Given the recent experiences on railtours I was fully expecting this tour to be postponed, changed beyond recognition or even cancelled altogether. Having been out of the country in the week or so immediately prior to the tour I was almost surprised to arrive home late on the Friday evening to a message from a friend that the tour was on and we were sat in coach A. Stafford - 08.31 depart.
Hmmm.... Early start required, and no suitable food to take with me. No problems, my local Sainsburys supermarket is open all night on a Friday.
Saturday, 05.15, local Sainsburys, empty carpark, sign on door :
"Sainsburys wishes to inform its customers that, from Friday 22nd September, this store will no longer remain open all Friday night"
Great! How does the advert go ~
"Sainsburys - everyones favourite ingredient"...?
I think not!
The Esso petrol station on the entry to Stafford was however open so suitable supplies were obtained there. Met up with some other colleagues at the station and they confirmed the booked Freightliner 47 was in fact EWS "royal spoon" 47799 - Freightliner having had a number of failures of their 47 fleet and couldn't supply a loco for the tour! Oh well, first dud loco haulage of the day.
A slack schedule had 47799 in a couple of minutes early and away on time. Found our seats in the leading coach, joining some friends who were already there. We staggered our way to Wolverhampton thence directly to Birminham New Street, gathering up more punters at each location. Passing Saltley there were a few sheds on, 66035, 85, 198, 235 & 238 being noted. One score for me, 66198. Washwood Heath yard contained a new Gatwick Airport EMU and 66001 plus one other unidentified 66. We passed non-stop through Nuneaton and onwards to Leicester, our next pick-up point. 66037, 66195 & 58046 were on Leicester stabling point.
We were held on the approach to Derby station and finally made our approach at 11.12, almost 20 minutes behind schedule. Although it was an advertised pick-up point, Derby panel chose to put us into the sidings alongside the station! As we ran into the station area we passed 58002 & 66008, our next two locos.
58002 was put onto the "south end" of the train and 66008 the other (our end). Before we departed in rolled 66082 on a Hertfordshire Rail Tours charter. Our joining passengers were told to catch a service train to Long Eaton where we'd make an extra stop to collect them (so they hoped...).
We departed about 20 late (58002 powering) and did make the pick-up at Long Eaton. We then headed north through Toton (just 56018 and 66005 noted) and onwards to Chesterfield. Here we branched off towards Beighton Junction and from there we took teh freight branch to Deepcar. Not a very exciting branch once you leave the Sheffield suburbs behind - it all seems to be in a tree lined cutting!
66008 returned us down the branch and on into Tinsley Yard. Here we dropped the bone and shed in favour of 60097. I was happy as, other than the 47, I'd scored all the locos for haulage. Ever northwards the 60 took us via Swinton, Moorthorpe, Normanton and Engine Shed Junction to Bradford Interchange and an hours leg-stretch.
Highlight of the day now - 56120 (another required haulage) on our end of the train.
It was loud!
After Halifax we took the "new" passenger route (two reinstated curves) to Huddersfield (both curves being required track for me) then we headed over the Pennines to Manchester Victoria. 56120 continued screaming away via Bolton to Preston. A lot of happy faces in the front coach!
At Preston the grid ran-round and 92032 (another score) was added "on top". An early arrival into Preston was matched by an early departure (did we leave anyone in the pub I wonder...). Even from the rear coach we could tell that the 56 was "assisting" the 92! The pair continued to speed us southwards as far as Crewe. Here we lost the traincrew from the 56 so 92032 became the sole motive power. We left the train at Stafford where we arrived about 20 minutes early.
Verdict : A tour proving that some can and do run (almost) as advertised! OK, we "lost" the advertised Freightliner 47/0, but otherwise this tour was successful and even managed to run early on the way home!!
Gary Thornton.
