18th September 2004
Pathfinder Tours
The Royal Edinburgh
Loco Used | 45112 |
Stock Used | 17056+3069+3068+3066+3148+1842+5292+5366+5276 |
Route:
1Z45 : Newtown to Edinburgh Waverley
1Z21 : Edinburgh Waverley to Newtown
Loco Route 45112 Newtown - Shrewsbury - Gobowen - Wrexham General - Chester - Frodsham - Acton Grange Jn - (via WCML) - Carstairs South Jn - Midcalder Jn - Haymarket - Edinburgh Waverley 45112 Edinburgh Waverley - (reverse of outward route) - Newtown
Sources : various
Tour Review
(by Dan Augood)
Chaps,
Two words - 'Not Required!' Duly Nailed for, oh I don't know, a few hundred miles I suppose, on Saturday. Two more words 'Fire' and 'Hell' - not necessarily in that order! They gave it plenty, and then they gave it some more. Due to a booking foul up, our coach (J) was first class, and at the front for the outbound trip, Shap and Beatock despatched at a screaming, bellowing fifty mph. The looks on the faces of the party of Japanese golfers we passed at the lineside as we screamed away from Carstairs will live in the memory for a long time! The stuff of legend.
A few things I'd forgotten in my wilderness years:
How good they sound
How attractive the WCML is north of Carlisle
How little there is to do in Warrington is at eight o'clock in the morning.
Some numbers for you
0 - The number of times I found myself in Carlisle in the period 1988 - 2003
5 - The number of Times I've found myself there in the year since coming out of
retirement last year.
50 - Our speed over Beatock in miles per hour
29,568,000 - The same in cubits per week
6804 - The number of days since I'd last had a peak before Saturday (45102
Birmingham NS to Burton on Trent, 1st Feb 1986!)
2 - the number of days since I last scored a peak as of now.
449 - The actual mileage - off Six Bells Jcn
45112 - The number of the beast!
And that's about the size of it really. Would I recommend this experience to you? You bet I would. Given the choice between last Saturday and a selection of Sheds to an obscure freight line in the Midlands, I know which I prefer. Breakfast in Carlisle, lunch in Edinburgh, dinner in Manchester. No guts, no glory, that's what I say. Too good to be true? certainly felt like it. Woke up on Sunday and thought it must all have been a dream. Wonderful.
Dan Augood
Timings (Booked & Actual)
(courtesy of Pathfinder
Tours)
M.C | Location | Booked | Actual | Booked | Actual | M.C | |
0.00 | Newtown | 05.45d | 05.57 | 23.48a | 23.39 | 312.66 | |
13.68 | Welshpool | 06.05a ~ 06.08d | 06.13 ~ 06.15 | 23.26a ~ 23.28d | 23.13 ~ 23.20 | 298.78 | |
32.58 | Sutton Bridge Jn | 06*28a ~ 06*30d | ? | 23*05a ~ 23*06d | ? | 280.08 | |
33.42 | Shrewsbury | 06.36a ~ 06.43d | 06.42 ~ 06.45 | 22.57a ~ 23.00d | 22.40 ~ 22.45 | 279.24 | |
51.46 | Gobowen | 07.07a ~ 07.10d | 07.05 ~ 07.10 | 22.28a ~ 22.30d | 22.17 ~ 22.18 | 261.20 | |
58.71 | Ruabon | 07.22a ~ 07.25d | ? | 22.16a ~ 22.18d | ? | 253.75 | |
63.62 | Wrexham General | 07.32a ~ 07.36d | 07.32 ~ 07.36 | 22.06a ~ 22.08d | 21.57 ~ 21.59 | 249.04 | |
74.06 | Saltney Jn | 07/52 | 07/49 | 21/52 | 21/44 | 238.60 | |
75.77 | Chester | 07.57a ~ 08.00d | 07.56 ~ 08.01 | 21.46a ~ 21.49d | 21.38 ~ 21.41 | 236.69 | |
78.50 | Mickle Trafford | 08/10 | ? | 21/36 | ? | 234.16 | |
83.27 | Helsby | 08/14 | 08/12 | 21/31 | 21/29 | 229.39 | |
85.61 | Frodsham | 08.18a ~ 08.21d | ? | 21.24a ~ 21.26d | ? | 227.05 | |
92.12 | Acton Grange Jn | 08/29 | 08/27 | 21/15 | 21/15 | 220.54 | |
93.79 | Warrington Bank Quay | 08.31a ~ 08.34d | 08.30 ~ 08.34 | 21.08a ~ 21.10d | 21.10 ~ 21.12 | 218.67 | |
97.35 | Winwick Jn | 08/39 | 08/38 | 21/03 | 21/06 | 215.31 | |
105.59 | Wigan North Western | 08/46 | 08/45 | 20/55 | 20/58 | 207.07 | |
115.33 | Euxton Jn | 08/55 | 08/53 | 20/46 | 20/46 | 197.33 | |
120.69 | Preston | 09/05 | 09/05 | 20/38 | 20/39 | 191.77 | |
141.67 | Lancaster | 09/25 | 09/23 | 20/18 | 20/19 | 170.79 | |
147.75 | Carnforth North Jn | 09/33 | 09/27 | 20/12 | 20/12 | 164.71 | |
160.75 | Oxenholme | 09/44 | 09/36 | 20/03 | 20/01 | 151.71 | |
173.44 | Tebay | 09/57 | 09/47 | 19/53 | 19/20 | 139.22 | |
193.07 | Penrith | 10/15 | 10/02 | 19/35 | 19/02 | 119.59 | |
210.76 | Carlisle | 10.31a ~ 11.10d | 10.17 ~ 11.10 | 19c04a ~ 19c14d | 18.44 ~ 18.45 | 101.70 | |
219.53 | Gretna Jn | 11/20 | 11/18 | 18/55 | 18/36 | 93.13 | |
236.62 | Lockerbie | 11*38a ~ 11*47d | ? | 18/37 | 18/25 | 76.04 | |
250.36 | Beattock | 12/01 | 11/44 | 18/27 | 18/15 | 62.30 | |
260.60 | Beattock Summit | 12/18 | 11/54 | 18/20 | 18/09 | 52.06 | |
268.66 | Abington | 12*28a ~ 12*36d | ? | 18/13 | 18/03 | 44.00 | |
284.09 | Carstairs South Jn | 12/56 | 12/20 | 18/00 | 17/49 | 28.57 | |
300.72 | Midcalder Jn | 13/15 | 12/37 | 17/30 | 17/32 | 11.74 | |
301.66 | Kirknewton | 13.17a ~ 13.18d | 12.38 ~ 12.40 | ? | ? | ? | |
310.21 | Slateford Jn | 13/30 | 12/49 | 17/18 | 17/23 | 2.45 | |
311.47 | Haymarket | 13/33 | 13/07 | 17/15 | 17/21 | 1.19 | |
312.66 | Edinburgh Waverley | 13.39a | 13.11 | 17.11d | 17.16 | 0.00 |