Planet Industrials Warley Adventure Day 1

Yesterday I travelled from rural North Wales to Bexhill ahead of Planet Industrials first trade display this weekend at the Warley Exhibition…

Leaving Ruabon at 9.21 I arrived in Bexhill, on time after 5 trains and four changes at little under 5 hours later. To drive is about 5 and a half hours and getting on for £80 in fuel (return), the train is comparable on both.

Train 1 - 09:21 Ruabon to Chester (yes, the Mk4s are a little tired but this was the most spacious  and comfortable part of the whole journey really).

Train 2 - 09:54 Chester to Crewe (I absolutely love the 150 Sprinters, such a stalwart of British designed and built rolling stock, superb, reasonably quiet and very comfortable on shorter distances).

Train 3 - 10:29 Crewe to London Euston, arrived 5 minutes late and held that to London (I hate Pendolinos, yes they’re fast, they’re not to bad for comfort either, but they’re cramped and ugly and I long for trains of Mk3 loco hauled stock and a Class 87).

Train 4 - 12:37 St Pancras to Ashford Intl. (I had wanted to travel on High Speed 1 for years, this was my first opportunity and it was quick and efficient if a little noisy and not always the greatest of rides on the Javelin. Comfy seats and not busy).

Train 5 - 13:25 Ashford Intl. to Bexhill (Noisy and not as well build as the 150s, the train was quiet and the branch line experience all I had hoped in the spring sunshine, truly a wonderful contrast to the bustle of High Speed 1 and the WCML). 

I picked this journey on purpose, I really enjoyed train journeys in the past and it was wonderful to rediscover the feeling of just travelling for its own sake, to some extent. The contrast from regional connections, re-tracing old footsteps to the speed and efficiency of High Speed 1 and then the rural branchline to Rye, all under blue sky, Great British Railways delivered.

Chester station was just as I remembered and in the 5 minutes I was there I saw 5 trains arriving or departing. A wonderful trip down memory lane.

Crewe after a down pour, luckily before our arrival, and almost as good as I remember. Not quite so much going on as Chester, which some how feels the gate way to North Wales. Interesting to see the old London Midland trains labelled up as London North Western. As we arrived a sad line of 90s on the Chester approach, not sure whose depot, assume DB. The old electric depot was full of interesting things including Intercity Mk3s and a 90, and a Midland Pullman HST under test. The Freightliner yard looked busy with infrastructure trains. 

The branchline experience from Ashford was wonderful, lovely unhurried pace, brilliant scenery and a quiet train. I could almost imagine being steam hauled, it felt very much like a preserved railway. Not so good if you rely on it for your travel as it must be very slow, but I’m glad I experienced it.

The stations were lovely too, Appledore in particular. At Rye the old signal box stands sentry over the station. Interesting to see the old mechanical signals and box at Hastings later in the journey too! I wonder how much longer before this is swept away for modernisation or closure?

I’d been tipped off by Simon about St Leonard’s depot and it didn’t disappoint with a GBRF body snatcher on depot (it could do with a wash) and a wonderful old GBRF 73 (receiving a wash!). This could definitely make for an interesting micro layout, as the smaller stations on the branch section would make for wonderful small layouts too…

All in all a fabulous day ahead of a fantastically exciting weekend. Today sees Steve and I prepare the stand materials and pack, tomorrow we drive to the NEC ahead of the show. Expect more Warley updates through the next few days before normal service is resumed next week!

Until next time, more soon…

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