2nd Jan - 5th Jan, West Midlands, London & Dean

2^nd January – A trip to the West Midlands

For my first trip of 2020, I decided to head towards the West Midlands, to have a social catch-up with my good friend Jules and to have a relaxing day.  Although the day didn’t start off relaxing as due to signalling issues west of Salisbury services from that area were delayed, so it wasn’t the 08:59 I caught from Grateley but the delayed 08:26 service which was around 25 minutes late and departed around 08:52, my first service of the year was 159102 & 159020 for the short run to Basingstoke, where I made use of the time before the XC service to visit the Sainsburys located nearby for some supplies.

Back at the station (noting that it seems Basingstoke has some new buses) and onto 221140 for the run to Banbury, after scanning the reservation screens I picked an empty seat which was reserved from Winchester to Birmingham New Street, and as Basingstoke was after Winchester it should have been safe to sit there (wouldn’t be the first time there is a no-show, especially if someone held an open ticket).  A lot of the seats were reserved from Oxford, including the one next to me, so when I got up at Oxford to allow the person into the windowless seat, some lady popped up stating that “it was her seat” and she was “sitting elsewhere” beforehand (most likely at a table seat and got evicted), I decided to sit on an empty seat opposite because I wasn’t up for a fight with a rude lady (sorry, but if you decide to sit elsewhere, your reservation becomes void, you can’t come back a few stations later and try and claim it).

Anyhow I escaped from the full & standing voyager at Banbury and had a short wait for the Birmingham train, this one loops a Stratford Upon Avon service at Banbury (one of those ‘new’ Stratford services which is a Banbury stopper extended to Stratford), and I was surprised as the 165 for Stratford went into platform 2 rather than platform 1 (although that was only based on what happens around 6pm when a slower Birmingham service is looped by a faster Birmingham).  Into platform 1 rolled 68013 and I got a table seat in the front coach where Jules joined me at Solihull (having kindly purchased my Daytripper to save time).  My request for unit allocations produced some good news with 3 out of the 4 requested as gettable, so it was a fast walk from Moor Street to New Street for the 12:10 departure to London Euston.

68013 rolling into Banbury

Low mileage 390121 became my latest member of the ten mile club with the run to Birmingham International, quite busy on board but we got seats for the short hop, sadly my other Pendo was on services which avoided Birmingham but one is better than nothing.  At Birmingham International we turned down a busy looking 350/2 on a Rugeley service for 390132 working a New Street terminator for the run back to Birmingham New Street where we had another short walk, this time towards Snow Hill, swinging via the shops for lunch.  At Birmingham Snow Hill, we headed towards platform 2 where low mileage 168218 was sitting with 168113 on the rear, this unit escaped me a couple times last year (it had a habit of popping up on a service which arrives at Birmingham around midnight, not the best when you had an early start the following day) so I was glad to finally get it to clear the class for ten miles.

At Solihull we left the Clubman and took 172333 back to Moor Street where unusually the 68 which would form the 13:55 service wasn’t in the bays, but instead rolled in ECS from Stourbridge depot, sadly it was 68008 (I need just 68012 to clear the Chiltern 68s for mileage), so it was onto plan T, with 172219 & 172217 taken to Tyseley to have a look at what was on depot (I think Jules was impressed with the quality of the refurb).  We had around 15 minutes in the cold wind before 172339 rolled in from Whitlock’s End to take us all the way to Stourbridge Junction, making our way over to platform 1 where 139002 was waiting to take us to Stourbridge Town for some 139 based fun.  We allowed the unit to return to Junction in order to take pictures, before returning to Stourbridge Junction on the following service.

