29th September 2019

Pathfinder Railtours
The Autumn Highlander (Day 3 of 4)

Locos Used 37409 'Lord Hinton' & 37419 'Carl Haviland'
Stock Used 35469+3119+3120+1671+3121+3149+3141+3098+1651+3110+1813+4998

Route :
1Z61 : Aviemore to Thurso
1Z62 : Thurso to Wick
1Z63 : Wick to Aviemore

Loco(s) Route
37409+37419 Aviemore - Slochd - Millburn Jn - Rose Street - Muir of Ord - Dingwall - Invergordon - Tain - Ardgay - Lairg - Brora - Helmsdale - Forsinard - Georgemas Junction
37409 (1) Georgemas Junction - Thurso
37419 (2) Thurso - Georgemas Junction - Wick
37409 (1) Wick - Georgemas Junction
37419+37409 Georgemas Junction - (reverse of outward route) - Aviemore

Notes :
(1) 37419 on rear.
(2) 37409 on rear.
(3) Off tour options: Coach trip from Lairg to Tongue, or Helmsdale to Dunbeath Castle, or Thurso via John o'Groats to Wick.
(4) Neil Greenwood's comments: Sunday saw good timekeeping up to Wick and Thurso with an on time exit from Wick. All would have been fine if someone hadn't left the handbrake on on the rear loco. Oops! With only 2 trains to contend with between Wick and Inverness all day we still managed to be 35 minutes late back at Aviemore.

Sources : Keith Gardiner & Neil Greenwood (both on the tour) & Richard Szwejkowski

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Realtime Trains)

M.C Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual

M.C
0.00 Aviemore 08.15d [P1] 08.15   23.02a [P1] 23.37 195.66
6.49 Carrbridge 08/25 [P1] 08/25   22/56 [P1] 23/30 189.17
12.00 Slochd 08/35 ?   22/51 ? 183.66
? Tomatin 08/40 ?   22/46 ? ?
? Moy 08/45 ?   22/42 ? ?
27.79 Culloden 08/53 ?   22/31 ? 167.67
? Cradlehall 09/00 [DH] ?   22/24 ? ?
? Millburn Jn 09/01 ?   22/22 [UH] ? ?
34.50 Rose Street 09t03 ~ 09t06 ?   22t18 ~ 22t19 22.44 ~ 22.46 161.16
? Clachnaharry 09/10 ?   22/13 ? ?
42.02 Clunes I.B. 09/19 ?   22t03 ~ 22t04 ? 153.64
47.35 Muir of Ord 09t28 ~ 09t30 [P2] ?   21t54 ~ 21t55 [P1] ? 148.31
53.09 Dingwall 09t39 ~ 09t41 [P1] 09.41 ~ 09.43   21t36 ~ 21t44 [P2] 22.17 ~ 22.19 142.57
65.68 Invergordon 10t00 ~ 10t02 [P2] 10.01 ~ 10.03   21t16 ~ 21t18 [P1] 21.32 ~ 22.01 129.78
75.11 Fearn 10t14 ~ 10t15 [P1] 10.14 ~ 10.15   21/06 [P1] ? 120.55
78.54 Tain 10t21 ~ 10t23 [P2] 10.20 ~ 10.22   20t58 ~ 21t00 [P1] 21.15 ~ 21.16 117.12
92.21 Ardgay 10t42 ~ 10t44 [P2] ?   20t38 ~ 20t40 [P1] ? 103.45
101.29 Lairg 11t09a ~ 11t12d [P1] 10.56 ~ 10.59   20t20 ~ 20t22 [P2] 20.40 ~ 20.41 94.37
111.32 Rogart 11/28 [P2] 11/16   19t54 ~ 19t59 [P1] 20.21 ~ 20.22 84.34
124.79 Brora 11t49 ~ 11t51 [P2] 11.38 ~ 11.40   19t33 ~ 19t35 [P1] 19.59 ~ 20.01 70.67
135.71 Helmsdale 12t06a ~ 12t26d [P2] 11.57 ~ 12.27   19t17 ~ 19t19 [P1] 19.50 ~ 19.52 59.75
160.20 Forsinard 13t07 ~ 13t11 [P2] ?   18t39 ~ 18t41 [P1] ? 35.46
181.60
0.00		 Georgemas Junction 13t42a ~ 14t02d 13.42 ~ ?   - - -
6.59
0.00		 Thurso 14.14a ~ 14.35d 14.14 ~ 14.35   - - -
6.59 Georgemas Junction 14t49 ~ 14t51 14.49 ~ 14.51   17t40 ~ 18.05 17.42 ~ 18.38 14.15
20.65 Wick 15.11a 15.11   17.20d 17.20 0.00

Mileages from tour brochure.

 Associated E.C.S. Workings

5Z61 : (37419 + 37409) : Aviemore to Aviemore

Location Booked
Aviemore (Speyside) 07.54d [P3]
Aviemore Sig.HA313 07.57 ~ 08.02
Aviemore 08.05a [P1]

5Z63 : (37419 + 37409) : Aviemore to Aviemore

Location Booked
Aviemore 23.12d [P1]
Aviemore Sig.HA313 23.15 ~ 23.20
Aviemore (Speyside) 23.23a [P3]


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