15th October 2005

Mercia Charters Limited
The Broken Link

Locos Used SNCB 1201
TUC Rail 5305 & 5316
PFT 201.010
Stock Used 21008+21023+21017

Route:
E18286 : Bruxelles Midi/Ziud to Antwerpen Blok 10
Z18287 : Antwerpen Blok 10 to Y. Frederik
Z18288 : Y. Frederik to Antwerpen Noord Perron TCT
Z18289 : Antwerpen Noord Perron TCT to SNCB/NS border
Z18290 : SNCB/NS border to Lier
Z18291 : Lier - Kinkempois ATD
Z18292 : Kinkempois ATD - Gent Sint Pieters

Loco(s) Route
1201 Bruxelles Midi - Y Bruxelles KE/PI - Y St Katherina Lombeke - Denderleeuw - Aalst - Schellebelle - Melle - Merelbeke - Y Oost Ledeberg - Y Noord Ledeberg - Gent Dampoort - (1) - Lokeren - Sint Nicklaas - Zwijndrecht - Antwerpen Berchem - Antwerpen Oost - Y Holland - Y Driehoekstraat - Y Schijn - Antwerpen Noord Bl.9 - Antwerpen Noord Bl.10 - end of yard close to Bl.11
5316 + 5305 (3) end of yard close to Bl.11 - Antwerpen Noord Bl.10 - Y Walenhoek - (via line 11) - Y Stabroek - (via line 11) - signal controlling entrance to Noordzeeterminal (3)
201.010 (4) signal controlling entrance to Noordzeeterminal - (reverse of outward route) - Y Walenhoek - (5) Antwerpen Noord Bl.9 - Y Schijn - Y Driehoekstraat - Y Holland - Antwerpen Oost - Antwerpen Berchem - Y Krijgsbaan (6) - Hove - Y Lint - (6) Lier - Herentals - Mol - Neerpelt - NS/SNCB Border
5316 + 5305 (3) NS/SNCB Border - Neerpelt - headshunt (former line 18) (7)
201.010 (4) headshunt (former line 18) (7) - Neerpelt
5316 + 5305 (3) Neerpelt - Mol - Herentals - Lier
201.010 Lier - Heist-op-den-Berg - Y Aarschot Noord - Y Aarschot Oost - Diest - Hasselt - Bilzen - Tongeren - Glons - Liège Palais - Liège Guillemins - Kinkempois ATD
201.010 Kinkempois ATD - Liège Guillemins - Ans - Waremme - Landen - Leuven - Zaventem - Schaarbeek - Bruxelles Noord - Bruxelles Midi - Y Bruxelles KE/PI - Y St Katherina Lombeke - Denderleeuw - Aalst - Schellebelle - Melle - Merelbeke - Gent Sint Pieters

Notes :
(1) Was booked to pass through Gent Zeehaven Vorming (yard) but was routed on the passenger route for reason(s) unexplained.
(2) 201.010 on rear.
(3) Booked reversal point was Y Frederik, a few hundred metres further than we reached.
(4) 5316 & 5305 on rear.
(5) A planned depot visit to Antwerpen Noord (train stopping at Antwerpen Noord Perron CTC) was not made. Booked route was Antwerpen Noord Bl.10 - Antwerpen Noord Perron CTC - Y Schijn.
(6) Booked route was Y Krijgsbaan - Y Aubry - Lier. It appeared the service trains were also being diverted over the same route.
(7) The short run from Neerpelt to the headshunt was not booked but offered by the local train staff whilst waiting a path back to Mol.

Source : Gary Thornton (on train from Gent Dampoort to Gent Sint Pieters)

