21st October 1995

Hertfordshire Rail Tours
The Faulty Tower

Locos Used 33109, 33116 & 56040
Stock Used 5007+4999+4986+4938+13318+21266+21246+4998+4959+4977+5005

Route : 1Z33 throughout

Loco(s) Route
33116 + 33109 (1) London Paddington - (via GWML) - Reading - Didcot Parkway - Swindon - Bristol Parkway - Severn Tunnel Junction - Newport - Cardiff Central - Radyr Branch Jn - Penarth Curve North Jn - Radyr - Pontypridd [P1] - Aberdare - Tower Colliery
56040 (2) Tower Colliery - Aberdare - Pontypridd [P1] - Radyr - Llandaf - Cardiff Queen Street - Cardiff Central
33116 + 33109 (3) Cardiff Central - Cardiff Queen Street - Aber - Ystrad Mynach South Jn - Cwm Bargoed
56040 (2) Cwm Bargoed - (reverse of outward route) - Cardiff Central
33116 + 33109 Cardiff Central - (reverse of outward route) - London Paddington

Notes :
(1) 56040 on rear from Cardiff Central.
(2) 33109 + 33116 on rear.
(3) 56040 on rear.
(4) W.R. (Bill) Lynch offers the following exact reversal points;
Tower Colliery:  the former Hirwaun Pond Jn (by his estimation)
Cwmbargoed:  grid ref SO08420618
Bill also offers that, on leaving Paddington at the start of the day, the tour used the slow lins as far as Dolphin Jn.

Sources : Gary Thornton (joined/left train at Didcot Parkway), Alan Sheppard
& W.R. (Bill) Lynch (on the train throughout)

Photo Review


33116 & 33109 in the dying light at Cwm Bargoed (photo: Gary Thornton)


56040 is seen on the other end at Cwm Bargoed (photo: Gary Thornton)


Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Nigel Rollings, Gary Thornton & W.R. (Bill) Lynch)

M.C Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual M.C
0.00 Paddington 08.03d 08.03 [P11]   22.39a 22.44a [P8] 391.73
1.73 Ladbroke Grove 08/06 ?   ? ? ?
5.13 Acton West 08/10 ?   22/36 ? 386.60
9.01 Southall 08/16 ?   22/29 ? 382.67
10.65 Hayes & Harlington 08/20 ?   22/27 ? 381.02
18.31 Slough 08.28a ~ 08.30d ?   22.15a ~ 22.17d ? 373.37
24.14 Maidenhead 08/36 ?   22/11 ? 367.54
30.76 Twyford 08/41 ?   22/07 ? 360.72
35.73 Reading 08.46a ~ 08.48d ?   21.57a ~ 22.00d ? 355.75
53.05 Didcot Parkway 09.06a ~ 09.08d 09.10 ~ 09.12   21.36a ~ 21.38d 21.33 ~ 21.35 338.63
66.34 Uffington 09/21 09/20   21/24 21/22 325.34
77.18 Swindon 09.33a ~ 09.35d 09.35 ~ 09.37   21.12a ~ 21.14d 21.09 ~ 21.12 314.50
83.02 Wottonn Bassett Jn 09/42 09/45   21/06 21/02 308.66
94.05 Hullavington 09/51 09/52   20/55 20/54 297.63
107.07 Westerleigh Jn 10/03 10/03   20/44 20/44 284.61
111.57 Bristol Parkway 10.09a ~ 10.12d 10.13 ~ 10.15   20.37a ~ 20.39d 20/34 280.11
112.79 Patchway 10/15 10/18   20/34 20/26 278.69
116.45 Pilning 10/18 10/20   20/30 20/21 275.23
123.41 Severn Tunnel Junction 10/24 10/27   20/24 20/16 268.27
133.30 Newport 10.36a ~ 10.38d 10.37 ~ 10.41   19L58a ~ 20L12d 20.02a ~ 20.04d 258.38
138.40 Marshfield 10/43 ?   ? ? ?
145.10 Cardiff Central 10L53a ~ 11L18d 10.55 ~ 11.39   19.29a ~ 19.38d 19.33 ~ 19.44 246.58

 

M.C Location Booked Actual
145.51 Radyr Branch Jn 11/20 11/42
145.73 Penarth Curve North Jn 11/22 11/44
149.76 Radyr 11/39 11/53
151.68 Taffs Well 11/46 11/57
156.44 Trefforest 11/52 12/03
157.33 Pontypridd 11/55 12/06
161.04 Abercynon North 12/02 12/13
165.66 Abercwmboi 12x15a ~ 12x28d 12.30 ~ 12.32
168.43 Aberdare 12t37a ~ 12t42d 12.40 ~ 12.42
173.24 Tower Colliery 13.00a ~ 13.12d 13.23 ~ 13.30
178.05 Aberdare 13t32a ~ 13t37d 14.10 ~ 14.14
180.62 Abercwmboi 13x46a ~ 14x00d 14.20 ~ 14.21
185.44 Abercynon North 14/19 14/36
189.15 Pontypridd 14/35 14/43
190.04 Trefforest 14/42 14/49
194.60 Taffs Well 14/48 14/51
196.52 Radyr 14/51 14/54
197.57 Llandaf 14/53 14/56
200.24 Cathays 14/5 614/59
200.76 Cardiff Queen Street 14/58 15/01
201.52 Cardiff Central 15.00a ~ 16.45d 15.03 ~ 16.48
202.28 Cardiff Queen Street 16/48 16/50
204.47 Heath Jn 16/51 16/54
210.04 Aber 16/59 17/03
214.56 Ystrad Mynach South Jn 17t08a ~ 17t12d 17.14 ~ 17.18
217.28 Nelson & Llancaiach 17.24a ~ 17.40d 17/25
224.15 Cwm Bargoed 18.05a ~ 18.18d 17.49 ~ 18.18
233.54 Ystrad Mynach South Jn 18t53a ~ 18t58d 18.47 ~ 18.55
238.26 Aber 19/07 19.05a ~ 19.07d
243.63 Heath Jn 19/23 19/19
246.02 Cardiff Queen Street 19/27 19/26

Timings continue in first table.

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