Interrail 22-29 July 2019
The first Euro venture for nearly 2 years, last year's Significant Birthday celebration plan having offended my right retina which went off in a huff 4 weeks before our planned departure. 12 months and two ops later I've just been passed as 20-20 again.
The first Euro venture for nearly 2 years, last year's Significant Birthday celebration plan having offended my right retina which went off in a huff 4 weeks before our planned departure. 12 months and two ops later I've just been passed as 20-20 again.
Monday 22.7.19
Early doors for both of us, with 06:53 Wolvo for me and a golf competition for Mrs EG. TfW carried on the tradition of Arriva with the predictably busy 06:53 arriving with a 2 car set, wedged, stinking and with broken air con. In fairness to them, it was gleaming, at least externally, in its new TfW livery. The one (window) seat available was being 'reserved' by Mr Laptop sitting in the aisle seat. Wasn't having that, so I requested the seat. Did he go to the window seat? Oh no. Well, it served him right as my large rucksack and I had to get him up to get out at Wolvo.
A Voyager pulled right up to the signal on P4 surprised me until 07:00 ex Telford arrived, wafting in a strong smell of, um, effluvium and coupled up. I had thought this happened at New Street.
And so to the bewilderingly slow 07:40 Wolvo-Euston. All stations to Leighton Buzzard then, oddly, fast to Euston. A 10 minute stop at Wolvo and about 7 at New Street where it coupled up to another Desiro. No, wait, I'm lying. All shacks except Adderley Park!
I think tedious is probably the right word - but enlivened by an announcement that we'd be doing the up slow to up fast crossover at Ledburn Jn and we should hold on as the train would sway from side to side. A large bevy of small children ensured pandemonium all the way. A, like, American couple joining at, like, Birmingham Irrational carried on a, like, banal conversation to like, Coventry and, like, Rugby but fortunately by like Northampton had run out of words that weren't like. Still, never mind, my Advance TFC-EUS cost £5.30 so what's not to… er… like.
RT until Watford then for some reason things slowed down until around Wembley resulting in a 4m48s late arrival, according to the station clocks.
Off to the nearest Greggs, for an economically sustainable lunch, on a 73 bus. It got diverted (could only happen to me) but the driver offered to drop people off when he could, so not that big a diversion in the end. By Shanks's to Goodge St, thence Northern/Central/DLR to LCY. What an interesting journey the DLR bit is, once past Shadwell.
Then the long fester at LCY before a punctual departure and early arrival to/at MUC on a Stobart Air Embraer 193 working my BA flight.
Baggage was reasonably quick and I was able to get my Interrail from Heidi at the DB counter - sorry, Reisezentrum - with no problems. She sold me an MVV tageskarte too, without surcharge. S1 to Moosach then, leaving late and inexplicably delayed at Neufahrn. Only amounted to about 10 minutes though, not a drama.
Letomotel is right by the station, suspect noise may be a problem… Nice enough though, in an Ibis-y sort of way with a pleasant Egyptian bloke on reception. A brief wash and brush up then fast S1s to Hackerbrücke and a stroll down to the Augustiner tap for helles, pork and dumplings at about 60% of the price of the one not far away, in tourist land. Excellent.
Encouraged by this I decided to have a look at Schillerbräu, one new to me and reasonably (walkably) near to the station. I got (just) a tram to the station and set off down the faintly off-putting Schillerstraße, to find an excellent brewpub (allegedly - kit looked genuine) with friendly staff and a weizen to die for. That's next Monday sorted, then.
Back up to Hbf, I'd just missed an S1 so went two stations west and caught (just, again) a U3 out to a very sticky Moosach.
Early doors for both of us, with 06:53 Wolvo for me and a golf competition for Mrs EG. TfW carried on the tradition of Arriva with the predictably busy 06:53 arriving with a 2 car set, wedged, stinking and with broken air con. In fairness to them, it was gleaming, at least externally, in its new TfW livery. The one (window) seat available was being 'reserved' by Mr Laptop sitting in the aisle seat. Wasn't having that, so I requested the seat. Did he go to the window seat? Oh no. Well, it served him right as my large rucksack and I had to get him up to get out at Wolvo.
A Voyager pulled right up to the signal on P4 surprised me until 07:00 ex Telford arrived, wafting in a strong smell of, um, effluvium and coupled up. I had thought this happened at New Street.
And so to the bewilderingly slow 07:40 Wolvo-Euston. All stations to Leighton Buzzard then, oddly, fast to Euston. A 10 minute stop at Wolvo and about 7 at New Street where it coupled up to another Desiro. No, wait, I'm lying. All shacks except Adderley Park!
I think tedious is probably the right word - but enlivened by an announcement that we'd be doing the up slow to up fast crossover at Ledburn Jn and we should hold on as the train would sway from side to side. A large bevy of small children ensured pandemonium all the way. A, like, American couple joining at, like, Birmingham Irrational carried on a, like, banal conversation to like, Coventry and, like, Rugby but fortunately by like Northampton had run out of words that weren't like. Still, never mind, my Advance TFC-EUS cost £5.30 so what's not to… er… like.
RT until Watford then for some reason things slowed down until around Wembley resulting in a 4m48s late arrival, according to the station clocks.
Off to the nearest Greggs, for an economically sustainable lunch, on a 73 bus. It got diverted (could only happen to me) but the driver offered to drop people off when he could, so not that big a diversion in the end. By Shanks's to Goodge St, thence Northern/Central/DLR to LCY. What an interesting journey the DLR bit is, once past Shadwell.
Then the long fester at LCY before a punctual departure and early arrival to/at MUC on a Stobart Air Embraer 193 working my BA flight.
Baggage was reasonably quick and I was able to get my Interrail from Heidi at the DB counter - sorry, Reisezentrum - with no problems. She sold me an MVV tageskarte too, without surcharge. S1 to Moosach then, leaving late and inexplicably delayed at Neufahrn. Only amounted to about 10 minutes though, not a drama.
Letomotel is right by the station, suspect noise may be a problem… Nice enough though, in an Ibis-y sort of way with a pleasant Egyptian bloke on reception. A brief wash and brush up then fast S1s to Hackerbrücke and a stroll down to the Augustiner tap for helles, pork and dumplings at about 60% of the price of the one not far away, in tourist land. Excellent.
Encouraged by this I decided to have a look at Schillerbräu, one new to me and reasonably (walkably) near to the station. I got (just) a tram to the station and set off down the faintly off-putting Schillerstraße, to find an excellent brewpub (allegedly - kit looked genuine) with friendly staff and a weizen to die for. That's next Monday sorted, then.
Back up to Hbf, I'd just missed an S1 so went two stations west and caught (just, again) a U3 out to a very sticky Moosach.
Tuesday 23.7.19
Fairly restless night until 02:something with serious noise from very nearby trains, particularly the surprisingly numerous freights. Gave up at 02:50 and shut the window. Good move - the sleep of the just (or so I like to think) until an unwelcome alarm at 05:45. Shave, shower, pack and out, narrowly making 06:29 RB to M-Hbf. Breakfast there courtesy of Yorma's, plus a supply of water in preparation for a hot day. 07:24 Passau is some sort of kart. Bawling child joined at Freising and set up shop in the vestibule next to first class. I say, Carruthers, that's just not cricket. Off again at Moosburg - it's not looking like a good day for the fractious little girl or her poor parents, who did their best. Nice that peace reigns, though!
It reigned at least to Gotteszell, where I baled to go to Viechtach. A marvellous branch, enhanced by quality scenery and an enthusiastic conductress anxious that visitors should sit the right side and enjoy the 'panorama'. Her English was only marginally better than my non-existent German but I got the gist and enlisted Google Translate to put what I thought she said, plus what I tried to say, into Googlish German. Great amusement, and we parted the best of friends despite my insistence on not sitting in the sun. There's quite a substantial depot at Viechtach (which is the home of Die Länderbahn) with stock there from their other operations including Alex and Oberpfalzbahn.
223 031 of EVB noted light engine at Deggendorf.
