7th March 2020

Branch Line Society
The Fenny Crompton

Route : 1Z36 throughout

Notes :
(1) 47746 on rear.
(2) Day 1 of 3 of 'The Parkinson Package' raising funds for Help for Heroes.
(3) John Clifford's comments: This was a positioning move to get the coaches to London for “The Devonian Crompton” on the following day, 8^th March 2020. The trip did not get off to a good start. The staff at Carnforth had difficulty in getting 33029 to start, but did so eventually with the train leaving Lancaster nearly an hour late. The train ran on the Slow line from Ribble Jn instead of the Fast to let the 05.50 Glasgow - Euston pass. It was 15 minutes late and checked us before Warrington. Before Weaver Jn we were checked again to let the 08.47 Liverpool - Euston proceed (12 minutes late). There was a speed restriction at Dutton Viaduct caused by an embankment slip and this with the late running of the Liverpool train meant that further time was lost and we were stopped at Crewe North Jn to let the 08.47 carry out its station duties. There was a stop before Kidsgrove to let the 09.27 Manchester - Southampton Central get ahead. The generous time allowance between Stone and Colwich meant that we gained some time making us just over half an hour late. We didn’t stop at Walsall so made up some more time and reached Stechford early only to be stopped to let the 06.25 Edinburgh - Euston (3 minutes late) and the 09.27 Manchester - Southampton Central (2 minutes late) pass. The stop at Coventry allowed the 11.16 Nuneaton - Leamington Spa to go ahead. At Leamington Spa we stopped at the North Jn in order to follow the 07.00 Edinburgh - Reading. We didn’t stop in the Down Goods Loop at Fenny Compton so arriving at Banbury early. We had to wait here for our path, as we were booked to travel over the down line from Aynho Jn to Bicester North. There was then the unusual spectacle of two trains approaching Bicester from the north as we were passed by the 12.12 Birmingham Snow Hill - Marylebone. Approaching Princes Risborough we were checked by the 13.29 Aylesbury - Marylebone and checked again as it made its station calls. We didn’t stop at West Ruislip but did at Ruislip Gardens Jn to let two trains from Marylebone come down (14.10 to Birmingham Moor Street and 14.13 to Aylesbury). By this time we were early again so were held at Greenford West Jn for the 14.34 from West Ealing to come into the Bay platform at Greenford and the 14.49 Greenford - West Ealing to leave. Onward towards West Ealing we stopped at West Ealing Jn to let the 15.04 West Ealing - Greenford to come out of the West Ealing bay platform. A stop was made at Royal Oak Jn but I didn’t find out why and this gave us a 2 min late arrival at Paddington. The trains shown above were on time unless shown otherwise.

Sources : John Clifford (on the tour throughout) & Alan Sheppard

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from John Clifford)

Mileages taken from tour brochure.

Associated E.C.S. Workings

5Z36 : (33029 with 47746 on rear) : Carnforth to Lancaster

5Z37 : (47746 with 33029 on rear) : London Paddington to Greenford East Jn
5Z37 : (33029 with 47746 on rear) : Greenford East Jn to Southall

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