Six Bells Junction

Loco	Route
47111	Cardiff Central – Newport – Severn Tunnel Junction - Pilning - Bristol Parkway – Wootton Bassett Jn - Swindon – Didcot Parkway
5900	Didcot Parkway – Oxford – Banbury – Dorridge
7029	Dorridge – Hatton West Jn - Bearley Jn - Stratford-on-Avon
7029	Stratford-on-Avon – Bearley Jn - Leamington Spa
5900	Leamington Spa – (reverse of outward route) – Didcot Parkway
47111	Didcot Parkway – (reverse of outward route) - Cardiff Central

Notes :
(1) Brian Basterfield records this tour as having been run by the Great Western Society.
(2) The Didcot - Dorridge and Leamington Spa - Didcot sections were originally booked for haulage by 6000 'King George V'.
(3) Brian Basterfield comments: This was a tour to forget. Quite simply, 5900 Hinderton Hall was not up to the job. Whether there was a problem with the locomotive, or just poor coal, I don't know. Although the locomotive was blowing off most of the way to Oxford, by Wolvercot Junction speed was dropping, and we had to stop for 8 minutes before Kidlington for a blow up. Thereafter we ambled along clearly in trouble. So we were 51 minutes down by Banbury. Another 11 minutes were dropped to Leamington Spa, but then the loco gave us a surprisingly good run up Hatton bank, not falling below 40 mph. But we were 73 minutes late arriving at Dorridge. 7029 Clun Castle backed down on to the rear, and we were heading south again 12 minutes later, a smart piece of work. But we were held at Hatton North, and as a result, were 71 mins late into Stratford. But by cutting an hour off the time allowed at Stratford, we were able to depart only 11 minutes down. A heavy bout of slipping on departure cost us 2 minutes. This was followed by signal checks at Warwick, and so 7029 was 24 late into Leamington, where 5900 was to take over. The big question was, would Hinderton Hall perform any better on the return journey?. The answer was no. 18 minutes late away, we immediately dropped another 17 minutes to Banbury, taking over 42 minutes unchecked for the 19.8 miles. After taking water, things slightly improved on to Oxford and Didcot, there was only another 5 minutes lost. We were 26 minutes late in (having saved 14 minutes taking water at Banbury).

Sources : Ian Monkton (joined/left the train at Bristol Parkway), Brian Basterfield
& Jim Sparks (joined/left the train at Newport)

Photo Review

Miles	Location	Booked	Actual	Booked	Actual	Miles
0.0	Cardiff Central	09.10d	?	22.10a	?	160.7
11.8	Newport	09.24a ~ 09.26d	??.?? ~ 09.26	21.51a ~ 21.53d	21.59 ~ ??.??	148.9
21.6	Severn Tunnel Junction	09/36	09/36	21/40½	21/49	139.1
22.4	Severn Tunnel West	09/37	09/37	21/39½	21/48	138.3
28.6	Pilning	09/43	09/47	21/34½	21/42	132.1
32.1	Patchway	09/49	09/52	21/32	21/38	128.6
33.4	Bristol Parkway	09.51a ~ 09.53d	09.53 ~ 09.55	21.27a ~ 21.29d	21.33 ~ 21.36	127.3
38.1	Westerleigh Jn	09/59	10/00	21/23	?	122.6
51.1	Hullavington	10/12	10/12	21/13	?	109.6
62.3	Wootton Bassett Jn	10/22	10/20	21/05	?	98.4
67.9	Swindon	10.33a ~ 10.41d	10.30 ~ 10.41	20.55a ~ 20.57d	21.1 ~ 21.04	92.8
81.8	Challow	10/54	10/53	20/39	?	78.9
92.1	Didcot Parkway	11L02a ~ 11L27d	11.03 ~ 11.28	20L00a ~ 20L28d	20.26 ~ 20.37	68.6
102.9	Oxford	11/42	11/58	19/45	20/08	57.8
105.8	Wolvercot Jn	11/47	12/04	19/40	20/02	54.9
114.7	Heyford	11/58	12/36	19/23	19/51	46.0
120.6	Aynho Jn	12/05	12/49	19/16	19/39	40.01
125.7	Banbury	12w12a ~ 12w42d	13.03 ~ 13.35	18w39a ~ 19w09d	19.14 ~ 19.30	35.0
145.5	Leamington Spa	13/05	14.09 ~ 14.10	17L32a ~ 18L14d	17.56 ~ 18.32	15.2
151.7	Hatton	13/1	14/20	17/24	17/37	9.0
158.4	Dorridge	13L22a ~ 13L48d	14.36 ~ 14.48
165.2	Hatton West Jn	13/59	14.58 ~ 15.03	17/22	17/34	8.9
169.8	Bearley Jn	14/06	15/17	17/14	17/27	4.3
174.1	Stratford-upon-Avon	14.12a	15.23	17.06d	17.17	0.0

Locos Used	47111 & steam: 5900 'Hinderton Hall' & 7029 'Clun Castle'
Stock Used	10 ex-GW Great Western Society coaches (11 with 5900 & 12 with 7029)