9th March 2014

UK Railtours
The Tower Gateway

Locos Used 66021 & 66250
Stock Used 5292+5366+4927+5341+1691+3121+3068+3120+3097+1651+3066+3119+35469

Route :
1Z62 : London Paddington to Cwmbargoed
1Z63 : Cwmbargoed to Tower Colliery
1Z64 : Tower Colliery to London Paddington

Loco(s) Route
66250 (1) London Paddington - Slough - Reading - Didcot Parkway - Swindon - Bristol Parkway - Pilning - Severn Tunnel Junction - Newport - Cardiff Central
66021 (2) Cardiff Central - Cardiff Queen Street - Heath Jn - Caerphilly - Ystrad Mynach South - Cwmbargoed (4)
66250 (1) Cwmbargoed - Ystrad Mynach South - Caerphilly - Heath Jn - Cardiff Queen Street - Cardiff Central - Penarth Curve North Jn - Ninian Park - Radyr - Pontypridd - Mountain Ash - Aberdare - Tower Colliery (5)
66021 (2) Tower Colliery - Aberdare - Mountain Ash - Pontypridd - Radyr - Ninian Park - Penarth Curve North Jn - Cardiff Central - (reverse of outward route) - London Paddington

Notes :
(1) 66021 on rear.
(2) 66250 on rear.
(3) The outward leg was delayed by a DBS train crew roster error and over running Engineering Works. The Penarth section of the tour was then cancelled in order to recover some of the lost time. Mileages shown are from the tour brochure, and should be adjusted to allow for the loss of the Penarth branch. 
(4) At Cwmbargoed the tour ran over the level crossing and on to the middle line to approx MP 20.65. 
(5) At Tower Colliery the tour ran up to the stop board at approx MP 26.53. 

Sources : Nick Bartlett (joined/left the train at Reading), Dave Lodwick & Stuart Hicks

Photo Review


66021 arriving at Cwmbargoed (photo: Nick Bartlett)


66250 at Caerphilly (photo: Nick Bartlett)


Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Nick Bartlett & David Lodwick)

M.C Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual M.C
0.00 Paddington 08.06d [P11] 09.28   21.57a [P11] 21.58 398.66
1.73 Ladbroke Grove 08/10 [RL] 09/34   21/54 [RL] 21/53 396.73
? Acton West 08/13 [DR] 09/38   21/49 [UR] 21/48 ?
9.01 Southall 08/17 [DR] 09/47   21/42 [UR] 21/44 389.65
11.20 Heathrow Airport Jn 08/19 [DR] 09/51   21/39 [UR] 21/41 387.46
18.31 Slough 08.27a ~ 08.30d [P4] [DR] 09.59 ~ 10.02 [P2]   21.25a ~ 21.30d [P5] [UR] 21.28 ~ 21.31 380.35
? Slough West 08/32 [DR-DM] 10/03   21/23 [UM-UR] 21/26 ?
24.14 Maidenhead 08/37 [P1] [DM] 10/09   21/15 [P2] [UM] 21/20 374.52
? Ruscombe 08/41½ 10/13   21/09 [UR-UM] 21/13 ?
30.76 Twyford 08/43 [P1] [DM] 10/14   21/07 [UR] 21/12 367.70
? Kennet Bridge Jn 08/48 [DR] 10/18   21/03 [UR] 21/07 ?
35.73 Reading 08.50a ~ 08.55d [P12] [DR] 10.23 ~ 10.25 [P12] [DR]   20.57a ~ 21.00d [P15] [UR] 21.03 ~ 21.05 [P15] 362.73
? Reading West Jn 08/57 [DR] 10/28 [DR]   20/56 [UR] 21/00 [UR] ?
? Didcot East Jn 09/18 [DR] 10/42 [DR-DM]   20/34 [UR] 20/38 [UR] ?
53.05 Didcot Parkway 09/19 [P3] [RL] 10/43 [P1]   20/33 [P4] [UR] 20/37 [P4] [UR] 345.61
53.50 Foxhall Jn 09/20 [DR-DM] 10/44 [DM]   20/31 [RL] 20.23 ~ 20.35 [RL] 345.16
? Steventon Jn 09/22 10/46   20/24 20/18 [UR] ?
60.17 Wantage Road 09/26 10/49 [DM]   20*12 ~ 20*14 [UR] 20/13 [UR] 338.49
63.61 Challow 09/29 10/52   20/06 [UR] 20/07 [UR] 335.05
? Uffington 09/31 10/53   20/04 20/05 ?
77.18 Swindon 09C42 ~ 09C55 [P3] 11C03 ~ 11C06 [P3]   19C51 ~ 19C53 [P1] 19C52 ~ 19C54 [P3] 321.48
83.02 Wootton Bassett Jn 10/02½ 11/13   19/44 19/45 315.64
94.05 Hullavington 10/11 11/23   19/34 19/35 304.61
107.07 Westerleigh Jn 10/22½ 11/34   19/23 19/25 291.59
111.57 Bristol Parkway 10.28a ~ 10.30d [P2] 11.39 ~ 11.42 [P2]   19.14a ~ 19.17d [P3] 19.14 ~ 19.18 [P4] 287.09
112.79 Patchway 10/33 [P2] 11/44 [P2]   19/11 [P1] 19/06 [P1] 285.67
116.45 Pilning 10/36 [P2] 11/48 [P2]   19/05 [P1] 19/03 [P1] 282.21
118.09 Severn Tunnel East 10/37 11/50   19/03 19/00 280.57
122.31 Severn Tunnel West 10/41 11/53   18/58 18/56 276.35
123.41 Severn Tunnel Junction 10/42 [P3] [DM] 11/54 [P3] [DM]   18/56 [P4] 18/55 [P4] 275.25
? Llanwern West Jn 10/48 [DM] 12/01 [DM]   18/49 [UM] 18/49 ?
? Maindee West Jn 10/53 [DM] 12/04 [DM]   18/46 [UM] 18/46 ?
133.30 Newport 10/55 [DM] 12/04½ [P2]   18/44½ [P4] [UM] 18/44 [P4] [UM] 265.36
134.67 Ebbw Jn 10/58 [DM] 12/07 [DM]   18/42 [UM] 18/41 [UM] 263.79
138.40 Marshfield 11/03 [DM] 12/10 [DM]   18/39 [UM] 18/38 [UM] 260.26
? Newtown West Jn ? 12/17 [DM-DR]   - - ?
145.10 Cardiff Central 11.12a ~ 11.15d [P3] 12.18 ~ 12.29 [P7]   18.22a ~ 18.30d [P2] [UM] 18.18 ~ 18.30 [P2] [UM] 253.56

