11th November 2022

Railway Touring Company
The Kentish Belle Armistice Day

Route :
1Z75 : London Victoria to Margate
1Z76 : Margate to London Victoria

Notes : 
(1) 47804 on rear.
(2) 45596 running as 45606 'Falkland Islands' to mark 40 years since the Falklands Conflict.
(3) John Clifford's comments: When first advertised the outward route was London Victoria - Dartford - Gravesend - Chatham - Faversham - Whitstable - Margate. On the day, I found, on my arrival at London Victoria, that there had been a signal failure outside the station. Trains were delayed or diverted to other stations. The big problem for the tour was that our driver was on one of the diverted trains. He did not arrive and this delay accounted for our 17 minutes late start. The schedule showed a wait at Sole Street to observe a two minutes silence to remember those lost in War. As we were late we didn't stop, the silence having been observed while the train was moving. We were stopped outside Chatham as we had now caught up the 09.42 Herne Hill - Faversham. We made up a few minutes time and left Faversham just over 10 minutes late, having had to wait there for the 10.52 Faversham - Ramsgate E.C.S. to go (it was 70 minutes late leaving). The Whitstable water stop took longer than allowed for. We arrived there 9 minutes late and left 22 minutes late. Arrival in Margate was 19 minutes late. The stop at Margate had been booked at just under half an hour. It was cut to 13 minutes and we left 6 minutes late. We made most of the lateness and omitted the Dover stop, to pass there just 2 minutes late. We had been booked to follow the 14.00 Dover Priory to London Charing Cross and this we did. There was a signal stop outside Shakespeare Tunnel. At Ashford International we were stopped on the Up Main line and then set off for the Harrietsham water stop. Sadly the allowance to take water was exceeded again (17 minutes allowed, 23 minutes taken). Some time was made up, but we followed the 15.54 Orpington - London Victoria stopper from Beckenham Junction and time was lost. By dint of there being some pathing allowances in the schedule we reached London Victoria 13 minutes late, despite a couple of stops on the approach to terminus.

Source : John Clifford (on the tour throughout)

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from John Clifford)

Associated E.C.S. Workings

5Z76 : (45596 with 47804 on rear) : Southall to Willesden No.7
5Z76 : (47804 with 45596 on rear) : Willesden No.7 to London Victoria

5Z78 : (47804 with 45596 on rear) : London Victoria to Willesden No.7
5Z78 : (45596 with 47804 on rear) : Willesden No.7 to Southall

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