Six Bells Junction

Date	Loco(s)	Route
14/09-15/09	58037	Newport (1) - Severn Tunnel Junction - Pilning - Bristol Parkway - Westerleigh Jn - Charfield - Standish Jn - Barnwood Jn - Cheltenham Spa - Abbotswood Jn - Stoke Works Jn - Bromsgrove - Barnt Green - Kings Norton - Bordesley Jn - St Andrews Jn - Proof House Jn - Birmingham New Street - Soho South Jn - Dudley Port - Wolverhampton - Bushbury Jn - Stafford - Norton Bridge - Madeley - Crewe
15/09	92014 (2)	Crewe - (via WCML) - Carlisle
15/09	56089	Carlisle - Tyne Yard
15/09	66142 (3)	Tyne Yard - Newcastle - Morpeth - Hepscott Jn - Newsham North Jn
15/09	56089 (4)	Newsham North Jn - Bedlington Jn - Ashington Jn
15/09	66142 (3)	Ashington Jn - Marchey's House Jn - Winning Jn - Freemans LC
15/09	56089 (4)	Freemans LC - Winning Crossing Jn - Bedlington Jn - Newsham North Jn - Benton North Jn - Newcastle - King Edward Bridge - Greensfield Jn - Pelaw Jn - Boldon West Jn - Tyne Dock
15/09	66142 (3)	Tyne Dock - Pelaw up sidings
15/09	56089 (4)	Pelaw up sidings - Jarrow
15/09	66142 (3)	Jarrow - Pelaw
15/09	56089 (4)	Pelaw - Sunderland - Hartlepool - Seaton Snook Jn - Seaton-on-Tees
15/09	66142 (3)	Seaton-on-Tees - Hartlepool
15/09	56089 (4)	Hartlepool - Stockton - Eaglescliffe - Longlands Jn - Thirsk - Skelton Jn - York Yard North - Holgate sidings
15/09	66142 (3)	Holgate sidings - York
15/09	56089	York - Milford Jn - Castleford - Altofts Jn - Wakefield Kirkgate - Mirfield East Jn - Hebden Bridge - Rochdale - Manchester Victoria - Eccles - Newton-le-Willows - Winwick Jn - (via WCML) - Crewe
15/09	58050	Crewe - Stafford - Bushbury Jn - Darlaston Jn - Bescot Stadium - Aston - Birmingham New Street - Selly Oak - Kings Norton - (reverse of outward route) - Newport

Notes :
(1) Train delayed at Newport due to sticking brakes on the generator car. The offending vehicle was removed by 66203 (though this was not "had" for haulage by any of the tour participants).
(2) plus 56089 dead-in-tow.
(3) 56089 on rear.
(4) 66142 on rear.

Source : David Clark (joined/left the train at Birmingham New Street) & Kevin Stroud

Tour review :
(by David Clark)

This was another tour postponed from June due to pathing problems and timing problems. So this was another tour hoping for 2nd time lucky. The tour was from Newport with a 58 to Crewe, for a 92 to Carlisle (with 56 DIT), and then across to Tyne Yard (to attach a 66), and then around the freight lines in the Blyth and Tyne areas. Like many Pathfinder tours the itinerary was to change over the months.

The timings appeared a few weeks before the tour, and I was pleasantly surprised to see that the tour getting back to Birmingham New Street for tea time. Friday morning, I found out that 58037/56089/92014 were allocated to the tour. Doh!! 58037 again, that's only twice this year for the loco. 56089 worked the Weaving Weasel from Sheffield to Oxford a few years ago.

After a mad rush to get things sorted at home, we left Scunthorpe Friday night at 6pm and set off on 158906 to Sheffield. From Doncaster it was clear that there had been the races at the racecourse as numerous people got on the train in quite a bad state. At Sheffield we caught 1V66 with 43068/43098 down to Birmingham New Street in the company of a lovely young lady who got off at Tamworth HL (shame!). The Central Rivers Depot at Burton on Trent was seen, with numerous Virgin Voyagers seen.

