24th - 26th August 2008

Pathfinder Tours
Alloa Alloer

Locos Used 37417 'Richard Trevithick', 37422 'Cardiff Canton', 60100 'Pride of Acton', 66074, 66187 & 92002 'H. G. Wells'
Stock Used 21269+3066+3068+3069+3119+3107+3110+1692+1842+4949+5008+5366+5341

Route:
1Z25 : Bristol Temple Meads to Crewe
1Z26 : Crewe to Glasgow Central
1Z30 : Glasgow Central to Bristol Temple Meads

Loco(s) Route
66074 Bristol Temple Meads - Bristol Parkway - Cheltenham Spa - Abbotswood Jn - Norton Jn - Worcester Shrub Hill - Droitwich Spa - Stoke Works Jn - Barnt Green - Bordesley Jn - Birmingham New Street - Soho South Jn - Galton Jn - Wolverhampton - Stafford - Crewe
37417 + 37422 Crewe - Warrington Bank Quay - Earlstown - Eccles - Manchester Victoria - Miles Platting - Stalybridge - Greenfield - Huddersfield - Wakefield Kirkgate - Castleford - Church Fenton - York - Darlington - Durham - Newcastle - Berwick - Drem DPL (1) - Wallyford - Monktonhall Jn (2) - Edinburgh Waverley (3) - Haymarket – Gorgie Jn – Craiglockhart Jn - Millerhill Yard (Siding F7)
60100 Millerhill Yard - Gorgie Junction - Haymarket West Junction - Dalmeny - Forth Bridge - Inverkeithing - Kirkcaldy - Thornton South Jn - Dunfermline Town - Longannet - Alloa - Stirling - Cumbernauld - Coatbridge Central - Carmyle - Polmadie - Glasgow Central (4)
37417 + 37422 Glasgow Central - Smithy Lye Through Siding (5) - Shields Road - Sheids Jn - Cardonald Jn - Deanside Loop
37422 + 37417 (6) Deanside Loop - Cardonald Jn - Shields Jn - Terminus Jn - Larkfield Jn - Uddingston - Motherwell - Shieldmuir - Carstairs - Beattock Summit Up Loop - Lockerbie - Carlisle
92002 Carlisle - Penrith - Lancaster - Preston - Wigan North Western - Warrington Bank Quay - Crewe
66187 Crewe - (reverse of outward route) - Stoke Works Jn - Abbotswood Jn - (reverse of outward route) - Bristol Temple Meads

Notes :
(1) Held in Drem Loop whilst (unsuccessful) attempt made to obtain paperwork for booked route via Millerhill Yard.
(2) Diverted via Edinburgh Waverley with intention of regaining booked route at Haymarket West Jn.
(3) Headlight failure on 37417 at Edinburgh Waverley so diverted to Millerhill Yard via Edinburgh Suburban line to enable locomotive change and repair to be effected.
(4) Booked break curtailed to pick up time. Train watered in platform instead of running ECS to and from Polmadie for servicing.
(5) Diversion added as compensation for some lost route earlier.
(6) 37417 failed whilst in Beattock Summit Up Loop because of loss of coolant.
(7) 37's used in lieu of a Fastline Class 56/3.

Sources : LASERman, Pathfinder Tours, & Gordon Jakes

Tour Review 1
(by Andrew Martin)

