4th November 2001

Daylight Railtours
The Alresford Adventurer

Route :
1Z96 : Alresford to Walton-on-Naze
1Z91 : Walton-on-Naze to Alresford

Notes:
(1) 47635 on rear.
(2) 35005 on rear.

Sources : John Clifford & Terry Jackson

Tour Review
(by John Clifford)

Have you ever booked late for a tour, got one of the last seats, found that the motive power and route are different from what was advertised, arrived back well late and though afterwards that it was a great tour. This trip was one of those for me.

My youngest grandson was one on 7th November 2001 so I had left this weekend clear in case his mum decided to have a party for him at the last minute. When I found that nothing was going to happen that weekend I decided to book for the trip and phoned up on the Tuesday before. There was one Standard Plus seat available so I took it. I made a further phone call on the Friday and found out that the routing had been changed because of engineering work on the North London Line so we would now be going via Barking (outward) & Woodgrange Park on the return. I had been expecting the Mid Hants' Crompton D6593 on the rear and learnt that instead there would now be an EWS loco from Olympia.

I made my way from Hatfield via King Cross, the Victoria line & South Central to Clapham Junc. where after a Danish Pastry and a cup of tea in one of the buffets I went to platforms 3/4 to wait. Slightly late the train appeared behind not 34016 "Bodmin" but "Merchant" 5. Being a Bulleid fan I liked a "West Country" but a "Merchant" is even better. Off we set and after 3 miles stopped at Olympia for water and to attach our assisting loco for the day, 47635.

Duly watered we set off again. There was an announcement that 35005 would tackle the bank on its own & 47635 would give assistance only if asked for: good! We lost a bit of time going round to Barking due to signal checks. At Barking there was a slight delay as 47635 was not clear of the signal so eventually we had to pull up a bit so making us later still. We reversed to Forest Gate, then set off down the Great Eastern Main Line and made up 11 mins. to our next water stop at Colchester. There was lots of noise especially up Brentwood bank.

At Colchester there was a chance to catch up with news from old friends, some of whom I had not seen for some years. We learnt that there might be a problem as there had been a fatality on the Clacton line earlier, but, in the event, trains were running again. We set off, only to be stopped at East Gate Junc. as we had the wrong road! The signaller thought we were going to Colchester Town. This sorted out we went forward & by cutting the stop at Alresford to few minutes we only slightly adrift at Walton. On the way back we had to wait at Kirby Cross to cross the branch train so were 26 mins. late at Colchester Town.

A further reversal and a stop at Colchester to pick up those who had got off earlier to visit the town meant that we finally passed Marks Tey 36 late & on to the Sudbury branch. Now, I have been to Sudbury behind steam a few times in the 1950's and have gone through to Cambridge when the line was still open that far, but never expected to get down the line behind a big engine. But, here we were! There was stop at Chapel for more coal so we lost more time. On the way back a stop had been arranged at Chapel to visit the Museum and for loco servicing purposes. All I managed to do was to get a burger & chips in the cafe and a chat with friends ate up the time we were there.

The hour & a half stop at Chappel was cut to just under an hour, so we got moving again less than half an hour late. Our next call was the Up Loop at Marks Tey where consternation was caused to one of the Mid Hants' volunteers as someone jumped out and ran across the fields, presumably a basher!

After waiting for some trains to pass we set of. Again there was lots of noise, but to no avail as we got signal checks and to make things worse there was a track circuit failure near Forest Gate. We got there over an hour late. Further delays ensued as our pilotman for the next stage had gone back to Stratford as we were so late and then couldn't get back. We did get away and, after a further reversal at Woodgrange Park got back to Olympia 78 mins. late where I left to get the District line and eventually got home at 2315.

Despite, all the problems I thoroughly enjoyed it. There was some good running where possible, I caught up with friends I had not seen for some years & I got a big engine down lines I wasn't expecting.

John Clifford

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(by John Clifford & John Broderick)

Back to "The Railtour Files"