Arrival at Birmingham New Street was greeted with the scene that appears at numerous Night Clubs on Friday nights. And lots of lovely young ladies were heading out for the night (obviously the better option one thought!!!). While looking at the TV screen I noticed someone I knew, and so it was case of chatting and getting a nice hot drink and observing the movements to / from the station concourse. At 2230 we decided to find out if the tour was on the board. Yep the 2256 to Newcastle was shown, and an arrival time of 0000 was expected!! Rumours circulated that the generator car had dragging brakes. In the words of a missing friend - Marvellous!!!

So, with a few more suspects we stood around talking, including rumours that Virgin due to lack of luggage space on their wonderful voyagers (not my words) that they will have to have vans travelling across the country to take the luggage!!! What a ridiculous idea. How long, before HST’s are brought back due to increased luggage capability and all round greatness compared to plastic. However, at 2343 the bone appeared through the Tunnels at Birmingham New Street. We departed at 2345 (50 late) with the counter increasing on 58037. At Stafford the noise trebled (not due to 37's being on the tour) but the Retford contingent joined on the table opposite. We arrived at Crewe to find 37038 sat on a Freightliner service. The 58 came off the train, and disappeared back to Bescot while 92014 came on to the train with 56089 DIT. However, the platform we were on (P12) had very little lighting, and so it was quite dark wandering up the platform.

We departed Crewe at 0106 (36 late) and the driver set off in a bit of a hurry. By Wigan NW the train decided to accelerate in to the oblivion. By that time I decided sleep was the best option (or lack of it!).

The train arrived at Carlisle just 4 minutes late (0310). The 92 disappeared to Crewe, the 56 ran round the train, and the Royal Mail staff appeared awaiting the Willesden to Carlisle TPO (1C00). We departed Carlisle at 0342 (6 late) and arrived at Tyne Yard at 0520 (11 down). Although we did not grice the RM terminal at Low Fell. Even though someone kicked me in the shins at Gateshead Metro Centre to wake me up just in case!!!! (thanks Jim!).

66142 was attached to our end of the train thus resulting in a nice quiet journey!! We departed Tyne Yard at 0535, passed through Newcastle Central, and took the ECML up to Morpeth (0609 7 late). From here the track gricing started properly for me anyway. We came off the ECML and took the freight line down to Hepscott and Newsham. From there, the train reversed and set out to Ashington Junction (0658/0701) (22 late on Dep). From Ashington Junction the charter took the Line towards Blyth Cambois arriving at the limit at 0715 and departed at 0722 (28 late). The area would have been a vast freight area in the past, but unfortunately there was very little now. At Freemans Junction we then made our way back to Newcastle (via Benton Junction) (39 late), Newcastle Central (38 late), King Edward Bridge Junction, passing Gateshead depot and took the Sunderland Line to Pelaw. The First Branch south of the Tyne was to be the Tyne Dock branch, even though the Jarrow Branch is first!! We arrived at Tyne Dock 0839 and departed at 0849 and set back to Pelaw (Up Sidings). From there we took the Jarrow branch, which followed the Tyne and Wear Metro to Jarrow (0929/0934) and arrived back at Pelaw at 1004.

At Pelaw we set off again at 1009 (56 late) down the Durham Coast passing through Sunderland, Seaham, Hartlepool and going on to the Seaton on Tees Branch. The branch leads to the Nuclear Power Station at Hartlepool (arrival at 1106 and departure at 1109 (31 late). We reversed at Hartlepool and dropped off what seems to be the shunter.

From departure at Hartlepool (1137 31 late) we were on 1Z28 and this was the train headcode all the way back to Newport. We departed Hartlepool via Stockton, Eaglescliffe through the lovely town of Northallerton. From which a few of us would be going through next week on another tour!!! Some of the places were recognised as we passed, and passed Longlands Junction at 1211 (15 late). The slow lines was taken to Thirsk, from where we took the fasts all the way to Skelton Junction, and took the York Avoiding line where numerous Thrall Wagons, 56111 and 66203 were seen. 66203, was the loco which carried out the shunting at Newport for the dragging brakes incident. At Holgate Sidings we reversed, and went back in to York Station at 1252. Lunch time!!!!!

