4th July 1971

British Rail
(Merrymaker Excursion)

Locos Used 211 'Mauretania', 1814 & 1832
Stock Used 11 vac-brake coaches

Route : 1T41 throughout

Loco Route
1814 Nottingham - Beeston - Trent - Long Eaton - Spondon - Derby - Burton-on-Trent
1814 Derby - Burton-on-Trent - Wichnor Jn - Lichfield City - Brownhills - Ryecroft Jn - Walsall
211 Walsall - Pleck Jn - Darlaston Jn - Portobello Jn - Wolverhampton - Wellington - Abbey Foregate Jn - English Bridge Jn - Sutton Bridge Jn - Welshpool - Machynlleth - Dovey Junction - Aberystwyth
211 Aberystwyth - (reverse of outward route) - Walsall
1832 Walsall - (reverse of outward route) - Derby
1832 Derby - (reverse of outward route) - Nottingham

Notes :
(1) A 'relief' train ran on the Vale of Rheidol railway to cope with passengers from the tour. Loco 8 worked the 14.15 advertised train whilst loco 7 worked the relief (timings for both given below), tour tickets were valid on both trains. According to local staff both ran as 2J98.


No.8 leaves on the 14.15 service train whilst no.7 prepares to leave the
shed at Aberystwyth to work the relief (photo: Gordon Lacy)


211 (in green & named) believed to be at
Caersws on the return leg (photo: Gordon Lacy)

Source : Gordon Lacy (on the train throughout)

Timings, Booked & (Actual)
(from Gordon Lacy)

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
Nottingham 08.43d 08.43   22.44a 22.58
Beeston 08.50a ~ 08.51d 08.48½ ~ 08.50   22.38a ~ 22.39d 22.51 ~ 22.52
Long Eaton 09.01a ~ 09.02d 09.01 ~ 09.02   22.27a ~ 22.28d 22.40 ~ 22.43
Derby 09.15a ~ 09.27d 09.16½ ~ 09.27   22.02a ~ 22.14d 22.21 ~ 22.30
Burton-on-Trent 09.41a ~ 09.42d 09.38½ ~ 09.42   21.42a ~ 21.43d 22.05 ~ 22.06
Lichfield City ? 09/58   ? 21/48½
Walsall 10L21 ~ 10L31 10.17 ~ 10.31   ? 21.15 ~ 21.23½
Wolverhampton ? 10/45   ? 21.01 ~ 21.04
Abbey Foregate Jn ??c?? ~ ??c?? 11c20 ~ 11c23   19c50 ~ 19c52 19.50 ~ 20.10½
Sutton Bridge Jn ? ?   19/46 19/46½
Westbury ? ?   19/38½ 19/35
Welshpool 11.45 ~ 11.46 11.52 ~ 11.54   19.19 ~ 19.20 19.20 ~ 19.22
Newtown 12/06 12/10½   19/02 19/04½
Caersws 12/15 12/18½   18/53 18/56
Machynlleth 12t46 12.49 ~ 12.49½   18t16 18.20½ ~ 18.21
Dovey Junction 12/52 12/57½   18/10 18/14
Borth 13.04 ~ 13.05 13.08 ~ 13.20   17.57 ~ 17.58 17.58 ~ 18.03
Aberystwyth 13.20a 13.35   17.42d 17.42

Vale of Rheidol Trains

  Service train - loco no.8   Relief - loco no.7   Service train - loco no.8   Relief - loco no.7
Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual   Booked Actual   Booked Actual
Aberystwyth 14.15d ?   14.30d 14.35   16.55a 16.45½   17.15a ?
Rheidol Falls ? ?   15.30a 15.33   16.00d 16.00½   16.15d ?


Back to "The Railtour Files - 1971"