While I was sitting down at the end of June trying to plan out a trip or two for August, an email came in announcing a virgin flash sale was imminent, offering seats from £5-15 on the West Coast route so I decided that it would be best to hang about a few days and see if I could maximise what I could get for my money.
Sure enough a couple of days later the sale came along and a pair of advances that I had previously been toying with to Preston/Lancaster was now £10 each instead of £67 for the pair, so they were swiftly booked along with a few other days out at these crazy prices, which will mean an epic 6 bashes this month.
So day 1 -
Monday 3rd August couldn't come around quickly enough and my first train of the day was dud 466035 for the trip into Waterloo East as I made my way to Euston.
The 0730 to Glasgow Central was today in the hands of winner 390111, a good start to the day. this was the busiest I've ever seen this train, the last couple of times I've used it I've almost had half a coach to myself but this one is packed.
The plan for the day is to head to Preston to have a ride on the 37, then to cover the branches to Morecambe/Heysham and Windermere as well as the Bentham Line across the dales.
As we leave Euston I check twitter to see if there is any problems up north and I see that I must've almost walked passed Techniquest who'd just arrived off the Cally Sleeper that I saw pull in.
The journey North was fairly uneventful, winner for sight 66772 was noted at Basford Hall and a couple of uid shunters in LNWR.
Arrival at Preston was greeted with the sight of DBSO 9707 and when the Pendolino pulled away 37423 was noted on the front of the 1004.
My Cumbria Day Ranger was purchased along with a cup of tea and seat taken close to the vestibule for the run behind winner 37423 to Carnforth. Unfortunately we were held at Preston to allow a couple of late running TPE services to cross into platform 6 to join up.
Anyway, 1017 and eventually away we go - well a whole 20 or so chains outside the station just shy of Fylde Junction when it ground to a halt. Problem with the brakes in the DBSO apparently, but fortunately easily rectifiable and some 6 minutes later we're on our way. The late running is causing concern with the numerous enthusiast on board and their fears are confirmed as the guard states that the connection at Barrow wont be held. Cue mass exodus at Lancaster where a number are going to hot-foot it up to Carlisle to join the other 37's there.
My plan had been to have a stroll outside Carnforth Station and see if there were any viewpoints into the diesel depot there to try and reduce the number of required for sight 47 & 57's at WCR, but having arrived over 20 minutes late I now only had around 10 minutes before the next train back to Lancaster so that idea was knocked on the head.
Winner 153307 along with 153351 arrived for the run down to Lancaster. as we arrive into P2 winner for sight 156484 is in Platform 1 with my next plan, the 1129 service to Morecambe - double winner!
Upon arrival at Morecambe the plan was to have a stroll and grab some food before getting the 1247 to Heysham Harbour, however a check of twitter around 1200 and Northern have cancelled it, apparently due to a broken down train, although RTT claims it was due to staff delayed on the inbound service, not sure what that means as the train was on time until Morecambe. Oh well, the Heysham branch wont be getting done today so I hop back on 156484 for the run back to Lancaster.
My next planned move was to head north for the Windermere branch, but checking RTT and there's no way I can get this done any earlier, so with an hours fester at Lancaster I decide to head into town for a stroll. I find the Robert Owen (Wetherspoons) and sample a pint of their finest Tuborg to pass the time.
Arriving back at Lancaster and winner 390152 pulls in on the Euston-Glasgow which I'll take as far as Oxenholme. Dud 185102 is waiting in platform 3 with the 1417 to Windermere. I haven't been to Windermere for many years, and with a 20 odd minute break I decide to have a quick wander around the town and remember how nice the place actually is, maybe I'll have to go back there for a break and explore the lakes again.
Back to the station just in time for 185102, now a super-dud, to take me back to Oxenholme, where I join dud 390153 back to Lancaster.
I've got 20 minutes here before my next train so I grab a coffee from the Costa fo a caffeine hit here before joining dud 150137 on the Leeds via Morecambe service.
I bail at Bare Lane to score the shack while 137 goes down to Morecambe & catch it on its way back to do the curve between Bare Lane & Hest Bank Junctions. I stay on for the ride through the quite spectacular scenery of the dales to Hellifield where there is a +20 back.
The café on the platform is closed so I have a stroll down to the main road in search of a shop to grab a cold drink, but nope - nothing but houses around so back to the station for winner 150273 back across the dales to Lancaster.
I have a 40 minute wait here for my train back to London and note winner 86622 + 86604 on 4M74 Coatbridge-Crewe & winner 56002 + 56004 with the 6K73 Sellafield-Crewe flasks before dud 390156 arrives with the 1937 to Euston.
319363 is noted at Preston and 319371/319361 were at Wigan North Western with what appeared to be the late running 2003 to Liverpool Lime Street, I didn't realise these ran in pairs up north?
37601 is noted at Crewe on a test train and winner for sight 57010 in LNWR just before it starts getting too dark to see much more out of the windows.
Finally back at Euston some 15 hours after I left and its a quick dive onto the Northern line onto 53519 to Charing Cross and finally for the day 376025 back home.
Not a bad day all in all. slightly disappointed by the failure to complete the Heysham Branch, especially as its only a one a day, I'll have to try and get that another time.
In summary
1 Unit winner for sight (only 2 northern units needed for sight now)
5 loco winners for sight
6 winners for haulage
5 winner shacks
Winner track - Bare Lane-Carnforth, Oxenholme-Windermere, Carnforth-Hellifield.
629 Miles
£61.50 spent on fares