18th May 2002

Mid Cheshire Rail Users Association
The Somerset Coast Express

Locos Used 47725 'Bristol Barton Hill', 47733 'Eastern Star' & 67008

Route:
1Z44 : Altrincham to Minehead
1Z45 : Minehead to Altrincham

Loco(s) Route
47725 Altrincham - Northwich - Greenbank - Chester - Wrexham General - Shrewsbury - Craven Arms - Hereford - Abergavenny - Maindee North Jn - Maindee East Jn - Sevrn Tunnel Junction - Pilning - Filton Jn - Stapleton Road - Bristol Temple Meads - Worle Jn - Uphill Jn - Hunstpill (1)
47733 (2) Hunstpill - Bridgwater - Cogload Jn - Taunton
47733 Taunton - Bishops Lydeard - Minehead
47733 (3) Minehead - (reverse of outward route) - Bristol Temple Meads
67008 Bristol Temple Meads - (reverse of outward route) - Altrincham

Notes:
(1) Loco failed at Hunstpill (near Highbridge) with a small fire around number 3 traction motor caused by an oil leak spraying on to it.
(2) plus 47725 dead-in-tow.
(3) On the return journey 47733 was showing as low on coolant and fuel, also the ETH would not work. Coolant was topped up at Bishops Lydeard. Once under way from Taunton the cab filled up with fumes from a blown exhaust manifold thus the 47 was replaced by 67008 at Bristol.
(4) David Miller comments: We were short staffed as the organiser was in hospital, so this must have been our most disastrous tour (so far). I was a courier and running a raffle so my notes were rather thin and I would not argue with anyone wanting to add amendments. However the times do illustrate the report you already have. The class 67 went like the wind from Bristol and made up half an hour. I think it was the first visit of the class to the Mid Cheshire Line but we were past caring.

Sources : Nick Roberts, Steve Bates & David Miller

Photo Review


47725 arrives into Wrexham General (photo: John Cowlishaw)


47733 on arrival into Minehead, 105 minutes late (photo: David Miller)


67008 at Wrexham General on the return leg (photo: John Cowlishaw)


Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from David Miller)

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
Altrincham 06.21d ?   23.26a ?
Hale ??.??a ~ 06.24d ?   23.19a ~ ??.??d ?
Mobberley ??.??a ~ 06.32d ?   23.12a ~ ??.??d ?
Knutsford ??.??a ~ 06.40d ?   23.05a ~ ??.??d ?
Plumley ??.??a ~ 06.48d ?   22.58a ~ ??.??d ?
Northwich ??.??a ~ 06.57d ?   22.50a ~ ??.??d ?
Greenbank ??.??a ~ 07.05d ?   22.43a ~ ??.??d ?
Cuddington ??.??a ~ 07.13d ??.?? ~ 07.13   22.36a ~ ??.??d 23.35 ~ ??.??
Mouldsworth ??.??a ~ 07.26d ?   22.24a ~ ??.??d ?
Chester ??.??a ~ 07.48d ?   22.09a ~ ??.??d ?
Wrexham General ??.??a ~ 08.07d ?   21.37a ~ ??.??d ?
Gobowen ??.??a ~ 08.29d ?   21.21a ~ ??.??d ?
Shrewsbury ??.??a ~ 09.03d ?   20.58a ~ ??.??d ?
Bristol Temple Meads 11.31a ~ ??.??d 11.31 ~ ??.??   ??.??a ~ 18.26d 19.38 ~ 20.02
Taunton ? 14.02 ~ 14.30   ? 18.51 ~ ??.??
Taunton signals - -   ? 18.45 ~ 18.48
Bishops Lydeard ? ?   ??.??a ~ 17.50d ?
Minehead 13.55a 15.40   16.45d 17.00


Back to "The Railtour Files"