This Site
Copyright
As I sit here this morning I look back on yesterday's trip on the Midland Mainline on East Midlands Railway Connect services. Introduced back in May 2021 EMR began the Connect services to Corby using the former Greater Anglia Class 360/1 EMUs. Anyway On to why you're here ... the haulage report.
Rather than chance a probably cancellation of a train out of Selhurst, which seems to be the norm on weekends when there is engineering work on the line, I walked to East Croydon. It was already getting quite warm. The plan was to get as many cl.360s for 10 miles as possible. My own criteria is a minimum of 10 minute connection at stations anyways so this allowed for delays and a a photo of each train I use. The first train of the day was 9J14 Horsham to Peterborough 700126 Non winner. This one gave me time to get a sandwich for later in the day.
Up to what seem to be known as the East Midland's platforms and my first trip on a class 360. Now it appears that almost all the EMR Connect trains run off platform 4. The first pair of units were the purple ones working 1Y13 St Pancras International to Corby 360109, 360121. Once on I took this as far as Luton; both winners and both cleared for 10 miles.
To be in with a chance of getting the most out of the day I crossed over and caught 1Y14 Corby to St Pancras International to Luton Airport Parkway. 350107, 360114 both winners but the distance between the two stations is only a mile.
Luton Airport Parkway has a fair bit of work going on but when you cross the bridge heading to platform 4 it only shows the lift going to platform 4 which is rather confusing. There are stairs there and escalators going down but only shows them going to the shuttle bus and way out you CAN use these to get to platform 4. Not the best signage to be honest.
1Y15 St Pancras International to Corby was the next target, 360113, 360111 both winners and both cleared for 10 miles, in fact they were taken as far as Bedford. Nice tip for photographers here. Platform 4 (London end) lends itself to a nice view of the trains coming around the curve into the station. The sun is a bit of problem though.
At Bedford I crossed back to catch the 1Y18 Corby to St. Pancras International 360101, 360116 (both winner and both cleared for 10 miles).
Back at Luton I caught 1Y19 St Pancras International to Corby up to Wellingborough 360110, 360119 both winners and both cleared for 10 miles. Whilst en route I contemplated bailing at Bedford and doubling back again or waiting for the next Corby train. but the cool air conditioned coach persuaded me not to. Mistake!
Off the train at Wellingborough and what an interesting little station. I may do a little write up on it in due course. Now came the "oh S**t" moment. I entered the small booking hall looked up at the indicator board and there was the 11:27 to St Pancras showing as cancelled. 😠 Nothing I could do about it so I wandered around a little taking photos. Over to platform 4 and re-plan the trains, and munch on my sarnie.
No matter what I had to get 1Y26 Corby to St Pancras International formed of 360107, 360114 now non winners as far as Bedford. Earlier I'd seen a class 230 at Bedford and seeing that I'd never caught one before I contemplated having a go on one. I'd drawn up two plans. Plan A - Go to Bedford, if the next southbound had needed 360s on it catch to Luton, return to Bedford and head to Bletchley on a 230. Plan B - If I didn't need the units on the next southbound go to Bletchley on a 230, change on to LNWR and then see if I could either hop back to St Albans at Watford or possibly jump some 710s back to Euston.
Plan A worked when 1Y38 Corby to St Pancras International arrived with 360104, 360105 (both winners and both cleared for 10 miles) so I caught it to Luton. At Luton 360111 arrived on it's own on 1Y29 St Pancras to Corby (non winner).
With the sun beating down I waited on platform 1a at Bedford and in rolled 230004 forming 2S18 Bedford to Bletchley (winner and cleared for 10 miles). I'll be writing a review of my experience of the unit and I'll link to it from here as well.
230004 took me to Bletchley and I checked while on the train and it appeared that the West Coast Mainline was having a few issues. Typical. This time it worked to my advantage.
At Bletchley I could get the 14:44 or the 15:01 to Euston. Then the 14:44 suddenly disappeared off the screen. Then at 14:46 in came 1Y24 Northampton to Euston 350125, 350252 (non winners which considering how many I need for haulage is a downer) which was the the 14:44.
A walk, avoiding the sweaty tourists, from Euston to St Pancras didn't take too long. 9T43 Bedford to Brighton service arrived in at 15:50 as 700135 (non winners). At East Croydon over to platform 4 and 2J44 Caterham to London Bridge 377607, 377703 (non winners). Home and a well needed shower!