22nd July 1962

R.C.T.S. (West Riding Branch)
Festiniog Scenic Rail Tour

Locos Used 'Iarll Merioneth', 'Prince', 40078, 40116, 45565 'Victoria', 46145 'The Duke of Wellington's Regiment', 46200 'Princess Royal' & 73044
Stock Used 10 coaches
DMU's Used 79190+79085+79034+79655 & ?????

Route : 1X21 throughout

Loco(s) Route
45565 Leeds Central - Laisterdyke - Low Moor - Halifax
46145 Halifax - Hebden Bridge - Rochdale - Castleton East - Newton Heath - Cheetham Hill Jn - Manchester Victoria - Manchester Exchange - Eccles - Earlestown - Winwick Jn - Warrington Bank Quay - Acton Grange Jn - Frodsham Jn - Helsby - Chester General
46200 Chester General - Rhyl - Colwyn Bay - Llandudno Junction (1)
40116 + 40078 Llandudno Junction - Caernarvon - Afon Wen - Portmadoc
40116 + 40078 Portmadoc - Afon Wen - Caernarvon - Llandudno Junction
46200 (1) Llandudno Junction - (reverse of outward route) - Chester
46145 Chester - (reverse of outward route) - Manchester Victoria - Miles Platting - Droylesden - Stalybridge - Diggle Jn - Marsden - Huddersfield
73044 Huddersfield - Heaton Lodge Jn - Thornhill LNW Jn - Morley Row - Farnley & Wortley - Leeds City South

Route : Portions (from/to Bradford Exchange)
1X02 : Bradford Exchange to Halifax
???? : Huddersfield to Bradford Exchange

Loco(s) Route
46145 Bradford Exchange - Low Moor - Halifax
46145 Huddersfield - Bradley Wood Jn - Greetland - Dryclough Jn - Halifax - Low Moor - Bradford Exchange

Route : Connecting Specials

Traction Route
79190+79085+79034+79655 Llandudno Junction - Betws-y-Coed - (2)
'Iarll Merioneth' (3) Tan-y-Bwlch - Portmadoc
(40116+40078 from Portmadoc to Llandudno Junction as above)

 

Traction Route
(40116+40078 from Llandudno Junction to Portmadoc as above)
?Iarll Merioneth? Portmadoc - Tan-y-Bwlch
DMU ??? ?Blaneau Festiniog? - Betws-y-Coed - Llandudno Junction

Notes :
(1) Tour party split at Llandudno Junction, with half travelling on each of the connecting specials as above, making the round trip.
(2) Paul Bartlett comments: The DMU from Llandudno Junction derailed between Betws-y-Coed and Pont-y-Pant, fortunately not far from a road bridge. Passengers left the train, and walked along the track to the road bridge, where we scrambled down the embankment and joined the coaches which had been arranged to take us from Blaneau Festiniog to Tan-y-Bwlch. I don't know which DMU worked the return trip, or where the passengers were able to join the train at Blaneau Festiniog.
(3) Combined special working and 15.35 service train, formed with 'Iarll Merioneth' at the head and 'Prince' in the middle of the train.

Sources : Gary Thornton, Paul Barrett, Robin Lush, John Debens
& 'Vintage Railtours (RCTS - 1954-1969)' (by Gavin Morrison, published by Silver Link Publishing)

Photo Review
(all photos: Paul Paul Barrett)


46145 coming off special at Chester.


46200 ready to leave Chester.


Leaving the DMU after it derailed between Betws-y-Coed and Pont-y-Pant.


'Prince' on the rear of the train at Tan-y-Bwlch.


'Iarll Merioneth' at Tan-y-Bwlch.

 
From The John Debens Ticket Collection.


Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Paul Paul Barrett, Robin Lush & John Debens)

M.C Location Booked Actual
0.00 Leeds Central 08.40d 09.06
0.39 Holbeck HL 08/42 ?
7.65 Laisterdyke 08/54 09/25½
9.31 Bowling Jn 09/00 09/29
11.06 Low Moor 09/00 09/31½
16.22 Halifax 09.07a ~ 09.13d 09.38½ ~ 09.45
19.74 Sowerby Bridge 09/19 09/54
24.74 Hebden Bridge 09/25 10/10
29.32 Todmorden 09/31 10/17
38.01 Rochdale 09/42 10/32
39.65 Castleton East 09/45 10/37½
43.19 Middleton Jn 09/49 10/42
45.65 Newton Heath 09/53 10/45
47.48 Cheetham Hill Jn 09/56 10/48
48.05 Footbridge 09/58 ?
48.41 Manchester Victoria 09/59 10/53½
48.62 Manchester Exchange 10.00a ~ 10.02d 10.55 ~ 10.57
52.50 Eccles 10/10 ?
54.45 Barton Moss Jn 10/12 ?
61.27 Kenyon Jn 10/19 11/14½
65.21 Earlestown 10/25 11/18½
66.63 Winwick Jn 10/19 ?
70.22 Warrington Bank Quay 10/35 11/25½
71.15 Walton New Jn 10/37 ?
72.23 Acton Grange Jn 10/39 11/33½
75.04 Norton 10/44 11/39
77.16 Frodsham Jn 10/47 ?
80.71 Helsby 10/52 11/47
88.25 Chester General 11L04a ~ 11L16d 11.55 ~ 12.10
91.39 Mold Jn No.1 11/22 ?
96.37 Connahs Quay Station SB 11/28 ?
101.29 Muspratts Sidings 11/34 ?
118.18 Rhyl 11/54 12/40
122.40 Abergele 12/00 ?
128.48 Colwyn Bay 12/08 ?
132.49 Llandudno Junction 12.15a ~ 12.25d 13.07 ~ 13.14