Arrived at Plattling on time, so OK for the +5 on to ICE23, which was itself about 5 late anyway. It remained thus to Passau whence we were SEV'd to Schärding. The normals managed the transfer in the 3 or 4 minutes booked (surprisingly given their usual form on ICs and the like) and Bertie the bus was away on time. The route, using obscure back roads and avoiding the motorway, mystified me but we got to Schärding on the dot. Which goes to show that Austrians know far more about Austrian roads than foreign idiots who have never so much as driven there - what a surprise.
It was all going so well until the ICE ground to a halt at Wels. However, despite a long sit there, we rolled into Linz on the dot of 14:06. Shows (again) how much I don't know. To salvage my dignity, we left 20 seconds late.
Various new bits of Westbahn, followed by right time arrival at St Pölten making an easy +10 to a very posh new kart (super air con and mains sockets in the luggage racks) for Tullnerfeld. Again an easy +5 (apart from the 42 stairs) on to… oh no, a 4020 for Tulln Stadt and the much anticipated beer break. 300 extremely hot metres away I found the otherwise admirable Adlerbräu where the guv'nor, a very pleasant English speaking bloke, said there was no Adlerbräu. Seemingly there's a problem with the fermentation tank and he hasn't time to mend it. I didn't like to ask, but he said there is 'no kitchen' as well, and I'd hazard a guess he's on his own. Nice guy anyway, and I wish him well. Murauer was on offer - well, nothing wrong with that before I stagger back in the heat. I had to try another to be sure…
Back to the station in good time for… oh no, another 4020 to Stockerau which duly did the Tulln avoider, completing the day's agenda. Long pause at Absdorf-Hippersdorf, apparently waiting for late running trains over the single line 'twixt there and Stockerau. Eventually under way 5 down, not the perceived problem as further checking revealed my +5 at Stockerau was really a +10. And there's more…
Firstly it was yet another 4020, hell on earth for 45 minutes, or so I thought. It proceeded peacefully enough to Wien Mitte then stopped and started, eventually giving me a +6 from the low level platforms at Wien HBF to P8 in the new part which I've never seen before. With the help of escalator and lift, I made it to a seat on RJ68 with 30 seconds to spare. It seemed, annoyingly, to have been retained to 18:40 but it seems that the on train screens show predicted actual, not scheduled. So we left 10 late and these notes are being typed in the extremely long Wienerwald tunnel.
Another minute or two went en route and we ended up 12 late at Linz. McDs obliged with supper and Spar with a beer so no need to go into town and it was straight to the nearby Ibis to straighten my life up and have a shower prior to bed. A breakfast carry-oot (mayo and salami-free) has been requested, for collection at 05:00.
And so to bed after an exhausting but, barring Adlerbräu, successful day. Even hotter tomorrow apparently…
Fairly restless night until 02:something with serious noise from very nearby trains, particularly the surprisingly numerous freights. Gave up at 02:50 and shut the window. Good move - the sleep of the just (or so I like to think) until an unwelcome alarm at 05:45. Shave, shower, pack and out, narrowly making 06:29 RB to M-Hbf. Breakfast there courtesy of Yorma's, plus a supply of water in preparation for a hot day. 07:24 Passau is some sort of kart. Bawling child joined at Freising and set up shop in the vestibule next to first class. I say, Carruthers, that's just not cricket. Off again at Moosburg - it's not looking like a good day for the fractious little girl or her poor parents, who did their best. Nice that peace reigns, though!
It reigned at least to Gotteszell, where I baled to go to Viechtach. A marvellous branch, enhanced by quality scenery and an enthusiastic conductress anxious that visitors should sit the right side and enjoy the 'panorama'. Her English was only marginally better than my non-existent German but I got the gist and enlisted Google Translate to put what I thought she said, plus what I tried to say, into Googlish German. Great amusement, and we parted the best of friends despite my insistence on not sitting in the sun. There's quite a substantial depot at Viechtach (which is the home of Die Länderbahn) with stock there from their other operations including Alex and Oberpfalzbahn.
223 031 of EVB noted light engine at Deggendorf.
Arrived at Plattling on time, so OK for the +5 on to ICE23, which was itself about 5 late anyway. It remained thus to Passau whence we were SEV'd to Schärding. The normals managed the transfer in the 3 or 4 minutes booked (surprisingly given their usual form on ICs and the like) and Bertie the bus was away on time. The route, using obscure back roads and avoiding the motorway, mystified me but we got to Schärding on the dot. Which goes to show that Austrians know far more about Austrian roads than foreign idiots who have never so much as driven there - what a surprise.
It was all going so well until the ICE ground to a halt at Wels. However, despite a long sit there, we rolled into Linz on the dot of 14:06. Shows (again) how much I don't know. To salvage my dignity, we left 20 seconds late.
Various new bits of Westbahn, followed by right time arrival at St Pölten making an easy +10 to a very posh new kart (super air con and mains sockets in the luggage racks) for Tullnerfeld. Again an easy +5 (apart from the 42 stairs) on to… oh no, a 4020 for Tulln Stadt and the much anticipated beer break. 300 extremely hot metres away I found the otherwise admirable Adlerbräu where the guv'nor, a very pleasant English speaking bloke, said there was no Adlerbräu. Seemingly there's a problem with the fermentation tank and he hasn't time to mend it. I didn't like to ask, but he said there is 'no kitchen' as well, and I'd hazard a guess he's on his own. Nice guy anyway, and I wish him well. Murauer was on offer - well, nothing wrong with that before I stagger back in the heat. I had to try another to be sure…
Back to the station in good time for… oh no, another 4020 to Stockerau which duly did the Tulln avoider, completing the day's agenda. Long pause at Absdorf-Hippersdorf, apparently waiting for late running trains over the single line 'twixt there and Stockerau. Eventually under way 5 down, not the perceived problem as further checking revealed my +5 at Stockerau was really a +10. And there's more…
Firstly it was yet another 4020, hell on earth for 45 minutes, or so I thought. It proceeded peacefully enough to Wien Mitte then stopped and started, eventually giving me a +6 from the low level platforms at Wien HBF to P8 in the new part which I've never seen before. With the help of escalator and lift, I made it to a seat on RJ68 with 30 seconds to spare. It seemed, annoyingly, to have been retained to 18:40 but it seems that the on train screens show predicted actual, not scheduled. So we left 10 late and these notes are being typed in the extremely long Wienerwald tunnel.
Another minute or two went en route and we ended up 12 late at Linz. McDs obliged with supper and Spar with a beer so no need to go into town and it was straight to the nearby Ibis to straighten my life up and have a shower prior to bed. A breakfast carry-oot (mayo and salami-free) has been requested, for collection at 05:00.
And so to bed after an exhausting but, barring Adlerbräu, successful day. Even hotter tomorrow apparently…
Luckily for me, the trial service on the Gotteszell-Viechtach branch, due to end in September 2018, was extended until 2021. 650 071 is seen here at Viechtach, now a terminus, on a very hot 23.7.19. |
Stored railcars (possibly VT03?) at Viechtach, where there is a modern maintenance facility for the Waldbahn fleet. |
Wednesday 24.7.19
… as indeed it is. Copious packed breakfast collected at the Ibis, and a coffee at the station, before joining 05:33 to Wien. In a coach with virtually no reservations I felt a bit sorry for the bloke who picked the one reserved one. A quick fly along the Neue Westbahn and on time at Meidling for a 5047 (153 lookalike) on the electrified route to Kledering. Why is it diesel? Presumably something further on. A fairly brief fester at a rapidly warming Kledering, then back to Meidling via the Matzleinsdorf Yard flyover, as per EGTRE. Next out to Hüttelsdorf and then to Purkersdorf via the tunnel, again as per EGTRE. Back the same way and on from Hüttelsdorf to Simmering via the northernmost of the two diveunders. On the return by S60 to Wien Hbf, disaster struck. A 'latest news' poster suggested that due to an accident there were no trains to Hegyeshalom. My limited German proved to be right and the care bear suggested a train to an intermediate station [my memory had deserted me when I wrote the note but it might have been Nickelsdorf] whence Bertie would convey me to Hegyeshalom. This seemed sensible but something [fortunately as it turned out] made me take the daft decision to go to Bratislava and try for a round trip from there.
