7th July 2007

Mercia Charters Limited
That Which Survives

Locos Used ACTS: 1251(ex-NS 1215), 5814 (ex-EWS 58038) & 6703 (ex-SNCB 6391)
VSM: 661 (ex-NS 661)
Stock Used ex-SNCB: 29126+21036+21019+51 84 88-80 217-5+21003+21027

Route:
38000 : Rotterdam CS (via Oosterhout) to Lage Zwaluwe
38001 : Lage Zwaluwe to Utrecht CS
38002 : Utrecht CS to Dieren
????? : Dieren to Apeldoorn
38003 : Apeldoorn to Rotterdam CS

Loco(s) Route
5814 (1) Rotterdam CS - Barendrecht - Zwijndrecht - Dordrecht - Lage Zwaluwe
6703 Lage Zwaluwe - (2) - Moerdijk - run-round loop by Dr. W. Kolb factory
6703 run-round loop by Dr. W. Kolb factory - Moerdijk - just beyond points for Cronifer track complex
6703 (3) just beyond points for Cronifer track complex - Moerdijk
6703 Moerdijk - Lage Zwaluwe - Oosterhout
6703 Oosterhout - Lage Zwaluwe (km post 15.6, to just north of station)
6703 (3) km post 15.6 - Lage Zwaluwe
5814 (1) Lage Zwaluwe - Breda - Gilze Rijn - Tilburg - 's-Hertogenbosch - Geldermalsen - Utrecht CS
1251 (4) Utrecht CS - Ede-Wageningen - Arnhem - Rheden - Dieren
(5) operational movements at Dieren
6703 (6) Dieren - Eerbeek
661 (7) Eerbeek - Beekbergen
6703 (6) Beekbergen - Apeldoorn
1251 + 6703 (8) Apeldoorn - Amersfoort (9) - Baarn - Hilversum - Weesp - Amsterdam Diemen Zuid - Amsterdam Bijlmer - Abcoude - Breukelen - (9) Harmelen Jn - Woerden - Gouda - Rotterdam Alexander - Rotterdam Noord - Rotterdam CS

Notes :
(1)
plus 1251 dead-in-tow & 6703 on rear.
(2) Photo-stop held where the Moerdijk line passed under the mainline just after leaving
Lage Zwaluwe (approx km post 1.5). After dropping passengers at km post 1.2 the following movements took place before the passengers rejoined:
a) train set-back (loco propelling) to km post 0.7
b) photo run-past, train stopping at km post 1.9
c) train set-back (loco propelling) to km post 1.2 for passengers to rejoin. Train then continued to Moerdijk.
(3) Loco propelling.
(4) plus 5814 & 6703 dead-in-tow.
(5) At Dieren the following train movements took place:
a) train stopped at crossing immediately before station. From here 5814 powered the train into the VSM platform loop (1251 could not as it was not an electrified line).
b) train stopped in VSM platform loop, but fouling the points both ends. 5814 propelled 1251 off the train (leaving it just short of the level crossing beyond the station, then 5814 dropped back into the track adjacent to the tour train).
c) 6703 drew the train forward (approx two coach lengths) to clear the loop rear points.
d) 5814 coupled to the rear of the train.
e) On departure, 6703 drew the train forward to 1251 which was then re-attached to the front.
(6) 1251, leading, was in multi with 6703 thus the train was being driven from 1251 however, being a non-electrified line, traction was being provided by 6703.
(7) plus 1251 & 6703 dead-in-tow & 5814 on rear.
(8) 1251 & 6703 in multi and both powering, 5814 dead-on-rear.
(9) Train was diverted due to a power failure in the Utrecht area and an attempt to regain some lost time. Booked route had been:
Amersfoort - Den Dolder - Bilthoven - (either via Utrecht CS or the direct line avoiding Utrecht CS) - Utrecht Sidings (or Lunetten) [REV] - Utrecht CS - Harmelen Jn - Woerden.

