29th October 2011

Branch Line Society
Another Rivers Railtour

Route:
1Z66 : Crewe to Garston Church Road
1Z67 : Garston Church Road to Crewe

Notes :
(1) 66118 on rear.
(2) 66206 on rear.
(3) The original spec for this tour had to be scaled back due to pathing issues, especially the timing of the train through the various loops. The section to Kettering was only put in 'kill some time' as the curve at Lichfield down to the WCML was not available until after 18:00, so this was an obvious removal but further trimming was required so Edge Hill Up & Down Through Siding & the Watery Lane Up Stour Goods were also lost. The original tour spec was; Crewe - Winsford - Weaver Jn - Runcorn - Ditton East Jn - Ditton Reception Sidings - Ditton West Jn - Halewood East Jn - Halewood Reception Lines - Halewood West Jn - Allerton East Jn - Liverpool South Parkway - Wavertree Jn - Edge Hill East Jn - Wapping Sidings (to end of line, reverse) - Edge Hill Up & Down Through Siding - Wavertree Jn - Allerton East Jn - Halewood Loop (reverse) - Garston Church Road (Network Rail Limit, reverse) - Garston Down Siding Departure Road - Speke Jn - Runcorn - Weaver Jn -Crewe Coal Yard - Up Liverpool Independent Line - Basford Hall Yards on Up Slow Independent Line - Up Arrival and Up Departure Lines to Basford Hall Jn - Madeley Jn - Stafford (pick up) - Up Slow Birmingham at Rickerscote Jn - Four Ashes Up Goods Loop - Bushbury Jn - Darlaston Jn - Walsall - Sutton Park - Park Lane Jn - Castle Bromwich Jn - Down Goods Line - Landor Street Jn - Grand Jn - connection to Down Stour Line - Birmingham New Street - Galton Jn - Watery Lane Down Stour Goods - Monmore Green Jn - DBS Wolverhampton Steel Terminal (reverse) - Monmore Green Jn - Watery Lane Up Stour Goods - Galton Jn - Birmingham New Street - Up Stour Line - single line connection to Grand Jn - Landor Street Jn - Down & Up Goods Line - Water Orton West Jn - Daw Mill Reception Line - Nuneaton - Hinckley - Wigston South Curve - Market Harborough - Kettering (reverse) - Market Harborough - Wigston Up & Down Slow Line - Knighton Up & Down Goods Loop - Bagworth Jn - Stud Farm Quarry (Tarmac, Midland Quarries), (reverse) - Bagworth Refuge Siding (reverse) - Coalville Jn - Mantle Lane Down Goods Loop - Moira West - Birmingham Curve Jn - Branston Jn - Barton-under-Needwood North Jn - via Bombardier Central Rivers Depot - Barton-under-Needwood South Jn - Wichnor Jn - Lichfield Trent Valley Jn - Lichfield High Level Goods Loop Jn - Colwich Jn - Stafford - Basford Hall Jn - Down Slow Independent Line to Sorting Sidings North - via single line connection to Crewe South - Crewe.
(4) The hoped for traversal of the Down Siding Departure Siding didn't happen due to a forest taking over the line.

Source : Alan Sheppard

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Alan Sheppard)

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