21st February 2025

UK Railtours
The Chopper Quartet

Locos Used 20007, 20048, 20142 'Sir John Betjeman' & 20205
HST Power Cars Used 43468 & 43480
Stock Used 5961+5998+6067+6024+3333+1657+3314+3325+6310

Route : 
1Z55 : Preston to Kidderminster (SVR)
1Z57 : Kidderminster (SVR) to Watford Junction

Traction Route
43468 + 43480 Preston - (via WCML) - Stafford - Penkridge - Bushbury Jn - Wolverhampton - Portobello Jn - Bescot Stadium - Perry Barr North Jn - Soho North Jn - Smethwick Rolfe Street - Galton Jn - Rowley Regis - Stourbridge Junction - Kidderminster - (via NR/SVR link) - Bewdley
20048+20142 (2) Bewdley - Kidderminster SVR/NR link
20205+20007+20142 (2) Kidderminster SVR/NR link - Kidderminster - Stourbridge Junction - Rowley Regis - Galton Jn - Smethwick Rolfe Street - Soho North Jn - Perry Barr North Jn - Bescot Stadium - Pleck Jn - Walsall - Sutton Park - Water Orton West Jn - Water orton - Whitacre Jn - Abbey Jn - Nuneaton - (viaWCML, Northampton) -  Watford Junction

Notes :
(1) This was a positioning move in readiness for the following day's UK Railtours charter 'The Shakespearean Sonnet'. Was planned to use four class 20s from Kidderminster (as the tour name suggests) but only three mainline certified examples were available.
(2) 43480+43468 on rear.


43468+43480 approaching Old Alder Lane, Winwick on 1Z55 (photo: Andy Parkinson)

Sources : Gary Thornton (from verified Internet sources & Real Time Trains),
Peter Finan (joined at Wolverhampton/left at Watford Junction) & Andy Parkinson

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Real Time Trains)