The daft decision was rightish as it was Bertie from Rajka too. So I wouldn't have got all the way there (and possibly not back). So, right or wrong, it was Zlatý Bažant at Antic outside the station, after getting photos put on Mrs EG's and my OAP passes, and before the 14:04 to Banská Bystrica. This was pedestrian to say the least, arriving 20 late at Levice. Research had indicated a 16:45 bus to Šahy and so it proved, with adequate time for a swift 'alf (a litre) of Corgoň before the bus. Bus arrived a few minutes late (not at all bad, from Bratislava) and deposited me in Šahy around 17:45.
By this time I'd discovered that Šahy Square and Šahy Station have quite a loose relationship (1.2 km, and it's in the 30s). However I pottered down at a pace appropriate for a septuagenarian, finding reasonable amounts of shade and above all a handy water-selling potraviny half way! On arrival at the station I found the bar, of blessed memory, still open and dispensing Zlatý Bažant. Well, it would have been rude… She even tried to sell me a chaser, bless 'er.
And so to the last train to Clarksville, sorry, Zvolen. What a nice line, even though it's suffocatingly hot. At least the heating's off, unlike 2003. A really pleasant rural ramble, at least thus far (45 mins to go and the engine's just stopped and restarted). An 810, or Slovak equivalent, which must be a dying breed. Another one`s just passed so hopefully that explains the engine stop.
It did, and we pottered gently through near-idyllic countryside (much of the way) to a punctual arrival in Zvolen. Another potter, on foot, to Hotel Poľana. Nicely done up since my last visit, but I still can't warm to it, somehow. A very welcome wash, brush up and shirt change, then off to the R-Pub out in the back streets, noting en route that the pubs/restaurants in the main square seem to have opted for lounge-style seating for their outdoor seating. Quite wrong, Carruthers. The R-Pub's a fine establishment with 8 or so Bernard beers on draught plus Erdinger. I had the Bernard nefiltrova, on the required list for a very long time. Excellent, unlike the Erdinger which didn't seem to have taken kindly to being kegged. I wished I'd stuck with Bernard's products.
And so to bed, exhausted after stupid o'clock starts.
… as indeed it is. Copious packed breakfast collected at the Ibis, and a coffee at the station, before joining 05:33 to Wien. In a coach with virtually no reservations I felt a bit sorry for the bloke who picked the one reserved one. A quick fly along the Neue Westbahn and on time at Meidling for a 5047 (153 lookalike) on the electrified route to Kledering. Why is it diesel? Presumably something further on. A fairly brief fester at a rapidly warming Kledering, then back to Meidling via the Matzleinsdorf Yard flyover, as per EGTRE. Next out to Hüttelsdorf and then to Purkersdorf via the tunnel, again as per EGTRE. Back the same way and on from Hüttelsdorf to Simmering via the northernmost of the two diveunders. On the return by S60 to Wien Hbf, disaster struck. A 'latest news' poster suggested that due to an accident there were no trains to Hegyeshalom. My limited German proved to be right and the care bear suggested a train to an intermediate station [my memory had deserted me when I wrote the note but it might have been Nickelsdorf] whence Bertie would convey me to Hegyeshalom. This seemed sensible but something [fortunately as it turned out] made me take the daft decision to go to Bratislava and try for a round trip from there.
The daft decision was rightish as it was Bertie from Rajka too. So I wouldn't have got all the way there (and possibly not back). So, right or wrong, it was Zlatý Bažant at Antic outside the station, after getting photos put on Mrs EG's and my OAP passes, and before the 14:04 to Banská Bystrica. This was pedestrian to say the least, arriving 20 late at Levice. Research had indicated a 16:45 bus to Šahy and so it proved, with adequate time for a swift 'alf (a litre) of Corgoň before the bus. Bus arrived a few minutes late (not at all bad, from Bratislava) and deposited me in Šahy around 17:45.
By this time I'd discovered that Šahy Square and Šahy Station have quite a loose relationship (1.2 km, and it's in the 30s). However I pottered down at a pace appropriate for a septuagenarian, finding reasonable amounts of shade and above all a handy water-selling potraviny half way! On arrival at the station I found the bar, of blessed memory, still open and dispensing Zlatý Bažant. Well, it would have been rude… She even tried to sell me a chaser, bless 'er.
And so to the last train to Clarksville, sorry, Zvolen. What a nice line, even though it's suffocatingly hot. At least the heating's off, unlike 2003. A really pleasant rural ramble, at least thus far (45 mins to go and the engine's just stopped and restarted). An 810, or Slovak equivalent, which must be a dying breed. Another one`s just passed so hopefully that explains the engine stop.
It did, and we pottered gently through near-idyllic countryside (much of the way) to a punctual arrival in Zvolen. Another potter, on foot, to Hotel Poľana. Nicely done up since my last visit, but I still can't warm to it, somehow. A very welcome wash, brush up and shirt change, then off to the R-Pub out in the back streets, noting en route that the pubs/restaurants in the main square seem to have opted for lounge-style seating for their outdoor seating. Quite wrong, Carruthers. The R-Pub's a fine establishment with 8 or so Bernard beers on draught plus Erdinger. I had the Bernard nefiltrova, on the required list for a very long time. Excellent, unlike the Erdinger which didn't seem to have taken kindly to being kegged. I wished I'd stuck with Bernard's products.
And so to bed, exhausted after stupid o'clock starts.
812 013 and 812 028 at Šahy on 24.7.19 |
The extensive refreshment facility beside the platform at Šahy. One of those places you don't expect to visit twice - but never say never.
|
20:45 on a warm Wednesday evening at the pulsating heart of Zvolen. Only tumbleweed and the occasional passing gricer disturb the peace. |
Thursday 25.7.19
Supposedly the hottest of the current heat wave. I do hope so. Quite a good night's kip notwithstanding. Up quite early but spent so much time faffing about with train times that breakfast had to be taken in haste. It wasn't exceptional; usual orange squash and horrible bread. Away to the station on time, to find R-whatever showing 5 minutes late. It rolled in at 08:59 (09:00 scheduled departure) but then messed around for 13 minutes swapping its Goggle for an electric. From then on it crawled, and crawled, and crawled. 40 minutes late at Bratislava so it was a good thing I'd opted to wait and see how it was doing before buying tickets for my EC to Praha. I settled for EC276 at 14:10 and with split ticketing and OAP discounts, kept the cost down to £6.
After this 3 ½ hours of hell, there followed the purchase of an EC ticket to Kúty (€1 ching for the EC plus a free ticket) and a pleasant hour whiled away with two Zlatý Bažants in Antic outside the station.
Got back to the station to find EC 276 10 late. Nothing much wrong with that but I dived in to coach 369 where my reserved seat Břeclav-Praha was, to find no air con. Again. There then followed 4½ hours of purgatory, enlivened by the Czech conductor telling us we could go in a coach with air con but we'd have to sit on the floor. We arrived in Praha hlavní 17 late, sparking alarm in my two very bright and entertaining German travelling companions who had a +25 for the last connection to Erfurt via Leipzig. They'll have made it, despite their gargantuan bag.
To my immense relief the Metro was quite cool and lines C and A got me to Skalka where I undid any good by walking the 300m to the hotel Astra. My goodness the shower was welcome…
As I staggered out to go back into town, a 177 was just about to leave the stop. The driver saw me try to stagger a bit faster and waited for me, bless 'im. Back on the Metro to Múzeum and a brief search of Wenceslas Square for the Vytopna Railway Restaurant. A mighty tourist money extracting device which lured me in for the offer of delivering your beer by (gauge 1) rail.
Having had my bit of model railway amusement (Krušovice pretty average, no Musketeer, food dreadful, service good, prices Wenceslas Square) I repaired to the Trilobit tap near Ruská bus stop, a Shaun Wallace recommendation and he's quite right in my view. A splendid four ale bar dispensing four ales (surprise) of which I had the very enjoyable Ležak. The journey back to the hotel, which had seemed quite complicated on the planner, wasn't. X22 bus back to Náměstí Míru, metro to Skalka and wait for the bus down the hill!
Supposedly the hottest of the current heat wave. I do hope so. Quite a good night's kip notwithstanding. Up quite early but spent so much time faffing about with train times that breakfast had to be taken in haste. It wasn't exceptional; usual orange squash and horrible bread. Away to the station on time, to find R-whatever showing 5 minutes late. It rolled in at 08:59 (09:00 scheduled departure) but then messed around for 13 minutes swapping its Goggle for an electric. From then on it crawled, and crawled, and crawled. 40 minutes late at Bratislava so it was a good thing I'd opted to wait and see how it was doing before buying tickets for my EC to Praha. I settled for EC276 at 14:10 and with split ticketing and OAP discounts, kept the cost down to £6.
