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Let me state up front that at the moment in my personal life something has come up and things have taken a turn for the worse. A family issue has come up and although I cannot say much regarding it I can say it may well make posting sporadic and trips difficult.
On to the Bank Holiday trip.
This one has been in the pipeline for a number of years but it's lost out to other trips. The last time I was going to attempt it a trip to the Nottingham Tram won out and the time before that I ended up in Scotland.
The original plan was to travel over the following Thames valley Branchlines
I could have left home at a reasonable time but an early start would get me a quieter set of journeys.
9R02 East Croydon to Farringdon 700058 (non winner)
From Farringdon I went via the Elizabeth line.
9Y25 Farringdon to Paddington 345014 winner
A casual walk upstairs and I was earlier than I thought I would be so I decided to catch a different train. It wouldn't affect the rest of the day but would give a bit longer at Slough.
2N18 Paddington to Slough 378169, 387147 both winners.
A little wander around the station before heading over to platform 1 for my next train. Slough station has some nice little things to look and has retained the old station parts well but a lot of the atmosphere is blighted by the modern stuff (indicators, CCTV etc.). I did like the stair case on platform 3 that had the original ironwork. It was also nice to see that this has been replicated by glass on part of the stair case that has been removed to platform 2. Platform 1 is a bay platform and it appears there was a second line there at some point as there is what appears to be the remains of a buffer stop in situ. My train arrived in and soon we were off
2W06 0710 Slough to Windsor & Eton Central 165123 winner.
The line to Windsor and Eton Central is not that long at onlu 2m 63ch. but part of it it traverses a long yet low viaduct. on such a short line it is quite unexpected to find out that there used to be an intermediate station at Chalvey Halt. It only lasted a very short time and was closed in July of 1930.
Windsor and Eton Central station was once quite an imposing looking place. today the station is reduced to one platform that looks like it has been tagged on to the side. The old station itself is now a up market shopping centre and retains the old station building although modified to some degree. There is a old static replica steam loco inside the station depicting a GWR 3031 Class loco.
2A06 0720 Windsor & Eton Central to Slough 165123 non winner
Slough to Windsor and Eton Central ✅
Back at Slough I noticed that my intended train, a Paddington-Didcot Parkway service was delayed so my option was to instead catch an Elizabeth line train to Maidenhead.
9R42 Slough to Maidenhead 345064 winner.
I sort of like the class 345s as they just do the job they are meant to in the core of the Elizabeth Line. For this I am thinking between Ealing Broadway to Stratford (London) and Abbey Wood. West of Ealing Broadway a 9 car seems a bit excessive. Although I can see the advantages of them in the peak hours.
At Maidenhead it was a walk over from platform 3 to platform 5. Although a through platform it is used mostly as a terminating platform for the Marlow Donkey. I have no idea why the line and trains were called the Marlow Donkey but it's nice that an old traditional name has been kept going. GWR now operate the 7m 10ch line using one of their Class 165 DMUs. 165122 received a vinyl to commemorate the 150 years the line has been in operation. Luckily on the day this was the unit I caught.
2B24 Maidenhead to Marlow 165122
The Marlow branch really a nice little line and the quirk of it having to reverse at Bourne End just adds to its uniqueness.
Returning from Marlow it is the same unit.
2B77 Marlow to Maidenhead 165122
Two things I take away from the line:
Of the four lines off of the Great Western Mainline I think that Marlow is my favourite followed by Windsor, Henley and lastly Greenford. I'd like to explore the Marlow, and Henley ones again in the future. Windsor I can reach from Clapham Junction to Windsor and Eton Riverside the walk around to Central.
Time for another pair of Electrostars.
2N22 Twyford to Reading 387156, 387145 Winners.
My intention was to cross at Reading and catch the local DMU down to Basingstoke but fate stepped in. On Platform 7 was a CrossCountry that was heading to Bournemouth. Well Why not!
1O08 Reading to Basingstoke 220016 Winner.
It was quite busy and it took a little time to find a seat.
Reading to Basingstoke ✅
Off the train at Basingstoke and crossed to the little bay platform to get a Class 165 back. Personally I do count the Reading to Basingstoke line as one of the Thames braches is it has it's own insular diagram.
2J28 Basingstoke to Reading 165116 winner
Once back in Reading I headed to Burger King and food which was really needed. I had my original plan to here and two different options.
2N28 Reading to Didcot Parkway 387153, 387170 winners.
I always enjoy seeing locos at Didcot but the view in to the Didcot railway centre was blocked by loads of wagons.
1D25 Didcot Parkway to Oxford 802114
Didcot Parkway to Oxford ✅
At Oxford a walk over the bridge to catch my fast train back to London.
1P28 Oxford to Paddington 800014 Winner.
I found a seat and worked out a couple of times for connections.
At Paddington I made my way down the stairs to the Elizabeth Line for the next leg of the trip.
9W74 Paddington to Stratford (London) 345047 and then a quick switch for a train back to Liverpool Street
Liverpool Street to Stratford (London) ✅
9Y03 Stratford (London) to Liverpool Street 345029
Through the interconnecting corridor and ready for the final Elizabeth Line train of my day.
9U79 Liverpool Street to Abbey Wood 345050
Stepney Green jn to Abbey Wood ✅
I had looked and realised that from Abbey Wood I could finally tick off the the Erith Loop.By this time it was raining very heavily.
2P47 Abbey Wood to London Bridge via Eltham 465007, 465155
Slade Green Jn to Perry Street Fork Jn ✅
Being a Bank Holiday and mid afternoon the train was quite bereft of passengers which was nice. Arriving at London Bridge I was going to get the local train back to Selhurst but a message from the wife meant a diversion to East Croydon to meet her.
9R39 London Bridge to East Croydon 700002