25th May 1975

British Rail
(Mystery Excursion)

Locos Used 47013 & 47544
Stock Used 12 mark 2's

Route :

Loco Route
47013 Leeds - (via viaduct Line) - Gelderd Road Jn - Wakefield Westgate - Oakenshaw South Jn - Cudworth - Wath Road Jn - Rotherham Masborough - Sheffield - Dronfield - Chesterfield - Clay Cross Jn - Trowell Jn - Toton - Meadow Lane Jn - Ratcliffe Jn - (via MML) - London St Pancras
47544 London St Pancras - (reverse of outward route) - Syston South Jn - Melton Mowbray - Manton - Peterborough
47544 Peterborough - (via ECML) - Doncaster - Hare Park Jn - Wakefield Westgate - Wortley South Jn - Leeds

Notes :
(1) Ian Umpleby comments: I've nothing against London but in 1975 you could go on a weekday after peak times with a Deltic or class 47 at reasonable cost in just over 2½ hours. A return schedule of 5½ hours from the mystery destination would rule out London anyway.....at least it truly fitted the train description!! Only redeeming features were the Trent HL Goods Line and the Glendon connection.

Source : Ian Impleby

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Ian Umpleby)

M.C Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual M.C
0.00 Leeds 08.40d 08.49½   00.02a 00.00½ 261.04
- Wortley South Jn   ? 23/55½ 259.52
1.64 Gelderd Road Jn ? 08/54½  
10.24 Wakefield Westgate ??.?? ~ 09.00d 09.05 ~ 09.08½   23.40a ~ ??.??d 23.39½ ~ 23.42½ 250.76
11.16 Wakefield Kirkgate ? 09/12  
12.76 Oakenshaw South Jn ? 09/16½  
19.60 Cudworth ? 09/24½  
26.76 Wath Road Jn ? 09/30½  
32.68 Rotherham Masborough ? 09/39½  
38.24 Sheffield ? 09c47½ ~ 09c51  
42.44 Dore ? 09/58  
49.76 Tapton Jn ? 10/09 [SL]  
54.44 Clay Cross South Jn ? 10/24½ [ML]  
75.52 Toton East Jn ? 10/48  
? Meadow Lane Jn ? ?  
77.00 Trent ? 10/50½  
? Ratcliffe Jn ? ? [FL]  
85.12 Loughborough ? 11/01½  
? Hare Park Jn   ? 23/33 247.04
? Adwick Jn   ? 23/24 235.62
? Doncaster   ? 23c16½ ~ 23c17½ 231.08
? Black Carr Jn   ? 23/11½ 228.28
? Retford   ? 22/58 213.60
? Newark North Gate   ? 22/41 195.00
? Grantham   ? 22/29 180.52
? Stoke   ? 22/23½ 175.00
? Werrington Jn   ? 22/07 154.52
? Peterborough   ? 21.46 ~ 22.02 151.40
? Stamford   ? 21/28 139.28
? Manton Jn   ? 21/14½ 129.28
? Melton Mowbray   ? 21/00½ 114.16
93.00 Syston South Jn ? 11/07   ? 20/48½ 103.64
97.56 Leicester ? 11c12 ~ 11c13½   ? 20c38 ~ 20c40 99.08
100.72 Wigston North Jn ? 11/18   ? 20/31½ 95.72
113.68 Market Harborough ? 11/28½   ? 20/20½ 82.76
? Glendon North Jn ? ?   ? ? [MML] ?
124.60 Kettering ? 11/38½   ? 19c57 ~ 20c04 72.04
? Kettering South Jn ? ?   ? ? [SL] ?
131.60 Wellingborough ? 11/43½   ? 19/48 65.04
147.00 Bedford ? 11/55½   ? 19/36 49.64
? Leagrave ? ? [SL]   ? ? ?
166.44 Luton ? 12/18   ? 19/22 30.20
176.72 St Albans ? 12/30½ [FL]   ? 19/14 19.72
184.28 Elstree ? 12/46   ? 19/08 12.36
195.20 Kentish Town ? 13/00½   ? 18/58½ 1.44
196.64 St Pancras ??.??a 13.06   18.50d 18.55 [FL] 0.00


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