7th June 2003

Hertfordshire Rail Tours
The Thames-Taff
(Forgotten Tracks series)

Locos Used 66127 & 66158
Stock Used 2834+1680+3147+3141+3120+3097+1698+3146+4915+1813+5027+5007+5482

Route:
1Z66 : Finsbury Park to Machen to Cardiff Central
1Z33 : Cardiff Central Cwm Bargoed to Finsbury Park

Loco(s) Route
66158 Finsbury Park - Freight Terminal Jn - Camden Road - Gospel Oak - Willesden Junction HL - Acton Wells Jn - Acton Main Line - (via GWML) - Newport
66158 (1) Newport - Gaer Jn - Park Jn - Machen Quarry (to end of line)
66127 (2) Machen Quarry - Park Jn - Ebbw Jn - Cardiff
66158 (1) Cardiff Central - Cardiff Queen Street - Caerphilly - Ystrad Mynach South Jn - Cwm Bargoed (approx 7ch short of end of line)
66127 (2) Cwm Bargoed - (reverse of outward route) - Cardiff Central - Radyr Branch Jn - Penarth Curve North Jn - Ninian Park
66158 (1) Ninian Park - (reverse of outward route) - Cardiff Central - Newport
66158 Newport - (reverse of outward route) - Finsbury Park

Notes :
(1) 66127 on rear.
(2) 66158 on rear.
(3) Train was booked to reverse at Cardiff Central but owing to its length (load 13 plus 2 x class 66) it continued to Ninian Park to undertake the reversal.


66158 approaches Maidenhead on the outward run.

Source : Gary Thornton (joined/left the train at Maidenhead)

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Gary Thornton & Daniel Bound)

M.C Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual M.C
0.00 Finsbury Park 07.59d 07.59   21.40a - 358.55
1.57 Freight Terminal Jn 08/04 08/06   21/32 - 356.78
2.11 Camden Road East Jn 08/16 08/09   21/29 - 356.44
2.28 Camden Road 08/18 08/09   21/27 - 356.27
3.47 Gospel Oak 08/22 08/14   21/23 - 355.08
7.76 Willesden Junction HL 08/34 08/25   21/07 - 350.59
8.61 Acton Wells Jn 08/37 08/28   21/04 - 349.74
9.33 Acton Main Line 08/53 08/53   20/57 - 349.22
10.68 Ealing Broadway 08.56a ~ 09.00d 08.57 ~ 09.01   20.49a ~ 20.53d - 347.67
14.18 Southall 09/07 09/05   20/42 - 344.37
23.48 Slough 09/19 09/19   20/30 20/43 335.07
29.31 Maidenhead 09.24a ~ 09.25d 09.25 ~ 09.27   20.22a ~ 20.24d 20.34 ~ 20.36 329.24
36.13 Twyford 09/32 09/35   20/15 20/25 322.42
41.10 Reading 09.37a ~ 09.40d 09.41 ~ 09.43   20.05a ~ 20.09d 20.14 ~ 20.16 317.45
58.22 Didcot Parkway 09/58 10/06   19*41a ~ 19*48d 19/56 300.33
58.67 Foxhall Jn 10/01 10.08a ~ 10.10d   19/32 19/49 299.68
65.34 Wantage Road 10/07 10/18   19/26 19/41 293.21
69.12 Challow 10/19 10/20   19/23 19/38 289.43
71.51 Uffington 10/21 10/22   19/20 19/36 287.04
82.35 Swindon 10/31 10/32   19/11 19/27 276.20
88.19 Wootton Bassett Jn 10/36 10/37   19/04 19/21 270.36
99.22 Hullavington 10/45 10/46   18/54 19/12 259.33
112.24 Westerleigh Jn 10/56 10/56   18/44 19/02 246.31
116.74 Bristol Parkway 11.02a ~ 11.04d 11.01 ~ 11.14   18.29a ~ 18.38d 18.54 ~ 18.56 241.61
118.16 Patchway 11/07 11/19   18/27 18/52 240.39
121.62 Pilning 11/10 11/24   18/20 18/48 236.73
128.58 Severn Tunnel Junction 11/18 11/32   18/12 18/42 229.77
138.47 Newport 11L33a ~ 11L48d 11.52 ~ 12.14   17L28a ~ 17L55d 18.21 ~ 18.29 220.08

 

M.C Location Booked Actual
139.30 Gaer Jn 11/51 12/18
140.21 Park Jn 11t54a ~ 11t56d 12.21 ~ 12.22
145.69 Machen Quarry 12.18a ~ 12.28d 12.44 ~ 12.51
151.37 Park Jn 12t50a ~ 12t54d 13.13 ~ 13.14
152.19 Ebbw Jn 12/59 13.16a ~ 13.20d
155.72 Marshfield 13/04 13/26
162.42 Cardiff Central 13.17a ~ 14.28d 13.33 ~ 15.20
163.18 Cardiff Queen Street 14/31 15/23
165.37 Heath Jn 14/35 15/27
170.26 Caerphilly 14/41 15/34
175.46 Ystrad Mynach South Jn 14t52a ~ 14t54d 15.46 ~ 15.47
185.35 Cwm Bargoed 15.30a ~ 15.40d 16.24 ~ 16.35
195.24 Ystrad Mynach South Jn 16t25a ~ 16t27d 17.07 ~ 17.20
200.44 Caerphilly 16/36 17/28
205.33 Heath Jn 16/48 17/34
207.52 Cardiff Queen Street 16/57 17/39
208.28 Cardiff Central 17.00a 17/47
???.?? Ninian Park DIV 17.51a ~ 17.58d
208.28 Cardiff Central 17.03d 18/03
214.78 Marshfield 17/19 18/12
219.25 Gaer Jn 17/25 18/17

Timings continue in first table.

All distances (in miles & chains) are taken from the tour booklet and no attempt has been made to verify them. No account has been taken of the additional distance travelled on account of the reversal at Ninian Park rather than Cardiff Central.

Back to "The Railtour Files"