11th September 2010

Railway Touring Company
The Mayflower

Locos Used steam: 5029 'Nunney Castle' & 60019 'Bittern'
Stock Used 99035+4940+99371+1861+99348+99125+99121+3136+99316+3093+3143+17013

Route :
1Z29 : London Euston to Plymouth
1Z30 : Plymouth to London Paddington

Loco(s) Route
60019 London Euston - Willesden WL Jn - Willesden SW Sidings - Acton Wells Jn - Acton Main Line - Slough - Reading - Southcote Jn - Newbury - Westbury - (via Frome avoiding line) - Castle Cary - Cogload Jn - Taunton
5029 + 60019 Taunton - Exeter St Davids - Newton Abbot - Totnes - Plymouth
5029 + 60019 Plymouth - (reverse of outward route) - Taunton
60019 Taunton - (reverse of outward route) - Acton Main Line - Ladbroke Grove - London Paddington

Notes :
(1) John Clifford comments: The tour was originally advertised as leaving from Paddington but was switched to Euston as the only platform at Paddington long enough for the tour train would be occupied by the up Penzance sleeper. I joined at Reading & some fine running saw the train arrive at Taunton early. This continued onwards & despite a 2min stop outside Totnes we got to Plymouth just a minute late. On the return we were gaining on the schedule & were hoping for a run inside 1 hour to Exeter. However, we were stopped by signals at Exeter St Thomas & then by a 9min stand outside St Davids. On leaving we were going well but were stopped at Whiteball but were only 4mins late arriving at Taunton. From there we gained on the schedule again but stopped at Fairwood Jn as the route was set for the avoiding line & we were booked via Westbury. There was a further signal stop outside Bedwyn (2mins) & at Newbury we had to pull up. This lost more time but again some of the loss was pulled back to arrive at Paddington 18min late.

Sources : Neil Kearns, Nick Bartlett & John Clifford

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Neil Kearns & John Clifford)

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
Euston 06.48d ?  
Camden South Jn 06/51 ?  
Camden Jn 06/52 ?  
Willesden WL Jn 06/58 ?  
Willesden SW Sidings 07/08 ?  
Acton Wells Jn 07/10 ?  
Paddington   21.45a 22.03
Ladbroke Grove   21/41 21/55
Acton Main Line 07/12 ?   ? ?
Acton West 07/15 ?   21/36 21/53
Southall 07/22 ?   21/31 21/49
Airport Jn 07/28 ?   21/28 21/46
Slough 07.37a ~ 07.40d ?   21.19a ~ 21.21d 21.35½ ~ 21.37½
Maidenhead 07/48 ?   21/12 21/27
Twyford 07/58 ?   20/59 21/20
Reading 08.06a ~ 08.15d 08.07 ~ 08.15   20.48a ~ 20.51d 21.09 ~ 21.12½
Southcote Jn 08/22 08/20   20/42 21/07
Newbury 08.39a ~ 08.41d 08.38 ~ 08.43   20.23a ~ 20.27d 20.41 ~ 20.48½
Bedwyn 08/57 09/00   20/09 20/24½
Woodborough 09/14 09/12   19/58 20/04
Lavington 09/28 09/19   19/48 19/55
Heywood Road Jn 09/37 09/26   19/41 19/48
Westbury 09.42 ~ 09.43 09.29 ~ 09.33   19/38 19/46
Fairwood Jn 09/46 09/36   19/35 19.34 ~ 19.39½
Clink Road Jn 09/51 09/41   19/31 19/29
Blatchbridge Jn 09/53 09/43   19/27 19/28
East Somerset Jn 09/58 09/47½   19/21 19/24
Castle Cary 10/08 09/55   19/11 19/15
Somerton LC 10/18 10/04   19/00 19/05
Athelney LC 10/27 10/12   18/51 18/57½
Cogload Jn 10/30 10/14½   18/48 18/55
Taunton East Jn 10/34 10/21   ? ?
Taunton 10L38a ~ 10L58d 10.25½ ~ 10.56   18L22a ~ 18L42d 18.26 ~ 18.47
Norton Fitzwarren 11/03 11/01   18/19 18/23
Whiteball 11/12 11/11   18/11 18.09 ~ 18.13
Tiverton Parkway 11/15 11/14   18/08 18/05
Tiverton Loop 11.18 ~ 11.35 11.18 ~ 11.35   18/06 18/03
Cowley Bridge Jn 11/51 11/49   17/48 17/51
Exeter St Davids 11/53 11/51   17.25 ~ 17.45 17.28 ~ 17.47
Dawlish Warren 12/05 12/01½   17/14 17/01½
Dawlish 12/06 12/03   17/12 17/00
Teignmouth 12/09 12/06   17/08 16/57
Newton Abbot 12/15 12/11   17/03 16/52½
Newton Abbot West Jn 12/16 12/11½   17/02 16/52
Dainton Tunnel 12/20 12/15½   16/58 16/49
Totnes 12/27 12/27   16/51 16/43
Aish Crossover 12/37 12/42   16/41 16/36
Ivybridge 12/43 12/48   16/35 16/32
Hemerdon 12/48 12/53   16/28 16/26½
Lipson Jn 12/56 12/58   16/19 16/20
Plymouth 13.00a 13.01   16.15d 16.15


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