So down to Basingstoke station for the 7.15  to Waterloo then the 9.00 o’clock from Euston and maybe a ride on a Pendolino. 

Having missed out on Pendolinos twice before I really hoped that this time I would get to have a ride on the new flagship service, I was thinking third time lucky.

Arrive at Basingstoke at 7.10 there are crowds of people for the 7.15 on platform 3 so an alternative is a Desiro ride on the slow at 7.17,  this due at 8.17 and still gives pleanty of time to reach Euston.  The 7.15 duly departs, packed to the proverbial gunnels so I wait for the 7.17 from platform 4, this is indicated “on time”. The clock ticks up to 7.17, no sign,…….7.19,………7.21.  Then I overhear two station staff discussing a driver shortage.  Hurrah! a 12 car Desiro appears from the West, passes through, completely empty.  Obviously SWT has enough stock, drivers and paths to do driver training and/or mileage accumulation even in the rush hour!

Then at 7.25 a 12 car Desiro arrives from the up-side carriage sidings.  The doors remain firmly closed and it is announced that the train will be calling only at Farnborough, Woking and Waterloo, instead of all stations to Farnborough then Waterloo.

Two drivers amble along the platform with mugs of tea and the doors are eventually opened at 7.30.  By this time I have decided on “plan B” – catch the 7.32 cross-country via Reading and Birmingham.  Eventually the Desiro departs at 7.32 alongside the late-running 7.27 from platform 3.  The Cross Country follows into platform 4 and we’re away at 7.35.  The Voyager timings are so generous (26 minutes to Reading – the stopping services are allowed 24 minutes) that even with two stops at Reading West we’re into Reading on time. “Change here for stations to London Paddington, Guildford, Gatwick Airport, Swindon, Bristol, Exeter, Plymouth, Penzance, and St Ives”

We’re away on time at 8.05, but oh dear! – there goes a Thames train bound for Oxford on the down slow and sure enough we are brought to a stand on Didcot East curve to follow it to Oxford arriving 5 minutes late.  We’re still down at Banbury (change for Aylesbury!!) but with a generous 6 minutes at New Street we’re only 4 minutes late away.  Slow running all the way to Stafford and we’re 10 minutes down.  Signals before Stoke, then into the up platform, where there is a Pendolino receiving attention in the down platform. Only 20 minutes late away from Stoke.  By now minutes are being dropped and arrival at Piccadilly at 11.53 is 28 minutes late.

It’s a Wednesday, Railway club, night and to make the meeting I need to be southbound before mid-afternoon.  I opt for the 14.27 from Piccadilly to Euston (which might just give me a Pendolino ride!). Oh no, its not a Pendolino nor is it a loco-hauled set  but a good old HST.  The driver gives it his best shot and the Mark 3’s give a decent ride on the new West Coast track but there was nothing he could do about a points failure at Watford Junction forcing a switch to the up slow through the station. With only 4 lights of the feather working (how much is this upgrade costing?) the result is an arrival at Euston 7 minutes down.

A quick run to the Northern Line and quick trip to Waterloo and what do I find?  Utter chaos!  Points failure at Clapham and the Terminus heaving!  The 17.56 eventually departs 12 minutes late but we are doing quite well until just before Farnborough -then the communication cord is pulled.  This takes a while to reset and so we progress towards Basingstoke but not before a stop opposite the up carriage sidings as we await a police presence at the station.  Several uniformed officers are on the platform as we pull in a mere 25 minutes late.... before you ask, no, I wasn’t the offender!

I'll try Budapest next!

Adapted from a BRDS article with thanks