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As you can see from the chart, 2023 was quite good year for mileages. In fact it was the best year EVER topping 12,000+ miles
2023 had a couple of strikes early on but that stopped in February.
The wife had a work thing in Cardiff and I tagged along on a very early Monday morning and managed to knock off a few lines as well as catching a new Class 231.
The best month was March with the big Scottish trip and the day trip to Merseyside and back via the Midland mainline. The Scotland trip helped me work out that I can, if I try and plan well enough, manage to do some of the local Glasgow Central lines (like Balloch or East Kilbride) and the North Berwick or Tweedbank lines in day from London. All exciting prospects. The Caledonian Sleeper was an experience and you never know I might end up getting the wife on it again, although I think she'd rather fly to Inverness.
This really whet my appitite for ticking off more Scottish railways. I did manage to visit one of the stations that has been on my wishlist - Weymss Bay.
July was a bit of a washout due to the strikes and overtime bans. It made going and actually doing trips a pain to plan. The weather didn't help either.
August and September were not exactly high in miles or new stuff but inside the first fortnight of October it exploded and I amanged to cover over 13
00 miles and a few new lines. A September highlight was the tour of Eastleigh depot. Sadly I cannot publish the photos but I managed to get a photo of a cl.141 which is one I have been after for years. Mid October I managed three trips that all saw new lines for me. PTS went to Holyhead, a bash along the Brigg line and a couple of the Greater Anglia lines were ticked off.
November came I managed a few trips out but no new line but it was the month that saw me achieve the highest annual total of miles ever. And the miles kept totting up. December saw a new line to Skegness and closing of some gaps in my Kent lines.
A trip with Birmingham with the wife and daughter saw me top 12,000 rail miles for the year. It increased as well when a trip to Winchester was done.
Spotting:
I did manage to clear the East Midlands 222s for sight and quite by chance. Having looked at the allocations on weekedays I had planned that if 106 appeared at St Pancras International at a time I could pop up there on a weekday and see it I would do. But it usually it was out of the window of possability. Then on the day I did the West Yorks trip there it was at Nottingham!
September didn't have me doing a lot apart from a trip to Paignton with the wife, but the highlight was easily my trip to Eastleigh Work for the tour with Reg and Dave. Worst thing about it is the fact I can't share my photos of the day. Although not a whole class I have seen all over the LNER stock this year.
Haulage:
So what new lines did I actually clear in 2023.
So what of my 2024 plans?
How the hell am I going to top 2023?
Well a nice large mileage of course but after 2023s final total it might be be a bit difficult. Clearing the 395s (finally), 717s, and GN 387s for haulage (inc. the target miles). Tick off some of the GWR Branches in the Cornwall and Devon areas. A couple of the lines out of Glasgow Central would be a bonus. Some of the West Yorks and Manchester local lines. Wales needs to have some inroads made in to it. I'd like to tick off two or three Valley lines and maybe even get as far Fishguard Harbour.
Looking at the big one day trips I've planned in the past the 'Over The Top' and the Heysham Harbour trip I would like to have a go at. I'l trying to talk the wife in to a trip to Inverness. She loves the Kyle line and I need that last little bit of line between Georgmas Junction and Wick. Who knows maybe?