After this 3 ½ hours of hell, there followed the purchase of an EC ticket to Kúty (€1 ching for the EC plus a free ticket) and a pleasant hour whiled away with two Zlatý Bažants in Antic outside the station.
Got back to the station to find EC 276 10 late. Nothing much wrong with that but I dived in to coach 369 where my reserved seat Břeclav-Praha was, to find no air con. Again. There then followed 4½ hours of purgatory, enlivened by the Czech conductor telling us we could go in a coach with air con but we'd have to sit on the floor. We arrived in Praha hlavní 17 late, sparking alarm in my two very bright and entertaining German travelling companions who had a +25 for the last connection to Erfurt via Leipzig. They'll have made it, despite their gargantuan bag.
To my immense relief the Metro was quite cool and lines C and A got me to Skalka where I undid any good by walking the 300m to the hotel Astra. My goodness the shower was welcome…
As I staggered out to go back into town, a 177 was just about to leave the stop. The driver saw me try to stagger a bit faster and waited for me, bless 'im. Back on the Metro to Múzeum and a brief search of Wenceslas Square for the Vytopna Railway Restaurant. A mighty tourist money extracting device which lured me in for the offer of delivering your beer by (gauge 1) rail.
Having had my bit of model railway amusement (Krušovice pretty average, no Musketeer, food dreadful, service good, prices Wenceslas Square) I repaired to the Trilobit tap near Ruská bus stop, a Shaun Wallace recommendation and he's quite right in my view. A splendid four ale bar dispensing four ales (surprise) of which I had the very enjoyable Ležak. The journey back to the hotel, which had seemed quite complicated on the planner, wasn't. X22 bus back to Náměstí Míru, metro to Skalka and wait for the bus down the hill!
Beer by train at the Vytopna Railway Restaurant. You pay extra to have it delivered by train but it has to be done. Once. The glasses are oversize and have very thick bottoms for stability. |
Part of the extensive gauge 1 system at the Vytopna Railway Restaurant. It doesn't make for a very pubby/restauranty 'ambience'. |
Vertiginous escalators seem to be a feature of the Praha Metro. This one, if the GPS on my phone is to be believed, is at Náměstí Míru |
Friday 26.7.19
Change of plan today - I had planned an Interrail day to do Erfurt-Bamberg NBS but after yesterday I fancied something a little more sane. To cut a long story short I settled on a run out to Kútna Hora for a look at St Barbara's cathedral, followed by a Mochov attempt (done before in something not qualifying as daylight and a pain in the side ever since). It went well; a bit late due to the R being held at Kolín for a connection. Fortunately the connection at Kútna Hora Hl.n. was held too. No air con on any of the trains but at least the windows opened. The walk of nearly a mile up to St Babs was very hard work even without the big rucksack but it gave me time to appreciate what a lovely little town it is - and to take note of a Kútna Hora establishment on the way up. It is up. Very. Half way break was taken at an ice cream counter. Strawberry sorbet, and worth every crown. The cathedral is stunning; even the 84 steps up to the galleries are worthwhile, with vertiginous views inside into the nave and outside across the Labe(?) flood plain to the north. Inside, ornate and generally staggering. It was started in the 1300s, one of the attendants told me, though he was a bit sniffy about the work of Italian builders on the flying buttresses which are such a feature of the exterior.
Back the same very picturesque way, this time pausing for a couple of reviving Kútna Horas at the establishment (Harmonia) noted earlier. Back at the station I sat in the shade looking at the waiting wheelie bin for 10 minutes rather than join the normals on it. The 3 or 4 minutes I was actually on board were quite enough! On time at KH hl.n. for the connection to Kolín where I lucked into a late running Ex with an empty compartment and open windows!
Back at Praha I nipped back to the Astra to collect my forgotten inhaler, and have a quick hose down and a change of shirt before embarking on the Mochov venture. Straight to Masarykovo, where the very helpful English speaking clerk denied all knowledge of any train to Mochov, even looking it up for me on something resembling Idos (presumably the Hafas database, though). She tried to sell me a bus ticket from Čelákovice but I declined that on the basis that if there were no trains I'd come straight back [and being in the PID area I wouldn’t have needed it anyway]. . So off I went, full of doubt but reassured by KŽC's web site with its timetable. With my OAP discount it was just over a quid return so no great risk!
On the run into Čelákovice I was sure I saw a wheelie bin in the Mochov bay and lo and behold, on the displays in the subway and on P2 there it was. I hurried along to P1 expecting to be one of a merry throng from the fairly packed 17:22 ex Mas. Turned out I was a merry throng of 1. The driver confirmed he was going to Mochov (the KŽC markings on his shirt and on the ex-ČD 810 were a bit of a giveaway) and off he and I went. It`s a very short branch with one intermediate halt of such grandeur that I didn't even see it on either run. At Mochov the station building remains, mostly boarded up and with those windows broken that aren't boarded. The goods shed is also boarded up and from the look of the track, the 810 is kept inside when not in use. The track extends beyond the platform, bridging a small stream and ending just before crossing a road and arriving at the gate of the factory which was the main source of revenue for the branch. The track over the road crossing has been lifted; the short length over the small bridge is little longer than an 810 and provides the headhunt to access the goods shed. On the approach to the station there is a short loop presumably required to run the loco round and allow wagons to be propelled into the factory. One track has a stop block on it.
The return journey departed on time at 18:36, pausing at the signal just before the bridge carrying the Praha-Čelákovice line over the branch and once again with a passenger complement of one overheated gricer. Despite ČD's apparent disdain, the branch is part of the PID transport association but it's impossible to see it surviving beyond the December timetable change unless there's some political consideration which I'm not aware of.
After bidding the driver farewell I set off back to Praha hl. n. in the air conditioned comfort of a City Elefant EMU, only the second train with working air con since arriving in Bratislava on Wednesday morning (the first was the Elefant which took me from Masarykovo to Čelákovice). After checking on the left luggage facilities at hl. n. for tomorrow, the wish to explore had deserted me and I settled for a return to the hotel via a refuelling stop at I. P. Pavlova and more of the excellent ležak at Trilobit.
Change of plan today - I had planned an Interrail day to do Erfurt-Bamberg NBS but after yesterday I fancied something a little more sane. To cut a long story short I settled on a run out to Kútna Hora for a look at St Barbara's cathedral, followed by a Mochov attempt (done before in something not qualifying as daylight and a pain in the side ever since). It went well; a bit late due to the R being held at Kolín for a connection. Fortunately the connection at Kútna Hora Hl.n. was held too. No air con on any of the trains but at least the windows opened. The walk of nearly a mile up to St Babs was very hard work even without the big rucksack but it gave me time to appreciate what a lovely little town it is - and to take note of a Kútna Hora establishment on the way up. It is up. Very. Half way break was taken at an ice cream counter. Strawberry sorbet, and worth every crown. The cathedral is stunning; even the 84 steps up to the galleries are worthwhile, with vertiginous views inside into the nave and outside across the Labe(?) flood plain to the north. Inside, ornate and generally staggering. It was started in the 1300s, one of the attendants told me, though he was a bit sniffy about the work of Italian builders on the flying buttresses which are such a feature of the exterior.
Back the same very picturesque way, this time pausing for a couple of reviving Kútna Horas at the establishment (Harmonia) noted earlier. Back at the station I sat in the shade looking at the waiting wheelie bin for 10 minutes rather than join the normals on it. The 3 or 4 minutes I was actually on board were quite enough! On time at KH hl.n. for the connection to Kolín where I lucked into a late running Ex with an empty compartment and open windows!
Back at Praha I nipped back to the Astra to collect my forgotten inhaler, and have a quick hose down and a change of shirt before embarking on the Mochov venture. Straight to Masarykovo, where the very helpful English speaking clerk denied all knowledge of any train to Mochov, even looking it up for me on something resembling Idos (presumably the Hafas database, though). She tried to sell me a bus ticket from Čelákovice but I declined that on the basis that if there were no trains I'd come straight back [and being in the PID area I wouldn’t have needed it anyway]. . So off I went, full of doubt but reassured by KŽC's web site with its timetable. With my OAP discount it was just over a quid return so no great risk!
