15th May 1966

L.C.G.B. / The Railway Magazine
The Picardy and Somme Rail Tours

Locos Used BR : D4102, E5005 & E6029
SNCF : 141R334, 141R476, 141R686 & 231E22
Stock Used UK: booked to be formed as: CK+BSK+CK+SO+SO+SO+CK+BSK+FK+SO+SO+SO
France : Train A expected to be 10 coaches and Train B expected to be 9 coaches
Boat Used 'St Patrick'

Route :

Traction Route
E6029 (5) London Victoria - Herne Hill - Beckenham Junction - Swanley - Otford - Otford Jn - Maidstone East - Ashford - Folkestone East Yard
D4102 (1) Folkestone East Yard - Folkestone Harbour
SS 'St Patrick' Folkestone - Calais

Train A: The Picardy Rail Tour
(Organiser: L.C.G.B.)

Loco Route
231E22 Calais Ville - Frethun - Caffiers - Wimille-Wimereaux - Boulogne Ville - Neufchatel - St Josse - Noyelles - Longeau
141R334 Longeau - Noyelles - St Josse - Neufchatel - Caffiers - Frethun - Calais Ville - Calais Maritime

Train B: The Picardy Rail Tour
(Organiser: L.C.G.B.)

Loco Route
141R686 Calais Ville - Frethun - Caffiers - Wimille-Wimereaux - Boulogne Ville - Neufchatel - St Josse - Noyelles - Longeau
141R476 Longeau - Noyelles - St Josse - Neufchatel - Caffiers - Frethun - Calais Ville - Calais Maritime

The Somme Rail Tour
(Organiser: Railway Magazine)

Loco Route
352 Noyelles - St Vallery Canal - Pende Routh - Hurt - Cayeux Brighton Plage
352 Cayeux Brighton Plage - (reverse of outward route) - Noyelles

 

Traction Route
SS 'St Patrick' Calais - Folkestone
D4102 (2) Folkestone Harbour - Folkestone East Yard
E5005 Folkestone East Yard - Ashford - Paddock Wood - Tonbridge - Otford - Swanley - Beckenham Junction - Herne Hill - London Victoria

Notes:
(1) E6029 on rear.
(2) E5005 on rear.
(3) Graham Stacey comments: A second Chapelon Pacific, 231E3, should have worked one stage of Train ‘B’, but failed on the day and was promptly withdrawn from service!
(4) Chris Totty reports that at Noyelles the main train stopped and a group of passengers changed to a narrow gauge CFTA train on the Reseau de la Somme, hauled by diesel loco 352, to Cayeux Brighton Plage and back. Chris also adds that he and his Father travelled on an 08.05 relief working from London Victoria and returned to London also on a relief working.
(5) Recorded in an 'on the day, letter as E6029's first revenue earning journey.

Sources : Terry Jackson (on the train throughout), Chris Totty & Graham Stacey

Photo Review


E6029 at Folkestone Harbour with the tour ECS (photo : Graham Stacey - courtesy of www.30937.co.uk)


Two tour tickets courtesy of Rob Fraser.


From The John Debens Ticket Collection.


Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Terry Jackson & Chris Totty)

Miles Location Booked (out) Booked (rtn) M.C
0.0 Victoria 08.22d 22.18a 75.31
3.16 Brixton 08/27 22/12½ 72.15
3.77 Herne Hill 08/28½ 22/11½ 71.34
08.52 Beckenham Junction 08/34 22/06½ 66.59
10.02 Shortlands 08/36 [FL] 22/05 65.29
10.71 Bromley South [SL] ? ?
12.38 Bickley Jn 08/39 21/58 SL 62.73
17.31 Swanley 08/43½ 21/53 SL 58.00
24.06 Otford 08/51 21/44½ 51.25
39.78 Maidstone East 09/07½ 21/25½ 35.33
59.20 Ashford 09/29 21/04 16.11
74.06 Folkestone East 09.45a ~ 09.49d 20.45a ~ 20.49d 1.25
75.31 Folkestone Harbour 09.54a 20.40d 0.00

Ferry

Location Booked Actual Booked Actual
Folkestone Harbour 10.20d 10.42 20.05a 20.00
Calais Maritime 11.50a 12.15 18.35d 18.40

The Picardy Rail Tour

Location Train A Train B   Train A Train B
Location Booked Actual Booked (out)   Booked (rtn) Booked Actual
Calais Maritime 12.15d 12.42 12.25d   18.10a 18.03a 18.30
Callais Ville ? 12/48 12.31 ~ 13.03   17.06 ~ 18.05 ? 18.21 ~ 18.22
Les Fontinettes ? 12/49 ?   ? ? 18/18
Frethun ? 12/53 ?   ? ? 18/15
Caffiers ? 13/01 ?   ? ? 18/10
Marquise-Rinxent ? 13/06 ?  
Wimille-Wimereaux ? 13/12 ?  
Boulogne Tintelleries ? 13/15 ?  
Boulogne Ville ? 13/16 ?  
Pont-de-Briques ? 13/18 ?  
Hesdigneul ? 13/21 ?  
Neufchatel ? 13/30 ?   ? ? 17/41
Dannes-Camiers ? 13/34 ?   ? ? 17/38
Etaples ? 13/38 ?   ? ? 17.24 ~ 17.31
St Josse ? 13/41 ?   ? ? 17/20
Rang-du-Fliers-Verton ? 13/43 ?   ? ? 17/17
Quend-Fort-Mahon ? 13/49 ?   ? ? 17/11
Rue ? 13/52 ?   ? ? 17/08
Noyelles 13.29a ~ 13.31d 13.57 ?   ? 16.35a ~ 16.37d 16.55
Longeau 14.15a ? 14.57   15.03a 15.47d ?

The Somme Rail Tour

Location Booked Actual
Noyelles 13.50d 14.07
St Valery Canal ? 14.21 ~ 14.30
Lancheres-Pendre ? 14.50 ~ 14.56
Cayeau Brighton Plage 14.50a ~ 15.15d 15.10 ~ 15.33
St Valery sur Somme Ville ? ?
Noyelles 16.15a 16.27

Relief Trains

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
Victoria 08.05d 08.07   22.44a 23.07
Brixton ? 08/13   ? 23/01
Herne Hill 08/11 08/14   22/38 ?
Beckenham Junction 08/17 08/20   22/33 ?
Shortlands [FL] 08/21   ? ?
Bromley South [SL] 08/22   ? ?
Bickley Jn ? 08/24   ? ?
Swanley 08/26 08/29   22/23 ?
Otford 08/25 08/37   22/11 22/29
Maidstone East 08/52 08/54   21/48 22/00
Ashford 09/14 09/13   21/23 21/23
Folkestone East 09.30 ~ 09.33 09.28 ~ 09.35   20.57 ~ 21.08 20.54 ~ 21.05
Folkestone Harbour 09.38a 09.39   20.52a 20.51


Back to "The Railtour Files"