29th December 2008

Pathfinder Tours
The Festive Settle & Carlisle Explorer

Locos Used 56312 'Artemis' & 67022
Stock Used 35469+3121+3147+80041+3144+3141+3110+1813+4998+5008+5292+5366+5276

Route:
1Z37 : Derby to Carlisle
1Z38 : Carlisle to Derby

Loco(s) Route
56312 (1) Derby - Burton-upon-Trent - Tamworth High Level - Kingsbury Jn - Whitacre Jn - Coleshill Parkway - Birmingham New Street - Soho South Jn - Sandwell & Dudley - Wolverhampton - Telford - Shrewsbury - Whitchurch - Crewe - Warrington Bank Quay - Wigan North Western - Farington Jn - Lostock Hall Jn - Blackburn - Clitheroe - Hellifield - Settle Jn - Ribblehead - Garsdale - Petteril Bridge Jn - Carlisle
56312 (2) Carlisle - (via WCML) - Preston - Farington Jn - (reverse of outward route) - Derby

Notes :
(1) Plus 67022 dead-in-tow.
(2) 67022 on rear.


57312 (with 67022 in tow) arrives at Wolverhampton (photo: Gordon Jakes)

Gordon Jakes (joined the train at Wolverhampton (out), left the train at Crewe (rtn))

Tour Review
(from Gordon Jakes)

I joined the train at Wolverhampton which departed some thirteen minutes late having been pathed behind a late running Birmingham New Street to Liverpool train from Birmingham. This general level of lateness was maintained through Shrewsbury and Crewe but was recovered at a stroke north of Crewe due to some accumulated recovery time. We were checked south of Acton Grange Junction having caught up a preceding bulk coal train hauled by 66248. (This train was viewed initially passing through Crewe and also creeping down the Down Helsby line on the approach to Walton Old Junction).

After passing through Warrington, early running was maintained through to Lostock Hall Junction despite signal checks on the approaches to Springs Branch Junction, Wigan and Euxton Junction. We were held at Lostock Hall Junction for some 10 minutes and viewed a Blackpool – Leeds service pass ahead of us. With a further signal stop on the approach to Bamber Bridge our previous early running was turned into a delayed arrival at Blackburn of nearly 10 minutes. This level of delay was maintained +/- 3 minutes through Hellifield and virtually over the whole length of the S & C. Recovery time came to our aid again on the approach to Petteril Bridge Junction and arrival in Carlisle was just 3½ minutes down.

56312 appeared to be in tip-top condition and worked the 13-coach train plus the dead weight of 67022 with out any discernable problems. It was understood that 67022 took no part in the haulage of the train but may well have assisted with the train heating although the support coach was fitted with a train heating generator.

The return journey from Carlisle along the WCML passed without incident. An 8½ minute late departure from Carlisle was turned into a similar early arrival at Crewe despite a signal stop to the north of Weaver Junction to permit a service train from Liverpool to run ahead of us.

Gordon Jakes

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from various including Gordon Jakes)

M.C
 Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual

M.C
0.00
 Derby 07.12d 07.41   22.38a 22.40
258.77
4.64
 Stenson Jn 07/20 07.49   22/32½ 22/33
254.13
?
 North Stafford Jn 07/20½ 07/50   22/32 22/33
?
8.68
 Clay Mills Jn 07/23 07/53   22/29 22/30
250.09
11.01
 Burton-upon-Trent 07.26a ~ 07.28d 07.56 ~ 08.00   22.23a ~ 22.25d 22.23 ~ 22.27
247.76
16.34
 Wichnor Jn 07/35 08/06   22/15 22/17
242.43
23.72
 Tamworth High Level 07.41a ~ 07.43d 08.12 ~ 08.17   22.05a ~ 22.07d 22.06 ~ 22.11
230.05
29.53
 Kingsbury Jn 07/53 08/23   21/59 21/59
229.24
32.03
 Whitacre Jn 08/06 08/27   21/55 21/54
226.74
33.31
 Coleshill Parkway 08.10a ~ 08.12d 08.30 ~ 08.32   21.50a ~ 21.52d 21.49 ~ 21.51
225.46
34.68
 Water Orton 08/24 08/35   21/47 21/45
224.09
39.79
 Washwood Heath No.1 08/30 08/41   21/41 ?
218.78
40.74
 Landor Street Jn 08/33 08/43   21/38 21/37
218.03
41.62
 Proof House Jn 08/35 08/44   21/36 21/35
217.15
42.39
 Birmingham New Street 08.38a ~ 08.41d 08.48 ~ 08.54   21.28a ~ 21.33d 21.26 ~ 21.32
216.38
44.36
 Soho South Jn 08/46 09/00   21/23 21/21
214.41
46.18
 Galton Jn 08/49 09/02   21/21 21/19
212.59
47.62
 Sandwell & Dudley 08.52a ~ 08.54d 09.04 ~ 09.05   21.16a ~ 21.18d 21.14 ~ 21.17
211.15
49.63
 Dudley Port 08/57 09/08   21/13 21/11
209.14
55.29
 Wolverhampton 09.05a ~ 09.07d 09.16 ~ 09.20 [P1]   21.04a ~ 21.06d 20.52 ~ 21.02
203.48
?
 Wolverhampton North Jn 09/09 09/21   21/01 20/50
?
56.57
 Oxley SB 09/10 09/24   20/58 ?
202.20
60.04
 Codsall 09.14a ~ 09.16d 09.28½ ~ 09.30   20.50a ~ 20.52d 20.41 ~ ??.??
198.73
64.32
 Cosford 09/21 09/36   20/45 20/34
194.45
69.62
 Madeley Jn 09/26 09/40½   20/40 20/29
189.15
71.03
 Telford Central 09.28a ~ 09.30d 09.42½ ~ 09.44½   20.36 ~ 20.38 20.24 ~ ??.??
187.74
75.64
 Wellington 09.35a ~ 09.37d 09.51½ ~ 09.54   20.27a ~ 20.29d 20.12 ~ 20.16
184.13
84.50
 Abbey Foregate SB ? 10/07   ? ?
174.27
85.09
 Shrewsbury 09.55a ~ 09.59d 10.09½ ~ 10.12 [P4]   20.09a ~ 20.13d 19.46 ~ 19.53
173.68
87.20
 Harlescott Crossing 10/06 10/17   20/05 ?
171.57
95.74
 Wem 10/15 10/25½
 
