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07:55.

Despite a positive forecast we’ve had a gloomy start to the day here in Tilford, but whatever the weather it’s going to be a busy one. Dawn and I have been occupied from an early hour preparing the ingredients for tonight’s meal – Coq au Vin, done in a slow cooker. Now it’s time to take Sam to school and me to head to Farnham station for another day on the rails before Dee returns home to work. Now, where shall I go today?

09:20.

What a difference a day makes! If we thought the roads were busy on the school run yesterday they were even busier today. Farnham was chocked with traffic which included a lot of builders and other vans clogging roads and pavements as tradesfolk made their livings.

Fortunately, I still got to the station on time to board the 08:58 which was once again worked by a Class 444. This seems to be a regular (and only) diagram for the fleet to Alton. Today the train was far, far busier. I walked through all five cars from front to back. Here’s today’s comparison shot.

The rear coach was the quietest. Up front it was full and standing.

I only travelled as far as Aldershot as I’m heading for Guildford on a service that runs just a few minutes behind the London train. Guildford’s the main town in the area and the platform was busy with folk making their way there for work and pleasure. That said, a 4-car Class 450 shuttling to and from Farnham is perfectly adequate for the traffic.

10:05.

My first stop after changing at Guildford is Farncombe which I’ve never visited before. It has substantial buildings on each platform (pics later) plus one of the few signalboxes left on this line and one I’d never photographed before.

I know nothing about Farncombe but it looks a pleasent little place. Like most towns the shops have suffered. Many are vacant but this one (a real trip down memory lane) caught my eye.

11:45.

On the move again after catching the train for an impromptu stop at a place called Witley which has a lovely small station and a lot of rail engineering work going on – hence my decision to stop for an hour. I managed some great shots of embankment stablisation work being carried out on the live railway (pics later). In the meantime, here’s a shot of the station building.

16:00.

I’m now blogging from St Denys in Southampton. How I got here’s a long story that involved several trains, one or two stops – and Portsmouth!

I’ve had an interesting day as I’ve had chance to stop off in several places I’ve always threatened to explore but never had the time. St Denys is one. It boasts a four platform station (two on the main line and two on the Pompey route) and some rather nice buildings. The stations a stones throw ffom the estuary which is a good place for scenic rail pictures – hence my visit.

This is a phone pic. The camera ones have trains in ’em.

There was something else I discovered in St Denys. A pub right next to the station called the South Western Arms (after the railway). When I walked past it I noticed the selection of handpumps and thought ‘hmm’. Then, when I was finally beaten in my photographic endeavors by cloud cover I thought I’d pop in for a swifty. I’m glad I did as it’s a cracking real-ale pub with a distinctive local hippy/bohemian feel – and a massive beer garden backing onto the railway. I’ll certainly be popping back when I’m in the area.

18:30.

So much to write about but so little time as I juggle taking pictures, notes and blogging whilst still trying to live in and experience the here and now. And right now I’m on a train from Woking back to Farnham…

Q: Guess how many people are staring at their phones/screens? A: 99% of them..

21:10.

I’m now back in Tilford and beginning the task of editing the pictures I’ve taken today. It’s going to take some time before they appear on my Zenfolio website, so here’s a quick taster of some of the camera (rather than phone) pictures.

A pair of class 444s with 444028 leading pass embankment stablisation work at Witley on the Portsmouth direct line.
73962 leads a test train through St Denys. The route was from Eastleigh to Eastleigh, but all round the houses. When I photographed it the train had just come from Portsmouth Harbour.

Here’s the rather lovely main station building at Farncombe.

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