28th January 1978

Mercia Railtours
Cambrian Coast Express

Locos Used 24087, 24133, 25165 & 86224
Stock Used 13x mark 1 (6x mark 1 to Aberystwyth)

Route : 1L01

Loco(s) Route
86224 Euston - ??? - Birmingham New Street
24087 + 24133 Birmingham New Street (1) - Soho South Jn - Soho North Jn - Galton Jn - Dudley Port - (1) Wolverhampton - Cosford - Wellington - Abbey Foregate Jn - English Bridge Jn - Sutton Bridge Jn - Welshpool - Machynlleth

Train then split, train 1 (headcode 1L03):

Loco Route
24133 Machynlleth - Dovey Junction - Barmouth
24133 Barmouth - Dovey Junction - Machynlleth

train 2 (headcode 1L01):

Loco(s) Route
24087 + 25165 Machynlleth - Dovey Junction - Aberystwyth
24087 + 25165 Aberystwyth - Dovey Junction - Machynlleth

Train then rejoined (headcode 1L01):

Loco(s) Route
24133 + 25165 Machynlleth - (reverse of outward route) - Birmingham New Street
????? Birmingham New Street - ??? - London Euston

Notes :
(1) Due to its late arrival at Birmingham New Street the train ran via Tipton to Wolverhampton rather than the booked route of: Birmingham New Street - Proof House Jn - Aston - Perry Barr North Jn - Bescot - Portobello Jn - Wolverhampton.
(2) Andy Pullar and Alan Osborn confirm a charter on the Vale of Rheidol was run using no.9 (which only got to Aberffrwd because of the inclement weather and greasy rails causing adhesion problems) and a charter ran on the Talyllyn Railway (without incident) - loco(s) used on the latter are required. Ian Umpleby adds: Departure from Aberystwyth VoR was at 14.42 (booked 14.30) and the ascent was abandoned at Aberffwrd due to slipping and the train was propelled back to Aberystwyth arriving at 17.20 (booked 16.30). Alan Osborn comments: On the VoR a crew member spent most of the journey riding on the engine buffers manually sanding the rails as we progressed.  A collection was made on the return to Aberystwyth for their efforts. The VoR train was scheduled to depart at 14.00 but delayed due to the charters late arrival at Aberystwyth.

(3) Contemporary sources record this as being advertised "as the final passenger train to utilise class 24's due to imminent withdrawal" (Ian Umpleby also lists the name as "Farewell to the Class 24") and that 24087 refused to start at Machynlleth hence why 24133 was assisted back by 25165.

Sources : Pete Wilcox (courtesy of Jonathan Wilcox)
(Joined Birmingham New Street, went to Barmouth, left at Euston)
Dave Harlott, Andy Pullar, Solomon Riley, Ian Umpleby
& Alan Osborn (on train Euston to Aberystwyth & return)

Timings (Booked & Actual)
(from Ian Umpleby & Alan Osborn)

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
Euston 08.15d 08.17   23.03a 23.44
Willesden Junction 08/22 08/24   22/56 ?
Watford Junction 08.29a ~ 08.30d 08.32 ~ 08.34   22.41½a ~ 22.43½d 23.23 ~ 23.25
Tring 08/41 ?   22/31½ 23/13
Bletchley 08.52a ~ 08.53d 08.54 ~ 08.59   22.17½a ~ 22.19½d 23.00 ~ 23.02
Hanslope Jn 09/01 ?   22/10 ?
Weedon 09/10 ?   22/01 ?
Rugby 09/21 09/26   21/51½ 22.30 ~ 22.32
Coventry 09/29 09/34   21/42½ 22/21
Proof House Jn 09/55½ 09/48   21/25½ ?
Birmingham New Street 09.58a ~ 10.06d ?/.?? ~ 10.17   21.13a ~ 21.23d 21.54 ~ ?.??
Soho South Jn DIV 10/23   21/06 21/49
Galton Jn DIV ?   21/06 ?
Dudley Port DIV ?   21/02 ?
Proof House Jn 10/09 DIV  
Aston 10/16 DIV  
Perry Barr North Jn 10/19 DIV  
Bescot 10/24 DIV  
Portobello Jn 10/29 DIV  
Wolverhampton 10.34a ~ 10.35d 10.38 ~ 10.45½   20.52a ~ 20.54d 21.29½ ~ 21.36½
Cosford 10/41½ 11/04½   20/39 21/18½
Wellington 10.58a ~ 11.08d 11.25 ~ 11.31½   20/27 21.02 ~ 21.02½
Abbey Foregate Jn 11c22 ~ 11c25 11.47 ~ 11.50½   20c13 ~ 20c14 20.46½ ~ 20.48
Sutton Bridge Jn 11/28 11/54   20/10 20/41½
Westbury 11/45 12/15   19/57 20/29
Welshpool 11/57½ 12/27½   19/40½ 20/15
Newtown 12/18 12/50   19.13a ~ 19.22d 19.53½ ~ 19.56
Caersws 12/27 13/00   19/04 19/43
Talerddig 12x43 ~ 12x54 13/19   18/53½ 19/30
Cemmaes Road 13/06½ 13/31   18/29½ 19/10
Machynlleth 13.14½a ~ 13.24½d 13.39 ~ 14.01   18.04a ~ 18.19d 18.49 ~ 18.59½
Dovey Junction 13/31½ 14/07½   17/57½ 17/59½
Aberystwyth 13.57a 14.35   17.30d 17.32

 

Location Booked Actual   Booked Actual
Machynlleth 13.33d ?   17.57a ?
Dovey Junction 13/40 ?   17/50 ?
Tywyn 13.59½a ~ 14.02d ?   17.04a ~ 17.30d ?
Barmouth 14.26a ?   16.40d ?

VoR Train:

Location Booked [re-timed] Actual   Booked Actual
Aberystwyth 14.00d [14.30d] 14.42   16.30a 17.20
Aberffrwd ??/?? 15.55a   ??/?? 16.13d
Devils Bridge 15.00a DIV   15.30d DIV


Back to "The Railtour Files - 1978"