19th January 2008

UK Railtours
The Preston Docker

Locos Used 37401 & 67029 'Royal Diamond'
Stock Used 5292+5276+5350+1863+4927+5009+3107+3140+1671+3112+3122+21272

Route:
1Z66 : London Euston to Preston Docks
1Z67 : Preston Docks to Heysham Port
1Z68 : Heysham Port to London Euston

Loco(s) Route
67029 London Euston - Watford Junction - Bletchley - Northampton - Rugby - Coventry - Birmingham International - Stechford - Aston - Bescot Stadium - Portobello Jn - Wolverhampton - Bushbury Jn - Stafford - Norton Bridge - Madeley - Crewe - Warrington Bank Quay - Wigan North Western - Preston Ribble Jn - Preston Dock
37401 (1) Preston Dock - Preston South Jn
67029 (2) Preston South Jn - Preston - Lancaster - Morecambe South Jn - Bare Lane - Morecambe
37401 (1) Morecambe - Heysham Port
67029 (2) Heysham Port - Morecambe
37401 (1) Morecambe - Bare Lane - Hest Bank Jn - Carnforth Up & Down Goods
67029 Carnforth Up & Down Goods - Hest Bank Jn - Morecambe South Jn - Lancaster - Preston - Wigan North Western - (reverse of outward route) - Bushbury Jn - Portobello Jn - (reverse of outward route) - London Euston

Notes :
(1) 67029 on rear.
(2) 37401 on rear.
(3) At Crewe on the return journey the train is confirmed as having stopped on the 'Down Fast'.

Source : Scott Spencer, Richard Pudduck & David Ross

Tour Review
(by Garry Sparks)

This tour was the first to run under a returning UK Railtours operation, I boarded at Watford Junction and following a spirited run up the WCML apart from a stagger past the Rugby building site by “Silver Skip” 67029 we arrived outside Preston for the run into the Preston Docks/Ribble Steam Railway complex.  On the way North several rumours about which loco was to haul us back up the steep gradient to Preston were being quoted, so with much excitement from some and groans from others 37401 was waiting to be attached for the “thrash” up the hill. So after a break over just over an hour 37401 started the slow run back past the docks area, after the horn blowing from cars and loco at Strand Road level crossing the noise level was immense as the EE veteran pounded up the 1/29 gradient and past the onlookers on Preston Station.

From Ribble Junction 67029 again took over for the run up to Morecombe and from Heysham Port back to Morecombe, while 37401 handled the Morecombe - Heysham Port and then Morecombe - Carnforth D&UGL via the underused curve from Bare Lane to Hest Bank, from here 67029 headed South and following a brief stop at Preston for 37401 to be removed from the rear the tour again enjoyed some fast running in places on the WCML and slow running again in the Rugby area, we arrived around 20 minutes late into Watford.

Only downside in my opinion on day was the inability to get photos of the railtour locos at the Ribble Railway complex, could of it been not too much trouble for staff to take half a dozen or so people onto the trackside to obtain photographs???

Garry Sparks

Photo Review


37401 at Preston Dock (photo Andrew Pearson)


37401 & 67029 passing through Preston (photos: Scott Spencer)


37401 again, this time at Heysham Port (photo: David Ross)


67029 at Morecambe (photo: Garry Sparks)


67029 back at Euston (photo: Andrew Pearson)


Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Richard Pudduck & David Ross)

