16th September 1995

Hertfordshire Rail Tours
The Lanky Doodle

Locos Used 37198 + 37274

Route : 1T55 throughout

Locos Route
37198 + 37274 Euston - Northampton - Rugby - Tamworth - Colwich Jn - Stafford - Norton Bridge - Stone Jn - Stoke-on-Trent - Stockport - Manchester Piccadilly
37198 + 37274 Manchester Piccadilly - Stockport - Cheadle Hulme - Kidsgrove - Stoke-on-Trent - Stone - Colwich Jn - Tamworth - Rugby - Weedon - Euston

Notes :
This Page originally showed the booked route in both directions - Nigel Benning has confirmed the actual route taken (the booked route is given for reference in his brief review).
In conjunction with ELR Diesel Day.
Metrolink transfer to/from Bury for ELR.

Source : Nigel Rollings
(on train throughout)

Brief review (by Nigel Benning) :

This tour was run to coincide with a Diesel Gala at the East Lancashire Railway. A few changes to the booked route were made during the day. On the outward journey we travelled from Colwich Junction to Stone via Stafford instead of the planned direct route. On the return journey, between Cheadle Hulme and Colwich Junction, the direct route via Stoke-on-Trent was taken instead of that via Crewe and Stafford. Also, between Rugby and Milton Keynes Central the direct route was taken instead of the Northampton loop. The result was a 35 minute early arrival back in Milton Keynes

Route, Distances and Timings (Booked & Actual)
(provided by Nigel Benning)

 

M C Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual M C
0 00 London Euston 07.29d -   22.11a - 377 18
5 65 Willesden WL Jn 07/36 -   22/03 - 371 33
11 30 Harrow & Wealdstone 07/42 -   21/59 - 365 68
17 35 Watford Junction 07.49a ~ 07.51d - ~ -   21.38a ~ 21.39d - ~ - 359 63
31 53 Tring 08/05 -   21/26 - 345 45
38 16 Ledburn Jn 08/12 -   21/21 - 339 02
46 46 Bletchley 08/18 -   21/05 - 330 52
49 65 Milton Keynes Central 08.21a ~ 08.23d ??.?? ~ 08.25   20.57a ~ 20.58d 20.22 ~ ??.?? 327 33
56 47 Hanslope Jn 08/33 -   20/51 - 320 51
65 68 Northampton 08/48 -   20/41 DIV 311 30
75 37 Long Buckby 09/01 -   20/29 DIV 301 61
84 67 Rugby 09/13 08/59   20/18 19/58 292 31
99 37 Nuneaton 09.27a ~ 09.29d 09.16 ~ 09.29   20.00a ~ 20.02d 19.43 ~ 19.46 277 61
112 37 Tamworth Low Level 09/41 -   19/46 19/32 264 59
118 50 Lichfield Trent Valley 09/45 -   19/40 - 258 48
123 58 Armitage Jn 09/50 -   19/36 - 253 40
129 35 Colwich Jn 09/54 -   19/32 - 247 63
??? ?? Stafford DIV 10.00a ~ 10.03d   19/23 DIV 241 28
??? ?? Norton Bridge DIV 10/11   19/19 DIV 235 79
??? ?? Stone DIV 10/16  
141 16 Stone Jn 10/04 (10/16)  
147 60 Stoke Jn 10/10 -  
148 16 Stoke-on-Trent 10c12a ~ 10c14d 10.25 ~ 10.26   DIV 18/59 ??? ??
154 47 Kidsgrove 10/22 10/34   DIV 18/48 ??? ??
160 21 Congleton 10/27 10/39   DIV 18/43 ??? ??
168 13 Macclesfield 10/34 10/47   DIV 18/36 ??? ??
  Madeley Jn   19/10 DIV 224 77
  Basford Hall Jn   19/06 DIV 218 55
  Crewe   18c57a ~ 18c59d DIV 216 71
  Crewe Sydney Bridge   18/55 DIV 215 75
  Sandbach   18/47 DIV 212 21
  Alderley Edge   18/31 DIV 199 50
  Wilmslow   18/28 DIV 198 06
177 69 Cheadle Hulme 10/48 10/55   18/24 18/23 194 11
179 45 Edgeley Jn No.1 10/53 10/58   18/20 - 192 35
180 10 Stockport 10/56 11/00   18/19 - 191 70
180 65 Heaton Norris Jn 10/57 -   18/17 - 191 15
183 55 Slade Lane Jn 11/06 -   18/15 - 188 25
186 00 Manchester Piccadilly 11.11a 11.08   18.10d 18.10 186 00

Key;
a : arrival time
c : crew change
d : departure time
DIV : diverted via different route
/ : passing time
A time in brackets is approximate

All distances, in miles and chains (M & C), are taken from the timing sheet given out on the train.
No attempt has been made to verify the mileages given. Distances shown do not allow for the "on the day" deviations.

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