18th November 2023

Steam Dreams Rail Co
London to York Christmas Market

Locos Used (2) 47805 'Roger Hosking MA 1925-2013' & steam: 45231 'The Sherwood Forester'
Stock Used 35461+17013+3045+3122+80044+3100+3148+3125+1863+3107+3330+3231

Route :
1Z31 : London Kings Cross to York
1Z33 : York to London Kings Cross

Loco(s) Route
45231 (1) London Kings Cross - (via ECML) - Peterborough - Spalding - Sleaford South Jn - Sleaford North Jn - Metheringham - Lincoln Central - Saxilby - Gainsborough Lea Road - Gainsborough Trent Jns - Bessacarr Jn - Doncaster - (via ECML) - York
45231 (1) York - (reverse of outward route) - London Kings Cross

Notes : 
(1) 47805 on rear.
(2) 47805 running as D1935.
(3) John Clifford's comments: When this tour was first advertised it was due to be hauled by 70000 'Britannia'. This engine needed repairs after a major failure at Chilworth on 22/08/23. 34046 'Braunton' was substituted but, about a week before the train ran, it was found to be out of gauge at Kings Cross. The train finally ran hauled by 45231. We left Potters Bar a few minutes early. We stopped at Welwyn North and this delayed the train. We left the Huntingdon water stop late. This caused a 9 minute delay to the 07.26 Horsham - Peterborough. We continued northwards. Peterborough was left 16 minutes late. By shortening the Metheringham water stop we picked up some time. There was a slight delay at Doncaster awaiting a member of train crew. Arrival at York was 8 minutes late.
The coaches for the return journey arrived half an hour late. We had to wait for the 14.00 Edinburgh - Kings Cross to depart, and then followed it. There had also been a Kings Cross and return railtour run by the Railway Touring Company (RTC) on this day. The plan had been that the RTC tour would go 20 minutes in front of us, but run via Knottingley, so that it was behind us at Doncaster. Like our tour, the RTC train was booked to run via Lincoln. However, the RTC tour got to Doncaster first and carried on. The RTC tour had a booked water stop at Saxilby, so we sat outside that station while it watered. Eventually we got our water stop at East Holmes and left there nearly an hour late. We continued in the same vein. Despite not calling at Peterborough and cutting short the water stop at Conington we were still late. I left the train at Potters Bar, where it arrived 59 minutes late.

Source : John Clifford (joined/left the tour at Potters Bar)

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from John Clifford)

