27th January 1979

F & W Railtours
The East Anglian

Locos Used 31019, 37188, 37291, 40052, 46023 & 46036
Stock Used Booked for load 11 formed: SO+SO+SO+SO+RB+FK+FK+BSK+SO+SO+SO (5)

Route : 1Z16 throughout

Loco(s) Route
46036 Worcester Shrub Hill - Droitwich Spa - Kidderminster - Stourbridge Junction - Galton Jn - Soho South Jn - Birmingham New Street
40052 Birmingham New Street - Proof House Jn - St Andrews Jn - Bordesley Jn - Kings Norton - Bromsgrove - Stoke Works Jn - Spetchley - Abbotswood Jn - Cheltenham Spa - Barnwood Jn - Gloucester
40052 + 46023 (2) Gloucester - Gloucester Yard Jn - Standish Jn - Stroud - Swindon - Didcot Parkway - Reading - Twyford - Slough - Acton Main Line - Acton Wells Jn - Willesden Junction HL - Camden Road Jn - Dalston Western Jn - Stratford
31019 Stratford - (via GEML) - Stowmarket (3)
31019 Stowmarket - (via GEML) - Stratford
46023 Stratford - (reverse of outward route) - Gloucester
????? Gloucester - (reverse of outward route) (4) - Worcester Shrub Hill

Notes :
(1) Route confirmation required - above is from booked timings except where stated in note (3). 40052 originally uploaded as 40042 in error.
(2) 46023 was provided for train heating purposes.
(3) Train was destined for Lowestoft (via Norwich on outward and Saxmundam on the return) but turned around (for reasons undisclosed) at Stowmarket. The Norwich to Lowestoft section was booked to have been worked by a March MPD based class 37.
(4) The letter despatched with the tour tickets commented; 'The Western Region have put the Lickey bankers on standby for the evening ascent of the Bank - these should be two class 37s'. Were they used and if so, which ones were they?
(5) Photographic evidence confirms the leading coach out of Stratford behind 31019 was W4751 (see photo below).
(6) Various problems on the day (principally late running due to loco issues/frozen points and inadequately heated coaches) resulted in B.R. offering a free re-run (see 29th September 1979). One disgruntled passenger is reported to have put forward the suggestion that 'F & W' actually stood for 'Freeze and Wait'.

Sources : various including Harry Harper (joined the train at Birmingham New Street/left at Stratford),
Rob Clayton (on the train throughout), Andrew Young & The F&W/Pathfinder Archive

Photo Review


40052+46023 pause to collect passengers at Stroud (photo: N.E. Preedy/The F&W/Pathfinder Archive)


31019 departing from Stratford (photo: D. Jackman/The F&W/Pathfinder Archive)


31019 ?on arriving back into Stratford? (photo: J. Chalcraft/The F&W/Pathfinder Archive)


Timings (Advertised & Booked)
(from Rob Clayton & The F&W/Pathfinder Archive)

Advertised Timings and Fares

Location Adult Fare Advertised (out) Advertised (rtn)
Worcester Shrub Hill £5.95 07.00d 23.55a
Birmingham New Street £5.95 07.50d 23.15a
Cheltenham Spa £5.50 08.45d 22.25a
Gloucester £5.50 09.10d 22.00a
Stroud £5.50 09.30d 21.40a
Swindon £5.00 10.05d 21.05a
Reading £5.00 10.50d 20.20a
Ipswich ** - Approx. 13.00a Approx. 18.00d

'A limited number of 1st class seats are available at a £1 supplement'. No child fares were advertised on this tour.
** This tour was also advertised as 'in association with Matson Rugby Football Club' as a way to convey fans to the John Player Cup (1st round game) between Ipswich and Matson. Pick-up points on that advert were Cheltenham, Gloucester, Stroud and Swindon with a £5 fare from any of them (or £6 if booking 1st class).

Booked Timings

Miles Location Booked (out) Booked (rtn) Miles
0 Worcester Shrub Hill 07.00d 00.25a ?
5¼ Droitwich Spa 07/08 00/16 ?
10¾ Hartlebury 07/15 00/10 ?
14½ Kidderminster 07/19 00/06 ?
21¼ Stourbridge Junction 07/30 23/59 ?
29¼ Smethwick West 07/50 23/46 ?
? Galton Jn 07/50½ 23/45 ?
? Soho South Jn 07/56½ 23/42½ ?
33¼ Birmingham New Street 08.00a ~ 08.08d 23.33a ~ 23.37d ?
34 St Andrews Jn 08/14½ 23/26½ ?
? Camp Hill 08/17½ 23/24 ?
40 Kings Norton 08/23 23/15 ?
45 Barnt Green 08/35 23/10 ?
49 Bromsgrove 08/38 22.55 ~ 22.58 ?
? Stoke Works Jn 08/40 22/52 ?
? Abbotswood Jn 08/48 22/43 ?
80¼ Cheltenham Spa 09.03a ~ 09.04d 22.25a ~ 22.27d ?
86¾ Gloucester 09.12½a ~ 09.25d 22.02a ~ 22.12d ?
? Standish Jn 09/34 21/35 ?
98¼ Stroud 09.40a ~ 09.41d 21.46a ~ 21.47d ?
109½ Kemble 09/56½ 21/32 ?
? Swindon Loco Yard ? 21.13 ~ 21.19 ?
123¼ Swindon 10.08a ~ 10.13d 21.07a ~ 21.10d ?
147¼ Didcot Parkway 10/34 20/40 ?
164½ Reading 10.48a ~ 10.50d 20.21a ~ 20.23d ?
169 Twyford 10/53 20/16 ?
176¼ Maidenhead 11/03 20/11 ?
182 Slough 11/10 20/05 ?
191½ Southall 11/17 19/58 ?
194¾ Ealing Broadway 11.23a ~ 11.25d 19.50a ~ 19.52d ?
? Acton Wells Jn 11/32 19/43 ?
197 Willesden Junction HL 11.34a ~ 11.36d 19.38a ~ 19.40d ?
? Camden Road Jn 11/48 19/26 ?
205½ Dalston Western Jn 11/54 19/20 ?
210 Stratford 12/05 19/07 ?
226¼ Shenfield ? ? ?
235¾ Chelmsford ? ? ?
257¾ Colchester 12/57 18/21 ?
265½ Manningtree ? ? ?
274¾ Ipswich 13.20 ~ 13.25 18.00 ~ 18.02 393½

 

Miles Location Booked
283 Needham Market ?
286½ Stowmarket 13.40 ~ 13.50
301 Diss ?
321 Norwich 14.28a ~ 14.45d
326¾ Brundall ?
333¼ Reedham ?
343 Oulton Broad North 15.20 ~ 15.30
344½ Lowestoft 15.35a ~ 16.48d
353 Beccles ?
371¼ Saxmundham ?

Timings continue in first table.

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