7th June 1975

British Rail
(Merrymaker Excursion)

Loco Used 45056
Stock Used 35458+24846+25194+24909+1908+15003+24913+3750+3716+3974+34712+25324+25178

Route : 1Z68 throughout

Loco Route
45056 Wellingborough - (via MML) - Trent South Jn - Trent East Jn - Toton Jn - Trowell Jn - Pye Bridge Jn - Clay Cross South Jn - Chesterfield - Tapton Jn - Barrow Hill Jn - Beighton Jn - Masborough Jn - Aldwarke Jn - Cudworth - Normanton - Castleford - Milford Jn - Colton Jn - (via ECML) - Edinburgh Waverley
45056 Edinburgh Waverley - (reverse of outward route) - Milford Jn - Pontefract Baghill - Moorthorpe - Aldwarke Jn - (reverse of outward route) - Wellingborough

Notes :
(1) Howard Parker comments: Alnmouth and Berwick on Tweed were advertised as alternative destinations. It is assumed that 45056 hauled the train between Wellingborough and Leicester in both directions. A further excursion ran from Burton on Trent, calling at Derby, Long Eaton, Beeston and Nottingham to the same destinations and was hauled by 45045. This was seen at Edinburgh prior to the return journey.
(2) Start/finish point not confirmed, but believed to have been Wellingborough.

Sources : Howard Parker (joined/left the train at Leicester) & Nigel Benning

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Howard Parker)

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
Wellingborough ??.??d ??.??   ??.??a ??.??
Kettering ??.??a ~ ??.??d ??.?? ~ ??.??   ??.??a ~ ??.??d ??.?? ~ ??.??
Leicester ??.??a ~ 07.58d ??.?? ~ 07.58   00.44a ~ ??.??d 01.27 ~ ??.??
Loughborough ??.??a ~ ??.??d 08.13 ~ 08.15   ??.??a ~ ??.??d 01.10 ~ ??.??
Alfterton & Mansfield Parkway ??.??a ~ ??.??d 08.44 ~ 08.47   ??.??a ~ ??.??d 00.23 ~ 00.29
Chesterfield ??/?? 09/00   ??/?? 00/08
Rotherham Masborough South ??c?? ~ ??c?? 09.27 ~ 09.29   ??c?? ~ ??c?? 23.39 ~ 23.40
Normanton ??/?? 09/53  
York ??c?? ~ ??c?? 10.25 ~ 10.28   ??c?? ~ ??c?? 22.33 ~ 22.38
Thirsk ??/?? 10/54   ??/?? ??/??
Northallerton ??/?? 11/04   ??/?? ??/??
Darlington ??/?? 11/18   ??/?? 22/00
Durham ??/?? 11/40   ??/?? 21/37
Newcastle ??c?? ~ ??c?? 11.58 ~ 12.00   ??c?? ~ ??c?? 21.13 ~ 21.20
Morpeth ??/?? 12/20   ??/?? ??/??
Alnmouth ??.??a ~ ??.??d 12.37 ~ 12.38   ??.??a ~ ??.??d 20.36 ~ 20.37
Berwick-upon-Tweed ??.??a ~ ??.??d 13.09 ~ 13.11   ??.??a ~ ??.??d 20.03 ~ 20.04
Dunbar ??/?? 13/41   ??/?/ 19/32
Edinburgh Waverley 13.53a 14.09   18.48d 19.05


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