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
London Euston 07.55d 07.57   22.59a 23.19 [P15]
Camden South Jn 07/58 ?   22/56 ?
Camden Jn 07/59 ?   22/55 ?
West London Jn 08/02 ?   22/52 ?
Willesden North Jn 08/03 ?   ? ?
Wembley Central 08/06 08/06   22/50 23/08
Harrow & Wealdstone 08/12 08/11   22/43 23/06
Watford Junction 08.18a ~ 08.20d 08.18 ~ 08.23   22.34a ~ 22.36d 22.56 ~ 22.57
Bourne End Jn ?  ?   22/23 ?
Tring 08/44 08/35   22/17 22/34
Ledburn Jn 08/51 ?   22/10 ?
Bletchley 08/59 08/47   22/03 22/24
Milton Keynes Central 09.03a ~ 09.05d 08.53 ~ 09.05   21.54a ~ 21.56d 22.18 ~ 22.20
Hanslope Jn 09/14 09/12   21/48 ?
Northampton 09.26a ~ 09.29d 09.28 ~ 09.30   21.35a ~ 21.37d 21.58 ~ 22.00
Long Buckby 09/41 09/40   21/25 21/46
Hillmorton Jn 09/50 ?   21/16 ?
Rugby 09/52 ??.?? ~ 10.04 [DGL]   21/14 21/35
Rugby Trent Valley Jn 09/53 ?   21/13 ?
Coventry 10*04a ~ 10*19d 10.23 ~ 10.26   20.59a ~ 21.01d 21.17 ~ 21.20
Birmingham International 10*30 ~ 10*46 10.40 ~ 10.52   20/47 20.56 ~ 21.00
Stechford 10/50 10/59   20/40 20/46
Aston 10/55 11/05   20/36 20/40
Perry Barr North Jn 10/59 ?   20/33 ?
Bescot Stadium 11/04 11/15   20/25 20/31
Darlaston Jn 11/05 ?   20/22 ?
Portobello Jn 11/10 11/22   20/19 ?
Wolverhampton 11/25 11/27  
Wolverhampton North Jn 11/26 ?  
Bushbury Jn 11/28 11/30   20/14 20/22
Stafford No.4 11/39 ?   20/01 ?
Stafford 11/39 11/41   20/01 20/03
Stafford No.5 ? ?   20/00 ?
Norton Bridge 11/44 11/47   19/56 20/00
Madeley  11/53 ?   19/47 ?
Basford Hall Jn 11/59 ?   19/43 ?
Crewe 12/01 12/05   19/38 19.39 ~ 19.41 [DF]
Crewe Coal Yard 12/01 ?   19/37 ?
Winsford SB 12/07 12/13   19/30 19/23
Weaver Jn 12/14 12/19   19/23 ?
Acton Grange Jn 12/21 ?   19/19 ?
Warrington Bank Quay 12c23 ~ 12c25 12.27 ~ 12.28   19c13 ~ 19c15 19.03 ~ 19.07
Dallam Jn 12/28 ?   19/11 ?
Winwick Jn 12/30 12/32   19/01 ?
Golborne Jn 12/33 ?   ? ?
Bamfurlong Jn 12/37 ?   ? ?
Springs Branch 12/38 ?   18/55 ?
Wigan South Jn 12/39 ?   18/54 ?
Wigan North Western 12/40 12/39   18/53 18/54
Balshaw Lane Jn 12/47 12/46   18/45 18/47
Euxton Jn 12/51 12/48   18/43 ?
Farington Curve Jn 12/55 ?   18/39 ?
Preston Ribble Jn 12/57 13/00   ? ?
Preston Dock 13L07a ~ 14L26d 13.28 ~ 14.26  
Preston South Jn 14.36 ~ 14.48 14.46 ~ 14.50  
Preston 14*51 ~ 15*13 14.57 ~ 14.57 [DG]   18*21 ~ 18*36 18.15 ~ 18.38
Lancaster 15/32 15.17 ~ 15.26 [DF]   17/59 17/56
Morecambe South Jn 15/34 ?   17/57 ?
Carnforth Up & Down Goods Loop   17.33 ~ 17.50 17.37 ~ 17.48
Hest Bank Jn   17/27 17.23 ~ 17.28
Bare Lane 15.36 ~ 15.38 15.34 ~ 15.36   17.21 ~ 17.23 17.21 ~ 17.23
Morecambe 15.42a ~ 15.54d 15.39 ~ 15.54   17.04 ~ 17.16 17.04 ~ 17.16
Morecambe Jn GF 15.55 ~ 15.57 ?   ? ?
Heysham Port 16.09a 16.08   16.51d 16.51


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