On the run into Čelákovice I was sure I saw a wheelie bin in the Mochov bay and lo and behold, on the displays in the subway and on P2 there it was. I hurried along to P1 expecting to be one of a merry throng from the fairly packed 17:22 ex Mas. Turned out I was a merry throng of 1. The driver confirmed he was going to Mochov (the KŽC markings on his shirt and on the ex-ČD 810 were a bit of a giveaway) and off he and I went. It`s a very short branch with one intermediate halt of such grandeur that I didn't even see it on either run. At Mochov the station building remains, mostly boarded up and with those windows broken that aren't boarded. The goods shed is also boarded up and from the look of the track, the 810 is kept inside when not in use. The track extends beyond the platform, bridging a small stream and ending just before crossing a road and arriving at the gate of the factory which was the main source of revenue for the branch. The track over the road crossing has been lifted; the short length over the small bridge is little longer than an 810 and provides the headhunt to access the goods shed. On the approach to the station there is a short loop presumably required to run the loco round and allow wagons to be propelled into the factory. One track has a stop block on it.
The return journey departed on time at 18:36, pausing at the signal just before the bridge carrying the Praha-Čelákovice line over the branch and once again with a passenger complement of one overheated gricer. Despite ČD's apparent disdain, the branch is part of the PID transport association but it's impossible to see it surviving beyond the December timetable change unless there's some political consideration which I'm not aware of.
After bidding the driver farewell I set off back to Praha hl. n. in the air conditioned comfort of a City Elefant EMU, only the second train with working air con since arriving in Bratislava on Wednesday morning (the first was the Elefant which took me from Masarykovo to Čelákovice). After checking on the left luggage facilities at hl. n. for tomorrow, the wish to explore had deserted me and I settled for a return to the hotel via a refuelling stop at I. P. Pavlova and more of the excellent ležak at Trilobit.
The west end of St Barbara's, Ktna Hora
|
A very hot 810 635 waiting at Kútna Hora mešto to return to Kútna Hora hl. n. Despite the strong sunshine, it was cooler on the platform. |
KZC's 810 381 taking a break at Mochov on 26.7.19 |
Saturday 28.7.19
The heatwave still hasn't abated but exhaustion overcame the lack of air con and I managed 7 hours or so of fitful sleep, awaking once again to cloudless skies. The weather forecast claims that thunderstorms will precede a slight reduction in temperature from tomorrow, but only to the high 20s. Still far too hot for me but perhaps the highlands of Trutnov will be a little cooler tonight.
So, a reasonably leisurely breakfast - in yesterday's clothes so that I could have yet another shower and clean clothes and start the day bright eyed and bushy tailed. Well, it worked tolerably well though even a clean T-shirt feels like a thermal blanket today.
Off to hlavní for the Kozel Expres, an 810 derivative (M152 0002) with seemingly a handful more seats [in fact a prototype not a derivative, and not with extra seats]. I had dropped the big rucksack in a locker in view of their (Kozel's) restrictions on big packages. CZK 80, at nearly £3 a bit of a rip-off by Czech standards but not bad for a capital city. I had hoped to be able to flag the brewery visit part in order to get away earlier but an email enquiry said I wasn't allowed off site until the end. Consequently I had booked on 16:06 Praha - Trutnov (with added Max and Bertie feature). There is a point to this, which will become apparent. The branch (very pictureskew and steeply graded) ends at the factory gate from which visitors are marched round (and outside) the perimeter to reach the main entrance. Quite a long way which they don't warn you about, not that it mattered. When we got to the main road I made my excuses to the guide and set off, via the bus stop, to find the brewery tap where I had two excellent nefiltrovas before catching the bus. Into Praha and a mad dash for the 14:06 which I just made after collecting the big rucksack.
All good, then the gripper came round and said my ticket was no good because you can't use them before time, only after. She wanted CZK 308, not earth shattering, but said my CZK 42 fare only applied on line (though I could claim it back before 16:06). She agreed, however, to my baling at Nymburk and waiting for the 16:06. So I did so but bought a ticket for the one in between, cashed in my original one and ended up CZK1 worse off. Unfortunately I then misread nástupiště and kolej and watched it go… D'oh. So it's back to the original 16:06 ex Praha now but without a res. Hey ho. It's not all bad though because the M152 didn't seem at all well and took over an hour to VP. Had it taken that long to get back I'd still have missed the 16:06…
Lashings of rain on the way to HK, fortunately abated by the time we had to transfer to Bertie the Bus. Various things conspired - temporary SLW near Nymburk, normals slow to transfer, TTLs just outside Jaroměř Station which delayed Bertie, and finally a wait at Starkoc to get on the single line towards Trutnov. At one point the delay was heading for half an hour but efforts were made by the Goggle and its driver and we arrived at Trutnov around 15 late. Round to Hotel Krakonoš, which is the brewery tap, right next door. Well, it would have been rude not to have dinner there, so I did. Guláš and bramborák, pretty dreadful, but the ležak was as good as I remembered and only 92p a pint even at today's rates. Just the one (litre) will suffice as I have some ticket research to do for tomorrow.
The heatwave still hasn't abated but exhaustion overcame the lack of air con and I managed 7 hours or so of fitful sleep, awaking once again to cloudless skies. The weather forecast claims that thunderstorms will precede a slight reduction in temperature from tomorrow, but only to the high 20s. Still far too hot for me but perhaps the highlands of Trutnov will be a little cooler tonight.
So, a reasonably leisurely breakfast - in yesterday's clothes so that I could have yet another shower and clean clothes and start the day bright eyed and bushy tailed. Well, it worked tolerably well though even a clean T-shirt feels like a thermal blanket today.
Off to hlavní for the Kozel Expres, an 810 derivative (M152 0002) with seemingly a handful more seats [in fact a prototype not a derivative, and not with extra seats]. I had dropped the big rucksack in a locker in view of their (Kozel's) restrictions on big packages. CZK 80, at nearly £3 a bit of a rip-off by Czech standards but not bad for a capital city. I had hoped to be able to flag the brewery visit part in order to get away earlier but an email enquiry said I wasn't allowed off site until the end. Consequently I had booked on 16:06 Praha - Trutnov (with added Max and Bertie feature). There is a point to this, which will become apparent. The branch (very pictureskew and steeply graded) ends at the factory gate from which visitors are marched round (and outside) the perimeter to reach the main entrance. Quite a long way which they don't warn you about, not that it mattered. When we got to the main road I made my excuses to the guide and set off, via the bus stop, to find the brewery tap where I had two excellent nefiltrovas before catching the bus. Into Praha and a mad dash for the 14:06 which I just made after collecting the big rucksack.
All good, then the gripper came round and said my ticket was no good because you can't use them before time, only after. She wanted CZK 308, not earth shattering, but said my CZK 42 fare only applied on line (though I could claim it back before 16:06). She agreed, however, to my baling at Nymburk and waiting for the 16:06. So I did so but bought a ticket for the one in between, cashed in my original one and ended up CZK1 worse off. Unfortunately I then misread nástupiště and kolej and watched it go… D'oh. So it's back to the original 16:06 ex Praha now but without a res. Hey ho. It's not all bad though because the M152 didn't seem at all well and took over an hour to VP. Had it taken that long to get back I'd still have missed the 16:06…
Lashings of rain on the way to HK, fortunately abated by the time we had to transfer to Bertie the Bus. Various things conspired - temporary SLW near Nymburk, normals slow to transfer, TTLs just outside Jaroměř Station which delayed Bertie, and finally a wait at Starkoc to get on the single line towards Trutnov. At one point the delay was heading for half an hour but efforts were made by the Goggle and its driver and we arrived at Trutnov around 15 late. Round to Hotel Krakonoš, which is the brewery tap, right next door. Well, it would have been rude not to have dinner there, so I did. Guláš and bramborák, pretty dreadful, but the ležak was as good as I remembered and only 92p a pint even at today's rates. Just the one (litre) will suffice as I have some ticket research to do for tomorrow.