Aren't we just mad in doing this hobby? Rather than an early start, just set off the night before so I got to Bolton station for the 20.05 to Wigan and meeting my friend on the Pendolino from Wigan to Crewe which went fine. 3 hours to kill at Crewe before the tour was due but a reasonable amount of activity including a couple of DRS 66s one being 419 heading north on a long Intermodal meant it didn't take too long to pass even if the we were thrown out of the station buffet as it closed at 9.30 and were starting to feel cold when the tour rolled in behind 66074 at about 11.40pm. Locos changed to 37417 and 422 that we had passed earlier at Warrington and an on-time departure at 00.25 or so. To Manchester Victoria via Newton-le-Willows, and across the Pennines on the Calder Valley route where very slack timings gave about a 40 minutes early arrival in York. A bonus here was a southbound diverted load 17 sleeper behind 90021 in First Scotrail livery which arrived and departed without waiting long. Off again promptly and I peek an eye open as we pass through Newcastle with the departure screens showing the first trains of the day to Kings Cross and Chathill. More shut eye and I awaken with a start as we enter Drem down passenger loop, and again well early. A 322 goes both on and off the Berwick branch and still we don't move. After a while, the Pathfinder train manager comes on: a b*lls-up at Network rail means the correct paperwork isn't in place to give us the authority for freight the line into Millerhill and there is doubt about the Deanside branch later so we are here until they can make up their minds what to do with us. I think railtours should have a farce-factor rating out of 10. 8 here and about to get higher: we are to divert via Waverley, the new driver is in a taxi from Millerhill to Waverley and we are to continue with the 37s [no Class 60] and pick up our path from there. We get into Waverley and wait. And wait. And wait. Passengers on the platform are looking for a Bournemouth train. We depart and head west. Just as we should be heading to the Fife lines, the train manager comes on again: "you will notice that we are now turning onto the Edinburgh suburban line"...the headlight on the leading loco is broken so we must travel at 20mph to the nearest depot (Millerhill!). Despite attempts to fix it at Waverley, the other 3 headlights all have different fittings! So we trundle around the suburban and get to Millerhill by the wrong route and over more freight only lines over which there was no doubt no pre-ordained authority to travel...hey ho. Farce factor in the red-zone: will we even get SAK being this late? Will Deanside be caped?

However, the 60 comes on the back and we set off whence we came, taking the other curve from the suburban back onto the main lines. I didn't need either of these and wanted the ECML connection. D*mn and blast! We are now about 1 and three quarter hours late. But on the railway, miracles do happen and what odds would you get on a clear run straight through to Glasgow Central with only 5 minutes to wait at Dunfermline for an MGR coming off the Alloa line? The sky is black and for SAK, it's tipping it down. The flare at Grangemouth refinery can just be seen across the Forth through the driving rain. Highlight of the day route-wise. Low-light [literally!] weather-wise. However, an almost non-stop run was had and we get to Eglinton St having taken the slow-lines past Rutherglen all the way from the Rutherglen and Carmyle route. 5-10 minutes wait here but I guess that with load 13 + a loco on the front + 2x37 to re-join us at Central on the back, it has to be Platform 11 we're heading for - and it is. Arrival about 1hr 25 late so just half an hour here and we can leave on time. Which we do, with the 37s, as booked.

Pathfinder again " we can offer you some track that we hadn't planned: we've had a word the the Box and we're to be routed via the through siding on the way to Deanside". Don't need that either :-( . Authority? We do Deanside as scheduled but the track is fairly rusty although there's just a hint of polish as we brush up against the trees and get to the run-round loop. A massive site this, but most of the rails rather rusty and HNRC's 12082 is spotted inside but not much else from a railway point of view. I wanted 09107 which was active here a lot in the recent past, but as ever, shunters get away from me. The 37s run round and we depart the branch only a few minutes late. My Burger-King lunch and little sleep now catch up with me. I am dead tired and can't be sure if we stopped in Beattock loop. Think we did and a Pendo passed us. I doze and wake up as we pass Kingmoor but I can't get to a door in time to get a better view of the DRS locos. Another slack schedule and we arrive outside Carlisle station very early -1 hour for the last 50 miles yet the locos happily do 80. Pathfinder again "we are ahead of schedule and have asked to depart Carlisle as soon as everything is ready". We set off and there is much slipping on wet rails. The loco change happens - it's now 92002 - but I am told that's been on a Pathfinder before, so some more disappointment in other quarters. A Northbound Fred [583] passes on coals through one of the centre roads and an EWS 66 that I miss passes on Platform 1 southbound on EWS coal wagons.

Again, slack scheduling and we get to Preston early so I have a comfortable connection into the 20.11 to Bolton and am guaranteed a good night's sleep....Final haul: 1 new route - SAK but should have had another. A couple of 66s from each of EWS, DRS and Freightliner, a few more ScR units including my last 322 and 170406 in Waverley which I would have missed had we gone the intended way. In this game, some you win, some you lose....

Andrew Martin


Tour Review 2
(by Gordon Jakes)

The tour went to plan until we reached the outskirts of Edinburgh – indeed arrival at York was no less than 46 minutes ahead of schedule but unfortunately no advantage could be made of this early arrival because York was a passenger pick up stop.

