31st July 1999

Pathfinder Tours
The Spinning Haggis

Locos Used 37674, 37801, 47575, 47726, 47738, 47741, 56059, 60028, 66115, 66135, 92008 & 92013
Stock Used 5007+5037+4939+17015+5008+4915+4991+5005+4999+3148+3124+3149+3107

Route :
1Z39 : Swindon to Glasgow
1Z40 : Glasgow to Glasgow (via Dundee)
1Z41 : Glasgow to Swindon

Loco(s) Route
47726 Swindon - Chippenham - Bath Spa - North Somerset Jn - Bristol Parkway - Cheltenham Spa - Abbotswood Jn - Spetchley - Stoke Works Jn - Bromsgrove - on The Lickey (1)
47726 (1) on The Lickey - Barnt Green
47726 Barnt Green - Kings Norton - Selly Oak - Birmingham New Street
47738 + 47726 (2) Birmingham New Street - Soho South Jn - Dudley Port - Wolverhampton - Stafford - Crewe
92008 (3) Crewe - (via WCML) - Motherwell
47575 Motherwell - Uddingston Jn - Glasgow Central
37801 + 37674 Glasgow Central - Rutherglen East Jn - Langloan Jn - Coatbridge Central - Gartcosh Jn - Springburn - Lenzie - Stirling
60028 Stirling - Perth - Dundee
56059 Dundee - Leuchars - Kirkaldy - Inverkeithing - Winchburgh Jn - Linlithgow - Polmont Jn - Carmuirs West Jn - Cumbernauld - Mossend South Jn - Hamilton Central - Newton - Kings Park - Shawlands - Glasgow Central
66135 Glasgow Central - Rutherglen East Jn - Newton - Uddingston Jn - Mossend West Jn - Braidhurst Loop
92013 (3) Braidhurst Loop - Motherwell - (via WCML)
47741 Crewe - (reverse of outward route) - Birmingham New Street - Proof House Jn - St Andrews Jn - Bordesley Jn - Kings Norton - (reverse of outward route) - Swindon

Notes :
(1) 47726 stalled on the Lickey owing to being underpowered. Assisted to Barnt Green by 66115 on rear (on freight working).
(2) 47738 was added "as insurance".
(3) plus 47575 dead-in-tow.
(4) Also operated with tour option which carried the name "The Glasgow Excursion".

Source : Gary Thornton (joined/left train at Preston)

Tour Review
(by Gary Thornton)

Another chance, courtesy of Pathfinder tours, to scratch in some track and locomotives during a day spent touring Scotland. In my case only one required (freight) curve all day, but coupled with a fair selection of non-passenger locomotives I decided to book on it. Or, more precisely, book myself and 13 others on it! There was only one ever so tiny disadvantage to being on this railtour - the departure times....

Knock, knock - "Are you awake?"
Huh.... "Yes" said I - "What time is it?"

"one twenty-five" (in the morning)

groan.....

That was how my Saturday started - at the time I was sleeping on the living room floor of a friend in Yorkshire and had just managed about three hours kip since crashing out! A few minutes later and we were round at David's brothers place to pick him up then on the road to Preston where we had decided to pick up the tour. A Rail-Gen message just before we had crashed-out on the Friday evening had told us the train was 5 minutes late leaving Swindon and had 47726 at the head - good, a required spoon :-)

Arrival at Preston was about 3am and the station was surprisingly busy with night-clubbers waiting trains home (yes, there are some trains at such early hour on a Saturday!) and various other dubious looking sorts that were probably on our tour. Gen on the platform soon told us all was not well - spoon 726 had failed to get up "the Lickey" and had been assisted (i.e. given a push) by 66115 on the following freight working - as far Barnt Green where the 47 continued unaided. At Birmingham 47738 had been added then at Crewe they were replaced by 47575 and the booked 92 was then added for the run to Motherwell. Bit of a bugger really as 47726, 738 and 66115 were all required by me! With all this activity the train was about 1/2 hour late. Yawn, but at least there were enough people to chat with during the wait.

