The Railtour Files

Loco(s)	Route
40042	London Paddington - (via GWML) - Swindon - Kemble - Gloucester Yard Jn - Barnwood Jn - Cheltenham Spa - Abbotswood Jn - Norton Jn - Worcester Shrub Hill - Worcester Foregate Street - Ledbury - Shelwick Jn - Hereford
6960	Hereford - Shelwick Jn - Craven Arms - Shrewsbury - Wrexham General - Chester
47226 + 6960 (1)	Chester - (reverse of outward route) - Shrewsbury
47226	Shrewsbury - (reverse of outward route) - Hereford
47226	Hereford - (reverse of outward route) - Worcester Shrub Hill
46027	Worcester Shrub Hill - (reverse of outward route) - London Paddington

Notes :
(1) Norman Preedy comments: 6960 failed at Chester, and was towed to Shrewsbury by 47226. The return leg arrived 90 minutes late at Cheltenham Spa.
(2) Peter Watts reports that this was F & W's first steam hauled railtour. Passengers were duly warned that there were likely to be several ticket checks made during the day, on account that there was a rising trend for people to 'jump' railtours i.e. not booking and trying to avoid ticket checks. It was stated that 49 passengers were so caught on F&W Railtours previous outing!
(3) Pre-tour advertising suggested Class 40 haulage throughout on the outward leg to Hereford and back from there as far as Swindon (onward traction to Paddington being not specified). In the letter that went out with the tour tickets the return leg from Swindon to Paddington was shown to be a Class 37 - in the event a class 46 hauled the train from Worcester all the way back to London!
(4) Route confirmation required - above is from booked timings.

Sources : Nick Bartlett (on the train from Reading to Chester only),
Norman Preedy (joined/left the train at Cheltenham Spa), Peter Watts & The F&W/Pathfinder Archive

Photo Review

Location	Adult Fare	Child Fare	Advertised (out)	Advertised (Rtn)
Paddington	£11.90	£10.90	08.00d	22.55a
Reading	£11.90	£10.90	08.35d	22.20a
Didcot	£11.80	£10.80	09.00d	22.00a
Swindon	£11.70	£10.70	09.25d	21.40a
Stroud	£11.40	£10.40	09.50d	21.05a
Cheltenham	£11.40	£10.40	10.15d	20.40a
Worcester	£11.20	£10.20	10.45d	20.10a
Hereford	£10.75	£9.75	11.25d	19.30a

A limited number of 1st class seats were available at a £3.50 supplement to the fares above.

Miles	Location	Booked (out)	Booked (rtn)
0	Paddington	07.50d	23.20a
9	Southall	08/02	23/07
18½	Slough	08/10	23/00
24¼	Maidenhead	08/17	22/56
31	Twyford	08/24	22/50
36	Reading	08.31a ~ 08.33d	22.41a ~ 22.43d
53¼	Didcot	08.55a ~ 08.57d	22.21a ~ 22.23d
?	Challow	09/10	22/11
77¼	Swindon	09.28a ~ 09.31d	21L40a ~ 21L58d
91	Kemble	09/48	21/27
102¼	Stroud	10.01a ~ 10.02d	21.09a ~ 21.10d
?	Standish Jn	10/08	21/03
113	Gloucester Yard Jn	10c15 ~ 10c16	20c55 ~ 20c56
119	Cheltenham	10.26a ~ 10.28d	20.45a ~ 20.47d
?	Ashchurch	10/36	20/38
?	Abbotswood Jn	10/48	20/28
141	Worcester Shrub Hill	10.55a ~ 10.58d	20.18a ~ 20.21d
?	Henwick	11/01	20/15
?	Malvern Wells	11/14	20/05
156½	Ledbury	11/23	19/57
?	Shelwick Jn	11/37	19/43
170¼ 0	Hereford	11L40a ~ 11L50d	19L27a ~ 19L40d
?	Shelwick Jn	12/03	19/19
12½	Leominster	12/22	18/58
?	Woofferton	12/33	18/50
38	Craven Arms	12/56	18/34
45¼	Church Stretton	13p05a ~ 13p15d	18/22
58	Shrewsbury	13w33 ~ 14w05	17w12 ~ 18w00
75¾	Gobowen	14/25	16/50
83	Ruabon	14/34	16p25a ~ 16p35d
88	Wrexham	14/42	16/16
?	Rossett	14/48	16/09
100	Chester	15.00a	16.00d

Locos Used	40042, 46027, 47226 & steam: 6960 'Raveningham Hall'
Stock Used	Booked load 10: FK-SK-SK-SK-CK-RB-BSK-SK-SK-SK (lettered A-H, J & K respectively)