9th August 1959

R.C.T.S. (London Branch)
The Grafton Rail Tour

Locos Used D6101, 3646, 43474, 44833, 45091 & 45139
Stock Used seven coaches including Restaurant Car

Route :

Loco Route
D6101 London Kings Cross - Hatfield - Hitchin
43474 Hitchin - Shefford - Bedford Midland Road
45139 Bedford Midland Road - Oakley Jn - Olney - Ravenstone Wood Jn - Piddington - Hardingstone Jn - Northampton Bridge Street - Duston West Jn - Blisworth
45091 Blisworth - Tiffield - Towcester - Greens Norton Jn - Woodford West Jn - Byfield
45091 Byfield - Woodford West Jn - Woodford Halse
45091 Woodford Halse - Culworth - Brackley Central - Finmere - Calvert Jn - Calvert
45091 Calvert - Calvert Jn - Claydon - Verney Junction (1)
45091 Verney Junction - Buckingham - Brackley - Cockley Brake Jn - Banbury Merton Street (2)
3646 Banbury General - Fenny Compton - Leamington Spa South Jn (2)
44833 Leamington Spa South Jn - Leamington Spa General - Leamington Spa Milverton - Kenilworth - Kenilworth Jn - Berkswell
44833 Berkswell - Kenilworth Jn - Kenilworth - Leamington Spa Milverton - (2) Leamington Spa General - Leamington Spa South Jn - Marton Jn - Braunston London Road - Daventry - Weedon - (via WCML) - Leighton Buzzard - Dunstable - Luton Bute Street
D6101 Luton Bute Street - Harpenden East - Ayot - Welwyn Garden City - (via ECML) - London Kings Cross

Notes :
(1) David Pearson comments: the run-round at Verney Junction involved the loco running all the way to Winslow as there was only one crossover available. The whole process took around 20mins compared to the 8mins booked.
(2) David Pearson comments: Plenty of time was allowed at Banbury for the passage between the two stations but at Leamington Spa much time was lost transferring from Western to London Midland Regions and back again. At Berkswell, where the loco had to run round via the main line, more time was lost because the Trent Valley line was closed for engineering works and its trains were diverted past Berkswell. It took about half an hour for the loco to get a path onto the main line to cross over. I remember that the train arrived back at King's Cross at 22:35
(3) Howard Cook confirms there was a photo-stop taken at Daventry.

Sources : David Hills (compiled from contemporary reports) & David Pearson

Photo Review


From Andrew Fairholm's ticket collection


43474 waits to leave Hitchin (photo: David Pearson)


45139 awaits departure from Bedford on the next leg (photo: David Pearson)


45091 backs onto the train at Blisworth (SMJ) (photo: David Pearson)


45091 at Byfield (photo: David Pearson)


Woodford Halse...a scene long-gone! (photo: David Pearson)


45091 at Verney Junction (photo: David Pearson)


Timings (Booked Only)
(from David Pearson)

Miles Location Booked
0.00 Kings Cross 09.10d
17.7 Hatfield 09/37
31.9 Hitchin 09L55 ~ 10L01
48.2 Bedford Midland Road 10L44 ~ 10L54
50.0 Oakley Jn 10/58
58.8 Olney 11/13
69.9 Northampton Bridge Street 11.33 ~ 11.35
74.6 Blisworth 11L46 ~ 12L00
78.8 Towcester 12/10
90.3 Byfield 12.38 ~ 12.48
92.2 Woodford Halse 12.57 ~ 13.07
112.5 Calvert 13.35 ~ 13.45
116.5 Verney Junction 13.55 ~ 14.03
121.1 Buckingham 14/13
138.0 Banbury Merton Street 14L40a
138.0 Banbury General 15L50d
146.7 Fenny Compton 16/05
157.9 Leamington Spa South Jn 16L24 ~ 16L29
? Leamington Exchange Sidings 16.31 ~ 16.36
158.7 Leamington Spa Milverton 16/39
167.9 Berkswell 16.58 ~ 17.06
177.1 Leamington Spa Milverton 17/24
? Leamington Exchange Sidings 17.27 ~ 17.30
177.9 Leamington Spa South Jn 17/33
182.9 Marton Jn 17/42
200.8 Weedon 18.19 ~ 18.21
207.7 Blisworth 18.34 ~ 18.36
223.8 Bletchley 18/55
230.3 Leighton Buzzard 19.05 ~ 19.07
236.9 Dunstable North 19/23
242.4 Luton Bute Street 19L38 ~ 19L44
257.3 Hatfield 20.14 ~ 20.16
275.0 Kings Cross 20.42a


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