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This was the line line on Soutern Metals that I needed to clear.
Bold = Haulage, Red = Winner, All others are sightings.
Despite it being a RMT strike day I anted to clear the Uckfield line and also tick off ALL the Southern metals*
Starting at Selhurst I caught 1L22 Victoria to East Grinstead 377316, 377318, 377447 [10m 74ch] non winners. I had about 30 minutes to wait so I wandered to platform 3, the bay platform, and check on the 11:38 to Uckfield. OH NO! CANCELLED!
Luckily outside Oxted there is a Wetherspoons. A coffee and beans on toast later I was ready to continue my adventure. The DMU booked to work the next train would arrive at 12:20 so I set myself up at the end of platform 2 to await it's arrival. Right on cue it arrived in and terminated on platform 1. It then forms 5E29 1224 Oxted to Oxted and goes as far as signal 306and reverses back in to platform 3 (see the video below for the move).
1E29 Oxted to Uckfield 171807 [25m 65ch] ✅ winner.
Having to catch the later train caused me to reduce my time at Uckfield. I had intended to spend about an hour taking a look at the station and maybe see where the old station was and if any of the old line to Lewes was visible. Instead I had 10 minutes!
1E34 Uckfield to Oxted 171807 [25m 65ch] non winner.
At Eridge I had quite a surprise when I saw an old haulage in the shape of Caledonian Railway 812 Class number 828. Last time I saw that one was on the Strathspey Railway back in 1993!
At Oxted it was the final leg of the journey and 1L37 East Crinstead to Victoria 377440, 377443 [10m 74ch] non winners.
All in all it was a pretty good day (apart from the cancellation). Yes only one winner but a line ticked off!
* By Southern metals I mean the line that are a) covered by Southern TOC and b) Were part of the South Central division during the BR years. The Havant to Southampton lines were part of the South West division.