3rd November 1973

British Rail
Farewell to the Lambourn Valley Railway

DMU's Used sets L470 + ???? + L472 (11-car) (3)

Route : (4 round trips)

DMU Route
as listed Newbury - Welford Park MoD
as listed Welford Park MoD - (?reverse of outward route?) - Newbury

Notes :
(1) One run carried headcode 2Z70. It was reported that 1,997 tickets were sold for these last runs over the branch. Mark Harrington comments: The last passenger trains ran to Lambourn on 4th Jan 1960. The line was later cut back to Welford Park MOD. US Forces ran their own trains from around 1969 until 1973 when replaced by road traffic. The branch was lifted in 1976.
(2) Brian Halford comments: I was on the 11.45 train which ran OK but due to poor condition of the track it ran at about 5 mph on the whole length of branch. The statisticians can calculate the  average speed with the mileage against the 45mins schedule!
(3) John Broderick lists the DMU used on the 15.45 (actual time) departure as:
51328+59509+51313+51353+59505+51395+51320+59472+51305 (9-cars).

Source : Mark Harrington (from contemporary sources)

Photo Review

 
From The John Debens Ticket Collection.   From Andy Fairholms ticket collection.
  Brown ticket scan required....


Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from John Broderick & Brian Halford)

Ticket Colour Pink   Lavender   Brown   Blue
Location Booked (out) Booked (rtn)   Booked (out) Booked (rtn)   Booked (out) Booked (rtn)   Booked Actual Booked Actual
Newbury 09.45d 11.35a   11.45d 13.30a   13.45d 15.30a   15.45d 15.45d 17.30a 17.40
Welford Park 10.30a 10.45d   12.30a 12.45d   14.30a 14.45d   16.30a 16.27½ 16.45d 16.47


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