9th June 1974

Welsh Highland Light Railway
(F & W Railtours)
The North Welshman

Locos Used at least 40010, 45014 'The Cheshire Regiment' & 86023
Stock Used 10 coaches (booked as: 1x BSK, 3x SK, 2x CK, 3x SK, 1 BSK)

Route : 1Z74 throughout

Loco(s) Route
45014 Gloucester Eastgate - Cheltenham Spa - Abbotswood Jn - Worcester Shrub Hill - Droitwich Spa - Stoke Works Jn  - Barnt Green - Kings Norton - Lifford East Jn - Bordesley Jn - St Andrews Jn - Proof House Jn - Birmingham New Street
86023 Birmingham New Street - Oldbury - Dudley Port - Wolverhampton H.L. - Stafford - Crewe
40010 Crewe - Chester - Rhyl - Llandudno Junction - Llandudno
40010? Llandudno - (reverse of outward route) - Crewe
86023? Crewe - (reverse of outward route) - Birmingham New Street
45014? Birmingham New Street - Selly Oak - King's Norton - (reverse of outward route) - Stoke Works Jn - Spetchley - Abbotswood Jn - (reverse of outward route) - Gloucester Eastgate

Notes :
(1) Organised (primarily?) by Tony Fielding in his role as South West and South Wales Area Secretary of the Welsh Highland Light Railway (1964) Ltd and advertised as a WHLR trip (i.e. no mention of F&W Railtours yet in tour publicity, ticket letter etc but it is listed as F&W's 3rd railtour in their archives).
(2) Class 86 originally uploaded as 86253 in error. Confirmation is required that the same locos were used on the return leg, with loco changes at the same locations as outward.

Sources : Richard Szwejkowski, Tony Fielding & The F&W/Pathfinder Archive

Photo Review


45014 on arrival at Birmingham New Street (photo: Tony Fielding)


86023 taking over at Birmingham New Street (photo: Tony Fielding)


40010 being readied to leave Crewe (photo: Tony Fielding)


Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from the The F&W/Pathfinder Archive)

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
Gloucester Eastgate 08.20d ?   21.30a ?
Cheltenham Spa ??.??a ? 08.32d 08.34   21.18a ~ 21.20d 21.19 ~ ??.??
Alstone Lane Crossing ? ?   ? 21/17½
Ashchurch ? 08/41   ? 21/11¼
Bredon ? 08/42½   ? ?
Eckington ? 08/43¼   ? ?
Defford ? ?   ? 21/08
Pinton (site of) ? ?   ? 21/05½
Abbotswood Jn ? 08/50¼   ? 21/04
Worcester Shrub Hill 08c56 ~ 08c58 08.55¾ ~ 08.57½   - -
Tunnel Jn S.B. ? 08/59¼   - -
signals ? 09.05¾ ~ 09.06   - -
signals ? 09.07¾ ~ 09.12½   - -
Droitwich Spa ? 09/13¼   - -
Stoke Works Jn ? 09/20   ? ?
Bromsgrove ? 09/23   ? 20/55
Blackwell ? 09/27¾   ? ?
Barnt Green 09/28 09/28¾   20/44 20/52¼
King's Norton ? ?   ? 20/47¼
Lifford Jn - -   ? 20/46½
Bourneville - -   ? 20/45¾
Selly Oak - -   ? 20/44¾
Signals near Lawley St Goods Depot ? 09.45½ ~ 09.48½   - -
Birmingham New Street 09L50a ~ 10L00d 09.57½ ~ 10.02¾     20.29 ~ 20.37¼
Smethwick Rolf Street ? ?   ? 20/21¾
Oldbury Station ? 10/09¾   ? 20/20
Signals ? 10.17 ~ 10.18   - -
Dudley Port ? ?   ? 20/18¼
Tipton ? ?   ? 20/17¾
Coseley ? ?   ? 20/16½
Wolverhampton H.L. ? ?   ? 20/12
Stafford ? 10/36¾   ? 19/55
Norton Bridge ? ?   ? 19.50¼
Signals at Crewe South Yard ? 10.58½ ~ 11.01   - -
Crewe ??L?? ~ ??L?? 11.04¼ ~ 11.15¾   20L18a ~ 20L28d 19.04½ ~ 19.35
Crewe Steelworks S.B. ? 11/22½   ? ?
Tattenhall Jn S.B. ? 11/38½   ? ?
Chester ? 11/45¾   ? 18.27¼ ~ 18.29¼
signals Chester - -   ? 18.25¼ ~ 18.25½
Mold Jn No.1 S.B. ? 11/51½   ? 18/18¼
Shotton ? 11/54¾   ? ?
Connah's Quay S.B. ? ?   ? 18/14
Flint ? 11/58½   ? 18/08½
Bagillt S.B. ? ?   ? 18/07
Holywell Jn S.B. ? ?   ? 18/05
Talacre S.B. ? ?   ? 18/00
Prestatyn ? 12/10   ? 17/57
Rhyl 12.25a ~ ??.??d 12.15 ~ 12.17½   ??.??a ~ 17.53d 17.49 ~ 17.52
signals - -   ? 17.45½ ~ 17.45¾
Abergele ? ?   ? 17/41
Colwyn Bay ? 12/32½   - 17/34¾
signals near Llandudno Junction ? 12.38¼ ~ 12.39   ? -
Llandudno Junction ? ?   ? 17/28½
Deganwy ? 12/46¾   ? 17/25¾
Llandudno 13.05a 12.51   17.20d 17.21½

Empty Coaching Stock Moves

Location Booked (out) Booked (rtn)
Malago Vale 06.20d 23.17a
Severn Tunnel Junction 06R45 ~ 07R00 ?
Gloucester Eastgate 07.40a 22.20d

Train Fares

Location Adult Child
all joining points £1.95 £1.55

Off Train Options

Location Activity
Rhyl sightseeing
Llandudno sightseeing


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