15th December 2001

Branch Line Society
The Secondary Crewe

DMU Used 101676 (51205 & 51803)

Route : 2Z40 throughout

DMU Route (on the day)
as listed

Manchester Piccadilly [P8] - Slade Lane Jn - Heald Green - Wilmslow - Sandbach - Sydney Bridge Jn - Salop Goods Jn - Gresty Lane - Nantwich [P2]
as listed Nantwich (via Up to Down x-over) - Crewe Up & Down Loop - Crewe Steel Works
as listed Crewe Steel Works (via Down to Up x-over) - Salop Goods Jn - Basford Hall S.S. North - Basford Hall Jn - Stafford [P6-(booked P1)]
as listed Stafford - Basford Hall Jn - Basford Hall S.S. North - Salop Goods Loop Jn - Gresty Lane Curve - Gresty Lane Jn - Nantwich [P2]
as listed Nantwich (via Up to Down x-over) - Gresty Lane Jn - Salop Goods Jn - Sydney Bridge Jn - Sandbach - Chelford Down Main (booked DPL) - Stockport (via Down Main) - Slade Lane Jn - Manchester Piccadilly [P6-(booked P10)]

Notes :
Long awaited, what had now metamorphasised into the BLS's "Secondary Crewe" railtour, a visit to the freight lines, curves and connections in and around the Crewe complex. This railtour, originally scheduled to have run on August 4th 2001 but cancelled by dint of First North Western not having (or forgetting) either crew or rolling stock in the right place at the right time (even though, just like every other railtour, over fourteen weeks notice having been given), had grown to two excursions in December 2001. One last week on the 8th, and this re-run on the 15th - both almost (but not quite) full even though the price was £70.00 for the trip.

Track requested and/or scheduled (and not covered on the day):
(a) Stockport Carriage Sidings (not covered on the day due to the requirement of excessive point-clipping times and associated blocking of the Down Goods, Down Main and Down Slow lines).
(b) Chelford D.P.L. (omitted from the December specification to ease the burden on the FNW restriction on continuous driving [5hrs. max before a P.N.B.] and for pathing requirements), although it did appear on the timing sheet as a pathing stop.

Gas Hill (Branch Line Society) also makes the following comments:
(1) regarding the curve between Gresty Lane and Basford Hall S.S. North : "Special dispensation for use of the 'difficult' curve related only to one 2-car 101 in the down direction. Railtrack has consistently...made it clear that no dispensation would be given for the up track and that was not even requested for the December tours".
(2) "The British Salt siding at Middlewich, which was included in the tour of August 4th which did not run, was never part of the specification for the re-runs because that was adjusted to reflect the use of Longsight-based stock rather than a set stables at Chester".

Sources : Alan Sheppard (on train throughout),
With notes copied from Phil Pearson's write up of the tour on 8th December.
With some additional information from Gas Hill
Timings (Booked & Actual)
 (from Alan Sheppard)

M.C.

Location

 Booked Actual
0.00 Manchester Piccadilly [P8]

11.03d 

11.03d
0.54 Ardwick Jn 11/06 11/06
2.24 Slade Lane Jn 11/08 11/09
8.31 Heald Green 11/15 11/15
9.18 Heald Green South Jn 11/16 11/15½
11.50 Wilmslow 11/21 11/18½
13.20 Alderley Edge 11/23 11/20½
25.71 Sandbach 11U36a~11U38d 11U33a~11U37½d
29.45 Sydney Bridge Jn 11/50 11/50½
30.50 Salop Goods Jn 11/56 11/58
31.07 Gresty Lane 11/59 12/01½
34.68 Nantwich [P2] 12R04a~12R12d 12R09a~12R12½d
38.49 Gresty Lane 12/17 12/22
39.32 Crewe Station (Up & Down Loop) 12*22a~12*47d 12*25a~12*48½d
40.63 Crewe Steel Works SB 12R52a~13R00d 12R52a~12R55d
41.76 Crewe Heritage Centre GF 13/04 12/58
42.33 Salop Goods Jn 13/07 13/03
43.01 Basford Hall S.S. North 13/15 13/06
44.01 Basford Hall Jn 13/18 13/13
50.30 Madeley S.B. 13/25 ?
61.36 Norton Bridge SB 13/40 13/31
?? Stafford No.5 13/50 13.36 ~ 13.37
66.56 Stafford [P6] 13R52a~13R57d 13R39a~13R47d
?? Stafford No.5 13/58 13/48
71.76 Norton Bridge 14/03 13/53
83.02 Madeley 14/15 14/02½
89.31 Basford Hall Jn 14/24 14/10
90.31 Basford Hall S.S. North 14/29 14/18½
90.68 Gresty Lane 14/35 14/21
94.45 Nantwich 14R40a~14R48d 14R29a~14R32d
98.26 Gresty Lane 14/53 14/40½
98.63 Salop Goods Jn 14/58 14/44
99.68 Sydney Bridge Jn 15/02 14/56
103.42 Sandbach 15D11½a~15D13d 15D04a~15D10d
112.46 Chelford Down Passenger Loop 15*24a~15*37d Down Main 15/20
116.13 Alderley Edge 15/42 15/27½
117.63 Wilmslow 15/46 15/34½
121.43 Cheadle Hulme 15/48 15/42
122.38 Adswood Road Jn 15/49 15/44
123.28 Edgeley South Jct. (No.2) 15/52 15.46 ~ 15.47
123.73 Stockport (via Down Main) 15/53 15/49
124.55 Heaton Norris Jn 15/55 15/51
127.38 Slade Lane Jn 16/00 15/55
129.08 Ardwick Jn 16/05½ 15/58
129.62 Manchester Piccadilly [P6] 16:08a 16.02a

All distances, in miles and chains (M & C) have been extrapolated from Quail/SA.
Other than this, no attempt has been made to verify the mileages given (best estimates in italics).

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