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
London Kings Cross 08.00d [P8] [F] 08.00   21.35a [P8] 22.34
Belle Isle 08/01½ [DS] 08/02   21/33 [E] 22/31
Holloway South Jn 08/03½ [DS] 08/05   21/31 [US] 22/30
Finsbury Park 08/05 [P7] [DS] 08/08   21/29½ [P4] [UF] 22/28
Alexandra Palace 08/15½ [P3] [DS] 08/13   21/24½ [UF] 22/25
Potters Bar 08.27½a ~ 08.30½d [P4] [DS] 08.24½ ~ 08.27½ [P4] [DS]   21.13a ~ 21.17d [P2] [UF] 22.12 ~ 22.15 [P2] [UF]
Welwyn Garden City 08/39 [P3] [DS] 08/40 [P3] [DS]   21/06½ [UF] 22/02 [UF]
Digswell Jn 08/40 [DF] 08/41 [DF]   21/05½ [UF] 22/01
Welwyn North 08/41 08.42 ~ 08.43 [P2]   21/04½ 22/00
Woolmer Green Jn 08/43 [DS] 08/47 [DS]   21/02½ [UF] 21/59 [UF]
Stevenage 08/47½ [P4] [DS] 08/51 [P4] [DS]   20/58½ [P1] [US] 21/55 [P1] [US]
Hitchin 08.53a ~ 08.56d [P2] [DS] 08.57 ~ 09.00 [P2] [DS]   20.48a ~ 20.52d [P1] [US] 21.40 ~ 21.47 [P1] [US]
Biggleswade 09/07½ [P4] [DS] 09/12 [P4] [DS]   20/37½ [P1] [US] 21/27½ [P1] [US]
Sandy 09/10½ [P2] [DS] 09/14 [P2] [DS]   20/34½ [P1] [US] 21/24½ [P1] [US]
Huntingdon 09w28 ~ 09w46½ [P3] [DS] 09w35 ~ 09w54 [P3] [DS]   20/19½ [P2] [US] 21/09 [P2] [US]
Conington Loop - -   19w44 ~ 20w08 [US] 20w41 ~ 20w56 [US]
Conington South Jn 09/59 [DS] 10/06   19/42½ [US] 20/38
Holme Jn 10/01½ [DF] 10/12 [DF]   19/41 [UF] 20/34
Fletton Jn 10/07½ [DS] 10/20 [DS]   19/35 [UF] 20/28½ [UF]
Peterborough 10c10½ ~ 10c12½ [P4] [DS] 10.23 ~ 10.28½ [P4] [DS]   19c17 ~ 19c31 [P1] [US] 20/27 [P3] [UF]
Marholm Jn 10/17½ [WL] 10/35 [WL]   - -
Glinton Jn 10/19½ 10/36½   - -
Werrington Jn - -   19/11½ [US] 20/19 [US]
Spalding 10/34 [P2] 10/51½ [P2]   18/56 [P1] 20/01 [P1]
Quadring Sig.WS7071 10/42 11/00   - -
Quadring Sig.WS7070 - -   18/48½ 19/50
Sleaford South Jn 10/57 [DA] 11/11½ [DA]   18/37½ 19/38½
Sleaford North Jn 10/58½ 11/13   18/36 [UA] 19/37 [UA]
Metheringham 11w08 ~ 11w38 11w24 ~ 11w41½ [P1]   18/25 19/37 [P2]
Pelham Street Jn 11/50 11/56   18/13½ 19/14
Lincoln Central 11/51 [DM] 11/56½ [DM]   18/13 [UM] 19/12½ [UM]
East Holmes - -   17w41 ~ 18w11 [SL] 18w41 ~ 19w08½ [SL]
West Holmes Jn 11/54½ 11/58   17/39 18/35
Pyewipe Jn 11/56 12/00   17/37 18/33
Saxilby 12/01 12/04½ [P2]   17/32 18/24
Sig.LG7974 - -   - 18.03½ ~ 18.19
Gainsborough Lea Road 12/11½ 12/14½ [P2]   17/19 17/52½
Gainsborough Trent Jns 12/13 12/16   17/17 17/49
Bessacarr Jn 12/31½ 12/37   16/58 17/30
Decoy South Jn 12/32½ 12/38   - -
Decoy North Jn 12/34½ [DF] 12/39 [DF]   - -
Black Carr Jn - -   16/56 17/29
Potteric Carr Jn - -   16/55 [ESL] 17/28 [ESL]
Doncaster 12c40 ~ 12c42½ [P4] 12.44 ~ 12.50 [P4]   16/51 [P1] [ESL] 17/23 [P1] [ESL]
Shaftholme Jn 12/49½ 12/57   16/44 17/13
Temple Hirst Jn 12/58½ 13/05   16/35 17/04
Hambleton North Jn 13/04½ 13/12   16/29 16/59
Colton Jn 13/13½ [NNL] 13/19 [NNL]   16/21 16/51
Colton North Jn 13/16 [LSL] 13/20 [DM]   16/20 16/50
York Sig.Y27? - 13.27 ~ 13.28   - -
York 13.22a [P9] 13.30 [P9]   16.13d [P3] [NNL] 16.43½ [P3] [NNL]


Associated E.C.S. Workings

17/11/23 :
5Z52 : (45231 with 47805 on rear) : Crewe H.S. to Crewe Gresty Reception
5Z52 : (47805 with 45231 on rear) : Crewe Gresty Reception to Crewe
5Z52 : (45231 with 47805 on rear) : Crewe to Willesden West London Jn
5Z52 : (47805 with 45231 on rear) : Willesden West London Jn to Southall

Location Booked
Crewe H.S. 10.15d
Gresty Lane Sig.GL37 10.16 ~ 10.17
Crewe Gresty Lane 10/20
Gresty Lane Reception 10.25 ~ 10.40
Crewe Gresty Lane 10/44
Crewe 10.48 ~ 11.03 [P11]
Basford Hall Jn 11/09
Madeley 11/16
Little Bridgeford Jn 11/28
Stafford 11/33
Trent Valley Jn 11/34
Whitehouse Jn 11/37
Colwich 11/41
Rugeley North Jn 11/47
Lichfield North Jn 11/54
Amington Jn 12/02
Atherstone 12w10 ~ 12w30 [P2]
Nuneaton 12*38 ~ 12*49 [UR]
Attleborough South Jn 12/52
Brinklow 13/00
Trent Valley Jn 13/06
Rugby 13/08 [P6]
Hillmorton Jn 13/10
Daventry South Jn 13/14
Long Buckby 13/21
Northampton 13/32
Hanslope Jn 13/44
Milton Keynes Central 13*49 ~ 14*16
Bletchley 14/22
Ledburn Jn 14/31
Tring 14*41 ~ 15*01 [P5]
Bourne End Jn 15/09
Watford Junction 15/19
Harrow & Wealdstone 15/26
Wembley Central 15/33
Willesden Up & Down Relief 15*37 ~ 15*50
Sudbury Jn 15/53
Wembley Yard South Jn 15/54
Willesden No.7 15/57
Acton Lane Reception Sidings 15/59
Willesden West London Jn 16.01 ~ 16.16
Willesden SW Sidings 16/17
Acton Wells Jn 16/19
Acton Main Line 16/22
Acton West 16/26
West Ealing 16/30
Hanwell 16/34
Hanwell Bridge Loop 16*37 ~ 16*50 [UGL]
Southall East Jn 16/52
Southall 16.53 ~ 17.13
Southall LSL 17.24a

