Acton Meet

Thanks, think I will give it a try.

you can buy tickets on-line and print them off at home. That will save you a very long time in the queue yet save you committing too soon if you're not sure about attending. I'm going Sunday, too.

What what? I only had the option to collect when I booked last week. Cue: Fervent call to LT museum.

Previously I had my ticket posted to me, I remember comparing sticker colours against the Hanky Code with some forum members

Unfortunately I'm not now going to be able to make it to this meet

Not officially, no - most of our meets are usually on Saturdays.

There may be Forum members there on Sunday, but it's up to those individuals if they wish to arrange something between themselves without the Forum's endorsement.

Bit late, but I should be along tomorrow.

I'm due into Euston at 1000, I'm going to walk to Euston Sq and take the scenic route to Acton via the Met'.

If I'm not at the depot when you all meet up, I'll see those of you I know inside, and everyone else in the pub later. I'll be the one with the custard.

So much caffeine......aaaah *shivers*

Lovely! Enjoy it.

*sweeps in*

Let's not leave it so long: many of us live in London or come to London often - let's have more unofficial meets.

Londonstuff, how could you possibly forget Tomcakes? He's not exactly a quiet kinda chap!

Whilst the Depot itself was nothing hugely amazing, particularly if you've been before, I had a really nice day. I arrived at 10.00 into Euston, wandered past Coburg Street Regulating Room and to Euston Square, planning to take the scenic route to Acton via Rayners Lane. A Stock 5113 rattled in to whisk me away, and I was soon enjoying the scenic delights of the Uxbridge branch through the window. The Pic' train in the Rayners reversing siding, Ruislip Depot, the Rentokil men at Ickenham; hang on, I was meant to be changing for the Pic' at Rayners. #fail

Diving off at Hillingdon I just missed an S Stock scurrying the other way, only for the same A Stock to soon appear from the west. Back to Rayners and eventually to Acton with about five minutes to spare on my Oyster time limit.

After mooching around the depot, poking around at all the stock out back, rummaging in the bargain boxes Chris W and I took the short walk to the Red Lion and Pineapple where Alfie, Charlie J and an empty can of Green Monster were waiting. Soon others came and some went, Chris W almost learnt how to say Kopparberg, the modellers went all gooey over Cyberman's 3D print outs, I learnt what the random stampy thing that I'd bought for a pound was for and Alfie floated out of the establishment after perhaps one too many Green Monsters.

The only downside to the day was the Severe Delays on the Picadilly due to an incident [I'll say no more] at Wood Green with trains being tipped out at Acton. Luckily the District Railway saved the day and the last of the gang travelled to Victoria together before heading South and North to home. After a very speedy mince across Euston concourse I made the last train home by three minutes (as I have already alluded), only for it to be stuck behind a slow service routed over the fast lines due to engineering shenanigans.

So, when are we doing it all again?

A very accurate recollection of the meet, rincew1nd!

Yes, one to many Green Monsters is very true, I was extremely shaky on my journey home.. First got to Acton..and there was a train in the platform which got tipped out after 5 minutes because of the signaller messing up or something which meant it ended up in a siding. Next train arrived in a few minutes and we all crammed on, though looking back I wish I'd jumped on the Oakwood train that arrived at the same time.

Train 345 to Cockfosters was Northern line-rammed, and all that caffeine was having a horrible effect. I tipped myself out at South Kensington and walked slowly to the District platforms, just missing a train. Asking one of the LU workers in the cosy box they have for water provided no reward, unfortunately. Anotehr 5 minute wait for a District Line train..and it was rammed to. So I sat on the floor, as wide awake as could be.

We slowly got to Embankment..where it was the worst possible time for me to experience for my first PEA. Could hear it coming from the cab in the saloon, and even more so when the driver picked up the PA. Nothing serious, thank goodness, so the Tower Hill train proceeded once more. I hopped off at Monument, hearing these mumbled words..

"To those leaning over the platform edge.. *inaudibleness* ..300 tons of Steel.. *crackle*"

cracked me up, but then my slow trudge to the Central Line began..one of apparently many defective trains rattled through very slowly and very very clunky and loudly with a sticking brake. That gave me a headache for the rest of the journey. Eventually I reached Leytonstone, to change for an Epping train. Only the driver of the Hainault was at the end of his shift or whatever and the replacment wasn't there. Waited for a few minutes..and he turns up..but by now the Epping has been routed into Platform 2..Yippee. Clunk, clunk, clunk went my head. And I reached the train, and somehow home..

The End, children.

Because it was crammed as hell in there..I needed movement, and to sit down.