1st May 1976

S.L.S. (Newcastle Centre)
Alston Farewell Railtour

DMU's Used Set 1: 50633+59245+59388+50644 (railtour set)
Set 2: 51436+59086+59066+51513 (service train set)

Route : 1G79 throughout

DMU's Route
set 1 Newcastle - Gateshead West - King Edward Bridge Jn - Norwood Jn - Blaydon - Hexham - Haltwhistle
set 1 + set 2 Haltwhistle - Alston
set 1 + set 2 Alston - Haltwhistle
set 1 Haltwhistle - Haydon Bridge (3) - Hexham - Blaydon - Norwood Jn - Low Fell Jn
set 1 Low Fell Jn - Bensham Curve Jn - King Edward Bridge Jn - Newcastle Central Goods Line - Gateshead - Pelaw - Tyne Dock - South Shields
set 1 South Shields - Tyne Dock - Pelaw - Park Lane Jn - King Edward Bridge Jn - Newcastle - Heaton - Percy Main - Tynemouth - Monkseaton - Benton East Jn - Benton Quarry Jn
set 1 Benton Quarry Jn - Benton
set 1 Benton - Benton North Jn - Killingworth
set 1 Killingworth - Benton North Jn - South Gosforth - Manors - Newcastle

Notes:
(1) Attached to the front of the retimed 11.50 Haltwhistle - Alston service train. A stop was made outside Alston station to set down photographers.
(2) At the rear of the 12.45 Alston - Hatwhistle service train.
(3) Stopped at Haydon Bridge to set down passenger who boarded in error.

Alan Osborn comments: After this tour I went back to Haltwhistle and travelled on the last service train to Alston and back. As the train was formed of using a strengthened DMU so didn't actually get platformed at Alston so many participants didn't get the opportunity to walk forward to the platfomed coaches. The return had lengthy stops at all intermediate stations, and eventual arrival at Haltwhistle was met by a very large crowd on the platform, it would appear the entire town had turned out to witness the arrival. Being the last train it formed a special back to Newcastle.

Sources : Ian Umpleby & Alan Osborn

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Ian Umpleby & Alan Osborn)

Location Booked Actual
Newcastle 10.40d 10.45
Gateshead West 10/43 10/48
Bensham Curve Jn 10/48 10/53
Norwood Jn 10/50 10/53?
Derwenthaugh Jn 10/56 10/59
Blaydon 11/01 11/06
Prudhoe 11/10 11/18
Hexham 11/25 11/31
Haltwhistle 11.48a ~ 11.55d 11.55 ~ 12.04
Alston 12.29a ~ 12.45d 12.40 ~ 12.51
Haltwhistle 13.19a ~ 13.39d 13.21 ~ 13.41
Warden SB 13*54 ~ 14*07 14.00 ~ 14.07
Hexham 14/11 14/12
Dilston Crossing 14*15 ~ 14*20 ?
Prudhoe 14/30 14/34
Blaydon 14c39 ~ 14c40 14/41
Derwenthaugh Jn 14/45 14/44
Norwood Jn 14/51 14/50
Low Fell Jn 14.57 ~ 15.02 14.55 ~ 15.00
Bensham Curve Jn 15/08 15/05
King Edward Bridge Jn 15/13 15/08
Newcastle Central Yard 15/17 15.11 ~ 15.11
Gateshead East 15/21 15/14
Pelaw 15/28 15/22
South Shields 15.43a ~ 15.50d 15.35 ~ 15.47
Pelaw 16/05 16/03
King Edward Bridge Jn 16/14 16/11
Newcastle 16.17a ~ 16.30d 16.14 ~ 16.28
Heaton 16/35 16/32
Wallsend 16/38 16/37
Monkseaton 16/55 16/57
Benton East Jn 17/03 17/04
Benton Quarry Jn 17.06 ~ 17.10 17.06 ~ 17.08
Benton 17.13 ~ 17.17 17.12 ~ 17.15
Benton North Jn 17*19 ~ 17*23 17.19 ~ 17.22
Killingworth 17.27 ~ 17.31 17.24 ~ 17.26
Benton North Jn 17/34 17/32?
Benton 17/36 17.32 ~ 17.33
South Gosforth 17/39 17/37
Manors 17*45 ~ 17*48 17/42
Newcastle 17.52a 17.44


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