Switzerland September 2013

While this trip wasn’t a trip in its own right it turned out to be an excellent way to get into and out of Germany; and a cracking time we had too…..

Thursday 5^th September 2013 (The only way is Lenzburg)

Having stayed in London the night before, our conveyance to London City Airport was the first Docklands from Lewisham. Everything was straightforward and we were making a bid for Zurich Airport station before we knew it; and the bash commenced……..

The days’ plan consisted, on paper anyway, of every possible Re420 move that could be done out of Zurich prior to our departure for Stuttgart at 1905. Having arrived courtesy of 460076 on IC818 there were quite a few Re420’s to spot and a move soon came together based on the new ones we saw. This move actually allowed time to gather our thoughts so we did so downstairs doing a few single Re450’s to pass the hour or so we had to kill.

At 1108 we departed Zurich HB on IR1770 Zurich – Basel with Re420 11197, the bulk of the days bash then being Zurich – Lenzburg & return. The IR’s were a plus 2 at Lenzburg and cross platform too, to make life a bit easier. We started on IR1770 and finished back at Zurich at 1452 off IR1777 1347 Basel – Zurich; having done IR1771 to IR1776 consecutively in between; all to/from Lenzburg! All were Re420’s except IR1771 which was booked for an Re460. The bonus was 11125 standing in for an Re460 on the 1408 ex Zurich. Every plus two at Lenzburg made, with ease, despite the odd couple of minute late departure from Zurich HB.

The weather was fantastic, almost 30 degrees, and the open air stock made for a decent days bash; especially as most trains were empty in the front coach. Every trip out and back allowed us to cast our eyes over the various carriage sidings and by the last trip we’d seen 4 of the 5 Lion sets with T&T Re420’s, and managed to get 6 of the 8 locos on them:  420203/213, 420225/226, 420205/2xx & 420216/2xx, which would aid our evening rush hour bash.

The moves in Zurich in the evening rush hour are plentiful but of course it’s impossible to cover everything so we opted to stay local and do the Lion turns & cover the 1641 Luzern & 1733 St Gallen. With time to play with we opted for a quick out and back to Thalwil before heading downstairs to cover the Lion turns; scooping in a few Re450 double and triple sets beforehand.

One thing I’ll say for the evening’s bash is that it was tight, but it all went to plan; just! There was a lot of running about from upstairs to downstairs between the three Lion trains we covered and the 1641 Luzern & 1733 St Gallen. The heat didn’t help but it was certainly worth it in the end. By the time we’d walked to the front of the 1733 Zurich – St Gallen I was about ready for a rest on the run to the Aiport but the combination on the front just had to be photted; from the opposite platform in glorious sunshine. Since the Re420’s had been replaced on the Chur – St Gallen turns the diagrams had changed slightly, resulting in IR3831 1733 Zurich – St Gallen now being  booked a pair of Re420’s, however what we had on the front was the Re420/Re421 combination of 11193/421392. I was thinking this might have been due to the fact that we’d seen Re420 11118 vice Re421 on one of the Zurich – Singen turns earlier in the day; and the diagrams may have been messed up at some point? Either way it was different…….

Back at Zurich we covered the last of our three Lion turns before ordering a 16 inch pizza between us and relaxing on board IC180 1905 Zurich – Stuttgart with 421394, which had managed to find its was into the turn 11118 had been working earlier in the day; unfortunately for me. The pizza was that big I had to tip it sideways to fit it through the door and with the train only being load three it seemed to act as a safeguard, preventing anyone else sitting with us in our bay of four! We were Germany bound……..

Gen for Thursday 5^th September (All SBB spottings were at Zurich)

11118 621.4 (Vice Cargo Re421) was replaced by 421394 for IC180 1905 Zurich – Stuttgart, 11121 611.18, 11125 601.7 (Vice Re460),11138 611.16, 11149 611.28, 11155 611.11, 11161 611.27, 11172 611.33, 11191 611.13, 11193 611.17, 11194 611.14, 11196 611.24, 11197 611.29, 11214 611.8 11215 611.12, 11218 611.26, 11228 611.25

420226/225 21.5/21.6, 420209/224 21.3/21.4, 420203/213 21.7/21.8, 420221/205 21.1/21.2

421371 621.2, 421379 621.1, 421392 611.21 (Vice Re420), 421394 611.22 (Vice Re420) then onto 621.4 from IC180 1905 Zurich – Stuttgart replacing 11118 in the diagram)

Notes

11193/421392 were in multi on IR3831 1733 Zurich – St Gallen

421394/11191 were in multi on IR1785 1647 Basel – Chur to Zurich

11215/11161 were in multi on IR1787 1747 Basel – Chur to Zurich

The Moves

Monday 9^th September 2013 (The parting gesture (from Germany))  

Our German bash came to an end at Lindau upon the arrival of 4209 1212 Ulm – Lindau. It had been an excellent three and a bit days in Germany but we had to head back to Zurich for our late evening flight home; our parting gesture from Lindau not being the SBB Cargo 421 on EC194 1233 Munich HB – Zurich HB but our first Taurus ever in the shape of OBB 1016008 on the 1427 Lindau – Bludenz stopper. This we did over the border to Bregenz and enjoyed the sunshine there while waiting for 421371 to take us forward to Zurich Airport; enjoying a well earned beer in the on board restaurant car as we sailed through the Swiss countryside.

Not content with getting off at the airport and heading for home we did a 460 into Zurich HB and headed straight downstairs to view the only Lion 420 turn we could, this being the 1700 Hardbrucke – Schaffhausen, which very surprisingly turned up with 420216/229, the outstanding set we hadn’t seen 5 days previous. That done, we really were on our way home, and what better way to finish than on IR3831 1733 Zurich HB – St Gallen to the airport? This time we weren’t so surprised to find the Re420/Re421 combination that we did, on the front of the train. This time it was 11155/421379. Surely this must now be a booked turn for an Re421? Bizarrely it was the last of the 4 Re421’s, that the Cargo sector hires to the passenger sector, that we hadn’t had on this trip; a massive bonus for Aidy!

At the airport we could relax a little as we’d already managed to check in via WiFi in Germnay and then print our boarding cards anyway in between getting off EC194 at the airport and getting on our 460 into Zurich HB. The check-in kiosks are only at the top of the steps from the platforms; which was a bonus, even if we managed to completely miss them initially!

Our flight home with BA was nice and efficient and more importantly, empty, and I was on a Docklands from City Airport towards Bank within 10 minutes of landing. Unfortunately my early arrival at Kings Cross couldn’t get me home any earlier; not without trying though. I was booked on the 2200 Kings Cross – Newcastle to Doncaster but got denied from the 2035 Leeds and then again from the 2135 Leeds an hour later; although the guard did then take pity on me and allow me to travel on her train eventually. This actually being the worst journey I’ve ever done on a HST on the ECML; it was freezing cold and the ride quality was shocking; resulting in me having to literally wait until the train had stopped at Stevenage to finish off my cup of tea! All in all though the train did the job and delivered me to Doncaster on-time; the end!

Gen for Monday 9^th September 2013

Austria

1016008 5589 1427 Lindau – Bludenz

1016016 5665 1444 Bregenz – Bludenz

Switzerland

11127 611.8, 11155 611.21

420216/229 21.3/21.4, 4202xx/226 21.7/21.8

421371 621.2, 421379, 611.17 (Vice Re420?), 421392 621.1

Notes

11155/421379 were in multi on IR3831 1733 Zurich – St Gallen

The Moves