29th April 1978

R.P.P.R.
The Western Ambassador Railtour

Locos Used 33059, 33118, D1013, D1062 & 47540

Route : 1Z35 throughout

Loco(s) Route
33118 + 33059 London Paddington - Reading - Basingstoke - Salisbury - Yeovil Junction - Exeter Central - Exeter St Davids
33059 + 33118 Exeter St Davids - Newton Abbot - Paignton
D1013 Paignton - Kingswear
D1062 Kingswear - Paignton
47540 (1) Paignton - Newton Abbot - Exeter St Davids - Bridgwater - Bristol Temple Meads - North Somerset Jn - Chippenham - Swindon - Didcot - Reading - London Paddington

Notes :
(1) Should have had same 33's on return leg but they were "borrowed" by BR to rescue a failed train. The train ended up with 47540, though attempts were made to get a pair of 50's from Bristol.

Source : Gary Thornton (on the train throughout)

Tour Review
(by Gary Thornton)


D1062 "Western Courier" at Kingswear  on the T&DR (photo : Maurice Orme)

Although this was only my third railtour, it was the second occasion on a tour I was to reach Paignton! The previous time being only a couple of months earlier with a somewhat more rateable form of traction on the front (Deltic 55003 "Meld"). We had been denied "Western" haulage on that visit because the T&DR preserved railway was shut owing to bridge damage caused by thawing snow.

New track a lot of the way for me as we went via Basingstoke & Yeovil to Exeter - I recall standing in the front vestibule with a couple of friends enjoying the thrash from our pair of "shredders".

This visit was more successful and D1013 "Western Ranger" and D1062 "Western Courier" were both sampled for haulage (one out for one back). One of my friends Fathers knew the owner of D1013 and we were armed with a letter permitting us a visit to the cab - no cab ride but we did "cab" D1013 at Paignton.

Our tour stock re-appeared with a 47 on the front - it seems British Rail had taken our 33's to rescue a failed train! Rumours of a loco swap at Bristol to a pair of 50's was promising but in the event we had to make do with the 47 all the way back to London.

Gary Thornton.

Timings : Booked (& Actual)
(by Gary Thornton/John Clifford/Clive Barlow)

Location Booked Actual
Paddington 08.03d 08/07
Southall 08/14 08/16
Slough 08/22 08/23
Maidenhead 08/27 08/28
Twyford 08/33 08/34
Reading 08.38a ~ 08.43d 08.40 ~ 08.45
Southcote Jn 08/49 08/49
Basingstoke 09.04a ~ 09.06d 09.04 ~ 09.06
Worting Jn 09/10 09/10
Andover Jn 09/23 09/23
Tunnel Jn 09/36 09/36
Salisbury 09.39a ~ 09.48d 09.39 ~ 09.48
Wilton Jn 09/52 09/52
Wilton South 09/53 09/53½
Gillingham 10/14 10/10
Templecombe 10/23 10/15½
Yeovil Junction 10/35 10/29½
Chard Jn 10.58a ~ 11.03d 10.49 ~ 11.03
Axminster 11.10a ~ 11.20d 11.09½ ~ 11.20
Honiton 11/36 11/32
Pinhoe Crossing 11/48 11/43
Exmouth Jn 11/50 11/44½
Exeter Central 11/52 11/47
Exeter St Davids 11.55a ~ 12.05d 11.50 ~ 12.09
Dawlish Warren 12/17 12/19½
Newton Abbot 12.28a ~ 12.30d 12/30
Aller Jn 12/32 12/32
Paignton 12.45a ~ 18.00d 12.43 ~ 18.00
Aller Jn 18/13 18/11
Newton Abbot 18.15a ~ 18.17d 18/13
Dawlish Warren 18/28 18/23½
Exeter St Davids 18/40 18/34
Cowley Bridge Jn 18/42 18/36
Whiteball Tunnel 19/02 18/53
Taunton 19/15 19/01½
Bridgwater 19/27 19/12½
Uphill Jn 19/38 19/24
Worle Jn 19/40 19/27
Bristol Temple Meads 19.58a ~ 20.00d 19.45 ~ 19.58
North Somerset Jn 20/02 20/01½
Bath Spa 20/12 20/12½
Bathampton Jn 20/15 20/16
Chippenham 20/25 20/25½
Wootton Bassett 20/37 20/34
Swindon 20/42 20/39
Challow 20/53 20/51
Didcot 21/02 20/59
Reading 21.23a ~ 21.25d 21.15 ~ 21.17½
Twyford 21/33 21/28
Maidenhead 21/38 21/33½
Slough 21/42 21/38
Southall 21/49 21/44½
Paddington 22.00a 21.57

 

  B A B A
Paignton 11.30d 13.00d 14.30d 16.00d
Goodrington 11/33 13/03 14/33 16/.03
Churston 11.43a ~ 11.53d 13.13a ~ 13.23d 14.43a ~ 14.53d 16.13a ~ 1623d
Kingswear 12.05a 13.35a 15.05a 16.35a
  A B A B
Kingswear 12.15d 13.45d 15.15d 16.45d
Churston 12/30 14/00 15/30 17/00
Goodrington 12/40 14/10 15/40 17/10
Paignton 12.45a 14.15a 15.45a 17.15a

A : hauled by D1062
B : hauled by D1013

Back to "The Railtour Files - 1978"