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So with the wife is Birmingham, my current depression at a bit of a low (the two things linked on this occasion) I decided I needed to escape myself and try get out of this low mood. Early rise and pack the daughter off to school then headed to the station.
Bold = Haulage, Red = Winner, All others are sightings.
Well done to Southern for starting me off badly.
Fail 1: Slippery platforms at the station means it was dangerous and the contractor was in no way interested in helping or doing anything proactive. "I only do terminating trains" was poor answer. And quite rude too.
Fail 2: 06:56 to London Bridge sat on the depot spur and arrived in the station 8 late. Now running fast from Tulse Hill to London Bridge. May make up time.
2J06 Selhurst to London Bridge 455846, 455807. 9m 79ch.
A brisk and chilly walk through More London, over Tower Bridge (catching the sunrise) and round to Fenchurch Street. The station entrance I used takes you up on the the middle of the platforms. On the station were:
1F62 Fenchurch Street to Shoeburyness 357033, 357045.
2R70 Fenchurch Street Grays 357009, 357020.
2F22 Fenchurch Street Southend Central 357022, 357046.
1F64 0805 London Fenchurch Street to Southend Central 357041, 357003.
2R72 0814 London Fenchurch Street to Grays 357029, 357002.
Knowing my train was incoming (thanks to Traksy) I wandered up to the country end of the platform to await its arrival. I must have looked a right pillock as round the corner came the units to form 1P24 Fenchurch Street to Shoeburyness (Fenchurch Street to Shoeburyness) 387301, 387305, 387303. 387303 was a first for sight (completes the subclass) and all three were firsts for haulage.
We left on time and at Gas Factory Jn 1B17 0718 Shoeburyness to London Fenchurch Street 357030, 357317 passed us heading into Fenchurch Street. At West Ham 1B19 0737 Leigh-on-Sea to London Fenchurch Street passed with 357040, 357028, 357011. At Barking 357058, 357016 were working 2N07 0804 Laindon to London Fenchurch Street.
Now I was on a new bit of line. The Barking to Shoeburyness line and the good old British weather gave me snowy fields, hazy or foggy skies for the most part. Just outside around the Upwey Jn area 2D21 0801 Grays to London Fenchurch Street 357004 passed me by. Although we didn't stop at Pitsea I managed to glimpse 357324 in platform 3 with 2D12 0737 London Fenchurch Street to Pitsea. On to Southend Central where 357003, 357041 sat in the bay platform having worked 1F64 0805 London Fenchurch Street to Southend Central.
Shoeburyness carriage sidings revealed 357005, 357045 and 357025. In the station were 357202 and 357036 on platform 3 awaiting a ECS move in to the sidings. I decided to take a few photos of the 387s. I wandered down platform 1 to awaiting the arrival of my train train back to Pitsea. 2B87 Shoeburyness to Fenchurch Street (Shoeburyness to Pitsea) was formed of 357206, 357203. Passing me at Southend East were 357011, 357028 but on an unknown services. Leigh-On-Sea revealed another unknown service with 357011, 357028.
Pitsea. What can I say? The platforms are not labelled well. 4 platforms but there doesn't seem to be signs to show which is which. 2D35 0942 Southend Central to London Fenchurch Street (Pitsea to Grays) 357041 left 7 minutes late due to a problem at the level crossing just outside the station. At East Tilbury 357316 was working 2D18 0908 London Fenchurch Street to Shoeburyness. Just outside Tilbury Town I saw, at the last minute, a DRS class 66 in the shape of 304 (Thanks to Far North 37 on Railforums for the ID).
At Grays the gateline man had no idea what was going on nor if 2R89 1040 Grays to London Fenchurch Street (Grays to Rainham) was running. The driver did and took 357031, 357015 towards London and I alighted at Rainham. Rainham is good for the HS1 line so a few Eurostars and class 395s were noted down:
4L52 Garston F.L.T. to London Gateway Frghtliner Trundled through headed by 66564.
9O15 Paris Nord to St Pancras International - 4029, 4030.
1F24 1052 St Pancras International to Faversham - 395021.
9I28 St Pancras International to Bruxelles Midi - 4017, 4018.
1J25 0953 Margate to St Pancras International - 395022
2R84 1055 London Fenchurch Street to Grays - 357319.
2R91 1110 Grays to London Fenchurch Street - 357026.
After a catch up with an old friend I headed back to the station as the wife was going to return today. My haulage back to London was 357031 2R01 1340 Grays to London Fenchurch Street (Rainham to Fenchurch Street). Just before it arrived 2R94 1325 London Fenchurch Street to Grays pulled in with 357026. As you know the trip back passes Dagenham Dock and Ripple Lane. Stabled were 08934, 66047, 92019. Also noted were:
6X77 Dagenham Dock Reception to Mossend Down Yard 90035.
4M95 Dagenham to Peak Forest 66103.
At Barking 357016 headed to London with 1B59 1311 Shoeburyness to London Fenchurch Street. Unlike the morning East Ham Depot actually had a couple of units in 357017, 357044. West Ham station had 357319 leaving with 2R96 1355 London Fenchurch Street to Grays. At Fenchurch Street were 2R00 1455 London Fenchurch Street to Grays 357038 and 2R98 1425 London Fenchurch Street to Grays 357016.
Another walk across Tower Bridge (avoiding the selfie sticks and tourists) to London Bridge fir a mini spot before my train to Croydon.
2O43 1305 London Cannon Street to London Cannon Street - 465175, 465010.
2I43 1438 London Cannon Street to London Cannon Street - 465902.
2S44 1435 London Charing Cross to Sevenoaks - 465904, 466009, 465241.
5P45 1415 Grove Park Up C.H.S. to London Cannon Street - 465910, 465042.
2B49 1409 Slade Green to London Cannon Street - 465913, 465039.
2F41 1411 Orpington to London Cannon Street - 456019.
1V44 1437 London Charing Cross to Hayes (Kent) - 465188.
9R38 1403 Gatwick Airport to Bedford - 700126.
9P37 1348 Luton to Rainham (Kent) - 700033.
It was then time for my train back to East Croydon in the shape of 9R31 1335 Bedford to Gatwick Airport (London Bridge to East Croydon) 700119.
The final trip was 377203,377204 forming 2M45 East Croydon to Milton Keynes Central (East Croydon to Selhurst).
All in all a really good day out.