139002 at Stourbridge Town

At Stourbridge Junction, the next service towards Birmingham was a 6 coach service, such space on 172331 & 172334 for the run to The Hawthorns where we transferred over to the metro, with tram 37 being first.  A bit of a farce involving overhead wires and electricity meant a short delay before the tram departed towards Library to get the track in for Jules (and for me to see the route in daylight).  At the current terminus we stepped back a tram to Tram 24 for the short hop to Town Hall, before tram 18 took us around the corner to Grand Central, where we separated as I was heading towards Coleshill Parkway to intercept my final XC 170 on a working from Stansted, and the tickets to Coleshill are not the cheapest (considering the distance).  170101 took me to Coleshill where I had a short 20 minute fester before 170523 rolled in, I was dreading this as it came from Stansted but I was pleased that where it was busy I managed to get a seat for the run to New Street (being thankful I did this service on the inbound as it worked back to Leicester and it was a fight to get off the train due to the crowds waiting at the doors).

Tram 37 at Library, plus a big wheel

I met up with Jules again, for another walk across to Moor Street where we parted ways again, with him heading towards Kidderminster on a 68 (lucky him!) and I was on a busy Stratford bound 172333 to take me to Lapworth, where I had a 5 minute fester (more than enough time here, as there isn’t much around, especially in the dark!) before 168111 rolled in to take me to Leamington Spa.  I decided to put myself half an hour later as there was a service I wanted to catch from Banbury, so after a little walk around Leamington it was onto 168216 for the run to Banbury and a short fester before 802108 rolled in from Paddington, for the novelty of a 802 from Banbury (beats a crowded voyager!), especially when I had a private coach (and I think a private train as far as Oxford).  After oxford I still had a private coach for the run to Reading, where with time to kill I headed out to a nearby Tesco for dinner.

802108 rests at Banbury

Back at Reading, it was a short wait before 220010 rolled in from Manchester to take me to Basingstoke, where I was going to wait for the 20:50 Waterloo - Salisbury, but the 20:20 service towards Salisbury was running late and hence the voyager was put in front and I had a short wait before 159004 rolled in to take me to Grateley, arriving only ten minutes before the train I would have caught, but better early than late.  On reflection it was a good day, it’s always nice to catch up with Jules, unit wise I was happy I got 3 out of my 4 requirements (no more having to look out for 170s at New Street), plus I got 4 more stations for revisiting, including an awkward one (Lapworth).

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3^rd January – South Eastern & Thameslink Stations

For my final weekday of freedom before returning to work on the Monday, I decided to carry on with revisiting my London stations, the focus being on South Eastern with the ending involving Thameslink.

Grateley -> Basingstoke: 159005 & 159008 (TVM at Grateley was being repaired so had to buy from the guard)

Basingstoke -> Waterloo: 450069 & 444029 (15 minutes late into Waterloo due to signalling issues, first time with this 450 since it was renumbered from 450569)

Waterloo East -> London Bridge: 375605 & 375903

London Bridge -> Mottingham: 376008 & 376003

Mottingham -> Lee: 465243 & 465187

Freight Train passing Lee

Lee -> New Eltham: 465031 & 465185

New Eltham -> Albany Park: 465049 & 465178 (where to use up my 20 minute fester, I visited a nearby Co-Op for lunch, very peaceful station)

Albany Park -> Slade Green: 465245

Slade Green -> Erith: 465044 & 465026

Erith -> Belvedere: 465030 & 465193 (this is when my phone started to play up and froze when I tried to restart it, eventually requiring a hard restart, technology is great when it works, also due to the timetable I had an extended wait due to the next service skipping this station)

Belvedere -> Plumstead: 376026 & 376013

Plumstead -> Woolwich Arsenal: 376027

Woolwich Arsenal -> Charlton: 465158

Charlton -> Westcombe Park: 700002

Westcombe Park -> Maze Hill: 465241

700041 pauses at Maze Hill

Maze Hill -> Greenwich: 466007, 465160 & 466033 (I was going to take these to Deptford but the next clockwise service was cancelled)

Greenwich -> Deptford: 700003

Deptford -> Greenwich: 700043

Greenwich (DLR) -> Lewisham (DLR): 117, 151 & 102 (first time on the DLR since July 18!)

