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Initially I was going to try and tick off the Shepperton line but as it is close to the London area I decided that I could do it are an after work or half day type thing.
The Ash Vale line has eluded me for a while now and this was one of the main targets before the end of the year. Plus the Lymington line is one I keep forgetting about.
I'll be editing some photos and loading there here soon so call back and have a look
Bold = Haulage, Red = Winner, All others are sightings. ✅ ❌
Thankfully I decided to that a Stupid O'Cock start was not needed. A casual walk to the station to board my first train of the day.
2B11 Selhurst to Clapham Junction 377113, 377153 non winners [6m 60ch].
In the yards at Clapham there are a number of the new class 701s waiting on entering into service. Only a few years late.
Watching a few of the South Western Railway (SWR) trains pass was enjoyable but I have seen all of SWR's stock (apart from the 701s). At 08:12 my next train arrived in.
1W57 Clapham Junction to Brockenhurst 444020, 444008 one winner [88m 63ch]
THere does seem to be a bit of a black hole on the line to Southampton when it comes to Mobile data / internet connections. Even the on train wifi suffers.
A note here on the cless 444s.
I do like them. The seats are comfortable and half decent leg room. It's a pity that Siemens couldn't use this type of seat on the cl.700s as they are more suited to the ,onger trips that the 700s make (Brighton-Cambridge etc). My only gripe as such is the big clunky power sockets that do tend to leave a bruise on your leg. Not sure that the location of them on the wall by your legs is a good place but maybe under the seat like those on other stck my be better. The ride is smooth and comfortable.
Thaks to some rather loud middle aged women that were messing about getting on the train at Winchester we departed four minutes late. The rest of the journey was a case of monitoring the internet (as best I could) to see if I would make the connection at Brockenhurst. I had four mintes connection and the train was four minutes late! Luckily the my train arrived in about three and a half minuts late and I was able nip over the platform and make my next train.
1J15 Brockenhurst to Lymington Pier 450093 non winner [5m 29ch].
The route down to Lyminton Pier is mostly wooded initially but opens up a little. All too soon you arrive in to Lymington Town Station. More on that station later.
Thirty Eight chaines later you arrive alongside some rather large Wightlnk ferries which are adjacent to the station. It seems that Pier station can accomodate an eigth car train. The Ferry leaves from just outside teh end of the platform. There is aWightlink customer reception nearby as well. Apart from that ther re is little else to say about the station. It's basic style reminds me of Adrossan Harbour station. It does have some rather charming replica BR old Totem style station name boards. It was straight back on to the train.
2J16 Lymington Pier to Lymington Town 450093 non winner [0m 238ch].
Brockenhurst to Pymington Pier ✅
Back at Town station and I decided to head quickly to Wetherspoons and partake of breakfast. There seems to be a cracking little market on the high street on Saturdays and I am sure Mrs. TnTwill want a visit there sometime next year.
Lymington Town Station.
What a lovely little find of a station. First the practical things. It has a ticket machine, one platform that can accomadate just a fuour car train and a ticket office.
Despite its small size it has a wonderful inside. Two waiting rooms with a plethora of historic information and photos. The seating has a lovelt moquette on them. There are a lot of leaflets on many many local things but for me the bonus was the rack next to the ticket office window. It is full of a lot of leaflets on different heritage railways. Of course I picked up many I haven't been to yet and even though they are 2024 they will prove useful to use as base info on future trips. Always to have a bit of data in the back pocket so to speak.
A mention here for the Booking clerk at the station. He was great an you could see in the way he talked he had a real pride in his station and quite right too. It's lovely. The guard working the shuttle was friendly and we shared a chat on the way to Brockenhurst.
1J20 Lymington Town to Brockenhurst 450093 non winner [4m 31ch].
Brockenhurst is a normal through station but I only had about 5 minutes to get my next train.
1W12 Brockenhurst to Woking 444030 non winner [68m 31ch].
A five car train heading through and stopping at Winchester on a Saturday when the big Christmas Market is on is not the best idea SWR have ever had. It was full and standing before we even left Brockenhurst. By Southampton and Southampton Parkway it was tine for people to get rather close to one another. It did empty out a fair buit at Winchester but still it was quite busy. The trouble getting everyone off and on at Winchester caused a five minute delay that the driver could not make up. Arriving in to Woking I had just 5 minutes instead of 10.
1A31 Woking to Ash Vale 450041, 450010 non winner [8m 05ch].
Well after the lovely station at Lymington Town I was less impressed by the station at Ash Vale. A nondescript station. Both platforms are raised above street level and there is no step free access. The stations buildings are just, well, bland. Pretty depressing actually. I was pretty glad to escape its brutalist look.
2N38 Ash Vale toe Ascot 450022 non winner [11m 66ch].
The train meanders through the Surrey countryside and passes Camberley and Bagshot before terminating at Ascot.
Having checked Real Time Trains earlier I realised that the two cl.458 units were ones I needed - an extra bonus!
1C40 Ascot to Clapham Junction via Hounslow 458533, 458529 winners [26m 18ch].
Somehow we picked up a bit of a delay and arrived in to CLapham Junction some 4 minutes late. Crossing the overbridge was hard work with the milling around of those with their rollalong suitcases as I headed back to platform 15.
2B72 Clapham Junction to Selhurst 377124, 377465 non winners [6m60ch].
It was a lovely day and it's repaired some of the lack of motivation to go out and enjoy trains. It'll take a few more and the New Year to get me anywhere near back to full enjoyment.