Source : Gary Thornton (on the train throughout)

Photo Review
(all photos: Gary Thornton)


6703 waits to depart from Oosterhout back to Lage Zwaluwe.


5814 and 1251 about to run-round the train at Utrecht CS.


661 leads 1251 & 6703 at Beekbergen on the VSM. 44 1085 is alongside.


Tour over - 1251 & 6703 at Rotterdam CS. 5814 is about to take the ECS
back to the depot in the Rotterdam suburbs where it is stabled.


Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Gary Thornton)

km Location Booked Actual
0.00 Rotterdam CS 08.51d 08.55 [P3]
10.10 Barendrecht 09/00 09/04
18.05 Zwijndrecht 09/05 09/08
20.05 Dordrecht 09/07 09/10
34.30
0.00
Lage Zwaluwe 09L20 ~ 09L40 09.24 ~ 09.37
[track adjacent to P4]
? km post 1.2 ? ??.?? ~ ??.??
? km post 0.7 ? 09.50a ~ 09.55d
? km post 1.9 ? 09.58 ~ 09.58½
? km post 1.2 ? 10.01a ~ 10.10d
(7.65) Moerdijk 09.45a 10/24
? RR Loop (by Dr. W. Korb) ? 10.39 ~ 10.48
? Moerdijk ? 10.57 ~ 11.00
? just past connection to Cronifer ? 11.12 ~ 11.14
0.00 Moerdijk 10.40d 11.28 ~ 11.34
(7.65) Lage Zwaluwe 10/45 11/50
[2nd track across from P4]
(25.65) Oosterhout 11p15a ~ 11p45d 12.32 ~ 12.44
(18.10) Lage Zwaluwe 12L12 13/25
[2nd track across from P4]
? MP 15.6 (just north of station) - 13.26 ~ 13.26½
0.00 Lage Zwaluwe 12L33 13.29 ~ 13.34
[track adjacent to P4]
14.85 Breda 12/44 13/46
25.00 Gilze-Rijn 12/51 13/52
36.35 Tilburg 13/01 14/00
58.75 's-Hertogenbosch 13*21 ~ 13*28 14/30
81.90 Geldermalsen 13/45 14/45
106.65
0.00
Utrecht CS 14.03a ~ 14.26d 15.06 ~ 15.24 [P4]
40.15 Ede-Wageningen 14/54 15/50
56.70 Arnhem 15/07 16.03 ~ 16.06 [track 5]
63.35 Velp 15/11 16/10½
67.20 Rheden 15/16 16/15
73.50
0.00
Dieren 15*21 ~ 15*30 16.20 ~ 16.56
[VSM platform]
? Eerbeek ? 17L19 ~ 17L25
? Beekbergen ??.??a ~ ??.??d 18.05 ~ 18.26
21.35
0.00
Apeldoorn 17.15 ~ 17.30 18.50 ~ 19.07
[VSM platform]
43.55 Amersfoort 18/02 19/44 [Track 8]
52.80 Den Dolder 18/10 DIV
55.55 Bilthoven 18/13 DIV
61.60 Utrecht Overdrecht 18/19 DIV
64.60 Utrecht CS 18/22 DIV
65.00
0.00
Utrecht Sidings 18*21 ~ 19*24 DIV
0.40 Utrecht CS 19/22 DIV
? Baarn DIV 19/52
? Hilversum DIV 19/57
? Weesp DIV 20.09 ~ 20.10½ [track 4]
? Diemen Zuid DIV 20/16
? Ajax platform DIV 20.19 ~ 20.21
? Amsterdam Bijlmer DIV 20/22½
? Breukelen DIV 20/33
? Harmelen Jn ??/?? 20/37½
16.40 Woerden 19*36 ~ 19*43 20/45
32.70 Gouda 19/57 20/55
41.80 Nieuwerkerk 20/03 21/01
46.65 Rotterdam Alexander 20/07 21/05
51.65 Rotterdam Noord 20/10 21/09
56.55 Rottersam CS 20.17a 21.15 [P8]


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