End of the Chesham shuttle

There will be no 'planned' use of the bay post Dec 11th

You never plan engineering TTN's against a facility you have 'officially' lost, irrespective of when it actually gets removed

4 car operation becomes non standard, so if it did happen it would be in emergency only

Any engineering plans post Dec 11th will involve 8 car through (from the posession limit) Chesham operation

Talking about 4 cars on the main line, a few weeks ago I saw 5198+5199 heading south through Moor Park at lunchtime. The red cab was on the rear with the grey cab leading. I assume this was a test trip from and to Neasden?

Thud thud thud thud.

Ouch, wheelflat much!

'Any guesses on how many people will still change at Chalfont and Latimer next week?'

Loads, I'd imagine. Given the number who wander over to platform 3 when the evening through trains come through and stand there despite the train being in darkness and platform 1 being full of passengers. I'll get a loud hailer!

May I ask a question about the bay at C&L? It's not on topic AS SUCH but it was this thread and my resultant very quick nostalgic goodbye trip earlier this evening which have led me to ask, hence...

At the stops on the bay platform, alongside the trio of illuminated red stop lights are another pair of the 'lantern on a pole' variety (sharp on technical jargon me), one labelled NORTH END, the other SOUTH END. Forgive me if this has been answered before but, que? I'm just curious, slightly more informed as I am having read this forum for a while this is now the kind of minutae I get curious about... And generally the relevant wisdom is to be found here!

More in the spirit of the thread, my trip; I'm not normally one for LU sentimentality, but (along with a slight pang of sadness as I reflect on my lifelong constant, the venerable A60s passing) it dawned on me that for deep-rooted nostalgic reasons I needed to have one last pootle on the shuttle. I literally did just that - Chalfont - there - straight back after the briefest of glances down/over the hills, towards where I used to live etc, all in total darkness! But it was nice to revisit my earliest clear LU memories for the last time, even if as has been mentioned already the branch line itself is not closing. I would be nowadays more inclined to sample or even observe the rarity that is a 4-car unit on the main line but in reality, my enthusiasm does know the bounds of time and egad those are some graveyard timings! It was nice to have one last ride on the 4-car, to see it in the bay from outside saying Chesham, and taking in the odds and ends of the station that will presumably soon disappear; the illuminated 'Next Chesham Train' indicator, the 'Junction For Chesham' signage of varying vintage, and the remarkably tight nature of the platform. Even when one is aware to a degree slightly above layman level the operational particulars of the bay platform in question, when looking down it's full length from the 'Chesham' end toward the buffer stops some way short of the headwall, it seems inconceivable that an LU train could fit in it! It's just relatively speaking so absolutely tiny. Anyway, loving the quaintness. I would never normally venture out to those extremeties nowadays but having never experienced it before, perhaps I'll head back to Chesham at some stage in an 8-car train; crossing that junction and seeing the platform actually filled up (must look a squeeze?) would be a novelty in itself for me. Next time perhaps I should actually regard Chesham in daylight too...

Blah blah blah sorry for labouring the point it's late and I'm all sentimental!

Is the a DEV of the run into the bay at Chalfont?
And for that matter any drivers still about who have run into the bay at Chesham?

Took a half days leave and did a run on the last working day of the shuttle (as opposed to weekend day)

Hope they put 5090 through the wash before the "official" do tommorrow as it is more than a bit dirty (to say the least) Driver made the comment also

"Metman" - or any management browsing

(it is a timewarp up there with some old signage , light box indicators etc)

Really dissapointing that a simple job like swopping the set over , or putting through the wash didnt happen last night. Yes - you could hardly see out of the windows due to recent weathe inflicted grime.

Especially as a good number of folks would be photographing. A bad advert.

The unit was swapped over last night - as it has been every night. Unfortunately I think it was a case this morning of simply getting a train - regardless of cleanliness outside.

The train was not purposely left dirty I can assure you.

From tomorrow, the branch will see the whole range of stock - clean, dirty and otherwise.

Oh and from tomorrow, just to rub salt in the wounds of the shuttle and A-stock lovers, a certain new train will start to be seen a little more and in a few more places...

The filthy state of the unit was a disgrace and shows the MCH management aren't in control of their own line. Either do a proper send-off, or ignore the event as a mere WTT change; but make your mind up!

Various pics from Saturday's shuttle here[/url]

Lovely official event for the 12.37 departure and a great group out and about for the 00.25 ex-Chalfont and 00.37 from Chesham. Very enjoyable and what a nice bunch of people, passengers and staff alike!

Thanks to all involved, although gutted that my raffle ticket was only a couple of numbers away from the winner - glad the headboard has gone to a welcoming home though.

According to one or two people I spoke to, the washer at Neasden is out of action, so that's why the unit was dirty; but 5090 was, apparently, one of the original units for the Shuttle service - fitted with de-icing gear specifically for use on the branch.

I'm liking that! ;D

Bengley, were you at the back...?

As the 0016 arrival to the bay at Chalfont arrived (the last train to arrive in that platform) I did call the driver and say to him "You won't be doing that again." He sounded a little taken aback initially as if I had spotted him doing something he shouldn't. I then went on to remind him what he wouldn't be doing again ;D ;D

The number of duty managers / higher management around late last was surprising. I suppose it didn't help that I told one of them that there was a threat to the nameboards. I told him there were a number of people who would like to get their hands on them - and he was promptly despatched northwards to Chalfont ;D

Both nameboards were in my hands at around 0300 this morning, and I know exactly where they are at the moment. Perhaps, given the extremely low response to my offer of keeping the shuttle alive earlier in the thread, I should kidnap the boards later this evening and hold them to ransom ;D ;D