16th April 2001

Pathfinder Tours
The Lake District / The Citadel Crusader

Route :
1Z36 : Cardiff Central to Carlisle
1Z37 : Carlisle to Carlisle mini-tour
1Z38 Carlisle to Cardiff Central

Notes :
(1) 37421 on rear.
(2) 37408 on rear.
(3) Was marketed as "The Lake District" for passengers alighting at;
(a) Oxenholme (for Lake Windermere and Lakeside Steam Railway circular),
(b) Penrith for time to explore or a coach onwards to Alston and a trip on the South Tynedale Railway
or (c) free time to explore in Carlisle.

Sources : Gary Thornton (joined/left the train at Barnt Green) & Kevin Stroud

Tour Review

Here are some photos taken on the day.

What better way to spend avoiding the Bank Holiday traffic than by spending it on a train? Pathfinders "Citadel Crusader" was a suitable candidate for both "normals" with a couple of "off-train" options and enthusiasts alike with the covering of some freight lines on the Carlisle area.

My journey to Barnt Green as made in the company of Andy Flowers so plenty of chance to catch up on what's what in the rail world. Gen from Saturday gave the locos as 67009 to Carlisle with 37408 + 37421 top-n-tail on the mini-tour. Bit disappointing selection of tractors as I still need two Motherwell 37/4's (405 & 416) for haulage, but then again, you can't have everything.

67009 arrived on-time and those of us that were sat together headed up to the front and our allotted seats in coach A. This was my 6th class 67 for haulage and, as previously, it proved to be quite noisy (by "modern" standards anyway). Chance to say "hi" to some other friends already on board as we headed for our next pick-up point, Birmingham New Street, which was reached via Selly Oak rather than Camp Hill. On leaving BNS this then gave the run via Aston and Bescot. Quite a bit of stuff in the yards and at Bescot depot, I personally noted : 08623, 09011, 37707, 58009, 60049, 66021, 66065, 66070, 66191, 66209, 92004, 92005 & 92015.

The run in to Crewe was frustrating (as always) for the spotters aboard with loads of Freightliner 66's being visible in the yard, but only 66523 being positively identified - but at least it was a required one for me! The usual line up of withdrawn 37's and 47's heralded the arrival into Crewe. Also seen was 90227 - the first time I've seen any of the recently re-numbered skodas.

The run to Carlisle was straight up the West Coast Main Line and there was not really much of interest to report. As per normal practice, the train took on a heavy lean to the right as we approached Wigan as the spotters jostled for the best view of the locos present at the EWS component recovery depot. Stops were made at Oxenholme and Penrith to allow people off who had chosen one of the "off-train" options. Several of us thought 67009's performance was pretty uninspiring, a view confirmed by Andy Flowers who was recording the performance.

Arrival into Carlisle was however a few minutes early, giving about an hour before we were due to depart on the mini-tour. I killed this time photographing the tour locos and also others stabled in the station area (namely 37684, 60094 & 90233).

The mini-tour was a two and a half hour affair which would cover just 20 miles! That said, for many of us it was a quality 20 miles as quite a bit of non-passenger track was due to be covered. From the station we set off northwards to Mossband Junction with 37408 in charge. In doing so we passed the DRS depot at Kingmoor where 20165 (bodyshell), 20209 (bodyshell), 20306, 20308, 20310, 20905, 33023, 33029, 37608, 37609, 37611 and 66604 ware seen. In the yard north from the depot 66603 was also sighted. At Mossband Jn we turned off to take the line into the MOD facilities at Longtown (also known as Bush-on-Esk). We carried on to the Railtrack limit at Bush-on-Esk No.2 level crossing. After a short pause it was 37421's turn to do some work. Our route back was a bit bizarre. On arriving back at Mossband Junction we took the "up goods" line which, as it approaches the yards, curves up and over the WCML on a flyover. We ran past the yards on the "up arrival" then "No.1 departure line" to the "up goods" again. At the DRS depot we stopped....

