8th December 1979

Wirral Railway Circle
The Christmas Belle Railtour

Locos Used at least 33054, 81018 & steam: S.R. U Class No. 1618
Stock used Mainline: 10x First Class Mark 1's
Bluebell Railway: 4x Bulleid coaches including 4279S & 1481S

Route : 1Z37 throughout (S.R. Code GA)

Loco(s) Route
81018 Liverpool Lime Street - Runcorn - Weaver Jn - (via WCML, Trent Valley & Weedon (4)) - Willesden WL Jn - Mitre Bridge Jn
33054 Mitre Bridge Jn - Kensington Olympia - Latchmere Jn - Clapham Junction - Balham Jn - Windmill Bridge Jn - East Croydon - (via Quarry Line) - Earlswood - Three Bridges - Haywards Heath
33054 Haywards Heath - (reverse of outward route) - Mitre Bridge Jn (3)
?81018? (3) Mitre Bridge Jn - (reverse of outward route) - Liverpool Lime Street

Notes :
(1) Robert Taggart comments that this was the last railtour to be organised/run by the Wirral Railway Circle.
(2) For bus connection (using two double-decker buses, each making two trips) between Haywards Heath and Sheffield Park for a round trip on the Bluebell Railway. Roger Jones confirms the use of Eastbourne Corporation 56 (HJK 156, 1961 AEC Regent V/East Lancs H32/28R) which he travelled on to the Bluebell Railway and Eastbourne Corporation 28 (VDY 528T Leyland Atlantean AN68A/2R/East Lancs H47/35F) which he used on the return. He believes these buses worked in both directions. Two special trains ran on the Bluebell Railway (the tour participants being split into two groups, Party A and Party B), both hauled by S.R. U Class no. 1618, built in 1928. For an extra charge the tour participants coudl also travel on a service train that was due to run that day (no mention was made of the traction for that train, but likely also 1618?).
(3) Was 81018 used for the return leg
?
(4) Route confirmation required between Rugby and Hanslope Jn; booked route was via Northampton both ways? Also confirmation is required where the return loco change took place (shown in the timing sheet as Willesden WL Jn but given above as Mitre Bridge Jn).

Sources : Bob Mitchell, Mark Hambly, Barrie Hughes
& Roger Jones (left the train At Kensington Olympia on the return)

Photo Review


33054, southbound, at Kensington Olympia (photo: Barrie Hughes)


From Bob Mitchell's ticket collection.


Timings (Booked Only)
(from Roger Jones)

Location Booked Actual   Booked (rtn) Actual
Liverpool Lime Street 07.35d ?   21.40a ?
Edge Hill 07/40 ?   21/35 ?
Speke Jn 07/46 ?   21/26½ ?
Runcorn 07.52a ~ 07.53d ?   21.20½a ~ 21.22d ?
Weaver Jn 07/59½ ?   21/13 ?
Crewe 08.15a ~ 08.19d ?   20.54a ~ 20.59d ?
Norton Bridge 08/37 ?   20/33½ ?
Stafford 08.42½a ~ 08.44d ?   20.26½a ~ 20.28d ?
Lichfield TV 08/58 ?   20/04 ?
tamworth LL 09/02 ?   19/58½ ?
Nuneaton 09/11 ?   19/48½ ?
Rugby 09.27½a ~ 09.29d ?   19.34a ~ 19.36d ?
Northampton 09/46½ ?   19/13 ?
Bletchley 10/03½ ?   18/57½ ?
Tring 10/18 ?   18/47 ?
Watford Junction 10/28 ?   18/37 ?
Willesden WL Jn 10/41 ?   18L17 ~ 18L27 ?
Mitre Bridge Jn 10L43 ~ 10L53 ?   18/15 ?
North Pole Jn 10/55 ?   18/13 ?
Kensington Olympia 10.59a ~ 11.00d ?   18.07a ~ 18.08d 18.22 ~ ??.??
Latchmere Jn 11/10 ?   18/01 ?
Clapham Junction 11/20 ?   17/58 ?
Balham Jn 11/24 ?   17/54 ?
Windmill Bridge Jn 11/30 ?   17/47½ ?
East Croydon 11c31 ~ 11c32 ?   17c43 ~ 17c44 ?
Coulsdon North 11/38 [QL] ?   17/37½ ?
Earlswood 11/45½ ?   7/30 [QL] ?
Three Bridges 11/53 ?   17/21 ?
Balcombe Tunnel Jn 11/56 ?   17/18½ ?
Haywards Heath 12.03a ?   (16.48a ~) 17.10d ??.?? ~ 17.11

Bluebell Railway Timings

Location Booked (out) Booked (out) Service Train
Location Party A Party B -
Haywards Heath Bus: approx 12.10d Bus: approx 13.00d -
Sheffield Park 12.40d ~ ??.??a 13.40d ~ ??.??a 14.45d
Sheffield Park Bus: approx 15.30d & 16.20d -


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