The Kozel Expres, consisting of preserved M152 0002, the second of a prototype batch which became class 810, standing at Praha hl.n. on 28.7.19 |
A dreadful quandary - but I'd done the Vlak (train) so continued towards the Pivovar (brewery) although I didn't take the brewery tour. The brewery is the Kozel (goat) brewery at Velke Popovice, south of Praha. The eponymous Expres is a summer Saturdays only charter by the brewery to take visitors from Praha for a brewery tour. |
Pressed the button too soon! The brewery tap at Velke Popovice, a very pleasant place to have a beer while waiting for the Bus back to Strancice. |
Sunday 28.7.19
Fitful sleep again, with the room horrendously hot, the fan noisy (but in fairness, at least there was a fan) and no ventilation worthy of the name. Awoke just before 6 in the end so it was another short night. Much cheered by a shower, I collected a gargantuan packed breakfast from reception and staggered off to the station just before 8. The train to Adršpach was a twin car 813, no aircon but surprisingly not baking considering how hot it already is outside. I'd forgotten what a nice ride it is to Adršpach with its rock columns. On arrival with 1 minute to departure of the KD service to Walbrzych, I was disconcerted to find no train and no waiting pax. The ČD lady didn't speak English but delivered a volley of Czech accompanied by a shrug that said 'they'll be here when they're here' rather than 'they're not coming'. And they duly arrived after 5 minutes or so, an SA 134 packed with jolly hikers and 10 minutes late.
Off to Teplice nad Metují where the booked wait virtually recovered the lateness, and then Meziměsti where the rest was recovered. It's a very scenic but slow run over the hill to Boguszow (where the station is in the V between the branch and the Jelenia Góra - Wrocław main line) and along to Walbrzych Główny, a large but semi derelict station due to start refurbishment this winter.
Back to Meziměsti on the return service, mystifying the KD conductor.
At Meziměsti previous research had indicated a worthwhile pub near the station though not (I thought) open until 12. Went in search, found, open from 11, handsome conversion of old factory, selling Opat from the Broumov brewery. Excellent. [Unfortunately my research hadn't been thorough enough to reveal the existence of the railway museum - visitable by prior request and pictured below - see https://zelmez.cz/ for details]. Back to the station to find Sp1855 5 late. It was another TwinBin, 813 or whatever. A little time was regained and Bertie The Bus was only a minute or so late leaving. Somewhat delayed by 'ironic' roadworks he was a bit later at HK necessitating a major rush by ‘someone’ convinced (wrongly) he'd left something on the bus and stopped to check. No problem though, an air con seat available so didn't bother finding my reserved seat several coaches away. A little late away, now at Chlumec nad Cidlinou 6 late. No great rush yet, with a +101 at Praha. Still 6 late at Poděbrady which is just as well as I've just spotted that the +101 at Praha is actually a +56, or 50 net. So much for lunch. And little did I know, but that was just the start.
Arrival in Praha was right time in the end, and when the stock for Ex554 turned up I was very pleased to find that my reserved seat was in an air con coach, albeit in a compartment. As that compartment had the only available seats when I booked, I hadn't bothered checking. The remainder were reserved by now so it was a good job I'd booked when I did. The scrawny creature opposite insisted on putting her case in the doorway and resting her feet on it, so that pretty much negated the air con. The new tunnel (and diversion) at Epjovice were duly done and despite apparently lethargic progress we were only a couple of minutes late at Plzeň, which looks to have sprouted another island platform during its refurb.
Shortly before Stribro the gripper came round with glad tidings featuring 'Planá u Mariánských Lázní' and 'Autobus'. It didn't take Einstein…. To their credit ČD had done a good job in getting things organised, with a rather scratch fleet of buses waiting for us, and a train at ML. The pax did pretty well too, getting promptly across to the train with a minimum of fuss. We were held at ML for about 15 mins with no discernible reason, and eventually reached Cheb 41 late, reasonable in the circs (derailed freight train, obviously unplanned!).
Cheb was a nightmare. Still hot and sticky, the 1 km walk to the hotel was quite uncomfortable. Everything seemed to be closed at 20:30 apart from, fortunately as it appeared, one potential venue which was quite full and noisy. A hasty check in, wash and brush up at the hotel and back to the place concerned, where I walked into the eating area and was intercepted by a scruffy, unshaven individual with an offensive attitude and one word - zavrit (closed). Thinking this to mean just the food side, I did a circuit of the town centre to find food. There was none. A beer seemed a reasonable alternative, so back to the original venue, where I sat down at the only vacant table outside and awaited further developments. The scruffy individual appeared, cleared some glasses from another table, returned with full ones and then came over and deployed his one word vocabulary in full. I've never met anyone so poorly qualified for a 'customer-facing role'.
So, off to bed hungry and thirsty (well, I did manage some crisps and Kozel from a Vietnamese potraviny) and determined never to visit Cheb again.
Fitful sleep again, with the room horrendously hot, the fan noisy (but in fairness, at least there was a fan) and no ventilation worthy of the name. Awoke just before 6 in the end so it was another short night. Much cheered by a shower, I collected a gargantuan packed breakfast from reception and staggered off to the station just before 8. The train to Adršpach was a twin car 813, no aircon but surprisingly not baking considering how hot it already is outside. I'd forgotten what a nice ride it is to Adršpach with its rock columns. On arrival with 1 minute to departure of the KD service to Walbrzych, I was disconcerted to find no train and no waiting pax. The ČD lady didn't speak English but delivered a volley of Czech accompanied by a shrug that said 'they'll be here when they're here' rather than 'they're not coming'. And they duly arrived after 5 minutes or so, an SA 134 packed with jolly hikers and 10 minutes late.
Off to Teplice nad Metují where the booked wait virtually recovered the lateness, and then Meziměsti where the rest was recovered. It's a very scenic but slow run over the hill to Boguszow (where the station is in the V between the branch and the Jelenia Góra - Wrocław main line) and along to Walbrzych Główny, a large but semi derelict station due to start refurbishment this winter.
Back to Meziměsti on the return service, mystifying the KD conductor.
At Meziměsti previous research had indicated a worthwhile pub near the station though not (I thought) open until 12. Went in search, found, open from 11, handsome conversion of old factory, selling Opat from the Broumov brewery. Excellent. [Unfortunately my research hadn't been thorough enough to reveal the existence of the railway museum - visitable by prior request and pictured below - see https://zelmez.cz/ for details]. Back to the station to find Sp1855 5 late. It was another TwinBin, 813 or whatever. A little time was regained and Bertie The Bus was only a minute or so late leaving. Somewhat delayed by 'ironic' roadworks he was a bit later at HK necessitating a major rush by ‘someone’ convinced (wrongly) he'd left something on the bus and stopped to check. No problem though, an air con seat available so didn't bother finding my reserved seat several coaches away. A little late away, now at Chlumec nad Cidlinou 6 late. No great rush yet, with a +101 at Praha. Still 6 late at Poděbrady which is just as well as I've just spotted that the +101 at Praha is actually a +56, or 50 net. So much for lunch. And little did I know, but that was just the start.
Arrival in Praha was right time in the end, and when the stock for Ex554 turned up I was very pleased to find that my reserved seat was in an air con coach, albeit in a compartment. As that compartment had the only available seats when I booked, I hadn't bothered checking. The remainder were reserved by now so it was a good job I'd booked when I did. The scrawny creature opposite insisted on putting her case in the doorway and resting her feet on it, so that pretty much negated the air con. The new tunnel (and diversion) at Epjovice were duly done and despite apparently lethargic progress we were only a couple of minutes late at Plzeň, which looks to have sprouted another island platform during its refurb.
Shortly before Stribro the gripper came round with glad tidings featuring 'Planá u Mariánských Lázní' and 'Autobus'. It didn't take Einstein…. To their credit ČD had done a good job in getting things organised, with a rather scratch fleet of buses waiting for us, and a train at ML. The pax did pretty well too, getting promptly across to the train with a minimum of fuss. We were held at ML for about 15 mins with no discernible reason, and eventually reached Cheb 41 late, reasonable in the circs (derailed freight train, obviously unplanned!).