Six of us griced KFC, and had the tables moved to accommodate is. We left KFC, got back to the station to find, that 58050 (according to official gen) was to take the tour back from Crewe to Newport. Another reason not to get off at York and head home for some decent kip.

We departed York at 1417 (28 late) due to having the departure time moved to accommodate a break, and the tanking of the stock. The journey back to Crewe, across the Pennines was via Milford Junction, Castleford, Altofts Junction (where a Freightliner 47 was seen), Wakefield Kirkgate (another Freightliner 47 was seen!) (16 late), Mirfield East Junction (17 late), and took the line up to Hebden Bridge from where we griced with a grid back in January on the Mancunian Marauder.

We passed through Rochdale 6 late, and found out that in our company was a Wimbledon fan!!! Yes, the rumours are true, there is one!! It was interesting talking about the club, the results (FA Cup Liverpool), annoying the Premiership teams, but more importantly their 3-2 defeat at Everton which resulted in Everton not being relegated!!

OK, enough of the football and back to the more mundane issues of the railtour. We passed Manchester Victoria on time, took the line out to Eccles, Newton-le-Willows and joined the West Coast Main Line at Winwick Junction. A crew change was had at Warrington Bank Quay (1625-1627) and departed one early. We arrived at Crewe 1656 (7 early) and the 56 came off for 58050 on!! Marvellous!!!!

The bone set off from Crewe at 1711 and by the time we arrived at Stafford we were 15 early. The members of our party alighted at Stafford, and the tour departed Stafford 14 early and headed down towards Birmingham New Street via Portobello Junction (14 early), Darlaston Junction (19 early), Bescot Stadium (19 early), but at Witton we were held from 1807-1813. Even though of the stop, we passed Aston 15 early, and arrived at Birmingham New Street 19 early!! We alighted, and let the tour carry on down to Newport (from which it arrived 34 early).

The next part was to try and find a train to get us to Derby. But with Birmingham New Street the centre of farces (apart from Leeds and Connex) we found a 150 to take us. We departed with 150108, saw a duchess at Central Rivers Depot, got to Derby to take 43072/43082 to Doncaster. At Doncaster, another conductor problem for Arriva made the train a few minutes late departing Doncaster with 158776 and arrived back at Scunthorpe at 2300. WE departed the station to listen to Jerusalem being played in the car…..

It was a enjoyable tour, even though the 58 and 56 were dud. The amount of track required was good, even though there were parts I guess from which some people would have wanted to go down further. So again, thanks to all concerned

