27th October 2007

Railway Touring Company
The Sussex Explorer

Loco Used 37417 & steam : 45407
Stock Used 35517+17105+3066+3069+1692+3149+1863+5322+5341

Route:
1Z82 : London Victoria to Uckfield
1Z83 : Uckfield to Bognor
1Z84 : Bognor to Littlehampton
1Z85 : Littlehampton to London Victoria

Loco(s) Route
45407 (1) London Victoria - Stewarts Lane - Brixton - Herne Hill - Tulse Hill - Streatham - Selhurst - East Croydon - Oxted - Edenbridge Town - Eridge - Uckfield
37417 (2) Uckfield - (reverse of outward route) - East Croydon
45407 (1) East Croydon - Redhill - Three Bridges - Horsham - Pulborough - Ford - Barnham - Bognor
37417 (2) Bognor - Barnham - Ford - Littlehampton
45407 (1) Littlehampton - Pulborough - Horsham - Dorking North - Leatherhead - Epsom - Sutton - West Croydon - Norwood Junction - Crystal Palace - Tulse Hill - Herne Hill - Brixton - (3) - London Victoria

Notes :
(1) 37417 on rear.
(2) 45407 on rear.
(3) Booked via Stewarts Lane but ran 'Main Line'.

Source : John Clifford (on the train throughout)

Tour Review
(by John Clifford)

This tour was originally advertised for 34067 "Tangmere" but as that engine had to go for boiler repairs 45407 was substituted. Also the original route was: Victoria - Uckfield (R) - Norwood Junc (R) - West Croydon - Leatherhead - Horsham - Littlehampton (R) - Horsham - Three Bridges - East Croydon - Victoria.

On the day the engine was seen at Victoria with a headboard "Riley 1 - Riley International Rescue" but this was removed shortly before departure. The tour was running as booked until a stop at Ashurst Jn due to a report of trespassers on the line. After leaving Three Bridges it became evident that the brakes were dragging, probably due to a low steam pressure caused by poor quality coal, a problem which has dogged some steam tours this year. We made it to Bognor & reversed to Littlehampton. There are some speed restrictions on the Mid Sussex line for loco hauled trains so our progress on the return was not rapid, added to this the engine was slipping a bit. Anyway we got back to Victoria by the route shown (unusual for steam) & saved some time by omitting the diversion via Stewarts Lane.

A nice touch was the Spa Valley Railway sent down their "Jinty" to Birchden Jn to whistle as we went down & on the return there was a 33 & 25 to mark our progress.

John Clifford

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from
John Clifford)

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
London Victoria 08.25d 08.24½   20.06a 20.25½
Battersea Pier Jn 08/30 08/28   20/03 20/22½
Stewarts Lane 08/35 08/29   20/00 DIV
Factory Jn 08/38 08/30   19/58 20/21
Voltaire Road Jn 08/40 08.32 ~ 08.37½   19/56 20/20½
Shepherds Lane 08/42 08/41½   19/54 20/19½
Brixton 08/43 08/42½   19/53 20/19
Herne Hill 08/46 08.48 ~ 08.50   19/50½ 20/17½
Tulse Hill 08/55 08/57½   19/44 20/13½
Streatham 09/01 09/02  
Streatham Common 09/05 09/05  
Selhurst 09/18 09/15½  
Windmill Bridge Jn 09/21 09/25  
East Croydon 09*25 ~ 09*32 09.26½ ~ 09.32  
South Croydon 09/35 09/35½  
Sanderstead 09/37 09/38  
Oxted 09/50 09/57  
Hurst Green 09/55 10/00  
Hever 10/09 10.09 ~ 10.13  
Blackham Jn 10/17 10/22½  
Ashurst Jn 10/24 10.26 ~ 10.27½  
Crowborough 10/35 10/42  
Greenhurst Jn 10/45 10/46½  
Uckfield 10.54a ~ 11.00d 10.53 ~ 11.01  
Greenhurst Jn 11/10 11/08  
Crowborough 11/18 11/16  
Ashurst Jn 11/28 11/24½  
Blackham Jn 11/34 11/29  
Hever 11/42 11/36  
Edenbridge Town 11w45 ~ 11w55 11.39 ~ 11.56  
Hurst Green 12/05 12/05½  
Oxted 12/06 12/09  
Sanderstead 12/14 12/22½  
South Croydon 12/25 12/26  
East Croydon 12.27a ~ 12.33d 12.29 ~ 12.33  
South Croydon 12/35½ 12/38  
Purley 12/39 12/43  
Stoats Nest Jn 12/40 12/44½  
Redhill 12/49 12/55  
Earlswood 12/54 12/56  
Gatwick Airport 12/59 13/02  
Three Bridges 13*08 ~ 13*21 13.08 ~ 13.26  
Crawley 13/26 13/31  
West Norwood   19/41 20/05½
Crystal Palace   19/35 20/01½
Bromley Jn   19/31½ 19/59
Norwood Junction   19/29 19/57
Gloucester Road Jn   19/27 19/51½
West Croydon   19.21a ~ 19.23d 19.42 ~ 19.48
Wallington   19/14 19/36½
Sutton   19/09 19/32
Epsom   19/00 19.20 ~ 19.20½
Leatherhead   18/52 19/08
Dorking   18/45 19/02
Horsham 13/36 13/44½   18w07 ~ 18w22 18.24 ~ 18.35
Pulborough 13/56 14/08½   17/46 17.56 ~ 17.57½
Arundel Jn 14/11 14/31½   17/33 17/33
Littlehampton   15.08a ~ 17.25d 15.15½ ~ 17.26
Ford 14/15 14/33   15/00 15/09
Barnham 14*26 ~ 14*29 14.39 ~ 14.39½   14/54 15/04½
Bognor 14.38a 14.50   14.46d 14.55


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