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This was both a awful day out and a good one as well.
In case you are not aware, Greater Anglia use a hare in their advertising.
Bold = Haulage, Red = Winner, All others are sightings.
Yep it was Stupid O'clock when the alarm went off and I got sorted and out to East Croydon. It was here the first hurdle occured. Well Technically it was the day before when I double checked my previously compiled times for the trip. The usual 05:40 was cancelled and the 06:01 had been retimed to depart at 05:53. Well that was not too much of a problem until I found that the 05:53 was not diverted via Norbury and Tulse Hill due to Engineering works and I had exactly 2 minutes to get from St Pancras International Thameslink platforms to Kings Cross platforms for my originally planned 06:33 to Peterborough! No chance!
My brain went in to plan mode and I realised I had an option to go via Farringdon and do two or three West Country branch lines instead. Fair enough I thought I could do that.
BUT
The 05:53 was cancelled and the next was an 06:10. I took that one and after loading upReal Time Trains I planned my trip.
9W84 East Croydon to Farringdon 700151 [11m 20ch]
By the time I had arrived at Farringdon I had managed to plan as far as Ipswich and get a Lowestoft train.
9Y29 Farringdon to Liverpool Street 345048 [0m 57ch].
I narrowly missed the 07:00 from Liverpool Street but I wasn't worried as it allowed me a chance to pop in to Greggs and get a Sausage and Bacon roll. Well, it had to be done. A wander up and down the concourse which gave me a chance to not a few cl.710s and 720s.
The stock for my train pulled in and I boarded in the middle of the train. I have to be honest here; I would prefer a class 90 with MkIII coaching stock.
1P08 Liverpool Street to Ipswich 745105 [68m 58ch].
Being honest here I do actually like the Class 745s and I have previously stated.
The trip up was pretty uneventful and best of all it was quiet. Very few people were on the train so it was lovely to sit and look out of the window and relax.
I do like that Real Time Trains have the unit allocations on there for Greater Anglia. I checked my next train and noted down the number. Then checked the next train to Norwich and it was the same train. BUT .....
I could check to see how far the 'Spoons was from Lowestoft station (FYI just opposite). Plan now getting better!
At Ipswich I had 45 minutes before my train.
2D72 Ipswich to Lowestoft 755410 [48m 75ch].
This is now know as the East Suffolk line and has some interesting stations on it. for me personally Beccles is one station and town I want to explore another time. I think one of hte most fascinating stations that I'd like top spend some time at is Halesworth purely from the Unique Movable Platform at the station. I had seen a video on it last year but it had not registered that the station was on the line I was visiting today. Had I know I may have been tempted to get off and investigate more about it. (The video is here)
Ipswich to Lowestoft ✅
Lowestoft is quite a lovely station and retains a lot of its old world charm. Addmitedly I didn't take a lot of notice or any photos when I arrived as I headed straight over to 'The Joseph Conrad' 'Spoons. Once sustanance had been finished I wandered around the station taking a number of photos. The station has a shop that sells a lot of old railway books, magazines and clothing with the text "British Railways Lowestoft Central" on them. You really MUST pay a visit if you are there.
One wall of the station has quite a large selection of information boards including the history of the station, railway and town. I did take a wander up the platform as far as I could to get a photo of the signal box.
My train arrived in and I sought out a photo or two and a seat.
2J35 Lowestoft to Norwich 755325 [23m 41ch].
This is part of what is now known as The Wherry Lines which covers Norwich to Lowestoft, and Great Yarmouth. It is a lovely set of lines to travel over.
Lowestoft to Norwich ✅
At Norwich I had intended to catch an East Midlands cl.158 to Ely but I chose to travel on a Greater Anglia cl.755 instead. Mainly I though that the train may get busy before Ely and I wanted a decent seat throughout.
1K79 Norwich to Stansted Airport 755334 [92m 67ch].
It was a pleasant journey as far as Cambridge. Then on got a number of foreign tourists with big cases and loud voices. The rest of the trip was noisy but not unpleasant. Again the Greater Anglia train was on time. I only had a few minutes connection at Stansted but it was not in doubt.
1B79 Stansted Airport to Liverpool Street 745109 [36m 37ch].
The train was bang on time at Liverpool street allowing me to easily get the Elizbeth Line platforms.
Norwich to Ely ✅
Cambridge to Audley End ✅
9Y33 Liverpool Street to Farringdon 345014 [0m 57ch].
Now problems began.
After almost messing up the day earlier Thameslink trains managed it on the way back
9W47 Farringdon to Tulse Hill 700121 [5m 68ch].
A signal failure caused us to be 20 minutes late by Tulse Hill meant I bailed and got the bus back.