The first indication we had that all was not well was when the train was unexpectedly routed into the Down Passenger Loop immediately east of Drem. At first the looping was assumed to be due to the fact that we had been running circa 10 minutes early but time passed and eventually the bombshell was dropped over the public address that the necessary paperwork was not in place within Network Rail for our routing into Millerhill Yard. We were advised of ongoing discussions between Network Rail and EWS and that the visit to Deanside Loop might also be in jeopardy.

After over an hour in the loop we were finally advised that the tour was to be rerouted and that we were to take the direct route to Fife through Edinburgh Waverley thus avoiding Millerhill Yard and the Edinburgh Suburban Line. The pair of class 37 locomotives were to remain as our motive power until arrival at Glasgow Central.

Without further delay we exited the loop and proceeded to Waverley at a leisurely pace – taking 34 minutes to complete the 17 miles. Arrival at Waverley was in platform 19 much to the surprise of the passengers on the platform who were expecting a Cross Country service to Bournemouth. Our train gave no impression of going anywhere and finally the passengers on the platform were advised to transfer to the other side of the station which they duly did amidst much consternation.

Meanwhile we were advised that the lead engine had been failed due to a non-working headlight and that despite efforts to swap lights etc the situation could not be rectified because all the headlights had different fittings! As a result and following normal rules/procedures the train was required to proceed to the nearest maintenance point at a restricted speed of 20 mph. Where is the nearest maintenance point to Waverley station? Well you’ve guessed it – Millerhill Yard! So what we could not do officially because of the lack of paper we could do as a result of having no headlight – in daylight! The world has really gone mad.

The good news was then that we would be going to Millerhill Yard despite Network Rail and that we would hook-up with our class 60 loco for the journey through Fife to Alloa and Stirling. The bad news was that the journey from Waverley to the Yard would have to be at 20mph which would mean the tour would be circa 2 hours late in departing Millerhill Yard.

Eventually we left Waverley having caused a degree of chaos to the morning peak service not least by the movement from platform 19 to the Down South line which nicely stitched up the throat at Waverley West End. The Edinburgh Suburban line was reached via Haymarket Central Junction and Gorgie Junction and then Millerhill Yard was accessed via Niddrie West Junction and past New Craighall station.

At Millerhill Yard the two class 37’s were detached and 60100 was attached. The train thus reversed and continued with the original booked route to Fife etc. We departed Millerhill Yard circa 110 minutes late and this level of delay was maintained until Charlestown Junction. A slight improvement of some 10 minutes was achieved on the route through Alloa to Stirling.  After leaving Stirling 60100 began to make inroads into the late running thanks in part to some easily timed sections but also due to the lack of conflicting trains. By the time that we reached the outskirts of Glasgow the lateness had been reduced to 70 minutes. Any hopes of reducing the delay any further were thwarted by a signal stop at Egglington Street Junction which resulted in a 76 minute late arrival into Glasgow Central. Not a bad result by any means given the degree of trauma earlier in the day – and none of it our fault.

The onward journey to Deanside Loop and then south to England and home remained at the booked departure time from Glasgow Central. The route from Glasgow Central to Shields Junction was varied by traversing the Lye Through Siding rather than the Down Main. It seems this piece of infrastructure did not need any paperwork but then we should be grateful to Glasgow Panel who accepted the minor diversion without protest. Nothing further was heard of the existence or otherwise of the paperwork for the visit to the Deanside Loop but the visit was successfully made and credit to everyone involved in making a great success of a day that started out so badly.

Finally the suburbs of Glasgow were left with the train some 10 minutes late but this delay was turned around by arrival in Carlisle with some exciting running from our pair of class 37s. I left the train at Carlisle to catch a Pendolino southwards so I cannot report any further.

