25th November 2023

Pathfinder Railtours
The Winchester Christmas Excursion

Route :
1Z40 : Burton-on-Trent to Salisbury
1Z42 : Salisbury to Burton-on-Trent

Notes : 
(1) 47848 on rear.
(2) 40145 running as D345.
(3) 40145 replaced unavailable 55009 'Alycidon'.
(4) John Clifford comments: The coaches had been late arriving at Burton-on-Trent from Wetmore Sidings. The train was still late when we left Birmingham New Street. We continued to Longbridge along the slow line to let the 06.09 Leeds - Plymouth  to pass. It was 11 minutes late. At Abbotswood Jn the 08.52 Worcester Foregate had been held to let us go ahead. It was 13 minutes late. Onwards and into Haresfield Loop allowing the 07.03 Manchester Piccadilly - Bristol Temple Meads to pass (14 minutes late). We continued, passing Dr Day's Jn 27 minutes late. There was a check outside Bath Spa. We had caught up the 09.23 Cardiff Central - Portsmouth Harbour, which was 24 minutes late. By not going into Bathampton Loop we made up some time, passing Chippenham only 8½ minutes late. The tour continued with a check at Didcot Parkway. Wallers Ash was passed just 3 minutes late. At Winchester we caught up the 12.44 Winchester - Southampton Central. It checked us again at Eastleigh and Southampton Airport. Then, after Southampton Central, it was onwards to our destination, Salisbury. Outside there we stopped to let the 13.56 Salisbury - Eastleigh to leave. Arrival at Salisbury was 6 minutes late. At Salisbury what was booked to happen was that the train was to be taken to East Sidings and the locos ran round. However, what actually happened was that the train stayed in platform 4, with the locos ran round there. We set off a few minutes late but lost time. Winchester was left 9 minutes late and Basingstoke passed 15½ minutes late. By not stopping at Reading West Jn we got back on time. Then came the news that there was a broken rail at Bourton (near Shrivenham) with single line working in operation. We stopped outside Didcot Parkway, in the station and at Foxhall Jn (the latter two stops booked). Despite this we were allowed away early from the latter, running early until we caught up the 16.23 Portsmouth Harbour - Cardiff Central at Bath. At North Somerset Jn we were held to let the 19.01 Bristol TM - London Paddington pass (16 minutes late), also the 18.27 Cardiff Central - Portsmouth Harbour (just 1 minute late). Then onwards to the next stop at Bristol Parkway where the 17.27 Plymouth - Leeds passed us. It was 8 minutes late leaving. We followed it. Our lateness continued. There was a stop between Cheltenham Spa and Ashchurch, the reason for which I did not discover. Some time was made up giving an arrival in Birmingham New Street 13½ minutes late.

Source : John Clifford (joined/left the train at Birmingham New Street)
 & Richard Szwejkowski (on the tour from Bromsgrove to Southampton Central and return)

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

Mileages as shown in the tour brochure.
   
Associated E.C.S. Workings

5Z40 : (47848 with 40145 on rear) : Burton Wetmore Sidings to Wetmore Jn
5Z40 : (40145 with 47848 on rear) : Wetmore Jn to Burton-upon-Trent

5Z41 : (47848 with 40145 on rear) : Salisbury to Salisbury East Yard (cancelled)
The stock stayed in platform 4 with the locos running round there.

5Z42 : (47848 with 40145 on rear) : Salisbury East Yard  to Salisbury (cancelled)

5Z43 : (40145 with 47848 on rear) : Burton-upon-Trent to Wetmore Jn
5Z43 : (47848 with 40145 on rear) : Wetmore Jn to Burton Wetmore Sidings

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