Cheb was a nightmare. Still hot and sticky, the 1 km walk to the hotel was quite uncomfortable. Everything seemed to be closed at 20:30 apart from, fortunately as it appeared, one potential venue which was quite full and noisy. A hasty check in, wash and brush up at the hotel and back to the place concerned, where I walked into the eating area and was intercepted by a scruffy, unshaven individual with an offensive attitude and one word - zavrit (closed). Thinking this to mean just the food side, I did a circuit of the town centre to find food. There was none. A beer seemed a reasonable alternative, so back to the original venue, where I sat down at the only vacant table outside and awaited further developments. The scruffy individual appeared, cleared some glasses from another table, returned with full ones and then came over and deployed his one word vocabulary in full. I've never met anyone so poorly qualified for a 'customer-facing role'.
So, off to bed hungry and thirsty (well, I did manage some crisps and Kozel from a Vietnamese potraviny) and determined never to visit Cheb again.
PKP's Russian-built twin Bo-Bo electric loco ET42-041 at Wałbrzych Główny on 28.7.19 |
Meziměstí boasts a remarkably large station building for a village of 2,500 people. In its days as a border (CZ-PL) station this might have been needed but in today's post-Schengen era it's completely out of place (though still very well kept). |
Meziměstí also boasts a small railway museum. It was closed at the time of my visit but it seems that I might have been able to get a guided tour had I known of its existence and consulted the web page beforehand! beforehand |
Monday 29.7.19
A pretty good night's sleep helped and I reached a decision not to go for 08:29 Marktredwitz which would have involved much rushing, and stick to plan A and the 09:36 Nürnberg. Breakfast (strange system where you sat at a table labelled with your room number and laid up for the required number) was standard but very welcome. Orange juice not the usual squash, and German style rolls as well as the usual cardboard. No cake though, sadly. A leisurely stroll to the station where I managed to deduce from the DB 612 which was the right platform!
Nice to be back in the world of first class again, even in the back of a rather rough riding DMU. Uneventful and previously done track all the way to Nürnberg where I failed to observe that the Karlsruhe train was on the next platform (in self defence, it might not have been on the display yet). So I had a nice walk from P14 to the concourse and back again. I'm certainly keeping exercised this week. The display was showing 09:55 arrival from München 70 late, this train ends here, don't board, and under following trains, the 10:40 Karlsruhe. Not fooled by this, I sat tight when it bowled in at 10:35, waited for the on-train display to change to Karlsruhe, and was comfortably in my seat by 10:41. I did have to mooch down to the other end though, as it was the wrong way round, possibly resulting from whatever caused it to be 70 late.
It wasn't a very long mooch as the train was formed of 5 IC Dostos. Not impressed with those - jumped up REs.
Just left Crailsheim as I write, 4 late for a +6 at Aalen, which hopefully will be held. Back in the day this would have been but in today's (reportedly) crazy world of Half a Bahn, who knows. I expect there's a pub or a bakery counter at Aalen. Both, it seems, but not required as my IC was still 4 late and so was the IRE on to Ulm. Time enough for some very welcome lunch from Upper Crust and Hasseröder.
Onwards to Weißenhorn in an RB from P5b, a short bay requiring a very long trudge. Weissenhorn is slightly less basic than some reopened termini; although it has only one platform there‘s a run round loop with a headshunt on the loop as well as the platform road. Having allowed an hour to visit Barfüsser in Kirchplatz (clue's in the name) I set off along Bahnhofstraße expecting nothing much and was greatly surprised when I turned into Hauptstraße to find a town gateway of vintage yet to be looked up [it has been, without success - this is Unteres Tor, and the other gateway, Oberes Tor, is 15th century]. There followed a high street with some beautifully restored buildings, some probably 400+ years old, leading to the church (or cathedral depending on your translating abilities). Barfüsser is on the corner but standing with my back to it photting the church I didn't realise until I gone 100 metres or so past it. Once my brain was working again I found a nicely converted historic building, very smart and sadly, selling indifferent weizen. But the high street on its own made the whole thing worth while. One up to OpenStreetMap for the walking route - I'd have chosen a different one through the park and missed the sights.
Back at Ulm Hbf, there was a delayed Mùnchen-bound ICE on the next track so I made a dash for that by lift and footbridge, thwarted only by an elderly normal who didn't seem to know whether (or how) to get out of the lift. I missed the ICE by seconds and had to wait 20 minutes for an EC to Klagenfurt which deposited me at München Hbf 4 minutes late. A mad dash down to Tief P2 saved me from 20 minutes wait for an S1 out to Moosach and a return visit to the Letomotel and various joking with the receptionist - different nationality this time. Back into town for my prebooked seat at the Augustiner only to find I'd booked the wrong day. Memo to self - check the defaults!! The place was absolutely heaving unlike last Monday, and they declined to find me a seat. No matter, as I walked back towards Hbf I encountered an Augustiner pub which wasn't wedged, had friendly staff and provided Mr Fusspot with a turkey schnitzel with sautées. Sometimes these things are for the best. 'Home' (to Moosach) via another excellent Weizen at Schillerbräu which was also a lot busier than last week.
A pretty good night's sleep helped and I reached a decision not to go for 08:29 Marktredwitz which would have involved much rushing, and stick to plan A and the 09:36 Nürnberg. Breakfast (strange system where you sat at a table labelled with your room number and laid up for the required number) was standard but very welcome. Orange juice not the usual squash, and German style rolls as well as the usual cardboard. No cake though, sadly. A leisurely stroll to the station where I managed to deduce from the DB 612 which was the right platform!
Nice to be back in the world of first class again, even in the back of a rather rough riding DMU. Uneventful and previously done track all the way to Nürnberg where I failed to observe that the Karlsruhe train was on the next platform (in self defence, it might not have been on the display yet). So I had a nice walk from P14 to the concourse and back again. I'm certainly keeping exercised this week. The display was showing 09:55 arrival from München 70 late, this train ends here, don't board, and under following trains, the 10:40 Karlsruhe. Not fooled by this, I sat tight when it bowled in at 10:35, waited for the on-train display to change to Karlsruhe, and was comfortably in my seat by 10:41. I did have to mooch down to the other end though, as it was the wrong way round, possibly resulting from whatever caused it to be 70 late.
It wasn't a very long mooch as the train was formed of 5 IC Dostos. Not impressed with those - jumped up REs.
Just left Crailsheim as I write, 4 late for a +6 at Aalen, which hopefully will be held. Back in the day this would have been but in today's (reportedly) crazy world of Half a Bahn, who knows. I expect there's a pub or a bakery counter at Aalen. Both, it seems, but not required as my IC was still 4 late and so was the IRE on to Ulm. Time enough for some very welcome lunch from Upper Crust and Hasseröder.
Onwards to Weißenhorn in an RB from P5b, a short bay requiring a very long trudge. Weissenhorn is slightly less basic than some reopened termini; although it has only one platform there‘s a run round loop with a headshunt on the loop as well as the platform road. Having allowed an hour to visit Barfüsser in Kirchplatz (clue's in the name) I set off along Bahnhofstraße expecting nothing much and was greatly surprised when I turned into Hauptstraße to find a town gateway of vintage yet to be looked up [it has been, without success - this is Unteres Tor, and the other gateway, Oberes Tor, is 15th century]. There followed a high street with some beautifully restored buildings, some probably 400+ years old, leading to the church (or cathedral depending on your translating abilities). Barfüsser is on the corner but standing with my back to it photting the church I didn't realise until I gone 100 metres or so past it. Once my brain was working again I found a nicely converted historic building, very smart and sadly, selling indifferent weizen. But the high street on its own made the whole thing worth while. One up to OpenStreetMap for the walking route - I'd have chosen a different one through the park and missed the sights.
Back at Ulm Hbf, there was a delayed Mùnchen-bound ICE on the next track so I made a dash for that by lift and footbridge, thwarted only by an elderly normal who didn't seem to know whether (or how) to get out of the lift. I missed the ICE by seconds and had to wait 20 minutes for an EC to Klagenfurt which deposited me at München Hbf 4 minutes late. A mad dash down to Tief P2 saved me from 20 minutes wait for an S1 out to Moosach and a return visit to the Letomotel and various joking with the receptionist - different nationality this time. Back into town for my prebooked seat at the Augustiner only to find I'd booked the wrong day. Memo to self - check the defaults!! The place was absolutely heaving unlike last Monday, and they declined to find me a seat. No matter, as I walked back towards Hbf I encountered an Augustiner pub which wasn't wedged, had friendly staff and provided Mr Fusspot with a turkey schnitzel with sautées. Sometimes these things are for the best. 'Home' (to Moosach) via another excellent Weizen at Schillerbräu which was also a lot busier than last week.
