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The title of this trip was inspired lyrics of Alice Coopers 1991 single "Hey Stoopid!" and let's face it, the trips I do sometimes are a bit stoopid!
Another Stoopid O'Clock start and a walk to Croydon.
A nice casual walk to the station today as the 05:40 wasn't running through the core due to engineering works. So the first train of the day was
9S00 East Croydon to St Pancras International 700155 non winner [13m 40ch]
At St Pancras a nice sausage & bacon roll from Greggs sated my early hunger and the bottle of water allowed me to have a couple of paracetamols to try and loose the headache I seemed to have aquired. I must state here that I had built a few "escape" points for the day.
The line to Morecombe and Heysham Port is an interesting line. We left from platform 1. After passing the Giant Axe (Lancaster Citys ground) the line passes over a river and in to the northern suburbs of Lancaster. Within a few minutes we arrived in to Bare Lane station and on to Morecombe. Upon leaving Morecombe the train stops at the local ground Frame where the driver lights anc hand changes the point for the train to be able to proceed onto the branchline. Once on the branch the rain maintains an average of 40 mph. It is hardl a rural line and both sides of the track has housing. THe trackwork is made up of the old short lengths of track. This leads to the rythmical and relaxing clickty clack of the wheels on rails. The approach to Heysham Port station is sandwiched between two lorry parks.
For a once a day service it probably doesn't matter much. It is clear tht Heysham used to be a much more important station in the past. Currently there is only one platform in use. There are the remains of an ou of use platform that has has the rails lifted and the canopy os long gone leaving only rusty supports in place.
I was pleasantly surprised that in both directions there was about 40 to 50 passengers each way. It is good to see as many people using the train.
2C86 Heysham port to Lancaster 156479 [7m 65ch]
Again the train stops at the junction snd the driver walks through and changes the points. It is an intersting throwback to the old days.
Back at Lancaster was where the day began to really go down hill. My 14:40 train was very much delayed and left Lancaster 40 (Forty) minutes late!
1M13 Lancaster to Euston 390002 winner [229m 42ch]
On route we did drop a few more minutes but arrived in the Euston 41 (Yes! FORTY ONE) minutes late.
A walk down to St Pancras to catch my Thameslink back to Croydon.
9U51 St Pancreas International to East Croydon 700125 non winner [13m 40ch]
Then the final train of the day
2J54 East Croydon to Selhurst 377326, 377306 non winners [0m 77ch]