8th August 2015

Railway Touring Company
The West Somerset Steam Express

Locos Used steam: 3850 & 70000 'Britannia'
Stock Used (1) (35317)+99304+5032+4973+1860+99125+99121+99122+99127+99712+99128

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 - Westbury - 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 - (reverse of outward route) - London Paddington

Notes : 
(1) 35317 was only in the consist when 70000 was on the train.
(2) 3850 carried the 'Somerset Coast Express' headboard.


70000 during the water stop at Frome on the outward leg (photo: Guy Vincent)

Source : Guy Vincent

Timings (Booked & actual)
(from Realtime Trains)

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
London Paddington 08.06d [P1] 08.06 [P1] 23.21a [P1] 23.12 [P2]
Ladbroke Grove 08/11 [DR] 08/12 23/16  23/07
Acton West 08/16 [DR] 08/17 23/07 [UR] 23/00
West Ealing 08/18½ ? 23/03 [UR] ?
Southall 08/23 [DR] 08/22 22/54 [UR] 22/57
Heathrow Airport Jn 08/27 [DR] 08/24 22/51 [UR] 22/55
Slough 08.35a ~ 08.38d [P4] [DR] 08.32 ~ 08.37 [P4] 22.38a ~ 22.42d [P5] [UR] 22.41 ~ 22.45 [P5]
Maidenhead 08/46 [P3] [DR] 08/46 22/31 [P4] [UR] 22/34
Twyford 08/53 [P3] 08/53 22/24 [P4] 22/27
Kennet Bridge Loop 09*02 ~ 09*08 08.59 ~ 09.10 - -
Kennet Bridge Jn 09/10½ [DM] 09/10½ 22/19 [RL] 22/21
Reading 09.13a ~ 09.16d [P7] [WL] 09.14 ~ 09.16 [P7] 22.13a ~ 22.16d [P14] 22.17 ~ 22.20 [P14]
Oxford Road Jn 09/19 09/19 22/09 [DFR] 22/13
Southcote Jn 09/21 09/21 22/06 22/06
Theale 09/26 ? 22/02 ?
Newbury Racecourse 09w43a ~ 10w14 [P3] 09.45 ~ ? [P3] 21/49½ ?
Newbury 10.19a ~ 10.24d [P1] 10.17 ~ 10.23 [P1] 21.39a ~ 21.48d [P2] 21.28 ~ 21.34 [P2]
Bedwyn 10/44 [P1] 10/39 21/23 [P2] 21/15
Woodborough 10/56 10/51 20w51 ~ 21w09 [UGL] 20.42 ~ 21.01
Lavington 11/05 ? 20/34 20/33
Heywood Road Jn 11/12 ? 20/27 20/26
Westbury 11/22 [P1] 11/15 20/24 [P3] 20/23
Fairwood Jn 11/25 11/19 20/19 20/20
Clink Road Jn 11/30 11/25 20/15 20/17
Frome 11w32a ~ 11w44d 11.27 ~ 11.44 - -
Blatchbridge Jn 11/47 11/47 20/13 20/15
East Somerset Jn 11/52 11/51 20/09 20/12
Castle Cary 12/00 [P2] 12/00 20/01 [P1] 20/04
Somerton GF 12/09 12/07 19/51 19/54
Athelney LC 12/16 12/15 19/43 19/47
Cogload Jn 12/19 12/21 19/40 19/44
Taunton 12.24a ~ 12.26d [P2] [DR] 12.28 ~ 12.31 [P2] 19.31a ~ 19.33d [P2] 19.25 ~ 19.30 [P2]
Norton Fitzwarren 12/31 12/36 19/25 [DR] ?
Bishops Lydeard 12L50a ~ 13L20d ??L?? ~ ??L?? [P2] 18L35a ~ 19L05d ??L?? ~ 19L02 [P2]
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] ? [P1] 17.15d [P1] ? [P1]


Associated E.C.S. Workings

5Z70 : (47746 with 70000 on rear) : Southall to London Paddington
5Z71 : (47746? with 70000 on rear) : London Paddington to Southall

Location Booked (out) Booked (rtn)
Southall Depot 06.00d 00.08a
Southall Yard 06.10 ~ 06.26 23.53 ~ 23.58
Southall East Jn 06/27 23/51
Acton West 06/32 23/46
Ladbroke Grove 06/38 23/41
Royal Oak 06.40 ~ 07.48 -
Paddington 07.50a [P1] 23.36d [P1]


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