This Site
Copyright
One of the trips I used to make when I first started spotting/enthusiast was a trip to Birmingham from Euston. Sitting on a MkII behind a cl.86 or cl.87 while hurtling up the West Coast Main Line (WCML) was just Brilliant. Sadly now the MkIIs and locos are long gone and we're stuck with the cl.390.
Bold = Haulage, Red = Winner, All others are sightings.
Despite being off work it was up at daft O'Clock and out for 2B09 Selhurst to Victoria 377127, 377464 non winners [9m 31ch].
At Victoria it was time for the tube. Why have they messed about with the access to the Victoria line as it take twice as long to get from gateline to platform. Once finally down on the platform it was over to Euston for our train. Grabbing a Pasty and drink we all went down to platform 7 and 9G08 Euston to Birmingham New Street 221104, 221114 winner [112m 76ch]. It was nice to get on to a couple of the cl.221s before they leave service with Avanti maybe for pastures new. The train arrived in to New Street bang on time.
Whilst the girls went off to some shops I decided that a couple of trips on some DMUs would be a whole lot better.
I love Birmingham Moor Street with the brown GWR paintwork, old signs and it's quaint feel. Here we have the next few moves:
Birmingham Moor Street (BMO)
Birmingham Snow Hill (BSW)
2V36 BMO - BSW 172214, 172212 winners [0m 50ch]
2S37 BSW - BMO 172342, 172222 342 winner, 222 non winner [0m 50ch]
2V40 BMO - BSW 172216, 172335 winners [0m 50ch]
2S41 BSW - BMO 172103, 172336 103 winner, 336 non winner [0m 50ch]
Snow Hill station is the opposite of Moor Street. It's devoid of character, dark and pretty much just dull. It's functional which is about all you can say at platform level. I've not seen the outside but from the photos I've seen the outside it is equally as uninspiring. Personally the only thing it has going for it other than train services is the abandoned tram station. I have to be honest, I really do like a abandonded station.
Once back with the family the usual Christmas Market food and drinks were done.
Wee booked ourselves on the 16:47 back to London. 1B53 Birmingham New Street to Euston 390050 winner [112m 76ch]. We left on time and due to something happening to 1Y56 (the LNWR train to Euston) we ended loosing time more and more. By the time you stopped in Euton it was 27 minutes late.
The train we got off of was very hot and stuffy to the point the wife needed some fresh air (well as fresh as you can get in London) so we walked down to St Pancras. 9S53 St Panxras International to East Croydon 700134 non winner [13m 40ch] whisked us down in time to catch 2J58 East Croydon to Selhurst 377324, 377325 non winners [0m 77ch]
A really good day.