19th July 2014
Pathfinder Tours
The Caterpillar Cat
| Locos Used | 57008 & 57009 |
| Stock Used | 6137+6183+5965+5921+5964+1200+3426+3397+1683+3348+35469 |
Route :
1Z86 : Eastleigh to Chester
1Z86 : Chester to Crewe
1Z88 : Crewe to Eastleigh
| Loco(s) | Route |
| 57009 + 57008 | Eastleigh - Chandlers Ford - Romsey - Salisbury - Warminster - Westbury - Trowbridge - Bathampton Jn - Bath Spa - North Somerset Jn - Dr Day's Jn - Filton Abbey Wood - Bristol Parkway - Westerleigh Jn - Yate - Standish Jn - Gloucester Yard Jn - Barnwood Jn - Cheltenham Spa - Abbotswood Jn - Norton Jn - Worcester Shrub Hill - Droitwich Spa - Kidderminster - Stourbridge Junction - Rowley Regis - Smethwick Jn - Galton Jn - Soho North Jn - Soho East Jn - Perry Barr West Jn - Perry Barr North Jn - Bescot Stadium - Darlaston Jn - Portobello Jn - Bushbury Jn - Stafford - Madeley - Crewe - Chester |
| 57009 (3) | Chester - Crewe |
| 57009 + 57008 | Crewe - Chester - Wrexham General - Gobowen - Shrewsbury - Ludlow - Hereford - Abergavenny - Maindee North Jn - Maindee East Jn - Severn Tunnel Junction - Patchway - Filton Abbey Wood - (reverse of outward route) - Eastleigh |
Notes :
(1) This railtour was advertised as the first to be hauled by a new Class 68.
However the loco commissioning was not completed in time, so two D.R.S. Class
57s were substituted.
(2) Off tour option; visit to the D.R.S. Crewe Depot Charity Open Day at Gresty
Bridge.
(3) 57008 on rear.
57009 & 57008 arrive at Eastleigh to start the day (photo: Nick Bartlett)
Source : Nigel Benning (on the tour throughout)
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Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Nigel Benning, Nick Bartlett & Realtime Trains)
| M.C | Location | Booked | Actual | Booked | Actual | M.C | |
| 0.00 | Eastleigh | 07.07d [P2] | 07.06 [P2] | 22.52a [P2] | 23.09 | 258.49 | |
| 0.38 | Eastleigh East Jn | 07.10 ~ 07.20 | 07.09 ~ 07.18 | 22/49 | 22.57 ~ 23.07 | 258.11 | |
| ? | Chandlers Ford | 07/23½ | 07/22 | 22/46½ | 22/54 | ? | |
| 7.22 | Romsey | 07.31a ~ 07.33d [P2] | 07.28 ~ 07.33 [P2] | 22.37a ~ 22.40d [P1] | 22.45 ~ 22.46 | 251.27 | |
| 14.65 | Dean | 07/42 | 07/41 | 22/30½ | 22/38 | 243.64 | |
| ? | Tunnel Jn | 07/51 | 07/49 | 22/20 | 22/29 | ? | |
| 23.67 | Salisbury | 07.54a ~ 07.57d [P4] | 07.53 ~ 07.57 [P4] | 22.14a ~ 22.17d [P2] | 22.23 ~ 22.25 | 234.62 | |
| 25.53 | Wilton Jn | 08/00½ | 08/00 | 22/10½ | 22/19 | 232.76 | |
| ? | Wishford | 08/04½ | 08/05 | 22/07½ | 22/14 | ? | |
| ? | Wylye LC | 08/08½ | 08/09 | 22/03 | 22/11 | ? | |
| ? | Upton Lovell | 08/12½ | 08/13 | 21/58½ | 22/07 | ? | |
| 43.49 | Warminster | 08/16½ | 08.19 ~ 08.21 | 21/53½ | 22/02 | 215.00 | |
| 48.22 | Westbury | 08.24a ~ 08.27d [P2] | 08.31 ~ 08.33 [P2] | 21.44a ~ 21.47d [P1] | 21.53 ~ 21.55 | 210.27 | |
| 52.25 | Trowbridge | 08.34a ~ 08.36d | 08.40 ~ 08.41 [P1] | 21.33a ~ 21.36d | 21.41 ~ 21.45 | 206.24 | |
| ? | Bradford Jn | 08/38 | 08/44 | 21/31 | 21/37 | ? | |
| 62.58 | Bathampton Jn | 08/49 | 09/02 | 21/18 | 21/21 | 195.71 | |
| 65.04 | Bath Spa | 08.52a ~ 08.54d [P1] | 09.05 ~ 09.07 [P1] | 21.11a ~ 21.14d [P2] | 21.14 ~ 21.16 | 193.45 | |
| 75.59 | North Somerset Jn | 09/06½ | 09/19 | 20/58½ | 20/57 | 182.70 | |
| ? | Feeder Bridge Jn | ? | ? | ? | 20.37 ~ 20.55 | ? | |
| 76.06 | Dr Days Jn | 09/08½ | 09/21 | 20/56½ | 20/35 | 182.43 | |
| ? | Narroways Hill Jn | 09/11 | 09/25 | 20/55 | 20/33 | ? | |
| 79.61 | Filton Abbey Wood | 09.15a ~ 09.18d [P2] | 09.29 ~ 09.32 [P2] | 20.48a ~ 20.51d [P1] | 20.28 ~ 20.30 | 178.68 |
