16th January 1993

Hertfordshire Rail Tours
The Quantock Explorer
(125 Special No. 94)

HST Used
Stock :		 43054 + 43083
40501+41111+41112+41113+40748 (2)+42229+42227+42228+44073
Steam Used
WSR Stock		 GWR 3205 + 4561
25323+4419+9278+4814+4599+4260+4435+4449

Route :

Traction Route
43083 + 43054 Bedford - (via MML) - London St Pancras
43054 + 43083 London St Pancras - West Hampstead - Cricklewood Curve Jn - Dudding Hill Jn - Acton Wells Jn - Ealing Broadway - Reading - Newbury - Heywood Road Jn - Hawkeridge Jn - Trowbridge - Bathampton Jn - Bath Spa - North Somerset Jn - Bristol TM - Worle Jn - Uphill Jn - Bridgwater - Taunton - Bishops Lydeard
4561 + 3205 Bishops Lydeard - Minehead
3205 + 4561 Minehead - Bishops Lydeard
43083 + 43054 Bishops Lydeard - (reverse of outward route) - London St Pancras
43054 + 43083 London St Pancras - Bedford

Notes :
(1) Tour suffered two delays - due to a dead body on the line near Maidenhead on the outward run and a points failure at West Hampstead on the return. Despite these incidents arrival back into Bedford was less than 30 minutes late.
(2) Alan Sheppard suggests this was 40749 - confirmation anyone?

Source : Gary Thornton (on train throughout)

Photo Review


Steam & HST pose together at Bishops Lydeard (photo: Gary Thornton)


Gary Thornton's ticket.


Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Alan Sheppard/Gary Thornton)

M.C Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
0.00 Bedford 07.35d 07.35   21.31a 21.54
9.41 Flitwick 07/43 07/44   21/22 21/35
19.46 Luton 07.51a ~ 07.53d 07.51 ~ 07.53   21.12a ~ 21.14d 21.26 ~ 21.27
29.74 St Albans 08.02a ~ 08.04d 08.04 ~ 08.06   21.02a ~ 21.04d 21.15 ~ 21.17
42.66 Hendon 08/15 08/14   20/53 21/06
45.65 West Hampstead 08/17 08/17   20/51 ?
49.65 St Pancras 08.26a ~ 08.40d 08.22 ~ 08.40   20.36a ~ 20.46d 20.53 ~ 21.00
53.65 West Hampstead 08/46 08/46   20/29 20/46
55.04 Cricklewood Curve Jn 08/48 08/50   20/27 20/23
55.68 Dudding Hill Jn 08/51 08/53   20/25 20/21
58.65 Acton Wells Jn 09/03 09/02   20/06 20/09
59.37 Acton Main Line 09/05 09/06   20/04 20/06
60.72 Ealing Broadway 09.14a ~ 09.19d 09.11 ~ 09.19   19.55a ~ 19.57d 19.59 ~ 20.03
64.22 Southall 09/25 09/24   19/52 19/55
73.52 Slough 09.31a ~ 09.33d 09.33 ~ 09.37   19.43a ~ 19.45d 19.45 ~ 19.47
79.35 Maidenhead 09/39 09/49   19/38 19/41
86.17 Twyford 09/43 ?   19/34 19/37
91.14 Reading 09/48 09/59   19/31 19/34
(up through)
92.78 Southcote Jn 09/52 10/00   19/29 ?
108.22 Newbury 10/08 10/13   19/20 19/21
143.22 Lavington 10/29 ?   18/56 ?
149.61 Heywood Road Jn 10/33 10/44   18/52 18/53
150.48 Hawkeridge Jn 10/34 10/45   18/49 18/50
154.06 Trowbridge 10/42 10/50   18/45 18/45
155.27 Bradford Jn 10/44 10/52   18/43 18/43
164.49 Bathampton Jn 10/57 11/01   18/33 18/33
166.65 Bath Spa 11/04 11/04   18/30 18/30
177.44 North Somerset Jn 11/14 11/12   18/22 18/21
177.76 Bristol East Jn 11/15 11/13   18/21 18/20
178.20 Bristol Temple Meads 11.16a ~ 11.36d 11.14 ~ 11.36
(P5)		   18c18a ~ 18c20d 18/18
(P4)
180.22 Parson Street Jn 11/41 11/39   18/15 ?
190.22 Yatton 11/52 ?   18/09 ?
195.05 Worle Jn 11/55 11/48   18/02 18/06
197.78 Uphill Jn 11/57 11/50   18/00 18/04
211.41 Bridgwater 12/09 11/58   17/52 17/53
218.03 Cogload Jn 12/18 12/02   17/48 ?
223.06 Taunton 12c22a ~ 12c24d 12.06 ~ 12.13   17c41a ~ 17c43d 17.40 ~ 17.45
225.08 Taunton Cider Sidings 12.29a ~ 12.30d 12.29 ~ 12.30   17.35a ~ 17.36d 17.30 ~ 17.34
228.14 Bishops Lydeard 12.50a 12.50   17.15d 17.11
Swap to WSR train
228.14 Bishops Lydeard 13.15d 13.10   16.55a 16.51
238.00 Williton 13/48 13.42a ~ 13.43d   16/20 16.19a ~ 16.20d
244.28 Blue Anchor 14/08 13/59   16/02 16/01
247.65 Minehead 14.20a 14.07   15.50d 15.50


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