| Locos used | 33114, 50007 & 50033 |
| Stock Used | 121+13317+13323+13320+17168+1882+18955+18729+3766+127 |
| DEMU used | 205033 |
Route : 1Z42 throughout
| Traction | Route |
| 205033 (1) | Eastleigh - Romsey - Salisbury - Westbury - Bath Spa - Bristol Temple Meads |
| 50007 + 50033 | Bristol Temple Meads - Bristol Parkway - Standish Jn - Cheltenham Spa - Abbotswood Jn - Stoke Works Jn - University - Birmingham New Street - Water Orton - Nuneaton - Leicester - Toton - Langley Mill - Chesterfield - Dore Station Jn - Sheffield - Meadowhall - Swinton - (2) Mexborough - Doncaster - Temple Hirst Jn - Colton Jn (2) - York - Cattal - Harrogate - Leeds - Church Fenton - York |
| 50007 + 50033 | York - Church Fenton - Milford Jn (2) - Castleford - Pontefract Monkhill - (2) Knottingley West Jn - Shaftholme Jn - Doncaster - Gainsborough Lea Road - Pyewipe Jn - Newark Castle - Nottingham - Loughborough - Leicester - Nuneaton - Water Orton - Birmingham New Street - University - Stoke Works Jn - Abbotswood Jn - Cheltenham Spa - Standish Jn - Bristol Parkway - Bristol Temple Meads |
| 33114 | Bristol Temple Meads - Bath Spa - Westbury - Salisbury - Romsey - Eastleigh |
Notes :
(1) Stock was delayed by a failed Freightliner hence the DEMU was hastily
substituted to meet the tour stock at Bristol.
(2) Original booked route was Moorthorpe - Pontefract Baghill - Milford Jn -
Church Fenton (outward) and Milford Jn - Ferrybridge North Jn - Knottingley West
Jn (return) but train was re-routed due to "late advice of engineering
work between Ferrybridge & Milford Jn's". New route and timings were
given on an insert in the tour booklet.
Sources : Dave Burbridge (joined/left Birmingham New Street),
Alex McGlasham,
Nigel Benning (on the train throughout) & Alan Sheppard (joined/left Leicester)
Tour Review
(by Nigel Benning)
Another early but locally starting tour for me, but again the tour hit problems before it started. The empty stock was travelling down from Carnforth overnight when it was delayed behind a failed Freightliner. When it became aware that the stock would not reach Eastleigh in time for the tours departure, the stock was diverted to Bristol Temple Meads, whilst Thumper 205033 was hastily dragged from the nearby depot to undertake the first part of the tour.
On Pathfinder Tours at these times, the buffet staff would tend to join the train at Cheltenham for trains travelling up from the South West. This however had caused a few complaints from people joining tours from earlier departure points. So for this tour the buffet crew had travelled all the way down to Eastleigh - only to find themselves on a train formed of non-corridor stock. Oops!
Anyway, the tour was more or less on time from Eastleigh to Bristol, where we transferred to the proper stock. There was a delay of nearly half an hour here as the stock was reformed to ensure that a coach with a faulty door was not at the end of the train. However, we were more or less back on time by Birmingham and York was reached a few minutes early. A dash round the Harrogate loop followed, before we headed home on the return trip.
A 1 minute late departure, moved to a 40 minute lateness by Doncaster, but by Leicester we were only 3 minutes down and Bristol Temple Meads was reached a minute up. We were delayed by the loco change here but were only 12 minutes late when Eastleigh was reached at 23:58. Another long but enjoyable day, filled with the joys of English Electric power.
Nigel Benning
Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Alan Sheppard & Nigel Benning)