Just before 4am and 92008 rolled in with 47575 "dead-in-tow" and we all piled on board (in our groups case, into coach A at the front). Doing a very creditable impression of a hair-dryer, the 92 soon whisked us towards Carlisle whilst many of the tour participants slept and we actually turned the late departure in to an early arrival! Mind you, the schedule was pretty slack. Time to photograph the 92 (yes, at 5am it was light enough!) and then we were off about on-time. The hair-dryer continued to compete with the sounds of snoring as we tackled the climb to Beattock summit and onwards to Motherwell.

A potential well-early arrival was soon scuppered by Motherwell panel as we were looped to wait the passage of an EMU. As we approached the platforms (now a little late) we were passed by Freightliner 90142 on the 06.35 Glasgow to Euston working (cries of anguish from those on board who required it for haulage). At Motherwell the 92 was removed and the 47 was kicked into life (and by the sounds it did need kicking) for the short sprint to Glasgow Central where arrival was on-time. A quick walk to the Burger King secured breakfast before wandering to the end of our train to watch our next engines being backed onto the stock - required 37674 and 37801. Just before we left Central station a sleeper service arrived behind a pair of 90's - one I assume having failed, as the train was quite late arriving.

We now took a winding route through Glasgow and its suburbs (scoring the curve I needed between Langloan and Coatbridge Junctions) before arriving at Stirling for another loco change - 60028, another required one for me :-) By the way, we arrived at Stirling at 09.33 but it certainly seemed a lot later! The 60 was in charge of us to Dundee which was reached by the normal passenger route via Perth. We pulled into Dundee (which I regard as my "home" City as I was born there) a few minutes early just after 11am. 56059 was waiting for us (grrr, not one I needed) and we enjoyed a half hour leg-stretch in the late morning sunshine - now warming-up after a dull and even misty start.

From Dundee our grid took us over the Tay Bridge (absolutely superb view of Dundee as we did so) and onwards towards the Forth Rail Bridge. With the 56 on our end of the train we were enjoying very much the thrash - especially around the curves and many speed restrictions near Burntisland where the power was frequently on and off. Some of our party however managed to sleep through the whole thing! Crossing the Forth Bridge was a big disappointment as it was in thick fog, so we saw very little! The freight line from Dalmeny to Winchburgh Junction put us on course for Glasgow though we eventually reached Central station via Motherwell, the Hamilton loop and Cathcart outer circle. 14.15 and we pulled back into Glasgow Central station, the same platform as earlier.

Our next locomotive was a shiny 66135 - one of the latest arrivals from Canada and both a sight and haulage score for me (and I suspect most everybody on board). Departure was on-time (this had been a good tour for timekeeping after the initial farce with 47726). and we headed back to Motherwell via Mossend Yard. Adjacent to the depot we dropped off the shed in favour of 47575 (dead) and 92013 - the latter also required for haulage by me and most (everyone?) on board. An impressive run south soon had us running around quarter of an hour early though a slow approach to Carlisle soon put paid to that. By Carnforth we were early again but then we suffered a prime example of stupid signalling when we were looped just south of Carnforth station to allow 156425 in front of us (it was just arriving as we passed the platforms). This turned another bout of early running into a slight deficit by Lancaster (where we were slowed almost to a stand because the sprinter was stopping there). Yep - pretty dumb regulating!

We pulled into Preston (alongside 156425!) and baled out, tired - but happy. Just the drive back to Starbeck left...

For those going back to Swindon it was still another six hours of travel ahead. We later heard that at Crewe the 92 and dead 47 were removed in favour of 47741 - phew, at least I didn't need that last 47 for haulage (having missed the three locos earlier in the day)!

Gary Thornton.

Timings (Booked and Actual)