DLR units climb out of Lewisham

Lewisham -> Bexleyheath: 376002 & 376024

Bexleyheath -> Lewisham: 465246, 465925 & 466016

Lewisham -> Petts Wood: 465008

Petts Wood -> West Dulwich: 465163 & 465169

West Dulwich -> Sydenham Hill: 465242 & 465929 (and that was it for South Eastern stations within zones 1-6, time to move onto Thameslink as I needed 4 of the stations north of the river)

Sydenham Hill -> Herne Hill: 465156 & 465038

Herne Hill -> West Hampstead Thameslink: 700015

West Hampstead Thameslink -> Elstree & Borehamwood: 700041 (saw this one heading towards Rainham earlier in the day at Maze Hill)

Elstree & Borehamwood -> Mill Hill Broadway: 700052

Mill Hill Broadway ->Cricklewood: 700048 (and that was it for Thameslink stations within zones 1-6)

Cricklewood -> West Hampstead Thameslink: 700015

West Hampstead Thameslink -> Blackfriars: 700125 (I was going to carry on to London Bridge, but this service lost 8 minutes between Kentish Town & here due to a late running Horsham train being put out in front)

Blackfriars -> Embankment: 21311/21312 (delayed due to an incident)

Embankment -> Waterloo: 51634/51633

Waterloo -> Grateley: 159106, 158887 & 159104

And that was the end of the Friday, I was pleased I managed to clear both South Eastern & Thameslink for stations within zones 1-6

A 700 rushes past Elstree & Borehamwood and out of zone 6

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4^th Jan – London again!

Today was another trip to London, this time focusing on TfL Rail/GWR & some of SWR, due to engineering works I was limited with SWR, and like before it was a day of playing it by ear, it started with the 06:30 service towards Waterloo in order to go via Reading due to wanting to avoid the slow route via Staines.

Grateley -> Basingstoke: 159002, 159005 & 159104 (arrived 5 minutes late, missing an unofficial connection with a Reading bound 165, so I popped to Sainsburys)

Basingstoke -> Reading: 220013

Reading -> Slough: 802102 (running around 25 minutes late, took a couple minutes for the doors to unlock at Reading)

Slough -> Langley: 345020

Langley -> Hayes & Harlington: 345059

Hayes Sunrise

Hayes & Harlington -> Hanwell: 360203 (time for a gentle walk along the quiet residential roads to reach my next station)

Old NSE signage at Drayton Greem

Drayton Green -> South Greenford: 165121

South Greenford -> West Ealing: 165121

West Ealing -> Paddington: 345057 (the idea was to take this unit back out to Acton Main Line but the next Reading was required)

Paddington -> West Drayton: 345055 (a failed attempt at sourcing lunch from a nearby Morrisons)

West Drayton -> Southall: 345020

Southall -> Hayes & Harlington: 345014

Hayes & Harlington -> Paddington: 360201 (this was around 12 minutes late due to an issue in the Heathrow tunnels, gave me time at Paddington for lunch)

Paddington -> Acton Main Line: 345014

New footbridge taking space at Acton Main Line, plus a 332 photobombing

Acton Main Line -> Paddington: 345057 (and that was everything out of Paddington so it was to the underground)

Paddington -> Oxford Circus: 3261/3562

Oxford Circus -> Vauxhall: 11039/11040 (I made use of some time here to get my gold card discount added to my oyster card)

Vauxhall -> Putney: 455724 & 455701

Putney -> Barnes: 458536 & 458534

Barnes -> Hampton: 456007, 455853 & 455913 (diverted to run non-stop from Twickenham towards Fulwell via Strawberry Hill due to engineering works)

Hampton -> Richmond: 707012 & 707024

A 378 departs Richmond, you can make out where the old connection at the far end of platform 3 used to be.

Richmond -> North Sheen: 707018 & 707006 (delayed due to getting looped for late running train from Reading)

North Sheen -> St Margaret’s: 707029 & 707022

St Margaret’s -> Mortlake: 455730 & 455716

It was time for a little walk alongside the River Thames to reach my next station, an enjoyable little walk it was.

