24th June 2023

Pathfinder Railtours
The Pathfinder Mazey Day Special

Route : 
1Z69 : Tame Bridge Parkway to Penzance
1Z70 : Penzance to Tame Bridge Parkway

Notes :
(1) John Clifford's comments: I joined and left this tour at Bristol Temple Meads. There it was announced that the 08.00 Cardiff Central - Penzance had been cancelled. In fact it started from Exeter St Davids. This meant that, instead of being checked by it, we were able to gain some time on the schedule and passed Bridgwater 6½ minutes early. At Cogload Jn we were checked by the 08.03 London Paddington - Penzance which was 2 minutes late. It checked our running at Tiverton Parkway and Exeter. We carried on and came to a halt before Newton Abbot by Hackney Yard. It transpired that there had been a points failure at Laira Jn and trains were being held until the failure was cleared. When we were allowed into Newton Abbot station we found that the "Cornish Mazey Day Statesman" from Solihull to Penzance was standing in the adjacent platform having arrived on time. It left at 11.43, 57 minutes late. We left Newton Abbot behind it, 54 minutes late. We were able to make up some time. The "Statesman" did delay us at Truro, but apart from this we managed to reach Penzance only 30 minutes late. Whilst at Penzance, apart from running round the stock for the return journey, the locos had to go to Penzance Depot for refuelling. With the delay on the outward run, this meant that we left Penzance 16 minutes late. We might have been delayed by the 16.20 Penzance - London Paddington, but for the fact that it was starting from Exeter St Davids, due to the problems earlier. There was enough slack in the schedule to allow us to get back to being roughly on time by Par. We continued onwards only to be stopped outside Plymouth. Presumably to let another train clear our platform. We set off from there about a minute late and, again, did better than the schedule. Aided by a 10 minute pathing allowance between Dainton and Newton Abbot, we were 16 minutes early at the latter point. Much to our surprise we did not go into Dawlish Warren Loop (where the 17.14 Newquay - Bristol Temple Meads should have passed us - it was running 6 minutes late at this point). We stopped outside Exeter St Davids to let the 18.38 Plymouth - Cardiff Central depart. It checked us a few times. Nevertheless, we still gained on the schedule, passing Norton Fitzwarren a massive 32½ minutes early. After Cogload Jn the 18.38 really slowed us, but we were still 24 minutes early at Worle Jn. We were put on to the relief line at Bedminster and stopped there for 8 minutes. Even so, arrival at Bristol Temple Meads was 12 minutes early.

69005+69006 passing Totnes on the outward leg (photo: Nathan Williamson)

Sources : John Clifford (on the tour from/to Bristol Temple Meads) & Richard Szwejkowski (on the tour from/to Cheltenham Spa)

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from John Clifford, Richard Szwejkowski & Realtime Trains)

 Mileages as shown in tour brochure.

Associated E.C.S. & Light Engine Workings

23/06/23 :
0Z68 : (69005 + 69006) : Doncaster Roberts Road to Burton Wetmore Sidings

24/06/23 :
5Z69 : (69005 + 69006 + tour stock) : Burton Wetmore Sidings to Wetmore Jn (propelling)
5Z69 : (69005 + 69006 + tour stock) : Wetmore Jn to Tame Bridge Parkway

0Z70 : (69006 + 69005) : Penzance to Penzance T&RSMD

5Z70 : (69005 + 69006 + tour stock) : Penzance to Slopers Siding (propelling)

5Z70 : (69006 + 69005 + tour stock) : Slopers Siding to Penzance (propelling)

0Z71 : (69005 + 69006) : Penzance T&RSMD to Penzance

25/06/23 :
5Z71 : (69006 + 69005 + tour stock) : Tame Bridge Parkway to Bescot Down Loop
5Z71 : (69006 + 69005 + tour stock) : Bescot Down Loop to Bescot Up Engineers Siding (propelling)

5Z72 : (69006 + 69005 + tour stock) : Bescot Up Engineers Siding to Wetmore Jn
5Z72 : (69006 + 69005 + tour stock) : Wetmore Jn to Burton Wetmore Sidings (propelling)

0Z72 : (69006 + 69005) : Burton Wetmore Sidings to Doncaster Down Decoy

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