M.C Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual M.C
0.00 Swindon 21.50d ?   00.01a ? 185.21
5.64 Wootton Bassett Junction 21/57 ?   23/54 ? 179.37
16.53 Chippenham 22.08a ~ 22.10d ?   23.40a ~ 23.42d ? 165.48
18.67 Thingley Junction 22/13 ?   23/38 ? 166.34
27.32 Bathampton Junction 22/21 ?   23/29 ? 157.69
29.48 Bath Spa 22.24a ~ 22.27d ?   23.35d ~ 23.23a ? 155.53
40.27 North Somerset Junction 22/43 ?   23/11 ? 144.74
41.47 Stapleton Road 22/48 ?   23/05 ? 142.54
44.47 Filton Junction 22/52 ?   23/00 ? 139.54
45.66 Bristol Parkway 23.00a ~ 23.02d ?   22.56d ~ 22.54a ? 138.55
50.36 Westerleigh Junction 23/08 ?   22*40a ~ 22*46d ? 133.65
52.08 Yate 23/11 ?   22/37 ? 132.13
58.49 Charfield 23/17 ?   22/31 ? 125.52
71.74 Standish Junction 23/28 ?   22/20 ? 112.27
78.71 Barnwood Junction 23/35 ?   22/13 ? 105.30
84.34 Cheltenham Spa 23.41a ~ 23.44d ?   22.05a ~ 22.07d ? 99.67
91.45 Ashchurch 23/52 ?   21/57 ? 92.56
102.32 Abbotswood Junction 00/01 ?   21/49 ? 81.69
113.49 Stoke Works Junction 00/10 ?   21/40 ? 69.01
115.62 Bromsgrove 00/12 ?   21/38 ? 66.68
119.25 Barnt Green 00.18a ~ 00.20d ?   21.32a ~ 21.33d ? 63.25
123.11 Longbridge 00/23 ?   21/28 ? 62.17
125.33 Kings Norton 00/25 ?   21/23 ? 59.64
  Bordesley Junction   21/13 ? 54.49
  St. Andrews Junction   21/12 ? 54.23
  Proof House Junction   21/05 ? 53.40
127.47 Selly Oak 00/31 ?  
130.78 Birmingham New Street 00.40a ~ 00.55d ?   20.59a ~ 21.03d ? 52.52
132.79 Soho South Junction 01/00 ?   20/55 ? 50.51
134.57 Galton Junction 01/01 ?   20/53 ? 48.73
138.22 Dudley Port 01/05 ?   20/49 ? 45.28
143.62 Wolverhampton 01.11a ~ 01.13d ?   20.40a ~ 20.42d ? 39.68
145.36 Bushbury Junction 01/17 ?   20/36 ? 38.14
159.13 Stafford 01.30a ~ 01.32d ?   19.53a ~ 20.23d ? 24.37
164.42 Norton Bridge 01/39 ?   19/49 ? 19.08
175.44 Madeley 01/48 ?   19/39 ? 8.06
183.50
0.00
Crewe 02L05a ~ 02L34d ?   19L14a ~ 19L28d ? 0.00
231.25
8.70 Winsford Signal Box 02/43 ?   19/04 ? 222.35
17.22 Weaver Junction 02/49 ?   18/59 ? 214.05
22.26 Acton Grange Junction 02/54 ?   18/52 ? 209.01
24.11 Warrington Bank Quay 02/55 ?   18/51 ? 207.14
25.20 Dallam Junction 02/56 ?   18/49 ? 206.05
27.47 Winwick Junction 02/58 ?   18/47 ? 203.58
34.42 Springs Branch Junction 03/04 ?   18/41 ? 196.63
35.71 Wigan North Western 03/06 ?   18/39 ? 195.34
43.42 Balshaw Lane Junction 03/13 ?   18/31 ? 187.63
45.45 Euxton Junction 03/15 ?   18/19 ? 185.60
51.01 Preston 03.31a ~ 03.34d 03.53 ~ 03.54   18.12a ~ 18.15d 18.09 ~ ??.?? 180.24
71.79 Lancaster 03/54 04/11   17/50 17/51 159.26
73.71 Morecambe South Junction 03/55 04/13   17/48 17/46 157.34
78.07 Carnforth North Junction 03/59 04/16   17/45 17/37 153.18
91.07 Oxenholme Lake District 04/14 04/25   17/34 17/25 140.18
103.56 Tebay 04/32 04/34   17/34 17/17 127.05
123.19 Penrith 04/57 04/48   17/09 17/03 108.06
141.08 Carlisle 05.18a ~ 05.21d 05.03 ~ 05.22   16.47a ~ 16.49d 16.43 ~ 16.49 90.17
149.65 Gretna Junction 05/31 05/30   16/37 16/36 81.40
166.74 Lockerbie 05/45 05/42   16/21 16/24 64.31
180.48 Beattock 05/55 05/52   16/11 16/13 50.14
190.72 Beattock Summit 06/10 05/59   16/04 16/06 40.33
198.78 Abington 06/17 06/05   15/58 16/00 32.27
214.61 Carstairs 06/31 06/16   15/47 15/49 16.44
217.16 Lanark Junction 06/32 06/18   15/45 15/48 14.09
225.17 Law Junction 06/40 06/39   15/39 15/42 6.08
228.47 Shieldmuir 06/47 06/46   15/36 15/39 2.58
230.46
0.00
Motherwell 06L50a ~ 07L00d 06.57 ~ 07.05   15/34 15/36 0.59
- Braidhurst Loop   15L07a ~ 15L31d 15.35 0.00
13.33
- Mossend West Junction   15/03 15/06 11.60
4.17 Uddingston Junction 07/06 07/10   14/59 15/01 8.52
6.19 Newton 07/11 07/12   14/56 14/58 6.50
8.74 Rutherglen East Junction 07/14 07/14   14/52 14/54 3.75
12.69 Glasgow Central 07L21a 07.21   14L45d 14.47 0.00

