The last Unrefurbed D Stock.....

From those timings I should be able to do Upminster - Ealing Broadway - Earl's Court. 30 minutes should be plenty to get from ECT to Paddington. Fingers crossed.

It would be nice, and very nostalgic, if a PA announcement is made at St.James's Park WB on the last day stating that T106 is the last unpainted 'silver' train on the Underground. I broadcast a message there on the occasion of the last CO/CP Stock using the station PA equipment when I was the Guard of the said train. 27 years' on!!!

Units 7534x7115 running today as Set 13. Not long now...

There are plans in hand !

And I can't see the date will change again - it is now less than a week away after all.........

Will you be driving, Dave?

In response to metman and mjw4849....

Yes, I will be driving. As it stands at present there will be three I/Ops tasked with this arduous duty - and another is also a member here.

I plan on joining the train at Earls Court (West) on it's first westbound trip which should be at about 17:23.

I *think* it will work out that I'll take over the hot seat at Earls Court East at 21:34 and do its final Upminster -> Ealing -> Ealing Common depot trip. I do hope to be given permission to run passenger from Ealing Broadway -> Ealing Common prior to the train stabling, but this may depend on how many staff are around to 'tip out' the train at Ealing Common as I won't be popular holding up the service in that area at that time of the evening! We'll see.......

For the benefit of those of us who don't frequent the District on a daily basis and are coming down specially, could someone provide some info re logistics. Clearly the train is in service and according to the duty details posted by 21146 (many thanks) seems to have quite tight turnarounds. I guess most normal District passengers don't stay on the same train for 8.5 hours

So specifcally

• where is the best location for a 'PNR'
  
• where is the best location to get a nice greasy kebab

without missing too much of the action?

Also, would I be right in thinking that by the time we get finished, there will be no tubes into central London and that the N207 night bus will do from outside Ealing Common station?

Any help greatly appreciated.

Really looking forward to it and hopefully to meeting some folks from here. Many thanks once again to Dave and his colleagues for making the effort to put this on and for keeping us all informed of developments. Those of us who are not professional railway employees are truly privilledged to have the insights provided by this forum.

For those of you who want to chase it, I have been using these connections for the past few weeks to overtake unrefurbs.

• Acton Town - Hammersmith/Barrons Court (Piccadilly)
  
• Westminster - West Ham (Jubilee) [Run very quickly, even then only just]
  
• Tower Hill - Upminster (C2C) [West Ham or Barking will NOT work]
  
• Barking - Upminster (C2C)
  

I've tried many others, but these are the only ones that work.

In my limited experience at late-night travel manyyyyyy years ago, engineering trains used to cause delays as they were often reversed at various locations so as to get from Lillie Bridge say to where the overnight work was in readiness. I used to avidly read the traffic notices or whatever they were called, as they were lent to me to study, to see where ballast motor-hauled and battery loco-hauled trains were to run to and from, and the routes to be taken, with their position in relation to last or near-to-last trains.

I think you can get WTTs through Freedom of Information.

There is such a thing as a pen and paper, you know. Or laser print and paper.

I mean that instead of whining about emails, send a letter.

I think it fair to say that very few sane people would inflict themselves to eight hours on any LU train!!

But - as has been alluded too - there are plenty of take away places at Earls Court (and public toilets too) or alternatively there is a kebab/burger/chicken place right near Acton Town (turn right out of the station, cross at the lights and it's more or less in front of you) and toilets in the station too.

If running on time you have about twenty minutes from when the train arrives Acton Town West to its return Acton Town East; obviously Earls Court gives much more time - best part of 50 mins.

I'm no expert on night buses, but I'm pretty sure you're right!

Those planning to take photos should be careful of the private security guards at Upminster.

A couple of weeks back Gavelex (CORRUPTED) and I were up there taking pics of D stock, when two burly security guards came over and threatened us with BTP claiming it is illegal to take photos at train stations. Neither of us were using flash or tripods, nor were we in an area where we shouldn't have been, it's simply private security staff going on a power trip.