28th January 1978

Mercia Railtours
Cambrian Coast Express

Route : 1L01

Train then split, train 1 (headcode 1L03):

train 2 (headcode 1L01):

Train then rejoined (headcode 1L01):

Notes :
(1) Due to its late arrival at Birmingham New Street the train ran via Tipton to Wolverhampton rather than the booked route of: Birmingham New Street - Proof House Jn - Aston - Perry Barr North Jn - Bescot - Portobello Jn - Wolverhampton.
(2) Andy Pullar and Alan Osborn confirm a charter on the Vale of Rheidol was run using no.9 (which only got to Aberffrwd because of the inclement weather and greasy rails causing adhesion problems) and a charter ran on the Talyllyn Railway (without incident) - loco(s) used on the latter are required. Ian Umpleby adds: Departure from Aberystwyth VoR was at 14.42 (booked 14.30) and the ascent was abandoned at Aberffwrd due to slipping and the train was propelled back to Aberystwyth arriving at 17.20 (booked 16.30). Alan Osborn comments: On the VoR a crew member spent most of the journey riding on the engine buffers manually sanding the rails as we progressed.  A collection was made on the return to Aberystwyth for their efforts. The VoR train was scheduled to depart at 14.00 but delayed due to the charters late arrival at Aberystwyth.
(3) Contemporary sources record this as being advertised "as the final passenger train to utilise class 24's due to imminent withdrawal" (Ian Umpleby also lists the name as "Farewell to the Class 24") and that 24087 refused to start at Machynlleth hence why 24133 was assisted back by 25165.

Sources : Pete Wilcox (courtesy of Jonathan Wilcox)
(Joined Birmingham New Street, went to Barmouth, left at Euston)
Dave Harlott, Andy Pullar, Solomon Riley, Ian Umpleby
& Alan Osborn (on train Euston to Aberystwyth & return)

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

VoR Train:

Back to "The Railtour Files - 1978"