Gordon Jakes

Photo Review


92002 hands over to 66187 at Crewe (photos: Steve Kemp)


60100 on arrival at Glasgow Central (photo: Nick Bartlett)


37422+37417 at Carlisle, about to come off in favour of 92002.
(photo: Nick Bartlett)


Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from LASERman, Pathfinder Tours, & Gordon Jakes)

M.C
Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
M.C
0.00
Bristol Temple Meads 19.43d 19.43 [P12]   01.30a [P5] ?
144.13
?
Bristol East Jn 19/44 19/44½   01/28 ?
?
0.46
Dr Days Jn 19/45 19/46   01/27 ?
143.47
?
Stapleton Road Jn 19/46 19/47½   01/25 ?
?
4.23
Filton Abbey Wood 19/51 19/51   01/20 ?
139.70
5.62
Bristol Parkway 19.54a ~ 20.03d [P3] 19.54 ~ 20.04   01.05a ~ 01.17d ??.?? ~ ??.??
138.31
10.32
Westerleigh Jn 20/08 20/11   01/00 ?
133.61
12.04
Yate 20/12 20/14   00/58 ?
132.09
18.45
Charfield 20/20 20/20   00/53 ?
125.48
31.70
Standish Jn 20/34 20/31½   00/42 ?
112.23
?
Gloucester Yard Jn 20/43 20/37½   00/36 ?
?
38.67
Barnwood Jn 20/53 20/56½   00/35 ?
105.26
44.30
Cheltenham Spa 21.03a ~ 21.05d 21.05 ~ 21.07½   00.25a ~ 00.27d 00.16 ~ 00.18
99.63
51.41
Ashchurch 21/11 21/15   00/17 00/09½
92.52
62.28
Abbotswood Jn 21/20 21/25   00/07 00/01
81.65
63.10
Norton Jn 21/21 21/26½
 
66.15
Worcester Shrub Hill 21/32 21/37½
 
?
Tunnel Jn 21/33 21/39
 
71.74
Droitwich Spa 21/39 21/46
 
76.09
Stoke Works Jn 21/45 21/53½   23/55 23/53
70.48
78.22
Bromsgrove 21/48 21/56   23/53 23/50
68.35
81.65
Barnt Green 21.57a ~ 21.59d 22.03 ~ 22.05   23.44a ~ 23.46d 23.44½ ~ 23.45½
64.72
?
Longbridge 22/03 22/08   23/38 23/40
?
86.73
Kings Norton 22/07 22/12½   23/33 23/22
59.64
?
Lifford East Jn 22/10 22/14   23/30 ?
?
92.08
Bordesley Jn 22/16 22/19½   23/21 23/14
54.49
92.34
St Andrews Jn 22/17 22/21   23/20 23/13
54.23
?
Proof House Jn 22/21 [DEL] 22/24½   23/15 ?
?
94.05
Birmingham New Street 22.24a ~ 22.30d [P8] 22.28½ ~ 22.31½ [P6]   22.57a ~ 23.13d [P2 / WL] 22.55½ ~ 23.05½
52.52
96.06
Soho South Jn 22/35 22/37   22/53 ?
50.51
97.64
Galton Jn 22/38 22/41   22/51 ?
48.73
101.29
Dudley Port 22/43 22/44½   22/47 22/46
45.28
106.69
Wolverhampton 22/51 22/54   22/40 [P4] 22.25 ~ 22.38
39.68
?
Wolverhampton North Jn 22/53 22/55½   22/38 22/20
?
108.43
Bushbury Jn 22/55 22/57   22/34 22/18½
38.14
?
Stafford No.4 23/11 ??/?? [SL]   22/21 ?
?
122.20
Stafford 23.12a ~ 23.14d [P3 / FL] 23.10½ ~ 23.14 [P5]   22.18a ~ 22.20d [P4] 22.02 ~ 22.05
24.37
?
Stafford North Jn ? [DS - DF]   ? ?
?
127.49
Norton Bridge 23/24 23/20   22/13 21/50½
19.08
138.51
Madeley 23/35 ?   22/00 ?
8.06
144.73
Basford Hall Jn 23/42 23/41   21/53 21/36
1.64
146.57
0.00
Crewe 23L45a ~ 00L22d [P11 / FL] 23.45½ ~ 00.22   21L27a ~ 21L50d [P5 / SL] 21.13 ~ 21.32
0.00
141.08
0.58
Crewe Coal Yard 00/24 00/24½   21/25 21/00½
140.30
8.66
Winsford S.B. 00/32 00/31   21/07 [SL] 20/51 [FL]
132.22
16.41
Weaver Jn 00/41 00/37½   20/59 20/44
124.47
22.24
Acton Grange Jn 00/48 00/41½   20/56 20/41
118.64
24.11
Warrington Bank Quay 00/50 00/43   20/54 20/39½
116.77
?
Dallam Jn 00/52 ?   20/53 20/39
?
27.47
Winwick Jn 00/55 00/47½   20/50 20/37
113.41