See below for connecting specials
148.01 Bangor 12/45 ?
149.31 Menai Bridge 12/48 ?
156.39 Caernarvon 13.00a ~ 13.05d 13.50 ~ 13.57
159.57 Dinas 13/14 ?
161.41 Groeslon 13/19 ?
163.31 Penygroes 13/24 ?
169.01 Brynkir 13/35 ?
172.53 Llangybi 13/42 ?
174.02 Chwilog 13/45 ?
175.16 Afon Wen 13.48a ~ 13.50d 14.42 ~ ??.??
178.39 Criccieth 13/57 ?
183.31
0.00		 Portmadoc 13.35a ~ 16.15d ??.?? ~ 17.12½
4.77 Criccieth 16/23 ?
8.20 Afon Wen 16.30a ~ 16.32d ?
9.34 Chwilog 16/36 ?
10.63 Llangybi 16/40 ?
14.35 Brynkir 16/47 ?
20.05 Penygroes 16/57 ?
21.75 Groeslon 17/02 ?
23.59 Dinas 17/08 ?
26.77 Caernarvon 17.18a ~ 17.25d ?

See below for connecting specials
34.05 Menai Bridge 17/36 ?
35.35 Bangor 17/40 ?
50.67 Llandudno Junction 18.00a ~ 18.10d ??.?? ~ 19.18
54.68 Colwyn Bay 18/16 ?
60.76 Abergele 18/25 ?
65.18 Rhyl 18/30 19/32
82.07 Muspratts Sidings 18/51 ?
86.79 Connahs Quay Station SB 18/57 ?
91.77 Mold Jn No.1 19/03 ?
95.11 Chester General 19.10a ~ 19.22d 20.13 ~ 20.21
102.45 Helsby 19/33 ?
106.20 Frodsham Jn 19/38 ?
108.32 Norton 19/48 ?
111.13 Acton Grange Jn 19/52 [SL] ?
112.21 Walton New Jn 19/53 ?
113.14 Warrington Bank Quay 19/55 [FL] 20/46
116.53 Winwick Jn 19/59 ?
118.15 Earlestown 20/02 20/52
122.09 Kenyon Jn 20/07 ?
128.71 Barton Moss Jn 20/15 ?
130.66 Eccles 20/18 ?
134.54 Manchester Exchange 20.26a ~ 20.28d 21.14 ~ 21.18
134.75 Manchester Victoria 20/29 ?
136.33 Miles Platting 20/34 ?
142.69 Stalybridge 20/43 21/32
147.44 Greenfield 20/51 ?
149.43 Diggle Jn 20/55 [FL] ?
153.53 Marsden 21/02 ?
160.43 Huddersfield 21.11a ~ 21.18d 21.59 ~ ??.??
164.21 Heaton Lodge Jn 21/24 ?
167.01 Thornhill LNW Jn 21/29 ?
173.05 Morley Row 21/40 ?
175.60 Farnley & Wortley 21/44 ?
177.55 Leeds City 21.49a ?

Portion (to/from Bradford Exchange)

M.C Location Booked Actual
0.00 Bradford Exchange 08.39d 08.42
2.76 Low Moor 08/46 ?
8.12 Halfax 08.53a 08.58
See 1X21 above
160.43 Huddersfield 21.24d 22.18
161.26 Hillhouse No.1 21/26 [SL] ?
163.21 Bradley Jn 21/29 ?
164.38 Bradley Wood Jn 21/31 ?
165.72 Brighouse 21/33 ?
169.20 Greetland 21/40 ?
170.34 Dryclough Jn 21/43 ?
171.21 Halifax 21.45a ~ 21.47d 22.40 ~ 22.41
176.37 Low Moor 21/54 ?
179.33 Bradford Exchange 22.00a 22.48

Connecting Specials

M.C Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual M.C
0.00 Llandudno Junction 12.30d 13.15   17.32a ? 27.25
? Tal-y-Cafn ? ?   17/21 ? 15.01
? Llanwrst ? ?   17/12 ? 15.01
15.01 Betws-y-Coed 12/58 ?   16.56a ~ 17.04d ? 15.01
? Dolwyddelen ? CANX   16/45 ? 0.00
27.25 Blaenau Ffestiniog 13.25a CANX   16.30d ? 0.00

buses each way
0.00 Tan-y-Bwlch 14.15d ?   15.45a ? 7.40
7.40 Portmadoc 15.00a 16.35   15.00d ? 0.00


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