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Showing posts from May, 2020

Germany, Austria & Belgium 04/04 to 12/04 1993 "How fast can you get us to Frankenberg?"

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A mixed trip in that I would be mostly single manned, but with some days planned to meet with other Cranks. The main aim was new track diesel hauled, followed by new locos. (# = new Loco) Sunday 04/04/93 A rare event straight away - I actually did a daytime Ferry crossing! 2716# Oostend - Brussels Nord (via Kortrijk) 1604 Oostend - Shaerbeek 172km 1607# Brussels Nord - Aachen 1734 Oostend - Kobenhaven 143km 110 438# Aachen - Koln Hbf  1734 Oostend - Kobenhaven 70km I believe I had a few beers in the Fruh Kolsch Tap. 103 191 Koln Hbf - Dortmund  2336 Koln - Kiel 117km Monday 05/04/93 110 474 Dortmund - Hamburg Hbf  2336 Koln - Kiel 445km 120 121# Hamburg Hbf - Bremen Hbf  0508 Hamburg Altona - Bremen 115km First north through Bremen then south back to Bremen! A positioning move for lots of new track behind 216 086. 216 086#  Bremen Hbf - Herford (via Rahden) 0458 Wilhelmshafen - Bielefeld 144km 141 083#  Herford - Osnabruck 0917 Bielefeld - Bad Bentheim 51km 141 274#

Portugal 01/04 to 08/04 2001 "The Coach of Death"

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A last chance saloon attempt to finally get an Alco down the Algarve, the only remaining booked turn for the class being the 0853 ex Barreiro & 1620 return. I would also be trying to cover all my required diesel hauled track in Portugal. I was single manned on this trip & again # = required loco. Sunday 01/04/01 A day transiting my way across France and Spain to pick up the overnight at Irun. 3209       Waterloo International - Paris Nord 1000 Waterloo I - Paris Nord 494km 337#)      Paris Montparnasse - Irun 1555 Paris Mont - Irun 807km 402#) 252069# Irun - Valladolid 2210 Irun - Lisbon 391km Monday 02/04/01 My alarm was set for the loco change at Valladolid - Beast 333 087 forward. 333087# Valladolid - Vila Formosa   2210 Irun - Lisbon 400km 5605#     Vila Formosa - Coimbra-B 2210 Irun - Lisbon 216km Phew! that was a long journey, I had stocked up on snacks and beer in Paris then managed to stay awake for the 333 thrash for a couple of hours then got my head d

Germany, Austria & Hungary 16/09 to 22/09 1998 "Would you like some Snuff?"

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Myself and Betty (David Icke - no not THAT David Icke - the other one!) on a trip with three main aims - sample some more M61's in Hungary, meet up with the UK's German beer-drinking team, then take in the monster festival that is the Oktoberfest in Munich. As I was now A) living near and B) working in Crewe (A= Nantwich the promised land & B= Rail House Crewe) some train gen on our way to Europe for a change.(# = winner locos) Wednesday 16/09/98 87017   Crewe - Euston 0745 Liverpool Lime St - Euston 158m A pleasant start, just a quick check-in for the Eurostar - or NOT! Some plonker has left his Priv Eurostar tickets in the drawer at home.....ME! I can tell you it was mickey-take central in the travel centre "a member of staff forgetting his ticket!" but she was right - still I'd booked on a Credit Card so she had no problem re-issuing the piece amidst all the laughter. 373203)  Waterloo International - Bruxelles Midi 1227 Waterloo Int. - Bruxelles Mi