17th September 1977

British Rail
Bournemouth Explorer
(Merrymaker Excursion)

Loco Used 47173 (2)

Route :

Loco Route
47173 Penistone - Barnsley - Chapeltown - Sheffield - Dronfield - Chesterfield - Ambergate Jn - Derby - Burton-on-Trent - Tamworth - Water Orton - Landor Street Jn - Bordesley Jn - Hatton - Leamingham Spa - Banbury - Oxford - Didcot North Jn - Didcot East Jn - Reading West - Southcote Jn - Basingstoke - Winchester - Eastleigh - Northam Jn - Southampton - Redbridge - Brockenhurst - Bournemouth
47173 Bournemouth - (reverse of outward route) - Barnsley

Notes :
(1) A special connecting service ran from Sheffield to Penistone on the return. Traction details required.
(2) Original supplied information has this train hauled by 47173 throughout however Vic Smith found photographic evidence of the Internet showing 47167 carrying a large 'Bournemouth Explorer' headboard at Basingstoke. Was there a loco swap during the day (if so, where) or was there a second special on this day with the same name, which used 47167? Pete Drury however has rechecked his notes from the day and he only wrote 47173 on the timing sheet, he has no photos other than of 47173 and 47167 did not appear in his spotting notes for the day. Pete also confirms sighting 47173 at Branksome while he was returning from Poole to Bournemouth to rejoin the tour.

Source : Pete Drury (on train outward from Chesterfield to Southampton,
return from Bournemouth to Chesterfield) & Vic Smith

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Pete Drury)

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
Penistone 06.13d ?  
Dodworth 06/24 ?  
Barnsley 06.33a ~ 06.35d ?   23.15a ?
Chapeltown 06/48 ?   23/00 ?
Sheffield 07.02a ~ 07.04d ?   22.35a ~ 22.46d ?
Dore 07/11 ?   22/25 ?
Chesterfield 07.19a ~ 07.21d ??.?? ~ 07.21   22.12a ~ 22.14d 22.10 ~ ??.??
Clay Cross South Jn 07/21 ?   22/08 22/05
Ambergate Jn 07/36 ?   21/58 21/57
Derby 07/49 07/45   21/47 21/48
Burton-on-Trent 08/02 07/55   21/32 21/32
Tamworth 08/14 08/07   21/20 21/23
Water Orton 08/2 208/21   21/12 21/16
Landor Street Jn 08.33a ~ 08.35d 08.28 ~ 08.32   21.03a ~ 21.05d 21.08 ~ 21.10
St Andrews Jn 08/37 ?   21/01 ?
Bordesley 08/39 08/36   21/00 21/05
Tyseley 08/43 08/39   20/57 21/00
Hatton 09/00 08/51   20/41 20/40
Leamington Spa 09/12 08/56   20/33 20/32
Banbury 09/32 09/16   20/15 20/11
Aynho Jn 09/40 09/21   20/11 20/04
Heyford 09/50 09/28   20/06 ?
Oxford 10/02 09/40   19/52 19/50
Didcot North Jn 10/14 09/59   19/41 19/41
Reading West Jn 10.30a ~ 10.32d 10.08 ~ 10.15   19.24a ~ 19.26d 19.28 ~ ??.??
Southcote Jn 10/38 ?   19/18 19/24
Basingstoke 10.54a ~ 10.55d 10.54 ~ 10.56   19.01a ~ 19.02d 19.01 ~ 19.04
Winchester 11/15 11/12   18/38 18/40
Eastleigh 11/22 11/17   18/31 18/34
Northam Jn 11/27 11/23   18/25 ?
Southampton 11.30a ~ 11.32d 11.25 ~ ??.??   18.20a ~ 18.22d 18.24 ~ 18.25
Redbridge 11/36 ?   18/16 18/20
Brockenhurst 11/48 ?   18/04 18/09
Bournemouth 12.04a ?   17.48d 17.55

Connecting Service:

Location Booked Actual
Sheffield 22.40d ?
Penistone 23.07a ?


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