M.C	Location	Booked	Actual
105.35	Bordesley Jn	22/42	?
105.61	St Andrews Jn	22/45	?
106.58	Proof House Jn	22/48	?
107.32	Birmingham New Street	22.51a ~ 22.56d	23.43 ~ 23.45
109.33	Soho South Jn	23/01	23/49
111.11	Galton Jn	23/03	23/52
114.56	Dudley Port	23/09	23/55
120.16	Wolverhampton	23/17	00/02
120.59	Wolverhampton North Jn	23/19	00/04
121.70	Bushbury Jn	23/21	00/05
?	Stafford No.4	23/36	00/17
135.47	Stafford	23.37a ~ 23.40d	00.18 ~ 00.20
140.76	Norton Bridge	23/47	00/26
151.78	Madeley	23/57	00/35
158.2	Basford Hall Jn	00/06	00/43
160.04 0.00	Crewe	00L10a ~ 00.30d	00.48 ~ 01.06
0.58	Crewe Coal Yard	00/33	01/09
8.66	Winsford SB	00/40	01/14
17.20	Weaver Jn	00/46	01/20
22.24	Acton Grange Jn	00/50	01/24
24.11	Warrington Bank Quay	00/52	01/25
24.22	Dallam Jn	00/53	01/26
27.47	Winwick Jn	00/56	01/28
34.42	Springs Branch Jn	01/2	01/32
35.57	Wigan South Jn	01/02	01/33
35.71	Wigan North Western	01/03	01/33
43.42	Balshaw Lane	01/1	01/39
45.44	Euxton Jn	01/12	01/40
51.01	Preston	01/27	01.56 ~ 02.02
71.79	Lancaster	01/46	02/18
73.71	Morecambe South Jn	01/48	02/20
78.07	Carnforth North Jn	01/52	02/22
91.07	Oxenholme	02/03	02/32
103.56	Tebay	02/18	-
123.19	Penrith	02/43	02/54
141.08 0.00	Carlisle	03L06a ~ 03.30d	03.10 ~ 03.42
0.53	Carlisle Road Jn	03/36	03/44
0.72	Petteril Bridge Jn	03/38	03/45
10.77	Brampton	03/39	03/58
23.05	Haltwhistle	03/54	-
31.63	Haydon Bridge	04/17	-
39.30	Hexham	04/25	-
49.50	Prudhoe	04/36	-
56.15	Blaydon	04/45	-
58.15	Gateshead Metro Centre	04/56	04/53
59.57	Norwood Jn	04/59	04/56
61.19	Low Fell Jn	05/04	05/00
61.62 0.00	Tyne Yard	05L09a ~ 05.34d	05.20 ~ 05.35
0.43	Low Fell Jn	05/39	05/42
2.48	King Edward Bridge Jn	05/42	05/47
3.22	Newcastle	05/44	05/50
5.16	Heaton South Jn	05/47	05/53
19.72	Morpeth	06/02	06/09
20.54	Hepscott Jn	06/07	06/12
24.27	Bedlington North LC	06.23a	??/??
?	Newsham North Jn	?	06.30 ~ 06.34
0.00	Bedlington Jn	06.28d	??/??
3.02 0.00	Ashington Jn	06.34a ~ 06.39d	07.01 ~ 07.01
2.72 0.00	Freemans LC	06.49a ~ 06.54d	07.15 ~ 07.22
2.28	Bedlington Jn	07/00	07/34
5.25	Newsham	07/06	07/43
13.64	Benton North Jn	07/23	08/04
16.14	Heaton South Jn	07/26	08/07
18.08	Newcastle	07c29a ~ 07c33d	08/11
18.47	King Edward Bridge East Jn	07/35	08/15
18.60	King Edward Bridge Jn	07/36	08/16
18.74	Greensfield Jn	07/37	8/17
19.42	Park Lane Jn	07/39	08/19
22.14	Pelaw Jn	07/45	08/23
25.14	Boldon West Jn	07/49	08/31
26.35 0.00	Tyne Dock Automotive	07.59a ~ 08.16d	08.39 ~ 08.49
1.21	BoldonWest Jn	08/26	08/59
4.21 0.00	Pelaw Jn	08.30a ~ 08.33d	09.08 ~ 09.14
3.36 0.00	Jarrow Oil Terminal	08.40a ~ 08.49d	09.29 ~ 09.34
3.36 0.00	Pelaw Jn	09.11a ~ 09.13d	10.04 ~ 10.09
8.36	Sunderland	09c23a ~ 09c24d	10.22 ~ 10.25
13.52	Seaham	09/38	10/34
26.41	Hartlepool	09/52	10/51
28.10	Cliff House Jn	09/56	10/54
30.68 0.00	Seaton-on-Tees (Nuclear Electric)	10.08a ~ 10.38d	11.06 ~ 11.09
1.32	Seaton Snook Jn	10/50	11/23
4.27 0.00	Hartlepool	??.??a ~ 10.56d	11.33 ~ 11.37
7.08	Billingham	11/05	11/46
11.51	Stockton	11/12	11/52
12.41	Hartburn Jn	11/21	11/53
13.25	Stockton Cut Jn	11/30	11/54
14.55	Eaglescliffe	11/32	11/56
29.42	Boroughbridge Road LC	11/54	12/10
30.31	Longlands Jn	11/56	12/11
37.06	Thirsk	12/02	12/18
49.62	Tollerton	12/12	12/28
56.11	Skelton Bridge Jn	12/19	12/36
57.51	Skelton Jn	12/21	12/38
59.08	York Yard South Jn	12/24	12/42
59.76 0.00	Holgate Sidings	12.27 ~ 12.34	12.48 ~ 12.49
0.78 0.00	York	12L34a ~ 13L49d	12.52 ~ 14.17
5.41	Colton Jn	13/5	14/23
10.58	Church Fenton	14/05	14/30
15.07	Milford Jn S.B.	14/16	14/33
20.79	Castleford	14/23	14/40
23.57	Altofts Jn	14/27	14/44
27.50	Wakefield Kirkgate	14/35	14/51
29.74	Horbury Jn	14/39	14/55
36.12	Mirfield East Jn	14/47	15/04
38.03	Heaton Lodge Jn	14/50	15/06
46.10	Milner Royd Jn	15/0	15/15
51.56	Hebden Bridge	15/08	15/20
55.51	Hall Royd Jn	15/13	15/26
61.47	Littleborough	15/26	15/35
64.11	Rochdale	15/32	15/38
70.10	Vitriol Works	15/42	15/44
72.51	Thorpes Bridge Jn	15/47	15/48
73.36	Miles Platting	15/48	15/50
74.74	Manchester Victoria	15/53	15/53
75.32	Deal Street Jn	15/55	15/55
76.06	Ordsall Lane Jn	16/00	16/00
78.65	Eccles	16/04	16/03
83.70	Astley	16/09	16/08
90.64	Newton-le-Willows	16/17	16/16
71.56	Earlestown	16/19	16/18
93.15	Winwick Jn	16/21	16/21
95.42	Dallam Jn	16/24	16/23
96.51	Warrington Bank Quay	16c26 ~ 16c28	16.25 ~ 16.27
98.38	Acton Grange Jn	16/31	16/30
104.40	Weaver Jn	16/37	16/34
111.76	Winsford SB	16/4	16/42
113.21	Winsford	16/46	16/43
120.04	Crewe Coal Yard	17/02	16/51
120.62 0.00	Crewe	17L03a ~ 17L17d	16.56 ~ 17.11
1.64	Basford Hall Jn	17/25	17/15
8.06	Madeley	17/34	17/22
19.08	Norton Bridge	17/44	17/30
24.37	Stafford	17.51a ~ 17.53d	17.36 ~ 17.39
?	Stafford No.4	17/54	17/41
38.14	Bushbury Jn	18/05	17/53
40.62	Portobello Jn	18/11	17/57
43.61	Darlaston Jn	18/19	18/00
44.79	Bescot Stadium	18/20	18/01
49.36	Perry Barr North Jn	18/28	18/05
?	Witton	??/??	18.07 ~ 18.13
51.58	Aston	18/33	18/18
53.58	Proof House Jn	18/40	18/21
54.34	Birmingham New Street	18.43a ~ 18.52d	18.24 ~ ??.??
57.65	Selly Oak	19/02	-

