22nd November 2014

Railway Touring Company
The Christmas Cheshireman

Route :
1Z92 : Bristol Temple Meads to Crewe
1Z93 : Crewe to Bristol Temple Meads

Notes: 
(1) John Clifford comments: The train was originally advertised to be hauled by either 34067 'Tangmere' or 35018 'British India Line'. 35018 is still undergoing work to return it to main line use and the overhaul of 34067 was not completed in time, so the two Black 5’s were substituted. On the outward journey both engines were detached from the train at Hereford and went to Edgar Street Sidings to take water as booked. The outward train was running well until Shrewsbury, where we stopped as the preceding train (09.21 Cardiff - Holyhead) was running late so we followed it and had to stop at Gobowen as well. At Chick the connection from the water bowser was slow so we lost more time here. Arrival at Crewe was 13 minutes late. Since we had reached Crewe late and there were two engines to service on Crewe Heritage Centre instead of just one the engines arrived back at Crewe station late. We were held at Crewe to let the 16.22 Crewe - Chester leave on time so we got away over half an hour late.  A five minute stop outside Chester meant that we lost more time but we got away from there still just over half an hour late. We were put on the Slow Line at Chester South Jn and sat in the tunnel just before Roodee Jn there for over twenty minutes to let the 15.09 Birmingham International - Bangor and the 15.23 Holyhead - Birmingham International pass. As we were right behind the 15.23 we were stopped at Wrexham whilst it cleared the next section. Then the Chirk water stop took longer than expected. By this time we were over 80 minutes late. At Hereford the train was too long for platform 1 so the train used the Down Relief and the engines were again detached to go to Edgar Street for water. Departure from Hereford was 96 minutes late, but since water was not required at Magor we ran on the Up Main Line from Maindee East Jn and finally got to Bristol just over an hour late.

Source : John Clifford (on the tour throughout)

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from John Clifford)

Associated E.C.S. & Light Engine Workings

21/11/14 : 5Z90 : (47746) : Southall to Bristol Kingsland Road
23/11/14 : 5Z95 : (47746) : Bristol Kingsland Road to Southall

21/11/14 : 
5Z91 : (44871 + 45407 + 35517) : Bury Bolton Street to Bristol St Phillips Marsh Depot

5Z91 : (34067 + 35518) : Carnforth to Bristol St Phillips Marsh Depot (cancelled)

22/11/14 : 
5Z91 : (47746) : Bristol Kingsland Road to Bristol Temple Meads
5Z94 : (47746) : Bristol Temple Meads to Bristol Kingsland Road

5Z92 : (44871 + 45407 + 35517) : Bristol St Phillips Marsh Depot to Bristol Temple Meads
5Z93 : (44871 + 45407 + 35517) : Bristol Temple Meads to Bristol St Phillips Marsh Depot

0Z92 : (47746) : Bristol Temple Meads to Bristol Temple Meads
0Z93 : (47746) : Bristol Temple Meads to Bristol Temple Meads

5Z93 : (44871 + 45407 + 35517) : Crewe - Gresty Lane - Basford Hall Sorting Sidings North - Heritage Centre - Crewe
(Loco turning trip)

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