23rd October 2004

Kingfisher Railtours
Golden Arrow

Route:
1Z67 : Kettering to Canterbury West
1Z87 : Canterbury West to Kettering

Loco(s)	Route
67019	Kettering - Bedford - Luton - St. Albans City - Silkstream Jn - Brent Curve Jn - Dudding Hill Jn - Acton Canal Wharf - Acton Wells Jn - South Acton - Kew East Jn - Kew New Jn - Clapham Junction - Kensington Olympia
34067 (2)	Kensington Olympia - Clapham Junction - Latchmere Jn. - Factory Jn - Brixton - Nunhead - Bromley South - Swanley - Otford - Maidstone East - Ashford - Canterbury West - Minster - Deal - Dover Priory
34067	Dover Priory - Folkestone Central - Sevington Loop
34067 (2)	Sevington Loop - Ashford - Headcorn - Tonbridge - Sevenoaks - Orpington - Bromley South - Penge East - Herne Hill -  Brixton - Shepherds Lane - Atlantic Line - Factory Jn - (reverse of outward route) - Kensington Olympia
67019	Kensington Olympia - (reverse of outward route) - Kettering

Notes :
(1) 35518 only in consist when 34067 was on the train.
(2) 67019 on rear.

Source : John Clifford

Tour Review
(by John Clifford)

Those fellow enthusiasts who know me will be aware that I've set myself a target of getting 100,000 miles behind Bulleid Pacifics. The end of Southern steam in 1967 saw me with just over 96,000 & before this tour I needed just 304 miles to get there so I had no hesitation in booking for this one. It picked up at St. Albans which is just a 20 min bus ride from Hatfield.

The train arrived on time behind 67019 (which I needed for haulage) & we made our way up the Midland Main line to Silkstream Junc. for our journey to Kensington via Dudding Hill, Kew East & Clapham Junc. As we passed over the Great Western main line we saw "Tangmere" with its support coach waiting outside Old Oak but otherwise the journey was uneventful.

At Kensington we waited for "Tangmere" which arrived some after we were due to go. Consequently we got away some 37 mins late at 1016. The letter with the tickets had given an optimistic 0900 off Kensington! We got round to Brixton without problem and were routed via the Catford loop. Kingfisher don't provide timing sheets & when I asked for one was given the route notes which described the outward route via Penge East & Tonbridge. The other two people on my table didn't know the lines south of the Thames so I had to explain that we weren't going the way they had expected and showed them the route in "Bakers".

The journey was good until just outside Maidstone East where stopped for a few minutes and the ran slowly into the station where we were told that there was a broken rail ahead & we had to wait for a while. We got away 79 late! Those who know the line will be aware that the line climbs towards Bearsted. It had been raining as well so we made slow progress & the 67, which had been on the back for heating purposes, decided to shut down with the brakes applied. Over 20 mins were spent in trying to sort this out. There were 2 further short stops until we got going again to reach Lenham loop for water where we drew up 132 mins late. While there we watched the 1114 Cannon Street - Ashford go by, followed by the 1118 Victoria - Canterbury West followed by the 1214 Cannon Street - Ashford. At Ashford we were held for 15 mins while a Charing Cross train preceded us and so we finally made it to Canterbury West a magnificent 159 mins late.

We were told that we would still be leaving at the booked time of 1600 but those of us that have been on other steam tours to Canterbury West (e.g., The Cathedrals Express) doubted that this would give enough time to service the engine. Anyway, I decided that food was needed so my trip to Canterbury consisted of a walk to a nearby cafe, food & a walk back to the station but, what the heck, I'd only come for Bulleid mileage.

Our thoughts about the servicing proved to be correct & we got away at 1638, down to Minster & a storming run to Deal where we were stopped at the home signal as we had caught the unit. We got away with lots of noise up the climb to Guston tunnel & round to Dover where the 67 was detached as the HSE won't allow a loco on the back of a passenger train through Shakespeare tunnel in case the train has to be evacuated. Its narrow bore would cause difficulties in opening doors. Never mind that until relatively recently the non corridor "2Hap" units went through there without problems but I won't get started on that one. We took water at Folkestone West & got away an hour late.

The 67 was reattached in the Sevington loop (first time I've covered it with steam). Another storming run up the South Eastern main line followed until a signal check at Paddock Wood but off we went again. We caught another unit up at Bromley South but this was in the loop at Kent House for up to pass. We got to Kensington 70 mins late where we left "Tangmere" & the 67 got us back to St. Albans 60 mins late.

How can I sum up the tour? The 2 Hither Green crews who worked "Tangmere" to & from Canterbury gave their usual high standard of performance, so despite the short time in Canterbury & the late return I enjoyed my day out. 

My target for Bulleid Pacific mileage is just 117 away so where is there working next?

John Clifford

Timings (Booked & Actual)

Timings continue in first table.

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