23rd April 2022

Branch Line Society
The Ore No More

Route :
1Z38 : Eastleigh - Reading - Portsmouth & Southsea
1Z40 : Portsmouth & Southsea to Bognor Regis
1Z42 : Bognor Regis to Littlehampton
1Z44 : Littlehampton to Brighton
1Z46 : Brighton - Hove - Preston Park - Brighton
1Z48 : Brighton to Newhaven Harbour (Quayside)
1Z50 : Newhaven Harbour (Quayside) - Haywards Heath - Eastbourne
1Z52 : Eastbourne to London Cannon Street
1Z54 : London Cannon Street - Southampton Central - Eastleigh

Notes :
(1) 50008 on rear.
(2) 50007 on rear.
(3) 50007 running numbered / named as 50034 'Furious', on one side only.
(4) John Clifford's comments: When this tour was originally advertised the route was to be: Eastleigh - Wallers Ash Loop - Basingstoke - Reading - Basingstoke - Eastleigh - Botley - Fareham - Portsmouth Harbour - Barnham - Bognor Regis - Littlehampton - Hove - Haywards Heath - Lewes - Newhaven - Brighton - Eastbourne - Hastings - Ore Up Siding - Hastings - Battle - Edenbridge - South Croydon - Quarry Line - Crawley - Havant - Netley - Southampton Central - Eastleigh. At that time the tour was named 'The Ore and More'. Route clearance work beyond Eastbourne could not be completed in time, so the route was changed to that shown in the timings. At the same time, since the tour was not going to Ore it was renamed 'The Ore No More'.  I joined the tour at Eastleigh after its return from Reading and got off at Eastleigh in the evening. I understand that there was a problem in the Reading West area and the train reversed in platform 8 at Reading. We set off from Eastleigh 6 minutes late and we stopped outside Fareham as the 07.27 Southampton Central - Portsmouth Harbour had gone in front of us, instead of being behind us. We followed the 07.27 and cut short the stop at Fratton to leave there early. At Blackfriars Jn we were held to let the 07.57 Portsmouth & Southsea- Littlehampton pass. After leaving Portsmouth & Southsea we saw the 08.11 Portsmouth Harbour - London Victoria pass us, and then followed it to Barnham. After reversing there we went to Bognor Regis for a short break, then it was onward to Littlehampton for a further reversal. We then followed the 10.13 Littlehampton - London Victoria along the coast. At Arundel Jn there was a short stop to let the 10.24 London Victoria - Portsmouth Harbour come off the Mid Sussex line. A pathing stop at Hove allowed the 11.03 Brighton - Portsmouth Harbour clear platform 2 at Brighton which we were due to use. Then it was back to Brighton (the other side) via Hove and Preston Park. Next was Newhaven Marine which we reached without problems and on to Haywards Heath for a further reversal before heading to Eastbourne. We reversed again and returned to Haywards Heath where we were routed into platform 1 instead of the expected platform 4. A stop at Copyhold Jn let the 14.13 Littlehampton - London Victoria pass. A pathing stop at Gatwick Airport allowed the 15.12 Brighton - Cambridge pass as well as two other trains from the South Coast. The rest of the run was uneventful and we arrived at Cannon Street a minute early. On the final leg of the tour we left Cannon Street slightly late. We were booked on the Slow Line from New Cross Gate and followed the 17.32 Highbury - West Croydon from there. At Windmill Bridge Jn we were held for the 18.09 London Victoria - Reigate to go ahead. We stopped at South Croydon as the 18.17 London Bridge - Caterham and Tattenham Corner was booked to precede us, which it did and we followed it to Purley. We duly ran the booked route via Redhill and from Earlswood we were behind the the 18.32 London Victoria - Eastbourne. After Three Bridges we caught up the 16.24 Peterborough - Horsham, which was 6 minutes late. A speedy run then ensued down the Mid Sussex line, which enabled the lateness to be reduced from 9½ minutes at Horsham to only 4 minutes late at Havant, then on time at Southampton Central. It seemed that there had been electrical problems on the South Western Main Line earlier. We were booked to follow the 19.20 Weymouth - London Waterloo from Southampton Central, which we did, but the 19.20 was 12 minutes late leaving there. Arrival at Eastleigh was 6 minutes late.

Source : John Clifford (on the tour from Eastleigh 07.10)

Photo Review

50008 arriving at Eastbourne (photo Simon Jeffs)

50007 departing from Eastbourne (photo Simon Jeffs)

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from John Clifford & Realtime Trains)

Associated E.C.S. Workings

23/04/22 :
5Z38 : (50007 with 50008 on rear) : Eastleigh T&RSMD to Eastleigh

5Z54 : (50008 with 50008 on rear) : Eastleigh to Eastleigh T&RSMD

24/04/22 :
5Z55 : (50007 + 50008 + tour stock) : Eastleigh T&RSMD to Kidderminster [DGL]
5Z55 : (50008 + tour stock) : Kidderminster [DGL] to Burton Wetmore Sidings

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