28th September 1986

Hertfordshire Railtours
The Mersey Ratcatcher

Locos Used 25249, 25313, 25904, 25910 & 86237
Stock Used Booked for load 10

Route :

Loco(s) Route
25313 + 25249 London Euston - (via WCML, Weedon) - Rugby - Coventry - Birmingham International
86237 Birmingham International - Stechford - (1) Proof House Jn - (1) Birmingham New Street
25249 + 25313 Birmingham New Street - Proof House Jn - Water Orton - Nuneaton Abbey Jn - Midland Jn - Leicester - Loughborough - Derby - Chesterfield - Dore South Jn - Chinley - Stockport - Manchester Piccadilly - Oxford Road - Eccles - Parkside Jn - Bamfurlong Jn - Ince Moss Jn - St Helens Junction - Liverpool Lime Street
25904 + 25910 Liverpool Lime Street - Edge Hill - Runcorn - Halton Jn - Helsby - Chester
25910 + 25904 Chester - Crewe
25313 + 25249 Crewe - (via WCML, Trent Valley & Weedon) - London Euston

Notes :
(1) Booked route had been from Stechford to Aston (reverse) however Nick Ross confirms the train took the direct route. The class 86 replaced the 25's owing to the west end of Birmingham New Street station being closed for engineering work, preventing a loco run round. The class 25's followed light engine from International and came back on the train at New Street. (additional information courtesy of David Hills). The identity of the class 86 was raised, originally I had it as 86327 but Stew Robertson has confirmed it was 86237, further backed up in Nick Ross's report and by Nick Lawford.


The tour passes Tapton Junction (photo: Kevin Law)

Sources : Paul Bettany (joined train at Birmingham New Street, left train at Crewe),
Kevin Gaylard & Michael Trower (both on the train throughout)

Brief Review by Nick Ross :

Complete with cabside "handle with care" stickers specially cleaned 25313 and 25249 stood at an otherwise deserted Euston. Front coach seats and loud Sulzer thrash up Camden Bank generated a sound atmosphere which was to remain on this 500 mile rodent jaunt all day. The usual Sunday surprises saw on the day changes to the route. At Bir Int'l we were routed into Platform 1 where some unspecified traction was to haul us Int'l-New St. We hoped the kick out would be some big 47 on our vaccum braked stock. Alas, 86237 was provided!. The rats rejoined us at New St on a ratable route to Leicester, Derby, Hope Valley, Manchester Pic and Liverpool taking in many of their old haunts. Lime St saw many scratch men swelling our already full consist with Petroleum Sub sector 25904/25910 making a rare passenger outing to Runcorn, Frodsham and Chester. We were then turned on the Chester triangle to the jubilation of the front coach crowds. A people power photo stop at Chester then onwards to Crewe where 25249/313 took over for the last WCML passenger run. A classic steady Sulzer storm taking in Bescot, Stechford, Weedon and Bletchley where all the power box crew watched us pass. A late evening return to Euston, then a dash for a train home, a hugely enjoyable tour was over.

Class 25 : 5, anti small Sulzer media men : 0 !!!

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Michael Trower)

M.C Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual M.C
0.00 Euston 08.30d 08.31   20.53a ? 498.78
5.65 Willesden Junction 08/38 ?   20/46 ? 493.13
17.35 Watford Juntion 08.48a ~ 08.49d ?   20.32a ~ 20.33d 21.12 ~ 21.44 481.43
31.53 Tring 09/10 ?   20/22 ? 467.25
46.46 Bletchley 09/24 09/34   20/10 20/45 452.32
56.47 Hanslope Jn 09/40 09/44   19/59 20/37 442.31
69.56 Weedon 09/51 ?   19/49 ? 429.22
82.40 Rugby 10.08a ~ 10.10d 10.06 ~ 10.10   19.36a ~ 19.37d 20.13 ~ 20.16 416.38

 

M.C Location Booked Actual
93.79 Coventry 10.21a ~ 10.23d 10.24 ~ 10.26
104.55 Birmingham International 10/31 10L40½ ~ 10L56
109.08 Stechford 10/36 11/01
111.77 Aston 10.55 ~ 11.05 DIV
113.77 Proof House Jn 11/10 ?
114.53 Birmingham New Street 11.13a ~ 11.23d 11L08 ~ 11L24
115.27 Proof House Jn 11/25 11/26
116.18 Landor Street Jn 11/27 11/28
122.24 Water Orton 11/33 11.35 ~ 11.37
125.09 Whitacre Jn 11/42 11/42
134.68 Nuneaton Abbey Jn 11/55 11/57
136.40 Midland Jn 11/58 12/00
151.13 Wigston North Jn 12/13 12/15
154.29 Leicester 12c18 ~ 12c20 12.20 ~ 12.20
159.20 Syston South Jn 12/31 ?
166.68 Loughborough 12/46 ?
174.38 Trent Jn 12/52 12/51
175.00 Sheet Stores Jn 12/54 ?
183.45 London Road Jn 13/07 ?
183.59 Derby 13c08 ~ 13c13 1305 ~ 13.14
193.52 Ambergate Jn 13/30 13/30
203.60 Clay Cross South Jn 13/46 ?
207.70 Chesterfield 13/50 13/50
215.43 Dore South Jn 13/46 ?
216.70 Totley Tunnel East 14/03 14/04
220.40 Grindleford 14/09 14/10
230.73 Edale 14/21 14/20
236.60 Chinley 14/28 14/31
239.23 New Mills South Jn 14/32 14/34
245.14 Hazel Grove 14/43 14/40
247.34 Edgeley Jn 14/47 1447
247.79 Stockport 14/48½ 14/49½
248.54 Heaton Norris Jn 14/50 14/51
251.44 Slade Lane Jn 14/56 14/55
253.69 Manchester Piccadilly 15c00 ~ 15c05 15.00 ~ 15.03
254.32 Oxford Road 15/04 15/04
254.71 Castlefield Jn 15/10 15/06
255.32 Ordsall Lane Jn 15/12 15/10
258.11 Eccles 15/16 15/20
263.16 Astley LC 15/22 15/27
269.14 Parkside East Jn 15/31 15/34
269.45 Lowton Jn 15/32 15/35
273.62 Bamfurlong Jn 15/40 15/41
274.42 Ince Moss Jn 15/51 15/52
281.28 St Helens Shaw Street 16/06 16.05 ~ 06.10
287.14 Huyton Jn 16/15 16/20
290.66 Bootle Branch Jn 16/23 16/24
291.33 Edge Hill 16/24 16/26
292.64 Liverpool Lime Street 16.29a ~ 16.45d 16.30 ~ 16.47
294.15 Edge Hill 16/50 16/51
295.16 Wavertree Jn 16/52 16/53
299.44 Speke Jn 16/56 16/57
303.34 Ditton Jn 16/59 17/01
306.03 Runcorn 17/03 17/05
307.13 halton Jn 17/06 17/08
308.67 Frodsham Jn 17/10 17/12
312.38 Helsby 17/14 17/17
319.68 Chester 17.33a ~ 17.53d 17.44 ~ 17.49
339.37 Steelworks Jn 18/19 18/12
340.78 Crewe 18.23a ~ 18.28d 18.18 ~ 18.40
349.04 Madeley Jn 18/41 ?
359.78 Norton Bridge Jn 18/51 18/58
365.35 Stafford 18/56 19/04
371.70 Colwich 19/02 ?
377.27 Armitage 19/06 ?
382.55 Lichfield TV 19/10 ?
388.66 Tamworth 19/14 ?
401.68 Nuneaton 19/24 ?

Timings continue in first table.

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