17th May 1975

Battle of Britain L.P.S.
Atlantic Coast Express

Locos Used D1063, 25161 & 25224

Route :

Loco(s) Route
1063 London Paddington - Ealing Broadway - Slough - Reading General - Newbury - Westbury - Frome avoiding line - Castle Cary - Taunton - Exeter St. Davids
1063 Exeter St. Davids - Crediton - Okehampton - Meldon Quarry
1063 Meldon Quarry - Okehampton - Crediton
25161 + 25224 Crediton - Eggesford - Barnstaple Jn - Torrington
25161 + 25224 Torrington - Barnstaple Jn - Eggesford - Crediton - Exeter St. Davids
1063 Exeter St. Davids - (reverse of outward route) - London Paddington

Notes :
(1) Contemporary reports at the time list the 25's as 25224 & 25274. It is also mentioned that 1063 was a last minute substitute for the booked train loco, 1053, which derailed at Old Oak Common as it left with the stock.


From The John Debens Ticket Collection.

Source : John Clifford (on the train throughout)

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from John Clifford)

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
Paddington 07.50d 07.55   20.58a 20.52
Southall 08/01 08/05   20/45 20/41
Slough 08/08 08/12   20/37 20/34
Maidenhead 08/11 08/14   20/32 20/30
Twyford - -   20/26 20/24½
Reading General 08.24a ~ 08.26d 08.27½ ~ 08.29   20.17a ~ 20.19d 20.17 ~ 20.18
Southcote Jn 08/30 08/33½   20/14 20/13
Newbury 08/48 08/55   20/03 20/01
Bedwyn 09/05 09/11   19/50 19/49½
Woodborough 09/15 09/21½   19/37 19/39½
Lavington 09/21 09/27   19/30 19/32
Heywood Road Jn 09/37 09/33½   19/22 19/25½
Westbury 09.30a ~ 09.35d 09.35½ ~ 09.37   19.18a ~ 19.20d 19.22½ ~ 19.23
Fairwood Jn 09/38 09/40   19/15 19/20
Clink Road Jn 09/42 09/43½   19/12½ 19/17
Blatchbridge Jn 09/44 09/45   19/11 19/15
Castle Cary 09/55 09/56   19/00 19/04½
Taunton 10.17a ~ 10.19d 10.17½ ~ 10.19½   18.35a ~ 18.36d 18/41½
Whiteball Tunnel 10/32 10/31   18/27 18/33
Cowley Bridge Jn 10/48 10/46   18/12 18/15
Exeter St Davids 10.50a ~ 11.20d 10.49 ~ 11.24   18.02a ~ 18.10d 18.04 ~ 18.12½
Cowley Bridge Jn 11/23 11/28½   17/59 18/01
Crediton 11.32a ~ 11.40d 11/36  
Okehampton 12/10 12/00  
Meldon Quarry 12.22a ~ 12.30d 12.08 ~ 12.31  
Okehampton 12/42 12/41  
Crediton 13.10a ~ 13.20d 13.11½ ~ 13.23   17/52 17/51
Eggesford 13/41 13.52½a ~ 13.53d   17/32 17.32½a ~ 17.33d
Barnstaple Jn 14.05a ~ 15.30d 14.22a ~ 15.31½   16.50a ~ 17.07d 16.50 ~ 17.08
Torrington 16.00a 16.03   16.20d 16.19


Back to "The Railtour Files - 1975"