1Z40 (Glasgow to Glasgow via Dundee)

M.C Location Booked Actual
0.00 Glasgow Central 08L03d 08.04
3.75 Rutherglen East Junction 08/15 08/10
10.33 Langloan Junction 08/26 08/19
11.15 Coatbridge Central 08/27 08/20
13.17 Gartsherrie South Junction 08/29 08/22
14.42 Gartcosh Junction 08/31 08/30
21.13 Springburn 08/41 08/41
21.56 Cowlairs West Junction 08/48 08/45
26.09 Lenzie 08/57 08/51
37.18 Greenhill Upper Junction 09/08 09/06
37.66 Greenhill Lower Junction 09/09 09/07
40.07 Carmuirs West Junction 09/12 09/10
40.43 Larbert Junction 09/13 09/14
49.35
0.00
Stirling 09L24a ~ 09L59d 09.33 ~ 09.58
4.75 Dunblane 10/09 10/05
15.04 Blackford 10/20 10/17
30.73 Hilton Junction 10/38 10/34
33.01 Perth 10c42a ~ 10c44d 10/39
33.76 Barnhill 10/48 10/42
43.26 Errol 10/58 10/53
54.19
0.00
Dundee 11L10a ~ 11L37d 11.06 ~ 11.41
2.59 Tay Bridge South 11.44 11.47
8.27 Leuchars 11/51 12/01
20.07 Ladybank 12/04 12/12
28.71 Thornton South Junction 12/14 12/20
33.25 Kirkaldy 12/18 12/26
39.05 Burntisland 12/25 12/34
46.03 Inverkeithing 12/35 12/43
50.13 Dalmeny Junction 12/42 12/50
54.42 Winchburgh Junction 12/50 12/56
59.40 Linlithgow 12/55 13/01
64.36 Polmont Junction 13/00 13/06
67.36 Falkirk Grahamston 13/04 13/10
69.55 Carmuirs West Junction 13/10 13/14
71.76 Greenhill Lower Junction 13/13 13/18
77.33 Cumbernauld 13/19 13/27
81.46 Garnqueen North Junction 13/24 13/32
82.67 Gartsherrie South Junction 13/26 13/34
83.69 Coatbridge Central 13/28 13/35
87.43 Mossend South Junction 13/34 13/39
89.00 Motherwell 13/40 13/42
92.02 Hamilton (Central) 13/46 13/47
97.25 Newton 13/53 13/54
101.50 Kings Park 14/00 14/02
102.66 Mount Florida 14/02 DIV
106.27 Muirhouse North Junction 14/09 14/11
107.53 Glasgow Central 14L13a 14.14

For onward timings refer to tabulation for 1Z39/1Z41.

All distances, in miles and chains (M & C), are taken from the tour booklet. No attempt has been made to verify the mileages given. Route above in Glasgow suburbs is for Cathcart inner circle but on the day the outer circle was traversed therefore a mileage adjustment is required. Owing to the early problems with 47726 the mileages "by loco" of 1Z39 require adjusting up to Crewe.

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