Liam

Well there it is. 15 months of training and today was my first solo drive. 387 219 on 1U30/1U31 Brighton-Ore-Brighton🚂 got my route assessments for the remainder of my core routes and I’m on the roster from next week, with the added bonus of being on the RD pattern I wanted😊

@MattJennings337 @driverbod125 Lewes - Uckfield. Would be massive for the local economies and provide a useful diversion route from the Brighton mainline

A question to start your week: If you could re opened any line that was closed years ago what would you re open? This could be something that was shut down permanently A route that was cut back to its current destination Or a route that was planned but was never built

@TomDearlove1 @MattJennings337 Absolutely not. As much as what they’re doing is stupid, it doesn’t warrant death, or at the very least, serious injury. As a driver, I don’t go to work to kill people. Drivers don’t want that trauma. Much tougher penalties for this are needed, along with proper education

Words cannot comprehend what the hell is wrong with people sometimes 😡

@TfL Brighton - Seaford. 5 years as a guard on the 313’s (many of which came from London Overground when the class 378 came in) and now 16 months as a driver. I go at least once a week. More often than not it’s 4-8 times a week. I used to have Sunday turns with 5 x seaford trips 😬😂

Which route do you know so well it feels like second nature?

@NerdSignalman @S26PHY No thanks signaller. Firmly 3rd rail land only please 😂

@DriverLiam98 @S26PHY Got to get past us at Rugby first...."what's that drive'?! You want to go via Northampton?!" 🤣

I still find it strange that I used to travel on SIlverlink/LO when they had 313’s (I was starting secondary school September 2009), and then ended up working a number of the units I would’ve been a passenger on when heading back to Clapham Jct or Richmond. It’s a strange world🚂

@BenTrainDriver Lovers walk faster as they know where each unit needs to go. Also depends on how busy Lovers is at that point, and if there’s been disruption during the day. Nice to have these wins when we can get them. Couple bits of 90mph running 🏎️⚡️

@BenTrainDriver Ordinarily I’d have followed the 00:07 to Brighton from Eastbourne as far as Lewes. Sometimes lucky if nothing is about on the mainline signallers let you swap ends at Wivelsfield instead of Haywards Heath. Saves a little time. Unit numbers rang through tends to get you into…….

I do like an early finish. Thank you Signallers for all the greens on 5U74 and allowing me to change ends at Wivelsfield last night. Keyed off at 00:57 instead of 01:43 ☺️

@BenTrainDriver Got allowed out of Hastings early on a different set of ECS which helped massively. Rang through the unit numbers to Lovers Walk to give them an early heads up. Worked like a well oiled machine

@DriverLiam98 Now thats a good signaller 🫡

@MatthewTaylor68 Admittedly this was lucky because my 5U73 also ran early when normally it’s put behind a service train. Apparently they wanted me gone early because of a possession but wasn’t expecting to be early all the way

@DriverLiam98 As a signaller, with nothing to do with your early running, we will if can😊

@TheFlyingVixen So sorry to hear this. Look after yourself

💔

@BusDriverEm 1H11 07:10 Littlehampton - London Vic is booked a 12 car. There are a few morning and evening peak 12 cars on the East and West Coastway to/From Vic

Every train I've ever gotten home from Victoria, is 8 coaches. Tonight's one is 12, something I've never seen on the West Coastway. 1H60 seems to usually be 12 from checking the last few days, always features a 3772xx, is this a new thing, or has it been like this for a while?

@saj_anderson @O_TTravels Just for the Palace games if I remember correctly. Not a normal occurrence

Well done to Southern for running a 'football special' from Falmer to London Victoria, reducing overcrowding on other services

5A05 dropped into Haywards Heath DN Siding this evening, ready to be prepped and taken to Eastbourne to form a London Bridge service. Been a little while since I’ve been in there

A box of dog at Barnham tonight

Off to see Hamilton today with the boss lady. View from the seats is great. Looking forward to the show (although not as much as @elliejones1343). This will be the 4th theatre show we’ve been to. 1. Cabaret. 2. The play that goes wrong. 3. Wicked. 4. Hamilton

Wasn’t to be today. Made a good account of ourselves but ultimately injuries and squad depth have done us in. Apart from 2 good moments, West Ham were pretty poor. I’d be very worried about the rest of the season if I was a hammer😬

Please turn up @QPR

Funny knitting wire and signs telling me to get a cab!? It’s a strange land on AC