8th July 1956

R.C.T.S. (London Branch)
The Wessex Wyvern

Locos Used 1368 or 1370 (2), 4624, 6372, 30925 'Cheltenham', 30287 & 32329 'Stephenson'
Stock Used 7 coaches (throughout?)

Route :

Loco Route
30925

London Waterloo - Wimbledon - Hampton Court Jn - Woking - Basingstoke - Worting Jn - Winchester - Eastleigh - Northam Jn - Southampton Central - Brockenhurst
30287 Brockenhurst - Ringwood - Wareham - Weymouth Junction
1368 or 1370 (2) Weymouth Junction - Weymouth Quay
4624 Melcombe Regis - Portland - Easton
4624 Easton - Portland - Melcombe Regis
6372 Weymouth Town - Dorchester Jn - Maiden Newton - Yeovil - Castle Cary - Westbury - Trowbridge - Holt Jn - Devizes - Savernake (LL) - Wolfhall Jn - Grafton South Jn - Ludgershall - Andover Junction
32329 Andover Junction - Worting Jn - (reverse of outward route) - London Waterloo

    Notes :
(1) Though the tour ticket described this as 'The Wessex Railtour', the train carried a headboard proclaiming it as 'The Wessex Wyvern' and the tour brochure also carried both the 'Wessex Wyvern' name as well as a reference to the 'Wessex Rail Tour'. Passengers would have walked or used buses between Weymouth Quay and Melcombe Regis stations, and also from Melcombe Regis to Weymouth Town as all three are quite close to each other.
(2) The use of 1368 is given in some sources however in late 2006 one railway periodical published a high quality photo clearly showing 1370 at the head of this train, traversing the Weymouth Harbour Tramway hauling a rake of seven coaches. Photo evidence below also shows 1370....however this is given as the empty stock returning from Weymouth Quay...so was 1368 actually the loco used for the leg to the Quay (with passengers) and both photos show the empty stock move using 1370?

Sources : John Clifford, David Davis, Gary Thornton & John Debens

Photo Review


30925 'Cheltenham' at Waterloo (photo: The John Debens Collection)


30287 took over at Brockenhurst (photo: The John Debens Collection)


On the Weymouth Quay branch (photo: The John Debens Collection)


1370 returns the empty stock (photo: The John Debens Collection)


4624 at Easton (photo: The John Debens Collection)


6372, paused at Westbury (photo: The John Debens Collection)


32329 at Andover Junction (photo: The John Debens Collection)


Coach destination board (photo: The John Debens Collection)


From Andrew Fairholms ticket collection.


Timings (Booked Only)
(from John Debens)

M.C Location Booked
0.00 Waterloo 09.18d
7.17 Wimbledon ?
13.26 Hampton Court Jn ?
24.26 Woking 09/46
47.63 Basingstoke ?
50.23 Worting Jn 10/13
73.45 Eastleigh 10/39
78.14 Northam Jn ?
79.19 Southampton Central 10/47
92.65 Brockenhurst 11L06 ~ 11L40
93.60 Lymington Jn ?
103.60 Ringwood ?
115.54 Broadstone Jn 12/20
119.09 Hamworthy Jn ?
124.02 Wareham ?
139.27 Dorchester Jn 12/55
145.49 Weymouth Jn 13.05 ~ 13.10
146.69 Weymouth Quay 13.24a
0.00 Melcombe Regis 14.15d
3.78 Portland 14/25
7.55
0.00		 Easton 14.47a ~ 15.05d
3.57 Portland 15/21
7.55 Melcombe Regis 15.30a
0.00 Weymouth Town 16.50d
6.49 Dorchester Jn 17/06
14.55 Maiden Newton 17/16
27.35 Yeovil 17/36
39.16 Castle Cary 17/52
58.78 Westbury 18.23 ~ 18.30
63.01 Trowbridge 18/38
66.04 Holt Jn 18/44
74.21 Devizes 19/01
90.04 Savernake LL 19.25 ~ 19.32
90.69 Wolfhall Jn 19/34½
92.11 Grafton South Jn 19/37
98.72 Ludgershall 19/49
106.19 Andover Junction 20.00 ~ 20.11
122.25 Worting Jn 20/31
124.65 Basingstoke ?
148.22 Woking 20/54
159.22 Hampton Court Jn 21/06
172.48 Waterloo 21.24a


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