The Railtour Files

Loco	Route
63431	Middlesborough - Guisborough Jn - Cargo Fleet - Inner Jn (6) - Eston
63431	Eston - Inner Jn - Cargo Fleet - Guisborough Jn (6)
63431 (1)	Guisborough Jn - Nunthorpe - Hutton Gate - Slapewath Jn - Boosbeck
63431	Boosbeck - Slapewath Jn - Hutton Gate - Nunthorpe - Guisborough Jn
63431	Guisborough Jn - Redcar Central - Saltburn West Jn - North Skelton Jn - Brotton
63431 (1)	Brotton - Kiltonthorpe Jn - Kiltonthorpe Mine
63431	Kiltonthorpe Mine - Kiltonthorpe Jn - Brotton - Skinningrove (3)
63431 (1)	Skinningrove - Loftus
63431	Loftus - Skinningrove - Brotton - North Skelton Jn - Saltburn West Jn - Redcar Central - Grangetown SB
63431 (1)	Grangetown SB - Wilton ICI
63431	Wilton ICI - Middlesborough

Note :
(1) Loco propelling. The tour timing sheet showed the second leg from Eston to Guisborough Jn and fourth leg from Boosbeck to Guisborough Jn to be loco propelling but a covering letter explained British Rail had revised the arrangements after the timing sheets had been printed; to run round at Eston and Guisborough Jn (after return from Brotton at 12.41/12.47).
(2) Originally uploaded as loco 63641 in error.
(3) Loco ran-round and took water.
(4) Route confirmation required - above is from booked timings. Robin Coulthard comments: It runs in my mind that the itinerary for this trip was not 100% accomplished. I rather thought that the driver of the Q6 got cold feet re: the state of the track on the Kilton Branch and refused to progress all the way. Ian Clark (SLS) adds: The original advertising notice stated the routing to Brotton was via Guisborough (booked only as far as Boosbeck & return due to line being severed). Tees Dock (completely new branch) was also on the notice but did not appear in the tour itinerary. Ian also adds: On the day the driver of the tour would not take the train all the way up to Kilton Mine due to the state of the track, Tony Davies reported that: 'my log shows that we only reached 'Kilton Mine/Lingdale Mine Junction' (MP 0-3/4), terminated here some 7min before time and, despite a 4¼min photo stop, this gave time for an extra photo stop on Huntcliff'.
(5) Headcode as carried by 63431 was Z01 however the timing sheet listed the headcode as 1X1.
(6) Tony Davies comments that there was a reversal required to gain the Eston branch at Inner Jn and also a Guisborough Jn to gain the up line.

Sources : Mark Harrington, David Whittaker, John Debens, Robin Coulthard (NERA) & Steve Armitage

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Robin Coulthard (NERA) & Tony Davies/Ian Clark (both: SLS))

M.C	Location	Booked	Actual
0.00	Middlesborough	10.15d	?
0.31	Guisborough Jn	10/18	?
1.07	Cargo Fleet	10/21	?
1.41	Inner Jn	10/25	?
4.65	Eston	10.35 ~ 10.45	10.40½ ~ ??.??
8.09	Inner Jn	10/55	?
8.43	Cargo Fleet	10/58	?
9.19	Guisborough Jn	11.01 ~ 11.04	11.14 ~ ??.??
13.34	Nunthorpe	11/18	?
18.16	Guisborough SB	11.30 ~ 11.34	11.38½ ~ ??.??
20.10	Slapewath Viaduct	11p46a ~ 11p52d	11.47 ~ ??.??
21.30	Boosbeck (End of Line)	12.00 ~ 12.08	12.10 ~ 12.13½
24.44	Guisborough SB	12/20	?
29.26	Nunthorpe	12/31	?
33.41	Guisborough Jn	12.41 ~ 12.47	12.45 ~ 13.00½
40.74	Redcar Central	13/10	?
45.24	Saltburn West Jn	13/22	?
48.70	Brotton	13.40 ~ 13.43	13.44 ~ ??.??
50.38	Kiltonthorpe Mine	14.00 ~ 14.05	13.53½ ~ ??.??
56.04	Skinningrove	14w32a ~ 14w47d	14.39½ ~ ??.??
56.69	Loftus	14.53 ~ 15.00	15.14 ~ 15.16
58.38	Crag Hall SB	15/10	?
61.52	Brotton	15/16	?
65.18	Saltburn West Jn	15/31	?
69.48	Redcar Central	15/44	?
72.71	Grangetown SB	15.56 ~ 15.59	15.59 ~ ??.??
74.39	Wilton ICI	16.11 ~ 16.20	16.13 ~ 16.54½
76.09	Grangetown SB	16/30	?
80.48	Middlesborough	16.40a	17.11

Loco Used	63431
Stock Used	4 BR standard brake vans