21st March 1987

Branch Line Society
The Thames and Trent Railtour

DMU Used 51651+54495+54259+51878+54222+51654

Route :

DMU Route
as listed London Marylebone – Amersham – Aylesbury – Swanbourne – (via Bletchley Flyover) – Milton Keynes Central (1) – Weedon – Rugby – Coventry – Stechford – Aston – Four Oaks – Lichfield City – Branston Jn – Birmingham Curve Jn – Mantle Lane - Coalville Jn – Coalfields Farm Opencast Loading Site (2)
as listed Coalfields Farm Opencast Loading Site – Coalville Jn – Mantle Lane
as listed Mantle Lane – Coalville Jn – Knighton South Jn – Leicester – Loughborough – Trent South Jn – HL Goods – Meadow Lane Jn – Toton Centre
as listed Toton Centre – Meadow Lane Jn – Beeston  - Nottingham – Rectory Jn – Cotgrave Colliery (3)
as listed Cotgrave Colliery – Rectory Jn – Nottingham – Sheet Stores Jn – Castle Donington – Burton on Trent – Whitacre Jn – Water Orton
as listed Water Orton – Whitacre Jn – Nuneaton Station – Hinckley – Glen Parva Jn – Market Harborough – Kettering – Sharnbrook – Bedford Midland – Luton – London St Pancras

Notes :
(1) Tour tickets were valid on the 08.15 Euston-Manchester, to Milton Keynes Central.
(2) Close to overhead bunker.
(3) About 1 coach length short of stop board, prior to foot crossing at end of single line.
(4) It is noted that the ticket scan below is dated 28th March - was this tour moved to one week earlier for some reason, or did it actually run on the 28th?


From Bob Mitchell's ticket collection.

Sources : Andy Pullar, Howard Harrison & Kevin Driscoll

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Howard Harrison & Kevin Driscoll)

M.C Location Booked Actual
0.00 Marylebone 07.00d ?
37.74 Aylesbury 07.54a ~ 07.56d ?
65.33 Milton Keynes Central 09.13a ~ 09.15d ?
110.60 Coventry 10.05a ~ 10.07d ?
125.75 Stechford 10.32a ~ 10.33d ??.?? ~ 10.33
148.33 Wichnor Jn 11/15 ?
152.24 Branston Jn 11/20 ?
? Birmingham Curve Jn 11/20 11/25
? Mantle Lane 11/53 11.57a ~ 11.59d
167.30 Coalville Jn 11/56 12/03
168.12 Coalfields Farm 12.01a ~ 12.11d 12.08 ~ 12.15
169.66 Mantle Lane 12.19a ~ 12.24d 12.25 ~ 12.29
171.48 Bardon Hill 12/30 ?
184.79 Saffron Lane 12/52 ?
185.26 Knighton South Jn 12.56a ~ 13.01d 12.59 ~ 13.04
186.68 Leicester 13/06 13.07a ~ 13.08d
191.59 Syston South Jn 13/12 ?
199.03 Loughborough 13/19 13/20
205.63 Ratcliffe 13/25 ?
209.37 Toton Centre 13.35a ~ 13.44d 13.36 ~ 13.41
210.66 Meadow Lane Jn 13/48 ?
216.31 Mansfield Jn 13/56 ?
217.13 Nottingham 13.58a ~ 14.30d 14.00 ~ 14.30
219.33 Netherfield 14/34 ?
221.55 Rectory Jn 14/39 14/38
222.47 Cotgrave 14.50a ~ 15.00d 14.45 ~ 14.52
223.39 Rectory Jn 15/17 ?
225.61 Netherfield 15/23 ?
228.01 Nottingham 15/28 15.07a ~ 15.14d
228.63 Mansfield Jn 15/30 ?
235.26 Trent Jn 15/39 ?
235.63 Sheet Stores Jn 15/41 ?
247.48 Stenson Jn 15/58 ?
253.69 Burton-on-Trent 16/04 15/47
259.08 Wichnor Jn 16/09 ?
266.60 Tamworth HL 16/16 ?
272.43 Kingsbury Jn 16/21 ?
275.01 Whitacre Jn 16/27 ?
277.67 Water Orton 16.35a ~ 16.10d 16.20 ~ ??.??
290.35 Abbey Jn 17/01 ?
291.44 Nuneaton 17.04a ~ 17.06d ?
303.12 Narborough 17/20 ?
306.52 Wigston South Jn 17/27 ?
308.23 Kilby Bridge Jn 17*32a ~ 17*41d 17.12 ~ 17.41
319.10 Market Harborough 17/53 ?
330.12 Kettering 18.04a ~ 18.06d ?
337.01 Wellingborough 18/12 ?
352.24 Bedford 18.27a ~ 18.32d ?
352.76 Bedford South Jn 18/34 ?
361.66 Flitwick Jn 18/45 ?
371.72 Luton 18/54 ?
382.13 At Albans 19/09 ?
402.11 St Pancras 19.29a ?


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