 19/57 19/32 163.03
104.05
 Whitchurch 10/22 10/32½   19/50 ?
154.72
109.01
 Wrenbury 10/28 10/37   19/43 ?
149.76
113.35
 Nantwich 10/32 10/41   19/38 19/16
145.42
117.16
 Crewe Gresty Lane 10/39 10/45½   19/20 19/11
141.61
117.69
 Crewe 10.41a ~ 10.44 10.48½ ~ 10.52½ [P11]   19*05a ~ 19*18d 18.56 ~ 19.09 [P12]
141.08
118.57
 Crewe Coal Yard 10/45½ 10/55   19/03 18/53½
140.20
125.30
 Winsford 10/58 11/01½   18/56 18/45
133.47
130.36
 Hartford Jn 11/02 11/05½   18/52 18/41
128.33
132.27
 Acton Bridge 11/10 11/07   18/38 18/40
126.50
134.30
 Weaver Jn 11/13 11/08½   18/36 18/37
124.47
140.09
 Acton Grange Jn 11/19 11/16½   18/32 18/29
118.64
142.00
 Warrington Bank Quay 11/21 11/18½   18/28 18/25½
116.77
?
 Dallam Jn 11/22 ?   18/27 ?
?
145.33
 Winwick Jn 11/24 11/21½   18/25 18/22
113.44
147.66
 Golborne Jn 11/27 11/23½   18/22 18/20
111.11
152.38
 Springs Branch Jn 11/38 11/30   18/17 18/17
106.46
153.60
 Wigan North Western 11/42 11/34½   18/15 18/16
105.17
161.31
 Balshaw Lane Jn 11/49 11/43   18/08 18/09
97.46
163.35
 Euxton Jn 11/54 11/44   18/06 18/08
95.42
166.10
 Farington Jn 11/58 11/50   18/03 ?
92.67

 

M.C
 Location Booked Actual
167.07
 Lostock Hall Jn 12.04 11.56 ~ 12.08
176.07
 Blackburn 12c17 ~ 12c19 12.25 ~ 12.27 [P1]
176.54
 Daisyfield Jn 12/21 12/31
181.19
 Langho 12/29 12/40
183.26
 Whalley 12/32 12/44
187.11
 Clitheroe 12/39 12/50
187.25
 Horrocksford Jn 12/40 12/51
200.38
 Hellifield 13c02 ~ 13c04 13.12½ ~ 13.13
203.61
 Settle Jn 13/10 13/17½
211.59
 Horton in Ribblesdale 13/20 13/28½
216.37
 Ribblehead 13/27 13/36
217.56
 Blea Moor 13/30 13/38½
225.70
 Garsdale 13/41 13/49½
235.64
 Kirkby Stephen 13/51 14/00
246.39
 Appleby 14/02 14/12
251.19
 Kirkby Thore SB 14/08 14/19
253.72
 Culgaith L.C. SB 14/11 14/22
261.67
 Lazonby & Kirkoswald 14/19 14/30½
268.72
 Low House L.C. SB 14/26 14/38
272.14
 Howe & Co Sdgs 14/30 14/43
276.29
 Petteril Bridge Jn 14/44 14/48
276.79
 Carlisle London Road Jn 14/45 14/50½
277.21
0.00
 Carlisle 14.48a ~ 16.30d [P3] 14.51½ ~ 16.38½ [P4]
17.69
 Penrith : North Lakes 16/51 16/59
36.68
 Tebay 17/09 17/16
50.01
 Oxenholme : Lake District 17/19 17/27
63.01
 Carnforth North Jn 17/28 17/36
67.17
 Morecambe South Jn 17/33 17/39
69.09
 Lancaster 17/41 17/41
90.07
 Preston 17/59 18/02 [P6]

Timings continue in first table.

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