22nd June 1991

Class 37 Group
The Brentford Bard

Locos Used 37682, 37685 & 47145 'Merddin Emrys'
Stock Used 'Pilkington K' corridor set

Route : 1Z21 throughout

Loco(s) Route
37685 + 37682 Manchester Piccadilly - Stockport - Cheadle Hulme - Wilmslow - Sandbach - Crewe - (via WCML) - Stafford - Bushbury Jn - Wolverhampton - Portobello Jn - Bescot - Perry Barr North Jn - Soho South Jn - Birmingham New Street - Proof House Jn - St Andrews Jn - Bordesley Jn - Tyseley - Shirley - Bearley Jn - Stratford-on-Avon
37682 + 37685 Stratford-on-Avon Hatton - Bearley Jn - Hatton - Leamington Spa - Banbury - Aynho Jn - Oxford - Didcot North Jn - (via Didcot station avoiding line) - Didcot East Jn - Reading - Maidenhead - Slough - Southall West Jn (1) - Brentford Goods
47145 Brentford Goods - Southall West Jn
37682 + 37685 Southall West Jn - Hanwell Jn - Drayton Green Jn - Greenford South Jn - Greenford East Jn - London Paddington (2)
37682 + 37685 London Paddington - Old Oak West Jn - Greenford - Northolt Jn - High Wycombe - Princes Risborough - Aynho Jn - Banbury - Leamington Spa - Kenilworth - Coventry - Birmingham International - Stechford - Proof House Jn - Birmingham New Street - Soho South Jn - Dudley Port - Wolverhampton - (reverse of outward route) - Manchester Piccadilly

Notes :
(1) 47145 should have been attached at Southall to work top & tail on the Brentford branch, on to Paddington, and then a run round the Greenford loop, but incompatible brakes meant it followed the train to Brentford, the 37's came off, 47145 hauled the train to Southall, where the following 37's were re-coupled and the 47 came off. The resulting serious delay meant the Greenford loop run was abandoned. The Greenford loop run was itself a late amendment to the tour, which was originally to have included the Colnbrook branch, refused 10 days before the tour.
(2) David Garnett reports; 'the train did the Greenford Loop with 47145, however it may have been ECS to release the 2x37's.

Sources : Richard Hughes (On train throughout) & David Garnett

Photo Review


37685 & 37682 arriving at Wolverhampton in the morning (photo: John Cassey)


37682 & 37685 running round at Stratford-upon-Avon (photo: John Cassey)


47145 at Southall, waiting to follow the tour to Brentford (photo: John Cassey)


Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from David Garnett & Ian Dobson)

M.C Location Booked Actual
0.00 Manchester Piccadilly 07.58d ?
5.15 Heaton Norris Jn 08/05 ?
5.70 Stockport 08.07a ~ 08.08d ?
8.11 Cheadle Hulme 08/12 ?
12.06 Wilmslow 08/16 ?
13.50 Alderley Edge 08/17 ?
26.21 Sandbach 08/35 ?
30.71 Crewe 08.43a ~ 08.58d ?
49.79 Norton Bridge  09/12 ?
55.30 Stafford 09/20 ?
69.07 Bushbury Jn 09/38 ?
70.61 Wolverhampton 09.43a ~ 09.45d ?
81.58 Perry Barr West Jn 10/00 ?
84.10 Soho South Jn 10/06 ?
96.11 Birmingham New Street 10.15a ~ 10.24d ?
90.04 Tyseley 10/34 ?
94.06 Shirley 10/40 ?
111.74 Stratford Upon Avon 10.59a ~ 11.25d ?
121.13 Hatton 11/41 ?
125.25 Warwick 11/47 ?
127.02 Leamington Spa 11/52 ?
147.11 Banbury 12/09 ?
158.06 Heyford 12/19 ?
169.66 Oxford 12.30a ~ 12.32d ?
180.49 Didcot East Jn 12/46 ?
195.29 Reading 13c01a ~ 13c03d ?
20.26 Twyford 13/8 ?
213.71 Slough 13/25 ?
222.51 Southall West Jn 13.36a ~ 13.46d ?
226.12 Brentford 14.01a ~ 14.08d ?
229.53 Southall West Jn 14.27a ~ 14.30d 15.57
234.06 Greenford S 14/49 16/04
241.06 Paddington 15.12a ~ 15.23d ?
249.06 Greenford S 15/38 ?
251.15 West Ealing 15/47 ?
257.56  Paddington 16.04a ~ 16.11d 17.07
266.67 Greenford 16/24 17/30
271.10 West Rusilip 16.31a ~ 16.32d 17.42
285.51 High Wycombe 16/48 ?
290.49 Saunderton 16.55a ~ 17.15d ?
293.72 Princess Risborough 17/20 18.10a ~ 18.28d
312.38 Bicester North 17.39a ~ 17.50d 18/51
321.40 Aynho Jn 18/00 19/00
326.44 Banbury 18.06a ~ 18.08d 19/06
346.53 Leamington Spa 18/38 19/30
356.08 Coventry  19/02 ?
366.64 Birmingham International 19/13 ?
375.02 Birmingham New Street 19.28a ~ 19.30d ?
382.26 Dudley Port 19/42 ?
387.67 Wolverhampton 19.48a ~ 19.50d ?
403.18 Stafford 20/08 ?
408.47 Norton Bridge 20/14 ?
427.55 Crewe 20.34a ~ 20.36d ?
432.25 Sandbach 20/43 ?
444.76 Alderley Edge 21/00 ?
446.40 Wilmslow 21/03 ?
450.15 Stockport 21.15a ~ 21.16d ?
453.31 Heaton Norris Jn 21/17 ?
458.46 Manchester Piccadilly 21.24a ?


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