Railtour Operator : Pathfinder Tours
47799 : Preston - Derby
58002 (+ 66008 on rear) : Derby - Deepcar
66008 (+ 58002 on rear) : Deepcar - Tinsley Yard
60097 : Tinsley Yard - Bradford Interchange
56120 : Bradford Interchange - Preston
92032 + 56120 : Preston - Crewe
92032 (+ 56120, not powering) : Crewe - Birmingham New Street
1Z47 : Preston - Derby
1Z58 : Derby - Bradford Interchange
1Z36 : Bradford Interchange - Birmingham New Street
| M | C | Location | Booked | Actual |
| 0 | 00 | Preston | 06.26d | - |
| 7 | 39 | Balshaw Lane | 06/35 | - |
| 15 | 10 | Wigan North Western | 06.44a | - |
| -- | -- | - | 06.46d | 06.51 |
| 23 | 34 | Winwick Junction | 06/59 | 07/08 |
| 26 | 70 | Warrington Bank Quay | 07.04a | 07.15 |
| -- | -- | - | 07.07d | 07.16 |
| 28 | 57 | Acton Grange Junction | 07/17 | 07/20 |
| 34 | 59 | Weaver Junction | 07/22 | 07/31 |
| 43 | 39 | Winsford Signal Box | 07/29 | - |
| 51 | 00 | Crewe | 07.41a | 07.41 |
| -- | -- | - | 07.44d | 07.44 |
| 59 | 06 | Madeley Junction | 08/03 | 07/54 |
| 70 | 08 | Norton Bridge | 08/21 | 08/03 |
| 75 | 37 | Stafford | 08.28a | 08.26 |
| -- | -- | - | 08.31d | 08.31 |
| 89 | 14 | Bushbury Junction | 08/45 | 08/44 |
| 90 | 68 | Wolverhampton | 08.53a | 08.52 |
| -- | -- | - | 08.56d | 08.56 |
| 96 | 28 | Dudley Port | 09/06 | 09/05 |
| 99 | 73 | Galton Junction | 09/11 | 09/12 |
| 101 | 51 | Soho South Junction | 09/14 | 09/15 |
| 103 | 52 | Birmingham New Street | 09.18a | 09.22 |
| --- | -- | - | 09.21d | 09.26 |
| 111 | 23 | Water Orton | 09/32 | 09/36 |
| 114 | 08 | Whitacre Junction | 09/36 | 09/40 |
| 124 | 52 | Nuneaton | 09/50 | 09/58 |
| 128 | 71 | Hinckley | 09/59 | 10/04 |
| 140 | 22 | Wigston North Junction | 10/10 | 10/16 |
| 143 | 38 | Leicester | 10.17a | 10.20 |
| --- | -- | - | 10.19d | 10.26 |
| 148 | 29 | Syston South Junction | 10/26 | 10/31 |
| 155 | 77 | Loughborough | 10/32 | 10/37 |
| 164 | 09 | Sheet Stores Junction | 10/41 | 10/44 |
| 170 | 18 | Spondon | 10/46 | 10/51 |
| 172 | 68 | Derby | 10L53a | 11.12 |
| 0 | 00 | - | 11L30d | 11.51 |
| 2 | 50 | Spondon | 11/36 | 11/57 |
| 8 | 59 | Sheet Stores Junction | 11/44 | 12/08 |
| 9 | 22 | Trent | 11/46 | 12/09 |
| 11 | 17 | Toton Centre | 11/48 | 12/12 |
| 14 | 42 | Trowell Junction | 11/51 | 12/15 |
| ?? | ?? | Pye Bridge Junction | 12/00 | 12/22 |
| 34 | 39 | Clay Cross South Junction | 12/08 | 12/31 |
| 35 | 53 | Chesterfield | 12/12 | 12/36 |
| 45 | 01 | Beighton Junction | 12/35 | 12/52 |
| 46 | 35 | Woodhouse Junction | 12/40 | 12/54 |
| 50 | 62 | Woodburn Junction | 12/45 | 13/02 |
| 59 | 56 | Deepcar | 13.15a | 13.21 |
| 0 | 00 | - | 13.30d | 13.27 |
| 8 | 74 | Woodburn Junction | 14/00 | 13/48 |
| 10 | 32 | Broughton Lane Junction | 14/03 | 13/53 |
| 12 | 19 | Tinsley Sorting Sidings | 14L10a | 14.07 |