Barnes Bridge (spot the train)

Barnes Bridge -> London Waterloo: 458534 & 458536

Waterloo -> Bank: 65501/65502

Bank -> Liverpool Street: 91147, 92052, 92048 & 91029

Liverpool Street -> Harold Wood: 345047 (last TfL Rail station)

Harold Wood -> Liverpool Street: 345052

Liverpool Street -> Stratford: 345038

Stratford -> Caledonian Road & Barnsbury: 378202 (saw this unit earlier on at Richmond)

Caledonian Road & Barnsbury -> Highbury & Islington: 378209

Highbury & Islington -> Moorgate: 717023

Moorgate -> Farringdon: 21097/21098 (on seeing a Hammersmith train was 1 minute behind I decided to bail)

Farringdon -> Paddington: 21457/21458

Paddington -> Reading: 165124 (one of the very few booked fast 165s from Paddington, on a Bedwyn service.  At Paddington I saw my last 802/0 was back in service after its accident, but it was running ECS to the depot)

Reading -> Basingstoke: 220006

Basingstoke -> Grateley: 159108

And that was the end of a productive Saturday in London, certainly my stations required within London list is a lot smaller (a couple C2C & GA, plus some more SWR & London Overground), a few more 345s were scored outright, with a small mileage boost given to a 717 and a 378 taken over 5 miles.

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5^th January – A visit to Dean

I wanted to have a lazy day due to it being the end of my holiday, but I also wanted to celebrate hourly Sunday service day as for today Grateley has gained an hourly Sunday service in the shape of the Salisbury – Reading services, it has also temporary kept 2 hourly calls by the Exeter trains.   A good way to celebrate was to revisit another station which has also gained hourly Sunday calls, in the shape of Dean.  This station is easier to visit on Sundays as the hourly services pass between Dunbridge & Romsey (whereas Monday – Saturday they pass north of Dean).

I walked to the station for the 11:30 service to Exeter (159009, 159001 & 159004) with a short wait at Salisbury for158885 to roll in from Romsey.  I took a seat on this 158 for the 9 mile ride towards Dean for a short 15 minute fester.  This station is a bit strange in one platform being in Wiltshire, the other platform being in Hampshire, also it is managed by GWR but no GWR services call here (a left over from years ago before SWT took over the Romsey locals).

The River Dun passes nearby, and it was peaceful (and the fact this tiny village station gets an hourly Sunday service will probably annoy Jack).  It wasn’t long before 158881 rolled in to take me back to Salisbury, where with around 30 minutes to spend before the next Grateley service I headed to a nearby Sainsburys for supplies, before returning to Grateley on 159004, 159108 & 159020.  004 attached to the train at Salisbury and when it departed I couldn’t help noticing that the units which came up from Exeter were very busy.

158885 at Salisbury

River Dun featuring birds

Dean Station

 

 

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158885 departs Dean heading towards Southampton

30th December – The Time Lord Plus Twenty Tour (plus London 29th & 31st)

30^th December – The Time Lord Plus Twenty Tour

When this UK Railtours tour went on sale back in October, I noticed it covered some required baker track, and also would be interesting to have a loco hauled service to Barton on Humber; I had to wait for the tour to go on general sale due to the tour being held back for priority bookings from a cancelled tour, but I booked up and after researching hotel options decided to book into the “Wembley” Travelodge, a hotel I’ve used before.  Where it isn’t the best located (just off the North Circular, and a 10+ minute walk from Stonebridge Park) the other options were out of my price range (also thinking about the fare for the morning to reach central London).

The day began at the hotel (thankfully I was given a room overlooking the car park, but even that was noisy, think Rugby Travelodge for anybody who has stayed there for Polesworth) and an early morning walk towards Stonebridge Park station (noticing the NSE logo on the Red Double Arrow sign on the bridge high above the road, sadly due to the darkness (and me being in a rush) I couldn’t get a decent shot.  The reason for being in a rush was to touch in before half six in order to pay the off-peak fare, and I jumped on the first central London bound service which was a Bakerloo service (3241/3540) which I took to Baker Street, narrowly missing a Met line service, it was over to the Circle line platform for 21523/21524 to Kings Cross St Pancras, where I exited the station in search for both breakfast and lunch from a nearby Tesco (and Sainsburys).

