3rd August 2002

Cheshire Railtours
Yesteryear Special

Route :
1Z40: Leamington Spa to Minehead
1Z41: Minehead to Leamington Spa

Notes:
(1) Originally booked to run Leamington Spa – Dorridge – Birmingham Snow Hill – Kidderminster but due to engineering work on the Dorridge route, ran via Birmingham International.

Source : Adrian Knight
(Joined/left the train at Birmingham New Street)

Tour Review
(by Adrian Knight)

Cheshire Railtours operate Day Excursions for “normal” passengers but they do traverse some rare track along the way.  Looking at their brochure it was between the Midland Welshman along the Heart of Wales Line or the Yesteryear special to the West Somerset Railway.  The Midland Welshman was chosen but my cheque returned as it was sold out.  Not to worry, to encourage passengers to book on a future tour, a guaranteed window seat and a £2 reduction per passenger was offered and duly accepted for the Yesteryear special.

 Diesel hauled charters are quite rare along the Jewellery Line which was an added bonus of the tour along with doing the link from the National Rail to the West Somerset Railway.  Due to engineering work however, Snow Hill was dropped with New Street substituted and an hour earlier start!

Arrived at New Street to see 47732 Restormal already in with the BN94 rake of Blue / Grey coaches although a Green First Class was tagged on the rear.  Now last time I travelled on this rake of coaches was with Pathfinder on the Siberian Hamster. That day the stewards were commenting that a number of toilets were out of use and the same criticism was being applied today as well, no improvement in over 2 years or am I just unlucky?

Away a few seconds early, we staggered following a Central Trains service from Smethwick Junction to our first pick up point of Stourbridge Junction.  10 minutes was spent here waiting time although this did give the local in front time to get away.

Kidderminster was the next pick up point.  Cheshire had arranged for a connecting steam service form Bridgnorth for a small additional fee, which I thought was a nice choice.  How many tours can you boast starting on a preserved line with a destination on a preserved line?  I presume 1501 hauled the SVR special as it was the only loco in Kidderminster Town.  Usual suspects were around the carriage sheds including 50035 and D821.  Two of the SVR based 50’s were out on duty for Pathfinder, reports suggested they were topping the Lickey around the time we were in Kidderminster.

Onwards to Droitwich Spa then Worcester where the carriage sidings were empty.  A small wait was endured at Abbotswood Junction awaiting a Virgin 125 heading north.  Aschurch was advertised as a pick up but then dropped resulting in Cheltenham Spa being our last pick up point.  A new Adlante was in the station having worked in from Paddington.

Around the Gloucester area another 2 Virgin 125’s were passed heading north, one obviously running late – and at 10 am!  The driver put in a good performance to Westerleigh Junction where again we had to wait for a 125 to pass, this time a FGW variety.

Bristol Railnet was empty as we stormed through before staggering from Filton.  Some Monster Boxes were on the Rhubarb curve, the loco at the wrong end to observe.  31602 was enjoying an extended stay on Barton Hill after failing on a Westbury – Weymouth run earlier in the week. Keeping it company was 08904 along with 67003 and 67008.

A brief stop was made at Bristol Temple Meads to exchange crews, 43027 with 43003 in Barbie colours were waiting to depart to Paddington.

On our way again 4 late we passed 47851 on the 09:00 Paignton -  ?  It is supposed to be Edinburgh but with Wolverhampton – Stafford closed I don’t know what happens north of Birmingham.  Some good running into Taunton where we met 47813 on the Paddington – Penzance service and some bright silver and red thing I couldn’t really see waiting to head north.  Another crew change as we pulled slowly out along the Down / Up relief.

We were passed by a Virgin 125 and S.S Great Britain before we were allowed to cross the main line and along the branch to the WSR.  Arrival into Bishops Lydeard was 12 late and we stood here for 16 minutes.

A heritage Vehicle Rally was being held here hence the reason for the special.  You could either stay on the train throughout or get off and take a WSR service to Minehad or vice versa for an additional fee.

4160 brought in the WSR service from Minehead about 15 minutes late further delaying us.  Then as our train was too long, some minor shunting had to take place so both trains were clear of the points!  During the day 2 kettles were in action (4160 and 6024) along with the resident DMU.  A number of shunters and loco’s were at Williton including D3119, D7017, Class 14, Class 25 and Class 52.  The King was passed at Blue Anchor and arrival in Minehead was 32 late.  Still, we had 3 and a half hours to look around.

Observing Restormal running round it became obvious that the loco had been tagged with a Stratford Cockney Sparrow on its engine room door both sides.  I have heard that each time a sparrow appears, a donation is made to a class 47 fund and judging by the amount seen recently, the funds must be rising at quite a pace!  All in a good cause though.

Wandered around Minehaed locating a good chippy and was roasted in the heat.  Normally doing enthusiast tours the break began to drag after normally being used to around an hour we were scheduled to have almost four times that.

Went back to the station to see the King.  I scored it earlier this year on a trip from Birmingham Snow Hill to Worcester and return.  The method of loading coal onto the loco was novel. A JCB style machine scooped up a load of coal and dumped it onto the tender of 6024 – What would the fathers of the Great Western say!  It was amusing watching the people photographing the loco and the coal dust covering them as they kept snapping oblivious.

Departure was a minute early although as the late running had not been caught up, we had to wait outside Blue Anchor for 4160 travelling back to Minehead.  An unscheduled stop was made at Washford as a tour member had missed the train from Minehead and as a result had to get the station master to give him a lift to a place he could join.  Not sure what would have happened if we were on time?

We re traced our steps back to Taunton with the King resting at Bishops Lydeard.  An early departure was made from Taunton after crew had been dropped off.

Our driver must have wanted to get back and as a result a storming run was enjoyed only being spoilt waiting for a class 143 off the Weston-super-Mare branch.  We passed Parson Street 12 early before being held at Bedminster as the box decided what to do with us as a 21 minute crew change was booked.  Platform 15 was chosen as our destination

43033 and 43138 worked through on a run to Paddington along with numerous units.  Our crew were booked to arrive on the 13:43 Newcastle - Swansea Virgin service which was slightly late although we were held to allow the 17:10 Plymouth – Leeds in front as booked.

After being held on the approach to Bristol Parkway in order for a FGW Swansea service, a non-stop run was enjoyed until Gloucester where a couple of Central Trains crossed our path into and out of Gloucester.

An Adelante was in the carriage siding north of Cheltenham Spa station, 180104.

It was getting dark now and a uneventful trip ensued until Old Hill. Around 17:00 the West Midlands was blessed with an almighty storm which resulted in flooding and a small landslip.  After talking to the box, the driver was advised to travel at caution until Rowley Regis.  There was quite a bit of water in the four foot of the opposite track and engineers were noted with their torches making inspections.  This only cost us about 10 minutes as were running pretty much to time before hand.

Arrived in New Street to see the train being advertised on the monitors as the 21:50 run by West Coast Railway Company!

Verdict:  A well-organised tour, although are Pensioners ever quiet?  Also having a whole bay to ourselves was nice and a bonus to the guaranteed window seat!

Adrian Knight

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(by Adrian Knight)

Key;
a : arrival time
c : crew change
d : departure time
L : loco change
/ : passing time

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