25th July 2015

Railway Touring Company
The West Somerset Steam Express

Locos Used steam: 3850 & 70000 'Britannia'
Stock Used (1) (35317)+99723+99327+4973+1860+99125+99121+99122+99127+99712+99371

Route : 
1Z70 : London Paddington to Minehead
1Z71 : Minehead to London Paddington

Loco Route
70000 London Paddington - Southall - Slough - Maidenhead - Reading - Southcote Jn - Newbury - Heywood Road Jn - [via Westbury avoiding line] (1) - Fairwood Jn - Clink Road Jn - Frome - Blatchbridge Jn - Castle Cary - Cogload Jn - Taunton - Norton Fitzwarren - Bishops Lydeard
3850 Bishops Lydeard - Crowcombe Heathfield - Williton - Blue Anchor - Minehead
3850 Minehead - (reverse of outward route) - Bishops Lydeard
70000 Bishops Lydeard - (reverse of outward route) - Blatchbridge Jn - Clink Road Jn - Fairwood Jn - Westbury? - Heywood Road Jn - (reverse of outward route) - London Paddington

Notes : 
(1) 35317 was only in the consist when 70000 was on the train.
(2) 1Z70 ran direct from Heywood Road Jn to Fairwood Jn via the Westbury avoiding line rather than through the station as booked.


70000 passing Great Cheverell, on the outward leg (photo: Stephen Moore)

Source : Guy Vincent

Timings (Booked & actual)
(from Realtime Trains)

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
London Paddington 08.06d [P1] 08.28 23.21a [P1] 23.31
Ladbroke Grove 08/10 [DR] 08/32 23/16  23/26
Acton West 08/15 [DR] 08/36 23/07 [UR] 23/21
West Ealing 08/17½ ? 23/03 [UR] ?
Southall 08/22 [DR] 08/40 22/53 [UR] 23/16
Heathrow Airport Jn 08/27 [DR] 08/42 22/50 [UR] 23/14
Slough 08.35a ~ 08.38d [P4] [DR] 08.49 ~ 08.51 22.36a ~ 22.41d [P5] [UR] 23.01 ~ 23.03
Maidenhead 08/46 [P3] [DR] 08/59 22/29 [P4] [UR] 22/52
Twyford 08/53 [P3] 09/06 22/22 [P4] 22/45
Kennet Bridge Loop 09*02 ~ 09*08 09/09 - -
Kennet Bridge Jn 09/10½ [DM] 09/11 22/17 [RL] 22/40
Reading 09.13a ~ 09.16d [P7] [WL] 09.13 ~ 09.17 22.10a ~ 22.14d [P8] 22.35 ~ 22.38
Oxford Road Jn 09/19 09/19 22/08 [WL] 22/33
Southcote Jn 09/21 09/21 22/06 22/31
Theale 09/26 ? 22/02 ?
Newbury Racecourse 09w43a ~ 09w58 [P3] 09.45 ~ 09.57 21/49½ ?
Newbury 10.03a ~ 10.06d [P1] 10.04 ~ 10.05 21.39a ~ 21.48d [P2] 22.09 ~ 22.12
Bedwyn 10/23 [P1] 10/22 21/23 [P2] 21/55
Woodborough 10/35 10/32 20w49 ~ 21w09 [UGL] 21.13 ~ 21.42
Lavington 10/44 10/40 20/32 21/03
Heywood Road Jn 10/51 10/46 20/25 20/56
Westbury 10/54 [P1] DIV 20/22 [P3] 20/53?
Fairwood Jn 10/57 10/48 20/19 20/50
Clink Road Jn 11/03 10/56 20/15 20/46
Frome 11.06a ~ 11.32d 10.59 ~ 11.22 - -
Blatchbridge Jn 11/35 11/34 20/13 20/45
East Somerset Jn 11/40 11/41 20/09 20/42
Castle Cary 11/49 [P2] 12/01 20/01 [P1] 20/32
Somerton  12/00 12/21 19/51 20/10
Athelney LC 12/09 12/30 19/43 19/56
Cogload Jn 12/15 12/33 19/40 19/43
Taunton 12.21a ~ 12.25d [P2] [DR] 12.38 ~ 12.39 19.31a ~ 19.33d [P2] 19.27 ~ 19.31
Norton Fitzwarren Jn 12/30 12/43 19/25 [DR] ?
Bishops Lydeard 12L50a ~ 13L20d 13L04 ~ ??L?? 18L35a ~ 19L05d ??L?? ~ 19L05
Crowcombe Heathfield 13.33 ~ 13.35 ? 18/12 ?
Williton 13.55 ~ 14.05 ? 17/55 ?
Blue Anchor 14/23 ? 17.29 ~ 17.35 ?
Minehead 14.40a [P1] ? 17.15d [P1] ?


Associated E.C.S. Workings

5Z70 : (70000 with Diesel loco on rear) : Southall to Greenford East Jn
5Z70 : (Diesel loco with 70000 on rear) : Greenford East Jn to London Paddington
5Z71 : (Diesel loco with 70000 on rear) : London Paddington to Southall

Location Booked (out) Booked (rtn)
Southall Depot 05.06d 00.19a
Southall Yard 05.16 ~ 05.26 23.59 ~ 00.09
Southall East Jn 05/27 23/57
Hanwell 05/29 ?
Drayton Green 05/31 -
Greenford South Jn 05/38 -
Greenford East Jn 05.40 ~ 05.49 -
Greenford South Jn 05/51 -
Drayton Green 05/57 -
West Ealing 05/59 ?
Acton West 06/01 23/48
Ladbroke Grove 06/08 23/43
Royal Oak 06.11 ~ 07.48 -
Paddington 07.50a [P1] 23.38d [P1]


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