22nd September 1962

Ian Allan
The Western Sunset

Locos Used 4992 'Crosby Hall' (3), 34050 'Royal Observer Corps', 53808, 5154 & 7335

Route : 1X05 throughout

Loco(s) Route
34050 London Paddington - Ealing Broadway - Slough - Reading General - Newbury - Westbury - (via Frome avoiding line) - Castle Cary - Yeovil Pen Mill - Dorchester West - Weymouth
53808 (1) Weymouth - Dorchester South - Wareham - Hamworthy Jn - Broadstone - Templecombe No. 2 Jn - Evercreech Junction - Radstock North - Bath Green Park
4992 Bath Green Park - Mangotsfield - Yate - Standish Jn - Gloucester South Jn - Engine Shed Jn - Cheltenham Spa St James
5154 + 7335 Cheltenham Spa St James - Andoversford - Notgrove
7335 Notgrove - Kingham - Oxford - Wheatley - Princes Risborough - High Wycombe - Greenford - London Paddington

Notes :
(1) Train banked from Weymouth to Bincombe Tunnel SB by 34050.
(2) There is a note on the timing sheet that the train was booked to have as assisting engine from Yetminster but, whilst the train stopped there, Brian Basterfield confirms : "there was no banking engine, and the crew decided that they would have a go. The resultant climb up the 1 in 51 to the tunnel entrance was the finest piece of running I have ever had on a Rebuilt Bulled Light Pacific. We had already come down through Marston Magna at 81 mph".
(3) Subsequent to the tour, Ian Allan's Trains Illustrated magazine (December 1962 issue) gave the identity of this loco as 4932 'Hatherton Hall' but this has been confirmed by various sources as incorrect captioning within the magazine.

Sources : John Clifford (on the train throughout), Brian Basterfield & David Whittaker

Photo Review


from The John Debens' Ticket Collection.


34050 at Paddington, in company with D801 (photo: Gordon Jakes)


53808 caught on film at Weymouth (photo: Gordon Jakes)


53808 again, this time watering at Evercreech Junction (photo: Gordon Jakes)


53808 on arrival at Bath Green Park (photo: Mike Morant)


4992 at Cheltenham St James (photo: Mike Morant)


5154 & 7335 at Cheltenham St James terminus (photo: Gordon Jakes)


Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Terry Jackson & John Clifford)

Location Booked Actual
Paddington 08.50d 08.53
Subway Jn ML -
Southall 09/03 09/06½
Slough 09/12 09/14½
Maidenhead 09/18 09/20
Reading 09/30½ 09/31½
Newbury 09/52 09/49
Bedwyn 10/08 10/07½
Severnake (LL) 10/12 10/11½
Patney & Chirton 10/23 10/22
Heywood Road Jn 10/35 10/34
Westbury 10w38a ~ 10w43d 10.36½ ~ 10.48½
Fairwood Road Jn 10/46 10/52
Clink Road Jn 10/50½ 10/57
Blatchbridge Jn 10/53 10/59
Castle Cary 11/08 11/11½
Yeovil Pen Mill 11/23 11/25½
Yetminster 11.30a ~ 11.33d 11.31½ ~ 11.37½
Maiden Newton 11/45 11/53½
Dorchester Jn 11/55 12/02
Weymouth 12.05a ~ 13.05d 12.10 ~ 13.06½
Weymouth Jn 13.07a ~ 13.10d 13.09½ ~ 13.11½
Dorchester Jn 13/23 13/24½
Worgret Jn 13/40 13/42
Hamworthy Jn 13/48 13/50½
Broadstone 13/55 13.58½a ~ 14.01d
Corfe Mullen SB 14/02 14/07
Blandford Forum 14/12 14/16
Shillingstone 14/22 14/23
Sturminster Newton 14/27 14/26½
Stalbridge 14/32 14/31
Templecombe Jn 14/37 14/36
Evercreech Jn 14.53a ~ 14.58d 14.52 ~ 15.03
Binegar 15/21 15/35
Radstock North 15/29 15/45
Midford 15/38 15/53½
Bath Jn 15/45 16/00
Bath Green Park 15.47a ~ 16.12d 16.02 ~ 16.14
Mangotsfield North Jn 16/29 16/29
Yate 16/35 16/35
Charfield 16/41 16/41½
Berkeley Road 16/47 16/46½
Standish Jn 16/56 16/56
Gloucester South Jn 17L06a ~ 17L12d 17.07 ~ 17.08½
Engine Shed Jn 17/15½ 17/10½
Lansdown Jn 17/24 17/18
Cheltenham Spa Malvern Road 17/25 17/19½
Cheltenham Spa St James 17.27a ~ 17.34d 17.21½ ~ 17.34
Cheltenham Spa Malvern Road 17/36 17/36
Lansdown Jn 17/37 17/37
Andoversford 17/57 17.54a ~ 17.56d
Notgrove 18/10 18.08½a ~ 18.12d
Bourton-on-Water 18/20 18/23
Kingham 18/34 18/36
Yarnton 18/54 18/58½
Oxford 19.01a ~ 19.03d 19.05 ~ 19.08
Kennington Jn 19/08 19/13
Morris Cowley 19/18 19/21½
Wheatley 18.28a ~ 19.34d 19.30½ ~ 19.36½
Thame 19/49 19.49a ~ 19.54d
Princes Risborough 20.03a ~ 20.05d 20.06 ~ 20.07½
High Wycombe 20/18 20/22
Northolt Jn East 20/46 20/46
Greenford 20/49 20/48½
Old Oak Common West 20/55 RL 20/57
Paddington 21.04a 21.05


Back to "The Railtour Files - 1962"