2nd August 2007

Steam Dreams
Cathedrals Express

Locos Used 37248 & steam: 34067 'Tangmere'
Stock Used 35518+5222+5216+1840+5200+13440+9392+5237+1961+5236+5249

Route:
1Z82 : London Victoria to Salisbury
1Z83 : Salisbury to London Victoria

Loco(s) Route
34067 (1) (2) London Victoria - Stewarts Lane - Clapham Junction - Hounslow - Staines - Chertsey - Woking - Guildford - Haslemere - Havant (2) - Cosham - Fareham - Netley - Southampton Central - Redbridge - Romsey - Dean - Salisbury
34067 Salisbury - (reverse of outward route) - Romsey - Chandlers Ford - Eastleigh - Botley - Fareham - (2) (reverse of outward route) - London Victoria (2)

Notes :
(1) Banked by 37248 between Victoria & Grosvenor Bridge.
(2) Booked route was : London Victoria - Brixton - Herne Hill - Tulse Hill - Streatham - Mitcham Junction - Sutton - Epsom - Leatherhead - Dorking - Horsham - Pulborough - Arundel - Barnham - Chichester - Havant. Train was booked to return the reverse of outward.

Source : John Clifford

Tour Review
(from John Clifford)

The diversion from the expected route was made as the train operators, West Coast Railways, did not have a driver available who knew the route via the Mid Sussex line, nor were they able to get one from elsewhere. Hence we went via the Portsmouth direct line. Stops had been advertised for passengers to join & leave the train at Leatherhead & Dorking North & they were conveyed by coach to & from Woking. Part of the reason for the trip was for passengers to go to Chichester or visit Goodwood races. They went by coach from & to Havant.

On the day we were held by signals at Byfleet Jn for 27mins (10.58 - 11.25) so that we would arrive at Havant at the booked time. So much for forward planning! The usual stop for water on the Direct line is at Haslemere, where other trains can pass. However, Network Rail declined a stop there, so the water stop was to be at Petersfield (where trains can't pass). Arrival there showed no sign of a water tanker. It had gone to Warnham as the crew were unaware of the change in routing. So, we stood at Petersfield for 39mins. The following Waterloo - Portsmouth train could eventually be seen standing at the signal outside Petersfield. The rest out the outward journey ran without incident, although there was a short stop at Fareham in the hope that we could run via Botley to get back some of the lateness. As it turned out there wasn't a path that way so we went via the booked route.

The return journey started late because of a delay in servicing the engine. However, with a shorter route than booked, an on time arrival at Victoria was expected. This was almost achieved but there was a delay outside Victoria waiting for the ECS off the VSOE to come out.

John Clifford

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from John Clifford)

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
London Victoria 09.39d 09.39   21.33a 21.45
Battersea Pier Jn 09/43 09/42   - 21/35
Voltaire Road Jn 09/46 DIV   21/27 DIV
Brixton 09/48 DIV   21/25 DIV
Herne Hill 09/50 DIV   21/23 DIV
Tulse Hill 09/54 DIV   21/18 DIV
Streatham 09/57 DIV   21/07 DIV
Streatham South Jn 09/59 DIV   21/04 DIV
Mitcham Junction 10/04 DIV   20/58 DIV
Sutton 10/11 DIV   20/48 DIV
Epsom 10/21 DIV   20/39 DIV
Leatherhead 10.28a ~ 10.30d DIV   20.28a ~ 20.30d DIV
Dorking 10.38a ~ 10.40d DIV   19w48a ~ 20w20d DIV
Ockley 10/55 DIV   ? DIV
Warnham 11w03 ~ 11w31 DIV   ? DIV
Horsham 11/37 DIV   19/24 DIV
Pulborough 11/56 DIV   19/05 DIV
Arundel Jn 12/14 DIV   18/50 DIV
Ford 12/17 DIV   18/48 DIV
Barnham 12/21 DIV   18/44 DIV
Chichester 12.31a ~ 12.34d DIV   18.33a ~ 18.35d DIV
Stewarts Lane DIV 09.44 ~ 09.46   DIV 21/33
Longhedge Jn DIV 09/49   DIV 21.22 ~ 21.28
Clapham Junction DIV 10/02   DIV 21/18
Barnes DIV 10/08   DIV 21/08
Brentford DIV 10/16   DIV 20/58
Hounslow DIV 10/23   DIV 20/55
Feltham Jn DIV 10/26   DIV 20/53
Feltham DIV 10/28   DIV 20/50
Staines DIV 10.34a ~ 10.35d   DIV 20/44
Virginia Water DIV 10/45   DIV 20/35
Addlestone Jn DIV 10/55   DIV 20/26
Byfleet & New Haw DV 11/28   DIV 20/25
Woking DIV 11.38a ~ 11.39d   DIV 20.17a ~ 20.19d
Woking Jn DIV 11/41   DIV 20/15
Guildford DIV 11/49   DIV 20/07
Shalford Jn DIV 11/51   DIV 20/03
Farncombe DIV 11/54   DIV 20/00
Haslemere DIV 12/07   DIV 19/49
Petersfield DIV 12w19 ~ 12w58   DIV 19/29
Havant 12/46 13.15 ~ 13.18   18/20 19.08 ~ 19.10
Farlington Jn 12/51 13/27   18/14 19/01
Cosham Jn 12/56 13/28   18/13 18/59
Cosham 12/57 13/29   18/12 18/57
Fareham 13/06 13.39 ~ 13.43   18/03 18.48 ~ 18.49
St Denys 13/36 14/08  
Northam Jn 13/41 14/88  
Southampton Central 13/44 14/14  
Redbridge 13/49 14/20  
Fareham North Jn   18/01 18/47
Botley   17/55 18w22 ~ 18w38
Eastleigh South Jn   17/48 18/11
Eastleigh   17/46 18.06 ~ 18.08
Eastleigh East Jn   17/33 18/02
Romsey 14.03a ~ 14.06d 14.29 ~ 14.31   17.13a ~ 17.15d 17.50 ~ 17.51
Dean 14/16 14/41   17/03 17/42
Tunnel Jn 14/26 14/53   16/54 17/32
Salisbury 14.29a 14.56   16.51d 17.28


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