9th May 1959

Ian Allan (Trains Illustrated)
The Potteries Express

Locos Used (1) 6008 'King James II', 42346, 42398, 42922, 44856 & 46154 'The Hussar'
Stock Used [1] : 9 coaches including Devon Belle observation car & 9268
[2] : [1] + a GUV (2)

Route : X04V throughout

Loco(s) Stock Route
46154 [1] London Paddington - Old Oak Common West Jn - Greenford East Loop Jn - Greenford South Loop Jn - Acton Main Line - Brent Jn No.2 - (via MML) - Trent - Sheet Stores Jn - Chaddesden South Jn - Derby Midland
42922 [1] Derby Midland - Stenson Jn - Tutbury - Uttoxeter east Jn - Cocester - Leek - Macclesfield Hibel Road
42346 + 42398 [2] Macclesfield Hibel Road - North Rode - Congleton Upper Jn
42346 + 42398 [2] set-back to down line at Congleton Upper Jn
42346 + 42398 [2] Congleton Upper Jn - Milton Jn - Stoke-on-Trent
44856 [1] Stoke-on-Trent - Stone - Norton Bridge - Stafford - Bushbury Jn - Cannock Road Jn - Wolverhampton (Low Level)
6008 [1] Wolverhampton (Low Level) - Handsworth Jn - Birmingham Snow Hill - Tyseley - Knowle & Dorridge - Hatton - Leamington Spa - Banbury - Aynho Jn - Princes Risborough - High Wycombe - Northolt East Jn - Greenford - Old Oak Common West Jn - London Paddington

Notes :
(1) Bruce Nathan comments: The itinerary stated motive power Derby to Stoke would be Class 2P 4-4-0 and 4F 0-6-0 but instead we had 6P5F 2-6-0 Derby to Macclesfield and two 4MT 2-6-4 tanks Macclesfield to Stoke.
(2) A GUV was added between Macclesfield and Stoke when the observation car was at the front of the train in order to avoid possible damage to the observation car windows by coal dropping from the engine’s bunker.

Sources : Andrew Fairholm, John Debens, Bruce Nathan & John Basinger

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Bruce Nathan)

Miles Location Booked Actual
0 Paddington 09.20d 09.20
3¼ Old Oak Common West 09/27 09/29
7¼ Greenford East Loop 09/34 09/35½
7½ Greenford South Loop 09/36 09/36½
11¾ Acton Main Line 09c49 ~ 09c59 09.46 ~ 09.52½
12½ Acton Wells Jn 10/04 09/56
16½ Brent Jn No.2 10c18 ~ 10c33 10.08½ ~ 10.24
? Welsh Harp Jn ? 10.27 ~ 10.39½
60¼ Bedford 11/25 11/25
82½ Kettering 11/49 11/52½
109½ Leicester London Road 12/23 12/25½
130¼ Sheet Stores Jn 12/48 12/53
137¾ Chaddesden South Jn 13/00 13/05½
139¼ Derby Midland 13L05 ~ 13L15 13.09½ ~ 13.20
144 Stenson Jn ? 13/29½
150¾ Tutbury 13/32 13/38
158½ Uttoxeter East Jn 13c43 ~ 13c45 13.51 ~ 13.52½
162¾ Rocester 13/55 14/00
177½ Leek 14.20 ~ 14.45 14.26½ ~ 14.45½
179½ Rudyard Lake 14.50 ~ 15.45 14.51 ~ 15.44½
186¼ North Rode 15/59 16/01
191
0		 Macclesfield Hibel Road 16L08 ~ 16L21 16.12 ~ 16.21
4¼ North Rode 16/32 16/32
7½ Congleton Upper Jn 16.37 ~ 16.45 16.37½ ~ 16.45½
15½ Ford Green 17/08 17/14
16½ Milton Jn 17/14 17/16½
20¾
0		 Stoke-on-Trent 17L26 ~ 17L36 17.28½ ~ 17.40
7 Stone 17/50 17/55
10¾ Norton Bridge 18/03 18/03½
16¼ Stafford 18/13 18/12½
21¼ Penkridge Goods 18/22 18/21
30 Bushbury Jn 18c34 ~ 18c36 18.31 ~ 18.32
30¾ Cannock Road Jn 18c41 ~ 18c43 18/39
31¾ Wolverhampton LL 18L48 ~ 18L57 18.42½ ~ 18.53½
40½ Handsworth Jn 19/11 19/11
43¼ Birmingham Snow Hill 19/17 19.18½ ~ 19.19
47 Tyseley 19/22 19/27
54 Knowle & Dorridge 19/29 19/35½
60¾ Hatton 19/34 19/44
67 Leamington Spa 19/41 19/49½
86¾ Banbury 20/04½ 20/10½
92 Aynho Jn 20/09½ 20/15½
97 Ardley 20/14½ 20/20½
110¼ Ashenden Jn 20/25½ 20/34½
119½ Princes Risborough 20/36 20/43
127¾ High Wycombe 20/46 20/52
144¼ Northolt East Jn 21/02 21/07½
146½ Greenford 21/04 21/10½
151 Old Oak Common West 21/08 21/15
154¼ Paddington 21.15a 21.21


Photo Review


46154 waits to start the day at London Paddington (photo: Bruce Nathan)


42922 is seen during a pause at Leek (photo: Bruce Nathan)


The observation car (photo: Bruce Nathan)


From Andrew Fairholms ticket collection


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