30th March 2019

UK Railtours
Ye Olde Black Friar

Route :
1Z71 : London Blackfriars to Angerstein Wharf
1Z72 : Angerstein Wharf to Tattenham Corner
1Z73 : Tattenham Corner to London Blackfriars

Notes :
(1) 73109 on rear.
(2) 73128 on rear.
(3) John Clifford's comments: When first advertised the initial routing was London Blackfriars - Cannon Street (R) - London Bridge - Lewisham - Hayes, then as shown above. The reversal to get to Tattenham Corner was shown as being at Purley and the final reversal was to be at Tulse Hill (rather than Herne Hill). The problem with tours running south of the Thames is that they are timed to follow stopping trains, so, inevitably, there is slow running and a number of signal checks. Nevertheless it was a good tour bearing in mind that it is some time since the routes saw a 4TC set & Cl.73s. We set off and were stopped at Lewisham Vale Jn to let the 08.50 Cannon St - Orpington pass. After the trip to Hayes we stopped at Parks Bridge Jn to let the 09.21 Tunbridge Wells - Charing Cross go ahead. The restart from London Bridge was late for a reason that I did not discover. This meant that we stopped on the main line at Grove Park to let the 10.21 Tunbridge Wells - Charing Cross go up and the then followed the 10.49 Grove Park - Bromley North, instead of being ahead of it. We returned to the SE main line then round the Lee Spur to find ourselves behind the 11.18 Charing Cross - Dartford, hence the stop at Bexley. A slow run ensued after the Crayford spur as we were behind the 12.09 Slade Green - Cannon Street. Angerstein Wharf was left early but we stood at Angerstein Jn and eventually caught up the 13.05 Cannon St - Cannon St via Greenwich and Sidcup. There was a stop outside Gravesend to let the 13.06 Victoria - Gravesend get into platform 0. The stop on the Medway Valley line was just before Aylesford Village Crossing but, again, I did not find out the reason. All was going well until we came to a sudden halt at M.P. 41 between Tonbridge and Redhill. The rear loco, 73109, decided that it had had enough and stopped working due to an electrical problem. The train could still be driven from 73109 but it did not provide power. There was a stop outside Redhill (also I don’t know why) so we passed there 24 minutes late. At the South Croydon reversal we saw the 15.47 London Bridge - Caterham and Tattenham Corner go down so we knew that there would be a further delay to the tour and we followed it. Stops were made outside Purley while the 15.47 was split into its two portions and one on the branch so that Tattenham Corner was reached over half an hour late. It was decreed that we would leave behind the 17.09 to London Bridge and thus we did so. There was a wait outside Purley while the 17.09 coupled up to its Caterham portion. Since we were reversing at Herne Hill we waited at Tulse Hill for the 17.46 Sutton - St Albans to go ahead. The reversal at Herne H ill was cut short so we left the 40 minutes late. At Streatham South Jn the 18.11 Victoria - Epsom had preference. No further problems were encountered until we got onto the Hounslow Loop where we were delayed by the 18.33 Weybridge - Clapham Junction. Although it was not announced, we went straight on at Old Kew Jn, presumably it was thought that one Cl.73 might have trouble coping on the non electrified route via South West Sidings. Slow progress was made in the Clapham Junction area. Windsor line trains were reversing there due to engineering work. The only other stop was at Shepherds Lane Jn to let the 19.58 Victoria - Orpington pass. Arrival at Blackfriars was 28 minutes late.

Sources : John Clifford (on the tour throughout) & Doug Lindsay

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from John Clifford)

Associated E.C.S. & Light Engine Workings

0Z71 : (73109 + 73128) : Eastleigh H.S. to Eastleigh Arlington

5Z71 : (73109 with 73128 on rear) : Eastleigh Arlington to London Blackfriars

5Z73 : (73128 with 73109 on rear) : London Blackfriars to Tonbridge West Yard

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