5th July 1975

British Rail
(Merrymaker Excursion)

Locos Used at least 25212, 25299, 31248 & 31264
Stock Used [1] : 4299+4290+3984+9366
[2] : included a Gresley buffet car

Route : 'Ipswich Portion' & Main Train

Loco(s) Stock Booked Route
31264 [1] Ipswich - Stowmarket - Haughley Jn - Bury St. Edmunds - Chippenham Jn - Soham - Ely
31264 [1] + [2] Ely - March - Peterborough - Stamford - Leicester - Hinckley - (via Nuneaton station avoiding line) - Water Orton - Landor Street Jn - St Andrews Jn - Bordesley Jn - Small Heath South Jn - Tyseley - ??? - Stratford-upon-Avon
31264 [1] + [2] Stratford-upon-Avon - (?reverse of outward route?) - Hickley (1) - Leicester
25212 + 25299 [1] + [2] Leicester - Stamford - Peterborough
31248 [1] + [2] Peterborough - March - Ely
31248 [1] Ely - (reverse of outward route) - Ipswich

Route : 'Great Yarmouth Portion'

Loco(s) Stock Booked Route
????? [2] Great Yarmouth - ??? - Ely
????? [2] Ely - ??? -Great Yarmouth

Notes :
(1) 31264 suffered a slight coolant system leak, was examined at Hinckley and subsequently removed at Leicester in favour of the class 25s, which worked to Peterborough where, owing to an Ipswich driver booked on at Peterborough, a class 31 replaced them.
(2) Route confirmation required. The Ipswich portion (outward) was recorded as 1Z46 - was this headcode used throughout for the main Train portion also?

Source : Gerald Brown

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Gerald Brown)

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
Ipswich 08.10d 08.17   23.18a 23.20
Stratford-upon-Avon 13.16a 13.18   18.10d 18.10


Associated E.C.S. & Light Engine Workings

???? : (31264) : Cambridge to Ipswich
??? : (31264) : Ipswich to Cambridge

Location Booked (out) Booked (rtn)
Cambridge ??.??d ??.??d
Ipswich ??.??a ??.??a

???? : (31264) : Stratford-upon-Avon to Tyseley
???? : (31264) : Tyseley to Stratford-upon-Avon

Location Booked (out) Booked (rtn)
Stratford-upon-Avon ??.??d ??.??d
Tyseley ??.??a ??.??a


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