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If I had to sum up the day in one word it'd be -FAN-BLOODY-TSTIC.
After a very late night due the SWMBO being at her work event and the fall out from than I was somehow awake at 05:30. So after making sure the she was ok it was out and round to Selhurst for an early train.
In chugged 171728 and 171727 to form 5E09 Selhurst to East Croydon a chat and secured my trip.
Now at East Croydon I caught 700147 working 9T07 Bedford to Brighton.
The sun shone through the high arches of Brighton station and I headed over to platform 8 and 2L14 Brighton to Lewes. First winner of the day 313213. At Lewes I decided on the ex Seaford train 2C15 Seaford to Brighton to get back to Brighton 313217 another winner in the book. It was now time to get the first of the targets. 313205. 205 recently came back in to service on the 27th after having a double traction motor change at Selhurst. The unit had been out of service since February 4th, when had a flashover and a fire. Initially 205 was suspected that it may be the first Southern 313 to be withdrawn but the engineers at Lovers Walk and Selhurst have got the old girl back up on her feet.
313205 whisked me off to West Worthing to catch 1N10 Brighton to Southampton Central as far as Havant. 377461 provided the traction full of Crystal Palace supporters. Coming back from Havant was to be on the Legendary 313201. It was a winner on 2S11 Portsmouth & Southsea to Littlehampton. At Littlehampton I took some more photo of 201 and missed out on 313215 so I got back on 201 to Ford when I decided to pick up the next 313 back to Littlehampton. 313220 formed 2S20 Portsmouth & Southsea to Littlehampton.
Now it was time to stich out. A photo of 220 in Littlehampton I then went and caught 313208 to Barnham picking up a few miles there and another winner.
From Barnham I needed to get to West Worthing for another 313 so I jumped on1N21 Portsmouth Harbour to Brighton train 377458. OH MY GOD! About 20 odd young females having had an awful lot of booze and very very loud. One of the longest journeys I've ever taken! 313212 was another winner on 2U31 West Worthing to Brighton as far as Hove. Then it was Shuttle Time! 313219 worked: 2N39 Hove to Brighton 2N40 Brighton to Hove 2N41 Hove to Brighton 219 was a winner too.
I considered doing another one to Lewes but I started feeling a bit fatigued. Thanks Long Covid!
9S42 Brighton to Cambridge was the next available to Croydon and 700102 was the traction. Once at Croydon I managed to miss any 455s as 2J46 Caterham to London Bridge was 377703, 377624.