 

M.C
Location Booked Actual
29.03
Earlestown 00/57 00/50
29.75
Newton-le-Willows 00/58 00/52
?
Astley 01/05 00/58½
41.74
Eccles 01/10 01/03
44.53
Ordsall Lane Jn 01/15 01/06½
45.22
Deal Street 01/18 [SL] 01/09½ [FL]
45.65
Manchester Victoria 01/20 [P4 / FL] 01/11½ [P6]
47.15
Miles Platting Jn 01/34 01/14
?
Thorpes Bridge Jn 01/35 ?
?
Vitriol Works S.B. 01/38 01/18½
?
Castleton North Jn 01/44 01/22½
56.21
Rochdale 01/46 01/25½
?
Rochdale East Jn 01/47 ?
59.50
Littleborough 01/52 01/28½
?
Hall Royd Jn 02/00 01/35
69.41
Hebden Bridge Jn 02/05 ?
?
Milner Royd Jn 02/12 ?
76.62
Greetland Jn 02/15 ?
?
Bradley Wood Jn 02/21 ?
83.34
Heaton Lodge East Jn 02/23 ?
?
Mirfield East Jn 02/25 ?
85.60
Thornhill LNW Jn 02/26 01/55
91.23
Horbury Jn 02/32 [SL] ?
93.47
Wakefield Kirkgate 02/37 [TL] 02/04½
97.40
Altofts Jn 02/42 ?
100.18
Castleford 02/45 02/12½
106.10
Milford S.B. 02/55 ?
110.39
Church Fenton 03/00 [NNL] 02/23
115.56
Colton Jn 03/10 ?
121.17
York 03.20a ~ 03.43d 02.34 ~ 03.43½ [P4]
122.67
Skelton Jn 03/46 [FL] 03/46½
130.57
Tollerton 03/56 03/54½
143.33
Thirsk 04/06 04/04
151.13
Northallerton 04/13 04/10
165.27
Darlington 04/28 [ML] 04/21
177.34
Ferryhill South Jn 04/41 ?
?
Tursdale Jn 04/45 ?
187.30
Durham 04/55 [ML] 04/39½
?
Birtley 05/05 ?
200.59
King Edward Bridge South Jn 05/08 04/52
201.33
Newcastle 05/10 [P2] 04c55 ~ 04c58½
?
Heaton South Jn 05/14 ?
218.03
Morpeth 05/32 05/16½
236.22
Alnmouth 05/51 05/36½
252.78
Belford LC 06/10 ?
268.33
Berwick-upon-Tweed 06/26 06/11
?
Marshall Meadows (EG 403) 06/29 ?
?
Reston 06/37 ?
284.55
Grantshouse 06/43 ?
?
Oxwellmains 06/52 06/40½
296.64
Dunbar 06/55 06/44
307.77
Drem Down Passenger Loop DIV 06.59½ ~ 08.05½
308.09
Drem 07/06 08/06½
316.04
Prestonpans 07/15 08/21
317.70
Wallyford 07.22a ~ 07.24d 08.25 ~ 08.26½
319.46
Monktonhall Jn 07/28 08/29½
?
Portobello Jn
DIV
08/32
325.69
Edinburgh Waverley
DIV
08.40a ~ 09.03d [P19 / Z]
?
Princes Street Gardens DIV 09/05 [DnSth]
?
Haymarket
DIV
09/08
327.55
Haymarket Central Jn
DIV
09/10
328.12
Gorgie Jn
DIV
09/11½
?
Craiglockhart Jn
DIV
09/13
333.74
Niddrie West Jn DIV 09/29
334.52
Niddrie South Jn
DIV
09/31½
335.47
(320.36)
0.00
Millerhill S.S. 07L37 ~ 08L08 09.36½ ~ 09.56 [F7]
0.75
Niddrie South Jn 08/16 10/03½
1.53
Niddrie West Jn 08/17 10/05
6.66
Craiglockhart Jn 08/29 10/16
7.35
Gorgie Jn 08/30 10/18
8.03
Haymarket West Jn 08/31 10/19½
14.57
Dalmeny Jn 08/38 10/28½
18.67
Inverkeithing 08/45 10/35
25.65
Burntisland 08/55 10/45