The north side of the Unteres Tor (Lower Gate) at Weißenhorn, which comes as a complete surprise as you turn into Hauptstraße (High Street) after a short walk east from the station. 
Although very taken with Weissenhorn I did manage to focus on the track sufficiently to take a couple of photos. Here 642 214 is just arriving from Ulm Hbf on 29.7.19. |
The brewing kit at Barfußer in Weißenhorn. I'm always suspicious of immaculate brewing kit in supposed brewpubs, not least because it never seems to be brewing when I'm there! The rather more prosaic gear behind the access ladder does suggest that it's entirely genuine, however. 
Unfortunately there's always a bit more to do. Looking north to the buffer stops at Weißenhorn on 29.7.19 |
Monday 30.7.19
A reasonable night's kip though interrupted by turning the noisy air con off. Up at 6 for a bit of gentle reorganising of the rucksack before (so I thought) going to find a bakers' shop for some breakfast and tootling out to the airport on the 07:46 or 08:16. 1¾ hours before departure should be enough for anyone …
Decided to check the train times. From DB Farce Control : signal failure between Neufahrn and Flughafen. Delays and cancellations.
Oh joy, does this mean panic time? Mad rush to get out earlier, with the idea that it might be worth the extra €2 for a Tageskarte in case S8 wasn't affected. Decided that it was and went for an inbound S1 only to find out on the way that a) S8 was also affected and b) the next airport train was an S1. So back on the S1 which was in fact the 07:46 aforementioned. It was in the end nearly 20 late at the airport so I arrived pretty much on plan except for the lack of breakfast.
But they hadn't finished yet. I rolled up to the bag drop at about 08:40, still with nearly 2 hours to go to departure, to find a non-moving queue. On the display it said 'desk opens 08:35' so presumably a) my 10:35 flight was the first of the day and b) the staff had only recently arrived. I got the rucksack checked in eventually, and after checking in at area A where there was no queue for security, found that mine was the one flight going from area B where - you've guessed it - there was a monumental queue for passport control and security. When I got to the point where I needed my boarding pass to be allowed to queue for another long spell, the BA app informed me that my flight would be delayed. More deep joy. By virtue of being, for the next 3 months [at least 6 as it's now turned out], an EU citizen, the queue was at least that bit less monumental. I was also invited to be first through a newly opened security lane, where the belt police were in action. The lack of square meals in the last week left me clutching trousers rapidly heading southwards. Once into the departure lounge with trousers once more aloft, the whole process had taken an hour - and then it appeared that the flight wasn't delayed. Sigh.
Major renovations appear to be forcing most aircraft out into areas away from the terminal so despite talk of boarding by row number (when did that ever work) it was Bertie The Bus for everyone together to the aircraft. Once installed we were told by Cap'n that Air Traffic Control were taking pre-emptive measures to deal with storms around LHR and we wouldn't go for around 20 minutes. He was as good as his word.
We weren't too far off right time at LHR in the end; immigration was super quick through the electronic gates and a short delay for baggage was little more than would have been needed for a 'comfort break' anyway. But for the time I took rearranging my rucksack I would have caught the 'optimum result' bus and as it was I got the one 10 minutes later. So all the apparent problems of the morning didn't amount to a hill of beans, and apart from Hegyeshalom that goes for the whole week! Sadly the same doesn't go for the delay to ICE 529 which I just missed at Ulm yesterday, but that's not an appropriate matter for discussion here.
Return home was a simple matter of a 350 bus to West Drayton, GWR EMU to Paddington, Bakerloo to Marylebone for the sandwich shop, a wet walk to the Metropolitan for a pint and an 18 bus to Euston for the 15:24 LNW service to Rugeley as far as Birmingham New Street, and the 18:00 WMT to Shrewsbury. What could possibly go wrong…
Amazingly, nothing did. The LNW and WMT trains were both on time to the minute, and even Arriva's bus was a minute early, conveying me to the town centre in time to meet up with Mrs EG and a group of friends for a meal and a pint of Salopian in 'Spoon's. Thus ended part 1 of a 2-stage trip, the second to follow in a week or two. Overall, pretty successful if acutely uncomfortable at times due to the heat and a heavy rucksack, neither being ideal for an unfit septuagenarian convinced he’s still a teenager. ]
Perhaps it's time for me to grow up - but for the time being I was ready to set off to Germany again].
A reasonable night's kip though interrupted by turning the noisy air con off. Up at 6 for a bit of gentle reorganising of the rucksack before (so I thought) going to find a bakers' shop for some breakfast and tootling out to the airport on the 07:46 or 08:16. 1¾ hours before departure should be enough for anyone …
Decided to check the train times. From DB Farce Control : signal failure between Neufahrn and Flughafen. Delays and cancellations.
Oh joy, does this mean panic time? Mad rush to get out earlier, with the idea that it might be worth the extra €2 for a Tageskarte in case S8 wasn't affected. Decided that it was and went for an inbound S1 only to find out on the way that a) S8 was also affected and b) the next airport train was an S1. So back on the S1 which was in fact the 07:46 aforementioned. It was in the end nearly 20 late at the airport so I arrived pretty much on plan except for the lack of breakfast.
But they hadn't finished yet. I rolled up to the bag drop at about 08:40, still with nearly 2 hours to go to departure, to find a non-moving queue. On the display it said 'desk opens 08:35' so presumably a) my 10:35 flight was the first of the day and b) the staff had only recently arrived. I got the rucksack checked in eventually, and after checking in at area A where there was no queue for security, found that mine was the one flight going from area B where - you've guessed it - there was a monumental queue for passport control and security. When I got to the point where I needed my boarding pass to be allowed to queue for another long spell, the BA app informed me that my flight would be delayed. More deep joy. By virtue of being, for the next 3 months [at least 6 as it's now turned out], an EU citizen, the queue was at least that bit less monumental. I was also invited to be first through a newly opened security lane, where the belt police were in action. The lack of square meals in the last week left me clutching trousers rapidly heading southwards. Once into the departure lounge with trousers once more aloft, the whole process had taken an hour - and then it appeared that the flight wasn't delayed. Sigh.
Major renovations appear to be forcing most aircraft out into areas away from the terminal so despite talk of boarding by row number (when did that ever work) it was Bertie The Bus for everyone together to the aircraft. Once installed we were told by Cap'n that Air Traffic Control were taking pre-emptive measures to deal with storms around LHR and we wouldn't go for around 20 minutes. He was as good as his word.
We weren't too far off right time at LHR in the end; immigration was super quick through the electronic gates and a short delay for baggage was little more than would have been needed for a 'comfort break' anyway. But for the time I took rearranging my rucksack I would have caught the 'optimum result' bus and as it was I got the one 10 minutes later. So all the apparent problems of the morning didn't amount to a hill of beans, and apart from Hegyeshalom that goes for the whole week! Sadly the same doesn't go for the delay to ICE 529 which I just missed at Ulm yesterday, but that's not an appropriate matter for discussion here.
Return home was a simple matter of a 350 bus to West Drayton, GWR EMU to Paddington, Bakerloo to Marylebone for the sandwich shop, a wet walk to the Metropolitan for a pint and an 18 bus to Euston for the 15:24 LNW service to Rugeley as far as Birmingham New Street, and the 18:00 WMT to Shrewsbury. What could possibly go wrong…
Amazingly, nothing did. The LNW and WMT trains were both on time to the minute, and even Arriva's bus was a minute early, conveying me to the town centre in time to meet up with Mrs EG and a group of friends for a meal and a pint of Salopian in 'Spoon's. Thus ended part 1 of a 2-stage trip, the second to follow in a week or two. Overall, pretty successful if acutely uncomfortable at times due to the heat and a heavy rucksack, neither being ideal for an unfit septuagenarian convinced he’s still a teenager. ]
Perhaps it's time for me to grow up - but for the time being I was ready to set off to Germany again].
