hard.  Thankfully TfW has increased the number of services to Fishguard giving a 3-hour window for a little explore.

The day began with a walk to Llaneli station and onto 197020 for the run towards Fishguard Harbour, this part of the world is quite remote and I always forget how far it is between Fishguard & Goodwick & Clarbeston Road.  Anyhow once at Fishguard Harbour I headed out on foot on the road alongside the port area (my original idea was to head up a path but that was gated off), a quick stroll along the breakwater before climbing towards Fishguard itself and onto the Marine Walk, a path which runs alongside the harbour giving some nice views.  I ended up in Lower Town and the lower Fishguard Harbour before climbing up a steep hill on the A487 road into Fishguard town centre, swinging via the Co-Op (which was a bit bare boned due to their IT systems hack) before picking up a path heading towards the A40.

Lower Fishguard Harbour

I followed this path down the hill, crossing the road and into the Goodwick Moor Nature Reserve following a path to reach Phoenix Park and the main road near a rugby ground.  After swinging via Tesco for some supplies I headed back towards Fishguard Harbour station for a short wait before 197117 rolled in to form a Manchester service, grabbing a seat in the standard premium section and I relaxed for the trip back towards Carmarthen, staying on board to Pembrey & Burry Port for no reason other than wanting to revisit this station.

A short wait here before 800010 rolled in on the next London train, attaching itself to 800027 at Swansea to head towards Cardiff Central where I decided to have a change of scenery and changed to 166217 on the Portsmouth Harbour service.  An announcement was made that there was going to be a set swap at Bristol Temple Meads so everybody got off the train, crossing over to another platform for a ghost train.  5 minutes later, it was decided that 166217 would in fact be running to Portsmouth rather than a pair of 158s.  Bit of a farce and it departed 10 minutes late, time it never really gained back.

197117 at Fishguard Harbour Station

I took this 166 to Salisbury, where I changed onto 159014 working a Reading service to take me to Grateley, and a gentle stroll home where I could relax, reflecting on the couple days in Wales.  Fishguard looked to be a nice enough town and it was good to finally get to visit the town rather than just the station (and the area just outside Goodwick station).

8th May – A Day trip to Merseyside

Originally this was meant to be a walk along the Leeds & Liverpool canal, but things happened and it turned into a little red pen day.  The day starting with 159022 & 158885 taking me to London Waterloo and a gentle stroll across to Euston to board 390118 on the delayed 08:30 service for Glasgow Central, which got caught up in issues further north causing a visit to platform 12 at Crewe and arrival into Warrington Bank Quay around 45 minutes late.  I decided to ditch the idea of a walk as I had no clue how further delayed the train would be getting into Preston and after swinging via an Iceland in Warrington it was onto winner 197035 & dud 197043 on the next train to Chester which was very busy due to the races being on.  I didn’t hang around Chester for long before jumping onto 777039 for the short run to Bache where I headed to Morrisons for lunch items.

I was down to needing 4 of the Merseyrail units for my little red pen, and all 4 were out today, with winner 777003 on the next train towards Liverpool which I took to Hamilton Square, making a fast walk across to platform 3 to jump onto winner 777035 on the next New Brighton service, taking it to the end of the line & remaining on board back towards Moorfields where I headed towards the Northern line platforms and onto dud 777053 for the trip to Formby, making a note for a future adventure in these parts involving the coastal path.

777035 at New Brighton Station

Anyhow the next Liverpool train was formed of winner 777047 & dud 777010 which I took to Liverpool Central, have a short break before winner 777150 rolled in on the next Headbolt Lane service, taking this to Headbolt Lane where I had a crazy idea and instead of returning to Liverpool on the same unit, I headed across to platform 3 and onto 156461 & 150135 on the next Northern service, which looked like it had revenue on board, having a chat with someone whom thinks payment is optional.  I took these units to Rainford where I had a gentle stroll to waste the 30 minutes before 156410 & 150150 rolled in to take me back to Headbolt Lane, and onto 777150 back towards Liverpool Central, clearing the entire class for ten miles.

In a way I was glad to have done 777047 earlier as the Southport line had somewhat collapsed and this train got very busy after Sandhills as Merseyrail did their usual terminate late running Southport – Liverpool trains at Sandhills and sending them back empty northbound.  Back at Liverpool I had a gentle stroll to Lime Street and onto 807008, getting a decent seat in coach H for the run to London Euston, having a gentle stroll to Waterloo for 159002 & 159013 on the 21:20 service, to take me back to Hampshire to relax and get myself ready for 6 late shifts.

807008 at Liverpool Lime Street

I was happy I had cleared the 777s, as no more hanging around the Merseyrail stations, although it does mean I have lost a “Wet Weather” option for when I stay overnight in Crewe.  More photos can be found on my Flickr, thanks for reading :)