17th March 1979

British Rail
(Day Excursion)

Route :

Notes :
(1) Howard parker comments: This trip was also advertised from Oakham and Melton Mowbray – not recorded if passengers had a train or bus connection but leaflet stated a change was required at Leicester.  On the return, passengers for Derby changed at Burton-on-Trent for a bus connection and passengers for Long Eaton were conveyed by special bus from Beeston.  Bristol and Exeter were both advertised as alternative destinations to Plymouth.
(2) Howard Parker only recorded a 4 minute stop at Exeter and no loco change i.e. 47056 throughout to Plymouth?

Sources : David Hills (joined at Derby) & Howard Parker (joined/left at Leicester)

Tour Review
(by David Hills)

An excursion came up on the starting blocks that we had to think long & hard about. The destination, Plymouth, was certainly worth a visit, the trouble was it meant a wonderful tour round the East Midlands at the beginning and end of the trip, something which we were none to keen on doing. But as nothing else was on the cards (well it was my mother's birthday!) the decision was made to make the trip. With one of the regular Etches Park Mk1 sets reversed in with 47056 we set out for Nottingham and our first reversal. Derby seemed to have an excess of Type 1's on the London Road curve, noted were 20030/082, 20156/175/188. Two more, 20041/071 were at Trent Jct whilst all Nottingham could muster was 31240 & 56043. Leicester depot included 25131, 25301, 31132 & 46015.

Our last pick up points were Narborough & Hinckley, but it was not until passing Saltley that more numbers went 'in the book' with 25122/129/134, 40004, 40152 & 47364 amongst those present. The Camp Hill line was taken avoiding the black hole that was Birmingham New Street. The Lickey bankers fell to eagle eyes, this day 37162 & 37239 had the glorious duty of shoving trains over the mountainous parts of Worcestershire. And so on to Bristol with 31115, 31416, 46013/022 and many others noted at the station and on Bath Road shed. With a new crew up front we continued in a south-westerly direction, pondering why Taunton had three shunters 08149, 08238 & 08338. For reasons unknown, or I simply can't remember, our trusty steed 47056 came off at Exeter to be replaced by 47076 for the assault of the Devon banks. In the meantime Exeter had produced 25057, 33020/039, 31165 amongst the regular diet of the WR Type 4's. Newton Abbot was a shadow of its former self, apart from the shunters only the former Class 24 train heating unit 968008 was observed.

Whatever took place this day at Plymouth clearly wasn't memorable, perhaps it was just a boring day on the Western Region. The usual diet of Type 4's were noted, only 46031/044 providing a break from the Classes 47 & 50. All too soon and perhaps with a sigh of relief our excursion stock arrived behind 45069 for the run home. Little was noted, perhaps sleep came way too easy as our trusty Peak worked its northbound magic. 33008 was at Exeter, 50005 at Cheltenham, otherwise nothing unusual to report. We did visit the depths of Birmingham New Street, no doubt the noisy talents of 81005 close to our coach revived us from our slumbers. From here all is lost, whatever happened was either very boring or we were asleep yet again! Presumably we returned via Leicester & Nottingham, if any one reading this was on this trip I'd be interested as to where we went, and was this trip really that boring?

David Hills

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Howard Parker)

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