17th February 2001

Hertfordshire Rail Tours
The Dartmoor Warbler

Loco Used 66147
Stock Used 3127+3124+1696+3114+3123+3150+1679+17023+4986+5027+5037+5023+4977+6311

Route :
1Z36 : Finsbury Park to Meldon Quarry
1Z37 : Meldon Quarry to Finsbury Park

Loco Route
66147 Finsbury Park - Camden Road - West Hampstead - Acton Wells Jn - Slough - Reading - Newbury - Westbury - Taunton  - Exeter St.Davids - Crediton - Okehampton - Meldon Quarry
66147 Meldon Quarry - (reverse of outward route) - Finsbury Park

Source : Andy Hoskins
(on the train throughout)

Tour Review
(by Andy Hoskins)

Fairly straightforward tour but as I needed the Okehampton - Meldon section decided this was a must. We departed Finsbury Park on time at 07:25 and proceeded along the North London Line to make our first pick-up point (on-time) at West Hampstead. On departure from West Hampstead, no further time was lost and we joined the Great Western mail line at Acton where nothing could be seen in the stabling point due to long lines of wagons blocking the view.

At Southall the train was routed from the down slow to down fast at Southall. Although we were only running 1 minute early, it was obvious from the timing sheets that we were going to be early for our pick up at Slough - we actually arrived 10 minutes early! As a result, the following HST's were routed via the down slow through Slough station to get past.

After picking up at Reading, progress to Newbury was slow although we passed Newbury 1 minute early. Shortly after passing Pewsey, we passed a Wales & West 158 in the new livery (complete with their logo painted over some of the windows !!) presumably on the 06:55 Swansea - London Waterloo. With the line via Swindon closed, all traffic was diverted via Westbury and the Berks & Hants line. Our next stop was for a crew change at Westbury (leaving 6 minutes early) and noted green 60081 stabled in the sidings. We stopped briefly at Taunton for a pathing stop but departed 18 minutes early, maintaining this early running all the way to Exeter.

66147 ran round at Exeter and we departed for Meldon Quarry maintaining our booked time to the quarry sidings. At Meldon Quarry, the following stock was observed ex-EMU coaches 61742 and 70812 with 4-TC unit 417 tucked behind. The run round at Meldon took quite some time and we departed for Okehampton 12 minutes down. We has just over two and a half hours to explore the area before the return back to London.

The Dartmoor Pony services were in operation between Okehampton and Meldon Viaduct platform using 08937 + 80225 + 61473, the 08 propelling the coaches to Meldon Viaduct.

The return journey departed Okehampton on time with an on-time arrival at Exeter. However, departure from Exeter was 2 minutes down and passed Taunton 7 minutes late, Castle Cary 12 minutes late and arrived at Westbury for a crew change 9 minutes late. The crew change was booked to take 2 minutes but in fact took 9, with the railtour leaving some 16 minutes late. However, we were treated (?) to the site of 57001 + 66507 double heading south on a diverted freightliner while waiting to leave for Reading. Another two freightliners were passed on the Berks and Hants.

Time was made up by Southcote Junction (passed 2 down) but an extended stop at Reading West due to point problems meant we arrived at Reading 9 minutes late. The train was routed via the up fast to Southall where we crossed over to the up slow. Arrival at West Hampstead was 6 minutes late where I left the train.

Conclusion
A very straightforward and relatively cheap trip which ran well to time. Nothing unexpected happened or was noted (except perhaps the 4-TC at Meldon Quarry). Looking forward to Hertfordshire's trip to Wisbech and Middleton Towers on May 12th to clear off some more track in my Baker's Bible.

Andy Hoskins

Timings (Booked and Actual)
(by John Clifford)

M.C Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual M.C
0.00 Finsbury Park 07.25d 07.25   21.59a 21.55 205.40
1.57 Freight Terminal Jn 07/30 07/31   21/52 21/49 203.73
2.11 Camden Road East Jn 7/33 07/35   21/47 21/41 203.29
3.47 Gospel Oak 07/39 07/38   21/38 21/39 201.73
5.32 West Hamstead 07.42a ~ 07.45d 07.42 ~ 07.45   21.27a ~ 21.29d 21.33 ~ 21.35 200.08
7.54 Kensal Green Jn 07/50 07/49   21/21 21/29 197.66
7.76 Willesden Junction HL 07/52 07/51   21/20 21/28 197.44
8.61 Acton Wells Jn 07/54 07/54   21/18 21/26 196.59
9.33 Acton Main Line 07/56 07/56   21/15 21/23 196.07
14.18 Southall 08/03 08/02   21/09 21/16 191.22
16.37 Airport Jn 08/06 08/05   21/06 21/14 189.03
23.48 Slough 08.20a ~ 08.22d 08.11 ~ 08.25   20.55a ~ 20.57d 21.03 ~ 21.05 181.72
29.31 Maidenhead 08/29 08/32   20/48 20/57 176.09
36.13 Twyford 08/34 08/37   20/42 20/52 169.27
41.10 Reading 08.42a ~ 08.45d 08.44 ~ 08.46   20.34a ~ 20.36d 20.43 ~ 20.46 164.30
42.74 Southcote Jn 08/49 08/50   20/26 20/38 162.46
58.18 Newbury 09/14 09/13   20/05 20/14 147.22
71.41 Bedwyn 9/26 09/25   19/52 20/04 133.79
84.05 Woodborough 09/37 09/35   19/40 19/47 121.35
93.18 Lavington 09/44 09/43   19/32 19/46 112.22
99.57 Heywood Road Jn 09/52 09/49   19/23 19/38 105.63
100.59 Westbury 09.55a ~ 10.00d 09.51 ~ 09.54   19.18a ~ 19.20d 19.29 ~ 19.35 104.61
102.13 Fairwood Jn 10/03 09/57   19/14 19/23 103.27
105.35 Clink Road Jn 10/07 10/01   19/08 19/16 100.05
107.37 Blatchbridge Jn 10/11 10/04   19/04 19/17 98.03
120.26 Castle Cary 10/23 10/15   18/52 19/04 85.14
142.66 Cogload Jn 10/41 10/34   18/34 18/44 62.54
147.69 Taunton 10.47a ~ 11.00d 10.41 ~ 10.42   18/29 18/36 57.51
162.03 Tiverton Parkway 11/17 11/01   18/12 18/18 43.37
177.29 Cowley Bridge Jn 11/38 11/19   17/55 17/57 28.11
178.49 Exeter St Davids 11.42a ~ 12.00d 11.23 ~ 12.01   17.21a ~ 17.52d 17.20 ~ 17.54 26.71
179.69 Cowley Bridge Jn 12/03 12/04   17/16 17/14 25.51
185.45 Crediton 12.13a ~ 12.14d 12.13 ~ 12.14   17.04a ~ 17.05d 17.02 ~ 17.03 19.75
203.44 Okehampton 12.20a ~ 12.57d 12.51 ~ 12.57   13.45a ~ 16.30d 13.53 ~ 16.30 1.76
205.40 Meldon Quarry 13.10a 13.08   13.30d 13.43 0.00

Key;
a : arrival time
d : departure time
/ : passing time
A time or mileage 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.

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