This Site
Copyright
I wrote a review of the Class 810 on my journey outwards from St Pancras. Thankfully it was not just based on the return journey. After our long day out the previous day the wife and daughter decided to spend it on the sofa watch films. I, on the other hand, wanted to travel again. I thought why not get a ride on a new class 810 and see if I could find a way to get photos of the depot of Leicester.
A reasonably late start for me, saw me catch a train after 9am.
2J17 Selhurst to East Croydon 377315, 377327 non winners [0m 77ch].
A quick switch over of platforms and my next train.
9J22 East Croydon to St Pancras International 700148 non winner [13m 40ch].
At St Pancras I grabbed some food and headed up to the Midland Mainline platforms for my first venture on one of East Midlands Railways' new Class 810 Aurora trains.
1D28 St Pancras International to Leicester 810022 winner [100m 50ch].
Once boarded I got myself settled in a Airline seat. I don't like Airline seats that much but this wasn't too bad apart from the things I mention in the review.
On arriving at Leicester I took a photo of the unit leaving. I must admist they do look good.
I could see a number of class 99s in Leicester depot so I decided to take a walk which I had never done before to see if I could see and get photos of the depot. I had had a look on Google on the train and discovered that White Rose Lane was the best vantage point.
If you use Google maps it will take you along London Road then round St. Georges Way then on to Queen Street and around. But there is a better way.
I was right there were a number of cl.99s and other locos there:
99002, 99004, 99006, 99007, 99011, 47749, 47727, 57310, 43013, 60025, 57306.
After a number of photos I walked back to the station. You an also get photos from the bridge on Swain Street if you so wish.
A walk back o the station and in to the WHSmiths and the purchase of a meal deal. On the platform I decided to take another class 810 back to London. I let two class 222s leave without me and to be honest this was a mistake!
1C47 Leicester to St Pancras International Kettering 810012 winner [27m 06ch].
On departure from Leicester there was announcement that the Air Con in the coach I was in was not working ... I had already detected that. A few minutes after leaving Leicester we were not exactly fast and just after Kilby Bridge Jn we ground to ta halt. 810012 had failed!. The sun beat down the tempreture rose in the carriage as did people ire. A fitter was sent for and after 80+ minutes the train was on it's way. I must be honest it was awful on there. Had my first experience of being on a cl.810 been this one the review would have been terrible. A little while later the train manager (please can we revert to the word Guard!) was on his phone and I heard him mention the words "5C47 from Kettering". I knew that the train wouold terminate at Kettering, so I packed my things up and went and stood by the door to get of.
The replacement ttrain would be 2x class 360s working a Corby to St Pancras service. Oh Joy. A full train load of passengers boarding a local service the would be stopping at Luton Airport Parkway. And as I predicted there were a lot of people and they all had large suitcases.
1H38 Kettering to St Pancras International Kentish Town 360102, 360106 winners [70m 38ch].
Off we went and of course fate had not finished with me yet. It ground to a halt at Kentish Town station where everyone was happy to hear there that there were problems ahead and the train would terminat there. I was by the door (I had a hunch there was something wrong) and we had stopped at Platform 4. As soon as ther doors opened I was up over the bridge and down to the front of platform 1. When a 700 pulled in that was actually stopping I boarded and there were very few where I was.
9V57 Kentish Town to Streatham 700048 winner [6m 01ch].
By the time I got to Streatham I was out of food and water and just wanted to get home, luckily there was only a short wait before a train home.
2J49 Streatham to Selhurst 377312, 377311 non winners [3m 30ch].
I waked in the front door and went straight in to the shower!
What a day!