28th November 2009

Spitfire Railtours
The Yuletide York / The Geordie Growler

Locos Used 37259, 37609 & 47787

Route :
1Z34 : Birmingham International to Newcastle
1Z36 : Newcastle to Birmingham International

Loco(s) Route
37609 + 37259 (1) Birmingham International - Stechford - Proof House Jn - Birmingham New Street - Soho North Jn - Dudley Port - Wolverhampton - Cosford - Wellington - Shrewsbury - Whitchurch - Crewe - Sandbach - Wilmslow - Cheadle Hulme - Stockport - Guide Bridge - Stalybridge - Marsden - Huddersfield - Horbury Jn - Wakefield Kirkgate - Altofts Jn - Castleford - Milford Jn - Church Fenton - York - (3) (via ECML) - Newcastle
37259 + 37609 Newcastle - King Edward Bridge North Jn - King Edward Bridge East Jn - Park Lane Jn - Pelaw - Sunderland - Hartlepool - Billingham - Eaglescliffe - Northallerton East Jn - Boroughbridge Road Jn - Longlands Jn - (reverse of outward route) - Milford Jn - Ferrybridge - Moorthorpe - Swinton - Sheffield - Dore - Chinley - New Mills Central - Romiley - Woodley - Guide Bridge - (reverse of outward route) - Birmingham International

Notes :
(1) 47787 on rear. Due to severe wheel flats the 47 was removed at Heaton depot during the tour layover at Newcastle.
(2) From York via Newcastle back to York ran under the tour name 'The Geordie Growler' with separate ticketing (discounted if booked with main tour).
(3) Route was advertised originally as: York - (via ECML) - Longlands Jn - Northallerton East Jn - Eaglescliffe - Norton South Jn - Norton West Jn - Tursdale Jn (via ECML) - Newcastle.
(4) Train was delayed on the approach to Birmingham New Street due to fighting on the station.


37609 & 37259 pause at York on the outward leg (photo: Dave Ross)

Sources : Dave Ross (on the train throughout) & Gary Thornton

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Dave Ross)

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
Birmingham International 06.04d 06.04   22.50a 23.07
Stechford 06/10 06/09   22/44 23/01
Birmingham New Street 06.19a ~ 06.43d 06.16 ~ 06.42   22.27a ~ 22.36d 22.48 ~ 22.55
Wolverhampton 07.06a ~ 07.08d 07.01 ~ 07.07   22.07a ~ 22.09d 22.08 ~ 22.10
Cosford 07/20 07/19   21/55 21/54
Telford Central 07.29a ~ 07.31d 07.27 ~ ??.??   21.44a ~ 21.46d 21.44 ~ ??.??
Wellington 07.37a ~ 07.39d 07.38 ~ 07.38   21.34a ~ 21.36d 21.35 ~ 21.37
Shrewsbury 07.55a ~ 07.57d 07.53 ~ 07.57   21.17a ~ 21.19d 21.18 ~ 21.21
Wem 08.11a ~ 08.13d 08.13 ~ 08.15   21.01a ~ 21.03d 21.02 ~ 21.03
Whitchurch 07.23a ~ 08.25d ?   20.47a ~ 20.49d ?
Nantwich 08.38a ~ 08.40d 08.38 ~ 08.40   20.31a ~ 20.33d 20.36 ~ 20.40
Crewe 08.52a ~ 08.54d 08.52 ~ 08.55   20.21a ~ 20.23d 20.23 ~ 20.26
Sandbach 09/02 09/01   20/09 20/06
Alderley Edge 09/18 09/17   19/56 19/56
Wilmslow 09/20 09/20   19/54 19/54
Cheadle Hulme 09/28 09/27   19/50 19/51
Stockport 09/32 09/31   19/47 19/47
Guide Bridge 09/54 09/52   19/33 19/35
Stalybridge 09/59 09/57  
Greenfield 10/05 10/03  
Marsden 10/12 10/10  
Huddersfield 10/20 10/21  
Horbury Jn 10/37 10/36  
Wakefield Kirkgate 10/42 10/39  
Altofts Jn 10/51 10/44  
Castleford 10/55 10/56  
Woodley   19/23 19/25
Romiley   19/19 19/23
New Mills Central   19/09 19/13
Chinley   19/02 19/05
Earles Sidings   18/53 18/52
Totley Tunnel   18/41 18/36
Dore & Totley   18/38 18/44
Heeley Loop   18.24 ~ 18.32 18.24 ~ 18.28
Sheffield   18/17 18/17
Swinton   18/01 17/59
Moorthorpe   17/51 17/44
Ferrybridge   17/37 ?
Milford Jn 11/05 11/05   17/25 17/23
Church Fenton 11/11 11/08   17/16 17/16
Colton Jn 11/18 11/15   17/06 17/10
York 11.26a ~ 11.38d 11.24 ~ 11.37 [P10]   16.56a ~ 17.01d 16.57 ~ 17.05 [P3]
Skelton Jn 11/40 11/40   16/53 16/52
Thirsk 11/59 12/01   16/36 16/31

 

Location Booked Actual
Northallerton 12/08 12/12
Darlington 12/21 12/23
Ferryhill South Jn 12/31 12/34
Durham 12/40 12/43
Newcastle Central 12.54a ~ 14.50d 12.58 ~ 14.50
King Edward Bridge N & S Jn 14/51 14/53
Pelaw 15/00 15/00
Sunderland 15/15 15/14
Seaham 15/23 15/23
Hartlepool 15/42 15/40
Billingham 15/56 ?
Eaglescliffe 16/10 ?
Longlands Jn 16/29 16/24

Timings continue in first table.

Back to "The Railtour Files"