10th March 2007

Pathfinder Tours
Twenty Twenty Vision

Route:
1Z20 : Crewe to Ipswich Yard
1Z21 : Ipswich Yard to Cambridge Yard (via Sizewell)
1Z22 : Cambridge Yard to Crewe

Notes :
(1) 20313+20315+20314 on rear.
(2) 47501 on rear.

Sources : Alan Sheppard (joined/left the train at Peterborough)

Tour Review
(from Martin Barnsdall)

Its not often you get tempted by both motive power and the destination. So a trundle along to the Leiston Branch with a couple of 20's on each end looked good. A week prior to travel, confirmed timings started filtering through. A 6am plus departure from Crewe - just about acceptable - turned into a 5.30am departure - groan! I'm mid forties and I'm getting too old for this sort of time for starting a railtour - especially as the return had us into Crewe at about 22.45! 17 hours stuck on a train is only something I wish to experience on the Trans Siberian Express with a berth. However, we had a cunning plan.

Anyway back to the railtour - an arrival in Crewe at about 05.10 saw us wander to the platform where the was stock but no locos. Within a few minutes we heard the distinctive whistling of 20's, and lo and behold they appeared on the other side of the platform. Ah, 20313, then 20315, and then, to great surprise 20314! 50% extra free! Someone in DRS had decided that 3 20's would take us to East Anglia! Hurrah!

The 20's departed with great gusto from Crewe just about right time, stops at Stafford and Wolverhampton were marginally down on time. A visit to the buffet then revealed the worst aspect of the day - NO BACON BUTTIES! Aargh! Back to the seat as it became light, we ventured to open the window and listen to the sweet music emanating from the front of the train - we were in coach C.

The tour was more or less right time to Stowmarket were the sight of 47501 burbling away in the sidings confirmed rumours that she/he/it was our other loco. A 20 minute fester in sidings at Ipswich saw the 47 attach itself to the other end and we set off towards Lowestoft. At Woodbridge we were due to cross a service train, we arrived with 10 minutes to spare and seen that there was a 47, then 13 coaches, and then 3 20's tacked on the back, we managed to block all the level crossings! Much amusement was had watching the normals/Bert and Ada's wait for us to move. Some eventually gave up!

We arrived in Saxmundham on time, being routed into the Up platform and then we ground to a halt just before the junction.After a few minutes we set off up the branch towards Leiston, however, we had to stop just clear of the junction to pick up the guy who just clamped the point. This caused great amusement as the 47 struggled with the train, the 20's revved up and proceeded to shove the train and 47 up the hill! Stops occurred before and after every level crossing, before we arrived in Leiston.

I get the impression nothing much happens in Leiston. Everyone seemed to be out and about gawping at the train as it chuntered through the town. One old dear was observed waving a Union Flag. Someone on the train pointed out that she may have thought we were the royal train! We went through the level crossing in the centre of Leiston and the front of the train stopped at the level crossing just before the sidings at Sizewell.

We retraced our route back in Leiston, again stopping for the level crossing. Now, I'm not one for yelling 'Lords!' or 'Hellfire!' when a loco gives it a bit of welly. However, I happened to be peering out of the window when the 20's started out of the trap from Leiston crossing. The noise and acceleration was incredible - even Jeremy Clarkson would have been impressed! I was recording this on my camera - I am heard to mutter 'My Lords!'

The 20's, caught on camera at Saxmundham (photo: PRAR)

Back at Saxmundham came our 'coup d'État', a friend was out and about videoing things in East Anglia, and he had made an effort to video the tour leaving Saxmundham and other places along the branch. So we bailed out and got a lift back to Stafford with him - arriving some 3 hours before anyone on the tour! Not after, however, photographing the tour south of Saxmundham and at Thurston, close to Bury St Edmunds.

47501 in the afternoon sun passing Thurston (photo: Martin Barnsdall)

47501 passes Cambridge carriage sidings (photo: Stuart Levett)

The trio of choppers pause at Ely as night falls (photo: Steve Kemp)

All in all - a good day out. The only minus points were the early departure/late arrival and total lack of Bacon/Sausage butties - especially as there was first class dining on the train! [Webmasters note: sorry Martin but as several people have e-mailed to comment about this statement and, according to the Pathfinder brochures I have, there was no mention made of first class dining on this tour - the only fare on offer in 1st class was £89, plus the usual "table for two" supplement of £15 a seat if you wanted]

Martin Barnsdall

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Alan Sheppard, Stuart Buffery & Alan Vickers)

Timings continue in first table.

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