20th September 1975

B.R. (Doncaster Division)
(Mystery Excursion)

Locos Used 24079, 24087 & 47181
Stock Used 11 mark 1 coaches vb90mph

Route : 1Z95 throughout

Loco(s) Route
47181 Doncaster - (via ECML) - Grantham
47181 Grantham - Nottingham - Trent - Sheet Stores Jn - Stenson Jn - Burton-on-Trent - Wichnor Jn - Tamworth - Wichnor Jn - Kingsbury Jn - Water Orton - Landor Street Jn - Proof House Jn - Birmingham New Street - Soho South Jn - Galton Jn - Dudley Port - Wolverhampton
24087 + 24079 Wolverhampton - Telford - Abbey Foregate Jn - English Bridge Jn - Sutton Bridge Jn - Welshpool - Machynlleth - Dovey Junction - Aberystwyth
24079 + 24087 Aberystwyth - (reverse of outward route) - Wolverhampton
47181 Wolverhampton - (reverse of outward route) - Grantham
47181 Grantham - (via ECML) - Doncaster

Notes :
(1) Gordon Lacy comments: This was probably the greatest "Mystex" of all time - so secret was it, that there were only 12 people on the train after all stops!  Oh, and that included the Guard, Courier & lonely Buffet Attendant! Four were from Newark, including myself (I wasn't going to miss this one, knowing the true destination from the Station Code!). The booked guard never turned up at Birmingham New Street - it would have been no surprise if the train had been terminated there!  However, the Courier insisted it run & Control were persuaded to maintain a clear road over the single line.  This resulted in one of the fastest runs ever over this route, some 13 minutes being carved out of the booking from Abbey Foregate, despite 2 signal stops! On the return, the driver was 'persuaded' to push the class 24s to the limit, as I had the front coach locked off to facilitate tape recording. The 18+ minute early arrival at Newtown being the result! We also arrived sufficiently early at Wolverhampton to gain an earlier than booked path!

Source : Gordon Lacy (joined/left the train at Newark)

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Gordon Lacy)

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
Doncaster 07.15d 07.39   01.05a ?
Retford 07.32a ~ 07.34d 07.56 ~ 07.57   00.44a ~ 00.46d ?
Newark North Gate 07.52a ~ 07.54d 08.15 ~ 08.16   00.24a ~ 00.26d 00.11 ~ 00.12
Barkston South Jn 08/05 08/26   00/16 00/03
Grantham 08.11a ~ 08.26d 08.33 ~ 08.42   23.55a ~ 00.10d 23.41 ~ 23.57
Allington Jn 08/32 08/48   23/48 23/34½
Bottesford West Jn 08/39 08/53   23/42 23/29
Aslockton 08/43 08/57   23/38 23/25
Bingham 08/46 09/00   23/35 23/21
Netherfield Jn 08/54 09/07   23/27 23/11½
Nottingham 09c00 ~ 09c02 09.14 ~ 09.19   23c18 ~ 23c20 22.55½ ~ 23.05
Trent 09/11 09/30   23/06 22/44
Sheet Stores Jn 09/13 09/31½   23/04 22/42
Stenson Jn 09/30 09/52   22/57 22/15½
Burton-on-Trent 09/36 09/58   22/41 22/05½
Wichnor Jn 09/43 10/03   22/36 22/00
Tamworth 09/49 10/08   22/30 21/53
Kingsbury Jn 09/54 10/12   22/25 21/48
Water Orton 09/58 10/15½   22/20 21/45
Landor Street Jn 10/08 10/25   22/08 21/39
Proof House Jn ? ?   22/00½ 21/37
Birmingham New Street 10c13 ~ 10c22 10.29 ~ 11.08   21c56 ~ 21c58 21.32 ~ 21.35
Soho South Jn 10/27½ 11/13   21/52 21/25½
Galton Jn 10/29 11/15   ? ?
Dudley Port 10/32 11/29   21/47 21/20½
Wolverhampton 10L41 ~ 10L50 11.26 ~ 11.37   21L05 ~ 21L40 20.58½ ~ 21.12
Cosford 11/01½ 11/49   20/51 20/45
Wellington 11/14 12/01½   20/36 20/35
Abbey Foregate Jn 11c29 ~ 11c50 12.13 ~ 12.14   19c52 ~ 20c22 19.52½ ~ 20.22½
Sutton Bridge Jn 11/54 12/21   19/48½ 19/49½
Westbury 12x09 ~ 12x15 12/34   19/36 19/36
Welshpool 12/30 12x45   19/23 19/25
Newtown 12/49 13/01   19x04 ~ 19x05 18.46 ~ 19.08
Caersws 12/59 13/10½   18/56 18/38
Talerddig 13/11 13/23   18/46 18/28
Cemmes Road 13/23 13/34   18/26 18/13
Machynlleth 13x31 ~ 13x36 13/41   18/16 18/06
Dovey Junction 13/43 13/47   18/09 18/00½
Borth 13/58 14/00   17/54 17/50
Aberystwyth 14.13a 14.13   17.37d 17.37


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