| 0 | 00 | - | 14L30d | 14.37 |
| 1 | 61 | Tinsley South Junction | 14/37 | 14/46 |
| 6 | 39 | Aldwarke Junction | 14/46 | 14/55 |
| 8 | 50 | Swinton | 14/48 | 14/59 |
| 16 | 41 | Moorthorpe | 14/58 | 15/08 |
| 17 | 18 | South Kirkby Junction | 15/08 | 15/09 |
| 23 | 17 | Hare Park Junction | 15/14 | 15/17 |
| 25 | 58 | Calder Bridge Junction | 15/20 | 15/24 |
| 26 | 28 | Turners Lane Junction | 15/22 | 15/26 |
| 29 | 50 | Altofts Junction | 15/28 | 15/30 |
| 31 | 07 | Methley Junction | 15/30 | 15/32 |
| 38 | 70 | Angine Shed Junction | 15/44 | 15/42 |
| 39 | 22 | Whitehall Junction | 15/46 | 15/43 |
| 47 | 64 | Mill Lane Junction | 16/03 | 16/07 |
| 48 | 08 | Bradford Interchange | 16L05a | 16.09 |
| 0 | 00 | - | 17L05d | 17.06 |
| 7 | 79 | Halifax | 17/19 | 17/18 |
| 8 | 71 | Dryclough Junction | 17/24 | 17/21 |
| 10 | 02 | Greetland Junction | 17/27 | 17/24 |
| 14 | 64 | Bradley Wood Junction | 17/33 | 17/31 |
| 16 | 01 | Bradley Junction | 17/35 | 17.35a |
| -- | -- | - | --/-- | 17.38d |
| 18 | 60 | Huddersfield | 17/39 | 17/42 |
| 25 | 66 | Marsden Loop | 17.50a | 17.58 |
| -- | -- | - | 18.00d | 18.02 |
| 29 | 61 | Diggle Junction | 18/06 | 18/07 |
| 31 | 74 | Greenfield | 18/08 | 18/09 |
| 36 | 68 | Stalybridge | 18/14 | 18/15 |
| 38 | 79 | Ashton Moss North Junction | 18/18 | 18/19 |
| 43 | 10 | Miles Platting | 18/30 | 18/24 |
| 44 | 40 | Manchester Victoria | 18/33 | 18.34a |
| -- | -- | - | --/-- | 18.35d |
| 46 | 21 | Salford Cresent | 18/44 | 18/40 |
| 55 | 10 | Bolton | 18/55 | 18/52 |
| 57 | 79 | Lostock Junction | 19/00 | 18/56 |
| 66 | 56 | Chorley | 19/08 | 19/03 |
| 69 | 70 | Euxton Junction | 19/15 | 19/07 |
| 75 | 26 | Preston | 19L24a | 19.13 |
| 0 | 00 | - | 19L58d | 19.42 |
| 7 | 39 | Balsahaw Lane Junction | 20/07 | 19/52 |
| 15 | 10 | Wigan North Western | 20.14a | 20.01 |
| -- | -- | - | 20.17d | 20.03 |
| 23 | 34 | Winwick Junction | 20/25 | 20/13 |
| 26 | 70 | Warrington Bank Quay | 20.28a | 20.19 |
| -- | -- | - | 20.31d | 20.25 |
| 28 | 57 | Acton Grange Junction | 20/35 | 20/29 |
| 34 | 59 | Weaver Junction | 20/46 | 20/34 |
| 43 | 39 | Winsford Signal Box | 20/54 | 20/40 |
| 51 | 00 | Crewe | 21.08a | 20.50 |
| -- | -- | - | 21.11d | 20.55 |
| 59 | 06 | Madeley Junction | 21/20 | 21/03 |
| 70 | 08 | Norton Bridge | 21/33 | 21/11 |
| 75 | 37 | Stafford | 21.41a | 21.22 |
| -- | -- | - | 21.43d | - |
| 89 | 14 | Bushbury Junction | 21/59 | - |
| 90 | 68 | Wolverhampton | 22.04a | - |
| -- | -- | - | 22.06d | - |
| 96 | 28 | Dudley Port | 22/14 | - |
| 99 | 73 | Galton Junction | 22/18 | - |
| 101 | 51 | Soho South Junction | 22/20 | - |
| 103 | 52 | Birmingham New Street | 22.23a | - |
Timings from Wigan North Western to Stafford (outward leg) provided by Phil Pearson.
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