67024 at Kings Cross

Back at Kings Cross and it was to the train, formed of the usual Mk1 coaches with Pullman liveried 67021 on the blocks joined with winner 67024 at the front.  The train was mostly 1^st class coaches with a couple standard class coaches, split between the diners and non-diners, and the route was straight along the ECML, calling at Potters Bar, Stevenage & Peterborough.  After Peterborough it used the new alignment due to construction of the dive-under for the Spalding line, the 67 was giving a good run turning away from the ECML at Newark North Gate for the run via Lincoln towards Barnetby and continued to take the freight only curve towards Immingham docks after the former station at Brocklesby, and joining the Barton branch after Ulceby station.

The train continued on the branch, pausing after Goxhill for the 153 to come off the single track section to continue to Barton on Humber, where due to the length and the generator vehicle being at the front meant anybody wanting to alight had a single door to do so.  I managed to get off for a couple photographs before reboarding the train.

67024 at Barton on Humber

With 67021 in charge, the tour train departed back towards New Holland and rejoined the main-line at Habrough junction, continuing via the small stations served by the 2-hourly Barton train (memories of festering at these stations on Good Friday earlier in 2019 come back to my mind), before the train took the connection towards Grimsby Docks and onto the “Grimsby Light Railway” single track, passing many new vehicles (VW Group mostly).  The train passed the various lines in the Immingham docks area, passing the DB depot which was being remodelled for modern freight, passing the oil refineries, before joining back onto the passenger network at Ulceby and back onto the main-line towards Habrough and Cleethorpes, a slight delay meant we delayed a TPE service from departing (due to the single track from Grimsby towards Cleethorpes, I suspect we were too long for the loop).

The tour had a near 3 hour layover at Cleethorpes (the stock would return towards Barnetby to be serviced), and in that time the Barton 153 would complete a full circuit, so with needing to revisit Ulceby for a photograph, I decided it would be good value to board 153359 (along with a dozen or so from the tour) to take it to the single platform at Ulceby in order for me to take a photograph of the station to save me a job for a future trip.  It was a chilly 50 minute wait, interrupted a few times by freight trains and a lovely sunset before 153359 returned from Barton to take me one stop to Habrough, another station I needed for a photograph (which clears this area).  For this I was tracking a Cleethorpes bound TPE which was running late, but eventually 185147 arrived to take me into Cleethorpes, and as it was ahead of the empty stock I regained on board to the end (had the empty stock gone ahead first I would have bailed at Grimsby  Town)

One way to waste time when in Cleethorpes!

I was annoyed as during the time at Cleethorpes I could have made it to Sainsburys to grab something to eat for later, but decided it was too risky.  The empties arrived late due to congestion, and departed around 15 minutes late, a pause at Grimsby Town to collect any passengers who decided to pass the time at Grimsby rather than Cleethorpes, and with 67024 in charge, it was a speedy run towards Scunthorpe, I was expecting us to get looped at Barnetby for the TPE was behind us, but we didn’t.  Full speed ahead passing Scunthorpe and the other Northern stations (a couple I need to revisit, probably a job for when I’m in South Yorkshire), after Hatfield the train turned right onto the line towards Adwick, this being required for me after the junction for the ‘new’ chord.  The train turned left passing Adwick & Bentley before a first set-down at Doncaster, before taking the Lincoln line over the flyover and the chord to rejoin the ECML (which for me finally clears a question mark from a diverted 91 service back from Leeds one Saturday night).

Sunset in Lincolnshire

 

The tour was full speed ahead, 67024 was getting a good work out, dropping off a lot of passengers at Peterborough and pausing in a loop south of Peterborough to get looped by a few LNER/GC services before speeding on the fasts towards Stevenage, joining the slows at Welwyn North and catching up with a stopper around Potters Bar.  Eventually the tour train reached Kings Cross (maybe a minute or two late), running in alongside a Hull Trains 802 (the interior colours look smart).