18/11/23 :
5Z31 : (45231 with 47805 on rear) : Southall to Hornsey
5Z31 : (47805 with 45231 on rear) : Hornsey to London Kings Cross

Location Booked
Southall LSL 05.54d
Southall 06.04 ~ 06.19
Southall East Jn 06/20
West Ealing 06/23
Acton West 06/26
Acton Main Line 06/29
Acton Wells Jn 06/35
Willesden Junction HL 06/44
Kensal Green Jn 06/47
West Hampstead 06/55
Gospel Oak 07/01
Camden Road Jn 07/04
Camden Road Central Jn 07/06
York Way North Jn 07/08
Copenhagen Jn 07/09
Holloway South Jn 07/11
Finsbury Park 07/15
Hornsey Sig.K440 07.20 ~ 07.25
Finsbury Park 07/30
Holloway South Jn 07/31
Belle Isle 07/33
London Kings Cross 07.35a [P8]

5Z32 : (45231 with 47805 on rear) : York to Skelton Jn
5Z32 : (47805 with 45231 on rear) : Skelton Jn to York Thrall
(45231 turned at York Thrall Turntable)

Location Booked Actual
York 13.45d [P9] 13.52 [P9]
Skelton Jn 13.51 ~ 13.56  
York Yard North Jn 14/00  
York Thrall Turntable 14.05a  

5Z33 : (47805 with 45231 on rear) : York Thrall to Skelton Jn
5Z33 : (45231 with 47805 on rear) : Skelton Jn to York

Location Booked Actual
York Thrall Turntable 15.40d  
York Yard North Jn 15.45 ~ 15.46  
Skelton Jn 15.50 ~ 15.55  
York 15.59a [P3] 16.30 [P3]

5Z34 : (47805 with 45231 on rear) : London Kings Cross to Hornsey
5Z34 : (45231 with 47805 on rear) : Hornsey to Southall

Location Booked
London Kings Cross 21.51d [P8]
Belle Isle 21/52
Holloway South Jn 21/53
Finsbury Park 21/56
Harringay 22/00
Hornsey Sig.K440 22.05 ~ 22.23
Harringay 22/27
Finsbury Park 22/29
Holloway South Jn 22/31
Copenhagen Jn 22/36
York Way North Jn 22/37
Camden Road Central Jn 22/40
Camden Road Jn 22/42
Gospel Oak 22/49
West Hampstead 22/53
Kensal Green Jn 23/05
Willesden Junction HL 23/07
Acton Wells Jn 23/09
Acton Main Line 23*12 ~ 23*24
Acton West 23/28
West Ealing 23/31
Southall East Jn 23/35
Southall 23.37 ~ 23.47
Southall LSL 23.58a

19/11/23 :
5Z50 : (47805 + 45231?) : Southall to Crewe
5Z50 : (47805 + 45231?) : Crewe to Crewe Gresty Reception
5Z50 : (47805 + 45231?) : Crewe Gresty Reception to Crewe H.S.

Location Booked
Southall LSL 17.55d
Southall 18.05 ~ 18.20
Southall East Jn 18/21
West Ealing 18/23
Acton West 18/27
Acton Main Line 18*31 ~ 19*03 [UGL]
Acton Wells Jn 19/06
Acton Canal Wharf 19/08
Willesden No.7 19/11
Wembley Yard South Jn 19/14
Sudbury Jn 19/15
Willesden Up & Down Relief 19/18
Wembley Central 19/22
Harrow & Wealdstone 19/26
Watford Junction 19/31
Bourne End Jn 19/38
Tring 19/44
Ledburn Jn 19/50
Bletchley 19/57
Milton Keynes Central 20*04 ~ 20*20 [P2]
Hanslope Jn 20/29
Weedon 20/39
Hillmorton Jn 20/47
Rugby 20/49 [P2]
Trent Valley Jn 20/50
Brinklow 20/55
Attleborough South Jn 21/00
Nuneaton 21/01
Amington Jn 21/09
Lichfield North Jn 21/15
Rugeley North Jn 21/20
Colwich 21/24
Stafford 21/29
Norton Bridge 21/34
Madeley 21/43
Basford Hall Jn 21/48
Crewe 21.51 ~ 22.11 [P11]
Crewe Gresty Lane 22/13
Gresty Lane Reception 22.17 ~ 22.37
Crewe Gresty Lane 22/41
Crewe H.S. 22.47a


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