Location Booked Actual
Preston 08.38d [P5] 09.32¼
Preston South Jn 08/39 09/33¼
Ribble Jn 08/39½ 09/33¾
Skew Bridge 08/40 09/34¾
Farington Curve Jn 08/40½ 09/35½
Farington Jn 08/42 09/36¼
Leyland 08/43 [P4] 09/37½
Euxton Jn 08/44½ 09/38¾
Balshaw Lane 08/48½ 09/40
Boars Head GF 08/54 09/44¼
Wigan North Western 08/56 09/46¾
Wigan Station Jn 08/56 09/47
Wigan South Jn 08/56½ 09/47¼
Springs Branch Jn 08/57½ 09/48
Bamfurlong Jn 08/58½ 09/49
Haydock Branch Jn 09/01 ?
Golborne Jn 09/03 09/52
Winwick Jn 09/06 09/54
Dallam Jn 09/09 09/56¼
Warrington Bank Quay 09/09½ [P1] 09/59¼
Acton Grange Jn 09/11 10/02¾
Weaver Jn 09/16½ 10/09¾
Acton Bridge 09/21 10/11¾
Hartford Jn 09/22 10/12¾
Hartford 09/22½ 10/13¼
Winsford 09/26 10/16¾
Crewe Coal Yard 09/34½ 10/21¾
Crewe North Jn 09/35 10/24¼
Crewe 09.36a ~ 09.40d [P5] 10.25 ~ 10.28
Crewe South Jn 09/41 10/29¼
Basford Hall Jn 09/43 10/31
Betley Road SB 09/49½ 10/34½
Madeley 09/57 10/36¾
Whitmore 10/02 10/39¼
Norton Bridge 10/18 10/44¼
Little Bridgeford Jn 10/20 10/45
Doxey Jn 10/26 10/47¾
Stafford North Jn 10/26½ 10/48
Stafford 10/27 [P4] 10/48½
Stafford South Jn 10/24½ ?
Rickerscote 10/30 10/48½
Penkridge 10/33½ [P2] 10/53
Four Ashes Loop 10/36½ 10/55¼
Bushbury Jn 10/41 10/58¾
Wolverhampton North Jn 10/42½ 11/00½
Wolverhampton 10.45a ~ 10.50d [P3] 11.02¼ ~ 11.05
Wolverhampton Crane Street 10/51 11/06
Portobello Jn 10/55 11/10¼
Darlaston Jn 10/57½ 11/13½
Bescot Jn 11/00 11/15¼
Bescot Stadium 10/59 11/15½
Newton Jn 11/00 11/16¼
Tame Bridge Parkway 11/00½ 11/16½
Hamstead 11/04 11/20¼
Perry Barr North Jn 11/05 11/22½
Perry Barr West Jn 11/06 11/23¾
Soho East Jn 11/11 11/27¼
Soho North Jn 11/17½ 11/28½
Smethwick Rolfe Street 11/19½ [P2] 11/31
Galton Jn 11/20½ 11/31½
Smethwick Jn 11/22 11/32¼
Langley Green 11/24 [P1] 11/34½
Rowley Regis 11/24 [P2] 11/37¾
Old Hill 11/29 [P2] 11/40¾
Cradley Heath 11/31½ [P2] 11/45
Lye 11/34 [P1] 11/47¾
Stourbridge North Jn 11/35½ 11/49¾
Stourbridge Junction 11/36 [P3] 11/51¼
Hagley 11/37½ 11/54
Blakedown 11/40 [P1] 11/56¼
Kidderminster 11.44a ~ 11.51d [P2] 12.02¾ ~ 12.05¼
Kidderminster SVR 11.56a ~ 12.10 [NR/SVR link]
Bewdley ??.??a ~ ??.??d 12.16 ~ 13.15
Kidderminster SVR  ~ 13.54d 13.56 [SVR/NR link]
Kidderminster 13.59a ~ 14.01d [P1] 13.58 ~ 14.02
Blakedown 14/05 [P2] 14/07
Hagley 14/08 [P2] 14/08¾
Stourbridge Junction 14/10 [P2] 14/11
Stourbridge North Jn 14/11 14/12½
Lye 14/12½ [P2] 14/14¾
Cradley Heath 14/15 [P1] 14/16¾
Old hill 14/18 [P1] 14/19½
Rowley Regis 14/20 [P1] 14/22¼
Langley Green 14/26 [P2] 14/25¼
Smethwick Jn 14/30 14/31
Galton Jn 14/32 14/32½
Smethwick Rolfe Street 14/33 [P1] 14/33½
Soho North Jn 14/35 14/37½
Soho East Jn 14/37 14/38½
Perry Barr WestJn 14/40 14/42¼
Perry Barr North Jn 14/41 14/43¼
Hamstead [P2] 14/42½ 14/45¼
Tame Bridge Parkway 14/46½ [P2] 14/49
Newton Jn 14/46½ 14/49¼
Bescot Stadium 14/48 [P2] 14/50½
Bescot Jn 14/51 14/50½
Pleck Jn 14/51 14/53½
Walsall 14/55 14/56
Ryecroft Jn 14/57 14/57¾
Sutton Park 15/12 ?
Park Lane Jn 15/20 15/18
Water Orton West Jn 15/23 15/21½
Water Orton 15/25 [P1] 15/22¾
Coleshill Parkway 15/27 [P2] 15/25¼
Whitacre Jn 15/29 15/27
Abbey Jn 15/41 15/40
Nuneaton 15c45 ~ 15c46 [P7] 15.42 ~ 15.45
Nuneaton South Jn 15/47 15/45½
Attleborough North Jn 15/48 ?
Attleborough South Jn 15/49 15/47½
Shilton 15/53½ 15/53
Brinklow 15/57½ 15/56¾
High Oaks Jn 16/00½ 15/59¼
Newbold Jn 16/01½ 16/00
Trent Valley Jn 16/03 16/01¼
Rugby North Jn 16/04 16/01¾
Rugby 16/05 [P6] 16/02¾
Rugby South Jn 16/05 16/03¼
Hillmorton Jn 16/06½ 16/04¼
Daventry North Jn 16/10 16/07¾
Long Buckby 16/14 [P1] 16/13
Mill Lane Jn 16/25 16/20¼
Northampton North Jn 16/26½ 16/22½
Northampton 16/27 [UML] 16/23¾
Northampton South Jn 16/27 16/23¾
Roade 16/33½ 16/31¾
Hanslope Jn 16/36½ 16/35
Wolverton 16/40½ [P4] 16/38¾
Milton Keynes Central 16/43 [P1] 16/41
Denbigh Hall North Jn 16/44 16/41¾
Denbigh Hall South Jn 16/45 16/43¼
Bletchley 16/46 [P4] 16/45¼
Bletchley South Jn 16/46 ?
Bletchley Water Eaton Road 16/46½ ?
Drayton Road Jn 16/47 16/46¼
Leighton Buzzard 16/52½ 16/52
Ledburn Jn 16/55 16/55¼
Cheddington 16/57 [P4] 16/56½
Tring North Jn 17/02½ 17/00¾
Tring 17/03 [P5] 17/01¼
Berkhamsted 17/07 [P4] 17/04
Bourne End Jn 17/10 17/06
Hemel Hempstead 17/11½ [P4] 17/07
Apsley 17/14 [P4] 17/08
Kings Langley 17/17 [P4] 17/10
Watford North Jn 17/21½ 17/15
Watford Junction 17.23 [P9] 17.16


Associated Light Engine & E.C.S. Workings

5Z55 Carnforth North Jn to Preston
Booked as: Diesel locomotive, trailing, load 455 tonnes

Location Booked Actual
Carnforth North Jn 07.57d 09.03
Carnforth South Jn 07/59 [GL2] ?
Morecambe South Jn 08/04½ 09/10½
Lancaster 08/06 [UFL] 09/13
Lancaster South Jn 08/06½ ?
Oubeck Goods Loop 08/09 09/14
Bay Horse 08/11½ 09/16½
Garstand & Catteral 08/17 09/20
Barton & Broughton 08/22½ 09/24
Oxheys 08/25½ ?
Fylde Jn 08/27 ?
Preston 08.29a [P5] 09/28

5Z57 Watford Junction to Wembley Receptions 1-7
Booked as: Diesel locomotive, trailing, load 600 tonnes

M.C Location Booked Actual
0.00 Watford Junction 17.28 [P9] 17.24
0.28 Watford South Jn 17/29 17/24½
1.35 Bushey 17/29½ [P6] 17/26¾
6.04 harrow & Wealdstone 17/33 [P6] 17/31½
8.28 North Wembley Jn 17/36½ 17/33¼
9.30 Wembley Central 17/38 [P6] 17/38
10.08 Wembley Receptions 1-7 17.43 [2] 17.43


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