4th October 2003

Wessex Trains / Steam Railway Magazine
The Atlantic Coast Express (Okehampton Line)

Locos Used 37308 & steam: 34067 'Tangmere'
Stock Used load 10 including 1800

Route:
1Z90 : Waterloo to Okehampton
1Z91 : Okehampton to Exeter St Davids
1Z92 : Exeter St Davids to Paddington

Loco(s) Route
34067 London Waterloo - Clapham Junction - Wimbledon - Surbiton - Woking - Farnborough (Main) - Basingstoke - Salisbury - Wilton Jn - Gillingham - Templecombe - Sherborne - Yeovil Junction - Honiton - Exeter Central - Exeter St Davids - Exeter Riverside Yard
34067 (2) Exeter Riverside Yard - Cowley Bridge Jn - Crediton - Okehampton
37308 (3) Okehampton - Crediton - Cowley Bridge Jn - Exeter St Davids
34067 Exeter St Davids - (via Tiverton loop) - Cogload Jn - Castle Cary - Frome - Westbury - Newbury - Southcote Jn - Reading - Twyford - Slough - Southall - London Paddington

Notes :
(1) Train was originally advertised as routed : Exeter St Davids to Barnstaple (rev) - Eggesford (rev) - Okehampton but revised due to pathing constraints.
(2) 37308 on rear (assisting where required on the uphill grades).
(3) 34067 on rear.
(4) Gordon Jakes comments: Some fast running was recorded by 34067 on the downward journey with 75mph being achieved in the areas of Andover, Sherborne and Pinhoe. The loss of time between Yeovil Junction and Chard Junction was unaccounted for but was responsible for the 8 minutes late arrival in Exeter St Davids. Thereafter the ongoing time loss between Riverside and Crediton accounted for the 50% reduction in layover time in Okehampton. This was unfortunate because much activity had been laid on Okehampton station for the arrival of the ACE which therefore could not be done justice! The attachment of 37308 in Riverside Yard, Exeter was required in order to facilitate the return journey from Okehampton, there being no run-round loop available at Okehampton.  An announcement was made on the train to the effect that 37308 would not be used to assist 34067 up the gradients from Crediton to Okehampton. I cannot comment as to whether or not 37308 was used but the very slow progress up the grade and the significant loss of time from Exeter would suggest that 34067 did work alone!

Sources : various including Mark Herriott (viewed the train at Basingstoke), Andy Pullar
& Gordon Jakes (on train from Waterloo to Exeter [on the return journey])

Photo Review
 (all photos: Gordon Jakes)


34067 waits to leave London Waterloo.


34067 departs St Davids station around 5pm, for servicing in Riverside Yard.


Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Terry Jackson & Gordon Jakes)

M.C Location Booked Actual
0.00 Waterloo 08.00d 08.02
3.74 Clapham Junction 08/09 08/14
7.19 Wimbledon 08/13½ 08/19
9.62 New Malden 08/16 08/22
12.03 Surbiton 08/18½ 08/24
13.27 Hampton Court Jn 08/19½ 08/26½
24.27 Woking 08/29½ 08/35
24.56 Woking Jn 08/30 08/36
33.17 Farnborough 08/39 08/43
47.61
0.00		 Basingstoke 08.54a ~ 08.57d 08.58 ~ 09.02
2.40 Worting Jn 09/02 09/07
18.38 Andover 09/22 09/24
34.55 Tunnel Jn 09/41 09/41½
35.62
0.00		 Salisbury 09w45a ~ 10w21d 09.46 ~ 10.19
1.66 Wilton Jn 10/26 ?
2.40 Wilton 10/28 ?
12.02 Tisbury Loop 10/40 10/38½
21.47
0.00		 Gillingham 10*53 ~ 10*58 10.49 ~ 11.06
6.64 Templecombe 11/08 11/17
12.66 Sherborne 11/15 11/24
17.30
0.00		 Yeovil Junction 11w22a ~ 11w48d 11.29 ~ 11.51
16.68
0.00		 Chard Junction 12*10 ~ 12*15 12/20
15.20 Honiton 12/37 12/45
29.08 Pinhoe 12/51 12/58
30.65 Exmouth Jn 12/52 13/00
31.74 Exeter Central 12/56½ 13/03
32.56
0.00		 Exeter St Davids 13.00a ~ 13.03d 13.06 ~ 13.16 [P1]
0.72
0.00		 Riverside Yard 13L07 ~ 13L45 13.21 ~ 13.48½
0.28 Cowley Bridge Jn 13/48½ 13/55
5.78
0.00		 Crediton 13.59½a ~ 14.01½d 14.12 ~ 14.22
18.05
0.00		 Okehampton 14.48a ~ 15.28d 15.20 ~ 15.50
18.05 Crediton 16.12a ~ 16.18d 16/31
23.55 Cowley Bridge Jn 16/29 16/44½
24.75
0.00		 Exeter St Davids 16.33a ~ 18.37d [P3] 16.49 ~ 18.42 [P4]
1.20 Cowley Bridge Jn 18/42 ?
16.44 Tiverton Parkway 19/02 ?
30.60 Taunton 19/18 19/48
35.49 Cogload Jn 19/22 19/52
58.25 Castle Cary 19/43 20/13
71.33 Blatchbridge Jn 19/59 20/28
72.41
0.00		 Frome 20w02a ~ 20w30d 20.30 ~ 20.57
1.00 Clink Road Jn 20/34 21/01
4.26 Fairwood Jn 20/40 21/04
5.60
0.00		 Westbury 20*44 ~ 20*49 21.07 ~ 21.37
1.03 Heywood Road Jn 20/53 21/40
7.42 Lavington 21/03 21/47
16.55 Woodborough 21/13 21/55
29.15 Bedwyn 21/30 22/10
42.42 Newbury 21/46 22/22
54.38
0.00		 Theale Loop 22w02 ~ 22w22 ?
3.28 Southcote Jn 22/29 23/02
5.12
0.00		 Reading 22.33a ~ 22.36d 23.08 ~ 23.12 [P8]
4.77 Twyford 22/45 23/37
11.59 Maidenhead 22/52½ 23/35
17.42 Slough 22/58½ 23/39
24.64 Airport Jn 23/08 23/48
26.72 Southall 23/12 23/50
30.78 Acton West 23/17 23/55
34.05 Ladbroke Grove 23/22 00/02
35.73 Paddington 23.27a 00.07


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