31.45
Kirkcaldy 09/03 10/54½
35.79
Thornton South Jn 09/09 11/00
36.49
Glenrothes with Thornton 09/11 11/02
?
Redford Jn 09/14 ?
39.21
Clunybridge Jn 09/18 11/06
48.75
Cowdenbeath 09/30 11/17
54.49
Dunfermline Town 09/38 11.25 ~ 11.25½
54.76
Charleston Jn 09/39 11.27 ~ 11.29½
64.59
Longannet S.B. 10.09 ~ 10.11 11/53½
?
Alloa Loop 10/31 ?
71.58
Alloa 10/33 12/11½
73.68
Cambus Loop 10/36 12/15½
77.50
Causewayhead Jn 10/40 12/20½ [DL]
78.40
Stirling 10c43 ~ 10c47 [P6] 12.23 ~ 12.26
86.71
Larbert Jn 10/57 12/37½
87.29
Carmuirs West Jn 11/00 12/38½
89.57
Greenhill Lower Jn 11/02 12/43½
95.14
Cumbernauld 11/25 12/50½
?
Garnqueen North Jn 11/29 12/55½
100.44
Gartsherrie South Jn 11/31 12/57
101.50
Coatbridge Central 11/34 12/59
102.33
Langloan Jn 11/44 13/01
107.25
Carmyle 11/58 13/08½
109.01
Rutherglen East Jn 12/02 13/11
111.50
Larkfield Jn 12/08 13/14
112.29
Eglinton Street Jn 12/11 13.17 ~ 13.25½
113.10
0.00
Glasgow Central High Level 12L15a ~ 14L09d [P11 / Z 7] 13.31 ~ 14.13 [P11 / Z 6]
0.44
Bridge Street Jn 14/11 14/15
?
Smithy Lye Through Siding DIV 14/16
1.56
Shields Jn 14/14 14/19
3.76
Cardonald Jn 14/17 14/25
4.35
Cardonald North Jn 14.22 ~ 14.24 14.28 ~ 14.29½
5.55
Deanside Loop 14.39 ~ 15.09 14.48 ~ 15.10
6.75
Cardonald North Jn 15.24 ~ 15.26 15.25½ ~ 15.28
7.31
Cardonald Jn 15/34 15/33½
9.57
Shields Jn 15/37 15/38
?
Terminus Jn 15/38 15/44
10.71
Larkfield Jn 15/40 [FL] 15/46½
?
Rutherglen East Jn 15/44 15/51½
16.15
Newton 15/46 15/56½
18.00
Uddingston Jn 15/48 ?
22.34
Motherwell 15/55 16/03
27.63
Law Jn 16/04 16/08½
?
Lanark Jn 16/10 ?
38.19
Carstairs 16/13 16/20½
?
Carstairs South Jn 16/14 16/21½
54.02
Abington 16*27 ~ 16*35 16/35 [ML]
62.08
Beattock Summit 16*48 ~ 17*02 16.45 ~ 16.58½
72.32
Beattock 17/15 17/07
86.06
Lockerbie 17/32 17/18
?
Signal MC862 17/47 17/30
103.15
Gretna Jn 17/50 17/32½
111.72
0.00
Carlisle 18L07 ~ 18L33 [P3] 17.49 ~ 18.30½
17.69
Penrith North Lakes 19/02 18/46
36.68
Tebay 19/29 19/00
50.01
Oxenholme: Lake District 19/42 19/10½
63.01
Carnforth North Jn 19/57 19/19½
67.17
Morecambe South Jn 20/01 19/22½
69.09
Lancaster 20/03 [FL] 19/24½
90.07
Preston 20.25a ~ 20.27d [P4 / FL] 19.44½ ~ 19.56½ [P3 / DF]
?
Ribble Jn ? ? [DF-UF @ 21m07ch]
95.43
Euxton Jn 20/33 ?
97.46
Balshaw Lane Jn 20/35 20.10½ ~ 20.12
105.17
Wigan North Western 20/42 20/30½
?
Wigan Station Jn 20/43 ?
106.46
Springs Branch Jn 20/44 20/32

Timings continue in first table.

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