My original idea when booking this tour was to head towards Waterloo and then home, as it gave a good safety net for the final Salisbury train, but due to the strike timetable I wasn’t going to risk the revised final Salisbury train (22:20 instead of 23:40) so a few weeks ago I looked up hotels, finding the Travelodge in Croydon being the cheapest overall (based on both hotel cost and cost of reaching said hotel).  So for me it was over to St Pancras, turning down the first Brighton bound 700, followed by a Rainham bound 700, for a Gatwick bound 700130, sadly not required for mileage.  I took a seat in the rear first class area and relaxed for the run to East Croydon, stepping back a train to board 455827 to South Croydon for a sneaky station photograph, returning to East Croydon a few minutes later on 455803.  A much needed dinner was sourced from McDonalds as I checked into the Travelodge, getting a room on the 8^th floor so it was nice and quiet.

700s at St Pancras

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29^th December – The Day before the tour

It was a late start on the Sunday (due to the strike timetable and due to engineering works), but I spent my Sunday in South London for station revisits, which I will do in a summary format with any comments:

Grateley -> Clapham Junction: 159008, 159012 & 159009 (quite busy, sat at Basingstoke for 15 minutes)

Clapham Junction -> East Croydon: 377472 & 377115 (first available service heading that way)

East Croydon -> Norwood Junction: 700138

Norwood Junction -> East Dulwich: 455845 & 455822 (ran fast to Tulse Hill, East Dulwich featured a squirrel attacking a bin bag)

East Dulwich -> North Dulwich: 455834

North Dulwich -> South Bermondsey: 455821 & 455835

South Bermondsey -> Tulse Hill: 455822 & 455845

Tulse Hill -> Herne Hill: 700004 (caused confusion as due to engineering works these were running non-stop from Sutton to Tulse Hill via West Croydon and hence were using the wrong platforms to what they do normally)

Herne Hill -> Shortlands: 700020 (diverted due to Nunhead area being closed)

Shortlands -> Bromley South: 465029/465036 (time wasting move)

Bromley South -> Beckenham Junction: 700003

Beckenham Junction -> Penge East: 465156 & 465244 (where I noted a pair of 465s heading towards Orpington were both required)

I walked along the road to Penge West.

Penge West -> West Croydon: 378141

West Croydon -> Waddon: 377607/3677615

Waddon -> Wallington: 377207 (where I used a nearby Sainsburys for a late lunch)

Wallington -> Carshalton Beeches: 377704

Carshalton Beeches -> Epsom Downs: 455823 (I always forget how rural this line gets)

Epsom Downs -> Sutton: 455823

Sutton -> Banstead: 377136 (first time having a 377 on this branch)

Banstead -> Battersea Park: 377136 (declassified first class area)

Battersea Park -> London Victoria: 455832

London Victoria -> Petts Wood: 465911 & 465021 (the pair of networkers I saw earlier at Penge)

Petts Wood -> Chelsfield: 465246 & 465163

Chelsfield -> London Bridge: 465182 & 465171 (crossed over to the fasts after an extended dwell at Grove Park)

London Bridge -> Hither Green: 465157 & 465031 (saw this 465 on the London bound when at Petts Wood)

Hither Green -> Waterloo East: 465163 & 465246 (first time I’ve used platform 1, and time for dinner from Tesco.  During the fester a low mileage 375 passed on the London bound)

Waterloo East -> Orpington: 375920 & 375702

Orpington -> Grove Park: 465031 & 465157

Grove Park -> Chelsfield: 465047 & 465238 (this service was delayed at Grove Park due to the passenger alarm being pulled, had this not happened I would have bailed at Petts Wood, as there was a gap in London bound services at Orpington.

Chelsfield -> Orpington: 465163 & 465246

Orpington -> Charing Cross: 375802 & 375629

Charing Cross -> Stonebridge Park: 3541 & 3237 (first northbound Bakerloo was for Harrow & Wealdstone).

