Tour Review
(by John Clifford)
12th April 2008
Kingfisher Railtours
The Golden Arrow
| Locos Used | 67006 & steam: 34067 'Tangmere' |
| Stock Used | 35518+5278+5419+1842+9391+5239+5229+3188+1659+3231 |
Route:
1Z29 : Taunton to Folkestone Harbour
1Z30 : Folkestone Harbour (12.50d) to Canterbury West
1Z31 : Canterbury West to Taunton
| Loco(s) | Route |
| 67006 | Taunton - Weston-super-Mare avoiding line - Bristol Temple Meads - Bath Spa - Chippenham - Swindon - Didcot Parkway - Reading - Slough - Ealing Broadway - Acton Wells Jn - Willesden South West Sidings |
| 34067 (1) | Willesden South West Sidings - Kensington Olympia - Factory Jn - Atlantic Line - Denmark Hill - Catford - Bromley South - Orpington - Sevenoaks - Tonbridge - Headcorn - Ashford - Folkestone East Sidings |
| 67006 (2) | Folkestone East Sidings - Folkestone Harbour |
| 34067 (1) | Folkestone Harbour - Folkestone East Sidings |
| 67006 (2) | Folkestone East Sidings - Folkestone Harbour |
| 34067 (1) | Folkestone Harbour - Folkestone East Sidings |
| 67006 (2) | Folkestone East Sidings - Ashford |
| 34067 (1) | Ashford - Canterbury West - Ramsgate - Margate - Herne Bay - Faversham - Sittingbourne - Gillingham - Sole Street - Swanley - Bromley South - Penge East - Herne Hill - (3) Factory Jn - (reverse of outward route) - Willesden South West Sidings |
| 67006 | Willesden South West Sidings - (reverse of outward route) - Taunton |
Notes :
(1) 67006 on rear.
(2) 34067 on rear.
(3) Booked to run on the Atlantic Line from Shepherds Lane to
Factory Jn but ran main line.
Source : John Clifford (joined / left the train at
Kensington Olympia)
Tour Review
(by John Clifford)
This tour was a repeat of the previous week's "Golden Arrow" as far as the steam section was concerned although with a different starting point. Unlike the previous week's trip all the steam routing was done. However it did not run entirely to schedule. I understand that the move at Willesden South West Sidings took longer than allowed (diesel from front to back of train, steam on the front) so we ran 20 mins late to Folkestone.
Having cut the time at Folkestone Harbour we then ran roughly to time but the quality of the coal had an effect on the running to Canterbury. We were late leaving Canterbury (I believe that servicing took longer than expected) & it was evident that the coal situation had not improved. Rapid running is normally expected down the bank from Birchington but this did not happen & on the climb to Herne Bay we got slower & slower till we stopped near M.P 65 (18.32-39). The diesel gave us a shove to get going again and did so again after each slowing & on the climb of Sole Street bank.
Eventual arrival at Kenny O was 40 late. This train was advertised at being the last passenger working to Folkestone Harbour as Network Rail were expected to apply for closure. This they duly did but because of objections form various parties the closure did not take place and there have been a few VSOE trains down the branch since this tour
John Clifford
Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from John Clifford)
| Location |
Booked
|
Actual
|
|
Booked
|
Actual
|
| Taunton |
06.07d
|
?
|
|
23.05a
|
?
|
| Cogload Jn |
06/14
|
?
|
|
22/58
|
?
|
| Bridgwater |
06.19a ~ 06.21d
|
?
|
|
22.51a ~ 22.53d
|
?
|
| Uphill Jn |
06/31
|
?
|
|
22/37
|
?
|
| Worle Jn |
06/33
|
?
|
|
22/33
|
?
|
| Yatton Loop |
22*17 ~ 22*27
|
?
|
|||
| Parson Street |
06/53
|
?
|
|
?
|
?
|
| Bristol West Jn |
06/55
|
?
|
|
22/03
|
?
|
| Bristol Temple Meads |
06.56a ~ 07.03d
|
?
|
|
21.58a ~ 22.02d
|
?
|
| Bristol East Jn |
07/04
|
?
|
|
21/57
|
?
|
| North Somerset Jn |
07/05
|
?
|
|
21/56
|
?
|
| Bath Spa |
07.17a ~ 07.19d
|
?
|
|
21.43a ~ 21.46d
|
?
|
| Bathampton |
07/22
|
?
|
|
21/36
|
?
|
| Thingley Jn |
07/29
|
?
|
|
21/31
|
?
|
| Chippenham |
07.32a ~ 07.34d
|
?
|
|
21.26a ~ 21.28d
|
?
|
| Wootton Bassett |
07/42
|
?
|
|
21/17
|
?
|
| Swindon |
07.47a ~ 07.49d
|
?
|
|
21.09a ~ 21.11d
|
?
|
| Uffington |
07/58
|
?
|
|
21/01
|
?
|
| Challow |
08/00
|
?
|
|
21/00
|
?
|
| Wantage Road |
08/03
|
?
|
|
20/58
|
?
|
| Didcot Parkway |
08.09a ~ 08.13d
|
?