| M.C | Location | Booked | Actual |
| 81.20 | Bristol Parkway | 09/21½ [P3] | 09/35 |
| 85.70 | Westerleigh Jn | 09/26½ | 09/39 |
| ? | Yate | 09/28½ | 09/42 |
| 94.24 | Charfield | 09/36½ | 09/48 |
| 107.27 | Standish Jn | 09/48 | 09/59 |
| ? | Gloucester Yard Jn | 09/54½ | 10/10 |
| 114.25 | Barnwood Jn | 09/57 | 10/11 |
| 119.68 | Cheltenham Spa | 10/05 [P2] | 10/17 |
| 127.10 | Ashchurch for Tewkesbury | 10/11½ [P1] | 10/24 |
| 137.66 | Abbotswood Jn | 10/21½ | 10/33 |
| 138.48 | Norton Jn | 10/23 | 10/36 |
| 141.53 | Worcester Shrub Hill | 10/34 [P1] | 10/41 |
| ? | Tunnel Jn | 10/35 | 10/42 |
| 147.21 | Droitwich Spa | 10/40 | 10/48 |
| ? | Hartlebury | 10/45½ | 10/54 |
| 156.57 | Kidderminster | 10/50½ [P1] | 10/59 |
| ? | Blakedown | 10/54 | 11/02 |
| 163.27 | Stourbridge Junction | 11/01 [P2] | 11/06 |
| 168.78 | Rowley Regis | 11*16 ~ 11*22 [UGL] | 11/17 [Up Stourbridge] |
| ? | Smethwick Jn | 11/30 | 11.23 ~ 11.31 |
| 171.60 | Galton Jn | 11/31½ | 11/32 |
| 173.06 | Soho North Jn | 11/33 | 11/35 |
| ? | Soho East Jn | 11/34½ | 11/37 |
| ? | Perry Barr West Jn | 11/42 | 11/41 |
| 175.56 | Perry Barr North Jn | 11/43 | 11/42 |
| 180.13 | Bescot Stadium | 11/52 | 11/50 |
| 181.31 | Darlaston Jn | 11/53 | 11/52 |
| 184.30 | Portobello Jn | 11/56 | 11/55 |
| 186.78 | Bushbury Jn | 12/00 | 12.00 ~ 12.06 |
| ? | Trent Valley Jn | 12/15 | 12/19 |
| 200.55 | Stafford | 12/16 [P5] [DS] | 12/20 |
| 206.00 | Norton Bridge | 12/20½ [DS] | 12/25 |
| 217.06 | Madeley | 12/29½ [DS] | 12/34 |
| ? | Basford Hall Jn | 12/35½ | 12/39 |
| 225.12 | Crewe | 12.39a ~ 12.54d [P12] | 12.45 ~ 12.58 |
| ? | Crewe Steel Works | 13/01½ | 13/02 |
| 235.72 | Beeston Castle & Tarporley | 13/10 | ? |
| 246.23 0.00 |
Chester | 13.21a ~ 13.41d [P3] | 13.25 ~ 13.48 |
| ? | Beeston Castle & Tarporley | 13/52½ | 14/01 |
| ? | Crewe Steel Works | 14/00 | 14/09 |
| ? 0.00 |
Crewe | 14.04a ~ 16.40d [P12] | 14.15 ~ 16.40 |
| ? | Crewe Steel Works | 16/43 | 16/43 |
| 10.60 | Beeston Castle & Tarporley | 16/51½ | ? |
| 21.11 | Chester | 17.02a ~ 17.14d [P3] [DM] | 17.04 ~ 17.14 |
| ? | Chester South Jn | 17/15 | ? |
| 23.09 | Saltney Jn | 17/18½ | 17.18 ~ 17.19 |
| 33.25 | Wrexham General | 17/29½ [P1] | 17/33 |
| 45.41 | Gobowen | 17/42½ | 17/47 |
| 63.45 | Shrewsbury | 18/12 [P4] | 18/07 |
| ? | English Bridge Jn | 18/13½ | ? |
| ? | Sutton Bridge Jn | 18/15½ | 18/10 |
| 69.66 | Dorrington SB | 18/25 | 18/19 |
| 78.70 | Marsh Brook SB | 18/36 | 18.31 ~ 18.33 |
| 83.38 | Craven Arms | 18/40 [P2] | 18/38 |
| 88.61 | Bromfield SB | 18/43 | 18/42 |
| ? | Ludlow | 18/45 | ? |
| 95.43 | Woofferton | 18/49 | 18/49 |
| 101.77 | Leominster | 18/54 | 18/53 |
| ? | Moreton-on-Lugg | 19/01 | 19/00 |
| 112.67 | Shelwick Jn | 19/06 | 19/01 |
| 114.44 | Hereford | 19.09 ~ 19.15 [P2] | 19.05 ~ 19.06 |
| 121.17 | Tram Inn | 19/27½ | 19/14 |
| 126.74 | Pontrilas | 19/35½ | ? |
| 138.43 | Abergavenny | 19/52½ | 19/28 |
| 146.35 | Little Mill Jn | 20/03½ | 19/34 |
| ? | Maindee North Jn | 20/18 | 19.48 ~ 19.53 |
| 157.45 | Maindee East Jn | 20/20½ [UM] | 19/54 |
| ? | Llanwern West Jn | 20/23½ | 19/59 |
| 166.59 | Severn Tunnel Junction | 20/32 [P4] | 20/06 |
| ? | Severn Tunnel West | 20/33 | 20/08 |
| ? | Severn Tunnel East | 20/39 | 20/12 |
| 173.55 | Pilning | 20/40 [P1] | 20/14 |
| 177.21 | Patchway | 20/44 [P1] | 20.20 ~ 20.21 |
Timings continue in first table.
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