....then after a couple of minutes we set back in the direction from which we'd just come. A quick scan of the Quail track-plan book showed what we were up to - we set-back onto the "down main", then stopped, then reversed again to cross-over onto the up main. What the reason for this was is a bit of a mystery but I guess the serious track-bashers were pleased.

But the strange moves were not over yet - as we approached Caldew Junction we took the points back over to the down main, then proceeded to run "wrong line" to Carlisle station. Not a platform road for us either - we passed through without stopping on the " 'B' up & down goods" line - quite a rarity for any passenger train!

Once south of the station we passed over the maze of lines that criss-cross the area immediately south of the station - an area that always fascinated me in the late 1970s' when annual family holidays always took us north on trains like "The Clansman". There always seemed to be class 08 shunters passing underneath any time I passed over on the WCML!

For the next hour or so we were to ourselves zoom back and forth over the lines, covering almost all the possible routes. We turned off the WCML at Upperby Junction and ran into the "up goods through" until 37421 was at about the Upperby Yard Ground Frame. We reversed here and 37408 took us the short distance round the "through siding" to London Road Junction - we were now on the route towards Newcastle and the Settle & Carlisle line. We only went as far as we had to to clear the junction before reversing again. We now headed under the WCML on the "down Newcastle goods" line through Bog Junction to Currock Junction (i.e. joining the route to Workington). Another reversal now (are you keeping up with all this?) and back to Bog Junction where we then curved off onto the "up good line" which took us back under the WCML and up to Upperby Junction. We again used the "up goods through line" but now 37408 was at the south end of the train! We again stopped with the leading loco at about the Upperby Yard Ground Frame. Another reversal - this time re-tracing our route to Currock Junction! One last reversal and we then took the passenger line back into Carlisle station and the end of the mini-tour.

So, to recap, during the to and fro session south of the station we covered all the possible routes with the exception of the passenger curve that is used by trains coming from the Newcastle and S&C direction to the station. One interesting point was that, in the original tour advert, a run to Carlisle Rome Street was mentioned. This vanished off later specs and, as we passed Bog Junction, we saw why - the line simply isn't there anymore! It comes off at Bog Junction but now ends about 2-3 coach lengths from the junction with a set of buffers on the down line and nothing on the up. A case I think of checking your facts before requesting the route?

Just half an hour on our return before the main train was due to leave southwards. Time enough to photograph 37421 and 67009 as one gave way to the other at the south end of the train.

The southbound run seemed as uninspired as the outward one - though I'm told we did hit the ton between Lancaster and Preston. On the approach to Preston we viewed the M6 motorway which was almost stationary going southbound - no doubt holidaymakers returning from the delights of Blackpool etc. At Acton Grange Junction we passed a nuclear flask train headed by no less than four DRS locos! 20901, 20903, 20315 & 20315 were at the helm but I don't know if all were powering (I'd suspect not). After a reasonable run south we came to Crewe and the usual stagger in ensued. On arriving into the main southbound platform it was a case of "stand by repel boarders as the platform as wedged with "normals" waiting a service train. Some attempted to join (despite announcements - don't people ever listen?). I was stood at a door and overheard a passenger on the platform commenting to another that it was ridiculous that their service train as delayed to let a charter train in to the platform.  She caught my eye at that point and I mentioned that we'd been waiting some time ourselves to get into the station. She actually apologised! We continued to re-trace our outward route as far as Bushbury Junction from where we returned via Wolverhampton and the direct route to Birmingham New Street. From here we went via the Camp Hill line to get to Kings Norton. The usual stagger ensued behind a Redditch stopper before we arrived back into Barnt Green about 20 minutes late, half the deficit having been racked up since Kings Norton!

Verdict : A nice way to spend the Easter Monday holiday. Good to have a tour that "did exactly what it said in the brochure" too!

Gary Thornton.

Timings (Booked & Actual)

No allowance has been made for the "set-back" move at Kingmoor with 37408/37421 which took the train from the "up goods" line to the "up main" via the "down main".

Back to "The Railtour Files"