On arrival at Stonebridge Park, it was a gentle walk to the Travelodge to get checked in and relax for the remainder of the evening.  4 more 465s & another 375 taken over ten miles, along with a lot more stations for revisiting

A diverted 700 passes Carshalton Beeches

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31^st December – The Day after the Tour

View from hotel room, you wait ages for a bus and...

Like with the Sunday I focused my time in South London and started the day with the 09:32 service from East Croydon towards Caterham & Tattenham Corner.

East Croydon -> Kenley: 377617 & 377621 (377621 detaching at Purley)

Kenley -> Purley: 377619

Purley -> Coulsdon South: 377457 (I was hoping to catch a bus to Coulsdon Town to avoid a walk, but Google Maps had a bus which didn’t exist, forcing me into a fast walk)

Coulsdon Town -> Reedham: 377705

Reedham -> Purley: 455833 (I exited the station for a quick walk to the bus stop, with a route 412 double decker taken towards Riddlesdown area, went up quite a steep hill

Riddlesdown -> East Croydon: 377310, 377318 & 377160 (when at East Croydon, I noticed a low mileage 377 on the Bognor bound so made a note for later on)

East Croydon -> Selhurst: 455842

Selhurst -> Sutton: 455815 (making an unofficial connection to a Sutton loop service)

Sutton -> Morden South: 700004

Morden South -> West Sutton: 700019

West Sutton -> Sutton Common: 700005

Sutton Common -> Mitcham Eastfields: 700005

Mitcham Eastfields -> Mitcham Junction: 377615 (didn’t think I would make this connection as my rough plan was based on making the 700 a few minutes behind)

Mitcham Junction -> Wimbledon: Tram 2556 (seemed to be a bit of bunching of services, at Wimbledon it gave me time to grab lunch)

Wimbledon -> Haydons Road: 700046

Haydons Road -> South Merton: 700006 (as South Merton was the passing point of the half hourly services, I walked out of the station to the bus stop for a route 413 service to Morden underground station

Morden -> Balham: 51617/51618

Balham -> Clapham Junction: 377614

Clapham Junction -> Victoria, 377459, 377156 & 377149 (I had a 15 minute turnaround so I made use of the station loos, wasn’t expecting to make it at Clapham but it was delayed by 10 minutes)

Victoria -> East Croydon: 377149, 377156, 377459 (final 377/1 needed for ten miles, the one I spotted earlier.

East Croydon -> Elmers End: Tram 2554 (with Southern complete, it was time to move over to South Eastern land, mainly the Hayes branch)

Elmers End -> New Beckenham: 465909 & 465905

New Beckenham -> Eden Park: 376015 & 376033

Eden Park -> Lower Sydenham: 465020 & 465250

Lower Sydenham -> Catford Bridge: 376033 & 376015 (I walked along the street to Catford)

Catford -> Nunhead, 700060

Nunhead -> Lewisham: 465009 &465185

Lewisham -> Grove Park: 465250 & 465020

Grove Park -> Sundridge Park: 466010 (with its long platforms where a 466 looks lost)

Sundridge Park -> Grove Park: 466010

Grove Park -> Elmstead Woods: 376020 & 376023 (mainly a time wasting move, plus an extra mile and 23 chains for 023)

Elmstead Woods -> St Johns: 465020 & 465250

St Johns -> New Cross: 376013 & 376026

New Cross -> London Bridge: 465191 & 465920 (making use of 3 trains inside 10 minutes)

London Bridge -> Waterloo East: 465931 & 465175

Waterloo -> Grateley, 159005, 159008 &158890

And that last Sprinter move was the final move of 2019 for me, I sat in the front coach and it was lightly loaded, after Andover there was around a dozen or so passengers on board.  Overall another productive day, a few more units pushed over the line for ten miles, a handful given boosts.  My South London area map for stations to revisit is looking a lot better.

Farewell 2019¬!