5th April 1980

L.N.E.R. Society Railtours
Cambrian Coast Express

Locos Used 25038, 25073 & 85010
Stock Used 35478+25829+4899+4946+4926+3111+1500+16121+4938+4853+4924+5009
DMU Used 3x 2-car sets

Route :

Traction Route
85010 London Euston - Watford Junction - Bletchley - Northampton - Rugby - Birmingham New Street - Wolverhampton
25038 + 25073 Wolverhampton - Machynlleth - Tywyn (2)
DMU as listed Tywyn - Fairbourne - Pwllheli
DMU as listed Pwllheli - Fairbourne - Tywyn
25038 + 25073 Tywyn - (?reverse of outward route?) - Wolverhampton
85010 Wolverhampton - (?reverse of outward route?) - London Euston

Notes :
(1) Tour included an option to visit the narrow-gauge Fairbourne and Bala Lake Railways. Coach company Regina of Bleanau Ffestiniog transferred passengers from Fairbourne to Llanuwchllyn & Bala to Barmouth. Motive power on the FR was 'Ernest W.T. Twinning' and on the BLR was 'Holy War'. Passengers not on this option were able to travel right through to Pwllheli & return on the DMU. William Shelford further adds: The tour sheet gives six options for this tour, which included a single journey on the Vale of Rheidol Railway and Talyllyn Railways, or a trip on the Festiniog from Minfford to Tanygrisiau and return.
(2) A return trip over the Talyllyn Railway (Tywyn Wharf – Nant Gwernol – Tywyn Wharf) was made behind No.3 'Sir Haydn'.
(3) Ken Robinson comments: I’m trying to confirm the above Cambrian Coast Express tour which took place on this date. I have photographs of a tour at Porthmadog which I believe to be this one. The locos match i.e. 2x25 (but no numbers), the date I have is April 1980 (but may have been late March), but I saw no trace of a DMU as mentioned above. This was also I believe to be the last loco hauled passenger train for some time north of Barmouth Bridge as the discovery of the worms in the timber piles had been made that same week (or thereabouts) by civil engineers. All loco hauled trains were banned over the bridge as from w/e 12 April 1980. Can anyone help/confirm please?


From Bob Mitchell's ticket collection.

Sources : Alan Osborn (joined/left the train at Watford Junction, on NG option)
& William Shelford (joined/left the train at Watford Junction)

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Alan Osborn)

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
Euston 06.15d ?   23.32a ?
Watford Junction ??.??a ~ 06.37d ??.?? ~ 06.45   23.05a ~ ??.??d 23.54 ~ ??.??
Hemel Hempstead ??.??a ~ 06.46d 06.52 ~ 06.54   22.56a ~ ??.??d 23.44 ~ 23.46
Bletchley ??.??a ~ 07.05d 07.11 ~ 07.13   22.34a ~ ??.??d 23.21 ~ 23.23
Northampton ??.??a ~ 07.23d 07.38 ~ 07.44   22.14a ~ ??.??d 23.04 ~ 23.05
Rugby ??.??a ~ 07.45d 08.04 ~ 08.05   21.54a ~ ??.??d 22.44 ~ 22.45
Birmingham New Street ??.??a ~ 08.23d 08.35 ~ 08.37   21.21a ~ ??.??d 22.12 ~ 22.16
Wolverhampton ??L?? ~ ??L?? ??.?? ~ ??.??   ??L?? ~ ??L?? ??.?? ~ ??.??
Machymlleth 11.13a ~ ??.??d 11.30 ~ 11.33   ??.??a ~ 18.37d 18.36 ~ 18.37
Tywyn 11.41a ~ 11.41d 12.00 ~ 12.27   18.01a ~ 18.01d 17.59 ~ 18.10
Fairbourne 12.26a ~ ??.??d 12.42 ~ ??.??   ??.??a ~ 17.44d 17.42 ~ 17.44
Barmouth ? ?   ??.??a ~ 17.35d ??.?? ~ 17.35
Pwllheli 13.46a ?   16.00d ?

FR & BLR Option:

Traction Location Booked Actual
'Ernest T.W. Twinning' Fairbourne 12.30d 12.51
Barmouth Ferry 12.50a ~ 13.30d 13.06 ~ 13.33
Fairbourne 13.50a 13.50
Road coach to Llanuwchllyn
'Holy War' Llanuwchllyn 15.55d 15.57
Llangower 16.07a ~ 16.07d 16.04 ~ 16.09
Bala 16.22a 16.19
Road coach to Barmouth to rejoin DMU


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