No attempt has been made to verify the mileages given and they do not allow for the change of reversal point at Newsham North.

Back to "The Railtour Files"

Locos Used	56089, 58037, 58050, 66142 & 92014
Stock Used	4963+5040+4927+5009+1863+21272+3098+3140+3112+1692+3122+6310 (1)

M.C	Location	Booked	Booked	M.C
0.00	Newport	20.22d	21.32a	160.19
9.69	Severn Tunnel Junction	20/33	21/18	150.30
16.65	Pilning	20/40	21/09	143.34
20.31	Patchway	20/46	21/04	139.68
21.53	Bristol Parkway	20.48a ~ 20.51d	20.39a ~ 20.44d	138.46
26.23	Westerleigh Jn	20/58	20/32	133.76
27.75	Yate	21/01	20/25	132.24
34.36	Charfield	21/07	20/19	125.63
47.61	Standish Jn	21/18	20/08	112.38
53.71	Gloucester Yard Jn	21/25	20/03	106.28
54.58	Barnwood Jn	21/26	20/02	105.41
60.21	Cheltenham Spa	21.32a ~ 21.36d	19.53a ~ 19.56d	99.78
67.32	Ashchurch	21/45	19/45	92.67
78.19	Abbotswood Jn	21/53	19/36	82.00
89.36	Stoke Works Jn	22/03	19/27	70.63
91.49	Bromsgrove	22/05	19/25	68.50
95.12	Barnt Green	22.15a ~ 22.18d	19.18a ~ 19.20d	65.07
97.69	Longbridge	22/24	19/13	62.32
100.20	Kings Norton	22/29	19/06	59.79