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

km

Location

 Booked Actual
0.00 Bruxelles M/Z 06.47d 06.49
2.90 Y Bruxelles KE/PI 06/50 06/52
17.50 Y St Katherina Lombeke 07/00 07/00
21.80 Denderleeuw 07/04 07/04
28.30 Aalst 07/12 07/11
38.90 Schellebelle 07/22 07/22
48.05 Y Melle 07/30 07/30
51.25 Merelbeke 07/38 07/36
52.25 Y Oost Ledeberg 07/40 07/38
52.85 Y Noord Ledeberg 07/41 07/39
55.95 Gent Dampoort 07.46a ~ 07.49d 07.42 ~ 07.48
? Gent Zeehaven Vorming 07/52 DIV
76.15 Lokeren 08/05 07/59
89.35 St Nicklaas 08/14 08.07a ~ 08.13d [P4]
103.35 Zwijndrecht 08/22 08/26
108.75 Y Antwerpen Zuid 08/28 08/31
111.45 Y West Berchem 08/31 08/34
112.25 Antwerpen Berchem 08/33 08/35 [P3]
115.65 Y Schijnpoort 08/40 08/39
115.95 Y Holland 08/41 08/40
121.85 Luchtbal Bl 8 08/47 08/41
125.95 Y Driehoekstraat 08/51 08.45a ~ 08.46d
127.05 Y Schijn 08/53 08/47
129.15 Antwerpen Noord Bl.9 08/57 08/53
131.15 Antwerpen Noord Bl.10 09.10a ~ 09.40d 09/03
? end of yard near Antwerpen Noord Bl.11 DIV 09.04a ~ 09.37d
0.00 Antwerpen Noord Bl.10 09.10a ~ 09.40d 09.38 ~ 09.47
? Y Walenhoek 09/43 ?
? Y Stabroek 09/47 ?
? signal controlling entrance to Noordseeterminal ? 10.25a ~ 10.34d
?
0.00		 Y Frederik 10.20a ~ 10.30d DIV
? Y Stabroek 11/00 ?
? Y Walenhoek 11/05 ?
? Antwerpen Noord Bl.10 11/10 DIV
?
0.00		 Antwerpen Noord perron TCT 11.25a ~ 11.40d DIV
?
0.00		 Antwerpen Noord perron Bl.9 DIV 10/57
0.80 Y Schijn 11/44 11/01½
1.90 Y Driehoekstraat 11/46 11/02½
6.00 Luchtbal Bl 8 11/50 11/08
11.90 Y Holland 11/57 ?
12.20 Y Schijnpoort 11/58 11/14
15.60 Antwerpen Berchem 12/05 11.17a ~ 11.24d [P1]
15.80 Y Zuid Groenenhoek 12/06 11/26
19.30 Y Krijgsbaan 12/10 11/28
19.80 Y Aubry 12/12 DIV
? Hove DIV 11/37
? Y Lint DIV 11/42
27.70 Lier 12/19 11/49
29.60 Y Nazerath 12/21 11/52
47.30 Herentals 12/36 12/08
48.20 Y Kruisberg 12/38 12/09
59.20 Geel 12/47 ?
68.40 Mol 12*54a ~ 13*00d 12.24 ~ 13.02
78.30 Balen Werkplaats 13/06 13/10
82.50 Lommel 13/09 13/13
92.70 Neerpelt 13/16 13.21a ~ 13.25d [P2]
102.40
0.00		 NMBS/NS Border 13.32a ~ 13.40d 13.37 ~ 13.52
8.40 Neerpelt 13.56a 14.08a ~ 14.16d [P8]
? Headshunt (former line 18) DIV 14.18a ~ 14.22d
8.40 Neerpelt 14.05d 14.24a ~ 14.42d [P2]
19.90 Lommel 14/13 ?
24.10 Balen Werkplaats 14/16 14/52
34.00 Mol 14/25 15.00a ~ 15.05d
43.20 Geel 14/33 15/13
54.20 Y Kruisberg 14/45 ?
55.10 Herentals 14/46 15/22
72.80 Y Nazerath 14/58 15/35
74.70
0.00		 Lier 15.00a ~ 15.21d 15.37 ~ 15.47
1.90 Y Nazerath 15/23 15/51
13.50 Heist 15/32 15/59
25.30 Y Noord Aarschot 15/48 16/10
26.35 Y Oost Aarschot 15/49 16.11a ~ 16.24d
41.85 Diest 16/01 16/37
60.35 Y West Hasselt 16/16 16/52
62.55 Hasselt 16/20 16.56a ~ 17.03d
79.35 Bilzen 16/36 17/18
89.80 Tongeren 16/49 17/25
95.45 Y Glons 16/54 17.32a ~ 17.51d
103.45 Liers 17/08 18.00a ~ 18.07d [P3]
110.65 Herstal 17/17 18/14
114.55 Liège Palais 17/21 18/20 [P1]
117.55 Liège Guillemins 17/28 18/25 [P6A]
120.05 Kinkempois ATD 17.40a ~ 18.20d 18.37a ~ 19.09d
2.50 Liège Guillemins 18/32 19.21a ~ 19.23d [P6A]
8.50 Ans 18/39 19/29
16.70 Fexhe 18/45 ?
27.60 Waremme 18/52 ?
41.50 Landen 19/02 ?
54.70 Tienen 19/11 20/05
72.80 Leuven 19/24 20/18
? Y Herent 19/29 20/20
92.20 Y Zaventem 19/41 20/32
95.35 Y Diegem 19/45 20/35
99.80 Schaerbeek/Schaarbeek 19/50 20/37
102.10 Bruxelles Nord 19.53a ~ 19.56d 20.42 ~ 20.44
105.90 Bruxelles Midi/Zuid 20.04a ~ 20.06d 20.50 ~ 20.53 [P13]
123.40 Y Bruxelles KE/PI 20/09 20/55
127.70 Y St Katherina Lombeke 20/18 21/06
134.20 Denderleeuw 20/23 21/10
134.20 Aalst 20/31 21/16
144.80 Schellebelle 20/43 21/24
153.95 Y Melle 20/50 ?
157.15 Merelbeke 20/52 21/33
158.15 Y West Ledeberg 20/53 21/34
161.55 Gent Sint Pieters 20.56a 21.38 [P6]

Note : Distances do not allow for on-the-day diversions.

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