|
|
20.51a ~ 20.53d
|
?
|
| Reading West Jn |
08/26
|
?
|
|
20/40
|
?
|
| Reading |
08.28a ~ 08.31d
|
?
|
|
20.36a ~ 20.38d
|
?
|
| Twyford West |
?
|
?
|
|
20/30
|
?
|
| Twyford |
08/37
|
?
|
|
20/29
|
?
|
| Maidenhead |
08.42a ~ 08.45d
|
?
|
|
20.13a ~ 20.18d
|
?
|
| Slough |
08/49
|
?
|
|
20/05
|
?
|
| Dolphin Jn |
08/51
|
?
|
|
?
|
?
|
| Airport Jn |
08/58
|
?
|
|
19/57
|
?
|
| Southall |
09/02
|
?
|
|
19/54
|
?
|
| West Ealing |
09/09
|
?
|
?
|
?
|
|
| Acton West |
09/12
|
?
|
19/48
|
?
|
|
| Acton Main Line |
09/13
|
?
|
|
19/43
|
?
|
| Acton Wells Jn |
09/16
|
?
|
|
19/33
|
?
|
| Willesden South West Sdgs |
09L18 ~ 09L43
|
?
|
|
19L10 ~ 19L30
|
?
|
| Mitre Bridge Jn |
09/47
|
?
|
|
19/06
|
?
|
| North Pole Jn |
09/48
|
?
|
|
19/05
|
?
|
| Kensington Olympia |
09.52a ~ 09.54d
|
10.11 ~ 10.13
|
18.59a ~ 19.01d
|
19.39 ~ 19.42
|
|
| Latchmere Jn |
09/59
|
10/20
|
18/53
|
19/32
|
|
| Longhedge Jn |
10/02
|
10/21
|
|
18/51
|
19/29
|
| Factory Jn |
10/04
|
10/23
|
|
18/49
|
19/27
|
| Voltaire Road Jn |
10/05
|
10/24
|
|
18/48
|
19/26
|
| Shepherds Lane |
|
18/47
|
19/25
|
||
| Brixton |
18/46
|
19/24
|
|||
| Denmark Hill |
10/08
|
10/29
|
|||
| Crofton Road Jn |
10/09
|
10/31
|
|||
| Nunhead |
10/11
|
10/33
|
|||
| Herne Hill |
18/44
|
19/23
|
|||
| Kent House |
18*31 ~ 18*37
|
19/14
|
|||
| Beckenham Junction |
18/28
|
19/13
|
|||
| Shortlands Jn |
10/19
|
10/42
|
|
18/25
|
19/11
|
| Bickley Jn |
10/26
|
10/46
|
|
18/22
|
19/04
|
| Petts Wood Jn |
10/28
|
10/49
|
|||
| Orpington |
10/30
|
10/52
|
|||
| Sevenoaks |
10/41
|
11/01
|
|||
| Tonbridge |
10/52
|
11/08
|
|||
| Paddock Wood |
11/02
|
11/16
|
|||
| Headcorn |
11w14 ~ 11w32
|
11.31 ~ 11.52
|
|||
| St. Mary Cray Jn |
18/21
|
19/03
|
|||
| Swanley |
18/16
|
18/57
|
|||
| Fawkham Jn |
18/08
|
18/52
|
|||
| Sole Street |
18/04
|
18/48
|
|||
| Rochester Bridge Jn |
17/55
|
18/41
|
|||
| Rochester |
17/53
|
18/39
|
|||
| Gillingham |
17/49
|
18/32
|
|||
| Sittingbourne |
17/38
|
18/20
|
|||
| Faversham |
17/26
|
18/14
|
|||
| Whitstable |
17w01 ~ 17w16
|
17.52 ~ 18.05
|
|||
| Herne Bay |
16/54
|
17/46
|
|||
| Margate |
16/41
|
17/14
|
|||
| Ramsgate |
16/31
|
17/02
|
|||
| Minster East Jn |
16/25
|
16/56
|
|||
| Minster |
16/24
|
16/55
|
|||
| Canterbury West |
14.30a ~ 16.04d
|
14.39 ~ 16.35
|
|||
| Wye |
14/19
|
14/23
|
|||
| Ashford International |
11/44
|
12/08
|
|
14.04 ~ 14.09
|
14.09 ~ 14.12
|
| Ashford East Jn |
?
|
?
|
14/02
|
14/05
|
|
| Saltwood Jn |
11/55
|
12/18
|
|
13/54
|
13/54
|
| Folkestone Central |
12/03
|
12/22
|
|
13/49
|
13/50
|
| Folkestone East Sidings |
12.06 ~ 12.21
|
12.27 ~ 12.33
|
|
13.39 ~ 13.46
|
13.36 ~ 13.43
|
| Folkestone Harbour |
12.30a ~ 12.50d
|
12.39 ~ 12.48
|
|
13.10a ~ 13.30d
|
13.08 ~ 13.30
|
| Folkestone East Sidings |
12.58a
|
12.55
|
|
13.03d
|
13.02
|
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