 

M.C Location Booked Actual
145.73 Penarth Curve South Jn 11/18 CAN
147.55 Cogan Jn 11/22 CAN
148.66 Penarth 11.27a ~ 11.39d CAN
149.77 Cogan Jn 11/44 CAN
151.59 Penarth Curve South Jn 11/48 CAN
152.42 Cardiff Central 11C51 ~ 11C52 [P6] CAN
153.18 Cardiff Queen Street 11/57 [P4] 12/37 [P4]
155.37 Heath Jn 12/01 12/41
160.26 Caerphilly 12/12 [P3] 12/47 [P3]
165.46 Ystrad Mynach South 12.23 ~ 12.25 12/55
175.05 Cwmbargoed 12.55a ~ 13.15d 13.26 ~ 13.34 [Middle Line]
184.44 Ystrad Mynach South 13.45 ~ 13.47 14.03 ~ 14.06
189.64 Caerphilly 13.57a ~ 14.35d [P2]  14.16 ~ 14.48 [P2]
194.53 Heath Jn 14/45 14/55
196.72 Cardiff Queen Street 14/51 [P3] 14/58 [P3]
197.48 Cardiff Central 14/58 [P7] 15/05 [P7] [Dn Barry Rlf]
198.09 Radyr Branch Jn 15/00 15/07 [Treforest U&D]
198.31 Penarth Curve North Jn 15/01 15/08
198.47 Ninian Park 15/02 15/09
202.34 Radyr 15/12 [P3] 15/15 [P3]
204.26 Taffs Well 15/15 15/18
209.71 Pontypridd 15/22 [P2] 15/26 [P2]
213.22 Abercynon 15/28 15/31
216.78 Mountain Ash 15/35 15/39
218.24 Abercwmboi 15/38 ?
221.01 Aberdare 15.45 ~ 15.48 15.46 ~ 15.52
225.52 Tower Colliery 16.30a ~ 16.50d 16.15 ~ 16.26 [Stop Board]
230.23 Aberdare 17.30 ~ 17.32 16.42 ~ 17.01
233.00 Abercwmboi 17/40 17/08
234.26 Mountain Ash 17/42 17.12 ~ 17.23
238.02 Abercynon 17/49 17.36 ~ 17.47
241.33 Pontypridd 17/56 [P1] 17/53 [P1]
246.78 Taffs Well 18/04 18/01
248.70 Radyr 18/06 [P2] 18/04 [P2]
252.57 Ninian Park 18/15 18/12
252.73 Penarth Curve North Jn 18/16 18/13 [Treforest U&D]
253.15 Radyr Branch Jn 18/18 [RL] 18.15 ~ 18.16 [Up Barry Rlf]

Timings continue in first table

Associated E.C.S. Workings

08/03/14 : 5Z61 : (66021 with 66250 on rear) : Eastleigh T&RSMD to Hanwell Bridge Loop
09/03/14 : 5Z62 : (66021 with 66250 on rear) : Hanwell Bridge Loop to London Paddington
09/03/14 : 5Z64 : (66250 with 66021 on rear) : London Paddington to Eastleigh T&RSMD

Location Booked (out) Booked (rtn)
Eastleigh T&RSMD 20.23d 00.20a
Eastleigh South Jn - 00/09
Eastleigh 20/33 00/07
Winchester 20/41 23/56
Basingstoke 20/58 23/37
Reading 21/18 23C13 ~ 23C18
Maidenhead 21/28 23/00
Slough 21/33 22/54
Southall  21/50 22/40
Hanwell Bridge Loop 21.54a ~ 07.35d [GL] -
Acton West 07/40 22/35
Ladbrook Grove 07/44 22/32
London Paddington 07.47a [P11] 22.28d [P11]


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